1 τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ γεννηθέντος ἐν βηθλέεμ τῆς ἰουδαίας ἐν ἡμέραις ἡρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως, ἰδοὺ μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν παρεγένοντο εἰς ἱεροσόλυμα 2 λέγοντες, ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ τεχθεὶς βασιλεὺς τῶν ἰουδαίων; εἴδομεν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ καὶ ἤλθομεν προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ.

1. When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, 2. Saying: Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and are come to adore him.

• Primo, quia impossibile est, quod virtus corporalis agat supra virtutem incorpoream, quia nihil inferius in ordine naturae agit in superiorem naturam. In anima autem sunt quaedam potentiae elevatae supra corpus; quaedam potentiae sunt organis affixae, scilicet potentiae sensitivae et nutritivae: et corpora quidem caelestia, quamvis directe agant supra corpora inferiora, et mutent ea per se, per accidens tamen agunt in potentiis organis affixis. In potentiis autem organis non affixis nullo modo agunt necessitando, sed inclinando tantum. Dicimus enim istum hominem iracundum, idest pronum ad iracundiam, et hoc ex causis caelestibus, sed directe electio ut sic in voluntate est. Unde numquam potest fieri tanta dispositio in corpore humano, quin superabundet iudicium liberi arbitrii. Unde quicumque poneret liberum arbitrium sub corporibus caelestibus, de necessitate poneret sensum ab intellectu non differre.
• Secundo, quia per hoc excluditur omnis cultus divinus, quia tunc omnia essent ex necessitate; et sic tunc etiam regimen reipublicae destrueretur, quia nec oporteret consiliari, neque aliquid providere, et huiusmodi.
• Tertio, quia nos attribueremus Deo malitias hominum; quod esset ipsum infamare, qui creator est stellarum. Patet ergo quod hoc dicere est contra fidem omnino. Et ideo dicit Gregorius: absit a fidelium cordibus ut fatum aliquid esse dicatur.

• First, because it is impossible for a bodily force to act on a non-bodily force, for in the order of nature the lower cannot act on the higher nature. Now there are in the soul certain powers superior to the body and some equipped with bodily organs, such as the nutritive and the sense powers. Now, heavenly bodies, although they act directly on lower bodies and produce changes in them, can also act indirectly on powers equipped with organs. But they cannot act on powers equipped with organs by compelling them, but only by inclining them. For we say that this person is prone to anger, and this from heavenly causes; but directly, the choice as such is in the will. Hence, no disposition can be formed in the human body, such that the judgment of free will would not surpass it. Hence, anyone who would rank free will lower than the heavenly bodies would necessarily have to admit that the senses are not different from the intellect.
• Secondly, because all divine worship is thereby excluded, because all things would occur by necessity; and so, even the direction of all governments would be ruined, because there would be no need to take counsel or provide for anything, and so on.
• Thirdly, because we would attribute to God the malice of men; which would be to insult him who created the stars. Therefore, it is clear that to say this is altogether contrary to the faith. Hence, Gregory says: "Far be it from the hearts of the faithful to say that fate is anything."

3 ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἡρῴδης ἐταράχθη καὶ πᾶσα ἱεροσόλυμα μετ' αὐτοῦ, 4 καὶ συναγαγὼν πάντας τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ γραμματεῖς τοῦ λαοῦ ἐπυνθάνετο παρ' αὐτῶν ποῦ ὁ Χριστὸς γεννᾶται. 5 οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτῷ, ἐν βηθλέεμ τῆς ἰουδαίας: οὕτως γὰρ γέγραπται διὰ τοῦ προφήτου: 6 καὶ σύ, βηθλέεμ γῆ Ἰούδα, οὐδαμῶς ἐλαχίστη εἶ ἐν τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν Ἰούδα: ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ ἐξελεύσεται ἡγούμενος, ὅστις ποιμανεῖ τὸν λαόν μου τὸν Ἰσραήλ. 7 τότε ἡρῴδης λάθρᾳ καλέσας τοὺς μάγους ἠκρίβωσεν παρ' αὐτῶν τὸν χρόνον τοῦ φαινομένου ἀστέρος, 8 καὶ πέμψας αὐτοὺς εἰς βηθλέεμ εἶπεν, πορευθέντες ἐξετάσατε ἀκριβῶς περὶ τοῦ παιδίου: ἐπὰν δὲ εὕρητε ἀπαγγείλατέ μοι, ὅπως κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν προσκυνήσω αὐτῷ. 9 οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπορεύθησαν,

3. And king Herod hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4. And assembling together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born. 5. But they said to him: In Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the prophet: 6. And thou Bethlehem the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come forth the captain that shall rule my people Israel. 7. Then Herod, privately calling the wise men learned diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them; 8. And sending them into Bethlehem, said: Go and diligently inquire after the child, and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I also may come and adore him. 9. Who having heard the king, went their way;

• Prima processit ex ambitione, quam habebat circa custodiam regni sui, propterea quia alienigena erat. Sciebat enim vel audiverat illud Danielis II, 44: in diebus regnorum Israel suscitabit Deus caeli regnum, quod in aeternum non dissipabitur, et regnum eius alteri populo non tradetur et cetera. Sed in hoc decipiebatur, quia regnum illud spirituale erat; Io. XVIII, 36: regnum meum non est de hoc mundo. Unde Herodes turbabatur timens amissionem regni sui; sed magis turbabatur Diabolus timens regni sui destructionem totalem; Io. XII, 31: nunc princeps mundi huius eiicietur foras. Et nota quod homines, sicut dicit Chrysostomus, in sublimibus constituti ex levi verbo contra se prolato conturbantur; Ps. LXXXVII, 16: exaltatus autem, humiliatus sum et conturbatus; humiles autem numquam timent.
• Secunda causa processit ex timore Romani imperii. Statutum enim erat a Romano imperio quod nullus Deus aut rex diceretur sine eorum consensu; unde timebat. Sed iste timor mundanus erat, qui prohibetur; Is. LI, 12: quis tu ut timeas ab homine mortali, et filio hominis, qui quasi foenum ita arescet?
• Tertia ex rubore verecundiae. Verecundabatur enim coram populo ut alius rex vocaretur; similis in hoc Sauli, qui dixit: peccavi, sed nunc honora me coram senioribus populi mei, et coram Israel et cetera. I Reg. XV, 30.

• the first came from his ambition to preserve his kingdom, since he was a foreigner. For he knew or had heard the words of Dan (2:44): "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people." but here he was deceived, because that kingdom was spiritual: "My kingdom is not of this world" (Jn 18:36). Hence, Herod was disturbed, because he feared the loss of his kingdom; but more disturbed was the devil, fearing the total destruction of his kingdom: "Now is the prince of this world cast out" (Jn 12:31). And note that, as Chrysostom says, men established in lofty places are disturbed by any slight word spoken against them.
• The second reason came from fear of the Roman Empire. For it had decreed that no one be called god or king without their consent; hence, he feared. But this was a worldly fear, which is forbidden: "Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass?" (Is 51:12).
• The third was shamefacedness. For one is embarrassed before his people, when someone else is called king. Thus he was like Saul, who said: "I have sinned; yet honor me know before the elders of the people and before Israel" (1 Sam 15:30).

• Prima fuit ipsorum iniquitas; iniqui enim erant, quibus semper detestabilis est conversatio iustorum. Prov. XIII, 19: detestantur stulti eos qui fugiunt mala.
• Secunda ut placerent Herodi; Eccli. X, 2: secundum iudicem populi, sic et ministri eius.
• Tertia quia timebant ne Herodes hoc audito amplius desaeviret in gentem Iudaeorum.

• the first was their wickedness; for they were wicked, since they always detested the life style of the Jews: "Fools detest those who flee from evil" (Pr 13:19);
• the second was to please Herod: "As the judge of the people is, so are his ministers" (Sir 10:2).
• The third was that they feared that Herod on hearing this world rage more against the Jewish people.

9b καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ ὃν εἶδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ προῆγεν αὐτοὺς ἕως ἐλθὼν ἐστάθη ἐπάνω οὗ ἦν τὸ παιδίον. 10 ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα. 11 καὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν εἶδον τὸ παιδίον μετὰ μαρίας τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ πεσόντες προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀνοίξαντες τοὺς θησαυροὺς αὐτῶν προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ δῶρα, χρυσὸν καὶ λίβανον καὶ σμύρναν. 12 καὶ χρηματισθέντες κατ' ὄναρ μὴ ἀνακάμψαι πρὸς ἡρῴδην, δι' ἄλλης ὁδοῦ ἀνεχώρησαν εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν.

9b and behold the star which they had seen in the East, went before them, until it came and stood over where the child was. 10. And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11. And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored him: and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12. And having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country.

• Primo propter confusionem Iudaeorum, qui cum instructi essent in lege, ut Christum quaererent, et gentes non essent instructae, tamen gentes quaerunt, et Iudaei contemnunt. Unde impletur illud Is. LV, 5: gentes quae te non cognoverunt, ad te current.
• Secundo propter magorum instructionem: non enim solum per stellam dominus voluit se eis manifestare, sed etiam per legem, ut sic adiungeretur cognitioni creaturarum cognitio legis. In ore duorum vel trium testium stabit omne verbum, Deut. XIX, 15. Is. VIII, 20: ad legem magis et ad testimonium.
• Tertio propter instructionem nostram. Et instruimur de duobus, secundum Glossam. Primo quod qui humanum auxilium quaerunt, deseruntur a divino. Illicitum est enim humanum auxilium quaerere, non quaerendo divinum; Is. XXXI, 1: vae qui descenditis in Aegyptum ad auxilium, in equis sperantes, habentes fiduciam super quadrigis, quia multae sunt, et super equitibus, quia praevalidi nimis, et non sunt confisi super sanctum Israel et dominum non requisierunt. Secundo instruimur quantum ad hoc, quod nos, qui fideles sumus, non debemus quaerere signa, sicut isti, qui videntes stellam gavisi sunt etc.; sed debemus esse contenti doctrinis prophetarum, quia signa data sunt infidelibus.

• First, to shame the Jews who, although instructed in the Law to seek Christ, scorned him; whereas the gentiles, non-instructed, seek him. Thus Isaiah (55:5) is fulfilled: "Nations that knew you not shall run to you."
• Secondly, for the instruction of the Magi. For the Lord's will is to make himself manifest to them not only by the star but also by the Law, so that knowledge of the Law might be joined to their knowledge of creatures: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand" (Dt 19:15); "To the law and to the testimony (Is 8:20).
• Thirdly, for our instruction. And we are instructed about two things according to a Gloss: first, that those who seek human help are deserted by the divine. For it is unlawful to seek human help without seeking divine: "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen, because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel" (Is 31:1). Secondly, we are instructed that we, who are believers, should not seek signs, as those did who, seeing the star, rejoiced exceedingly; but we ought to be content with the doctrines of the prophets, because signs are given for unbelievers.

1. Quantum ad fidem dupliciter:
   • primo quantum ad ea, quae in Christo concurrunt. Scilicet regia dignitas; Ier. XXIII, 5: regnabit rex, et sapiens erit etc.; et ideo in tributum obtulerunt aurum. Sacerdotii magnitudo; et ideo thus in sacrificium. Hominis mortalitas; et ideo myrrham.
   • Item quantum ad fidem Trinitatis, quia designantur in nobis personae Trinitatis.
2. Secundo possunt referri ad actionem nostram. Per aurum enim potest signari sapientia; Prov. II, 4: si quasi thesauros effoderis illam, tunc intelliges timorem domini. Per thus oratio devota; Ps. CXL, 2: dirigatur, domine, oratio mea, sicut incensum in conspectu tuo et cetera. Per myrrham mortificatio carnis: Col. III, 5: mortificate membra, quae sunt super terram; Cant. V, 5: manus meae distillaverunt myrrham.
3. Quantum autem ad contemplationem, per ista tria possunt significari vel tres sensus sacrae Scripturae, scilicet litteralis, sub quo comprehenditur allegoricus, anagogicus et moralis; vel tres partes philosophiae, scilicet moralis, logica et naturalis: omnibus enim his debemus uti ad servitium Dei.

1. As to faith in two ways:
   • first as to the things found in Christ, namely, royal dignity: "The king will reign and be wise" (Jer 23:5); and therefore, they offered gold in tribute. The greatness of the priesthood and, therefore, frankincense, as a sacrifice. Man's mortality: and therefore, myrrh.
   • Secondly, as to faith in the Trinity, because the persons of the Trinity are designated in us.
2. Secondly, they can be referred to our action. For by gold can be signified wisdom: "If you search for wisdom as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord" (Pr 2:4). By frankincense devout prayer: "Let my prayer, O Lord, be directed as incense in your sight" (Ps 144:2). By myrrh mortification of the flesh: "Mortify your members which are on earth" (Col 3:5); "My hands dripped with myrrh" (Song of Songs 5:5).
3. As to contemplation by those three can be signified the three senses of Sacred Scripture, under which are included the allegorical, anagogical and moral; or the three parts of philosophy, namely, moral, logic and natural. For we ought to use all these for the service of God.

13 ἀναχωρησάντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κυρίου φαίνεται κατ' ὄναρ τῷ ἰωσὴφ λέγων, ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ φεῦγε εἰς αἴγυπτον, καὶ ἴσθι ἐκεῖ ἕως ἂν εἴπω σοι: μέλλει γὰρ ἡρῴδης ζητεῖν τὸ παιδίον τοῦ ἀπολέσαι αὐτό. 14 ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβεν τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς καὶ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς αἴγυπτον, 15 καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἕως τῆς τελευτῆς ἡρῴδου: ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, ἐξ αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου. 16 τότε ἡρῴδης ἰδὼν ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων ἐθυμώθη λίαν, καὶ ἀποστείλας ἀνεῖλεν πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν βηθλέεμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω, κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ὃν ἠκρίβωσεν παρὰ τῶν μάγων. 17 τότε ἐπληρώθη τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ ἰερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, 18 φωνὴ ἐν ῥαμὰ ἠκούσθη, κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὀδυρμὸς πολύς: ῥαχὴλ κλαίουσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν παρακληθῆναι, ὅτι οὐκ εἰσίν. 19 τελευτήσαντος δὲ τοῦ ἡρῴδου ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κυρίου φαίνεται κατ' ὄναρ τῷ ἰωσὴφ ἐν αἰγύπτῳ 20 λέγων, ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ πορεύου εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ, τεθνήκασιν γὰρ οἱ ζητοῦντες τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ παιδίου. 21 ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβεν τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ. 22 ἀκούσας δὲ ὅτι ἀρχέλαος βασιλεύει τῆς ἰουδαίας ἀντὶ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἡρῴδου ἐφοβήθη ἐκεῖ ἀπελθεῖν: χρηματισθεὶς δὲ κατ' ὄναρ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὰ μέρη τῆς γαλιλαίας, 23 καὶ ἐλθὼν κατῴκησεν εἰς πόλιν λεγομένην ναζαρέτ, ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τῶν προφητῶν ὅτι ναζωραῖος κληθήσεται.

13. And after they were departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy him. 14. Who arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and he was there until the death of Herod: 15. That it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called my son. 16. Then Herod perceiving that he was deluded by the wise men, was exceeding angry: and sending killed all the menchildren that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. 17. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying: 18. A voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailing her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. 19. But when Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt, 20. Saying: Arise, and take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel. For they are dead that sought the life of the child. 21. Who arose, and took the child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22. But hearing that Archclaus reigned in Judea in the room of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither: and being warned in sleep retired into the quarters of Galilee. 23. And coming he dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was said by the prophets: That he shall be called a Nazarene.

• Primo ad manifestandam suam humanitatem; sicut enim divinitas in stella apparuit, ita humanitas in fuga. Phil. II, 7: in similitudinem hominum factus.
• Secundo propter exemplum; illud enim exemplo ostendit, quod verbo docuit. Infra X, 23: cum autem persequentur vos in civitate ista, fugite in aliam.
• Tertio propter mysterium: sicut enim voluit mori, ut nos a morte revocaret, ita voluit fugere, ut fugientes a facie sua propter peccatum revocaret. Ps. CXXXVIII, 7: quo ibo a spiritu tuo?

• first, to manifest his humanity; for as the divinity appeared in the star, so in flight the humanity: "Made in the likeness of men" (Phil 2:7).
• Secondly, as an example: "When the persecute you in one city, flee into another" (Mt 10:23).
• Thirdly, on account of the mystery; for just as he willed to die in order to call us back from death, so he willed to flee in order to call back those who flee from his face through sin: "Where shall I flee from your spirit?" (Ps 139:7).

• Prima est, quia proprium est Dei, ut memor sit misericordiae in ira, Hab. III, 8. Dominus enim iratus fuit contra Aegyptios persequentes filios Israel, quia filii Israel erant primogenitus Dei. Et ideo datum est ei, ut obsequeretur unigenito; Is. XIX, 1: ecce dominus ascendet super nubem levem, et ingredietur Aegyptum etc.; ibid. IX, 2: populus qui ambulabat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam: habitantibus in regione umbrae mortis lux orta est eis; Io. I, 14: vidimus gloriam eius, gloriam quasi unigeniti a patre, plenum gratiae, et veritatis.
• Secunda, quia ipse induxerat tenebras in Aegypto, ideo voluit eam primo illuminare; et ideo bene ibi fugit; Is. IX, 2: populus qui ambulabat in tenebris, vidit lucem magnam; habitantibus in regione umbrae mortis lux orta est eis.

• first, because it is distinctive of God to be mindful of mercy in his anger (Hab 3:2). For the Lord had been angry at the Egyptians pursuing the sons of Israel, because the sons of Israel were God's firstborn. Therefore, the Egyptians were granted the privilege of serving the Lord: "Behold, the Lord, riding on a swift cloud, comes to Egypt" (Is 19:1); "We have seen his glory, the glory, as it were, of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (Jn 1:14).
• Secondly, because he had brought forth darkness in Egypt, he willed to enlighten it first. Therefore, it was well that he fled there: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, on them has light shined" (Is 9:2).

• Quantum ad multitudinem, ut unum quaereret, omnes occidit. Unde dicitur et mittens occidit omnes pueros. Et nota quod dicit Augustinus quod iste numquam profuisset tantum obsequio, quantum profuit odio. Sed quaeritur, cum non habuerint liberum arbitrium, quomodo dicti sunt mori pro Christo. Sed, sicut dicitur Io. III, 17, non misit Deus filium suum in mundum, ut iudicet mundum, sed ut salvetur mundus per ipsum. Numquam enim Deus permisisset eos occidi, nisi fuisset eis utile. Unde dicit Augustinus quod idem est dubitare utrum profuerit illis ista occisio, quod est dubitare utrum pueris prosit Baptismus: passi sunt enim ut martyres et Christum moriendo confessi sunt, quamvis non loquendo. Apoc. VI, 9: vidi subtus altare animas interfectorum propter verbum Dei.
• Secunda crudelitas est, quia occidit in omnibus finibus, timebat enim ne fugeret, scilicet ad aliquam civitatem. Et contigit ei sicut bestiae vulneratae, quae non attendit quem vulnerare debeat; Prov. XXVIII, v. 15: leo rugiens, et ursus esuriens, princeps impius super populum pauperem.
• Tertia quantum ad tempus. Unde a bimatu, idest duorum annorum. Et nota quod Augustinus dicit quod illo anno, quo Christus natus est, innocentes sunt occisi.

• In regard to the multitude, because to find the one he kills all. Hence it says, He sent and killed all the male children. And note that Augustine says: "He would never have benefited them as much by paying homage, as he benefited them by his hatred." But one might ask, since they did not have free will, how they are said to die for Christ? but, as it says in John (3:17): "God did not send his son into the world to judge the world, but that the world be saved by him." For God would never permit them to be killed, unless it were useful for them. Hence Augustine says that it is the same thing to doubt whether their killing profited them as to doubt whether baptism would have profited them: for they suffered as martyrs, and by dying confessed Christ, though not by speech: "I saw under the altar the souls of those slain for the word of God" (Rev 6:9).
• The second cruelty is that he killed in all that region, for he feared that he might flee to another city. He acted like a wounded beast, which does not care whom it injures: "Like a roaring lion or a charging bear, a wicked ruler over a poor people" (Pr 28:15).
• The third was in regard to time. Hence those who were two years old and under. And note that Augustine says that "the Innocents were killed in the year Christ was born."

• Una est, quia a principio putabat quod magi fuissent decepti et quod nihil invenissent, sed postquam audivit multa verba de Christo a Zacharia et Simeone et Anna, tunc motus fuit ad quaerendum.
• Alii dicunt quod hoc fecit ex cautela: timebat enim ne puerum, quem quaerebat, parentes occultassent. Unde primo voluit eos assecurare.
• Alii quod occupatione impeditus, quia misit post magos usque ad Tharsum Ciliciae et fecit incendi naves eorum. Item fuit occupatus, quia citatus fuit Romae accusatus a filiis. Et sic post reversionem incepit saevire.

• One is that in the beginning he thought that the Magi had been deceived and would find nothing, but after he heard many things about Christ from Zechariah and Simeon and Anna, he felt it was necessary to make inquiries.
• Others say that he did this out of wariness, for he feared that the parents would conceal the child he sought. Hence, at first he wished to follow them.
• Others say that he was prevented by his business, because he sent after the Magi as far as Tharsus of Cilicia and burned their ships. He was also occupied, because he had been summoned to Rome, where his sons had accused him. And so, after his return he began to vent his rage.

• Primo quia iste tot mala fecerat, quod Iudaei gaudebant de morte eius: qui praesentiens mandavit adhuc vivens sorori suae, quod nobiliores de Iudaeis interficeret in morte sua; et isti quaesiverant animam pueri cum Herode; et hoc est defuncti sunt enim qui quaerebant animam pueri.
• Vel aliter. Mos est sacrae Scripturae ponere plurale pro singulari: unde mortui sunt, idest mortuus est et cetera. Unde in hoc quod dicit qui quaerebant animam pueri, destruitur error Apollinaris, qui dixit, quod divinitas erat in Christo loco animae.

• first, because he had done so much evil that the Jews rejoiced in his death. When he had a foreboding of his death, he commanded his sister to kill the nobler Jews when he died. These had sought the life of the child with Herod: for those who sought the child's life are dead.
• Or another way: It is the custom of Sacred Scripture to use the plural for the singular: hence, they are dead, i.e. he is dead. Hence, the statement that those who sought the child's life destroys Apollinaris' error, that the godhead was in Christ in place of a soul.

