Commentary on the Gospel according to Matthew

^A For things that are infinite in nature cannot be comprehended by a limited knowledge, as things destined to be known by a definitive nature; and from this it follows that prophecies cannot be made concerning everything, seeing that all things are infinite.

2. I think it necessary to have occupied oneself with study and effort in the inquiry into the question of the migration of souls into various bodies, because of the suspicion of some who have been persuaded that the soul under discussion is the same as that of Elijah and John—first called Elijah, and then truly John; nor do I think that John was called so accidentally, as is evident from the fact that the angel who appeared to Zacharias said to him: ^B «Fear not, Zacharias, for your prayer has been heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John;» and from the fact that Zacharias recovered his voice after he had written on the tablet that the one who was born was to be called John. But if this soul were Elijah, it ought to have been called Elijah when it was born a second time, or certainly some explanation ought to have been offered for why the name was changed, as in the cases of Abram and Abraham, of Sara and Sarah, of Jacob and Israel, and of Simon and Peter. Yet not even then would the argument hold in their case; for in the cases we mentioned, the changes of name occurred within one and the same life. ^C But someone might ask: if the soul of Elijah was not first in the Tishbite and then in John, what then was it that was called Elijah by the Savior in both? And I say that Gabriel, in his discourse with Zacharias, suggested what the same nature was that existed in Elijah and John; for he says: «And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God; and he himself shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah.» Observe, for he did not say, "in the soul of Elijah," so that there might be room for the theory of transmigration, but «in the spirit and power of Elijah.» For the Scripture clearly knows the difference between spirit ^D and soul.

^A Since, however, our present purpose is not to examine everything, but only the passage before us, let us by way of allegorical interpretation see whom we can identify as the one who is "moonstruck" and as the father who pleads for him; what it means for the sufferer to fall, not always but "often," at one time "into the fire" and at another "into the water"; and what is signified by the fact that he could not be healed by the disciples, but only by Jesus Himself. For it is reasonable to suppose that if every disease and every infirmity which our Lord then healed "among the people" refers to the various afflictions of the soul—as those who were paralyzed in soul and had it lying motionless in the body are signified by the paralytics, those who were blind to the things that can only be seen by the soul are signified by the blind, and those who were deaf to the reception of the saving word are signified by the deaf—then the case of the moonstruck man must be examined in a way analogous to these. This affliction befalls the sufferers at significant intervals, during which the one who is afflicted, other than at the time when the seizure is not acting ^B upon him, does not seem to differ from one in health. He will be restored, so that upon restoration, and having become capable of receiving the glory of Christ through this restoration, the Son of God, who is to be seen in glory, may appear. If, furthermore, Elijah is a certain "Word," inferior to the Word who in the beginning was God with God, ^C he too might be able, as a kind of training, to reside among the people prepared by him, so that they might be made ready to receive the perfect Word. One might also ask whether the spirit and power of Elijah suffered what was in John, and what is meant by, "They did to him whatsoever they wished." ^D Regarding this, it shall be said more simply that there is nothing absurd in the idea that those who provide help should suffer in sympathy with those who are being helped because of love; for Jesus Himself says, "For the sake of the weak I was weak, and for the sake of the hungry I hungered, and for the sake of the thirsty I thirsted." More profoundly, however, it is not said, "But they did to him whatsoever they wished in him," for the things that were suffered were rooted in the spirit and power of Elijah, while the soul of John was in no way Elijah, and perhaps the body was not either. For in one way the soul, spirit, and power are in the body, but in another way the body of the righteous man exists in the higher realities, as if rooted in them and depending on them. "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you." For the soul of the sinner is in the flesh, but the soul of the righteous man is in the spirit. Furthermore, one might ask to whom the phrase, "But they did to him whatsoever they wished," refers. Does it refer to the scribes, concerning whom the disciples, while questioning, used to say, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?" But John does not seem to have suffered much at the hands of the scribes, unless perhaps it is that they did not believe him, or that, as we said above, they became accessories to the deeds dared against him by Herod. Another might say that the passage, "But they did to him whatsoever they wished," does not refer to the scribes, but to Herodias, her daughter, and Herod, who did to him whatever...

^A they pleased: "a narration of piety is wisdom at all times," but regarding those who have been given over: "the fool changes like the moon." And one is able in such cases to see impulses capable of seizing those who have not stood firm against their instability toward praise; so that one might say that there is, as it were, a full moon in them, or at least nearly a full moon. But you would see again the light that seems to be in them waning—not being daylight, but nocturnal [and lunar] light—and to such a degree failing that not even that which seems to be light is observed to exist in them. But whether those who first gave names to things called the affliction of epilepsy "moon-struck" for some such reason or not, you yourself shall consider. The father of the one who is moon-struck is perhaps the angel who has been allotted to him [if indeed every human soul must be said to have been placed under some angel [as under some father]], beseeching the physician of souls on behalf of his son, that he might rescue him, since he could not be healed of the affliction by the lower word that was in the disciples. That these things are to be understood as multiple spirits that are better in the same person. And this we also put forward because of the fact that John came before Christ ^B in the spirit and power of Elias, so that the text "Elias has already come" may be referred to the spirit of Elias that was in John, as the three disciples who went up with him also understood, that he spoke to them concerning John the Baptist. For on Eliseus alone did the spirit of Elias rest; but John came before, not in the spirit alone, but also in the power of Elias; wherefore Eliseus would not have been called Elias, but John himself was Elias. If it is necessary to set forth the Scripture from which the scribes said that Elias must come first, hear Malachias saying: "And behold I will send you Elias the Thesbite," and the rest up to: "Lest I come and strike the earth utterly." And it seems that it is signified by these things that Elias will make ready for the glorious advent of Christ, through certain holy words and through the restoration in souls of those who have been found suitable for this, which those on earth would not have borne due to the surpassing weight of the glory, if they had not been made ready by Elias. But in these matters, I do not take "Elias" to mean the soul of that prophet ^C, but his spirit and his power; for these are the things by which all things will be restored.

[alt-version omitted]

^A And those, who have been restored and have become capable of that glory of Christ, which is to be seen when the Son of God shall come in glory. But if Elias is some word inferior to the Word who "in the beginning was with God, God the Word," that word might ^B be able, as by a preliminary exercise, to make those who are to be restored become prepared to receive the perfect Word. But someone might doubt whether the spirit and the power of Elias which were in John, have suffered something, in accordance with the saying, "And they did unto him whatsoever they listed"; and in regard to this it has been said—not indeed to the simple, for there is nothing unreasonable in the idea that one who is being helped should suffer together with the one who helps—but to those who are being helped, for Jesus says, ^C"For them that are infirm," and for the infirm, and for the thirsty—the deeper meaning is that it is not said, "But they did unto him whatsoever they listed," for it is not the soul of John that has been made to suffer for the spirit and the power of Elias; but perhaps even the body; for in another way the soul, and the spirit, and the power are in the body; and in another way the body of the righteous person is in the better things, as if clinging to them and hanging from them. "They that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you." For the soul of the sinner is in the flesh, but that of the righteous man is in the spirit. Furthermore, this also might be inquired: ^D "But they did unto him whatsoever they listed," to whom does this refer? For do the disciples, when inquiring, say: "Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?" But it does not appear that John was much injured by the scribes; unless, perhaps, because they did not believe him, or because, as we have said above, they were fellow-actors with those things which were done to him by Herod. Or another might say that the saying "And they did unto him whatsoever they listed," does not refer to the scribes, but to Herod, and to Herodias, and to her daughter, and to Herod, who did unto him whatever they wished.

OLD INTERPRETATION

^A their hands," it may be referred to the Scribes, if that which precedes is also referred to the Scribes; but if it is referred to Herod and Herodias and her daughter, then this later part also refers to them; for Herod appears to have been a party to the death of Jesus, with his wife perhaps privy to it and a participant in the wicked plots against Christ.

Concerning the Lunatic

^B And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a man kneeling down to him, and saying: Lord, have mercy on my son. They who suffer, or the kinsmen of those who suffer, are with the multitudes; wherefore, when Jesus has dispensed the things that are above the multitudes, he descends to them, so that those who cannot ascend because of the diseases that possess their soul may be helped, the Word having descended to them from higher places. It must be inquired in the case of which diseases the sufferers themselves believe and ask for their own healing; and in the case of which others do this for them, such as the centurion for his servant, and the nobleman for his son, and the ruler of the synagogue for his daughter, and ^C the Canaanitish woman for her daughter possessed of a devil, and now the man who kneels before him for his lunatic son. Along with these, one must also examine when the Savior heals of his own accord and without being asked by anyone, as the paralytic; for these healings, when compared with one another and examined together, reveal much to one who is able to hear that which is hidden in the mystery.

OLD INTERPRETATION

...to them, it is consequently said: if the first refers to the Scribes, this also refers to the Scribes. But if the first refers to Herod, and Herodias, and his daughter, then the second also refers to them; for even Herod is found to have been privy to the death of Christ, and his whole house.

5. At that time, as Jesus was descending from the mountain, there came to him a man, kneeling down to his knees saying: Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic, and suffers severely. For sometimes he falls into the fire, and sometimes into the water, and I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. They who suffer, or those who are of the household of the sufferers, are held with the common people, not on the mountain. Therefore, on account of the people, he descends to the human dispensation, as if from the high mountain of divinity: just as, by the grace of the elect disciples who followed him, he ascends into the high mountain, and there he transformed himself into his own glory. For first he indeed descends, on account of those ignorant of him, to human humility: but when he has become known to them, he leads them to the knowledge of his divinity, so that they may say with the Apostle: "If we have known Christ according to the flesh, but now we know him so no longer." He descends, therefore, to the multitude, in order that ^D those who could not ascend on account of the infirmities of their souls might be helped by him. And so now the man who knelt before him, saying: "Lord, have mercy on my son," would not have approached him had he not come to the multitude with his chosen disciples. And it must be considered in which infirmities those who suffer believe and pray for their own salvation, or touch the hem of his garment and are healed; and in which cases they who suffer do not do this, but others do it for them; as for example, the centurion for his servant, the nobleman for his son, the ruler of the synagogue for his daughter, the Canaanitish woman for her vexed daughter, and now he who kneels down for his lunatic son. With these you shall consider also that point, when the Savior heals even though asked by no one, as the paralytic who had been in infirmity for thirty and eight years. For these very salvations...

of the hidden wisdom of God, and they will declare the decrees concerning the various illnesses of souls and the methods of healing them.

^A Now, because we are not dealing with everything, but only with the passage before us, let us see how we can interpret figuratively who this lunatic is, and why his father asks about him, and what it means that the sufferer is not always, but often, falling—at times into the fire, and at times into the water; and what it means that he could not be healed by the disciples, but only by Jesus Himself. For it is reasonable that, if the Savior then healed every sickness and every infirmity among the people, it is referred to the various symptoms in the soul: those who are paralyzed in the soul, lying down with their soul in a state of paralysis, are designated by the paralytics; those who are blind in regard to things that can be seen only by the soul are shown by the blind—indeed, they are the blind; and those who are deaf to the reception of the saving word are designated by the deaf. Similar to this, those matters pertaining to the lunatic must be examined. This ^B affliction (75) happens by significant intervals to those who are suffering, as they seem in no way different from those who are healthy when the epilepsy is not acting upon them. You might find certain symptoms in some souls which are, for the most part, comparable to themselves and discussed, and which disclose many secrets of wisdom to those who can discern them.

4. But because we are not dealing with everything, but only with the passage before us, let us see how we can interpret morally who this lunatic is; then, who we think his father is, who is making the request for him; thirdly, what it means that the patient does not always fall, but frequently, sometimes into fire, sometimes into water, and what is the reason that he could not be healed at all by the disciples of Christ, but only by the Lord Jesus Himself. For there is a reason for this. Since every langor and every infirmity which the Savior then healed among the people refers to the spiritual infirmities of souls according to the differences of their passions, we consider those who have their soul paralyzed to be the paralytics; those who are blind in soul, ^C who do not consider what is just or unjust with their mind, to be the blind; and those who are deaf in soul, who are not prepared for the reception of saving arguments, to be the deaf. Consequently, it is necessary that what pertains to the lunatic should be examined.

(75) "This affliction, etc." Every disease in human bodies is believed by some to be caused by the moon, [hence] "lunacy"; and those who suffer from it can be called "lunatics" or "furious"—demoniacs and epileptics are so called. Vettius Valens, whom it has pleased God to bring from darkness into light, in his *Anthology* IV, says: "As for the conjunction or opposition, if they prevail, or at the diameters, and according to the phases of the moon, some lunatics—the manic, the ecstatic, the spirit-possessed—are created by the moon's influence." Further, where he wants to prove this by example, ^D he brings forward the temperaments of men, and notes that most especially those who are called "lunatics," or who are later spoken of, whether they be called *caducus* [falling] or *cadivos* [fallen]—the term "lunatic" comes into use. Aretaeus adds to the result, also a disease, just as most called it the sacred one. For he claims that the moon is also responsible for this disease, and the ancients attributed this disease to the moon. They say that the name "lunatic" is given to those who are affected by this disease at the time of the moon. Isidore, book 4 of *Etymologies*, chapter 1: "Called *caducus*, or 'falling,' that is, *lunaticus*, because he suffers at a certain time of the moon." For it seems to those who are affected by the moon that the disease comes upon them. — Huetius.

^A And it will seem to those people that these things are equivalent, because "He began to show to the disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests." But this is not the case. For it is not the same thing to be "shown to the disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes" and, after suffering, "to be killed and" after being killed "on the third day to be raised," as it is for it to have been said to them while they were "in Galilee" [which we did not learn above], that therefore "the Son of Man was about to be betrayed." For the word "betrayed" was not mentioned above, whereas now it adds "into the hands of men." Wherefore let us inquire by whom or by what people He is about "to be betrayed into the hands of men." ^B Those who are thought to be healthy in self-control and the other virtues, at times, as it were, seized by some epilepsy arising from their passions, fall away from the state in which they seemed to stand, and are convulsed concerning the deception of this age and other desires. Perhaps, then, you would not be wrong in calling such people, so to speak, spiritually "lunatic," being cast down by "the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places," and faring badly often at the time when the passions that seize their soul are at work; sometimes falling into the fire of their burning desires, when they become, according to what is said in Hosea, "adulterers, like an oven heated for the baking of the combustion from the flame"; ^C sometimes into the water, when the king of all the dragons in the waters casts them down from the freedom they seemed to enjoy to breathe, into the depths of the waves of the sea of human life. This account of ours regarding the lunatic will be confirmed for us by the one who says in Wisdom, concerning the consistency of the righteous man: "The discourse of the pious is always wisdom"; and concerning those who have been given over: "But the fool changes like the moon." And it is possible even in such people to see urges capable of seizing upon praise from those who have not understood their instability, so that one might say there is a full moon in them, or almost a full moon. ^D You might see, again, that light which seemed to be in them being imitated—not being a daytime light, but rather a nocturnal light, waning to such a degree that it is not even seen to be a light at all when looked at in them. But whether those who first gave names to things called the disease of epilepsy "lunacy" because of some such thing, or not, you yourself will consider.

5. Now the father of the lunatic is perhaps the angel to whom he was allotted (whether one must say every human soul... [VETUS INTERPRETATIO] ...is a change from better to worse, because he who suffers this differs in no way from those who are healthy, at the time when the change itself is not working in him. Yet the infirmity of the soul of a young man, in some people who are frequently considered to be healthy in chastity or mercy, and to live according to the will of justice, is wasting. Sometimes, however, they are gripped by passions as if by a certain correction of the spirit, and they fall from that state of good in which they were thought to stand, and are turned to the seduction of this age and to other carnal concupiscences. Perhaps you will not sin if you say that such people are, (if I may say so), spiritually lunatic, who are cast down by the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places, and who fare badly frequently at the time when they have been gripped by their soul's passions, and fall into the fire of the conflagration, when adulterers (as Hosea says) become like a burning oven of fire. Such people sometimes fall into the water, when the king of all things that are in the waters, the dragon, casts them down from the freedom of the soul into the depth of the waves of the sea, that is, into the very worst evils of this human life, which is likened to the sea. Now our interpretation of the lunatic is commended by what Wisdom says, concerning the consistency of the righteous man: "A wise man remains like the sun"; but concerning the inconstancy of the sinner: "But the fool changes like the moon." And it is possible to see in such people certain impulses of what are seemingly good deeds creeping in, so that they can creep away with praise from men—from those men, however, who do not know the hidden inconstancy of their heart. But you see them decrease again, and what seemed to be light in them is found not to be daytime light, but nocturnal and lunar, and to decrease for so long, that it is not seen to be light at all, which was supposed to be light.

^A It must be said that the soul is subject to some angel, imploring the physician of souls as if for a son, that he might heal him, since the word which is inferior, that which is in the disciples, could not cure him of his affliction. A spirit that is mute and deaf must be tropologically interpreted as movements toward what seems to be good, cast out by the Word, so that what someone was previously doing through an irrational impulse, believed by those who see it to be good, one might no longer do irrationally, but according to the reason of the teaching of Jesus. From this, Paul also was moved to say: "If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains" (I Cor. XIII, 2); for he who has all faith—which is like a grain of mustard seed (Matth. XVII, 19; XIII, 31)—removes not only one mountain, but many like unto it. For faith is despised by men, and appears to be very small and cheap; but when it has obtained good ground—that is to say, a soul that is able to receive such a seed well—it becomes a great tree, so that those which are wingless, ^B but those which are winged, spiritually, the birds of the air, are able to nest in the branches of such faith.

