Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew
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Translated by John Patrick, D.D.
Text edited by Rev. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson and
first published by T&T Clark in Edinburgh in 1867. Additional
introductionary material and notes provided for the American
edition by A. Cleveland Coxe, 1886.
Introduction.
According to Eusebius (H. E. vi. 36) the Commentaries on the Gospel of
Matthew were written about the same time as the Contra Celsum, when
Origen was over sixty years of age, and may therefore be probably
assigned to the period 246-248. This statement is confirmed by
internal evidence. In the portion here translated, books x.-xiv., he
passes by the verses Matt. xviii. 12, 13, and refers for the
exposition of them to his Homilies on Luke (book xiii. 29).
Elsewhere, he refers his readers for a fuller discussion on certain
points to his Commentaries on John (book xvi. 20), and on Romans (book
xvii. 32). Of the twenty-five books into which the work was divided,
the first nine, with the exception of two fragments, are lost; books
x.-xvii., covering the portion from Matt. xiii. 36 to xxii. 33, are
extant in the Greek, and the greater part of the remaining books
survives in a Latin version, which is co-extensive with the Greek from
book xii. 9 to book xvii. 36, and contains further the exposition from
Matt. xxii. 34 to xxvii. 66. The passages in Cramer's Catena do not
seem to be taken from the Commentaries. Of the numerous quotations
from Matthew only one (Matt. xxi. 35) can be definitely traced to this
section of the writings of Origen; and as this differs greatly from
our present text, and is moreover purely narrative, it is probably
taken like the others either from the Scholia (commaticum
interpretationis genus), or from the Homilies to which reference is
made by Jerome (Prol. in Matt. I. iv). The majority of them may be
ascribed to the Scholia.
In addition to the mss. already referred to (p. 292) the old Latin
version is often useful for determining the text, though it contains
some interpolations and has many omissions. The omissions (cf. book
xiii. 28, book xiv. 1, 3, book xiv. 19-22) are not due to any dogmatic
bias, but have been made by the translator or some subsequent
transcriber on the ground that the passages were uninteresting or
unimportant. The version is otherwise for the most part literal, and
has in some cases preserved the correct reading, though it often fails
just when it would have been of most service. For an estimate of the
work and method of Origen as an exegete, see pp. 290-292; and for a
fuller statement on some of the points here touched upon, see
Westcott's article on Origen in Smith's Dictionary of Christian
Biography (vol. iv.).
From the First Book of the Commentary on Matthew. [5150]
Concerning the four Gospels which alone are uncontroverted in the
Church of God under heaven, I have learned by tradition that the
Gospel according to Matthew, who was at one time a publican and
afterwards an Apostle of Jesus Christ, was written first; and that he
composed it in the Hebrew tongue and published it for the converts
from Judaism. The second written was that according to Mark, who
wrote it according to the instruction of Peter, who, in his General
Epistle, acknowledged him as a son, saying, "The church that is in
Babylon, elect together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Mark my
son." [5151]And third, was that according to Luke, the Gospel
commended by [5152] Paul, which he composed for the converts from the
Gentiles. Last of all, that according to John.
Footnotes
[5150] This fragment is found in Eusebius, H.E. vi. 25.
[5151] 1 Pet. v. 13.
[5152] Or, who is commended by Paul.
.
From the Second Book of the Commentary on the Gospel According to
Matthew.
.
Book II. [5153]
The Unity and Harmony of Scripture.
"Blessed are the peacemakers...." [5154]To the man who is a
peacemaker in either sense there is in the Divine oracles nothing
crooked or perverse, for they are all plain to those who understand.
[5155]And because to such an one there is nothing crooked or
perverse, he sees therefore abundance of peace [5156] in all the
Scriptures, even in those which seem to be at conflict, and in
contradiction with one another. And likewise he becomes a third
peacemaker as he demonstrates that that which appears to others to be
a conflict in the Scriptures is no conflict, and exhibits their
concord and peace, whether of the Old Scriptures with the New, or of
the Law with the Prophets, or of the Gospels with the Apostolic
Scriptures, or of the Apostolic Scriptures with each other. For,
also, according to the Preacher, all the Scriptures are "words of the
wise like goads, and as nails firmly fixed which were given by
agreement from one shepherd;" [5157] and there is nothing superfluous
in them. But the Word is the one Shepherd of things rational which
may have an appearance of discord to those who have not ears to hear,
but are truly at perfect concord. For as the different chords of the
psalter or the lyre, each of which gives forth a certain sound of its
own which seems unlike the sound of another chord, are thought by a
man who is not musical and ignorant of the principle of musical
harmony, to be inharmonious, because of the dissimilarity of the
sounds, so those who are not skilled in hearing the harmony of God in
the sacred Scriptures think that the Old is not in harmony with the
New, or the Prophets with the Law, or the Gospels with one another, or
the Apostle with the Gospel, or with himself, or with the other
Apostles. But he who comes instructed in the music of God, being a
man wise in word and deed, and, on this account, like another
David--which is, by interpretation, skilful with the hand--will bring
out the sound of the music of God, having learned from this at the
right time to strike the chords, now the chords of the Law, now the
Gospel chords in harmony with them, and again the Prophetic chords,
and, when reason demands it, the Apostolic chords which are in harmony
with the Prophetic, and likewise the Apostolic with those of the
Gospels. For he knows that all the Scripture is the one perfect and
harmonised [5158] instrument of God, which from different sounds gives
forth one saving voice to those willing to learn, which stops and
restrains every working of an evil spirit, just as the music of David
laid to rest the evil spirit in Saul, which also was choking him.
[5159]You see, then, that he is in the third place a peacemaker,
who sees in accordance with the Scripture the peace of it all, and
implants this peace in those who rightly seek and make nice
distinctions in a genuine spirit.
Footnotes
[5153] This fragment, which is preserved in the Philocalia, c. vi., is
all that is extant of Book II.
[5154] Matt. v. 9.
[5155] Prov. viii. 8, 9.
[5156] Ps. lxxii. 7.
[5157] Ecc. xii. 11.
[5158] Or, fitted.
[5159] 1 Sam. xvi. 14.
.
Book X.
1. The Parable of the Tares: the House of Jesus.
"Then He left the multitudes and went into His house, and His
disciples came unto Him saying, Declare to us the parable of the tares
of the field." [5160]When Jesus then is with the multitudes, He is
not in His house, for the multitudes are outside of the house, and it
is an act which springs from His love of men to leave the house and to
go away to those who are not able to come to Him. Now, having
discoursed sufficiently to the multitudes in parables, He sends them
away and goes to His own house, where His disciples, who did not abide
with those whom He had sent away, come to Him. And as many as are
more genuine hearers of Jesus first follow Him, then having inquired
about His abode, are permitted to see it, and, having come, see and
abide with Him, all for that day, and perhaps some of them even
longer. And, in my opinion, such things are indicated in the Gospel
according to John in these words, "On the morrow again John was
standing and two of his disciples." [5161]And in order to explain
the fact that of those who were permitted to go with Jesus and see His
abode, the one who was more eminent becomes also an Apostle, these
words are added: "One of the two that heard John speak and followed
him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother." [5162]And if then, unlike
the multitudes whom He sends away, we wish to hear Jesus and go to the
house and receive something better than the multitudes, let us become
friends of Jesus, so that as His disciples we may come to Him when He
goes into the house, and having come may inquire about the explanation
of the parable, whether of the tares of the field, or of any other.
And in order that it may be more accurately understood what is
represented by the house of Jesus, let some one collect from the
Gospels whatsoever things are spoken about the house of Jesus, and
what things were spoken or done by Him in it; for all the passages
collected together will convince any one who applies himself to this
reading that the letters of the Gospel are not absolutely simple as
some suppose, but have become simple to the simple by a divine
concession; [5163] but for those who have the will and the power to
hear them more acutely there are concealed things wise and worthy of
the Word of God.
Footnotes
[5160] Matt. xiii. 36.
[5161] John i. 35.
[5162] John i. 40.
[5163] Or, by a dispensation.
2. Exposition of the Parable.
"After these things He answered and said to them, He that soweth the
good seed is the Son of man." [5164]Though we have already, in
previous sections, according to our ability discussed these matters,
none the less shall we now say what is in harmony with them, even if
there is reasonable ground for another explanation. And consider now,
if in addition to what we have already recounted, you can otherwise
take the good seed to be the children of the kingdom, because
whatsoever good things are sown in the human soul, these are the
offspring of the kingdom of God and have been sown by God the Word who
was in the beginning with God, [5165] so that wholesome words about
anything are children of the kingdom. But while men are asleep who do
not act according to the command of Jesus, "Watch and pray that ye
enter not into temptation," [5166] the devil on the watch sows what
are called tares--that is, evil opinions--over and among what are
called by some natural conceptions, even the good seeds which are from
the Word. And according to this the whole world might be called a
field, and not the Church of God only, for in the whole world the Son
of man sowed the good seed, but the wicked one tares,--that is, evil
words,--which, springing from wickedness, are children of the evil
one. And at the end of things, which is called "the consummation of
the age," [5167] there will of necessity be a harvest, in order that
the angels of God who have been appointed for this work may gather up
the bad opinions that have grown upon the soul, and overturning them
may give them over to fire which is said to burn, that they may be
consumed. And so the angels and servants of the Word will gather from
all the kingdom of Christ all things that cause a stumbling-block to
souls and reasonings that create iniquity, which they will scatter and
cast into the burning furnace of fire. Then those who become
conscious that they have received the seeds of the evil one in
themselves, because of their having been asleep, shall wail and, as it
were, be angry against themselves; for this is the "gnashing of
teeth." [5168]Wherefore, also, in the Psalms it is said, "They
gnashed upon me with their teeth." [5169]Then above all "shall the
righteous shine," no longer differently as at the first, but all "as
one sun in the kingdom of their Father." [5170]Then, as if to
indicate that there was indeed a hidden meaning, perhaps, in all that
is concerned with the explanation of the parable, perhaps most of all
in the saying, "Then shall the righteous shine as the sun in the
kingdom of their Father," the Saviour adds, "He that hath ears to
hear, let him hear," [5171] thereby teaching those who think that in
the exposition, the parable has been set forth with such perfect
clearness that it can be understood by the vulgar, [5172] that even
the things connected with the interpretation of the parable stand in
need of explanation.
Footnotes
[5164] Matt. xiii. 37.
[5165] John i. 2.
[5166] Matt. xxvi. 41.
[5167] Matt. xiii. 39. Or, reading hos kaleitai for ho, and at the
end of things, there will of necessity be a harvest, which is called
the consummation of the age.
[5168] Matt. xiii. 42.
[5169] Ps. xxxv. 16.
[5170] Matt. xiii. 43.
[5171] Matt. xiii. 43.
[5172] Or, in little details.
3. The Shining of the Righteous. Its Interpretation.
But as we said above in reference to the words, "Then shall the
righteous shine as the sun," that the righteous will shine not
differently as formerly, but as one sun, we will, of necessity, set
forth what appears to us on the point. Daniel, knowing that the
intelligent are the light of the world, and that the multitudes of the
righteous differ in glory, seems to have said this, "And the
intelligent shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and from
among the multitudes of the righteous as the stars for ever and ever."
[5173]And in the passage, "There is one glory of the sun, and
another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one
star differeth from another star in glory: so also is the
resurrection of the dead," [5174] the Apostle says the same thing as
Daniel, taking this thought from his prophecy. Some one may inquire
how some speak about the difference of light among the righteous,
while the Saviour on the contrary says, "They shall shine as one
sun." I think, then, that at the beginning of the blessedness enjoyed
by those who are being saved (because those who are not such are not
yet purified), the difference connected with the light of the saved
takes place: but when, as we have indicated, he gathers from the
whole kingdom of Christ all things that make men stumble, and the
reasonings that work iniquity are cast into the furnace of fire, and
the worse elements utterly consumed, and, when this takes place, those
who received the words which are the children of the evil one come to
self-consciousness, then shall the righteous having become one light
of the sun shine in the kingdom of their Father. For whom will they
shine? For those below them who will enjoy their light, after the
analogy of the sun which now shines for those upon the earth? For, of
course, they will not shine for themselves. But perhaps the saying,
"Let your light shine before men," [5175] can be written "upon the
table of the heart," [5176] according to what is said by Solomon, in a
threefold way; so that even now the light of the disciples of Jesus
shines before the rest of men, and after death before the
resurrection, and after the resurrection "until all shall attain unto
a full-grown man," [5177] and all become one sun. Then shall they
shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
Footnotes
[5173] Dan. xii. 3.
[5174] 1 Cor. xv. 41, 42.
[5175] Matt. v. 16.
[5176] Prov. vii. 3. Or, on the breadth of the heart.
[5177] Eph. iv. 13.
4. Concerning the Parable of the Treasure Hidden in the Field. The
Parable Distinguished from the Similitude.
"Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the
field, which a man found and hid." [5178]The former parables He
spoke to the multitudes; but this and the two which follow it, which
are not parables but similitudes in relation to the kingdom of heaven,
He seems to have spoken to the disciples when in the house. In regard
to this and the next two, let him who "gives heed to reading" [5179]
inquire whether they are parables at all. In the case of the latter
the Scripture does not hesitate to attach in each case the name of
parable; but in the present case it has not done so; and that
naturally. For if He spoke to the multitudes in parables, and "spake
all these things in parables, and without a parable spake nothing to
them," [5180] but on going to the house He discourses not to the
multitudes but to the disciples who came to Him there, manifestly the
things spoken in the house were not parables: for, to them that are
without, even to those to whom "it is not given to know the mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven," [5181] He speaks in parables. Some one
will then say, If they are not really parables, what are they? Shall
we then say in keeping with the diction of the Scripture that they are
similitudes (comparisons)? Now a similitude differs from a parable;
for it is written in Mark, "To what shall we compare the kingdom of
God, or in what parable shall we set it forth?" [5182]From this it
is plain that there is a difference between a similitude and a
parable. The similitude seems to be generic, and the parable
specific. And perhaps also as the similitude, which is the highest
genus of the parable, contains the parable as one of its species, so
it contains that particular form of similitude which has the same name
as the genus. This is the case with other words as those skilled in
the giving of many names have observed; who say that "impulse" [5183]
is the highest genus of many species, as, for example, of
"disinclination" [5184] and "inclination," and say that, in the case
of the species which has the same name as the genus, "inclination" is
taken in opposition to and in distinction from "disinclination."
Footnotes
[5178] Matt. xiii. 44.
[5179] 1 Tim. iv. 13.
[5180] Matt. xiii. 34.
[5181] Matt. xiii. 11.
[5182] Mark iv. 30.
[5183] horme; also inclination.
[5184] aphorme.
5. The Field and the Treasure Interpreted.
And here we must inquire separately as to the field, and separately as
to the treasure hidden in it, and in what way the man who has found
this hidden treasure goes away with joy and sells all that he has in
order to buy that field; and we must also inquire--what are the things
which he sells. The field, indeed, seems to me according to these
things to be the Scripture, which was planted with what is manifest in
the words of the history, and the law, and the prophets, and the rest
of the thoughts; for great and varied is the planting of the words in
the whole Scripture; but the treasure hidden in the field is the
thoughts concealed and lying under that which is manifest, "of wisdom
hidden in a mystery," "even Christ, in whom are all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge hidden." [5185]But another might say that the
field is that which is verily full, which the Lord blessed, the Christ
of God; but the treasure hidden in it is the things said to have been
"hidden in Christ" by Paul, who says about Christ, "in whom are the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden." The heavenly things,
therefore, even the kingdom of heaven, as in a figure it is written in
the Scriptures--which are the kingdom of heaven, or Christ--Himself
the king of the ages, are the kingdom of heaven which is likened to a
treasure hidden in the field.
Footnotes
[5185] Col. ii. 3.
6. The Exposition Continued.
And at this point you will inquire, whether the kingdom of heaven is
likened only to the treasure hidden in the field, so that we are to
think of the field as different from the kingdom, or is likened to the
whole of this treasure hidden in the field, so that the kingdom of
heaven contains according to the similitude both the field and the
treasure hidden in the field. Now a man who comes to the field,
whether to the Scriptures or to the Christ who is constituted both
from things manifest and from things hidden, finds the hidden treasure
of wisdom whether in Christ or in the Scriptures. For, going round to
visit the field and searching the Scriptures and seeking to understand
the Christ, he finds the treasure in it; and, having found it, he
hides it, thinking that it is not without danger to reveal to
everybody the secret meanings of the Scriptures, or the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge in Christ. And, having hidden it, he goes away,
working and devising how he shall buy the field, or the Scriptures,
that he may make them his own possession, receiving from the people of
God the oracles of God with which the Jews were first entrusted.