1 ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις παραγίνεται ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς κηρύσσων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τῆς ἰουδαίας 2 [καὶ] λέγων, μετανοεῖτε, ἤγγικεν γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. 3 οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ῥηθεὶς διὰ ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ. 4 αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ ἰωάννης εἶχεν τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τριχῶν καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ, ἡ δὲ τροφὴ ἦν αὐτοῦ ἀκρίδες καὶ μέλι ἄγριον. 5 τότε ἐξεπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτὸν ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ πᾶσα ἡ ἰουδαία καὶ πᾶσα ἡ περίχωρος τοῦ ἰορδάνου, 6 καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο ἐν τῷ ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν. 7 ἰδὼν δὲ πολλοὺς τῶν φαρισαίων καὶ σαδδουκαίων ἐρχομένους ἐπὶ τὸ βάπτισμα αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, τίς ὑπέδειξεν ὑμῖν φυγεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς μελλούσης ὀργῆσ; 8 ποιήσατε οὖν καρπὸν ἄξιον τῆς μετανοίας: 9 καὶ μὴ δόξητε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν ἀβραάμ, λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι δύναται ὁ θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ ἀβραάμ. 10 ἤδη δὲ ἡ ἀξίνη πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται: πᾶν οὖν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν ἐκκόπτεται καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται. 11 ἐγὼ μὲν ὑμᾶς βαπτίζω ἐν ὕδατι εἰς μετάνοιαν: ὁ δὲ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἰσχυρότερός μού ἐστιν, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς τὰ ὑποδήματα βαστάσαι: αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί: 12 οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ διακαθαριεῖ τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συνάξει τὸν σῖτον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην, τὸ δὲ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ.

1. And in those days cometh John the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea. 2. And saying: Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3. For this is he that was spoken of by Isaias the prophet, saying: A voice of one crying in the desert, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. 4. And the same John had his garment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins: and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the country about Jordan: 6. And were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 7. And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them: Ye brood of vipers, who hath shewed you to flee from the wrath to come? 8. Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance. 9. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father. For I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10. For now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doth not yield good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire. 11. I indeed baptize you in water unto penance, but he that shall come after me, is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire. 12. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

• Primum ibi in diebus illis et cetera. Et notandum quod tempus praedicationis Lucas describit per principes reipublicae et Iudaeorum. Illud ergo quod dicit Lucas, exprimitur hic, cum dicit in diebus illis. Nec debet hoc referri ad dies, de quibus facta est mentio, scilicet ad tempus infantiae Christi; non enim est intelligendum hoc fuisse in diebus illis, in quibus Christus reversus est de Aegypto. Sed hoc sic ponitur, quia Christus habitavit continue in Nazareth; Luc. II, 40: puer autem crescebat, et confortabatur plenus sapientia, et gratia Dei erat in illo.
• Secundo ponitur persona, ibi venit Ioannes; venit, idest apparuit, qui primo occultus erat. Hic est de quo Io. I, 7: hic venit in testimonium, ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine. Sed quare Christus voluit eius testimonium, cum haberet testimonium operum? Dicendum quod propter tria.
  • Primo propter nos qui ducimur in cognitionem spiritualium per ea quae sunt similia nobis; Io. I, 7: hic venit ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine. Et quare? Ut omnes crederent per illum.
  • Secundo propter malitiam Iudaeorum, quia non solum Christus sibi testimonium perhibet, secundum quod ipsi dicebant, Io. VIII, 13: tu de teipso testimonium perhibes, sed etiam alius; Io. V, 33: vos misistis ad Ioannem, et testimonium perhibuit veritati.
  • Tertio ad ostendendum aequalitatem Christi ad patrem, quia sicut pater praenuntios habuit, scilicet prophetas, ita Christus; Luc. I, 76: tu, puer, propheta altissimi vocaberis: praeibis enim ante faciem domini parare vias eius.
• Tertio ponitur officium baptizandi. Hoc fuit speciale eius officium, quia primus baptizavit, et fuit eius Baptismus praeparatorius ad Baptismum Christi: quia si Christus novum ritum adiunxisset, statim potuissent homines scandalizari. Et ideo praevenit Ioannes ut praepararet homines ad Baptismum; Io. I, 31: ut manifestetur in Israel.
• Quarto ponitur studium, quia venit, ut diligenter praedicaret. Et hoc est praedicans Baptismum. Christus quidem baptizaturus ista adiunxit, Matth. ult., 19: ite, docete omnes gentes, baptizantes eos in nomine patris, et filii, et spiritus sancti. Ioannes autem in utroque praeparavit viam. Et notandum quod Ioannes in trigesimo anno hoc fecit, in qua aetate David etiam factus est rex, et Ioseph gubernacula regni Aegypti suscepit, Gen. XLI, 46. Per quod datur intelligi, quod ad nullum officium debet aliquis assumi ante perfectam aetatem.
• Quinto ponitur locus in deserto. Praedicavit autem in deserto propter quatuor. Primo ut quietius audirent: in civitate enim multi curiosi impedientes convenissent, sed in deserto non nisi studiosi ibant; Eccle. XII, 11: verba sapientium sicut stimuli, et quasi clavi in altum defixi, quae per magistrorum consilium data sunt a pastore uno. Secundo quia congruebat suae praedicationi; quia ipse poenitentiam praedicabat. Talis autem debet esse locus poenitentiae, vel corporaliter, vel mentaliter; Ps. LIV, 8: ecce elongavi fugiens, et mansi in solitudine. Tertio ad designandam conditionem Ecclesiae, quae per desertum significatur: datur enim intelligi, quod non est in synagoga praedicatio salutis, sed in Ecclesia; Is. LIV, 1: laetare, sterilis, quae non paris; decanta laudem, et, hinni, quae non pariebas, quoniam multi filii desertae, magis quam eius quae habebat virum, dicit dominus. Quarto ad designandam conditionem Iudaeae, quae iam derelinquebatur a Deo; inf. XXIII, 38: ecce relinquetur vobis domus vestra deserta.

• (1) The first is presented at In those days. And it should be noted that Luke describes the time of preaching in relation to the heads of the republic and of the Jews. Therefore, what Luke says is expressed here, when it says, In those days. This does not refer to the days already mentioned, namely, the time of Christ's infancy. For this does not refer to those days when Christ returned from Egypt. But this is mentioned in this way, because Christ continually lived in Nazareth: "The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him" (Lk 2:40).
• Secondly, the person is mentioned, In those days came John: he came, i.e., appeared, for he had been previously hidden: "He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light" (Jn 1:7). But why did Christ wish his testimony, when he had the testimony of works? The answer gives three reasons:
  • first, for our sake, who are led to a knowledge of spiritual things by means of things that are like us: "He came for testimony, to bear testimony to the light" (Jn 1:7). And why? "that all might believe through him."
  • Secondly, on account of the malice of the Jews, because not only Christ gives testimony of himself, as they said: "You give testimony of yourself" (Jn 3:26), but so did another: "You sent to John and he has borne witness to the truth" (Jn 5:33).
  • Thirdly, he mentions his office of baptizing. This was his special office, because he baptized first, and his baptism was a preparation for that of Christ; because if Christ had introduced a new rite, men might be immediately scandalized. Therefore, John came first and prepared men for baptism: "That he might be revealed to Israel" (Jn 1:31).
• Fourthly, his main interest is mentioned, because he came to preach diligently, i.e., to preach baptism. When Christ baptized, he joined the two: "Go, teach all nations, baptizing them..." (Mt 27:19). But John prepared the way for both, i.e. the preaching and the baptism. It should be noted that John did this in his thirty-third year, the age at which David was made king and Joseph began to exercise power in Egypt (Gen 41:46). This gives us to understand that no one should be elevated to any office, before he reaches the perfect age.
• Fifthly, the place is mentioned, in the desert. Now he preached in the desert for four reasons: first, that they might hear him more calmly, for in the city many of the curious would have come and been obstacles, but in the desert only those desirous of learning came: "The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings given by one Shepherd" (Ec 12:11). Secondly, because they suited his preaching, because he preached penance. Such should be a place of penance either bodily or spiritually: "Yes, I would wander afar, I would lodge in the wilderness" (Ps 55:7). Thirdly, to indicate the condition of the Church, which is signified by the desert, for it is given to be understood that it is not in the synagogue but in the Church that salvation is preached: "Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you that have not been in travail. For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her that is married, says the Lord" (Is 54:1). Fourthly, to designate the condition of Judea, which had already been abandoned by God: "Behold, your house is forsaken and desolate" (Mt 23:38).

• Quandoque enim dicitur ipse Christus habitans in nobis per gratiam; Luc. XVII, 21: regnum Dei intra vos est. Et dicitur regnum caelorum, quia per inhabitantem gratiam inchoatur nobis via caelestis regni.
• Secundo, sacra Scriptura; infra XXI, 43: auferetur a vobis regnum Dei, idest sacra Scriptura. Et dicitur regnum, quia lex eius ducit ad regnum.
• Tertio, dicitur praesens Ecclesia militans; infra XIII, 47: simile est regnum caelorum sagenae missae in mare, et ex omni genere piscium congreganti et cetera. Et dicitur regnum caelorum, quia ad modum caelestis Ecclesiae est institutum.
• Quarto dicitur regnum caelorum caelestis curia; infra VIII, 11: venient ab oriente, et occidente, et recumbent cum Abraham, et Isaac, et Iacob in regno caelorum. Ante tempus autem Ioannis non fiebat mentio, nisi de regno Iebusaeorum, Ex. III, 8, sed modo promittitur regnum caelorum suae Ecclesiae.

• For sometimes it refers to Christ himself dwelling in us by grace: "The kingdom of heaven is within you" (Lk 16:21). He is called the kingdom of heaven, because the road to the heavenly kingdom is begun in us through his indwelling grace.
• Secondly, Sacred Scripture: "The kingdom of God will be taken away from you" (Mt 21:43). It is called a kingdom, because its law leads to a kingdom.
• Thirdly, the present Church Militant: "The kingdom of heaven is likened to a net cast into the sea and collecting fish of every kind" (Mt 13:47). It is called a kingdom, because it is established after the manner of the heavenly Church.
• Fourthly, the heavenly assembly is called the kingdom of heaven: "They shall come from the east and from the west and sit at table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 8:2). Before the time of John the only kingdom mentioned was that of the Jebusites (Ex 3:8); but now the kingdom of heaven is promised to his Church.

• Primo quia, sicut dicit Gregorius, vox verbum praecedit; et Ioannes Christum. Luc. I, 17: ipse praecedet ante illum in spiritu et virtute Eliae.
• Secundo, quia per vocem verbum cognoscitur; vox enim verbum deducit in cognitionem, ita Ioannes Christum; Io. I, 31: ut manifestetur in Israel, propterea veni ego in aqua baptizans.
• Tertio, quia vox sine verbo non facit animi certitudinem; I Cor. XIV, 8: si incertam vocem det tuba, quis parabit se ad bellum?

• first, because, as Gregory says, "The voice precedes the word and John, Christ: "He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Lk 1:17);
• secondly, because by the voice the word is known: for as the voice brings the word into knowledge, so John, Christ: "For this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed in Israel" (Jn 1:31).
• Thirdly, because the voice without a word does not give certitude to the mind: "If the bugle gives an uncertain sound, who will get ready for battle?" (1 Cor 14:8).

• Primo nova praedicatio. Numquam audiverant fieri mentionem de regno caelorum, et ideo mirabantur; Iob c. XXXVIII, 33: numquid nosti ordinem caeli, et pones rationem eius in terra? Ioannes primo docuit quod ratio regni caelorum non esset ponenda in terra.
• Secundo propter vitam. Unde dicit tunc exibant, videntes scilicet vitam ipsius; Iac. II, 18: ostende mihi fidem tuam sine operibus, et ego ostendam tibi ex operibus fidem meam et cetera.
• Tertio, quia Iudaea privata erat instructione prophetarum. Ps. LXXIII, 9: signa nostra non vidimus, iam non est propheta. Et ideo exibant a Iudaea ad videndum; et hoc est tunc exibant (...) et baptizabantur ab eo in Iordane.

• first, the new preaching. They had never heard mention made of the kingdom of heaven; therefore, they were amazed: "Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you establish their rule on the earth?" (Jb 38:33). John was the first to teach that the notion of the kingdom of heaven does not consist in any thing earthly.
• Secondly, his life. Hence he says, then there went out to him, namely, because they saw his life: "Show me you faith without works, and I will show you from my works my faith: (Jas 2:8).
• Thirdly, because the Jews had been deprived of instruction from prophets: "We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet" (Ps 74:9). And therefore they went from Judea to see: (6) Then they went out and were baptized by him in the river Jordan.

• Quia in Iordane primo fuit praefiguratus Baptismus. IV Reg. c. II, 8-11, ubi dicitur de Eliseo quod transivit per Iordanem, et Elias raptus est in caelum.
• Item ibi fuit mundatus Naaman leprosus, qui significat mundatum a peccatis in Baptismo.
• Item quia ipsa interpretatio convenit Baptismo; interpretatur enim descensus; et significat humilitatem, quam homo debet habere in Baptismo; I Petr. II, 2: quasi modo geniti infantes, rationabile, et sine dolo, lac concupiscite.
• Tertium ponitur ibi confitentes peccata sua. Causa quare confessio est inducta, supra est ostensa, quia de necessitate salutis; Iac. V, 16: confitemini alterutrum peccata vestra. Et dicit Glossa, quod ideo inducta est, ut homo habeat erubescentiam. Sed sciendum quod erubescentia est causa concomitans, sed principalis est propter virtutem clavium: nullus enim posset ligare, vel solvere, nisi sciret quid ligandum, vel solvendum esset. Unde sicut nullus potest amovere necessitatem clavium, ita nullus posset amovere confessionem vocalem.
  Sed quaeritur, an accedens ad Baptismum confiteri teneatur. Videtur quod non indigeat virtute clavium, cum omnia dimittantur peccata in Baptismo. Sed dicendum, quod tenetur saltem in generali; et hoc facit quando abrenuntiat Satanae, et omnibus pompis eius: in hoc enim profitetur se esse Satanae obligatum.

• Because in the Jordan was first prefigured baptism. In 2 Kg (2:8-11) it says of Elisha that he passed through the Jordan, and Elijah went up to heaven.
• It was there also that Naaman the leper was cleansed. This signifies being cleansed from sins in baptism.
• Again, this interpretation suits baptism, for it is translated "descent" and signifies humility, which a man should have in baptism: "As new born infants, long for the pure spiritual milk" (1 Pt 2:2).
• He mentions the third when he says, confessing their sins. The reason confession is mentioned was shown above, namely, because it is necessary for salvation: "Confess your sins to one another" (Jas 5:16). And a Gloss says that it was mentioned, in order that a person experience shame. But it should be noted that shame is a concomitant cause, the principal cause being the power of the keys; for no one can bind or loose, unless he knows what should be bound or loosed. Hence, just as no one can remove the need for the keys, so no one can remove oral confession.
  But why is one who comes to baptism bound to confess? For it seems that they need not resort to the power of the keys, since all sins are removed in baptism. The answer is that one is bound at least in general; and he does this, when he renounces Satan and all his pomps. In this way he acknowledges that he is under the yoke of Satan.

• Ad litteram primo: hoc enim est primum fidei fundamentum, credere omnipotentiam Dei; Iob c. XLII, 2: scio quia potes, et nulla te latet cogitatio. Vel possumus intelligere per lapides gentiles, qui dicuntur lapides propter duo: primum quia lapides adorant; secundo propter duritiem. Et licet lapides sint duri, tamen diu conservant impressionem: et licet etiam aedificium ex eis factum tarde fiat, tamen forte est, et durabile. Unde gentiles quamvis fuerint duri ad recipiendum fidem Christi, tamen tenuerunt fortiter. Hoc significatur Ez. XI, 19: auferam a vobis cor lapideum de carne vestra, et dabo vobis cor carneum, et spiritum meum ponam in medio vestri.
• Secundum autem Hieronymum in verbis istis videtur reducere ad memoriam prophetiam Is. LI, 2: attendite ad Abraham patrem vestrum, et ad Saram quae peperit vos et cetera. Nominat enim petram Abraham propter impotentiam generandi, et Saram propter sterilitatem; quasi dicat: Deus, qui fecit potentem Abraham, et foecundam Saram potens est de lapidibus istis suscitare filios Abrahae.

• first, literally, for this is the first foundation of faith, to believe in the omnipotence of God: "I know that you are powerful and no thought is hid from you" (Jb 42:2). —Or by stones we can understand the gentiles, who are called stones for two reasons: first, because they adore stones; secondly, on account of their hardness. And although stones are hard, yet they retain an impression for a long time: and although a building can be slowly made of them, it is strong and durable. Hence, the Gentiles, although they were hard as far as accepting the faith of Christ was concerned, they nevertheless held it firmly. This is signified in Ezekiel (11:19): "I will take a stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh; I will put a new spirit within them."
• Secondly, according to Jerome, in these words John seems to lead back to the memory of the prophets: "Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you. Look to the rock from which you were hewn" (Is 51:2). He calls Abraham a rock on account of his inability to reproduce, and Sarah on account of her sterility. As if to say: "God, who made Abraham virile and Sarah fecund, can from these stones raise up children to Abraham.

• ex desperatione iudicii, quia non credunt iudicium esse; Eccli. V, 1: ne dixeris: est mihi sufficiens vita; Iob XIX, 29: fugite a facie gladii, quoniam ultor iniquitatum gladius est, et scitote esse iudicium.
• Aliqui autem ex mora; II Petr. III, 9: non tardat Deus promissionem suam, sicut quidam aestimant, sed patienter agit propter nos, nolens aliquos perire, sed omnes ad poenitentiam reverti.

• one is because they do not believe that there is a judgment: "Do not say, I have a sufficiency" (Sir 5:1); "Flee from the face of the sword, because it is the avenger of iniquity; and know that there is a judgment" (Jb 19:29).
• The other is because of the delay: "The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Pt 3:9).

• Chrysostomus dicit, quod per securim intelligitur districtio divini iudicii, quae quandoque per securim, quandoque per arcum, et gladium designatur; Ps. VII, 13: nisi conversi fueritis, gladium suum vibrabit, arcum suum tetendit, et paravit illum.
• Hieronymus: per securim praedicatio Evangelii intelligitur, quia sicut per doctrinam Evangelii aliqui ducti sunt ad vitam, ita contemptores ad mortem. Ier. XXIII, 29: nonne verba mea sicut ignis, et quasi malleus conterens petram? Lc. II, 34: ecce positus est hic in ruinam, et resurrectionem multorum in Israel, et in signum cui contradicetur et cetera. Iam enim securis ad radicem arborum posita est; quasi dicat: in promptu est, ut veniat.
• Secundum Gregorium per securim redemptor noster intelligitur, qui velut ex manubrio et ferro, ex humanitate et divinitate constat; cuius humanitas, quia patienter expectat, quasi tenetur: divinitas, quasi ferrum incidit. Securis ergo ad radicem ponitur, quia iudicium fit per Deum et hominem. Et dicit ad radicem propter duo, quia in radice fit praecisio universalis, eius etiam quod est in ramis. Item quia quod a radice exciditur, non germinat: quasi diceret: universalis erit extirpatio malorum.

• Chrysostom says that by axe is understood the rigor of divine judgment, which is sometimes designated by axe, sometimes by arrow and by sword: "If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and strung his bow; he has prepared his deadly weapons" (Ps 7:13).
• Jerome: "By axe is understood the preaching of the Gospel, because just as by the Gospel teaching some have been brought to life, so its scorners, to death." "Are not my words like fire, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" (Jer 23:29); "This child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against" (Lk 2:34). Even now the axe is laid to the root of the tree. As if to say: It is evident that he is coming.
• According to Gregory, by axe is understood our Redeemer, who consists of human and divine nature as of a handle and sword. His human nature, because it waits patiently, is, as it were, held; the divinity cuts as a sword. The axe is laid to the root, because judgment comes through God and men. He says, to the root, for two reasons: first, because in the root is made a general cutting even of that which is in the branches. Secondly, because what is cut off from the root does not germinate. As if to say: the eradication of evils will be universal.

• Primo, ut praeveniret Christum, baptizando; Lc. I, 76: praeibis ante faciem domini parare vias eius.
• Secundo, ut congregatis hominibus haberet opportunitatem praedicandi de Christo; Io. I, 31: ut manifestaretur in Israel, propterea veni ego in aqua baptizans.
• Tertio, ut ad Baptismum Christi praepararet. Unde consuetudo est in Ecclesia, ut prius catechumeni fiant qui baptizari debent, scilicet ut fiat quaedam praeparatio, et accipiant quoddam signaculum, per quod idonei reputantur: et hoc est quod dicit, ego baptizo, ut scilicet sciatis vos aptos esse, qui a Christo baptizari intenditis.

• first, to anticipate Christ by baptizing: "You will go before the Lord to prepare his ways" (Lk 1:76);
• secondly, to have the opportunity to preach about Christ before so many people assembled: "That he might be revealed in Israel, I came baptizing in water" (Jn 1:31);
• Thirdly, to prepare them for the baptism of Christ. Hence, the custom in the Church that those desiring baptism be catechumens first, namely, that they be prepared and receive a sign by which they are considered worthy. That is why he says, I baptize, in order that you might know that you who intend to be baptized in Christ are suitable.

• Primo per tribulationes quae sunt quasi quidam ventus, qui si non est, paleae sunt cum tritico: ita etiam quamdiu sunt in Ecclesia, non discernuntur boni a malis; et sicut per minorem ventum paleae tenues expelluntur, et per fortem grossae, ita in Ecclesia, si crescat tribulatio, etiam qui firmi videntur, cadunt; Lc. VIII, 13: ad tempus credunt, et in tempore tentationis recedunt.
• Secundo per sententias praelatorum, quando scilicet excommunicantur; I ad Cor. V, 13: auferte malum ex vobisipsis.
• Tertio in die iudicii, quando segregabuntur boni a malis; infra XXV, 32. Congregabit in horreum suum, scilicet Paradisi, triticum, idest electos; Ps. CV, 47: salvos nos fac, domine Deus noster, et congrega nos de nationibus. Paleas autem comburet.
  Et nota quod differentia est inter paleas et zizania: aliud enim est semen palearum et zizaniorum, quia palearum est idem semen cum tritico. Unde per zizania possumus intelligere schismaticos, qui non communicant nobiscum in sacramentis; per paleas, fideles, licet malos. Sed utrique igni comburentur. Igni inextinguibili; Is. ultim., 24: ignis eorum non extinguetur. Et dicit inextinguibili, ad differentiam ignis Purgatorii. De hoc igne infra XXV, 41: ite, maledicti, in ignem aeternum et cetera.

