Fragments on Luke

EUSEBIUS OF CAESAREA COMMENTARIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE WHAT REMAINS IN THE VATICAN CODICES

^A "In the days of Herod the king of Judea." For the tribe of Judah was from of old royal, and it ruled over all, and they were autonomous, according to the prophecy. Indeed, they were free and autonomous until the times of Augustus, at which time—Christ having appeared—the entire nation was enslaved; it was then that Herod, a foreigner to them, first ruled over them; and Augustus, the Emperor who granted him the principate by decree of the senate, held the scepters of the inhabited world. Now this Herod was born of Antipater, an Ascalonite, who was attached to the ministry of Apollo, and his mother was Cyprina, an Arab. For this man, having put to death Hyrcanus, the last ruler in the succession of high priests, was proclaimed king of the Jews. Luke makes mention of him now, in order to show that Christ came truly, the rulers among the Jews having failed according to the prophecy.

And Zacharias said to the angel: "Whereby shall I know this?" ^B What sign do you show me, he says, so that I may be persuaded by what has been prophesied by you, as things that are about to come to pass? For what has been said is almost against nature; for those advanced in years do not procreate. Yet it behooved Zacharias not to look toward his own and his wife's old age, but toward the power of the God who was making the promise. And yet, great matters are with difficulty persuaded to men, and God shows indulgence; for not even Abraham himself believed as he ought to have, but at first he even laughed and said: "Will a son be born to a hundred-year-old?" And Sarah also, having laughed, was rebuked at that time. Sometimes for...

God rebukes by words alone, and sometimes even by deeds. Therefore, for this reason, He also rebuked Zechariah by a deed, casting him into deafness and muteness; for he ought to have been instructed by the previous examples, and to have converted the rebuke the fathers had suffered into his own instruction. ^A *I am Gabriel.*

What, then, does the angel say to him? "Messenger," he says, "do you disbelieve, you who stand before God? And do you not believe the One who sent you, but look instead to the impossibility of the matter? Therefore, on account of this unbelieving speech, you shall be deprived of speech until the matter is fulfilled, so that you may know both your own unbelief and God's power." ^B *The Lord God will give to him the throne of David his father.*

He speaks of the throne promised to David, but not yet given. For, "Once," He says, "I have sworn in My holiness; if I lie to David, his seed will abide for ever, and his throne as the sun in My sight." And again: "I have sworn to David My servant, I will prepare your seed unto eternity, and I will build your throne from generation to generation." He does not say these things about a carnal lineage, nor about a visible throne, but about that which the angel mentions when speaking with Mary, which has nothing temporal, which shines like light throughout the whole world, and illuminates souls ^C intellectually through divine teaching. And do not understand "the house of Jacob" as only the Jewish people, but as all those who, by the calling of the Savior, are adopted from all the nations into the adoption of the saints. The people of God are sometimes called Jacob and sometimes Israel; for it was the same man who was both Israel and Jacob. And by nature, the ancient people was Jacob, as descending from Jacob by blood relationship; but by adoption, the new people is Jacob, according to an affinity of virtue; for the new was brought in to replace the old. Henceforth, therefore, that King will reign over this people for ever, that is to say, perpetually; for this people will recognize Christ through His works and words, and will willingly submit to Him. Truly, Christ was King insofar as He is God; for He says, "My kingdom is not of this world." ^D Indeed, He was also King insofar as He is man, for He displayed the works of a king, namely, giving laws to His subjects, governing and caring for them, and the merit of dying for them, which are the primary characteristics of a true king. *The Holy Spirit will come upon you.*

"It is God," he says, "who works; do not doubt; the same One who strengthens even a nature grown old and dead, and, if He wills, makes it new." *Mary said: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord," etc.*

"I am the handmaid of the Lord; I am a tablet being inscribed; whatever the Scribe wills, let Him write; let the Lord of all do what He wills."

^A "A light for revelation to the Gentiles." Observe how He now speaks of the salvation of the Gentiles that was to come; for the Gentiles, He says, are awaiting His coming.

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; because of which He has anointed Me."

The Savior, initiating the beatitudes, announces to the poor the heavenly riches and the kingdom of the heavens. And indeed, the prophet Isaiah had previously made mention of these things, foretelling what was to come in the very person of the Savior: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because of which He has anointed Me, to bring good news to the poor He has sent Me." Clearly, therefore, He had signified the advent of happiness to the poor. And for this reason, He appeared among men, He whose humanity had been anointed by the Holy Spirit. And thence He began His teaching, announcing the heavenly kingdom to those who were poor for His sake.

"Who came to hear Him, and to be healed of their diseases."

Observe, then, at the present time, those who began from above to traverse the words of the Savior, and who received from Him the teachings as if they were divine laws, through which one might attain the heavenly kingdom; and let them not stop at merely learning, but let them advance also to works, so that they might not fall away from the promises; for the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

"Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."

Since the kingdom of the heavens is conceived in many orders of good things, according to the saying, "There are many mansions with ^B the Father," the first dignity, so to speak, and the first step of those ascending, is that of those who are poor for the sake of God. These are they who have disregarded all the precious things of the present life, who are poor in modesty, who, having reached the height of dispossession through their philosophy according to God, will attain the blessedness proposed by the Savior. He made such men His first disciples; wherefore, addressing them in their own person according to another of the evangelists, He said: "Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." For the word "yours" is used demonstratively toward those present. And He also lifted His eyes toward them, and even before speaking, by a cheerful gaze, drew them toward listening; and they willingly offered themselves as obedient listeners to what was said. This, then, was the first degree of the saving beatitudes, which made those who had embraced for His sake poverty and a life of absolute dispossession, piety, and love of God—that is, those endowed with a humble mind—co-reigners with Him.

^C The second and third are presently recounted by Christ.

^A, as well as the fourth and those that follow. For he taught that in a certain way, it is possible for those deemed worthy of the lives named above to strive for the promised goods; so that, even if they cannot co-reign with Christ in the kingdom of God to the same extent as the poor in spirit, they might at least be comforted in that, having wept over the sins they committed unto death, they have devoted themselves to repentance, confession, and a chaste life. Or, they might possess the promised land and become inhabitants and citizens of the heavenly city of God, having shown themselves to be meek and long-suffering. Or, because they have hungered and thirsted for righteousness in the present life, they might obtain it and be satisfied in the promised age, when they shall enjoy its pure and substantial virtue, beholding the very hypostatic righteousness of God, and the very wisdom of God, and eternal life, and the light of the soul—all of which are understood according to the powers ^B inherent in the only-begotten Word of God. If, moreover, others have been kind and merciful, demonstrating sympathy and sociability toward their neighbors, they shall experience the same in return for their deeds, obtaining mercy through the mercy and love of God. There is also another order of the blessed according to the promise: those who are pure in heart, that is, in mind; and again, another order of peacemakers. The former of these will receive the reward of their purity, the vision of God, because they are to see Him with the purified eyes of the soul; the latter, however, will become sons of God, because they have accomplished a work similar to that of the Son of God, who made peace with all things through Himself, whether those in heaven or those on earth. Nevertheless, all these, according to the diversity of their works, will obtain different honors in the proclaimed kingdom of heaven ^C. For the first to reign with the Son of God will be those who were identified as the poor in spirit. After them, the second will be the brave martyrs of God, of whom He speaks subsequently, saying: *Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake.* For in these words, He called blessed, as noble soldiers of God, those who were about to struggle for the kingdom; and of necessity, He also promised the kingdom of heaven to them, as brothers of the previously blessed poor, as their reward. With great order and consistency, He imparted His kingdom to these after the poor in spirit. For one must first live in a manner pleasing to God for the whole time of one's life, maintaining a poor and philosophical conduct, and then in this way reach the end that is pleasing to God ^D. The former, then, practiced the life of extreme poverty, struggling throughout their entire life for the rewards of virtue. The latter, however, were driven out, attacked, hated, and maliciously assaulted with false accusations on account of their testimony to Christ, for no other cause than the confession of Christ. But we shall see the hungry and the weeping, and those insulted for Christ's sake, in Luke as well (48); [alt-version omitted]

but Matthew sets before us, for our consideration, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers.

And he said these things, arming and fortifying his disciples for the war against their enemies, which they were to endure while preaching to the whole world the kingdom of the one God over all. For, foreseeing that they would be hunted and warred against by all men on account of this new preaching, he provided protection in advance and fortified them, and counted them worthy of beatitudes; because, while they would maintain a blameless life, so as not to provide to their enemies, who were searching for pretexts against them, any occasion for slander, they would nevertheless be persecuted and fought against, and be subjected to all sorts of insults, injuries, and reproaches, for the sole sake of the confession of him and his commandments, not because of any transgression of their own, but on account of their virtuous life and their excellence in righteousness. This was indeed fulfilled in the time that followed, exactly as it had been spoken according to divine foreknowledge. Yet he tempers the sorrowfulness of his speech by affirming that they are equal to the prophets of God of old. Therefore, he exhorted them to rejoice and exult in all things that were to come, as those who were about to experience the same things as the prophets, and who would, of course, be accounted worthy of the same honors by God. Hence, Paul, emboldened by these words, rightly said: *If we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him*; and, *The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us*. And he did not say these things in words only, but in his deeds he fulfilled what was said, even demonstrating through his own actions the struggles he underwent for piety, which he enumerated, saying: *Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches*, and so forth. And these were the beginnings of his struggles. But the finish of the entire contest for him was completed in the city of the Romans, where he had his head cut off by martyrdom. Peter also seized the death by ^A the cross, because of his saving hopes; and James likewise had his head cut off by the sword in Jerusalem; and John was condemned to inhabit the island of Patmos; and others in other ways, showing the pure and guileless obedience of his words, underwent a violent end of their lives. And they suffered these things not against their will, but by holding the hope of the saving promises as sweeter than all pleasure. For when the rulers of the Jewish nation arrested them, and subjected them to the torture of stripes, as the history concerning them testifies, they went out from the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ ^B. And they did this in obedience to his precept, who had taught them to rejoice if at any time they suffered on his account. ^{C D}

He also showed them to be equal in honor to the prophets, saying according to Matthew: *For so they persecuted those who were before you*; as they were indeed prophets, yet lacking in time, though equal to them in the likeness of their suffering. Since some of them were slaughtered with the sword, others were stoned, another was thrown to the lions, another was cast into a foul pit, and another had his body sawn in half; others were shut up in a fiery furnace. Therefore, the Savior exhorted his acquaintances to be of good courage in the endurance of such terrors, reminding them from time to time of what the prophets of God had suffered, ^A so that by proposing them as examples, they might themselves form the same hopes: *For when*, he says, *they falsely accuse you, rejoice; since the prophets also endured the same.*