[5186]And when the man taught by Christ has bought the field, the
kingdom of God which, according to another parable, is a vineyard, "is
taken from them and is given to a nation bringing forth the fruits
thereof," [5187] --to him who in faith has bought the field, as the
fruit of his having sold all that he had, and no longer keeping by him
anything that was formerly his; for they were a source of evil to
him. And you will give the same application, if the field containing
the hidden treasure be Christ, for those who give up all things and
follow Him, have, as it were in another way, sold their possessions,
in order that, by having sold and surrendered them, and having
received in their place from God--their helper--a noble resolution,
they may purchase, at great cost worthy of the field, the field
containing the treasure hidden in itself.
Footnotes
[5186] Rom. iii. 2.
[5187] Matt. xxi. 43.
7. The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price. The Formation and
Difference of Pearls.
"Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant
seeking goodly pearls." [5188]There are many merchants engaged in
many forms of merchandise, but not to any one of these is the kingdom
of heaven like, but only to him who is seeking goodly pearls, and has
found one equal in value to many, a very costly pearl which he has
bought in place of many. I consider it reasonable, then, to make some
inquiry into the nature of the pearl. [5189]Be careful however to
note, that Christ did not say, "He sold all the pearls that he had,"
for he sold not only those which one seeking goodly pearls had bought,
but also everything which he had, in order to buy that goodly pearl.
We find then in those who write on the subject of stones, with regard
to the nature of the pearl, that some pearls are found by land, and
some in the sea. The land pearls are produced among the Indians only,
being fitted for signet-rings and collets and necklaces; and the sea
pearls, which are superior, are found among the same Indians, the best
being produced in the Red Sea. The next best pearls are those taken
from the sea at Britain; and those of the third quality, which are
inferior not only to the first but to the second, are those found at
Bosporus off Scythia. Concerning the Indian pearl these things
further are said. They are found in mussels, like in nature to very
large spiral snail-shells; and these are described as in troops making
the sea their pasture-ground, as if under the guidance of some leader,
conspicuous in colour and size, and different from those under him, so
that he has an analogous position to what is called the queen of the
bees. And likewise, in regard to the fishing for the best--that is,
those in India--the following is told. The natives surround with nets
a large circle of the shore, and dive down, exerting themselves to
seize that one of them all which is the leader; for they say that,
when this one is captured, the catching of the troop subject to it
costs no trouble, as not one of those in the troop remains stationary,
but as if bound by a thong follows the leader of the troop. It is
said also that the formation of the pearls in India requires periods
of time, the creature undergoing many changes and alterations until it
is perfected. And it is further reported that the shell--I mean, the
shell of the animal which bears the pearl--opens and gapes, as it
were, and being opened receives into itself the dew of heaven; when it
is filled with dew pure and untroubled, it becomes illumined and
brings forth a large and well-formed pearl; but if at any time it
receives dew darkened, or uneven, or in winter, it conceives a pearl
cloudy and disfigured with spots. And this we also find that if it be
intercepted by lightning when it is on the way towards the completion
of the stone with which it is pregnant, it closes, and, as it were in
terror, scatters and pours forth its offspring, so as to form what are
called "physemata." And sometimes, as if premature, they are born
small, and are somewhat cloudy though well-formed. As compared with
the others the Indian pearl has these features. It is white in
colour, like to silver in transparency, and shines through as with a
radiance somewhat greenish yellow, and as a rule is round in form; it
is also of tender skin, and more delicate than it is the nature of a
stone to be; so it is delightful to behold, worthy to be celebrated
among the more notable, as he who wrote on the subject of stones used
to say. And this is also a mark of the best pearl, to be rounded off
on the outer surface, very white in colour, very translucent, and very
large in size. So much about the Indian pearl. But that found in
Britain, they say, is of a golden tinge, but somewhat cloudy, and
duller in sparkle. And that which is found in the strait of Bosporus
is darker than that of Britain, and livid, and perfectly dim, soft and
small. And that which is produced in the strait of Bosporus is not
found in the "pinna" which is the pearl-bearing species of shells. but
in what are called mussels; and their habitat--I mean those at
Bosporus--is in the marshes. There is also said to be a fourth class
of pearls in Acarnania in the "pinnæ" of oysters. These are not
greatly sought after, but are irregular in form, and perfectly dark
and foul in colour; and there are others also different from these in
the same Acarnania which are cast away on every ground.
Footnotes
[5188] Matt. xiii. 45.
[5189] Cf.Pliny, Nat. Hist. ix. 54, etc.
8. The Parable Interpreted is the Light of These Views.
Now, having collected these things out of dissertations about stones,
I say that the Saviour with a knowledge of the difference of pearls,
of which some are in kind goodly and others worthless, said, "The
kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly
pearls;" [5190] for, if some of the pearls had not been worthless, it
would not have been said, "to a man seeking goodly pearls." Now among
the words of all kinds which profess to announce truth, and among
those who report them, he seeks pearls. And let the prophets be, so
to speak, the mussels which conceive the dew of heaven, and become
pregnant with the word of truth from heaven, the goodly pearls which,
according to the phrase here set forth, the merchantman seeks. And
the leader of the pearls, on the finding of which the rest are found
with it, is the very costly pearl, the Christ of God, the Word which
is superior to the precious letters and thoughts in the law and the
prophets, on the finding of which also all the rest are easily taken.
And the Saviour holds converse with all the disciples, as merchant-men
who are not only seeking the goodly pearls but who have found them and
possess them, when He says, "Cast not your pearls before swine."
[5191]Now it is manifest that these things were said to the
disciples from that which is prefixed to His words, "And seeing the
multitudes He went up into the mountain, and when He had sat down His
disciples came unto Him;" [5192] for, in the course of those words, He
said, "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your
pearls before the swine." [5193]Perhaps, then, he is not a disciple
of Christ, who does not possess pearls or the very costly pearl, the
pearls, I mean, which are goodly; not the cloudy, nor the darkened,
such as the words of the heterodox, which are brought forth not at the
sunrise, but at the sunset or in the north, if it is necessary to take
also into the comparison those things on account of which we found a
difference in the pearls which are produced in different places. And
perhaps the muddy words and the heresies which are bound up with works
of the flesh, are the darkened pearls, and those which are produced in
the marshes, not goodly pearls.
Footnotes
[5190] Matt. xiii. 45.
[5191] Matt. vii. 6.
[5192] Matt. v. 1.
[5193] Matt. vii. 6.
9. Christ the Pearl of Great Price.
Now you will connect with the man seeking goodly pearls the saying,
"Seek and ye shall find," [5194] and this--"Every one that seeketh
findeth." [5195]For what seek ye? Or what does every one that
seeketh find? I venture to answer, pearls and the pearl which he
possesses, who has given up all things, and counted them as loss; "for
which," says Paul, "I have counted all things but loss that I may win
Christ;" [5196] by "all things" meaning the goodly pearls, "that I may
win Christ," the one very precious pearl. Precious, then, is a lamp
to men in darkness, and there is need of a lamp until the sun rise;
and precious also is the glory in the face of Moses, and of the
prophets also, I think, and a beautiful sight, by which we are
introduced so as to be able to see the glory of Christ, to which the
Father bears witness, saying, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am
well-pleased." [5197]But "that which hath been made glorious hath
not been made glorious in this respect by reason of the glory that
surpasseth;" [5198] and there is need to us first of the glory which
admits of being done away, for the sake of the glory which surpasseth;
as there is need of the knowledge which is in part, which will be done
away when that which is perfect comes. [5199]Every soul, therefore,
which comes to childhood, and is on the way to full growth, until the
fulness of time is at hand, needs a tutor and stewards and guardians,
in order that, after all these things, he who formerly differed
nothing from a bond-servant, though he is lord of all, [5200] may
receive, when freed from a tutor and stewards and guardians, the
patrimony corresponding to the very costly pearl, and to that which is
perfect, which on its coming does away with that which is in part,
when one is able to receive "the excellency of the knowledge of
Christ," [5201] having been previously exercised, so to speak, in
those forms of knowledge which are surpassed by the knowledge of
Christ. But the multitude, not perceiving the beauty of the many
pearls of the law, and all the knowledge, "in part," though it be, of
the prophets, suppose that they can, without a clear exposition and
apprehension of these, find in whole [5202] the one precious pearl,
and behold "the excellency of the knowledge of Christ," in comparison
with which all things that came before such and so great knowledge,
although they were not refuse in their own nature, appear to be
refuse. This refuse is perhaps the "dung" thrown down beside the fig
tree by the keeper of the vineyard, which is the cause of its bearing
fruit. [5203]
Footnotes
[5194] Matt. vii. 7.
[5195] Matt. vii. 8.
[5196] Phil. iii. 8.
[5197] Matt. iii. 17.
[5198] 2 Cor. iii. 10.
[5199] 1 Cor. xiii. 9, 10.
[5200] Cf. Gal. iv. 1, 2.
[5201] Phil. iii. 8.
[5202] Or, absolutely.
[5203] Luke xiii. 8.
10. The Pearl of the Gospel in Relation to the Old Testament.
"To everything then is its season, and a time for everything under
heaven," [5204] a time to gather the goodly pearls, and a time after
their gathering to find the one precious pearl, when it is fitting for
a man to go away and sell all that he has in order that he may buy
that pearl. For as every man who is going to be wise in the words of
truth must first be taught the rudiments, and further pass through the
elementary instruction, and appreciate it highly but not abide in it,
as one who, having honoured it at the beginning but passed over
towards perfection, is grateful for the introduction because it was
useful at the first; so the perfect apprehension of the law and the
prophets is an elementary discipline for the perfect apprehension of
the Gospel, and all the meaning in the words and deeds of Christ.
[5204] Eccles. iii. 1.
Footnotes
11. The Parable of the Drag-Net.
"Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the
sea." [5205]As in the case of images and statues, the likenesses
are not likenesses in every respect of those things in relation to
which they are made; but, for example, the image painted with wax on
the plane surface of wood has the likeness of the surface along with
the colour, but does not further preserve the hollows and prominences,
but only their outward appearance; and in the moulding of statues an
endeavour is made to preserve the likeness in respect of the hollows
and the prominences, but not in respect of the colour; and, if the
cast be formed of wax, it endeavours to preserve both, I mean both the
colour and also the hollows and the prominences, but is not indeed an
image of the things in the respect of depth; so conceive with me also
that, in the case of the similitudes in the Gospel, when the kingdom
of heaven is likened unto anything, the comparison does not extend to
all the features of that to which the kingdom is compared, but only to
those features which are required by the argument in hand. And here,
accordingly, the kingdom of heaven is "like unto a net that was cast
into the sea," not (as supposed by some, [5206] who represent that by
this word the different natures of those who have come into the net,
to-wit, the evil and the righteous, are treated of), as if it is to be
thought that, because of the phrase "which gathered of every kind,"
there are many different natures of the righteous and likewise also of
the evil; for to such an interpretation all the Scriptures are
opposed, which emphasise the freedom of the will, and censure those
who sin and approve those who do right; or otherwise blame could not
rightly attach to those of the kinds that were such by nature, nor
praise to those of a better kind. For the reason why fishes are good
or bad lies not in the souls of the fishes, but is based on that which
the Word said with knowledge, "Let the waters bring forth creeping
things with living souls," [5207] when, also, "God made great
sea-monsters and every soul of creeping creatures which the waters
brought forth according to their kinds." [5208]There, accordingly,
"The waters brought forth every soul of creeping animals according to
their kinds," the cause not being in it; but here we are responsible
for our being good kinds and worthy of what are called "vessels," or
bad and worthy of being cast outside. For it is not the nature in us
which is the cause of the evil, but it is the voluntary choice which
worketh evil; and so our nature is not the cause of righteousness, as
if it were incapable of admitting unrighteousness, but it is the
principle which we have admitted that makes men righteous; for also
you never see the kinds of things in the water changing from the bad
kinds of fishes into the good, or from the better kind to the worse;
but you can always behold the righteous or evil among men either
coming from wickedness to virtue, or returning from progress towards
virtue to the flood of wickedness. Wherefore also in Ezekiel,
concerning the man who turns away from unrighteousness to the keeping
of the divine commandments, it is thus written: "But if the wicked
man turn away from all his wickednesses which he hath done," etc.,
down to the words, "that he turn from his wicked way and live;" [5209]
but concerning the man who returns from the advance towards virtue
unto the flood of wickedness it is said, "But in the case of the
righteous man turning away from his righteousness and committing
iniquity," etc., down to the words, "in his sins which he hath sinned
in them shall he die." [5210]Let those who, from the parable of the
drag-net, introduce the doctrine of different natures, tell us in
regard to the wicked man who afterwards turned aside from all the
wickednesses which he committed and keeps all the commandments of God,
and does that which is righteous and merciful, of what nature was he
when he was wicked? Clearly not of a nature to be praised. If verily
of a nature to be censured, of what kind of nature can he reasonably
be described, when he turns away from all his sins which he did? For
if he were of the bad class of natures, because of his former deeds,
how did he change to that which was better? Or if because of his
subsequent deeds you would say that he was of the good class, how
being good by nature did he become wicked? And you will also meet
with a like dilemma in regard to the righteous man turning away from
his righteousness and committing unrighteousness in all manner of
sins. For before he turned away from righteousness, being occupied
with righteous deeds he was not of a bad nature, for a bad nature
could not be in righteousness, since a bad tree--that is
wickedness--cannot produce good fruits,--the fruits that spring from
virtue. Again, on the other hand, if he had been of a good and
unchangeable nature he would not have turned away from the good after
being called righteous, so as to commit unrighteousness in all his
sins which he committed.
Footnotes
[5205] Matt. xiii. 47.
[5206] Valentinus and his followers.
[5207] Gen. i. 20.
[5208] Gen. i. 21.
[5209] Ezek. xviii. 20-23.
[5210] Ezek. xviii. 24.
12. The Divine Scriptures Compared to a Net.
Now, these things being said, we must hold that "the kingdom of heaven
is likened to a net that was cast into the sea and gathered of every
kind, [5211] " in order to set forth the varied character of the
principles of action among men, which are as different as possible
from each other, so that the expression "gathered from every kind"
embraces both those worthy of praise and those worthy of blame in
respect of their proclivities towards the forms of virtues or of
vices. And the kingdom of heaven is likened unto the variegated
texture of a net, with reference to the Old and the New Scripture
which is woven of thoughts of all kinds and greatly varied. As in the
case of the fishes that fall into the net, some are found in one part
of the net and some in another part, and each at the part at which it
was caught, so in the case of those who have come into the net of the
Scriptures you would find some caught in the prophetic net; for
example, of Isaiah, according to this expression, or of Jeremiah or of
Daniel; and others in the net of the law, and others in the Gospel
net, and some in the apostolic net; for when one is first captured by
the Word or seems to be captured, he is taken from some part of the
whole net. And it is nothing strange if some of the fishes caught are
encompassed by the whole texture of the net in the Scriptures, and are
pressed in on every side and caught, so that they are unable to escape
but are, as it were, absolutely enslaved, and not permitted to escape
from the net. And this net has been cast into the sea--the
wave--tossed life of men in every part of the world, and which swims
in the bitter affairs of life. And before our Saviour Jesus Christ
this net was not wholly filled; for the net of the law and the
prophets had to be completed by Him who says, "Think not that I came
to destroy the law and the prophets, I came not to destroy but to
fulfil." [5212]And the texture of the net has been completed in the
Gospels, and in the words of Christ through the Apostles. On this
account, therefore, "the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was
cast into the sea and gathered of every kind." And, apart from what
has been said, the expression, "gathered from every kind," may show
forth the calling of the Gentiles from every race. And those who
attended to the net which was cast into the sea are Jesus Christ, the
master of the net, and "the angels who came and ministered unto Him,"
[5213] who do not draw up the net from the sea, nor carry it to the
shore beyond the sea,--namely, to things beyond this life, unless the
net be filled full, that is, unless the "fulness of the Gentiles" has
come into it. But when it has come, then they draw it up from things
here below, and carry it to what is figuratively called the shore,
where it will be the work of those who have drawn it up, both to sit
by the shore, and there to settle themselves, in order that they may
place each of the good in the net into its own order, according to
what are here called "vessels," but cast without and away those that
are of an opposite character and are called bad. By "without" is
meant the furnace of fire as the Saviour interpreted, saying, "So
shall it be at the consummation of the age. The angels shall come
forth and sever the wicked from among the righteous and shall cast
them into the furnace of fire." [5214]Only it must be observed,
that we are already taught by the parable of the tares and the
similitude set forth, that the angels are to be entrusted with the
power to distinguish and separate the evil from the righteous; for it
is said above, "The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they
shall gather out of His kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and
them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire:
there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth." [5215]But here
it is said, "The angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from
among the righteous and shall cast them into the furnace of fire."
