of our Lord Jesus Christ. A But that Christ Jesus—whose blessed God and Father is—is also the Father of his own disciples, not only that God is their God, but also their Father; for having risen from the dead, he says to Mary: “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and tell them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father; to my God and your God.” I think that he at that time granted to Abraham, and to Isaac, and to Jacob, that he was no longer their God alone, but also their Father. The divine Luke added to this: “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living,” which is also contained in Matthew and Mark, and Luke added that as well: B “For all live to him,” which was indeed a praise for the patriarchs, and not a minor one; for this great Savior of ours testifying to them, not only that they are alive, but that living, they live to God, and not to any other. This, “For all live to him,” it is fitting in every way to exercise and to embrace, so that we may all live in Christ to no other, but to God. And this demonstration concerning the patriarchs, briefly comprised in words and drawn from the writings of Moses, he put forward for the sake of those who accepted only those things as divine, C “and the crowds, hearing [this], were amazed,” and welcomed the teaching of the most wise Savior, and capable of converting those who were disbelieving; for the crowds were amazed, and were able to reconcile to him even those who were little inclined to believe him.
ANCIENT INTERPRETATION
their communion, God of them: but God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob: as if each of them had a separate God. And it is said elsewhere, “God of Elijah.” But Christ is the God and Father. What a great favor he also bestowed upon his disciples, that not only is he their God, but also Father, as he says to Mary after his resurrection: “Go to my brothers, and say to them: I am ascending to my Father and to your Father, to my God and to your God.” Luke, however, added this further: “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” For they all live, which respects a not insignificant praise of the patriarchs, who not only were alive, but were living for God, as they were living, and for no one else, so that we may hasten to live for none other, except for God.
SERIES
ANCIENT INTERPRETATION OF THE COMMENTARY OF ORIGEN ON MATTHEW (77).1. At that time, when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had closed the mouth of the Sadducees, they came together, D and one of them, testing him, asked: Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? He himself said to them: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment, and the rest. When the Lord, to the interrogation of the Sadducees that there is no resurrection, by not wanting to demonstrate it from the example of the law, as Matthew says, silence to the Sadducees imposed Jesus: wishing to show that they, by the bitter and harmful voice of falsehood, had made the clarity of truth mute. Just as, therefore, the Savior by the word of his doctrine imposed silence upon the Sadducees, and the false dogma, which among them was held to be the truth, he refuted confidently: so those who imitate Christ, by the example of the Scriptures, by which it behooves one according to sound doctrine to make every voice of Pharaoh mute, in
having been asked the first, he brought forward also the second, lacking nothing of the first. And if there is a first commandment and another second, there might be also a third and another fourth and so on. For [those hearing] what is written in the Law concerning the divine sayings, that “bind them upon your hand, and they shall be immovable before your eyes,” [those] acting according to their deeds “in order to be seen by men,” having written certain sayings of the Law onto two small pieces of parchment and having bound them, they wear one as a crown upon [the] head, placing what is written against the forehead, and the other against the arm of the other of the hands; and they call these “phylacteries.” And thus also, having found something concerning a fringe in Deuteronomy, they think they are keeping the Law by making a certain fringe on some thread which they wear on their garments. “For they cannot have killed Zechariah, son of Barachiah, who was ranked among the twelve, [who is] now being reproached by the Savior.”
A in which he says boastfully: "Mine are the rivers, and I have made them," as it is written in Ezekiel. The Sadducees, therefore, who say there is no resurrection, questioned the Savior about things that are written, thinking they could impose silence upon him. But neither Jesus nor his beloved disciples are ever silenced by the impious; for it is proper that silence be imposed upon the Sadducees by Christ. For the just man is silent, indeed, knowing the time to keep silent and the time to speak, but he does not become mute. And just as it is proper for the just to be silent, but not to become mute, so it is proper for the Sadducees, and all who are teachers of falsehood, to become mute, but not to be silent. For even if they become mute as regards the matter, they are not, however, silent. Therefore, the Lord did not say to the man, but to the sea: "Be silent, B and be mute," rebuking it when it was stirred up. However, the Pharisees, who agree about the resurrection, hearing that he had imposed silence upon the Sadducees, came together as one, since the dogma of the resurrection was prevailing, and those were gathered who would not have gathered so long as silence was not imposed upon the Sadducees. Nevertheless, even if they were gathered, because the proof of the resurrection held sway, yet one of them questioned him, not as if wanting to learn what he was asking, but tempting the Lord God. We ought to consider every man who questions any of the teachers about any chapter, not for the sake of learning but for the sake of tempting, to be a brother of that Pharisee who tempted the Savior with his question. For Christ takes upon himself all things that are done to his saints, whether by those who plot against them C or by those who love them; for we ought to treat of those things which are not written according to those things which are written. For it is written that he said for the sake of those who were hungry and thirsty: "I was hungry, and I was thirsty," and for the sake of the naked, the strangers, the sick, and those placed in prison: "I was naked; and I was a stranger; and I was sick; and I was in prison." According to the sequence of the analogy, let us also add: "I have suffered injuries, I have been struck, and I have been tempted," and all things. And just as in those things which are written, the word of the Lord is true, saying: "As long as you did it to one of these least, you did it to me"; so when the just man has suffered injury, or has been blasphemed, or has suffered anything of the sort, place Christ upon those who have done it, saying to them: "When you did injury to one of these least, you tempted me, you blasphemed me."
2. Let us see the argument of the one tempting: "Master," he says, "which is the great commandment in the law?" He who was tempting was saying "Master," because he was not uttering this voice as a disciple of Christ. This will be more manifest from the example we shall give. Suppose a father is the father of his son, and no one can properly call him father except his son; and a mother is the mother of her daughter, and no one can call her mother except her daughter alone. So too, a master is master of his own disciple, and a disciple is a disciple of his master. Therefore, no one can say "Master" well, unless he is a disciple. And see whether it is not for this reason that he said to his disciples: "You call me Master and Lord, and you say well: for I am." The disciples of Christ, therefore, rightly call him master, and those who serve his word rightly call him Lord. Whence the Apostle rightly said: "But to us there is one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him." And consider that which he says: "It is enough for a disciple that he be not simply like a master, but like his master." If, therefore, anyone does not learn from the Word, nor gives himself over with his whole heart so that he may become his beloved planting, but calls him "Master," he is a brother of the Pharisee tempting Christ and saying to him: "Master." So too, everyone who says: "Our Father who art in heaven," D ought not to have a spirit of servitude in fear, but a spirit of adoption of sons. But he who does not have the spirit of adoption of sons, and says "Our Father who art in heaven," lies, when he is not a son of God, yet calls God his Father. Moreover, the question itself is as follows: "Which is the great commandment in the law?" In which it is fitting that we set forth something concerning the difference of the commandments. For some commandments are great, and some are subsequent; and thus, one ought to inquire through the order down to the least commandments. For if he had not responded to the tempting Pharisee saying, "Which is the greater commandment in the law?", we would logically think that there is no commandment greater than another commandment. But now, when he responds and says: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind; this is the great and first commandment," we learn a necessary judgment concerning the commandments, since some are great and some are inferior, down to the very least. Furthermore, attend also to the fact that the Pharisee asked: "Which is the great commandment in the law?" But the Lord, responding to him, teaches us that it is not only a great commandment to love the Lord, but also the first. And "first" not in the order of Scripture, but in the dignity of virtue. And this is to be noted as fitting for this place, because, as though many commandments had been established, so now he said this is the great and first commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. The second is like to the first, and great because of the similarity: You shall love your neighbor as yourself," so that according to this we understand that there is also another which is third in magnitude and order, and yet another which is fourth; and thus, counting the commandments of the law by order, one who has received wisdom from God might order them down to the least. But this task belongs to no one else, except to Christ alone, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God. Therefore, from the times of Moses until the advent of the Savior, when the law was read, perhaps it was sought what was the great commandment in it. Neither
A had the Pharisee asked this, had it not been sought among them, and not found, until Jesus, by coming, taught not only that it was great, but also first, and that the second was like the first. It is, therefore, His work to discover also the third, and the fourth, and the rest. But you might ask whether there is any commandment that does not possess both—that is, so that it is both first and great—but only one of these. And I think the Apostle says something like this to the Ephesians 87: *Honor your father and mother*, which is the first commandment in promise, *that it may be well with you and you may be long-lived upon the earth*. Therefore, it is indeed first, but not also great: *Honor your father and mother*. And if there is any which is indeed great, but not also first, you will enquire about the difference in the magnitude of the commandments. And because, in comparison with the commandments, there are others which are least, it is useful to bring forward as an example what the Lord Himself says 88: *Whoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of God*. And the Savior, indeed, when delivering what was the great and first commandment, in response to the question of the tempting Pharisee; and adding also the second, similar to the first, which was: *You shall love your neighbor as yourself* 89, He adds, saying: *On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets* 90. The Apostle, however, says to the Romans 91: *You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, and if there is any other commandment, it is recapitulated in this word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself*. Let us see, therefore, whether it is one thing for all the law and the prophets to hang upon these two commandments concerning the love of God and neighbor, and another for every commandment to be recapitulated in this commandment: *You shall love your neighbor as yourself*; or whether all the commandments both hang and are recapitulated in both. Someone says, therefore, that commandments hang from commandments, and that the second and similar to the first hangs from the first and great; and from the second the third, and so on, all things which are after the second hang from those that precede. And [he might say] that the Apostle, according to the consideration of the matter, said that every commandment hangs from the commandment: *You shall love your neighbor as yourself*; but that the Savior taught that these two commandments have the dominion over all the commandments. Another, however, discussing it, will ask how it is said: *You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, and if there is any other commandment in the law, it is recapitulated in this word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself*. He will say, therefore: and that commandment, *You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind*, is recapitulated in that commandment: *You shall love your neighbor as yourself*. For how can it be true what he says, *And if there is any other commandment, it is recapitulated in this word*, unless even the commandment which is set down concerning the love of God is recapitulated in the second, and similar to the first? And if the first commandment is recapitulated in the second, it is necessary B that it be greater than the former. Therefore, every commandment is recapitulated 832, but also that first and great one is in this second: *You shall love your neighbor as yourself*; because, if we love ourselves, if we have done anything, we love God Himself, who is the author of our love, so that we may love one another, and be loved by one another. For giving thanks in that we are rational, and have been called to the knowledge of God, and attain His benefits and grace, we recapitulate the love of God in the second, which is similar to the first. Therefore, the great and first commandment in the law is this: *You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind* 92. But he subtracts from its magnitude, and from its primacy, who subtracts anything from that whole commandment, that is, either from that which he says, *with all your heart*, or *with all your soul*, or *with all your mind*. And perhaps all who love God, and their Lord, unless they fulfill the following parts, and have loved *with all their heart*, and *with all their soul*, and *with all their mind*, serve the commandment in part; but those alone take upon themselves its magnitude and primacy who not only love their Lord God, but also have taken up those three things—that is, that with all their heart they store it up within themselves, and its operations and its thoughts: and with all their soul, that is, that they are prepared to lay it down for the piety of God who created all things, when the utility of the Word requires it, from the fact that he loves God *with all his soul*, so that no part of the soul may be drawn away to any thing which is alien to the faith: and in our whole mind thinking or uttering nothing except those things which are of God. And see if you can take the heart for the intellect—which is looking upon things in intelligible [realities], and showing the source and principle of them, which is God—but the mind for the uttering of things. For by the mind we utter individual things, and through each signified thing we walk, as it were, with our mind, and utter them. And if anyone ingeniously understands the commandment which is set down concerning love in all those three which are named, and has considered the love of God in each and every one of the faithful, he will perhaps find the whole commandment either in one, perhaps, or the second, or the third—and this if it has been given to all—or [finding] the love of God as having less, or little, or more, either from that which he says *with all your heart*, or from that which he says, *with all your soul*, or *with all your mind*. C is the love of man who was made according to the image of God, perhaps also according to the likeness. But in the exposition of the commandment which is set down concerning the love of neighbor, these things also are to be learned. Since, according to what is said in the tenth psalm 93: *He who loves iniquity, hates his own soul*; and according to what is said in Proverbs 94: *He who rejects discipline, hates himself*; it is manifest that no one loving iniquity loves his neighbor.
A
4. After these things, you ask how all the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments. The text seems to show that all things whatsoever that are written, whether in Exodus, or in Leviticus, or in Numbers, or in Deuteronomy, hang on these two commandments. But how do the law which is set forth concerning lepers, or those suffering from an issue of blood, or menstruous women, hang on these commandments? Furthermore, how does the prophecy which is set forth concerning the capture of Jerusalem, or the vision of Egypt in Isaiah and the other prophets, how also the vision of Tyre, or whatsoever is prophesied concerning Tyre, or the prince of Tyre, how also the vision of the four-footed beasts in the desert in Isaiah hang on these two commandments? B
What appears to me in this place is of this kind. He who has fulfilled all that is written concerning the love of God and of one's neighbor is worthy to receive the greatest graces from God, by which the word of wisdom is provided through the Holy Spirit, through whom is the word of knowledge which is according to the spirit. Being established as worthy of all these gifts, he exults in the wisdom of God, having a heart full of the love of God, and the whole soul illuminated by the light of knowledge, and the whole mind with the word of God. Having attained such gifts from God, he certainly understands that the whole law and the prophets are in some part from all the wisdom and knowledge of God, and he understands that the whole law and the prophets hang and adhere from the principle of the love of the Lord God and one's neighbor, and that the perfection of piety consists in love. C
These things which we have said are indeed sufficient; yet, for the demonstration of its magnitude, it is nonetheless fitting to add these things: *Charity is patient, is kind. Charity is not puffed up, does not act perversely, is not ambitious, is not provoked, does not think evil, does not rejoice over iniquity, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, charity never faileth.* For no one who is pusillanimous possesses charity, nor one doing anything contrary to kindness, nor one harboring the zeal which the patriarchs had against Joseph, or Aaron and Miriam against Moses. And no one who is puffed up has love, nor one doing anything perversely, nor he who is stirred to anger. Furthermore, no one who thinks evil has charity in a defiled heart. He who has charity never rejoices over any unjust thing, D but always rejoices with the truth. He who has charity bears all bitter accidents, and does not believe in part, but believes all, and does not hope in part, but hopes all, and there is nothing which charity does not tolerate, but it tolerates all things. And because charity never fails, the Apostle confidently said that he had received it: *Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall tribulation, or distress, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? As it is written: Because for Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.* For he was saying this on account of love: *But in all these things we overcome because of Him who loved us.* For from love which never fails were those voices of him who said: *For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.* And because the Apostle had the two commandments of love, of God and of neighbor, he therefore had within himself the mysteries of the whole Law and the Prophets made manifest, so that, understanding them, he said that all the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.
5. Now Jesus, having gathered the Pharisees, says to them: *What think you of Christ, whose son is He?* They say to Him, *David*. Jesus says to them: *How then does David in spirit call Him Lord, saying: The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on My right hand, until I make Thy enemies Thy footstool? If David then calls Him Lord, how is He his son?* And no man was able to answer Him a word, neither did any man dare from that day forward to ask Him any more questions. The words themselves are indeed placed in the one hundred and ninth psalm: *The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at My right hand, until I make Thy enemies Thy footstool.* But as though the Pharisees were confessing that He who indeed spoke is the Lord God, and He to whom He spoke is the second Lord, Christ, the Savior questions them, saying: *What think you of Christ, whose son is He?* And to their response, who said: *David*, He adds, saying: *If David calls Him Lord, how is He his son?* The matter is worthy for us to see what the Savior purposed, in setting forth the question concerning Christ to the Pharisees, that they should answer what they thought, and what was the cause that they could not give Him an answer. And some more simple person among the disputants will say that the will of the Savior was this: to curb the boldness of the Pharisees who were proposing many things to Him, and likewise of the Sadducees who had proposed to Him concerning the seven brothers and their one wife. Since, therefore, the Pharisees and Sadducees, by proposing many things, seemed to be saying something, and by doing this they were not desiring to learn as disciples, but were tempting Christ, and so seemed to be teachers of the law when they were not, it was therefore necessary for the Lord to set forth a question to them, as they were claiming to have knowledge of the law, that He might refute them before the people, when they could not answer the questions put to them.
But it is probable, as Josephus says, that the Zechariah now spoken of is the father of John, concerning whom we have no proof from the Scriptures that he was the son of Barachiah, nor that the scribes and the Pharisees murdered him between the temple and the altar. But there has come down to us such a tradition as this: that there was a certain place in the temple where it was permitted for the virgins to enter and worship God, but they did not permit those who had already experienced the marriage bed to be there. Therefore, Mary, after she gave birth to our Savior, came to worship and stood in the place of the virgins. And when those who knew that she had given birth prevented her, Zechariah told those who were preventing her that she was worthy of the place of the virgins, as she still was a virgin. When, therefore, they were acting clearly against the law and permitting a woman to be in the place of the virgins, the people of that generation killed him between the temple and the altar. They are reproached, therefore, by the Savior, not as sons of those who killed the prophets and Zechariah together with the prophets, but as those who themselves committed the murder.
INDEX OF GREEK AND LATIN TERMS
F—Failure, [i]ardiourgein[/i]. Falsifying the words of the Lord, [i]ardiourgountes ta logia tou Kyriou[/i], i.e., adulterating divine oracles, dealing with them in bad faith, 2. Falsification, [i]ardiourgēma[/i]. A fabrication, 91. False speech, [i]pseudēgoria[/i]. A false statement, 47 and elsewhere. A falsehood, 250. A falsifier, [i]pseudēs[/i]. Lying, false, 79. A fiction, [i]plasma[/i]. A fabrication that someone has constructed, 7 and elsewhere; also, a work that someone has fashioned or formed, 178. Figure, idea. Form, 25 and elsewhere. To figure, [i]morphoun[/i]. To form, 37 and elsewhere. To figure, [i]diatypon[/i]. To express, 87. Figuration. Form, image, 236. Bound. Compared to, 135. End, [i]telos[/i]. Perfection, consummation, 9. Fixing, [i]pēxis[/i]. Concretion, 26. Shall flourish. It shall flourish, 251. To have been formed, [i]exeikonisthai[/i]. To have been adumbrated, 87. Formation, [i]morphōsis[/i]. Form, 6; also, species, effigy, character, 12 and n. and elsewhere. To fructify, [i]karpophorein[/i]. To bring forth fruit, 4. To fructify, [i]karpophorein[/i]. To bring forth, to produce, 7 and elsewhere. Fructification. An invention, an excogitation, 20, 22. To be made to fructify. To be born, to come forth; Gr. [i]karpophoṛeisthai[/i], 251. Fructification, [i]karpophoria[/i]. Fecundity, 53. In vain and as it happens. In vain and rashly; Gr. [i]eikē kai hōs etychen[/i], 153. To be frustrated. To deceive, to cheat, 221. To be frustrated. To reject, to make void, to swerve from a right notion, to despise, to cast away; Gr. [i]athetein[/i], 253, 256, 241 and elsewhere. G—Generation, [i]genesis[/i]. Offspring, progeny, son, 12 and n. Generation, [i]anagennēsis[/i]. Regeneration, 72. Generosity. Splendor of birth, noble lineage; Gr. [i]eugeneia[/i], 134. Gnosis. Science, knowledge. Gr. [i]gnōsis[/i], 108. Gnostic; [i]Gnōstikos[/i]. Knowing, intelligent, spiritual. A name which the disciples of Simon Magus, Menander, etc., and the disciples of Valentinus arrogated to themselves, 52 and elsewhere. To give thanks, [i]eucharistein[/i]. To recall with grateful memory, to celebrate, 31; also, to consecrate, namely bread and wine in the sacrament of the Eucharist, 60. To congratulate. To rejoice, to be glad, 311. Congratulation, [i]chara[/i]. Joy, gladness, 22 and elsewhere. Heavily, [i]sobarōs[/i]. Arrogantly, with pride, 20. Tasting, [i]geusis[/i]. Taste, 87. H—To have, [i]exein[/i]. To have something to do, [i]exein ti poiein[/i], for "to be able to do something," 2 and elsewhere often. Habitude, [i]ektika[/i]. Things which have contracted a firmness of habit, robust, valid, 22. Habit. Figure, form; Gr. [i]schēma[/i], 151, 154. To inherit. To become an heir, to obtain by hereditary right, 259. Hebdomad, [i]hebdomas[/i]. The number seven. Thus the Valentinians used to call their Demiurge, because he would have his throne above the seventh heaven, 24. By this name also they designate the seven heavens created by the Demiurge, 26. Everywhere also he called the number seven "hebdomad." Hecatontas. The number one hundred; Gr. [i]hekatontas[/i], 328. Hedone, [i]Hēdonē[/i]. Pleasure. The name of the wife of the fourth Aeon of the Valentinians, him who is called Autophyes, 6. Hedylosmon. Mint, an odorous herb; Gr. [i]hēdyosmon[/i], 151. Helix, [i]helix[/i]. A vine tendril; Gr. [i]helix[/i], 239. Hen, [i]hen[/i]. One, unity, 54, 134. Henosis, [i]Henōsis[/i]. Union; the name of the wife of the twelfth Aeon of the Valentinians, the Agent, 6. Henotes, [i]henotēs[/i]. Unity, 54, 55. Hexaonic compaction, [i]hexaontos sympēxis[/i]. The coaptation of six Aeons, 13 and n. Indeed this... but that. Now indeed... now however, 307. And this. And indeed, 139. Man, [i]anthrōpos[/i]. The name of the seventh Aeon of the Valentinians. Frequent in Irenaeus. Honest, [i]eupargos[/i]. Elegantly adorned, dressed, 61. Horos, Horus. [i]Horos[/i]. Term. A power, among the Valentinians, which bounded the Pleroma, and which confirmed and guarded everything outside of the ineffable magnitude, 9 and elsewhere often. Horothetes. [i]Horothetēs[/i]. Bounder, the establisher of law, and arbiter of conditions. The cognomen of the Horos of the Valentinians, 10 and n., 13. Hylic, [i]hylikos[/i]. Concrete from matter, 24 and elsewhere. To hymnize. To celebrate with hymns, to extol with praises; Gr. [i]hymnizein[/i], 99, 108, 126. Hypocrite. An actor, a mimic; Gr. [i]hypokritēs[/i], 133. I—Idiocy, [i]idiōtikōs[/i]. In common speech, in a rude and simple style, 4. Idiocy, [i]akairos[/i]. Imprudently, untimely, 329. Idiotism. Simplicity, inexperience; Gr. [i]idiōtismos[/i], 328. To be suitable. See To be sufficient. Ignoscence. Indulgence; Gr. [i]syngnōmē[/i]. Imaginal, [i]eikonikos[/i]. By which something is adumbrated, 70. To imagine, [i]exeikonizesthai[/i]. To adumbrate, to express an image, 84. To become immemorable. To be erased from the memory of men, 500. Immoration, [i]diatribē[/i]. Sojourning, 39. Immortality, [i]aphtharsia[/i]. Incorruptibility, 18. It is impossible. He is unequal, impotent; Gr. [i]adynatos esti[/i], 255. In this, [i]epi touto[/i]. Henceforth, thence, afterward, 12. In us, [i]eis hēmas[/i]. For "to us," 98. In whom, [i]eph' hous[/i]. Over whom, 96. In once. Once and for all; Gr. [i]eis hapax[/i], 307. Inanimal, inanimate. Lacking soul, devoid of soul, 300. Inanimates. Inanimate things, inanimate objects, 131, 282. Inapprehensibly, [i]akratētōs[/i]. Safe from apprehension (scil. of inferior powers); so that they cannot be apprehended by them, 32. Incapable, [i]achōrētos[/i]. Which cannot be contained by the mind. Incomprehensible, 8, 11 and elsewhere. To begin to act, to prophesy, to be loved, etc., [i]mellō touto poiein, prophēteuein, phileisthai[/i], etc. For "we do, I am going to do, I will prophesy, it will be prophesied, I will be loved, I am to be loved," etc., 62 and elsewhere often. Incomprehensible, [i]akratētos[/i]. Which cannot be taken, or restrained, 33, 64 and elsewhere. Incomprehensibly. So that it cannot be apprehended, held; Gr. [i]akratētōs[/i], 204. Inconsequently. Dissolutely, inordinately, ineptly, 144, 517. Inconsonantly, [i]asymphōnōs[/i]. Dissentingly, discordantly, although this is less Latin. Dissenting from one another, 94. Inconstable. Which cannot stand, absurd, unsound, 316. Inconstability, [i]amēchania[/i]. Poverty of counsel, difficulty, 20. Inconstancy, Idem, ibid. Inconstant. Which cannot consist, absurd; Gr. [i]asystatos[/i], 118 and elsewhere. Inconstant. Which cannot stand and hold; Gr. [i]asystaton[/i], 218. Inconsummation, [i]atelēs[/i]. Imperfection, 9. Increpative. A power of rebuking.
ORIGEN ON MATTHEW
A over his disciples, he said: Behold my mother and my brethren. For whoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is to me mother and brother. And expounding the preceding parables, Matthew writes: Jesus went out from the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that going up into a boat, he sat, and all the people stood on the shore, and he spoke to them many things in parables, saying: Behold, the sower went out to sow his seed. And lest you think that the narration of the sower is positioned there by chance, because Jesus spoke it to the crowds, consider the exposition of Mark and Luke, who wrote similarly. Mark indeed says: He began again to teach by the sea; and a great multitude was gathered unto him, so that he went into a boat, and sat in the sea; and all the people were by the sea on the land; and he taught them many things in parables, and said to them: The sower went out to sow. Luke, moreover, in this manner: When a great multitude had come together, and out of every city they came unto him, he spoke such a parable: The sower went out to sow his seed. But the evangelists, clearly knowing the difference between the people and the disciples, added after the parable that he was no longer explaining the cause to the crowds, but to the disciples, as to why he spoke to the crowds in parables. Matthew indeed says thus: The disciples came and said to him: Why speakest thou to them in parables? Luke, however, thus: And his disciples asked him what this parable might be. But Mark thus: And when they were alone, they asked him what this parable was. And see if you can hear and learn from the Gospel of John, that if they only believe, and do not desire to ascend in the word, they are Christ’s people. But those who emulate better gifts, and who are students of the word of wisdom, which is the first of all graces, are his disciples. John says thus, that Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him: But if you abide in my word, you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Therefore he says certain things to his disciples, and certain things to the crowds, but other things to the crowds and disciples at once, just as are these very presences of which we speak now. Let us see, then, what he says to the crowds and the disciples: The scribes and the Pharisees have sat on the chair of Moses. Which I judge to be of this kind: Whoever profess themselves to interpret the law of Moses, and glory in this, or who profess themselves to transcend these things, they sit on the chair of Moses. Those, therefore, who do not deviate from the letter of the Law are called Scribes. But those who, professing something greater, divide themselves as if they were better than the many, are called Pharisees according to this—who are interpreted as divided and set apart. For Phares is called division. It is, therefore, possible to see up to this day among the Jews the Scribes and Pharisees sitting on the chair of Moses. B I say this, because the Scribes and Pharisees alone sat on Moses' chair, who said, and did not, and bound heavy and unbearable burdens upon the shoulders of men, but they themselves would not move them with a finger. For I think that those who understand and expound Moses according to his spiritual virtue, do indeed sit on the chair of Moses, but they are not Scribes and Pharisees; rather, they are better than them. Of such a kind are the beloved disciples of Christ, who also interpret his word through the grace of God, and find things that signify one thing from another. Therefore, before the coming of Christ, those who interpreted well and according to reason the things said by Moses sat well on the chair of Moses. But after the coming of Christ, they sit on the chair of the Church, which is the chair of Christ and his throne. Just as, however, the Scribes and Pharisees sat badly upon the chair of Moses, but those who correctly understood and handed down the law sat well, so too upon the ecclesiastical chair sit some who say what each one ought to do, but do it not, and binding heavy burdens, they place them upon the shoulders of men, themselves not willing to move them with a finger; of whom the Savior said: Whoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But others of those who sit act before they speak, and they speak, wisely tempering the differences of temperaments, and they lay burdens upon them sparingly, themselves moving them first toward the exhortation of those who hear, of whom the Lord says: But he who shall do and teach so, shall be called great in the kingdom of God. C 10. But furthermore, according to the simple tradition of this saying where he says: According to all whatsoever they shall say to you, do, but according to their works do not ye, we say that by these things he wished to show that there are some in the Church who, in word indeed, are powerful in teaching wonderful things, and expound them according to reason, but do not wish to act according to what they say: whose doctrine indeed is to be heard, but their conversation is not to be imitated. He therefore reproves such teachers who not only do not do what they teach, but also cruelly and without mercy, and not according to the estimation of the strengths of each one who hears, but greater things according to their own virtue, they impose; as, for instance, those who forbid to marry, and from that which is expedient, compel them to immoderate purity. Who also teach to abstain from foods, and other things of this kind, to which it is not at all necessary to force the faithful, they bind by the word of their exposition heavy burdens, beyond the will of Christ saying: My yoke is sweet, and my burden is light, and they place them, as far as their word is concerned, upon the shoulders of men, bending them, and to fall
A under the weight of heavy commandments, of things strangled, and fornication? But they teach according to the letter: the Law, not understanding the sense of the Law spiritually, as the Apostle says of them: *Now the end of the commandment is charity from a pure heart and a good conscience and a faith unfeigned; from which things some going astray are turned aside unto vain talk; desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither the things they say, nor whereof they affirm.* For those who explain the Law of Moses according to the letter, falling away from the love that is from a pure heart and from an unfeigned faith—in which the spiritual law is placed—are all vain talkers. For vain talk is circumcision, unleavened bread, the passover, and [regulations] concerning the clean and unclean according to the letter of the Law. Therefore, those who have turned aside into vain talk, and wish to be teachers of the Law, but are nevertheless not according to the truth of the Law, indeed speak the commands of the Law, but do not understand the things they say, nor what the sayings of the Law concerning which they affirm signify. Therefore the Savior says of them: *For they say, and do not;* for example, they speak of circumcision, of the passover, of unleavened bread, of foods, of festivities, of the New Moons, of Sabbaths, and of other commands of the Law, but they do not do them according to the will of the Law, for they are not even circumcised, as is the will of the Law. Whence the Apostle says: *For we are the circumcision, who in spirit serve God, and do not confide in the flesh.* Nor do they sacrifice the passover, B being ignorant that Christ, our Pascha, was sacrificed for us. Nor do they eat unleavened bread according to the purpose of the Law, which the Apostle interprets, saying: *Let us feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.* But neither do they celebrate the passover corporally, seeing that the Law commands in the city of Jerusalem, which the Lord God chose, that one must sacrifice the lamb, and that every male must appear three times a year in the sight of the Lord God. Now we, who are disciples of Jesus, understanding those who sit upon the chair of Moses—the Scribes and Pharisees, keeping circumcision and the other corporal commands of the Law, but standing far away from the spiritual commands of the Law—whatever they say to us from the Law, we, understanding the sense of the Law, do and keep, in no way doing according to their works. For what they speak, they seem, indeed, to say from the Law, yet they do not do as the Law teaches. For they do not receive charity from a pure heart, nor an unfeigned faith, in which the sense of the Law is placed; nor do they understand that there is a veil upon the letter of the Law, nor do they hear the Prophet, who understands C these things and at the same time petitions: *Open thou my eyes, and I will consider the wondrous things of thy law.* And thus they bind heavy burdens, and, as Luke says, unbearable ones, and place them upon the shoulders of the disciples who hear them. For the corporal commands of the Law according to the letter are heavy burdens and are not light bonds, as Peter testifies in the Acts of the Apostles.
saying: "Why do you tempt God, by putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we are saved through the grace of God." His spiritual burden, however, is light: therefore the Lord also says to those who were burdened and bound by the corporal commands of the Law: "Come to me, all you that labor, and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up my yoke upon you, and see that my yoke is sweet and my burden is light." The light burden, however, is the Gospel, which is the spiritual law. Furthermore, while the Scribes and Pharisees are sitting upon the chair of Moses, they do all their works to be seen by men, accepting the visible circumcision, and visibly removing corporal leaven from their houses, and in its place introducing similar corporal unleavened bread, and seeking the Jerusalem that is visible to men, and doing everything similar to these things. For they look to those things which are seen and are temporal, and they give alms so that they may be glorified by men, and they stand in the streets praying so that they may be seen to be religious. The true disciples of Christ, however, who look to the things which are not seen and are eternal, pray in their inner closet, and they give alms in secret, and they fulfill the law in secret, as though constituted as Jews in secret, according to what Paul says: "For he is not a Jew that is so outwardly, nor is that the circumcision which is in the flesh, but he is a Jew that is one in secret, and circumcision of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter." A For in secret and with invisible unleavened bread they feast upon sincerity and truth; they even eat the Pasch, Christ sacrificed for us, who said: "Unless you eat my flesh, you shall not have life abiding in you." And because they drink his blood, the true drink, they anoint the doorposts of the houses of their souls, seeking, not as the others do, glory from men, but from God who sees what is hidden.
11. After this let us see what it means when it says: "They widen their phylacteries, and magnify the fringes of their garments." It should be understood regarding these matters that because it is written in the Law concerning the divine words, saying: "Bind it as a sign on your hand, and it shall be for a remembrance before your eyes," they, therefore, who do all things so that they might be seen by men, the Scribes and Pharisees, writing the dictates of the Law on two cut pieces of parchment, bind them, and one they carry in their houses, as if placing a crown upon their heads where it is written according to the forehead; the other, however, they place upon the arm of their hand, and they call them phylacteries. Similarly, also regarding the fringe, finding something in Deuteronomy, they are thought to keep the Law, making some fringe on some part of their garments which they wear. Therefore, in these things also, the Lord, rebuking the Scribes and Pharisees regarding their corporal and visible observances, says: "They do all things that they may be seen by men. They widen their phylacteries, and magnify the fringes of their garments." The disciples of Jesus, however, do all their works so that they may be seen by God alone; for they bind the Law of God upon their hand—spiritually, upon their good work—and through the meditation of divine disciplines, always setting them in motion, they make the divine precepts mobile before the eyes of their souls, and a full fringe of the virtue of Jesus, in that they imitate the Master.
12. But what should it be said of those who love the first places at feasts, and the first chairs in the synagogues, and the first greetings in the market-place, and to be called by men Rabbi? Evidently, such offenses were found not only among the Scribes and Pharisees of that time, or are found among them: but they are also found in the Church of Christ, not only the feasts and receiving the tables of those who make them, but also loving the first chairs among them, and doing many things: first, indeed, that they might become deacons, not such as the Scripture describes, but such as are those who devour the houses of widows, praying at length for show: and on account of this they shall receive the greater judgment. And those who wish to become such deacons, consequently, covet to seize the visible first chairs of those who are called presbyters. Some, however, not content even with these, contrive very many things, so that they may be called bishops by men, which is to be called Rabbi: when they ought to understand that a bishop ought to be blameless, and the rest that follow, so that if he is not called a bishop by men, he may nevertheless be so before God. For he who has in himself what Paul enumerates concerning a bishop, even if he is not a bishop before men, he is a bishop before God, even if he has not arrived at that rank through the ordination of men. Just as he is a physician who has learned the medical discipline, and can heal as a physician; even if the sick do not entrust their bodies to him, he is a physician: but he is also a navigator who has learned the art of navigation, and can use it as is fitting; even if no one has entrusted the rudders of a ship to him, he is nevertheless a navigator. But you will find lovers of a new sort of glory, zealous for glory from men, and not desiring it from God, as if they were brought before judges and magistrates so that some might be brought before them: and if one ought to say it, by this very lightest burden of Christ, they make an intolerable burden. The disciple of Christ, however, endures, and persists in interceding: he does everything so that he might be seen by God, despising human glory. This one, seeing the banquet of the evangelical parables, and the celestial assemblies of the first-born Church, and the gatherings, and the markets, in which, according to the Song of Songs, the bride was, truly loves the first places at the spiritual banquets, so that he may eat the better things of the spiritual foods and the first-fruits of the spiritual feast, and not the leftovers of others. He also loves to sit with the apostles.
Latin Glossary
[The following is a glossary of terms from the Latin text presented in the corresponding edition, provided for the convenience of the reader.]
Æon: The name of an Æon, 6. Monoies, μονότης: Solitude, 54. Horari, πολιτεύεσθαι: To be granted citizenship, to become a municipal inhabitant, 233. Mortificatum. Morticinum: A corpse, 218. Motus. Commotus: Angry, 248. Multo magis. Multo minus; according to the usage of the Greeks, 182. Multo prius. Multo magis; according to the custom of the Greeks, 117, 195. Muneratio. Munera, gifts; Gr. δώρημα, 224, 240 and elsewhere. Municio. Security; Gr. ἀσφάλεια, 329. Μυνη, τῶν θηριομαχῶν καὶ μονογαλῆς δέα: A gladiatorial spectacle, or one of wild beasts with which men may fight, 50 and note. Μυτα animalia, ἄλογα ζῶα: Brute animals, destitute of reason, 25, 271, 285. In mysteryo, μυστηριωδῶς: Mystically, 33. Quasi mysticum, μυσταγωγία: Mystic rite, mystic office, 94. Negotiation. Business, affair, that which happens; Gr. πραγματεία, 149. Negotium. Thing, work; Gr. πρᾶγμα, 104. Nitide. Splendidly; Gr. λαμπρῶς, 202. Nodus, δεσμός: A tie, 98. Noetos, νοητός: Intelligible, that which can be perceived by the intellect alone, 54. Non est dicere: It cannot be said, 166 and often elsewhere. Non est, for Not possible; Non sonans, ἀλλόκοτον: A monster, absurd, 3. Nullificare. To contemn, to despise; Gr. οὐδενόουν, 257, 266. Nus, Νοῦς: Properly, the mind. Sometimes the interpreter of Irenæus translates it as "sense." According to the usage of the Valentinians, it expresses the name of the third Æon. Everywhere in Irenæus. Nymphon, νυμφών: A nuptial chamber, or bridal room, 32.
O Obaudire. To obey; Gr. ὑπακούειν, 262 and elsewhere. Obeditio. Obedience; Gr. ὑπακοή, 248. Obduci, ὑπάγεσθαι: To be referred, to be led, 88. Obligari. To be held, to be reduced to straits or difficulties, 159. Obscurare alicui. To cast darkness upon someone; Gr. ἐπισκοτεῖν τινι, 125. Obtinere. To overcome, to prevail, to be stronger; Gr. ἐπικρατεῖν, 297. Occasio. Pretext; Gr. πρόφασις. It occurs everywhere. Sub occasione, προφάσει: Under appearance, by pretext. Occasio, ἀφορμή: A handle, argument, proof, subsidy, 105, 138, 173 and elsewhere. Octonatio, ogdoas, ὄγδοας: A divine octad. Frequent in Irenæus. Odoratio, ὀσμή: An odor, 18. Odorations, ὀσφρήσεις: Nostrils, 87. Ogdoas: See Octonatio. Otim est nomen, παλαιόν ἐστιν ὄνομα: It is an ancient name, 69. Oniroponpi, i.e., demons, ὀνειροπομποί: Demons who inject dreams, 100. See page 61, note, 103. Operabilior. More efficacious, 143. Operositas. Business, that which happens, a deed; Gr. πραγματεία, 135 and elsewhere. Operosius. More efficaciously, 143. Opobalsamum, ὀπὸς ἀπὸ βαλσάμου, ὀποβάλσαμον: Liquor of balsam, 96, 97. Opus. Quod non est opus. Quonon est opus: Inutile; Gr. οὐ οὖν ἐστι χρεία, 218. Ostendere. To prove, to demonstrate; Gr. ἀποδεικνύναι, 142 and elsewhere. Ostensio, ἀπόδειξις: Proof, argument, demonstration; ἀποδείξεις ποιεῖσθαι, to make demonstrations, i.e., to infer, to prove, 17 and often elsewhere. Ex ostensione, πρὸ τῆς ἀποδείξεως: Before demonstration, or argumentation, 47. Ovilis, ovile, προβάτειος, ον: For, of sheep, ον, of sheep [adj.], προβάτειος δορά, sheepskin, i.e., woolly skin.
P Pœnitetur. It repents one, 280. Paracletus, Παράκλητος: Comforter. The name of the nineteenth Valentinian Æon, 6. Parasema. Badges; Gr. παράσημα, 201. Paredrus dæmon, δαίμων πάρεδρος: A demon standing by someone, and familiar, 61. See note, 100, 103. Pareo. I appear, I am seen, 195, 211, 220. Participare, ἀνακοινοῦσθαι: To communicate, to make a participant, to expound, 8. Participare, ἐπιδιδόναι: To make a participant, 62 and elsewhere. Participari. To communicate, to make participants, 214, 286. Participari. To become a participant, to receive; Gr. μετέχειν, 169, 179, 316, 326. Partiliter. Separately, distinctly, 138. Partiri. To be divided, 273. Paternaliter, πατρωνυμικῶς: By a paternal name, 18. Patricos, Πατρικός, Paternal: The name of the twenty-first Valentinian Æon, 6. Patrodator, πατροδότωρ: Bestower of the Father, 69. Patronymice, πατρωνυμικῶς: By a paternal name, 13. Paulo minus. Almost, all but, 143. Pavor, ἔκπληξις: Stupor, 20. Pentas. The number five; Gr. πεντάς, 135. Pepo. A kind of cucumber; for the Greeks, πέπων. But from them it is transferred to signify a broken, effeminate, soft man, 55, 56. Per seipsum. Apart, separate, 236. Percapabilis. Capable, 296. Perexire. To recount, to narrate, to explain; Gr. διεξελθεῖν, 115. Perfectum. Perfection, consummation, 238. Perfectus. Whole, not mutilated, 202. Perfiniens, τελευτῶν: Ending, 82. Perierga. Curious; but it is taken for magic. Periergia. Curiosity, evil indeed, namely, magic. Greek, περιεργία, 102. Perinane. Very empty. A very vain thing, 55. Perperes. Scripturæ, νόθοι γραφαί: Spurious, counterfeit scriptures, 94. Pernplexio, προσπλοκή: Complication, 54. Pernplexus, ἐπιπλεκόμενος: Joined, commingled, 84. Persona. Aspect, form; Gr. πρόσωπον, 192. Perspeculari. To look through, 162. Pertransiens, διερχόμενος: Reading, running through by reading, 83. Pertransire. To run through reading, to narrate; Gr. διέρχεσθαι, 260. Phantasia, φαντασία: Imagination, 20. Phantasia, φαντασία: Aspect, 36, 320. Phantasma, φάντασμα: A spectrum, 36 and note. Phantasma, φαντασία: Aspect, that which is externally presented to the senses, 2. Phantasmari. To imagine, to feign, 158. Philetus, Φιλητός, Lovable. From Tertullian, the name of the twenty-ninth Valentinian Æon, 7 and note. Phos, φῶς: Light; Life, a cognomen of the Valentinian Æon, 45. Phronesis. Prudence; Gk. φρόνησις. Æon of Basilides, 101. Phronesis. Prudence, Æon of the Barbeliotæ. Gk. φρόνησις, 108. Phtonos. Envy. Gk. φθόνος, 108. Physiologice. By natural reason; Gr. φυσιολογικῶς, 264. Pingere quasi per quamdam umbram, σκιαγραφεῖν: To adumbrate, 85. Pistis, Πίστις, Faith. The name of the thirtieth Valentinian Æon, wife of the Comforter, 6. Pithanologia. A discourse with a certain power of alluring and persuading, 135. Plasma Dei. Flesh created by God, 98 and often elsewhere. Plasma. Figment, a created thing, 100 and often elsewhere. Plasmare, πλάττειν: To form, to build, to create, to fashion, 25 and elsewhere.
A certainly, had they not been excluded by these men. And A first of all, the present discourse must be explained simply, as if concerning the Scribes and Pharisees who are held in esteem among the Jews. For they, not content with the fact that they themselves did not believe in the Lord, continued to disparage His doctrine, and subverted every prophecy written concerning Him, and blasphemed every work of His as if it were false and feigned by the devil, saying: *He does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub*, and they acted homicidally toward those who had believed in Christ, and in every way forbade anyone from coming to the Christianity through which one enters the kingdom of heaven. They were shutting that which was openly announced and preached in the sight of all, and proclaimed among all men. And while shutting the kingdom of heaven, they themselves were not entering: for they did not wish to listen to Him who said: *If anyone enters through me, he shall be saved, and will enter, and will exit, and will find pasture.* B And they allowed neither those who were entering—that is, those who were able to believe because of the faith which had been declared beforehand from the Law and the prophets concerning Christ—to enter, utterly dissipating the principle of their consensus; and with all trembling and feral audacity, as far as they were concerned, they forbade all who wished to enter through the gate, themselves shutting it. To this simple exposition let us also add this concerning those who sin among us: because all who by a wicked way of life recommend an example of sinning to the people, and who do injury to those who are as yet little ones in Christ and imperfect, and who wear them out and scandalize them, seem to shut the kingdom of heaven before men, neither entering themselves nor allowing others to enter. And this sin is indeed found even among the laity, but especially among teachers, who indeed teach men according to the justice of the Gospel, but do not do it, because they are evil shepherds, and therefore do not spare the sheep, nor care for their salvation, but always look to the gains coming to them from men because they seem to shepherd the people when they do not shepherd them, and are caught in sordid gains and the concupiscences of vain glory. For these are the wages of hirelings, who shut the kingdom of heaven before men—neither entering into it themselves, nor wishing to understand what is said: C *Strive to enter through the narrow gate*; and because above all struggles this is the struggle, that someone should be using force and snatching the heavenly kingdom. To such teachers, therefore, these things are fittingly said: *Neither do you enter, nor do you allow those who are entering to enter*; especially if we see them, by their evil life, and pride, and insults, and avarice, leading not only one of the little ones but even, as far as they are concerned, all into scandal. Woe, therefore, to those who shut the kingdom of heaven before men, in one way or another; but blessed are those who open it, either by word or by their own good work, just as he who said: *A great and evident door is opened to me*; and D as the other apostles have opened it. And if someone is an imitator of them, he opens the kingdom of heaven before men by his own justice, and truth, and chastity, and wisdom. And the more one progresses in piety, the more he opens the kingdom of heaven before men. I therefore believe that all who profess that they are entering the Church either altogether shut the kingdom of heaven before men by their evil conversations, according to how even they themselves sin, or they open it by their own good acts, according to how justly they have lived. Those who seem more eminent in the Church, such as bishops, presbyters, and deacons, do this most of all. For by living well and teaching well the word of truth, they open the kingdom of heaven before men; and while they themselves enter, they provoke others to enter. But evil men, who are not shepherds but hirelings, shut the kingdom of heaven before men, nor do they listen to what the Apostle said: *But we endure all things, so that we may not give a hindrance to the Gospel of Christ.* It is truly possible to see many teachers not permitting those who desire to enter into the kingdom of heaven to enter, especially when, without judgment and without reason, they excommunicate some—not because of the sins they commit, but because of some zeal and contention—and frequently prevent those who are better than they are themselves from entering. And they themselves are truly not permitted to enter, but those who are sober in mind, and vigilant in spirit, overcoming their tyrannies by their patience and long-suffering, although forbidden, nevertheless enter and inherit the kingdom of heaven. 15. Then let us see, besides those whom we have mentioned, if it is possible to see others who shut and open the kingdom of heaven. For those who are held worthy and fit to expound the Gospel, and who present themselves such that they can say: *Do you seek a proof of the Christ who speaks in me?* open the kingdom of heaven before men when they demonstrate the height of the divine utterances—which were not spoken from the earth, but from heaven, and from the mind of the Lord who comes to men—with all manifestation and proof, so that, as far as it depends on them, they wish to induce Gentiles and barbarians, the wise and the unwise, to the piety of Christ. But those who through their own indocility and injustice, with much temerity, have given themselves to the profession of teaching before they have learned and known the truth, for that reason, by imitating vain Jewish fables, they hand down the corporal histories of the Scriptures, and not their spiritual meaning or purpose; and they even disparage those who have risen with Christ, and they seek what is above in the Scriptures and not upon the earth, nor do they deem the truth to be placed in the earthly things of the Scriptures: they shut, as far as they are concerned, the kingdom of heaven before men, shutting it by their own injustice, and drawing to themselves those who were able, by hearing a more divine and greater doctrine and the height of truth, to enter through heavenly doctrines...
and through acts corresponding to them into the kingdom of heaven. Appropriate to this exposition is what Luke writes: "Woe to you lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering." For those who criticize the allegorical exposition, and want to teach that Divine Scripture is manifest and has nothing more than the text shows, and no more divine sense, neither regarding circumcision, nor the Passover, nor unleavened bread, nor foods and drinks, nor festivals, nor New Moons, nor Sabbaths, and do not perceive that the Jews at that time served as an image and shadow of things to come, are indeed lawyers, yet they have taken away the key of knowledge regarding their word, that is, removing the entire way of the Law toward understanding its legitimate things: therefore, neither did they themselves enter, nor did they permit others, as far as pertained to them, to enter. B
16. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twofold more a son of hell than yourselves." These things are appropriately said after the coming of Christ to the Scribes and Pharisees of the Jewish words, who diligently travel around many places of the world to persuade strangers to judaize. For whoever judaizes after the Savior is taught to imitate the disposition of those who said at that time: "Crucify, crucify him." And again: "Away with, away with such a one from the earth." Moreover, they are taught to accuse him, just as the priests of the people accused him then. And it is possible to see them even now, when a thief is judged, and a Christian gives testimony to the truth, preferring that the imitator of Barabbas be absolved rather than the disciple of Christ. All of which things do not simply make the proselyte a son of hell, but, as it is written, twofold more than the Scribes and Pharisees who made him a proselyte. C But someone will say in this place: How is the disciple who is a proselyte to those who are now wretched Scribes and Pharisees *not* made equally a son of hell as his teachers, but rather twofold? For he says that he ought to have been less a son of hell: or perhaps, for half the part to him who made him a proselyte. Or if someone were to concede that a disciple is like his master, the disciple ought to be equally a son of hell as his master. Therefore, I believe that every man who from a Gentile way of life has become a proselyte of the Jews had already been a son of hell even before he was made a proselyte. For a life subjected to idolatries is sufficient to make a man a son of hell. Such a son of hell, therefore, the word of our Lord Jesus Christ indeed saves and delivers through the washing of baptism, giving him the power to become a child of God, and showing him the way to be made a child of God the Father who is in heaven. But the word of the Jews who do not believe in Christ not only does not release the Gentile from hell, D but it even adds to him a number of condemnation, so that he becomes, even according to Judaism, a son of hell. And thus the Scribe or Pharisee makes the proselyte another son of hell more than himself, not because he himself acts twofold, but because when the person has been made human, he is made a twofold son of hell through the teaching of the teacher: and thus he who taught becomes the cause of that second error, so that he becomes a twofold son of hell over him who taught badly. But another says otherwise, since those who from the beginning were nurtured in the Law of Moses are already sons of hell, because they did not believe in Christ. But those who have abandoned the Gentile life, once judging to forsake the idolatry in which they had been nurtured, and have apprehended the Jewish life, are worthy of a double punishment, who did not abandon it with investigation, nor did they wish to examine the Jewish word, and the very thing that seems to be related to the Jewish word, that is, the profession of Christians: nor have they been scrutinized by those who are competent to teach both sects, that they might understand which word was truer and better to choose. At the same time we learn from this passage that even among those who are to be in hell, there will be a difference of torments, since one, indeed, is simply a son of hell, but another twofold. But it is also necessary to see this: if someone is made a son of hell even more abundantly, as for example, threefold or multiply according to the multitude of sins; and if in general it is possible for someone to become a son of hell, as for example a Jew, or a Gentile, or a professor of any false dogma: or even specifically, so that through individual kinds of sins one becomes a son of hell; for example, he who commits fornication is a son of hell; and he who commits adultery is twofold; and he who commits theft—even threefold; according to what is written: "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you"; so that the just man may indeed be increased in glory according to the number of his acts of justice, but the sinner may be multiplied in hell according to the number of his sins. But as for what this hell is, and in what place of the Scriptures it is first named, whoever is able may inquire, especially in the division of the inheritance of Jesus son of Nave, where sometimes it is called the valley of the daughter of Hinnom, sometimes however the valley of Ennon, which is in Gehenna. For Gehenna is a valley. And let one observe that, just as Jerusalem is the lot of the tribe of Benjamin, and certain other cities or villages, so also is Gehenna. But it is consistent, for one who knows what Jerusalem is in the division of the true inheritance of the sons of Israel, to also understand the discourse about Gehenna. But whoever reads Jesus Nave diligently, let him also see what villages are reported there to border the valley which is called Gehenna. To hand these things down more prolixly and manifestly through ink, and reed, and paper, seemed to me not to be cautious; would that even these things themselves which we say, we may not be seen to have said rashly and dangerously!