*And all the people hearing, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, not being baptized by him.*

He was hinting at both of these when he also spoke in a parable: *What do you think? A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first and said: Son, go, work today in my vineyard. But he answered and said: I will not. But afterward, moved by repentance he went. And he came to the other and said in like manner. And he answered and said: I go, sir; and he went not. Which of the two did the will of his father? They say to him: The first.* ^B Here, he represented by his discourse two orders of men, of which the one is the Israelitic people, the other that of foreign nations, indicated by the name of publicans; but he called both of them sons of one father, because all are from one God, Jews and Greeks alike. And he called those from the nations first, and those from the circumcision second; since the nations existed before Israel, and the oracles of God and the theophanies were afforded to the nations first, when as yet there was not even a name for the Israelitic people among men. For Enoch, being a Gentile and uncircumcised, received the reward of his piety as his translation from among men; and Noah, having been righteous in his generation, was deemed worthy of divine oracles, being himself also uncircumcised; and Melchizedek, ^C having been older than the people of the circumcision, was established as a priest of the Most High God; and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, before the Israelitic people, were honored by the oracles of God; and Job as well, being an Idumean from the sons of Esau, shone forth by the virtuous deeds of his piety toward God. But the remaining order of the Gentiles, although ordered to labor in the vineyard by natural laws—that is, to live a pious life toward God—refused and resisted the paternal command, for all time worshiping idols. Nevertheless, at the end ^D

^A he showed obedience; whereas the Jewish nation, which was the second child, after the refusal of the first, being called to the same work through Moses and the prophets, showed willingness in word, for they said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do and we will hearken" (Exod. xix, 8), but in deed their action was the exact opposite. Wherefore the Savior asks the chief priests: "Which of the two did the will of his father?" (Matt. xxi, 31). And when they confessed that it was the first, what does He mean by this "first," but that "the tax collectors and the harlots and the whole order of the unbelieving nations will go before you into the love ^B of God." But you, who are the chief priests and elders, and their whole nation—which indeed professed in word to be religious, but in deeds opposed the promise—for this cause they from among the nations, having turned from their former wickedness, and having received fruits worthy of the kingdom, will attain it; but you, who call yourselves children of God, will be expelled from the kingdom, because you did not believe Him, whereas the tax collectors and the harlots did believe. Therefore they also "justified God," for He appeared just in all that He did, casting you away as disobedient and ungrateful, and choosing them as obedient and grateful. And you have no further cause to complain against Him, as the prophet says, "That you may be justified in your words" (Ps. L, 6).

To go into the abyss

And a woman was with a flow of blood for twelve years, etc.

^A and made it a byproduct of his own impiety. So much then for this. Let us proceed to the next part of the discourse. "And having called [his] twelve disciples together, he gave them power and authority," etc. With these things the Lord was arming His own disciples with divine powers, so that primarily they might cast down the demonic phalanxes and the enmities of men and their warring battle-lines; and subsequently, that they might heal those burdened by diseases and every kind of affliction, thereby providing clear proofs of the kingdom being preached to all men. For it was necessary that those who were announcing an unexpected teaching should exhibit signs of strange and new blessings to those being taught. And so, the extraordinary powers, the wonders, and the salvific healings of souls and bodies were truly demonstrations of the Kingdom of God; for any word, lacking works, could never be able to instill firm persuasion in the hearers. Therefore, by works performed, they were winning clear faith for the preaching. If, then, they had merely shouted into the ears of all—by empty words and vocal expressions carelessly uttered—about the Kingdom of God and the abolition of the ancestral gods, who would have provided them with any attention? Or whom could they have persuaded that Jesus, whom they were announcing, was God, offering no faith by their testimony? ^B Therefore, the Savior, forestalling every word with divine actions, first chose His own disciples—men who were clumsy in their way of life, and devoid of eloquent and mortal wisdom—for the correction of the whole inhabited world. And secondly, having promised to make them fishers of human souls, He Himself became the author of the promise; whence He rendered them workers of extraordinary wonders, providing them with these hooks salvific for souls, so that through them they might net and draw the mortal race out of the abyss of wickedness, putting to flight evil spirits, and healing every disease and every sickness at His command; for as yet the Spirit had not been given.

"Take nothing for the way, neither staves, nor bag."

According to Matthew, indeed, He forbade them the possession of gold and silver and copper, with foreknowledge of the future; for He perceived that those who were to be healed of diseases by them, and delivered from incurable maladies, would wish to give up all their possessions to them. Therefore, ^C forestalling this, He commanded them not to trade in grace nor to hold the gifts of God as something venal. But according to the other evangelists, and Matthew himself, in not allowing them to carry a staff, nor a bag, nor sandals, nor two tunics, and furthermore neither bread nor money, when they were about to set out on a journey, He was taking a test of their faith and forwardness—to see if, being ordered to lead a life of total poverty, so as not to take thought even for daily food, nor to carry a second tunic, nor to use sandals—though they were about to travel throughout the whole world—they would nevertheless not shirk the commands; but also, being free from all love of money and worldly cares, ^D

^A he wished them to be without concern for the means of life. He testified to these things, as though gifts from God would be given to them in this manner, if they themselves from their own side prepared a life suitable and worthy of the reception of divine graces. For it is fitting that there be a certain reciprocal compensation and exchange: that they should receive from God power which saves and benefits men, and in turn render to Him obedience to His commandments, and a readiness and resolve free from all worldly affection. Moreover, being imbued in their souls with heavenly riches and furnished with the guarantees of the kingdom of God, he judged that they ought to despise things on earth; and that neither gold, nor money, nor anything else held precious among men should be considered worthy of comparison with the heavenly wealth provided to them. ^B And while enrolling them as soldiers of the kingdom of God, he ensured they were lightly equipped for engaging in battle with the adversaries. For this reason, he advised his soldiers to be without possessions; for *no one serving as a soldier entangles himself in the affairs of this life, that he may please the one who enlisted him.*

*And into whatever house you enter, there remain.*

Truly the Lord, since He had forbidden the disciples from the acquisition of money, and gold, and silver, and a second tunic, and every kind of property, subsequently, as follows according to Matthew, necessarily explained how the things for their food would be provided; therefore He added, saying: *The worker is worthy of his food.* And by this He meant that they should partake of food only from those who were willing to distribute to them; and He permitted them to take only as much as was sufficient for a man who had hired himself out for a day's labor to receive for food. ^C In this way, therefore, it was not permitted for them to demand rewards for their good deeds—for, He says, *freely you received, freely give*—but in return for the spare time and labor spent on the preaching, and in return for the bodily toils which it was expected they would endure in setting out on such a great expedition, they should take nothing other than necessary food. And that they should not partake of this from just anyone, nor receive it indiscriminately from those willing to provide it, but only honor the worthy with the acceptance, to whom they would, in return, provide the greatest compensation for the food by announcing to them peace and reconciliation with God. He advised these things to the soldiers of His kingdom in a manner consistent with this; having testified beforehand that they should not covet money, nor any property at all, small or great, but that they should drive to the point of utter poverty; and that they should not share their daily food with everyone, but only with the worthy, and not even from these should they accept it gratuitously, but having first lent and pre-conferred good deeds by their own blessings. ^D Having surrounded the disciples with divine powers and philosophical exhortations, the Lord sent them forth, having made them nimble as soldiers of the kingdom of God, as teachers and physicians for the Jews, who would be for them dispensers of countless good things and heralds. And they did according to these things, and traveled everywhere, as teachers

and physicians healing them, and confirming their words through works and miracles. ^A *Audivit autem Herodes tetrarcha omnia quæ fiebant ab eo.*

At the arrival of the Savior, the ancestral kingdom of the Jews had already been dissolved; dissolved also was their privilege of living by their own law, and their liberty, and their legitimate priesthood. There were no longer any princes after the law for them; but Herod and his children, Agrippa and Archelaus—foreigners by race—had received from the Romans the authority over them. Their country had been divided into a tetrarchy, and the entire nation had been made tributary to the Romans, with quæstors exacting a head tax at the appointed time with military force. For this reason, when the Savior first commanded His disciples to preach the kingdom of God to them, He called them "the lost sheep of the house of Israel." ^B

*Nam qui me erubuerit, et meos sermones, hunc Filius hominis erubescet.*

Having finished these things—namely, that it was necessary for the disciples to become imitators of Him, and not to flee from death, but to spare neither their own soul nor their life for the sake of the hope placed in Christ—He fittingly proceeds, handing down to them the mysteries of His second divine manifestation (55). He spoke these things very consistently and necessarily to those who were about to suffer tortures for His sake and to contend even unto death, setting before them the future rewards of such a great struggle. For it was necessary that those who were to follow Him and tread in His footsteps, and that each take up his own cross according to His example, should know ^C accurately who this eventually was for whose sake they were to suffer so many and such great things. He timely calls Him who had come "Son of Man" in this place, in order to recall to mind the prophecy of Daniel, which said: *And behold, One like the Son of Man was coming upon the clouds; and He reached even to the Ancient of Days. And to Him was given the authority and the honor and the kingdom.* But when Peter confessed Him to be the Christ and the Son of the living God, from that time He began to show them that He must suffer many things and be killed. But when He Himself commanded them to have contempt for death, and taught that He Himself must suffer many things, then at the proper time He delivered the ^D words concerning His second and glorious advent, so that they might be able to know who indeed He was who was about to suffer such things at the hands of the Jews, and what the fruit of the struggle to be sustained for Him would be for them. — And having spoken these things to the disciples, and having revealed to them the great and hidden mystery of His second manifestation, in order that He might not be thought to persuade them by speech alone and by bare phrases, He necessarily proceeded to deeds, casting before their very eyes an image of His divine kingdom. Therefore, when He had said that it would come to pass that He would be ashamed of him who had been ashamed of Him, at the time when He shall come with the glory of His Father, then...

He continues by saying: "But I tell you truly, there are some of those standing here," etc. ^A *Taking Peter and John and James,* etc.

And in the transfiguration, only three were deemed worthy to behold the kingdom of heaven shown to them in power; but at the consummation of the age, when the Lord shall arrive with the glory of the Father, no longer will only Moses and Elias escort Him, nor will only three of the disciples be with Him, but all the prophets and patriarchs and righteous men; and He will lead those who are worthy of His divinity not onto a high mountain, but into heaven itself. ^B Then His divinity will shine, not as the sun, but above every light that can be conceived, whether it be created light that is sensible or intelligible; since He is Himself the light that lightens every man coming into the world. Then He shall also reveal His face. For it will not be as He once said of old to Moses, "You will see my back parts, but my face shall not be seen by you"; not so, I say, will He conduct Himself then; but He will so present Himself to the saints that all may be able to say: "But we, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory." And then no cloud shall cry out, nor will the Father testify to the Son through a cloud, but He Himself, by Himself, without any covering or interpreter, will by the very act ^C glorify His only-begotten Son above all His saints, demonstrating Him to be His co-enthroned one and co-ruler, and setting Him above every principality; nor, as then, will the three disciples alone, upon hearing the voice on the mountain, fall upon their faces and fear, but "every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth."