Footnotes
[5211] Matt. xiii. 47.
[5212] Matt. v. 17.
[5213] Matt. iv. 11.
[5214] Matt. xiii. 49, 50.
[5215] Matt. xiii. 42.
13. Relation of Men to Angels.
From this it does not follow, as some suppose, that the men who are
saved in Christ are superior even to the holy angels; for how can
those who are cast by the holy angels into vessels be compared with
those who cast them into vessels, seeing that they have been put under
the authority of the angels? While we say this, we are not ignorant
that the men who will be saved in Christ surpass some angels--namely,
those who have not been entrusted with this office--but not all of
them. For we read, "Which things angels desire to look into," [5216]
where it is not said "all" angels. And we know also this--"We shall
judge angels" [5217] where it is not said "all" angels. Now since
these things are written about the net and about those in the net, we
say that he who desires that, before the consummation of the age, and
before the coming of the angels to sever the wicked from among the
righteous, there should be no evil persons "of every kind" in the net,
seems not to have understood the Scripture, and to desire the
impossible. Wherefore let us not be surprised if, before the severing
of the wicked from among the righteous by the angels who are sent
forth for this purpose, we see our gatherings also filled with wicked
persons. And would that those who will be cast into the furnace of
fire may not be greater in number than the righteous! But since we
said in the beginning, that the parables and similitudes are not to be
accepted in respect of all the things to which they are likened or
compared, but only in respect of some things, we must further
establish from the things to be said, that in the case of the fishes,
so far as their life is concerned, an evil thing happens to them when
they are found in the net. For they are deprived of the life which is
theirs by nature, and whether they are cast into vessels or cast away,
they suffer nothing more than the loss of the life as it is in fishes;
but, in the case of those to whom the parable refers, the evil thing
is to be in the sea and not to come into the net, in order to be cast
along with the good into vessels. And in like manner the bad fishes
are cast without and thrown away; but the bad in the similitude before
us are cast into "the furnace of fire," that what is said in Ezekiel
about the furnace of fire may also overtake them--"And the Word of the
Lord came unto me saying, Son of man behold the house of Israel is
become to me all mixed with brass and iron," etc., down to the words,
"And ye shall know that I the Lord have poured My fury upon you."
[5218]
Footnotes
[5216] 1 Pet. i. 12.
[5217] 1 Cor. vi. 3.
[5218] Ezek. xviii. 17-22.
14. The Disciples as Scribes.
"Have ye understood all these things? They say, Yea." [5219]Christ
Jesus, who knows the things in the hearts of men, [5220] as John also
taught concerning Him in the Gospel, puts the question not as one
ignorant, but having once for all taken upon Him the nature of man, He
uses also all the characteristics of a man of which "asking" is one.
And there is nothing to be wondered at in the Saviour doing this,
since indeed the God of the universe, bearing with the manners of men
as a man beareth with the manners of his son, makes inquiry,
as--"Adam, where art thou?" [5221] and, "Where is Abel thy brother?"
[5222]But some one with a forced interpretation will say here that
the words "have understood" are not to be taken interrogatively but
affirmatively; and he will say that the disciples bearing testimony to
His affirmation, say, "Yea." Only, whether he is putting a question
or making an affirmation, it is necessarily said not "these things"
only,--which is demonstrative,--not "all things" only, but "all these
things." And here He seems to represent the disciples as having been
scribes before the kingdom of heaven; [5223] but to this is opposed
what is said in the Acts of the Apostles thus, "Now when they beheld
the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned
and ignorant men, they marvelled, and they took knowledge of them that
they had been with Jesus." [5224]Some one may inquire in regard to
these things--if they were scribes, how are they spoken of in the Acts
as unlearned and ignorant men? Or if they were unlearned and ignorant
men, how are they very plainly called scribes by the Saviour? And it
might be answered to these inquiries that, as a matter of fact, not
all the disciples but only Peter and John are described in the Acts as
unlearned and ignorant, but that there were more disciples in regard
to whom, because they understood all things, it is said, "Every
scribe," etc. Or it might be said that every one who has been
instructed in the teaching according to the letter of the law is
called a scribe, so that those who were unlearned and ignorant and led
captive by the letter of the law are spoken of as scribes in a
particular sense. And it is very specially the characteristic of
ignorant men, who are unskilled in figurative interpretation and do
not understand what is concerned with the mystical [5225] exposition
of the Scriptures, but believe the bare letter, and, vindicate it,
that they call themselves scribes. And so one will interpret the
words, "Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites," [5226] as
having been said to every one that knows nothing but the letter. Here
you will inquire if the scribe of the Gospel be as the scribe of the
law, and if the former deals with the Gospel, as the latter with the
law, reading and hearing and telling "those things which contain an
allegory," [5227] so as, while preserving the historic truth of the
events, to understand the unerring principle of mystic interpretation
applied to things spiritual, so that the things learned may not be
"spiritual things whose characteristic is wickedness," [5228] but may
be entirely opposite to such, namely, spiritual things whose
characteristic is goodness. And one is a scribe "made a disciple to
the kingdom of heaven" in the simpler sense, when he comes from
Judaism and receives the teaching of Jesus Christ as defined by the
Church; but he is a scribe in a deeper sense, when having received
elementary knowledge through the letter of the Scriptures he ascends
to things spiritual, which are called the kingdom of the heavens. And
according as each thought is attained, and grasped abstractly [5229]
and proved by example and absolute demonstration, can one understand
the kingdom of heaven, so that he who abounds in knowledge free from
error is in the kingdom of the multitude of what are here represented
as "heavens." So, too, you will allegorise the word, "Repent, for the
kingdom of the heavens is at hand," [5230] as meaning that the
scribes--that is, those who rest satisfied in the bare letter--may
repent of this method of interpretation and be instructed in the
spiritual teaching which is called the kingdom of the heavens through
Jesus Christ the living Word. Wherefore, also, so far as Jesus
Christ, "who was in the beginning with God, God the word," [5231] has
not His home in a soul, the kingdom of heaven is not in it, but when
any one becomes nigh to admission of the Word, to him the kingdom of
heaven is nigh. But if the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God
are the same thing in reality, [5232] if not in idea, manifestly to
those to whom it is said, "The kingdom of God is within you," [5233]
to them also it might be said, "The kingdom of heaven is within you;"
and most of all because of the repentance from the letter unto the
spirit; since "When one turn to the Lord, the veil over the letter is
taken away. But the Lord is the Spirit." [5234]And he who is truly
a householder is both free and rich; rich because from the office of
the scribe he has been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven, in
every word of the Old Testament, and in all knowledge concerning the
new teaching of Christ Jesus, and has this riches laid up in his own
treasure-house--in heaven, in which he stores his treasure as one who
has been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven,--where neither moth
doth consume, nor thieves break through. [5235]And in regard to
him, who, as we have said, lays up treasure in heaven, we may truly
lay down that not one moth of the passions can touch his spiritual and
heavenly possessions. "A moth of the passions," I said, taking the
suggestion from the "Proverbs" in which it is written, "a worm in
wood, so pain woundeth the heart of man." [5236]For pain is a worm
and a moth, which wounds the heart which has not its treasures in
heaven and spiritual things, for if a man has his treasure in
these--"for where the treasure is, there will the heart be also,"
[5237] --he has his heart in heaven, and on account of it he says,
"Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear."
[5238]And so neither can thieves in regard to whom the Saviour
said, "All that came before Me are thieves and robbers," [5239] break
through those things which are treasured up in heaven, and through the
heart which is in heaven and therefore says, "He raised us up with
Him, and made us to sit with Him in the heavenly places in Christ,"
[5240] and, "Our citizenship is in heaven." [5241]
Footnotes
[5219] Matt. xiii. 51.
[5220] John ii. 25.
[5221] Gen. iii. 9.
[5222] Gen. iv. 9.
[5223] Matt. xiii. 52.
[5224] Acts iv. 13.
[5225] Or, anagogical.
[5226] Matt. xxiii. 13.
[5227] Gal. iv. 24.
[5228] Eph. vi. 12.
[5229] Or, in an exalted sense.
[5230] Matt. iii. 2.
[5231] John i. 1, 2.
[5232] Or, substance.
[5233] Luke xvii. 21.
[5234] 2 Cor. iii. 16, 17.
[5235] Matt. vi. 20.
[5236] Prov. xxv. 20.
[5237] Matt. vi. 21.
[5238] Ps. xxvii. 3.
[5239] John x. 8.
[5240] Eph. ii. 6.
[5241] Phil. iii. 20.
15. The Householder and His Treasury.
Now since "every scribe who has been made a disciple to the kingdom of
heaven is like unto a man that is a householder who bringeth forth out
of his treasury things new and old," [5242] it clearly follows, by
"conversion of the proposition," as it is called, that every one who
does not bring forth out of his treasury things new and old, is not a
scribe who has been made a disciple unto the kingdom of heaven. We
must endeavour, therefore, in every way to gather in our heart, "by
giving heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching," [5243] and by
"meditating in the law of the Lord day and night," [5244] not only the
new oracles of the Gospels and of the Apostles and their Revelation,
but also the old things in the law "which has the shadow of the good
things to come," [5245] and in the prophets who prophesied in
accordance with them. And these things will be gathered together,
when we also read and know, and remembering them, compare at a fitting
time things spiritual with spiritual, not comparing things that cannot
be compared with one another, but things which admit of comparison,
and which have a certain likeness of diction signifying the same
thing, and of thoughts and of opinions, so that by the mouth of two or
three or more witnesses [5246] from the Scripture, we may establish
and confirm every word of God. By means of them also we must refute
those who, as far as in them lies, cleave in twain the Godhead and cut
off the New from the Old, [5247] so that they are far removed from
likeness to the householder who brings forth out of his treasury
things new and old. And since he who is likened to any one is
different from the one to whom he is likened, the scribe "who is made
a disciple unto the kingdom of heaven" will be the one who is likened,
but different from him is the householder "who brings out of his
treasury things new and old." But he who is likened to him, as in
imitation of him, wishes to do that which is like. Perhaps, then, the
man who is a householder is Jesus Himself, who brings forth out of His
treasury, according to the time of the teaching, things new, things
spiritual, which also are always being renewed by Him in the "inner
man" of the righteous, who are themselves always being renewed day by
day, [5248] and old things, things "written and engraven on stones,"
[5249] and in the stony hearts of the old man, so that by comparison
of the letter and by exhibition of the spirit He may enrich the scribe
who is made a disciple unto the kingdom of heaven, and make him like
unto Himself; until the disciple shall be as the Master, imitating
first the imitator of Christ, and after him Christ Himself, according
to that which is said by Paul, "Be ye imitators of me even as I also
of Christ." [5250]And likewise, Jesus the householder may in the
simpler sense bring forth out of His treasury things new,--that is,
the evangelic teaching--and things old,--that is, the comparison of
the sayings which are taken from the law and the prophets, of which we
may find examples in the Gospels. And with regard to these things new
and old, we must attend also to the spiritual law which says in
Leviticus, "And ye shall eat old things, and the old things of the
old, and ye shall bring forth the old from before the new; and I will
set my tabernacle among you." [5251]For we eat with blessing the
old things,--the prophetic words,--and the old things of the old
things,--the words of the law; and, when the new and evangelical words
came, living according to the Gospel we bring forth the old things of
the letter from before the new, and He sets His tabernacle in us,
fulfilling the promise which He spoke, "I will dwell among them and
walk in them." [5252]
Footnotes
[5242] Matt. xiii. 52.
[5243] 1 Tim. iv. 13.
[5244] Ps. i. 2.
[5245] Heb. x. 1.
[5246] Matt. xviii. 16.
[5247] Marcion and his school.
[5248] 2 Cor. iv. 16.
[5249] 2 Cor. iii. 7.
[5250] 1 Cor. xi. 1.
[5251] Lev. xxvi. 10, 11.
[5252] Lev. xxvi. 12; 2 Cor. vi. 16.
16. Parables in Relation to Similitudes. Jesus in His Own Country.
"And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, He
departed thence. And coming into His own country." [5253]Since we
inquired above whether the things spoken to the multitude were
parables, and those spoken to the disciples were similitudes, and set
forth observations bearing on this in my judgment not contemptible,
you must know that the sentence which is subjoined, "And it came to
pass when Jesus had finished these parables, He departed thence," will
appear to be in opposition to all these arguments, as applying not
only to the parables, but also to the similitudes as we have
expounded. We inquire therefore whether all these things are to be
rejected, or whether we must speak of two kinds of parables, those
spoken to the multitudes, and those announced to the disciples; or
whether we are to think of the name of parable as equi-vocal; or
whether the saying, "And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these
parables," is to be referred only to the parables above, which come
before the similitudes. For, because of the saying, "To you it is
given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to the rest
in parables," [5254] it was not possible to say to the disciples,
inasmuch as they were not of those without, that the Saviour spoke to
them in parables. And it follows from this, that the saying, "And it
came to pass when Jesus had finished these parables, He departed
thence," is to be referred to the parables spoken above, or that the
name parable is equivocal, or that there are two kinds of parables, or
that these which we have named similitudes were not parables at all.
And observe that it was outside of His own country He speaks the
parables "which, when He had finished, He departed thence; and coming
into His own country He taught them in their synagogue." And Mark
says, "And He came into His own country and His disciples follow Him."
[5255]We must therefore inquire whether, by the expression, "His
own country," is meant Nazareth or Bethlehem,--Nazareth, because of
the saying, "He shall be called a Nazarene," [5256] or Bethlehem,
since in it He was born. And further I reflect whether the
Evangelists could have said, "coming to Bethlehem," or, "coming to
Nazareth." They have not done so, but have named it "His country,"
because of something being declared in a mystic sense in the passage
about His country,--namely, the whole of Judæa,--in which He was
dishonoured according to the saying, "A prophet is not without honour,
save in his own country." [5257]And if anyone thinks of Jesus
Christ, "a stumbling-block to the Jews," [5258] among whom He is
persecuted even until now, but proclaimed among the Gentiles and
believed in,--for His word has run over the whole world,--he will see
that in His own country Jesus had no honour, but that among those who
were "strangers from the covenants," [5259] the Gentiles, He is held
in honour. But what things He taught and spake in their synagogue the
Evangelists have not recorded, but only that they were so great and of
such a nature that all were astonished. And probably the things
spoken were too high to be written down. Only be it noted, He taught
in their synagogue, not separating from it, nor disregarding it.
Footnotes
[5253] Matt. xiii. 53, 54.
[5254] Matt. xiii. 11.
[5255] Mark vi. 1.
[5256] Matt. ii. 23.
[5257] Matt. xiii. 57.
[5258] 1 Cor. i. 23.
[5259] Eph. ii. 12.
17. The Brethren of Jesus.
And the saying, "Whence hath this man this wisdom," [5260] indicates
clearly that there was a great and surpassing wisdom in the words of
Jesus worthy of the saying, "lo, a greater than Solomon is here."
[5261]And He was wont to do greater miracles than those wrought
through Elijah and Elisha, and at a still earlier date through Moses
and Joshua the son of Nun. And they spoke, wondering, (not knowing
that He was the son of a virgin, or not believing it even if it was
told to them, but supposing that He was the son of Joseph the
carpenter,) "is not this the carpenter's son?" [5262]And
depreciating the whole of what appeared to be His nearest kindred,
they said, "Is not His mother called Mary? And His brethren, James
and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all
with us?" [5263]They thought, then, that He was the son of Joseph
and Mary. But some say, basing it on a tradition in the Gospel
according to Peter, [5264] as it is entitled, or "The Book of James,"
[5265] that the brethren of Jesus were sons of Joseph by a former
wife, whom he married before Mary. Now those who say so wish to
preserve the honour of Mary in virginity to the end, so that that body
of hers which was appointed to minister to the Word which said, "The
Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall
overshadow thee," [5266] might not know intercourse with a man after
that the Holy Ghost came into her and the power from on high
overshadowed her. And I think it in harmony with reason that Jesus
was the first-fruit among men of the purity which consists in
chastity, and Mary among women; for it were not pious to ascribe to
any other than to her the first-fruit of virginity. And James is he
whom Paul says in the Epistle to the Galatians that he saw, "But other
of the Apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother." [5267]
And to so great a reputation among the people for righteousness did
this James rise, that Flavius Josephus, who wrote the "Antiquities of
the Jews" in twenty books, when wishing to exhibit the cause why the
people suffered so great misfortunes that even the temple was razed to
the ground, said, that these things happened to them in accordance
with the wrath of God in consequence of the things which they had
dared to do against James the brother of Jesus who is called Christ.