A 18. But if it is appropriate to publish, as it were, such hidden things of the Gospel—which are not understandable by any person whatsoever—or even partially higher meanings of Scripture, it must be said: Every oath is a binding and confirmation of the word concerning which one swears. Therefore, every testimony of the Scriptures which is brought forward for the confirmation and binding of our word that we speak must be understood as an oath; so that every divinely inspired Scripture is indeed the temple of the glory of God, and the sense placed within it is the gold. We ought, therefore, for the testimony of all the words that we bring forward in doctrine, to present the sense of Scripture, as confirming the sense we are expounding. Just as all gold that is outside the temple is not sanctified, so every sense that is outside the divine Scripture, however admirable it may appear to some, is not holy, because it is not contained by the sense of Scripture, which is accustomed to sanctify only that sense which it has within itself, like the temple its own gold. We ought not, therefore, to swear to our own intellects—which each one of us understands and considers to be in accordance with the truth—to confirm our doctrine, nor should we take them as testimonies, unless we show them to be holy, B from the fact that they are contained in the divine Scriptures, as if in certain temples of God. Foolish, therefore, and blind are all who do not recognize that the temple, that is, the reading of the Scriptures, makes the sense great and venerable, just as consecrated gold. Moreover, see further, lest perhaps according to the likeness of the temple and the gold placed in the temple, we ought to understand the altar and the gift that is placed upon the altar. The altar, therefore, which signifies the vow, is the human heart, which is held to be the principal thing in man; and the vows and gifts that are placed upon the altar are everything that is placed upon the heart. For example, you propose to pray; you have placed the vow of prayer upon your heart, as if upon a certain altar, so that you may offer the prayer to God. C You proposed to sing psalms; you have placed the vow of psalms upon your heart, as if upon a certain altar, so that you may offer to God the vow of psalms. You proposed to perform alms; you have placed the vow of alms upon your heart, as if upon a certain altar, so that you may offer to God the vow of alms. You proposed to fast; you have placed the vow of fasting upon your heart, as if upon a certain altar. Therefore, the heart of a man makes every vow of his venerable and holy, from which the vow is offered to God. Therefore, no vow can be more honorable than the heart of a man from which the vow is transmitted. Blind, therefore, is every man who sees either the great alms of someone, or psalms, or great prayers, or fasts, and without judgment blesses them, and does not consider from what kind of heart the alms, or psalms, or prayers, or fasts are offered. For the heart is the altar that sanctifies the vow of him who is of a pure heart. D For if the heart and conscience of a man do not prick him, he has confidence toward God, not because of
his gifts, nor because of the words of prayer or psalmody, however well composed they may seem and even if they are selected from the Scriptures, but because, so to speak, he has well constructed the altar of his heart. Whoever, therefore, takes the altar—that is, the primary heart and conscience—as his witness, swears by the altar, embracing everything that is contained within it. And he who swears by the temple, as we have already handed down, seems to swear by the Scripture and by the Word and mind of God which is contained therein. B Furthermore, it is a third thing for us to say that upon the temple—that is, upon all Scripture—and upon the altar—that is, upon every heart—there is a certain intellect above the intellect of all Scripture and above every heart, which has not yet ascended upon the heart of man, which in a moral sense is called heaven, and is the throne no longer of the glory of God, as the temple is, but of God Himself. For the temple of the glory of God is the temple in which we see through a glass in a riddle. But the heaven, which is above the temple of God Himself, in which is the throne of God, is that in which it is to behold with face unveiled, when that which is perfect has come, the face of the mysteries of truth resting in such a heaven.
49. Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you tithe mint, and anise, and cummin; and have left the weightier things of the law, judgment, and mercy, and faith. These things you ought to have done, and not to leave those undone. Blind guides, straining out a gnat, but swallowing a camel. This saying must be spoken at an opportune time to those who show religion toward God in the smallest matters, yet in great and necessary matters despise the commandment and God Himself who commanded them. Such things used to happen also among the Jews, who thought they were keeping the law of Moses, which commands that tithes be given to the Levites and priests from all produce. And so, because it was easy to fulfill the law in the small things, they would tithe mint, and anise, and cummin—everything, so to speak, that was small and light according to the law—but they did not observe its weightier matters, that is, judgment, and mercy, C and faith. Judgment, namely, that each one should judge about all things with a just judgment, not merely about some, and should agree with Him who said: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; so that he might offer the sacrifices of mercy to God, and by examining the things that belong to faith, might be faithful. But since it was fitting that those who heard the Lord speaking these things about tithing the smallest matters should not despise the tithing of the smallest things, the Lord wisely added, saying: These you ought to have done—that is, judgment, and mercy, and faith—and not to leave those others undone, that is, the tithing of mint, and anise, and cummin. And He calls those who do such things scribes and Pharisees, who omit the weightier things of the law and tithe the contemptible fruits, blind guides. And He wisely says that such men strain—that is, drive away from themselves—the smallest offenses, which He called gnats; but swallow, that is, commit, the greatest offenses, which He called camels—animals, that is, D that are twisted and great. According to these words, therefore, every man who omits the weightier things of the law, especially judgment, and mercy, and faith, swallows a camel. And it is possible to find many among us, not only among the Jews, who commit sins of such a kind and swallow camels, in that they commit the greatest offenses; and such people ought frequently to consider how they show their religion in the smallest matters. And He rightly calls them hypocrites. For wishing to acquire religiosity before men, they are unwilling to accept that religiosity which God has justified. We must, therefore, flee from such simulations of the Scribes and Pharisees, lest that woe befall us also, just as it did them.
20. I think, however, that all those are morally Scribes who think there is nothing more in the Scriptures than the simple letter of Scripture demonstrates, but nevertheless despise those who search out the depth of God. Similarly, all are Pharisees who justify themselves and separate themselves from others, saying: Do not draw near to me, for I am pure. Now, Pharisees are interpreted according to the name *Phares*, [meaning] "divided," because they have divided themselves from others. And *Phares* is said to mean "division" in the Hebrew tongue. If, however, one ought to take also a moral meaning in such words of the Gospel, it must be known that just as mint, and anise, and cummin are a seasoning of food, and not the principal foods themselves, so in our conversations some things are principal and necessary for the justification of our souls, such as these weightier things of the law: judgment, and mercy, and faith. Other things are like a seasoning for our actions, commending them and making them sweeter, such as abstinence from laughter, fasting, kneeling, persistence in vigils, frequency of communion, and other things similar to these, which are not themselves acts of justice, but are held to be the seasonings of justice. But the spiritual things which are justice in themselves are called judgment, and mercy, and faith. It is shameful, therefore, in those smallest matters to observe what is commanded, that is, to tithe, but not to offer to God the observances of necessary things—that is, not to tithe them. But those who do and teach these things, like the former, are blind guides. And how indeed are they not to be considered blind, to whom the magnitude and crookedness of the camels—that is, of perverse acts—is hidden, and who do not see that it is of no profit to strain and to be a careful investigator in the smallest matters, while the things that are principal and truly pertain to the glory of God are neglected? Because, therefore, there are many even among us who are thought to live carefully regarding trifles, but despise themselves regarding necessary things, the present discourse refutes such men—not by forbidding the observance of those light things, but by instructing them to guard the principal and more salutary things more carefully. He therefore strains everything, who in all things whatsoever he does, or speaks, or thinks, separates
what is filthy and earthly, and not adorned with divine reasons, from those things which are by nature lucid and sincere, and just, according to him who teaches: Let us feast, not with the old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. You will find, however, many who are thought to believe, who do not have purified discourses, and actions, and thoughts. Therefore, just as fire will consume their carnal actions as hay, tormenting also the soul together with the body on account of the carnal sins concreted to it. For just as it is not possible to amputate from bodies the superfluities innate to them without great pain and torments to those who suffer, so neither [can] the carnal evils [be amputated] from those who have, so to say, made their souls flesh; therefore it is said of such souls: My spirit shall not remain in these men, for they are flesh.
21. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within you are full of extortion and excess and deceit. Thou Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be made clean. This discourse instructs us that we should hasten to be just, not to appear so. For he who strives that he may appear just cleanses the things that are on the outside, and cares for the things that are seen, but neglects his own heart and conscience, not considering that he who strives to cleanse the things that are within and his own thoughts, it follows that he should also strive to make the things that are on the outside clean. But if anyone strives for the things that are seen, while neglecting the interior of his soul, it is necessary that such a man should be filled from within with avarice, lasciviousness, malice, and many other evils. Since everyone who is solicitous about his own salvation, which is of the soul, is also solicitous about opinion, which is on the outside: but not everyone who is solicitous about opinion on the outside is also solicitous about his own salvation from within. For instance, it is written: Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her in his heart. He, therefore, who abstains from the act of fornication, but fornicates in the lust of his heart, has cleansed that which is on the outside of the cup and platter or basin, but within is full of excess. But even he who gives alms, that he may obtain glory from men, seems indeed to cleanse that which is on the outside of the cup and platter, by doing alms before men, but within is full of the desire for glory. And whatever good a man may do, not from a clean conscience for the sake of God, he seems indeed clean on the outside, but within is full of evils. But also all professors of false dogma are cups as if cleansed on the outside on account of the appearance of religion which they simulate, but within are full of extortion, and seduction, by which they snatch away men into error, and are ravenous wolves to all, lying in wait, and devouring souls, simple ones who cannot see that they are ravenous wolves because of the covering of sheep's skins.
22. But if one ought to consider everything in the evangelical discourses morally, one must see why, in Matthew, the Scribes and Pharisees are said to cleanse the outside of the cup and platter, whereas in Luke mention is made of the cup and the basin. Each, therefore, sets forth vessels of food and drink, and both name the cup, which is for drink: but not both the platter, for one mentions the basin, the other the platter: yet each is considered a vessel of food. Therefore, according to either evangelist, there is some spiritual drink and spiritual food, which we seek in the discourses of the Scriptures of the law and the prophets. Every discourse, therefore, through which we are given to drink spiritually, or every narrative through which we are nourished, are vessels of drink and food. We are warned, therefore, that we should not have care for the discourses or narratives which are on the outside, but for those which are within, so that our heart may be filled with clean drinking and nourishing senses, and not [filled] with words, nor with their ornate compositions, because the kingdom of God is not in speech, but in power. For example, he who strives to bring forth a composed discourse rather than one filled with a salutary sense, his cup of narration is cleansed on the outside, but within is filled with filth and vanities. Whence Paul, who was not accustomed to cleanse the outside of the cup and platter, but the inside, confesses himself to be unskilled in speech, but not in knowledge; and his speech was indeed rustic, yet clean because of the cleanliness of his knowledge. But those who spoke in the wisdom of the word, and by this made void the cross of Christ, indeed presented their discourses clean on the outside, but within were full of unclean knowledge, and extortions, and intemperance of life. Likewise, he who hears the word, or any Scripture of the law, and is delighted more with its exterior compositions than with its interior and salutary senses, loves the cup or platter cleansed on the outside, but on the inside [is] filthy.
23. But if one ought to superinduce a third [interpretation], related to the previous ones, we say that the letters of the law and the prophets are the cups of spiritual drinks of the soul, and the platters of necessary foods of faithful men, or basins of food wisely seasoned: of which legal or prophetic cups, and platters, and basins, the Scribes and Pharisees indeed strive to show their exterior and common sense, and strive to show this to be clean and holy; but the disciples of Christ strive to cleanse and sanctify the interior and spiritual sense with knowledge and probable demonstration, so that they may eat and drink the law and the prophets cleansed from within, desiring to hear and receive the interior and mystical sense, and transcending the exterior senses of the words. It is good, therefore, cautiously to cleanse that which is within the cup, or platter, or basin, because to him who has cleansed first that which is within the cup, even those things which are on the outside are truly made clean, and then are found the vessels of discourses
A when the true and spiritual senses of them shall have been manifested.
24. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness; so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. For as earlier, within they are full of rapine and intemperance, similarly here they are full of hypocrisy and iniquity, which are compared to the bones of the dead, to all uncleanness. For hypocrisy, since it is a certain simulation of good, has nothing vital from that good which it simulates. But the bones, if I may so speak, are the dead justice or chastity of that virtue which it simulates. For if we wisely hear what the present discourse intends to show, we understand that every simulated justice is a dead justice. As a dead man seems indeed to be a man, but is not a man, so also dead chastity is not even chastity. And that is dead which is done not for the sake of God, but in simulation for the sake of men. And just as it is in mimes, where those who take on the characters of others are not themselves those whom they simulate, but are merely perceived as such, so he who simulates justice, his simulated justice is not justice, but a semblance. For it is not justice, but a figment of justice. Thus also in the seduction of false chastity, it is not chastity, but a semblance. For which reason men of this kind are well likened to whited sepulchers. Outwardly they are seen as righteous in the sight of those who do not know how to consider the things within, but within they are full of the bones of the dead. So numerous are the bones in them and the uncleannesses, as many as are the works simulated as good from evil affection; and they appear outwardly righteous before men—not those whom Scripture calls gods, to whom the word of God was made, but before those who die as men. And it would indeed be evil to have even one bone of a dead man or even one uncleanness within oneself. But now see the exaggeration of Scripture concerning the malice of hypocrites. For just as sepulchers are full of bones and every uncleanness, so also they are full of hypocrisy and iniquity, not simulating in one certain thing, nor in the sight of one person in all their life, or two or three, although even this would be a most wicked evil, but they live in simulations all the days of their lives, and things they are one way, while they are thought to be another. They are licentious within, but outwardly they show themselves to be chaste, simulators of chastity and fakers of virginity. And others are simulators of justice, while they are iniquitous within, and others exist as simulators of other virtues, while they are within full of contrary vices. There are some who are also simulators of martyrdom; others, of the episcopacy, or the presbyterate, or the diaconate, or of ecclesiastical knowledge or doctrine, bearing only the masks and ostentation of virtues, while in truth they are enemies of those very virtues which they simulate.
25. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, B who build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the just, and say: If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Therefore you bear witness to yourselves, that you are the children of them who killed the prophets. And do you fill up the measure of your fathers. Serpents, generation of vipers, how shall you escape the judgment of hell? Therefore behold, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and Scribes, and some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, that upon you may come all the righteous blood which is shed upon the earth. So far as the first appearance of the text pertains, it does not seem reasonable enough to threaten those who build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the just. For as to this alone, they were doing something laudable, because they were building the tombs of the prophets and adorning the monuments of the just, not consenting to the works of their own fathers by which they dared [to act] against the prophets and saints, most especially in what they say: If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. How then were they worthy to receive the woe? But if someone says: Insofar as that work and the profession of their words, they were not guilty; but for the reason that they bore witness to themselves that they were children of those who killed the prophets, they were culpable; which itself is not even true. For in a matter which does not happen from the will of man, how can a man become guilty? For it is not from the will of any man whose son he is, of a good man or an evil man. Therefore, neither because they were building the tombs of the prophets, and saying: If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been guilty, were they either guilty or innocent; but because by the very things and the likeness of their crimes they bore witness to themselves that they were children of those who killed the prophets, filling up the measure of their fathers, and still adding what had been less, supplementing the killing of the prophets and the just by the killing of Christ the Son of God. For which reason it was not possible for those who were held by such an act to escape the judgment of hell. To whom even the blood of Christ did not suffice, but still they killed and crucified those prophets and Scribes who were sent by Christ, and in their synagogues they scourged and persecuted them from city to city. For all which homicidal deeds committed, it had been just for them to suffer the destruction of Jerusalem, the captivity D of the people, the patience of God no longer enduring the magnitude and the multitude of their crimes. But it came upon the generation of them who had filled up the measure of their fathers, and superadded to Jesus Christ the prophets, and wise men, and Scribes, all the righteous blood which is shed upon the earth from the blood of Abel the just, unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias, whose killing Scripture imputes
as of their fathers, but by themselves. For it is written: Whom you killed between the temple and the altar. Now, those who are rebuked B by Christ cannot say that Zacharias, the son of Barachias, was one of the twelve prophets whose writings we have in our hands; but He says Zacharias is the father of John, of whom we cannot indeed show from the canonical Scriptures, nor that he was the son of Barachias, nor that the Scribes and Pharisees killed him between the temple and the altar. But a certain tradition has come down to us, such that there is a place in the temple where it is permitted for virgins to stand and pray to God; but those who have experienced the marriage bed were not permitted to stand in it. Mary, however, after she had brought forth the Savior, entering to worship, stood in that place of the virgins: but when those who knew that she had already brought forth a son tried to stop her, Zacharias stood in her defense and said to those who were banning her that she was worthy of the place of the virgins, since she was still a virgin. Therefore, as if she were clearly acting against the law, and in permitting a woman to stand in the place C of the virgins, the men of that generation killed her between the temple and the altar. Yet, from those who do not believe such a tradition, let us demand a reason how Jesus rebukes them for Zacharias—not as sons of those who killed the prophets, but as if they themselves had killed Zacharias between the temple and the altar. If, therefore, the word of Christ which He speaks to the Pharisees and Scribes present at that time is true: Whom you killed between the temple and the altar, it is not possible for him to be understood as the Zacharias who is one of the twelve. Nor, however, is it strange if it happened that both Zacharias and their fathers were of the same name. Such is the sort of thing the discourse speaks which Christ utters: Since you, who excuse yourselves from the blood of the prophets and say: If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in the blood of the prophets; and you build the sepulchers of the prophets who were killed, by these very things which you have dared against me, you bear witness to yourselves that you are the sons of your murderous fathers, which D had been filled up by their iniquities, through my and my prophets' blood, filling up the measure of the blood of the prophets. And as for you, you have filled up the measure of them that crucified Christ, and have become the brood of those vipers who killed the prophets, the offspring, the worst serpents, closing to yourselves the way of escape from the judgment of Gehenna because of the magnitude of the crimes which you have committed against Christ, and against His wise men, and against the prophets, and in His Scribes, and yet you have dared to disjoin yourselves from the company of your fathers and excuse yourselves from the blood of the prophets.
26. It follows that if anyone, according to the simple history of Scripture, should object and ask why it was not said "even to the blood of John, son of Zacharias," especially since the law and the prophets prophesied until John, we shall say to him that the matter is manifest, that the Scribes and Pharisees did not kill John, but Herod. For even if the Scribes and Pharisees did not believe John, as it is written: If we say, "The baptism of John is from heaven," He will say to us, "Why then did you not believe him?"—yet they still had a certain reverence for his name, not daring against the interrogation of Christ to say that his baptism was from men. For they feared the people, believing that John was truly a prophet. How then could He rebuke those who did not kill John as if they were his killers? But He rebuked them as if they were the killers of Zacharias, saying: Whom you killed between the temple and the altar. Furthermore, it must be said regarding the text that not when a sin has been committed is the generation of sinners immediately punished, but when the subsequent generation, being obliged to amend the sin of its fathers in itself, has added even worse things to the sins of its fathers; and thus, if many generations have sinned in some nation or city, the nation or city is punished or destroyed. Thus, therefore, the nation of the Jews, bringing many evils upon the prophets, was not to be punished immediately as the homicide against them began, but after the patience of God, after they had added to the blood of the prophets the blood of Christ, and had filled up the measure of their fathers, then they were worthily punished. Therefore, even Mary, after having born our Savior, having come to worship, stood in the place of the virgins; and when those who knew her to have given birth tried to stop her, Zacharias said to those who were hindering her that she was worthy of the place of the virgins, still being a virgin. Since, therefore, they were clearly acting lawlessly and permitting a woman to be in the place of the virgins, the men of that generation killed her between the temple and the altar. They are rebuked, then, by the Savior, not as sons of those who killed the prophets and Zacharias with the prophets, but as those who themselves were the murderers. Nor is it strange if it happened that the father of John, Zacharias, was a namesake of him who is among the twelve, and the father of the father. Origen: We find in the Kingdoms a priest Zacharias, killed near the temple and the altar by king Joas; but Josephus relates that the son of Barachias, Zacharias, was himself the father of the Baptist; for they who are now being reproached by the Savior cannot have killed Zacharias the son of Barachias; for it is said in Matthew: "Whom you killed between the temple and the altar." But it is likely, as Josephus says, that Zacharias is now called the father of John; concerning whom we must say that we do not have it from the Scriptures, neither that he was the son of Barachias, nor that the Scribes killed him in a holy place; but a certain tradition has reached us such that there was a certain place around the temple where it was permitted for virgins to enter and worship God; but those who were already…
punished. Therefore, it was not the sin that Cain committed in killing his brother, or the sin of those who killed the prophets, that this generation of Jews which was in the time of Christ took upon itself; but it was necessary for the patience of A God, which was in the Jewish people, to be completed in its measures, so that after the many sheddings of the blood of the prophets and the righteous, Jerusalem and Judea might not be laid waste before, but that this might be suffered afterwards in the blood of Christ. And because of this, with God acting with long-suffering, the Scribes and Pharisees, with the people consenting, received the blood of the prophets and of Christ, and according to the Gospel, the wise men and scribes whom they killed, and crucified, and scourged in their synagogues, and persecuted from city to city: so that with all being cast out of Judea, the place might be desolated, emptied of all the saints, and might suffer whatever things were B suffered under Vespasian and Titus. These things we have explained corporally.
27. But if it is necessary to explain these same things morally, we shall say such things in their place. I judge that, just as Christ came hidden in a body, so that by carnal men, who look at the form of his body and do not consider his virtues, he might be seen as a man, but by spiritual men, who do not attend to the form of the body but consider the works of his virtues, he might be understood as God; so is every divine Scripture incorporated, and most especially that of the Old Testament. For the spiritual and prophetic sense of Scripture is hidden in the history of the matter proposed, so that all Scripture might be understood by the mediocre according to the history, but by the spiritual and perfect according to the spiritual mystery. Having premised this introduction, let us return to the word. For just as, with the prophets themselves departing from this life, their bodies were in the sepulchers, while their souls and spirits [were] in the land of the living, so also in the prophetic sayings it is to be noted that their narrative, according to simple history, is the body: but the spiritual sense, and the inner truth of the Scriptures themselves, is the soul and spirit which inhabits the simpler narrative according to the history. We can not inconveniently consider the very letters of the Scriptures, and the books in which the stated narrative remains, as sepulchers, as if the body C were placed in sepulchers. Those, therefore, who understand and receive the spiritual things of the Scriptures, and their truth hidden within, have in themselves the souls and spirits of the prophets, having themselves become as it were the land of the living prophets. But those who do not grasp those things, nor seek them, but attend only to the simple narrative and the history of the event, worship the bodies of the prophets placed in the letters, and in the books as if in certain sepulchers; such were also the Pharisees, who were rightly called Pharisees, that is, "cut off," because they cut the spiritual things of the prophets away from the corporal history, as if driving the soul of the prophets from the body, and killing the prophecies themselves, and rendering them lifeless, as if having nothing spiritual. And in truth they are hypocrites, building and adorning only the sepulchers of the prophets that contain the corporal history, that is, studying the Scriptures themselves and the books of the prophets: they, not understanding that by honoring dead bodies—that is, historical narratives—they seem indeed to act piously concerning the memory of the prophets, but they are impious: and they wish to defend themselves by this very fact, that they are not partners of those who killed the prophets, but they are convicted by adding to the crimes of those who killed the prophets, and by fulfilling the measure of their iniquity through this very fact, that they do not believe in Christ, whom not the simple histories of the prophets, but their spiritual sense proclaims.
I know, however, without doubt, that the cause of the incredulity of the Jews everywhere was this, that they did not understand Jesus as the Christ of God, because they always gave their mind to corporal histories, being unwilling to believe anything spiritual in them. For instance, we introduce for the sake of example what is prophesied in Zechariah, and it is said that he would enter into Jerusalem as if upon an ass and a colt, and would exterminate the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem. If anyone wishes to understand this according to the history of the letter concerning Christ, it does not fit. For it is not explained that Christ exterminated corporal and sensible chariots from Ephraim, nor a corporal horse from carnal Jerusalem. But if you see the gatherings of that same falsehood among the heretics, as it were yoked together by a certain yoke, and poorly concordant among themselves, which the word of truth is accustomed to destroy, D you will see how Christ, the Word of God, exterminates the spiritual chariots from spiritual Ephraim. For Ephraim is always put in the figure of heresies, which separated themselves from the Church of Christ, just as Ephraim from the tribe of Judah. For thus, spiritually, the divine word cast the horse and the rider of the Egyptians into the sea, that is, the impious man with the devil as his rider and instigator. So also he exterminated the horse from Jerusalem, whoever should have been subject to the devil as rider and not to Christ, just as those horses acceptable to Christ, of whom Habakkuk says: Who will ascend upon your horses? and your equestrian array is salvation, that is, upon the apostles and the other holy ones in whom Christ dwells. Therefore we say: These in chariots (showing Ephraim), and these in horses (showing the adversaries of Jerusalem), but we shall be magnified in the name of our God: they are bound and have fallen, but we have risen and have been erected. Those who render testimony to themselves, because they are the children of those who killed the prophets, by this very fact that they fulfill the measure of their fathers, adding to their incredulity an incredulity in Jesus, which descends from nothing else than from the fact that they are not occupied anywhere else than around the buildings of the prophetic sepulchers, that is, solely around the diligent study of the prophetic letters and books. Others, however, are the unhappy Scribes of the Law, while others are the Scribes who are sent by Christ according to
A the memory of God being killed by the pious, when the temple of God is corrupted by the wanton, and His altar is defiled by the neglect of their prayer, when the prayer of someone becomes their own sin; as it was said 13 concerning the prayer of Judas: And let his prayer become his sin.
28. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you, how often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house is left to you desolate. I say to you, for from now on you will not see me until you say: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord 14. B It is fitting to inquire how the Savior, speaking before listeners among whom were Scribes and Pharisees, who boasted that they knew the Law and the prophets carefully, said in what way Jerusalem had killed the prophets, and stoned those who were sent to it, since it does not seem to us that this history of the prophets is sufficiently read in their synagogues in the ancient Scriptures. We read that Jeremiah was sent into a pit, but we do not read that he was killed in Jerusalem. But neither do we read that Isaiah, or Ezekiel, or some other prophet suffered such things, as far as my memory suggests. But examining the second book of Paralipomenon, where many things concerning the prophets are clearly written, I find that King Asa C put the prophet Hanani into prison, but he did nothing more to him. But Achab ordered that the prophet Micaiah be led into the prison house, and eat the bread of affliction, yet he did not kill him. But we read that Zechariah, son of Joiada the priest, was stoned, after having argued with the people. Therefore we do not find that more prophets were killed in Jerusalem, except those I said were sent to it. Therefore we must see whether it perhaps behooves us to show by the more secret books that are circulated among the Jews the Word of Christ, and not only the Word of Christ, but also that of his disciples, and of Stephen the martyr as well, and of the apostle Paul. For Stephen says thus 15: O stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit, as your fathers did. Which D of the prophets did they not persecute? And they killed those who announced the coming of the Just One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers. And after this they cast him out of the city, and they were stoning Stephen while he was calling out and saying. But Paul also says such things in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians 16, concerning the persecutions of the churches of God, which are in Judea in Christ Jesus: for you have suffered the same things and you also from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and persecuted us, and do not please God. But to the Hebrews it is said 17: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they died in the slaughter of the sword. They went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute and distressed, afflicted with pains, of whom one
might say that the world is not worthy, wandering in deserts, and in mountains, and in caves, and in holes of the earth. It is reported in the Scriptures that Isaiah was sawn asunder, and Zechariah killed, and Ezekiel. However, I judge that Elijah went about in sheepskins and goatskins, he who wandered in the solitude and on the mountains. But let no one cast off the Epistle to the Hebrews, as if it were not Paul’s, nor cast off the secret of Isaiah; but consider what was said in the speeches of Stephen, or those brought forth by Paul to the Thessalonians concerning the prophets who were killed, or the Lord Himself! Or how can one cast off that which Paul brought forth to Timothy 18: *As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses*, and these withstood the truth? For we do not know the history of Jannes and Jambres resisting Moses in the canonized books. But if they look at what is posited in the first to the Corinthians 19: *What eye has not seen, nor ear heard*, could anyone cast off these things? All these things we have said while discussing, not ignorant that many things of the secrets are said by some impious men and those speaking of iniquity in the highest; and they use some fictional Hypythiani, and others who are of Basilides. Therefore it is necessary to consider that we should not accept all secrets that are circulated in the name of saints because of the Jews, who perhaps have forged certain things for the destruction of the truth of the Scriptures 849, nor should we reject everything that pertains to the demonstration of our Scriptures. It is for a great man, therefore, to hear and fulfill what is said 20: *Test everything; hold fast to what is good.* Yet because those who are not as a money-changer among the words cannot discern the true from the false, and cannot carefully guard themselves, so that they may hold true things, but on the other hand abstain from every appearance of evil, no one ought to use for the confirmation of doctrines books that are outside the canonical Scriptures. Yet if anyone accepts Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews from the Jews, he says that the plural ought not to be referred to many at all. For there are not many who were sawn asunder, but Isaiah alone; nor were many killed with the sword, except Zechariah the son of Jehoiada; nor was Elijah killed with the sword, unless Zechariah the son of Barachiah; but Elijah was in sheepskins 21 and in a goatskin, and other similar things. Moreover, we still seek what is written in Luke 22, saying the Lord: *For it is not possible for a prophet to perish outside Jerusalem*, that is, if it is not possible for a prophet to perish outside Jerusalem, that is, if no prophet is, lest he who is killed outside Jerusalem demonstrate the false word of Christ. But if they are compelled by the Scriptures because of Agabus and the daughters of Philip the evangelist, not because of the false prophets of Phrygia, we seek lest every just man be in Jerusalem and not outside Jerusalem, A because he does not capture him who is outside Jerusalem, afflicted by passions because of the Word. But how does Jerusalem kill the prophets, I ask? I think, however, as is commonly said, the city cried out, as if it were said, who are in the city: likewise the city went forth to meet him, that is, those who are in the city; so Jerusalem kills the prophets, that is, those who were in Jerusalem, for whose sake it was said that Jerusalem killed the prophets. And if they are placed as citizens outside the city, he again encounters the question, who are to be called sons of Jerusalem, of whom it is said 23: *How often would I have gathered thy children.* But we say the city means the successors of the previous sons. But Jerusalem, which is free from the servitude B of sin, which is the conversation above, which is our mother, does not kill the prophets, nor does it stone those who are sent to it. It is another thing that, according to the likeness of that Jerusalem, killing and stoning the prophets, there are frequently some in this Jerusalem established in power, and not fearing God, who, as much as in them lies, kill and stone with words pronounced without judgment, those who have been profited by the Word and life, and not requiring the rule of the churches, because of the depth of the dogmas, however, suspicious of these who are accustomed to say new things, and not attending to the sound word of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord therefore says to Jerusalem, the slayer and stoner of the prophets: *How often would I have gathered thy children, as a hen, her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldest C not?* How the Lord Jesus, as if he frequently would have gathered the Jews, but did not gather because of the obstinacy of those unwilling to believe, so he says: *How often*, when it is manifest that he taught once in the body to the Jews? But not only in the present, but also substantially Christ was ever present and in Moses, and in the prophets, and most in the angels ministering to human salvation, and for individual generations, and so it is fulfilled: *How often* I wanted. For through individual generations always he wanted and hastened to accomplish the will of the Father in them: even if not established in the body, as now in the end of ages, nevertheless he always hastened to gather the sons of Jerusalem. Those who want to gather the sons of Jerusalem have voices in the law and in the prophets; and of him it is written 24: *Spreading his wings*, D he received them, and he took them upon his shoulders; and the daily work of Christ is to gather the sons of Jerusalem, of whom in Isaiah and the rest of the prophets many things are said; and daily the Son of God gathers the dispersed sons of God, as a hen her chicks under her wings. But if anyone was not gathered by him, he will be judged as if he did not want to be gathered by him. For the Son of Man came to seek what is lost, and to save 25. And he is not dead.
if anyone was not gathered by him, he will be judged as if he did not want to be gathered by him. For the Son of Man came to seek what is lost, and to save 25. And he is not dead. [index: entries preserved]
. And he introduces a third exposition of this sort: because the temple of God was built by a composition of significant words, to wit, all the Scripture of the Old Testament constructed according to history. And those who constructed it, whether Moses or the prophets, by the arrangement of the letters and the ordering of the sayings, built it to be admirable to all for the beauty of the stones, that is, the chosen sayings, and the gifts of the praiseworthy senses. This the disciples show to Jesus, receiving all the Scriptures; to whom Christ responds, saying that this corporal and first edition must be destroyed by the Word, so that the temple of the other Scripture may be built more divinely and more mystically. Now, someone before us explained that the temple is the Scripture. And because he who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, who sits in the temple of God, the Antichrist, is the false speech that is held in the Scriptures, which simulates the truth, offering testimonies of impious dogmas from the Scriptures for those who are unwilling to be pleased by anything else; and he himself is the one who opposes, and he sits upon the chair of the Scriptures and upon their structure, showing himself as if he were God. A And one can always see the discourses of heresies, antichrists sitting in the temple of the Scriptures, and wishing to please those who hear them by means of these, as if each one of them were the Word of God Himself in the Scriptures.
52. But when his disciples came to him privately, saying: Tell us when these things will be, and what is the sign of thy coming and of the consummation of the age? Jesus, having gone out from the temple after he had spoken about it, came to the Mount of Olives, and there he sat with his disciples. But I think the mystery of the Mount of Olives is the Church that is from the Gentiles, in which are planted olives, each of which can say: "But I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God." Perhaps also on this mount of olives are the roots of the good olive tree. But branches of a wild olive tree 38 are grafted in the place of the branches which were cut off because of infidelity. The husbandman, however, residing on the mount of Olives, is the Word of God confirmed in the Church, Christ, who always grafts the branches of the wild olive into the good olive tree of the fathers, Moses and the other prophets, so that, receiving fatness from the holy prophets by the fact that they cautiously understand and receive their sense, and Christ who is prophesied by them, they may offer abundant fruit, and fruit that is fatter than the former olives, because the curse which was in the law had been shaken off, so that they could not be in use. After this, one must consider this, that of the disciples who come to Jesus, some indeed come to him secretly, having in this very thing greater confidence before him as if they were his household, just as when they interrogated him about the solution of the parables; but others interrogated him not secretly, but in common. Observe, moreover, the difference B between them, because sometimes the Pharisees approach, whether testing or interrogating in some way or another; but sometimes others, desiring to learn: yet they never approach secretly from the multitude. And perhaps even now those who have undertaken a superior life, and on account of this have confidence before Christ, having something more than those who approach Jesus from the common faith, say to him: Tell us, when will these things be? What things? What he says: "Not one stone shall remain upon another which shall not be destroyed." And not only do they wish to learn this, but also the sign of the coming of Christ and of the consummation of the age; and they ask two things from him, the sign of his coming and of the consummation of the age. The coming of the Son of God and the consummation of the age is therefore believed in by many, but especially in those who follow a more elegant life. It is also possible to see in another way the twofold coming of Christ, that is, the coming of the Word into the soul. First indeed for those who are unrefined, and at that time beginning to know Christ, since they cannot see the lucidity of his beauty, they say: "We saw him, and he had no appearance or comeliness, but his appearance was dishonorable" 39. But the dishonorable appearance of the Word is the foolish preaching about Christ, when we preach Christ born and crucified. But the second coming of Christ is in perfect men; of whom the dispenser of his word says: "We speak wisdom among the perfect" 40. These perfect ones, however, have become lovers of his beauty, and they ask the Word to gird himself with his rational sword, and to place it around C the mystery of the carnal birth, which has been mystically called the thigh. For disciples of this kind praise the beauty and comeliness of the Word; and joined to this second coming is the consummation of the age in the man who is coming to perfection and saying: "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world" 41. For if the world is crucified to the just, to whom the world is crucified, the consummation of the world has also come to pass for them. It is necessary, therefore, that those who have the confidence to approach Christ secretly, if they wish to learn the sign of the coming of Christ and of the consummation of the age, should show themselves worthy to see his second coming, and according to what we have handed down, the consummation of the age.
55. And Jesus answering said to them: Take heed that no one seduce you. For many will come in my name saying that I am Christ, and will seduce many 42. Those who understand simply think that these words signify only this, that many were about to come claiming that they were Christs, having in themselves also some wonderful powers, and words by which they might provoke many to believe, who had shown themselves worthy of seduction. But John in his Epistle 43 says: "And as you have heard that the Antichrist shall come, even now there are become many antichrists; whereby we know that
A the last hour is." By these words, he teaches that every word which is estranged from the truth, and asserts itself to be the Word of God, is to be understood as the Antichrist; for in this way it is possible to understand what he says: "And now many antichrists have become," although that which is the truth is one. However, as the history of the readings makes manifest, there were not many men in the time of the apostles who said they were Christs, unless perhaps Dositheus the Samaritan, from whom they are also called Dositheans; and Simon, of whom the Acts of the Apostles report that he proclaimed himself to be the great Power of God. Besides these, there were none before or B afterwards, so far as my knowledge goes. But every discourse that professes an exposition of the Scriptures and their faith, but does not possess the truth, is justly to be understood as the Antichrist, coming in the name of Christ, and saying that "I am Christ," lying, and being in no way able to show the form of truth in himself. And since to those who discuss the words of Scripture so that they might find its meaning, there frequently occur certain understandings that are as if true, when they are not 852 true, and sometimes they are handed down by others with plausible, colored discourses, so that the meaning which is true is not easily found, before a truer and firmer sense has been discovered against the *lying* opinions: therefore I believe that Christ, at the interrogation of his disciples saying: "When shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the consummation of the world?" C answered thus: "Take heed that no man seduce you. For many will come in my name, saying: I am Christ; and will seduce many." For truly, he who fulfills that commandment which says: "Be ye prudent money-changers; and that which says: Prove all things; hold fast that which is good; from all appearance of evil refrain yourselves," will see many seduced by many understandings and words professing themselves to be Christ, the Word of God. And would that only those who are outside the Church were seduced; it would be easy to beware of the seduction. But now, even they who profess themselves to be ecclesiastics, on any necessary topics whatsoever, are deceived and seduced, as their very dissension is a testimony, since even those who are inside are seduced. D But consequently, just as there is wont to be in those erring through these bodily ways a difference of error, and some even go erring against the very public way which is sought, but others decline a little bit from the straight path, so that they may be revocable: and there are many differences of those who err; in this way we also see those who deviate from the truth. And the Marcionites, and Basilidians, and Valentinians, and Apellians, and Ophites, err much from the proposed way, who think things entirely contrary to the truth. Some, however, do not dissent concerning public and manifest topics: for instance, concerning one God who gave the Law and the Gospel, or concerning Christ Jesus, the firstborn of every creature, who at the end of the age came into the world according to the preachings of the prophets, and took upon himself the true 1644 nature of human flesh, so that he might even undergo birth from a Virgin, and A endure the death of the cross, and rise from the dead, and deified the human nature which he had assumed. They believe most certainly furthermore also concerning the Holy Spirit, that he himself was in the patriarchs and prophets, who was afterwards given to the apostles, and concerning the resurrection of the dead, and all things whatsoever that are held in the Churches. But concerning other matters, not few, yet minor, they propose new dogmas, and they themselves are certainly from those who are seduced by false understandings and words coming in the name of Christ, who is the Word and the truth. And indeed it is an evil to find someone erring according to the ways of life, but I judge it to be much worse to err in dogmas and not to judge according to the most true rule of the Scriptures. For just as we are to be punished for mortal sins, [we are to be punished] B more so for sinning on account of false dogmas. For if it were sufficient for the salvation of men that their conduct and morals were good, how is it that among the Gentiles the philosophers, or among the heretics many who live temperately are in no way saved, as if their conduct is obscured and dirtied by the falsity of the dogma? But I think that the discourse in the twenty-third Psalm, while wishing to show the general purity which is not only in acts but also in knowledge, says: "Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord, or who shall stand in his holy place? The innocent in hands, and pure in heart." But in Proverbs: "Who shall boast that he has a clean heart, or who shall trust that he is clean from sins?" C Therefore, I judge no one to be clean in heart and pure in heart, except him who possesses a heart clean and pure from every false dogma; and so I think him to be innocent in hands and clean from sins who is irreprehensible in the acts of his life. It is to be known, however, that as far as the truth is concerned, it is impossible for anyone to be innocent in hands and clean from sins, that he not be pure in heart and chaste from false dogmas, just as conversely it is impossible for him to be clean and chaste in heart from false dogmas, that he not be innocent in hands and clean from sins. For these follow one another and are not separated from each other, [namely] a discourse clean in the soul and a life irreprehensible. D We have treated this chapter more abundantly, teaching ourselves according to those things which have seemed so to us in this place, that we may guard ourselves from every error of false dogmas, whether concerning manifest and principal topics, or concerning those which seem minor, so that we may hear him who said: "Thou shalt not decline to the right hand, or to the left," from him who said: "I am the way." And let us not be seduced, but let us watch, lest any of those who come in the name of Christ deceive us, saying: "I am Christ, I am truth, and wisdom, and the true light." I think, however, that not only is there a Christ-discourse, but there is also an Antichrist-discourse; truth is Christ, and simulated truth is Antichrist; wisdom is Christ, and simulated wisdom—
Antichrist, deceiving the lovers of God's wisdom and of the truth, which all belong to the realm of faith. But even in the virtues by which one conducts oneself according to God, we find that every true virtue is Christ, and all simulated virtues are Antichrist. Since Christ possesses in himself every form of good, whatever it may be, for the edification of men, the devil possesses the same in appearance and for the seduction of the saints. For if Christ is justice, and there are frequently ways of a man that seem just, but their end points to the depths of hell, A when justice appears to be justice, although it is not true justice, such justice is Antichrist, being opposed to the justice that is Christ. I consider that chastity is also Antichrist, which, among heretics, in sending men into error, understands itself to be the ecclesial chastity of Christ. Likewise, Antichrist is against the mercy of Christ; for those who perform almsgivings, but not for the sake of the justice of God. This is also the patience of Antichrist in those who seem indeed to fight for Christianity, and who struggle even to the shedding of blood, so that they might not appear to renounce Christianity; but in their pride, in that very shedding of their own blood, they speak against the Highest and set their mouth in heaven. And Antichrist is a power that seduces the ignorant, because many will say to Christ on that day: "Lord, in thy name did we cast out demons, and performed many wonders." B To whom he will answer: "Depart from me, all you who work iniquity, I never knew you." For if Christ never knew them, yet they gloried in having performed wonders in the name of Christ, these were not wonders from Christ, but from him who transforms himself not only into an angel of light, but even into Christ himself. It is therefore necessary that we have the Savior as our helper, so that, with eyes opened, we may see who seduces us, whether by word, or by virtue, or by inward or outward means, promising themselves to be Christ, when in fact they are the enemy of him and of all his other virtues. Consider also that many come in no name other than in my name. Only the name of Christ does Antichrist assume, and he does not perform the works, nor does he teach his words of truth, nor does he show his wisdom in himself. And just as, according to some, Barabbas was called Jesus, and the robber was nothing but Jesus in name, so he creates many who are C Christians in name only. Note, however, that nowhere in the Scriptures is the Lord found using this very speech and saying: "I am Christ," as if to say that something similar would happen to many who come in his name and say: "I am Christ." It was sufficient for him that the faith of the believers saw that he himself was Christ—the work of God which only Christ could achieve—and the sermon that he taught, and the power were more than a thousand voices crying out: "I am Christ."
D Thus he never said clearly: "I am he," but said it through his works and through the doctrine of piety, so that he might be preached by Peter as if he had never heard it from him; yet he learned from the Father that he was the Christ, the Son of the living God: "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona, because flesh and blood has not revealed it to you, but my Father who is in heaven." If he himself, constituted in the body, had spoken it clearly to him: "I am Christ," then flesh and blood would have revealed it, not the Father. Therefore, this alone suffices to seduce the antichrists, that they say: "I am Christ," which it is never read that Christ said, and many are seduced by this. "For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it; but few are they who find the way that leads to life."
54. "You will hear of wars and reports of wars. See that you are not alarmed; for these things must happen, but the end is not yet." Luke puts it this way: "When you hear of wars and seditions, do not be alarmed." He proposes two things, one being: "You will hear of wars," and the other: "reports of wars." And first, let us see, according to a simple tradition, according to which even the simple understand what differentiates reports of wars from wars. Suppose there are no wars where cities rise up against cities, or nations against nations, or one is taken by another, or the stronger destroys the powerful. What then do reports of wars signify? Especially since it is not said: "You will see wars," and you will hear of wars, but since it says on both sides: "You will hear"; that is, you will hear of wars, and you will hear reports of wars. And let us suppose that hearing of wars is when the children of peace protect their eyes from the wars of the world, that they may not see evil things; and because they cannot look upon the labors and pains, they hear of wars—such as what kind of battle is being waged, and which city is being attacked, and which nation is being besieged by which nation. What then will it be, besides these, to hear of wars and hear reports of wars? If you are able (as much as I say according to simplicity) to make such a distinction: that it is one thing for a war to be positioned to be heard, being a war, and it is a thing next to a war to hear the voices of those warring. Both therefore have their own significance. And perhaps B he who hears the very voices that happen in wars hears of the wars; but he who hears of wars from the deeds performed, hears reports of wars: for neither the wars themselves nor the sessions, but he who is diverse, may say, since he who is far off hears more of them; but he who is near, the reports of those wars themselves. Both, therefore, appear to be understood through some distinction.
55. Ascend now to the moral and spiritual understanding, if by any means you can find some sense of the excellence of the science of Christ, and of the subtlety of the evangelists, worthy to be found, so that you do not lay aside the...
dignity of evangelical wisdom. A Observe, therefore, if, calling to mind the things handed down above regarding that which is said: "Many will come in my name, saying: I am Christ, and will seduce many," we are able, according to their logical consequence, to interpret these things also. Everyone, therefore, who is perfect, and sees in his own soul the glorious coming of the Word, which corrupts and consumes the world, and crucifies it to the righteous man, so that all worldly things die in him, and who possesses senses trained for apprehension, it is necessary that, in inquiring and discussing, he should encounter many battles of dogmas; he will hear also many professing the truth, and diverse traditions concerning it: so that, as a good soldier of the Word, he may remain invulnerable in his mind against all who profess the truth but do not see it, and do not manifest it, B but rather proclaim as truth the things that are contrary to truth; and he may be made worthy to receive into his soul the glorious coming of Christ, according to that which is the Word of God, which was in the beginning with God, which is accustomed to come to those who, after they have known Christ according to the flesh, and have received the Word that was made flesh, ascend so far above the multitude that they are able to apprehend, not just any glory at all, but glory as of the Only-begotten from the Father. And perhaps in diverse glories the Word of God appears, according to the virtue of each soul that sees, according to the capacity that each soul provides for itself. For him, therefore, who is perfect, and has attained unto the consummation of the age as far as concerns himself, such a Word appears, so that he who has seen him might say: "We saw his glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." C Therefore, if any man is to be held worthy to receive such a Word, and to see him, it is necessary for him, before such a vision of the Word, to hear in his soul of wars; and through others, who claim to be proclaiming the truth, whatever has appeared to them, reports of wars. And well does the Savior, for his disciples who are advancing toward perfection, after he has spoken of wars, add: "See," and he did not say: "Hear," exhorting them to be solicitous that they might be able to see with the eyes of the soul, after they have heard of wars and reports of wars, the nature of those things which are heard, and, seeing it, not be terrified: because such intelligible battles are accustomed to occur to just men in diverse persuasions, and to disturb and move their souls to doubting D whether those things which seem to be plausible might be true, when they are false, or at least to believing them perfectly as if they were true. As many, then, as are setting out toward the perfection which is in Christ, and toward the conversation of the heavenly Church, when they have heard of the battles of heresies, which war against the true faith and against one another, and have heard reports of the battles of philosophy and of vain seduction according to the tradition of men, according to the elements of this world, and not according to Christ, exercising themselves in those things which are said, they seek and ponder the commandment of Christ who says: "See," and they indeed see the things that are said, but seeing them with their semblance of falsehood, they are not seduced, but they hope that they may behold, without the wounding of such battles, the glorious coming of Christ, who is the Word: especially if, when they hear, according to Christ’s commandment, of wars and reports of wars, they suffer no perturbation of soul, but being protected under the peace of God, which guards the hearts and minds of the worthy, they are not terrified. If, however, anyone hearing of wars and reports of wars, according as we have explained, is not solicitous to see the things which are spoken of in diverse plausibilities, and because he was not solicitous to see, has been terrified, he will not only be deceived by many coming in the name of Christ, and saying: "I am Christ," but he will also be slain by such swords, receiving incurable wounds; concerning which swords it is said: "Swords do wound, whose wounds the tongues of the wise are accustomed to heal." But those who are perturbed, and because they do not look to their own safety, fall into such a battle, they are those who are wounded and die in the valley of Sion, of whom Scripture says: "Thy slain are not slain by the sword, nor are thy dead dead in battle." Regarding whom it is now necessary only to signify this to us: that it is not for every man to prepare to hear of wars and reports of wars, so that he who hears may see and not be terrified, but for the man who is perfect in Christ, living indeed in the flesh, yet not warring according to the flesh; whose weapons of warfare are not carnal, but mighty to God, and powerful to destroy the fortifications and the thoughts of those who exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. For according to Solomon, a wise man scales many fortified cities of the persuasions of heretical words, and, scaling them, he destroys the fortification in which the impious trusted. Paul destroyed, who had been prepared for the destruction of fortified cities, which were opposing the truth. He who is such a one, after he has heard of wars and reports of wars, seeing, and as a wise man scaling above the fortified cities, and destroying the fortifications in which the impious trusted, praising God and giving thanks to God, and from whom he learned to wage such wars, and to keep the commandment that says: "Sanctify war," he cries out and says: "Blessed be the Lord God who teaches my hands for war, and my fingers for battle, my mercy and my refuge." And because of such battles it is said of David by the wife of Nabal: "The Lord my master will fight the wars of the Lord." I also think that the wars which are read of in the Scriptures are mysteries of such battles; and that the destructions of those who war against the congregation of the truth are also mysteries, especially those which are read of in the book of Joshua concerning the destructions of cities: and they are the mysteries of all the congregations...
of the opposing powers. Hearing, therefore, of wars and rumors of such wars, let us pay attention to what He says: "See that ye be not troubled." And we must know that it behooves these things to come to pass for one awaiting the advent of the Word, that he may hear of wars and rumors of wars; but not immediately upon hearing shall the end be. Wherefore, every man who wishes to be saved must await the end, because he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. B According to Luke, however, if we hear of wars and seditions, let us not be troubled. Wars, indeed, are those which are brought about by the knowledge of falsely so-called, and by the wisdom of the princes of this world; seditions, however, are those of people not agreeing with one another in the gathering of the Church. For we clearly hear diverse opinions concerning various matters, especially those of us who wish to progress toward the perfection that is in Christ. There are not only wars outside the Church, but also seditions within the Church. From all of which the disciples of the apostles were alien, all of whom, as it is written in the Acts of the Apostles, were of one heart and one soul. For they were confirmed in the same understanding and in the same knowledge. Yet, even if we hear of such wars and of such seditions, let us not be troubled. For it behooves us first, before we see the perfection of the wisdom that is in Christ, that these things should happen; but the end which we seek shall not be immediately. For it behooves us to be established and confirmed in peace, so that we may be without terror, and not be troubled by seditions, so that after these things we may be able to grasp the end, which is not in the audition of wars nor in the seditions themselves; for the peaceful end is far from all these things. C
36. "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. All these things are the beginning of sorrows." Mark says the same, but adds "disturbances"; Luke likewise says the same, but adds "terrors from heaven, and there shall be great signs, and winters." Let us first explain the simple and bodily aspects of the passage. Just as the bodies of those who suffer no external force to be applied to them grow sick before death, and just as in all cases through infirmity the way is made for the soul to be separated from its body, so such and so great a creature as the world, when it begins to be corrupted—as having a beginning and an end, since the things that are seen are temporal, and because heaven and earth shall pass away—it is necessary that before its corruption it should languish, so that the earth should be shaken more frequently by earthquakes, and the air, conceiving a certain morbific force, should become pestilential. Further, the vital power of the earth, suddenly failing, might stifle the fruits, and the power that generates them might fail in all the natures of trees. D By these accidents, therefore, it is consequent that mobile nature, constituted as any part of the whole world, should suffer with the mutation of all things: for example, by not taking up the customary nourishment of foods, it comes to a defect and is corrupted. For the heavens shall perish, "for they shall wax old as a garment." And whatsoever waxeth old and groweth aged is near to destruction. It is consequent also that, by reason of the scarcity of food, men are excited to avarice and wars against those who do not suffer such scarcity, and that, from the comparison of others who are in abundance of necessary things, there should arise insurrections of some against others, and nation should fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. It is possible, however, that with the need for other things, there should also come to be a need among men of good sense, so that through these things a tranquil and peaceful life is not found among many, but that there should be insurrections, and quarrels, and perturbations, sometimes through avarice, sometimes through the concupiscence of rule, sometimes also through an insane desire for vain glory, and sometimes through the cupidities of vain-glorious princes, who are not content with their own kingdom, but wish to extend their own rule and to subdue many nations unto themselves.
57. Further, someone might propose deeper causes for those things that are to happen before the consummation of the world, especially concerning wars. For just as the advent of Christ, through divine power, brought peace to many nations, according to what the Prophet says of Him: "In His days shall justice arise, and abundance of peace, until the moon be lifted up"; and thus the peace of the world was multiplied on account of the future increments of the Churches, so that that peace became an occasion of salvation for many, while they were not compelled to go out to wars and to fight for their homelands as was done of yore; so it is consequent that, when on account of the abundance of iniquity the charity of many shall wax cold, and therefore God and His Christ shall have abandoned them, wars should happen again, that is to say, while the operations that sow wars are not prohibited by holiness, but rather are nourished all the more on account of the superabundant malice of men, so that they who had indeed approached the Word, but afterward turned away and were all together rendered useless in worldly evils, are said to be the cause of all the evils that happen. For as long as the salt of the earth shall stand, to whom the Lord said: "Ye are the salt of the earth," all things are kept tempered by the salts. But after the salts themselves have become foolish, to use the Scriptural term, then those things which were salted by them, being as it were insipid and foolish, are corrupted, and stink, and are resolved. Furthermore, as long as the light of the world shall stand, all things are directed and dispensed by clear light; but when this very light shall have been diminished in the souls of men, because it is not nourished by its own and natural food, then, darkness occupying all things, when all things have been made in sadness and calamities, there comes as it were a gathering of the opposing powers over all things, when they are not restrained in them by the saints and by Christ, who was wont to restrain them, but as if in darkness, without any prohibition, they shall work in the hearts of men to excite nations.