• first, by tribulations which are as it were, certain winds, without which the chaff remains with the wheat: so, too, as long as they are in the Church, the good are not discerned from the wicked; and just as the smaller bits of chaff are expelled by a weak wind and the larger by a stronger, so in the Church, if tribulation increases, even those who seem strong fall: "They believe for a time, and in time of trial they fall away" (Lk 8:13).
• Secondly by the sentences of prelates, when they excommunicate: "Remove the evil person from among you" (1 Cor 5:13).
• Thirdly, on the day of judgment, when the good will be separated from the wicked (Mt 25:32). He will gather the wheat into his granary of paradise, i.e., the elect: "Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations" (Ps 106:47). But the chaff he will burn.
  Note that there is this difference between chaff and cockle. For the seed of chaff and of cockle are different, because that of chaff is the same seed as that of wheat. Hence, by cockle we can understand schismatics, who do not communicate with us in the sacraments; by chaff, the faithful, although evil. But both will be burned by fire. With unquenchable fire: "Their fire shall not be quenched" (Is 66:24). He says unquenchable, to distinguish it from the fire of purgatory: "Depart, you accursed, into eternal fire..." (Mt 25:41).

13 τότε παραγίνεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀπὸ τῆς γαλιλαίας ἐπὶ τὸν ἰορδάνην πρὸς τὸν ἰωάννην τοῦ βαπτισθῆναι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. 14 ὁ δὲ ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν λέγων, ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με; 15 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν, ἄφες ἄρτι, οὕτως γὰρ πρέπον ἐστὶν ἡμῖν πληρῶσαι πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην. τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτόν. 16 βαπτισθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εὐθὺς ἀνέβη ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος: καὶ ἰδοὺ ἠνεῴχθησαν [αὐτῷ] οἱ οὐρανοί, καὶ εἶδεν [τὸ] πνεῦμα [τοῦ] θεοῦ καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν [καὶ] ἐρχόμενον ἐπ' αὐτόν: 17 καὶ ἰδοὺ φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα.

13. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan, unto John, to be baptized by him. 14. But John stayed him, saying: I ought to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me? 15. And Jesus answering, said to him: Suffer it to be so now. For so it becometh us to fulfil all justice. Then he suffered him. 16. And Jesus being baptized, forthwith came out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him. 17. And behold a voice from heaven saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

1. Tempus, cum dicit tunc, scilicet Ioanne lumen suum habente. Sicut enim sol oritur adhuc apparente Lucifero, ita Christus Ioanne praedicante et baptizante, Lc. III, 21. Iob XXXVIII, 32: numquid producis Luciferum in tempore suo, et vesperum super fines terrae consurgere facis? Vel tunc quando Christus fuit in trigesimo anno, Lc. III, 23, ut daret intelligi quod officium praedicationis, et praelationis non debet aliquis sumere ante perfectam aetatem. Vel tunc quando secundum cursum aliorum multa peccata poterat perpetrasse. Unde noluit statim baptizari, sed multo tempore legem servavit, quasi constitutus sub lege, et ut Iudaei non haberent causam scandali, quia non venit solvere legem, infra V, 17. Sed posset alicui videri, quod ideo Christus terminasset legem, quia non potuisset legem implere; et ideo voluit diu observare; et ideo non ita cito baptizatus est.
2. Ponuntur personae, cum dicitur venit Iesus ad Ioannem, dominus ad servum, creator ad creaturam; infra XI, 29: discite a me, quia mitis sum et humilis corde.
3. Loca a Galilaea. Ista mystice conveniunt baptizatis, quia Galilaea significat transmigrationem: oportet enim baptizatos transmigrare de vitiis ad virtutes; I Petr. II, v. 1: deponentes omnem malitiam, et omnem dolum, et simulationes, et invidias, et omnes detractiones. Item, in Iordanem. Iordanis interpretatur descensus, et significat humilitatem, quae debet esse in baptizando ad gratiam percipiendam; Iacob. IV, 6: humilibus autem dat gratiam.
4. Ponitur officium ut baptizaretur. Deus voluit baptizari a Ioanne quatuor rationibus. Primo ut Baptismum Ioannis conservaretur, quia illi aliqui detrahebant, infra XXI, v. 24. Secundo, ut suo tactu totam consecraret aquam; et ideo Baptismus dicitur fieri de fontibus salvatoris; Is. XII, 3: haurietis aquas in gaudio de fontibus salvatoris. Tertio, ut demonstraret in se veram conditionem hominis, quia sicut fuit in similitudinem carnis peccati, Rom. VIII, 3, ita voluit mundari quasi peccator. Quarto, ut aliis imponeret necessitatem baptizandi: prius enim voluit servare quae imposuit; Act. I, 1: coepit Iesus facere et docere, contra illos de quibus infra XXIII, 4: alligant onera gravia et importabilia, et imponunt in humeros hominum: digito autem suo nolunt ea tangere. Consequenter ponitur admiratio. Et nota tria. Primo enim Ioannes recusat honorem sibi oblatum; secundo confitetur suam humilitatem; tertio suam infirmitatem. Secundum ibi Ioannes autem prohibebat eum; Eccli. VII, 4: noli quaerere ab homine ducatum, neque a rege cathedram honoris. Tertium ibi ego a te debeo baptizari. Cognoscebat enim quod interius baptizaret; et ideo dicit baptizari idest ab originali peccato mundari: ita dicit Glossa.

1. (13) The time, when he says, Then, i.e., John having his own light. For as the sun rises, when the morning star is still visible, so Christ, when John was preaching and baptizing (Lk 3:21); "Do you bring forth the morning star in its season and make the evening star rise over the face of the earth?" (Jb 38:32). Or Then, when Christ was in his thirtieth year (Lk 3:23), to give us to understand that one should not assume the office of preaching or prelacy before the perfect age. Or Then, when in conformity with the course of other men he could have committed many sins. Hence he did not wish to be baptized at once but observed the Law for a long time, as though established under the Law, and so that the Jews would have no cause for scandal, because he did not come to abolish the Law (Mt 5:17). But it could seem to someone that Christ would have ended the Law, because he could not fulfill it; and therefore, he wished to observe it for a long time. That is why he was not baptized so soon.

2. The persons are mentioned, when he says, Christ came to John, the Lord to the servant, the Creator to the creature: "Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart" (Mt 11:29).
3. The places, from Galilee. These places befit those baptized, because Galilee signifies transmigration. For it behooves the baptized to transmigrate from vices to virtues: "Put away all malice and all guile and insincerity and envy and all slander" (1 Pt 2:1). Also, to the Jordan, which is interpreted descent and signifies humility, which ought to be in the one to be baptized in order to receive grace: "He gives his grace to the humble" (Jas 4:6).

4. The office is mentioned, to be baptized. God willed to be baptized by John for four reasons: first, to defend John's baptism, because some where speaking ill of it (Mt 21:24). Secondly, that by his touch he might consecrate all water; and therefore, baptism is said to be made from the fountains of the Savior: "You will draw water joyfully from the fountains of the Savior" (Is 12:3). Thirdly, to demonstrate the true condition of man in himself, because, as he was "in the likeness of the flesh of sin" (Rom 8:3), so he willed to be cleansed as though a sinner. Fourthly, to place on others the necessity of being baptized, for he willed first to observe the things he imposed on others: "Jesus began to do and to teach" (Acts 1:1), contrary to those of whom it is said below (23:41): "They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with a finger." Then he mentions the reverence. And note three things: first, John refuses the honor offered him; secondly, he confesses his lowliness (v. 14), thirdly, his weakness (14b). For he knew that he would baptize inwardly; therefore he says, to be baptized, i.e., cleansed, from original sin. So says a Gloss.

• Primo sic decet nos implere omnem iustitiam, scilicet per Baptismum: futurum enim erat, quod Christus impleret omnem iustitiam, et legis, et naturae; sed voluit per istam viam implere, quia sine Baptismo non impletur; Io. III, 3: nisi quis natus fuerit denuo, non potest videre regnum Dei et cetera.
• Remigius sic exponit: sic enim decet nos implere omnem iustitiam. Decet me dare exemplum huius sacramenti, in quo datur plenitudo omnis iustitiae, quia datur plenitudo gratiae et aliarum virtutum; Ps. LXIV, 10: flumen Dei repletum est aquis, scilicet gratiarum.
• Vel sic: sic enim decet etc., idest, decet me habere perfectam humilitatem. Primus gradus est non praeferre se pari, et subiicere se maiori, quod quidem est necessitatis. Secundum cum subiicit se aequali. Perfecta autem, quando praelatus se subiicit inferiori: et hoc est sic enim decet etc., idest perfectam humilitatem implere. Sed cum esset inter eos talis altercatio, Christus vicit. Unde tunc dimisit eum etc., hoc est permisit ut ab eo baptizaretur. Glossa: vera est humilitas quam non deserit obedientia: pertinaciter enim resistere, superbiae est. I Reg. XV, 23: quasi scelus idololatriae nolle acquiescere: sic enim laudantur Ieremias et Moyses qui finaliter consenserunt.

• first, thus it is fitting to fulfill all justice, namely, through baptism. For it would come to pass that Christ would fulfill all justice both of the Law and of nature; but he willed to fulfill it in that way, because it is not fulfilled without baptism: "Unless a man be born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven" (Jn 3:3).
• Remigius explains it this way: for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all justice. It behooves me to give an example of this sacrament, because the fullness of grace and of the virtues is given: "The river of God is full of water" (Ps 65:9), i.e., of grace.
• Or another way: for thus it is fitting..., i.e., it is fitting to have perfect humility. The first degree is not to prefer oneself to an equal and to subject himself to one who is superior, which, of course, is a matter of necessity. The second is when he subjects himself to an equal. But it is perfect, when a prelate subjects himself to his inferior. And this is what he says: for thus it is fitting..., i.e., to fulfill perfect humility. But although there was this difference between them, Christ prevailed. Hence he consented, i.e., permitted him to be baptized by him: "That humility is genuine which obedience does not abandon; for to resist obstinately is a sign of pride" (Gloss); "Rebellion is as the crime of idolatry" (1 Sam 15:23). For Jeremiah and Moses are praised for finally consenting.

• Primo propter caritatem; columba enim est animal amorosum. Chrysostomus: alia dona habet etiam servus Diaboli in simulatione, quae habet servus Dei in veritate: solam caritatem sancti spiritus non potest immundus spiritus imitari. Cant. V, 2: aperi mihi, soror mea, amica mea, columba mea, immaculata mea.
• Secundo propter innocentiam et simplicitatem; infra X, 16: estote prudentes sicut serpentes, et simplices sicut columbae.
• Tertio quia habet gemitum pro cantu; et homo sanctificatus per spiritum sanctum debet gemere pro peccatis; Nahum II, 7: et ancillae eius minabantur, gementes ut columbae.
• Quarto propter foecunditatem. Unde etiam praecipiebatur in lege, ut offerrent columbam: et hoc convenit baptizatis, quia, sicut dicit Io. III, 6: quod natum est ex spiritu, spiritus est. Descendentem sicut columbam. Semper emanatio donorum divinorum a Deo in quacumque creatura est per descensum, quia creatura non potest recipere nisi per descensum in illam; Iac. I, 17: omne datum optimum, et omne donum perfectum desursum est, descendens a patre luminum. Et venientem super se.

• first, on account of charity; for the dove is an amorous animal: "The servant of the devil has certain gifts of the Holy Spirit in counterfeit, which the servant of God truly has. It is only the charity of the Holy Spirit that the unclean spirit cannot imitate" (Chrysostom); "Open to me, my sister, my live, my dove, my immaculate one" (S of S 5:2).
• Secondly, on account of its innocence and simplicity: "Be wise as serpents, and simple as doves" (Mt 10:16).
• Thirdly, because it has a groan for its song, and a man sanctified by the Holy Spirit should groan for his sins: "Her maidens lamented, moaning like doves" (Nah 2:7).
• Fourthly, on account of their fertility; hence it was commanded in the Law that they should offer doves. This befits the baptized, because, as John (3:6) says: "That which is born of the spirit, is spirit." Descending as a dove. The emergence of divine gifts from God is always by descent, because the creature cannot receive except by descending into it: "Every best gift and every perfect gift is from above, descending from the Father of lights" (Jas 1:17). And alighting on him.

1 τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀνήχθη εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος, πειρασθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου. 2 καὶ νηστεύσας ἡμέρας τεσσεράκοντα καὶ νύκτας τεσσεράκοντα ὕστερον ἐπείνασεν. 3 καὶ προσελθὼν ὁ πειράζων εἶπεν αὐτῷ, εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰπὲ ἵνα οἱ λίθοι οὗτοι ἄρτοι γένωνται. 4 ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν, γέγραπται, οὐκ ἐπ' ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ. 5 τότε παραλαμβάνει αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν πόλιν, καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ πτερύγιον τοῦ ἱεροῦ, 6 καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ, βάλε σεαυτὸν κάτω: γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ χειρῶν ἀροῦσίν σε, μήποτε προσκόψῃς πρὸς λίθον τὸν πόδα σου. 7 ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, πάλιν γέγραπται, οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου. 8 πάλιν παραλαμβάνει αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν λίαν, καὶ δείκνυσιν αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν, 9 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, ταῦτά σοι πάντα δώσω ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι. 10 τότε λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ὕπαγε, σατανᾶ: γέγραπται γάρ, κύριον τὸν θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις. 11 τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελοι προσῆλθον καὶ διηκόνουν αὐτῷ.

1. Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. 2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry. 3. And the tempter coming said to him: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4. Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. 5. Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple, 6. And said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written: That he hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7. Jesus said to him: It is written again: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8. Again the devil took him up into a very high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. 9. And said to him: All these will I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me. 10. Then Jesus saith to him: Begone, Satan: for it is written: The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve. 11. Then the devil left him; and behold angels came and ministered to him.

• Prima ut accipiat experimentum suae iustitiae; Eccli. XXXIV, 9: qui non est tentatus, qualia scit?
• Secundo ad reprimendam superbiam; II Cor. XII, 7: ne magnitudo revelationum extollat me, datus est mihi stimulus carnis meae, Angelus Satanae qui me colaphizet et cetera.
• Tertio ad confundendum Diabolum, ut sciat quanta sit virtus Christi, ut superare non possit. Huius exemplum habetur Iob I, 8: numquid considerasti servum meum Iob? et cetera.
• Quarto, ut fortior reddatur, sicut milites fortes redduntur per experientiam; Iudic. III: quare voluit dimittere hostes cum filiis Israel?
• Quinto, ut suam dignitatem cognoscat: quia quando Diabolus aggreditur aliquem, hoc cedit ad honorem, quia Diabolus sanctos aggreditur; Iob XL, 10: cibus eius foenum (...), et habet fiduciam quod influat Iordanis in os eius.

• First, to receive a test of his rigtheousness: "He that is not tempted, what sort of things does he know?" (Sir 34:10).
• Secondly, to repress pride: "To keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me" (2 Cor 12:7).
• Thirdly, to confound the devil, so that he would know that the virtue of Christ is so great that he cannot overcome him. An example of this is found in Job (1:8): "Have you considered my servant Job?
• Fourthly, that he might become stronger, as soldiers become stronger through experience: "These are the nations which the Lord left to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had no experience of any war in Canaan" (Jg 3:1).
• Fifthly, that he might recognize his dignity, because when the devil attacks anyone, it is an honor, because the devil attacks holy persons: "If the river is turbulent, he is not frightened; he is confident though Jordan rushes against his mouth" (Jb 40:23).

• Primum ut recurrat ad Scripturae medicinam; Ps. CXVIII, 11: in corde meo abscondi eloquia tua, ut non peccem tibi et cetera. Unde dixit, scriptum est.
• Secundum documentum ut homo nihil faciat ad arbitrium Diaboli. Vegetius: nihil umquam sapiens dux debet facere ad arbitrium sui hostis, etiam si bonum videatur. Et ideo dominus cum posset sine peccato lapides in panem commutare, noluit, quia ille suggerebat.
• Tertium est, quod non debet facere sine utilitate, ad ostentationem suae virtutis, quia hoc est vanitas. Qui respondens dixit: scriptum est: non in solo pane vivit homo.

• first, that he have recourse to the medicine of Scripture: "I have laid up your word in my heart, that I might no sin against you" (Ps 119:11).
• The second is that a man do nothing that accords with the devil's strategy. Vegetius: "A wise leader should never do anything that conforms with the enemy's strategy, even if it seems good." And therefore, although the Lord could without sin have changed stones into bread, he willed no to, because he suggested.
• The third is that he should not do anything useless to show his power, because this is vanity.

• aliquando sicut cum dicitur de uno, et exponitur de alio: sicut si dicitur de uno iusto, et exponitur de Christo; verbi gratia: qui potuit transgredi, et non est transgressus, Eccli. XXXI, v. 10. Item Io. XIV, 28 pater maior me est, hoc dicitur de Christo, secundum quod homo. Unde si exponatur de eo secundum quod filius Dei, depravatur auctoritas. Ita Diabolus hic dicit Angelis, quia Ps. XC dicit hoc de membro Christi, qui indiget custodia Angelorum, quod patet, quia subdit ne forte offendas: hoc enim non potest dici de Christo, quia non poterat offendere occasione alicuius peccati.
• Secundo modo depravat, quando inducit quis auctoritatem ad aliquid, ad quod non est auctoritas; sicut illud Prov. XXV, 21 et Rom. XII, 20: si esurierit inimicus tuus, ciba illum et cetera. Si enim aliquid facit alicui ut ille puniatur a Deo, hoc facit contra sensum auctoritatis. Ita Diabolus, quia Scriptura intendit quod homo iustus ita per Angelos custoditur, quod in periculo non incidat; Ps. IX, v. 10: adiutor in opportunitatibus in tribulatione et cetera. Diabolus autem exponit quod homo periculo se ingerat, quod est Deum tentare.
• Tertio modo quando illud quod est pro se, de auctoritate accipit, et aliud quod est contra se dimittit, quod est mos haeretici: ita fecit hic Diabolus quia dimisit illud quod subditur, quod erat contra eum, scilicet: super aspidem et basiliscum ambulabis, et conculcabis leonem et draconem. Unde factus est exemplar omnium Scripturas depravantium.

• first, when it refers to one thing and is explained of another; as when it refers to one just person and is explained as referring to Christ. For example, "Who has had the power to transgress and did not transgress" (Sir 31:10). Again, (Jn 14:28): "The Father is greater than I," is said of Christ as man. Hence, if it is explained of him as Son of God, the text is twisted. This is the way the devil says angels here, because Ps 91 (v. 11) says this of Christ's member, who needs the guardianship of angels. This is evident, because he adds, lest you strike your foot [offend]; for this could not be said of Christ, who cannot offend by falling into any sin.
• It is twisted in a second way, when someone quotes a text in favor of something for which it is not a text, as Pr (25:21) and Rom (12:20): "If your enemy is hungry, feed him." For if anyone does something to someone in order to be punished by God, he does this against the meaning of this text. This is what the devil did, because the Scripture intends that the just man be guarded by angels in such a way that he does not fall into danger: "The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed" (Ps 9:9). The devil, however, suggests that one should expose himself to danger, which is to tempt God.
• In the third way, when one takes what is in his favor from a text and ignores what is against him; as heretics do. This is what the devil did here, because he ignored what follows: "You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot" (Ps 91:13). Hence, he became the exemplar of all who twist the Scriptures.

• Rabanus dicit, quod iste mons erat in deserto, quia secundum eum omnes tentationes in deserto fuerunt. Dicitur autem excelsus in comparatione ad aliquos qui in circuitu erant.
• Chrysostomus autem dicit, quod duxit eum ad maiorem montem de mundo; et hoc videtur littera sonare, cum dicitur excelsum valde. In hoc autem significatur, quod Diabolus semper ad superbiam erigit, sicut et ipse superbus est; Ier. XIII, 16: antequam offendant pedes vestri ad montes caliginosos. Unde etiam dicitur mons; Ier. I, 15: ecce ego convocabo omnes cognationes regnorum Aquilonis, ait dominus.

• Rabanus says that this mountain was in the desert, because, according to him, all the temptations took place in the desert. But it is called very high, as compared to others in its neighborhood.
• Chrysostom, however, says that he led him to one of the larger mountains of the world; and this is what the letter seems to assert, since it says a very high mountain. In this is signified that the devil always incites to pride, as he himself is proud: "Before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains" (Jer 13:16). Hence, he is also called a mountain.

• Primo quod Diabolus semper in id quod in principio appetiit, perseverat; Is. XIV, 13: in caelum conscendam, super astra Dei exaltabo solium meum, sedebo in monte testamenti in lateribus Aquilonis, ascendam super altitudinem nubium, similis ero altissimo. Et propterea inducit ad idololatriam homines, volens usurpare sibi quod Dei est.
• Item nota quod nullus adorat Diabolum nisi cadat, sicut et ipse cecidit; Dan. III, 7: cadentes adoraverunt statuam auream. Et ideo dicit si cadens adoraveris me.
• Tertio, nota hic esse avaritiam. Unde promittit regnum, in quo intelligitur abundantia divitiarum, et excellentia honorum. Et petit quod cadat: quia ambitiosi semper humiliant se ultra debitum. Unde Ambrosius: habet ambitio domesticum periculum: curvatur obsequio, ut honori donetur: et dum vult esse sublimis, fit deiecta.

• first, that the devil always pursues his original objective: "I will ascend into heaven above the stars of God; I will set my throne on high: I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High" (Is 14:14). And for that reason he induces men to idolatry, desiring to usurp what belongs to God.
• Likewise, note that no one adores the devil, unless he falls as he fell: "They fell down and worshipped the golden image" (Dan 3:7). And therefore, he says if you will fall down and worship me.
• Thirdly, note greed here. Hence, he promises a kingdom, by which is understood abundance of riches and excellence of honors. And he asks that he fall down, because the ambitious always humble themselves more than they ought. Hence Ambrose: "Ambition has its own danger: it bends down in deference in order to be paid honor; and while it wishes to be exalted, it is hurled down."

12 ἀκούσας δὲ ὅτι ἰωάννης παρεδόθη ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν γαλιλαίαν. 13 καὶ καταλιπὼν τὴν ναζαρὰ ἐλθὼν κατῴκησεν εἰς καφαρναοὺμ τὴν παραθαλασσίαν ἐν ὁρίοις ζαβουλὼν καὶ νεφθαλίμ: 14 ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, 15 γῆ ζαβουλὼν καὶ γῆ νεφθαλίμ, ὁδὸν θαλάσσης, πέραν τοῦ ἰορδάνου, γαλιλαία τῶν ἐθνῶν, 16 ὁ λαὸς ὁ καθήμενος ἐν σκότει φῶς εἶδεν μέγα, καὶ τοῖς καθημένοις ἐν χώρᾳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου φῶς ἀνέτειλεν αὐτοῖς. 17 ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς κηρύσσειν καὶ λέγειν, μετανοεῖτε, ἤγγικεν γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. 18 περιπατῶν δὲ παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν τῆς γαλιλαίας εἶδεν δύο ἀδελφούς, σίμωνα τὸν λεγόμενον πέτρον καὶ ἀνδρέαν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, βάλλοντας ἀμφίβληστρον εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν: ἦσαν γὰρ ἁλιεῖς. 19 καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς, δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου, καὶ ποιήσω ὑμᾶς ἁλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων. 20 οἱ δὲ εὐθέως ἀφέντες τὰ δίκτυα ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ. 21 καὶ προβὰς ἐκεῖθεν εἶδεν ἄλλους δύο ἀδελφούς, ἰάκωβον τὸν τοῦ ζεβεδαίου καὶ ἰωάννην τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ μετὰ ζεβεδαίου τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῶν καταρτίζοντας τὰ δίκτυα αὐτῶν: καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτούς. 22 οἱ δὲ εὐθέως ἀφέντες τὸ πλοῖον καὶ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.