[5268]And the wonderful thing is, that, though he did not accept
Jesus as Christ, he yet gave testimony that the righteousness of James
was so great; and he says that the people thought that they had
suffered these things because of James. And Jude, who wrote a letter
of few lines, it is true, but filled with the healthful words of
heavenly grace, said in the preface, "Jude, the servant of Jesus
Christ and the brother of James." [5269]With regard to Joseph and
Simon we have nothing to tell; but the saying, "And His sisters are
they not all with us," [5270] seems to me to signify something of this
nature--they mind our things, not those of Jesus, and have no unusual
portion of surpassing wisdom as Jesus has. And perhaps by these
things is indicated a new doubt concerning Him, that Jesus was not a
man but something diviner, inasmuch as He was, as they supposed, the
son of Joseph and Mary, and the brother of four, and of the
others--the women--as well, and yet had nothing like to any one of His
kindred, and had not from education and teaching come to such a height
of wisdom and power. For they also say elsewhere, "How knoweth this
man letters having never learned?" [5271] which is similar to what is
here said. Only, though they say these things and are so perplexed
and astonished, they did not believe, but were offended in Him; as if
they had been mastered in the eyes of their mind by the powers which,
in the time of the passion, He was about to lead in triumph on the
cross.
Footnotes
[5260] Matt. xiii. 54.
[5261] Matt. xii. 42.
[5262] Matt. xiii. 55.
[5263] Matt. xiii. 55, 56.
[5264] The Gospel of Peter, of which a fragment was recovered in 1886
and published in 1892.
[5265] Protevangelium Jacobi, c. 9.
[5266] Luke i. 35.
[5267] Gal. i. 19.
[5268] Jos. Ant. xviii. 4.
[5269] Jude 1.
[5270] Matt. xiii. 56.
[5271] John vii. 15.
18. Prophets in Their Country.
"But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in
his own country." [5272]We must inquire whether the expression has
the same force when applied universally to every prophet (as if each
one of the prophets was dishonoured in his own country only, but not
as if every one who was dishonoured was dishonoured in his country);
or, because of the expression being singular, these things were said
about one. If, then, these words are spoken about one, these things
which have been said suffice, if we refer that which is written to the
Saviour. But if it is general, it is not historically true; for
Elijah did not suffer dishonour in Tishbeth of Gilead, nor Elisha in
Abelmeholah, nor Samuel in Ramathaim, nor Jeremiah in Anathoth. But,
figuratively interpreted, it is absolutely true; for we must think of
Judæa as their country, and that famous Israel as their kindred, and
perhaps of the body as the house. For all suffered dishonour in Judæa
from the Israel which is according to the flesh, while they were yet
in the body, as it is written in the Acts of the Apostles, as having
been spoken in censure to the people, "Which of the prophets did not
your fathers persecute, who showed before of the coming of the
Righteous one?" [5273]And by Paul in the First Epistle to the
Thessalonians like things are said: "For ye brethren became imitators
of the churches of God which are in Judæa in Christ Jesus, for ye also
suffered the same things of your own countrymen even as they did of
the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drave
out us, and please not God, and are contrary to all men." [5274]A
prophet, then, is not without honour among the Gentiles; for either
they do not know him at all, or, having learned and received him as a
prophet, they honour him. And such are those who are of the Church.
Prophets suffer dishonour, first, when they are persecuted, according
to historical fact, by the people, and, secondly, when their prophecy
is not believed by the people. For if they had believed Moses and the
prophets they would have believed Christ, who showed that when men
believed Moses and the prophets, belief in Christ logically followed,
and that when men did not believe Christ they did not believe Moses.
[5275]Moreover, as by the transgression of the law he who sins is
said to dishonour God, so by not believing in that which is prophesied
the prophet is dishonoured by the man who disbelieves the prophecies.
And so far as the literal truth is concerned, it is useful to recount
what things Jeremiah suffered among the people in relation to which he
said, "And I said, I will not speak, nor will I call upon the name of
the Lord." [5276]And again, elsewhere, "I was continually being
mocked." [5277]And how great sufferings he endured from the then
king of Israel are written in his prophecy. And it is also written
that some of the people often came to stone Moses to death; for his
fatherland was not the stones of any place, but the people who
followed him, among whom also he was dishonoured. And Isaiah is
reported to have been sawn asunder by the people; and if any one does
not accept the statement because of its being found in the Apocryphal
Isaiah, [5278] let him believe what is written thus in the Epistle to
the Hebrews, "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were
tempted;" [5279] for the expression, "They were sawn asunder," refers
to Isaiah, just as the words, "They were slain with the sword," refer
to Zacharias, who was slain "between the sanctuary and the altar,"
[5280] as the Saviour taught, bearing testimony, as I think, to a
Scripture, though not extant in the common and widely circulated
books, but perhaps in apocryphal books. And they, too, were
dishonoured in their own country among the Jews who went about "in
sheep-skins, in goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted," and so on;
[5281] "For all that will to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution." [5282]And probably because Paul knew this, "That a
prophet has no honour in his own country," though he preached the Word
in many places he did not preach it in Tarsus. And the Apostles on
this account left Israel and did that which had been enjoined on them
by the Saviour, "Make disciples of all the nations," [5283] and, "Ye
shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judæa and Samaria,
and unto the uttermost part of the earth." [5284]For they did that
which had been commanded them in Judæa and Jerusalem; but, since a
prophet has no honour in his own country, when the Jews did not
receive the Word, they went away to the Gentiles. Consider, too, if,
because of the fact that the saying, "I will pour forth of My Spirit
upon all flesh, and they shall prophesy," [5285] has been fulfilled in
the churches from the Gentiles, you can say that those formerly of the
world and who by believing became no longer of the world, having
received the Holy Spirit in their own country--that is, the world--and
prophesying, have not honour, but are dishonoured. Wherefore blessed
are they who suffer the same things as the prophets, according to what
was said by the Saviour, "For in the same manner did their fathers
unto the prophets." [5286]Now if any one who attends carefully to
these things be hated and attacked, because of his living with
rigorous austerity, and his reproof of sinners, as a man who is
persecuted and reproached for the sake of righteousness, he will not
only not be grieved, but will rejoice and be exceeding glad, being
assured that, because of these things, he has great reward in heaven
from Him who likened him to the prophets on the ground of his having
suffered the same things. Therefore, he who zealously imitates the
prophetic life, and attains to the spirit which was in them, must be
dishonoured in the world, and in the eyes of sinners, to whom the life
of the righteous man is a burden.
Footnotes
[5272] Matt. xiii. 57.
[5273] Acts vii. 52.
[5274] 1 Thess. ii. 14, 15.
[5275] John v. 46.
[5276] Jer. xx. 9.
[5277] Jer. xx. 7.
[5278] Probably the Ascensio Isaiæ. Cf. Orig. Ep. ad Afric. c. 9.
[5279] Heb. xi. 37.
[5280] Matt. xxiii. 35. Cf. Orig. Ep. ad Afric. c. 9.
[5281] Heb. xi. 37.
[5282] 2 Tim. iii. 12.
[5283] Matt. xxviii. 19.
[5284] Acts i. 8.
[5285] Joel ii. 28.
[5286] Luke vi. 23.
19. Relation of Faith and Unbelief to the Supernatural Powers of
Jesus.
Following this you may see, "He did not there many mighty works
because of their unbelief." [5287]We are taught by these things
that powers were found in those who believed, since "to every one that
hath shall be given and he shall have abundance," [5288] but among
unbelievers not only did the powers not work, but as Mark wrote, "They
could not work." [5289]For attend to the words, "He could not there
do any mighty works," for it is not said, "He would not," but "He
could not; "as if there came to the power when working co-operation
from the faith of him on whom the power was working, but this
co-operation was hindered in its exercise by unbelief. See, then,
that to those who said, "Why could we not cast it out?" He said,
"Because of your little faith." [5290]And to Peter, when he began
to sink, it was said, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou
doubt?" [5291]But, moreover, she who had the issue of blood, who
did not ask for the cure, but only reasoned that if she were to touch
the hem of His garment she would be healed, was healed on the spot.
And the Saviour, acknowledging the method of healing, says, "Who
touched Me? For I perceived that power went forth from Me." [5292]
And perhaps, as in the case of material things there exists in some
things a natural attraction towards some other thing, as in the magnet
for iron, and in what is called naphtha for fire, so there is an
attraction in such faith towards the divine power, according to what
is said, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say
unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall
remove." [5293]And Matthew and Mark, wishing to set forth the
excellency of the divine power, that it has power even in unbelief,
but not so great power as it has in the faith of those who are being
benefited, seem to me to have said with accuracy, not that He did not
"any" mighty works because of their unbelief, but that He did not
"many" there. [5294]And Mark also does not say, that He could not
do any mighty work there, and stop at that point, but added, "Save
that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk and healed them," [5295]
the power in Him thus overcoming the unbelief. Now it seems to me
that, as in the case of material things, tillage is not sufficient in
itself for the gathering in of the fruits, unless the air cooperates
to this end, nay, rather, He who forms the air with whatever quality
He wills and makes it whatever He wills; nor the air apart from
tillage, but rather He who by His providence has enacted that the
things which spring up from the earth could not spring up apart from
tillage; for this He has done once for all in the law, "Let the earth
put forth grass sowing seed after its kind and after its likeness;"
[5296] so also neither do the operations of the powers, apart from the
faith of those who are being healed, exhibit the absolute work of
healing, nor faith, however great it may be, apart from the divine
power. And that which is written about wisdom, you may apply also to
faith, and to the virtues specifically, so as to make a precept of
this kind, "If any one be perfect in wisdom among the sons of men, and
the power that comes from Thee be wanting, he will be reckoned as
nothing;" [5297] or, "If any one be perfect in self-control, so far as
is possible for the sons of men, and the control that is from Thee be
wanting, he will be reckoned as nothing;" or, "If any one be perfect
in righteousness, and in the rest of virtues, and the righteousness
and the rest of the virtues that are from Thee be wanting to him, he
will be reckoned as nothing." Wherefore, "Let not the wise man glory
in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength," [5298] for that
which is fit matter for glorying is not ours, but is the gift of God;
the wisdom is from Him, and the strength is from Him; and so with the
rest.
Footnotes
[5287] Matt. xiii. 58.
[5288] Matt. xiii. 12.
[5289] Matt. xvii. 19, 20.
[5290] Matt. xiv. 31.
[5291] Luke viii. 45, 46.
[5292] Matt. xvii. 20.
[5293] Matt. xiii. 58.
[5294] Mark vi. 5.
[5295] Mark vi. 5.
[5296] Gen. i. 11.
[5297] Wisdom of Solomon ix. 6.
[5298] Jer. ix. 23.
20. Different Conceptions of John the Baptist.
"At that season Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus
and said unto his own servants, This is John the Baptist." [5299]In
Mark [5300] it is the same, and also in Luke. [5301]The Jews had
different opinions, some false, such as the Sadducees held about the
resurrection of the dead, that they do not rise, and in regard to
angels that they do not exist, but that those things which were
written about them were only to be interpreted figuratively, but had
no reality in point of fact; and some true opinions, such as were
taught by the Pharisees about the resurrection of the dead that they
rise. We must therefore here inquire, whether the opinion regarding
the soul, mistakenly held by Herod and some from among the people, was
somewhat like this--that John, who a little before had been slain by
him, had risen from the dead after he had been beheaded, and was the
same person under a different name, and being now called Jesus was
possessed of the same powers which formerly wrought in John. For what
credibility is there in the idea that One, who was so widely known to
the whole people, and whose name was noised abroad in the whole of
Judæa, whom they declared to be the son of the carpenter and Mary, and
to have such and such for brothers and sisters, was thought to be not
different from [5302] John whose father was Zacharias, and whose
mother was Elisabeth, who were themselves not undistinguished among
the people? But it is probable that the fact of his being the Son of
Zacharias was not unknown to the people, who thought with regard to
John that he was truly a prophet, and were so numerous that the
Pharisees, in order to avoid the appearance of saying that which was
displeasing to the people, were afraid to answer the question, "Was
his baptism from heaven or from men?" [5303]And perhaps, also, to
some of them had come the knowledge of the incident of the vision
which was seen in the temple, when Gabriel appeared to Zacharias.
What credibility, forsooth, has the erroneous opinion, whether of
Herod or of some of the people, that John and Jesus were not two
persons, but that it was one and the same person John who rose from
the dead after that he had been beheaded and was called Jesus? Some
one might say, however, that Herod and some of those of the people
held the false dogma of the transmigration of souls into bodies, in
consequence of which they thought that the former John had appeared
again by a fresh birth, and had come from the dead into life as
Jesus. But the time between the birth of John and the birth of Jesus,
which was not more than six months, does not permit this false opinion
to be considered credible. And perhaps rather some such idea as this
was in the mind of Herod, that the powers which wrought in John had
passed over to Jesus, in consequence of which He was thought by the
people to be John the Baptist. And one might use the following line
of argument. Just as because of the spirit and the power of Elijah,
and not because of his soul, it is said about John, "This is Elijah
which is to come," [5304] the spirit in Elijah and the power in him
having gone over to John--so Herod thought that the powers in John
wrought in his case works of baptism and teaching,--for John did not
one miracle, [5305] but in Jesus miraculous portents. It may be said
that something of this kind was the thought of those who said that
Elijah had appeared in Jesus, or that one of the old prophets had
risen. [5306]But the opinion of those who said that Jesus was "a
prophet even as one of the prophets," [5307] has no bearing on the
question. False, then, is the saying concerning Jesus, whether that
recorded to have been the view of Herod, or that spoken by others.
Only, the saying, "That John went before in the spirit and power of
Elijah," [5308] which corresponds to the thoughts which they were now
cherishing concerning John and Jesus, seems to me more credible. But
since we learned, in the first place, that when the Saviour after the
temptation heard that John was given up, He retreated into Galilee,
and in the second place, that when John was in prison and heard the
things about Jesus he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, "Art
thou He that cometh, or look we for another?" [5309] and in the third
place, generally that Herod said about Jesus, "It is John the Baptist,
he is risen from the dead," [5310] but we have not previously learned
from any quarter the manner in which the Baptist was killed, therefore
Matthew has now recorded it, and Mark almost like unto him; but Luke
passed over in silence the greater part of the narrative as it is
found in them." [5311]
Footnotes
[5299] Matt. xiv. 1.
[5300] Mark vi. 14.
[5301] Luke ix. 7.
[5302] Or, none other than.
[5303] Matt. xxi. 25.
[5304] Matt. xi. 14.
[5305] John x. 41.
[5306] Luke ix. 8.
[5307] Mark vi. 15.
[5308] Luke i. 17.
[5309] Matt. xi. 2, 3.
[5310] Matt. xiv. 2.
[5311] The question of John's relation to Jesus and of the supposed
transcorporation, is more fully discussed by Origen in his Commentary
on John, book vi. 7, p. 353, sqq.