*A voice came out of the cloud, saying,* etc. A paternal voice through a cloud—for so God appears—was attesting to the sonship of Christ. For it was necessary that it not be known by Peter alone that He is Christ the Son of the living God; nor that Christ alone should have testified that Peter had received the knowledge concerning Him from the Father in heaven; but that the paternal voice itself should seal the truth of the word, testifying that He is the Son of God, and commanding that He be obeyed. ^D

*If there be a son of peace there, your peace shall rest upon him.* Do you see how He exhorts them to weigh matters beforehand and not to commit themselves heedlessly to all, but to be the first to initiate the benefit from themselves, and to be the first to give of what they possess? Peace, moreover, was this: a voice befitting the soldiers of God, who have carried off victory over the enemy. Therefore, the persecution of enemies, the destruction of foes, and a benevolent reconciliation with God, under

^A the name of peace, He assigned to the worthy. Accordingly, He advised that those who had first extended the hand of peace to the souls of those who received them should then partake of the provisions offered by them. For this reason, He necessarily warned them not to lodge in every house indifferently, nor to judge every man worthy of their hospitality, but to inquire whether there was anyone in the city or the countryside distinguished by good deeds and a holy life, so as to be able to receive the king’s soldiers as guests of virtue. When, however, such a man was found, and they entered under his roof, they were to lay aside first the weapons of their own warfare; these were the symbols of peace. Therefore, they were to bestir themselves to offer both the host and his entire house a peaceful greeting; then they were to remain there, and not move away, nor shift from house to house. For in this way they would give evidence of a careful examination; for what is rash and sudden is neither stable nor of a constant character. Therefore, He advised them not to wish to stay first, and then make inquiries and investigations, only to leave and move to another, with injury to the host. Likewise, if that later host should also be found unworthy of hospitality, they would depart again from there also, drawing upon themselves voluntary enmity after having cast their own peace upon the unworthy. But indeed, they ought first to inquire diligently whether anyone is worthy; then, approaching him, they should communicate the good of peace, and offer it abundantly not only to him who has the best testimony, but also for his sake to his whole house. ^C But if it should happen—as it often does in the house of a religious man—that a worthy person receives the soldier of the kingdom, and parents or brothers or other relatives by blood oppose and wage war not only against the newly arrived stranger but also against the one who has honored him with hospitality, the Savior did not necessarily overlook the mention of these either, but added to what was aforesaid: "And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you." For you, He says, for the sake of the one who is testified of, and who is worthy of your visitation, should not only bestow the blessings of peace upon him, but also upon his whole house—that is to say, his family and relatives—and proclaim peaceful greetings as good tidings, and let that which is from you be poured out abundantly and copiously upon the parents, brothers, and relatives, and all the house of the one who has received you. If, therefore, these too are found worthy of your blessing, let your peace come upon all as sons of peace. But if, on the contrary, they appear as enemies and haters of your peace, and are in no way worthy of it, "take," He says, "your good things from the unworthy and depart, and let your peace return to you," your blessing, that is, returning to you because you have fulfilled your duty.

And into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, etc.

In these words, He again commands them to preach the kingdom of God, and to announce that it is near; not making their word empty nor without demonstration,

^A but providing proofs of the preaching by healing those among them who were infirm, and receiving nothing more than daily food; which He expressed by saying: "Eat what is set before you, and heal the sick that are therein." But since it occurred to them to ask, "If then one is not found worthy of the aforementioned reception, what must be done?" listen accordingly to what He subsequently teaches on these matters, saying next: "If you enter into any city, and they do not receive you," etc. ^B "When the strong man armed guards his own court," etc. By the "strong man" He means the devil, who had prevailed over the human race; and by his "court," the earthly space inhabited by mortals; and by his "possessions," all those things which, when showing them to the Savior, he once said: "All these things will I give You, if You will fall down and worship me," when on the high mountain he showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. But while these possessions were long his, they were in peace, with no one to take them away; but when the One stronger than him came upon him and overcame him and bound him with chains, then He also took away his armor in which he trusted, and snatched away and distributed his spoils. By "armor," He alluded to the polytheistic error of the devil. For the weapons of the devil are the demons established everywhere on earth, his auxiliaries in his tyranny against men; and his "spoils" were the souls of men ^C led away captive by the devilish armor. But Christ, binding that terrible tyrant with chains, scattered all his armor, namely the demons and the unclean spirits and the opposing powers; and his spoils—I mean all the nations formerly oppressed by his tyranny—having delivered them from their old servitude, He distributed to His own leaders and princes, the soldiers under Him of the kingdom of the heavens, namely the apostles and their successors. Concerning which spoils it was marvelously proclaimed in prophecy, saying: "The King of the powers of the Beloved, to the beauty of the house, to divide the spoils." And these are evident signs of the kingdom of God, destroying and humbling every principality and authority and power, and every polytheistic and demonic tyranny, and beginning to prevail over men on earth. Therefore the Savior says: "But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." ^D "And when they bring you into the synagogues," etc. Thus, indeed, He was filling them with high-mindedness and courage by promising that they would partake of the divine Spirit; for it was natural that they would be strengthened by Him. And how were they not to be filled with confidence and courage and good zeal? And how were they not to walk boldly toward the tribunals of judges and kings, since they had been forewarned that they should not be [anxious] with studied preparation before

^A tribunals, those who had learned long ago that it was not they who were to make their defense to rulers, but some other divine power within them, through which they were to speak fearlessly even to governors and kings themselves? And when the Teacher said these things, it was consistent for the disciples to believe without hesitation, and in no way to be in doubt, having already received the proof of his words through those things previously promised, the faith of which they had received through their own deeds. For those who had strengthened the infirm by the power of the divine word, and were able to purge the incurable disease of leprosy among men and other bodily sufferings, and to drive out demons harmful to men—not through any curious sorcery, but only through the divine grace granted to them by Christ—how were they not to believe that they would also stand before those upcoming tribunals ^B and speak to governors and kings? And how were they not to take courage from the promise of the Spirit given to them?

*“Do not be anxious for your soul, what you shall eat,” etc.*

This the Lord says, exhorting us not to think that necessary care for food and bodily conveniences is an anxious concern; nor does He do this rashly, but confirms His teaching with a rational argument. For He exhorted them, saying: *“Do not be anxious what you shall eat or what you shall drink or what you shall wear. Is not the soul more than food, and the body than clothing?”* And this is indeed the first argument, demonstrating that no one should be anxious for himself. For if the human soul, which is a rational and intellectual substance, is greater and better and more precious than food produced from the earth, and God brought it into existence from non-existence, and bestowed it upon us while we were not thinking at all of it, and made us animate and rational ^C (58), why must we be concerned about the inferior thing, which is food? For He who gave the greater thing will not be prevented from providing that which is useful for its sustenance. And the same argument applies to the covering of the body. For if it is acknowledged that the body of a living creature is incomparably better than any garment placed upon it from without, and if the Creator Himself established the entire body as a participant in life and soul, why should there be doubt whether He Himself can supply what is inferior—that is, clothing—by which the more noble part is covered? And this is the first demonstrative argument.

Then He also uses another example, saying: *“Look at the birds of the sky, for they do not sow, and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more precious than they?”* For if, for these—whose father He is not—namely the birds, God, the curator and provider of all, has prepared sufficient food, how will He not take care of your life, when you were created in His image and He is your Father because of the intellectual and rational substance within you? And will He not feed you without anxiety, like a father readily providing for his children the things they need, more than for the birds of the sky, for whom He provides food without labor, without sowing, and without plowing

simultaneously granting them both life and food. Most accurately, in this exhortation to his disciples, the Lord did not use a general example of any irrational animals; he made no mention of reptiles, nor of beasts of burden, nor of fish, and not even of birds in a general sense, since among them some are carnivorous, some feed on the earth, and some devour one another. Therefore, having separated the granivorous birds from the carrion-eaters and carnivores, and having indicated these by saying, "They neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them," and by calling them "birds of the sky" (implying their ability to fly high), he urged his own disciples toward an imitation of their sustenance. At the same time, he sent them to contemplate the ^B providence that watches over all, as if they were able to infer from the example that their heavenly Father will care much more for them than for the birds of the sky regarding food.

By calling him "heavenly Father," he was teaching a great dogma. For if there is a father of our bodies, who sows the flesh for each of us, and also a heavenly Father, who has established in us the rational and intellectual power, why should we be anxious? Should we not be firmly convinced that our natural and better Father (of the soul) will take counsel for us more than for the birds of the sky, which, because of God’s providence extending even to them, abound in such plentiful and easy food that they are well-fed, strong, and enjoy the best of health? ^C But when the Lord says according to Luke, "Consider the ravens," He signifies something more. For to the granivorous birds, food is more readily available, but for the carnivorous ones, such as ravens, it is more difficult. Nevertheless, not even these lack food, because of the Providence that extends to all things.

He used a third argument for the same point, saying: "And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his stature? If then you are not able to do the least thing, why are you anxious about the rest?" If no one, by his own effort, can add to his body, nor—in the appointed span of life, no matter how much he worries—can anyone, being near the end of his life, obtain for himself even one day’s interval or a very brief moment of an hour, why should we be ^D needlessly anxious, when we ought to entrust ourselves to God and await His will? For if He wills us to grow, we shall grow without being anxious about anything; and if He wills us to live and be long-lived, we shall live and reach old age without having been anxious about anything. But if He does not will for anyone to remain in this life, every care of man is vain.