12. And when Jesus had heard that John was delivered up, he retired into Galilee: 13. And leaving the city Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capharnaum on the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and of Nephthalim; 14. That it might be fulfilled which was said by Isaias the prophet: 15. Land of Zabulon and land of Nephthalim, the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16. The people that sat in darkness, hath seen great light: and to them that sat in the region of the shadow of death, light is sprung up. 17. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say: Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 18. And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishers). 19. And he saith to them: Come ye after me, and I will make you to be fishers of men. 20. And they immediately leaving their nets, followed him. 21. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets: and he called them. 22. And they forthwith left their nets and father, and followed him.

• Primo sic. Primo tempore alleviata est per praedicationem Christi a peccatis, et novissimo via, quae iuxta mare Galilaeae, aggravata est onere peccatorum, quia post praedicationem Christi persecuti sunt apostolos.
• Vel aliter. Primo tempore. Tangit historiam: quia rex Assyriorum Teglatphalassar, qui primo venit super terram Iudaeorum, primo duxit in captivitatem illas tribus. Et hoc est primo tempore alleviata est: quia tunc peccatores fuerunt primo in captivitatem ducti. Et novissimo etc., quia postea totus populus ductus fuit in captivitatem. Sed quid ad propositum? Dicendum quod ubi primo incepit persecutio, ibi prius dominus voluit dare consolationem.
• Vel aliter. Primo tempore, idest tempore praedicationis Christi, alleviata etc., idest onere peccatorum exonerata per praedicationem Christi, et novissimo aggravata est, idest condensata Christi praedicatio, et multiplicata per Paulum qui ibi praedicavit.

• first, in the following way. The former time was reduced by the preaching of Christ from sins; and in the latter the way, which is near the Sea of Galilee, was burdened by the weight of sins, because after the preaching of Christ they persecuted the apostles.
• Or another way: the former time. It touches history, because the king of the Assyrians, Tiglath-Pileser, who was the first to invade the land of the Jews, first led those tribes captive. And this is the former time that was shortened, because then the sinners were first led into captivity. And the latter time..., because later all the people were led into captivity. But why mention all this? Because the Lord willed to give consolation first where the persecution first began.
• Or another way, the first time, i.e., during the time Christ preached, the burden of sin was lightened by the preaching of Christ; in the latter time it was increased, i.e., the preaching of Christ was condensed and multiplied by the preaching of Paul, who preached there.

• Dicit ergo vidit duos, non oculo corporis tantum, sed etiam mentis: visus enim eius est respectus misericordiae; unde Ex. III, 7: videns vidi afflictionem populi mei, qui est in Aegypto et cetera. Et nota quod idem significatur per duos, et fratres: utrumque enim ad caritatem pertinet, quae consistit in dilectione Dei et proximi. Et ideo binos elegit, et binos ad praedicandum misit: et voluit significari per hoc caritas spiritualis, quia caritas firmatur magis, quando in natura fundatur; Ps. CXXXII, v. 1: ecce quam bonum et quam iucundum habitare fratres in unum.
• Simonem qui vocatur Petrus, nunc scilicet, sed non tunc: quia Christus postea imposuit ei hoc nomen, sed primo promisit; Io. I, 42: tu vocaberis Cephas, sed imposuit Matth. XVI, 18: tu es Petrus. Et Andream. Ista nomina debet habere quilibet praedicator. Simon enim interpretatur obediens; Petrus agnoscens; Andreas fortitudo. Et praedicator debet esse obediens, ut alios possit ad hoc invitare, Prov. XXI, 28: vir obediens loquetur victorias: agnoscens, ut alios sciat instruere: I Cor. XIV, 19: volo quinque verba sensu meo loqui, ut alios instruam, fortis, ut non terreatur comminationibus; Ier. c. I, 18: dedi te hodie in civitatem munitam, et in columnam ferream, et in murum aereum; Ez. III, 8: dedi faciem tuam valentiorem faciebus eorum, et frontem tuam duriorem frontibus eorum, ut adamantem, et ut silicem dedi faciem tuam.
• Sequitur mittentes rete in mare. Quaerit Chrysostomus quare dominus captavit istam horam. Et dicit, ut daretur exemplum quod numquam debemus omittere servitium Dei propter occupationes. Vel ideo, quia per hunc actum praefigurabatur actus futurorum praedicatorum, quia per verba praedicantium quasi per retia trahuntur homines.
• Ponitur officium erant enim piscatores. Et sciendum quod inter omnes homines, piscatores sunt simpliciores; et dominus de simplicissimo statu voluit habere homines, et illos eligere, ut non imputaretur sapientiae humanae id quod factum fuit per eos; I Cor. I, 26: videte vocationem nostram, fratres, quia non multi sapientes secundum carnem, non multi potentes, non multi nobiles; sed quae stulta sunt mundi eligit Deus, ut confundat sapientes. Et ideo non elegit Augustinum, aut Cyprianum oratorem, sed Petrum piscatorem: et de piscatore lucratus est et imperatorem, et oratorem.

• He says, therefore, He saw two, not only with the bodily eye, but also with that of the mind; for his vision is a regard of mercy. Hence, Ex (3:7): "I have seen the affliction of my people, who are in Egypt." And note that the same thing is signified by two and brothers,for both pertain to charity, which consists in the love of God and neighbor. Therefore, he chose by two's, and by two's he sent them to preach. By this he wished spiritual charity to be signified, because charity is made more firm, when it is founded on nature: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity" (Ps 133:1).
• Simon, who is called Peter, i.e., now, but not then; because Christ gave him this name later, but first he promised: "You shall be called Cephas (Jn 1:42). Then he gave it: "You are Peter" (Mt 16:18). And Andrew. Every preacher should have those names. For Simon means obedient; Peter, comprehending; Andrew, courage. For a preacher should be obedient, that he might invite others to it: "The obedient man shall speak of victories" (Pr 21:28); comprehending, that he may know how to instruct others: "I had rather speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others" (1 Cor 14:19); courageous, in order not to be terrified by threats: "I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall" (Jer 1:18); "I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads. Like adamant harder than flint I have made your face" (Ez 3:8).
• He continues: casting a net into the sea. Chrysostom: Why did God choose that hour? He answers: to give an example that we should never neglect the service of God for our occupations. Or, because by this act the action of future preachers was prefigured, for men are drawn by the words of the preacher as though by nets.
• There occupation is described: for they were fishermen. It should be noted that fishermen are simpler than other men; and the Lord wanted to have and to pick men of the simplest condition, so that what they accomplished would not be attributed to human wisdom: "Consider your calling, brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise" (1 Cor 1:26). Therefore, he did not choose Augustine or the orator Cyprian, but Peter, the fisherman; and by the fisherman he gained both an emperor and an orator.

• Dicit ergo venite. Hoc ex sola liberalitate divina est, ut ad se trahat; Eccli. XXIV, 26: transite ad me omnes qui concupiscitis me, et a generationibus meis adimplemini; infra c. XI, 28: venite ad me omnes qui laboratis et onerati estis, et ego reficiam vos. Post me, quasi dicat: ego vado, et vos venite post me, quia ego ero dux vester; Prov. IV, 11: viam sapientiae monstrabo tibi, et ducam te per semitas aequitatis; quas cum ingressus fueris, non arctabuntur gressus tui, et currens non habebis offendiculum; Ps. CXXXVIII, 17: mihi autem nimis honorificati sunt amici tui, Deus, nimis confortatus est principatus eorum.
• Faciam, quasi, commutabo vestrum officium in maius. De istis dicitur Ier. XVI, 16: ecce ego mittam piscatores multos, dicit dominus, et piscabuntur eos et cetera. Et dicit faciam, quia frustra laborat praedicatio exterius, nisi adsit interius gratia redemptoris: non enim virtute sua trahebant homines, sed operatione Christi.
• Et ideo dicit faciam. Ista quidem est maxima dignitas; unde Dionysius: nihil dignius in officio hominum quam Dei cooperatorem fieri. Dignitas enim sola in sua claritate consistit. Ad illam autem dignitatem magis appropinquant qui sic illuminantur quod alia illuminent. Quamquam vero illuminent homines qui sequuntur Christum, et quantum ad iustitiam magna faciunt, sed tamen asserunt dignitatem Christi quantum ad unum tantum; vita autem praedicatorum quantum ad duo; Dan. XII, 3: qui ad iustitiam erudiunt multos, fulgebunt quasi stellae in perpetuas aeternitates.

• He says, therefore: Come. This is entirely from God's generosity that he draws them to himself: "Come to me, you who desire me, and eat your full of my produce" (Si 24:19); "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Mt 11:28). After me. As if to say: I go, and you come after me, because I will be your leader: "I will teach you the way of wisdom; I will lead you into the paths of righteousness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered; and if you run, you will not stumble" (Pr 4:11).
• I will make, i.e., I will change your occupation into something higher: "I am sending for many fishers, says the Lord, and they shall catch them" (Jer 16:16). He says, I will make, because the preacher labors in vain outwardly, unless the grace of the Redeemer is present inwardly; for it is not by his power that he draws men but by the action of Christ.
• Therefore, he says I will make. this, indeed, is the greatest dignity; hence, Denis: "Nothing is more dignified among men's occupations than to be made a cooperator with God." For the dignity consists in its splendor. But those so enlightened as to enlighten others draw more closely to that dignity. But although men who follow Christ enlighten and do great things regarding righteousness, yet they assert the dignity of Christ in regard to one thing only; but the life of preachers in regard to two things: "Those who turn many to righteousness shall shine like the stars forever and ever" (Dan 12:3).

• Primo quantum ad promptitudinem, quia non distulerunt: unde at illi. Contra illos de quibus Eccli. V, 8: ne differas de die in diem; Gal. I, 15: cum autem placuit ei qui me segregavit ex utero matris meae, et vocavit per gratiam suam, ut revelaret filium suum in me, ut evangelizarem illum in gentibus, continuo non acquievi carni et sanguini. Is. l, 5: dominus aperuit mihi aurem, ego autem non contradico, retrorsum non abii.
• Secundo quantum ad expeditionem, quia reliquerunt; quia non pensandus est census, sed affectus; quia omnia dimittit qui quicquid habere potest, dimittit. Sed quae necessitas relinquendi omnia? Chrysostomus: nullus potest possidere divitias, et perfecte ad regnum caelorum venire; sunt enim impedimentum virtutis, diminuunt enim sollicitudinem aeternorum, propter quod non perfecte potest homo inhaerere divinis. Et ideo dimittenda sunt; I Cor. c. IX, 25: omnis qui in agone contendit, ab omnibus se abstinet et cetera.
• Tertio quantum ad executionem, quia secuti sunt eum: non est enim nimis magnum dimittere omnia, sed perfectio consistit in sequela ipsius, quae est per caritatem; I Cor. XIII, 3: si distribuero in cibos pauperum omnes facultates meas, et si tradidero corpus meum ita ut ardeam, caritatem autem non habuero, nihil mihi prodest. Non enim consistit per se in exterioribus perfectio, scilicet paupertate, virginitate, et huiusmodi, nisi quia ista sunt instrumenta ad caritatem; et ideo dicit et secuti sunt eum.

• first, as to promptness: "Do not postpone from day to day" (Sir 5:7); "But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace..., I did not confer with flesh and blood" (Gal 1:15); "The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I turned not backward" (Is 50:5).
• Secondly, as to disencumbering themselves, because they left behind; here one must not consider the amount, but the affection. For one who leaves everything he could have, leaves all things. But what was the need for leaving all things? Chrysostom: "No one can possess riches and come to the kingdom of heaven completely; for they are an obstacle to virtue, because they lessen anxiety for eternal things, i as much as man cannot cling to riches in a perfect way." "Therefore, they should be abandoned: "Every athlete exercises self-control in all things" (1 Cor 9:25).
• Thirdly, in regard to execution, because they followed him. For it is no great thing to leave all things, but perfection consists in following, which is through charity: "If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing" (1 Cor 13:3). For perfection per se does not consist in external things, namely, poverty, chastity and the like, except in the sense that they are instruments to charity. Therefore, he says followed him.

1. Vocati quadrupliciter describuntur. Quantum ad numerum, nomina, pietatem, et paupertatem.
   • Dicit ergo et procedens inde vidit alios duos fratres. Nota quod a principio vocavit fratres: et quamvis multos alios vocavit, tamen de istis specialiter fit mentio, quia praecipui erant, et quia binos vocavit eos; lex enim nova in caritate fundatur; unde et in veteri testamento duos fratres vocavit, Aaron et Moysen, quia etiam ibi dabatur mandatum de caritate.
   • Et quia perfectior est nova, ideo in principio vocatur duplex numerus fratrum. Iacobum Zebedaei, et Ioannem fratrem eius. Per istos quatuor designatur doctrina quatuor Evangeliorum, vel quatuor virtutes: quia per Petrum, qui interpretatur agnoscens, virtus prudentiae; per Andream, qui interpretatur virilis, seu fortissimus, virtus fortitudinis; per Iacobum, qui interpretatur supplantator, virtus iustitiae; per Ioannem propter virginitatem, virtus temperantiae.
   • Ponitur pietas, quia erant cum Zebedaeo patre. Chrysostomus: admiranda est eorum pietas, quia pauperes arte piscatoria panem quaerunt, et tamen senem patrem non derelinquunt. Eccli. III, 8: qui timet Deum, honorat parentes.
   • Paupertas designatur in hoc, quia reficiebant retia sua. Nihilominus per istos qui mittebant retia, signantur illi qui in prima aetate negotiantur in mundo; per istos qui iam miserunt, et reficiebant, significantur illi qui diu negotiati sunt in mundo; et sunt iam per peccatum absorpti, et vocantur ad Christum. Thren. III, 27: bonum est viro, cum portaverit iugum domini ab adolescentia sua.
2. Et vocavit eos, interius et exterius; ad Rom. VIII, 30: quos praedestinavit, hos et vocavit. Vocare interius nihil aliud est quam praebere auxilium humanae menti cum vult convertere nos.
3. Sequitur de obedientia illi autem, relictis retibus et patre, secuti sunt eum. Nota quod duo superiores navem tantum, isti autem reliquerunt retia, navem et patrem: in quo significatur quod propter Christum debemus omittere omnes terrenas occupationes, quae designantur per rete; II Tim. II, 4: nemo militans Deo implicat se negotiis saecularibus; divitias, sive possessiones, quae designantur per navem; infra XIX, 21: si vis perfectus esse, vade et vende omnia quae habes, et da pauperibus, et habebis thesaurum in caelo, et veni, sequere me; affectum carnalem, qui per patrem; Ps. XLIV, 11: obliviscere populum tuum, et domum patris tui. Mystice vero per Zebedaeum significatur mundus, qui interpretatur fluxus vehemens.

1. The ones called are described in four ways: the number, name, piety and poverty.
   • He says, therefore, and going on from there he saw two other brothers. Note that in the beginning he called brothers; and although he called many others, special mention is made of them, because they were important and because he called them by two's. For the New Law is based on charity; hence, even in the Old Law he called two brothers, Aaron and Moses, because even there the command about charity was given.
   • And because the New is more perfect, he called two more brothers: James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother.
   • By the four brother is designated the four gospels or four virtues: by Peter, which means comprehending, the virtue of prudence; by Andrew, which means very courageous, the virtue of courage; by James, which means supplanter, the virtue of justice, by John on account of his virginity, the virtue of temperance.
   • Piety is mentioned, because they were with their father, Zebedee. Chrysostom: Their piety must be admired, because they were poor and obtained their living by the art of fishing, and yet they did not leave their aged father: "Whoever fears the Lord, honors his parents" ( Sir 3:7).
   • Poverty is designated by the fact that they were mending their nets. But by those who cast the nets are signified people who transact business in the world at an early age; by those who have already cast them are signified those who have been transacting business for a long time in the world: "It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth" (Lam 3:27).
2. And he called them inwardly and outwardly: "Those whom he predestined, he also called" (Rom 8:30). To call inwardly is no more than to offer help to the human mind, when he wills to convert us.
3. (22) He follows with obedience: They left the boat and their father, and followed him. Note that the other two only left their boat, but these left nets, boat and father. This signifies that for the sake of Christ we should give up all worldly occupation, which are designated by the net: "No soldier on service gets entangled in worldly pursuits" (2 Tim 2:4); riches or possessions, which are designated by the boat: "If you would be perfect, go and sell all you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me" (Mt 19:21); carnal affection, which is designated by the father: "Forget your people and your father's house" (Ps 45:10). But mystically the world is signified by Zebedee, which means turbulent flow.

23 καὶ περιῆγεν ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ γαλιλαίᾳ, διδάσκων ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας καὶ θεραπεύων πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν ἐν τῷ λαῷ. 24 καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἡ ἀκοὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς ὅλην τὴν συρίαν: καὶ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας ποικίλαις νόσοις καὶ βασάνοις συνεχομένους [καὶ] δαιμονιζομένους καὶ σεληνιαζομένους καὶ παραλυτικούς, καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτούς. 25 καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ ὄχλοι πολλοὶ ἀπὸ τῆς γαλιλαίας καὶ δεκαπόλεως καὶ ἱεροσολύμων καὶ ἰουδαίας καὶ πέραν τοῦ ἰορδάνου.

23. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom: and healing all manner of sickness and every infirmity, among the people. 24. And his fame went throughout all Syria, and they presented to him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and such as were possessed by devils, and lunatics, and those that had the palsy, and he cured them: 25. And much people followed him from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

• Et sollicitudo ostenditur in duobus,
  • quia non quaerebat propriam quietem; unde circuibat; Rom. XII, 11: sollicitudine non pigri.
  • Secundo quia non erat acceptator personarum, terrarum, vel villarum, sed circuibat totam Galilaeam, absque differentia; Mc. I, 38: eamus in proximas civitates, ut et ibi praedicem; Ps. CII, 22: in omni loco dominationis eius. Modus, ibi in synagogis docens.
• Duo dicit docens et praedicans; docens quae agenda sunt in praesenti, praedicans de futuris: vel docens ea quae pertinent ad instructionem morum, Is. XLVIII, 17: ego dominus docens te utilia, praedicans futura; Is. LII, 7: quam pulchri super montem pedes annuntiantis et praedicantis pacem, annuntiantis bonum, praedicantis salutem. Vel docens naturales iustitias: quaedam enim in theologia traduntur quae naturalis ratio dictat, scilicet iustitia, et huiusmodi: et quantum ad hoc dicit docens; quaedam vero quae excedunt rationem, sicut mysterium Trinitatis, et huiusmodi: et quantum ad hoc dicit praedicans. Sed obiicitur de hoc quod dicit Glossa, quod doceret naturales iustitias, ut est castitas, et humilitas, et huiusmodi: naturales enim virtutes non videntur posse dici virtutes, quia virtutes sunt per gratiam. Et dicendum quod inclinatio et inchoatio est naturalis; sed perfectio, qua gratus homo redditur, est ex gratia, politica, et ex assuetudine. In synagogis eorum.
  • Nota duo. Primum quia quaerebat multitudinem, ut praedicatio magis proficeret; Ps. XXXIV, 18: confitebor tibi in Ecclesia magna.
  • Item quia solum Iudaeis praedicabat; Act. XIII, 46: vobis primum oportuit praedicari verbum Dei. Et praedicans Evangelium regni: non fabulas et curiosa, sed quae ad Dei regnum pertinebant, et ea quae hominibus proficerent.
  • Consequenter confirmatur praedicatio miraculis; Mc. ult., 20: illi autem profecti praedicaverunt ubique, domino cooperante, et sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis. Unde sanans. Languor potest referri ad infirmitates corporales, infirmitas ad infirmitatem animae: non enim minores sunt infirmitates animae quam corporis. Vel per languores graves infirmitates et diuturnas; per infirmitates quamcumque aliam; Ps. CII, 3: qui sanat omnes infirmitates tuas; Eccli. X, 12: brevem languorem praecidit medicus. Datur intelligi etiam in hoc quod praedicatores debent suam doctrinam confirmare per opera; et si non per miracula, per vitam virtuosam; Rom. XV, 18: non audeo aliquid loqui eorum quae per me non efficit Christus in obedientiam gentium in verbo et factis, in virtute signorum et prodigiorum, in virtute spiritus sancti.

• (23) The solicitude is shown in two ways,
  • because he did not seek his own ease; hence, He went about: "Never flag in zeal" (Rom 12:11).
  • Secondly, because he was not an acceptor of persons, of lands or of villas; rather he went about all Galilee without distinction: "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also" (Mk 1:38); "In all places of his dominion" (Ps 103:22).
• The manner is shown at teaching in their synagogues. He says two things, teaching and preaching: teaching what must be in the present, preaching about future things. Or teaching what pertains to the formation of morals: "I am the Lord, who teaches you useful things" (Is 48:17); "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who beings good tidings, who publishes salvation" (Is 52:7). Or teaching natural justices: for some things, which natural reason dictates, are treated in theology, namely, justice and the like. In regard to this he says, teaching. Other matters, which transcend reason, such as the Trinity and so on. In regard to these he says, preaching.
  But against this is a statement found in a Gloss which teaches natural justices, such as chastity, humility and the like; for natural virtues do not seem able to be called virtues, because virtues exist through grace. The answer is that the inclination and beginning is natural; but the perfection, by which a man is made pleasing, is from grace, discipline and from habit.
  In their synagogues. Note two things:
  • first, that he sought the multitude, in order that the preaching might make more progress: "Then I will thank you in the great congregation" (Ps 35:18).
  • Also that he preached only to the Jews: "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you" (Acts 13:46). Preaching the gospel of the kingdom: not fables and curiosities, but matters pertaining to the kingdom of God and beneficial to men.
• Then the preaching is confirmed by miracles: "They went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it" (Mk 16:20). Hence, healing. Disease can refer to bodily sickness; infirmity to infirmity of the soul, for the infirmities of the soul are not less than those of the body. Or by diseases are meant serious and prolonged infirmities; by infirmities, any other: "Who heals all your infirmities" (Ps 103:3); "A long illness baffles the physician" (Sir 10:10). We are also given to understand by that, that preachers should confirm their teaching with works; if not by miracles, then by a virtuous life: "I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has wrought through me to win obedience from the gentiles, by word and by deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Rom 15:18).