21. Herod and the Baptist.
The narrative of Matthew is as follows,--"for Herod had laid hold on
John and bound him in the prison." [5312]In reference to these
things, it seems to me, that as the law and the prophets were until
John, [5313] after whom the grace of prophecy ceased from among the
Jews; so the authority of those who had rule among the people, which
included the power to kill those whom they thought worthy of death,
existed until John; and when the last of the prophets was unlawfully
killed by Herod, the king of the Jews was deprived of the power of
putting to death; for, if Herod had not been deprived of it, Pilate
would not have condemned Jesus to death; but for this Herod would have
sufficed along with the council of the chief priests and elders of the
people, met for the purpose. And then I think was fulfilled that
which was spoken as follows by Jacob to Judah: "A ruler shall not
depart from Judah, nor a leader from Israel, until that come which is
laid up in store, and he is the expectation of the Gentiles." [5314]
And perhaps also the Jews were deprived of this power, the Providence
of God arranging for the spread of the teaching of Christ among the
people, so that even if this were hindered by the Jews, the opposition
might not go so far as the slaying of believers, which seemed to be
according to law. "But Herod laid hold on John and bound him in
prison and put him away," [5315] by this act signifying that, so far
as it depended on his power and on the wickedness of the people, he
bound and imprisoned the prophetic word, and prevented him from
continuing to abide a herald the truth in freedom as formerly. But
this Herod did for the sake of Herodias, the wife of his brother
Philip. For John said unto him, "It is not lawful for thee to have
her." [5316]Now this Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituræa
and of Trachonitis. Some, then, suppose that, when Philip died
leaving a daughter, Herodias, Herod married his brother's wife, though
the law permitted marriage only when there were no children. But, as
we find nowhere clear evidence that Philip was dead, we conclude that
a yet greater transgression was done by Herod, namely, that he had
induced his brother's wife to revolt from her husband while he was
still living.
Footnotes
[5312] Matt. xiv. 3.
[5313] Luke xvi. 16.
[5314] Gen. xlix. 10.
[5315] Matt. xiv. 3.
[5316] Matt. xiv. 3, 4.
22. The Dancing of Herodias. The Keeping of Oaths
Wherefore John, endued with prophetic boldness and not terrified at
the royal dignity of Herod, nor through fear of death keeping silence
in regard to so flagrant a sin, filled with a divine spirit said to
Herod, "It is not lawful for thee to have her; for it is not lawful
for thee to have the wife of thy brother." For Herod having laid hold
on John bound him and put him in prison, not daring to slay him
outright and to take away the prophetic word from the people; but the
wife of the king of Trachonitis--which is a kind of evil opinion and
wicked teaching--gave birth to a daughter of the same name, whose
movements, seemingly harmonious, pleasing Herod, who was fond of
matters connected with birthdays, came the cause of there being no
longer a prophetic head among the people. And up to this point I
think that the movements of the people of the Jews, which seem to be
according to the law, were nothing else than the movements of the
daughter of Herodias; but the dancing of Herodias was opposed to that
holy dancing with which those who have not danced will be reproached
when they hear the words, "We piped unto you, and ye did not dance."
[5317]And on birthdays, when the lawless word reigns over them,
they dance so that their movements please that word. Some one of
those before us has observed what is written in Genesis about the
birthday of Pharaoh, and has told that the worthless man who loves
things connected with birth keeps birthday festivals; and we, taking
this suggestion from him, find in no Scripture that a birthday was
kept by a righteous man. For Herod was more unjust than that famous
Pharaoh; for by the latter on his birthday feast a chief baker is
killed; [5318] but by the former, John, "than whom no one greater hath
risen among those born of women," [5319] in regard to whom the Saviour
says, "But for what purpose did ye go out? To see a prophet? Yea, I
say unto you, and more than a prophet." [5320]But thanks be unto
God, that, even if the grace of prophecy was taken from the people, a
grace greater than all that was poured forth among the Gentiles by our
Saviour Jesus Christ, who became "free among the dead;" [5321] for
"though He were crucified through weakness, yet He liveth through the
power of God." [5322]Consider also the word in which pure and
impure meats are inquired into; but prophecy is despised when it is
brought forward in a charger instead of meat. But the Jews have not
the head of prophecy, inasmuch as they disown the crown of all
prophecy, Christ Jesus; and the prophet is beheaded, because of an
oath in a case where the duty was rather to break the oath than to
keep the oath; for the charge of rashness in taking an oath and of
breaking it because of the rashness is not the same in guilt as the
death of a prophet. And not on this account alone is he beheaded, but
because "of those who sat at meat with him," who preferred that the
prophet should be killed rather than live. And they recline at the
same table and also feast along with the evil word which reigns over
the Jews, who make merry over his birth. At times you may make a
graceful application of the passage to those who swear rashly and wish
to hold fast oaths which are taken with a view to unlawful deeds, by
saying that not every keeping of oaths is seemly, just as the keeping
of the oath of Herod was not. And mark, further, that not openly but
secretly and in prison does Herod put John to death. For even the
present word of the Jews does not openly deny the prophecies, but
virtually and in secret denies them, and is convicted of disbelieving
them. For as "if they believed Moses they would have believed Jesus,"
[5323] so if they had believed the prophets they would have received
Him who had been the subject of prophecy. But disbelieving Him they
also disbelieve them, and cut off and confine in prison the prophetic
word, and hold it dead and divided, and in no way wholesome, since
they do not understand it. But we have the whole Jesus, the prophecy
concerning Him being fulfilled which said, "A bone shall not be
broken." [5324]
Footnotes
[5317] Matt. xi. 17; Luke vii. 32.
[5318] Gen. xl. 20.
[5319] Matt. xi. 11.
[5320] Luke vii. 26.
[5321] Ps. lxxxviii. 6.
[5322] 2 Cor. xiii. 4.
[5323] John v. 46.
[5324] Ex. xii. 46; John xix. 36.
23. The Withdrawal of Jesus.
And the disciples of John having come bury his remains, and "they went
and told Jesus." [5325]And He withdrew to a desert place,--that is,
the Gentiles--and after the killing of the prophet multitudes followed
Him from the cities everywhere; seeing which to be great He had
compassion on them, and healed their sick; and afterwards with the
loaves which were blessed and multiplied from a few loaves He feeds
those who followed Him. "Now when Jesus heard it He withdrew thence
in a boat to a desert place apart." [5326]The letter teaches us to
withdraw as far as it is in our power from those who persecute us, and
from expected conspiracies through words; for this would be to act
according to prudence; and, when one can keep outside of critical
positions, to go to meet them is rash and headstrong. For who would
still hesitate about avoiding such things, when not only did Jesus
retreat in view of what happened to John, but also taught and said,
"If they persecute you in this city, flee ye into the other"? [5327]
When a temptation comes which is not in our power to avoid, we must
endure it with exceeding nobleness and courage; but, when it is in our
power to avoid it, not to do so is rash. But since after the letter
we must also investigate the place according to the mystical meaning,
we must say that, when prophecy was plotted against among the Jews and
destroyed, because of their giving honour to matters of birthdays, and
in respect of their reception of vain movements which, though
conceived by the ruler of the wicked and those who feast along with
him to be regular and pleasing to them, were irregular and out of
tune, if truth be umpire, then Jesus withdraws from the place in which
prophecy was attacked and condemned; and He withdraws to the place
which had been barren of God among the Gentiles, in order that the
Word of God, when the kingdom was taken from the Jews and "given to a
nation bringing forth the fruits thereof," [5328] might be among the
Gentiles; and, on account of it, "the children of the desolate one,"
who had not been instructed either in the law or the prophets, "might
be more than of her who has the husband," [5329] that is, the law.
When, then, the word was of old among the Jews, it was not so among
them as it is among the Gentiles; wherefore it is said that, "in a
boat,"--that is, in the body--He went to the desert place apart, when
He heard about the killing of the prophet. And, having come into the
desert place apart, He was in it, because that the Word dwelt apart,
and His teaching was contrary to the customs and usages which obtained
among the Gentiles. And the crowds among the Gentiles, when they
heard that Jesus had come to stay in their desert, and that He was
apart, as we have already reported, followed Him from their own
cities, because each had left the superstitious customs of his fathers
and come to the law of Christ. And by land they followed Him, and not
in a boat, inasmuch as not with the body but with the soul only, and
with the resolution to which they had been persuaded by the Word, they
followed the Image of God. And to them Jesus comes out, as they were
not able to go to Him, in order that, having gone to those who were
without, He might lead within those who were without. And great is
the crowd without to whom the Word of God goes out, and, having poured
out upon it the light of His "visitation," beholds it; and, seeing
that they were rather deserving of being pitied, because they were in
such circumstances, as a lover of men He who was impassible suffered
the emotion of pity, and not only had pity but healed their sick, who
had sicknesses diverse and of every kind arising from their
wickedness.
Footnotes
[5325] Matt. xiv. 12.
[5326] Matt. xiv. 13.
[5327] Matt. x. 23.
[5328] Matt. xxi. 43.
[5329] Isa. liv. 1; Gal. iv. 27.
24. The Diverse Forms of Spiritual Sickness.
And, if you wish to see of what nature are the sicknesses of the soul,
contemplate with me the lovers of money, and the lovers of ambition,
and the lovers of boys, and if any be fond of women; for these also
beholding among the crowds and taking compassion upon them, He
healed. For not every sin is to be considered a sickness, but that
which has settled down in the whole soul. For so you may see the
lovers of money wholly intent on money and upon preserving and
gathering it, the lovers of ambition wholly intent on a little glory,
for they gape for praise from the masses and the vulgar; and
analogously you will understand in the case of the rest which we have
named, and if there be any other like to them. Since, then, when
expounding the words, "He healed their sick," [5330] we said that not
every sin is a sickness, it is fitting to discuss from the Scripture
the difference of these. The Apostle indeed says, writing to the
Corinthians who had diverse sicknesses, "For this cause many among you
are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep." [5331]Hear Him in these
words, knitting a band and making it plaited of different sins,
according as some are weak, and others sickly more than weak, and
others, in comparison with both, are asleep. For some, because of
impotence of soul, having a tendency to slip into any sin whatever,
although they may not be wholly in the grasp of any form of sin, as
the sickly are, are only weak; but others who, instead of loving God
"with all their soul and all their heart and all their mind," love
money, or a little glory, or wife, or children, are suffering from
something worse than weakness, and are sickly. And those who sleep
are those who, when they ought to be taking heed and watching with the
soul, are not doing this, but by reason of great want of attention are
nodding in resolution and are drowsy in their reflections, such as "in
their dreamings defile the flesh, and set at naught that which is
highest in authority, and rail at dignities." [5332]And these,
because they are asleep, live in an atmosphere of vain and dream-like
fancies concerning realities, not admitting the things which are
actually true, but deceived by what appears in their vain
imaginations, in regard to whom it is said in Isaiah, "Like as when a
thirsty man dreams that he is drinking, but when he has risen up is
still thirsty, and his soul has cherished a vain hope, so shall be the
wealth of all the nations as many as have warred in Jerusalem." [5333]
If, then, we have seemed to make a digression in recounting the
difference between the weak and the sickly and those that sleep,
because of that which the Apostle said in the letter to the
Corinthians which we have expounded, we have made the digression in
our desire to represent what is meant to be understood by the saying,
"And He healed their sick." [5334]
Footnotes
[5330] Matt. xiv. 14.
[5331] 1 Cor. xi. 30.
[5332] Jude 8.
[5333] Isa. xxix. 8 (LXX., which has "against mount Zion," where
Origen has "in Jerusalem").
[5334] Matt. xiv. 14.
25. Healing Precedes Participation in the Loaves of Jesus.
After this the word says, "And when even was come, His disciples came
to Him, saying, The place is desert and the time is already past;
send, therefore, the multitudes away, that they may go into the
villages and buy themselves food." [5335]And first observe that
when about to give to the disciples the loaves of blessing, that they
might set them before the multitudes, He healed the sick, in order
that, having been restored to health, they might participate in the
loaves of blessing; for while they are yet sickly, they are not able
to receive the loaves of the blessing of Jesus. But if any one, when
he ought to listen to the precept, "But let each prove himself, and so
let him eat of the bread," etc., [5336] does not obey these words, but
in haphazard fashion participates in the bread of the Lord and His
cup, he becomes weak or sickly, or even--if I may use the
expression--on account of being stupefied by the power of the bread,
asleep.
Footnotes
[5335] Matt. xiv. 15.
[5336] 1 Cor. xi. 28.
.
Book XI.
1. Introduction to the Feeding of the Five Thousand.
"And when even was come His disciples came to Him," [5337] that is, at
the consummation of the age in regard to which we may fitly say what
is found in the Epistle of John, "It is the last hour." [5338]They,
not yet understanding what the Word was about to do, say to Him, "The
place is desert," [5339] seeing the desert condition of the masses in
respect of God and the Law and the Word; but they say to Him, "The
time is past," [5340] as if the fitting season of the law and prophets
had passed. Perhaps they spoke this saying, in reference to the word
of Jesus, that because of the beheading of John both the law and the
prophets who were until John had ceased. [5341]"The time is past,"
therefore they say, and no food is at hand, because the season of it
is no longer present, that those who have followed Thee in the desert
may serve the law and the prophets. And, further, the disciples say,
"Send them away," [5342] that each one may buy food, if he cannot from
the cities, at least from the villages,--places more ignoble. Such
things the disciples said, because, after the letter of the law had
been abrogated and prophecies had ceased, they despaired of unexpected
and new food being found for the multitudes. But see what Jesus
answers to the disciples though He does not cry out and plainly say
it: "You suppose that, if the great multitude go away from Me in need
of food, they will find it in villages rather than with Me, and among
bodies of men, not of citizens but of villagers, rather than by
abiding with Me. But I declare unto you, that in regard to that of
which you suppose they are in need they are not in need, for they have
no need to go away; but in regard to that of which you think they have
no need--that is, of Me--as if I could not feed them, of this contrary
to your expectation they have need. Since, then, I have trained you,
and made you fit to give rational food to them who are in need of it,
give ye to the crowds who have followed Me to eat; for ye have the
power, which ye have received from Me, of giving the multitudes to
eat; and if ye had attended to this, ye would have understood that I
am far more able to feed them, and ye would not have said, `Send the
multitudes away that they may go and buy food for themselves.'" [5343]
Footnotes
[5337] Matt. xiv. 15.
[5338] 1 John ii. 18.
[5339] Matt. xiv. 15.
[5340] Matt. xiv. 15.
[5341] Luke xvi. 16.
[5342] Matt. xiv. 15.
[5343] Matt. xiv. 15.
2. Exposition of the Details of the Miracle.
Jesus, then, because of the power which He gave to the disciples, even
the power of nourishing others, said, Give ye them to eat. [5344]
But (not denying that they can give loaves, but thinking that there
were much too few and not sufficient to feed those who followed Jesus,
and not considering that when Jesus takes each loaf--the Word--He
extends it as far as He wills, and makes it suffice for all whomsoever
He desires to nourish), the disciples say, We have here but five
loaves and two fishes. [5345]Perhaps by the five loaves they meant
to make a veiled reference to the sensible words of the Scriptures,
corresponding in number on this account to the five senses, but by the
two fishes either to the word expressed [5346] and the word conceived,
[5347] which are a relish, so to speak, to the sensible things
contained in the Scriptures; or, perhaps, to the word which had come
to them about the Father and the Son. Wherefore also after His
resurrection He ate of a broiled fish, [5348] having taken a part from
the disciples, and having received that theology about the Father
which they were in part able to declare to Him. Such is the
contribution we have been able to give to the exposition of the word
about the five loaves and the two fishes; and probably those, who are
better able than we to gather together the five loaves and the two
fishes among themselves, would be able to give a fuller and better
interpretation of their meaning. It must be observed, however, that
while in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, [5349] the disciples say that they
have the five loaves and the two fishes, without indicating whether
they were wheaten or of barley, John alone says, that the loaves were
barley loaves. [5350]Wherefore, perhaps, in the Gospel of John the
disciples do not acknowledge that the loaves are with them, but say in
John, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fishes."
[5351]And so long as these five loaves and two fishes were not
carried by the disciples of Jesus, they did not increase or multiply,
nor were they able to nourish more; but, when the Saviour took them,
and in the first placed looked up to heaven, with the rays of His
eyes, as it were, drawing down from it power which was to be mingled
with the loaves and the fishes which were about to feed the five
thousand; and after this blessed the five loaves and the two fishes,
increasing and multiplying them by the word and the blessing; and in
the third place dividing and breaking He gave to the disciples that
they might set them before the multitudes, then the loaves and the
fishes were sufficient, so that all ate and were satisfied, and some
portions of the loaves which had been blessed they were unable to
eat. For so much remained over to the multitudes, which was not
according to the capacity of the multitudes but of the disciples who
were able to take up that which remained over of the broken pieces,
and to place it in baskets filled with that which remained over, which
were in number so many as the tribes of Israel. Concerning Joseph,
then, it is written in the Psalms, "His hands served in the basket,"
[5352] but about the disciples of Jesus that they took up that which
remained over of the broken pieces twelve baskets, twelve baskets, I
take it, not half-full but filled. And there are, I think, up to the
present time, and will be until the consummation of the age with the
disciples of Jesus, who are superior to the multitudes, the twelve
baskets, filled with the broken pieces of living bread which the
multitudes cannot eat. Now those who ate of the five loaves which
existed before the twelve baskets that remained over, were kindred in
nature to the number five; for those who ate had reached the stage of
sensible things, since also they were nourished by Him who looked up
to heaven and blessed and brake them, and were not boys nor women, but
men. For there are, I think, even in sensible foods differences, so
that some of them belong to those who "have put away childish things,"
[5353] and some to those who are still babes and carnal in Christ.