Now therefore let us attend also to the letter, and let us inquire first how he who is darkened and cast down by some unclean, deaf, and mute spirit is said to be moonstruck, and why "moonstruck" is a name derived from the great luminary in heaven, second after the sun, which God set "for the beginnings of the night" (Gen. I, 16). Let physicians, indeed, ^C discourse on natural causes, since they do not even believe that an unclean spirit

OLD INTERPRETATION

the soul of man is set under some angel, as if under some father) the father of such a moonstruck person is called, beseeching the physician of souls as for a son, that he might deliver him who cannot be healed of his affliction by the humble word of the disciples of Christ. But if also the mute and deaf demon must be understood morally, we say that the irrational impulse itself, which seems to have the appearance of good, must be called a mute and deaf demon, which is cast out by the Word of Christ alone: for he who is such does not see what is just or unjust, like a blind man; nor does he receive the admonition of the disciples of Christ, like a deaf man. Therefore he has need of the word of Christ, so that he who was doing through irrational utterance what might be thought by onlookers to be good, may no longer act without reason. According to the word of the teaching of Christ, such passions are difficult to heal, because they are strongly cast down after they have done things that were thought to be good, and there is an operation that works evil in them, and it is so great and strong among all evils that it is likened to a mountain, and is not expelled from the patient, nor does it go out, except through the total faith of him who knows how to heal such passions. For by all faith such mountains are removed. Now all faith is compared to a mustard seed, as can be made manifest from that which is written: "If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain: Remove from hence hither, and it shall remove." And by the Apostle: "If I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains." Therefore, I believe that all faith is compared to a mustard seed, because faith is indeed despised by men, and appears to be something small and vile, but when it has obtained a good soul, that is, the earth of an upright man, such a seed becomes a great tree, so that those who are not wingless, but those who are winged, who are spiritually birds of the air, dwell in its branches.

is vexed by an unclean spirit, and why the passion itself received a name from the moon, which after the great sun is a luminary...

^A that they think stands in its place, but that it is a bodily symptom; and let the physiologists say that the humors in the head are moved, according to some sympathy peculiar to lunar light, which possesses a moist nature. We, however, who believe the Gospel that this disease is from an unclean spirit, mute and deaf, and is observed to be working in those who suffer from it, and seeing that those who are accustomed to promise healing in such cases—much like the Egyptian enchanters—sometimes seem to succeed therein, will say this: that perhaps, to avoid slandering the works of God, so that "iniquity may not be spoken on high, and they may set their mouth against heaven," this unclean spirit observes certain configurations of the moon and acts accordingly, so that by this observation of such a lunar configuration, people appear to suffer and the cause of such great evil is attributed not to the mute and deaf demon, but to the great luminary in heaven which is set for the beginnings of the night, and which has no beginning of such a disease among men. ^B "And they speak iniquity on high," all those, namely, who beside the relation of the stars, say that the cause of all things on earth—whether universal or of individual occurrences—is to be found therein. And such people truly "have set their mouth against heaven," calling some of the stars malevolent and others benevolent, although no star was made by the God of all things in order to do evil, according to Jeremiah, as it is written in the Lamentations: "Out of the mouth of the Lord shall proceed things both fair and good." It is likely that just as this unclean spirit—the one working what is called lunacy—observes the configurations of the moon so as to act upon the one who for certain reasons has been delivered over to it, and has not rendered himself worthy of angelic protection, so too do other spirits and demons observe the configurations of the other stars, so that not only the moon, but also the remaining stars are reviled by those who "speak iniquity on high." It is certainly worth the effort to hear the genethliacs, who refer the cause of all madness and fury sent by a demon to the configurations of the moon. ^C It is called. Let the physicians, then, say what they will—those who do not think it an unclean spirit, but some bodily passion, and who say that the humors are moved in the head according to some proportion to the lunar light, which has a moist nature. We, however, who are believers in the Gospel, say that an unclean spirit works this passion in men. For it observes certain schemata of the moon, and works in such a way that, through the observation of certain lunar schemata, it makes it appear that people are suffering, and by this means it shows God’s creature to be blameworthy; so that all, as we have said, "speak iniquity on high," who think that the cause of all infirmities, whether general or special, consists in the efficiency of the stars, casting blame upon the works of God, and saying that some stars are malevolent, while others are benevolent, whereas no star was made by God to do evil. For according to Jeremiah, as he says in the Lamentations: "From the mouth of the Lord there shall not proceed evils and goods." Perhaps, then, just as this unclean spirit observes certain lunar schemata in order to work in him who, for some causes, has been delivered over to it: so too do other demons, in accordance with some schemata of the stars ^D

^A That those suffering from what is called lunacy sometimes fall into water is evident; that they also fall into fire, though more rarely, is nevertheless a thing that happens, and that this malady is difficult to heal, so that even those who possess the grace to heal demoniacs sometimes abandon the hope of curing this, while at other times they successfully heal it according to their desire with fastings, and prayers, and many labors. But you will inquire whether, just as among men, so also among spirits there are such symptoms, so that some of them speak, while others are mute; and some hear, while others are deaf. For it will be found that, just as the cause of their being impure exists in them, so also, through their own free will, they have been condemned to be mute and deaf. For, indeed, certain men will suffer such a condemnation, provided that the prayer of the prophet, which is as though it had been spoken to the Holy Spirit, is heard, in which it is said concerning certain sinners: "Let deceitful lips become mute." Perhaps in the same way those who have abused their ears and lent an ear to vain reports are made deaf by Him who said: "Who has made the mute and the deaf?" so that they may no longer lend an ear to vain reports. ^B

Since the Savior said, "O faithless and perverted generation," He indicates ^C that wickedness has entered in from perversion, having become contrary to nature and having made us perverted. And the Savior, I think, being burdened by the whole race of men on earth because of their wickedness, and bearing with their company with difficulty, said: "How long shall I be with you?" We have already said in part concerning the passage: "If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain," and the rest; nevertheless, these things will be said again in this place, as they seem to us to contribute more clearly to the understanding of the matter. By mountains here, I think, are meant the opposing and hostile powers, endowed with a great and widespread wickedness, which are, as it were, fixed in the souls of certain men. Therefore, when someone has all faith, so that he no longer disbelieves any of the things contained in the sacred scriptures, and has such faith itself as was the faith of Abraham, who believed God to such an extent that his faith was reckoned to him as righteousness, such a man has all faith as a grain of mustard seed. Then such a person will say to this mountain: ^D — and I am referring to the mute and deaf one —

^A in the spirit, which is said to be moon-struck: — "Move hence," evidently from the man who is suffering, perhaps into the abyss, "and it will move." The Apostle, I think, taking the cue from this, said with apostolic authority: "And if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains." For he who has all faith, which is as a grain of mustard seed, moves not one mountain only, but also many things analogous to it; and nothing will be impossible to this one who believes to such a degree. But let us also attend to this: "This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting," so that if ever it should be necessary for us to occupy ourselves with the healing of someone who suffers such a thing, we might not adjure, nor question, nor speak to the unclean spirit as if it were listening, but by dedicating ourselves to prayer and fasting, we might prevail while praying for the one who suffers, and by our own fasting we might drive the unclean spirit from him.

8. Turning their steps to Galilee, Jesus said to them: "The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men." And it will seem to some that these things are equivalent to what was said previously ^B, that He began to show the disciples that it behoved Him to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests; but the matter is not so, for it is not the same thing to show the disciples that it behoved Him to go to Jerusalem, and to suffer many things from the elders and chief priests, and scribes, and after suffering to be killed, and after being killed on the third day to rise again, and to say to them while they were in Galilee (which we have not learned before, that, as it were, the Son of Man was about to be delivered; for "to be delivered" is not said above, but now, and "into the hands of men," regarding which let us inquire by whom or by which [men] He is about to be delivered into the hands of men; for there we are taught by whom He will suffer, and in what place He will suffer; but here we learn in addition, through those whom we mentioned above, that He is to suffer them, although they [the men] are not the primary cause why He suffers many things, but rather ^C it is introduced from the perversity of malice which had occurred contrary to nature. I think, however, that because of the perversity of the whole human race, as if burdened by their malice and by His conversation with them, He said: "How long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you?" Let us also see that which He says: "This kind does not go out except in fastings and in prayers"; and if at any time it should be necessary for us to remain for the sake of the healing of those who suffer any such thing, let us not adjure, nor question, nor speak as if to an unclean spirit that hears; but remaining in prayers and fastings, let us obtain salvation for the sufferer from God, and let us drive away unclean spirits by our fastings and our prayers. ^D

^A It happens from the aforesaid that the causes of his suffering many things are not those first ones, but rather [the cause is] the one delivering him or those delivering him into the hands of men. Now, one man will say that the Apostle, explaining this, says concerning God: "He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." And the Son himself also gave himself to death for our sake, so that he was delivered up not only by the Father, but also by himself. Another man, however, gathering together not only that point but also the things set forth to the same effect, will say that the Son was first delivered up by God to the ruler of this age and to his other princes, that he might afterwards be tempted, and then might undergo suffering, and subsequently might suffer for the sake of men, or even for the whole world in order to take away its sin, [delivered up] to the ruler of this age and his other princes; then, by these, he was delivered up into the hands of men, of those who were to slay him.

^B An example will be taken from the things concerning Job: "Behold, all that he has I give into your hand; but do not touch him." Then, as if delivered up by the devil to his princes, to those leading into captivity, to the horsemen, to the fire descending as if from heaven, to the great wind coming from the desert, and to the one who tore down the house. You will observe whether, just as he delivered the things of Job to those leading into captivity and to the horsemen, so also by some operation ^C under the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, the fire from heaven that was falling upon the sheep of Job appeared as falling to the one reporting to Job, that "fire fell from heaven and burned up his sheep, and likewise consumed the shepherds." In a similar manner to these, you will inquire whether the great wind that suddenly came from the desert and struck the four corners ^D of the house was not one of those under the devil, to whom the devil delivered the banquet of the sons and daughters of Job, so that the collapsing house might crush the children.

VETERAN INTERPRETATION

above, "for it will come to pass that the Son of man is delivered." "To be delivered" was not spoken of above; but here we hear not only of being delivered, but being delivered into the hands of men. In this, let us inquire by whom he is to be delivered into the hands of men, or into whose hands. For there we are taught by whom he will suffer, and in what place he will suffer. But here we learn that he is to suffer many things from the aforementioned, not because they themselves provided the cause that he should suffer many things, but because of him, or them, who delivered him into the hands of men. Therefore, the Apostle, in narrating that the Son was delivered, shows that he was delivered by God the Father thus: "Who did not spare his own unique Son, but delivered him up for us all." Another man, however, gathering not only that thought but also the consequences into the same, says that the Son was indeed delivered by God to the ruler of this age and the rest of his princes; then, by them, he was delivered into the hands of men who killed him. And for an example, take also that which is written about Job, who was first delivered by God into the hand of the devil, just as he says: "Behold, I deliver all that he possesses into your hand. Behold, I deliver him to you; only spare his life." Now, the devil, receiving the goods...

^A of the devil, which was one of those things under the devils, to whom the devil delivered the feast of the sons and daughters of Job, so that the house might fall upon the children of the just one, and they might die. Let it be, therefore, as in the case of Job, that the Father first delivers the Son to the opposing energies, and then they deliver him into the hands of men, among which men was also Judas, "into whom after the sop Satan entered," delivering him more authoritatively than Judas. But see, lest you ^B might, by comparing the delivering of the Son by the Father to the opposing energies, with his being delivered by them into the hands of men to be the Savior, think that the "delivering" mentioned in both cases is the same. For consider that the Father, for the sake of us all, delivered him out of philanthropy; but the opposing powers, delivering the Savior into the hands of men, were not aiming to deliver him for the salvation of anyone, but as far as it depended on them, since none of them knew the wisdom of God ^C hidden in a mystery, they delivered him to be killed, so that his enemy, death, might take him under its control, similarly to those dying in Adam. And the men who killed him, being molded by the will of those who wanted Jesus to become subject to death, were doing this. I think, however, that these things also need necessarily be examined, because Jesus, when delivered into the hands of men, was not delivered by men into the hands of men, but by the powers to whom the Father, for the sake of ^D us all, delivered the Son, in the very act of him being delivered, and becoming subject to those to whom he was delivered, destroying him who had the power of death; "for through death he abolished him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and delivered those who, through fear of death, were subject to slavery all their lives." And one must consider that the devil holds the "power of death," not that of the intermediate and indifferent, according to which all who are composed of soul and body die, as their soul departs from the body: but the [power] of death [alt-version omitted] into his power, he delivered him to the robbers and horsemen who made three bands. See, therefore, lest perhaps just as the devil delivered the goods of Job into the hands of the robbers, having first received power from God, so too by some operation the prince of the power of the air, who works in the sons of disobedience, delivered him into the hands of men, among which men was also Judas, into whom after the bread Satan entered. Consider, however, that the Father, in delivering the Son to the opposing powers, did not simply deliver him, but because of his mercy, so that he might save the human race. The opposing powers, however, delivering the Lord into the hands of men, did not deliver him for the salvation of any; but as far as concerned them, because none of them knew the wisdom of God hidden in a mystery, they delivered him so that his enemy, death, might subject him to itself, just as all men who were dying in Adam. But also the men who killed him had a will not according to the will of God now ordained, but according to the will of the powers, by which they wished the Son of God to be made subject to death. Not therefore by men was he delivered into the hands of men, but by the powers to whom the Father delivered him for us all, so that in that which is delivered, and is made subject to the one to whom it is delivered, he might destroy the one who had the power of death; all die who are composed of soul and body, their soul departing from the body: but the [power] of death

by which those who are composed of soul and body die, when their soul is separated from the body; but [it is different] from the contrary and enemy of Him who said, "I am the life," according to which, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die." But that it was by no means God who delivered Him into the hands of men, the Saviour shows when He says: "If My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews." For when He was delivered to the Jews, He was delivered into the hands of men, not by His own servants, but by the prince of this world, who said concerning the powers that are in the invisible realms, that is to say, the kingdoms which stand against men: "All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship Me." Wherefore it must be thought that it was said concerning them: ^A "The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ." And those kings indeed and rulers stood up and were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ; but we, having received benefit from the fact that He was delivered by them into the hands of men and was slain, say: "Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yoke from us." For when we become conformed to the death of Christ, we are no longer under the bonds of the kings of the earth, as we have explained, nor under the yoke of the rulers of this age who were gathered together against the Lord. And for this reason, "God spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all," ^B in order that they who took Him and delivered Him into the hands of men might be mocked by Him who dwelleth in the heavens, and be held in derision by the Lord, as those who, contrary to their expectation, had, in destroying their own kingdom and authority, taken the Son from the Father, who on the third day rose again, having destroyed his enemy, death, and having made us conformed not only to His death, but ^C also… in which neither the intermediate death is meant, according to the text: "In Adam they die," wherefore there is an indifferent life, which is neither good in itself nor evil. For as there is a certain indifferent life, which happens to be neither good nor evil, according to which we say that even the impious and the irrational animals live, and another which is not indifferent, but good... thus thou wilt call the death that is contrary to the indifferent life an indifferent death, if [thou considerest] those paths that lead to the intermediate death.

^A and of the resurrection, by whom we walk in newness of life, no longer sitting in the region and shadow of death, because the light of God has risen upon us. When the Savior had said, “The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise,” they were greatly saddened, in that he was to be delivered into the hands of men and killed, as those who stood over gloom-filled things worthy of grief; but not heeding the fact that he would rise on the third day, which required no longer time, so that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death.

Of those who demand the didrachma

^B And when they came to Capernaum, those who received the didrachma came to Peter. There are some kings of the earth, and their sons, who do not pay taxes and tribute; and there are others, beyond their own sons, who are strangers to the kings of the earth, from whom the kings of the earth take taxes or tribute. And their sons are indeed free before the kings of the earth, as before fathers; but those who are bound to them by no kinship are free as regards outsiders of the earth, but according to those who hold dominion over them and enslave them, as the Egyptians lorded it over the sons of Israel, and embittered their life, and enslaved them with violence, they are slaves; for the sake of those who are in slavery—in accordance with the slavery of the Hebrews—the Son of God took on only the form of a slave, doing no work of clay or of a slave. Since he bears that form of a slave, he pays the custom and tribute, none other than that which is given by his disciple; for the same ^C stater sufficed, and the one coin was enough for Jesus and his disciple. Yet this coin was not in the house of Jesus, but was in the sea, and was in the mouth of the sea fish—which I also think was benefited when it came up, taken by the hook of Peter, who had become a fisher of men, in whom was also that which is tropically called the fish, so that it might be taken away from...

^D ...nor under the yoke of the princes of this world, who have gathered together against the Lord. Therefore, the Father did not spare his only Son, but delivered him up for all, so that the princes who receive him and deliver him into the hands of men might be mocked by him who dwells in the heavens and derided by the Lord, since they were doing everything for the dissolution of their own kingdom and rule, delivering him into the hands of men who, rising again on the third day and destroying his death, made us conformable not only to his death, but also to his resurrection. As the Lord foretold that the Son of man would be delivered into the hands of men, and they would kill him, and he would rise on the third day, the disciples were greatly saddened, understanding the delivery into the hands of men and the killing, but not heeding that which he said: “And on the third day he will rise,” nor considering who he was, for whom the time of three days sufficed to destroy death.

...asked: Does your teacher not pay the didrachma? He said: Yes. And when he went into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying: What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive tribute or custom? From their sons, or from strangers? Peter says to him: From strangers. Jesus says to him: Then are the sons free. But that we may not scandalize them, go to the sea, and cast a hook, and take the fish that comes up first, and opening its mouth you will find a stater. Taking that, give to them for me and you. There are therefore some kings of the earth, and their sons, who do not...

^A receive the coin bearing the image of Caesar, and he is reckoned among those whom they have caught by fishing, who have been taught the art of fishing for men. Whoever therefore has the things that are Caesar’s, let him render them to Caesar, that he may then be able to render the things that are God’s to God. But since Jesus, who is the image of the invisible God, did not have the image of Caesar—for the prince of this world had nothing in Him—on this account He takes the image of Caesar from a suitable place in the sea, that He might give it to the kings of the earth for Himself and His disciple, so that they who take the didrachmas might not assume Him to be their debtor, and [the debtor] of the kings of the earth. For He paid the debt without having taken it, nor possessed it, nor procured it, nor ever having made it His own property, so that the image of Caesar might never be found alongside the image of the invisible God.