• Dicit ergo abiit opinio eius in totam Syriam. Syria est regio a Capharnaum usque ad mare magnum: unde et in terra gentilium divulgatum est. Hoc etiam pertinet ad praedicatores, ut habeant testimonium bonum; Eccli. XLI, 15: curam habe de bono nomine; II Tim. II, 15: sollicite autem cura teipsum probabilem exhibere Deo operarium inconfusibilem, recte tractantem verbum veritatis. Per Syriam autem potest intelligi superbia mundi, quia sic interpretatur: et fama Christi per totum mundum diffusa est.
• Fiducia, ibi et obtulerunt ei omnes male habentes; sciebant enim quod sanare poterat; Ier. XVII, 14: sana me, domine, et sanabor; salvum me fac, et salvus ero. Et dicit primo abiit opinio eius etc., et post, obtulerunt ei etc., quia quando aliquis habet famam de sanctitate, homines facilius detegunt ei conscientiae vulnus. Variis languoribus et tormentis comprehensos. Per istas graves infirmitates designantur infirmitates spirituales. Per languores possunt intelligi diuturnae infirmitates, et signatur infirmitas diu perseverans; Eccli. X, 11: languor prolixior gravat medicum. Et quia aliqui gravantur infirmitate, aliqui vero acerbitate doloris, hoc significatur cum dicit et tormentis comprehensos: et significantur illi qui habent conscientiam gravatam remordentem; Ps. XVII, 5: circumdederunt me dolores mortis, dolores Inferni circumdederunt me.
  Et qui Daemonia habebant; et hoc est quod dicitur Lc. VI, 1: et qui vexabantur a spiritibus immundis, curabantur. Per hoc intelliguntur illi qui colebant idola; Ps. XCV, 5: omnes dii gentium Daemonia; I Cor. X, 20: nolo vos socios fieri Daemoniorum. Lunatici proprie dicuntur qui patiuntur infirmitatem cuiusdam amentiae in defectu lunae: et tunc arripiuntur a Daemonibus. Et Diabolus tunc magis affligit propter duas rationes. Unam assignat Hieronymus, et est ut infamet creaturam Dei; et hoc etiam fit in effectibus magicae artis, qua invocantur Daemones sub certis constellationibus et Daemones veniunt ad hoc ut extollant creaturam, et inducant ad idololatriam. Secunda ratio est melior, quia Diabolus non potest aliquid, nisi per virtutes corporis. Non est autem dubium, quod corpora inferiora immutantur secundum diversas immutationes corporum superiorum. Et ideo tunc Diabolus invocatus libenter venit, quando videt superiora corpora operari ad illum effectum pro quo invocatur. In defectu autem lunae, sicut patet, humiditates deficiunt; et ideo defectus lunae facit ad talem infirmitatem, quando terra non abundat humoribus; et ideo Diabolus tunc magis vexat: et hoc est et lunaticos. Per istos possumus intelligere inconstantes Eccli. XXVII, 12: homo sanctus in sapientia manet sicut sol: nam stultus sicut luna mutatur, qui habent propositum caste vivendi, sed vincuntur passionibus, secundum illud Rom. VII, 15: non enim quod volo bonum, hoc facio, sed quod odi malum, illud ago. Et paralyticos. Paralytici proprie dicuntur, qui habent membra resoluta, ita quod non possunt habere officium membrorum. Per istos significantur ignorantes: et isti omnes a Christo curantur; unde et curavit eos, scilicet perfecte.
• Consequenter ponitur tertius effectus, scilicet devotio sequentium; unde et secutae sunt eum turbae multae; Ps. VII, 8: exurge, domine, in praecepto quod mandasti, et synagoga populorum circumdabit te. Sciendum autem quod diversimode aliqui sequebantur, quia quidam studio salutis, scilicet spiritualis, scilicet apostoli; unde supra: relictis omnibus sequuti sunt eum; et infra XIX, 27: ecce nos reliquimus omnia, et secuti sumus te. Quidam studio salutis corporalis; Lc. VI, 17: turba copiosa plebis ab omni Iudaea, et Ierusalem, et maritima, et Tyri, et Sidonis, qui venerant ut audirent eum, et sanarentur a languoribus suis. Quidam curiositate tantum videndi miracula; Io. VI, 2: et sequebantur eum multi, quia videbant signa quae faciebat super his qui infirmabantur. Alii ad insidiandum, ut Pharisaei et Scribae; Ier. XX, 10: audivi contumelias multorum, et terrorem in circuitu. De Galilaea. Provincia est ubi Christus praecipue praedicabat, et interpretatur transmigratio. Per hoc significantur illi qui debent transmigrare de vitiis ad virtutes. Et Decapoli. Regio est ubi sunt decem villae; et significantur illi qui student ad observantiam decem mandatorum. Et de Ierosolymis. Ierosolyma interpretatur visio pacis; et significat illos qui desiderio pacis ad Christum veniunt; Ps. CXVIII, 165: pax multa diligentibus nomen tuum. Et de Iudaea. Iudaea interpretatur confessio; et significat illos qui per peccatorum remissionem ad Christum veniunt; Ps. CXIII, v. 2: facta est Iudaea sanctificatio eius. Et de trans Iordanem; et significantur illi qui per Baptismum ad Christum veniunt: in Iordane enim fuit figuratus Baptismus.

• He says, therefore, His fame spread throughout Syria. Syria is the territory from Capernaum to the great sea; hence, it also was spread even into the land of the Gentiles. This, too, applies to preachers, namely, that they have a good reputation: "Have regard for a good name" (Sir 41:12); "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth" (2 Tim 2:15). By Syria can also be understood the pride of the world, because that is its meaning; and Christ's fame was spread throughout the whole world.
• Trust is indicated at they brought him all the sick, for they knew that he could heal: "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed" (Jer 17:14). First, he says His fame spread, and then they brought him all the sick, because when anyone has a reputation for holiness, men more readily disclose to him a wound of conscience. Those afflicted with various diseases and pains. By these serious infirmities are designated spiritual infirmities. By diseases can be understood lingering sicknesses. And because some are burdened with infirmity and others with sharp pains, this is signified, when he says those afflicted with pains. And they signify persons with a disturbed and burdened conscience: "The pains of death encompassed me, the cords of Sheol assailed me" (Ps 18:4).
  Demoniacs: and this is what it says in Luke (6:1): "Those troubled with unclean spirits were cured" (Lk 6:18). By this are understood those who worship idols: "All the gods of the Gentiles are idols" (Ps 96:5); "I do not want you to be partners with demons" (1 Cor 10:20). Epileptics [lunatics]. Properly speaking, they are people who suffer the infirmity of madness, when the moon wanes; and then they are seized by demons. The devil afflicts them more at that time for two reasons. Jerome assigns one, namely, to disgrace God's creature: and this is even done in the effects of magic, in which the demons are invoked under certain constellations and they respond by praising the creature and inducing him to idolatry. The second reason is better, because the devil cannot do anything except by bodily powers. But there is no doubt that lower bodies are changed according to diverse changes of higher bodies; and therefore, the devil when invoked comes gladly, when he sees higher bodies acting toward that effect for which he is invoked. But while the moon is waning, moisture fails; and therefore, the waning of the moon makes for such infirmity, when the earth has no abundance of moisture. Consequently, the devil harasses more at that time; and this is and lunatics. By these we can understand inconstant persons: ["A holy man abides in wisdom as the sun; for the fool changes as the moon" (Sir 27:11)], who intend to live chastely but are overcome by passions: "For I do not do what I want, but I do the very things I hate" (Rom 7:15). And paralytics. Properly speaking, these are persons with enfeebled members, such that they cannot have the use of their members. They signify the ignorant. All these were cured by Christ: and he cured them, i.e., perfectly.
• (25) Then is mentioned the third effect, namely, the devotion of the followers; hence, he says Great crowds followed him. "Awake, O my God; you have appointed a judgment. Let the assembly of peoples be gathered about you" (Ps 7:6). But it should be noted that people follow him in different ways: because some with an interest in health, i.e., spiritual; hence, "having left all things, they followed him" (Mt 4:22); "Lo, we have left all things and followed you" (Mt 19:27). Others follow with an interest in bodily health: "A great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and be healed of their diseases" (Lk 6:17). Some followed only out of curiosity to see miracles: "And many followed him, because they saw the signs he did on those who were diseased" (Jn 6:2). Some followed to entrap, as the Pharisees and Scribes: "I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side" (Jer 20:10). From Galilee, which is the province in which Christ chiefly preached and it means transmigration. By this is signified those who should transmigrate from vices to virtues. And the Decapolis. This region is where there are ten villages, and they signify those who are eager to observe the ten commandments. And Jerusalem, which means vision of peace and signifies those who come to Christ with a desire for peace: "Great peace have those who love your law" (Ps 119:165). And Judea, which means confession and signifies those who come to Christ by the remission of sins: "Judea became his sanctuary" (Ps 114:2). And from beyond the Jordan. This signifies those who come to Christ by baptism, of which the Jordan was the figure.

1 ἰδὼν δὲ τοὺς ὄχλους ἀνέβη εἰς τὸ ὄρος: καὶ καθίσαντος αὐτοῦ προσῆλθαν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ: 2 καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς λέγων,

1. And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him. 2. And opening his mouth he taught them, saying:

• Primo sic. Ascendit ad docendum turbas, scilicet non fugiens. Unde Chrysostomus dicit, quod sicut artifex, quando videt praeparatam materiam, delectatur operari, ita sacerdos delectatur praedicare, quando populum videt congregatum; et ideo, ascendit; Ps. XXXIV, 18: confitebor tibi in Ecclesia magna.
• Vel aliter. Ascendit, fugiens scilicet turbas, ut securius discipulos doceret; Eccl. IX, v. 17: verba sapientium audiuntur in silentio.

• First, in the way: He went up to teach the crowds and not to flee. Hence Chrysostom says that as an artisan, seeing the material ready, likes to work, so the priest likes to preach, when he sees the congregation assembled; and therefore, he went up: "I will thank you in the great congregation" (Ps 35:18).
• Or in this way: he went up, fleeing the crowds, so that he might more securely teach the disciples: "The words of the wise are heard in silence" (Sir 21:17).

• in protectione divinae altitudinis, quae per montem significatur; Ps. CXXIV, 1: qui confidunt in domino sicut mons Sion.
• In societate ecclesiastica, quae per navem designatur; Ps. CXXI, v. 3: Ierusalem quae aedificatur ut civitas, cuius participatio eius in idipsum.
• In solitudine religionis, quae per desertum accipitur, per contemptum temporalium; Osee II, 14: ducam eam in solitudinem, et loquar ad cor eius; Ps. LIV, 8: ecce elongavi fugiens, et mansi in solitudine.

• in the protection afforded by God's loftiness, which is signified by the mountain: "Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion" (Ps 125:1).
• In the society of the Church, which is designated by the ship: "Jerusalem, built as a city, which is bound firmly together" (Ps 122:3).
• In the solitude of religion, which is signified by the desert, through contempt for temporal things: "I will bring her into the desert, and speak tenderly to her" (Hos 2:14); "I would wander afar, I would dwell in solitude" (Ps 55:7).

• Prima ad ostensionem suae excellentiae: ipse enim est mons, de quo Ps. LXVII, 16: mons Dei, mons pinguis.
• Secunda ad ostendendum quod doctor huius doctrinae debet ad eminentiam vitae conscendere; Is. XL, 9: super montem excelsum ascende tu qui evangelizas Sion. Chrysostomus: nemo potest in valle consistere, et de caelo loqui et cetera.
• Tertia ratio ad ostendendum altitudinem Ecclesiae cui doctrina proponitur; Is. II, 2: erit mons domus domini in vertice montium, et elevabitur super colles.
• Quarto ad ostendendum perfectionem huius doctrinae, quia perfectissima; Ps. XXXV, 7: iustitia tua sicut montes Dei.
• Quinto ut congrueret ista veteri legislationi, quae data fuit in monte. Exod. XIX et XXIV.

• First, to show his greatness, for he is the mountain about which Ps 68 (v. 15) "O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan."
• Secondly, to show that the teacher of this doctrine ought to rise to eminence of life: "Get you up to a high mountain, you who instruct Zion" (Is 40:9).
• The third reason was to show the dignity of the Church, to which the doctrine is proposed: "The mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains" (Is 2:2).
• Fourthly, to show the perfection of this doctrine, because it is most perfect: "Your righteousness is like the mountains of God" (Ps 37:6).
• Fifthly, that it might agree with the old legislation, which was given on a mountain (Ex c. 19 and c. 24).

3 μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. 4 μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται. 5 μακάριοι οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσιν τὴν γῆν. 6 μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην, ὅτι αὐτοὶ χορτασθήσονται. 7 μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται. 8 μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται. 9 μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί, ὅτι αὐτοὶ υἱοὶ θεοῦ κληθήσονται. 10 μακάριοι οἱ δεδιωγμένοι ἕνεκεν δικαιοσύνης, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. 11 μακάριοί ἐστε ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ διώξωσιν καὶ εἴπωσιν πᾶν πονηρὸν καθ' ὑμῶν [ψευδόμενοι] ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ: 12 χαίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, ὅτι ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς: οὕτως γὰρ ἐδίωξαν τοὺς προφήτας τοὺς πρὸ ὑμῶν.

3. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4. Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. 5. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. 7. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8. Blessed are the clean of heart: they shall see God. 9. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11. Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: 12. Be glad and rejoice for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you.

1. Quidam enim credunt, quod in exterioribus tantum consistat, scilicet in affluentia istorum temporalium; Ps. CXLIII, v. 15: beatum dixerunt populum cui haec sunt.
2. Alii quod perfecta beatitudo consistit in hoc quod homo satisfaciat voluntati suae; unde dicimus: beatus est qui vivit ut vult. Eccle. III, 12: et cognovi quod non esset melius nisi laetari et cetera.
3. Alii dicunt quod perfecta beatitudo consistit in virtutibus activae vitae.
4. Alii quod in virtutibus contemplativae vitae, scilicet divinorum et intelligibilium, sicut Aristoteles.

1. Some believe that it consists only in external things, i.e., in an affluence of temporal things: "Happy the people to whom such blessings fall" (Ps 144:15);
2. others, that it consists in man's satisfying his own will; hence, we say: "Happy the man who lives as he wishes." (Ec 3:12): "I know there is nothing better for them than to be happy."
3. The third say that happiness consists in the virtues of the active life;
4. others say in the virtues of the contemplative life, namely, of divine and intelligible things, as Aristotle.

1. Opinionem illorum qui dixerunt quod consistit in affluentia exteriorum, reprobat: unde dicit beati pauperes, scilicet quasi, non beati affluentes.
2. Opinionem vero eorum qui ponebant beatitudinem in satisfactione appetitus, reprobat cum dicit beati misericordes. Sed sciendum quod triplex est appetitus in homine:
   • irascibilis, qui appetit vindictam de inimicis, et hoc reprobat, cum dicit beati mites.
   • Concupiscibilis, cuius bonum est gaudere et delectari: hoc reprobat cum dicit beati qui lugent.
   • Voluntatis, qui est duplex, secundum quod duo quaerit. Primo quod voluntas nulla superiori lege coerceatur; secundo quod possit restringere alios ut subditos: unde desiderat praeesse, et non subesse. Dominus autem contrarium ostendit quantum ad utrumque.
     • Et quantum ad primum dicit beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt iustitiam.
     • Quantum autem ad secundum dicit beati misericordes. Ergo et illi qui ponunt beatitudinem in exteriori affluentia, et qui in satisfactione appetitus, errant.
3. Illi autem qui ponunt beatitudinem in actibus activae vitae, scilicet moralibus, errant; sed minus, quia illud est via ad beatitudinem. Unde dominus non reprobat tamquam malum, sed ostendit ordinatum ad beatitudinem: quia vel ordinantur ad seipsum, sicut temperantia et huiusmodi, et finis eorum est munditia cordis, quia faciunt vincere passiones; vel ordinantur ad alterum, et sic finis eorum est pax, et huiusmodi: opus enim iustitiae est pax. Et ideo istae virtutes sunt viae in beatitudinem, et non ipsa beatitudo; et hoc est beati mundo corde quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt. Non dicit vident, quia hoc esset ipsa beatitudo. Et iterum beati pacifici, non quia pacifici, sed quia in aliud tendunt, quoniam filii Dei vocabuntur.
4. Illorum autem opinio qui dicunt quod beatitudo consistit in contemplatione divinorum, reprobat dominus quantum ad tempus, quia alias vera est, quia ultima felicitas consistit in visione optimi intelligibilis, scilicet Dei: unde dicit videbunt. Et notandum quod, secundum philosophum, ad hoc quod actus contemplativi faciant beatum, duo requiruntur: unum substantialiter, scilicet quod sit actus altissimi intelligibilis, quod est Deus; aliud formaliter, scilicet amor et delectatio: delectatio enim perficit felicitatem, sicut pulchritudo iuventutem. Et ideo dominus duo ponit
   • Deum videbunt et
   • filii Dei vocabuntur: hoc enim pertinet ad unionem amoris; I Io. cap. III, v. 1: videte qualem caritatem dedit nobis pater, ut filii Dei nominemur et simus.

1. He rejects the opinion of those who said that it consists in an abundance of external goods; hence he says, Blessed are the poor in spirit, i.e., the affluent are not blessed.
2. He rejects the opinion putting happiness in the satisfaction of appetite, when he says, Blessed are the merciful. But it should be known that in man are three appetites:
   • the irascible, which seeks revenge against enemies; this he rejects when he says, Blessed are the meek;
   • the concupiscible, whose good is to be joyful and gratified; he rejects this when he says, Blessed are those who mourn;
   • the will, which is twofold accordingly as it seeks two things: first, that it not be coerced by a higher law; secondly, that it be able to bind others as subjects; hence it desires to rule and not be subject. But the Lord shows the opposite of both.
     • In regard to the first he says, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after justice.
     • As to the second, Blessed are the merciful. Therefore, they err who place happiness either in an abundance of external goods or in the satisfaction of appetite.
3. But those who place happiness in the acts of the active life, namely, moral acts, also err, but less so, because that is the road to happiness. Hence, the Lord does not reject them as evil, but shows that they are directed to happiness; because they are directed either to the self, as temperance and the like, and their end is a clean heart, because they make one overcome the passions. Or they are directed to another, and then their end is peace and so on, for peace is the work of justice. Consequently, those virtues are roads to happiness and not happiness itself; and this is Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. He does not say, "They see," because this would be happiness itself. Again, Blessed are the peacemakers, not because they are peacemakers, but because they tend toward something else, for they shall be called sons of God.
4. But the opinion of those who say that happiness consists in contemplation of divine things the Lord rejects, as far as the time is concerned; because otherwise it is true, for the ultimate felicity consists in the vision of the best intelligible, namely, of God. Hence, he says, they shall see. It should be noted, according to the Philosopher, that in order for contemplative acts to make one happy, two things are required: the one substantially, namely, that it be the act concerned with he supreme intelligible, which is God; the other formally, namely, love and delight. For delight perfects happiness as beauty does youth. Therefore, the Lord presents two:
   • they shall see God and
   • they shall be called sons of God. For this pertains to the union of love: "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called and be children of God" (1 Jn 3:1).

• Aliqui enim ponunt summum bonum affluentiam divitiarum, per quam possunt pervenire ad maximas dignitates; dominus promittit regnum quod complectitur utrumque; sed ad hoc regnum dicit perveniri per viam paupertatis, non divitiarum. Unde beati pauperes.
• Alii perveniunt ad istos honores per bella; dominus autem dicit beati mites et cetera. Alii consolationes quaerunt per voluptates; dominus dicit beati qui lugent.
• Aliqui nolunt subdi; dominus autem dicit, beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt iustitiam.
• Aliqui volunt vitare malum opprimendo subditos; dominus dicit beati misericordes et cetera.
• Aliqui ponunt visionem Dei in contemplatione veritatis in via; dominus autem promittit in patria; unde beati mundo corde et cetera.

• For some place as the supreme good an abundance of wealth, through which thy can reach the loftiest dignity. The Lord promises a kingdom which includes both; but he says that one reaches this kingdom by the power of poverty, not of riches. Hence Blessed are the poor.
• Others reach those honors through wars; but the Lord says, Blessed are the meek.
• Others seek consolations through pleasures; the Lord says, Blessed are those who mourn.
• Some are not willing to be made subject; but the Lord says, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after justice.
• Some wish to avoid evil by oppressing those under them; the Lord says, Blessed are the merciful. Some put the vision of God in the contemplation of truth in this life, but the Lord promises it in the future life; hence Blessed are the clean of heart.

• Spiritus enim aliquando dicitur superbia hominis; Is. II, 22: quiescite ab homine, cuius spiritus in naribus est, quia excelsus reputatus est ipse; Is. XXV, 4: spiritus robustorum quasi turbo impellens parietem. Et dicitur superbia spiritus quia sicut per flatum inflantur utres, ita per superbiam homines; Col. II, 18: inflatus sensu carnis suae. Ergo beati pauperes, scilicet hi, qui parum habent de spiritu superbiae.
• Vel accipitur spiritus pro voluntate hominis. Quidam enim sunt necessitate humiles, et isti non sunt beati, sed qui humilitatem affectant.
• Tertio accipitur pro spiritu sancto; unde beati pauperes spiritu, qui humiles sunt per spiritum sanctum. Et istae duae quasi ad idem redeunt.

• For sometimes "spirit" refers to man's pride: "Turn away from a man whose breath is in his nostrils, for of what account is he?" (Is 2:22); it is called pride, because as wineskins are inflated with air, so men by pride: "Puffed up by his sensuous mind" (Col 2:18). Therefore, Blessed are the poor, i.e., those who have little of the spirit of pride.
• Or "spirit" is taken for man's will. For some are humble of necessity and are not happy, but they pretend humility.
• Thirdly, it is taken for the Holy Spirit; hence blessed are the poor in spirit, who are humble through the Holy Spirit. And those two practically turn out to be the same.

• quia etsi aliqui divitias habent, tamen non habent eas in corde; Ps. LXI, 11: divitiae si affluant, nolite cor apponere.
• Aliqui nec habent, nec affectant, et istud securius est, quia mens trahitur a spiritualibus ex divitiis: et isti dicuntur proprie pauperes spiritu, quia actus donorum, qui sunt supra humanum modum, sunt hominis beati: et quod homo omnes divitias abiiciat, ut nec aliquo etiam modo appetat, hoc est supra humanum modum. Istis autem repromittitur regnum caelorum, in quo notatur non solum altitudo honoris, sed affluentia divitiarum; Iac. II, 5: nonne Deus eligit pauperes in hoc mundo, divites in fide?