^A And he discoursed in this way concerning food; likewise, he also admonished regarding clothing, saying: *Consider the lilies, how they grow*, etc. Here too, he concludes with an argument, persuading them that clothing also would certainly be given to them by God. For if there is anyone among men who is studious of precious clothing and adornment, look, he says, how God, the Creator of the universe, extending His manifold wisdom even to the flowers growing on the earth, adorned them with every kind of color and decoration, transforming the earth and the lifeless dust itself, and changing the appearance of it, with dyes far better than what are seen in purple and gold, and in delicate and flowering filaments, bestowing His own beauty upon them in a certain way: so that not even the most delicate king, ^B nor even Solomon himself, who among the ancients was celebrated for wisdom, riches, and luxury, was ever found to possess such a work of beauty, so as to be able to have a garment equal to one of these beautiful flowers. What wonder is it, then, if He who so clothes the hay of the field, which is useful for nothing and which perishes consumed by fire, will also provide for you yourselves with sensible garments in this present life through His providence? Thus, therefore, he commanded us to neglect all things, and to seek only the kingdom (of God). For to those who do not seek the kingdom and do not take care for virtue, none of the things promised will be supplied. But these things will easily belong to those alone who care for the things of God, and strive to be pleasing to Him, and apply themselves to the study of the better things. For to those who care for what is pleasing to God, God in return will extend His care. *For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.*

For by nature it is provided that every man is disposed towards that for which he ^C strives, and there he has all his mind, where he thinks he can obtain benefit. Therefore, Jesus adds this sentiment, that we should not cleave to the gathering of wealth on earth. For, he says, whoever in this mortal life has attained to a wealth of possessions and a heap of goods, and has placed his hope in the affairs of the present life, it is necessary that he, being bound by such heavy chains, should have all his thoughts and his mind—which he called the heart—depressed to the ground, and there groveling and wallowing where he thinks he possesses his treasure. But he who, nourished by heavenly doctrines, strives mightily ^D to lift up his vows and to place his hope in heavenly promises; and who, having omitted the anxiety of gathering riches on earth, follows the highest poverty, and having turned his whole mind to better things, strives to set his whole property in heaven, and to send his entire fortune ahead there; such a one deservedly earns from this source an excellent hope, because he involves his mind and his counsels in heavenly things. For where he has his treasure, there his mind will consist: so that he appears to dwell on earth only in body and to be with men, but in the power of his soul he already occupies the heavenly dwellings. Therefore, every man ought, by hope,

to direct his hope upward; where he has already laid up his treasure. ^B And you, be like men waiting for their Lord, when he shall return from the wedding.

In other places He has already taught regarding the wedding, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son." As though, therefore, the wedding had already taken place and the banquet finished, the Master returns to the watching servants, who, when the Bridegroom Himself arrives to claim the bride, and knocks at the door of the soul, shall most readily obey and open, being ever awake and awaiting His presence. He adds, then: "Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching." And how are they not blessed who are to be deemed worthy of such honor? He confirms it to them, saying: "Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." By comparing human life to the night—as something truly akin to darkness and ignorance—He likens the span of human life to the various watches, that is, the hours and seasons of the night; in which, if any watch without ceasing, because of the uncertainty of each man's end, He declares them blessed. And what exhortation could be higher than this, in which the Master is promised to serve the servants Himself, while the servants shall recline in His kingdom, that is, shall find rest?

But again, He seals this same promise to the disciples, saying: "But I am in the midst of you as he that serveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom." Such blessedness shall those servants arrive at, whom the Lord upon His arrival shall find watching. For in this mortal life, as they are still children and infants and not yet deemed worthy of the bridal chamber, but dwelling in a strange land—as foreigners and sojourners here—and reared under tutors and curators, they did not always have the Bridegroom with them. Therefore they also fasted, just as He said that the Bridegoom would be taken from them, and then they would fast. But at the end, He promises that when they have grown and reached maturity, He will receive them and lead them into His own bridal chamber; and then, as they recline, He will serve them. They, being with Him forever, shall no longer fast, but having been released from their labors, they shall enjoy the heavenly delicacies.

If the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come.

For many reasons He commands us to be sober and to watch, not only on account of the sudden and unexpected arrival of the day of the Lord, but also because of the thief who lies in wait for those who are rich in things of God and for the masters of households. And this is the time of each man's

the thief's arrival, it was necessary to watch only at that hour, so as not to allow our house to be dug through; but since this [time] is unknown, it will be necessary to watch always; for we do not know at what watch he will come. Therefore, one must watch at all times, and with every guard must the heart be kept, as the author of the Proverbs says, and one must stay awake throughout the whole night of this mortal life, so that we may remain unharmed, not allowing the treasures of the soul to be dug through. For thus it will be well for us in both respects: because we have kept our own substance safe, and because we have readily received our Lord when He came and knocked at the door of our soul, equipped with abundant light and our loins girded.

The Lord said: *Who then is the faithful and prudent steward?* ^B

To Peter's question, He replies, teaching that what had been said was spoken indefinitely to all. However, those former things were said so that we might constantly watch for the sake of avoiding the thief and for the sake of the Lord's coming. Now, what ought to be done while watching, He necessarily adds; namely, He exhorts that we should take care not only of our own salvation, but also of that of others. For to have the loins girded and the lamp lit signified one's own individual benefit. For it is necessary always to be illuminated by the lights of knowledge; ^C then also to gird the loins of the mind with modesty and every virtue; and likewise to watch perpetually and be on guard against the thief, lest he secretly dig through the treasury of the mind and plunder the riches gathered there; and besides, to await the Lord throughout the whole time of life. But one should not stop there; for just as those who have received the care of our fellow servants from their own Master as a kind of deposit, it behoves us to keep the trust, and thus to become faithful and prudent, so as never to be untimely, but always at the proper time, to distribute the rations to our fellow servants, neither neglecting and delaying when the matter requires it, ^D nor again providing them at an unseasonable time to those who have no need, but acting at the proper time and not without measure. This indeed must be done in two ways: namely, by rational assistance, while we make their souls better with the food of instruction, and by material aid towards those who are in need of such support. And these things, I say, must be diligently cared for always, so that if by chance our Lord, arriving suddenly, orders us to depart with Him, He may find us engaged in the aforementioned tasks, and may grant a portion to the one who acts rightly, much greater than the former. For on account of the vigil and the expectation of His own advent, He promises that, while they recline, He Himself will gird Himself and serve them; but for the faithful and prudent stewardship and timely distribution of the ration, because He wishes to declare them most blessed, not over any part, but over all His faculties He will set that happy man [as steward].

^A And the holy Apostle, having been benefited by this, called those who are perfect according to God heirs of God and joint-heirs of Christ, and said: "Whether life, or death, or things present, or things to come—all are ours." By the wealth of Him must be understood the goods of the kingdom, which eye has not seen.

"But if that servant says," etc. The faithful and prudent man will attain such goods; but he who is contrary to this shall experience the wrath of the Master, being divided and cut off from the body of the good servants, receiving his lot and portion with the hypocrites or the unbelievers, whose end is weeping and gnashing of teeth. For as much as he consumed with his teeth and offended by getting drunk, so much shall he weep; giving the due penalty for his lawlessness against his fellow-servants, and for his intemperate luxury, and for the contempt shown toward the Master, whom he confessed he did not fail to know, and knew that he had a Lord, yet by assuming that He delayed judgment for a long time, he cheated himself. ^B

"To what shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven," etc. The Savior calls "leaven" that power perfected from the seed, signifying by this the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Word of the heavenly kingdom, having been increased after the first sowing in the heavens and having returned full fruit, provides the ministration of the Holy Spirit to those who have been benefited by those first taught, leavening the mass like leaven. And the woman, that is, the wisdom of God, hides it in three measures of meal. For the wisdom of God provides the Holy Spirit to those who, through much diligence and the cultivation of the seed, have acquired three measures of meal—that is, the divine dogmas and the knowledge concerning the Father and Son and Holy Spirit. ^C And the same wisdom, according to another sense, leavens every man of God, composed of body, soul, and spirit, with the supply of divine inspiration, hiding its benefit in the intellectual three measures of meal until the whole is leavened. Thus therefore, by the participation of the heavenly leaven, having been made and leavened, he shall be called a heavenly and spiritual man, and a new dough, as it were, a small mixture having been made of the three flours and the inspiration within them. And indeed having become a new and spiritual bread, according to the Apostle who says, "We being many are one bread and one body," we shall take on the image and likeness of the life-giving bread of all, who descended from heaven, and has made us similar to Himself. ^D And He rightly likened the wisdom of God to a woman in these matters; for Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, represented by the example of leaven. For just as in the parable of the seed He introduced the person of the farmer and sower—for in that instance the mention of a woman would not have been fitting—so in this place, where the discourse is about leaven cast into three measures of flour, the parable most aptly represented in the bread-making woman the one who was called a sower in that [first] case.

^A But in Matthew, having previously called the kingdom of heaven a hidden leaven, through which he indicated the administration of the Holy Spirit and the benefit from the evangelical word, by the following parable he says that the same kingdom is like a treasure. This great treasure ^B would be that which is stored up for the worthy according to the heavenly promises, which the eye has not seen and which escapes the many. He who understands this, as one who preserves in himself the image of God, becomes filled with joy, as though having found the perfect good, and deems all other things secondary in order to possess this. And he aptly set the man who finds it alongside the mention of the treasure and the field, thus indicating the God-loving mind in man. The aforementioned parable, then, through the hidden treasure, indicated the heavenly promises, which have surpassed all else—for there are many mansions with the Father—and the wealth in God, which is a treasure of every good thing.

The parable that follows, concerning the pearl, seems to me to signify something more precious than the wealth already mentioned. It would be the divinity of the Only-Begotten itself, which is more precious than all things stored up in the aforementioned treasure, the one who acquires this being made worthy of the highest blessedness. The incarnate God Word is aptly named a pearl; for such is the pearl, being born in flesh and in a shell and in moisture, yet being a precious thing, and more valuable than all bodies born in moisture. Indeed, it appears structurally as a moist, transparent, God-like body, filled with light and spirit. And the incarnate Word would be such a thing—intelligible light shining forth from a mortal and moist body. ^C While there have been many other holy and God-beloved pearls—namely, prophets and righteous men—who themselves were constrained by flesh because of the fleshly life of men, no one other than this one alone has been found to be truly only-begotten, most splendid, and most precious. So that Isaiah also prophesied concerning him, saying: *Behold, I lay in Sion a precious, elect, corner stone, honorable; and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded*. He who is to be worthy of the kingdom of heaven, therefore, is aptly compared to a merchant, a man who is a lover of beauty and a lover of learning and an explorer of many teachings, who, going about, found many pearls—all kinds of holy men among humanity; but finally, having found the most precious one, which the Word set forth, he exchanged for this all those he had previously acquired, doing the same as the former man (who, having sold all he had, bought that field). And this would be the end of the highest blessedness, to be adorned with the most precious pearl, that is, with the light of the divinity of the Only-Begotten Word. For the beginning was the seed; then the germination of the fruit-bearing wheat; the third is the discernment from the weeds; the fourth is the growth into a great tree...

the fifth is the fermentation by the Holy Spirit; the sixth is the treasury of the heavenly promises; the seventh is the acquisition of the Word of God Himself, in whom everyone who is worthy of the kingdom of heaven is adorned.