Footnotes
[5344] Matt. xiv. 16.
[5345] Matt. xiv. 17.
[5346] logos prophorikos.
[5347] logos endiathetos.
[5348] Luke xxiv. 42, 43.
[5349] Matt. xiv. 17; Mark vi. 38; Luke ix. 13.
[5350] John vi. 9.
[5351] John vi. 9.
[5352] Ps. lxxxi. 7.
[5353] 1 Cor. xiii. 11.
3. The Exposition of Details Continued. The Sitting Down on the
Grass. The Division into Companies.
We have spoken these things because of the words, "They that did eat
were five thousand men, beside children and women," [5354] which is an
ambiguous expression; for either those who ate were five thousand men,
and among those who ate there was no child or woman; or the men only
were five thousand, the children and the women not being reckoned.
Some, then, as we have said by anticipation, have so understood the
passage that neither children nor women were present, when the
increase and multiplication of the five loaves and the two fishes took
place. But some one might say that, while many ate and according to
their desert and capacity participated in the loaves of blessing, some
worthy to be numbered, corresponding to the men of twenty years old
who are numbered in the Book of Numbers, [5355] were Israelitish men,
but others who were not worthy of such account and numbering were
children and women. Moreover, interpret with me allegorically the
children in accordance with the passage, "I could not speak unto you
as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes in Christ;"
[5356] and the women in accordance with the saying, "I wish to present
you all as a pure virgin to Christ;" [5357] and the men according to
the saying, "When I am become a man I have put away childish things."
[5358]Let us not pass by without exposition the words, "He
commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass, and He look the
five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed,
and brake, and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to
the multitudes. And they did all eat." [5359]For what is meant by
the words, "And He commanded all the multitudes to sit down on the
grass?" And what are we to understand in the passage worthy of the
command of Jesus? Now, I think that He commanded the multitudes to
sit down on the grass because of what is said in Isaiah, "All flesh is
grass;" [5360] that is to say, He commanded them to put the flesh
under, and to keep in subjection "the mind of the flesh," [5361] that
so any one might be able to partake of the loaves which Jesus
blesses. Then since there are different orders of those who need the
food which Jesus supplies and all are not nourished by equal words, on
this account I think that Mark has written, "And He commanded them
that they should all sit down by companies upon the green grass; and
they sat down in ranks by hundreds and by fifties;" [5362] but Luke,
"And He said unto His disciples, Make them sit down in companies about
fifty each." [5363]For it was necessary that those who were to find
rest in the food of Jesus should either be in the order of the
hundred--the sacred number--which is consecrated to God, because of
the unit, (in it) or in the order of the fifty--the number which
embraces the remission of sins, in accordance with the mystery of the
Jubilee which took place every fifty years, and of the feast at
Pentecost. And I think that the twelve baskets were in the possession
of the disciples to whom it was said "Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel." [5364]And as the throne of
him who judges the tribe of Reuben might be said to be a mystery, and
the throne of him who judges the tribe of Simeon, and another of him
who judges the tribe of Judah, and so on with the others; so there
might be a basket of the food of Reuben, and another of Simeon, and
another of Levi. But it is not in accordance with our present
discourse now to digress so far from the subject in hand as to collect
what is said about the twelve tribes, and separately what is said
about each of them, and to say what each tribe of Israel may signify.
Footnotes
[5354] Matt. xiv. 21.
[5355] Num. i. 3.
[5356] 1 Cor. iii. 1.
[5357] 2 Cor. xi. 2.
[5358] 1 Cor. xiii. 11.
[5359] Matt. xiv. 19, 20.
[5360] Isa. xl. 6.
[5361] Rom. viii. 6.
[5362] Mark vi. 39, 40.
[5363] Luke ix. 14.
[5364] Matt. xix. 28.
4. The Multitudes and the Disciples Contrasted.
"And straightway He constrained the disciples to enter into the boat,
and to go before Him unto the other side, till He should send the
multitudes away." [5365]It should be observed how often in the same
passages is mentioned the word, "the multitudes," and another word,
"the disciples," so that by observing and bringing together the
passages about this matter it may be seen that the aim of the
Evangelists was to represent by means of the Gospel history the
differences of those who come to Jesus; of whom some are the
multitudes and are not called disciples, and others are the disciples
who are better than the multitudes. It is sufficient, however, for
the present, for us to set forth a few sayings, so that any one who is
moved by them may do the like with the whole of the Gospels. It is
written then--as if the multitudes were below, but the disciples were
able to come to Jesus when He went up into the mountain, where the
multitudes were not able to be--as follows: "And seeing the
multitudes He went up into the mountain, and when He had sat down His
disciples came unto Him; and He opened His mouth and taught them
saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit," etc. [5366]And again in
another place, as the multitudes stood in need of healing, it is said,
"Many multitudes followed Him and He healed them." [5367]We do not
find any healing recorded of the disciples; since if any one is
already a disciple of Jesus he is whole, and being well he needs Jesus
not as a physician but in respect of His other powers. Again in
another place, when He was speaking to the multitudes, His mother and
His brethren stood without, seeking to speak to Him; this was made
known to Him by some one to whom He answered, stretching forth His
hand not towards the multitudes but towards the disciples, and said,
"Behold My mother and My brethren," [5368] and bearing testimony to
the disciples as doing the will of the Father which is in heaven, He
added, "He is My brother and sister and mother." [5369]And again in
another place it is written, "All the multitude stood on the beach and
He spake to them many things in parables." [5370]Then after the
parable of the sowing, it was no longer the multitudes but the
disciples who came and said to Him, not "Why speakest thou to us in
parables," but, "Why speakest thou to them in parables." [5371]Then
also He answered and said, not to the multitudes but to the disciples,
"To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,
but to the rest in parables." [5372] Accordingly, of those who come to
the name of Jesus some, who know the mysteries of the kingdom of
heaven, would be called disciples; but those to whom such a privilege
is not given would be called multitudes, who would be spoken of as
inferior to the disciples. For observe carefully that He said to the
disciples, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of
heaven," but about the multitudes, "To them it is not given." [5373]
And in another place He dismisses the multitudes indeed, and goes into
the house, [5374] but He does not dismiss the disciples; and there
came to Him into His house, not the multitudes but His disciples,
saying, "Declare to us the parable of the tares of the field." [5375]
Moreover, also, in another place when Jesus heard the things
concerning John and withdrew in a boat to a desert place apart, the
multitudes followed Him; when He came forth and saw a great multitude
He had compassion on them and healed their sick--the sick of the
multitudes, not of the disciples. [5376]"And when even was come
there came to Him," not the multitudes, but the disciples, as being
different from the multitudes, saying, "Send the multitudes away that
they may go into the villages and buy themselves food." [5377]And,
further, when Jesus took the five loaves and the two fishes, and
looking up to heaven He blessed and brake the loaves, He gave not to
the multitudes but to the disciples, [5378] that the disciples might
give to the multitudes who were not able to take from Him, but
received with difficulty at the hands of the disciples the loaves of
the blessing of Jesus, and did not eat even all these; for the
multitudes were filled and left that which remained over in twelve
baskets which were full.
Footnotes
[5365] Matt. xiv. 22.
[5366] Matt. v. 1-3.
[5367] Matt. xii. 15.
[5368] Matt. xiv. 46-49.
[5369] Matt. xiv. 50.
[5370] Matt. xiii. 2, 3.
[5371] Matt. xiii. 10.
[5372] Matt. xiii. 11.
[5373] Matt. xiii. 11.
[5374] Matt. xiii. 36.
[5375] Matt. xiii. 36.
[5376] Matt. xiv. 13, 14.
[5377] Matt. xiv. 15.
[5378] Matt. xiv. 19.
5. The Disciples in Conflict. Jesus Walks Upon the Waters.
The reason why we have taken up this subject is the passage under
discussion which tells that Jesus separated the disciples from the
multitudes, and constrained them to enter into the boat and to go
before Him unto the other side until He Himself should send the
multitudes away; [5379] for the multitudes were not able to go away to
the other side, as they were not in the mystic sense Hebrews, which
are by interpretation, "dwelling on the other side." But this was the
work of the disciples of Jesus--I mean to go away to the other side,
and to pass beyond things seen and material, as temporal, and to go on
to things unseen and eternal. To be dismissed by Jesus was a
sufficient act of kindness bestowed on the multitudes by Jesus; for
just because they were multitudes they were not able to go away to the
other side; and this kind of dismissal no one has the power to effect
save Jesus only, and it is not possible for any one to be dismissed
unless he has first eaten of the loaves which Jesus blesses. Nor is
it possible for any one to eat of the loaves of blessing of Jesus
unless he has done as Jesus commanded and sat down upon the grass as
we have told. Nor again was it possible for the multitudes to do this
unless they had followed Jesus from their own cities, when He withdrew
into a desert place apart. And at first, when He was asked by the
disciples to send away the multitudes, He did not send them away until
He had fed them with the loaves of blessing; but now He sends them
away, having first constrained the disciples to enter into the boat;
and He sends them away, while they were somewhere below,--for the
desert was below,--but He Himself went up into the mountain to pray.
[5380]And you must observe this, that immediately after the five
thousand had been fed, Jesus constrained the disciples to embark into
the boat, and to go before Him unto the other side. Only, the
disciples were not able to go before Jesus to the other side; but,
when they had got as far as the middle of the sea, and the boat was
distressed "because the wind was contrary to them," [5381] they were
afraid when about the fourth watch of the night Jesus came to them.
And if Jesus had not gone up into the boat neither would the wind
which was contrary to the disciples who were sailing have ceased, nor
would those who were sailing have gone across and come to the other
side. And, perhaps, wishing to teach them by experience that it was
not possible apart from Him to go to the other side He constrained
them to enter into the boat and go before Him to the other side; but,
when they were not able to advance farther than the middle of the sea,
He appeared to them, and did what is written, [5382] and showed that
he who arrives at the other side reaches it because Jesus sails along
with him. But what is the boat into which Jesus constrained the
disciples to enter? Is it perhaps the conflict of temptations and
difficulties into which any one is constrained by the Word, and goes
unwillingly, as it were, when the Saviour wishes to train by exercise
the disciples in this boat which is distressed by the waves and the
contrary wind? But since Mark has made a slight change in the
reading, and for "Straightway He constrained the disciples to enter
into the boat and to go before Him to the other side," has written,
"And straightway He constrained His disciples to enter into the boat
and to go before Him unto the other side unto Bethsaida," [5383] we
must attend to the word, "He constrained," when first we have seen to
the slight variation in Mark who indicates something more definite by
the addition of the pronoun; for the same thing is not expressed by
the words, straightway "He constrained the disciples." Something more
than "the" disciples simply is written in Mark, namely, "His"
disciples. Perhaps, therefore, to attend to the expression, the
disciples who found it hard to tear themselves away from Jesus, and
could not be separated from Him by any ordinary cause, wished to be
present with Him; but He having judged that they should make trial of
the waves and of the contrary wind, which would not have been contrary
if they had been with Jesus, put on them the necessity of being
separated from Him and entering into the boat. The Saviour then
compels the disciples to enter into the boat of temptations and to go
before Him to the other side, and through victory over them to go
beyond critical difficulties; but when they had come into the midst of
the sea, and of the waves in the temptations, and of the contrary
winds which prevented them from going away to the other side, they
were not able, struggling as they were without Jesus, to overcome the
waves and the contrary wind and reach the other side. Wherefore the
Word, taking compassion upon them who had done all that was in their
power to reach the other side, came to them walking upon the sea,
which for Him had no waves or wind that was able to oppose if He so
willed; for it is not written, "He came to them walking upon the
waves," but, "upon the waters;" [5384] Just as Peter, who at first
when Jesus said to him, "Come," went down from the boat and walked not
upon "the waves," but upon "the waters" [5385] to come to Jesus; but
when he doubted he saw that the wind was strong, which was not strong
to him who laid aside his little faith and his doubting. But, when
Jesus went up with Peter into the boat, the wind ceased, as it had no
power to energise against the boat when Jesus had gone up into it.
Footnotes
[5379] Matt. xiv. 22.
[5380] Matt. xiv. 23.
[5381] Matt. xiv. 24.
[5382] Matt. xiv. 25.
[5383] Mark vi. 45.
[5384] Matt. xiv. 25.
[5385] Matt. xiv. 29.
6. Interpretation of the Details in the Narrative. Application
Thereof to All Disciples.
And then the disciples "having crossed over came to the land
Gennesaret," [5386] of which word, if we knew the interpretation, we
might gain some assistance in the exposition of the present passage.
And observe, since God is faithful, and will not suffer the multitudes
to be tempted above that they are able, [5387] in what way the Son of
God constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, as being
stronger and able to get as far as the middle of the sea, and to
endure the trials by the waves, until they became worthy of divine
assistance, and saw Jesus and heard Him when He had gone up, and to
cross over and come to the land Gennesaret; but as for the multitudes
who, because they were weaker, did not make trial of the boat and the
waves and the contrary wind, them He sent away, and went up into the
mountain apart to pray. [5388]To pray for whom? Was it perhaps to
pray for the multitudes that, when they were dismissed after the
loaves of blessing, they might do nothing opposed to their dismissal
by Jesus? And for the disciples that, when they were constrained by
Him to enter into the boat and to go before Him unto the other side,
they might suffer nothing in the sea nor from the contrary wind? And
I would say with confidence, that, because of the prayer of Jesus to
the Father for the disciples, they suffered nothing when sea and wave
and contrary wind were striving against them. The simpler disciple,
then, may be satisfied with the bare narrative; but let us remember,
if ever we fall into distressful temptations, that Jesus has
constrained us to enter into their boat, wishing us to go before Him
unto the other side; for it is not possible for us to reach the other
side, unless we have endured the temptations of waves and contrary
wind. Then when we see many difficulties besetting us, and with
moderate struggle we have swum through them to some extent, let us
consider that our boat is in the midst of the sea, distressed at that
time by the waves which wish us to make shipwreck concerning faith or
some one of the virtues; but when we see the spirit of the evil one
striving against us, let us conceive that then the wind is contrary to
us. When then in such suffering we have spent three watches of the
night--that is, of the darkness which is in the temptations--striving
nobly with all our might and watching ourselves so as not to make
shipwreck concerning the faith or some one of the virtues,--the first
watch against the father of darkness and wickedness, the second watch
against his son "who opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is
called God or thing that is worshipped," [5389] and the third watch
against the spirit [5390] that is opposed to the Holy Spirit, then we
believe that when the fourth watch impendeth, when "the night is far
spent, and the day is at hand," [5391] the Son of God will come to us,
that He may prepare the sea for us, walking upon it. And when we see
the Word appearing unto us we shall indeed be troubled before we
clearly understand that it is the Saviour who has come to us,
supposing that we are still beholding an apparition, and for fear
shall cry out; but He Himself straightway will speak to us saying, "Be
of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." [5392]And if, warmly moved
by His "Be of good cheer," any Peter be found among us, who is on his
way to perfection but has not yet become perfect, having gone down
from the boat, as if coming out of that temptation in which he was
distressed, he will indeed walk at first, wishing to come to Jesus
upon the waters; but being as yet of little faith, and as yet
doubting, will see that the wind is strong and will be afraid and
begin to sink; but he will not sink because he will call upon Jesus
with loud voice, and will say to Him, "Lord, save me;" [5393] then
immediately while such a Peter is yet speaking and saying, "Lord save
me," the Word will stretch forth His hand, holding out assistance to
such an one, and will take hold of him when he is beginning to sink,
and will reproach him for his little faith and doubting. [5394]
Only, observe that He did not say, "O thou without faith," but, "O
thou of little faith," and that it was said, "Wherefore didst thou
doubt," as he had still a measure of faith, but also had a tendency
towards that which was opposed to faith.
Footnotes
[5386] Matt. xiv. 34.
[5387] Cf. 1 Cor. x. 13.