• because even though some have riches, they do not have them in their heart: "If riches increase, set not your heart on them" (Ps 62:10).
• Some neither have nor desire them, and that is more secure, because the mind is drawn from spiritual things by riches. And these are properly called poor in spirit, because the acts of the gifts, which are above the human way of acting, belong to the happy man. And that a man reject all riches, so that he does not seek them at all is also above the human way of acting. To those is promised the kingdom of heaven, which is marked not only by the loftiness of honor but by abundance of wealth: "Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith?" (Jas 2:5).

• idest corpus Christi glorificatum, quia erunt conformes in corpore suo illi claritati; Is. XXXIII, v. 17: videbunt regem in decore suo; oculi eius cernent terram de longe; Phil. III, 21: reformabit corpus humilitatis nostrae configuratum corpori claritatis suae.
• Vel aliter. Ista terra modo est mortuorum, quia subiecta est corruptioni, sed liberabitur a corruptione secundum apostolum, Rom. c. VIII, 21. Ergo ista terra, quando erit clarificata et liberata a servitute corruptionis, vocabitur terra viventium.
• Vel per terram intelligitur caelum Empyreum, in quo sunt beati: et vocatur terra, quia sicut se habet terra ad caelum, ita caelum illud ad caelum sanctae Trinitatis.
• Vel possidebunt terram, idest corpus suum glorificatum.

• i.e., the glorified body of Christ, because they will be conformed in their bodies to that brightness. "Your eyes will see the king in his beauty; they will behold a land that stretches far" (Is 33:17); "He will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body" (Phil 3:21).
• Or in another way: this is the earth of the dead, because it is subject to corruption; but it will be freed from corruption, according to the Apostle (Rom 8:21). Therefore this earth, when it will be renewed and freed from the slavery of corruption, will be called the earth of the living.
• Or by earth is understood the empyrean heaven, in which are the blessed; and it is called earth, because as earth is to heaven, so that heaven to the heaven of the Holy Trinity.
• Or they shall merit the earth, i.e., their glorified body.

Beati qui lugent et cetera. Positae sunt duae beatitudines, per quas abstrahimur a malo cupiditatis et crudelitatis; hic ponitur tertia, per quam abstrahimur a malo noxiae voluptatis, vel iucunditatis: et hoc est beati qui lugent. In veteri testamento terrena promittebat, et terrenam iucunditatem; Ier. XXXI, 12: confluent ad bona domini super frumento, vino et oleo etc.; et post: laetabitur virgo in choro, iuvenes et senes simul. Sed per contrarium dominus ponit beatitudinem in luctu. Notandum autem quod non quicumque ploratus luctus dici potest; sed ille quo quis mortuum plorat sibi dilectum: dominus enim per excessum loquitur hic. Sicut supra beati pauperes, ita hic de maximo luctu mentionem facit; sicut enim nullam recipiunt consolationem hi qui mortuum plorant, ita dominus vult vitam nostram in luctu esse; Ier. VI, 26: luctum unigeniti fac tibi, planctum amarum et cetera. Et potest iste luctus tripliciter exponi.

• Primo pro peccatis non solum propriis, sed etiam alienis: quia si lugemus mortuos carnaliter, multo magis spiritualiter; I Reg. XVI, v. 1: usquequo tu luges, Saul? et cetera. Ier. IX, 1: quis dabit capiti meo aquam, et oculis meis fontem lacrimarum? Et plorabo die ac nocte interfectos filiae populi mei. Ponitur autem satis congrue ista beatitudo post praemissam. Posset enim quis dicere: sufficit non facere malum: et verum est a principio ante peccatum; sed post commissum peccatum non sufficit nisi satisfacias.
• Secundo potest accipi de luctu pro incolatu praesentis miseriae; Ps. CXIX, 5: heu mihi, quia incolatus meus prolongatus est. Istud est irriguum superius et inferius, de quo Ios. XV, 19: pro peccatis plorate, et pro caelestis patriae incolatu.
• Tertio, secundum Augustinum, pro luctu quem habent homines de gaudiis saeculi, quae dimittunt veniendo ad Christum: homines enim aliqui saeculo moriuntur, et saeculum moritur eis; Gal. ult., 14: per quem mihi mundus crucifixus est, et ego mundo. Nos autem sicut de mortuis lugemus, ita illi lugent: quia non potest esse quin, in dimittendo, aliquem dolorem sentiant.

• first, for sins, not only one's own but those of others; because if we mourn the bodily dead, much more the spiritually:"How long will you grieve over Saul?" (1 Sam 16:1); "O that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people" (Jer 9:1). This beatitude is fittingly placed after the preceding one, for someone could say that it is enough not to do evil. This is true in the beginning before sin; but after sin has been committed, it is not enough, unless he makes satisfaction.
• Secondly, it can be taken for the mourning about sojourning with present misery: "Woe is me, that my sojourning is prolonged" (Ps 120:5). This is watered above and below: "Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs" (Jos 15:19).
• Thirdly, according to Augustine, for mourning which men have in regard to the joys of the world, which they abandon by coming to Christ; for some men die to the world and the world dies to them: "By which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world" (Gal 6:14) But as we mourn over the dead, so they mourn; because one cannot escape the fact that in abandoning they feel some pain.

• quia luctui pro peccatis datur remissio peccatorum, quam petebat David dicens Ps. l, 14: redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui.
• Dilationi caelestis patriae, et incolatui praesentis miseriae respondet consolatio vitae aeternae, de qua Ier. XXXI, v. 13: convertam luctum vestrum in gaudium, et consolabor eos, et laetificabo a dolore suo; et Is. ult., 13: in Ierusalem consolabimini.
• Tertio luctui respondet consolatio divini amoris: quando enim aliquis dolet de amissione rei dilectae, consolationem recipit si aliam rem magis dilectam acquirit.

• because for mourning over sins one is granted forgiveness, as David sought in Ps 51 (v. 12): "Restore to me the joy of my salvation."
• To the postponement of the heavenly fatherland and the continued dwelling with present misery corresponds the consolation of eternal life: "I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them and give them gladness for sorrow" (Jer 3:13); "You shall be comforted in Jerusalem" (Is 66:13).
• Thirdly, to mourning corresponds the consolation of divine love; for when one weeps over the loss of a treasured object, he is consoled, if he acquires something more valuable.

• Si intelligatur de generali, hoc dicit propter duas rationes.
  • Prima Hieronymi, qui dicit quod non sufficit quod homo iustitiae opus operetur, nisi cum desiderio operetur; Ps. LIII, 8: voluntarie sacrificabo tibi et cetera. Et alibi, Ps. XLI, 3: sitivit anima mea ad Deum fontem vivum et cetera. Amos VIII, 11: mittam famem in terram istam, non famem panis, neque sitim aquae, sed audiendi verbum Dei. Ergo est esuries quando cum desiderio operatur quis.
  • Alia ratio. Iustitia est duplex, perfecta et imperfecta: perfectam in mundo habere non possumus, quia si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, ipsi nos seducimus, et veritas in nobis non est, I Io. I, 8. Et Is. LXIV, 6: omnes iustitiae nostrae quasi pannus menstruatae. Sed hanc habemus in caelo; Is. LX, v. 21: populus tuus omnes iusti in perpetuum haereditabunt terram. Sed desiderium iustitiae possumus hic habere: et ideo dicit beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt iustitiam et cetera. Et est simile illud quod Pythagoras fecit. Tempore enim Pythagorae illi qui studebant, vocabantur sophi, idest sapientes; Pythagoras autem noluit vocari sophos, idest sapiens, sed philosophus, hoc est sapientiae amator: ita vult dominus quod sui sint, et vocentur amatores iustitiae.
• Si autem intelligatur de iustitia speciali, quae est, quod homo reddat unicuique quod suum est, convenienter dicitur beati qui esuriunt etc.; quia esuries et sitis proprie avarorum est, quia numquam satiantur qui aliena iniuste possidere desiderant: unde ista esuries, de qua dicit dominus, opponitur huic, scilicet avarorum. Et vult dominus quod ita anhelemus ad istam iustitiam, quod numquam quasi satiemur in vita ista, sicut avarus numquam satiatur.

• If it is understood in a general sense, he says this for two reasons.
  • The first is Jerome's, who says that it is not enough that a man perform a work of justice, unless he acts with desire: "With free will I will sacrifice to you" (Ps 54:6); "My soul thirsts for God, for the living God" (Ps 42:2); "I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord" (Am 8:11). Therefore, it is thirst, when one acts with desire.
  • Another reason: Justice is twofold, perfect and imperfect. We cannot have the perfect in this world, because "if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 Jn 1:8); "All our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment" (Is 64:6). But we have it in heaven: "Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever" (Is 60:21). But we can have the desire for justice here; hence, he says, Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice. This is similar to what Pythagoras did. For in his time those who studied were called wise; but Pythagoras did not wish to be called wise, but a philosopher, i.e., a lover of wisdom. In like manner the Lord wishes that his people be and be called lovers of justice.
• But if it be understood of specific justice, it consists in a man's rendering to each what is his due. Then it is fitting to state that blessed are they..., because hunger and thirst, properly speaking, pertain to the greedy. For those who desire to possess what belongs to others are never satiated; hence, that hunger about which the Lord speaks is opposed to that of the greedy. And the Lord wishes that we so yearn for that justice, that we are never, as it were, satiated in this life, as the greedy person is never satiated.

• et primum in aeterna visione, videbunt enim Deum per essentiam; Ps. XVI, v. 15: satiabor cum apparuerit gloria tua: ibi enim nihil restabit ad desiderandum; Ps. CII, 5: qui replet in bonis desiderium tuum; Prov. X, 24: desiderium suum iustis dabitur.
• Secundo in praesenti. Et haec est duplex.
  • Una est in bonis spiritualibus, hoc est in impletione mandatorum Dei; Io. IV, 34: meus cibus est ut faciam voluntatem eius qui misit me, ut perficiam opus eius: et de isto exponit Augustinus.
  • Alio modo accipitur de saturitate rerum temporalium. Homines iniusti numquam saturantur, sed homines qui habent terminum suum ipsam iustitiam, ultra non procedunt; Prov. XIII, 25: iustus comedit, et replet animam suam.

• first, in the eternal vision, for they shall see God in his essence: "I shall be satisfied when your glory shall appear" (Ps 17:15). For nothing will remain to be desired there: "He who pursues righteousness and kindness will find life" (Pr 21:21).
• Secondly, in the present, and this is twofold:
  • one is in spiritual goods, i.e., in fulfilling the commandments: "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work" (Jn 4:34).
  • In another way, it is taken for a fullness of temporal things. Unjust men are never satisfied, but men who have justice itself as their goal can go no further: "The just man eats and satisfies his soul" (Pr 13:25).

• Prima in istis rebus temporalibus; et ad istam debemus habere miserum cor; I Io. III, 17: qui habuerit substantiam huius mundi, et viderit fratrem suum necesse habere, et clauserit viscera sua ab eo, quomodo caritas Dei manet in eo?
• Secunda qua homo per peccatum miser efficitur: quia, sicut beatitudo est in operibus virtutum, ita miseria propria in vitiis; Prov. XIV, 34: miseros facit populos peccatum. Et ideo quando admonemus corruentes ut redeant, misericordes sumus; infra IX, v. 36: videns autem Iesus turbas, misericordia motus est. Isti ergo misericordes beati. Et quare? Quoniam ipsi misericordiam consequentur.

• the first is in temporal matters, and in regard to that wretchedness we should have a compassionate heart: "If anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" (1 Jn 3:17).
• The second is that whereby man is made wretched through sin; because just as happiness lies in the works of the virtues, so one's wretchedness lies in vices: "Sin makes a people wretched" (Pr 14:34). Therefore, when we admonish the fallen to return, we are merciful: "Seeing the crowds he had compassion on them" (Mt 9:36). Therefore, the merciful are blessed. And why? Because they shall obtain mercy.

• Primo, quia relaxantur peccata; Ps. CII, 3: qui propitiatur omnibus iniquitatibus tuis.
• Secundo, quia removet defectus temporales, ita quod solem suum facit oriri; perficietur tamen in futuro, quando omnis miseria, et culpae, et poenae removebuntur; Ps. XXXV, 6: domine, in caelo misericordia tua. Et hoc est quoniam ipsi misericordiam consequentur.

• first, because our sins are forgiven: "Who forgives all your iniquity" (Ps 103:3).
• Secondly, because he removes temporal imperfections, so that he makes his sun to rise. This will be perfected in the future, when all wretchedness, both of guilt and punishment, will be removed: "Your mercy, O Lord, is in heaven" (Ps 36:6). And this is because they shall obtain mercy.

1. Aliqui enim posuerunt quod numquam Deus per essentiam videatur, sed in aliqua refulgentia suae claritatis; sed hoc reprobat Glossa super illud Exod. XXXIII, 20: non videbit me homo, et vivet, propter duo. Primo, quia hoc repugnat auctoritati sacrae Scripturae, I Io. III, 2: videbimus eum sicuti est. Item I Cor. XIII, 12: videmus nunc per speculum in aenigmate, tunc autem facie ad faciem. Item rationi, quia beatitudo hominis est ultimum bonum hominis, in quo quietatur desiderium eius. Naturale autem desiderium est, quod homo videns effectus inquirat de causa: unde etiam admiratio philosophorum fuit origo philosophiae, quia videntes effectus admirabantur, et quaerebant causam. Istud ergo desiderium non quietabitur, donec perveniat ad primam causam, quae Deus est, scilicet ad ipsam divinam essentiam. Videbitur ergo per essentiam.
2. Alii plus etiam erraverunt ponentes contrarium: quia dixerunt quod non solum videbimus oculo mentis, sed etiam corporis, essentiam Dei, et quod Christus videt oculo corporali essentiam divinam. Sed hoc non convenit:
   • quod patet primo ex auctoritate quae hic ponitur, quia non diceret beati mundo corde; sed, beati qui habent mundos et puros oculos. Ergo dat intelligere, quod non videtur nisi corde, idest intellectu: sic enim accipitur hic cor, sicut et Ephes. I, 18: illuminatos oculos cordis vestri.
   • Secundo, quia sensus corporis non potest nisi in suum obiectum; si autem dicatur quod tunc habebit maiorem potentiam, dicendum quod tunc non esset visio corporalis, quia oculus corporalis non videt nisi colores, essentiam autem per accidens, secundum Augustinum Lib. ult. de civitate Dei, c. XIX. Sicut cum video vivens, possumus dicere quod video vitam, inquantum video quaedam indicia quibus indicatur mihi vita sua; ita erit in visione divina, quia tanta erit refulgentia in caelo novo, et terra nova, et corporibus glorificatis, quod per ista dicemur videre Deum quasi oculis corporalibus. Ergo beati mundo corde et cetera.

1. For some have posited that God is never seen in his essence, but in some refulgence of his brightness. But a Gloss on Exodus (33:20): "Man shall not see me and live," rejects this for two reasons. First, because it conflicts with a text of Sacred Scripture: "We shall see him as he is" (1 Jn 3:2). Likewise, 1 Corinthians (13:12):"Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face." It also conflicts with reason, because man's happiness is man's ultimate good, in which his desire is set at rest. But it is a natural desire that man, seeing effects, inquires about the cause; hence the wondering of philosophers was the origin of philosophy, because seeing effects, they wondered and searched for the cause. Therefore that desire is not set at rest until it arrives at the first cause, which is God, namely, at the divine essence. Therefore, he will be seen in his essence.
2. Others fell into a greater error by positing the contrary. They said that not only will we see God's essence with the eye of the mind, but also of the body, and that Christ sees the divine essence with a bodily eye. But this is not suitable,
   • as is clear first of all from the text presented here; for it would not say Blessed are the clean of heart, but "blessed are those with clean and pure eyes." Therefore it gives us to understand that he is not seen except by the heart, i.e., the intellect; for that is the way heart is taken here, as also in Ephesians (1:18): "Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened."
   • Secondly, because a bodily sense is restricted to its own object. But if it is said that it will have greater power then, the answer to be given is that then it would not be bodily vision, which sees only colors, and essences only incidentally, according to Augustine in The city of God (c. 19). For example, when we see a living thing, we can say that we see life, in as much as we see indications by which life is indicated to us. Similarly, in the divine vision, because the refulgence will be so great in the new heaven and new earth and the glorified bodies, we shall be said to see God through them as if with bodily eyes. Therefore blessed are the pure in heart...

• Unde debet mens hominis primo Deo subiecta esse.
• Secundo motus et vires inferiores, quae sunt nobis et brutis communes, subiecta esse homini: per rationem enim homo praeest animalibus; Gen. I, 26: faciamus hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram, et praesit piscibus maris, et volatilibus caeli, et bestiis universaeque terrae, omnique reptili quod movetur in terra.
• Tertio ut homo pacem habeat ad alios, quia sic totaliter erit ordinatus. Ista autem ordinatio non potest esse nisi in hominibus sanctis; Ps. CXVIII, 165: pax multa diligentibus nomen tuum; Is. XLVIII, v. 22: non est pax impiis: pacem enim interiorem habere non possunt; Sap. XIV, 22: in magno viventes inscientiae bello, tot et tam magna mala pacem appellant.

• Hence, man's mind should first be subjected to God.
• Secondly, the lower movements and powers, which are common to us and the beasts, should be subjected to reason; for it is through reason that man excels animals: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth" (Gen 1:26).
• Thirdly, that man be at peace with others, because in that way he will be completely set in proper order. But this arrangement in proper order is found only in holy men: "Great peace have they who love hour name" (Ps 119:165); "There is no peace for the wicked" (Is 48:22), for they cannot have inner peace: "They live in great strife due to ignorance, and they call such great evils peace" (Wis 14:22).

• Prima est, quia habent officium filii Dei: ad hoc enim filius dicitur venisse in mundum, ut congregaret dispersos; Ephes. II, 14: ipse enim est pax nostra; Col. I, 20: pacificans in sanguine crucis eius, sive quae in terris, sive quae in caelis.
• Secundo, quia per pacem cum caritate pervenitur ad regnum aeternum, in quo omnes filii Dei vocabuntur; Sap. V, 5: ecce quomodo computati sunt inter filios Dei, et inter sanctos sors illorum est. Ephes. IV, 3: solliciti servare unitatem spiritus in vinculo pacis.
• Tertio, quia per hoc homo assimilatur Deo, quia ubi est pax, non est aliqua resistentia; Deo autem nullus resistere potest; Iob IX, 4: quis restitit ei, et pacem habuit?

• first, because they have the office of the Son of God. For the Son is said to have come into the world to assemble those who are scattered: "For he is our peace" (Eph 2:14); "Reconciling to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven" (Col 1:20).
• Secondly, because through peace with charity one reaches the eternal kingdom: "Why has he been numbered among the sons of God? And why is his lot among the saints?" (Wis 5:5); "Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph 4:3).
• Thirdly, because by it man becomes like unto God; for where peace is, there is no resistance, and no one can resist God: "Who resisted him and had peace?" (Jb 9:4).

• Quidam enim dicunt quod idem est istud et id quod dicitur: beati pauperes quoniam ipsorum, et hoc ad designandum perfectionem patientiae, Iac. I 4; perfectio autem semper designatur per hoc quod revertitur ad sui principium, sicut apparet in circulo.
• Item ille qui persecutionem patitur propter iustitiam pauper est et debentur sibi omnia alia, quia mites et misericordes et sic de omnibus; et ideo non solum primum praemium debetur sibi sed omnia praemia.
• Alii dicunt quod non est idem; unde dicit Ambrosius quod ponitur regnum caelorum quantum ad gloriam animae et cordis: virtuti enim animae respondit regnum caelorum, sed martyrio respondit beatitudo quae consistit in glorificatione corporum, propter supplicia quae passa sunt.
• Vel aliter: regnum caelorum pauperibus promittitur in spe quia non statim evolant, sed martyribus in re quia statim evolant.

• Some say that it is this beatitude is equivalent to Blessed are the poor, for theirs..., and that to designate the perfection of patience (cf. James 1:4). But perfection is always designated by what goes back to its beginning, as happens in a circle.
• Again, he who suffers persecution for the sake of justice is poor, and everything else is owed to him, because he is meek and merciful etc. Therefore he has claim not only on the first reward, but all the others as well.
• Others say that it is not the same. Thus Ambrose says that the kingdom of heaven has to do with the glory of soul and heart. For the kingdom of heaven corresponds to the soul, but the happiness that consists in thte glorification of the body corresponds to martyrdom, because of the tortures it undergoes.
• Or otherwise: The kingdom of heaven is promised to the poor in hope, because they do not fly away immediately, but it is promised to martyrs as a possession, because they fly away immediately.]

13 ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ ἅλας τῆς γῆς: ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἅλας μωρανθῇ, ἐν τίνι ἁλισθήσεται; εἰς οὐδὲν ἰσχύει ἔτι εἰ μὴ βληθὲν ἔξω καταπατεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. 14 ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου. οὐ δύναται πόλις κρυβῆναι ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη: 15 οὐδὲ καίουσιν λύχνον καὶ τιθέασιν αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὴν λυχνίαν, καὶ λάμπει πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ. 16 οὕτως λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅπως ἴδωσιν ὑμῶν τὰ καλὰ ἔργα καὶ δοξάσωσιν τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.

13. You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing anymore but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men. 14. You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. 15. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house. 16. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

• Prima, propter salis generationem quae ex aqua est et vento et calore solis: generatio enim spiritualis ex aqua Baptismi est et virtute spiritus sancti, Ioh. III 5: nisi quis renatus fuerit, et ex calore solis, idest fervore dilectionis quae est a spiritu sancto, Rom. V 5: caritas Dei.
• Secundo, propter utilitates salis quarum prima est usus quia omnia sale condiuntur: unde significat sapientiam quam debent habere viri apostolici, Eccli. VI 23: sapientia doctrinae, Col. IV 5: in sapientia ad eos qui foris. Secunda ratio erat Lev. II 13 quod in omni sacrificio adiungeretur sal, quia doctrina apostolica debet in omni opere nostro relucere.
• Tertia est quia consumit superfluitatem humorum et per hoc praeservat a putredine: ita apostoli sua doctrina refrenabant super concupiscentias carnales, I Petr. IV 3: sufficit praeteritum tempus, Rom. XIII 13: non in comessationibus.
• Quartus effectus est quia reddit terram sterilem: unde dicitur quod aliqui victores extra civitatem quam ceperant superseminabant salem ut scilicet nihil oriretur; ita etiam doctrina evangelica facit terram sterilem, ut scilicet terrena opera in nobis non oriantur, Eph. V 11: nolite communicare. Ergo (apostoli) dicuntur sal quia habent mordacitatem retrahendo a peccatis, Marc. IX 49: habete in vobis sal.