A And nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. But if, just as it pleases some, both famines and pestilences arise from operations of this kind and from the angels of Satan, similarly then famines and pestilences will grow strong from the adversarial powers, when [they] shall not be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, namely, the disciples of Christ, who are the princes of the power of God, destroying within men the battles which the adversarial powers initiate, and everything which is sown from their malice. And sometimes, indeed, in Israel, famines and pestilences occurred on account of sins, and droughts which the prayers of the saints, of Samuel, of Jeremiah, and others like them, would resolve. But it is well stated: [Matth. XXIV, 7] *There shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in places.* For God does not wish to destroy the human race all at once; but judging in parts, little by little, while there are famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in places, He gives a place for repentance to those who are corrected by slight punishments and are converted to God. And just as it is possible for those beginning to have infirmities to bring forth medicinal aids, so too, for those beginning to have famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in places, it is possible for some men to be given the purgations of the saints for conversation, and faith, and wisdom. If, however, for those beginning to have such evils there is not made a pious correction, the famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes will progress to the worse, when the abomination of desolation shall have its place, not content with another part of the world: it will come to stand even in the holy place. Nevertheless, the insurrections of nations against nations, and of kingdoms against kingdoms, and the famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes arising in places, B are said to be the beginnings of worse calamities, which the Lord called *sorrows*. If, therefore, these will be the first fruits of sorrows, what do you think the increments of sorrows will be? What, moreover, will be the end of the general sorrows in the whole world, so that they may exterminate the world no longer by parts, but in its entirety? Yet I think that things which are to follow will be only against the impious, so that they may be tormented in most acute and long-lasting sorrows, until they put down what they have conceived and formed: the seeds of sins from contrary operations. And Pharaoh indeed, not wishing to do well, commanded that every male that was born to the Hebrews be cast into the river; but God, being good, as one who is truly good, kills the seeds of the evils which they have received, so that through many labors and sorrows they may put them down, since they conceived sorrow and brought forth iniquity. And what else does it befit God to do, except to kill all iniquity which sinners generate, for whom the day of such death is better than the day of his birth, according to what is written: *Better is the day of death than the day of birth*? Thus, one might well say that abortion is better than that which is born: *And I called the abortion better than him.* For such an abortion comes in birth, and walks in darkness, and his name shall be covered in darkness. And I have examined these [matters] looking more abundantly at the consequences, according to that which says: [Matth. XXIV, 8] *All these things are the beginnings of sorrows.*
38. Since, however, I judge that there is a moral understanding even in this passage, according to those things which I have said, consequently these things must also be spoken: because if anyone is about to see the glorious and regal form of the Word, His glorious advent, it is necessary for him to be roused not only to hear of battles and rumors of intelligible battles, so that by seeing he may learn not to be terrified at all, but also that he may see the nation of some falsehood, and the motion of words drawing [people] to some sect, rising up against some other nation of falsehood, because for such nations there is never a peaceful end. This we frequently see happen among heretics, and among the churches of the malignant, that one nation of another heresy rises up over the nation of another heresy. Thus also the kingdom of some word rises up against the kingdom of another wandering word: because Satan and all falsehood is always divided against itself, [and] therefore it cannot stand. Therefore, he who sets out to see the glory of Christ and His kingdom—that is, the perfection of the Word and the kingdom which reigns and dominates, placing all enemy arguments under His feet and into the trampling of His feet—it is necessary for him that, while seeking the truth, he should frequently suffer a lack of understandings, by which properly the soul is nourished toward the seeking of those things which are to be sought. And just as sometimes those who were setting out to the land of promise were afflicted, C and suffered hunger for carnal foods in the transition, so that they might receive the heavenly manna, so it is fitting that he who is to be nourished by the perfection of the Word be frequently tested by a lack of understandings, and suffer nothing from it. And daily we see this very thing in ourselves, when we seek some understanding of the truth in the Scriptures: before we find what we seek, we suffer some lack of understandings, until that lack of understandings is resolved in us by God, who gives meat to the worthy in due time to eat and clothing to put on. It is proper also that he who sees the glorious advent, that is, the advent of wisdom into his soul, must needs see the pestilences of morbid arguments and suffer nothing from them. But pestiferous arguments are all those which are brought forth by pestiferous men, speaking iniquity on high, and setting their mouth in heaven in pride and great promise: as for instance, the arguments of Marcion against the Creator of the world, and impious blasphemies, which are a certain kind of pestilence of souls, corrupting the minds of men and making souls grow ill in their suspicions. The fables of Valentinus also regarding masculine and feminine aeons, and concerning the birth of the Creator of the world which they have concocted from false wisdom, and whatever else they babble, what are they but pestilences; the arguments of Basilides also, detracting indeed from those who struggle even unto death for the truth, that they may confess Jesus before men, D
teaching them to deny and to sacrifice to strange gods, no less corrupting those who hear them; for in the same discourses they teach that there are no such things as the penalties of sin, nor the transmigrations of souls after death. For while they openly cast aside the false, they yet remove from men the saving fear; and those who, even for fear of future punishments, might have been saved from the multitude of sins, they nourish in the boldness of their impiety. There will be many famines, therefore, and pestilences for all who wish to see the glorious advent of Christ within their own soul, but they shall not harm them in any way. They will see them indeed, but they will suffer nothing from them. They will suffer, however, from the movement of those affections which occur in many places of the Scriptures, having a likeness to contrary things or to falsehoods; but afterward they will suffer nothing, nor will the movement of false reports cause them to depart from the expectation of the glorious and divine and perfect advent of Jesus Christ, the Word. And he who says: *Because of you, O Lord, we have been in the womb, and have been in pain, and have brought forth the spirit of salvation which you have made upon the earth*, or according to the saying: *My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you*, it is necessary that, in the first of all these sorrows, there should be famine, and pestilence, and movement: which thing that which bears, that which conceived and formed in themselves the Word of Christ, will declare, as in his nativity: *Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy, and glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth*.
39. *Then shall they deliver you up in tribulations, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then many shall be scandalized, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another; and many pseudo-prophets shall rise, and shall seduce many; and because iniquity hath abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold: but he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved. And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world, for a testimony to all nations; and then shall the consummation come.* And indeed the text is manifest in itself without exposition, because the disciples of Christ are frequently delivered up to tribulations, and for the sake of the Word are killed, and for the sake of Christ are hated by the nations. But if one wishes to discuss A exactly what is being said, he will not find something certain, because even in the farthest parts of the earth, dwelling among nations, the people are hated for the name of Christ: unless perhaps someone might say that this is said on account of the exaggeration regarding the "many." For if you consider this, you will find, after nations have risen against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and after famines and pestilences in various places, that they are delivered up in tribulations, and killed, and hated by all nations for the name of Christ: for even before these things happened, the Christians B were delivered up in tribulations, and bore witness to the truth, and were killed, and were held in hatred by the nations with whom they dwelt. But if one wishes to understand this question according to the words, he will answer that then, indeed, the Christians are especially delivered up in tribulations, just as they were never before: then, indeed, they are especially to be hated by all the nations dwelling with them, as they never were before; and they suffer all things for the name of Christ, when nation rises against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there are famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. For those who are in calamities love to discuss their causes, finding something to talk about. When these things, therefore, happen in the world, it follows, as if on account of men failing in their duty, C but actually on account of the multitude of Christians, that wars occur, and famines, and pestilences. For frequently the nations blamed the Christians for the cause of famine, and whosoever were wise in the ways of the nations: but they brought back the causes of the pestilences to the Church of Christ. We know that also at the time of earthquakes happening in some places, and ruins having been made, so that the impious were outside the faith, they would say that the Christians were the cause of the earthquake; and because persecutions were suffered by the Church, and they were inflamed; not only those, but even those who were thought to be wise, spoke such things in public, that the most grievous earthquakes happen because of the Christians. But what is said: *And you shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake*, how can this be saved, D since the nations were never yet in agreement as one against the Christians: yet when that comes to pass which Christ predicted, then, as it were, all are to be kindled, with some nations beginning to blame the Christians, so that then persecutions arise, now in part as before, but generally everywhere against the people of God. Then will happen that which is said: that many will be scandalized who seem to be established in faith, and will betray one another, and there will be hatred among them, even those who seem to be faithful. Then many pseudo-prophets will arise, leading the multitude astray; and as charity grows cold, not only among the faithless, but even in the faithful themselves, the fervor of charity from many iniquities will grow cold, so that few remain struggling for the truth even unto the end, and only these are to be saved. And in this state of affairs, the Gospel which had not yet been preached in the whole world (for not only of the barbarians, but even of our own nations, up to now, they had not heard of Christianity), then will be preached, so that every nation may hear the evangelical preaching, and no one be left behind who did not hear, and then will be the end of the age. But since these things are thus, and we do not yet know about the time of the end, then they shall deliver you up, and we will not suspect the falsehood of what is said: *and you shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake*, saying the truth—
On the interpretation of the generations
or since the designation "generation" is of many meanings in the Scripture [for it signifies both the people from the circumcision and those from the nations], it must be heard that the generation of the New Testament in the sight of the Savior shall not pass away, nor shall it reach the promises, until all that the Savior said comes to pass. And it is necessary that these things happen mystically to each one of us, if from the instruction until the end one remains, having endured in all things, impassible until the glorious advent of Christ. Those in heaven and on earth, being called by metonymy heaven and earth, will pass through all their own condition, that they may come to the things that are above. For the words of the Savior will always effect their own [ends], as perfect and not admitting of becoming better [by] passing away [as] what they are. But "heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away," being words of Him through whom all things came into being; for the word of created things does not pass away, even if they themselves pass away. But what he will say, that Christ says this before the dispensation, and after the dispensation no longer, when "God highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name." The Son hid, saying he did not know, for the benefit of the disciples.
A ...of this word to not yet be fulfilled, as long as it has not come to pass which he says: "Then they will be scandalized, and they will betray one another." For not yet have many become traitors of the Church, nor have false prophets arisen who deceive many: so also not yet have they been hated by all nations, even those inhabiting the furthest parts of the earth, because of the name of Christ, and thus the Gospel of the kingdom has not yet been preached in the whole world. For it is not reported that the Gospel has been preached among all the Ethiopians, especially among those who are beyond the river; nor yet among the Seres, nor in the East have they heard the sermon of Christianity. But what shall we say of the Britons, or the Germans, who are about the Ocean, or the Barbarians, the Dacians, and the Sarmatians, and the Scythians, most of whom have not yet heard the word of the Gospel, but are to hear it at the very consummation of the age. Behold then what he says: "And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." But if anyone would rashly say that the Gospel of the kingdom has already been preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, it follows that he might also say that which he says, "then the end will come," that the end has already arrived: which to say is of great rashness, and of a man not understanding what Paul says in the second Epistle to the Thessalonians, saying: "Let no one deceive you in any way, as if the day of the Lord were at hand: for unless there comes first the rebellion, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction, and the rest, the day of the Lord will not be." We have explained these according to the simple tradition. But if we ought, according to what we have morally handed down above, here also to understand a moral treatise, we shall explain such things: that whoever is to see, according to the coming of the Word of God, that glorious one into his own soul, it is necessary that he, according to the measure of his own progress toward the perfection of the Word, suffer snares from contrary operations, as a great athlete, and being handed over into tribulations, be left behind. For many are the tribulations of the just, and the more just one wants to become, by so much the more he walks the narrow and B afflicted way with desire and incurs into tribulations, and being afflicted he is put to death to the world; and the more he sets out toward a clearer vision of the Word, the more he is afflicted. Because Christ is found more perfect in him, he will be hated by all who hate Christ, not so much by all nations according to the flesh, as by the nations of spiritual wickedness. For that very implanted manifestation of the properties of Christ in him, because of which he is even called a Christian, makes him to be hated by all who have the spirit of the world, as he strives for the perfection of Christ more and more. But also in dissensions and questions few will be intent on attaining the truth more fully. But many will be scandalized and will fall from it, having become traitors and accusers of one another because of the dissension of the dogmas of truth, which C not all can grasp: which cause will be that they hate one another. And when questions of this kind shall have come to many, many indeed will be not indeed delivering the sermon concerning things to come, and as not interpreting the prophets as they ought, whom it would not be a sin to call false prophets, deceiving many. But very few will be investigating the truth. But false doctrines will loosen indeed the strong-willed from the purpose of truth, but they will multiply those who have itching ears, speaking for their delight an iniquity contrary to the law, and the words of those teaching many contrary things will do so much harm, that they will cause even the fervent love which had previously been in the simplicity of faith, to cool at the estimation of the comprehension of divine mysteries and truth. But he who is able, seeing all these things, to remain in the purpose of apostolic tradition and ecclesiastical induction, he himself will be saved, and thus the preached Gospel into the souls of all, will be as a testimony to all nations, that is to all the incredulous thoughts of all souls.
40. When you see the abomination of desolation, which is written through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, let him who reads understand. The words of the prophet which he spoke concerning the abomination of the future desolation are these: And he will confirm a covenant with many for one week, and in the middle of the week the sacrifice and libation will be taken away, and upon the temple will be the abomination of desolation, and even until the consummation of time, a consummation will be given upon the desolation. Truly indeed to understand the sermons of Daniel belongs to no other, except the Holy Spirit who was in Daniel, so that he might reveal the sermon about all the weeks and about the abomination of desolation spoken by him. But if it is appropriate for us also to set forth a few things according to what seems to us about this place, it must be said that the sermon seems to demonstrate the seventy years which were after the coming of our Savior. D For this week, which is called a week because of the seven decades of years, confirms a covenant with many, when also the apostles of Christ after his ascension, were being illuminated by God, being instant in prayer and the Word, into all the knowledge of the will of the divine Scriptures and by the Holy Spirit. But in the middle of the week, that is in three and a half decades of years, the sacrifice of the altar was taken away, that is, in thirty-five years was fulfilled what had been written: "In the middle of the week the sacrifice and libation will be taken away." But then upon the temple which was in Jerusalem, there occurred the abomination of the desolation of the temple and of the city, in that time indeed when they saw Jerusalem surrounded by an army, so that according to what the Savior had prophesied concerning it, they might know that its desolation had approached. And this abomination of desolation made upon the temple by the army...
A surrounding Jerusalem, the prophet says it will remain until the time of the consummation, in order that the consummation of the world may take place upon the desolation of Jerusalem and the temple that is in it. And where are they who call themselves Jews and are not? They who say that the Jerusalem which is below will be built before the consummation of the age happens? The consummation, he says, will be given upon its desolation. But if the temple is to be rebuilt, it will be rebuilt for him who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or is worshipped, so that he may sit in such a temple, showing himself as if he were God, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth, and will destroy with the brightness of his coming. So then, whether it pleases some that this Jerusalem be built upon the earth, it will nonetheless not be false what is said: "The consummation is to be given upon its desolation." But if it is necessary to say something also about the times, we say that in the Chronicles of a certain Phlegon it is said (if indeed we ought to accept even this as if it were a true account of the temple), that the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple that was in it took place around the fortieth year from the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar. Subtract, then, about three years for the preaching of the Lord, and the time of his resurrection, when appearing to them for forty days he taught them concerning the kingdom of God, and you will perhaps find more or less: for around the half of the week, calculating by decades of years, is completed what was said: "My sacrifice and libation shall be taken away," when also the abomination of desolation B has been made upon the temple, which desolation will remain until the time of the consummation. For the consummation, according to what we have said, will be given upon the desolation. But if such a tradition of the week is established for us, by those claiming, as far as the statement goes, that what was said has been fulfilled, not only: "My sacrifice and libation shall be taken away," but also that which is written, that the abomination of desolations happens upon the temple, the advent of Christ is undoubtedly and manifestly shown also from the words of the prophet Daniel saying: "Seventy weeks are abridged over your people, and over the holy city, that sin may be finished, and sin be sealed, and iniquities be blotted out, and everlasting righteousness be brought, and vision and prophecy be sealed: and the Holy of Holies be anointed, and you shall know and understand from the going forth of the word to answer and build Jerusalem unto Christ the leader, sixty-two weeks: and it shall be returned, and the street and wall shall be rebuilt, and the times shall be emptied: and after sixty-two weeks the anointing shall perish, and judgment is not in it. And he shall corrupt the city and the sanctuary with the coming leader, and it shall be cut off in a flood, and unto the end of the war destruction is abridged: and he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, and in the middle of the week the sacrifice and libation shall be taken away, and [the] pinnacles until the consummation of the haste." After these things follows the discourse which we have explained, having it thus: C "And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week," and so on. I think, however, that the seventy weeks abridged over the people and over the holy city, that sin may be finished, are four thousand nine hundred years from Adam until the seventy years that were after the dispensation of Christ. For the sin of the people has been finished, because of which he was also abandoned by God. And their sin indeed has been sealed, but the injustice of the believers has been blotted out, and after its blotting out, eternal life has been brought in Christ. But since the law and the prophets were until John, who showed Christ, for that reason I think it is said that the vision and prophecy are sealed. For since there are by no means any visions in the prophets after John, therefore the vision and prophecy are sealed. But the vision and prophecy being sealed, the only-begotten Holy of Holies, Christ, was anointed. Which anointed Christ the prophets and Daniel knew, and they understood it in some way from the going forth of the word, "when by the word of the Lord the heavens were established." And from the going forth of the word, to answer among the saints, who were from the beginning and the prophets of the Lord, but also that Jerusalem be built, there passed sixty-two weeks unto Christ the leader, that is, first indeed four hundred and ninety years, which make D seven weeks calculated by decades. After this, however, four thousand three hundred and forty years, which are similarly calculated by decades as sixty-two weeks. After which Christ returned, and he built the street in which wisdom acts confidently, and the wall on the top of which it is preached. But the times of the people have been emptied, because upon the added seven weeks, sixty-two weeks, the chrism which was in the temple was taken away from the people, so that now their judgment does not exist. But both the city and the sanctuary have been corrupted with the leader who later came upon that people, whether Herod or Agrippa. For the history of the Jews calls him this. But see that you do not think that what he says, "it shall be corrupted with the coming leader," refers to Christ. For where he wanted Christ himself to be understood, Daniel used both names, saying, "unto Christ the leader." When, however, he is silent on the name of Christ, he introduces the leader who is to be corrupted, since the leader after Christ failed, and the leader from his loins came, for he to whom it was reserved 860 had come. After whom the people was cut off in a flood until the end of the war abridged upon them. But in these occurrences to them, God confirmed a covenant with many in one week: in the middle of which week he made to cease the incense, and sacrifices, and the temple, which, I think, he called by the pinnacle, destined to perish until the consummation in haste, when also their house was left to them in their sins. We have explained the things which follow in the text of Daniel as we were able. But all these things we have deemed it necessary to adduce from Daniel according to the interpretation of the evangelical text, so that we may manifest the word
which says: *When you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, let him who reads understand.*
41. But now let us declare the text of the Gospel itself. We have said indeed that the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place is the prince who surrounded Jerusalem with an army. And because the most dire things befell those who were then in Judea, therefore, prophesying these future events to the people, the Lord says: *Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.* And such were the things that happened at that time, so that we may say that he who was upon the housetop did not have time to descend and take anything from his house; and he who was in the field could not return to the city and take his garment. B And there was then no time for mercy, neither for those who were with child, nor for those who were nursing, nor for their infants. Therefore He says (as far as the literal words go): *Woe to those who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing in those days.* And as if speaking to the Jews, who thought that on the Sabbath it was not fitting either to work or to walk a journey further than a Sabbath day's journey, for this reason He says: *But pray that your flight may not be in winter, or on a Sabbath.* For not only on the Sabbath, but even in winter, it was most difficult to seek safety by means of flight. It is reported by those who wrote the Jewish history concerning the things that happened at that time, that a great tribulation occurred for the people, such as never was from the beginning of the world until the time of Christ, nor can it happen to them again, because they dared to lay hands upon the true Christ of God, whose mystery and name David venerating, said concerning Saul, who was persecuting him and wishing to kill him: *I will not lay my hands upon the Lord’s anointed.* But we understand the shortening of those days to be the precision of those days that was to come for the sake of God’s elect who believe in Christ. C Then, however, with the people set in great calamity, and the elect who were in Judea suffering perils, many seducers were saying: *Behold, here is Christ, or there.* Teaching His disciples to watch out for them, He said then: *If anyone says to you, "Behold, here is Christ, or there," do not believe it. For there will arise false Christs and false prophets, and they will give great signs and wonders.* But one might say it was Simon Magus, who claimed to be the great Power of God, or anyone like him who wished to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. We have said these things in advance, not adding another exposition in this place, except for that which is according to the text, for the sake of those who delight in simple tradition, that we might say what seems useful to them, since the Lord, foreknowing the truth, set forth these things while prophesying the future.
42. If, however, it is necessary, for the sake of those who wish D and are able to ascend in the word to higher things, let us re-explain from the beginning B the words of the Gospel that were proposed, and let us expound them again spiritually as best we can. And first of all, let us take up the word about the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place. For he who reads must be diligent and understand, so that he may not be seduced by the abomination of desolation. Therefore, the holy place is, intelligibly, every pronouncement of Divine Scripture, which the holy prophets who have been from of old, Moses, and after him the others, have spoken. And not only they, but also the pronouncement of the evangelists or the apostles of Jesus Christ. In this holy place, then, of all the Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testaments, the Antichrist, which is the false Word, has stood frequently through this very fact—that he is seen standing in the Divine Scriptures, showing himself as if he were God and as if he were the Christ, the Word of God, and he himself is the abomination of desolation. For it is frequently possible to see in the impious arguments of doctrines among heretics this abomination of desolation, that is, the Antichrist—the false word, the abomination desolating from God every man who has received it into himself, the abomination opposing the truth, exalting itself over every word that is outside of it, which is announced to be exalting itself even over every word of God, which every man C (82) wishes to worship, whether truly or mendaciously. For each of the doctrines of the heretics not only opposes the truth but also the other doctrines that are similarly false. And because it is exalted in such a way that it even sits in the temple of the Scriptures, through the temple itself, that is, through the Scriptures themselves, wishing to show that he himself is truly the Word of God, therefore let him who reads the divine Scriptures always understand them, especially when he sees the abomination of desolation, according to what we have said, standing in that holy place of the holy Scriptures which we have explained. But he who has understood him will destroy him by true tradition, that is, by the illumination of the advent of Christ who is the truth, that word which appears to stand in a place that is not a holy place, and by understanding such an abomination of desolation, he will render it void and cast it out from the holy place in which it appears to stand. But most of all, Christ, who speaks the true light, will destroy him in him. But this Christ, if in any place D he is followed by one wishing to listen and be edified, is not weakened, [C: 861] but every false word, which is the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place and sitting in the temple of God, which is the Antichrist, will kill by the spirit of his mouth through those who have rendered themselves capable of him. Which false word frequently does not stand, but even sits in the temple, when it appears to be constructed in a way that is supposedly rational and good. But those who see this abomination of desolation, in such a way that they are able to say of it: For we are not ignorant of its wiles, in...
A that they read, those who understand the true things should flee from the false and withdraw to where the lie will not be able to catch them. But the lie cannot catch those who, out of Judea—that is, the letter—flee to spiritual and intelligible things and to the high mountains of truth. But in order that we may understand, "Let them flee into the mountains," take the example that is spoken clearly concerning laudable flight, such as that which the Apostle says: "Flee fornication," and what Wisdom says: "As from the face of a serpent, flee sin," or such as that which Rebecca says to Jacob in a mystery: "Behold, Esau thy brother threatens to kill thee. Now therefore, son, hear my voice, and arising flee to Laban my brother in Charan, and dwell with him some days, until the anger of thy brother be turned away." And everyone, I think, who is a son of Jacob, performing the works of Jacob, understanding every manner hateful to God, which is Esau, flees as one who understands. But if he does not flee him who is a fornicator and defiled like Esau, and as if not fleeing Esau, but cohabiting with him, he does not become the son of Jacob who had fled from him. But Jacob himself, dwelling with Laban usefully for himself and for the dispensation which was according to God, hid his heart, so that he did not announce to him that he was fleeing, and he was fleeing himself and all his things. It is good, therefore, to flee even from Laban, from the counselor of carnal qualities, in which it is not fitting for one dwelling in them to remain, but to flee with all his house. For even if he wishes to pursue after him, God will turn him away from those who flee him, so that even if he overtakes him afterwards sometime, he can do no harm to him who confidently proclaims: "With whomsoever thou shalt find thy gods, let him not live in the sight of our brethren: know what is thine with me, and take it." For nothing can be known to be with Jacob from the things of Laban. In these evangelical sayings, therefore, which we are treating at present, it is commanded that those who recognize the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place should understand while they read, so that they may flee into the mountains. Whoever, therefore, is established in such a Judea as we have described, that is, in the oldness of the letter, let him flee into the mountains of spiritual novelties. And if one is found to have ascended upon the roof of the Word, and to stand at the summit of its edifice, let him not descend from there on the pretext that he might take away something from his house B or depart. For he will have no need, remaining on the roof and abstaining from descending from there at any time. And if one is in the field, whether it is in that in which the treasure is hidden, as the Lord says in a certain parable, or such as was that field of Jacob full, to which his father had likened him while blessing him, and saying: "Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a full field which the Lord has blessed," in which field, according to the spiritual blessings of the law, everyone who has lived according to the law is blessed, the Scripture saying: "Blessed shalt thou be in the city, blessed shalt thou be in the field"—whoever, therefore, is in such a field of total plantation which the heavenly Father has planted, let him not turn back. For not only he who sets his hand to the plow and has turned back is not fit for the kingdom of God, but even he who is in the field which we have delivered, and has turned back because of those things which he ought to have forgotten, will without doubt fall into the abomination of desolation, that is, into the seduction of the lying word, and especially if he has stripped off his old garment, that is, the old man with his deeds, and has again turned back to take his garment. We must, therefore, diligently attend, lest by chance we wish to descend and take any of those things which are below and are in the house, or to seek back the garment left behind, abandoning the field and turning back, when we ought to have coveted those things which are before, and to have forgotten those that are behind, and neither to stand in any of that region, but to be saved on the mountain, so that we may not be caught with those who are burned for the reason that they were caught in Sodom.
43. "Woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days." Because there are also some souls conceiving generations, the prophet made clear, saying: "Because of thy fear, O Lord, we have conceived in the womb, and have been in pain, and have brought forth the spirit of salvation which thou hast wrought upon the earth." For just as in those who are pregnant seed is formed and fashioned, so also in the soul which receives the Word, the conception of the Word is gradually formed and fashioned in it. And I think this is what Paul says to the Galatians: "My little children, of whom I am in labor again, until Christ be formed in you." In the Epistle to Timothy he says the same, that the woman is to be saved by the generation of children, if she continues in faith and love and holiness with chastity. What, however, is this woman, if not the soul which conceives the word of God and truth, and brings forth good works similar to Christ? It is unreasonable, however, to think that it was said of sensible generation that: "She shall be saved through the generation of children, if she continues in faith and love, and holiness with chastity, *though* the woman was seduced into transgression." Therefore, souls that have newly received the word, and are still constituted as pregnant, and have not yet borne fruit in it, having in the womb what is intelligible, cannot sustain the argument standing in the holy place that is adverse to the truth, nor stand [D 862] so that they are not seduced by its persuasions. Therefore, if sometimes the soul, pregnant and having in the womb what has not yet borne fruit from the Word, sees the abomination of desolation, according to what we have delivered, standing in the holy place, it falls into the woe of which the Lord says: "Woe to them that are with child." For it will cast out its conception, and will be emptied of the hope which is in the works of truth. But even if the Word is seen to be formed and fructified, yet has not been nourished sufficiently with the nutrients that increase it and make it great, but has remained immature, it is done according to the likeness of one that suckles, and upon such...
ways of generation, will come that which is upon those who give suck. But if, as is written in many copies, it is “woe to those who give suck,” it must be said that these are souls that are still nourished with milk, of whom the Apostle says: *I have given you milk to drink, not meat; for you were not able, neither are you able as yet, for you are still carnal.* And he says elsewhere: *You have become such as have need of milk, and not of solid meat. For every one that is a partaker of milk, is unskillful in the word of justice: for he is a little one.* These, therefore, are the souls which, because of their weakness and because they are easily seduced, cannot remain unseduced in the presence of the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place; for, being seduced, they consent to it as if it were God. And one can see the churches of heretics full of those who are lamenting, those who are pregnant, those who are nourishing, or those who are giving suck. For most often, the souls that were pregnant in the Church, or nourishing, or giving suck, were seduced by the abomination of desolation; and, seduced by that false word which stands in the holy place through the false tradition of perverse dogmas, they received the abomination of that which was done by the Lord: *Woe to them that are with child, and that give suck.* Nor is this whenever it may be, but in those days of the abomination of the desolation of desolations. For every one who hears words of iniquity from those who speak of high things, and receives them in his days, he becomes subject to the abomination of desolation. B 44. *Pray that your flight be not in the winter, or on the Sabbath.* For, as we have said, there is a certain flight of men according to the precept of the Word, so that he who flees what he ought to flee is better than he who does not flee, [and therefore he commits such things and greater by the fact that he does not flee,] but makes himself subject to the evils that destroy the soul. But what that established and praiseworthy flight is, the Apostle clearly teaches, saying: *Flee fornication.* He flees fornication who avoids every occasion that irritates and provokes to fornication, and does not associate with young people, as much as he can, lest he be consumed by them; nor does he descend into the habits of such people, but turns himself entirely away from such provocations of men. He who wishes to flee fornication, let him hear also what is said: *Be not assiduous with a dancing girl, lest peradventure thou perish by her desires.* He flees fornication more abundantly who, as much as he is able, avoids foods that are heating and inciting to the seed, and, if it can be done, uses no wine until the more fervent age passes. But if he does use it, let him use it sparingly according to the apostolic precept, saying to Timothy: *Do not still drink water, but use a little wine for thy stomach, and thy frequent infirmities.* And what more needs to be said? That is the one who flees fornication, and always practices that praiseworthy flight which does not permit one to flee from God. He practices this flight who is ready to flee C fornication. And not only must fornication be fled by us, but every sin. Therefore, the Scripture has well said: *Flee from sin as from the face of a serpent.* Frequently, however, it is necessary to flee from Antichrist, his word, and the knowledge falsely so called, especially when a man is not yet so capable that he has within himself the Lord working, who strikes down the persuasions of lies with the spirit of his mouth; nor does he ascend to such a height that he has in himself Him who destroys by the illumination of his advent every persuasion that has a semblance of truth and assumes the likeness of truth. But he who flees must also know the place to which he ought to flee, and pray also on account of the time, so that he may not in that time flee to what is an adversary of flight. The places for those who flee, therefore, will be the mountains, which Christ points out, saying: *Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains.* And those who flee to these mountains should say the psalm of degrees, which has it thus: *I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence help shall come to me.* And he lifts up his eyes to the mountains because he knows the abundance that is in those mountains; therefore it says: *The foundations thereof are in the holy mountains.* And if he shall flee to the mountains which the Lord has commanded, he will come to the holy place, in which, being made and seeing that great vision, he will say what is written: *Passing by I will see this great vision.* And he who is of such a sort will hear: *Put off the shoes from thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.* Let them flee, therefore, to the mountains who flee according to the commandment of God. Since, therefore, those established in the tranquility of the soul can obtain the flight of salvation, but winter, overtaking them, causes them to fall into those from whom they are fleeing, they should pray that their flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath, if indeed Christ has kept watch within them. But if He has fallen asleep, then the storm of wind descending into the lake will fall also upon him who flees, because Jesus does not [at the same time] flee with him, showing him the flight of the best way. Nevertheless, if a storm should sometimes descend and have brought winter, let one pray and arouse Christ with his prayers so that He may command the wind and the sea, so that, tranquility having been made, he may again flee, so that he may not be overtaken by fornication, or avarice, or vain glory, or by any evil pursuing him, or by the abomination of desolation itself, that is, false doctrine. D 45. *Pray that your flight be not in the winter, or on the Sabbath.* God created the works of the world in six days and rested on the Sabbath. But He rested from the works of the world which He began to do. The works of justice, however, He always performs without a beginning and will perform without an end: and so the human race before the coming of Christ all performed the works of the world, and no one rested from them, [always] sabbatizing from good works. But our Lord coming, who is our Sabbath and our rest, brought to us the rest of His Sabbath, so that as He rested on the Sabbath from the works of the world, we...
too through Him may rest from worldly works, and from carnal and harmful works, and we may always exercise the works of righteousness. But because such a Sabbath—in which we do no servile work—had been brought to us, Christ Himself testifies this through the Prophet, saying to the unworthy Jews thus 36: *Until I swore in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest.* And again, Lamech names his son Noah in the mystery of Christ, as it is said of him 37: *And he called his name Noah, saying, because this man shall give us rest from our sorrows, and from the works of our hands, and from the earth which the Lord cursed.* He, therefore, who lives in Christ always lives in the Sabbath and rests in peace from evil works, and works endlessly the works of righteousness. But many, having the name of Christ, but not His grace, conversely do not sabbatize from good works, but they work evil works. B Indeed, the mediocre sometimes leave off the Sabbath of evil works, and they sabbatize from good works, not doing good, but evil. Some, however, sabbatize from evil works; they do not perform good works, though they ought not only to flee evil, but also to perform good. In such a Sabbath, therefore, of the operation of good things, when a man does not do good works, Christ commands us to pray that our flight may not be in it. For by your ceasing from good works, you shall indeed stand before the face of the abomination, and further, you shall submit yourself to it, voluntarily dead by the sword of the lying Word. But if you wish to flee, and the abomination of desolation should follow you, it will break you with its persecutions, because you do not work your good works in the power of patience: or it will captivate you with seductions, because understanding does not work your good works in you. No one is easily overcome and deceived C in such danger of false dogma, except he who is naked and lacking in good works. Therefore, the Apostle also says concerning this very danger 38: *For that they did not receive the love of the truth, God shall give them the working of error, that they may believe a lie, that they all may be judged who have not believed the truth, but have consented to iniquity.* But when we shall see the abomination of desolation, which is spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, we shall see that great tribulation approaching, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, nor shall be hereafter. For what greater tribulation could there be for our brothers being seduced on account of the holy place when the abomination stands in it? If indeed friends of an alien or the death of a body brings great tribulation upon him who has not meditated how to suffer it, what tribulation do you think it is when one suffers when one is a member, and when he sees when some brother is scandalized? But if anyone should see him being moved and disturbed at the abomination D, as though it were not the abomination of desolation, and sees that he is in danger on account of the love he has for the holy place, so that he almost consents to the abomination as if it were God, and draws himself toward the abomination as if it were God, how do you think he is troubled with great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of what comes into the world even until that time? But neither can any other such tribulation ever comprehend him, and especially if one who is led astray believes [the] abomination standing in the [holy] place, not to be the abomination of desolation, but God the Word. But if, furthermore, one sees the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, and if he follows it, taking for himself an excuse from the Divine Scriptures, as if it were indifferent to deny Christianity, and that denial is not a denial; and as if it were nothing to eat the food of idolaters, thinking this, and alleging examples from the Scriptures; and because it is indifferent to permit intercourse with women at one and the same time, as if the fathers doing this of old: all this is for these sins a greater abomination of desolation, it is a word which consists in the place of the holy Scriptures, speaking iniquity in the high place and persuading one to depart from the Creator, who is the only and true God, and to believe another—I do not know whose—God over Him, whom none resembles, as our Savior says 39: *The Father who sent me, is greater than I.* A great tribulation is therefore generated from the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, so that of such it is said 40: *And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened.* But so great and so serious is the tribulation in the abomination of desolation, that God brings about an abbreviation of those days of tribulation, [it is] superfluous of them to anticipate what is added to the desolation and the abomination. For otherwise it is not possible that all flesh which is to be saved should be saved, unless it should receive abbreviation from God. For the precepts and dogmas of truth are understood to be placed in the Scriptures for the illumination of those who understand the souls. 864 But all understandings coming from the science of false things, which are joined to the words of the Scriptures and are known to me as additions above the natural magnitude of the days of the Scriptures: this addition the good One shortens, for whom He wills. And as often as you see in your mind the advent of the Word of Truth preceding the heights that extol themselves against the knowledge of God, so often understand the days of tribulation to be shortened, and circumcise the superfluous magnitude, which against nature the abomination of desolation always puts upon the days of the Lord which are in the Scriptures. And for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened, that, seeing in their mind the precision of the superfluous days, and remaining in that light which is according to the Word of Truth, they may suffer nothing from the desolation
A of the abomination, or from that which had been added above the true and natural days of the Scriptures.
46. Then if anyone say to you: Behold, here is Christ, or there, do not believe. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall give great signs and wonders, so that, if possible, they may lead into error even the elect. Behold, I have told you beforehand. If therefore they say to you: Behold, he is in the desert, do not go out; behold, in the inner rooms, do not believe. For as the lightning comes from the east and appears even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of man be. For wherever the corpse is, there will the eagles be gathered. Since we have said that the abomination of desolation standing in the place is the word of falsehood which seems to stand in the holy place of the Scriptures, someone will say: and how, as if it were not standing there, will someone say to the disciples of Christ: Behold, here is Christ, behold there? And another will say: Behold, he is in the desert; and another: Behold, in the inner rooms. See therefore if we can say to these things what it says: Behold here, behold there; since "behold here, behold there" is not to be looked for outside the Scripture. For he who would wish to seduce us and defend things contrary to the truth will say: Behold, here is Christ, pointing out, for the sake of the argument, this passage of the Gospel. And the author of another error will say: Behold, here is Christ, offering as an example another text, which seems to defend the word of that falsehood which he has proposed to maintain; and thus, from the Law, and the prophets, and the apostles, each one brings forth those things which seem to defend that lie as truth. Or thus is fulfilled what it says: Behold, here is Christ, behold there, showing not Christ, but someone feigned of the same name, as, for instance, according to the doctrine of Marcion, and according to the traditions of Valentinus, or the long-winded fable of Basilides, or according to the false testimony of Apelles against Paul. There will also be many others who are going to say to the disciples out of the divine Scriptures, joining to them their own proper sense: Behold, here is Christ, behold there. But if they say to you: Behold, he is in the desert, do not go out; behold, in the inner rooms, do not believe. For some, bringing forth secret things, say: Behold, he is in the desert. For when they bring forth secret and not commonly known Scriptures for the confirmation of their falsehood, they seem to say: Behold, in the desert is the word of truth. For secret Scriptures are rightly called deserts, in which either few are believers, or none. But as often as they bring forth canonical Scriptures in which every Christian consents and believes, they seem to say: Behold, in the inner rooms is the word of truth. But we ought not to believe them, nor depart from the primary and ecclesiastical tradition, nor believe otherwise than as they have handed down to us by the succession of the Church of God. Or in this way, some professors of those false words do not even from the beginning feign Scriptures, and so they attempt to deceive. Therefore, I believe, those speeches which are entirely outside the Scripture A desiring to show, He said: If they say to you: Behold, he is in the desert, do not go out, concerning the rule of faith. Wishing to point out those who simulate divine Scriptures for the sake of schism, he said: If they say to you: Behold, he is in the inner rooms, do not believe. Whatever they may have professed from the Scriptures, and of the mysteries which are in them, for the sake of demonstration, do not believe what is said. For truth is like lightning going forth from the East, and appearing even to the West: such is the truth of the Church of God: for from it alone the sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world, and it runs quickly, the only true truth of God.
47. As the lightning goes forth from the East and appears even to the West, so shall the coming of the Son of man be, and the rest. We must also know this, that the brightness of truth does not appear, indeed, in one place of the Scriptures, and is not defended from another place of the Scriptures, but it is defended from every place of the Scriptures, that is, whether from the law, or the prophets, or from the Gospels, or from the apostolic Scripture: and this brightness of truth going forth from the East, that is, from the beginnings of Christ, appears even to the dispensation of His passion, in which is His setting. And to such a brightness is the coming of the Son of man similar, that is, the word of truth. And thus we can understand what it says: He goes forth from the East, and appears even to the West. Christ, being the Word, and truth, and wisdom, is shown from the first beginning of the creation of the world even to the latest apostolic Scripture, that is, from Genesis even to the apostolic books, after which no scriptures are to be believed as these are. Or thus, since the law and the prophets are until John, in which is the brightness of the truth: and the rising indeed is the Law, but the setting is the end of the law, John. But the Church alone neither subtracts from the word and sense of this brightness, nor adds any other thing as a prophecy. But if it is necessary to inquire subtly why B it is not said in the singular "the East," nor in the singular "the West," but thus, "from the Easts even to the Wests," we will say that one is the East, and one the West, the law and the prophets until John; another is the East even to the West, Christ Jesus until Paul, to whom, as to one untimely born, the last of the apostles, Christ appeared. Consider also this, for we said above that there is one abomination of desolation D which was spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place: but he adds, as if of many, "for there shall arise false Christs." For generally there is one Antichrist, but his species are many; as if we should say, falsehood is generally one, but according to the differences of false dogmas, many falsehoods are found to be. For if falsehood differs nothing from falsehood, for example, of Basilides, or Marcion, or Valentinus, or Apelles, or of some others similar, one falsehood seems to be. But these, according to different dogmas, lie; there are many who arise. These
A are antichrists, and whoever may have arisen after them. But just as the true and single Christ was from the holy prophets who were from the beginning, announcing the passions of Christ and his future glories afterward, so for me, understand according to each one of the pseudo-Christs that there are many false prophets of his. They are not, therefore, teachers of some one lie, but they are the false prophets of that Antichrist, whose false discourses they preach as if they were true and teach them. According to these things, therefore, which we have said, they who teach the Word ecclesiastically are the prophets of Christ. But they who preach the false word of Marcion or of any one of these are the prophets of the Antichrist who is according to Marcion—that is, of that lie which Marcion introduced; and others are false prophets of that lie which is according to Basilides; others, indeed, of that which is according to Apelles. You will say the same also concerning the preachers of individual heresies. For all the persuasive things B which are brought forth for the defense of the word of Antichrist are the signs and prodigies of that Antichrist: whatever are suggested by the most wise of all the beasts of the earth, the serpent, and by the "great sense," the prince of the Assyrians, are great signs and prodigies, so that, if it is possible, even the elect may be led into error. The word is one of exaggeration, saying "if it be possible," for he did not pronounce or say that even the elect would be led into error, but he wishes to show that the discourses of heretics are very frequently persuasive, and capable of moving even those who hear wisely. But since the Savior forewarned us of all things, let us neither go out into the wilderness, nor believe those who profess that Christ is in the inner rooms. To these things which we have said, let us add further that every word professing itself to be the truth, when it is not the truth—whether among the Gentiles or among the barbarians—in some way is Antichrist, wishing to seduce as if it were the truth and to separate from Him who said: "I am the truth." C Therefore, we must not attend to those who say: "Lo, here is Christ," but do not show him in the Church which is full of splendor from the east even to the west, which is full of the true light, which is "the pillar and ground of the truth," in which the whole advent of the Son of man is entirely present—the One who says to all who are everywhere: "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." And wherever that which is according to the dispensation of his passion shall be, his cadaver, which fell for this reason—that it might raise up those who had fallen—thither shall be gathered not just anyone, but the eagle-disciples. Concerning whom even the prophet said: "They shall put on wings as eagles; and they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall go, and not hunger." And Solomon in the Proverbs assimilates the one who is rich in God, saying: "Wings are prepared for him like an eagle's, and he shall return to the house of the master." And see D that he did not say: "Wheresoever the carcass shall be, there shall the vultures or crows be gathered together," but, wishing to show that all those who have believed in the passion of the Lord are magnificent and royal, he said properly: "Wheresoever the carcass is, there shall the eagles be gathered together."
48. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn." Considering that these are greater propositions than fits the understanding of men, even of those who have progressed most in wisdom above others, come, let us discuss the discourse, first of all seeking those things which can easily be accepted for the explanation of the evangelical text, as if the Lord were prophesying in it; then, we shall inquire what is the truth of these words according to those who think that there is something deeper and more subtle in the words, preserving the consistency of moral traditions even in these, just as above. Therefore, someone will say: Just as in great fires beginning to be kindled, darkness seems to be raised up from much smoke, so in the consummation of the world, from the fire which is to be ignited, even the great luminaries shall be obscured, so that, the sun being obscured, the moon consequently, being hindered by the obscuration of the sun, is allowed neither to receive light from the sun nor to give its own light. And thus it is necessary that great darkness should first encompass the nature of the world: thus, however, as the light of the stars fades away, the remainder of their body, having become coarser so that it cannot be exalted as at first, when it was carried and exalted by the light itself, shall fall from heaven. These things happening, it is consequent that the rational powers of the heavens, suffering stupor, should suffer some commotion and be disturbed, removed, that is, from their primary functions. Thus, he who understands these things to be so will add that the sign of the Son of man, in whom the celestial things were made which were in the heavens and which were in the earth, shall then appear: as, for instance, the power which the Son, suspended upon the wood, wrought; and in heaven his sign shall shine in the greatest degree; and men from all the tribes who formerly did not believe in Christianity announced—but even spoke ill of it—then, recognizing through that sign manifested, shall wail for themselves, and shall lament because of their ignorance and their sins, because they did not receive the word of the Lord figuratively. But another will think otherwise concerning these words: that just as these words demonstrate, the corruption of the world will not happen through fire, but through its own deficiency. And another uses an example: that just as the light of a lamp is gradually diminished as its light fails, so, the nourishment of the celestial luminaries failing, the sun shall be obscured, no longer having the breathings coming upon it from them. However, the greater luminary suffering these things, much more shall the moon not be able to exhibit its fiery splendor.
A admitted, cxxix. Gnostic errors concerning the Savior, 186 and note. They call him the supernal Savior, 186. According to the Gnostics, what the origin of the Savior is, 188. And by whom he was emitted, 207. They distinguished the Savior from Jesus, 189. Gnostics believed the Savior descended into Jesus to announce the Father, 189. Their Savior is called similar to the Pandora of Hesiod, why, 229, note. Hence they were called Pandora's wise men, ibid. How the faith of the Holy Trinity was utterly overturned by the Gnostics and Valentinians by their profane and Platonic inventions, cxxvii. By what arguments they were attacked by Irenaeus, cxxxviii. The mystery of the Trinity was rejected by the earlier Gnostics, because it seemed to violate the unity of God, xxxiii. What follows from that, ibid. and xxxiv. The earlier Gnostics held nothing regarding the Trinity other than what Noetus and Sabellius later held, xxxv, xxxvi. Gnostics deny the resurrection of the flesh, 98. Those who deny that bodies can be raised by God to live forever are refuted, 295, 298, 299. Those who deny the resurrection of the flesh, what they believed regarding the soul after dissolution, 330. It is demonstrated that the Apostle Paul did not favor the Gnostics who denied the resurrection of the flesh and the soul, 302 and seqq. Gnostics boasted that they had learned hidden and ineffable sacraments, 201. They emulate the anointings of the Catholics, 96. They enervate the virtue of the baptism of Jesus, 93, 94. They change its form, 95. Some reject the baptism of water and any sensible signs, why, 96. The audacity of the Gnostics who asserted that Christ and the apostles accommodated their doctrine to the hearing of the opinion B of their hearers, 179. This most impious dogma the refuter overcomes with familiar examples, 179, 180. And also with the words of Christ and the apostles, 193 seqq. Gnostics are often restrained by the apostle John, Jude, James, Ignatius, and Polycarp, lxxiii. By them, which books of Scripture were rejected, five mutilated, and indeed apocryphal books full of blasphemies were found among them, ibid. Their morals were most corrupt, ibid., lxxiv. They abounded among the Christians, ibid. They did not admit the four Gospels, 189, 190. Denying the incarnation, they retained only the Gospel of Mark, 190. By the Gnostics, various different parts of the Gospels were retained, 189, 190. They explain the Scriptures wrongly, 126. What their subterfuges are, so that they may extricate themselves from the manifest testimonies of the traditional Scriptures, 174, 175. They fight with each other, 277. Holding various opinions about the same Scriptures, 277. The Catholics, however, agree in the same doctrine, 277. Admitting various principles of the Scriptures, they are invincibly refuted, 276. Their various errors are refuted from the very parts of the Gospels retained by themselves, 189, 190. Gnostics, the first authors of the Valentinian emissions, 151. Their errors concerning the Monogenes and the Logos, 188. Among them, nothing is more frequent than the copulation of Bythos and Sige; xiv. What follows from this against Dallaeus, who asserts that it was first defined by Valentinus and Sige, xii, xiv. The Mother of the Gnostics, woman from woman, 221. They call their Mother by different names, 228. Children worthy of the mother Achamoth, 224. Among them, silence is the greatest thing, why, 277. The race of Gnostics is twofold; others are known by the common title of sect or master, lxxx. The perverse dogmas and morals of certain C Gnostics, 107. Some promise they will die, why and how, 97, 98. Many heresies were born in the pages of the Gnostics, 106. Gnostics name themselves Carpocratians, 104. Gnostics, followers of Nicolaus, 188. Valentinus accommodated the principles of the Gnostics to his own school, 52 and note, xx seq. It is sufficiently probable that Valentinus was imbued with Gnostic fables from the very beginning in Alexandria, xiv. Certain other disciples of Valentinus, having been admonished by the Gnostics, fell away from the master, why, xvii. Valentinians are attacked by the Gnostics because of the emission of Man and Church, 132. Between the Gnostics and the Valentinians, there is no dissension regarding the emission of the first order of angels from the supreme Aeons, but only regarding the manner of the emission, xxxvii. According to these, to which angels was the fabrication of the world ascribed, xxxix. Valentinus stole from the Gnostics according to the tetrad, yet in this, how they are evil thieves, xx. Valentinian proponents, boasting to themselves of the name of Gnostics, are chastised by Irenaeus, xcv. Secundus the heretic, cutting the Gnostic ogdoad into two quaternaries, namely, right and left, light and darkness, follows the footsteps of the Pythagoreans, how, xxix. What must be done to call back the Gnostics from error, 227. By what method and order Irenaeus proceeded in refuting the Gnostics, xcv, xcvii. He inscribed the title "Against Heresies and the Subversion of Them," etc., xcv, xcvii. What demonstrates this to be genuine, xcvi. Why they were omitted by later writers, and who gave the occasion for the emission, ibid. At what time the five books were written, ibid. Dodwell, who errs here, is refuted, ibid. and xcviii. He corrects the Greeks likewise, xcvii. Whether they were all written at the same D time, ibid., xcvix. The three previous books against the Gnostics were written by Irenaeus, xxxvii, xxxviii. How the title of the work shows all the Valentinians pierced by the side by Irenaeus, xci, xcvii. All Gnostics, with the Valentinians refuted, are refuted at the same time, 162 seq. Gnostics, disciples of Simon Magus, to be judged by the spiritual disciple, 271. The Gnostic systems are most absurd, 157. With the principal heads of the heresies overturned, all the rest fall, 144. Gnostics fight with each other, 47, 98. Lovers of novelties, 47, 106. They are far posterior to the bishops, to whom the apostles handed down the churches, 517. Worse than the heathens, why, 126. Plato himself is more religious than they, in what, 224 and note. Bishops from Caecilian are better than the Christians, 165. The snares of the devil for the ruin of men, 228. Their dialectic, delusions, and pride, 205. Empty and dark doctrine, 224. Captious speeches, 209. Believing in vain promises, they delude themselves, foetid; what kind of magic, according to the Platonists, lvii, lviii. The Greeks received the beginnings of their philosophy from the barbarians, xxi. From whom the philosophy transmitted to the Greeks and Latins by the Chaldeans took its name, ibid. Who among the Greek philosophers first discoursed on divine and celestial things, ibid. Some among the Greeks, although converted to Christ, still nevertheless applying their effort to the ranks of the theogonies of the heathens in their fables; perhaps those whom the Apostle intends in writing to Timothy, xx. Greater and more abundant grace in the New Testament than that which was handed down in the Old, 240, 274, 279. Irenaeus recognized and approved the medicinal grace of Christ, clx, 208. The Valentinians boasted that grace was given and taken away in the use of Catholics, but that it was proper to them and never taken away, 31. Grace, the consort of Bythos according to the Valentinians, xv. GREGORY of Nyssa, a defender of the real presence of Christ's body and blood in the Eucharist and of transubstantiation, by the admission of Grabe himself, clxx seq. The necessary consecrations of this Grabean confession, cl seq. GREGORY of Tours, in his age, the wonderful and most famous Irenaeus, xcv. Gregory of Tours calls Irenaeus a martyr in express words, xc, xi. Dodwell, attempting to raise this authority, is refuted, xcii and seqq. H The disease of the woman with the issue of blood, a figure of the passion of Sophia, from the Valentinians, 15, 144, 148. There is no affinity between the two, 149. Heresies, new and later than the apostles, 178, 179. The crime of heresy was less punished in the first times of the Church, 179, note. How much Polycarp abhorred every heresy, 310. And likewise the ancient Christians, 310 note. With the principal heads of the heresies overturned, all the rest fall, 144. A compendium of all heresies, the doctrine of the Valentinians, 227. Heretics, who is their father, 173. All are disciples of Simon Magus, 106. All indeed consider God, but with a bad opinion, 98. They deprave the divine oracles, 2, 192, 198. How much the apostles and their disciples abhorred the custom of heretics, 177. Heretics speak similar things to the Catholics, but think dissimilar things, 5. The various opinions of heretics, why, 196. They are not the disciples of the apostles, 196. From the heretical opinions fighting with each other, the truth of the Catholic faith is confirmed, 47. Not only must one answer them, but one must also argue against them, why, 127. Not believing the truth, they will lose the bread of true life, 127. Their false miracles, and the mere jugglery of the devil, 164 seq. Being like the devil, they hide their lie with the help of Scripture, 318. They deceive the ignorant with vain scientific promises, 2. They seduce the unskilled with perverse arts, 2. Enemies of chastity, 50, note. How they are to be punished, 262. The more modest are to be warned and confounded; the fierce and obstinate are to be shunned, 164. Their rash curiosity, justly chastised by the demons of ignorance sent into them, 84. Why they fall into blindness and foolish talking, 157. They are blind, and leaders of the blind, and therefore to be shunned, 82, 517. Not disciples of the apostles, but of their own error, 196. Therefore their opinions are various, 196. All heretics are far posterior to the bishops to whom the apostles handed down the churches, in what sense, lx. A heretic, for any sect whatsoever, is an old cloak of the Church, according to Irenaeus, cxxv. Heretics cannot belong to the true Church, according to Irenaeus, cxxv and seqq. Away with that spurious notion of the Church from recent Protestant ministers, ibid. and seqq. They are not provoked now merely to the Scriptures from the age of Irenaeus, but also to tradition, cxxiii seqq. HARMOGENES, the name of the Savior, from the Barbeliotes, 108. The great fast of Helandaemon, others formerly observed more rigidly, cxxv. Rites there, and others still strictly, xxxvii. Have,
A however, the book itself been proposed for our explanation, for the present it is only necessary to explain regarding that Revelation, that "the tail of the dragon drew the third part of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth." I think that he who ought to hear, "You shall go after the Lord your God," and, "Come after me," and who stops his ears to these things, but follows sin, is drawn by the tail of the dragon, going after it. But if it happens to him who has lived in such a way as to hear, "You are the light of the world," and his good works have at some time shone, he is established as a star, having his conversation in heaven; if he is torn away by the dragon to the earth, this one shall be a star drawn by the tail of the dragon and cast to the earth. Thus stars are drawn by the tail of the dragon and sent B to the earth. There are, however, others of which some part is darkened, and that which is greater is indeed luminous, which the discourse from the Revelation seems to indicate, thus: "And the fourth angel sounded the trumpet, and the third part of the moon was struck, and the third part of the stars, so that the third part of them might be darkened." There are some, however, who have neither kept entirely what was said, "Let your light so shine before men," nor have they been entirely extinguished and obscured, but have been so in part. For some have shone because of their knowledge like the splendor of the sky, while others have become like stars because of their conversation. But we seem to some to have offered these things and explained them in part, not consistently in accordance with previous expositions. Since there we said that those who seemed to have been stars, but truly were not, would fall; here, however, we speak of those who truly were stars, and either fell fully or in part. To whom let us reply that, by offering these examples which we have brought forward, we have demonstrated that stars are to be understood entirely as human beings, and not as stars of the sort seen in the sky. Otherwise, that passage has its own interpretation, and this one has its own. Nevertheless, these things having been done, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then the tribes of the earth will lament. To this, it is not absurd to use the examples of the prophet Zechariah, which are as follows: "And it will be in that day, I will seek to remove all the nations that come against Jerusalem, and I will pour out upon the house of David C and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and mercy, and they will look toward me because they have leaped for joy, and they will lament for themselves with a lamentation as for a beloved one, and they will grieve with a grief as for a first-born. And in that day, the lamentation will be magnified in Jerusalem, as the lamentation of the pomegranate orchard cut down in the field, and the land will lament for itself by tribes; the tribe of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the tribe of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; the tribe of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the tribe of the house of Simeon by itself, and their wives by themselves, and all the remaining tribes by themselves, and their wives by themselves." So every earthly troop, since it is of the tribes of the earth, D always has an inextinguishable light, but the light of the ungodly shall be extinguished. Knowledge, indeed, is the true light which those who have heard the command, "Illuminate for yourselves the light of knowledge," have kindled; that the light of the righteous, and false knowledge, is the light of the ungodly; and that the light of the saints is always inextinguishable, but the light of those who fall from the truth is extinguished. Therefore the light of that sun which we spoke of will be obscured, and that of the moon which we have explained; but also all who exalt themselves against the knowledge of God will fall from their height, from which they thought themselves to be heaven. Perhaps it is also fitting with what was said: "I saw Satan falling like lightning from heaven." When these things happen concerning such a sun, and moon, and stars, the divine virtues of the heavens will not be entirely immobile; but they will be moved when that sun has been tested and darkened, and that moon will not show its brightness, and such stars will have fallen, just as Jude says in his Epistle. Then that which is clear will appear in heaven, and everyone who has borne the image of the Heavenly. Truly, when these things have been done, the tribes of heaven will rejoice; but the tribes of the earth who have borne the image of the earth will lament for themselves. Furthermore, to commend this tradition of his, he who made this interpretation will add, saying that, if the sensible sun is obscured (if it be conceded that such a thing is so), and the moon does not give its brightness, and the stars are falling, it is not possible for there to be tribes of men on the earth. If, however, it is not possible, then neither according to what the text says will the tribes of the earth lament for themselves. Therefore, just as the Lord says in the Gospel, those who now laugh will lament for themselves, and they will lament as those who are in the tribes of the earth. According to these things, he will also attempt to interpret the words of Isaiah and Joel, who wishes to raise those things which have been said to a moral exposition. Furthermore, regarding those things which were said about the falling stars, it is not without reason to assume from the Revelation of John, regarding the third part of the stars drawn by the tail of the dragon to the earth. For he says thus: "And another sign was seen in heaven, and behold a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven horns; and his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth." To explain all these things one by one concerning the seven heads of the dragon, which perhaps can be referred to some princes of the things of iniquity, or to sins leading so many to death, is not of this time; but it will be explained in its own time in the Revelation of John. But also to speak of the ten horns, since they are the kingdoms of serpentine malice, and of one having the nature of the serpent, and always moving on his breast and belly through sins, there is no time to explain now. What is the present narrative concerning the seven diadems which the dragon is seen to have upon his seven heads? As if he receives some diadem for each individual that is joined to a head of the dragon. It is necessary that these principal expositions and proofs be made.