It may be said in another way: There are some who are sons of the kings of the earth, and yet are not their sons, but sons, and absolutely sons; others, however, because they are distinct from the sons of the kings of the earth, are not sons of any of those who dwell upon the earth, but are for this very reason sons ^B either of God, or of His Son, or of some one of those who belong to God. If therefore the Savior questions Peter, saying: “The kings of the earth, from whom do they take taxes or tribute? From their own sons, or from the strangers?” and Peter answers that it is “not from their own sons, but from the strangers,” the Savior speaks concerning those who are strangers to the kings of the earth, and because they are free, they happen to be sons, saying: “Therefore the sons are free,” for the sons of the kings of the earth are not free, “since everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin;” but they are free who have remained in the truth of the word of God, and for this reason have known the truth. ^C

If, therefore, one is a son merely, and does not pay tribute or tax, while others besides their sons are strangers to the kings of the earth, from whom the kings of the earth take tribute or tax: and while their sons are indeed free before the kings of the earth, just as sons are before their fathers, the strangers on the other hand are indeed free outside the earth, but on account of those who rule over them and oppress them, as the Egyptians did the children of Israel, they are slaves. On account of these who are in servitude, the Son of God took the form of a slave, He who did no clay-like or servile work. As if, therefore, having the form of that slave, He gave the tribute and tax; not other than that which His disciple gave, for the stater itself was sufficient, with one coin being given for Jesus and for His disciple. This coin, moreover, was not in the house of Jesus, but was in the sea, and was in the mouth of a sea-fish; which fish I think was adjured to rise to the hook of Peter and was caught by him who had been made a fisher of men, in whom was he who is now morally called a fish, that the coin which had the image of Caesar might be taken from it and belong among those who have fished for him. Whoever therefore has the things that are Caesar’s, let him render them to Caesar, that hereafter he may be able to render to God the things that are God’s. Since Jesus did not have the image of Caesar—for the prince of this world had nothing in Him—on this account He received the image of Caesar not from His own, but from a convenient place in the sea, that He might give it to the kings of the earth for Himself and for His disciple, so that they who received the didrachma might not think Him to be a debtor to the kings of the earth; for He paid the debt without receiving it, nor possessing, nor acquiring, nor making it for Himself a possession, so that the image of Caesar might never be with the invisible God.

11. We have spoken of this in one way, because there is a double meaning in this discourse. But others can say such things. Of the sons, some are sons of the kings of the earth; others, however, because they are alien to the sons of the kings of the earth, are not sons of any of those who are upon the earth, but are of God, or of the Son of God, or of some of the sons of God. When therefore the Savior questions Peter, saying: “The kings of the earth from whom...”

do they receive toll or tribute? from their sons or from strangers?” ^A and Peter answers: “From strangers,” the Lord says to him: “Then are the sons free.” And since it is clear that the sons of the kings of the earth are indeed free, and yet they are nonetheless counted among those who are not kings of the earth, but are their sons, and among those who collect the didrachma, he says: “Lest we scandalize them, go, cast a hook, and take up the fish that first comes up,” and so forth. I would gladly ask those who love to invent fables about natures, what kind of natures were the kings of the earth, or their sons, or those who collect the didrachma, whom the Savior did not wish to scandalize? For it appears, at least so far as we are here discussing, that they are not of the natures to be commended, and yet the Savior is concerned that they should not be scandalized, and nonetheless he prevents a scandal from occurring among them, that is, in their lack of understanding, and also in that they wish, ^B if they so desire, to be saved, and to be approved by Him who spared them, so that they might not be scandalized. And as also in the passage about Capernaum (for so is Capernaum expounded), he exhorts his disciple to be free and to be a son, [but] gives him the power to catch the fish first, so that the fish that comes up might be exhorted with Peter, and caught, and that the stater be taken from its mouth, to be repaid to those who own the stater, and to those who demand their own coin.

12. And [the soul] would also speak at some time, ^C if it were to use this saying against the lover of money, who has nothing else in his mouth but money, when you see him cured by some Peter

OLD INTERPRETATION

of whom they receive tribute or census, from their own sons or from strangers? Being told by Peter, not from his sons, but from strangers, the Lord says to those that they are strangers to the kings of the earth: “Therefore the sons are free,” since the sons of God are free. But the sons of the kings of the earth are not free, “for everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.” But they are free who remain in the words of Jesus, and because they have known the truth, and the truth has made them free from the servitude of sin. If, therefore, in some mystery the kings of the earth, being from the sons of God, demand the didrachma of Caesar, bearing his image, it follows that as often as certain ones rise up who, for their own righteousness, take away our earthly things, the kings of this earth transmit them and demand from us what is theirs. Whoever therefore is simple, and not a son of the kings of the earth, he is free. But when they are, he acts carefully lest he scandalize those same kings, or their sons, and those who receive the didrachma. So he says: “But lest we scandalize them, go and cast a hook,” and so forth. And although they were wicked, Christ acted carefully, so that he might not scandalize them, and by his own example forbids any such scandal to be made even for men of this sort: whether that they might not sin further by being scandalized, or that they might be saved, receiving those whom he spared so that they might not be scandalized; and thus in the field of consolation (for so is interpreted Capernaum), he consoles his disciple, and pronounces him free, and a son, and gives him the power of fishing for the fish first, so that, as it ascends, Peter might receive consolation together with him, after he has fished.

12. And on account of this, the stater was taken from its open mouth, to be given to those to whom the stater belongs, and who demand such a coin as their own: you will conveniently be able to use this text against the greedy, for whom nothing else is in their mouth than money, when you see him—

^A in the sea and the bitter business of life, and in the waves of the cares and anxieties of avarice, having a stater in his mouth, as long as he is a non-believer and greedy; but having ascended from the sea, caught by the hook of reason, and having been benefited by some Peter who taught him the truth, he no longer has the stater in his mouth, but instead of it, those things which bear the image of the Word of God.

15. Furthermore, upon that passage: "And they that received the didrachma came to Peter,"

^A for the holy is given according to the law of God, you will bring forth from the book of Numbers; for it is written: “And you shall take five shekels per head; according to the holy didrachma; but also for all the children of Israel a holy didrachma is numbered head by head.” Since, therefore, it is not possible to have, in addition to the holy didrachmas, profane ones also—if I may so speak—the holy didrachma of God cannot be, for this reason, they who collect the non-holy didrachmas, and who questioned Peter and said: “Does your Master not pay the didrachma?” the Savior commands a stater to be paid, in which were contained two didrachmas, found in the mouth of the fish that first ascended, so that it might be paid for the master and the disciple.

Concerning those who were saying: Who is greater? And concerning the child called by Jesus.

14. In that time the disciples approached Jesus, saying: “Who, do you think, is greater in the kingdom of heaven?” ^B In order that Matthew might teach us what the disciples who approached Jesus wished to learn from him, and also how he responded to their inquiry, when he could have narrated this same thing only, he added these things according to certain copies: “In that hour the disciples approached Jesus”; but according to others: “In that day.” And indeed the intention of the evangelist is not to be passed over without necessary examination; therefore, directing the mind to those things which these words instruct. ... holy. But also for all the children of Israel, according to the head, a holy didrachma is given. Since, therefore, it is not permitted for the holy of God to have a defiled didrachma with the holy didrachmas, for this reason, to those receiving the non-holy didrachmas, and questioning Peter, and saying: “Does your Master not pay the didrachma?” the Savior commanded a stater to be given, in which were two didrachmas, which was found in the mouth of the fish ascending first: which the master gave, and his disciples always give for their own salvation, and the glory of Christ, so that they may make far from themselves all things that have the image of Caesar. ... heaven? And taking a child, he set him in the midst of them, and said: Amen I say to you, unless you have been converted, and made as children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. If anyone, therefore, shall have humbled himself as this child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven. And he who shall have received such a child in my name, receives me. Since Matthew could, for the sake of our instruction, set forth only this, what the disciples of Jesus who approached him asked him, and how he responded to their interrogation, he added according to certain copies indeed “in that hour, the disciples of Jesus approaching,” according to others, however, “in that day.” And it is necessary that we not leave the intent of the evangelist undiscussed. On account of which, explaining in the first place what he says, “in that hour,” or “in that day,” let us see if this addition of the day, or hour, is necessary. They came... ^C ... ^D ... [alt-version omitted]

then, to Capharnaum; and Jesus came to his disciples, where those who collected the didrachma came to Peter, and asking him, said: “Does your master not pay the didrachma?” Then, upon Peter answering them and saying, “Yes,” Jesus, intending to explain the payment of the didrachma, sent Peter to cast a hook and drag up the fish, which he said would contain in its mouth a stater to be given for himself and for Peter. ^B It seems to me, therefore, that those who supposed this to be a very great honor bestowed by Jesus upon Peter, and who judged him to be greater than the rest of his companions, wished to ascertain precisely what they suspected, through inquiring of Jesus and hearing from Him, as they supposed, that He had judged Peter to be greater than them. At the same time, they were hoping to learn the reason why Peter had been preferred over the rest of the disciples. I think, then, that Matthew, wishing to clarify this, added: ^C “Having taken,” that is to say, the stater, and “given it for me and thee,” the statement, “In that day the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Perhaps also they were perplexed because three had been preferred at the Transfiguration; and they were in doubt about which of the three had been judged greater by the Lord. For John had leaned upon His breast—a very special sign of love—and he had seen many tokens of love toward him ^D from the Lord before the supper. But Peter had been declared blessed in his confession because of: “Thou art Christ the Son of the living God;” yet again, because of: “Get behind me, Satan, you are a stumbling block to me; for you do not mind the things of God, but the things of men,” they were in uncertainty and doubt whether perhaps one of them was not the greater.

INTERPRETATION

(12) “Intending to explain”: Thus Tarin’s codex has, and soon after, in the English text, “dragging up.” Huet’s edition has “intending to explain” and “dragging up.” (13) “It seems to me, therefore, that, etc.”: Brief interpretation by Chrysostom, Theophylact, Euthymius. Huet. (14) “About that, etc.”: Cod. Tarin, “concerning that.”

^A We must, therefore, turn away from worldly desires and humble “himself,” not simply “as the child,” but according to what is written, “as this child.” And to humble “one’s self as the child” is that [humbling of one’s self for God and] the imitating of the Holy Spirit who humbled Himself for the salvation of men. That the Savior and the Holy Spirit were sent by the Father for the salvation of men is indicated in Isaiah from the person of the Savior saying, “And now the Lord and His Spirit have sent me.” One should know, however, that the statement is ambiguous: for either God sent, and the Holy Spirit also sent the Savior, or [as we have understood it] the Father sent both, the Savior and the Holy Spirit. “Greatest, therefore, in the kingdom of heaven” is he who has humbled “himself” beyond all those who humble themselves in imitation of that child. They were concerned lest this one might not be the greatest, but another of the sons of Zebedee. So much for: “In that day, or hour, in which the things concerning the stater had happened.”

Next, we must consider this: “The disciples approached Jesus,” as disciples to a teacher, proposing problems and examining, “Who, then, is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And we should, indeed, imitate in these things the disciples of Jesus; if ever any sought-after matter is not found among us, let us, with all concord regarding the matter sought, approach Jesus who is present where two and three are gathered in His name, and who is ready in His power to illuminate the hearts of those who desire to be His disciples in truth, for the grasp of the things sought. Nor is it inappropriate for us to approach one of those teachers appointed by God in the Church and propose some problem analogous to, “Who, then, is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ^B What, then, was already known to the disciples concerning this question? And what was being sought? For they had grasped that there is no equality among those deemed worthy of the kingdom of heaven; and that, since there is no equality, there is someone who is greatest, and so on in order down to the least; but they were still seeking what kind of person the greatest is, how the least has lived, and who those in between are, unless perhaps it is more accurate to say that they knew who the least was from the [passage]: “Whoever breaks one of these least commandments, and so teaches men, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven.” And they knew who was great from the fact that he says, “Whoever does and so teaches, shall be called great.” But among many who are great, who was the greatest, this was not manifest to them.

(15) For “teacher,” the Royal codex has “of the Savior.” (16) “Of what kind the greater.” In this way, ^C Phrynichus asks about character; it is wise, it is mild. One ought, therefore, to ask in this manner: “What sort of person does he seem to you to be?” ^D Those things are incongruous, and Stephanus wishes it to be, and in digging out the meaning he incredibly twists himself; but Nunnesius wishes it to be disapproved of by Phrynichus if it is used otherwise than for signifying character. Both are mistaken; for Phrynichus wishes it to be rejected, not the word *potapos* as such, but only when used to determine class. But even if the word is spurious and not of good standing, if you wish to use it, use it for signifying character. Although it is better and safer to ask thus. Thomas the Master understood it in this way: he says, “It is better, therefore, to ask about character thus: ‘What sort of person does he seem to you to be?’ rather than *potapos*.”

Mark therefore says that the twelve “disputed on the way” as to “who” among them “is the greatest”; therefore, he also “sitting down, called” them and teaches who is the greatest, saying that the one who has become “last of all” through modesty and gentleness will attain, as the greatest, to the honors, so that one might not accept the place of the one served, but rather that of the one serving, and this not to some and not to others, but to all absolutely. For attend to: “If any man desires to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.” And following these, he says that “taking a child [that is, Jesus, obviously], he set him in the midst” of his disciples, “and taking him in his arms, he said to them: Whoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receives me.” And what child did Jesus take and take into his arms, according to the deeper reasoning in these passages, if not the Holy Spirit? And to this child indeed some were made like, concerning whom he said: “Whoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receives me.” According to Luke, however, a “thought” did not arise among the disciples, but “entered” [the question] concerning “who of them should be the greatest.”

^A If one breaks one of these least commandments, and teaches men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but who is the greatest of all they did not know, even if they were grasping that: “Whoever shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven”; for there being many great ones, who is the greatest of the great, as among men, was not clear to them. And that there are indeed many great ones, but the great are not equally great, the name “great” placed upon Isaac will show, “who advancing became greater, ^B exceedingly exceedingly”; this is said also of Moses, and of John the Baptist, and of the Savior; and everyone will acknowledge that all these also were great according to Scripture, but the Savior was greater than them. But if John was greater than Isaac and than Moses, than whom no one greater has been among those born of women, whether he is not indeed greater [than them], but equal to both, or to one of them, it is not safe to pronounce. And from the [text]: “Isaac however ^C advancing became greater, until he became a great man,” not simply, but with the addition of “exceedingly,” twice repeated, it is possible to learn that there is a difference of great ones, one being great, another exceedingly great, and another exceedingly exceedingly great.

The disciples therefore, having approached Jesus, were seeking to learn who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven; and perhaps they, hearing from him, desired to learn such a thing as: So-and-so is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. But he leads the discourse toward the more universal, showing of what sort by quality one is greater ^D in the kingdom of heaven, which we may understand according to potency from the things written: “For Jesus having called a child,” and so forth.

It is possible first to explain straightforwardly.

[А] For he lives as one immortal, and he must receive it from Jesus himself [as established by Jesus] “in the name” of Jesus, from whom Jesus is not separated when He comes to be with the one who receives the child, as it has been said in this regard: “Whoever receives this child in my name, receives me.” Furthermore, since the Father is inseparable from the Son, [the Father also] comes to be with the one who has received the Son; hence it is said: “And whoever receives me, receives the One who sent me.” But one who has received the child, and the Savior, and the One who sent Him, is “the least among all” the disciples of Jesus, making himself small; and in whatever measure he makes himself small, in that same measure he becomes “great” [by] the One who commands him to make himself small and causes him to progress into greatness; for pay attention to this: “he who is the least among you all, this one is great.” We have read elsewhere also: “and he shall be great.” According to Luke, if anyone does not “receive the kingdom of God as a child, he shall by no means enter into it.”

The expression is ambiguous; for it may mean either that he who receives the kingdom of God should become as a child, or that he should receive the kingdom of God having become as a child for his sake. Perhaps, indeed, in this present time, those who receive the kingdom of God receive it in the state of a child, but in the world to come, it is no longer as a child—due to the magnitude of perfection in that spiritual maturity (if I may so call it)—that it is revealed to all those who have received it in the present time while it is in the state of a child. ^A “Woe to the world because of offenses.” The word “world” is used in itself and absolutely in the passage, “He was in the world, and the world knew him not.” But in terms of relative connection, with the implication of that of which it is the world, it is named in the passage: “Lest, having looked up to heaven and having seen the sun and the moon and all the world of heaven, you be led astray and worship them and serve them.” You may say the same is stated in Esther regarding her, when it is written that she cast off “all her world.” For the “world” is not simply the same thing as the “world of heaven” or the “world of Esther.”

And among those names, they say there is fear; for example, the lack of malice in children, even in those times of tears, for they change in an instant, and laugh, and play with those by whom they were supposed to be grieved and frightened, but who in reality had done no such thing. ^B So also will a man humble himself, as Jesus called a child; for there does not fall upon a child pride, and a conceit of nobility, or wealth, or any of those things that are considered goods, but are not. Hence, it is possible to see infants up to three or four years of age similar to those of low birth, even if they seem to be noble, and they do not necessarily love wealthy children more than poor ones. If, therefore, a disciple of Jesus, by reason, humbles himself in that which children suffer contrary to their age regarding the things that exalt the foolish—such passions—as Jesus showed the child, not exalting himself over a little glory, nor puffed up by wealth, nor by dress, nor swollen with pride over nobility, and especially ^C those who, as the Word has demonstrated, have turned back, as the child whom Jesus took, are to be accepted and imitated in the name of Jesus; since Christ is especially in these, and for this reason He says: “And whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me.”