[5388] Matt. xiv. 22, 23.
[5389] 2 Thess. ii. 4.
[5390] The conception of Origen seems to be that opposed to the Divine
Trinity there is an evil trinity. Cf. book xii. 20.
[5391] Rom. xiii. 12.
[5392] Matt. xiv. 27.
[5393] Matt. xiv. 30.
[5394] Matt. xiv. 31.
7. The Healing of the Sick on the Other Side. The Method of Healing.
But after this both Jesus and Peter will go up into the boat, and the
wind will cease; and those in the boat, perceiving the great dangers
from which they have been saved, will worship Him, saying, not simply,
"Thou art the Son of God," as also the two demoniacs said, but, "Of a
truth, Thou art the Son of God." [5395]This the disciples in the
boat say, for I do not think that others than the disciples said so.
And when we have undergone all these experiences, having crossed over,
we shall come to the land where Jesus commanded us to go before Him.
And perhaps, also, some secret and occult mystery with reference to
some who were saved by Jesus is indicated by the words, "And when the
men of that place knew Him,"--plainly of the place on the other
side,--"they sent into all that region round about,"--round about the
other side, not on the other side itself, but round about it,--"and
they brought unto Him all that were sick." [5396]And here observe
that they brought unto Him not only many that were sick, but all in
that region round about; and the sick who were brought to Him besought
Him that they might touch if it were only the border of His garment,
[5397] beseeching this grace from Him, since they were not like "the
woman who had an issue of blood twelve years, and who came behind Him
and touched the border of His garment, saying within herself, If I do
but touch His garment, I shall be made whole." [5398]For observe in
what is said about the border of His garment, on account of what the
flowing of her blood ceased at once. But those from the country round
the land of Gennesaret, to which Jesus and His disciples crossed over
and came, did not come of themselves to Jesus, but were brought by
those who had sent the tidings, inasmuch as they were not able because
of their extreme weakness to come of themselves. Nor did they merely
touch the garment, like the woman who had an issue of blood, but they
touched after that they had besought Him. Only, of these, "as many as
touched were made whole." [5399]And whether there be any difference
between the "They were made whole," [5400] which is said in their
case, and the "being saved," [5401] --for it was said to the woman
with the issue of blood, "Thy faith hath saved thee," [5402] you may
yourself consider.
Footnotes
[5395] Matt. xiv. 33.
[5396] Matt. xiv. 35.
[5397] Matt. xiv. 36.
[5398] Matt. ix. 20, 21.
[5399] Matt. xiv. 36.
[5400] diesothesan.
[5401] sothenai.
[5402] Matt. ix. 22.
8. Concerning the Pharisees and Scribes Who Came and Inquired, Why Do
Thy Disciples Transgress the Tradition of the Elders?
"Then there came to Him from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying,
Why do Thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they
wash not their hands when they eat bread." [5403]He who observes at
what time the Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus,
saying, "Why do Thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders,"
etc., will perceive that Matthew of necessity wrote not simply that
Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem came to the Saviour to inquire of
Him the matters before us, but put it thus, "Then come to Him from
Jerusalem." What time, therefore, are we to understand by "then"? At
the time when Jesus and His disciples crossed over and came in the
boat to the land of Gennesaret, when the wind ceased from the time
that Jesus entered into the boat, and when "the men of that place
knowing Him sent into all that region round about, and brought unto
Him all that were sick, and besought Him that they might touch if it
were only the border of His garment, and as many as touched were made
whole." [5404]At that time came to Him from Jerusalem Pharisees and
scribes, not struck with admiration at the power which was in Jesus,
which healed those who only touched even the border of His garment,
but in a censorious spirit, accusing the disciples before their
Teacher, not concerning the transgression of a commandment of God, but
of a single tradition of the Jewish elders. And it is probable that
this very charge of these censorious persons is a proof of the piety
of the disciples of Jesus, who gave to the Pharisees and scribes no
opportunity of censure with reference to the transgression of the
commandments of God, as they would not have brought the charge of
transgression against the disciples, as transgressing the commandment
of the elders, if they had had it in their power to censure those whom
they accused, and to show that they were transgressing a commandment
of God. But do not suppose that these things go to establish the
necessity of keeping the law of Moses according to the letter, because
the disciples of Jesus up to that time kept it; for not before He
suffered did He "redeem us from the curse of the law," [5405] who in
suffering for men "became a curse for us." But just as fittingly Paul
became a Jew to the Jews that he might gain Jews, [5406] what strange
thing is it that the Apostles, whose way of life was passed among the
Jews, even though they understood the spiritual things in the law,
should have used a spirit of accommodation, as Paul also did when he
circumcised Timothy, [5407] and offered sacrifice in accordance with a
certain legal vow, as is written in the Acts of the Apostles? [5408]
Only, again, they appear fond of bringing accusations, as they have no
charge to bring against the disciples of Jesus with reference to a
commandment of God, but only with reference to one tradition of the
elders. And especially does this love of accusation become manifest
in this, that they bring the charge in presence of those very persons
who had been healed from their sickness; in appearance against the
disciples, but in reality purposing to slander their Teacher, as it
was a tradition of the elders that the washing of hands was a thing
essential to piety. For they thought that the hands of those who did
not wash before eating bread were defiled and unclean, but that the
hands of those who had washed them with water became pure and holy,
not in a figurative sense, in due relation to the law of Moses
according to the letter. But let us, not according to the tradition
of the elders among the Jews, but according to sound reason, endeavour
to purify our own actions and so to wash the hands of our souls, when
we are about to eat the three loaves which we ask from Jesus, who
wishes to be our friend; [5409] for with hands that are defiled and
unwashed and impure, we ought not to partake of the loaves.
Footnotes
[5403] Matt. xv. 1, 2.
[5404] Matt. xiv. 35, 36.
[5405] Gal. iii. 13.
[5406] 1 Cor. ix. 20.
[5407] Gal. ii. 3.
[5408] Acts xxi. 26; xviii. 18.
[5409] Cf. Luke xi. 5.
9. Explanation of "Corban."
Jesus, however, does not accuse them with reference to a tradition of
the Jewish elders, but with regard to two most imperative commandments
of God, the one of which was the fifth in the decalogue, being as
follows: "Honour thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with
thee, and that thy days may be long on the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee;" [5410] and the other was written thus in Leviticus, "If
a man speak evil of his father or his mother, let him die the death;
he has spoken evil of his father or mother, he shall be guilty."
[5411]But when we wish to examine the very letter of the words as
given by Matthew, "He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him
die the death," [5412] consider whether it was taken from the place
where it was written, "Whoso striketh his father or mother, let him
die the death; and he that speaketh evil of father or mother let him
die the death." [5413]For such are the exact words taken from the
Law with regard to the two commandments; but Matthew has quoted them
in part and in an abridged form, and not in the very words. But what
the nature of the charge is which the Saviour brings against the
Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem, when He says that they
transgress the commandment of God because of their tradition we must
consider. And God said, "Honour thy father and thy mother," [5414]
teaching that the child should pay the honour which is due to his
parents. Of this honour to parents one part was to share with them
the necessaries of life, such as food and clothing, and if there was
any other thing in which it was possible for them to show favour
towards their own parents. But the Pharisees and scribes promulgated
in opposition to the law a tradition which is found rather obscurely
in the Gospel, and which we ourselves would not have thought of,
unless one of the Hebrews had given to us the following facts relating
to the passage. Sometimes, he says, when money-lenders fell in with
stubborn debtors who were able but not willing to pay their debts,
they consecrated what was due to the account of the poor, for whom
money was cast into the treasury by each of those who wished to give a
portion of their goods to the poor according to their ability. They,
therefore, said sometimes to their debtors in their own tongue, "That
which you owe to me is Corban,"--that is, a gift--"for I have
consecrated it to the poor, to the account of piety towards God."
Then the debtor, as no longer in debt to men but to God and to piety
towards God, was shut up, as it were, even though unwilling, to
payment of the debt, no longer to the money-lender, but now to God for
the account of the poor, in name of the money-lender. What then the
money-lender did to the debtor, that sometimes some sons did to their
parents and said to them, "That wherewith thou mightest have been
profited by me, father or mother, know that you will receive this from
Corban," [5415] from the account of the poor who are consecrated to
God. Then the parents, hearing that that which should have been given
to them was Corban,--consecrated to God,--no longer wished to take it
from their sons, even though they were in extreme need of the
necessaries of life. The elders, then, declared to the people a
tradition of this kind, "Whosoever said to his father or mother, that
which should be given to any of them is Corban and a gift, that man
was no longer a debtor to his father or mother in respect of giving to
them the necessaries of life." The Saviour censures this tradition,
as not being sound but opposed to the commandment of God. For if God
says, "Honour thy father and thy mother," but the tradition said, he
is not bound to honour his father or mother by a gift, who has
consecrated to God, as Corban, that which would have been given to his
parents, manifestly the commandment of God concerning the honour due
to parents was made void by the tradition of the Pharisees and scribes
which said, that he was no longer bound to honour his father or
mother, who had, once for all, consecrated to God that which the
parents would have received. And the Pharisees, as lovers of money,
in order that under pretext of the poor they might receive even that
which would have been given to the parents of any one, gave such
teaching. And the Gospel testifies to their love of money, saying,
"But the Pharisees who were lovers of money heard these things and
they scoffed at Him." [5416]If, then, any one of those who are
called elders among us, or of those who are in any way rulers of the
people, profess to give to the poor under the name of the commonweal,
rather than to be of those who give to their kindred if they should
chance to be in need of the necessaries of life, and those who give
cannot do both, this man might with justice be called a brother of
those Pharisees who made void the word of God through their own
tradition, and were accused by the Saviour as hypocrites. And as a
very powerful deterrent to any one from being anxious to take from the
account of the poor, and from thinking that "the piety of others is a
way of gain," [5417] we have not only these things, but also that
which is recorded about the traitor Judas, who in appearance
championed the cause of the poor, and said with indignation, "This
ointment might have been sold for three hundred pence and given to the
poor," [5418] but in reality "was a thief, and having the bag took
away what was put therein." [5419]If, then, any one in our time who
has the bag of the Church speaks likes Judas on behalf of the poor,
but takes away what is put therein, let there be assigned to him the
portion along with Judas who did these things; on account of which
things eating like a gangrene into his soul, the devil cast it into
his heart to betray the Saviour; and, when he had received the "fiery
dart," [5420] with reference to this end, the devil afterwards himself
entered into his soul and took full possession of him. And perhaps,
when the Apostle says, "The love of money is a root of all evils,"
[5421] he says it because of Judas' love of money, which was a root of
all the evils that were committed against Jesus.
Footnotes
[5410] Ex. xx. 12.
[5411] Lev. xx. 9.
[5412] Matt. xv. 4.
[5413] Exod. xxi. 15; Lev. xx. 9.
[5414] Exod. xx. 12.
[5415] Matt. xv. 4.
[5416] Luke xvi. 14.
[5417] 1 Tim. vi. 5.
[5418] Mark xiv. 5; John xii. 5.
[5419] John xii. 6.
[5420] Eph. vi. 16.
[5421] 1 Tim. vi. 10.
10. The Traditions of the Elders in Collision with Divine Law.
But let us return to the subject before us, in which the Saviour
abridged and expounded two commandments from the law, the one from the
decalogue from Exodus, and the other from Leviticus, or the other from
some one of the books of the Pentateuch. Then since we have explained
in what way they made void the word of God which said, "Honour thy
father and thy mother," by saying, "Thou shalt not honour thy father
or thy mother," whosoever shall say to his father or mother, "It is a
gift that wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me," some one
may inquire whether the words, "He that speaketh evil of father or
mother, let him die the death," [5422] are not extraneous. For,
granted that he does not honour his father and mother, who consecrates
to what is called Corban that which would have been given in honour of
father and mother, in what way, therefore, does the tradition of the
Pharisees make void the word which said, "He that speaketh evil of
father or mother, let him die the death?" But, perhaps, when any one
said to his father or his mother, "It is a gift, that wherewith thou
mightest have been profited by me," [5423] he, as it were, casts abuse
on his father or mother as if he were calling his parents
sacrilegious, in taking that which was consecrated to Corban from him
who had consecrated it to Corban. The Jews then punish their sons
[5424] according to the law, as speaking evil of father or mother,
when they say to their father or mother, "It is a gift, that wherewith
thou mightest have been profited by me," but you by one of your
traditions make void two commandments of God. And then you are not
ashamed to accuse My disciples who transgress no commandment; for they
walk "in all His commandments and ordinances blamelessly," [5425] but
transgress a tradition of the elders, so as not to transgress a
commandment of God. And if you had held this aim before you, you
would have kept the commandment about the honour due to father and
mother, and that which said, "He that speaketh evil of father and
mother, let him die the death;" but the tradition of the elders which
is opposed to these commandments you would not have kept.
Footnotes
[5422] Matt. xv. 4.
[5423] Matt. xv. 5.
[5424] Or, you, if we read humas.
[5425] Cf. Luke i. 6.
11. Exposition of the Prophecy of Isaiah Quoted by Jesus.
And, after this, wishing to refute completely from the words of the
prophets all these traditions of the elders among the Jews, He brought
before them a saying, from Isaiah, which in the exact words is as
follows: "And the Lord said, This people draws nigh to Me with their
mouth," etc.; [5426] and, as we said before, Matthew has not written
out the prophetical saying in the very words. And, if it be necessary
because of its use in the Gospel to interpret it according to our
ability, we will take in addition the preceding passage which is, in
my judgment, noted with advantage by us for the exposition of that
passage in the Gospel which was taken from the prophet. The passage
in Isaiah from the beginning is thus, "Be ye faint, and be maddened:
be ye drunken, but not with strong drink nor with wine: for the Lord
hath given you to drink of the spirit of stupor, and He will close
their eyes, both of their prophets, and of their rulers who see things
secret. And all these sayings shall be to you as the words of the
book, which has been sealed, which if they give to a man who knows
letters, saying, Read this, he shall answer, I cannot read, for it is
sealed. And this book will be given into the hands of a man who does
not know letters, and one will say to him, Read this, and he will say,
I know not letters. And the Lord said, This people is nigh to Me,"
etc., down to the words, "Woe unto them that form counsel in secret,
and their works shall be in darkness." [5427]Taking up then the
passage before us in the Gospel, I have put some of the verses which
come before it, and some which follow it, in order to show in what way
the Word threatens to close the eyes of those of the people who are
astonished and drunken, and have been made to drink of the spirit of
deep sleep. And it threatens also to close the eyes of their prophets
and their rulers who profess to see things secret,--which things, I
think, took place after the advent of the Saviour among that people;
for all the words of the whole of the Scriptures, and of Isaiah also,
have become to them as the words of a sealed book. Now the expression
"sealed" is used of a book closed in virtue of its obscurity and not
open in virtue of its lucidity, which is equally obscure to those who
are not able to read it at all because they do not know letters, and
to those who profess to know letters but do not understand the meaning
in the things which have been written. Well, then, does he add to
this, that when the people, fainting because of their sins and being
in a state of madness rage against Him through those sins wherewith
they shall be drunken against Him with the spirit of stupor, which
shall be given to them to drink by the Lord when He closes their eyes,
as unworthy to see, and the eyes of their prophets and of their rulers
who profess to see the hidden things of the mysteries in the Divine
Scriptures; and, when their eyes are closed, then shall the prophetic
words be sealed to them and hidden, as has been the case with those
who do not believe in Jesus as the Christ. And when the prophetic
sayings have become as the words of a sealed book, not only to those
who do not know letters but to those who profess to know, then the
Lord said, that the people of the Jews draw nigh to God with their
mouth only, and He says that they honour Him with their lips, because
their heart by reason of their unbelief in Jesus is far from the
Lord. And now, especially, from the time at which they denied our
Saviour, it might be said about them by God, "But in vain do they
worship Me;" [5428] for they no longer teach the precepts of God but
of men, and doctrines which are human and no longer of the Spirit of
wisdom. Wherefore, when these things happen to them, God has removed
the people of the Jews, and has caused to perish the wisdom of the
wise men among them; for there is no longer wisdom among them, just as
there is no prophecy; but God has utterly destroyed the prudence of
the prudent and concealed it, [5429] and no longer is it splendid and
conspicuous. Wherefore, although they may seem to form some counsel
in a deep fashion, because they do it not through the Lord they are
called miserable; and even though they profess to tell some secrets of
the Divine counsel they lie, since their works are not works of light,
but of darkness and night. [5430]I have thought it right briefly to
set forth the prophecy, and to a certain extent elucidate its meaning,
seeing that Matthew made mention of it. And Mark also made mention of
it, from whom we may usefully set down the following words in the
place, with reference to the transgression of the elders who held that
it was necessary to wash hands when the Jews ate bread, "For the
Pharisees and all the Jews, except they wash their hands diligently,
eat not, holding the tradition of the elders; and when they come from
the market-place except they wash themselves they eat not. And there
are some other things which they have received to hold, washings of
cups and pots and brazen vessels and couches." [5431]
Footnotes
[5426] Isa. xxix. 13.