A which they have attributed to themselves, especially if one ought to lament more abundantly for some sins, they lament with those who are similar to them. I judge, however, that the differences of those who seem to have been in the faith and in their own company, but have not pleased God, are shown by these things. Therefore, there is the house of David lamenting, who, being appointed from the people, have performed what is worthy of lament, or [the house] of the kings and magnates. Those, however, among the teachers who have lived badly are the tribe of Nathan lamenting, since Nathan was a prophet; and to teach is to prophesy. Thus, those who are sinners among those who have been set over the Church, and have had the priesthood enjoined upon them, and have not well dispensed their stewardship, are the tribe of the house of Levi lamenting. And it is indeed God’s alone to speak, either concerning those things which we have mentioned, or concerning the tribe of Simeon: we, however, in the present case, adjust it, since all who have been catechized and instructed in the divine mystery, and were not ordained into any of the tribes which we mentioned above, and have committed grave sins, such as are the many of the laity, are the tribe of Simeon: but the remaining men, whom He spoke of as the tribes left over, whom He did not specially name. It is not, however, just any kind of task to speak also about the women of the individual tribes lamenting for themselves according to their classification. And see if you are able in each and every class to call those who were more corporeal and more worldly "women"; but those who were better in comparison to them, to have been "men." B C His garments were made like light, and Moses and Elias were seen speaking with him. And behold, he says, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold a voice from the cloud saying: *This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear him*. Just as, therefore, when He was transfigured, His face shone like the sun, and His garments were made like light, and a voice came from the cloud saying: *This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased*, so when He comes again, perhaps He will be transfigured into a glorious appearance: or just as He was then transfigured before His three disciples, afterwards He will come not upon one cloud, but upon many, which will be His vehicle. Since, however, it is consistent that He be transformed into a better glory than He was transfigured in the mount, it is manifest from the fact that then indeed He was transfigured only before three disciples, but at the consummation 869 of the world He will appear in much glory, that all may see Him in glory. And then indeed a descending bright cloud overshadowed them, but afterwards many clouds will carry the Son of man coming with a vehicle worthy of His glory. Someone, however, will say, since just as in the fashioning of man, God took clay from the earth and fashioned man, so, that the glory of Christ may appear, God took from heaven and from a heavenly body, and embodied, first indeed into a bright cloud, but in the consummation into bright clouds, on account of which they are also called clouds of heaven, according to what the clay of the earth is also called. And he will say that the Father grants such wonderful things to His Son who humbled Himself, and for love *did not count it a prize to be equal to God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant*, and was made the Lamb of God *to take away the sins of the world*. For on account of this also, *God highly exalted Him, and gave Him the name which is above every name*. And He not only exalted Him according to the spirit, but also according to the body, so that He might be exalted through all things. And the body which He took from the power of the Most High, with the Virgin performing such a ministry, ought to have been honored so that He might also come upon such clouds; perhaps upon animate and rational clouds so that the vehicle of the glorified Son of man might not be without soul and irrational, just as the chariot was without soul, and the horses irrational, in which Elias was seen to be taken up, according to the Scripture D saying: *And behold a chariot of fire and horses of fire*. Since, however, there will be animate and rational clouds which will be the vehicle of the Son of God, we bring forward for the sake of example what is said: *And Thy truth even unto the clouds*. And again: *I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it*. But especially from what is said: *And behold a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold a voice from the cloud*, not because the cloud was the Father of the Son, but, so to speak, the word of God was made unto it, just as it was made unto the prophets. And just as he who hears Isaiah saying: *I have begotten and exalted sons, they however have scorned me*, [hears] not Isaiah, but God.
50. *And they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds with much power and glory*. Since it seems the catholic Church has received with other traditions also [those] concerning the second advent of Christ, since it is manifest that it will be in glory. Whether, however, according to what is written in this place, we ought to think that bodily and sensible clouds are His vehicle, and that according to clouds of this kind we ought to expect that much power and glory, or according to the observation of a simpler word, it should also be considered morally, or we ought not to observe the simplicity of the word at all, but only perform a moral interpretation, it is not for everyone to deliberate and diligently search each particular place, and after he has treated the word according to them, thus to pronounce what is especially truer of them, and containing the evangelical sense, and the will of Christ who spoke these things. But come, let us, with a little of meager power, if we even have it, expound on these places, and first indeed according to the text. They will see with bodily eyes the Son of man in human form coming upon the clouds above, which are therefore called clouds of heaven, with much power and glory. And those things which are said earlier in the Gospel agree with this exposition in this way: *When Jesus had taken Peter, and John, and James, He led them up onto an exceeding high mountain, apart, and was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and*
He heard the Father in Isaiah; so they who heard from the cloud the voice saying, "This is my beloved Son," did not hear the cloud, but the Father in it testifying to the glory of the Son. A If, therefore, before the dispensation of the passion, such was the prophesying cloud, what must we say of the clouds of heaven upon which they who behold Him then shall see the Son of Man coming with great power and glory? And if, indeed, that the Son of God might not tread the earth in Jerusalem, those who loved Him spread their garments in the way, and did not wish the ass that bore Him to tread the earth, what wonder is it if the Father and God of all strew celestial clouds beneath the body of the Son descending for the work of consummation? And first, indeed, Jesus came with the power and glory with which the Father had glorified Him, from which power He worked signs and wonders among the people, and healed every infirmity and sickness; on account of which He also said: "Someone touched me, for I know that power has gone out of me." But all that power, by comparison with that great power with which He is to come at the end, was small. For it was the power of "Him who emptied Himself." But that great power, concerning which it is written, "They shall see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds with great power and glory," shall be that of the Word of God who has been restored to the state He had in the beginning with God before He emptied Himself. Thus, also, understand His great glory, beginning from the glory of the face of Moses, and passing to Elijah, who were seen in glory when the appearance of the face of the Son of God became different, and His garment was changed. But understanding also that which is said: "For if that which passes away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory," you will see that great glory of the Son, of which it is written, "with great power and glory." Yet you will understand even more of what the text speaks, taking from the volume of Acts what is thus: "And when He had said these things, while they beheld, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said: 'Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? This Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him going into heaven.'" For if we believe them, by whom it is said that the cloud received Him, and took Him into heaven, how shall He not come according to the text from heaven, as His disciples saw Him going into heaven? And in the Revelation, John similarly says: "Behold, He shall come with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him, and they who pierced Him." But let him understand who can, whether it is the same thing for Him to come upon the clouds of heaven and to come with the clouds; or if there are other clouds upon which He shall come, and others with which He shall come. But consider in the Egyptian vision Isaiah saying: "Behold, the Lord sits upon a light cloud, and shall come into Egypt." Whether He speaks of this Egypt which is commonly understood, or the whole world. For according to John A B, the place in which their Lord was crucified is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt, whether the whole world is called Sodom and Egypt, or Judea. But He who comes upon a light cloud into Egypt will first make an ascent into Judea. For it is reasonable that, coming again, He should first be there. But Sodom, where their Lord was crucified, is so called, as it was also once said to that people and its princes: "Hear the word of the Lord, ye princes of Sodom, attend to the law of God, O people of Gomorrah." In these traditions, it makes use also of that which is said: "We shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord." And he will say: "If blessed men shall be caught up in the clouds into the air, what wonder is it that the Son of God should come in the clouds with great power and glory?" Also a cloud overshadowed the people coming out of Egypt. If these things are believed, how is it not consistent for the Lord of the people to have celestial clouds as a vehicle, that He may sit upon them? But if the book be received which says: "For it is wisdom that provided for the people then a pillar of cloud by day and a flame of fire by night," someone will say that the clouds upon which they shall see the Son of Man coming are the power of the Most High and the Holy Spirit, which shall be for Him as clouds of heaven, that He may come borne upon them. Since, therefore, this reasoning is stronger and not to be despised, he who wishes to accept what is said in both ways will not reject it; and if anyone should say there are intelligible clouds in which the Son of Man shall come, whether holy and divine powers, or the most blessed prophets. And he will say, concerning him who confesses morally the second and glorious advent of the Word that is to be for men at the consummation of the age—as we said above is handed down—but he does not destroy the text. But he who, neglecting the glorious and admirable text of the passage, and like a friend of God, thinks the truth consists only in the spiritual, it must be said that he should be indulged, as if they were children and infants in Christ who accept these things corporally. But with much power, the second advent of the Word comes daily to the soul of every believer in prophetic clouds, that is, in the Scriptures of the prophets and apostles, which manifest Him, and show the light of truth in all His words, and declare Him rising intellectually to them above human nature. But in this way, to those who understand the manifestor of dogmas in the prophets and apostles, we say there appears also the great glory which is seen in the second advent of the Word.
51. And "He shall send his angels with a great trumpet, and they shall gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the heavens even to their ends." Similarly, in the case of Mark, it says in this way: "And then He shall send His angels, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of the earth to the farthest part of heaven." That He says the Savior sends His angels with a great trumpet,
A and consequently says to them whatever is related in the other parable regarding the seeds and the weeds; and interpreting the parable, He says: "For the harvest is the consummation, and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so shall it be in the consummation of the age. The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom all stumbling blocks and those who do iniquity, and will cast them into the furnace of fire: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the just shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father." He says something of the same sort in the parable of the net cast into the sea. Therefore, the reapers, the angels, are sent by the Savior to gather all the weeds, so that after these things the saints may shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father, so that afterward the elect may be gathered from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to their ends. Consider whether, as simpler minds suppose, only those who are found in the body at that time are to be gathered; or rather all those who are beloved in God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ; and see if it is not better to say that all who have been called and elected from the advent of Christ until the consummation are to be gathered by the angels of Christ. You will ask, however, if this also includes those who were from the foundation of the world until the advent—if, that is, the elect of Christ are not only those who are saints from His advent, as certain masters of heresies claim, but all who have been from the foundation of the world, who, like Abraham, saw the day of Christ and rejoiced in Him with divine exultation. C If, however, it is not only those who are found in the body, as the simple think, that the angels are to gather, but all the elect of Christ, it is worth considering what they are doing in the meantime, or in what place they are staying who shall gather the elect. Since, however, the text says that not only those who have been caught in the body are to be gathered as the elect of Christ, but also those who have departed from their bodies, the statement makes this clear by saying that the elect are to be gathered not only from the four winds, but also from the farthest parts of the heavens to their ends. Further, I do not think it fits anyone on earth what He says, that they are to be gathered from the farthest parts of the heavens, unless perhaps the holy angels are going to gather those who, among men, meanwhile dwell in the presence of angels who teach heavenly things, so that they may hand over those who have been taught in the heights of heaven and instructed up to their ends to the great God, the Word, the Son of God, to reign with Him, and for the reception of those things which the Son shall deliver concerning those who previously received heavenly doctrine. D Since, however, this life of ours on earth is a shadow, it follows that now, by the Law and the prophets, those who are to know the remaining things in that fullness of time are to be instructed, and are to know fuller things from the Son of God according to the heavenly realities themselves, so that those who are at the heights of the heavens may be, as it were, in certain courses of instruction, so that they may afterward be able to grasp the wisdom of God, A when that which is truly perfect has come.
And we understand the four winds from which the elect of Christ shall be gathered, by seeking those whose future goods had a shadow, which are written down in Numbers concerning each tribe of the children of Israel. Whence the first order of the camps was Judah with their strength, positioned to the east, and with them on either side Issachar and Zebulun. And to the south, the tribe of Reuben, and on either side Simeon and Gad; and the tribe of Ephraim toward the sea, and on either side Benjamin and Manasseh at the end. And the tribe of Dan to the north, and on either side Asher and Naphtali. Perhaps, therefore, from then on, the tribes that went forth were shadows of the camps according to the mysteries of the true Israel. And just as then they were gathered from the four winds into Judea, and were established in the inheritance through Jesus after Moses, the tutor and administrator, so the angels shall gather the elect from the four winds: however, from not earthly winds, but from the farthest parts of the heavens to their ends, so that, having been gathered by our Jesus, they may receive the divine and true inheritance.
Therefore, in Matthew, those who are gathered, the elect of Christ, are gathered from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to their ends. In Mark, however, it says from the four winds, from the farthest part of the earth to the farthest part of heaven; and afterward, from the farthest parts of the heavens to their ends. You shall understand those who are gathered from the farthest part of the earth by considering the manner of life of those who have been on earth, and according to what is possible, the perfection of those who have lived on earth. Therefore, all who have lived well upon the earth are not simply gathered from the earth, but from the farthest part of the earth, that is to say, from the height of those living upon the earth. If, however, after the height of the manner of life which was on earth, the subsequent manner of life shall receive those who had their conversation in the heavens, it is not simply from the farthest part of heaven as from the farthest part of the earth, but from the farthest parts of the heavens, since each heaven has its own constitution and beginnings, and perfections—that is, its ends. For instance, after the height of the manner of life which was on earth, the manner of life of one heaven receives the human being again, and the perfection which is in it. Again, the second manner of life of the second heaven receives him, and the perfection which is in it. Again, the third manner of life of the third heaven receives him, and the perfection which is in it. And in this way, understand for me that there are beginnings and ends—that is, perfections—of many heavens and many manners of life, from which beginnings and ends of the various heavens God gathers His elect. Or in this way: "from the farthest parts of the heavens to their ends." The heavens are either the divine Scriptures, or their authors, in whom God dwells. The height, moreover, of the Scriptures are their beginnings, but the ends are their consummations. Therefore, the saints are gathered from the farthest parts of the heavens, that is, from those who live in heaven in the beginnings of the Scriptures,
[suo]. According to the shadow, indeed, as Moses named it, but according to the mystery, according to what Paul says in the second Epistle 872 to the Corinthians. But first, with rational trumpets they move the camps. Thus, the legislation is made concerning these things which pertain to war, with Israel recalling through that signification of the trumpets the military matters: these trumpets carry those who are commemorated through those significations of the trumpets, to save them from their enemies. Moreover, the voices of the silver and extended trumpets in the days of the joy of Israel, which are assumed in their New Moons, were shadows of future New Moons, of which the Apostle says: "Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day, or of the new moon, or of a sabbath day, which are a shadow of things to come." But they are assumed also in the sacrifices and in the burnt offerings of the peace offerings of Israel. It is fitting to explain these significations of the trumpets by example, and as a shadow of heavenly worship, as if of someone heavenly and having conversation in heaven. We have received these examples, so that we may be able to understand even in part what is written: "He will send his angels with a great trumpet, and they will gather his elect." But the Apostle shows forth the evangelical trumpets also in the first to the Thessalonians, saying: "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep; for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God." Likewise to the Corinthians in the first: "We shall all indeed fall asleep, but we shall not all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise incorruptible, and we shall be changed." And there is also some festival according to the law and the trumpets, the New Moon of the seventh month, perhaps a mystery of some true festival, and of some spiritual and high-speaking trumpet. C
52. Since we wish to understand what the great trumpet is, we must compare spiritual things with spiritual. Come now and let us briefly explain concerning the trumpets, insofar as we are able, if indeed we can understand from the congregation and the admonition of these examples also the great trumpet of the angels. For it is written in Numbers: "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Make thee two trumpets of silver: of beaten work shalt thou make them, and they shall be to thee for the calling of the congregation, and for the journeying of the camps; and thou shalt blow with them, and all the congregation shall gather themselves unto thee at the door of the tabernacle of the testimony. But if in one trumpet they shall come to thee, all the princes of the host of Israel, thou shalt blow the first signification, and they shall move the camps that consist toward the east. And thou shalt give the second signification, and they shall move the camps that consist toward the south. And thou shalt blow the third signification, and they shall move the camps that observe according to the sea. And thou shalt blow the fourth signification, and they shall take up the camps that consist toward the north. Therefore they shall blow the trumpet in their promotion. And when thou callest the congregation together, blow ye and not with a signification. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and it shall be for you an everlasting ordinance in your generations. But if you shall go out to war in your land against the adversaries, ye shall blow with the trumpets, and ye shall be remembered before your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. And in the days of your joy, and in your festivities, and in your New Moons, ye shall blow with the trumpets, and in your burnt offerings, and in the sacrifices of your peace offerings, and it shall be a memorial of you before your God. I am the Lord your God." See also in these that by the first signification of the trumpet the camps which are toward the east move, but by the second the camps which are toward the south move; and to speak briefly, from the four winds the priests blowing gather those who are of the camps of Israel: and according to the comparison of the priests blowing, the angels of Christ with a great trumpet will gather his elect from the four winds. But while in Numbers these things are written as done on earth, in the Gospels they are from the highest point of the earth to the highest point of the heaven. And after these, from the highest points of the heavens to their highest points. And perhaps the law has a shadow of future things: and in Numbers also, what is placed concerning the trumpets and the orders of Israel is a shadow of future things. Lest perhaps, therefore, the silver trumpets, since silver is in many places D accepted for the word, a great voice of the word is understood, a silver trumpet gathering everyone in his order [with its own]. According to the shadow indeed, as Moses named it, but according to the mystery, according to what Paul says in the second Epistle to the Corinthians. But first, with rational trumpets they move the camps. Thus, the legislation is made concerning these things which pertain to war, with Israel recalling through that signification of the trumpets the military matters: these trumpets carry those who are commemorated through those significations of the trumpets, to save them from their enemies. And the voices of the silver and extended trumpets in the days of the joy of Israel, which are assumed in their New Moons, were shadows of future New Moons, of which the Apostle says: "Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a feast day, or of the new moon, or of a sabbath day, which are a shadow of things to come." But they are assumed also in the sacrifices and in the burnt offerings of the peace offerings of Israel. It is fitting to explain these significations of the trumpets by example, and as a shadow of heavenly worship, as if of someone heavenly and having conversation in heaven. We have received these examples, so that we may be able to understand even in part what is written: "He will send his angels with a great trumpet, and they will gather his elect." But the Apostle shows forth the evangelical trumpets also in the first to the Thessalonians, saying: "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep; for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God." Likewise to the Corinthians in the first: "We shall all indeed fall asleep, but we shall not all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise incorruptible, and we shall be changed." And there is also some festival according to the law and the trumpets, the New Moon of the seventh month, perhaps a mystery of some true festival, and of some spiritual and high-speaking trumpet. 53. From the fig tree learn the parable. When now its branch has become tender, and it produces leaves, know that summer is near. So also you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near at the door. Amen I say to you, that this generation shall not pass away, until all things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. How the likeness of those things which were said concerning the fig tree can be understood, we shall explain according to our ability, lest perhaps this whole world and its consummation be likened to a fig tree. Let everyone of those reaching toward the blessed life, so that he may see the glorious and perfect advent of the Word of Christ in himself, be held similar to the fig tree. For just as the fig tree in the time of winter indeed has vital power in itself, but has it hidden, and not sufficiently manifest: afterwards, however, when the vital power itself begins to go forth to manifestation
in the tender branch, it does not display that hard center, but one that is soft for believing in God; and may our progress in the meantime bring forth the leaves and flowers of deeds, so that later, when perfection comes, we may manifest in Christ the most perfect fruits. And let them also, who are being saved, have in themselves the vine—He who said: *I am the true vine*—and, according to the estimate of the vine, let them be the true fig tree offering salutary fruits, where each person rests according to the spiritual promise of God *under his vine and under his fig tree*. And that vine indeed flourishes in those who progress, and gives its own fragrance; but the fig tree itself also brings forth its own fruits, so that they who are worthy of worthy progress may be made worthy of his heavenly fruits, and of the baskets of figs which he brought forth as very good fruits before the summer. Whose fruit even the languishing, but not the slothful, pray for, just as it is written of King Hezekiah in Isaiah, who was saved by the figs, so that he would not die; but it was shown to him on the steps that he would have a greater and clearer effect of his days. There is much hope, moreover, in the fig tree which, from the words of God, first made its tender branch, and afterwards the budding leaves. Near to these is summer, and it is almost on the threshold, and glorious in the clouds is the advent of Christ, and the advent of the glory of the Word of God, and the kingdom of God is near for such people as these.
54. *Amen I say to you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass, but my words shall not pass.* Let us see what this generation is, of which Christ speaks. And some, indeed, refer the words to the destruction of Jerusalem, and think that that generation, which saw the time of Christ and his passion, would not pass away before that destruction of the city should occur. But I do not know if they who define word by word are able to expound what he says: *Do you not see all these things? Amen I say to you, there shall not be left here a stone upon a stone which shall not be destroyed*, down to that which he says: *It is near, even at the doors.* For perhaps it could be so in some things, but in others, they absolutely could not. And they are at a great loss, I do not know if they could accomplish anything. D But we understand the name "generation" in two ways in many places. For we think there are two generations, the one of the Jews, and the other of the Gentiles. Thus we understand the Ecclesiastes saying: *Generation goes, and generation comes, and the earth stands forever.* For regarding the people of the Jews, the prophet, who was about to pass away, says: "A generation goes"; regarding the people of the Gentiles who were about to believe, he says, "a generation comes." Some such thing I think is also in the eightieth psalm, said by Moses in his prayer: *Lord, you have been a refuge to us from generation to generation.* For God is a refuge for both generations, since...
there is one God who justifies the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith. And since he is God not only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles, therefore the generation of the New Testament, which is in the face of the Savior, shall not pass away, nor will it depart to those blessed promises of that age, until all things have come to pass which Christ has spoken. For it behooves each one of us that all things which were predicted should come to pass, just as we have set forth through individual expositions. There is, therefore, one generation of the Church which began from the doctrine of the Lord Savior up to the consummation; and this very generation has indeed traversed this whole age at some point, and will pass through it, so that it may inherit that future one; yet until these things come to pass, it shall not pass away. When, however, it has been sufficient in all these things and has remained impassable until the glorious advent of Christ, then it will pass through. Yet until these things come to pass, not that some [parts] of those things which were spoken [will pass away] while others are not future, but rather this generation will pass away when all these things have been done, when not only the earth has passed away, but also the heaven—that is, not only these men whose life is earthly, and are therefore called earth, but also those whose conversation is in heaven, and for that reason are called heaven. B But they will pass over to the future, and their whole state, so that they may come to higher and better things. The revelation of whom, since they are sons of God, the expectation of the creature awaits, and every creature groans with them and suffers, until, receiving in the womb from the fear of the Lord, they shall have brought forth the spirit of salvation, making their own offspring, and then the generation of which Christ speaks will pass away, and the heaven according to what we have explained, and the earth according to what we have handed down. But the words which have been spoken by the Savior will not pass away, since they work what are their own, and they will work both now and always. But the perfect, and those who do not receive [it] so that they might already be made better, passing over what they are, arrive at that which they are not. In that which he said, *but my words will not pass away*, I think this also should be asked, lest perhaps the words of Moses and the prophets have indeed passed away, while the words of Jesus Christ have not passed away: since those things which were prophesied by them have indeed been fulfilled, but the words of Christ are always full, and are always in the act of fulfillment, and are fulfilled daily, and are never C fully completed. For they themselves are those which have been fulfilled and are being fulfilled in the saints, and are still to be fulfilled. Or perhaps we ought not to say that even the words of Moses or the prophets were fulfilled completely: for properly those words are also the words of the Son of God and are always being fulfilled. Therefore, it is good to explain the depths of divine words in simple terms; yet for the sake of the few let us discuss these, understanding only this, that the speech which is human in the word of God does not... it proceeds and acts, because it did not receive a beginning of acting before the times of the days, but began with the creature, and will pass away with the creature. But the Word which was before the creature will not pass away with the creature.
55. *But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.* These things seem to refute those who promise that they understand the consummation and corruption of the world, and declare as if the day of the Lord were at hand: such as some are said to have been among the Thessalonians in the time of the Apostle, of whom he writes: *We ask you, brothers, through the advent of our Lord Jesus Christ and our congregation in him, that you not be quickly moved from your sense, nor be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as if sent by us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand.* Perhaps because among the Jews there were some professing to know [about time] either through the Scriptures concerning the times of the consummation, or concerning secrets; therefore he writes these things, teaching his disciples that they should believe no one who professes such things. And the Savior himself, according to this passage, joins himself to those ignorant of that day and hour. And it is reasonably to be inquired how [the Son], who trusts that he knows the Father, saying: *No one knows the Father except the Son, and he to whom the Son wishes to reveal [him]*, knows the Father, but does not know the day and hour of the consummation? And how does the Father hide this from the Son? For there must entirely be a reason why the time of the consummation was hidden from the Savior, and that he should be ignorant of it. But will someone dare to say that the man who is understood according to the Savior, advancing in wisdom, and age, and grace before God and men, who, advancing, was indeed advancing above all in science and wisdom, yet not so that that which was perfect had already come before he had fulfilled his own dispensation? It is, therefore, not surprising if he alone did not know of all things, that is, the day and hour of the consummation. Perhaps, however, even what he says, that he is ignorant of the day and hour of the consummation, he said before his dispensation, because *no one knows, not even the angels, nor the Son, but the Father alone*. But after the dispensation had been fulfilled, he by no means said this, after God highly exalted him, and gave him the name which is above every name. For afterward the Son also knew, receiving the knowledge from the Father, even about the day and hour of the consummation, so that now not only the Father knew about it, but also the Son. And in the Acts of the Apostles, the apostles meeting asked him, saying: *Lord, if at this time you will restore the kingdom of Israel?* But he said to them: *It is not for you to know the times or moments which the Father has placed in his own power.* And because he placed in his own power the times and moments of the consummation of the world and the restoration of the kingdom of Israel, therefore what had not yet been...
defined by God, no one could know. But it is not possible that any of those things which he predefines, he should predefine without an experimental basis. What he does predefine, he predefines by making the principle of the A defining itself. But if this is so, he indeed predefined that he would make a consummation of the world, but he did not predefine the times and moments, which he placed in his own power, so that if he should wish to increase them, he might increase them thus judging; but if to shorten them, he might shorten them, with no one knowing. And therefore he placed the times and moments of the consummation of the world in his own power, so that consequently for the human race, established in its own free will and doing these things or those, he might define the due judgment. It is possible to find many things written in the prophets for the utility of those who listen, through precepts and denunciations as if nothing B of them were anticipated, but punishing if they should have sinned, and saving if they should have kept the precepts. And just as in those, Scripture does not introduce God as predefining, but as speaking according to the utility of the hearers, so it must be understood also concerning the day of the consummation and the hour. Another exposition, which is more famous than those which have already been delivered, says something else concerning that which is written, *neither the Son, except the Father alone*. The Apostle says somewhere concerning the Savior, and concerning things to be ordained at the end of the age, in this way: *When, however, all things shall have been subjected to him, then the Son himself also shall be subjected to him who subjected all things to himself, that God may be all in all*. By these words he seems to show that before he subjected C all things, he was not subjected to him who subjected all things to himself. This is demonstrated from this, that unless the Son had been subject to the Father who subjected all things to him, the Father would never have subjected all things to him. And he seems through these things to say that the subjection of the Son is the subjection of all who were to be subjected, and their coming through the Son to God, and their perfection. If, therefore, this is well said concerning the future subjection of the Son to the Father, that then those who are to be Christ's, and have adhered to him, may be subjected to the Father with Christ himself: why shall we not similarly explain that no one knows of that day and hour, not even the Son? For as long as the Church, which is the body, does not know that day and hour, for so long the Son himself is not said to know that day and hour, D so that he may be understood to know it at the time when all his members shall have known it. It is well said, however, to know according to its own signification, as is the custom of the Scriptures. What is it to know? That he will know that day and hour who shall have arrived at the end, and the abbreviation of that day and hour. But that some such signification is meant by to know and to understand in the Scriptures is manifest from that which is said in Ecclesiastes in this way: *He who keeps the commandment shall not know an evil word*, that is, he shall not experience an evil word. And in the Apostle, concerning the Savior himself, it is said: *Him who did not know sin, he made into sin for us*. And he calls the Savior "not knowing sin," just as if he were to say "him who did not sin," nor was there 875 in the nature of sin. He signifies something like this in what he says: *And Adam knew Eve his wife*. For as long as she was not mingled with him, he did not know her. And therefore, no one knows the day of such a consummation and of the corruption of the age, neither the angels of the heavens, nor the Son of God, with God providing better things for his saints, so that they may arrive together into the blessedness which is future after that day and hour of its dissolution. And just as it is written among the Hebrews concerning those who have testimony in faith, that all these, having been testified through faith, did not receive the promise of God, with God providing something better for us, so that they might not be consummated without us: so it must be known also in this, because with God providing something better for those who were to be saved, for they had not yet received the A promise, who did not know of that day and hour, neither the angels of the heavens, nor the Son. For the Son prepares the knowledge of that day and hour for the co-heirs of that promise, from the time when he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, working the way which leads to the restitution of all things for whom he accepted the form of a servant; so that all may know together, that is, may experience in reality that hour and that day, because *what eye has not seen, nor ear heard, and has not ascended into the heart of man, God has prepared for those who love him*, exercising him in the knowledge of the former things, and preparing everyone whom he wishes to know that day and hour together with the holy angels, and together with the Lord Jesus Christ himself. And B the consummation of each one in these certain things aforementioned, and of each individual, the Father alone knows: for the Son, accompanying, and preceding those who follow, and wishing, if I may so say, to come, and tarrying so that those who struggle to follow him may be able to follow him, and those who follow him may be found with him in that day and hour. 56. *For as it was in the days of Noah, so shall the advent of the Son of man be. For as they were in the days before the flood, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until Noah entered into the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and took them all: so shall the advent of the Son of man be*. To those who know the text of the present words, whether they wish to understand them spiritually, or simply, C it is consequent to say concerning the consummation of this world, that it will be sudden, as one who has already been ill for a long time with an illness suitable and demonstrating its future corruption. For this is especially demonstrated from what he says, that the advent of the Son of man shall be like the days of Noah: for then suddenly all things which had been upon the earth perished. But whoever wishes to say that the consummation of the world will be gradual, he will say that it happened similarly in the days of Noah. For the rain descending for forty days and forty nights, it was consequent that the first to perish were those who dwelt in the lower parts of the earth, after them those who dwelt slightly in higher parts, and thus the last those who were in the highest.
Thus, he says, in the general consummation of the world, when the fire has descended, it will begin on the higher places and gradually descend to the lower. But Luke 26, also adding the simile of the fire of Sodom, gives us the occasion to understand that the consummation is to be sudden. Someone may say that this declares that that rain or fire was not moral, but occurred because of the abundance of men’s sins. Therefore, the corruption of the world is thought to be going to be in two ways: one according to the moral detention of the fire, and the other according to the judgment of God. The Gentiles, however, do not say that that inflammation, or the cause of that inflammation, was sins, but that the fire itself was a virtue. Divine discourses teach that all things are held and governed by God, and they do not blame the violence of the fire, but proclaim the will of God, who indeed saves those on earth who are worthy of salvation in it, but destroys those in whom charity grows cold on account of an abundance of iniquity. For the comparison of the Sodomite fire most clearly teaches that the corruption of the world will be sudden, from the fact that the angel said to Lot 27 : "Behold, I have admired your face in this word, that I may not destroy the city about which you spoke. Hurry therefore to be saved there, for I cannot do anything until you enter there." You see that that fire which was sent upon Sodom was restrained by the divine will, until Lot entered into Segor. So I think that in the consummation B it will be future, just as Lot was saved, so that then the fire of the consummation will take hold of the world according to the judgment of God, when the saved righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father; then they will gather the iniquitous from the kingdom of Christ and cast them into the furnace of fire. For how is it not manifest that the corruption of the world will be sudden, from the fact that he says, "they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage," which are signs of peace and security? For famines and pestilences will perhaps be some time before the consummation; but about the consummation itself there will be neither famine nor war. How, however, are those who are eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, planting and building, buying and selling to be understood, unless it is so ordained? But even that which the Apostle says makes this manifest 28 : "For the day of the Lord as a thief, so it shall come in the night. When they shall say peace and security, then sudden destruction shall come upon them, as the pains upon her that is with child, and they shall not escape." He teaches us that the day of consummation will come to men suddenly and unexpectedly, when the state of things seems to have turned for the better, from former famine to abundance, from pestilence and wars to peace and security. Those, however, who hear the Gospel more deeply, and do all things so that the Gospel may not be veiled to them in any part, do not care much about the general consummation of the age, whether it will be sudden or by parts; but they consider only this, that the consummation of each person happens without his knowing either the day or the hour of his departure; and that the day of the Lord will come upon each one of us as a thief. For which reason it is necessary to watch, whether in the evening, that is, in youth; or at midnight, that is, in the midst of the dark human life; or at cockcrow, when one is already older; or in the morning, when one is already advanced in old age; so that when God the Word comes, bringing the consummation of the journey of this life, he may be found not having given sleep to his eyes, nor slumber to his eyelids, and having kept the command of Him who says 29 : "Watch at all times." Yet they are all vain, whether those who profess to know when the consummation of the world will be, or those who boast that they know the end of their own life, either deceived by the signs of birds, or by ventriloquists, or by magicians, and thinking they know the day and hour of their departure. For as it is, no one can know, unless perhaps some prophet has been illuminated by the Holy Spirit, like the one who prophesied to the wife of the king who wanted to know if her son would recover from his illness, and as Elijah prophesied to Ahaziah, saying what had been decreed by the Lord: "Thus saith the Lord: Because there was no God in Israel, you go to consult Baal or Beelzebub the god of flies, the god of Ekron: therefore the Lord says: From the bed upon which you have ascended you shall not come down, for you shall die by death 30 ." Although we have said these things in excess, we have nevertheless introduced them as useful, since no one can know the consummation of each one, that is, the day of his departure, although many profess to know such things, unless perhaps those who have heard from the prophets. I also know another consummation of the just man, who by apostolic progress can say: "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world 31 ." For to whom the world is crucified, to him the consummation of the world is in a way already done, and he who is dead to worldly things, to whom the day of the Lord does not come as on a transgressor, the Lord's day is that in which the coming of the Son of Man happens upon his soul, because he no longer lives to sin and the world. D 57. "And the other will be left 32 ." As in that which he says 33 : "Make the tree bad, and its fruits bad; or the tree good, and its fruit good," there are two general trees in the hearts of men, either the good of virtue, or the bad of malice. Just as the world is a field according to a certain parable, there are two general things in it, one indeed like Noah, the worker of the earth, the other like Cain, working the earth 34 . With such things thus established in this field, one will be taken, that is, he who is like Noah, the worker of the earth; and the other will be left, who is like Cain, working the earth.
For everyone who hates his brother is called a murderer by John due to the hatred of a brother. But concerning the souls grinding in the heavy millstone of the world or of the body, the good soul is taken, but the evil one is left until it becomes worthy of being taken. Likewise, there are two in the field: the good understanding of man, and the evil understanding of man. The good understanding is taken, the evil one is left. For we cannot say that the spirit of an evil man is not taken, because I have learned from Ecclesiastes concerning every spirit, that it returns to God who gave it: "as all flesh, and from all the earth from which it was taken"; and as the Lord Himself taught us to fear Him "who can destroy both soul and body in hell"; and from the fact that He said nothing about the spirit, it is evident that the spirit is not punished together with the soul that sins with the body. For he who has sinned, and a part of him is placed among the unfaithful; but that which is not his returns to God who gave it. A
58. Two in one bed, one will be taken and the other left. Outside of those who are two in the field, and outside of those who are two at the mill, there are two bodies in one matter, from which bodies one body is that of the just man who is taken, while the other is a body of the same matter which is left. The body in the bed is indeed the infirm one, although it is taken; but the soul, because of the many things that it endures in this world, grinds in the mill: and the understanding in the field, according to what we have said, produces what it produces. B
59. Watch, for you do not know at what hour the Lord comes, and the rest: "not giving sleep to our eyes, nor slumber to our eyelids," let us await either ours or the end of the age, whether we depart from this life or the world is finished for us. Someone might ask how the Lord, who is present alongside His disciples, speaks as if He were not present, but coming to them, saying: "Watch, for you do not know at what hour your Lord comes." He will say indeed, to him who is simpler, that it is because of the second advent in which He is to come that He spoke this. But another, more discerning, in the understanding of the future advent of the Word to the disciples; because the advent was not yet in the understanding as it was to be: for, as he demonstrates through this passage, he works in those who are watchful, for His advent comes to their souls and illuminates them with the light of the one who comes and shines upon their souls. But know this, that "if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief comes, he would have watched and would not have allowed his house to be broken into." How would he not allow it? Without doubt, by his watching. Therefore, you also be ready, for "at what hour you do not think, the Son of Man comes." C But Matthew indeed speaks indefinitely, while Mark also defines the times of the day, just as a thief who is coming does, saying: "Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house comes, in the evening, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning." The householder, however, is the understanding of man; and his house is his soul. The thief, indeed, who comes suddenly while the householder is sleeping and breaks into the house, I think is the devil, or every contrary discourse, according to what the evangelist John teaches us in this manner, saying: "Amen, amen I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up another way, the same is a thief and a robber." Just as he who enters by the door into the sheepfold, the shepherd opens it for the sheep; but he who does not enter by the door, but climbs up another way, is a thief and a robber; as the master of the house confidently opens the door when he wishes, rewarding the one who is watching. But the thief acts as a thief not by entering the house in a natural way to the soul of the negligent one, but as if he had already dug through it, first destroying certain natural structures of the soul, and the natural intellect in him who has not watched, which God the Word had built. And through this very rupture the thief enters and tears apart him who is a negligent master of the house, and distributes his spoils. Otherwise, he finds someone who is a thief in that very process, and grasping him as if he has his own weapons, he strikes the thief, and the striker, changing the discourse, kills him, as he is not considered a murderer when he kills him without any delay. But if not within himself, but everyone who does all things openly, if he has grasped him who had stolen his goods, and has understood him, and has refuted him, that is, has killed him, he has no forgiveness before God when the thief is dead and manifested as such; and he himself will die. And see lest perhaps the law of Moses signifies something of this kind, saying: "If in the very process the thief be found, and being struck he shall have died, there shall be no homicide. But if the sun be risen upon him, he is liable: he shall die for him." For he who cognizes evil before he commits the evil, and breaks it within himself, he who grasps and kills in him, while he is being pierced in him. But one who has done the evil, even if he refutes him outside, after he appears to have grasped the evil and killed him outside his house, it profits him nothing, for he has become liable to death. For the divine understanding, which is in us, is not in such a way that as we have sinned, it returns to us as a prejudice, and not to our salvation: yet in the text of this Gospel of which we speak, it is not by the thief that the soul of the studious man is illuminated, when he comes, but in the night, and in the time when malice still remains. In the state in which anyone might be, it is possible, even if he has not possessed the virtues of the sun, yet he is illuminated by that light, a small light of the Word which is a lamp still... D
A remaining in evils, while yet having the purpose of better things, and a wakefulness, so that his purpose looking toward better things may not be dug through. For as we read in the *Shepherd*, one does not quickly taste full vessels, nor indeed are they easily changed; but half-full ones, because they are easily believed to be changed, are frequently tasted. And see if you can draw to such an understanding that which is written elsewhere: *Let your loins be girded, and your lamps burning, and you yourselves like men expecting their lord when he shall return*; for he who is not yet in the light and day of the virtues, but gives himself already to the teaching illuminating his soul, according to what is possible, is in the first place girded, and turning himself away from the effusion of malice makes use of—not yet indeed, as it were, the clear light of day of virtue—but a lamp by which it is possible to be illuminated B even one who is in malice. He, therefore, whose lamp is thus lit, is expecting his Lord God, the Word, so that returning He may come to him who has meanwhile held the lamp in himself, and has illuminated his whole mind, clearly as a sun. And each one according to his progress kindles his lamp either less, or more, from the light of knowledge, and pours in oil through meditation, and being awake in it against sinful works, hoping through such abstinence, and meditation, to receive the Lord into himself. And yet he who prospers more abundantly, and forgets the things that are behind, that is, malice, but still has a moderate amount of it in himself, is now approaching virtue; it is fittingly said: *The night is far spent, the day has approached*. It must be noted, however, that he said: *The day is at hand*. For it is at hand for the perfect, who have no trace of night in them; but it approaches for him who is progressing toward the better, meditating on things that are of the day, and receiving honor as in the day; and he who is such as this is now near so as to say: *We are not of the night, nor of darkness*.
60. Since we have come once to this place, we must also give an account of the different watches. One is indeed reproved, being wakeful straightaway in the very evening, and he continues his watch until midnight, and then again until the cock-crowing, and again until the morning. For he who, as soon as, in his malice—that is, as soon as the child begins to put forth full C speech, for from that he begins to be in malice, which is in the night—if he immediately gives himself over to become both hearer of the law, and doer; if, indeed, he has remained until the end in that purpose, he has watched from the evening, and has continued until midnight, and has not given sleep to his eyes, neither until the cock-crowing, nor until the morning; such a man is reckoned among the blessed servants. But he who is found, after the time of the sermon is completed, to pass some part of the night in feasting, and drunkenness, and bed-chamberings, and impurities, but begins afterwards to watch, and he D begins from midnight to watch, that is, fromvirility. If, however, a perfect man in the time of the summer of his body, hearing the divine teaching, has received from it a lamp, as if wishing to live according to God’s commandment, and he also having a lamp from the cock-crowing, and wakeful, and remaining until the morning, does not lose the reward of his good service in a short time. If it is possible, however, even straightaway about the very consumption of the night, that is, after he has spent almost the whole time of his life in malice, that believing he might kindle a lamp for himself, and watch even in the remaining time, and if the Lord of the house should come with His grace—to some indeed He will remain until the morning, to others from midnight, illuminating them for the future, to others truly from the cock-crowing, conversing less with them. But neither will He abandon those lighting a lamp in the morning, and being wakeful because of the expectation of the Lord, but even finding these not sleeping, nor attending to beds and impurities, He will honor them with the honor that He has known them to be worthy of. And the thief, therefore, comes in a certain watch, and hour of the night, and digs through the house of him whom He has not found wakeful nor having a lit lamp. And indeed upon some he comes in the evening, but upon others at midnight, but upon others at cock-crowing, and there are also those upon whom he comes in the morning. And the Lord comes in a certain watch and hour of the night, and perhaps the Lord comes to him whom the thief coming could do nothing to, clearly not permitted to dig through the house of him who is wakeful and has a lamp lit. But to him who has his house dug through, the Lord does not come, especially if someone has learned what was said: *Let your loins be girded, and your lamps burning, and you yourselves like men expecting their lord*, and despising those things which were said, has given sleep to his eyes and slumber to his eyelids. But to manifest the sense of this place which occurs to us, let us use such an example. In a time of temptations, or of whatever calamities, the thief is accustomed especially to come, wishing to dig through the house of the soul; but when the thief comes, he who sustains the accidents, and because of the love of God suffers all things, having suffered nothing from him, will straightaway see the Lord coming to him. But he who is dug through by the thief in the time of his calamity will be house-less, as unworthy of the advent of his Lord to him, not worthy to behold Him.
61. For who is the faithful and prudent servant, whom his lord has appointed over his house, to give food in time? That this parable pertains to the apostles and the rest of the bishops and doctors is manifest, especially from the fact that in Luke, Peter asks saying: *Are you telling this parable to us, or to all?* But yet, since there are many stewards, it is difficult to find both a faithful and a prudent one. On account of which the Apostle says: *So let us...*
let a man so account us as ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Here it is further inquired among the stewards, that one may be found faithful. But any bishop who does not serve as a fellow servant, but as a master, sins against God; frequently, indeed, as a bitter master ruling by force, similar to the Egyptians who afflicted the life of the children of Israel with force. Therefore, they ought to be mindful of the words of Christ saying: You call me Master and Lord, and you say well; for so I am. If I then have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that as I have done, you should do. And that word: The princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise power upon them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be first among you shall be the last: as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Moreover, it is proper to listen to Paul also saying: When we might have been burdensome as the apostles of Christ, we were made small among you, even as a nurse fosters her children. So being desirous, we would have imparted unto you not only the Gospel, but also our own souls. And it is not proper to strike fellow servants, but B to rebuke the unruly, to comfort the feeble-minded, to support the weak, and to be patient toward all, since the servant of God ought not to strive, but to be gentle unto all men, teaching with modesty those who resist. And as if turning away himself from the evil conduct of fellow servants, Paul blames those who were not such, [but] who were indeed subject to the proud, yet despised the meek, saying in this manner: You suffer if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face, as though we had been weak. But consider in these how he censures those who bring into bondage and strike on the face because they are more bitterly ruled, saying that he abstains from them; not because he was weak, so that he could not do them, but that he might do those things which he teaches. He teaches, however, to teach with modesty those who resist. For which reason, setting forth what sort of bishops ought to be, he says thus: Not litigious, not strikers, but gentle, modest, and whatsoever [qualities] are found among faithful and wise servants C and stewards, whom the Lord has set over His family, as Luke says. From these, however, it is to be known that the Lord has set over His house not only those who are faithful and wise, but also wicked servants saying in their hearts: My lord delays his coming; therefore they beat their fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunken, and are intoxicated. If, therefore, those who preside over the Churches of Christ ever think themselves to be in a high position because the Lord has set them over His family, let them know that this is not what He saves, because they have been set by the Lord over His family, but that [He appoints them] to give meat in due season, and that they should abstain from beatings and from revellings and drinking bouts with the drunken. But if they do not abstain from such things, and think themselves great because the Lord has set them over His family, let them know that their Lord will come in a day that they think not, and in an hour that they do not know, and will cut them asunder, and appoint their portion with the hypocrites and unbelievers; and when they have been placed among the hypocrites and unbelievers, it will nothing profit them that they were set by the Lord over His family. But that we may fear that which He says, *he will cut him asunder*, it is fitting to remember the things said by Daniel against the wicked elders, because the angel of the Lord, having a sword, D *shall cut you in the midst*. Cutting, he will divide. We have dared to use the example of Daniel in this place, not ignorant that it is not set down in the Hebrew, but because it is held in the Churches. But it is for another time to inquire concerning such things. Attend also to that which he says, a faithful and wise servant, benevolently hearing the word, and acquiescing to the will of Christ speaking these things, and of Matthew writing them. Diligently, therefore, must we hear of the faithful and wise servant, who progresses in faith. Or if he who is commonly called faithful is not yet perfect in it, and has a natural quickness of mind, he is called wise. And so the steward of iniquity acts prudently, not indeed acting according to prudence as a virtue, but because he was quick in intellect. And the children of this world are wiser than the children of light in their generation, not because they are prudent according to one of the virtues as prudence, or because the children of light are inferior to them in wisdom according to some other thing, or are inferior in the natural sharpness of the mind; for the divine word knows also that prudence is one of the virtues, as it teaches in Proverbs, saying: Say that wisdom is your sister, and make prudence known to yourself, that it may guard you from the strange woman. Now, however, we ought to hear commonly what he says: Who is the faithful and wise servant? as if some, indeed, according to the commonly understood faith, are faithful, but are not wise nor quick of intellect; and again others may be quick, and, according to what is signified here, wise, but not altogether faithful. But if one considers the multitude of those wishing to be Christians, he will indeed find many faithful, and exercising the study of faith, but not also wise, so that they might be children of this world wiser than them in their generation, knowing that God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. And he will see again others who are thought to have believed, being indeed quick and wise, but of little faith; and if not unbelievers, yet less faithful, because they despise the foolish things of the world which God chose. But it is fitting that the faithful and
wise, so that he may give food to his servants in due time, is very rare. For to give food in due time requires someone to have wisdom; but not to take away food at the time when people are in need requires faith. Further, it is not out of place to give a warning regarding the sins which are accustomed to happen among those in the body of men who seem to believe in Christ, and among the stewards of the Churches, since even according to a simple understanding we have much need to be both faithful and wise in dispensing the revenues of the Church: faithful, indeed, so that we may not devour what belongs to the widows and that we be mindful of the poor, and taking occasion from what is written 68: "The Lord appointed for those who preach the Gospel, to live from the Gospel," we do not seek more than simple food and necessary clothing, so that we do not keep more for ourselves than we give to our hungry, and thirsty, and naked brethren, and to those who suffer necessity in secular concerns. Wise, however, so that we may minister to each according to the dignity of each individual, remembering what is said 69: "Blessed is he who understands concerning the needy and the poor." For one ought not to give from ecclesiastical goods in a simple manner, so that we observe only this, that we not devour what belongs to the poor, or commit theft of them; but that we prudently understand the causes of the needy, for which they are needy; and how each person’s dignity is [nurtured] (or "how he is an advocate"), how much he has of what is necessary, or for what reason he is in need. Therefore, one must not act in the same way toward those who from infancy have been educated and lived strictly, and toward those who have been nurtured liberally and delicately, and have subsequently fallen. Nor are the same things to be ministered to men and women, or to old men and to youths, or to youths who are weak, on account of which they cannot acquire food for themselves, and those who are able to acquire food for themselves in part, and those who are able to help themselves in part. It must also be inquired whether they have many children, and are not negligent, but doing everything, and yet not meeting their needs sufficiently. And not to say more, 880 much wisdom is needed for one who wishes to manage ecclesiastical revenues well, so that even in these matters he may be found a faithful and wise steward, and be made blessed. Perhaps, moreover, because of the multitude of Christians who are not sufficiently attentive to the seeking out of the Word, and such men are raised to positions of leadership, we have a greater need to hear: "Who is the faithful and wise servant, whom the lord has set over his household, to give them food in due season?" 70 So that they may not distribute reasonable and spiritual food to fellow-servants without discrimination [qualibuscunque], and to those to whom it is not fitting, desiring to show themselves to be wise, and [not giving it] A to those who have a greater need of the word, which builds up their morals and composes their life, than what produces wisdom, and illuminates with the light of knowledge those whose mind can endure the splendor of such a light; or so that it may not be tiresome to explain deeper things to those who can hear more acutely, lest those explaining lowly things be despised by the more talented, who are naturally talented, or perhaps are considered acute through the exercise of secular wisdom. It is therefore difficult for these two to be in one, that he be both wise and faithful, but it is not impossible; for He does not pronounce blessed him who cannot be so, saying 71: "Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods."