The next part is difficult to narrate in sequence with what was previously put forward; for one might say: how is he who has turned and become as a child small among those who believe in Jesus, and susceptible to being scandalized? But let us attempt to clarify this also in order. How he who is to Jesus as a Son ^D and says: “Unless you do this, I kill you, I burn you,” or something similar, does such a child fear? As, therefore, other passions are not firm in children, so neither is fear. If, however, anyone also humbles himself as a child—for it does not fall to a child to know anything great, nor does the boasting of nobility, or wealth, or other things that are considered good but are not, fall to a child—whence we see infants up to the third or fourth year, even if they were noble, show themselves similar to base children, nor do they love rich children more than the poor. If, therefore, any man should take upon himself in reason the disposition that children have by age, expelling those things which move the senseless, he has become as a child, not exalting himself in honors, nor carrying himself highly in wealth, nor lifting himself up in the fame of his kinship: such a one is to be received and honored in the name of Jesus, since Jesus is especially in such. Therefore He says: “Whoever receives one such in my name, receives me. But whoever scandalizes one of the little ones who believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone be hung on his neck and he be drowned in the depth of the sea.”

^A Whoever believes that Jesus is the Son of God, in accordance with the true history that has been written about him, and travels through the actions prescribed in the Gospels to live according to the norm of virtue, has turned and makes the journey towards becoming like children; it is impossible for such a one not to enter the kingdom of the heavens. There are, to be sure, very many such people; but not everyone who has turned to becoming like children has attained the point of being made identical to children. Rather, each person is as far from the likeness to children as he is far from the state of the children, which is given as being free from passions. In all the multitude of believers, therefore, there are also those who have, as it were, just now turned toward becoming like children, who, by the very fact of their turning so that they might become as children, are called "little ones." And those who have turned from these things so that they might become as children, but are still far from being exactly like children, are liable to be scandalized. Each of these is as far from the likeness to them as he is far from the state of the children, which is given as being free from passions; and to these we must never provide causes for being scandalized. For if we do not, the one who has provided the scandal will have need of that which is profitable for his healing: that a millstone donkey-driven be hung about his neck and he be drowned in the depth of the sea. ^B For having thus paid the sufficient penalty in the sea, where the dragon is, whom God ‹fashioned to make sport of him,› and for his own profit towards the end, the one who has been punished and has suffered will, in what follows, be among those who are freed from the toils in the depth of the sea, which he endured while being dragged down by the donkey-driven millstone. For there are differences in millstones, so that one of them, as I might name it, is human, and another donkey-driven. And indeed that which is human is the one about which it is written: ‹“Two women will be grinding at one mill; one is taken and one is left.”› But the donkey-driven one is that which will be put around the one who has given scandal. One might say—I do not know whether speaking correctly or incorrectly—that the donkey-driven millstone is the heavy and downward-tending body of the wicked man, which he will take up in the resurrection ^C so that he might be drowned in the depth of the sea, called the abyss. ^D For it is possible to enter the kingdom of heaven. For many are turned so that they may become as a child, but not all who are turned so that they may become as a child already arrive there, so that they may become like children; but each one has so much less of the likeness of children, as far as he is from the childlike state towards carnal passions. In every multitude of believers, therefore, there are some who are as if recently converted so that they might become as children. These, on account of this very thing—that they are so converted that they might become as children, but are not yet made so, and appear to be recently converted—are held to be little ones in Christ, and are small, receivers of scandal, to whom we ought not to provide an occasion for scandal. Otherwise, ‹“whoever scandalizes one of the little ones who believe in me, it is expedient for him,”› as useful for the healing of sin, ‹“that a millstone donkey-driven be hung at his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea.”› Thus, rendering...

^A unto him—that is, the devil, whom God formed to be mocked by him—he shall be plunged into the abyss which is called the depth of the sea, where that dragon is. Another will refer the scandalizing of one of the little ones to those powers which cannot be apprehended by human eyes; for very many scandals originate from them against those shown by Jesus to be little ones. But when they shall scandalize one of the little ones shown by Jesus, of those believing in Him, he shall take up a donkey-driven millstone—that is, the corruptible body, which weighs down the soul—suspended from his neck, which draws him down toward the affairs of this life; so that by these means their arrogance may be suppressed, and having paid the penalty, they may, at the profitable time, gain through the benefit of the donkey-driven millstone that which is expedient for them.

^B 18. Let another narrative, besides that which is more simply told, be spoken—whether it be offered as a dogma or for the sake of exercise—and let us inquire what sort of child Jesus, having called, set in the midst of the disciples. See if you can say that the Holy Spirit, who humbled Himself, (having been called by the Savior and set in the midst of the ruling power of the disciples) is the child whom Jesus called. Or whether He wishes us, having turned away from all other things, to turn toward the examples suggested by the Holy Spirit, so that we might become as children who themselves have also turned and have been made like unto the Holy Spirit; which children God gave to the Savior, according to that which is said in Isaiah: ^C «Behold, I and the children whom God hath given me.» Nor indeed is it permitted to enter into the kingdom of heaven if one has not turned away from worldly affairs and become like unto the children who possess the Holy Spirit; which Holy Spirit Jesus, having summoned from His own perfection, having descended to men as a child, set in the midst of the disciples. It is necessary, therefore, having turned away from worldly desires, to humble oneself, not simply as the child, but according to that which is written, as this child. ^D To humble oneself, then, as the child—dignified punishment in the sea, where also the dragon is, whom God formed to be mocked by him—and thus, having suffered what is expedient, he who is punished will afterwards be outside the pains which are in the depth of the sea, which the drawing of the donkey-driven millstone has borne. But there are also differences of millstones, so that some are (if I may so speak) human, but others donkey-driven. The human one is indeed that of which it is written: «Two women shall be grinding at one mill; one shall be taken, and the other left.» The donkey-driven one, however, is that which is imposed upon him who scandalizes one of the little ones who believe in Christ, that he might be drowned in the depth of the sea. But the donkey-driven millstone can not irrationally be said to be the most heavy body of the wicked man, which drags downward, which every sinner will receive in the resurrection, that he may be drowned in the abyss which is called the depth of the sea.

^A For it is to the benefit of the little one who has been scandalized—when the one who has scandalized him is punished—that that which is recorded concerning the one who causes scandal be difficult and unbearable. If we were to reflect more carefully on these things, we would guard against sinning "against the brothers" and striking "their weak conscience," lest we sin "against Christ," for they are often destroyed not only by our "knowledge" but also by some others of the brethren around us, for whom "Christ died." Concerning those for whom we sin "against Christ," we shall pay the penalty when the soul of the one who perishes because of us cries out for justice against us. Next, we must examine the name of "necessity" in the phrase "for it is necessary that scandals come," and its equivalent in Luke: "it is impossible for scandals not to come" (or rather, it is impossible).

To humble oneself as that little child is to imitate the Holy Spirit, who humbled himself for the salvation of humanity. That the Savior and the Holy Spirit were sent by the Father for the salvation of humans is shown in Isaiah, speaking from the person of the Savior: "And now the Lord has sent me and his Spirit." We must know, however, that the expression is ambiguous; for either God sent, and the Holy Spirit also sent the Savior, or, as we have interpreted it, the Father sent both the Savior and the Holy Spirit. ^B Therefore, he who humbles himself more than all those who humble themselves in imitation of that child will be greatest in the kingdom of heaven. For there are many who want to humble themselves like that child; but he who in every way becomes most like the child who humbled himself, he would be found to be the one who is called greatest of all in the kingdom of heaven, in the name of Jesus, most especially in the very reality of Jesus himself. And just as he receives Jesus who receives one such little child in his name, so he rejects and casts out Jesus who is not willing to receive one such little child in the name of Jesus. ^C

If there is a difference among those who are deemed worthy of the communion of the Holy Spirit, since believers receive the Holy Spirit in greater or lesser measure—such that some might indeed be vulnerable to being scandalized, namely the least of those who believe in God, and the Word [avenges] the scandalizing of them, by them who have been converted and have become like the Holy Spirit who was placed in their midst—these are the children whom God the Father gave to Christ, according to what is written in Isaiah, saying: "Behold I and the children whom God gave me." And it is not possible to enter the kingdom of heaven unless one has been averted from worldly affairs and has become like those little children who had the Holy Spirit in them. Jesus, calling that Holy Spirit, descending from his perfection to humans, set him as it were a child in the midst of his disciples, so that each one might humble himself, not simply as a child, but as it is written, "as this child"; yet in such a way that one humbles himself for God, just as the Holy Spirit humbled himself for the salvation of humans.

Since both Jesus and the Holy Spirit were sent by the Father into this world for the salvation of humans, it is manifest in the prophet Isaiah, who says from the person of the Savior himself: "And now the Lord has sent me, and his Spirit." But because in Greek the Holy Spirit is of neuter gender, and not masculine, as it is with us [in Latin], and has three similar cases—the nominative, accusative, and vocative—those translating into the Latin language have therefore transferred the nominative instead of the accusative case and said: "And now the Lord has sent me, and his Spirit"; whereas it is more true to have it this way in Greek: "And now the Lord has sent me, and the Holy Spirit." ^D Nevertheless, if anyone wishes to defend with violence against the reason of truth that it was said thus, "and now the Lord has sent me, and his Spirit," we understand without doubt that the Son of God is sent by the Holy Spirit, just as he was also led by the Holy Spirit into the desert according to human nature, which Christ, taking on, imitated in all things, so that he is also led by the Holy Spirit, as are all of God’s people. Therefore, he who has humbled himself before all those who humble themselves is greater in the kingdom of heaven, following the imitation of that child: and there are many who do not want to humble themselves like that child. But he who before all others has been made nearer to that child, he shall be greater than all. We must therefore receive such a child in the name of Jesus, since Jesus dwells in him. And just as he receives Jesus who receives one such child in the name of Jesus, since in his name...

^A he speaks regarding those who have offended them: “It is better for him that a millstone be hung about his neck and he be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Let these things have been said according to the aforementioned sayings of Matthew.

Let us also see the similar points from the others. Mark, therefore, says that the twelve disputed on the way as to which of them was greater; for this reason, having sat down, he called them and taught who is the greater, saying that he who becomes the last of all through humility and gentleness will attain to the first places as the greater, so that he would not accept the place of the one served, but that of the one serving, and this not toward some while not toward others, but toward all absolutely; for pay attention to: “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all, and servant of all.” And next to these he says that, “Having taken a child,” (Jesus, clearly,) “he set him in the midst of his disciples,” and having embraced him, he said to them: “Whoever receives one of the children in my name, receives me.” But what child did Jesus take and embrace according to the deeper meaning in the passages? Was it the Holy Spirit? And to this child, indeed, some were likened, concerning whom he said: “Whoever receives one of such children in my name, receives me.” According to Luke, however, a “reasoning” did not arise among the disciples, but ^B “entered” concerning this, which of them might be greater. And “Jesus, seeing the reasoning of their heart,” inasmuch as he has eyes that see the reasonings of hearts; “seeing the reasoning of their heart,” and not even being asked according to Luke, “he took the child and set him,” not only in their midst, as Matthew and Mark have stated, but already also beside himself, and he said to the disciples not only this: “Whoever receives one such child,” or “Whoever receives one of such children in my name, receives me,” but already also more advanced than that: “Whoever receives this child in my name, receives me.” It is necessary, therefore, according to Luke, to receive in the name of Jesus that child whom ^C Jesus, having taken, set by himself. And I do not know if anyone is able not to interpret figuratively the “shall be.” Let it be settled. But now also from the more advanced point: “Whoever receives this child.” Such a child, “Whoever shall receive this child.” Therefore, he says, he will receive such a child.

^A for those who have been offended—the Word says regarding those who have offended them: “It is better for him that a millstone of a donkey be hung upon his neck, and he be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Let these things be said regarding the set-forth sayings of Matthew.

19. Let us now see how things stand among the others regarding what pertains to them. Mark, therefore, says that the twelve disputed on the way as to which of them was greater; therefore, having sat down, he called them, and taught who is the greater, saying that first place, as if to a greater one, would be attributed to the one who, by his modesty and lenity, has been the last of all, so that he has not arrogated to himself the place of the one to whom service is rendered, but of the one serving, and this not to some while not to others, but clearly before all; for attend to this: “If anyone wishes to be first, he will be the last of all, and the servant of all.” Then he says afterwards: ^B that taking a child (Jesus, namely), he set him in the midst of his disciples: whom when he had embraced, he said to them: Whoever receives one of the children in my name, receives me. What sort of child, truly, did Jesus receive and embrace, according to the deeper interpretation of these places? Was it the Holy Spirit? And to this child indeed some have been made like, concerning whom he said: “Whoever receives one of such children in my name, receives me.” According to Luke, however: “A thought” did not ascend into the disciples, but “entered” on that matter, which of them might be greater. But Jesus seeing the thoughts of their heart, as one having ^C eyes that behold the thoughts of hearts; “seeing the thoughts of their heart,” not even being asked, according to Luke, he apprehended the child, and “set him,” not only in the midst of them, as has been handed down by Matthew and Mark, but even beside himself, and said to the disciples not only that: “Whoever shall have received one such child” or “Whoever one of such children shall have received in my name, receives me,” but even more deeply progressing: “Whoever shall have received this child in my name, receives me.” That child, therefore, whom Jesus having apprehended set beside ^D himself: thus he refutes and repulses Christ, who does not wish to receive such a child in the name of Jesus, even though he be the least, so that he might be offended because he has not more fully imitated the childlike humility.

19. And let us compare the words of the evangelists regarding this chapter, if perhaps the sense might be made clearer on account of the Holy Spirit whom we said that child could be understood to be. And Matthew indeed and Mark say: “And taking a child, he set him in the midst of the disciples, and having embraced him said to them: If anyone shall receive one such child in my name.” Luke however thus: “And he took the child and placed him not only in the midst of them, as Matthew and Mark say, but beside himself,” and said to his disciples not thus, if anyone shall have received one such child, or one of such children, but thus: “If anyone shall have received this child in...”

^A my name.” For we must receive that child, whom Jesus then set by himself having taken him, each of us in the name of Jesus; for he lives as one immortal, and it is necessary to receive him from Jesus himself in the name of Jesus, from whom Jesus is not separated, and he is with him who has received the child, so that according to this it has been said: “Whoever shall receive this child in my name, receives me.” Then, since the Father is inseparable from the Son, He is with him who has received the Son; wherefore it is said: “And whoever shall receive me, receives Him who sent me.” But he who has received the child, and the Savior, and the One who sent Him, is less than all the disciples of Jesus, making himself small; for by as much as he makes himself small, by so much does he become great, He granting him growth who also made him present himself as small; for pay attention to this: “The ^B smaller among you all, he is great.” We have read also in other places: “He shall be great.” But according to Luke: “If anyone shall not have received the kingdom of God as a child, he shall not enter into it.” And the expression is ambiguous; for it is either that he who receives the kingdom of God may become as a child, or that he may receive the kingdom of God as one having become as a child to him. And perhaps here those who receive the kingdom of God receive it as it is, as a child, but in the world to come it is no longer as a child, and they attain the magnitude of perfection in that, if I may so call it, spiritual age, proving themselves present to all those who in the present time have received it, being here as a child. ^C “Whoever shall receive this child in the name... Woe unto the world because of scandals.” “The world” is a word taken absolutely—as in “He was in the world, and the world knew him not”—but according to a relative connection with the things related to it, it is stated in this place: “Lest perhaps having lifted up your eyes to heaven, and having seen the...” ^D “in my name.” For according to Matthew and Mark one might doubt whether by the child he means the Holy Spirit; because they have said thus: “If anyone shall have received such a child.” But according to Luke who would doubt that the child can be understood as the Holy Spirit, when he says: “If anyone shall have received this child in my name?” Therefore, according to Luke, we ought to receive that child—that is, the Holy Spirit—whom Jesus, taking, placed by himself, in the name of Jesus. For that child lives as immortal: and we ought to receive him, being set by Jesus himself with Jesus, in the name of Jesus; since, as Jesus is never departing from that child, he comes to be with him who has received the child in His name. And since the Father does not depart from the Son, if anyone has received the Son, he receives with him also the Father. But he who has received both the child in the name of Jesus, and Jesus in the name of the Father, shows himself in all things lesser than the disciples of Christ, making himself small, and by how much the more he shall have made himself small, by so much the greater is he made by Him who gave him the commandment of smallness. “...to him through whom the scandal comes.” It is a worthy matter to inquire in this place what he says is the world to which the woe is promised, and to which all scandals bring woe. We shall be able, however, to understand something if we gather the Scriptures...

seeing the sun and the moon, and all the ornament of heaven, deceived by error you should adore them, and worship them." You will say that a similar thing is said about her in the book of Esther, when it is written: "Having put off all her ornament (Esth. xiv, 2)." For the world is not simply the same thing ^A as the ornament of heaven, or the ornament of Esther; but what is now in question is something else. I think, therefore, that according to the divine Scriptures, the world is not that structure which consists of heaven and earth, but only this place which surrounds the earth, and indeed not that which is understood to surround the entire earth, but only that which is inhabited by us: for "in the world was the true light," in that place, namely, which is understood to surround our earth; "and the world knew him not," that is, the men who dwell around the earth, and perhaps also the powers native to this region. For it is absurd to say that the structure which consists of heaven and earth, and the things that are in them, is signified; so that we would have to maintain that the sun, and the moon, and the host of the stars, and all the angels who are in the whole of this world, did not know the true light, ^B and yet, not knowing it, preserved the order assigned to them by God. Furthermore, even when it is said by the Savior in the prayer to the Father: "And now glorify me, O Father, with yourself with the glory which I had with you before the world was (Joan. xvii, 5)," one should not understand "world" to be spoken of as the habitable earth among us; for from this world the Father gave ^C humanity to the Son, concerning whom the Savior asks the Father, and not—

It seems to me that, just as there are different sizes in human bodies, so that some of them are small, others large, and others between these, and again there are differences of smallness being more or less, and likewise of greatness and of those in between, so also in the souls of men there are certain things that characterize their smallness, others their greatness—if I may say so—and simply others corresponding to the physical differences in terms of the middle state. But in the case of bodies, it is not because of the person's own choice, but because of the seminal reasons, that one is short and small, another large, and another in between. But in the case of souls, our own free will and such actions and such a character are the cause of one being large or small or falling in between; and it is within our own power either to progress in age by increasing in magnitude, or, by not progressing, to be short. And it is in this way that I hear about the Savior having also assumed a human soul, that "Jesus increased" (in stature). ^D

Concerning the "little ones" and those who have entered into the Kingdom.