• Prima sumitur ex incorrigibilitate, unde: quod si sal evanuerit. Illa proprie evanescunt quae amittunt virtutem suam: sicut vinum forte quando amittit virtutem, ita sal quando amittit mordacitatem, Marc. IX 49: si sal insulsum fuerit, in quo illud condietis? Unde tunc evanescit aliquis quando in peccato subiacet, Rom. I 21: evanuerunt in cogitationibus. Si ergo propter tribulationes vel aliquid aliud a virtute recedis, in quo salieris, idest quo alio sale salietur? Si enim plebs peccat potest corrigi, sed si praelatus, nullus potest emendare, Os. VIII 5: usquequo non poterunt. Et notandum quod Luc. XIV 34 dicitur: quod si sal infatuatum: magna enim fatuitas est dimittere aeterna pro temporali.
• Secunda ratio sumitur ex utilitate, unde: ad nihilum, et hoc exponit Lucas XIV 35: neque in terra neque in stercore, quia terram facit sterilem et stercora non fecundat. Ita spirituales quando peccant ad nihilum valent quia non ad saecularia negotia sicut milites et huiusmodi, Ez. XV 2: fili hominis, quid fiet de ligno vitis? etc., Ps. (XIII 3): omnes declinaverunt.
• Tertia ratio sumitur ex periculo imminenti et habet duos ramos secundum duo pericula. Primum est expulsio, unde: nisi ut mittatur foras, de Ecclesia scilicet, Apoc. ult. (XXII 15): foris canes. Item ut auferatur ei dignitas sacerdotalis magisterii, Os. IV 6: quia scientiam repulisti, infra XXI 43: auferetur a vobis, et hoc: nisi (ut) mittatur foras.
• Secundum periculum (est) vilificatio, quia qui primo vivunt supernaturaliter et deficiunt, contemptibiles fiunt, et hoc est: et conculcetur, Luc. XIV 30: hic homo coepit aedificare, Mal. II 8: recessistis de via et scandalizastis plurimos in lege. Et notandum, secundum Augustinum, quod si aliqui sancti homines vilificantur, sicut dicitur supra (V 11): et dixerint omne malum etc., numquam tamen possunt conculcari, quia semper cor habent in caelo, et illi proprie conculcantur qui in terra iacent.

• Primo, secundum Augustinum, res corporales, propter duas rationes: prima quia modius mensura est, Deut. (XXV 15); id autem quod agimus in corpore retribuetur nobis, II Cor. V 10: omnes astabimus; vel quia omnia corpora mensurata sunt, divina autem infinita quia extra mensuram. Ponunt ergo lucernam sub modio qui doctrinam suam referunt ad commodum temporale, unde pretiosius est illud; contra quod apostolus I Thess. II 5: neque enim fuimus.
• Secundo modo, secundum Chrysostomum, modius dicuntur homines saeculares, quia vacui superius et solidi inferius: superius enim habent insanitatem quia nihil sentiunt de spiritu sancto, I Cor. II 14: animalis homo, sed inferius, in saecularibus scilicet negotiis, sapientes sunt, Luc. XVI 8: filii huius saeculi; et ista est magis litteralis expositio. Tunc ergo, secundum hoc, lucerna sub modio ponitur quando doctrina occultatur saeculari timore, Is. LI 12: quis tu ut timeas ab homine, II Tim. II 9: laboro usque ad vincula.
• Si autem per lucernam intelligatur doctrina evangelica vel Christus, tunc per modium potest intelligi synagoga: non enim propter hoc Christus incarnatus est ut latitaret sub Iudaea, sed ut manifestaret se toti mundo, Is. XLIX 6: dedi te in lucem.

• quia per candelabrum potest significari corpus, per lucernam doctrina evangelica; unde idem est per modium et candelabrum, quasi: non debet doctrina evangelica submitti rebus temporalibus, sed debent omnia ministrare sibi; unde quando tu das res, corpus et etiam vitam ad mortem amore Christi, tunc ponis lucernam super candelabrum.
• Vel per candelabrum intelligitur Ecclesia, quia illi qui lucerna sunt ponuntur in superiori loco, Eccli. XXVI 22: lucerna splendens.
• Si autem intelligatur de Christo, tunc per candelabrum: crucem, Col. I 20: per sanguinem crucis.

• Per domum Ecclesia potest intelligi, I Tim. III 15: ut scias quomodo oportet conversari.
• Vel domus est totus mundus, Hebr. III 4: omnis enim domus fabricatur et cetera.

• et primo ponit modum, quia debent lucere coram hominibus, illuminando eos, Eph. III 8: mihi autem omnium sanctorum minimo;
• ordinem: ut videant, Iac. II 18: ostende mihi ex operibus;
• finem, quia non propter gloriam propriam, II Cor. II 17: non sumus sicut plurimi, et hoc est: et glorificent; propter gloriam enim Dei debemus bona operari ut in bona vita glorificetur Deus, I Cor. X 31: sive manducaveritis et cetera.

17 μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας: οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι. 18 ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ, ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται. 19 ὃς ἐὰν οὖν λύσῃ μίαν τῶν ἐντολῶν τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων καὶ διδάξῃ οὕτως τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ἐλάχιστος κληθήσεται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν: ὃς δ' ἂν ποιήσῃ καὶ διδάξῃ, οὗτος μέγας κληθήσεται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν.

• Primo ex auctoritate legis: dicitur enim Deut. IV 2: non addetur (ad) verbum quod vobis loquor, nec auferetur ab eo; sed Christus addidit; ergo fecit contra legem.
• Item, Hebr. VIII 13: dicendo novum veteravit prius etc.; sed Christus dixit se institutorem novae legis, infra XXVI 28: hic est sanguis meus; ergo destruxit vetus.
• Tertio, Ioh. XIII 15: exemplum enim dedi vobis; omnis ergo Christi actio vera est instructio; si ergo implevit, et nos debemus adimplere: ergo debemus circumcidi et servare omnia legalia; et ista est communis etiam Nazaraeis et Manichaeis.

• Primo quia ea quae erant praefigurata in lege et prophetis de Christo, opere implevit, Luc. ult. (XXIV 44): oportet implere omnia.
• Secundo ad litteram legalia observando, Gal. IV 4: cum venit plenitudo.
• Tertio operando gratiam, quod lex naturae facere non poterat: omnis enim lex ad hoc est quod efficiamur homines iusti; sed hoc fecit Christus per spiritum sanctum, Rom. VIII 3: nam quod impossibile erat legi.
• Quarto, secundum Augustinum, satisfaciendo pro peccatis secundum quae eramus facti transgressores legis; unde sublata transgressione dicitur implevisse legem, Rom. III 25: quem proposuit Deus propitiationem et cetera.
• Quinto quaedam perfectiones legi apponendo quae vel erant de intellectu legis vel ad maiorem iustitiae perfectionem, Hebr. VII 19: neminem ad perfectum; et ista videtur intentio Christi quia, quando iam fecit mentionem de omnibus legalibus, subiungit: estote ergo perfecti etc. (Matth. V 48).

• Ad illud (Deut. IV 2): non addetur verbum, dicendum quod Christus non addidit sed explicavit; illi enim intelligebant de homicidii actu, cum dixit: non occides; Christus exponit quod etiam prohibuit odium et iram.
• Item ad illud (Hebr. VIII 13): novum veteravit, dicendum quod istud novum est idem, quia illud erat figura et istud adimpletio figurarum.
• Ad illud quod nos debemus observare, dicendum quod aliquid potest significari locutione et figura, et non differt qualitercumque significetur. Christus antequam nasceretur potuit dici: Christus est nasciturus et moriturus, sed modo dicitur: Christus est natus, et huiusmodi, et tamen per hoc configuratur quia diversis verbis pronuntiatur res facta et futura. Unde illud quod figuris significabatur ut futurum, quando iam praeteriit significatur ut praesens per novas figuras, scilicet sacramenta novae legis. Unde Christus licet impleverit, tamen, quia iam venit veritas, quicumque impleret faceret iniuriam veritati. Ita ergo intelligitur non veni solvere.

20 λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ὑμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη πλεῖον τῶν γραμματέων καὶ φαρισαίων, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. 21 ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη τοῖς ἀρχαίοις, οὐ φονεύσεις: ὃς δ' ἂν φονεύσῃ, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει. 22 ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει: ὃς δ' ἂν εἴπῃ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ, ῥακά, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῷ συνεδρίῳ: ὃς δ' ἂν εἴπῃ, μωρέ, ἔνοχος ἔσται εἰς τὴν γέενναν τοῦ πυρός. 23 ἐὰν οὖν προσφέρῃς τὸ δῶρόν σου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον κἀκεῖ μνησθῇς ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἔχει τι κατὰ σοῦ, 24 ἄφες ἐκεῖ τὸ δῶρόν σου ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, καὶ ὕπαγε πρῶτον διαλλάγηθι τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου, καὶ τότε ἐλθὼν πρόσφερε τὸ δῶρόν σου. 25 ἴσθι εὐνοῶν τῷ ἀντιδίκῳ σου ταχὺ ἕως ὅτου εἶ μετ' αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, μήποτέ σε παραδῷ ὁ ἀντίδικος τῷ κριτῇ, καὶ ὁ κριτὴς τῷ ὑπηρέτῃ, καὶ εἰς φυλακὴν βληθήσῃ: 26 ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, οὐ μὴ ἐξέλθῃς ἐκεῖθεν ἕως ἂν ἀποδῷς τὸν ἔσχατον κοδράντην.

20. For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 21. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment. 22. But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 23. If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee; 24. Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift. 25. Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with him: lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26. Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing.

27 ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη, οὐ μοιχεύσεις. 28 ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι αὐτὴν ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ. 29 εἰ δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ὁ δεξιὸς σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔξελε αὐτὸν καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ: συμφέρει γάρ σοι ἵνα ἀπόληται ἓν τῶν μελῶν σου καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου βληθῇ εἰς γέενναν. 30 καὶ εἰ ἡ δεξιά σου χεὶρ σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔκκοψον αὐτὴν καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ: συμφέρει γάρ σοι ἵνα ἀπόληται ἓν τῶν μελῶν σου καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου εἰς γέενναν ἀπέλθῃ.

27. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery. 28. But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29. And if thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. For it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than thy whole body be cast into hell. 30. And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body go into hell.

31 ἐρρέθη δέ, ὃς ἂν ἀπολύσῃ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, δότω αὐτῇ ἀποστάσιον. 32 ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ἀπολύων τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ παρεκτὸς λόγου πορνείας ποιεῖ αὐτὴν μοιχευθῆναι, καὶ ὃς ἐὰν ἀπολελυμένην γαμήσῃ μοιχᾶται.

31. And it hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce. 32. But I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, excepting the cause of fornication, maketh her to commit adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.

33 πάλιν ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη τοῖς ἀρχαίοις, οὐκ ἐπιορκήσεις, ἀποδώσεις δὲ τῷ κυρίῳ τοὺς ὅρκους σου. 34 ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν μὴ ὀμόσαι ὅλως: μήτε ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, ὅτι θρόνος ἐστὶν τοῦ θεοῦ: 35 μήτε ἐν τῇ γῇ, ὅτι ὑποπόδιόν ἐστιν τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ: μήτε εἰς ἱεροσόλυμα, ὅτι πόλις ἐστὶν τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως: 36 μήτε ἐν τῇ κεφαλῇ σου ὀμόσῃς, ὅτι οὐ δύνασαι μίαν τρίχα λευκὴν ποιῆσαι ἢ μέλαιναν. 37 ἔστω δὲ ὁ λόγος ὑμῶν ναὶ ναί, οὒ οὔ: τὸ δὲ περισσὸν τούτων ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ ἐστιν.

33. Again you have heard that it was said to them of old, thou shalt not forswear thyself: but thou shalt perform thy oaths to the Lord. 34. But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven for it is the throne of God. 35. Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king: 36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37. But let your speech be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of evil.

38 ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη, ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ καὶ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος. 39 ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν μὴ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ πονηρῷ: ἀλλ' ὅστις σε ῥαπίζει εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα [σου], στρέψον αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην: 40 καὶ τῷ θέλοντί σοι κριθῆναι καὶ τὸν χιτῶνά σου λαβεῖν, ἄφες αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον: 41 καὶ ὅστις σε ἀγγαρεύσει μίλιον ἕν, ὕπαγε μετ' αὐτοῦ δύο. 42 τῷ αἰτοῦντί σε δός, καὶ τὸν θέλοντα ἀπὸ σοῦ δανίσασθαι μὴ ἀποστραφῇς.

38. You have heard that it hath been said: An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. 39. But I say to you not to resist evil: but if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other. And if a man will contend with thee in judgment, and take away thy coat, let go thy cloak also unto him. 41. And whosoever will force thee one mile, go with him other two. 42. Give to him that asketh of thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not away.

38 ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη, ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ καὶ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος. 39 ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν μὴ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ πονηρῷ: ἀλλ' ὅστις σε ῥαπίζει εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα [σου], στρέψον αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην: 40 καὶ τῷ θέλοντί σοι κριθῆναι καὶ τὸν χιτῶνά σου λαβεῖν, ἄφες αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον: 41 καὶ ὅστις σε ἀγγαρεύσει μίλιον ἕν, ὕπαγε μετ' αὐτοῦ δύο. 42 τῷ αἰτοῦντί σε δός, καὶ τὸν θέλοντα ἀπὸ σοῦ δανίσασθαι μὴ ἀποστραφῇς. 43 ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἐρρέθη, ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου καὶ μισήσεις τὸν ἐχθρόν σου. 44 ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν καὶ προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν διωκόντων ὑμᾶς, 45 ὅπως γένησθε υἱοὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς, ὅτι τὸν ἥλιον αὐτοῦ ἀνατέλλει ἐπὶ πονηροὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς καὶ βρέχει ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους. 46 ἐὰν γὰρ ἀγαπήσητε τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας ὑμᾶς, τίνα μισθὸν ἔχετε; οὐχὶ καὶ οἱ τελῶναι τὸ αὐτὸ ποιοῦσιν; 47 καὶ ἐὰν ἀσπάσησθε τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ὑμῶν μόνον, τί περισσὸν ποιεῖτε; οὐχὶ καὶ οἱ ἐθνικοὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ποιοῦσιν; 48 ἔσεσθε οὖν ὑμεῖς τέλειοι ὡς ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τέλειός ἐστιν.

43. You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thy enemy. 44. But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you: 45. That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust. 46. For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this? 47. And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens this? 48. Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.

1 προσέχετε [δὲ] τὴν δικαιοσύνην ὑμῶν μὴ ποιεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι αὐτοῖς: εἰ δὲ μή γε, μισθὸν οὐκ ἔχετε παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ ὑμῶν τῷ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. 2 ὅταν οὖν ποιῇς ἐλεημοσύνην, μὴ σαλπίσῃς ἔμπροσθέν σου, ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταὶ ποιοῦσιν ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς καὶ ἐν ταῖς ῥύμαις, ὅπως δοξασθῶσιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων: ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπέχουσιν τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν. 3 σοῦ δὲ ποιοῦντος ἐλεημοσύνην μὴ γνώτω ἡ ἀριστερά σου τί ποιεῖ ἡ δεξιά σου, 4 ὅπως ᾖ σου ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ: καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἀποδώσει σοι.

1. Take heed that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you shall not have a reward of your Father who is in heaven. 2. Therefore when thou dost an alms-deed, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. 3. But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth. 4. That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee.

• Primo quia ibi est opus attentione ubi aliquid occulte subintelligitur. Ita est de appetitu humanae laudis. Unde Chrysostomus: Occulte intrat et omnia quae intus sunt insensibiliter aufert. Psalmus (90,6): "A sagitta volante".
• Secundo opus est attentione contra ea quibus difficile resistitur. Augustinus in [Ep. ad] Aurelium: Quas virtutes ad volendum habeat humanae gloriae cupido non facile noverunt nisi illi qui eis bellum indixerint quia etsi facile non quaeritur cum negatur, difficile tamen relinquitur cum offertur. Ioh. 3: propterea credere non poterant,
• tertio quia quam opera sunt maiora, tam minus potest homo praecavere. Chrysostomus: [omne malum] vexat filios diaboli, hoc autem filios Dei, Zach. 3(1): Sathan sedebat a dextris, id est diabolus insidians bonis operibus.

5 καὶ ὅταν προσεύχησθε, οὐκ ἔσεσθε ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταί: ὅτι φιλοῦσιν ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς καὶ ἐν ταῖς γωνίαις τῶν πλατειῶν ἑστῶτες προσεύχεσθαι, ὅπως φανῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις: ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπέχουσιν τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν. 6 σὺ δὲ ὅταν προσεύχῃ, εἴσελθε εἰς τὸ ταμεῖόν σου καὶ κλείσας τὴν θύραν σου πρόσευξαι τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ: καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἀποδώσει σοι. 7 προσευχόμενοι δὲ μὴ βατταλογήσητε ὥσπερ οἱ ἐθνικοί, δοκοῦσιν γὰρ ὅτι ἐν τῇ πολυλογίᾳ αὐτῶν εἰσακουσθήσονται. 8 μὴ οὖν ὁμοιωθῆτε αὐτοῖς, οἶδεν γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὧν χρείαν ἔχετε πρὸ τοῦ ὑμᾶς αἰτῆσαι αὐτόν.

5. And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. 6. But thou when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret, and thy father who seeth in secret will repay thee. 7. And when you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in their much speaking they may be heard. 8. Be not you therefore like to them for your Father knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask him.

9 οὕτως οὖν προσεύχεσθε ὑμεῖς: πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου, 10 ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου, γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς. 11 τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον: 12 καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν, ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφήκαμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν: 13 καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν, ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ. 14 ἐὰν γὰρ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, ἀφήσει καὶ ὑμῖν ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος: 15 ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, οὐδὲ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ἀφήσει τὰ παραπτώματα ὑμῶν.

9. Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 10. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11. Give us this day our supersubstantial bread. 12. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. 13. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen. 14. For if you will forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences. 15. But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences.

16 ὅταν δὲ νηστεύητε, μὴ γίνεσθε ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταὶ σκυθρωποί, ἀφανίζουσιν γὰρ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὅπως φανῶσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες: ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ἀπέχουσιν τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν. 17 σὺ δὲ νηστεύων ἄλειψαί σου τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου νίψαι, 18 ὅπως μὴ φανῇς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύων ἀλλὰ τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυφαίῳ: καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυφαίῳ ἀποδώσει σοι.

16. And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. 17. But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face; 18. That thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee.

19 μὴ θησαυρίζετε ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅπου σὴς καὶ βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται διορύσσουσιν καὶ κλέπτουσιν: 20 θησαυρίζετε δὲ ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὅπου οὔτε σὴς οὔτε βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται οὐ διορύσσουσιν οὐδὲ κλέπτουσιν: 21 ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρός σου, ἐκεῖ ἔσται καὶ ἡ καρδία σου. 22 ὁ λύχνος τοῦ σώματός ἐστιν ὁ ὀφθαλμός. ἐὰν οὖν ᾖ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἁπλοῦς, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου φωτεινὸν ἔσται: 23 ἐὰν δὲ ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου πονηρὸς ᾖ, ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου σκοτεινὸν ἔσται. εἰ οὖν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοὶ σκότος ἐστίν, τὸ σκότος πόσον. 24 οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν: ἢ γὰρ τὸν ἕνα μισήσει καὶ τὸν ἕτερον ἀγαπήσει, ἢ ἑνὸς ἀνθέξεται καὶ τοῦ ἑτέρου καταφρονήσει: οὐ δύνασθε θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ. 25 διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε [ἢ τί πίητε,] μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε: οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖόν ἐστιν τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματοσ; 26 ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὅτι οὐ σπείρουσιν οὐδὲ θερίζουσιν οὐδὲ συνάγουσιν εἰς ἀποθήκας, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τρέφει αὐτά: οὐχ ὑμεῖς μᾶλλον διαφέρετε αὐτῶν; 27 τίς δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν μεριμνῶν δύναται προσθεῖναι ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν αὐτοῦ πῆχυν ἕνα; 28 καὶ περὶ ἐνδύματος τί μεριμνᾶτε; καταμάθετε τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ πῶς αὐξάνουσιν: οὐ κοπιῶσιν οὐδὲ νήθουσιν: 29 λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδὲ σολομὼν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ περιεβάλετο ὡς ἓν τούτων. 30 εἰ δὲ τὸν χόρτον τοῦ ἀγροῦ σήμερον ὄντα καὶ αὔριον εἰς κλίβανον βαλλόμενον ὁ θεὸς οὕτως ἀμφιέννυσιν, οὐ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς, ὀλιγόπιστοι; 31 μὴ οὖν μεριμνήσητε λέγοντες, τί φάγωμεν; ἤ, τί πίωμεν; ἤ, τί περιβαλώμεθα; 32 πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ ἔθνη ἐπιζητοῦσιν: οἶδεν γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων ἁπάντων. 33 ζητεῖτε δὲ πρῶτον τὴν βασιλείαν [τοῦ θεοῦ] καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν. 34 μὴ οὖν μεριμνήσητε εἰς τὴν αὔριον, ἡ γὰρ αὔριον μεριμνήσει ἑαυτῆς: ἀρκετὸν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἡ κακία αὐτῆς.

19. Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through, and steal. 20. But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal. 21. For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also. 22. The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be lightsome. 23. But if thy eye be evil thy whole body shall be darksome. If then the light that is in thee, be darkness: the darkness itself how great shall it be! 24. No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 25. Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than the meat: and the body more than the raiment? 26. Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns: and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not you of much more value than they? 27. And which of you by taking thought, can add to his stature one cubit? 28. And for raiment why are you solicitous? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they labour not, neither do they spin. 29. But I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. 30. And if the grass of the field, which is to day, and to morrow is cast into the oven, God doth so clothe: how much more you, O ye of little faith? 31. Be not solicitous therefore, saying: What shall we eat: or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? 32. For after all these things do the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. 33. Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you. 34. Be not therefore solicitous for to morrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself. Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.