62. "Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh B shall find so doing." A great promise is preached to faithful and wise stewards, and to those to whom He says: "Have thou authority over five cities" 72, or, "Have thou authority over ten cities" 73. For to be set over all the goods of the householder, what else does this manifest but the heirs of God and co-heirs of Christ, and reigning together with Christ? To whom the Father has delivered all things, as He Himself says 74: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth; and as the good son of the father is set over all the substance of the father, he partakes of such dignity and glory with his faithful and wise stewards, so that they too may be over every creation and authority, C so that they may be with Christ. And see the interpretation of that which He says: "Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods" 75. Understand for me, as if taking as an example some king having every kingdom under him, with whom are many nations, and cities, and diverse places. Therefore, he himself divides to the satraps and the rest of the princes who have conducted themselves excellently, the fullness of his kingdom: he will indeed set them all over his entire kingdom, but not each of them over everything, but each one of them over some part of his kingdom; as for instance, this one over ten cities, that one over five. And thus all shall be over all the goods, but he himself D alone holds everything as the sole king of all. And such is that which is said: "He shall make him ruler over all his goods." But just as we have heard of the blessedness to be given to faithful and wise servants, so let us hear also of the torments of the evil servants. For the evil servant says in his heart, preferring present pleasure to future goods, and despising his lord, he says: "My lord delayeth his coming" 76. Lying, he says this, wanting to eat and drink with the drunken; and he always dreams that his lord will come after a long time; and as if the lord were delaying, he beats his fellow-servants who are suffering, and in the service...
of the church, he does not receive those who are hungry, but feasts with the drunken and many of his kind to whom the ecclesiastical care has been entrusted; to whom the Lord will come, making an end of them on a day they do not know, and at an hour they do not think, and He will divide those who have not feared Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. He divides him, when his spirit returns to God who gave it, while the soul goes with its body into hell. But the just man is not divided, but his soul goes with his spirit to the heavenly kingdoms. For which reason it is written A: Bless, O spirits and souls of the just, the Lord. But as for those who are divided and lay down the spirit returning to Him who gave it, and have no part hereafter in themselves that was from God, there remains to them that part which was their own, that is, the soul, which with its body will be punished by the Lord when He comes, with the faithless and the hypocrites in torments. See therefore the difference between the servants whom the Lord set over His house; for since some as faithful and prudent dispensers who gave food to their fellow-servants in time, are set over all the goods of the master of the house; but those who have done the contrary to them, besides falling from such great glory, will still be divided, and their part will be placed with the hypocrites and the faithless. There will be weeping for them who B in this world were laughing, as Scripture says C: Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall weep and mourn. Consequently, because of the rest and resolution in which they have rested and been resolved, reasonably there will be for them the gnashing of teeth. This perhaps signifies that because those who are punished, thinking that there will be an end to the pain, and desiring for this reason to bear them manfully, are compelled by the insufferable torments, they gnash their teeth: namely, those teeth with which they have eaten the bitterness of malice, and therefore suffer the deserved gnashing of teeth.
65. *Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. And five of them were foolish, and five were prudent, and the rest.* In all who have learned the word of God, D the kingdom of heaven is likened to the ten virgins. And if indeed there are among them those who rightly both believe and live, and therefore are justly likened to the five prudent ones; but those who indeed profess faith in Jesus, but do not prepare themselves by good works for salvation, are likened to the remaining five foolish virgins; not irrationally do we say that the senses of all who have learned divine things, however they received the word of the Lord, whether by opportunity or by truth, are virgins made chaste through the word of God to whom they have believed or wish to believe. For such is the word of God, that it adapts itself from its own purity to all [1699/1700 A] who, through their teaching, have indeed departed from the worship of idols, or the worship of the elements of God's creation: but have approached through Jesus Christ to the worship of God, even though works of piety have not followed, nor have they prepared themselves for blessedness. But just as according to the word of truth the virtues, which are Christ in substance, follow one another, so that he who has one, has all; and he who lacks one, has not even one; for Christ is inseparable from Himself; so also do all the senses follow one another, and wherever there is a deficiency in one of the senses according to the right teaching of the Word, there also all the senses, as if defrauded by the word of wisdom, are rendered foolish. By senses, however, I mean those that are commonly understood—sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch—and those that are called divine in the Proverbs, in this way saying: *Thou shalt find divine sense* B. Again, however, because the word of God is the cause that there should be a right use of the senses, and it is not possible for him, while he is in the senses, that he should operate in certain senses, and diligently bestow what belongs to his own prudence, while neglecting others; therefore, if he has made one of the senses wise, so that it might be constituted as a virgin, it is necessary that he should pour his wisdom into the other senses. Therefore, it is not possible to see among the five senses in anyone some that are foolish and others that are prudent; but it is necessary that either all five be prudent, or all foolish. All these senses receive their lamps, that is, their natural organs, whether wishing to use them according to the word of God, or against the will of God, yet they receive them, when they receive the Word of God C as the bridegroom of the Church, and the Son of God; and they go out from the world and from the errors of the many gods, and come to meet the Savior, who is always ready to come to those virgins, so that they may enter together with those worthy of them into the blessed bride, the Church. But as long as the light of the faithful shines before men after the word is received, so that seeing their good works, they may glorify their Father who is in heaven, these are both prudent and [are those] receiving the oil—the nourishment of their inner man which is always poured into good acts, that is, the word of doctrine, and filling their vessels of souls with this word from the teachers and tradition-givers who sell it—that it may be enough for them, even when the exit is delayed and the Word tarries in coming to their consummation, so that having been consummated and having become outside the world, they may hasten there. But as for those who had no care after the commencement of Christianity to receive such word of doctrine as would suffice them to endure until the end, neglecting the reception of the doctrine which strengthens faith and illuminates the light of good acts (what then soothes like moral discourse, which is called the oil of the lamps?) these are foolish, and they received D
lamps indeed burning at the start, but they did not receive oil for the length of the journey to meet the bridegroom. And the bridegroom delaying, all the virgins slumbered, A and they slept. Thus, with the bridegroom delaying, and the Word not quickly coming to the consummation of their life, they suffer here something like a feeling of, as it were, acting and slumbering in the night of the world. They slumbered, indeed, in that they acted more remissly regarding the vital sense; yet those prudent ones did not lose their lamps, nor did they despair of the preservation of their oil.
64. At midnight a cry was made, behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. But the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the prudent answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go you rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And whilst they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. But last came also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not. B By midnight, that is, in the depth of relaxation, and in the middle time of the already passed evening light, and the as yet hoped-for diurnal, a cry was made for the sake of rousing all—as I think, by the angels, who are all ministering spirits, sent to minister for them, who shall receive the inheritance of salvation, who were also solicitous to rouse those who are sensible to go out to meet the bridegroom, and they say, crying within the senses of all who sleep: Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him. And upon the suggestion that it is necessary to go out to meet the bridegroom, the Word, and the immaculate Church, all indeed heard and arose: but not all put upon their lamps a becoming ornament, but those who heard [it did so], as prudence ornamenting them. So, not in the opportune time did the foolish say to the prudent: Give us of your oil, as those who had not beforehand gathered prudence for themselves, so that they might understand that C it is not [the case] that everything that has oil is also to be given from it to others who desire it, but only [from those] who are set to this very purpose, that they should sell, and distribute, and receive the price of the oil set to be sold, the price of which is perseverance, and instantia, and the love of learning, and diligence, and the labor of those desiring to learn. "Give us of your oil, for our lamps are going out." For even if they were foolish, still they understood this, that with light they ought to go out to meet the bridegroom, all having [their] lamps of the senses illuminated. But they also saw that, because they had less rational oil as darkness was now approaching, their lamps were destined to be obscured. But the wise send the foolish to the oil sellers, since they have not so much oil, that is, the word of doctrine, gathered, D that it would suffice both for themselves for life and for them to instruct them in trimming their lamps. And if you consider someone at some time, that he has gathered the doctrine of the word which suffices for himself to live well, yet not so that he can become a teacher, you will see such a one responding to those wishing to learn from him what things are of God, and saying: Lest perhaps it be not enough for us and for you. For I have doctrine sufficiently for living well, but not so that I can also accommodate doctrine to you. And they will answer those wishing to learn from them: Go rather to the sellers, and buy for yourselves, that is, to the teachers, and receive from them. And the foolish ones, not when they ought to have, by going bought for themselves [the] doctrine, lose the time of entering with the bridegroom to the marriage. And it is possible to see those who suffer such things, who, when they ought indeed to have learned, neglected to learn something useful from those from whom they ought to have learned. But at the very exit of their life, while they are disposed to learn, they are seized by death, and for that reason they do not enter with the Word to the bride Church, nor with Christ to those who are to be together in rest and in beatitude. The door is shut, however, afterward to the foolish virgins who were about to receive oil, who also will come afterward without cause, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us. Therefore the bridegroom answering says: I know you not. Therefore, since the parable was spoken to all who were listening, He subjoins to His disciples, saying: Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day and the hour. But as for ornamenting the lamps of the senses with evangelical and right uses—as if, indeed, the ornament of the eyes is the right use of seeing, so that the eyes may behold the admirable maker, but be closed so as not to behold iniquity. Hearing, moreover, is an ornament when one does not receive vain hearing, but hardens his ears so as not to hear the judgment of blood; but he hears Jesus saying to him: Be opened, so that they may be offered only to salutary and necessary words. So, too, can one speak of the ornament of taste, and of smelling and touching, according to those things which have been said. For of those who use their senses poorly, there is no ornament for them, either in the eyes, or in the ears, or in the remaining senses. It is to be observed, however, that while it is written that the foolish were sent to buy oil, they are not recorded to have bought or received it: but this being passed over in silence, it is said afterward that after this come the other virgins saying: Lord, Lord, open to us. Whereas he could have said: Afterward they came having received or bought the oil, he conveniently remained silent, so that he might not say "I know you not" to those having oil, or trimming their lamps in the end. For it is not written that they came trimming their lamps. However, the end of the word is this, that at every time we may prepare
for our departure, so that we may not give sleep to our eyes, nor slumber to our eyelids, because we know not the day and the hour of our departure.
65. A certain man, traveling abroad, called his own servants and delivered to them his goods, and the rest. And first, let us see why our Lord is likened to a man traveling abroad, who is our one Lord, of whom the Apostle says: *To us there is but one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him*, if indeed we are steered by him alone, and have neither mammon as our lord, nor any of those lords A whom the Apostle himself indicates there are many, saying: *As there are many gods and many lords.* Therefore, let us first inquire about his traveling abroad, especially since it seems contrary to his traveling that he promises to his disciples concerning himself, saying: *Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.* Likewise that [saying]: *Behold I am with you always, even to the consummation of the world.* And what the Baptist says of him, demonstrating that he is everywhere, thus: *In the midst of you stands one whom you know not, he is the one who comes after me.* Therefore someone will say: If he also stands in the midst of those who know him not, if wherever two or three are gathered in his name, he is held to be among them, if through all the days of the life of the disciples he is with them even to the consummation of the world, how in this parable is he proposed as traveling abroad? But we must, in our treatment, also assume that which Paul says of himself: *For I, indeed, absent in body, but present in spirit, have already judged as present, when you and my spirit are gathered, with the power of the Lord Jesus, to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.* For if the power of Jesus is gathered with those who are gathered in his name, he is not traveling away from his own, but is always present to them. But if he is always present to all his own, why do his parables introduce him as traveling? See if we can resolve what is asked in this way. For he who says to his disciples: *Behold I am with you even to the consummation of the world*; and likewise: *Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am in the midst of them,* and so forth; and who also stands in the midst even of those who do not know him, is the Only-Begotten of God, God the Word, and wisdom, and justice, and truth, which is not enclosed by bodily bounds. According to this nature of his divinity, he does not travel abroad; but he travels abroad according to the dispensation of the body which he assumed. According to which he was also troubled, and made sad, saying: *Now my soul is troubled.* And again: *My soul is sorrowful even unto death.* But saying these things, we do not loosen the man of the assumed body, since it is written in John: *Every spirit that dissolves Jesus is not of God*; but we preserve the property of each substance. For if every faithful man who is joined to the Lord is one spirit; how much more that man whom Christ assumed according to the dispensation of the flesh, is he not to be dissolved from him, nor is another to be called besides him? And see how he says, *as a man who was about to go abroad*; because he was not a man, but *as* a man; and would travel B as a man, though he was everywhere according to the nature of his divinity. Also consider for yourself that the delivery of the discourse does not seem to be written thus: "As a man traveling, so also Jesus," or thus: "so also the Son of man," because it is he himself who is proposed in the parable as traveling as a man. For he is not a man, who is wherever two or three are gathered in his name. Neither is the man with us all days even to the consummation of the world. Nor is the man present to the faithful who are gathered everywhere, but the divine power which was in Jesus. We can also say such things about this place: there is nothing contradictory in Jesus himself being everywhere according to a certain understanding, but according to another, traveling abroad. For if we, while we are in the body, *travel abroad from the Lord*; for *we walk by faith, not by sight*: in all who are in the body and travel abroad from the Lord, the Lord also travels away from those who walk by faith, not by sight. But if, traveling abroad from the body, we shall be with the Lord, then he also will be with us both because we walked by faith, that we may walk hereafter by sight. But we call the sight of the Word, and of wisdom, and of truth, and of justice, and of peace, and of all that which is the Only-Begotten God. You shall understand the sight of the Word, and the sight of wisdom, when you have understood what the Apostle says: *My little children, of whom I am in labour again, until Christ be formed in you.* For understanding Christ formed in someone, you shall see consequently according to such a formation also the sight of Christ. He therefore who went abroad as a man, called his servants, and delivered to them his approved money in chaste utterances. Since his utterances are chaste utterances, silver ignited, proven, purified seven times.
66. And to one he gave five talents, but to others two, but to others one. And to each according to his own power. And he went abroad immediately. But he who had received the five talents went, and worked in them, and gained another five talents. Likewise he who had received two, gained another two in them. But he who had received one, going, dug in the earth, and hid his master's money. Therefore, if at any time you see of those who have received from Christ the dispensation of the oracles of God, some indeed having more, and more divinely, and more abundantly, but others less, and, as it C D
were, not understanding A in the middle of these things by comparison with those who are much better, while others have even less; you will see the differences among those who have received the oracles of God from Christ, since the virtue of those to whom five talents were given was one thing, another that of those to whom two were given, and another that of him to whom one was given, and one did not grasp the measure of the other. And he who received one talent received indeed a gift that was not contemptible: for even one talent from such a master is much. Yet there are three who are his own servants, who "went on a journey as a man," just as there are three kinds of those who bring forth fruit. For some bring forth a hundred, some sixty, and others thirty. But even he who brought forth thirty is saved there: this word, however, condemns him who had received one talent and hid it in the earth. And I ask if those who received five talents can be understood as the more perfect, who have received a more divine and sublime sense of Scripture; while those who received two are those who have remained beneath the letter, but have ascended a little higher, though they could not ascend to that same magnitude; and the third, those who have received nothing beyond the letter at first. There is therefore, in the numbers, a word well worthy of our Master and Savior regarding the things we are discussing. I speak of the five, the two, and the one. But we, being lowly and less able to explain such things, think—lest perhaps because all B the sensible things of the Scriptures can lead to those more divine senses which Solomon calls divine, and which Jeremiah speaks of as the "senses of the heart," and which Paul calls, to the Hebrews, "senses trained for discernment"—that even these are good who, outside the five talents, have gained another five, working in them, and by doctrine training themselves, and rising to greater knowledge. For by living wholesomely and teaching zealously, they have worked and have gained another five; because no one easily accepts the addition of another's virtue, unless [it be that] of what he already has: for instance, a wise man grows in wisdom, a faithful man in faith. Or in this way: another has acquired five, because each one, what he himself knows, this he teaches to another, and as much as he himself knows, so much he teaches another, not more. Therefore, whatever 884 anyone has in himself, this he acquires in another by teaching, making him have what he himself has. Therefore he had five, and is not said to have acquired more than the five that he had. And he who had two, not more than the two that he had. If, however, we must speak also of the two talents, we say of those as well that they are those who, not remaining in the letter, but seeking to ascend by their own sense above it, yet not being able to reach the order of the aforementioned two, are those who, from him who knew their virtue, C received two talents, having been taught the corporeal doctrine. For it seems that two is the carnal number: and over these they gained two, that is, the corporeal erudition, and another a little more sublime. But there was some servant of the lesser, gathering virtue for himself, for the sake of which the householder gave one talent, as though to one less powerful: which the servant, having received, having some land, dug, and placed it in its heights, when he ought to have sent it upward and into the banks. But since it is reported that there are three of the householder’s own servants, I ask if they can, after they have believed and have been made his servants, be as those powerful in trading. Afterward they received his money from the householder, so that one indeed worked and gained, another also gained, but another, out of fear, not being sufficiently faithful, digged [a hole] D and hid his master’s money. And it appears in the very defense by which he speaks, that he feared the master indeed, having the fear of God, just as another has the zeal of God, but not fearing according to knowledge, he hid his talent in the earth. Such, however, are they who neither stir nor examine what is said, nor devote themselves to the edification of souls, but wish to lie hidden regarding those things which they have received and were entrusted with. If therefore you see someone who has indeed acquired some virtue of speech, and who edifies souls to whatever extent, and hides this virtue, so as merely to hand over the naked word which he was entrusted with and received, and his deposit to his master, and he lives in obscurity, unknown to many, even to those who have great sins, and does not bring himself forth in the good which he received from God, although he has some sort of religion of conduct not blameable to many, do not doubt in saying that such a one is like him who received one talent and hid it in the earth. If, however, because of that which is written, that such a one is to be cast into the outer darkness, it displeases you that it is said, if on that account—because one did not teach—he is judged as one who did not use the virtue given to him for the edification of souls, remember the apostolic saying which says: "Woe to me, if I do not preach the Gospel." For it is not on account of any other conduct of his that is blameable, but for this alone, if he has not preached the Gospel, that he confesses woe will be his. For it appears manifestly that he hoped to hear: "Wicked and slothful servant," etc., if he had not evangelized, although the other things of his life were right. For these and things like these ought to have in mind especially those who set their hand—that is, their action—to the plow of teaching the doctrine of Christ, that recognizing to whom there is woe, not for any other reason than that they do not teach what has been deposited, they may not turn back after once having put their hand to the plow that furrows the souls of men, so that after this they may also receive the seeds of the word. But this one who, as a man going on a journey, called his servants, and delivered to them his goods, came after a long time, after he had sent away those apt for the trading of the salvation of souls: and therefore perhaps it is not easily found who among them are apt for such a work, so that one might quickly pass from this life, as is manifest from that which also the apostles grew old [in], from whom he says to Peter: "When..."
thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands," A and the rest. Concerning Paul, however, it is said to Philemon: "Now as Paul the aged," when he was but a young man at the time when Stephen was being stoned for the testimony of Christ, and he himself was guarding the garments of those who were putting him to death. We say this, however, because it is said: "After a long time the lord of those servants came." And observe in this place that they do not go to the lord to be judged and to receive what is worthy of their deeds, but the lord comes to them when that which is said has been fulfilled, because the time has come. And coming, he will take an account with them concerning all things whatsoever they have done, balancing the gains of good works and the losses of sins, that by taking account and diligently examining all things, he may treat each one as is fitting. We ought therefore, as those who have suffered loss by sinning but who gain by doing good, to keep our hearts with all guard, so that when our Lord comes and places an account with us, we may not be found to have suffered loss even for an idle word.
67. "And he that had received the five talents coming, offered other five, saying: 'Lord, thou didst deliver five talents to me, behold I have gained other five over and above.' His lord said to him: 'Well done, good and faithful servant: because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things, enter thou into the joy of thy lord.' And he also that had received the two talents came and said: 'Lord, thou deliveredst two talents to me, behold I have gained other two.' His lord said to him: 'Well done, good and faithful servant: because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things, enter thou into the joy of thy lord.'" So the first approached, as one who had confidence because he had labored and gained. For this very confidence made him bold so that he might be the first to approach the lord and speak confidently, saying: "Lord, thou didst deliver five talents to me, behold I have gained other five talents 885 over and above." To whom the lord said a word desirable to us all, when our Lord shall also take an account with us, saying: "Well done, good and faithful servant"; contrary to that word which he said to the third: "Wicked and slothful servant." Who would not desire to receive the exhortation from this scripture, so that he might hear from his Lord: "Faithful"? Which I think is similar to that which is said concerning Abraham, that "Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice," just as it is also to him who heard from his lord: "Faithful servant." Without doubt his faith was reputed to him unto justice, just as the faith of him who was faithful in a little was reputed unto justice. But all things of this life are little, so that the whole mystery of the resurrection and the administration of heavenly goods may be entrusted to him. Let us see also where this good and faithful servant enters, who was faithful in a little of this life. "Enter," he says, "into the joy of thy lord."
A For all things there are delightful and all things are joys, when they who weep here shall laugh there, and they who lament laudably shall receive worthy consolation. But what he says, either concerning him who had received five talents or concerning this one who had received two, understand as the access and passage from this world to that one, and see that the lord uttered no other word to the second than that which he uttered to the former, saying: "Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many." I inquire since the same was said to both, whether perhaps he who had less virtue, and exercised all that he had as he ought, shall have no less before God than he who was in greater virtue, so that in them may be fulfilled that which is said: "He who had much, had not too much, and he who had little, did not have too little." Something of this kind is shown also concerning the commandment of love toward God or toward one's neighbor, saying thus: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind." For without doubt when someone has loved God with his whole heart, and with his whole soul, and with his whole strength, he has the reward of such love as the one who had a greater heart, or who has a more eminent soul, or who received greater virtue. For this alone is sought, that whatever a man has from God, he may use it all for the glory of God.
68. "But he that had received the one talent, came and said: 'Lord, I know that thou art a hard man; thou reapest where thou hast not sown, and gatherest where thou hast not strewed; and being afraid I went and hid thy talent in the earth; behold here thou hast that which is thine.' And his lord answering, said to him: 'Wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sow not, and gather where I have not strewed. Thou oughtest therefore to have committed my money to the bankers, at my coming I should have received my own with usury.'" It seems to me that he who received the one talent was indeed among the believers, but not one acting with boldness in the faith, but wishing to remain hidden, and doing everything so that they might not be known as Christians. Perhaps also the other habits of theirs were not sufficiently blameworthy, and what they received they do indeed keep, but they do not add to it, nor do they trade, nor do they act with boldness therein: therefore the word did not grow to more in them, nor did it win others. Furthermore, they who are of such a kind seem to me to have the fear of God and to think of Him as someone austere, and hard, and implacable. For thus the very words of the respondent signify, saying, "I knew that thou art a hard man," and as one who knew him to reap where he did not sow and to gather where he did not strew. Wherefore his lord answering him, and rebuking him as a wicked and slothful servant, did not indeed confess himself to be a hard man, as that one thought, but he agreed with his other words saying: "And thou knowest that I reap where I have not sown, and I gather..."
where I have not scattered."
How are we to understand that our Lord truly reaps where He has not sown and gathers where He has not scattered? It seems to me in this passage that the righteous man sows in the spirit, from which he shall also reap eternal life. Moreover, God reaps all those things which are sown and reaped by another—that is, by the righteous man—unto eternal life; for the righteous man is God’s possession, he who reaps where he himself has not sown, but that righteous one does. Consequently, we must also say this: that the righteous man "has dispersed, he has given to the poor." But the Lord will gather in His own all things whatsoever the righteous man has dispersed and given to the poor. And He who reaps what He has not sown and gathers what He has not scattered reckons and considers as being given to Himself whatsoever has been sown or scattered for the faithful poor, saying to those who have acted well toward their neighbors: B "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you. For I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat, and so forth." And because He wishes to reap where He has not sown and to gather where He has not scattered, when He has not found, He will say to those who have not provided Him with the opportunity to reap and to gather: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into eternal fire, which my Father prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and ye gave me not to eat, and so forth." For He is indeed truly hard, according to what Matthew says, and austere, according to what Luke says. But for those who abuse the mercy of God toward their own negligence and not toward their own conversion, as the Apostle says: "Behold the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness." For to him who judges God to be good, believing that he will receive indulgence if he has been converted unto Him, God is good. But to him who thinks Him so good that He does not care C about the sins of those who sin, God is not good, but austere. For He is zealous regarding the sins of men who despise Him. Let us, however, as though Christ were reaping what we have not sown and gathering what we have not scattered, sow in the spirit and scatter to the poor, and let us not hide the talent of God in the earth. For this kind of fear is not good, nor does such fear deliver us from those outer darknesses when we have been condemned as evil and slothful servants. Evil, indeed, because we have not used that proven money of the Dominical words with which we could have traded and discussed the eloquia of Christianity and acquired the higher mysteries of God’s goodness. And slothful, because we have not worked salvation—either our own or others—with the eloquia of God, when we ought to have sent the money of our Lord, that is, the eloquia, to the money-changers who test and prove all things, so that they may hold fast the good and true dogma, but repel the reprobate and false, so that when the Lord has come, He may receive that eloquia which we committed, with interest; and with the additions D from them who have received from us. For every word which has in itself the form of God the King and the image of His Word is legitimate. He commands us, therefore, to trust the Word to money-changing men who are able to return its interest. And he returns the interest of the Word who hastens again to save others with it, just as he himself has been saved: like Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathanael, and Matthew the tax collector. And this is what the Apostle says: "The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." Similarly, the Lord says: "No man lighteth a candle, and putteth it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light."
69. "Take therefore the talent from him, and let it be given unto him which hath ten talents." You see that the talent is taken from the evil and slothful servant, and given to him who has ten talents. How that which had been given to one is taken away and given to another who is acting well, so that he may even have these in addition to those which he acquired, is not easy enough to explain, yet it is possible. Since God, who makes one capable in some sense in the dogmas of truth, can by His divinity take away the sufficiency from him who has used it more slothfully, and give it to him who has multiplied it. "For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away from him." For instance, to him who has the faith which is from us, there shall be given the grace of faith which is through the spirit of faith, and he shall have abundance; and whatsoever anyone has by natural creation, when he has exercised it, he receives in addition to that very thing even from the grace of God, so that he may abound and be firmer in that very thing which he has. For it must be understood by us that not of wisdom alone, but of every virtue, does Solomon say: "And if an man should be perfect among the sons of men, if thy wisdom be absent from him, he shall be reckoned as nothing." Thus also, if a man should be perfect in chastity, or in justice, or in truth, or in piety, yet if he does not have that chastity, or justice, or virtue, or piety which comes from the grace of God, such a man is reckoned as nothing. Therefore, if we wish for a more perfect virtue to be given to us, and that what is perfect may abound in us among men through our diligence, let us acquire it by every means; and after we have acquired it, as understanding that these things are reckoned as nothing without the grace of God, let us humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and let us pray without wrath and disputation, lifting up pure hands, so that the perfection of all the good things that are in us may be given from God, and He may make us perfect and acceptable to God as sons of God. But this man who had received one talent and had hidden it in the earth is not only convicted as evil and slothful, but as useless he is sent into the outer darkness, where there is no illumination, perhaps not even physical, nor is there any regard of God there; but as those unworthy of the contemplation of God, those who have sinned in such ways are condemned in
the regions of the exterior darkness. It is possible, perhaps, until they have understood so that they might be converted and be rendered worthy to go forth from them; perhaps also for another reason of which we are ignorant, for we read of someone who existed before us expounding on this darkness of the abyss, and saying that the abyss is outside and that the darkness is outside. Let us consider, therefore, if it is possible for his exposition to be true, that those exterior darknesses should be understood so that those who are unworthy of the whole world are cast out into that abyss which he expounded, in which there is darkness, with no one to illuminate them, since they are outside the whole world.
70. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he shall sit upon the throne of his glory, and all the nations shall be gathered before him," and the rest. This saying, indeed, seems to be manifest, as if exhorting men to give and to be generous, and turning them away from inhumanity and parsimony. Let us see what it is appropriate to seek in this matter, on account of those who think there is nothing in it but an exhortation to humanity. Certainly, every Church believes that the second and glorious advent of Christ will take place, when the Son of God, who is assumed in glory, will return hither in his glory and in the beauty with which he was transformed before the three disciples ascending with him: so that it will no longer be before three, but before all nations gathered together that he will appear, and will sit upon the throne of his glory, and then he will separate the evil from the good. Whether all from all generations 887 will be there, or only those who will be left at the consummation, or only those who believed in God through Christ, and whether all, it is not sufficiently manifest. However, to some it seems that the difference of those who believed is what is meant by these words. As far as the literal text goes, and because there is no other cause assigned for the separation to the right, and for being called into the kingdom prepared for them, except only humanity, and those who are on the left are confused and counted among the fire, except for inhumanity; what then? If those who were of humanity were negligent of other virtues, will it follow that such things be promised to them? Or if those who were not of humanity, but fulfilled other virtues, will they be condemned entirely, and will they be in the fire, as there is the necessary wisdom in the discourse? Also, this is to be handled, whether he is to come to be in that place, or whether the Savior and all the nations are to be gathered there? And of his throne of glory, what is to be said? Do you think there will be some corporeal footstool? Or does this work also have a more subtle interpretation? Since he who wishes to understand all things reasonably finds much wisdom also in these. And it is dangerous indeed to expound upon such matters, lest, while we are silent about the difficulty, we leave those who are moved in these matters to fluctuate; but let us expound, as far as it is possible, only a little out of much. We believe, therefore, that there will be a time of the advent of Christ, when such a manifestation of Christ and of his divinity will be, so that not even any of the just, nor any of those who have sinned, will be ignorant of Christ according to what he is, when even sinners will recognize for their own part their own faults, and the just will clearly see the seeds of their own justice, and to what kind of end it led them. And this is what he said: "All nations shall be gathered before him." If, indeed, at this time all do not know Christ according to what he is, and even they themselves are not seen to know him, they will know him openly, but they will enter into his presence only in faith, as it is written: "Enter into his presence with exultation," how much more rightly are all nations said to be gathered before him, and to be constituted, when he shall have been made manifest to all, both good and bad, both to those of the faith and to the infidels, before the eyes of their minds, no longer found by the diligence of any investigation of faith, but brought forth by the manifestation of his own divinity? Will he appear in any place? He will not appear in the one, but just as he himself, by comparison of the lightning coming forth, wished to demonstrate his advent, saying: "If they say to you: Behold, in the desert, do not go out; behold, in the chamber, do not believe: for as the lightning goeth out from the east, and appeareth even unto the west, such shall be the advent of the Son of man." For as the lightning, going out from the east, and because it fills all things, appears even unto the west, so when Christ comes in his glory, he will be present everywhere, and he will be in the presence of all everywhere, and all will be everywhere in his presence, and thus they will be constituted before the throne of his glory, and this is his kingdom and the power of his dominion. But his seats, or certainly those which are said to be the more perfect ones of the saints, of which it is written: "For there the seats sat in judgment"; or certain angelic virtues, of which it is said: "Whether seats, or dominions." Therefore, the God Word, who was made in the form of man, will sit upon such a throne of his glory; and all nations will be gathered before him, no longer dispersed in false dogmas and many opinions of it; and thus they will be before him, so that we may not understand them to be gathered together locally, just as we see the just are about to say what they are about to say. As long, therefore, as the wicked are confused, neither knowing Christ, nor themselves, but are held in errors and darkened; and the just, as long as through a glass and in a riddle, as long as they are "in this tabernacle," do groan, being burdened.
A dent, and in part they know themselves, not according to what they truly are; they are not yet separated, the good from the bad; but when because of the manifestation of the sons of God all shall come to their own understanding, then the Savior shall separate the good from the bad. Sheep, moreover, are called those who are saved on account of the meekness which they have learned from Him who says: "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart," and because of which they were prepared to go even to the slaughter, imitating Christ, who "as a sheep was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is dumb"; and not simply dumb, but dumb before Him who shears him, that is, before Him who takes away and plunders what is his own. Kids, however, are called the bad, because they climb poorly over rough and hard rocks, and walk along their precipices. Thus, understand for me also the saints on the right, who have done right-hand works, and are more fully turned toward justice, which is always at the right hand of God. Therefore, in accordance with the dignity of their right-hand deeds, they stand at the right hand, and have received the reward of their right-handed works—the right hand of the King, in which is rest and glory. But those who have separated themselves from the right hand to a perversity of life, on account of their most evil and left-handed works, have fallen into the left, that is, they are condemned to the sadness of torments, for which reason they stand on the left. Then He will say to those who are on the 888 right, inviting them to Himself: Come, so that whatever had been lacking to them, when they shall have been more perfectly united to Christ, they may attain, hearing: Come, and doing. Such is that which He says in Luke: "Take away the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten. For everyone who has, to him it shall be added; but he who does not have, even that which he seems to have shall be taken away from him." He calls them blessed of the Father, with the addition of "Father of mine," so that the excellence of their blessing may be manifest, who are blessed by the Lord who made heaven and earth; and perhaps because there are some inferior ones who are indeed blessed, but not of the Father.
71. "Receive the kingdom which was prepared for you from the foundation of the world." What stands in the Latin as "from the foundation of the world," in the Greek stands thus: "from the deposition of the world," and according to the Greek phrasing He explains what it was not fitting to explain according to the Latin. But why the Scriptures frequently use the term "deposition of the world," just as here, saying: "from the deposition of the world," let him who can inquire, knowing that not everything which was created is called "deposited," nor is it written anywhere, "from the deposition of thrones, or dominions, or principalities." Gathering, however, from all things the name of "deposition," if perhaps it is said in some other place, and comparing them with those things which are said about the deposition of the world, ascending through the Word to other things that are indeed created, but not "deposited"—from the fact that no deposition of them was made, you will see the cause of the named deposition, which name is taken only regarding the world. Believe, however, such things literally, A which can come into the hands of evil-minded men, and slanderers, and lovers of novelty; it is not religious, so that pearls that are too exposed may not be cast before swine, nor holy things be given to dogs.
72. "I was hungry, and you gave me to eat, and the rest." It seems to me by these things that not one species of justice is rewarded, as many believe. For it is absurd to understand nothing else of virtue in him who is thus rewarded, except only the communication of humanity. For we do not say this so that we may study humanity more negligently, since it is to be observed especially by all the faithful, but so that we may study all things equally or almost equally, so that for this reason we may receive every blessing from all things in the celestial realms in Christ Jesus. But first it must be known that, just as, concerning the text, it is not sufficient for attaining the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom to give food to the hungry, unless we have also done the other things that follow, so it is not possible to fulfill all those things according to the text, as many think, unless we have in part acted against the command of God. A man must also be industrious, so that he may give food, and drink, and clothing to Christ who is hungry, and thirsty, and shivering in the saints, so that in this way he may also gather the stranger, and visit the infirm, and go to him in prison. But whether we understand the good deeds according to the simpler and bodily sense, or according to the spiritual sense, it is certain that in this way or that way, whoever does a good work and nourishes souls with spiritual foods, or has performed any kind of good work on account of God, gives food and drink to Christ who is hungry and thirsty. Whether we do these for saints who are rich in merits but poor in possessions, or to any others who are poor in merits, even if they have been rich in possessions, or in whatever causes one has done the command of Christ, he feeds and gives drink to Christ, who eats and drinks the justice and truth of the faithful. Likewise, we clothe Christ who is shivering with a garment, receiving the covering of wisdom from God, so that through doctrine we may teach some, and clothe them with the bowels of mercy, chastity, meekness, humility, and the other virtues: which virtues are all spiritual garments of those who hear the doctrine of those who teach them, according to Him who says: "Put on the bowels of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, and the rest." But even more, we clothe Christ Himself, who is all these things to the faithful, according to Him who said: "Put on the Lord Jesus." When, therefore, we have clothed with such garments one of the least of those believing in Christ, we seem to have clothed the Lord Himself, so that, as far as concerns us, the Word of God may not be naked in the world. But also the Son of God, having been established a stranger, and those of his household in the body, strangers in the world from all bodily acts, as He Himself [speaks] both of Himself and of the disciples.
A And Christ seeks with his own where the soul may succeed. When, therefore, we prepare our heart with diverse virtues for a receptacle of Him or of those who are his, we receive Him, the traveler, into the house of our breast, making a great upper room, cleansed and adorned for the reception of Christ, who is wandering in the world, and of his other disciples. For the word of those whom we receive, we seem to have received them ourselves within us, and through them Christ, whose word they carry. Likewise, in infirm men, whether from the faith or from some good work, or those suffering scandal, Christ is made infirm and suffers scandal, just as He Himself says to Peter who was mindful of the things of the flesh: "You are a scandal to me," that is, you are an infirmity to me. But even all his beloved disciples are infirm together with such ones and suffer scandal, saying: "Who is weak, and we are not weak? Who is scandalized, and we do not burn?" And if his disciples are confirmed by the infirm, how much more the Savior himself, the creator of them? For whom a greater mercy holds of infirm men, a heavier infirmity of this kind constricts. When, therefore, we have visited one of the infirm brethren, either through teaching, or through rebuke, or through consolation, or through prayers, or through fear of judgment, or by doing some good works toward him, we have made him improve in Christ; we have visited Christ Himself, and we have strengthened the one made infirm, and we refresh the other disciples of Christ who are B confirming such passions, just as Paul says to Philemon: "For we have had great joy and consolation in thy charity, because the bowels of the saints have been refreshed by thee, brother." And do not think it to be blasphemous to call Christ infirm. For He Himself was crucified out of infirmity for the sake of mercy, and He Himself bears our infirmities, and all things of his are known. Therefore, everything that is here is a prison of Christ and of those who are his. Therefore, let us go to those who are held in the house of these bonds as if in a prison, and are dwelling in this world,, as if constrained by the necessity of the nature of a prison. When, therefore, we have gone to such ones, and have done every good work toward them, we have visited them in prison, and Christ in them. Let us see, however, unless these things are understood generally, and they exhort us to simple humanity, and to all laudable deeds, so that one might be able to attain worthily the blessing saying to the worthy: "Come, ye blessed of my Father." But the just, not having forgotten those things which they did, will then answer Him saying: "Lord, when did we see thee hungry?" and the rest; but for the sake of humility, proclaiming themselves unworthy of the praise of their benefactors. He, however, wishing to show them his compassion in his own, even declares Himself to be in those in whom his brethren have been, saying: "Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me." Let us see D now what He says to the just: "Come, ye blessed of my Father"; but to the unjust: "Depart from me"; when they had been indeed faithful, and we understand fulfilled in them what is written: "To everyone that hath, shall be given, and he shall abound: but from him that hath not, that also which he seemeth to have shall be taken away." For they are near to the Word, who keep God's commandment, and are called so that they may be made even nearer, hearing: "Come, ye blessed of my Father." But they are far from Him, even if they seem to stand by Him, who do not do his commandments. Because of this, even what they seemed to have of standing by Him shall be taken away from them, hearing: "Depart from me"; so that they who just now even seem to be before Him, afterward may not even be seen. Because of which we also ought to preserve ourselves, lest we also hear, and as though distancing ourselves from the Lord: "Depart from me"; and let us do all things, that He may say to us: "Come, ye blessed of my Father." It must be considered, however, that among the saints it is not only said, "blessed," but with an addition, not of one having just any honor, that is, blessed not of anyone else, but of God the Father. On the contrary, however, to whom it is said, "cursed," it is not said "cursed of my Father." For the Father is indeed the minister of the blessing, but each person is author to himself of the curse, who has done that which is worthy of a curse. But those who depart from Jesus, fall into the eternal fire, which is of another kind than this fire which we have in use. For no fire among men is eternal, but not even of long duration, for it is quickly extinguished. The eternal fire, however, is that of which Isaiah says in the end of his prophecy: "Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be extinguished." Perhaps it is of such a substance that it burns invisible things, being itself constituted invisible, according to what the Apostle says, that things which are seen are temporal; but those which are not seen, are eternal. If, therefore, those which are seen are temporal, but those which are not seen are eternal, it is necessary that if that fire is visible, it should also be temporal. But if it is eternal, it is also invisible, by which they are punished who depart from the Savior. It is such as what Job also says: "A fire which is not kindled shall devour him." Do not, however, marvel hearing that there is an invisible and punishing fire, when you see among men heat happening to bodies, and tormenting them not moderately, especially those who are most violently annoyed by it. And consider that He says the kingdom was prepared for none others from the foundation of the world but for the just, and therefore their King, Christ, will render it to them. The eternal fire, however, He shows to be not prepared for those to whom it is said: "Depart from me, ye cursed," as the kingdom is for the just, but for the devil and his angels, because, as far as relates to Himself, He did not create men for perdition, but for life and joy. But sinners join themselves to the devil, and just as those who are saved are made equal to the holy angels,
and become children of the resurrection, and children of God, and angels, so those who perish are made equal to the angels of the devil and become his children.
73. *For I was hungry, and you gave me no food*, and the rest [of the passage]. It is written to the faithful: *You are the body of Christ, and members in particular.* Just as the soul, dwelling in the body, while it does not hunger as regards its own spiritual substance, nonetheless hungers for each food of the body, because it is joined to its body, so also the Savior suffers what His body, the Church, suffers, even though He Himself is impassible as regards His divinity. For when the saints are in need of food, He Himself also hungers. When other members of His body have need of medicine, He Himself, as if infirm, also has need of it. Likewise, when others have need of lodging, He Himself, as if a stranger, seeks among them where He may recline His head. So also, He is cold in the naked and is clothed in those who are clothed. And if, out of love, Paul says: *Who is weak, and I am not weak?* and this refers more to the praise of the Apostle, who demonstrates the greatness of his charity toward the faithful, how much more than Paul—and more than any man adorned with love—can the Son, who is the charity of God, the Savior, say appropriately: "Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I do not burn?" For this reason He says: *I was infirm, and in prison I was, and you did not visit me.* For when a member of Christ is established in prison, He is not released from the prison who says concerning the just: *I am with him in tribulation*, that is, I am troubled with him. For just as he who is mine is with me in tribulation, so I am with him in tribulation. And I say this not out of ignorance of that commoner tradition. And consider this: that He lingers on every word when speaking to the just, praising them, and enumerating their good deeds by every individual type. C But when speaking to the unjust, He cuts it short, summarizing and gathering their evil deeds into a brief compass: that is to say, to the just He speaks of the infirmity, "I was infirm, and you visited me"; and separately of the prison, "I was in prison, and you came to me." But to the unjust, when He could have done likewise—"I was infirm, and you did not visit me; I was in prison, and you did not come to me"—He cuts the narration, combining both, saying: "I was infirm and in prison, and you did not visit me." For it was the way of the merciful Judge to demonstrate the good works of men, indeed to preach and enlarge upon them as if everything were [weighed] in weight and number, but to remember and shorten their evil deeds fleetingly. But the just also linger on each word, saying: *When did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink, or naked and clothe you, or a stranger and take you in? Or when did we see you infirm, or in prison?* For it is the way of the just, when their good deeds are reported to their face, to diligently refute them one by one out of humility, just as if the Lord were saying, "This, and this, and this good thing [you did] in Me," they, refusing, say, neither this, nor this, nor this did we do to You. The unjust, not so, but they say hurriedly: *When did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or infirm, or in prison, and did not minister to You?*—referring "ministering to You" to all things, and as if cutting short and passing over individual crimes, so that they might not seem more grievous through being diligently and individually enumerated: for it is a trait of evil men, for the sake of an excuse, to want to show their faults either as non-existent, or as light and few. But the response of Christ, made both to the just and to the unjust, signifies this very understanding. For wishing to show the good deeds of the just as great, but the faults of the sinners as not great, He says to the just: *From that which you did to one of these my least brethren, you did to me.* But to the unjust thus: *From that which you did not do to one of these least, you did not do to me either,* not adding "my brethren," as He did when speaking to the just. For while [all] those who believe in Christ are abusively called the brethren of Christ, in reality His brethren are those who are perfect and are imitators of Him, just as He who said: *Be imitators of me, even as I am of Christ*; who are able to say: *Our Father, who art in heaven.* It is more pleasing to God that a good work be done in those who are holier than in the least saints, and it is a lighter fault to neglect the less holy than the holier. He calls them "least" here, either because they are deemed least in the world, or because they were least in their own eyes. For wishing to become great before God, they made themselves least, as the most beloved disciples of Him who said: *Learn from me, because I am meek and humble of heart.* And attend to this, that when He had first said: *Come, you blessed*, then: *Depart, you cursed*; for it is proper to the good God first to remember the good deeds of the good than the evil deeds of the bad: afterward, at the exit of both, He names first the punishment of the evil, then the life of the good, saying: *And these shall go into everlasting punishment, but these into everlasting life*; so that we might first avoid the evils which are cause for fear, and afterward seek the goods which are cause for honor.
74. And it came to pass after Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples. Wishing to show that all things are [done] in weight, and measure, and number, God says in a certain place to His mother: *My hour is not yet come.* Likewise: *Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this reason I came into this hour.* Likewise: *Father, the hour is come, glorify your Son, that your Son also may glorify you.* So also He defined the hour of the passion of His Son. Therefore, although He frequently suffered plots from the Jews, He could suffer nothing while the devil withdrew from Him until the time; and He could suffer nothing until He should finish all His words which He had proposed to say to His disciples. Therefore...
after He had finished all these words, then He said to His disciples. And note that He did not say simply, "after He had finished all the words," but added "these all," that is, those which He had already spoken, not those which He was yet to speak. For it was still necessary for Him to speak other words after He should be betrayed, and in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper concerning the woman approaching Him; and likewise to celebrate the Pasch with His disciples, and to expose the hidden traitor, and to give thanks, and to offer them the bread and the cup. It was necessary for Him also to foretell to His disciples that they would be offended; and to Peter, that before the cock crowed he would deny Him thrice. A Moreover, it was necessary for Him, as the hour approached, to pray more—not once, nor twice, but thrice, until the hour should more fully arrive.
75. "You know that after two days the Pasch is made, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified, and the rest."
If, therefore, the hour was also defined, according to what we have said, that He should not be betrayed before all His teaching, how is it that the day also was not defined, so that our Pasch, Christ, might be sacrificed, dissolving the Jewish Pasch, and delivering the New Testament to His disciples? It was also necessary for the month of the Pasch to be defined. I think that the year also was defined, of which the prophet spoke: "To preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of salvation." He predicts, therefore, to His disciples, warning them so that, before hearing what was to happen, they might not, suddenly seeing their Master betrayed to the cross, be stupefied with fear on account of the passion befalling the Lord. Therefore He said to them: "You know that after two days the Pasch is made, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified." He does not, however, as some thought, mean to say by this that "after two days the day of the Pasch will arrive," but that "after two days the new Pasch will be made." For He did not say, "after two days the Pasch will be," or "will come," so as to show that future Pasch which was accustomed to be celebrated according to the Law, but that "the Pasch is made," that is, one such as had never been made, so that through this new Pasch the old one might be superseded. Finally, He adds thus: "And the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified." B But after two days the Pasch was made, according to what had been prophesied by Him, when He was betrayed in the night, and said to him who was kissing Him, "Judas, why have you come?" If, however, the Pasch was made after two days, on the fourteenth day of the moon, it is manifest that when He said these things, according to the Jews it was the eleventh day of the moon, when He also set forth the aforementioned parables. By whom, however, He was betrayed, is not written here. But you shall gather from the Scriptures that the Father also betrayed Him, according to what is written: "Who did not spare His own Son, but for us all delivered Him up." But according to other Scriptures, Judas delivered Him up. But also Satan, who entered into Judas, delivered Him up. A But both the chief priests and the elders delivered Him up. For this reason He placed "is betrayed" impersonally, not saying by whom: which word can apply to all who betrayed Him. But not all betrayed Him with the same purpose. For God delivered Him up on account of mercy toward the human race, in that He did not spare His unique Son, but for us all delivered Him up. But the rest delivered Him up with an unrighteous purpose, each one according to his own malice: Judas on account of avarice; the priests on account of envy; the devil on account of fear, that the human race might not be snatched from his hand by His teaching, not perceiving that the human race was to be snatched away rather by His death than it had been snatched by His teaching and miracles. For He was delivered up to be crucified, so that, putting off principalities and powers, He might triumph over them confidently upon the wood.
76. "Then were gathered together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people into the court of the high priest, who was called Caiphas, and they made a council, that by guile they might hold Jesus and kill Him. But they said: Not on the festival day, lest there should be a tumult among the people."
That which the Prophet said: "And the princes have met together in one against the Lord, and against His Christ," seems then to have been fulfilled when the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered into the house of the high priest against the Lord and against His Christ. Not true priests, but of the people; and elders C not of others, but of him who seemed to be the people of God—but indeed it was the people of Gomorrha, since they said: "Crucify, crucify Him," and: "Take such a one away from the earth." And what Isaiah had said: "Hear the word of the Lord, ye princes of Sodom, attend unto the law of God, ye people of Gomorrha," agrees with those conspiring Jews who were in the generation of the time of Christ. And what Ezekiel says to Jerusalem: "Sodom is justified from thee," it is more fitting to say this to the Jerusalem over which the Lord wept than to the time of the prophet. For the princes of the people sinned worse than the Sodomites, because, not understanding the high Priest of God, they laid snares for Him; and the elders of the people, not recognizing the firstborn of every creature and the elder of all creatures, took counsel against Him. And on account of that court in which they made a council that they might hold Jesus by guile, Jerusalem was made desolate. For it was necessary that the city which had acted against the Founder of the whole world should D now no longer exist; which formerly indeed had killed the prophets, but afterward the Lord of the prophets. "That they might hold Him by guile." Therefore the Prophet suitably said of them: "May the Lord destroy all the deceitful lips." But they wished to hold and kill Him by guile, so that there might not be a tumult among that people who had seen Jesus doing many signs and wonders. And therefore many indeed of these
who had said that a great prophet had risen in Israel. But others A contradicted Him, saying: This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub the prince of the demons. It was therefore necessary that a tumult should arise when the Lord was seized, because of the diverse opinion of the people who heard, believed, and did not believe Him. Their counsel stood as if firm, when even those who conspired were not prepared that He should be killed on the feast, but at another time: to wit, that Christ might be sacrificed as our Passover, so that leaving the leaven of the Jews we might feast on unleavened bread, that is, on the sincere and true. Consider, however, if you can, every word that professes in any way the doctrine of God, to say that He is the prince of the priests of God. For there are many words of false doctrines B as if of the priests of God, but not of God; but of the people who, being led astray by them, conspire against the one true Word. The Word of God indeed offers Himself to those who lie in wait, yet nonetheless He rises again, unimpaired and not corrupted by them; and He ascends into heaven, that He may take up those who take up their cross and follow Him.