The Savior pronounced these things before the works, ^B predicting the things that were to be, which in fact did not take long to arrive at their end, so that after no great time, the results of the works could be seen with one’s own eyes. Therefore, from that time, throughout the whole world of men, the symbols of the kingdom of God were observed by all peoples in the churches of Christ, since very many people were already living according to the norm of the saving Gospel and were emulating the ancient prophets and Abraham himself, and Isaac, and Jacob in their religious piety. For even those men, by anticipating the laws of Moses in their own times, shone forth in the life and manner of the Gospel, because they condemned the polytheistic error handed down to them from their fathers and had received the knowledge of the God over all. Wherefore, very many of the Gentiles are said to be coming from the east and the west, and they are to be equal in honor to those blessed men around Abraham, on account of their life being equal to theirs. But their descendants and successors, because of their progenitors, were called sons of the kingdom; for by potentiality, there was in them also, just as in their progenitors, the participation in the heavenly kingdom. But that they fell away from the promised things, evidence is apparent in the desolation of the city, the siege of the temple, and their own dispersion among all nations, ^C and their slavery under enemies, and in addition to these, the lack of their lawful worship, and the ignorance of Christ, and the alienation from the evangelical teachings; for all these things would be manifest signs of the shadows in which they are moving, because they have set themselves against the saving light.

By this it seems to me that He signifies the definition of the kingdom itself, because the imprint of the denarius signifies the image of the king impressed upon it. Since, therefore, it was just that all who had gone into the vineyard and the way of life of piety, and had engaged in one and the same work, should share in the same kingdom, for this reason He justly gives the denarius, the symbol of the kingdom, to all, of whom some were called in youth, others about the middle time of man's life, others having already reached the perfect ^D adult age, and others being already by old age quite aged and near the sunset of life. One might also, explaining it differently, say that what is signified by the parable corresponds to those men who, from the very beginning of the world until its consummation, were deemed worthy of the divine calling from the first state of life; so that those who lived righteously at the beginning of the world are said to have been called at morning to the work of religion: in the second place, Enoch and Noah: at the third hour, Abraham: at the sixth hour, Moses and Joshua and the judges: at the ninth hour, men in the age of the prophets: and finally at the eleventh hour, those who after

the saving manifestation of God; all of whom he says will be deemed worthy of one and the same reward, signified by the denarius, which was referred to the kingdom of God. ^A *Non me videbitis, donec veniat cum dicetis, Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.* For those very men themselves, to whom he was present and speaking at that time, when they see him coming from heaven with divine glory and a retinue of angels, will be forced to confess that he is the blessed one who comes in the name of the Lord his Father.

*A certain man made a great supper, and invited many.*

This parable is different from the one which Matthew writes. For there, it is a king, and the marriage feast of the king's son, and many summoners, and those invited did not go, but furthermore they insulted the servants and killed them, and an army is moved against the murderers of the servants, and a certain man is cast out from the wedding feast because of a filthy garment. Here, however, one man is introduced, and a private supper, and one summoner is sent, and those invited merely decline the invitation, pleading their own occupations. And what is most noteworthy, ^B that one was spoken in the temple to the chief priests and the elders of the people, but this one in Galilee, in the house of a certain leading Pharisee; for one of those reclining at the table heard it, *Blessed will you be, because they do not have anything to repay you; for it will be repaid to you in the resurrection of the just;* the resurrection and the kingdom of God being understood as one and the same thing. To the one, therefore, who had said, *Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God,* the Savior declares who this blessed person might be by means of the parable, saying, *A certain man made a great supper;* again naming himself a man in these words.

You will understand his great supper, for the time being by looking to the rational feast of sacred and divine foods throughout the whole world, which is everywhere on earth delivered to all nations through the divinely inspired Scriptures; but from there, transfer your mind to the expected kingdom of heaven ^D and consider that supper which is truly great, in which blessed souls will rest with the angels and the divine powers in heaven, in which they will be nourished with the bread of angels; at which time this saying will be firmly and splendidly fulfilled: *Man ate the bread of angels.* For that food will not be manifold, nor will it be in need of seasoning or side dishes; but they will be nourished by a single bread, the sower of immortality and the giver of eternal life, of whom the Savior speaks, and who in the present life have provided food for others. The bread, however, is again understood to be the Word that nourishes souls and angels and the rational minds that are in heaven; this, indeed, he himself taught

^A saying, "I am the bread of life." For by participation in the Word of God, who in the beginning was with God, all the rational nature of the saints is brought to life. And this man, it seems to me, having been instructed by these prior teachings, said: "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!" For it was not just any common person who uttered this voice, but, as I suspect, someone of high standing among those who had been honored by the Savior. Wherefore he was reclining with him, and was prudently directing his mind to his words, so that he was already not ignorant of the kingdom of God, and also knew the bread of life which nourishes those worthy of the kingdom; and he possessed such boldness as to raise dogmatic questions before the Savior, and for his sake the Savior spoke the entire parable, teaching who this truly blessed person might be, who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

He says, therefore, through the parable, that many were called to the great supper, and to the bread provided therein, but that not all attained to the grace. For those who were called and were occupied with other things were deprived of it; for he teaches that the cares of life distract and pull one away from the calling. And these, he says, are various: for those occupied with money and fields preferred these to the calling, so much so that they declined the calling on account of them; or those worn down by the business of life, or entangled in the bonds of marriage and children, or occupied with other such concerns. But against these a judgment has been pronounced, saying: "I say to you that none of those men who were called, and declined because of worldly occupations, shall taste of my supper." But he says that others, not bound by such things—certain poor and maimed persons—would enjoy the blessed supper. Such were the pagans, formerly idolaters, whose souls had been crippled by evil demons; the author of the feast, receiving them in accordance with his promise, healed all the disease and every infirmity of their souls, and then shared his own table with them, so that they might say: "You have prepared a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me." And he will provide them with bread and rational food—thenceforth granting them solid food—and will gladden them with rational wine; so that they might say: "And your cup that inebriates me, how excellent it is!" ^B All these things God provides, bestowing upon them the earnest of the heavenly goods through the gifts of the present life.

It is also possible to speak according to another interpretation, that those first deemed worthy of the calling, who were of the circumcision, insulted the calling under the pretext of being occupied with better things; for as if they possessed fields—the Scriptures among them—and as if they possessed the prophets as plowing oxen, and as if they were living with wisdom as a wife, they treated the evangelical grace as of little value. But those who were called after them from the nations—they who were previously deaf and blind in their minds ^C —obeyed eagerly. Wherefore they shall also attain to the blessedness. ^D

^A Someone might think that this is the same parable as the one in Matthew, in which a king makes a marriage feast for his son and sends out slaves to call those who were invited. ^B But he who does not read with indifference, if he applies his mind, would find this one to be entirely different from that one. For that one in Matthew compares the things mentioned, first of all, to the kingdom of heaven; this is not said here. ^C And there, the one who does the calling is likened to a king, but here he introduces a private man. There, the king was celebrating a wedding for his son; here, it is simply a dinner. There, many are sent out; here, only one is sent with the invitation. There, some neglected to come out of laziness, while others even insulted and killed the slaves; here, they only plead business, excusing themselves from the invitation. There again, the king moves his army against those who killed his slaves; here, the man, although angry at the refusal of those invited, does nothing of the sort, but rather commands his own slave to bring in the poor, the maimed, and the blind. ^D Now the king who invites people to his son's wedding uses more servants, and he does not gather the poor and maimed, nor even the blind and lame, since it would not have been fitting for such people to be present at the summons of a royal wedding; and when many have been called, the king punishes the one who arrived dressed in a garment unworthy of the wedding. But the most important thing of all is that the parable in Matthew was spoken inside the Temple, with the Lord discoursing before the chief priests and elders of the people, whereas the one in Luke displays a private dinner in Galilee, in the house of a certain leading Pharisee, while the Savior was dining with him. Luke, then, prefaces the present parable with these things: that he entered into the house of a certain Pharisee to dine on a Sabbath, and they were watching him. Then he relates how, having passed through, he healed a man with dropsy, and how he taught them not to pursue the places of honor at dinners, nor to invite those who would invite them in return, but rather those who were unable to repay them. He adds that one of those reclining at the table, hearing these things, said, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!" And the Savior began to speak thus: "A certain man made a great dinner." And thus Luke records the parable set forth as having been spoken by the Savior to the one who had said, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God"; so that it is confessed by all that this is a different one from the first. But since this one, too, is not foreign to the kingdom of heaven, about which our whole discourse is concerned, let us see what it signifies and what things are indicated by it. One of those reclining and dining with the Savior in the house of the Pharisee, moved by his words, exclaims that he would be blessed who…

^A should be found worthy to eat bread in the kingdom of God. I think that he said this because the Savior had said to the one who had invited him: When you make a dinner, call not the rich, but the poor, and you shall be blessed. To him, therefore, he says: A certain man made a great supper, and so forth.

*They all began, one by one, to make excuse.*

They did not come to the rational banquet because they were lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, and of material things rather than of God; for the wife is a sign of love of pleasure, while the field and yoke of oxen are signs of avarice. ^B He says that many were invited to the great supper—the rational banquet of the holy and divine Scriptures throughout the whole world—and yet not all attain to the grace; for those who are occupied with other things are deprived of it. For he teaches that the cares of this life distract and draw one away from the calling; and that these are various. For those who are occupied with possessions and fields have preferred these to the calling, so as to dare to refuse the invitation on account of these things; others are worn out by the business of life, or entangled by the ties of marriage and children, or occupied with other such anxieties. For these things and others like them are wont to draw away and distract those who dare on account of them to refuse the grace, and the caller, and the banquet of the New Testament, and the rational food—of all of which they have deprived themselves. According to the stated interpretation, they are those who have preferred the pleasures of the present life—namely, wealth, business, and marriage—to the heavenly calling, and on account of these have refused the grace. ^C According to another interpretation, the first ones deemed worthy of the calling were those from the circumcision, who, under the pretext of better activity, spurned the calling. For as if they possessed fields in their abundant Scriptures, and as if they possessed prophets like oxen for plowing, and as if they were living with wisdom like a wife, they treated the evangelical grace with contempt. But because they were so dull of heart, he weaves a parable capable of sufficiently demonstrating the arrangement of affairs that was to come upon them. For looking towards the words *thou shalt be blessed* and *it shall be recompensed thee in the resurrection of the just*, the fellow-guest calls him blessed who shall be deemed worthy of the bread in the kingdom. And this is he who, in return for the kindness shown to the poor, shall be recompensed in the resurrection of the just, since the resurrection and the kingdom of God are understood as one and the same. To him, therefore, who said: *Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God*, the Savior shows through the parable who this blessed person is. ^D Since, therefore, many were called to the ready feast (for the householder makes such a feast as is worthy of his kingdom), but they refused the grace, judgment was passed upon them by his saying: *None of those men...*