And "they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders; and kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers." You will therefore pay attention on account of these things also to the passage "do not despise one of the little ones," lest it be that "their angels," who guide them, are those who bring them "in their arms" when they are sons, but also carry on their "shoulders" those who are called "daughters," and from these are the "nursing fathers" who are called "kings," and the "nursing mothers" who are named "queens." And since those who are pointed out by our Savior as little ones are attended to as if by nursing mothers and nursing fathers, because of this I suppose also Moses, believing himself to have already been set in the place of the great ones, said towards the words "my angel shall go before you" the statement, "If thou thyself dost not go with me, do not lead me up from hence."

Then again one might ask, at what time do those who are called the "angels" of the "little ones" shown by the Savior begin to take charge: whether they begin to administer the economy concerning them from the time when, "through the washing of regeneration" [by which they were born], they crave "as newborn babes the rational and guileless milk," and are no longer subject to any evil power; or whether from birth, having been assigned by God's foreknowledge and His predestination to those whom "He also foreknew and predestinated" God would make to be "conformed" to the "glory" of Christ. To the claim that they have angels from birth, one might say the following: ^A "He who set me apart from my mother's womb," and "From my mother's womb Thou art my protector," and "Thou didst take me from my mother's womb," and "Upon Thee I was cast from the womb," and in the Epistle of Jude: "To those who are beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ, being called," are all certainly kept by the guardian angels.

But as to the view that when they have become "in Christ" "babes" through the "washing," no holy angel is present for those still in wickedness—but rather that at the time of their unbelief they are under the angels of Satan—that person should not be a lover of life, but should say with Paul: ^B "To me the world is crucified, and I to the world." For the saints, who are in this tabernacle, "groan, being burdened" by the body of humiliation, and do everything so that they may be found worthy in the mystery of the resurrection, when God "will transform" the "body of humiliation"—not of all, but of those truly discipled to Christ—into that which is "conformed to the glory" of Christ. ^C For just as none of the "woes" happen to any of Christ's disciples, so neither does that saying, "Woe to the world because of scandals"; for although ten thousand scandals occur, they will not touch those who are no longer of the world. But if anyone is susceptible to being scandalized because of the instability of his faith and the insecurity of his submission to the word of God, let him know that he is not yet accounted a disciple of Jesus. One must believe that such scandals are coming that the "woe" does not reach only certain parts of the earth, but the whole world that is in it.

"And it is necessary that scandals come," which I consider to be different from the people through whom they come. ^D Therefore, the coming scandals are an army of the devil: his angels, and a wicked chorus of unclean spirits, which, while seeking instruments through whose aid they can operate, frequently find those who are entirely strangers from piety, and sometimes even some of those who are thought to believe in the word of God, to whom the woe is worse than the woe to the one scandalized; just as it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for the places in which Jesus worked signs and wonders, yet he was not believed. One might, just as one could make a treatise from the Scriptures out of those who are pronounced blessed and the things for which they are blessed, so also from the written woes and those…

for which the woe was pronounced. ^B Furthermore, regarding the fact that the woe against the one who causes scandal is worse than that against the one who is scandalized, you will adduce this passage: "But whoever scandalizes one of these little ones who believe in me, it is better for him," and the rest. For since it is the little one who has been scandalized who is avenged by Him, against the one who scandalized him, so great a benefit is that which is written to be the heavy and unbearable thing for the scandalizer. If we were to consider these things more carefully, we would have been on our guard not to sin against our brothers and strike their weak conscience, so as not to sin against Christ, for they are often destroyed not only by our knowledge, but also by other brothers around us, "for whom Christ died." ^C We shall pay the penalty for those for whom we sin against Christ, when the soul of those who perished because of us is required from us.

25. Next, we must examine the term "necessity" in the passage: "For it is necessary that scandals come," and what is equivalent to it in Luke: "It is impossible for scandals not to come," that is, "it is impossible." And just as it is necessary for the mortal to die, and it is impossible that it should not die, and it is necessary for one who is in a body to be nourished—for it is impossible for one who is not nourished to live—so it is necessary and impossible that scandals should not come, since it is necessary that wickedness should pre-exist virtue in men, from which wickedness scandals flow. For it is impossible for a man to be found entirely without sin, and to have received virtue without sin (for the wickedness that is in the evil powers, happening to be the source of the wickedness in men, ^D forces everyone to act against the men of the world through certain instruments). Perhaps, also, the evil powers are more enraged when they are cast out by the word of Jesus, and when their worship is diminished, and the accustomed sacrifices are not offered to them; and it is necessary that these things come, though it is not necessary that they should come through any particular person. Therefore, as for one who has given place to the...

[Remainder of text in the original Latin rendering provided by Migne]

... asinaria to his neck, and is drowned in the depth of the sea," because God thus vindicates those who have been scandalized by those who have caused them, and if we understood this, we would fear: we would never sin against our brothers, nor strike their weak consciences, for whom Christ died, for whom we shall undergo penalties as if sinning against Christ, when the souls that perished because of us are sought from us. For Luke similarly explains it, saying: "It is impossible that scandals should not come." And as it is necessary for a mortal to die, and it is impossible that he should not die: and as it is necessary for a man constituted in a body to eat, and it is impossible that one who is corporeal should live without food: so it is necessary that scandals should come, and it is impossible that they should not come. And see if you can take as an example that the malice which exists in the heavenly realms is necessarily conjoined with the virtues. For it is impossible for a man to be found entirely without sin, and to be able to possess virtues without sin: because there cannot be true good unless it has an opposition of evil. As therefore it is necessary to sustain the malice of the heavenly [powers], and it is impossible not to sustain it: so it is necessary that scandals should come, and it is impossible that they should not come. Especially if you have understood the malice of the malignant powers to be the principal cause of this malice which is in men, and that it is always looking for certain organs through which it may work against the men of the world. Perhaps also the malignant powers are more irritated, the more the word of Christ, growing in men, drives out from them the malignant powers which had previously been accustomed to dwell in their souls: and the demons, who took delight in the blood of sacrifices, are enraged when...

^A their cult is diminished, and neither are their customary sacrifices offered to them; therefore it is necessary that scandals come. And indeed, while it is necessary that scandals themselves should come, it is not necessary that they should come by such-and-such a man; wherefore, to him through whom they come, there shall be woe, because he gave place to the malignant operation in himself, being willing to cause scandal.

Do not imagine that scandals exist in nature or in the constitution of things, such that they seek out certain men through whom they might arise. For just as God did not create death, so neither did He create scandals; but [human] free will gave birth to the scandal in some, who were unwilling to undergo the labors for the sake of virtue.

And it would indeed be good if the eye and the hand were worthy of praise, so that the eye might not be able with reason to say to the hand, "I have no need of you." ^B But if anyone in the whole body of the assemblies of the Church, having acted as a hand by reason of his practical activity, should change and become a scandalizing hand, let the eye say to such a hand: "I have no need of you," and having said it, let him cut it off and cast it from himself. And so it will be well, if both the head be blessed, and the members be worthy of the blessed head, so that the head, keeping what is fitting for itself, may not be able to say to the feet: "I have no need of you." However, if any foot should be found becoming a scandal to the whole body, let the head say to such a foot: "I have no need of you," and having cut it off, let it cast it from itself. ^C

And if anyone is to be found who becomes a scandal to the whole body—a hand or a foot—let the eye or the head of that body say to such a one: "I have no need of you," and let it cut him off and cast him away. For it is better that [that member] should perish, than that the entire body should be dragged into the danger of the fire. ^D

^A Another person, relying on the wording and not wishing to interpret it externally, will say that these things are not said about every sin, because he who commits those great sins is not even a brother, but is—if indeed he even is—called a brother, as the Apostle says: "If anyone who is named a brother is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater [and so on], with such a one not even to eat." For no idolater is a brother, nor a fornicator, nor a covetous man; for if he has any of these, while seeming to bear the name of Christ, he might rightly be called "a brother who is named," but not a brother. Just as, therefore, he who said that such things were spoken with respect to every sin provided reasons for undermining the [goodness] of Christ to an extreme degree—even if the sin were murder, or sorcery, or child-molestation, or anything of that magnitude—so, on the contrary, he who distinguishes a brother from "one named a brother" might teach that he who does not repent after the reproach for lesser human sins should be accounted as a Gentile and a tax-collector regarding sins that are "not unto death," or [as the law in Numbers named them] those that are not death-dealing; which would seem to be rather cruel, considering the whole world of men.

But our Savior also says: "And I come to you, and am no longer in the world." He does not mean the earthly world; for one must not think that he is stating contradictions when he says, "And I come to you, and am no longer in the world," and: "I am in the world." But even here: "And these things I speak in the world," the earthly place must be understood. This is clearly signified also by: "And the world hated them, because they are not of the world." For it hated us from the time we no longer look at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen, because of the teaching of Jesus; not the world that consists of heaven and earth and everything in them, but the people on earth who live with us. ^B The phrase "They are not of the world" is equal to "They are not of the earthly place." Thus, the disciples of Jesus are not of the world, just as He Himself was not of the world. Furthermore, the saying: "That the world may believe that You sent Me," which is said twice in the Gospel according to John, does not refer to the most excellent of men, but to those human beings who have need to believe that the Father sent the Son into this world; and among the Apostle’s writings, too, "Your faith is proclaimed in the whole world."

If, then, there is "woe" to people everywhere on earth from scandals, by which also scandals are touched, and the disciples are not of the world—not looking at the things that are seen—just as their Teacher is not of the world, then to none of the disciples of Jesus is there a "woe from scandals," since "great peace have those who love the law of God, and there is no scandal for them." But if anyone seems to be named a disciple, yet is still of the world because he loves the world and the things in it—I mean the life in this earthly place, and the money in it, or possessions, or any wealth whatsoever—in such a way that the phrase "They are not of the world" does not fit him, but rather, as one who is of the world, that which happens to the world, "Woe because of scandals," will happen to him. ^C But he who wishes to avoid the woe, let him [obey] the law of God, the God. ^D [*Note: the translated text here mirrors the Latin repetitions in the source.*]

^A For I do not suppose it will easily be found that someone has been reproved three times for the same type of sin—for instance, by railing (by which those who rail speak ill of their neighbors), or by haughtiness, or by drunkenness, or by a false and idle word, or by anything commonly found among the many. You will inquire, therefore, whether a certain observance inadvertently lies in the passage, and [is meant for] those who, because of the seeming kindness of the word, grant forgiveness even to those who have sinned most grievously; and [instructs] those who teach [us] to consider even the least sins—[and that is why, immediately,] they make the one who has [been reproved twice or] three times for lesser sins equivalent to a pagan and a publican, estranged from the Church. What lies hidden from both sides appears to me to be this: the Word, having established the phrase "you have gained your brother" [only] for the one who alone has heard, no longer places it upon the one who has stumbled and been reproved a second or third time, but has left the equivalent of what was to be said about the one second or third reproved as if in suspense. It is not, then, absolutely the case that he is gained, nor that he is absolutely lost or will receive blows. ^B And attend carefully to the first speaker: [those] desiring us to act with piety; and [regarding] a son or daughter, [those] wishing us—as much as lies in their power—to stand apart from the Church of Christ and from His love. But even if the wife who is in our bosom, or a friend who is the equal of our soul, becomes a stumbling block to us, let us not spare them, but having cast them out from ourselves, let us put them outside our soul, as not kin, but enemies of our salvation. For whoever does not hate father or mother and the things that follow—when there is a time to hate them as hostile and treacherous, in order to be able to gain Christ—he is not worthy of the Son of God. And concerning these, it is possible to say that, as it were, a lame man is saved by losing a foot—for instance, a brother—and alone inherits the kingdom of God; and a maimed person attains salvation when his father is cut off; but they perish, while he himself is separated from them so as to attain the blessings. ^C So too, one who is one-eyed is saved, having cut off the eye of his own house, namely his wife who has committed adultery, so that he may not, by having two eyes, go away into the gehenna of fire. "See that you do not despise one of these little ones." It seems to me that, just as there are different sizes in human bodies—so that some are small, others large, and others medium—and again, that there are differences among those who are small, as well as the large, and those in between; so also in the souls of men there are certain things characterizing their smallness, and others, if I may so speak, greatness, and, in a word, proportional to the physical ones, the intermediate state. But in the case of bodies, it is not through the fault of the man.

but on account of certain reasons of the seed, that one person is short, another tall, and another intermediate. Regarding souls, however, it is within our power, both by our own actions and by such character, to become great, or small, or to happen to be in the intermediate state; and it is from the things within our control whether we progress in stature by increasing in size, or, by not progressing, remain small. And thus do I understand what is said concerning the Savior, who also assumed a human soul: “Jesus was progressing.” ^B For just as the progress in wisdom and grace belonged to His soul from what was in our power, so too did the progress in stature. And the Apostle says: “Until we all come into a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” For one must consider the attainment of a man, and that a perfect one, according to the inner man, as one who has passed beyond the things of a child, and has arrived at the man, and has done away with the things of a child, and simply brought to completion the things of a man. Thus, one must also conceive that there is a certain measure of spiritual ^C stature, unto which a most perfect soul can attain by magnifying the Lord and becoming great. Therefore, in this way, those who are recorded in the scriptures as having become great, such as Isaac, and Moses, and John, and, above all, the Savior Himself, became so; for even concerning Him the Savior said: “He shall be great.” But the little ones are the newly born infants, desiring “the rational, guileless milk,” who also have need of the tutors and nurses mentioned by Isaiah, who speaks concerning the calling from the Gentiles: “And they shall bring thy sons ^D in their bosom, and thy daughters they shall carry upon their shoulders; and kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their princesses thy nursing mothers.” You will therefore observe, because of this, the word: “Do not despise one of these little ones,” lest their angels—those who guide them—be carrying them in their bosom when they are sons, but also carrying on their shoulders those called daughters; and from this, those called kings are tutors, and those named princesses are nurses. And since those appearing as little ones to our Savior are provided for as if by tutors and nurses, for this reason I believe that Moses [alt-version omitted]

^A considering himself now established in the rank of the mature, said to that which was spoken: "My angel shall go before you," the following: "If you yourself do not go with me, do not lead me up from here." ^B For if the small one is indeed an heir, but is a child differing in no way from a slave while he is a child, and in so far as he is small, "he has a spirit of slavery unto fear," whereas he who is no longer such in any way has no longer the spirit of slavery, but already that of adoption, when "perfect love casts out fear," it will be clear to you that, according to these things, the angel of the Lord is said to encamp round about those who fear Him, and to deliver them. You will also remark, according to these things, whether the angels of the little ones—who are led by the spirit of slavery into fear, since the angel of the Lord camps round about those who fear Him and delivers them—are indeed such; but for the mature, the Lord Himself, who is greater than the angels, who would say concerning each one of them: "I am with him in tribulation." And for as long as we are imperfect and in need of Him who aids us in being delivered from evils, we need the angel of whom Jacob spoke: "The angel who delivers me from all evils." But having been perfected, and having passed beyond the state of being under nurses, and tutors of households, and guardians, we move on to be governed already by the Lord Himself.

Then again one might ask, when do the so-called angels of those little ones shown by the Savior stand over them? Whether they receive the stewardship to manage them from the time when, through the washing of regeneration, they became as newborn infants, desiring the rational and guileless milk, and no longer subject to any evil power—or from birth, according to the foreknowledge and predestination of God.

CONCERNING THE SAYING, "THE ANGEL," AND "I MYSELF SHALL GO BEFORE YOU, AND I SHALL REST YOU."

You will observe, according to these things, ^C that since those who are little to our Savior are governed by nurses and tutors, I think it came about that Moses, believing himself to be already in the order of the mature, said to that which is spoken: "My angel shall go before you," the following: "If you do not go yourself with me, do not lead me up from this place." For although the little one is also an heir, the child differs in nothing from a slave so long as he is a child and in so far as he is a child, "he has a spirit of slavery to fear." But he who is no longer such possesses no longer a spirit of slavery, but already one of adoption, when, naturally, "perfect love casts out fear." It will be clear to you that according to these things the angel of the Lord is said to encamp round about those who fear Him and to deliver them. ^D Concerning these things, however, you will weigh in your mind whether those who are indeed little—to whom fear is struck by the spirit of slavery—have angels, since the angel of the Lord camps round about those who fear Him and delivers them; but for the mature, the Lord is Himself greater than the angels, who might say of each one of them: "I am with him in tribulation." And so long as we are imperfect and have need of a helper so that we may be delivered from evils, we need an angel of whom Jacob used to speak: "The angel who delivers me from all the evils." But after we have escaped and become perfect, and have cast off our nurses, governesses, agents, and tutors, we can be governed by Christ Himself. Whether those who are called their angels are placed in charge of the care of those little ones shown by the Savior, or whether they undertook their government from when they were born again through the washing of regeneration, by the aid of which they were made as newborn infants, "concupise the rational, guileless milk," and are no longer subject to any evil power; or whether from birth, these having been ordained according to the predestination of God, who foreknew and predestined them to be conformed to the glory of Christ. You see that for whoever might carefully discuss both, it is his to affirm which of them is true and to bring forward Scripture as testimony consistent with one of the two. For in each part much speech can indeed be made; nevertheless, from much, let us bring forward a little. For those who wish that, as soon as each of those who are foreknown by God is born, he receives an angel set over him, will use the voice of the Apostle. And though the Fathers universally handed down that an angel is assigned to the guardianship of each human being from the sacred writings, nevertheless the Magdeburg Centuriators had no fear in traducing this opinion as insane, nor...

is there a small difference in Peter having received the “keys” not of one heaven, but of several, ^A so that whatever he binds “on earth” might be bound not in one heaven [only], but in all heavens, whereas for the many [who are] needing “on earth” and loosing “on earth” [it is said in this way], so that these things might be bound and loosed not in “heavens,” as in the case of Peter, but in one “heaven”; for they do not extend with the same authority as Peter, so that they might bind or loose in all “heavens.” By as much, therefore, as the one binding is superior, [by so much is the one bound more fully bound than in one heaven, and by as much as the one loosing] is superior, by so much the more blessed is the one loosed, so that his loosing is everywhere in the heavens. ^B [From the Expository Commentaries of Origen on the Gospel according to Matthew], Tome 13. “Again I say to you that if two of you shall agree on earth, concerning every matter that they shall ask, it shall be done for them.” The name of agreement is properly applied to harmonies in voices according to music; and there are indeed among musicians tones concordant with tones and others dissonant.