77. While Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the Leper, there came to Him a woman having an alabaster jar of precious ointment, and she poured it over His head as He was reclining. His disciples, seeing this, were indignant, and so on. Many wish to show that the four evangelists set forth one and the same woman, because they wrote that such a thing happened to a woman, and all similarly named it an alabaster jar of ointment. But John C substituted a pound of ointment for the alabaster jar. But what is said: "It could have been sold, and given to the poor," Matthew and Mark and John mention; and because Christ pronounced that ointment to have been poured out for His burial, they set forth the same; and because it happened in Bethany in the house of Simon the Leper, they themselves record it. Bethany, indeed, as they said, had prepared a supper for Him, and Martha was serving, and Lazarus was one of those who were reclining, and Mary took a pound of pure nard ointment, and so on. From which it appears that they themselves prepared the supper. Luke, however, although he did not name Simon, yet said he was a Pharisee, who asked Jesus to eat with him, as the Lord Himself testifies by his name, saying D to him: "Simon, Simon, I have something to say to you." Many similarities, therefore, are testified to regarding the woman by the four evangelists. But I will say to those who argue that there was one woman of whom all the evangelists wrote: If you think that this woman who poured the precious ointment over the head of Jesus, as Matthew and Mark set forth, and she (who) anointed His feet with myrrh, as Luke and John set forth, is the same person, is it not possible for the evangelists, when expounding, to speak in agreement, in the same understanding, and in the same spirit, and in the same frame of mind, although they have spoken what seems contradictory? But if anyone thinks that it was she who anointed the Lord's feet with ointment in Luke and John, let him tell us if she who is written of in Luke as being a sinner in the city, who, learning that He was reclining in the house of the Pharisee, brought an alabaster jar of ointment, and standing behind at His feet weeping, washed His feet with tears. For it is not credible that Mary, whom Jesus loved, the sister of Martha who had chosen the better part, should be called a sinner in the city. And do you think that the woman who, according to Matthew and Mark, poured precious ointment over His head, without it being written of her, is a sinner? But she who is referred to as a sinner according to Luke did not dare to come to the head of Christ, but washed His feet with tears, and indeed worthy of His own feet, laboring through sadness for true repentance. And she who according to Luke weeps and washes Jesus' feet with many tears; but she who is according to John is Mary, and she is neither introduced as a sinner nor with tears. Perhaps one might say there were four women, of whom the evangelists wrote; but I agree rather that there were three, and that one of those about whom Mark and Matthew wrote—making no difference in their exposition in one chapter—was the same; another was she of whom Luke wrote; and another was she of whom John wrote: since she differs from the other women, not only in what is written concerning the ointment; but because Jesus loved Mary and Martha: for she is the same who is referred to as being in Bethany, as the woman whom Matthew and Mark explain. A third difference is, because Matthew and Mark indeed explain that this happened in the house of Simon the Leper; John, however, because six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany where He had raised Lazarus, and they prepared a supper for Him: not at the same time, but Mary and Martha, and perhaps Lazarus; and Martha was serving, and Lazarus was one of those reclining. Furthermore, according to John, six days before the Passover He came to Bethany, when Mary and Martha prepared the supper for Him. But while the woman was reclining there in the house of Simon the Leper, the Passover was two days away, as was said above. It remains for someone to say: If the woman of Matthew and Mark is another, and the one of John is another, and the one of Luke is a third, how did Christ rebuke the disciples in the person of one woman as if they were wrongly indignant at the woman's action, and did they not amend themselves so as not to be similarly indignant at another woman who did the same? Therefore, let one know that the disciples in Matthew and Mark are indignant with good reason; but in John,
A only Judas is indignant, out of a desire for theft; whereas in Luke, no one murmurs. From these observations and others that you yourself may be able to make, it is certain that either the evangelists speak things contrary to each other, so that some of them are lying, or, if it is impious to believe this, it is necessary to say that the evangelists did not all write about the same woman, but about three or four. But someone a little more bold will say: Perhaps according to the history there was one certain woman who did such a thing. But even if you posit a second or a third, still the principal purpose of the evangelists was looking toward the mysteries, and they did not care enough to narrate the history according to truth, but to explain the mysteries of the things that arose from the history. For which reason they also wove in certain discourses suitable and consistent for the understandings B of the mysteries. We have already treated more diligently of those things which are set forth in the four evangelists regarding the women—or a single woman, as many think—while explaining the Gospel according to John, which appeared to us, although they were similar and related, to be as if contrary and distant. Now, however, let us briefly touch upon them. Reasonably, therefore, Luke, when he spoke of the sinful woman, introduced her weeping abundantly, so that she might even wash Jesus’ feet, and—not pouring out the ointment—she anointed not the head but the feet. But she who was not accused of being a sinner did not anoint but poured out, and not upon the feet but upon the head. Moreover, if one also examines what is written about Mary, the sister of Lazarus, who herself also anointed the feet of the Lord, let him note what is written there, that the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment, which is not written of her who was said to be a sinner. C But neither of the woman about whom Matthew and Mark wrote, who was not said to have been a sinner, was such a thing written, that the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. Perhaps by the differences between these women, the differences of the faithful are demonstrated: some of whom pour precious ointment upon the head of Jesus; others do not anoint the head, but the feet; others do not pour it out lavishly, but only anoint. Some, however, anoint with such ointment that the whole house is filled with the fragrance of His divinity; others with ointment not such as that, yet also acceptable to Christ, since they too anoint His feet with ointment, which the Pharisee did not anoint even with oil. Now it was fitting that these things should happen in Bethany, which is interpreted as the house of obedience, and by her who poured the D ointment over the Lord's head, not accused as a sinner in the city, and by Mary, at whose banquet, when it was being held for Jesus, she approached Him and anointed Him. And no one doubts that the house of obedience is to be understood as the Church. But the woman who in Luke was called a sinner was not yet worthy to be in Bethany, even though she was performing penance for her sins. A For she still had less, as might be discovered afterward, having been made in the house of obedience, as one now perfected; nor was she called a sinner, nor was she weeping and washing the feet of the Lord, but was herself pouring ointment upon His head. But Simon is also a mystery of obedience, since he is so interpreted, yet obedientially—not of the spirit: because of which Simon, elevated by the letter of the law through Jesus to the spiritual law, was no longer Simon only, but was made also Peter, and was deemed worthy for the building of the Jewish people by the building of the Church to be founded upon the rock. Therefore, Jesus was in the house of someone, a Simon, an obedient man, yet a leper, and still having need of purification by Jesus. But it is not mentioned in Luke concerning Simon that he was also a leper. I judge that he himself was a debtor of fifty denarii, and had already received the remission of them, because he had loved little. Yet, loving a little, he asked Him to eat with him. But the woman approached—not the sinner according to Matthew and Mark—having an alabaster jar of precious ointment. And consider how cautiously among those who did not report the sinner, her ointment is praised as being precious. In Luke, however, who set forth the sinner, the ointment is called simply ointment, neither precious nor of pure nard, so that the house would be filled with its fragrance. For indeed, she could not yet have had such ointments; but this was a great thing, that she could even anoint the feet of the Lord with ointment. But this woman's ointment is called precious. For it was not fitting that that which was being poured out upon the head of the Savior should not be precious. And regarding the ointment of the sinner anointing the feet of the Lord and not pouring it out, the disciples were neither indignant nor grieved, nor did Judas say: Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor? But regarding the woman in Matthew and Mark, the disciples were indignant and grieved at the loss of the ointment that was running down B from her head to the rest of her body. For although that ointment could have been sold for a great price and given to the poor, yet this ought not to have been done, because it was becoming that it should be poured upon the head of Christ with a holy and decent infusion. But those who contend to understand these things according to the simple text, let them say that the ointment was poured out upon the head of Jesus laudably—as it possessed beauty according to the text—so that it should be poured out upon the head of such and so great a master. Therefore, that ointment was not worthy of the poor, nor was it fit, as regards its honor, that it should be divided among many, but that it should remain whole and be poured out only upon the head of Jesus. For which reason Jesus also receives the woman who had done this, and to the indignant disciples says: Let her be, and do not be troublesome to her, for she has done a good work upon me. And to such an extent is the praise of such a work effective—
A that it urges all of us to fill the head of the Lord with fragrant and rich works, so that it may be said of us 894 that we have done a good work upon his head; because, as long as we remain in this life, we always have the poor with us, and those who need the care of those who have progressed in the Word and have become rich in the wisdom of God, but they cannot suffice for them, so that they always have with them, day and night, the Son of God, the Word of God, and the Wisdom, and all whatsoever is our Lord and Savior. See also what is said: She has wrought a good work in me, for he did not say this of the sinful woman anointing his feet, because she did a good work in me. But if it is necessary to discuss also what is said: She did it for my burial, comparing it to what is said: We were buried together with Christ through baptism, and we have risen with him; and consider further that concerning the woman according to Luke it is not said: Amen I say to you: Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there also shall that which she has done be told in memory of her. But concerning the woman according to Matthew and Mark, this is written. For it was just that it should be said, not of the one who had anointed his feet, but of this one who had poured ointment upon his head: Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there also shall that which she has done be told in memory of her. If, therefore, we wish that it also be said of us that we do something in Jesus, pouring precious ointment upon his head, let us progress from the anointing of his feet to the pouring of precious ointment upon his head. What, then, is oil, B and what is ointment? But it is difficult to explain what the ointment is that is profitable for anointing the body of Christ, and what it is that is for the head. Nevertheless, we shall attempt to demonstrate what seems clear to us, knowing most certainly that oil, everywhere in the Scriptures, is understood either as the work of mercy, by which the lamp of the Word, being nourished, shines more brightly; or as doctrine, by hearing of which the word of faith, which is kindled in us, is nourished and shines more clearly. As, therefore, in general everything with which one is anointed is called oil, but of oil one is ointment and [another is not], likewise of ointment one is mediocre ointment and another is precious: so every righteous act is called a good work. But of a good work, one is that which we do for the sake of men, or according to men, and another is that which we do for the sake of God and according to God. Again, of this very thing that we do for the sake of God, one is that which profits for the use of men, and another is that which does not profit for the use of men, but only for the glory of God. For example, if someone does well to a man moved by natural justice, not for the sake of God, as the Gentiles sometimes used to do, and many men do—that work is common oil, not of great fragrance, and yet it is in itself acceptable before God; as Daniel signifies, saying to Belshazzar (86) who did not know God: Hear my counsel, O king, redeem your sins with alms. Such C something Peter also says in Clement, that good works which are done by unbelievers profit them in this age, but not in that one for the attaining of eternal life: and fittingly so, because they do not perform them for the sake of God, but for the sake of human nature itself. But those who act for the sake of God, that is, the faithful, not only does it profit in this age, but in that one, and more so indeed in that one. But what the faithful do for the sake of God, this is the ointment of good fragrance. And this very work of the faithful for the sake of God, which is the ointment, is one thing done for the utility of men, for instance, alms, visitations of the sick, the receiving of strangers, humility, meekness, indulgence, and other things of this kind which profit men. Whoever does these things unto Christians, anoints the feet of the Lord with ointment, because they are themselves the feet of the Lord with which he walks always; which those who are penitent are accustomed to do primarily for the remission of their sins. And that is the work which is called ointment, fragrant indeed, but not the highest. But he who strives for chastity, remains in fastings and prayers, has patience in adversities like Job, and in temptations does not fear to confess the truth of God; all of which things profit other men nothing, but only profit to the glory of God; this is the ointment which anoints the head of the Lord Christ, and from there runs through the whole body of Christ, that is, through the whole Church: and this is the most precious ointment, from the fragrance of which the whole house is filled, which is the Church of Christ. And this work is proper not to penitents, but to perfect saints. Or certainly, the doctrine which is necessary for men, through which poor souls are nourished in spiritual goods, or perhaps even those who are weak in sins, this is the mediocre ointment with which the feet of the Lord are anointed. But the acknowledgment of the true faith, which pertains only to God, is the precious ointment with which the head of Christ God is anointed. D 78. Then went one of the twelve, who is called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests, and said to them: What will you give me, and I will betray him to you? And they appointed him thirty pieces of silver: and from thence he sought opportunity that he might betray him. Judas is interpreted as "confessor." Since, therefore, there are two disciples named by this name, according to what the evangelist Luke enumerates as having been among the twelve apostles, Judas of James, and Judas Iscariot: since therefore nothing is empty of mystery in Christ, I think that the two disciples Judas were, in the mystery of Christians, confessors of the faith of Christ: of whom one part faithfully remains with Christ, whose mystery was Judas of James; but the other part, after it believed and confessed the faith of Christ, because of avarice left Christ, and having become a betrayer of his truth, passed over to the heresies and to the false priests of the false Jews, that is, of the simulators of Christians, 895 and betrayed Christ to them, as far as it concerned him, that is...
the word of truth, that the word of truth might be crucified and slain by them; the mystery of which was Judas Iscariot, who went to the priests and made a pact for the price of Christ's betrayal. I have heard some interpreter say that the homeland of the traitor Judas is called, according to the Hebrew interpretation, "strangled." If this is so, a great correspondence is found between the name of his homeland and the outcome of his own death, since he himself, by hanging himself with a noose, fulfilled the prophecy of his homeland’s name being strangled. A This, therefore, is the Judas to whom it was said by the Prophet: *But you, a man of one mind with me, my guide and my acquaintance*, who fell after having been one of those whom Christ took for the leadership of the Christian people. And see how that which is written: *But you shall die as men, and shall fall as one of the princes*, relates now to that prince who fell like lightning from heaven; and now to Judas, who was chosen for the primacy of the apostolate and, as it were, established in heaven, and who himself, as though he were the lightning before he was established, fell into the ruin of betrayal, going against the one prince of priests, who had been made a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, to the many princes of the priests and the adversaries of the one high priest, so that he might sell for a price Him who was willing to redeem the whole world from the curse of the law and of all sin, and to redeem us not with corruptible money, but with His own precious blood. But let us hear what Judas said to the priests: *What are you willing to give me, and I will betray him to you?* For he wanted to receive money, and to betray the Word of God. This is done by all who receive something of bodily or worldly things, so that they betray and cast out from their soul the Savior and the word of truth that was in them. And you may opportunely use this example for all who, while doing any sin whatsoever on account of avarice and the cause of money, or of some profit, betray and despise the Word of God. For such men seem, as it were, clearly to cry out and to say to the virtues that are adversaries, as they take some profit for the sin of transgressing the word: *What are you willing to give me, and I will betray him to you?* And even if He has been betrayed, He does indeed become outside of him who betrays; but while overcoming those who seem to have received Him, He works in a hidden way, so that those desiring to evacuate Him, work nothing against Him. But they appointed for him thirty staters, establishing for him a gift as great as the number of years the Savior had lived as a pilgrim in this world. For at thirty years of age he began to preach the Gospel, just as Joseph, made thirty years old, distributed grain to his brothers. For just as then, because of the children of Israel, that grain had been prepared by God, and was distributed also to the Egyptians, so the Gospel had been prepared for the saints, yet it was preached also to the infidels and the wicked. From then on he sought the opportunity to B betray Him. What kind of opportunity Judas was seeking, Luke has explained more clearly, saying: *And he sought an opportunity to betray him to them without a crowd;* that is, when the people were not around Him, but He was apart with His disciples. Which he also did, delivering Him after the supper when He was in private at the estate of Gethsemane. For Judas thought that the opportunity for himself was after the pact he made, when Jesus was not with the multitude. And see, if even now that opportunity does not seem so to the betrayers of the word of truth, who wish to betray Christ the God-Word in the time of the persecution of Christians, when the multitude of believers is not around the word of truth, nor can it hinder or prohibit the persecutors, especially where few faithful are found. And since there is a time for all things, with Solomon saying: *A time to suffer, and a time to die*, and the rest, this is the proper time for the betrayers of the truth, when there are not many faithful around Christ.
79. The disciples approached Jesus, saying to Him: *Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the passover? Jesus said: Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, and the rest.* But in Mark it is said thus: *And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the passover, his disciples say to him: Where do you want us to go and prepare for you that we may eat the passover? And he sent two of his disciples, saying: Go into the city, and there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water; and wherever C he shall enter, say to the householder: The Master says: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the passover with my disciples? And he will show you a large upper room, furnished: there prepare for us.* Thus therefore it appears that it was one and the same day of the Passover, when it was necessary to sacrifice the Passover of the Unleavened Bread, and when it was necessary to remove the old leaven, and to eat the unleavened bread with the flesh of the lamb. And the day of the Passover was indeed one, but the days of Unleavened Bread were seven, counting, that is, the day of the Passover with the other six. According to these things, perhaps some of the unlearned will inquire, falling into Ebionism from the fact that Jesus celebrated the Passover corporeal-wise in the Jewish manner, just as the first day of Unleavened Bread, and the Passover, saying that it is fitting that we also, as imitators of Christ, do likewise: not considering that Jesus, *when the fulness of the time had come and he had been sent, was made of a woman, made under the law, not that he might leave those who were under the law under the law, but that he might redeem them from the law.* If, therefore, He came for this end—that He might redeem those who were under the law—how much more is it not fitting for those who were previously outside the law to enter into the law? Therefore, we depart from the letter of the law: D but being set within the power of the spiritual law, we fulfill in a spiritual manner all those things which are commanded to be celebrated there corporally. For we cast out
the leaven of malice and wickedness, and in the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth we celebrate the Passover, Christ being sacrificed for us in accordance with the will of the Lamb who says: "Unless you eat the flesh of my Son and drink my blood, you will not have life remaining in you." He who takes away the sin of the world prevents the true exterminator, not only from the Egyptians, but from the exterminator of the whole human race from touching those who celebrate the festival of the Passover with him. And we ascend with the Lord himself—established in the lower parts, to a superior place, in which there is a lodging, which is demonstrated by the intellect, which is in every man, the father of the family of the disciples of Christ. This upper room is for us grand, that it may receive Jesus the Word of God, and Wisdom, and Truth, and everything that is the Son of God, who is not grasped except by a great mind. And this house is prepared by the Father of the family, the A intellect, for the Son of God, not only in a higher place, nor only great, but also cleansed, having in no way the filth of malice, as if united and collected from the aims of the Law. And this house is in the city of God, that is, in the Church. And let the prince of that house be one who has knowledge, not of just anything: therefore, Jesus says mystically: "Go to such and such a person." And they say to him, who prepare the Passover for Christ: "The Master says: At your house I will observe the Passover with my disciples." They also announce to the Father of the family whom he says: "The Master says: Where is the lodging where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?" And that father of the family prepares the lodging for Jesus and his disciples, and they ascend to the higher place, and the couch, and B prepared, and great, that coming there he may feast with his disciples. But I think that the man who runs into the disciples in the city and meets them carrying a pitcher of water, whom Jesus wished to follow, symbolizes the disciples of him [entering] into the house, who brought that water to the house that it might not only be clean, but was fuller with waters, it was indeed the minister of the family, that is the intellect, carrying cleansing water in an earthen vessel, that the power of virtue might be placed under it. Or certainly, the water administered in that earthen vessel, for the Son of God offers the generation of the vine. But that minister of the intellect who carries the water from the law and the prophets, which is mixed with the wine of the Gospel. Therefore we desire to be of the Church, wishing to celebrate the Passover with Jesus, following that man, I think, Moses, the giver of the law, carrying the spiritual teaching in bodily histories. But they who approach the law and the prophets as if to the very utterances of God, but do not follow him spiritually, who carry the vessel C of living water, do not celebrate the Passover with Jesus, nor drink the chalice of the new testament. But let the disciples of Jesus prepare for the Passover; and after the discourses of the disciples by which they instructed the father of the family, that is, the intellect, may the divinity of the Only-begotten join itself to his disciples in the aforementioned house. Yet we must know that they who are in banquets and worldly anxieties do not ascend into that higher house, they do not see his greatness, nor do they consider his decorated couch. Therefore they do not celebrate the Passover with Jesus, nor do they receive the bread of blessing from him, nor the chalice of the new testament.
80. And when it was evening, he reclined with his disciples, and as they were eating he said: "Amen, I say to you, that one of you will betray me." And as they were eating the Passover according to the Law, Jesus said, who knew what was in man, and therefore D he had no need for anyone to bear testimony to him concerning man, and he said to Judas with customary swearing: "Amen, I say to you, that one of you will betray me." For when he could have singled him out from the beginning, he did this not; but he said generally, that one of you will betray me, that the quality of each heart might be tested by the testimony of the heart; and that he might show the goodness of the disciples, that they believed the words of Christ more than their own conscience; and because he neither believed Judas, who was privy to his counsels, that he would be disturbed or saddened: I think that he thought he was hidden from man. But after he saw that his conscience was known to Christ, he embraced the concealment placed in his own words, of which the first was of infidelity, C but the second of impudence.
81. And they were exceedingly saddened, and began to say each one: "Am I, Lord?" But one asks, how, if they were of good conscience, the eleven apostles, who were of the world removed from all betrayal of the Master, were so saddened to hear it, as if having been told that it was one of them? But I think that each of the disciples knew from what Jesus taught them, that nature is changeable and convertible to evil, and because in the struggle against principalities, and powers, and the rulers of this world of darkness, it can happen that a man is overcome, or suffers violence from the adverse powers to commit evil. Therefore, each of the disciples considering this, lest he himself be the one who was predicted as the betrayer, were D saddened very much, and because it had been said to them: "One of you will betray me," they began to say, as if not knowing one of the future: "Am I, Lord?" But if he has reason, for this cause, fearing, each one of them said: "Am I, Lord?" For all of us who are weak, who have not yet received the wisdom of perfection, must fear, according to which the Apostle says: "I am confident that neither death, nor life, nor other things, can [separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus]."
A He who is not yet perfect, however, doubts of himself as if he could also fall. According to this human infirmity, Paul, writing to the Corinthians, said: "But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection, lest perhaps when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway." And note what he says, "lest perhaps when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway"; he speaks in this way as if fearing that he might also fall and become a castaway. But what he said, "I am confident," and the rest, belongs to a confident and firm man because of his own perfection, since a thousand contraries cannot avail to separate him from the love of Christ. That the apostles, however, were still infirm and rightly feared is manifest from the fact that He, who knew the purpose of each, says, "All you shall be scandalized in me this night." And that he who purposes better things is sometimes turned to malice, overcome in the struggle of opposing virtues, is manifest from what is written concerning Peter: that he indeed, considering his own purpose—the kind of affection he had toward Christ—responded not with simulation, but from the truth of his heart, as far as he was concerned, "Even if all shall be scandalized, I alone shall not be scandalized." The Savior, however, knowing that he would be infirm in his promises, and that a brief human fear would make him recede from his better purpose, said to him: "Amen I say to you, that in this night, before the cock crow, you will deny me thrice." And it is not inappropriate to say always to such men: "Boast not for tomorrow; for you know not what the day to come may bring forth." And Paul likewise says: "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in any fault, you, who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted," teaching that our outcome is uncertain to us, even though we might perhaps have a purpose for better things. Remembering all these things, then, since we do not know what the day to come may bring forth for us, we shall not be puffed up, nor B will we be arrogant, nor shall we ever boast, even though we know we have many good things, just as Paul, when he had said of himself: "I am not conscious to myself of anything," added, "yet am I not hereby justified," as if knowing God who sanctifies those whom He foreknows and whom He predestined to call.
82. "He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me." Seeing them fearing for themselves, He pointed out the traitor by the indication of the prophetic voice, saying: "He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me." Nor does this differ from that which He says: "He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me." And this too must be considered: what indeed the Savior wishes to teach us by giving a sign to the disciples concerning Judas the traitor, from the fact that he had dipped his hand with Jesus in the dish, into which, as I suppose, they were eating the flesh of the passover. But I think that, desiring to make his great malice manifest, He said this: because the one whom He had received to a common table, and who had eaten with Him—perhaps because he was acting well in the beginning—he himself betrayed Jesus, who was embracing him with such great honors; and he was mindful neither of the salt, nor of the table, nor of the bread shared, but transgressing all those things because of the promise of thirty staters, he betrayed the giver of such great goods. And this is truly a proper custom of men who are C too wicked, to lie in wait for men after salt and bread, especially those doing them no harm, with whom they have shared bread and salt. Finally, Daniel, prophesying thus about certain feral and very wicked men of this kind, said: "They will speak falsely at one table." If, however, you are able to understand the spiritual table and the spiritual food, and the Lord's Supper, to which all of them had been deemed worthy by Christ, you will more abundantly see the multitude of his malice, by which he betrayed his Master with the food of the divine table and the cup, and this on the day of the Passover, remembering neither the love of the Master in corporal goods, nor His doctrine in spiritual goods that was always communicated without envy. Such are all who in the Church lie in wait for their brothers, with whom they have frequently been at the same table of the body of Christ and at the same drink of His blood. But if it is necessary to receive an interpretation of the dish itself, we should indeed abstain from such things, lest we seem to some to speak of something cold. Nevertheless, he who wishes to find something moral in this as well, let him consider in the Law where gifts from the princes of the individual tribes are offered at the dedication of the altar. Perhaps he will understand that the dish there is also to be understood in some way. In the first day, he says, Naasson the son of Aminadab, prince of the tribe of Juda, offered his gift: "and he offered his gift a silver dish, weighing one hundred and thirty sicles; and one silver bowl of seventy sicles, according to the holy sicle."
83. And the Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: "but woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed." And Jesus indeed, according to what was seen, was going to pass through the Cross; but according to what truly was, He went and remained in the world with His disciples, guarding them in the faith. For they would not have been able to remain in His faith, especially when they had seen Him dead, had not their hearts been invisibly guarded by Him. And He did not say: "Woe to that man by whom He is betrayed," but "by whom He shall be betrayed," D showing another by whom he was being betrayed, that is, by the devil, but that Judas himself was the minister of the betrayal. But woe not only to Judas, but to all the betrayers of Christ. For whoever betrays the disciples of Christ, betrays Christ Himself.
A Perhaps after the interrogation of all the apostles individually, and after Christ's own narration concerning him, [Judas] inquired barely at all, as if out of deep and versatile counsel, asking things similar to the other apostles, so that in the meantime he might conceal the design of his betrayal. But truth, sad and urgent, does not endure delay, as he endured it in his interrogation of the apostles.
85. But as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and giving thanks, broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying: Take and eat, for this is my body. And taking the cup, and giving thanks, he gave it, saying: Drink of this, all of you, for this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many for the remission of sins 97. This bread which God the Word professes to be His body, is the Word B nourishing souls, the Word proceeding from God the Word, and the bread of heavenly bread, which is placed upon the table of which it is written 98: You have prepared a table before me against those who trouble me. And this drink which God the Word professes to be His blood, the Word is the drink and the one inebriating the hearts of those who drink, which is in the cup of which it is written 99: And your cup inebriating, how excellent is it! And this drink is the fruit of the vine of which He says 1: I am the true vine. And the blood of that grape, which being placed in the wine-press of passion, produced this drink. But the bread is the Word of Christ made of that wheat which, falling into the ground C, brought forth much fruit. (87) For He did not call that visible bread which He held in His hands His body, but rather the Word in whose mystery that bread was to be broken. Nor did He call that visible drink His blood, but the Word in whose mystery that drink was to be drunk.—The rest has been omitted from this index-style page, as it consists of an alphabetical inventory of historical and philosophical topics— [index: entries preserved]
broken. Nor was He calling that visible drink His blood, but the Word, in whose mystery that drink was to be poured out. For what else can the body of God the Word or His blood be, if not the Word that nourishes and the Word that gladdens the heart? But why did He not say: "This is the bread of the new testament," as He said: "This is the blood of the new testament"? Because bread is the word of justice, by which souls that eat are nourished; but the drink is the word of the knowledge of Christ, according to the mystery of His birth and passion. Since, therefore, the testament of God was placed for us in the blood of Christ’s passion, so that by believing in the Son of God, born and having suffered in the flesh, we might be saved A not in justice—in which alone, without faith in Christ’s passion, there could be no salvation—therefore it is said only of the cup: "This is the cup of the new testament."
86. *Amen I say to you, that from now on I will not drink of this fruit of the vine, until I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.* But it was said of bread likewise in Luke: *With desire I have desired to eat this pasch with you. I say to you, that from henceforth I will not eat it, till it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.* Therefore the Savior will eat and will drink that bread and the paschal drink, renewed in the kingdom of God, and He will eat and drink with His disciples. For as He *did not think it robbery to be equal to God, but emptied Himself unto death,* so He will eat bread and will drink of the fruit of the vine, and will drink new, and for the sake of His great goodness and love for men He will eat and drink with His disciples, when He shall have delivered the kingdom to God and the Father. For attend to what He says: *When I shall drink it new with you,* at no other time, *except in the kingdom of my Father.* And furthermore, *the kingdom of God is not meat and drink.* For corporally, and according to the likeness of present food and drink, the kingdom of God is not meat and drink to those who have shown themselves worthy of the heavenly bread and the bread of angels, and of that food of which the Savior says: *My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to finish His work.* But that we shall eat and drink in the kingdom of God is proven from many places in the Scriptures, especially from what is written: *Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.* Therefore this pasch will be fulfilled in the kingdom of God, and Jesus will eat it with His disciples, and will drink; and because the Apostle says: B *Let no man judge you in meat or in drink,* and the rest, *which are a shadow of things to come,* this has a revelation toward future mysteries concerning spiritual foods and drinks, of which those things that were written in the law concerning foods and drinks were a shadow. But it is manifest that in the kingdom of God we shall eat and drink true food and true drink, building up through them and strengthening that most true life.
And what He says: *Jesus taking bread,* and likewise *taking the chalice,* he who is indeed a little one in Christ, and still carnal in Christ, understands commonly; but a more prudent person may ask from whom Jesus is receiving. For it is by God giving that He receives, and He gives to those who are worthy to receive from God both bread and the cup. But how God gives bread, Jacob signifies, saying: *If my Lord shall be with me, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, and all things that Thou shalt give me, O Lord, I will tithe the tenth to Thee.* Item, it is written in the Gospel according to John: *Not Moses gave you bread, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.* And Jesus, for those who celebrate the festival with Him in like manner, always taking the bread from the Father, gives thanks, and breaks, and gives to the disciples according as each of them is able to receive; and He gives C and nourishes them with this bread, that it is His own body, since He is the Word Himself, which we require even now, and when it shall be fulfilled in the kingdom of God: but now indeed it is not yet fulfilled, but it will be fulfilled then, when we shall have been prepared to receive the full pasch, which comes to fulfill, who did not come *to destroy the law, but to fulfill it.* And now indeed to fulfill as though *through a glass in a dark manner* of fulfillment: but then to fulfill *face to face,* when that which is perfect shall have come. If, therefore, we also wish to receive from Jesus the bread of blessing, who is accustomed to give it, let us go into the city to the house of a certain man, where Jesus is making the pasch with His disciples, who are preparing it, along with His acquaintances; and let us ascend to the large, strewn, and prepared upper part of the house, where, taking the cup from the Father and giving thanks, He gives to those who have ascended with Him, saying: *Drink, for this is my blood of the new testament,* which is also drunk and is poured out: it is drunk indeed by the disciples, but it is poured out for the remission of sins committed by those by whom it is drunk and poured out. But if you ask how it is also poured out, discuss with this word also what is written: *For the charity of God is poured forth in our hearts.* But if the blood of the testament is poured into our hearts for the remission D of our sins, by the potable blood being poured into our hearts, all the sins we committed before are remitted and washed away. And He Himself, who upon taking the cup says: *Drink ye all of this,* does not depart from us as we drink, but drinks it with us, since He Himself is in each one: for we are not able to eat of that bread alone and without Him, or to drink of the fruit of that true vine. Nor should you wonder that He Himself is both the bread, and eats the bread with us, and He Himself is the drink of the fruit of the vine, and drinks with us. For the Word of God is omnipotent, and...
is designated by various names, and is infinite according to the multitude of His virtues, as He is one and the same in his power. And then He taught the disciples that when they had celebrated the feast with their Master, and had received the bread of blessing, and had eaten the body of the Word, and had drunk the cup of thanksgiving, they should utter a hymn to the Father for all these things, and pass from the low to the high; for a faithful man can sometimes do something in the valley; therefore they ascend to the Mount of Olives, in which every olive tree, as a tree bearing fruit, might say: “But I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God.” And those who are not yet made like an olive tree bearing fruit in the house of God, but are still like the branches of olives around the table of His Spirit, can be on the Mount of Olives, of which the prophet Zechariah also speaks. And how aptly the Mount is merciful: it is chosen, where the scandal of the infirmity of His disciples was to be pronounced; for He did not desire that it should happen, but He foretold what was to be, since He was already prepared, so that He might not repel the disciples who were descending, so that He might receive those who were turning back.
87. Then Jesus says to them: “All of you will take scandal in me this night. For it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” But those who take scandal, do not take scandal in the day, but in the night, and in that night in which Christ is betrayed. For Peter, in denying, does not deny in the day, but in the night, and in a night which was not yet close to the light, for he denies before the cock crows. If anyone seeks how after such and so great signs and prodigies, and discourses, the disciples took scandal not from the virtue from which those signs and prodigies had been made, but [took scandal] at His sayings, let him know that this discourse wishes to show that no one can say “Lord Jesus” except in the Holy Spirit, nor can anyone be without scandal without the Holy Spirit. When that which Jesus had said was being fulfilled: “All of you will take scandal in me this night,” the Holy Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. But we, after we have confessed the Lord Jesus in the Holy Spirit—for “those who are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God”—if after the Holy Spirit we have taken scandal, we do not have a place of excuse, as if having taken scandal without the Spirit, or denying without the Spirit. And those indeed had taken scandal while still consistent in the night; to us, however, the night is remote, but the day has approached, it has drawn near. Therefore it is said: “As in the day let us walk honestly.” But he who walks honestly in the light does not deny Christ, because he is not in the night. Yet he is still in the night, as the Lord Himself testifies, because according to the different names it is called, and is countless.
A But although the Father did not spare His only Son for us all, but delivered Him up for us in the passion, so that the sheep might be scattered for a little while, yet by this they are gathered together by the resurrected Christ, and by His going before them into Galilee, so that those who wish to follow into Galilee, the people who sat in darkness, might see a great light, and upon those who were in the region and shadow of death, light might arise.
88. “But Peter answering said to Him: If all shall take scandal, I will never take scandal.” Jesus said: “Amen I say to you, that in this night, before the cock crows, you will deny me.” Peter said: “Although it should be necessary for me to die with you, I will not deny you.” And all the disciples said the same.
B The Apostle says in the Epistle to the Romans: “But God is true, and every man a liar,” as it is written; not prescribing that every man must be a liar, but pronouncing him to be a liar, the Psalm saying: “I said in my excess of mind: Every man is a liar.” But Peter, hearing the Savior say: “All of you will take scandal in me this night,” professed our Lord, while he was making himself a liar through that which he believed about himself: “If all shall take scandal, I will not take scandal,” not considering that He who said: “I am the truth,” could not lie.
C Because of this, as I think, some of the disciples only took scandal in Jesus; Peter, however, who thought he could make a liar into the truth, not only took scandal, but even while he was deserted because of his bold promise, according to the scandal, he also denied. And because he was not only inconsiderate, but even impiously said: “And if all shall take scandal in you, I will not take scandal,” neither thinking of slippery human nature, the great Word having been put forth, therefore he was deserted for a little while, so that, namely, he might deny, or once he denied, but was more abundantly deserted, so that he might deny, so that he might be argued by the boldness of his promise through one maidservant, and this word answering and saying: “And you were with Jesus the Galilean.” And he denied before all, saying: “I do not know what you say.” And he denied again, not simply, but with an oath. And the third time, D not only with an oath, but with a curse, “that I do not know the man.” By this we are instructed, that we should never without consideration commit anything over our human condition, as if we could fulfill the confession of Christ from ourselves, or anything of the commandments of God, the Apostle admonishing us and saying: “Not to be more wise than it behooveth to be wise, but to be wise unto sobriety.” For he ought, after he heard, “that all of you will take scandal in me this night,” to have besought the Lord, and to have said: “And if all shall take scandal in you, [yet] in me, so that I shall not take scandal...”
In these things Peter, having gone forth from those who were causing him to deny, from the bitterness of repentance, made his weeping bitter. Some of Christ’s disciples take scandal by night, but these, not stumbling in the darkness, because of that which surrounds them, but when the day begins to them, committing sins in inattention, are not pardonable. They have been deceived and are thinking that by putting Jesus to death they would extinguish His teaching and stop those who believe. They therefore bound “Him who says to those in bonds, go forth,” and to the fettered, “be released,” fulfilling the prophecy which says: “Let us lie in wait for the just, because he is not for our turn.” But He, having said, “Let us break their bonds asunder,” says also the things that follow in the Psalm. But yet the remaining portion of Christ’s words in him overcame the love of money. Wherefore he shows repentance not as if forced after His resurrection, but before the condemnation by Pilate. And perhaps also, having seen Jesus handed over to Pilate, he was reminded that Jesus had said this also, and that He would rise again. He hanged himself, even if he was repenting ardently, “but not according to knowledge”...
A and give me especially this grace, that at the time when all your disciples have been scandalized, I may not fall into denial nor be scandalized from the beginning.” If he had petitioned Him, perhaps, with the maids and the rest of the servants removed from him, he would not have denied Him. For it could not be that, once interrogated, he could have spoken of the Lord Jesus in the Holy Spirit, or have confessed Him, since the Holy Spirit had not yet been given. You will ask, however, if it was possible that he should not be scandalized, once the Savior said, “All you shall be scandalized in me.” To which question someone will answer that it was necessary that, by the most truthful mouth prophesying that “all you shall be scandalized,” what had been predicted by Jesus should come to pass. Others, however, will say that since He who was implored by the Ninevites did not do what He had predicted through Jonah because of the repentance of the Ninevites, thus it was possible that He might also have warded off the scandal from Peter as he begged. But now his bold promise, prompt indeed in effect, yet not prudent, became the cause for him that he was not only scandalized, but even denied Him thrice. You will ask further if, after he heard Jesus saying, “Amen I say to you, that in this night, before the cock crow, you will deny me thrice,” he had added: “If I should have to die with thee, I will not deny thee”; but had prayed that the denial foreknown of him might be warded off by Him, if perhaps he would not have denied. And someone indeed says that Peter’s prayer had a place, when He had said, “All you shall be scandalized in me,” to receive help that he might not be scandalized. For not when the *amen* had been uttered was it said, “All you shall be scandalized.” But after He pronounced it with the affirmation of an oath, it was not possible that he should not deny. For if the *amen* was Christ’s oath, He would have been a liar, saying, “Amen I say to you,” if what Peter said was true, that “I will not deny thee.” But it seems to me that the other disciples of Jesus, through perspective and thought, because what had first been said was, “All you shall be scandalized this night,” had said nothing, nor had they professed as if they were not to be scandalized: for they saw that Jesus was truthful in prophesying these things. But regarding this, that it was said to Peter alone: “Amen I say to you, that before the cock crow, you will deny me thrice,” they promised in like manner to Peter: “Even if I should have to die with thee, I will not deny thee.” Which Peter indeed does not appropriately after Christ’s prophecy of his denying thrice before the cock crows. But the others, as if they were not involved in that prophecy, nor bound by those things which had been said to Peter, answered promising, not desiring to make the Lord a liar by their own promises, as Peter wished to do. For just as when He was transfigured on the high mountain, with Moses and Elias appearing in glory with Jesus, he said: “It is good for us to be here and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses B and one for Elias?”—not knowing what he was saying, as Scripture 35 testifies concerning him—so also here, not knowing what he was saying, he said: “If it should be to die with thee, I will not deny thee.” For since Jesus was dying for us all, that we might live, it was not a matter for humans, since all had been in sins, and all had need that Another should die for them, not they for others.
89. C Then Jesus comes with them to a farm which is called Gethsemani 36. To one who knows the interpretation of Hebrew names, even the name of this farm which they call Gethsemani is useful for the manifestation of this place, since it is not without cause that the name of the farm is mentioned by Matthew and Mark as well. We, however, omitting that, only suggest this: how Jesus came with the disciples to this farm which is called Gethsemani, taking them from that place where He had eaten the Passover with them. For it was not fitting that when He was being betrayed, He should be seized from that place where He had eaten the Passover with the disciples. But it was also fitting that before He was betrayed, He should pray, and choose a place clean for prayer. For He knew that just as air differs from purer air, so [does] the land of a holy and holier place, as it is written 37: “The place whereon thou standest, is holy ground.” And you may ask if, beyond the affection of the one praying, even from the place of prayer in which one prays, prayer becomes purer and more acceptable, according to what is written 38: “My house shall be called the house of prayer.” Of which it is also said elsewhere 39: “And he heard my voice from his holy temple.” And a Jewish man indeed does not doubt about such things: but one who, on account of Christ’s doctrine, has retreated from Jewish fables and from all things which are understood corporally by them, says that prayer does not become different because of a place, but that it is better to pray with no one than to pray with evil men. For the demonstration of this tradition, he will use the example that Jesus, in the house of Jairus the priest, being about to pray for his dead daughter, cast all out, and chose only three with Him, who had also been witnesses of His transfiguration on the mountain. For this reason, the custom has also been held in Christ’s churches that those who are manifest in great crimes should be cast out from common prayer, lest a little leaven D from the heart of the world of those praying corrupt the whole lump of unity and consensus. But this sense also has [the point] that it is justly objected to those who understand thus, not in the way they ought, taking such an occasion as to say to their neighbor: “Do not draw near me, for I am clean.” Which the Pharisee also did to the publican praying afar off, and striking his breast, and saying: “Lord, be merciful to me a sinner 40.” We ought, therefore, to do this with restraint, so that we may not pray even with the unworthy on account of the honor of prayer, according to Him who said 41: “If two of you shall agree upon earth, concerning anything whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done for them.” And let us not despise those who are inferior...
preferring them on account of the cause of boasting, according to him who said: “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled.” We have treated these things, however, because it was said: “Sit here, while I go and pray there.” A
90. “He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and troubled.” Or as Mark explains it, he began to be afraid and troubled. He took these same disciples when he was about to be transfigured on the mountain, and to the daughter of Jairus the priest. And I ask whether by chance he saw something more secret at that time, before Jesus was to suffer, and wishing to pray, went there. For perhaps he saw the kings of the earth standing by, and the rulers gathered together in one against the Lord, and against his Christ. On account of this, with so many of them positioned against him, and being powerful in wickedness, he began to be sorrowful and troubled, or even afraid. And consider that he did not say he was sorrowful and was troubled, but he began to be sorrowful and troubled. For there is a great difference between being sorrowful and beginning to be sorrowful. If, therefore, anyone defending human passions puts forward to us that Jesus himself was also sorrowful, let him hear that he who was tempted in all things according to our likeness, apart from sin, did not become sorrowful with the sorrow of passion itself, but according to human nature, only in the beginning of sorrow and fear, so that he might show his disciples who were present—especially Peter, who thought highly of himself—by the very facts, what he later said to them: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And one must never trust in it, but always fear for it, because unguarded confidence leads to boasting, but fear of weakness urges one to flee to the help of God, just as the Lord himself went away a little, and fell on his face, and prayed. Therefore, he did indeed begin to be sorrowful according to human nature, which is subject to such passions, but not according to divine virtue, which is far removed from such passion. And we say this concerning Jesus so that you might not suppose, as some heresies do, that he was a mere man, but that he was God having taken on the nature of a true human body, who could sympathize with our infirmities, since he himself was surrounded by the infirm nature of a human body, and likewise he himself partaking of body and blood, just as the children of whom he says: “Behold I and the children whom God has given me; they partake of flesh and blood.” Seeing, therefore, the struggle awaiting him, which was not against flesh and blood, but against such great kings of the earth standing by, and rulers gathered together in one against him, such as never before, he began to be afraid or sorrowful, suffering nothing more of sorrow or fear, save only the beginning. For it is not written that he was afraid or was sorrowful, but he began to be afraid, and began to be sorrowful, when he also said: “My soul is sorrowful even unto death.” Which itself seems to signify something of this kind B as if to say: The sorrow has started in me, so that I might not in every way be without the taste of sorrow—not always, but up to the time of death it is in me, so that when I have died to sin, I may die also to all sorrow, of which there was only the beginning in me.
91. “Sit here and watch with me,” as if seeking to say: And if I said to other disciples, “Sit here, while I go and pray there,” and brought you three as far as here, I do not want you to go further, for you are not yet able. For this reason remain here watching, just as I also watch, knowing that while I ordered the others to sit there, as if being inferior, keeping them secure from this struggle, I brought you as if you were stronger, so that you might work together with me in vigils and prayers. Nevertheless, you too remain here, so that each one may stand in the rank of his calling, since even every grace, however great it may have been, has also someone superior. That he signifies this by saying, “Remain here,” is manifest from that which is said in the following: “And going a little further, he fell on his face.” On account of this let us remain in the place where Jesus has commanded, according to what the Apostle also mandates: “Let each one remain in the calling in which he was called before God,” so that we may do all things, and watch together with him who neither sleeps nor slumbers, keeping Israel. C Toward this he also brought them, especially Peter, who was greatly confident in himself, so that they might see and hear what it is to be a man’s power and how it is obtained. Let them see him falling on his face, and hear him saying: “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me,” and let them learn not to think great things of themselves, but to esteem humble ones, not to be swift to promise, but solicitous to pray. Therefore he also led those who seemed more faithful and strong, similar to Peter, in whom likewise boasting could easily find a place on account of the confidence of faith. But those of average stature, as far as I say concerning the danger of boasting, are fortified by the very meager measure of their faith.
92. “And going a little, he fell on his face while praying, and saying: Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.” Who said: “Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart,” laudably humbling himself, and now he falls on his face praying, and afterward humbles himself still more, having become obedient unto death, since the price of exaltation is humility. For no one is exalted by God, unless he has humbled himself for God’s sake. He falls, however, on his face praying, having not progressed far, but a little away from the three disciples D remaining with him. For he did not wish to be made far from them, but being placed next to them to pray. But as for what he says while praying, “If it is possible, let this cup pass from me,” manifesting in prayer his devotion, as a beloved Son and one pleased with the dispositions of the Father, he added: “But not as I will, but as you will,” teaching that we should not pray that our will be done, when it has happened that we desire something other than what God desires.
For since He took on the nature of human flesh, He fulfilled all its properties, so that He might not be thought to have had flesh in appearance, but in truth; according to which in this place He prays that the cup of passion pass from Him, but not as He Himself wills, but as the Father wills. Since it is proper to every faithful human being, first, indeed, not to wish to suffer any pain, especially that which leads even to death, because he is a carnal man; but if God should so will it, to acquiesce even against his own will, because he is faithful, lest he be seen to despair in himself more than to hope in God. For just as we must not be overconfident, lest we be seen to boast of our own strength, so we must not act too pusillanimously and distrust, lest we be seen to pronounce on the impotence of God our helper. This will, therefore, which He expresses: "If it is possible, let this cup pass from me; but not as I will, but as you will," is not according to His divine and impassible substance, but according to His human and infirm nature.
B There is also another interpretation of this passage: namely, that as the Son of the love of God, according to foreknowledge, He loved those who were to believe from the Gentiles; but the Jews, as the seed of the holy fathers, whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the promises, He loved as the branches of the good olive tree. Loving them, He saw what they were about to suffer, seeking to bring Him to death, and choosing Barabbas for life; therefore, He said, grieving for them: "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me." Again, recalling His desire, and seeing how great the utility of the whole world would be through His passion, He said: "But not as I will, but as you will." He saw still, because of that cup of passion, even Judas, who was one of the twelve, about to be the son of perdition. Again, He understood through that cup of passion that principalities and powers were to be triumphed over in His body. Because of these, therefore, whom He did not wish to perish in His passion, He said: "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me"; but for the sake of the salvation of the whole human race, which was to be acquired for God through His death, He said, as if reconsidering: "But not as I will, but as you will"; that is, if it is possible that without my passion all those good things should come to pass which are to come to pass through my passion, let this passion pass from me, so that the world may be saved, and the Jews may not perish in my passion. If, however, without the perdition of some, the salvation of the many cannot be introduced, as far as Your justice is concerned, let it not pass as I will, but as You will. As if He were to say: this is indeed my will, but since Your will is much more eminent, as that of the unbegotten God, as the Father of all, therefore I prefer that Your will be done rather than mine.
But in many places Scripture calls this which is drunk the cup of passion, especially that which is drunk properly by martyrs, as it is there: A "What shall I render to the Lord for all that He has rendered to me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord." If, therefore, the cup of salvation is the cup of martyrdom, it is necessary that we should save that cup, drinking it entirely, because the cup is salutary, so that we may spill nothing from it. He, therefore, who suffers for testimony drinks the entire cup, whatever may have been brought upon him. But he who, having been called to martyrdom, denies it, spills it, so that he may not suffer anything. There is also another kind of inebriating cup, which one drinks after he has eaten the table prepared for him by God against those who trouble the just man.
It is to be noted, however, that Mark and Luke indeed wrote this same thing, and they also explain that Jesus was tempted by the devil. John, however, explains the passion, just as the others; but he does not introduce Jesus praying that the cup might pass from Him, just as he does not explain that He was tempted by the devil. I think the cause of this is that these record Him more according to His human nature than according to His divine; John, however, interpreted more according to the divine than the human nature; C and the divinity was untemptable. Therefore, the three evangelists indeed explained that He was tempted: but John, according to what he had begun: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," does not know that the Word of God can be tempted. Thus also here, these three indeed recorded that Jesus asked the Father that the cup might pass from Him, since it was also proper to a man, as far as pertains to the infirmity of the flesh, to wish to escape passion; but John, having the purpose of explaining Jesus as the Word of God, knowing that He Himself is life and resurrection, does not know the impassible God to flee from passion.
D 93. And He comes to His disciples, and finds them sleeping. And He said to Peter: "Could you not watch with me one hour? Watch, and pray, that you enter not into temptation." As long as Jesus was present with His disciples, they did not sleep; but when He went a little way from them, they could not watch even for one hour in His absence. Because of which let us pray that even if Jesus should depart from us for a small moment, He may fulfill what He promised in us, saying: "Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the age." For thus we shall watch, He shaking sleep from our soul, without which it is not possible to fulfill the commandment which says: "Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids, that you may escape as a doe from the nets, and as a bird from the snare." Nevertheless, coming to the disciples, and finding them sleeping, He rouses them with a word to hear, so that now, as if to those listening, He might say what He says thus: "Could you not watch with me one hour?" He commands, however, to watch, so that watching we may pray. He watches, moreover, who does works.
good; he watches who diligently concerns himself with the truth of the faith, lest he fall into some dark dogma. For he who watches in this way prays, and his prayer is heard. For this is what He means by saying: "Watch A and pray; that we may first watch, and thus watching we may pray. That you enter not into temptation." This, according to how many understand it, is as if He were saying, "that you be not tempted." But if it should please God so, acquiesce to God, just as you have heard Me praying. Consider, however, if it is possible to understand it rather in this way: that our life itself is a temptation, according to Job; but to "enter into temptation," or to "come into temptation," is to fall into temptation and be overcome by it. And I think that no one comes to Jesus at the same time as into temptation; but if he comes into temptation, he does not come to Jesus. For no one comes to Jesus, except whom the Father draws to Jesus, that he may be resuscitated by Him. Therefore, we come to Jesus so that, even if the tempter has pursued us, and evils from him [follow], we may not be seized by them, as it is written: "Evils shall pursue thee, and shall not seize thee." But to the sinner it is said: "Evils shall follow thee, and shall seize thee."
94. "The spirit indeed is prompt, but the flesh is infirm," as yours also was, O Peter; the spirit was prompt to promise, but the flesh was infirm to confess. But this must be considered: whether, just as the flesh of all men is infirm, so the spirit of all is prompt; or whether the flesh of all men is indeed infirm, but not the spirit of all men prompt, but only that of the holy. Therefore, it is to the apostles alone, or to those who are found to be like them, that He says that the spirit is prompt but the flesh infirm. For the spirit of the infidel is sluggish, and his B flesh is infirm. If, therefore, it pertains only to the holy that Christ says this, He challenges us to inquire why it is that others have infirm flesh, yet only those whose spirit is prompt. I, however, say that the flesh is infirm in him who has no sin, nor a strong wisdom of the flesh, but a defective one, who with a prompt spirit has mortified the works of the flesh, and has brought the wisdom of the flesh to nothing, so that he always carries about the death of Christ in his body, the spirit evidently prevailing in its desires against the desires of the flesh: for "the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh." And these things in the imperfect indeed struggle against each other; in the perfect, however, the flesh no longer struggles, but is mortified, and the wisdom of the flesh is enfeebled in the flesh, and its concupiscence is extinguished; but the wisdom of the spirit lives in it, and it lives and works. Concerning which infirmity the Lord also says to the Apostle, that "power is made perfect in infirmity," that is, in the infirmity of the flesh and its wisdom. For which reason the Apostle says: "For when I am infirm, then I am strong." For everyone among us becomes strong when his C flesh is his, so that it might not perform the works of the flesh, but the virtue of Christ might dwell in it. Whence He used to say: "I reach forward, and I chastise my body, and bring it into servitude." For through many chastisements man makes his flesh infirm, progressing in the spirit and mortifying the works of the flesh. Therefore, He means to say this to His disciples according to this tradition: "Watch, and pray, that you enter not into temptation," you whose spirit indeed is prompt, but the flesh infirm. For he who is more spiritual and more perfect ought to be more solicitous, lest the great good he possesses should have a grave fall.