who were invited, and who because of worldly occupations refused, shall taste of my supper.* He says that others shall be deemed worthy of the blessed supper in their stead: certain poor, and blind, and maimed, who did not at all refuse the call, because they were neither buying, nor selling, nor busy with marriage, nor drawn aside by any other such things, but readily and ^B promptly accepted the grace. These, the inviter will first make sound, inasmuch as he is able to heal every disease and every infirmity with ease. Then, ^A of all these blessings, the rulers of the Jewish synagogue—they who refused—deprived themselves; in whose place the common people, who lived in the streets of the city, that is, in the legal polity, were obedient. Perhaps, however, by these he was alluding to those from the nations (Gentiles) who were about to approach his teaching. These were formerly idolaters, whose souls had been corrupted by wicked demons. When these, answering his invitation, receive the host, he will first restore them whole and sound, opening the eyes of the blind, and healing every disease and every infirmity of their souls, and then he will set before them the spiritual supper. Thus, the first invited were those from the circumcision, who also insulted the grace; the second, after them, were those from the foreign nations, who were formerly blind and maimed and lame and deaf in their minds, but who ^C nevertheless readily obeyed. And those in the streets would be those walking the broad road of perdition and living without instruction or dogmas; those in the alleys are they who cloak their malice under any pretext whatsoever; and the others, those called third from the roads and hedges, are the souls in Hades—for many are the paths of those who depart from this life—to whom the Savior preached after the laying aside of his body, and in his love for mankind he applies necessity to those who are no longer in control of their own will. Such, then, is the supper which is prepared here for the guests; and such are those who are called: some are disobedient and therefore remain fasting, while others are obedient and are therefore anticipated. But do you now transfer your mind from here. Blessed, therefore, are they who now hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall then be satisfied, being filled with the royal supper and partaking of the bread of life and the joy of the new cup; ^D the symbols of which the Savior performed before his passion, saying: *I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father.* It is a table full of good things, of which they shall partake with whom he has established the covenant, because they have remained with him in his temptations, so that they may eat and drink at his table, nourished by the heavenly bread that sustains holy souls, and partaking of the wine of the new fruit of the true vine, which God and Father of all, himself cultivating, will provide as new fruit from it to those then worthy.

*But if thy brother should sin against thee.* Here he wishes those who have been provoked by injuries towards...

^A their offenders to show indulgence; and he heals the dire disease that often grows within their souls, ^B and cuts away the hatred with which they pursue those who have harmed them. For we are accustomed to be so exacerbated that we admit neither the entreaties of those who have sinned, nor the supplications of those interceding on their behalf; nor indeed do we consider how great and how numerous are the sins of our own human condition that we need to have forgiven by the great Judge. With good reason, therefore, he makes use of the parable in Matthew, in which debtors are brought in, one of whom owed ten thousand talents, which were remitted to him upon his falling down [and begging], while the other owed a hundred denarii, for which he was being choked by the one to whom that great number of talents had been forgiven. By this he teaches that it is not possible to attain the kingdom in any other way, even if someone has accomplished many good deeds, unless he has imitated the good God in his lack of malice; since the kingdom, receiving only those who are worthy by judgment, does not accept those who are not forgiving and who do not imitate the good Judge of all in this regard. For no one could say that anyone has committed as many offenses against him as he himself has committed—having spent the whole time of his life acting contrary to the will of God—being a debtor; for at one time we sin in word, and at another time through shameful and evil desires and deeds. Nevertheless, although we commit such sins, we do not despair of our hopes in God, because of the philanthropy, long-suffering, compassion, and forgiving nature of God. Therefore, it follows that we also must measure with the same measure to those who sin against us; and that we must not, like Peter, be overly precise with philanthropy, and forgive those who have sinned against us only up to the seventh number; but rather, following the compassionate and merciful ^C Savior, up to seventy times seven; not, at any rate, being busy with such a multitude of sins and as it were compiling a list of them every day, but from this learning [the lesson of] the limitless. For when Peter asked how many times one ought to forgive those who sin against us, and set the number at seven, the Savior introduced the "seventy times seven," by which we too must forgive, knowing and being persuaded that there will be a time when the account will be settled with us by the Judge and King of all, when we all stand before his judgment seat, at which the measure with which we measure will be measured back to us. For the great King has here already released all of us, who were debtors for many talents, from the whole debt, according to what was fitting for his philanthropy, giving forgiveness of sins and blotting out the debt-bond against us; but we, for light offenses, choke our fellow servants, and when besought, we do not forgive the injuries done against us, not measuring back to our own household servants the same things we have received from God. ^D Reasonably, therefore, indignation will be brought forth against us; and the Master, who forgave us the entire debt, will no longer forgive us; but with the measure with which we have measured, unsympathetic and pitiless and harsh, he will measure back to us; and he will hang over us the sentence that we ourselves set against our fellow servants.

^A Indeed, any person may provide for himself a method of favorable judgment to be brought forth at the tribunal, if he first be humane and forgiving toward those who sin against him.

*And they will say to you: Behold here, or behold there.* This is spoken according to Matthew concerning the desolation of Jerusalem (66); wherefore it was added: *Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains*; ^B but here he foretells concerning the times of the Antichrist; wherefore this is not added.

*First he must suffer many things.* By these words he also hints at the future apostasy, when he says: *First he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation*, meaning, of course, that of mankind. For he foretold that the word concerning him would be rejected and repudiated, and that his own people would suffer many things—whether in the persecutions that follow, in the fury of which the Savior himself suffered infinite afflictions, being reviled by men, and his Church and his word were persecuted and warred against; or at the end of all things, when his Gospel will be altogether rejected and cast out from the assembly of men.

*And as it happened in the days of Noah, etc.* So then, as has been said, when the evangelical word has been cast out through the apostasy, the destruction of the ungodly will come upon them, he says, after the likeness of the things that happened at the time of the flood. ^C But just as then he destroyed all, yet not those who were gathered with Noah in the ark, so too at his own presence, the wicked, at the time of the apostasy, occupied with luxuries and drunkenness and marriages and the other pleasures of life, will perish in the same manner as those who were submerged by the flood in the time of Noah.

But lest anyone suppose that these also will be overwhelmed by water, it was necessary to cite the example of Lot; *As it happened*, he says, *in the days of Lot, they ate, they drank, and so forth. But on the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire from heaven and destroyed them all. In the same way will it be on the day that the Son of man is revealed.* By these words he teaches, in a very mystical and fearful manner, that the wrath of God will overtake all the ungodly with fire and sulfur sent down from heaven. For this reason the prophetic voice rebukes those ungodly who pray for this day to arrive, saying: *Woe to those who desire the day of the Lord! Why? This day will be for you darkness and not light, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of calamity and destruction.*

^D The Savior also took great pains here to guard against saying that the fire and sulfur had rained from heaven upon the ungodly citizens of Sodom before Lot had gone out and been separated from them. So, too, the flood did not overflow and destroy all the inhabitants of the world before Noah entered the ark. Thus, altogether, at the consummation of the world, he says that the deluge of the perishing ungodly will not happen before those who will be pious men at that time are gathered safely into the heavenly ark, just as the example of Noah re-

^Avetur. To them also can be conveniently applied the prophetic word: *Vade, popule meus, intra in cubiculum tuum*, and the rest, *donec transeat indignatio Domini* (Isa. xxvi, 20): as happened with Lot, that the good might not be ensnared in death with the wicked. Thus the consummation of the age will not come to pass before all the just and religious men on earth are set apart from the wicked and gathered into the heavenly ark of God. For then, when no just person is left remaining among men, but all are irreligious and wicked, living under the banner of the Antichrist, and with apostasy spread throughout the whole world, the wrath of God will finally invade men full of wickedness.

*Quicunque illa die fuerit in tecto, etc.* (Luc. xvii, 31).

By this saying he signifies the persecution which the son of perdition will stir up against the good. By the name of that day he calls the time which will immediately precede the consummation; in which time, he says, no one should look back, nor should anyone imitate the wife of Lot, who in her flight, after she had passed the borders of the Sodomites, because she wished to look back, fell into death, becoming a pillar of salt. For men must be prodigal then, not only of their worldly goods, but also of their own lives and souls (67), those who fall into that state of apostasy; lest while they try to preserve their own soul and spare their temporal life, they lose this at the same time and their eternal life, while they allow themselves to be conquered by apostasy. ^C

*Illa nocte duo erunt in lecto uno, etc.* (Luc. xvii, 34).

Most admirably did he call the time of apostasy and the deprivation of intellectual and rational light, "night." For at that time, men's natures will be worse than night and darkness on account of the madness and error poured upon them. Wherefore he says: *Dico vobis: Duo erunt in lecto, et duo in pistrino; unus assumendus, quia iræ immerens*; the other left behind, insofar as he is subject to the avenging wrath, he who has obviously treasured up for himself wrath against the day of wrath. Wherefore he sets forth the separation of the holy and God-beloved souls from the wicked. For, lest the wrath that comes suddenly should lay hold of the just as well, God, having anticipated this, just as he brought Lot out of the destruction of Sodom. In the same way also before the consummation, before the wrath against the wicked arrives, so that the just might not be condemned with the world, there shall be a separation of the God-beloved souls, with angels separating and taking them; so that of two lying on the same bed, one who is worthy of God is taken, while the other is left behind, as one worthy of the vengeance which shall then be taken upon the wicked. And concerning the two in the mill grinding, the same logic shall hold. By the grinders he signifies women, to indicate those of a low, ^D extremely poor, and lowest condition. By those lying in beds he signifies the free-

- ^A life. The Scripture of Moses demonstrates this, where the Word says that vengeance would come from the firstborn of Pharaoh, to the woman grinding and pounding in the mill. For the extremes of human conditions—that is to say, the opulent and the lowly and abject—are touched upon by these words. Thus, now too, the Scripture mentions two in one bed to hint at those who lead a free, easy life; one of whom shall be taken, being worthy of God's election, and the other shall be left, being akin to punishment. Similarly, two women grinding are understood as those among men who lead an obscure and poor life, of whom likewise the righteous woman shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

Dicunt ei: Ubinam, Domine? Qui respondit: Ubi fuerit corpus, illuc congregabuntur et aquilae. They say to Him: Where, Lord? And He said to them: Where the body, or the corpse, ^B as Matthew says, is, there shall the eagles be gathered together. When the disciples questioned Him—"Where, Lord?"—and wished to know where the other of those not taken would be left, He says, "Where the body is, there shall the eagles be gathered." By these birds—I know not which ones, those voracious of corpses—He signifies the princes of this age, those then persecuting the saints of God, who, being gathered together in one place, the man unworthy of being taken shall likewise be compelled to the same spot. He is one of those sleeping in the bed, or one of the women grinding, who shall also be delivered to the eagles gathered against them. ^C The prophetic word has also called the besiegers of Jerusalem "eagles," as when it says regarding Nabuchodonosor: "A great eagle with great wings." Unless, perhaps, these words denote in another sense the avenging and punitive powers that shall fall upon the impious; to whom, that we may not be delivered, the Savior next exhorts us to apply ourselves to prayer.