For instruments adjusted “with strength and songs” contained within them the musical harmony, which is so potent that, when only “two” bring their request with the petition for divine and spiritual harmony to the Father who is “in the heavens” regarding whatever matter it may be, the Father grants the petitions to those who have agreed “on earth” [which is a most paradoxical thing]—those things which they would ask if they had agreed to the aforementioned harmony. I hear the apostolic dictum in this way: “Do not deprive one another, unless perhaps by agreement for a time, so that you may have leisure for prayer.” Since the name of harmony is applied to those marrying according to God in the phrase from Proverbs so ordered: “Fathers divide house and substance to their children, but a wife is fitted to a husband from the Lord,” it is consistent that, with the harmony from God, the name and the work enjoy the agreement for prayer, which is signified in the words “unless perhaps by agreement.”

^A It is possible for a soul, being base at the beginning, to be later able to believe in a manner analogous to him who believes, and to progress so far that he becomes an angel, one of those who always look upon the face of the Father who is in the heavens; beginning from this time to believe in accordance with the one foreknown at such a time, and being joined to the one predestined, out of the unutterable and unsearchable judgments of God, which are like the abysses, very reasonably gathering all such harmony, angels to men. It is possible, too, just as happens with a man and woman who are both unbelievers, that sometimes the man who believed first in time saves the woman, and sometimes the woman, having begun later, at length persuades the man; and so it may come about with angels and men. Whether or not such a thing happens with other angels, you yourself shall examine; though perhaps it does not befit one to say such a thing concerning every angel, who is so honored according to the word of our Savior that he is said to look always upon the face of the Father who is in the heavens.

^B Since we said above that there are angels for the little ones, and that the great ones have passed through such an order, someone might contradict us from the Acts of the Apostles, where it is written that Rhoda, a servant girl, came to listen when Peter knocked at the door, and upon recognizing Peter’s voice, ran in and announced that Peter was standing before the gate; and those who were gathered in the house wondered, and because they thought it impossible that Peter truly stood there, they said, “It is his angel.” For he will say that once they had learned that each of the believers has some angel, they knew that there was also a certain angel of Peter. He who stands against what we have said, however, will declare that the speech of Rhoda is not necessarily to be taken as a dogma—perhaps because they were not certain when a person is ministered to by angels as one who is small and fearing God, and when [he is ministered to] already by ^C others. [...] ^D and until they have led them to salvation, they also possess the confidence of seeing the face of the Father. For how, since they always attend to the face of the Father through their care and industry in achieving the salvation of men, could they, if a man had fallen through their negligence, not know that the matter is also their own peril? I do not see what color can be given to this error; we would permit it if Origen had said that the sins of men suffuse the angels with shame, just as Theophylact does, even though they themselves, being suffused with shame on account of our lack of boldness, do not have the boldness to look upon the face of God and to intercede for us.

But if it is necessary to point out from the ancient writings those who "agreed upon the earth, three," so that the Word might be "in the midst of them," uniting them, observe the inscription of the Psalms, as that of the forty-first stands: "Unto the end, for understanding, to the sons of Korah." For since there were three sons of Korah, whose names we found in Exodus: Asher, which is interpreted as TRAINING; and the second, Elkanah, which is translated as THE POSSESSION OF GOD; and the third, Abiasaph, which in the Greek tongue would be called CONGREGATION OF THE FATHER; the prophecies were not divided, but as though by one Spirit and one voice working truly in unison in one soul, they were both spoken and written, and the three speak as one, saying: "As the hart panteth after the fountains of water, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." And they say it also in the plural in the forty-third: "O God, we have heard with our ears." But if you wish to see even more clearly those who agree "upon the earth," see those who have heard: ^B to the Lord. Following this, for the proof of why we have taken the "little one" to be understood as one who will be called [so], [we note] that we do not have a need for a commandment regarding not despising the great, but we do need it regarding the little; for this reason it has not been said simply: "Do not despise one of these," denoting all the disciples, but "one of these little ones," denoting [those] whom Him who sees the smallness and greatness of the soul points out. Another, however, might say that the perfect one is meant by the "little one" among these, using the testimony: "For he who is lesser among you all, this one is great," and he will say that he who humbles himself and becomes as a child in the midst of all who believe—even if he be an apostle or a bishop—and becomes such as a nurse might cherish her own children, this is the one pointed out by Jesus as "little," and worthy indeed of such a one for his angel to behold the face of God. For to say that the perfect ones are "little" here, according to the words: "For he who is lesser among you all, this one is great," and as Paul said: "To me, the very least of all the saints, this grace was given," would seem to harmonize with: "Whoever shall cause one of these little ones to stumble," and with: "So it is not the will before my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." For as has been rendered, the one who is now "little" would not be caused to stumble, nor would he perish: ^C "For great peace have they who love the name of God, and there is no stumbling block for them," and he who is the least of all among the disciples of Christ, and for this reason becoming great, would not perish; and since he would not perish, he would be able to say: "Who shall separate us from the love [of God]?" and so on. But he who wishes to hold this latter interpretation will say that the soul of the righteous is also subject to change, as Ezekiel also testifies, saying that the righteous man can depart from the commandments of God, as [he is] not... ^D [This completes the column: the Latin section *Vetus Interpretatio* begins]

OLD INTERPRETATION

...one of these little ones," whom He knew to be little, who could see the meagerness and greatness of invisible souls. We said similar things above: "If anyone shall cause to stumble one of these little ones believing in me," [or] "he who is lesser among you all, the same shall be greater." For he who humbles himself, being an imitator of Him who humbled Himself for human salvation in the midst of those who believe, whether he be an apostle or a bishop, he himself is the "little one" whom Christ points out. Paul also shows himself to be such a "little one," saying: "To me, the least of all the saints, was this grace given." But to this type of exposition, that which is said: "If anyone shall cause to stumble one of these little ones," and so on, does not seem to fit, nor does that which is said: "It is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish," since such a little one who is truly perfect is not caused to stumble, nor does he perish: "For great peace have they who love the law of God, and there is no scandal to them." And since such a little one does not perish, he can say: "Who shall separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus?" and so on. But he who thinks this exposition true says that the soul of a righteous man is also mutable, and is caused to stumble at some time, though not easily, just as Ezekiel testifies, saying that even the righteous person can depart from the commandments of God, so that his former righteousness is not imputed to him. Therefore he says: "If anyone shall cause to stumble one of these little ones"; and because it is not the will of the Father...

who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. Those things which concern the hundred sheep you have in the homilies which we written on Luke. ^B 30. "If your brother sins, go, reprove him between you and him alone." He who lays stress on the text, representing the exceeding philanthropy of Jesus, will say that since the words do not distinguish between sins, they who apply this rule only to lighter sins act redundantly and contrary to the kindness of Jesus, for these words do not express a difference of sins. Another, however, weighing this place attentively, and not wishing these things to be understood as outside the matter, nor wishing them to be said concerning every sin, will say that he who commits those great wickednesses is not even a brother, but is if anything a "so-called" brother, as the Apostle says: "If anyone called a brother is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater," and the rest, "with such a one do not even eat"; for no idolater is a brother, nor fornicator, nor covetous man. For if he who is called a brother, and seems to bear the name of Christ, has any of these things, he could by no means justly be called a brother. Just as, therefore, the fantasy of Christ’s excessive ^C long-suffering afforded grounds for one saying that such things were said concerning every sin, even if the sin be murder, or sorcery, or child-molesting, or anything of that magnitude; so on the contrary, he who distinguishes the brother from the so-called brother teaches that on account of lesser human sins, he who has not turned after reproof should be considered as a gentile and a tax collector, for sins which are "not unto death," or as the law in Numbers named them, not mortal—which indeed would appear too cruel; for I do not think that anyone can easily be found who has not been reproved three times regarding the same kind of error, for example: railing, by which those who rail speak evil of their neighbors, or those who are angry, or by drunkenness, or by a false word.

^A You will inquire, therefore, whether any observation escapes notice regarding this passage, as well as those who, imagining the kindness of the Word and granting forgiveness to those who have committed the greatest sins, also teach that one should reckon those who have sinned in the smallest matters as a gentile and a publican, and exclude from the Church the one who has, after three times, committed lesser sins. ^B The thing that escapes both sides seems to me to be this: the Word, having established the phrase "You have gained your brother" when he hears alone, no longer placed it regarding the one who faulted a second or third time, and was reproved, but rather left as if suspended the analogy to "You have gained your brother," which was to be said regarding the one who was reproved a second or third time. Therefore, he is not absolutely gained, nor is he absolutely lost, nor will he receive blows. And pay close attention to the first, who says: "If he hears you, you have gained your brother," and to the second, who says at that place in the text: "But if he does not hear you, take with you one or two, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." ^C What then, after every word has been established in the mouth of two or three witnesses, will be the state of the one who was admonished a second time, he has left for us to consider; and again: "If he does not hear them"—it is clear, that is, the witnesses who were taken—"tell it," he says, "to the Church." And he did not say what he will suffer if he does not hear the Church, but he taught that if he does not hear the Church, he must be to the one who has admonished him three times—and has not been heard—henceforth as a gentile and a publican. Therefore, he is not absolutely gained, nor is he absolutely lost; but whatever he will suffer—he who first did not hear, but requested witnesses, or even disobeyed them, but was brought before the Church—God would know; for we do not pronounce judgment, according to the words: ^D "Do not judge, so that you may not be judged, until the Lord comes, who will both illuminate the hidden things of darkness and manifest the counsels of the hearts." Toward what seems harsh toward those who have committed lesser sins, one might say that it is not permitted—once he has not heard for the second time—

[VETUS INTERPRETATIO]

alone with the one alone; and if he who has committed such things hears, one might immediately say he is gained; and if he does not hear, he is not compelled to be cast out of the Church, unless he has first been reproved before witnesses, and by the Church, and has persisted in his prior act? We are not ignorant, however, that another, following the words and looking upon the immense mercy of Christ, can say that because the very words of Christ make no distinction of sins, they make it superfluous, and contrary to the mercy of Christ, for those who distinguish that these pertain only to the smallest matters. But I do not think that he who feels this way feels it for the common utility. Another, however, carefully considering the words themselves, and wishing to imply nothing extrinsic, does not defend that these things are said of every sin, because he who commits those great sins is not a brother, unless perhaps he is called a brother. For there is a difference between a brother and one who is called a brother. And because they are distant from each other, therefore the Apostle says: "If any man called a brother among you be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater," and the rest; "with such an one not to eat." For no idolater, or fornicator, or covetous man is a brother. Although he may bear the name of Christ, yet he is called a brother, but is not properly a brother. Just as, therefore, by the estimation of the eminent mercy of Christ, he gives an occasion of sinning to the negligent, who explains that these things generally pertain to every sin: so, on the contrary, he who teaches that one sinning in the smallest and human sins, after the recognition of witnesses or the Church, must be treated as a publican and a gentile in sins which are not unto death, or as the Law calls them in Numbers, not deadly, seems to have some cruelty—

^A regarding the command, "Judge not, that you be not judged," until the Lord comes, who will illuminate the hidden things of darkness and manifest the counsels of the hearts. Now, regarding the fact that this seems to be pronounced more harshly against those guilty of lighter offenses, one might say that he who has not complied when admonished twice in order, cannot, on the third time, be unable to obey in such a way that he must therefore be treated as a publican and a gentile, nor that there is any need for him to be rebuked before the whole Church. For this must be called to mind: "So it is not the will before my Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish," for since we all must stand before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive according to what he has done through the body, whether good or evil, everyone ought to strive that he may not receive the punishment for the many evil things he has done through the body, even if he is to receive retribution for all the worse things he has done; and he must be ambitious to receive ^B the reward for many good deeds, since "with what measure we measure, it will be measured to us again," and "it will befall us according to the works of our hands." And they will not receive according to infinite measures, but those who have sinned will receive from the hand of the Lord either double or sevenfold, when it is not rendered to someone strictly according to the works of his hands, but more than what he has done. For Jerusalem, as Isaiah taught, "received from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins," but the neighbors of Israel, whoever they may be, will receive sevenfold, according to what is said in the Psalms: "Render to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom, their reproach, with which they have reproached you, O Lord." And other forms of recompense might be found, which, if we understand them, we shall know that it is profitable to repent after any number of sins whatsoever, ^C so that besides our not being punished for a multitude of things, there may also be some hope left for us later regarding good deeds after what has been done, even if a myriad of things have previously been committed by someone. For it is absurd that the worse things should be accounted to a person, while the better things following the worse should be of no benefit—things which also, from Ezekiel, those who diligently keep the sayings regarding such matters can learn.

OLD INTERPRETATION

...to lead them. For we do not think that there is easily found in the Church someone who has not already been rebuked three times for the same fault—for example, in detraction, by which men mutually disparage their neighbors, or in pride, or in gluttony, or in a word of falsehood or an idle word, or in some such light fault, which is frequently found even in those who seem to be progressing in the Church. Consider, therefore, ^D lest perhaps the understanding of the passage escapes both those who, by the estimation of the immense mercy of Christ, interpret these things as pertaining even to greater sins, and those who assert that these things pertain to the smallest sins, and therefore think that if a sinner has not amended himself after being rebuked twice or three times, he is immediately to be treated as a gentile and a publican. What then? Whether he who, having been rebuked three times, has become as a gentile and a publican to the one rebuking, perishes altogether or suffers something, God knows; but we cannot pronounce judgment, according to what is written: "Judge not, that you be not judged." Again: "Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes who will illuminate the hidden things of darkness and manifest the counsels of hearts," firstly because, granted that he who was rebuked three times did not obey, he may yet obey in the fourth instance, so that he is no longer as a gentile and a publican. For we ought to be mindful of what was said: "So it is not the will of my Father that one of these little ones should perish," for so it behooves us all to be presented before the tribunal of Christ, that each one may report what he did through the body, whether good or evil. Next, because it is written: "According to the works of your hands it will happen to you"; and sinners will not receive from the hand of the Lord in a manifold, or double, or sevenfold way. Sometimes, however, it is not rendered to him according to the works of a man's hands, but more than he has sinned: for Jerusalem, as Isaiah taught, received double from the hand of the Lord for her sins. But the neighbors of Israel, whoever they are, receive sevenfold, according to what he says in the Psalm: "Render to our neighbors sevenfold in their borders." And other modes of retribution are found, which, if we understand them, we shall know that it is profitable to receive in this world. Lastly, because he did not say "likewise," as "a gentile and a publican," but "so let it be to you." He, therefore, who has been rebuked three times for a light sin, according to the...

^A judgment that he be as a gentile and a publican, is justly bound; and if he who has rebuked him three times is not heard, he who is judged as a gentile and a publican remains bound, since no one of those who are in heaven rescinds the decision of him who has bound him. Likewise, also, he who has been rebuked once, having done things worthy of being won over, and having been loosed through the admonition of him who has won him over, and no longer being bound by the chains of his own sins for which he was rebuked, shall be judged loosed by those in the heavens. Nevertheless, it seems that what was given uniquely to Peter above is declared to have been given to all those who bring the three rebukes to all who have sinned, so that, if they are not heard, they may bind on earth him who is judged to be as a gentile and a publican, just as such a person is bound in heaven. ^B But since it was necessary, even if something common is said regarding Peter and those who have rebuked their brothers, for Peter to have something preeminent over those who have rebuked three times, this is set forth privately concerning Peter: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens," and that which follows: "And whatever you bind on earth," and the rest. And yet, if we attend carefully to the evangelical writings, we would find even in these things that seem to be common to Peter and to those who have rebuked the brothers three times, a great difference and preeminence arising from the things said to Peter above the others; for it is not a small difference that Peter has received the keys... ^C

INTERPRETATION OF THE VETERAN

...that which we have said, he does not amend himself, we for our part must consider him as a publican and a gentile, abstaining from him so that he may be put to shame. But whether he is judged by God as a publican and a gentile, it is not for us to pronounce, but it is in the judgment of God.