95. "Again Jesus going away, prayed saying: My Father, if this can pass from me unless I drink it, Thy will be done." He asks now that the chalice pass from Him, and if not in the way He Himself willed, that it pass in the way the Father wills. Here now, according to what we can understand, we shall explain, so that with this we may seem to have also explained the preceding. For I think that that chalice of the passion was indeed to pass from all [men] by Jesus, but with a difference: that if He were to drink it, it would pass from Him thereafter, and from the whole race of humanity; but if He were not to drink it, it would perhaps pass from Him, but from men it would not pass, but would remain with them until it perfected them. This chalice of the passion, therefore, He principally wished to pass from Him, so that He would not taste its bitterness at all, if it were possible, D as far as the justice of God was concerned. For what He was saying, "if it is possible," He was not referring to the power of God alone, but also to His justice: for as far as the power of God is concerned, all things are possible, whether just or unjust; as far, however, as His justice is concerned—He who is not only powerful, but also just—not all things are possible, but only those things which are just. But if it could not be done, He rather wished to drink it and thus have it pass from Him and from the whole race of humanity, than to act against the Father's will by avoiding the drinking of it. Therefore, because of the good outcome that was to be the result after the bitterness of the chalice was drunk, He prays a second time saying: "My Father, if it is not possible that it pass unless I drink it, Thy will be done." It is manifest, therefore, that He wished to drink it. For in comparison, it was better that it should pass because He had drunk it, than that it should not pass because He had not drunk it. For assume the Lord had not drunk that chalice, and because of this it had not passed away; without doubt the spirits working sins would not have departed from the human race. Consistently, neither would the punishments have passed which were owed to sins. Therefore it was expedient for all that the chalice should pass from Him, for the reason that the Savior had drunk it, so that we all, believing in Him who had drunk it, might not drink that chalice of pure wine, which he who drinks—and [the one] who is about to drink it—does.
And [the one] who acts in such a way as to cease to be mad from the face of the sword, which I send into the midst of them, does not simply sleep, but [sleeps] with rest. A For it makes a great difference, according to the precept of Christ, to sleep and to rest against His will, when He says: *Remain here, and watch with me*, and [in the case of] him who is laboring on account of sleep, and [Christ] saying: *So you could not watch one hour with me?* Or did He not say the opposite to him, saying there: *Watch with me; but as for you, sleep and take your rest*; so that the order might be observed, that we might first watch, praying, in order that we may not enter into temptation, and afterwards sleep and rest according to God's precept?
Which sleep Solomon places in the promise to those who live well, saying in his Proverbs: *For if you seat yourself, you will be without fear; and if you sleep, you will sleep sweetly, and you will not fear the terror coming upon you, nor the onset of the wicked, [which] rushes on.* And David, knowing B of various watchings and slumbers, swore to the Lord and made a vow to the God of Jacob, not to go up upon the bed of his couch, and not to give sleep to his eyes or slumber to his eyelids, and to do this for so long, until he should find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; so that when he had found a place for the Lord, he might go up upon the bed of his couch, and with his eyes refreshed by sleep, and after the rest, [being] prepared for a new and divine resurrection, according to what is wont to happen to human bodies after a natural and healthy sleep.
Perhaps the soul, not being able to endure labors always, as if created and embodied, and not sufficing without intervals to preserve the good, [but] following after some remission, which [in] moral terms are called sleep C and slumber, so that it has remission for some time, rising [thereby] refreshed is restored. But if it has [some] remission, [a person should] not [do so] always, but rather [the one] who can [should] seek from such [divine things] — and [should] seek [in regard] to the divine Scriptures, and pronounce [the answer] without danger.
97. *The hour has drawn near, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.* Therefore I think that He said to His mother: *My hour has not yet come.* For here He teaches that the hour drawing near was that the Son of man should be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Would that He had then been betrayed only into the hands of those sinners! But now I judge [He is] always being betrayed into the hands of sinners, whenever those who seem to believe in Jesus D have Jesus in their hands, while they are in the power of the sinners performing what they can; Jesus is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
98. *Rise, let us be going; see, he who betrays me has drawn near.* After he roused them from that sleep which we mentioned, he consequently says to his disciples: *Rise, let us be going.* And one seeing in spirit the one drawing near to betray [Him], namely Judas, who did not yet seem to [the] disciples to be [the one], said: *See, he who betrays me has drawn near.*
But I think it is not the same thing: *See, he has drawn near to me*, and *See, he who betrays me has drawn near*. For his betrayer did not draw near to Jesus himself, for he had estranged himself from Jesus by his sins, and by the treachery with which he had planned to betray Him; but he drew near to betray the Son of God, whom he had already betrayed. But even all transgressors betray Jesus first, and then deliver him up.
99. *And while he was yet speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.* Someone will also ask the reason why a great multitude was gathered with swords and clubs against Him. But it was, according to John, that this great multitude was a cohort of soldiers and ministers sent by the chief priests. And someone might say that because of the multitude of those who had already believed in Him from the people, so many came against Him, fearing lest the great multitude of believers might snatch Him from their hands. But I think there is another cause for the multitude gathered against Him, since those who assumed that He was accustomed to cast out demons by Beelzebub believed that He could escape from the midst of those wishing to hold Him by certain wicked disciplines and magic. And perhaps some of them had heard how once, when He was to be cast down from the top B of the mountain, He escaped the hands of those already holding Him, not by simple and human flight, but by some other [means] beyond human nature. For on account of this cause also, according to Mark, Judas was saying to the multitude that was coming with him with swords and clubs: *Whoever I shall kiss, he it is, hold him and bring him carefully*; he seems to have spoken maliciously and with significance, as if to say, unless you bring him while holding him carefully, he will escape you when he wishes. They, however, hearing according to the estimation of Judas as though He did not do this helped by paternal divinity, or many other things, were doing everything so that they might hold and guard Him carefully. There are many even now with spiritual swords, in the guise of evil men, and likewise with clubs, warring against Jesus, just as they did: against whose snares Jesus becomes altogether better, although for a time He receives their onslaughts upon Himself, in order that the sins of those plotting against Him might be filled, and the malice of their will against the truth of the only-begotten Word might be made manifest. Those, however, who thus war against Jesus with swords and clubs, coming with various and diverse dogmas, plot against Jesus C on purpose. There are also those who, having been sent by the impious presbyters of their people, war against the word of truth, which is in Jesus.
100. *Who having betrayed him, gave them a sign, saying: Whoever I shall kiss, he it is, hold him. And immediately coming to Jesus he said: Hail, Rabbi. And he kissed him. But Jesus said to him: Friend, for what have you come?* It is worth asking for what reason, when Jesus had publicly taught through the individual cities, and villages, and synagogues, preaching the word of the Gospel, so that His fame went out into every region, and He was made manifest in person to all the inhabitants in Judea, Judas gave a sign to those sent by the chief priests to the effect that, *Whoever I shall kiss, he it is*, as if they did not know His likeness. But that even they who had come with Judas to arrest Him had frequently seen Him is made manifest from the fact that Jesus Himself says to the crowds: *Are you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to take me? I was sitting daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not take me.* Similarly John also reports Him to have said: *I have spoken openly to this world, I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews assemble.* There has come to us, therefore, a tradition concerning Him, that there were not only two forms in Him, one indeed according to which all saw Him, but another according to which He was transfigured before His disciples on the mountain, when His face even shone like the sun, but also that He appeared to each one according to what he was worthy of. And when He was Himself, He seemed not to be Himself to all. According to what is written about the manna, when God sent bread from heaven to the sons of Israel having all delight, and agreeable to every taste: when, obeying the desire of the one offering it, it was turned to whatever one had wished. And it does not seem to me to be an incredible tradition, this, whether corporeally on account of Jesus Himself, so that He might be seen by men in one way and another; or on account of the very nature of the Word, which does not appear similarly to all. If, however, this is so, it is possible to find the solution to that which is sought. D For even if the crowds frequently saw Him coming with Judas, they nevertheless had need, on account of His transformations, of one who would point Him out to them, having knowledge of Him made more familiar through much dwelling with Him, so that he might understand His transformations according to which He was accustomed to appear to His own: this same thing is also signified through John the evangelist, where Jesus, knowing what was about to happen to Him, going forth said: *Whom do you seek?* But they said: *Jesus the Nazarene.* And He said to them: *I am he.* And they went away and fell backward. You see that they did not know Him although they had frequently seen Him, on account of His transfigurations. If, however, someone also seeks that cause, why Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, we shall give this reason, that, according to some indeed, he wished to preserve a certain reverence toward his master, not daring to rush upon Him openly and impudently profess himself the betrayer of his master. According to others, however, he did this for that reason...
fearing that if he had presented himself as a manifest adversary against Christ, the adversary of Christ, the high priest Caiaphas, might have taken it as a cause for Him to escape; for he could, as far as his own opinion went, have fled through certain more secret disciplines and made himself small. Therefore, Jesus, acting as though He suspected nothing of this sort—according to what Judas thought—but thinking him a friend (as he did not know how He might be apprehended in such a way), gave this sign, knowing already that if He had not wished to be apprehended, He would never have been, but willingly He offered Himself to the hands of sinners. But I think that also all betrayers of the truth, pretending to love the truth and using the signs of a kiss as a sort of indication of charity, betray the Word of God to His adversaries who wish to seize Him, having put on nothing peaceful, but possessing warlike swords, and injuries, and clubs. And the betrayer says to Jesus: *Rabbi.* For all heretics, just like Judas, say to Jesus: *Rabbi,* and they kiss Him just as Judas did. To whom Jesus says all things in a conciliatory way, though they are all the betrayer Judas: *Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss?* He says to him, chiding the simulation of his friendship: *Friend, whereto art thou come?* For we know that this name is not applied to good men in the Scriptures. For to the wicked man, not clothed in wedding garments, He says: *Friend, how comest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment?* Wicked also is he who in the parable of the penny hears: *Friend, I do thee no wrong. Didst thou not agree with me for a penny? Take what is thine, and go thy way. I will also give to this last even as to thee.*
B 102. *Then Jesus saith to him: Put up again thy sword into its place.* Soon Jesus used the sword against him who had been with Him, and He took away the right ear of the servant of that same man, and He did not say: Away with the sword; but: *Put up again thy sword into its place.* There is, therefore, some sword which one must accept, if one does not wish to perish, especially in the sword. For He does not wish His disciples to be peaceful, laying down the warlike sword, to accept another sword, which Scripture calls the sword of the spirit. But it seems to me similar to what He says: *All that take the sword shall perish with the sword*; that is, all who are not peaceful, but are stirrers of trouble, will perish in the war they incite, so that for them there is a mystery of war and strife. And I think that all who are tumultuous and stirrers of wars, and who perturb the souls of men—especially of churches—take the sword in which they also themselves perish; because he who digs a pit, falls into it; because the pain of them will be turned upon their own head, and their iniquity will descend upon their crown. But let us hear simply what He says: *All that take the sword shall perish with the sword*; it behoves us to beware, that we do not, on the pretext of warfare or of the vindication of our own injuries, take up the sword, or through any pretext that the whole evangelical teaching abhors, but that we hasten to fulfill what is written: *With them that hated peace I was peaceable.* Therefore, with those who hate peace, we ought to be peaceful, we ought not to use the sword against anyone. Wishing thus, with Him who had not learned to speak, to teach us all that, willing, He had delivered Himself up for us all, He added and said: *Thinkest thou that I cannot ask my Father, and he will give me more than twelve legions of angels?* As if He said: You indeed have drawn the sword this way, and have struck the servant of the prince, as if in need of auxiliary aid; but I, if I had wished, could have asked the Father to obtain not human aid, but better, and more than twelve legions. From this is demonstrated that, according to the multitude of angels, there is a resemblance of the legions of the celestial host, militant against the legions of demons dwelling in sepulchres. And with Luke, the multitude of the celestial host.
A Indeed, this is manifest to all who know me. How is it that you were not placated daily, seeing my stay in the temple of God, and me offering myself to all who wished to hear me, that I might unite them to myself for their edification through the word and life unto the blessedness of God? Or were you unable to seize me then, seeing me teaching and doing nothing worthy of guilt, whereas now you esteem me as if I were changed, such that you think I ought to be apprehended like a robber? But not even in this do you find any occasion, as if I had changed in word from those things which at first I proposed to benefit those willing to hear my words and deeds. And observe, after he said to Peter: *Put your sword into its sheath* B—which is a sign of patience—after he restored the amputated ear (as the other evangelist says), which had been an indication of supreme kindness, and at the same time of divine power, then he spoke these words, that they might appear faithful from the preceding words and deeds, so that if they do not remember past benefits, they might at least recognize the present ones.
104. Now all this took place so that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled concerning such matters. But it is a great task now to choose from the prophets such sayings as were then fulfilled when Christ said he would suffer these things: it is the duty of a studious man, and one who knows much, to gather the words of the prophets that have been fulfilled. And in the one hundred and eighth psalm you will perhaps find many things corresponding to these men who came with Judas to apprehend Jesus, just as other things are said about Judas in the same psalm: *Then they all forsook him and fled.* C Fearing therefore the crowds and their leader Judas, they fled. For they did not yet possess the Spirit, since Jesus had not yet been glorified, nor the Spirit of power and charity. Had they possessed him, they would not have been weakened, nor would they have done anything else apart from divine charity.
105. At that hour Jesus said to the crowds: *Are you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to apprehend me? I sat daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me.* The meaning of their actions which are mentioned in this place seems to me such that the Savior says to the crowds: If anyone wishes to seize a robber, it is not incongruous to come to him with swords and clubs, because the robber is such that he dares all things, provided that he does not suffer any evil; and if he is able, he is prepared to use sword and club against those who wish to apprehend him rather than to surrender himself voluntarily into their hands. But that I am not such a one, all who are in Judea know; some indeed having seen my doctrine and my works, D others having heard of me, or followed my conversation; for since I sat daily in the place of the holy temple, as if in a place fit for divine doctrines, I manifested what things concerned piety and a holy life according to the law of God, and by this I commended that I am peaceful. Now your ambush against me has no reasonable ground, nor does your militia act with swords and clubs; it is manifest to all who know me.
105. And they, having taken Jesus, led him to Caiphas the high priest, where the Scribes and the elders were gathered. For I think that the discourse of the Jewish servitude, by which those who are now abandoned profess to serve, is Caiphas, who militates against the truth of Jesus, who is called the high priest. But Jesus, according to truth, is the high priest, the Word of God, under whom are set all who acceptably serve God the Father. But where Caiphas is the prince of the priests, there are gathered the Scribes, that is, the lettered, who preside over the letter that kills. And according to the quality of the letter, the Scribes are the elders, who are resting not in the truth, but in the antiquity of the simple letter, and who wish to negotiate nothing further.
106. Now Peter followed him from afar even to the courtyard of the high priest. And having entered in, he sat with the ministers that he might see the end of the matter. But as the Master was led, Peter indeed followed: yet he could not follow him at close range,
nor departing entirely from him, nor walking with him, nor close to him; but at a distance he arrived at the court of the high priest. A And having entered in, Peter sat, neither ministering to those ministers, nor doing those things which Jesus had taught, but he was awaiting the outcome of all these things, wishing to see: since he did not yet understand, neither did he see the outcome of the dispensations of Christ, toward what they tended. For indeed, the outcome of these things is not in the court of Caiaphas, nor where the scribes and elders of that people are gathered. If, however, one should properly see the outcome itself, he will see the Word of God and Wisdom saying: I am the A and the Ω, the beginning and the end.
107. But the chief priests, and the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, B so that they might hand him over to death, and they did not find; and many false witnesses approached, and they did not find. And by these things it is manifest that Jesus did not commit sin, nor was there deceit in his mouth. Moreover, that his life was most pure, and entirely irreprehensible, and removing the occasions of those who seek occasions, is demonstrated from this, because his adversaries could not find what they might say against him, or color; but all the priests and the whole council were seeking, and could not find anything. Since false testimonies have a place, when they are brought forward with some color: but against Jesus not even a color was found which could assist the lies against Jesus: and this, when there were many wishing to grant a favor to Caiaphas, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, and the whole council desiring to hear this very thing. And whoever considers these things shows the greatest praise to Jesus on account of his life, and his doctrine, who thus irreprehensibly both said and did all things, so that they could find no semblance of reproach in him, neither of evil, nor many, nor such astute and clever ones.
108. Finally, two false witnesses having approached said: He said: I am able to destroy the temple of God, and after three days to rebuild it. Do not think that Matthew said two witnesses were false without cause, when their testimonies seemed to be true from that which John sets forth, that Christ said: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up; and when it is added: But he spoke this of the temple of his body. But see the craftiness of the two false witnesses, by what persuasion they made use, having taken it from some true saying which Jesus had spoken, they feigned false testimony. For Jesus did not say: I destroy this temple, C and in three days I raise it up; but: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. But the false witnesses reported him to have said what had not been said by him, nor did he say: I am able to destroy the temple of God, and in three days to rebuild it. Therefore, he did not himself promise to perform the impiety of the destruction of the temple, but committed it to those who were fit for work of this kind, saying: Destroy this temple. But what he reserved for himself is: I will raise it up in three days. And what he said concerning the temple of his body, the Jews, hindered by malice, misinterpreted and understood concerning that temple of stone. Which is manifest from this, that responding they said: Forty and six years has this temple been in building, and wilt thou raise it up in three days? And consider that not one false witness proceeded in this testimony, for indeed one was not enough for those wishing to kill Jesus, since the law prescribed: One witness shall not stand to give testimony against a man. But neither were there three: for with many false witnesses approaching, scarcely two were found who seemed to say anything. But neither were their own testimonies consistent, as Mark sets forth: for he says in this manner, that the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus, that they might hand him over to death, and they did not find. For many spoke false testimony against him, and their testimonies were not consistent. But others rising up said false testimony against him, saying: We heard him saying: That I destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another not made with hands. But not even so were their testimonies consistent. For then is testimony consistent, when they say the same things; but they are not consistent, when they disagree with themselves, such as were the testimonies of those who were bringing forward testimonies against Jesus. And if Matthew and Mark tell the truth, which it behooves us to believe, we attempt to show how their testimonies of the two themselves were not consistent, since they did not bring forward the same things. For according to Matthew they said: This man said: I am able to destroy the temple of God, and in three days rebuild it. According to Mark D the other: That we heard him saying, that I destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another not made with hands. Whether therefore they said these things twice, because they did not say the same things, their testimonies were not found to be consistent with themselves; or one indeed said what Mark wrote, and the other according to that which Matthew sets forth. But see the craftiness of the false witnesses, two, who used persuasion taken from some true saying which Jesus had spoken, and feigned a false testimony. Jesus, however, did not say: I destroy this temple, and in three days I raise it up; but: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. But the false witnesses reported him to have said what had not been said by him, nor did he say: I am able to destroy the temple of God, and in three days rebuild it. Therefore, the impiety of the solution of the temple and the voices of the false witnesses, so that not even with an answer— 109. He said to him: Dost thou answer nothing to the things which these testify against thee? But Jesus was silent. It is possible in these things to understand the completed prophecy which says: While the sinner stands against me, I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence from good things; so that that sinner in these things is understood as the prophecy of Caiaphas who stands against Jesus. At the same time, we learn from this place to despise the voices of calumny and false witnesses, so that not even by a response
A to them do we render ourselves worthy of them, nor do we defend ourselves where the things which are said against us do not befit us. For what need is there to resist those who resist us with things contrary to themselves? Especially where it is greater and more powerful to remain silent than to defend oneself, so that we may not be humbled by false testimonies and wicked calumniators.
110. *And the high priest said: I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us if thou art the Christ the Son of God. And Jesus said: thou hast said* 39. And in the Law we find the use of adjuration. In Numbers 40 it is said, that the priest shall adjure that woman in whose husband the spirit of jealousy has been made, and the priest shall say to the woman: *If no one has slept with thee, and if thou hast not transgressed as a wife from thy husband, be thou innocent from this curse of trial.* And after a little bit 41: *And he shall adjure,* he says, *the woman with this curse of adjuration.* Also in the third book of Kings 42 King Ahab said to Micaiah: *I adjure thee that thou speak to me the truth in the name of the Lord.* But the king was a prophet, and he adjured him not as the priest in Numbers. For that one was by a precept of the Law, this one by his own will. And now in this present place the priest adjures Jesus by the living God. I believe that it is not fitting that he who wishes to live according to the Gospel should adjure another. Similar indeed is that which the Lord himself says in the Gospel 43: *But I say to you, do not swear at all, and do not adjure at all.* For if it is not permitted to swear, as much as in the commandment of Christ, it is so because it is not permitted to adjure another. Therefore it is manifest that the high priest adjured Jesus illicitly, although he appears to adjure by the living God. Someone might ask if it is fitting to adjure demons; and he who looks at the many who do such things says that it is done for a reason. But he who looks at Jesus commanding the demons, but also giving power to his disciples over all demons, and to heal infirmities, says that it is not according to the power given by the Savior to adjure demons, for that is Judaic. For even if sometimes such a thing is done by us, it is similar to that which is wont to be done by the exorcisms written by Solomon to have demons adjured. But those who use those exorcisms use them by books not established as appropriate; by some also accepted from the Hebrews they adjure. However, it did not befit our Lord to answer the adjuration of the high priest, as if he were suffering violence from the one adjuring against his own will. Perhaps that he neither denied that he was the Christ the Son of God, nor openly confessed it, but as if receiving the one adjuring as a witness, since he himself is the one who in the interrogation of the priest pronounces that he is the Christ the Son of God, saying: *Thou hast said.* And because *everyone who commits sin is of the devil* B, the prince of the priests was also a worker of sin in ensnaring Jesus, and for that reason he was of the devil, as if born from the devil he imitated his own father, who doubtfully questions the Savior 44: *If thou be the Son of God, as it is written in his temptations.* Similar also is: *If thou be the Christ the Son of God.* Rightly indeed, who is able to speak in this place, since to doubt about the Son of God whether he is Christ, is the work of the devil; and of the high priest ensnaring our Lord; but not such was Peter found. For without any doubt he pronounced: *Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God* 45, nor did it happen there: C because of which he was called blessed, because flesh and blood did not reveal it to him, but the Father who is in heaven. But those who say with doubt: *If thou be the Son of God*, are alien from all blessedness. For because the high priest was not worthy of the doctrine of Christ, for that reason he does not teach him, nor say who I am; but receiving his own word in his reproof, he turned back, saying: *Thou hast said*, so that in this way it might appear that he is being argued, not taught.
111. *Amen I say to you: Hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven* 46. Since it is not written: at the right hand of God, but among all the evangelists: at the right hand of power sitting is the Son of man, and likewise three evangelists write: *you shall see sitting*; to the simple it is indeed granted, who can hear nothing high in that which he says, that he is founded above power. But to those to whom it is possible to search out all things in the spirit, even the depths of God, and that which is written: D *Who appears sitting above the cherubim*; and 47: *I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up*; and 48: *The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make thy enemies the footstool of thy feet*, and other similar things which are said of God sitting are spoken in a similar way of Christ, which it is fitting to compare with the present text, so that from a humble estimation and fables we may see what the sitting of Christ signifies in a more human manner. It seems to me, however, that the sitting of the Son of man signifies a certain royal foundation and firmness. According to power, therefore, which alone is power and is properly called so, and which is founded at the right hand, and who received all power from the Father as in heaven and on earth. And having this foundation, [sometimes] they shall see him even the adversaries, and with joy the blessed shall see him. But according to Mark, he does not have *here* now, but simply: *You shall see the Son of man sitting of power* 49: according to which there will be nothing contrary to those things which we have handed down. According to Matthew, however, who says: *Hereafter you shall see* 50, and according to Luke saying: *From this time shall the Son of man be* 51, and the rest, it is to be asked if from this these...
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what the Savior said has been fulfilled, and this includes those who heard what He said: *From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power.* And we say that this can be seen as fulfilled, because from that time—that is, from the time of the dispensation—the Son of Man has sat at the right hand of Power, and the disciples saw Him rising from the dead, and through this they saw Him established at the right hand of Power, according to what we have handed down above. Or alternatively: See if you can measure the hour and the day, not according to the brevity that exists among men regarding hours and days, but according to the length that belongs to the eternal Lord, to whom from the foundation of the world until its consummation is as one day, which the parable demonstrates where it speaks of those hired in the morning into the vineyard, and at the third hour, and at the sixth, and up to the eleventh. B There is, therefore, nothing strange in what the Savior says here regarding the space being very short until then, in which space He was saying, *You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power*, to those who were then hearing Him, perhaps at the very time when the Lord said: *The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool*, among whom were also those to whom He was saying: *From now on you will see.* For even Caiaphas, who was plotting against Christ, was an enemy. And He was prophesying that they would not only see Him sitting at the right hand of Power, but also would see Him coming, just as Matthew indeed says, on the clouds of heaven. But what are the clouds upon which He will come who is established at the right hand of Power, or with whom will He come, or to what will the truth of God reach according to what is written: *And your truth even to the clouds*? These are the living clouds, the prophets of God, and the apostles of Christ, to whom He gives the command to rain when it is appropriate, or not to rain upon the vineyard without fruit. If, however, there are those whom He does not wish to be such clouds upon which and with which the Son of Man will come when He appears, He Himself knows. For He always comes upon them and with them, showing His advent to the worthy as God the Word, and wisdom, and truth, and righteousness. And these clouds which we have handed down, as if carrying the image of the celestial, are clouds of the heaven that does not pass away, the seat of God, and made worthy of the kingdom of God, as heirs of God and co-heirs of Christ, and they reign with Him.
C 112. *Then the high priest tore his garments, saying: He has blasphemed.* To the Lord prophesying, that enemy, the high priest, as if he were not near to see the Son of Man and the Power at whose right hand He sat, as if bowed down and unable to look upward, not hearing what He was saying, tore his garments, showing his own shame and the nakedness of his soul, and manifesting the mystery: that the old priesthood was to be torn apart, both the stole of his priesthood and the worship that had been according to the letter. He judged the magnitude of the words of Christ to be blasphemy, and deemed Jewish and fabulous history to be the glory of the letter of the West. And he thought that he understood the words of Christ, enough to serve as a testimony against Him, who were witnesses of His divinity, as far as those who are able to understand it can; D and he says to those who thought the same: *Behold, now you have heard His blasphemy: what do you think?* until they themselves, answering against their own soul, pronounce of Jesus that He is guilty of death. How great do you think was the error of pronouncing the very principle of all life guilty of death, and in the testimony of so many rising again not to look at the fountain of life, from which life flowed into all living things: for *as the Father has life in Himself, so He has given to the Son also to have life in Himself.*
115. *Then they spat in His face, and struck Him with their fists. And others gave Him blows in the face, saying: Prophesy to us, Christ, who is he that struck You?* Most wickedly, as I judge, those who heard Jesus saying: *Amen I say to you, that from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven*, dared to spit in His face. For they were judging by this that they were confounding Him as a liar, and that He would not endure the opprobrium of the spitting, since He was sitting at the right hand of Power and was about to come in the clouds. Because they were ignorant of the words of the prophet Isaiah, who was prophesying these same things about Him, and saying in the person of the Lord Savior Himself: *Why, because I came and there was no man; I called, and there was none to obey? Is My hand not able to redeem, or do I not have the power to deliver? Behold, with My rebuke I will make the sea a desert, and I will turn rivers into a dry land, and their fish will dry up because they have no water, and they will die for thirst. And I will clothe the heaven with darkness, and like a sack will I make its covering. The Lord gives Me the tongue of instruction, that I may know how I ought to speak a word. He set Me in the morning; He added to Me an ear to hear, and the doctrine of the Lord will open My ears. I, however, am not incredulous, nor do I contradict. I gave My back to the scourging, and My cheeks to the palms. My face I did not turn away from the confusion of spitting, and the Lord God became My helper.* For all who are of the Church confess that it is Christ who says: *The Lord God gave Me the tongue of instruction*, and the other things which I have explained. I myself have also fittingly explained the things that were joined above to these, wishing to show that this was prophesied concerning that glorious One, that He should be spat upon and struck with fists. But to whom else is it fitting to say: *I came*, except to Christ who came into the world? Or whom did it befit to say: *I called, and there was none to obey*, except Him who came to call the people of the Jews, and was not heard, and therefore did not redeem the people, nor deliver them, but abandoned them? And it is Christ who says:
"Behold, by my rebuke I will make the sea a desert, and I will make the rivers a desert," referring to Him who is about to bring about the consummation of the world. For it is He who shall clothe the heavens with A darkness, and shall clothe it like sackcloth, and who, receiving from the Father the tongue of doctrine, knew how it behooved Him to speak the word which God had committed to Him. And He inclined to Him the ear, so that He might hear more than all who hear; and the doctrine of the Father opened His ear, because He was not disobedient to the Father who sent Him, nor even contradicting, and by His own work He taught those desiring to learn meekness and praiseworthy humility. Moreover, it was his work in that He taught these things by His deeds, offering His back to the scourges, and his cheeks to the palms, and not turning away His face from the shame of spitting, so that, as I suppose, He might deliver us, who were worthy to suffer all these infamies, by Himself suffering them for our sake. For He did not die for us so that we might not die, but so that we might not die for our own sake; and He was struck with blows for us and spat upon, so that we, who were worthy of all these things on account of our sins, might not suffer them, but that we might gratefully accept them while suffering for justice. And Paul indeed says of the Savior, "that He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." For it is not unseemly for one who wishes to enumerate in how many things Christ humbled Himself, to count beyond those things which Paul set forth, saying: He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto palms, unto the shame of spitting, and of scourges, and of death; on account of all of which God has exalted Him. For not on account of the death alone which He endured for us has He exalted Him, but also on account of the palms, and the spittings, and the rest. Moreover, since the injury of spitting is accepted as an extreme insult, it is manifest also in the Law, in which it is B written that if a woman whose husband is deceased, if the brother of her husband does not wish to take her, the one who does not wish to take her as his wife, approaching him before the elders, shall take off one shoe from his feet, and spit in his face, and say: "Thus shall they do to a man who will not build up his brother's house." Therefore, Christ did not turn away His face from the shame of spitting, so that His face might be more glorified than the face of Moses was glorified, with such great and such a glory that, by the comparison of this glorification, the glorification of that face is destroyed, just as in the presence of the sun the light of a lamp is destroyed, and just as knowledge which is in part is destroyed when that which is perfect has come. But they also struck the holy head of the Church with blows, for which reason they themselves are struck with blows by Satan: not that they might not be exalted, nor that their virtue might be perfected, but that, delivered to the enemy and avenger, they might receive what sin they committed, striking Jesus with blows. And not content to only spit in His face and strike Him with blows, but still further they struck Him with palms, and mocking Him, they said: "Prophesy to us who is it that struck Thee." On account of which they received the eternal blow, and were deprived of all prophecy, struck and chastised, and not even so willing to receive discipline, according to what Jeremiah had prophesied concerning this very thing: "You have scourged them, and they were not in pain, and they refused to receive discipline." And now those who insult any one of the Church, and do these things to him, spit in the face of Christ, and striking Christ with blows and palms, they castigate Him.
114. Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And one of the maidservants came to him, saying: "And you were with Jesus the Galilean?" But he denied before all, saying: "I do not know what you are saying." But as he was going out of the door, another maidservant saw him, and said to those there: "And this one was with Jesus the Nazarene." And again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the man." But after a little while, those who were standing by C approached and said to Peter: "Truly you are of them, for even your speech makes you manifest." Then he began to curse and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately the cock crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus saying to him: "Before the cock crows, you will deny Me three times." And going out, he wept bitterly. Considering the denial of Peter more abundantly, we say that no one can call Jesus Lord, except in the Holy Spirit, as Paul teaches us. And the Holy Spirit was not yet in men at that time, because Jesus had not yet been glorified, as John says. Therefore it was not possible, nor was that Peter of that time capable, to confess Jesus; nonetheless, he was not to be blamed for not confessing Jesus. For it is said to those who confess: "It is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you." But since that Spirit of our Father is powerful to speak in us, and since it is in our power to give place in us to the Holy Spirit and not to the devil, if we have denied, we have no excuse. Perhaps also whoever is in the courtyard of Caiaphas, the high priest, cannot confess the Lord Jesus, unless he has gone out from his courtyard, and has been placed outside of every doctrine contrary to Jesus. For those who are there transmit Jewish traditions, and not according to the wills of the Scriptures, but according to the commands of men and doctrines. For consider that Peter, sitting outside, separated from Jesus, and stationed in the courtyard of the high priest, denied Jesus before all: and again, the second time, similarly not yet placed outside the door, but wishing to go out, and not yet having gone out the door, he denied. But also the third time, when those who were standing by said, "Truly you are of them," and when he began to curse and swear that "I do not know the man," he was not yet outside. And all the denials were made by him in the night and in the darkness before the day comes, D and the sign of the day, that is, the crowing of the cock, which rouses those who are willing from sleep. And to speak for the sake of an example, if after the cock...
had crowed Peter had denied, so that it might be said: A *The night is far spent, and the day is at hand, let us walk honestly as in the day*, he would have been worthy of no excuse. Perhaps indeed all men, when they deny Jesus, so that the sin of their denial may receive healing, are seen to be denying him before the cock crows, when the sun of righteousness has not yet risen for them, nor has its dawn approached them. But if, after the rising of such a sun, we have willed to sin against our soul, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, *there is no longer left for us a sacrifice for sin, but a terrible judgment and the zeal of fire which shall consume the enemies.* And in the case of Peter, at the time he denied, it was not appropriate to say: B "How do you not think that they deserve worse punishments who have trampled upon the Son of God, and have considered common the blood of the testament by which they were sanctified, and have insulted the Spirit of grace?" For Peter had not yet been sanctified by the blood of Christ, which was the blood of the new testament, nor did he insult the Spirit of grace, whom he had not yet received from the beginning, because Jesus had not yet been glorified, and the Holy Spirit was not yet among men. But if this impious sin of denial should be committed within us, it is fitting to say all these things, because we have been sanctified in the blood of the testament and have received the Spirit of grace. Therefore, to consider the blood of the testament common, and to insult the Spirit of grace, is worse than all sins, so that we can receive no forgiveness either in this age or in the future if we deny the Son of God. C Since, therefore, for us the night has advanced and the day has drawn near, and the sign of the day, the cock's crowing, has sounded for us, for this reason let us stand even to the point of blood, contending against sin, and for the sake of charity, which never fails, let us suffer all things, that together with the perfect in her we may attain the inheritance. And mark this, that before the cock crows, and before the Holy Spirit, and in the time of the deep night, even if one has denied frequently, he can live; which is manifest from the fact that Peter denied three times. But if after the cock has crowed one has denied, having been placed in any danger even once, it is impossible for him then to be renewed in penance, so as to crucify the Son of God to himself again. But if anyone has been caught in such a sin of denial, let him look at that which is written: D *Woe to those who draw sins to themselves as with a long rope, and iniquities as with the thongs of a heifer*, and let him not say: *Our sins are upon us, and how shall we live?* *As I live, says the Lord, I do not want the death of the sinner, but penance.* But God Himself knows, concerning whom it is written: *And he himself, being wise, will bring upon them evils*, what kind of evils He will bring upon those who deny and do not do penance, and what kind upon those who deny and do do penance, and what kind of goods upon those who have never denied, neither with their word before men nor with their works; but let us be made far from the former handmaid and then the other; and from all who stand in his courtyard or in his gate, so that we may not be found near to those who are denying him who was beside them.
But let us know who is the handmaid of the prince, if we have understood who is the handmaid of God, of whom it is written: *I am your servant, and the son of your handmaid.* And you will be able to know what the courtyards of the prince are if you have understood what the courtyards of the house of God are, of which it is written: *Behold, now bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courtyards of the house of our God.* But if we ought also to say something concerning the other handmaid, so that we may depart also from her, let us understand what is written: *As the eyes of the handmaid are in the hands of her mistress, so are our eyes toward the Lord our God, until he has mercy upon us.* I think the first handmaid, who causes the disciples of Christ to deny, is understood to be the Synagogue of the Jews according to the flesh, who often compelled the faithful to deny. But the second handmaid is the congregation of the gentiles, who also themselves, persecuting the Christians, compelled them to deny. But the third, standing in the courtyards, are the ministers of various heresies, who also themselves compel men to deny the truth of Christ. But in the night Peter not only denies three times, but even curses himself and swears that "I do not know the man." And indeed at that time he still knew Christ according to the flesh, nor was he yet able to say: *And if we have known Christ according to the flesh, but now we know him no longer.* For as long as the sign of the day did not exist, denying Peter was not mindful of the words of Jesus. But after the angel of the Lord called to him, then he remembered the words of Jesus saying to him: *Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.* And when he remembered the word of Christ, he was no longer in the courtyard of the high priest, nor near the gate of it, but outside; otherwise he would by no means have wept. For as it is written, he went out and wept bitterly. Therefore, even according to Luke, the sinful woman wept repentant beside the feet of the Lord, and this Peter, having gone forth from the courtyard of the prince, at his gate weeps from the bitterness of sin, embittering himself in penance.
D When morning had come, all the princes of the priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, that they might deliver him to death; and they bound him and led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. He who offends in the darkness and the night is worthy of pardon; but he who offends in the clear day can never blame his error as if it were concealing itself, especially when, having in himself the lamp of the body, he offends not through ignorance but through his own incontinence. But we have said this pointing out that while the disciples of Christ are scandalized in the night, according to what their Lord predicts: *All you will find scandal in me in this*
night, and because Peter denied him three times before the cock crowed. But as for those who take counsel against Jesus, all the chief priests and the elders of the people, having done so in the morning, sin against the light, knowing it, according to what is written concerning this counsel, that they have gathered in consensus as one, as it is written in the Psalms, so that they might deliver Christ to death, thinking that by his death they could extinguish his doctrine and faith among those who believed in him as the Son of God. Such are those counseling against him, the princes of the culture of the letter of the West, and the elders, ministers of condemnation, who bound Jesus and said to those who are in bonds: *Come out*, and who unbind the shackled, and say: *Let us break their bonds asunder*; and he who loosed the descendant of Abraham bound by Satan for eighteen years from his bonds, so that he should no longer be bent, not being able to look upward before; and they bound him who was willing, and in that binding they were being bound by the chains of those very ones who were breaking the snares, so that now the chief priests and elders of the Jews might not have bonds against men, since the Lord in himself breaks them. But if anyone demands of me the Scripture for these things, showing that those who bound Jesus—the chief priests and elders—should understand that it is for his sake that Jesus himself says through the Prophet: *Let us break their bonds asunder*, as if to say, of the chief priests and elders, or much more of their princes who worked in them, and of those kings of the earth who stood by, and of the princes who came together as one *against the Lord, and against his Christ, whose yoke let us cast from us*. But furthermore, he will be appeased by those who receive the name of those who brought the one binding Jesus, who made counsel against him, yet he broke the bonds, if you have understood what is written regarding Samson, who was frequently bound, and broke the bonds of foreigners, because he had been a Nazarite of God and held full power of strength. If he then, because of the power which he had in his head, could break the bonds of foreigners, by which they bound him frequently, how much more does Christ, who did such great wonders and miracles, having willed it, deliver himself to bonds, sleeping in himself the power of divinity and acquiescing to be bound, without doubt break the bonds of surrounding snares? For what mysteries Samson’s bonds were, were for him. 116. And they delivered him to Pontius Pilate. Whether indeed the names of both presiding officials have a reason fitting to the dispensation of the Lord Savior, it is not easy to respond decisively. For one can move anyone with the principal things from which these words are derived, Pontius and Pilate. But whether anyone may move well, either way, each is able to consider. A 117. Then Judas, seeing him who delivered him, since he was condemned, led by repentance, returned thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying: *I have sinned, in that I have betrayed innocent blood*. But they said: *What is that to us? See thou to it*. And having cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed, and went and hanged himself with a halter. But the chief priests, having received the pieces of silver, said: *It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood*. And having taken counsel among themselves, they bought with them the potter's field, to be a burying place for strangers. For this reason that field is called Aceldama, which is the field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying: *And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the precious one, whom they prized of the children of Israel, and they gave them into the potter's field, as the Lord appointed to me*. Let them answer me regarding the natures concerning which they introduce fables, imagining that they are telling the truth, and not knowing that their opinion accuses the Creator, who made indeed certain vessels in honor—not because of their virtue leading them to honor; and certain ones in dishonor—not because of their sins leading them to dishonor. For if Judas B was of a nature that would perish, how could he have received such great repentance, so as not to be overcome by the greed for thirty pieces of silver, on account of which he received such audacious and impious betrayal? For if they attribute to the property of natures what is said: *A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit*, let them say, unless it breathes forth goodness in some way; and if not perfectly, nor as he ought, the convert Judas did the same thing and returned the thirty pieces of silver, whence that which is said, he knowing 915 his sin: *I have sinned, in that I have betrayed innocent blood*; unless from the good planting of the mind, and from the sowing of virtue which is sown in every soul, which Judas did not cultivate, and therefore he fell into such ruin. If, however, it is the nature of those who perish that is some men’s, without doubt Judas was more of such a nature that perishes. Which without doubt would be seen, if he who betrayed innocent blood, and not having returned the money, had taken pleasure in them, and not having taken them away had not said, *I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood*. And if indeed after the resurrection C of Christ from the dead he had said what he said, it would perhaps be plausible to say that it was because he was compelled by the fact of repentance, and to confess his sin, and as soon as he saw that he was delivered to Pilate, he was pricked and repented: perhaps also mindful of what Jesus had frequently said to the disciples regarding his future resurrection. Seeing therefore the magnitude of his deed, Judas repented indeed, and spoke according to the repentance of his heart, confessing his sin to be that which he betrayed innocent blood; but not according to...
A repentance leading to stable salvation. But after he experienced such sadness, the devil set himself against him again, wishing to exaggerate that same sadness beyond measure, so that it might no longer be according to God, but that, having become excessive, it might consume the one who was saddened beyond measure and more than he ought to have been saddened, and thus Satan might consume him in the excessive sadness. The Apostle, foreseeing this, gives counsel to the Corinthians to confirm charity in him, saying of such a person: Lest, he says, perhaps such a one be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow B. For we are not ignorant of his devices. Something similar happened in the case of Judas who betrayed Jesus; and according to the likeness of that sadness which does not produce repentance leading to stable salvation, he himself, having been saddened, after he repented, returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests, saying: I have sinned in that I betrayed the innocent blood C: which itself was of repentance, and of wholesome sadness. But because he never kept his heart sober, nor was he wisely saddened, he received an even greater sadness from the devil who subjected him to himself, who desired to consume him in the excessive sadness; and therefore, taking back those silver pieces into the temple, he went away and hanged himself with a noose. For if, after he had returned the money and confessed that he had sinned in that he betrayed the innocent blood, he had not gone and hanged himself with a noose, but had sought a place for repentance, and had observed the time of repentance, perhaps he would have met Him who said D: I live, saith the Lord, for I desire not the death of the sinner, but that he should repent. But I believe that Judas, understanding something greater of the Savior, cast the thirty pieces of silver nowhere else but in the temple, for he knew that the Lord had cast the sellers of pigeons out of the temple and had said: Take these things hence, and do not make the house of my Father a house of traffic. Therefore, he sufficiently despaired because he understood the magnitude of his sin, casting those pieces of silver into the temple, and went away and hanged himself. But those who received the silver pieces, wishing to observe something legitimate, did not put them into the treasury, where the needs of the poor of the people were gathered: for they considered the price of the impious one was to be sent into the treasury. Therefore, they took the counsel, and bought with that money the field of the potter to make a vessel for the clay. For they considered that it was fitting to spend [that] money around the place of the dead and the burial of the dead, because it was the price of blood, and it was not fitting to send the price of blood into the treasury or into some other necessity. But because there are differences among places of the dead—since many indeed, according to their own choice, are desirably buried in the tombs of their fathers, while others, because of certain calamities, are frequently buried in strangers’ tombs—therefore those who received the price of the blood of Jesus, which were for the comparison of some potter's field, so that strangers might be buried there, not according to [the dead person's] own choice,
But if it is appropriate to understand 'strangers' spiritually, we say that those who are until the end strangers to God and foreigners to his covenants are strangers. Such strangers, therefore, have this kind of end: that they are buried in the potter's field, which was bought with the price of blood. For the righteous are those who say: "We have been buried with Christ in a new monument which is cut into the rock," in a hewn monument where no one of the dead has yet been placed. But those who are until the end strangers to Christ and foreigners to God will say without doubt, following this: "We have been buried as strangers in the field of the potter working clay, which was bought with the price of blood, and we are in the field which is named the field of blood." But because the evangelist says after these things: "Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying," etc., among the things that were written, this is not found to have been prophesied by Jeremiah anywhere in his books, which are either read in the Churches or referred to among the Jews; but if anyone can know where it is written, let him show it: I suspect either an error in the Scriptural text, and that 'Jeremiah' was put in place of 'Zechariah,' or that there is some secret writing of Jeremiah in which it is written. Such is the text in the prophet Zechariah: "And I will say to them: If it is good in your sight, give my wages, or refuse; and they set my wages at thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me: Put them into the furnace, and see if it is proven, as I have been proven for them. And he took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them into the house of the Lord into the furnace." But if anyone thinking this thinks he is causing offense, let him see whether this is perhaps prophesied somewhere in the secrets of Jeremiah, knowing that the Apostle also brings forward certain writings from the secrets, as he says somewhere: "What eye has not seen, nor ear heard"; for this is found set down in no book of the rule, except in the secrets of the prophet Elijah. Likewise what he says: "As Jannes and Mambres resisted Moses," is not found in the public scriptures, but in a secret book which is subscribed as the book of Jannes and Mambres. From which some dared to reject the Epistle to Timothy, as if it contained in itself the text of some secret, but they could not. But that anyone has rejected the first Epistle to the Corinthians on this account as if it were adulterous, has never reached my ears.
A 118. Jesus however stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying: "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him: "You say it." Truly Jesus did not consider it a robbery to be equal to God. And not once, but frequently he humbled himself for all. And now therefore, having been established by the Father as judge of all creation, King of kings and Lord of lords, see how greatly he humbled himself in that he agreed to stand before the judge of that time of the land of Judea, and was called and asked the question, which perhaps deriding or B doubting Pilate asked, saying: "Are you the King of the Jews?" To which interrogation he answered what he thought to be fitting, saying: "You say it." And indeed being adjured by the chief priest to say if he himself was the Christ the Son of God, he answered: "You have said it"; but being asked by Pilate: "Are you the King of the Jews?" he answered: "You say it." See the interrogations, unless that interrogation—"If you are the Christ the Son of God"—was suited to a Jewish person; but to the Roman judge speaking interrogatively, it was no longer "Are you the Christ?" but "Are you the King of the Jews?" But he who cautiously considers the very peaks of the evangelical words will see that the chief of the priests indeed said doubtfully: "If you are the Christ the Son of God." For the syllable 'if' shows the doubt of the interrogation. But Pilate C pronouncingly: "Are you the King of the Jews?" But because Pilate said this pronouncingly, that also confirms what is even inscribed elsewhere in the title, 'King of the Jews,' in three languages, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, so that the Hebrews, and the Greeks, and the Romans might know, since Pilate himself also knew that he was the King of the Jews. For which reason it appears with what reverence he was inquiring about Jesus, and was provoking the people that they might seek more to have Jesus released than Barabbas. And there was also that sign of Pilate's reverence, that washing his hands he said: "I am innocent of the blood of this man: you will see to it." But that which he said to the chief priest: "You have said it," refuting his doubt, D convicts him. And that he says to Pilate: "You say it," confirms the sentence of him who is pronouncing. But Mark instead of "If you are the Christ the Son of God," writes thus: "Are you the Son of the Blessed One?" Perhaps whether that which is written simply, or this which is written doubtfully, I do not know if they do not have faulty copies, since both should have said equally: "If you are," or: "Are you."
119. And when he was being accused by the chief priests and the elders of the people, he answered nothing. Then Pilate said to him: "Do you not hear how many testimonies they say against you?" And he did not answer him any word, so that the governor marveled greatly. The ministers and elders of the Jewish letter of the dying [people] are the sons of those priests and elders who accused Jesus, receiving their accusation even until now, and accusing Jesus. Therefore, the sin itself remaining for them, and the wrath having once anticipated them, even until the end they still suffer, being those same workers, left with the entire people as a tabernacle in a cucumber patch, and as a city which is besieged. But Jesus having been accused, as then he answered nothing, so also now he answers nothing against the accusations of those priests and elders. For the Word of God is silent to them, and they no longer hear the word of God, as it had once happened to the prophets, and in the consummation of the ages he was made flesh, and dwelt among us.
A And he did not reply to the chief priests and the elders of the people, who were accusing him falsely, nor even to Pilate, because he wished to hear him defend himself against their lying accusations. For when Pilate said to him, after the accusations of the chief priests and the elders: "Do you not hear how many things they accuse you of?" he did not answer even him. For it was not fitting to answer or to show doubt as to whether he should answer their false accusations. We say this without forgetting what was said about Pilate, that he possessed at least some small kindly feeling toward Christ. For it is shown from the entire narration that this was true regarding Pilate. But no one would dare to say that his judgment concerning Christ was fixed and firm. For he was also being pulled toward the contrary; hence the Lord did not answer him even now when he was being pulled toward a worse opinion, having treated all the things that had been said in his accusation with contempt.
Pilate, however, marveled at his constancy; perhaps knowing how capable he was of pronouncing judgment and dismissing the crime, he marveled, seeing him stand with the tranquil and quiet gravity of wisdom, and with an imperturbable judgment, in which he was considered by those who had been there to be in danger of death, and he was stronger than human nature, and although every one of its weaknesses wished to blunt the virtue of his spirit, it was not able to do so. That which is written, that he did not merely marvel, but marveled greatly, moves me to think that it seemed to him a great miracle that Christ, when brought to a criminal trial, remained imperturbable and stood before death, which among all men is considered terrible.
B so that he might be released from the condemnation of sin, and especially if he should have other works of perdition, but be eager to do good to the Church. For you will often find such men established in positions of power, who are otherwise sinners, yet who do many things for Christians as much as it is possible for them to do. You will be led more to investigate such things if there is a suitable reason why Israel also prayed to God for the life of Nebuchadnezzar and Balthasar his son. But if this seems to anyone to be in need of investigation, let him investigate it. What is manifest, however, is that we must strive to take care that we may be found to be among those who ask, and in the order of those who have lived well, rather than among those for whom petition is made as if for evil men. For even if some sinner is granted life at the prayers of the Church, it is not just, however, that he who is of such a kind should attain glory and blessedness; for it is enough that he is dismissed from punishment. I think, however, that because of this Jewish feast day in which Barabbas was chosen for life, while Christ was neglected, the Lord speaks through the prophet: "Your fasts, and holidays, and feast days my soul hates"; and because they preferred to celebrate the feast with the thief released rather than with Jesus. For example, I will say: if they had celebrated the feast correctly like Josiah, or someone similar to him, and the opportunity had been given to them to ask for whom they wished, without doubt they would have asked for Jesus, and they would have condemned Barabbas. But let us pray that, keeping the feast day, not in the old leaven, nor in the leaven of malice and wickedness, but in the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, we may deserve to receive instead of Barabbas, Jesus—freed from all bonds—as our King and Lord. And as long as we do this, our feast days are not turned into mourning, nor our songs into lamentation, but there will be in us true solemnities, the solemnities of God.
C 120. But when the governor was accustomed to release to the people one prisoner whom they wished. Do not marvel if the Roman principate, still having its beginning among them, and the Jews having newly accepted the yoke of the Romans, [it was granted] because it was given to the Jews that on the paschal feast they should ask for one whom they wished, although he might appear to be guilty of a thousand homicides. For thus certain favors are granted by nations to those whom they subject to themselves, until their yoke is confirmed upon them. However, this custom of releasing a prisoner existed at one time even among the Jews. For when Saul had decreed that no one should eat food, and Jonathan had tasted a honeycomb contrary to the king's decree, he found Jonathan guilty, and although he had fixed him as his son, he had nevertheless decreed on account of some oath of his to kill him: but he did not kill him, for the whole people of Israel intervened and asked for his life. But that Pilate released one prisoner to the people, or that Saul released Jonathan according to the petition of the people, is no wonder; for both of those whose lives were being asked for were under guilt, since the Jews were always guilty. But let us ask if any such thing is done also in the judgment of God, and whether the whole Church can ask for any of the sinners D that he might be released from the condemnation of sin.
121. But there was a notable prisoner at that time, who was called Barabbas. So when they were assembled, Pilate said to them: Whom do you want me to release for you, Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ? For he knew that through envy they had delivered him. In many copies it is not contained that Barabbas was also called Jesus, and perhaps rightly so, so that the name of Jesus might not be suitable to any of the wicked. For among such a great multitude of Scriptures we do not know Jesus to be a sinner, just as in other names we find those of just men, so that it may be found that the wicked also bear the same name, as for example, Judas the apostle Zelotes, and Judas the patriarch, and also Judas Maccabeus—all praiseworthy; but Judas the traitor. And in Genesis are found to be of the same name the sons of Seth and the sons of Cain, such as Enoch, and Lamech, and Mathusalem: but it was not fitting that such a thing should be also in the name of Jesus. And I think that in the heresies some such thing has been added on, so that they might have some convenience for telling their fables, concerning the similarity of the name of Jesus and Barabbas.