Judex quidam erat, qui Deum non timebat. He adds also the parable of the judge of iniquity, to confirm that one must pray always and not falter. But what He says: "When the Son of Man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?" ^D indicates a lack of faith, such that no faithful person shall be found, or if one, rare indeed about the time of His second manifestation. Furthermore, this shall be a great sign of the time of apostasy, when one who retains the faith will rarely be met with; indeed, perhaps not even one will exist, because some shall have been taken, and others left, to be delivered indeed to the eagles. Thus, therefore, faith having perished among men, He Himself shall arrive to avenge His own saints who have been put to death by the impious. But He shall accomplish the vengeance quickly, because they cry to Him day and night. And that they should cry to Him, He taught them through the parable of the judge of iniquity.

Homo quidam nobilis abiit in regionem longinquam accipere sibi regnum, et reverti. Here is what we are taught by this parable: to know of his future—

^A and not yet present kingdom, although some might erroneously imagine this to be something perceptible. It signifies his removal from earth to heaven and his assumption, his second and glorious manifestation, his judiciary power which renders to each according to his worth, the approval of his own faithful servants, the condemnation of those who are otherwise, and the conspiracy of the citizens against their king, and the punishment worthy of their deeds which shall follow them. Indeed, all these things are simultaneously signified by the words set forth.

And first, he called himself a "man" because of his birth in the flesh, which happened to him as a man. Then he called himself "noble," but he did not yet call himself king, because he did not yet possess the royal dignity at the time of his first manifestation. The witnesses to his nobility are those who have recorded in writing the history of his lineage and the succession of his ancestors. Among them, one individual, in demonstrating the human nobility of Christ, began his Gospel thus: "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Matt. I, 1). Then, the genealogy is brought down to him through ordinary men and the royal line. Another, however, teaching of his supernal birth from God before all ages, handed down that nobility of his which is truly the first and the only one, saying: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him" (John I, 1).

^B But this Word of God who is before all ages, having become a noble man, and having lived among men the life which is recorded in the evangelical scriptures, after his sufficient dwelling with mortals, returning to his own Father, journeyed into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. By "far country" he indicated the ascent from earth to heaven. And he states that to "receive the kingdom" is that very thing which the prophet Daniel hinted at, saying: "And, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom" (Dan. VII, 13). It is rightly said "to receive," for he received it entirely from the Father who gives it, according to that: "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance" (Ps. II, 8). Having received these, which were given to him by the Ancient of Days, he will return again. Therefore he speaks of receiving for himself a kingdom and returning.

And how he will make his return, the divine Apostle makes clear, saying: "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God" (I Thess. IV, 15). ^C This departure also signifies the patience of waiting. And indeed it was necessary that he should take the journey into the aforementioned far country and remain there for a time for many reasons, so that in the meantime his servants might give proof of their own industry. ^D

^B By those who received the minas, he signified his own disciples, to whom he handed over one mina each. By entrusting to all an equal and similar administration, he commanded them to trade until he should return from his long journey. This trade was nothing other than the preaching of his kingdom, to be carried out among all people by these same disciples of his. This was one thing, since there is one teaching for all, one faith, [cf. Eph. iv, 5] one baptism, and one and the same Word; and for this reason the mina was one, though their labors and the resulting trade were brilliant and varied, and the return from this was abundant. These were the reasons why the nobleman undertook the long journey. Whence it was said to him by the Father: *Sit at my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool* [Ps. cix, 1]. If anyone should desire to know who these enemies are, the context of the parable will teach him, where fellow citizens are introduced who hate the king and reject his rule, saying with brazen audacity and unbridled mouth: *We will not have this man to reign over us.* But although they are citizens, they reject the king, while he himself hears from the Father: *Sit at my right hand, until thy enemies be made thy footstool*; and: *Rule thou in the midst of thy enemies* [Ps. cix, 2].

^C Since his own citizen-enemies rejected his kingdom, he quite rightly said to them: *The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation yielding the fruits thereof* [Matt. xxi, 43]. Who that nation worthy of the kingdom was, he signified who said: *Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thy inheritance* [Ps. ii, 8]. By these citizen-enemies, he showed there were none other than the nation of the Jews, who, being the first to be favored with the grace of the Savior, repaid him with the opposite. Therefore, prophetically he said concerning them: *They have repaid me evil for good, and hatred for my love; they have slandered me, and fought against me without cause, and have spoken against me with a deceitful tongue, and have compassed me about with words of hatred* [Ps. cviii, 2-3]; that is, with the blasphemous discourses they are accustomed to cast at him, cursing him, and by their very deeds saying, as it were: *We will not have this man to reign over us.* Therefore, they shall not only be deprived of the kingdom, but shall also suffer the penalty due to their impiety ^D. He calls them citizens in the parable, because they originated from the same kin, since he himself traced his lineage from the same progenitors according to his birth in the flesh, and because he likewise lived his life under the law. These things, then, would be descriptive of his first arrival. When the Savior had taught these things in this manner, he then makes known his glorious and royal return, testifying that he will then exercise just judgment over all. For to those who have well and faithfully multiplied the mina, he will grant a fitting reward, allowing them to rule with him and to reign together; but to the one who through sloth and laziness [has neglected the Lord's command...]

COMMENTARIA IN LUCAM.

^A and to him who through sloth and negligence has neglected the command of the Master, and who has loved idleness and leisure, and has not wished to endure the labor of business, He will inflict a bitter punishment. "Take authority over ten cities." For these kingdoms are becoming honors, and authorities over men, and leadership of souls that are still imperfect, granted to those who have provided proof in a small matter, according to the merits of their previous life. You may learn the genuineness of the aforementioned servants, and the fidelity of their business, by their very works; as, "Their sound has gone forth into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world" (Ps. XVIII, 5). For through those companions of the Savior, and through those who afterward took up a zeal similar to theirs, the Church, chosen for God from all nations, in a short time filled the whole inhabited world. And in another way, those who have been entrusted with the saving Gospel word will perform their work, fulfilling the teachings of the word through works and deeds, and through a life and manner of living worthy of God. The just Judge will reward those who have worked differently with different honors, rendering to each the fitting reward for good deeds; but upon the wicked and slothful servant who hid the words and bound them up within himself, and did nothing, He will inflict the wages of his wickedness. The authority over ten or five cities signifies a certain rule and power which will be given to the saints over those who are weaker ^C and worthy of being directed.

But indeed, He will make such a discrimination concerning His own servants; but as for those who were not deemed worthy of the same service, yet had been born His citizens, but had registered themselves in the territory of those who were His enemies and who hated Him, and had sent an embassy renouncing His kingdom, He shows what their end will be by narrating that the King, having returned at His second and royal divine manifestation, will utter a terrible judgment against them, saying: "But those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring here and slay before me" (Luk. XIX, 17, 27).

"By what authority do you do these things?" (Luk. XX, 2).

He Himself, while performing works of divine power, was displaying portents and marvelous acts, and was teaching heavenly doctrines; but those who ought to have admired, and to have recognized from the words and works that He was indeed the Christ who had been proclaimed by the prophets, did not do this; but, having suddenly turned to stirring up the multitude, they were rebuking Him, ^D asking by what authority He was doing these things, and from whom He had received the authority to do such things so boldly.

"I will also ask you one thing," etc. (Luk. XX, 3).

The Lord, having received them patiently and gently,

^A enquires about John the Baptist—not from where he was, but from where he had received the rule of baptism. For He considered it burdensome and boastful to bear witness about Himself, but referring them to John contained a silent manifestation concerning Himself; for John was acknowledged by all the people as one sent from heaven. Yet this man himself had testified to the Savior from where He had received His authority. For when some reported to him that Jesus was baptizing, he answered them: "A man can receive nothing from himself unless it has been given to him from heaven above. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but that I am sent before Him." And again: "He who comes from above is above all." And again: "The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has eternal life." ^B Therefore, from John's testimony concerning Him, it was clear by what authority the Savior did these things, and who had imparted to Him such power.

"There will be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars" (Luc. XXI, 25). For then, when the consummation of this mortal life has occurred, and the form of this world has passed away, according to the Apostle (I Cor. VII, 31), a new age will succeed. For in place of all the sensible luminaries which previously illuminated the age before this, our Savior Himself shall shine forth and appear, established as the leader, and luminary, and king of the new age. And such will be the power of His divinity, and His surpassing glory, ^C that it will, as it were, veil and cover the present sun and moon and the remaining luminaries of heaven with His superior light.

"Things which will come upon the world" (Luc. XXI, 26).

He explains what the things to come are, by adding: "For the powers of the heavens will be shaken." For when the Son of God is about to arrive with great power and glory, and is about to abolish the impious and arrogant tyranny of the son of perdition by the epiphany of His presence, and to destroy him with the breath of His mouth; when the heavenly spirits and the supreme and angelic ministers of God are escorting the Son of God and are arriving with Him—then, I say, it will come to pass that the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then that also will come to pass with truth: "Lift up your gates, O you princes, and the King of glory shall enter in" (Psal. XXIII, 7). ^D For where will He enter, if not into the new age and the new world? Indeed, with the invisible and incorporeal powers, which govern the whole heaven, moved from their eternal station, the whole heaven itself and the sun and moon and stars will pass away, with the heaven opened and the gates, which had been closed from the foundation of the world, now unbarred; and thus the super-celestial things will be revealed, and the eternal kingdom of God will be visible to all: which kingdom, indeed, the Savior taught must be sought with prayers, that it might quickly be present, when He commanded us to say in that prayer:

^A *Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.* And thus, with corruptible and corporeal things passed away, intellectual and heavenly things shall follow. Then also an unshaken kingdom shall prevail in an age that will never pass away; and a new and fresh heaven and a new earth shall exist, as the prophet says: *Heaven shall be new, and the earth new; and these shall remain before me, saith the Lord.*

*For the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.* ^B Those powers which served the former age while that prior world subsisted, and were set over the individual parts of the whole, shall then indeed be shaken, that they may obtain a better station. For at present they serve corruptible bodies, but in that new age they themselves shall be vindicated from servitude and corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For at present the creation groans, serving the corruption of sensible bodies, and keeping its own station in which the Lord of all placed it. But then, at the saving manifestation of God, being freed from its present state, it shall pass to a better one.