51. He has fitly added, after the three arguments have been made against the one who has become as a publican and a gentile: "Whatever things you bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatever things you loose on earth, shall be loosed also in heaven." For he who has rebuked three times and has not been heard has justly bound him who has become as a publican and a gentile. Therefore, such a one is bound and condemned before all who are in heaven. So also, if he who is rebuked amends himself, so that he is no longer bound by the ropes of his sins, he is justly loosed even by those who are in heaven. Nevertheless, those things which were spoken above to Peter alone seeem to be spoken also to all these, who have rebuked those sinning three times, if they have not been heard, and have bound them on earth, judging the sinner as a publican and a gentile. But since it was necessary for Peter to have something greater than those who have rebuked three times, therefore it was said to him: "And to you I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, shall be loosed in the heavens; and whatever you bind on earth, shall be bound in the heavens." Therefore, it is no small difference that to Peter were given the keys not of one heaven, but of many heavens, so that whatsoever he binds on earth, may be bound not only in one heaven, but in all heavens, and whatsoever he looses on earth... ^D

and those who have chided their brothers seem to be shared. For the difference is not small, that Peter received the keys not of one heaven but of many; and whatever he shall have bound upon earth, it is bound not in one heaven, but in all of them—unlike very many others who on earth both bind and loose, so that these things bound or loosed are not in the heavens as was granted to Peter, but in one heaven; for they do not possess the power to traverse [the heavens] as Peter does, so that they might bind or loose in all the heavens. By as much, therefore, as the one who binds is better, by so much is the one who is loosed more blessed, since he is loosed in all the heavens indeed. [VETUS INTERPRETATIO] ...earth, may be loosed not only in one heaven, but in all the heavens. But to those who are many—binders and loosers on earth—He says this, so that they might loose and bind, not in the heavens like Peter, but in one heaven, because they are not in such perfection as Peter, that they might bind or loose in all the heavens. By as much, therefore, as the one who binds is better, by so much is the one who is bound, bound more than in one heaven; and by as much as the one who looses is better, by so much the more blessed will he be who is loosed, since he is loosed in all the heavens.

TOMUS XIV.

“Again I say to you, that if two of you shall agree on earth, concerning any matter whatever they may ask, it shall come to pass for them.” The name “symphony” is applied properly to harmonies of sound in music. And there are indeed in music sounds that are consonant with sounds, and others that are dissonant; and the evangelical Scripture is also acquainted with this name applied to things musical in the passage: “He heard a symphony and dancers.” For it was fitting that, upon the symphony of repentance towards the Father of the son who had been found after he was lost, a symphony of joy should be heard in the house. But the impious Laban is not ignorant of the name of symphony, where he says to Jacob: “And if you had told me, I would have sent you away with joy, and with music, and with timbrels, and with harps.” And akin to such a symphony is that which is written in the second book of Kings, when the brothers of Aminadab “were trading before” the ark; but David and the young men themselves were praising before the Lord with instruments...

OLD INTERPRETATION

^B And three also agreed, when Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy were teaching by means of the ark, and David and the sons were playing before the Lord on instruments set to strength and psalms. For instruments set to strength and psalms contained in themselves musical harmony, which has such power that, when only two, together with the petition for divine and spiritual harmony, present an entreaty to the Father in heaven for anything whatsoever, the Father grants the requests to those who have agreed on earth—which is most paradoxical—making them be what they would have asked if they had agreed in the aforementioned harmony. Thus, I also interpret these words of the Apostle: "Do not withhold from one another, unless perhaps by agreement for a time, so that you may have leisure for prayer." For since the word "harmony" is applied to those who marry according to God, in a certain passage of Proverbs which goes like this: "House and wealth are divided by fathers to children, but from God a wife is joined to a husband," it follows that the harmony which is from God, and the very name of symphony and consensus, and the thing itself, should be enjoyed in prayer, ^C which is made clear by the expression: "Unless perhaps by agreement." Then, the Word, further explaining the agreement of "two on earth," that this is the same as agreeing with Christ, adds: "For where there are two or three gathered in my name." Therefore, those gathered in the name of Christ, two or three, are those who agree on earth, not only when there are two, but sometimes even when there are three. One who is able will observe whether this harmony and such an assembly—in the midst of which Christ is—can be found in more than that, since "the gate is narrow and the way constricted that leads to life, and few are those who find it." ^D Yet perhaps not even a few, but two or three agree, just as Peter, and James, and John, to whom agreeing the Word of God showed His glory. And three also agreed, that Christ might be in their midst, Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, writing to the Thessalonians. Likewise, in the Old Testament, we find three agreeing upon the earth, so that the Word of God might be in their midst, as the superscription of the forty-first Psalm shows, containing this: "Unto the end, in agreement, to the sons of Core." Since there were three sons of Core, whose names we find in Exodus—Asir, which is interpreted as "erudition"; the second, Helcana, which is understood as "creature of God"; the third, Abiasaph, which is interpreted as "congregation of the father"—the prophecies, therefore, are not divided, but as if from one spirit, as if from one soul and from one voice, with consensus clearly working in them, they were spoken and written, and the three spoke as if one, saying: "As the deer longs for the fountains of waters, so my soul longs for Thee, O God." They said also in the plural in the forty-third: "O God, we have heard with our ears." Therefore, the Apostle also enjoins, saying: "That you may be perfect in the same mind and in the same judgment." And in Acts, concerning those who agree, he says: "The multitude of believers had one heart and one soul"; for they had become one, if however it is possible, as we said, to be found in the many as feeling one in all things, so that there is not even a slight dissension among them. But the Corinthians were not agreeing, saying: "I indeed am of Paul, I am of Apollo, I am of Cephas, and I of Christ"; but even in them there was a schism, by the dissolving of which they were gathered with the spirit of Paul and the power of the Lord Jesus, that they might no longer be biting and devouring one another, so as to be consumed by one another. For dissension consumes, just as consensus gathers, and it separates Jesus, who is found only in the midst of those who agree with Him. And, in fact, consensus is produced correctly in these two kinds: in faith, as the Apostle says: "That you may be perfect in the same mind," that is, according to the same dogmas, "and in the same judgment," that is, that they may behave similarly. Therefore he says: "If two of you shall agree upon earth concerning any matter, whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done for them." It is manifest, however, that where there is not agreement concerning every matter

^A Sylvanus and Timotheus through the Epistle to the Thessalonians gave precepts. But if from the ancient Scripture three are to be produced who have agreed upon earth, so that in their midst the Word has been present, by whom they were joined into one, consider the inscription of the Psalms; that one, for example, of Psalm XL, which is as follows: «Unto the end, for understanding, to the sons of Core.» For since there were three sons of Core, whose names we find in Exodus, namely Aser, which is interpreted as "boy," and the second, Helcana, which is rendered as "possession of God," and the third, Abiasaph, which can be turned to "congregation of the father," the prophecies were in no wise divided, but by one Spirit and one voice, in one soul, were truly and concordantly worked out, uttered, and inscribed; and as if one, the three spoke these things: «As the hart panteth after the fountains of waters, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.» ^B Furthermore, in Psalm XLII, in the plural number they say: «O God, we have heard with our ears.» But if you wish to see even more clearly those who agree upon earth, look at those who heard: «That you may be perfect in the same mind and in the same judgment,» and who yearned for this: «The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul,» having become (if indeed it is possible for such a thing to be found among many) so that not even the smallest disagreement existed among them, just as the strings of the ten-stringed psaltery to not two agree upon earth. And this is the cause for which we are not heard when we pray, because we do not agree with one another concerning every matter upon earth, neither in doctrine nor in manner of life. Moreover, if we are the body of Christ, and God has placed the individual members in the body so that the members may think the same thing, and agree, and be solicitous, and that if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, and if one is glorified, all rejoice with it.

^C In regard to «in the decachord and the psaltery,» which the Hebrew here calls *nebel* simply, and in Psalm XXXI, 2 and CXLIII, 9, it is called *nebel* decachordum—that is, the ten-stringed psaltery—the word *nebel* is used simply, and sometimes *nebel* signifies decachord if we are to listen to Jerome. The psaltery also, he says, is called *Nablon* in Hebrew, but in Greek *psalterion*, and in Latin *Laudatorium*, of which it is written in Psalm fifty-four (read LVI for LIV): «Arise, psaltery with the harp.» It is, however, with ten strings, as it is written: «Upon a ten-stringed psaltery I will sing to thee in shape four-square.» Drusius plays the prophet when, regarding this place in Psalm XXXII, 2, he invents I know not what, relying on no authority, but trampling upon the authority of all interpreters. ^D For he has ill-understood the Hebrews whom he uses for his defense. All the interpreters, however—the Syrian, the Arab, the Chaldean, and the Ethiopian, and even the LXX themselves—do not recognize that in Psalm XXXII, 2, nor in Psalm CXLIII, 9. Concerning this former *nabli* form which we have mentioned, Josephus says in *Antiquities*, book VII, c. 12: «The harp is stretched with ten strings, and is struck with a plectrum; but the *nabla*, containing twelve notes, is plucked with the fingers.» The Chaldean interpreter confuses *nebel* when, at Psalm XCI, 4, he writes: «In the decachord and the psaltery.» «Upon the mouth of the harp of ten strings, upon the mouth of the *nabli* and in the exultation of the harp.» Athanasius Kircher in *Musurgia*, tom. I, lib. II, 4, part I, sets forth the figures of the decachord, the *nabli*, and the harp from an ancient Vatican codex.

^A there is no discrepancy between the strings of the harp. But they did not agree on earth who said, «I indeed am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ,» but there were schisms among them; which being dissipated, they were brought together with the spirit of Paul, by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, that they might no longer bite and devour one another, so that they were consumed by one another. For discord consumes and wears down, just as concord gathers and accumulates; and he is capable of receiving the Son of God, who is found only in the midst of those who agree. And there are two general ways in which concord properly exists: consensus, when the same opinions are held in the mind; and the consent of the same will, when the tenor of life is equal and similar in both respects. ^B For as to whether, «if two of us agree on earth concerning any matter that they may ask, it shall be done for them by the Father of Jesus who is in heaven,» as often as any requests are not obtained from the Father who is in heaven, it is evident that those two did not agree on earth; and the cause why we do not obtain our vows and prayers is that we do not agree with each other on earth, neither in opinions nor in the institution of life. Furthermore, if we are the body of Christ, and God has set the members, each one of them in the body, «that the members might be solicitous for one another,» and agree with one another, «and if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member glories, they rejoice together,» we ought to practice the symphony which arises from divine music, so that, when we are gathered into the name of Christ, Christ may be in our midst, who is the Word of God, and the wisdom of God, and His power.

^C These things indeed, concerning the two and the three whom the Word calls to agree, are understood in a common way; but let us now approach another interpretation, which someone before us related, exhorting those who are married to chastity and purity. For he says that the Word wills that these two, who agree on earth, be understood as husband and wife, depriving themselves by consent of corporeal intercourse, that they may find time for prayer, so that when «praying concerning any matter that they may ask,» they shall obtain it, the request made from such consent being granted to them by the Father of Jesus Christ who is in heaven. And it seems to us that this exposition does not bring about the dissolution of marriage, but an exhortation to mutual consent; so that if one partner ^D wishes to remain pure, and the other does not wish to, he might yield to the one who does not wish to or cannot.

OLD INTERPRETATION

...in all things, we ought to preserve in ourselves this musical concent. For just as in musical matters, unless there is a convenience of voices, it does not delight the listener; so also the Church, unless it has concord, God is not delighted in her, nor does He listen to their voices. Let us agree, therefore, that when we are gathered in the name of Jesus, Jesus may be in our midst, namely the Word of God and His wisdom and power.

2. And this exposition of these words, which he relates, exhorts those before us to chastity in spouses. If two, he says, of you shall agree, that is, husband and wife separating themselves by consent from each other from corporeal union, that they may find time for prayer; then, praying for every matter that they may ask, they shall obtain it, God granting them this through such consent of chastity. And this consent does not appear

^A when one party wishes to act chastely, but the other does not; and for this reason, if the one who wishes and is able to act better yields to the will of the one who does not wish or is not able, both will not achieve the result—that whatever they may ask for, it should be granted to them by the Father of Jesus Christ who is in heaven.

I know also another exposition, after those things which we have said concerning married persons, of such a nature regarding the consent of the two: In the wicked, sin reigns over the soul, established as if upon its own throne in this mortal body, so that the soul obeys its desires; but in those who have cast out from the throne of the body the sin that previously reigned, and who struggle against it—^B where "the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh"—in those who have already attained perfection, the spirit has prevailed and has put to death the deeds of the body, and imparts its own life to the body, so that it comes to pass that "He shall quicken also our mortal bodies by His spirit that dwells in us," and a consent of the two is brought about, of body and spirit upon the earth. Once this is established, a concordant prayer is also sent up from the heart; for "with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation," so that the heart is no longer far from God, and with this, the just one draws near to Him also with his lips and mouth. ^C And it is even more blessed if the three are gathered together in the name of Jesus, so that that [word] may be fulfilled: "May God sanctify you wholly, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

One might inquire regarding the aforementioned consent of spirit and body, whether it is possible for these indeed to be in agreement, but not also the third, that is to say, the soul; whether perhaps it does not follow the agreement of these upon the earth, and after the two have been gathered in the name of Christ, the three are not already being gathered in His name, in the midst of whom comes the Son of God, as all things are consecrated to Him—I mean the three, and with no one being an adversary to Him, not only with the spirit not opposing, but neither the soul, and furthermore, not even the body. ^D

It is also charming to learn to understand and represent the consent of the two testaments, that of the

OLD INTERPRETATION

I know also of another exposition. In evil men, sin rules over the flesh in its desires. But in those who have cast out, as if from the throne of their body, the sin that had previously reigned in them, and who struggle against it, "The flesh indeed lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh." In perfect men, however, the spirit has obtained [the victory], and has mortified the works of the flesh, and has commended its own life to the flesh, that He may quicken their mortal bodies "by His spirit dwelling in them," and the consent of the two, spirit and flesh, is made upon the earth; with which consent completed, the prayer also is transmitted, by the heart indeed believing unto righteousness, and by the mouth confessing unto salvation, so that the heart may not be far from God, but with Him, so that it may no longer draw near to Him [only] with the lips; and thus the two are made to be gathered in the name of Jesus. Furthermore, it is more blessed if the three have come together in the name of Jesus, so that that apostolic vow may be fulfilled: "And may God sanctify you to perfection, and your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved without spot unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." But it is possible that two may agree without the third.

And then, when the account is settled, there shall be brought to the accounting not only "every idle word that men shall speak," but also if anyone has ever given "a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple." And these things shall be, when that which is written in Daniel shall come to pass, namely that "the books were opened, and the judgment sat." For there is, as it were, a record of all that has been said, and done, and thought; and by divine power, everything hidden of ours shall be manifested, and everything covered shall be revealed. So that when one is not found to have "given diligence to be delivered" from the adversary, he shall be hauled by the officer, the judge, and the minister to the prison, until he has paid the last mite; but when one has indeed "given diligence to be delivered" from him, and, owing "no man anything," has already multiplied the mina tenfold or fivefold, or, having doubled the "five talents" or made the "two" into four, has received the due reward, he shall enter "into the joy of his lord," or be set "over all that he hath," or hear the words, "have thou authority over ten cities," or "have thou authority over five cities."

^A If any man disbelieves in the speed of God’s power concerning these things, he has not yet understood the God who made all things, for He had no need of long periods of time to create such a vast world of heaven and earth and all that is in them. For even if it seems that He made these things in six days, there is need of understanding to perceive how it is said that they were made in six days, for the reason that "this is the book of the generation of heaven and earth," and what follows. Therefore, one must dare to say that the time of the expected judgment has no need of long ages, but as the resurrection is said to occur "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," so, I think, does the judgment also. After this we must speak to the passage, "and when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed ten thousand talents." This seems to me to have the following meaning: the "time for judgment to begin" is at the start "at the house of God," it being said, as also is written in Ezekiel, to the angels who are appointed over the punishments: "begin at my sanctuary," and it is like unto a "twinkling of an eye," while the reckoning ^B of the account has its beginning, conceived by the intellect—for we have not forgotten what was said before—from those who owe more.

He who comes to Jesus, so as to be a disciple of His Spirit illuminating the mind of him who has advanced thus far according to his worth, would know; but we, who fall short of that friendly magnitude toward Jesus, it is desirable if we can even speak a little concerning the place. Therefore, the number six seems to be a productive and laborious one, while the number seven contains rest. And observe, if thou canst, that he who loves the world, and works the things of the world, and does material deeds, might be said to sin six times, and the end of these sins is the number seven, as I imagine Peter perceived such a thing, and wished to forgive the brother who had sinned against him seven times. Since, however, the decades and hundreds corresponding to the units have a certain common proportion to the number in the units, and He knew that some would extend their sins even further, for this reason I think Jesus added to the number seven the seventy, and said that forgiveness must be granted to the brethren here, and to those who have sinned in the affairs of this world. But if anyone, having gone beyond the matters of this world and this age, has sinned, even if this were small, he would no longer have a reasonable forgiveness of sins; for forgiveness reaches to the affairs here, and to the things sinned in these places, whether the forgiveness occurs more slowly or more quickly. But there is no forgiveness for the brother who has sinned beyond seventy times seven. And thou mightest say that he who sins in such a way, whether as against the brother Peter, or as against Peter, against whom "the gates of hell shall not prevail," in the case of such sins, he is in the lesser number of sin; but in the case of those that are still worse, he is in the number that has no forgiveness of sins.

Concerning the king who wanted to settle his accounts with his servants, to whom a debtor of ten thousand talents was brought.

"Therefore I say unto you: The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants." The meaning ^C of the parable wishes to teach forgiveness of the injuries we have suffered from those who have offended us, ^D as Peter understood, thinking to forgive his neighbor seven sins against him. Since, however, decades and hundreds have some common discourse with the number which is in the monads, and Christ knew that some extend their sins even further, for this reason I think Christ, alongside the number seven, also added seventy, that He might say that forgiveness must occur for brothers living in this world, and to those who sin according to the affairs of this world. But if anyone, going beyond those sins which are usually committed in worldly and secular affairs, should sin further—if indeed this were even possible—he would no longer have the just remission of his sins; since remission has its place in these matters, and in these sins is justly granted, whether the remission be made later or sooner. There is, therefore, no remission for the brother who sins above seventy times seven. But consider, if thou canst, in the nature of all sins, wherever or whenever they are done, or are capable of being done, that there is a difference, having some thought regarding the numbers: so that thou mightest say that the worst of all sins are those that are above the number seventy-seven, when even Jesus would not advise His Peter to forgive sins beyond that number, even if they be done by a brother against him. And further consider, if thou canst, according to those things which we have handed down concerning Peter, against whom the gates of hell shall not prevail, and here to understand him, so that as if someone should sin against Peter, who has sinned in such a manner as Peter was, and according to such sins be in the lesser number that does not have remission of sins. 6. "In that time, Jesus said to his disciples this parable: The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that is a king, who would take account of his servants."