I believe that in these matters some mystery is demonstrated, so that Barabbas is indeed set up for the making of seditions, wars, and slaughters for the souls of men; but Jesus is established as the Son of God, and peace, and the Word, and Wisdom, for all good things. Since these two are chained together in human affairs and bodies, that people demanded for themselves that Barabbas be released, through whom that nation, which has seditions, murders, and robberies, does not cease—according to some, in things which are held externally of their nation; but according to all the Jews who do not believe in Jesus, internally in the soul. For where Jesus is not, there are seditions, strifes, and wars. But where Jesus is, so that they might be able to say, *If Christ is in us, the body indeed is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness* A: there all good things are together, and countless spiritual riches are in his hands, and peace. For he himself is our peace, who hath made both one B. And if anyone sees that contrary operation, he will understand that he himself is the notable Barabbas chained in all things, whom they desire to be released for themselves, not only Israel then sinning according to the flesh, but also all who are like them, whether in dogma or in life. Whoever therefore does evil, Barabbas is released in his body, but Christ is chained. But he who does good, Christ is released for him, but Barabbas is chained.
122. *But while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him saying: Have thou nothing to do with that just man. For I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him* C. And Jesus was indeed delivered through envy, and in such a manifest envy that even Pilate was not ignorant of it. But the evangelists do not wish to pass over the matter of divine providence containing the praise of God, who wished through a vision to convert Pilate's wife, so that, as far as she was concerned, she might prevent her husband lest he dare to pronounce a sentence against Jesus. And Matthew did not explain the vision, but only said that she had suffered many things through the vision because of Jesus. And therefore she suffered through a vision so that she might suffer no more: so that we may say that Pilate's wife was blessed, who suffered many things through a vision because of Jesus, and received through the vision what she was about to suffer. From which who will dare to say that it is better to receive some evils in a vision than to receive them in life? For who would not choose to receive his evils in a vision rather than in his life, unless perhaps he deserves such things that it is expedient for him to receive harsher things in his life rather than receive lighter things in a vision? For he is comforted and rests in the bosom of Abraham who received evils in his life, and not these evils which he received in his vision; according to which he will also have consolation. But whether it also has the beginning of its conversion to God from the fact that she had suffered many things because of Jesus through a vision, God knows: yet this also is contained in certain Scriptures not published. And see because the wife of Pilate called Jesus just, lest perhaps this wife of Pilate be a mystery of the Church from the Gentiles, which was at one time ruled by Pilate, but now indeed it is no longer under him because of its faith in Christ.
125. *But the chief priests and ancients persuaded the people that they should ask Barabbas, and make Jesus away. And the governor answering, said to them: Whether will you of the two to be released unto you? But they said: Barabbas* D. And it is to see even until now how the people of the Jews are persuaded and excited by their own elders and teachers of the Jewish culture against Jesus so that they might destroy him, as far as they are concerned, and have Barabbas released. For the crowds trust their own chief priests. And for the most part, the governor also says to the people: *Whom will you of the two to be released unto you?* But the crowds, as true crowds and many, who walk the broad way leading to destruction, demanded that Barabbas be released, wishing to have him released for themselves.
124. *Pilate saith to them: What shall I do then with Jesus that is called Christ? They say all: Let him be crucified, and the rest.* Wishing to strike into them the shame of such iniquity, Pilate says to them: What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? Not only this, but also wishing to collect the measure of their impiety. But they, neither blushing at this, that Pilate confessed Jesus to be Christ, nor keeping any measure of impiety, said all: Let him be crucified. And if indeed they had petitioned for Barabbas to be released, but had not on the contrary also petitioned for Christ to be brought to the cross—that is to say, they had petitioned for Barabbas to be absolved, but had not petitioned for this one to be crucified, but had left him in the power of Pilate that he might do with him what he willed, it would still have been of great impiety that, having left the just man, they petitioned for a murderer: but now they have multiplied the measure of their impiety, not only asking for a murderer for life, but also for a just man for death, and for the most shameful death of the cross. But still remaining in that very thing in which he wished to confuse them, that perhaps, having been confused, they might come to the choice of the just one, although not from the judgment of the heart, he says to them: *What evil hath he done?* Having nothing against this to answer, they cried out more, not setting aside, but increasing anger, animosity, blasphemy, and said: *Let him be crucified.* But Pilate, seeing that he prevailed nothing, used the Jewish custom, wishing to appease them regarding the innocence of Christ, if they should wish, not only by words but also by the very fact, and if they should not wish, to condemn, doing so not according to any custom of the Romans. For he took water in the sight of all, and washing his hands, said: *I am innocent of the blood of this just man; you look to it.* And he indeed washed himself, but they not only did not wish to cleanse themselves from the blood of Christ, but even took upon themselves [the curse of]...
and their children the blood of him. A For this reason, not only they who were then present have become guilty through the blood of the prophets, while they filled up the measure of their fathers, but they have also become guilty through the blood of Christ, that they may hear God saying to them: When you extend your hands towards me, I will turn away my eyes from you; and your hands are full of blood. Therefore, the blood of Jesus has not only been shed upon those who were then present, but also upon all the generations of Jews who followed thereafter until the consummation. On account of this, until now their house is left desolate to them. Pilate, however, forgetting his own words and the good things by which he began to defend the innocence of Christ, yielding to evil, not only delivered Jesus, but also delivered him, already scourged, to be crucified.
125. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole cohort, and they clothed him in a scarlet robe, and put upon him purple, and they put a crown of thorns upon his head, and a reed in his right hand; and mocking him, they said: Hail, King of the Jews. B It is probable that in those first days, the soldiers, being newly-raised for the Emperor, and not yet observing the order of discipline, while acting outside the custom of the discipline that now is, did so to the Savior, when, having taken him into the common hall, they gathered the whole cohort and did what they are said to have done, making a game of Jesus. I, however, think that the soldiers did this while invisible kings and princes of this world stood by and conspired together against the Lord and against his Christ, and it appears that this was a delusion of theirs C rather than of men; for those who did not know the wisdom of God in that dispensation: For if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Therefore, that cohort was a mystery of some malignant militia. And they took his garments which are from above, the tunic that is seamless, and the stole; for John describes his garments as such: and they mocked him by clothing him because of his name, with the scarlet robe, not understanding what they are doing. D That scarlet robe is a mystery of the scarlet sign, as it is written in Joshua, which he had for his salvation, Rahab, and in Genesis, what was done in one of the sons of Tamar for the sake of the birth, that it might be bound to him as a sign of the future passion of Christ. Therefore, now also the Lord receiving the scarlet robe, takes upon himself the blood of the world, and in the crown of thorns he takes the thorns of our sins woven into his own head. And it is written of the robe that they stripped him again of the scarlet robe; but of the crown of thorns, the evangelist wrote nothing of the sort, for the reason that we also wished to seek out the outcome of the crown of thorns, once placed on and never taken off. I therefore judge that that thorn-crown was consumed from the head of Jesus, so that our ancient thorns might no longer exist, after Jesus once took them away from us upon his own venerable head. But if it is appropriate to say something about the reed which they placed in his right hand, we speak of its rationale in this way: that reed was therefore a scepter of the kingdom, and fragile, upon which we all leaned before we believed in the scepter of the wicked one. For we trusted in the bruised reed of Egypt, or of Babylon, or of any other contrary kingdom against the kingdom of God, and he accepted that reed and the rod of the fragile kingdom from our hands, that he might triumph over it and finish it by the wood of the cross; and for the former reed upon which we formerly leaned, he gave to us the scepter of the heavenly kingdom, 920 and the rod of which it is written: The rod of equity, is the rod of thy kingdom; or the rod which corrects those who have need of correction, of which the Apostle speaks: What will you? Shall I come unto you with a rod? He gave to us also the staff that we might celebrate the Passover, according to what is written: Your staves shall be in your hands; that we might celebrate the Passover, putting down the reed-rod which we had before we celebrated the Lord's Passover. But they strike him with this fragile and vain reed upon the head of the venerable Lord, and that kingdom which is contrary always insults and beats God the Father, the head of the Lord Savior. And in all these things, the virtue of the Only-Begotten is not harmed, B as if it had suffered something, or as if evil had been done to him, since he was naturally a blessing: but since he was a blessing, he consumed and absolved, and dissipated every human cursing.
126. And going out they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to carry his cross. For just as Jesus is tempted by the devil according to the three evangelists: but according to John, as he is of spiritual nature, he does not perform, nor is he tempted: for he is truth, and life, and resurrection, and the true light: but he is tempted according to the man whom the Only-Begotten took upon himself; since according to John indeed the Savior, to them who received him, his cross C bearing, went out to the place which is called Calvary, and he does not carry it for himself, but carries it for the others. For those who were leading him to be crucified, going out, found a certain Cyrenian, Simon by name, whom they compelled to take up the cross of Christ. Yet it was not only fitting for the Savior to take up his cross, but also to carry it, for us, fulfilling the compulsion. Nor again ought we to have been so proud as to take up his cross, but rather we are proud because we take up his own, and he himself takes up ours and bears it. You ask if, according to the text, both according to the three Simon is reported as carrying the cross of Jesus, and according to John Jesus his own: if both happened according to the word, you will ask, and which was first, whether Jesus received the end of carrying the cross or Simon; for it is likely that since no one wished to carry the cross he first carried it from within, and on the road they placed it "upon" Simon, not indeed being compelled by chance, but foreordained by God to minister to the cross of Jesus, in which "the world" is "crucified" to the saints "and" the saints "to the world." D And since Cyrene is of the Pentapolis, they say tropically that the senses carry the cross of the economy. And since Simon is interpreted as OBEDIENCE, the namesake of obedience lifts it. As for the place of the skull, it came to me, that the Hebrews hand down that the body of Adam was buried there, so that since in Adam we all die, Adam might "rise," and in Christ we all "be made alive." For Matthew said that he tasted the wine with gall and did not wish to drink, but Mark says he did not even taste the wine given to him at the beginning which was mingled with myrrh.
The evangelists do not contradict one another, and we must discern what happened first: whether those who took Jesus to crucify him and placed the cross upon him, that he might carry it out to the place of Calvary, actually did this first before they pressed Simon the Cyrenian; or whether they had already gone out and pressed Simon, but once they arrived at the place where they were about to hang him, they placed the cross upon him so that he himself might carry it. Whoever is able to examine this should seek the truth in both cases, so as to find whether he received the end of carrying the cross, or rather if Simon the Cyrenian did so, not pressed into service by chance, but according to some foreknowledge of God, led by the dispensation of God to this end, so that he might be found worthy of the evangelical Scripture and the ministry of the cross of Christ, in B which the world is crucified to the saints and the saints to the world.
Some also wished to interpret this Simon the Cyrenian morally, from the fact that he was from Cyrene in Pentapolis near Libya, taking an occasion from the five senses to say that, as it were, the five senses carried the cross of that dispensation. Now, Simon is interpreted as "obedience." To whom, however, was it more fitting to carry the cross of Christ than to Obedience? Or, just as the second son of Leah is called Simeon? For he is named doubly among the Greeks—both patriarch and Peter—according to the propriety of the Hebrew language, so that it may be appropriate for him who is so called, to be called both Simon and Simeon, since the Hebrews write the name of Simeon and Simon with the same letters.
The place of Calvary is said not to have had just any sort of dispensation, so that he who was about to die for men might die there. For a certain tradition has come to me (89) that the body of Adam, the first man, was buried there where Christ was crucified, so that just as "in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive": C that in that place which is called the place of Calvary—that is, the place of the skull—the head of the human race might find resurrection through the resurrection of the Lord Savior, who suffered and rose again there. For it was unfitting that while many born from him should receive remission of sins and attain the benefit of the resurrection, the Father of all men himself should not more especially attain such grace.
127. "And they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall. And when he had tasted, he would not drink." It was sufficient for us that he merely tasted for us; just as he tasted the death of a three-day period—no longer—so also the vinegar mingled with gall. But other wine, not mixed with gall nor with anything contrary, he accepted and drank, and giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, and promised that he would drink it new in the kingdom of God.
128. "And after they had crucified him, they divided his garments, casting lots: and sitting down they watched him." And even now there are those who do not have him himself, but have the garments—that is, the words set down in the Scriptures—and not even these in full, but only in part; yet nonetheless the prophet says this very mystery which is now fulfilled. Whether any of his garments were torn in that D partition, or whether each of them remained whole as it was, and what sort those garments were, we do not read in the three evangelists; but from John we learned that after the soldiers had crucified Christ, they took his garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part. But the tunic, because it was not sewn, but woven from the top throughout, they said to one another: "Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots for it." Therefore, not all received it, but he who cast the lot. Now, anyone disputing about the difference between those who have the garments of the Lord will find, without doubt, those who in their doctrines—even if they do not have him—still have the tunic woven from the top throughout, while others have not even that, but some small particle of his garment.
129. "And sitting down, they watched him there." And the soldiers indeed were guarding the body, submissive to the chief priests, as if it were to be stolen by his disciples if it were not guarded; but the dispensation raised him up, and made not only two or three, but many more witnesses of his resurrection. For he was seen by Cephas, then by those eleven, then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren, and finally to all, to Paul. And it was no small sign of his resurrection that he who was seen by so many—by those who had undertaken the risk of preaching him living—was seen in the nations that had sought him for the cross. And now new chief priests, namely those D of those princes, crucify the word of truth set down in the Scriptures with their false expositions, and they kill it with lies; but the word of truth—because it is killed among them—lives in its own nature, and always finds and chooses for itself vessels in which it may rise again and live, and still confound its murderers, demonstrated to live by many testimonies.
A And they set up over his head his cause, which was written: *This is Jesus, the King of the Jews*. Whether by design or in truth, Christ is proclaimed King, and every letter bears witness to his kingdom, whether of Greeks, or of Romans, or of Hebrews; and for a crown above his head it is written: *This is Jesus, the King of the Jews*. And since no other cause of his death is found, nor indeed was there any, this is held to be the only one: he was King of the Jews; of which he spoke, saying: *But I have been established king by him over Zion, his holy mountain*. And indeed the high priest, according to the letter of the Law, bore on his head the form of a sign, and the sanctification of the Lord written in metal; but the true High Priest and King, Jesus, has written on the cross: *This is the King of the Jews*, yet as he ascends to the Father and receives the Father into himself, he has for the letters and for the name him who is named, and he has him as a crown, and having been made worthy of him, and having been made a worthy house of God the Father, he alone can sufficiently comprehend the Father.
[131.] *Then they crucified with him two thieves, one on the right hand, and one on the left*. The Lord, crucified between thieves, just like the thieves themselves, fulfilled the prophecy speaking of him: *And he was reckoned with the wicked*; and it is possible to see his disciples giving testimony to the culture of God which was introduced through him, to be reckoned with the wicked, and to be crucified with them, or to endure other sufferings, just as they did. For the world, and the spirit which is in it, always persecutes the highest men, and punishes those who are highest in malice for the sake of the utility of the many; but it punishes those who are highest in virtue, because this world is not worthy of them, who gaze not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen; and they despise it, just as the saints of old wandering in sheepskins and in goatskins, and in dens, and in caves of the earth, of whom the world was not worthy.
B [132.] *And they that passed by railed at him, wagging their heads, and saying: Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross*. Likewise also the chief priests, mocking him with the Scribes, and the elders, and the Pharisees, said: *He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he will; for he said, I am the Son of God*. No one standing blasphemes Jesus, nor anyone walking uprightly. For they that passed by blasphemed him, and, as it has in the Greek, they that were going on by, who also, the hedge of the vineyard having been dissolved by God, vintage those who remained. For it is written: *Why hast thou broken down his hedge, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?* As long, therefore, as one has not passed by the way, nor turned aside from the way, standing he can say to God: *Thou hast set my feet upon the rock*, and he does not blaspheme Jesus. But if he shall have fallen, or passed by, or gone across, or turned aside, then he blasphemes. Just as those who still have fallen into evil works, and just as those who have left the eternal boundaries and the way of the heavenly Church, and are tossed about and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the fallacy of men, in craftiness, unto the remedy of error. For if anyone shall say that all heresies are those who pass by and turn aside, he will not sin; because even they themselves are held among those who pass by and they blaspheme Jesus, not having a firm head, but moving it up and down; because they are not prudent, nor do they have their eyes in their head, where they ought to have had them, according to Ecclesiastes saying: *The wise man’s eyes are in his head*. It is therefore the work of those who pass by and turn aside to blaspheme Jesus the Son of God, because *no man speaking by the Spirit calleth Jesus anathema*. But there are various discourses of those who blaspheme, of which one is that which is called blasphemous by those who neither understand nor hear what is said, nor of whom they affirm it; for Jesus said: *Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up*. But they that passed by, as if they were false witnesses, said against Jesus what was not said about him, attacking him: *Ah, thou that destroyest the temple of God, and buildest it in three days*. For he does not himself destroy the temple, but what others destroy, he builds up: whether the temple of his own body, which had been handed over to death by the Jews, or the temple of his witnesses and of all who held the word of God in them, and died on account of piety from the snares of the wicked. For the hour cometh when all who are in the memorials shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and shall rise again. And not only in that which they said, *Who destroys the temple*, did they lie, but also in that which they said: *And I in three days will rebuild it*. For he did not say that he would rebuild the temple, but that he would raise it up. For the discourse of rebuilding does not show a sudden work, but that of raising up does. And those who indeed mocked said: *Save thyself*; but he, receiving power from the Father, both did this and more. For to all who receive his word, he shows his salvation. And they, indeed, mocking said: *If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross*. But he did not show himself as Son of God to those who mocked him, but he showed it to those who believed in him, after he dispensed what it was fitting for him to dispense in those three days, after descending to the underworld, put to death in the flesh, but quickened in the spirit, he preached to the spirits who were in prison which sometime had not believed when the patience of God was waited for in the days of Noah, while the ark was being fashioned, in which a few, that is eight souls, were saved by water. And he was not left there, just as he himself said: *Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell*. It was fitting, how-
-[1781B]ever, for him to ascend to his own Father and God, as he ascended on high to lead captivity captive, and receive gifts for men, and after these things to show himself stronger than death, saying to it: *O death, where is thy sting?* Similarly, however, as others passed by and blasphemed him, the chief priests and the Scribes also passing by said to him themselves, overcome by the virtues previously performed by him: *He saved others; himself he cannot save*. Evidently not believing that one who was able to save others was much more able to save himself; and they promised that they would believe in him as if in the King of Israel, if he was seen by them descending from the cross. But he did not care to do anything unworthy on account of the injury of derision, and to do what was told to him [1781C] beyond reason and order.
133. Moreover, the thieves who were crucified with him also reproached him. And as we explained before, according to John, concerning the two thieves who were crucified with Christ, according to Matthew, indeed, and Mark, both reproached him on the cross. But according to Luke, who says that one of the thieves hanging there blasphemed, saying: *If thou be Christ, save thyself and us*. Another answering, rebuked him saying: *Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done no evil*. And he said to Jesus: *Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom*. And Jesus answering, said to him who had rebuked the blasphemer: *Amen, I say to thee, This day thou shalt be with me in paradise*. It is therefore [1781D] fitting that, in the first place, both thieves be understood to have blasphemed the Lord, but after this that one of them was converted, and believed, pondering within himself upon these miracles which he heard were done by him: and perhaps also seeing the change of the air, and the darkness occurring in an unusual manner, and not as it was accustomed to happen frequently. Or perhaps, as we also said there [elsewhere], these are other two thieves, both of whom blasphemed. But that thief who was saved can be a mystery of those who, after many iniquities, believed in Christ, and said to Christ: We have been fixed and configured in the death of Christ: and they always say to the Son of God, Remember us when thou shalt come into thy [1782A] kingdom, and therefore they are in paradise with him.
134. *But from the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour*. Against this text some calumniate the evangelical truth, saying, how can it be true according to the text which says that there was darkness over the whole earth from the sixth hour until the ninth, which no history records? And they say that, just as it is accustomed to happen in a defect of the sun, so then a defect of the sun occurred. But a defect of the sun has always, from the beginning of time, occurred in its proper season. But the defect of the sun, which is accustomed to happen according to the custom of the seasons as they currently run, does not occur in another time than at the conjunction of the sun and moon, when the [1782B] moon, running below, impedes the rays of the sun by meeting it, and by its encounter blunts its light. But at the time in which Christ suffered, it is manifest that the conjunction of the moon to the sun did not exist, since it was the time of the Passover, which is accustomed to be celebrated when the moon has the fullness of the sun and is in the whole of the night. How therefore could a solar eclipse occur when the moon was full and had the fullness of the sun?
But some of the believers, wishing to introduce some defense against these things, being distressed by the discourses of those professing such things, said thus: If no new prodigy had occurred at the time of the passion of Christ, but all things [1782C] according to custom, it would be believed that that solar eclipse had happened according to custom. But now, when it is agreed that the other prodigies which happened then did not happen according to custom, but were new and wonderful: for the veil of the temple was rent in two parts from the top even to the bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were rent, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints that slept arose; it is manifest that that solar eclipse also, consequently according to the other prodigies, happened new and against custom. Also against these things, the children of this world, who are more prudent than the children of light in their generation, say such things: Assume that that solar eclipse happened against custom [1782D] in a time not ancient under the rule of the Romans, so that darkness occurred over the whole earth until the ninth hour, how is it that no one of the Greeks, no one of the barbarians, wrote that this so wonderful thing happened in that time, especially those who wrote chronicles, and noted if anything such as this new thing happened at any time, but only your authors wrote this? And Phlegon indeed wrote in his chronicles that it happened in the reign of Tiberius Caesar, but he did not signify that this happened at a full moon. See therefore if this objection is not strong, and powerful to move every wise man who consents neither to those speaking, nor to these writing, but hears all things with reason and judgment. And it is not indeed hard, that every one of the faithful who believes indeed, but does not believe with reason and with judgment, should be so constant in faith, that even if a thousand crimes were objected against the evangelical faith by those wishing to destroy our faith, that in no part of them he should be moved by the discourses of those who, feigning to believe the evangelical Scriptures, by the occasion of one or another question, either difficult or perhaps indissoluble, being hostile to the Scriptures, hasten to take the faith of Christ and his Gospels from our soul, introducing certain wonderful things, and wishing to transfer the miracles performed by the power of God to certain worldly customs.
A Matthew, passing over it, said that even they who were crucified with him reproached him; but this one [Luke], more accurately—just as he had promised—explaining the matter, says that one was the blasphemer, and the other rebuked him. It is likely that in the beginning both reproached him, but later the one was changed to believe in him, having been reminded of the signs he performed and having seen the air beginning to be darkened. See whether the thief who was saved is a symbol of those who, after sin, have believed in Jesus and say, "I have been crucified with Christ," being made conformable to his death, who are also deemed worthy of the sojourn in paradise because the Lord said, "Today you shall be with me in paradise." For eclipses occur when these two luminaries approach "each other." For an eclipse of the sun occurs when the moon runs in front of it during a conjunction, not during the full moon when the moon is in opposition. And Phlegon, some philosopher among the Greeks, makes mention of this darkness, etc. Neither Matthew nor Mark named the sun or an eclipse, but Luke... B just as the land around Judea and the rocks and the monuments [did].
A similarly, at the sixth hour, when Christ extended his hands upon the cross toward heaven over the people who had shouted, "Take him from the earth, and crucify, crucify him," darkness occurred, and they were deprived of all light. And that darkness was a figure of the future ones that were going to overtake the Jewish nation, just as they dared to lay their hands upon the true Light. Hence, from that time, all that nation was filled with darkness, as the Prophet says: "Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see." Likewise, under Moses, there was darkness and gloom over all the land of Egypt for three days, and no one saw his brother, nor did anyone rise from his bed for three days. But for all the children of Israel, there was light in all the places where they dwelt. Under Christ, however, darkness was brought over the entire land of Judea for three hours, but there was light over all the rest of the earth, which everywhere illuminates the whole Church of God in Christ. And if there was darkness over the entire land of Judea until the ninth hour, it is manifest that his light shone again, because when the multitude of the Gentiles has entered, then all Israel shall be saved. But the fact that there was darkness over the land of Judea for three hours shows that, because of their sins, they were deprived of the light of God the Father, and of the splendor of Christ, and of the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
135. Around the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: "Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani," which is: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" But those who were standing there, hearing this, said that he was calling Elias. It should be asked, in a way worthy of God, what was that great voice of Christ; was it great because of the great mysteries magnifying great things, or great because of the audible nature of a loud, sensible, and bodily voice? I believe that every voice of Christ, the Son of God, is great, even if it be soft. Scripture itself bears witness to this, especially in those places where it wishes to raise the hearer, so that he may cross over what many are able to understand in the text and not remain within it—even though, according to a simple understanding, it may hold some truth—so that he may be able to understand something worthily on account of the Lord's great voice. Since, therefore, by these words he shows that there is something great and hidden in his crying out to God, saying: "Why hast thou forsaken me?" it must be sought what it is that Christ was forsaken by God for. For it is not lawful to believe that he lied, saying: "Why hast thou forsaken me?" And some, under the guise of piety regarding Jesus, and because they cannot explain what it means for Christ to be forsaken by God, suppose and say: "It is true, indeed, what was said, yet it was said out of humility." But we, beholding him who had been established in the form of God descending from such greatness and emptying himself B by having taken the form of a servant—and seeing in these things his will C and the one who sent him to such things as these—we understand that, as far as those things in which he had been the invisible form of God and the image according to the Father are concerned, he was forsaken by the Father when he took the form of a servant; and he was forsaken for the sake of men, so that he might take upon himself such and so great things and come even unto death, even the death of the cross, which appears most shameful among men. For the extremity of his abandonment became fact when they crucified him and placed upon his head, as if mocking him, the letters saying: "This is Jesus the King of the Jews." And the extremity of his abandonment was also that he was crucified among thieves, and that passersby blasphemed him, wagging their heads at him, and that the princes with the Scribes said: "He saved others, himself he cannot save." Furthermore, there was also the fact that even the thieves reviled him on the cross. Therefore, you will be able to understand clearly what it is that he says: "Why hast thou forsaken me?" making a comparison between the glory which he had with the Father and the confusion which he endured, despising the cross. For his seat was like the sun in the sight of God, and like the moon, perfect forever, and he was his faithful witness in heaven; but afterward, and for those for whom he says: "Why hast thou forsaken me?" he added further, saying: "But thou hast rejected and brought to nothing and cast away thy Christ; thou hast overthrown the covenant of thy servant, thou hast profaned his holiness upon the earth," and so forth. And as long as there was the light of the sun, even while enduring such and so great things, he did not say: "Why hast thou forsaken me?" But after he saw that darkness had occurred over all the land of Judea until the ninth hour, he said with his loud voice: "Why hast thou forsaken me?" Wishing to show through these things that, "You have willingly forsaken me, O Father, and have delivered me up to be emptied by such calamities, so that the people who had once been honored by you might receive what they have dared against me, filling up the measure of their fathers—and what they did to the prophets—so that they might be deprived of the light of your providence, and remain in darkness, as if you, God, were no longer present to them." But you also forsook me for the salvation of the Gentiles, so that the abandonment of Israel might become the salvation of the Gentiles. But what good have they done, those who from the Gentiles believed, such that, by my precious blood poured out upon the earth for them, I might buy them from the wicked one who had held them? And why did you turn away your face, and I became troubled, so that I must say: "My soul is sorrowful even unto death"? Or what such worthy thing are men going to do for whom I suffer these things, that I should suffer these things for them? Just as the Prophet also had already predicted about this very thing beforehand, as if crying out to you and saying: "What profit, O Father, has been made to men in my blood, while I descend into corruption? Shall the dust confess to you, or shall it declare your truth?" Perhaps, moreover, and seeing the sins of men
A they live indeed evilly, they give him wine mingled with gall to drink; but those who apply wisdoms alien to the truth to Christ, as if he himself said such things, these, filling a sponge with vinegar, put it upon a reed and give him to drink. There are those, however, who offer to his mouth both vinegar and gall, as John writes; and perhaps those who understand only evilly, fill the sponge with vinegar and put it on the reed of their writing, and give him to drink: but those who also understand evilly concerning the dispensations of Christ, and live wickedly, these placing a sponge full of vinegar with gall and hyssop upon the reed of Scripture, offer it to his mouth. But whoever does not wish to drink his wine on account of the admixture of gall, will much less drink vinegar, nor vinegar mingled with gall. Therefore, we, receiving the wine pure from all bitterness and sourness, the wine which makes the heart B of man glad, and the heart of the Son of God himself, from that very Savior of ours, Jesus, who is the true vine, we may drink from him, as may his disciples, so that he may say of us who drink well of him and his disciples: "You thirsted, and you gave me a drink." Let us also receive the water of refreshment with which the good Shepherd nourishes the just, so that those who are fed by him may say: "He has brought us up on the water of refreshment."
156. Such as were standing by, and hearing, were saying: "He calls for Elias." Others however were saying: "Let us see if Elias comes and delivers him." As if they had heard that he calls upon God, they would certainly have marveled at his prayer on the cross, greater than was the prayer of Jonah praying in the belly of the whale, and they would have been edified, so that even when constituted in extreme calamities they might not cease to pray to God. But I say that the prayer of Christ was greater than that of Jonah in the belly of the whale, on account of the magnitude of the things which are demonstrated from it, and on account of the great affection of his voluntary passion.
157. And immediately one of them running, taking a sponge, filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. And he fulfilled the prophecy saying concerning him: "And they gave for my food gall, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." Therefore also, according to John, when Jesus had received the vinegar with the gall, he said: "It is finished," also this which Scripture had predicted concerning me. But one may pleasantly use this text against those who have written or are writing maliciously against Christ, of whom Isaiah says: "Woe to those who write malice." For those who write, write malice. I speak however of those who have left behind some writings, speaking iniquity on high. And one shall use this text seeing them gathering from certain auditions, whether of ethnic words or of barbaric languages, and making a narration like a certain sponge, filling it not with potable word, nor with wine making the heart of man glad, nor with the water of refreshment, but with something contrary, and harmful, and with unintelligible, undrinkable vinegar; and this sponge they put upon the reed of their scripture, and as far as concerns them, they inflict injuries upon Jesus from such a drink. And some indeed give Jesus to drink wine mingled with gall, which Jesus the Son of God does not want to drink; others however not wine, but vinegar. And perhaps however many understand according to ecclesiastical doctrine, D yet live evilly, [158.] Jesus however again crying with a great voice, gave up his spirit. As regards Matthew indeed saying that Jesus cried again with a great voice and gave up his spirit, but not manifesting what that great voice was with which he cried again, it was to say that he cried again with the same voice that he had cried above, saying: "My God, my God." But because Luke clearly writes what voice he cried when he gave up his spirit, saying: "Into your hands I commend my spirit," it is to be understood in this place also that that voice which he cried again, giving up his spirit, was this: "Into your hands I commend my spirit." If therefore to give up the spirit, or, as John writes, to hand over the spirit, was the same thing as to die, it was simply to be understood what is said in this place: "He gave up the spirit." But now, since the wise define death as nothing else but the separation of the soul from the body, let us see lest perhaps it is one thing simply to die, but another to cry with a great voice and to give up the spirit, as the present Matthew explains; or to commend the spirit into the hands of God and to send forth the spirit, according to what Luke says; or to incline his head and to hand over the spirit, as John explains. And to die indeed is the lot of all men, even of the wicked, since all souls are separated from the body, even those of the iniquitous, who cannot say what Christ said departing from his body. But to cry with a great voice, and so to give up the spirit, which is to commend the spirit into the hands of the Lord, and so to send forth the spirit; or to incline the head, and to hand over the spirit, is not except only of the saints who by good works God
A prepare themselves as Christ did, so that they may be able, when departing from the world, to confidently commend or hand over their spirit into the hands of God. If, therefore, we have understood what it is to cry out with a loud voice and thus send forth the spirit, that is, to commend it into the hands of God—for we have explained this above, offering an exposition of the Evangelist Luke—if we have understood what it is to incline the head and hand over the spirit, let us hasten to save our life, so that at our own departure we may also be able to cry out with a loud voice, and thus send forth the spirit; or to incline the head and hand over the spirit, just as Jesus, who inclined his head and went forth as if resting it upon the Father's bosom; He who was able to cherish and comfort it in His own bosom. But if you wish to hear what it profited Christ to have cried out with a loud voice and thus to have sent forth the spirit, that is, to have commended the spirit into the hands of the Lord, and thus to have sent it B forth; or to have inclined His head upon the Father's bosom and to have handed over the spirit, hear what the Prophet says: *For because of this He did not leave His soul in hell, nor did He give His holy one to see corruption*. If, therefore, we also conduct ourselves in such a way that we are able to commend our spirits into the hands of God, or incline our head upon the bosom of God, and thus hand over the spirit, without doubt He will neither abandon our souls in hell, nor will He allow us to remain in corruption forever: but He who called Him back from hell after the third day, will also call us back at the opportune time; and He who granted Him not to see corruption in His flesh, will grant it to us—not indeed that our flesh shall not see corruption, but that it shall be freed from corruption at the opportune time; because He indeed did not commit sin, nor was guile found in His mouth; but we shall be just, if we ever turn away from our sins. Furthermore, since He again, crying with a loud voice and saying, *Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit*, sent forth the spirit, therefore, as He was sending forth the spirit, signs were wrought over Him, and wonders testifying C to His dignity in this manner: *And behold the veil of the temple was rent in two parts from the top to the bottom*. As long as Jesus had not undergone death for men, He Himself being established as the expectation of the nations, the veil of the temple was shrouding the inner parts of the temple; for it was necessary that those things be veiled, until He who alone could reveal them might make them manifest to those wishing to see, so that through the death of Christ Jesus, who destroys the death of those who believe, those who have been liberated from death might be able to gaze upon what is inside the veil. But what those things are, it is not the time to explain now, since they possess a deep and difficult interpretation. It is more appropriate to explain them in the third book of Kings, and in the second book of Paralipomenon, in which it is written concerning the temple, and concerning those things which were placed inside the veil; here, however, it is only written that the veil of the temple was rent in two parts, from the top to the bottom. D Yet someone who does not negligently understand the Scriptures, and looks upon the fact that there were two veils, one indeed the inner one which veiled the Holy of Holies, the other the outer, whether of the tabernacle or of the temple, which were figures of the holy tabernacle which the Father prepared from the beginning. Of which veils of the temple one was rent in two parts from the top to the bottom when Jesus, crying with a loud voice, sent forth the spirit: showing by this, as I suppose, the mystery, that in the passion of the Lord Savior the veil which was on the outside was rent from the top to the bottom, so that from the beginning of the world until the bottom, that is, until its end, the veil being rent, the mysteries might be made public, which until the coming of Christ had reasonably been hidden. And if we did not know only in part, but already now all things were being made manifest, with the beloved disciples of Christ still constituted in the body, both veils would have had to be rent, that is, the one which is on the outside and the one inside. But now, because we are brought forward to the knowledge of new things, the veil which was indeed on the outside is meanwhile rent from top to bottom, so that when that which is perfect has come, and the rest that remained have been revealed, then the second veil also may be taken away, that we may see even those things which are hidden within the second veil: the true Ark of the Testament, and just as nature itself is, that we may see the cherubim, and the true mercy seat, and the laying up of the manna in the golden vessel, and all things manifest and greater than those which were demonstrated through the law of Moses, in which God said to him: *You shall make all things according to the pattern of them, which were shown on the mountain*. There is nothing strange, therefore, that the veil of the temple was rent, which was veiling the interior mysteries, so that the disciples of Christ, receiving spiritual eyes, might see those things which had been demonstrated to no one before Jesus. For no one, except the high priest alone, sees what had been before the second veil. But Aaron indeed, and those who were of him, had neither the power nor the dignity to reveal what they themselves saw to any other; but He alone, who was made high priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek with an oath, was able through the dispensation of His own death to rend the veil of the temple in two parts from the top to the bottom, so that those things which had been within might be seen by eyes that can see such things.
139. *And the earth quaked, and the monuments opened, and many bodies of the saints who were sleeping arose, and coming out of the monuments after his resurrection they entered into the holy city, and appeared to many*. And the earth was shaken, that is, all flesh with the new Word, and with new things according to the new testament, and with a new canticle, and with new things which are coming upon the earth, just as the Prophet also says about this very thing in a certain place: *All are troubled who*
they saw them, that is, the disciples of Christ, and every man feared. Likewise, through another prophet the Lord says: *Yet once more, and I will shake heaven, and earth, and sea, and dry land.* Discussing briefly the movement of the earth, it is not useless to speak also of the rocks A that were split during the passion of the Lord Savior, which were a mystery, as I believe, of the prophets; for they were made manifest in the advent of Christ, [as were] the law and the prophets. On account of this, when Moses is read to those who are turning to the Lord, the veil that had been placed upon their heart is taken away, and that which had been placed as a veil in the reading of the Old Testament is abolished in Christ. The rocks, therefore, are now opened and split, so that we may see the spiritual mysteries deposited in their depths. Now we prove that the rocks split at that time are the prophets: first, from the fact that Christ is called the spiritual rock, and it is logical that all imitators of Christ should likewise be called rocks, just as they are called the light of the world because the Lord himself is their light of the world; next, also from the fact that Peter himself is called a rock by the Lord, when it is said to him: *You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.* But this is especially demonstrated from the fact that all those against whom the gates of Hades do not prevail, who have the work of the name of rock in them—that is, the apostles and prophets—are themselves rocks, and they are the foundations of those who are built upon them, according to what the Apostle says: *Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone.* Those who are of the immaculate Church are especially built upon the apostles and prophets, and they imitate the apostles and do not despise the prophets, but search even their Scriptures. Now let us speak also of the opened graves. The hour has come, according to what Christ had promised, *that those who are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son, and shall live.* Therefore, as they hear the voice of the Son of God, B the graves are opened, which had indeed been closed as long as they were dead within them; but they are opened so that those who had risen might exit the graves—not before the resurrection of the Firstborn from the dead, but after His resurrection—and that those rising might abandon the graves, but enter into the holy city, and appear and be manifested to many who are willing and able to see the holy city of God, and the bodies of the saints that have been resurrected therein. For graves are called the bodies of sinful souls, that is, of those dead to God. But when by the grace of God souls of this kind have been raised to faith, their bodies, which had previously been graves of dead souls, become the bodies of holy ones, and they are seen to exit from themselves when they have ceased to be graves of dead souls and have begun to be bodies of the saints. C 928 Therefore, great things are accomplished by that which Jesus called out with a great voice, and gave up his spirit, and these same great things always happen daily. For is not the veil of the temple rent for the holy ones from top to bottom, and from beginning to end, so that what is held within may be revealed? When is it that the earth is not moved and does not tremble for those who are worthy of salvation, [the earth] which before the death of Christ was immovable? When is it that the rocks, according to what we have handed down, are not split? Thus even the graves are always opened, and many bodies of the saints who are indeed sleeping rise, and go forth from the graves after His resurrection—yet in those who died for us, and they follow Him, those who have risen, and they walk with Him in newness of life. Thus also those who are worthy to have their citizenship in heaven, saying: *But our citizenship is in heaven,* enter into the holy city at each time, and their light shines before men, and their good works appear to many who see and understand, and on account of this they glorify their Father who is in heaven. But we must also speak of these things, and understand, since every letter of the Gospel as a letter vivifies those who are evangelically, if I may call them so, Scribes; but the Spirit, which goes beyond the nature of the letters, enlightens them more with more divine movements, to whom the Gospel is not veiled: for they do all things so that they may see what mysteries happen in their soul through the resurrection of Christ. For one who believes in the Scriptures is edified by a certain edification, but he is filled with greater knowledge who sees that the veil of Scripture is rent from top to bottom, and sees what is within it. Blessed is he, moreover, to whom the earth and all earthly things are moved; for they were moved also by Christ; and his feet shall not be moved, nor shall he say: *My feet had almost slipped.* But how much more blessed is he who sees with the eyes of the soul the split rocks, than those who saw these things happen then bodily? If, however, anyone, seeing both the graves opened and the bodies of the many sleeping saints rising and going forth from the graves after the resurrection of the body of Christ, becomes entirely a stranger to the graves and becomes an inhabitant of the city of God, having entered into it, how much more shall he be edified than those who saw these prodigies bodily? But I think there is a sufficient difference between him who enters into the holy city and appears to many as being in it, and him who believes according to history and does not ascend from simple faith D to higher mysteries. 140. But the centurion and those who were with him guarding Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, feared greatly, saying: *Truly this was the Son of God.* But Mark writes thus: *The centurion who stood there, seeing that he had expired while crying out, said: Truly this man was the Son of God.* Luke also...
A puts it thus: *The centurion seeing what was done, glorified God, saying: Truly this man was righteous.* According to Mark, indeed, the centurion does not marvel because the veil of the temple had been rent from the top to the bottom, nor because other signs happened, as Matthew relates—that is, because the earth was shaken and the rocks were split, or the tombs were opened. It is worth seeing, therefore, what was done subsequently regarding that which is written in Mark, so that the centurion marveled, saying: *Truly this man was the Son of God.* And see if we can say, according to one way, that he marveled at those things which were said by Him to God with crying and greatness of feeling; according to what he was able to understand, he marveled, suspecting it, and said: *Truly this man was the Son of God.* But according to another way, since perhaps Pilate, wishing to gratify the whole people who had said: *Crucify, crucify him*, and fearing a tumult of all the people, did not order, according to the Roman custom regarding those who are crucified, that the body of Jesus be struck under the armpits—which those who condemn those found in greater crimes sometimes do. Since, therefore, those who are not struck after the fixing sustain greater torture, but live with very much torment, sometimes even all night, and still all the next day. Jesus, therefore, since He had not been struck, and it was expected that He would endure greater torments hanging for a long time on the cross, prayed to the Father, and was heard, and immediately as He cried to the Father, He was received C; or as One who had the power of laying down His soul, He laid it down when He Himself willed; at which miracle the centurion was astonished, and said: *Truly this man was the Son of God.* For it was a miracle that He was received after three hours, who perhaps was going to live for two days on the cross according to the custom of those who are indeed suspended, but not struck: that it might be seen to have been the benefit of God that He expired, rather than the violence of the cross. That which Mark also explains in what follows, when Joseph had entered to Pilate and had asked for the body of Jesus, signifies this very thing. For he says that Pilate marveled if He were already dead, and calling the centurion, asked him if He were already dead; and when he had heard from the centurion, he granted his body to Joseph. For if the custom which had been among the Romans regarding the crucified and struck had been kept in Christ, how would Pilate have marveled if He were already dead? See, therefore, if he does not show a new miracle that He was already dead, and that Pilate called the centurion and asked if He were already dead. See also if Matthew does not show that Christ’s torment was of this kind, saying: *The centurion and they that were with him, were watching Jesus.* Why, however, were they watching Him, unless that for a B long time hanging on the cross He might be tortured more, and not killed, nor taken down? Yet the centurion, according to Matthew, not only said concerning Jesus: *Truly this was the Son of God*, but also feared Him, the earthquake casting him into fear. Perhaps, however, he also knew from experience regarding earthquakes that happen among the nations that this had been an earthquake, and he was astonished in seeing this. And observe that in Mark, where the centurion is not reported to have seen any miracle, he calls Jesus the Son of God: but he who was astonished either by the rending of the veil, or by the earthquake, does not call that man [just], but the Son of God. The discourse of Luke's account also agrees with us in the treatise which we made regarding the Scripture of Mark, since he himself also writes thus: *Truly this man was righteous*; in whom nothing else is said, except concerning the veil. Seeing, he says, what was done, the centurion glorified God, saying: *Truly this man was righteous.* That such a thing was done at the time of the condemnation of Christ, and Pilate did not order the custom to be kept so that the body of Christ might be struck, John also makes manifest, writing in this manner, that they asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and they might be taken away. But what necessity had there been to ask and offer prayers concerning this, if it had been done according to custom? Therefore, after their cruel condemnation, the Jews felt pity for those who, as far as their estimation went, were living in terrible torment. And they broke the legs of the first indeed, and likewise of the second: but Jesus had no need of their intercessions or the prayers which they offered to Pilate: on account of which, coming to Jesus, since He was already dead, they did not break His legs. Or perhaps the Jews did not do this on account of mercy, but principally on account of the Sabbath, so that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the Sabbath. For that was a great day of the Sabbath. We have treated these things because it is written that the centurion, and those who with him were watching Jesus, and the other things, seeing the earthquake, and whatever things were being done, were afraid. It is likely that they saw how the veil of the temple was rent down to the bottom, and the other things showing the mystery of those things which we have handed down above, and were greatly afraid: for this is what is signified by what is said, *greatly*. D See, however, lest perhaps also the moral exposition receives the discourse in this way: since there are some who receive Christ and watch: as when they have seen, according to what we have handed down, the veil rent, and rocks, as we have explained, split, and the tombs, as we have explained, opened, and the bodies of the dead saints coming forth from the tombs, and entering into the holy city, that is the Church, they are led into the fear of God, and bear witness that He is the Son of God who has suffered such things. And it will not be a wonder if someone had confessed the Son of God, the Word, and wisdom, and truth, and all those things which the Son of God is called.
A 141. There were also women there beholding from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him; among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. They report that Isaiah prophesied concerning these women, saying: "Come, women, you who come from the spectacle; for it is not a people having understanding." For he calls the women who had been afar off, and were beholding Jesus from afar, he calls them to the Word, that they might leave behind the foolish and forsaken people, and draw near to the new testament. I consider those women blessed who are built up unto blessedness by the spectacle of the Word and by the death of the body of Jesus. For everything that is in Christ, if it be truly seen, makes the beholder blessed. They behold, therefore, the mortification of the body of Jesus and the manner in which, with prayers, he commended his spirit to the Father. These had followed him from the first from Galilee, and—if I may be so bold as to use the authority of the Scripture saying: "From Galilee of the Gentiles"—they followed not from a straight or firm path, but having a certain circuit; for this is what is understood by Galilee, that is, a rolling or vertigo, which, leaving behind, they followed Jesus, not idly, but doing what was commanded by him, and they delighted him; for following him, they ministered unto him. Every soul, moreover, participating in some division of graces and in the Lord himself, renders to Jesus a ministry similar to the ministries of the angels, of whom it is written that the angels approaching ministered unto him. There were many, therefore, then waiting for Jesus; but the chief ones are named, as if beholding more attentively, and ministering more, and following better: Mary Magdalene, more in accordance with the interpretation of the name of her country, which is called Magdala. Now that place is interpreted as "magnification." And this Mary Magdalene was from "magnification" for no other reason than that she had followed Jesus, and had ministered unto him, and had beheld the mystery of his passion. And among the chief [women] was also Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, or, as Mark says, the mother of James the less and Joseph, according to the name of the patriarch Jacob, the supplanter of his brother, and Joseph, whom his mother, being born, says: "May the Lord add unto me another son." And she, therefore, following the Lord, and ministering, and observing the dispensation of his passion, because she had been the mother of a faithful one—not some great one, such as the patriarch Jacob had been, but a lesser one, and Joseph the other. And there was also among the women the mother of the sons of Zebedee, perhaps some one standing in the mystery of thunder B because of her faith and holy life, and because she followed the Lord, and ministered, and had been a spectator of all the things that had been done around him, since the sons of Zebedee were called "sons of thunder." For his sons were John and James: therefore John heard the words of the seven thunders—words which, as it were, were more distinct than all Scripture—so that he received a command not to write them. But if it is necessary to opine and even to speak the name of the mother of the sons of Zebedee, I say that she herself had been called Salome the peaceable. I am of the opinion, however, seeing that in Matthew and Mark three chief women are named, of whom the present discourse is held. And the present evangelist sets forth that two are there, Mary Magdalene and Mary of James; but the third is said to be the mother of the sons of Zebedee. In Mark, however, that third one is called Salome: and according to Mark, those who had followed Jesus from Galilee ascended with Christ into Jerusalem. For this is the end of those who forsake the Galilee of the Gentiles and follow Jesus, that they may not only ascend into Jerusalem, but also ascend into it with Jesus. For this signifies that they are reported to have ascended at the same time with Christ.
142. But when it was late, there came a certain rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was a disciple of Jesus. He approached Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered the body to be returned. He who asks for the body of the Lord from Pilate was not just anybody, but one rich in praiseworthy riches; and because he was appointed a decurion, he bore the mystery of the name of Christ in truth, which is ten, therefore he willingly asked for the body of Jesus from Pilate for a great benefit, and did not permit him to hang on the wood. Therefore he is praised by the evangelists because he was a just and good man, and had been a disciple of Jesus, and he rendered the fruit of his discipleship perhaps, as in many things, so in the body of Christ, because he was awaiting the kingdom of God, as Jesus had taught.
143. And having received the body, Joseph wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new monument, which he had hewn out in the rock, and rolled a great stone to the door of the monument, and went away. In a clean linen cloth he wrapped it, and placed it in a new monument where no one had died, preserving the body of Jesus for the chief resurrection. I think, however, that the linen cloth had more cleanliness from the time when the body of Christ was wrapped in it than before: for the body of Jesus, even established in death, as the body of Jesus made that new monument clean which had been hewn out in the rock. And do not think that it was written by chance, and said by way of event, because he wrapped the body in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in a new monument, and because that monument had been hewn in the rock, a clean monument which was made cleaner by the body of Jesus than it had been before the body of Jesus was placed in it. You will ask, however, if there are men having nothing more than the body of Jesus, new indeed and hewn in the rock, and the monument is his clean [monument], and therefore they are saved. C Consequently, however, D
A and others are outside those who have Jesus living, and some of them have Jesus living even before the passion, but others [have him] rising from the dead; some, according to what appears to many, have him having neither form nor comeliness; others have him reformed in glory, and others see him ascending, and hope to be caught up with him in the clouds, so that they may always remain with him. Therefore, Matthew wrote that the monument was new and that it was hewn in the rock, and [he] did not manifest [that it was] empty. And that it was new and free from every dead body, Luke and John manifested; one of whom indeed said: "In which no one had yet been laid," and John: "In which no one had yet been laid." Plainly, if no one had ever been laid there, then later they are laid; for what he says, "In which no one had yet been laid," is signified to those considering this word cautiously. We say, therefore, lest perhaps we ought to understand this place simply, since he who said: "We were buried with Christ through baptism, and we have risen with him," in a new and intelligible monument hewn in the rock, was himself buried after Christ, as well as all who are buried with Christ in baptism, that they might rise with him out of the new monument as the firstborn from the dead, and holding the pre-eminence in all things. B Now Joseph rolled not many stones to the door of the monument, but one, and a great one, and greater than the power of those lying in wait could be, though not greater than the power of the angel who was descending from heaven and rolling the stone from it and sitting upon it; for all things which are around the body of Christ Jesus are clean and new, and not simply great, but all things are very great.
[144.] Now there was there Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting across from the sepulchre. After these things, the charity of the two Marys, of Magdalene, and of the mother of James and Joseph, bound them to the new monument on account of the body of Jesus which had been there. And observe this, that above, these two Marys, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee, whom we suppose to be Salome herself, were watching from afar the wonders which were happening at the passion of Christ, and his body suspended on the wood. Now three did not remain here; for the mother of the sons of Zebedee is not written as sitting across from the sepulchre together with Mary Magdalene and with Mary, the mother of James and Joseph. For perhaps the mother of the sons of Zebedee could arrive up to this point; but these [others], as if greater in charity, were not even lacking those things which were done afterwards.
[145.] The next day, which is after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying: "Sir, we remember that that deceiver said while still alive: 'After the third day I will rise.' Order, therefore, that the sepulchre be guarded until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come and steal him, and say to the people: 'He has risen from the dead'; A and the last error will be worse than the first." But Pilate said to them: "You have a guard; go, guard it as you know." But they went and made the sepulchre secure by sealing the stone with the guard. It is a matter of reasoning to ask the chief priests who came to Pilate, that they might say these things which they said. Say, priests, when Jesus had said: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," to what purpose did you think he said it? Or concerning the dissolution and resurrection of his own body? Or concerning the destruction and reparation of the temple itself? For if you understood it thus, that he was saying these things concerning his own resurrection, how, bearing witness against him, did you say that this one said: "I can destroy this temple, and in three days rebuild it"? But if you truly understood it concerning that temple, according to what you also bore witness, whence now do you know that he said [he] would rise from the dead after three days? See therefore how impiety overthrows itself by its own words. For by these words they condemn that testimony of theirs, because while truly understanding him to be saying those things concerning the resurrection of his body, and knowing [it], they turned his words toward the destruction and reparation of that insensible temple. Now I still ask: What do you say, priests? B Truly, because he was saying to men: "After three days I will rise," and secretly commanding his disciples that they should steal him by night and say after three days that he has risen from the dead? But this is incredible from this very fact, after so many moral discourses which he taught to the whole people, and after such and such powers which he showed everywhere in all Judea, that he would deceive his disciples with words, C so that they themselves would even blame him who commanded these things, and therefore by no means do what he commanded, especially on account of the danger that loomed over them from the people, if they were to confess him who had just been crucified a little before, both as their teacher and as Christ. But if it is incredible that he said this, see whether it is not consistent that just as he performed wonders, just as he foretold that his Gospel was to be preached in the whole world, and just as: "Before governors and kings you will stand," and just as: "Jerusalem will be destroyed by an army," so also he foretold concerning his own resurrection that which he said: "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days." Therefore also in their own prejudice the priests and the Pharisees spoke to Pilate, saying that that deceiver said while still alive that after three days I will rise. Now see also how some coming from the guard to the city announced, not to others, but to the chief priests themselves, all things whatsoever had been done, so that their impiety might be established as inexcusable from every side; but those most miserable men did not even then acquiesce to such great proofs, so as to accept that Jesus was Christ; but even after all these things they were acting maliciously on account of the hardness of their heart. Just as the heart of Pharaoh had been hardened against