*But when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads.* ^C He says these things to the disciples, not as if they were to live and remain in this life until the consummation, but because they constitute one body with us in faith, as well as all who are to believe in Christ until the consummation, and who for His sake are to spend the present life in humility. Then, therefore, having obtained the things we hope for, we who were once bowed down shall look up, and we who were previously humbled shall lift up our heads. For this will be that redemption of ours which is expected, which all creation also awaits, according to the apostolic teaching, which Paul also, having imbibed, groans to, obeying the Savior's utterances. When, however, redemption draws near, He taught accurately by saying, "when these things begin to happen." For when the things mentioned are not merely beginning, but are already proceeding into action, it is no longer likely that redemption is drawing near, but that it is being fulfilled by the work itself. But the divine Apostle also teaches that the redemption and liberty of all creation itself will occur then, ^D on account of the transformation into something better which is to happen to it also. Therefore he says: *And the creation itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.* For since all the children of God are to be incorruptible and immortal and holy and blessed, and are to inhabit the new age, it was surely necessary that the creation itself, which now serves a corruptible nature, should change into an incorruptible substance, being freed from its present state. To the timely statement: *And then they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds with glory*, you shall append the prophecy of Daniel, in which

the Son of man, and the cloud, and the kingdom to be given to the Son of man, were perceived. ^A Yet at that time, a single prophet, inspired by the divine Spirit, beheld what was to come; but at the time of the consummation, all, as the Savior says, shall see Him coming in a cloud with great power, life-giving and illuminating the new age, and with great glory, namely, the divinity of the Father.

When, then, shall these things be? When the times of the nations are completed. For when the period allotted to the nations has been finished, there shall be signs of the consummation of the world. What kind of signs these are, Luke permitted Matthew to state. For it was necessary that, when the great luminary, I mean the Word of God Himself, was about to manifest His second coming with great power and glory, the sun and the moon and the stars should withdraw and give way, so that in place of all of them, the Son of man Himself, shining forth, might illuminate the new age, with the former fashion of the world passing away, according to the apostolic testimony which says: *For the fashion of this world passes away*. ^B When, therefore, this fashion shall pass away, the sun and the moon and the stars shall pass away with it. The sun, however, shall be darkened at that time, not because it is to lose its own light, but because it is obscured by the juxtaposition of the greater. Therefore, as a reward for its labors, it too shall receive its due, becoming sevenfold; and the moon, too, shall be as the sun; and the stars likewise shall attain to a similar transformation for the better. The sun and the moon shall then remain idle; nor will there be any use for the stars at that time, since there will no longer be night; for they too shall rest, liberated along with the heaven from servitude. Thus, therefore, the new age shall be without sun, moon, and stars, with the day of our Light illuminating ^C the holy souls.

What things are to come upon the world after the obscuration of the luminaries, and why, and whence the distress of the nations shall arise, He declares immediately, saying: *In perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, with men fainting*. And it seems to me that He teaches that the beginning of the conversion of the whole which will then take place will be from the failure of the humid substance. For when this has been first absorbed or solidified, so that neither the sound of the sea is any longer heard, nor the tumult of its waves occurs due to the excessive heat, the remaining parts of the world, no longer enjoying the accustomed evaporation sent forth from the humid element, will suffer change and transformation; ^D and signs in the sun and moon and stars will result from this. For with the restoration of the whole taking place, and the consummation of the world, and the passing away of this visible fashion (for the first things shall pass away so that the second may stand), it was consequential that there should also be some transformation of the heavenly luminaries. These things shall be at the end of the times, when the apostasy takes place. For as the monsters of impiety—

^A abolish the manifestation of the Savior, the preludes of wrath shall begin from these things, namely from droughts and the distress of the roaring of the sea. When this happens, there will follow the distress of the nations upon the earth, with men fainting from fear and the expectation of those things which are to come upon the world.

What the things to come are, he interprets by adding immediately, saying: "For the powers of the heavens shall be shaken," when the Son of God arrives in his glory and is about to abolish the arrogant tyranny of the son of sin, with the celestial ^A hosts escorting him.

And he spoke a parable to them: "Behold the fig tree," etc. "So also you, when you see these things happening," etc.

What are these things happening, if not those foretold? Jerusalem trodden down by the nations, the completion of the times of the nations, the times of apostasy, the signs in the luminaries and in the stars, the distress of the nations upon the earth, the eclipse and the distress of the roaring sound of the sea. "These things," he says, "whenever you see them happening, know that the kingdom of God is at the doors," being something other than the things foretold. For the latter were preludes and signs of future good things, just as the tender branches and leaves of the fig tree are signs of the coming summer and of the bearing of fruit of the remaining plants and seeds; but the former things were preludes and signs of the future age and of the kingdom of the heavens to be established in it.

But this kingdom and the things in it are no longer to be delivered in speech, nor to be spoken to the ears of mortals. Wherefore one must be silent about these things. "For eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and it has not entered into the heart of man what things God has prepared for those who love him."

Yet just as in the present state of things, the sun, after the winter solstices, when spring is at hand, by sending forth warmer rays, vivifies the seeds hidden beneath the ground, which, laying aside their former shape, grow anew and sprout, showing forth the beautiful and flowering germ of recent nature; in the same way also the glorious advent of the Only-begotten of God, illuminating the new age with the life-giving rays of light, will bring forth into the light the seeds hidden of old in the former age and scattered in the whole world—that is, those who have fallen asleep in the dust of the earth—dowered with better bodies and a more august form than before; and having abolished death, life itself will henceforth hold the rule of the new age.

"This generation shall not pass away."

What generation is this, but the new and fresh one which he himself established? Concerning which it was spoken in the prophecies: "This shall be written for another generation, and the people who are being created shall praise the Lord," and again: "A generation to come shall be announced to the Lord." Therefore, looking clearly toward his apostles and toward the new generation of his holy Church established from them and through them across the whole world, he was saying: "This generation shall not pass away until all things come to pass."

^A For he says that his people and his Church shall remain and endure until that season when they shall see all things with their own eyes, and perceive with their own vision the outcome of the Savior’s prophecies.

"Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be burdened with dissipation."

He rouses the disciples to be always prepared and ready to receive his coming; for the sake of which he was setting forth all the discourses of his teaching. He commands them to be sober and watchful, and to spend the whole night of this mortal life sleepless, because the time of the consummation is known to no one. But, he says, you must beware of an impending burden, so that you may be able to be sober, lest that day come upon you suddenly—concerning which the holy Apostle also exhorted, writing: "Brethren, you know accurately that the day of the Lord, as a thief in the night, so it comes. For when they say, 'peace and safety,' then sudden destruction comes upon them. But you are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you as a thief. For you are all children of light and children of day." We must be vigilant, therefore, ^B not only because of the sudden and unexpected arrival of the Lord, but also because of the thief who lies in wait. The thief signifies the time of each person’s death, or else the angel who is to receive the soul of each one. For the coming of the Lord shall fall like a snare upon all those who are on the earth; those, therefore, who take heed to themselves are saved, like a gazelle from snares, and like a bird from a trap; but those who are burdened by drunkenness, and are lulled to sleep in death, fall into unexpected danger.

"Watch therefore at all times, praying," etc.

In harmony with these things, the Apostle said: "For this reason, take up the armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth."

"That you may eat and drink at my table." ^C Such a table will be full of good things, of which they shall partake to whom he made a covenant because they remained with him in his temptations; that they may eat and drink at his table, being fed as by a heavenly bread that nourishes holy souls, and partaking of wine of the new product of the true vine, which God, the husbandman of all, who himself prepares the new fruit from that same vine, will provide to those who are then worthy.

"But he denied him, saying, 'Woman, I do not know him.'"

Observe the truthfulness of the evangelist, how he does not favor Peter, but recounts his fall just as it occurred, in that while the others had forsaken the Master and fled, he—the one placed above them all, the apostle and disciple, that renowned Peter, I say—denied Christ three times, far removed from ^D tortures and the threats of magistrates (75).

FRAGMENT IN THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS

^A "Two men stood by them in shining apparel" (Luke XXIV, 4). They present to our view signs of joy and gladness, and tokens of the Savior’s resurrection through the whiteness of their garments, so that the women might also infer from their appearance the brightness of the resurrection, and begin the Paschal feast together with the white-robed angels. For Moses, who was about to be the minister of the Egyptian plagues, beheld the angel in flaming fire bush (Exod. III, 2). The same [prophet], when writing the law for wicked men, called God a consuming fire, signifying that He would be their punisher and avenger (Deut. IV, 24). For this reason, God went before them in a pillar of fire. Thus, He taught that for the impious, angels would be as a flame of fire, saying: "Who makes his ministers a flame of fire" (Ps. CIII, 4). But the women did not see angels of this sort inside the tomb, but rather calm and radiant ones, as it was fitting they should appear in the joy and kingdom of the Lord. At the Savior’s death, the sun was eclipsed, spreading darkness everywhere, showing symbols of lamentation and mourning to those who were crucifying the Son of God. At that time, it seems no angel appeared to the disciples, who were themselves scattered here and there. But if it had been necessary for one to appear, I think they would have presented a garment contrary to that of the white-robed ones. For at the time of the passion, not only did the sun darken, but the Savior, crying out with a loud voice, gave up His spirit; the veil of the temple was rent in two, as if the angels who had for ages inhabited the sacred place had themselves rent asunder their own venerable veil—so that the place of inaccessible mysteries, left bare and destitute of their guard, might lie open to the warring enemies. But these things took place at the time of the passion. Nevertheless, when the Savior rose again, as messengers of life and heralds of the resurrection, they stood around the place where the body had lain, having participated, by the very touch of the place, in a holiness greater than their own, and partaking in His resurrection. Therefore, they wore joyful and smiling countenances, and a white garment suitable for the feast of the Savior.

FRAGMENT OF EUSEBIUS FROM THE MILAN CODEX, IN WHICH IS THE CHAIN OF GREEK FATHERS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS (Mai, ibid., p. 207)

Ad cap. XII, 18. EUSEBIUS. ^D It is said that a divine descent occurred upon the mountain at the time the law was given, that all might see the power of God; for this descent is clearly divine, not local. For among the things growing on the mountain that were burning fiercely, nothing was consumed by the fire; and the sounds of trumpets were heard more forcefully, although no such instruments were present, nor was anyone crying out, but all these things were taking place by divine ordinance. Thus it is evident from these facts that the descent was divine, and that God displayed His own greatness in all things without any [external] aid.