^A If this were to happen outside of mankind, who could it be but the devil, who has destroyed as many as have received him and worked the sin? "For a man is great," and "an honorable man is a merciful one," honorable as being worthy of a talent, or of gold—as the lampstand made of gold was worth one talent—or of silver, or of any material whatsoever that is taken symbolically. The types of these things are recorded in the Books of Days, when David became rich with many talents, the number of which was also shown: so many talents of gold and so many of silver and of the rest of the material mentioned there, from which the temple of God was constructed. Furthermore, not having the means to "repay" the talents—for he had lost them—he possesses a "wife and children" and other things concerning which it is written: "all that he has." And it was possible for him, when sold with his own, to gain plenty, to be purchased by one who would provide—through the price of himself and his own—the entire debt; and it was possible for him to no longer be a servant of the king, but to become the servant of the one who bought him. And indeed, he claims the right not to be sold along with his own to remain in the king's house. ^B It concerns those who have sinned against us, and especially if, after the injury, the one who committed the wrong seeks the one who was wronged with a request that the sins be forgiven him. This is what the parable wishes to teach us, showing that even of the sins already forgiven us by God, for which we have received atonement, there might be a demand made even after the forgiveness, if we do not forgive those who have wronged us their sins, so that not even the slightest memory of being wronged is any longer left in us, but the whole heart, benefited by the absence of resentment—which is no mean virtue—forgives the one who has offended us for the evils that have been wickedly and insidiously carried out against any one of us by him. ^C After the perception of the parable, it is possible to examine it more simply, word for word, so that he who pursues it might derive profit from the interrogation of what is said, diligently and fruitfully searching through each of the things previously written. It is likely, however, that there is also a higher and more recondite interpretation, and one which, because it is not obvious to attain, allows one to investigate everything contained in it, in the manner of the parables explained by the evangelists: for instance, who is the king, and who are the servants, and what is the principle of "taking account," and who is the one of many who is a debtor of talents, and who is his wife, and who are the children, and what are all the things mentioned besides these, which the king ordered to be sold so that the debt might be repaid from his possessions; and what is the significance of the one departing who had been forgiven the many talents, and who is the one found among the servants—not to the master of the house, but to the one who had been forgiven—in debt; and what is intended by the number of the one hundred denarii; and what of the phrase: "He choked him, saying: Pay what you owe," and what is the prison into which the one who had been forgiven all the talents went and cast his fellow servant; and who are the fellow servants who were saddened and reported to the Lord all that had happened, and who are the torturers to whom the one who had cast his fellow servant into prison was delivered; and how, when delivered to the torturers, he repaid all that was owed, so as to owe nothing more. It is possible that other things might be brought to the discourse by one who is more inquisitive, the explanation and interpretation of which I believe to be greater than human, and in need of the Spirit of Christ.

For just as ^A "no one among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man which is in him; and no one has known the things of God, except the Spirit of God [I Cor. II, 11]," so no one, after God, knows the things spoken by Christ in proverbs and parables, except the Spirit of Christ. He who partakes of this Spirit—not only as it is the Spirit of Christ, but also as it is the Spirit of Christ insofar as He is Wisdom and the Word—will be able to contemplate the things revealed to him in this passage. But regarding this highest interpretation, while I do not claim to possess it, neither do I despair of receiving it from Christ, who is the Wisdom of God, being helped to understand what is signified in the parable. Whether or not such things should be dictated here in this writing, may God suggest to us in Christ to do what is pleasing to Him, provided only that the word of wisdom given by God through the Spirit and the word of knowledge administered according to the Spirit be also granted for these matters.

^B "The kingdom of heaven has been likened [to a man who was a king]," and so forth. If it has been likened to such a king who has done such things, whom must we call him but the Son of God? For He Himself is the King of the heavens; and just as He is Wisdom itself, Righteousness itself, and Truth itself, so perhaps He is also the Kingdom itself? The Kingdom is not of one of those things below, nor of a part of those above, but of all the things above which have been called heavens.

And if you inquire into the verse, ^C "Theirs is the kingdom of heaven [Matt. V, 3]," you may say that Christ is theirs, insofar as He is the Kingdom itself, reigning over every thought of the one who is no longer subject to the power of sin, which reigns in the mortal body of those who have submitted themselves to it. And when I say "reigning over every thought," I mean this: that He reigns insofar as He is Righteousness, and insofar as He is Wisdom, Truth, and the other virtues, in the one who has become the heaven by bearing the image of the heavenly [man], and of every power, whether angelic or the others named, not only in this age but also in [the age to come]. ^D And just as He is Wisdom itself... who is more [so than] the soul of Jesus, which is, even if only in a similar way, joined to the Lord, to the Word Itself, and to Wisdom Itself, and to Truth Itself, and to Righteousness Itself? See Euthymius.

^A For it is the work of the Wisdom of God to render an account, in whatever way written by the divine Spirit, of those things which are prophesied concerning the beings individually qualified, or rather, conditioned by such-and-such qualities [whether in invisible powers, or in certain men]. But since we, not having yet attained a sufficient mind—the mind capable of being mingled with the mind of Christ, and extending to reach such depths, and, with the Spirit, of "searching all things, even the deep things of God"—still take an indefinite notion about the things pertaining to this place, we suppose that the wicked servant disclosed by the parable refers to a certain one, being represented here as regards the debt of "many talents."

But when did the King (according to the parable), who is a man, "desire to settle accounts with his servants"? It is worth investigating, and to what time the words should be referred. For if it were after the consummation or at it [at the time of the expected judgment], how could one save the account of him who owed "a hundred denarii" and was being choked by the one to whom the many talents had been forgiven? He is about to have ^A holy men and those worthy of such a kingdom. This, then, is the kingdom of heaven: when it "was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, to condemn sin in the flesh," precisely when He who "knew no sin" was "made sin for us," and in that it bears the body of our sin, it "was likened to a king, a man," understood in the sense of Jesus, being united to Him more fully—if one might dare so to speak—having that toward which it is united, and becoming in all ways one with "the firstborn of all creation," or "he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit" with Him. ^B And this kingdom of heaven, having been likened to the king, a man, who is understood in the sense of the Savior, and having been united to Him, is said anticipatorily that he "desired to settle accounts with his servants." For he is about to settle accounts with them, so that it may appear how each one used the Master’s proved silver and rational coins.

And indeed, in the parable, the example is taken from masters settling accounts with their own servants. We shall understand more accurately what is denoted by the parable in these things if we fix our mind upon what is done by the servants to whom the master's money has been dispensed, and from whom an account of it is required. For each of them, receiving different amounts of the master's money, has used it either as was necessary, so as to increase the master's money, or has spent it wastefully on things not necessary, ^C squandering it thoughtlessly without care, the things which were entrusted to him. And there are some who have managed these funds and so much money rightly, while others have dissipated it; and when the master settles the account with them, the loss of each is calculated, and the profit he brought is also numbered, and according to the value of how he managed it, he is either honored, or payment is exacted, or in some cases he is pardoned, while in some things he is deprived.

Come, then, let us first look at those rational coins and the master's proved silver, which one man receives more of, another less; for according to the power of each, to one are given five talents, as one capable of managing so much; to another, two, as not being able to contain what the one before him did; to another, one, as being even inferior to the second. ^D Is it the case that these are the only differences? Or are these things mentioned in passing in the rest of the Gospel, and are there also other differences besides these, and are some found in other parables, where for one there are debtors of two amounts, the one of five hundred, the other of fifty denarii—those who have been entrusted with these and have managed them badly, being less in power than the one entrusted with the talent; for although we have not learned that these received, yet

we seem to have learned from the parable that they were debtors. There are found also ten ^A other servants, each of whom was entrusted with one mina. And if one were to consider the variety of the human soul, and the natural gifts and defects that differ greatly from one another toward more or fewer virtues, or toward these virtues or those, he might perhaps conceive how each soul has come with certain coins of the Master, which appear with the fulfillment of the Word, and with the diligence and exercise following that fulfillment toward what is necessary, or with diligence and exercise toward other things—either useful, such as crafts, or partly useful and partly not, such as doctrines that are neither entirely true nor entirely false.

But thou wilt ask among these whether all men can be called servants of this King, or some are servants whom He foreknew and predestinated, while others are the bankers who deal with the servants. And so thou wilt ask whether those outside the servants from whom the Master promises to exact with interest are not only those alien to the worship of God, but also some of the faithful. For the servants are only the stewards of the Word. But the King, ^B Reckoning with his servants, demands also from those who have borrowed from the servants, whether it be a hundred cors of wheat, or a hundred baths of oil, or whatever it may be.

On the necessity of the soul's variety

And if one should consider the variety of human souls and the difference in men’s minds, since this one acts toward many virtues, that one toward fewer, and another acts toward these but not toward those, one might perhaps conceive how each soul comes into this world with certain property belong to the Master, which shines forth with the perfection of reason and with the diligence that follows this perfection and exercise in necessary things; or with diligence and exercise in things that are either useful, such as studies, or partly useful and partly not, such as doctrines which are neither entirely true nor entirely false. ^C But concerning these you will ask whether all men can be called servants of this King, or whether some are servants, whom He indeed foreknew and predestinated; while others are those who deal with the servants, who are called bankers. And so you will inquire whether there are some beyond the servants, not only those alien to the true worship of God, but also some of the believers, from whom the head of the house signifies that he will exact an account with interest. The servants, however, are only the stewards of the Word. But the King, reckoning with the servants, demands also from those who are outside His family, whether he exacts a hundred cors of wheat, or a hundred baths of oil, or whatever might be owed to him by his own servants' debtors.

^D And there are others too, as if less powerful, and others still, as if even more impotent. And if one considers the variety of human souls, and the differences in men’s natural capacities, since this one tends toward more virtues, another toward fewer, and another toward these but not those, perhaps one can understand how every soul comes into this world with certain divine funds.

…foreknew and predestinated, while others were not servants, but were those dealing with the servants? Concerning whom it is said to a certain servant: "Was it not appropriate for you to give my money at the bank, so that I, coming with interest, might have received it?" And thus you will inquire whether there are those outside the servants, from whom the Lord promises to receive with interest—not only those alien to the faith, but also some of the believers; though the servants, as far as these parables are concerned, are only those held to be stewards of the Word, and to whom it has been committed that they should transact business and lend at interest. For it is not clear to everyone that the saying, "Do business until I return," refers to all. And it follows that when an account has been settled with the servants, an investigation is also made into whatever the servants did with those who were outside the King's house. For a fellow-servant is not found to have been the steward of iniquity to that man when he owed a hundred cors of wheat (Luke xvi, 6, etc.).

Origen thought that the souls of all men were created before their bodies, and that the souls of the prophets and of those noble in holiness were angels themselves. We have already observed this last point before; but now it is permitted to note the former point, and indeed more openly below at the chapter... Item, book... and book II, chapter 9, and book IV, chapter 2, and in John IV, 38, where he teaches that souls are introduced into bodies through the ministry and aid of angels; and in John VIII, 38, and in six hundred places; but especially in book I, *Against Celsus*, where he recognizes Pythagoras, Empedocles, and Plato as the authors of this doctrine. See Laertius on Pythagoras and Empedocles; and Plato in the *Phaedo*, and X *Laws*, and *Epinomis*, and X *Republic*, and *Timaeus*, and many other places. Plato received this opinion from his teacher Socrates, he from the Italian philosophers, and they from Pythagoras. But Jerome attacks it everywhere in Origen, especially in his letter to Avitus. But sometimes he does so while concealing Origen’s name; for instance, in the letter to Demetrias and in Jeremiah XXVIII. But enough has been said of these in the *Origeniana*. HUETIUS.

*Codex Regius* [reads] the same correctly, just as the ancient interpreter reads. *Codex Anglicanus* [has] Luke XVI, others read *cados*. Vulgate [has] "a hundred baths of oil," others [read] Origen, and Josephus, *Antiquities* VIII, chapter 2, [gives] in Hebrew *bath*. The change from *bathon* to *cados* took place. Certainly, though different in name, they are one in fact and capacity; for a *bath* contains a metretes, that is, a cadus, or the Attic amphora, or the Roman hydria: indeed *chamos* is read in Epiphanius, but erroneously. HUETIUS.

The Gospel according to Luke clearly represents that a nobleman, having gone ^A into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return, when setting out, called ten servants and gave them ten minas, and said to them: "Trade until I come." And this nobleman, being hated by his own citizens who sent an embassy after him, not wishing him to reign over them, returned having received the kingdom, and said for the servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had traded. Having seen what they had done, to the one who had made the mina ten minas, he returned praise through the saying, "Well done, good servant, because you were faithful in a very little," and gives him authority over ten cities under his kingdom. And to another who had multiplied the mina fivefold, he did not return the praise which he had ordained for the first, nor did he define the name of authority as he had done for the former, but said to him, "And you be over five cities." To the one who had tied up the mina in a handkerchief, he said: "From your mouth I will judge you, wicked servant," and said to those standing by: "Take away from him the mina and give it to the one who has the ten minas."

Those who have received what is outside the household of the king; for he who owes the hundred cors of wheat and the hundred baths of oil is not found ^B according to the parable to be a fellow-servant of the "unjust steward," as is clear from the words: "How much do you owe my lord?" Understand, then, that every good and appropriate deed is like gain and profit, while an evil one is like a loss. And just as there is one kind of gain that more coins produce, and another that fewer produce, of which the multitude or paucity is greater or lesser; so excellent deeds are compensated at a greater or lesser price. The judgment of these matters belongs to Him alone who is skilled in inquiring into them, and He strives to estimate—from the affection of the soul, and from the word, and from the action, and from things which, although they are not in our power, nevertheless assist those things which depend on our will—what action is of great profit, what is less, and what is least. And so likewise with contrary things: what sin, when reckoning is made with the servants, is found to be a great loss, what is less, and what, if one must so name it, is the loss of the last lepton or the last quadrant.

Therefore, a reckoning of the whole and entire life is demanded by that which is called the kingdom of heaven, and is likened to a man a king, since "it is necessary for all of us to stand before the judgment seat of Christ, that each may receive the things through the body according to what he has done, whether good or evil." And then, as the reckoning is made, there shall be brought into the accounting "every idle word that men speak," and even if one has at any time offered a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple. ^C And these things shall be, when that which was written by Daniel comes to pass: "The books were opened, and the judgment sat." For there is, as it were, a recording of all things said, and done, and thought, and by divine power every hidden thing will be made manifest to us, and everything covered will be revealed, so that when someone is not found to have given effort to be reconciled with the adversary, he may be led through the official, and the judge, and the officer to the prison.

^A And after he has given the effort so that he might be released from him, and owes no one anything, and has already increased the mina tenfold, or fivefold, or has doubled the five talents, or has made two into four, he may obtain the deserved reward, entering into the joy of his Lord, or being established over all his possessions, or hearing: "Behold, having authority over ten cities," or "Behold, having authority over five cities." We deem that these things are said as if they required much time, in order that the account regarding the totality of the times of the life here might be joined to us, such that one might suppose that, as the king takes an account from each one of so many servants, the matters require so much time until what happened from the beginning of the world until the consummation of the age—not of one, but of many ages—comes to an end. ^B But the truth is not so; for God, wishing to stir up all things in the memories of all, in order that each one may become conscious of his own better or worse deeds, would do everything that has occurred throughout all time for each person by an ineffable power. For we, wishing to bring to mind certain things, require sufficient time for the passing in review of the things spoken by us, and which bring to remembrance what we wish to recall, but not so God; wishing to remind us of the things done in this life, so that, having become conscious of what we have done, we may grasp those things for which we are punished or rewarded, He would do it. If anyone, however, does not believe in the speed of God’s power regarding these things, he has not yet understood God, who made all things and did not require times to create such a great mass of heaven and earth and the creatures in them. For even if it seems that He made these things in six days, there is need of intelligence to understand how it is said, "in six days," because of the text: "This is the book of the generation of heaven and earth," and what follows. One must, therefore, be bold and say that the time of the expected judgment does not require spans of time, ^C but as the resurrection is said to occur "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," so, I think, is the judgment.

After these things, it must be said regarding the text: "And having begun..." 10. For it must be discussed whether the matter itself perhaps requires a long time, until all things reach their end, which have been done by all from the beginning of the world until the consummation of the age—not of one, but of many ages. But it is not so. For God, wishing to examine the minds of all, so that each one may perceive his own acts, whether good or evil, will quickly cause all things done by all at all times to be known to each individual, by an ineffable power. For just as we, wishing to bring something to someone’s mind that he has done, do not have need of sufficient time for the completion of the things that are spoken by us and are brought into memory, so too does God not have need of time when He wishes to bring to our mind everything we have done in life, so that, knowing all the things we have done, we may understand why we are punished or honored. If anyone, however, does not believe in the speed of the divine power in completing all these things, he has not yet understood God, who created all things and did not need any span of time to create heaven and earth and all that is in them. For even if God appears to have made all things in six days, mostly because it says, "This is the book of the generation of heaven and earth, on the day that heaven and earth were made," still it must be dared and said that the time of the future judgment will not have need of a span of time, but as the resurrection is said to be future "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," so I think the judgment will be. 10. Next, let us see what is meant by: "Having begun to settle the account, there was brought to him one who was a debtor of many talents..."