1 μὴ κρίνετε, ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε: 2 ἐν ᾧ γὰρ κρίματι κρίνετε κριθήσεσθε, καὶ ἐν ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν. 3 τί δὲ βλέπεις τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου, τὴν δὲ ἐν τῷ σῷ ὀφθαλμῷ δοκὸν οὐ κατανοεῖσ; 4 ἢ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου, ἄφες ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἡ δοκὸς ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ; 5 ὑποκριτά, ἔκβαλε πρῶτον ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σοῦ τὴν δοκόν, καὶ τότε διαβλέψεις ἐκβαλεῖν τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου. 6 μὴ δῶτε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσίν, μηδὲ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς. 7 αἰτεῖτε, καὶ δοθήσεται ὑμῖν: ζητεῖτε, καὶ εὑρήσετε: κρούετε, καὶ ἀνοιγήσεται ὑμῖν. 8 πᾶς γὰρ ὁ αἰτῶν λαμβάνει καὶ ὁ ζητῶν εὑρίσκει καὶ τῷ κρούοντι ἀνοιγήσεται. 9 ἢ τίς ἐστιν ἐξ ὑμῶν ἄνθρωπος, ὃν αἰτήσει ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἄρτον _ μὴ λίθον ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ; 10 ἢ καὶ ἰχθὺν αἰτήσει _ μὴ ὄφιν ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ; 11 εἰ οὖν ὑμεῖς πονηροὶ ὄντες οἴδατε δόματα ἀγαθὰ διδόναι τοῖς τέκνοις ὑμῶν, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς δώσει ἀγαθὰ τοῖς αἰτοῦσιν αὐτόν. 12 πάντα οὖν ὅσα ἐὰν θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς: οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται. 13 εἰσέλθατε διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης: ὅτι πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι δι' αὐτῆς: 14 τί στενὴ ἡ πύλη καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν, καὶ ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν.

1. Judge not, that you may not be judged. 2. For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3. And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye? 4. Or how sayest thou to thy brother: Let me cast the mote out of thy eye; and behold a beam is in thy own eye? 5. Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thy own eye, and then shalt thou see to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. 6. Give not that which is holy to dogs; neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turning upon you, they tear you. 7. Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you. 8. For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. 9. Or what man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone? 10. Or if he shall ask him a fish, will he reach him a serpent? 11. If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will your Father who is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him? 12. All things therefore whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them. For this is the law and the prophets. 13. Enter ye in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat. 14. How narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that find it!

• Quia vel petit quod non expedit; infra XX, 22: nescitis quid petatis; ideo petenda sunt necessaria ad salutem. Item secundo, quia non bene petit; Iac. IV, 3: petitis, et non accipitis, eo quod non bene petatis; ideo petendum est pie, idest cum fide. Item humiliter; unde Lc. I, 48: respexit humilitatem ancillae suae. Item pie, idest devote.
• Item non aliquando auditur, cum pro alio oratur cuius merita contradicunt; Ier. XV, 1: si steterit Moyses et Samuel coram me, non est anima mea ad populum istum et cetera.
• Item non exauditur quia non perseverat; Lc. XVIII, 1: quia oportet semper orare, et perseveranter; quia dominus vult quod crescant vota.
• Item contingit, quod dominus exaudit; sed non videtur, quia dat dominus ad utilitatem, non ad voluntatem, ut accidit Paulo. Augustinus: bonus dominus qui saepe non tribuit quod petimus, ut tribuat quod mallemus: et quia nos vocamus eum patrem, tribuit nobis quod pater filio.

• first, because he asks for something not advantageous: "You do not know what you are asking" (Mt 20:22); therefore, things necessary for salvation should be requested.
• Secondly, because he does not ask aright: "You do not receive, because you ask wrongly" (Jas 4:3). Therefore, one should ask piously, i.e., with faith; and humbly: "He has regarded the humility of his handmaid" (Lk 1:48).
• Thirdly, sometimes one is not heard, when he prays for someone whose merits are an obstacle: "If Moses and Aaron were to sand before me, my soul is not in favor of that people" (Jer 15:1). Again, he is not heard sometimes, because he does not persevere: "It is necessary to pray always" (Lk 18:1) and perseveringly, because the Lord wants desires to grow.
• Fourthly, it happens that the Lord hears but does not seem to, because he gives for our benefit, not according to our wishes, as happened to Paul. Augustine: "'The good Lord, who often does not grant what we ask, in order to grant what we should prefer; and because we call him Father, he grants us what a father would give his son."

15 προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν, οἵτινες ἔρχονται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύμασιν προβάτων, ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες. 16 ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς: μήτι συλλέγουσιν ἀπὸ ἀκανθῶν σταφυλὰς ἢ ἀπὸ τριβόλων σῦκα; 17 οὕτως πᾶν δένδρον ἀγαθὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖ, τὸ δὲ σαπρὸν δένδρον καρποὺς πονηροὺς ποιεῖ: 18 οὐ δύναται δένδρον ἀγαθὸν καρποὺς πονηροὺς ποιεῖν, οὐδὲ δένδρον σαπρὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖν. 19 πᾶν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν ἐκκόπτεται καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται. 20 ἄρα γε ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς. 21 οὐ πᾶς ὁ λέγων μοι, κύριε κύριε, εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἀλλ' ὁ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. 22 πολλοὶ ἐροῦσίν μοι ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, κύριε κύριε, οὐ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι ἐπροφητεύσαμεν, καὶ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι δαιμόνια ἐξεβάλομεν, καὶ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι δυνάμεις πολλὰς ἐποιήσαμεν; 23 καὶ τότε ὁμολογήσω αὐτοῖς ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἔγνων ὑμᾶς: ἀποχωρεῖτε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν. 24 πᾶς οὖν ὅστις ἀκούει μου τοὺς λόγους τούτους καὶ ποιεῖ αὐτοὺς ὁμοιωθήσεται ἀνδρὶ φρονίμῳ, ὅστις ᾠκοδόμησεν αὐτοῦ τὴν οἰκίαν ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν. 25 καὶ κατέβη ἡ βροχὴ καὶ ἦλθον οἱ ποταμοὶ καὶ ἔπνευσαν οἱ ἄνεμοι καὶ προσέπεσαν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ οὐκ ἔπεσεν, τεθεμελίωτο γὰρ ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν. 26 καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀκούων μου τοὺς λόγους τούτους καὶ μὴ ποιῶν αὐτοὺς ὁμοιωθήσεται ἀνδρὶ μωρῷ, ὅστις ᾠκοδόμησεν αὐτοῦ τὴν οἰκίαν ἐπὶ τὴν ἄμμον. 27 καὶ κατέβη ἡ βροχὴ καὶ ἦλθον οἱ ποταμοὶ καὶ ἔπνευσαν οἱ ἄνεμοι καὶ προσέκοψαν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ ἔπεσεν, καὶ ἦν ἡ πτῶσις αὐτῆς μεγάλη. 28 καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἐξεπλήσσοντο οἱ ὄχλοι ἐπὶ τῇ διδαχῇ αὐτοῦ: 29 ἦν γὰρ διδάσκων αὐτοὺς ὡς ἐξουσίαν ἔχων καὶ οὐχ ὡς οἱ γραμματεῖς αὐτῶν.

15. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16. By their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and the evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit. 19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire. 20. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. 21. Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. 22. Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name? 23. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity. 24. Every one therefore that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man that built his house upon a rock, 25. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock. 26. And every one that heareth these my words and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand, 27. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof. 28. And it came to pass when Jesus had fully ended these words, the people were in admiration at his doctrine. 29. For he was teaching them as one having power, and not as the scribes and Pharisees.

1 καταβάντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ ὄχλοι πολλοί. 2 καὶ ἰδοὺ λεπρὸς προσελθὼν προσεκύνει αὐτῷ λέγων, κύριε, ἐὰν θέλῃς δύνασαί με καθαρίσαι. 3 καὶ ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα ἥψατο αὐτοῦ λέγων, θέλω, καθαρίσθητι: καὶ εὐθέως ἐκαθαρίσθη αὐτοῦ ἡ λέπρα. 4 καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ὅρα μηδενὶ εἴπῃς, ἀλλὰ ὕπαγε σεαυτὸν δεῖξον τῷ ἱερεῖ, καὶ προσένεγκον τὸ δῶρον ὃ προσέταξεν μωϋσῆς, εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς.

1. And when he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him: 2. And behold a leper came and adored him, saying: Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3. And Jesus stretching forth his hand, touched him, saying: I will, be thou made clean. And forthwith his leprosy was cleansed. 4. And Jesus saith to him: See thou tell no man: but go, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

• Extendit manum, quando auxilium impendit; Ps. CXLIII, v. 7: emitte manum tuam de alto, et eripe me.
• Aliquando extendit manum, sed non tangit; Is. LXV, 2: expandi manus meas tota die ad populum incredulum et cetera.
• Aliquando tangit; et hoc est quando immutat, ut in Ps. CXLIII, v. 5: tange montes (idest superbos), et fumigabunt, per compunctionem.

• He stretches out his hand, when he gives help: "Put forth your hand from on high and rescue me" (Ps 144:7).
• Sometimes he stretches out his hand, but does not touch: "I spread out my hands all the day to an unbelieving people" (Is 65:2);
• sometimes he touches, and this is when he produces a change: "Touch the mountains" (i.e., the proud) "that they smoke" through compunction (Ps 144:5).

5 εἰσελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰς καφαρναοὺμ προσῆλθεν αὐτῷ ἑκατόνταρχος παρακαλῶν αὐτὸν 6 καὶ λέγων, κύριε, ὁ παῖς μου βέβληται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ παραλυτικός, δεινῶς βασανιζόμενος. 7 καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, ἐγὼ ἐλθὼν θεραπεύσω αὐτόν. 8 καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ἑκατόνταρχος ἔφη, κύριε, οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς ἵνα μου ὑπὸ τὴν στέγην εἰσέλθῃς: ἀλλὰ μόνον εἰπὲ λόγῳ, καὶ ἰαθήσεται ὁ παῖς μου. 9 καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι ὑπὸ ἐξουσίαν, ἔχων ὑπ' ἐμαυτὸν στρατιώτας, καὶ λέγω τούτῳ, πορεύθητι, καὶ πορεύεται, καὶ ἄλλῳ, ἔρχου, καὶ ἔρχεται, καὶ τῷ δούλῳ μου, ποίησον τοῦτο, καὶ ποιεῖ. 10 ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐθαύμασεν καὶ εἶπεν τοῖς ἀκολουθοῦσιν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, παρ' οὐδενὶ τοσαύτην πίστιν ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ εὗρον. 11 λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι πολλοὶ ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν ἥξουσιν καὶ ἀνακλιθήσονται μετὰ ἀβραὰμ καὶ ἰσαὰκ καὶ ἰακὼβ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν: 12 οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἐκβληθήσονται εἰς τὸ σκότος τὸ ἐξώτερον: ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων. 13 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ ἑκατοντάρχῃ, ὕπαγε, ὡς ἐπίστευσας γενηθήτω σοι. καὶ ἰάθη ὁ παῖς [αὐτοῦ] ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.

5. And when he had entered into Capharnaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him, 6. And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously tormented. 7. And Jesus saith to him: I will come and heal him. 8. And the centurion, making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed. 9. For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, and to another Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10. And Jesus hearing this, marvelled; and said to them that followed him. Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel. 11. And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven: 12. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13. And Jesus said to the centurion: Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee. And the servant was healed at the same hour.

14 καὶ ἐλθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν πέτρου εἶδεν τὴν πενθερὰν αὐτοῦ βεβλημένην καὶ πυρέσσουσαν: 15 καὶ ἥψατο τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς, καὶ ἀφῆκεν αὐτὴν ὁ πυρετός: καὶ ἠγέρθη καὶ διηκόνει αὐτῷ. 16 ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ δαιμονιζομένους πολλούς: καὶ ἐξέβαλεν τὰ πνεύματα λόγῳ, καὶ πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας ἐθεράπευσεν: 17 ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, αὐτὸς τὰς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν ἔλαβεν καὶ τὰς νόσους ἐβάστασεν. 18 ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὄχλον περὶ αὐτὸν ἐκέλευσεν ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὸ πέραν. 19 καὶ προσελθὼν εἷς γραμματεὺς εἶπεν αὐτῷ, διδάσκαλε, ἀκολουθήσω σοι ὅπου ἐὰν ἀπέρχῃ. 20 καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, αἱ ἀλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσιν καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσεις, ὁ δὲ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἔχει ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃ. 21 ἕτερος δὲ τῶν μαθητῶν [αὐτοῦ] εἶπεν αὐτῷ, κύριε, ἐπίτρεψόν μοι πρῶτον ἀπελθεῖν καὶ θάψαι τὸν πατέρα μου. 22 ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτῷ, ἀκολούθει μοι, καὶ ἄφες τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς. 23 καὶ ἐμβάντι αὐτῷ εἰς τὸ πλοῖον ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ. 24 καὶ ἰδοὺ σεισμὸς μέγας ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ, ὥστε τὸ πλοῖον καλύπτεσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν κυμάτων: αὐτὸς δὲ ἐκάθευδεν. 25 καὶ προσελθόντες ἤγειραν αὐτὸν λέγοντες, κύριε, σῶσον, ἀπολλύμεθα. 26 καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς, τί δειλοί ἐστε, ὀλιγόπιστοι; τότε ἐγερθεὶς ἐπετίμησεν τοῖς ἀνέμοις καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ, καὶ ἐγένετο γαλήνη μεγάλη. 27 οἱ δὲ ἄνθρωποι ἐθαύμασαν λέγοντες, ποταπός ἐστιν οὗτος ὅτι καὶ οἱ ἄνεμοι καὶ ἡ θάλασσα αὐτῷ ὑπακούουσιν;

14. And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying, and sick of a fever; 15. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose and ministered to them. 16. And when evening was come, they brought to him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word: and all that were sick he healed: 17. That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet Isaias, saying: He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases. 18. And Jesus seeing great multitudes about him, gave orders to pass over the water. 19. And a certain scribe came and said to him: Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou shalt go. 20. And Jesus saith to him: The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 21. And another of his disciples said to him: Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22. But Jesus said to him: Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead. 23. And when he entered into the boat, his disciples followed him: 24. And behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but he was asleep. 25. And they came to him, and awaked him, saying: Lord, save us, we perish. 26. And Jesus saith to them: Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith? Then rising up, he commanded the winds, and the sea, and there came a great calm. 27. But the men wondered, saying: What manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey him?

• Primum scilicet ut qui vocatus est ad statum perfectionis, non cognoscat patrem carnalem per affectionem inordinatam; infra XXIII, 9: unus est enim pater vester qui in caelis est.
• Secundum est quod inter fideles et infideles retrahitur germanitatis affectus. Unde Lc. XIV, v. 26: si quis venit ad me, et non odit patrem suum, et matrem, et uxorem, et filios, et fratres, et sorores, adhuc et animam suam, non potest meus esse discipulus. Et hoc verum est ubi pater et mater retrahunt a Deo.
• Tertium est, quod infidelium mortuorum non est facienda memoria apud sanctos.
• Quartum est, quod omnis qui vivit extra Christum, mortuus est, quia ipse est vita, secundum Gregorium.

• first, that a person called to the state of perfection should not regard his father with excessive affection: "You have one Father, who is in heaven: (Mt 23:9).
• The second is that family affection be set aside: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple" (Lk 14:26). This is true, when father and mother withdraw one from God.
• The third is that no commemoration of unbelievers be made by the saints.
• The fourth is that everyone living outside Christ is dead, according to Gregory.

• Primo ut discipuli, qui specialiter dilecti et vocati erant, humilia saperent, et non se extollerent: et hoc significabat futurum periculum, quod imminere debebat tempore passionis. Et post, ut ait Paulus apostolus II ad Cor. I, 8: gravati sumus supra virtutem, ita ut nos taederet etiam vivere.
• Item alia causa, ut scirent in periculis vivere, et vincere, ut habetur Rom. c. VIII, 37: in omnibus his superamus propter eum qui dilexit nos.
• Item Chrysostomus exponit, quia ipsi erant praedicaturi quae de Christo viderant; ideo ut magis in ipsis experti essent miraculis, et essent certiores, voluit dominus eos pati. Unde in Ps. LXV, 16: venite, et narrabo opera domini. Citius enim poterant recordari de huiusmodi quae sibi evenerunt.

• first, in order that the disciples, who had been loved and selected in a special way, might experience something humiliating and not extol themselves. This signified the coming danger they would experience at the time of the Passion. After this, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians (1:8): "We were so utterly crushed, that we despaired of life itself."
• Secondly, in order that they might learn to live in danger and overcome: "In all these we overcome on account of him who loved us" (Rom 8:37).
• Thirdly, Chrysostom explains that they were destined to preach what they had witnessed about Christ; consequently, in order that they have more experience with miracles and be more certain, the Lord wished them to undergo this. Hence Psalm 66 (v. 5): "Come and see what God has done." For they could more easily recall things in which they were involved.

28 καὶ ἐλθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ πέραν εἰς τὴν χώραν τῶν γαδαρηνῶν ὑπήντησαν αὐτῷ δύο δαιμονιζόμενοι ἐκ τῶν μνημείων ἐξερχόμενοι, χαλεποὶ λίαν, ὥστε μὴ ἰσχύειν τινὰ παρελθεῖν διὰ τῆς ὁδοῦ ἐκείνης. 29 καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔκραξαν λέγοντες, τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί, υἱὲ τοῦ θεοῦ; ἦλθες ὧδε πρὸ καιροῦ βασανίσαι ἡμᾶσ; 30 ἦν δὲ μακρὰν ἀπ' αὐτῶν ἀγέλη χοίρων πολλῶν βοσκομένη. 31 οἱ δὲ δαίμονες παρεκάλουν αὐτὸν λέγοντες, εἰ ἐκβάλλεις ἡμᾶς, ἀπόστειλον ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἀγέλην τῶν χοίρων. 32 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, ὑπάγετε. οἱ δὲ ἐξελθόντες ἀπῆλθον εἰς τοὺς χοίρους: καὶ ἰδοὺ ὥρμησεν πᾶσα ἡ ἀγέλη κατὰ τοῦ κρημνοῦ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ ἀπέθανον ἐν τοῖς ὕδασιν. 33 οἱ δὲ βόσκοντες ἔφυγον, καὶ ἀπελθόντες εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἀπήγγειλαν πάντα καὶ τὰ τῶν δαιμονιζομένων. 34 καὶ ἰδοὺ πᾶσα ἡ πόλις ἐξῆλθεν εἰς ὑπάντησιν τῷ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν παρεκάλεσαν ὅπως μεταβῇ ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων αὐτῶν.

28. And when he was come on the other side of the water, into the country of the Gerasens, there met him two that were possessed with devils, coming out of the sepulchres, exceeding fierce, so that none could pass by that way. 29. And behold they cried out, saying: What have we to do with thee, Jesus Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? 30. And there was, not far from them, a herd of many swine feeding. 31. And the devils besought him, saying: If thou cast us out hence, send us into the herd of swine. 32. And he said to them: Go. But they going out went into the swine, and behold the whole herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea: and they perished in the waters. 33. And they that kept them fled: and coming into the city, told every thing, and concerning them that had been possessed by the devils. 34. And behold the whole city went out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart from their coast.

1 καὶ ἐμβὰς εἰς πλοῖον διεπέρασεν καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν πόλιν. 2 καὶ ἰδοὺ προσέφερον αὐτῷ παραλυτικὸν ἐπὶ κλίνης βεβλημένον. καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν εἶπεν τῷ παραλυτικῷ, θάρσει, τέκνον: ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι. 3 καὶ ἰδού τινες τῶν γραμματέων εἶπαν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, οὗτος βλασφημεῖ. 4 καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις αὐτῶν εἶπεν, ἱνατί ἐνθυμεῖσθε πονηρὰ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν; 5 τί γάρ ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν, ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν, ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει; 6 ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας _ τότε λέγει τῷ παραλυτικῷ, ἐγερθεὶς ἆρόν σου τὴν κλίνην καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου. 7 καὶ ἐγερθεὶς ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. 8 ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ὄχλοι ἐφοβήθησαν καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν θεὸν τὸν δόντα ἐξουσίαν τοιαύτην τοῖς ἀνθρώποις.

1. And entering into a boat, he passed over the water and came into his own city. 2. And behold they brought to him one sick of the palsy lying in a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the man sick of the palsy: Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee. 3. And behold some of the scribes said within themselves: He blasphemeth. 4. And Jesus seeing their thoughts, said: Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5. Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee: or to say, Arise, and walk? 6. But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then said he to the man sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house. 7. And he arose, and went into his house. 8. And the multitude seeing it, feared, and glorified God that gave such power to men.

9 καὶ παράγων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκεῖθεν εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον καθήμενον ἐπὶ τὸ τελώνιον, μαθθαῖον λεγόμενον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, ἀκολούθει μοι. καὶ ἀναστὰς ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ. 10 καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτοῦ ἀνακειμένου ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ, καὶ ἰδοὺ πολλοὶ τελῶναι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἐλθόντες συνανέκειντο τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ. 11 καὶ ἰδόντες οἱ φαρισαῖοι ἔλεγον τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ, διὰ τί μετὰ τῶν τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐσθίει ὁ διδάσκαλος ὑμῶν; 12 ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας εἶπεν, οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλ' οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες. 13 πορευθέντες δὲ μάθετε τί ἐστιν, ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν: οὐ γὰρ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλούς.

9. And when Jesus passed on from thence, he saw a man sitting in the custom house, named Matthew; and he saith to him: Follow me. And he arose up and followed him. 10. And it came to pass as he was sitting at meat in the house, behold many publicans and sinners came, and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 11. And the Pharisees seeing it, said to his disciples: Why doth your master eat with publicans and sinners? 12. But Jesus hearing it, said: They that are in health need not a physician, but they that are ill. 13. Go then and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. For I am not come to call the just, but sinners.

• Sed notandum, quod aliquando sunt vitanda peccatorum consortia propter superbiam et contemptum, ut isti sicut habetur Is. LXV, 5: non appropinques mihi, quia immundus es.
• Alii vero vitant consortia propter peccatorum utilitatem, ut erubescant, et sic convertantur; et sic ut dicit Paulus I ad Cor. VI, 5: ad verecundiam vestram dico, sic non est inter vos sapiens quisquam.
• Item aliquis vitat propter cautelam sui timens ne pervertatur; Eccli. XIII, v. 1: qui tangit picem, coinquinabitur ab ea. Et in Ps. XVII, 27: cum perverso perverteris.

• However, it should be noted that association with sinners must be avoided sometimes on account of pride and contempt, as those in Isaiah (65:5): "Keep to yourself, do not come near me, because you are unclean."
• But others avoid the company of sinners for the welfare of the sinners, so that they will be ashamed and be converted; thus it is that Paul says in 1 Corinthians (6:5): "I say this to your shame. Is there no man among you wise enough to decide?"
• Likewise, others avoid them as a precaution, fearing that they be defiled: "Whoever touches pitch will be defiled" (Sir 13:11); "With the crooked you show yourself perverse" (Ps 18:26).