[5427] Isa. xxix. 9-15.
[5428] Matt. xv. 9.
[5429] Isa. xxix. 14.
[5430] Isa. xxix. 15.
[5431] Mark vii. 3, 4.
12. Things Clean and Unclean According to the Law and the Gospel.
"And He called to Him the multitude and said unto them, Hear and
understand, " etc. [5432]We are clearly taught in these words by
the Saviour that, when we read in Leviticus and Deuteronomy the
precepts about meat clean and unclean, for the transgression of which
we are accused by the material Jews and by the Ebionites who differ
little from them, we are not to think that the scope of the Scripture
is found in any superficial understanding of them. For if "not that
which entereth into the mouth defileth the man, but that which
proceedeth out of the mouth," [5433] and especially when, according to
Mark, the Saviour said these things "making all meats clean," [5434]
manifestly we are not defiled when we eat those things which the Jews
who desire to be in bondage to the letter of the law declare to be
unclean, but we are then defiled when, whereas our lips ought to be
bound with perception and we ought "to make for them what we call a
balance and weight," [5435] we speak offhand and discuss matters we
ought not, from which there comes to us the spring of sins. And it is
indeed becoming to the law of God to forbid those things which arise
from wickedness, and to enjoin those things which tend to virtue, but
as for things which are in their own nature indifferent to leave them
in their own place, as they may, according to our choice and the
reason which is in us, be done ill if we sin in them, but if rightly
directed by us be done well. And any one who has carefully thought on
these matters will see that, even in those things which are thought to
be good, it is possible for a man to sin who has taken them up in an
evil way and under the impulse of passion, and that these things
called impure may be considered pure, if used by us in accordance with
reason. As, then, when the Jew sins his circumcision shall be
reckoned for uncircumcision, but when one of the Gentiles acts
uprightly his uncircumcision shall be reckoned for circumcision,
[5436] so those things which are thought to be pure shall be reckoned
for impure in the case of him who does not use them fittingly, nor
when one ought, nor as far as he ought, nor for what reason he ought.
But as for the things which are called impure, "All things become pure
to the pure," for, "To them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing
is pure, since both their minds and their conscience are defiled."
[5437]And when these are defiled, they make all things whatsoever
they touch defiled; as again on the contrary the pure mind and the
pure conscience make all things pure, even though they may seem to be
impure; for not from intemperance, nor from love of pleasure, nor with
doubting which draws a man both ways, do the righteous use meats or
drinks, mindful of the precept, "Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever
other thing ye do, do all to the glory of God." [5438]And if it be
necessary to delineate the foods which are unclean according to the
Gospel, we will say that they are such as are supplied by
covetousness, and are the result of base love of gain, and are taken
up from love of pleasure, and from deifying the belly which is treated
with honour, when it, with its appetites, and not reason, rules our
souls. But as for us who know that some things are used by demons, or
if we do not know, but suspect, and are in doubt about it, if we use
such things, we have used them not to the glory of God, nor in the
name of Christ; for not only does the suspicion that things have been
sacrificed to idols condemn him who eats, but even the doubt
concerning this; for "he that doubteth," according to the Apostle, "is
condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; and whatsoever is
not of faith is sin." [5439]He then eats in faith who believes that
that which is eaten has not been sacrificed in the temples of idols,
and that it is not strangled nor blood; [5440] but he eats not of
faith who is in doubt about any of these things. And the man who
knowing that they have been sacrificed to demons nevertheless uses
them, becomes a communicant with demons, while at the same time, his
imagination is polluted with reference to demons participating in the
sacrifice. And the Apostle, however, knowing that it is not the
nature of meats which is the cause of injury to him who uses them or
of advantage to him who refrains from their use, but opinions and the
reason which is in them, said, "But meat commendeth us not to God, for
neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we eat not are we the
worse." [5441]And since he knew that those who have a loftier
conception of what things are pure and what impure according to the
law, turning aside from the distinction about the use of things pure
and impure, and superstition, I think, in respect of things being
different, become indifferent to the use of meats, [5442] and on this
account are condemned by the Jews as transgressors of law, he said
therefore, somewhere, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in
drink," etc., [5443] teaching us that the things according to the
letter are a shadow, but that the true thoughts of the law which are
stored up in them are the good things to come, in which one may find
what are the pure spiritual meats of the soul, and what are the impure
foods in false and contradictory words which injure the man who is
nourished in them, "For the law had a shadow of the good things to
come." [5444]
Footnotes
[5432] Matt. xv. 10.
[5433] Matt. xv. 11.
[5434] Mark vii. 19.
[5435] Ecclus. xxviii. 25.
[5436] Rom. ii. 25, 26.
[5437] Tit. i. 15.
[5438] 1 Cor. x. 31.
[5439] Rom. xiv. 23.
[5440] Cf. Acts xv. 20.
[5441] 1 Cor. viii. 8.
[5442] The text is uncertain.
[5443] Col. ii. 16.
[5444] Heb. x. 1.
13. The Offence of the Pharisees.
And as in many cases we have to consider the astonishment of the Jews
at the words of the Saviour, because they were spoken with authority,
so also in regard to the words in this place. Having called the
multitudes therefore, He said unto them, "Hear and understand," [5445]
etc. And He said this, the Pharisees being offended at this saying,
as, because of their evil opinions and their worthless interpretation
of the law, they were not the plant of his own Father in heaven, and
on this account were being rooted up; [5446] for they were rooted up
as they did not receive the true vine, which was cultivated by the
Father, even Jesus Christ. [5447]For how could they be a plant of
His Father who were offended at the words of Jesus, words which turn
men away from the precept, "Handle not, nor taste, nor touch,--all
which things were to perish in the using--after the precepts and
doctrines of men," [5448] but induce the intelligent hearer of them to
seek in regard to them the things which are above and not the things
upon the earth as the Jews do? [5449]And since, because of their
evil opinions, the Pharisees were not the plant of His Father in
heaven, on this account, as about such as were incorrigible, He says
to the disciple, "Let them alone;" [5450] "Let them alone," He said
for this reason, that as they were blind they ought to become
conscious of their blindness and seek guides; but they, being
unconscious of their own blindness, profess to guide the blind, not
reckoning that they would fall into a pit, about which it is written
in the Psalms, "He hath made a pit, and digged it, and will fall into
the ditch which he hath made." [5451]Again, elsewhere it is
written, "And seeing the multitudes, He went up into the mountain, and
when He had sat down His disciples came unto Him;" [5452] but here He
stretches forth His hand to the multitude, calling them unto Him, and
turning their thoughts away from the literal interpretation of the
questions in the law, when He in the first place said to them, who did
not yet understand what they heard, "Hear and understand," and
thereafter as in parables said to them, "Not that which entereth into
the mouth defileth the man, but that which proceedeth out of the
mouth." [5453]
Footnotes
[5445] Matt. xv. 10.
[5446] Matt. xv. 13.
[5447] John xv. 1.
[5448] Col. ii. 21, 22.
[5449] Col. iii. 2.
[5450] Matt. xv. 14.
[5451] Ps. vii. 15.
[5452] Matt. v. 1.
[5453] Matt. xv. 10, 11.
14. Why the Pharisees Were Not a Plant of God. Teaching of Origen on
the "Bread of the Lord."
After this, it is worth while to look at the phrase which has been
assailed in a sophistical way by those who say [5454] that the God of
the law and the God of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not the same; for
they say that the heavenly Father of Jesus Christ is not the
husbandman of those who think that they worship God according to the
law of Moses. Jesus Himself said that the Pharisees, who were
worshipping the God who created the world and the law, were not a
plant which His heavenly Father had planted, and that for this reason
it was being rooted up. [5455]But you might also say this, that
even if it were the Father of Jesus who "brought in and planted the
people," when it came out of Egypt, "to the mountain of His own
inheritance, to the place which He had prepared for Himself to dwell
in," [5456] yet Jesus would have said, in regard to the Pharisees,
"Every plant which My heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted
up." Now, to this we will say, that as many as on account of their
perverse interpretation of the things in the law were not a plant of
His Father in heaven, were blinded in their minds, as not believing
the truth, but taking pleasure in unrighteousness, [5457] by him who
is deified by the sons of this world, and on this account is called by
Paul the god of this world. [5458]And do not suppose that Paul said
that he was truly God; for just as the belly, though it is not the god
of those who prize pleasure too highly, being lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God, is said by Paul to be their god, [5459] so
the prince of this world, in regard to whom the Saviour says, "Now has
the prince of this world been judged," [5460] though he is not God, is
said to be the god of those who do not wish to receive the spirit of
adoption, in order that they may become sons of that world, and sons
of the resurrection from the dead, [5461] and who, on this account,
abide in the sonship of this world. I have deemed it necessary to
introduce these matters, even though they may have been spoken by way
of digression, because of the saying, "They are blind guides of the
blind." [5462]Who are such? The Pharisees, whose minds the god of
this world hath blinded as they are unbelieving, because they have not
believed in Jesus Christ; and he hath blinded them so that the "light
of the Gospel of the glory of God in the face of Christ should not
dawn upon them." [5463]But not only must we avoid being guided by
those blind ones who are conscious that they are in need of guides,
because they have not yet received the power of vision of themselves;
but even in the case of all who profess to guide us in sound doctrine,
we must hear with care, and apply a sound judgment to what is said,
lest being guided according to the ignorance of those who are blind,
and do not see the things that concern sound doctrine, we ourselves
may appear to be blind because we do not see the sense of the
Scriptures, so that both he who guides and he who is guided will fall
into the ditch of which we have spoken before. Next to this, it is
written in what way Peter answered and said to the Saviour, as if he
had not understood the saying, "Not that which cometh into the mouth
defileth the man, but that which goeth out of the mouth," "Declare
unto us the parable." [5464]To which the Saviour says, "Are ye
also, even yet, without understanding?" [5465]As if He had said,
"Having been so long time with Me, do ye not yet understand the
meaning of what is said, and do ye not perceive that for this reason
that which goeth into his mouth does not defile the man, because it
passeth into the belly, and going out from it is cast into the
draught?" [5466]It was not in respect of the law in which they
appeared to believe, that the Pharisees were not a plant of the Father
of Jesus, but in respect of their perverse interpretation of the law
and the things written in it. For since there are two things to be
understood in regard to the law, the ministration of death which was
engraven in letters [5467] and which had no kinship with the spirit,
and the ministration of life which is understood in the spiritual law,
those who were able with a sincere heart to say, "We know that the law
is spiritual," [5468] and therefore "the law is holy, and the
commandment holy and righteous and good," [5469] were the plant which
the heavenly Father planted; but those who were not such, but guarded
with care the letter which killeth only, were not a plant of God but
of him who hardened their heart, and put a veil over it, which veil
had power over them so long as they did not turn to the Lord; "for if
any one should turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away, and the Lord
is the Spirit." [5470]Now some one when dealing with the passage
might say, that just as "not that which entereth into the mouth
defileth the man," [5471] of even though it may be thought by the Jews
to be defiled, so not that which entereth into the mouth sanctifieth
the man, even though what is called the bread of the Lord may be
thought by the simpler disciples to sanctify. And the saying is I
think, not to be despised, and on this account, demands clear
exposition, which seems to me to be thus; as it is not the meat but
the conscience of him who eats with doubt which defiles him that
eateth, for "he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he
eateth not of faith," [5472] and as nothing is pure to him who is
defiled and unbelieving, not in itself, but because of his defilement
and unbelief, so that which is sanctified through the word of God and
prayer [5473] does not, in its own nature, sanctify him who uses it,
for, if this were so, it would sanctify even him who eats unworthily
of the bread of the Lord, and no one on account of this food would
become weak or sickly or asleep for something of this kind Paul
represented in saying, "For this cause many among you are weak and
sickly and not a few sleep." [5474]And in the case of the bread of
the Lord, accordingly, there is advantage to him who uses it, when
with undefiled mind and pure conscience he partakes of the bread. And
so neither by not eating, I mean by the very fact that we do not eat
of the bread which has been sanctified by the word of God and prayer,
are we deprived of any good thing, nor by eating are we the better by
any good thing; for the cause of our lacking is wickedness and sins,
and the cause of our abounding is righteousness and right actions; so
that such is the meaning of what is said by Paul, "For neither if we
eat are we the better, nor if we eat not are we the worse." [5475]
Now, if "everything that entereth into the mouth goes into the belly
and is cast out into the drought," [5476] even the meat which has been
sanctified through the word of God and prayer, in accordance with the
fact that it is material, goes into the belly and is cast out into the
draught, but in respect of the prayer which comes upon it, according
to the proportion of the faith, becomes a benefit and is a means of
clear vision to the mind which looks to that which is beneficial, and
it is not the material of the bread but the word which is said over it
which is of advantage to him who eats it not unworthily of the Lord.
And these things indeed are said of the typical and symbolical body.
But many things might be said about the Word Himself who became flesh,
[5477] and true meat of which he that eateth shall assuredly live for
ever, no worthless person being able to eat it; for if it were
possible for one who continues worthless to eat of Him who became
flesh, who was the Word and the living bread, it would not have been
written, that "every one who eats of this bread shall live for ever."
[5478]
Footnotes
[5454] Marcion and his followers.
[5455] Matt. xv. 13.
[5456] Exod. xv. 17.
[5457] 2 Thess. ii. 12.
[5458] 2 Cor. iv. 4.
[5459] Phil. iii. 19.
[5460] John xvi. 11.
[5461] Cf. Luke xx. 36.
[5462] Matt. xv. 14.
[5463] 2 Cor. iv. 4.
[5464] Matt. xv. 11.
[5465] Matt. xv. 16.
[5466] Matt. xv. 17.
[5467] Cf. 2 Cor. iii. 7.
[5468] Rom. vii. 14.
[5469] Rom. vii. 12.
[5470] 2 Cor. iii. 16, 17.
[5471] Matt. xv. 11.
[5472] Rom. xiv. 23.
[5473] Cf. 1 Tim. iv. 5.
[5474] 1 Cor. xi. 30.
[5475] 1 Cor. viii. 8.
[5476] Matt. xv. 17.
[5477] John i. 14.
[5478] John vi. 51.
15. Eating with Unwashed Heart Defiles the Man.
Next to this let us see how the things which proceed out and defile
the man do not defile the man because of their proceeding out of the
mouth, but have the cause of their defilement in the heart, when there
come forth out of it, before those things which proceed through the
mouth, evil thoughts, of which the species are--murders, adulteries,
fornications, thefts, false witness, railings. [5479]For these are
the things which defile the man, when they come forth out of the
heart, and going out from it proceed through the mouth; so that, if
they did not come out of the heart, but were retained there somewhere
about the heart, and were not allowed to be spoken through the mouth,
they would very quickly disappear, and a man would be no more
defiled. The spring and source, then, of every sin are evil thoughts;
for, unless these gained the mastery, neither murders nor adulteries
nor any other such thing would exist. Therefore, each man must keep
his own heart with all watchfulness; [5480] for when the Lord comes in
the day of judgment, "He will bring to light the hidden things of
darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts," [5481]
"all the thoughts of men meanwhile accusing or else excusing them,"
[5482] "when their own devices have beset them about." [5483]But of
such a nature are the evil thoughts that sometimes they make worthy of
censure even those things which seem good, and which, so far as the
judgment of the masses is concerned, are worthy of praise.
Accordingly, if we do alms before men, having in our thoughts the
design of appearing to men philanthropic, and of being honoured
because of philanthropy, we receive the reward from men; [5484] and,
universally, everything that is done with the consciousness in the
doer that he will be glorified by men, has no reward from Him who
beholds in secret, and renders the reward to those who are pure, in
secret. So, too, therefore, is it with apparent purity if it is
influenced by considerations of vain glory or love of gain; and the
teaching which is thought to be the teaching of the Church, if it
becomes servile through the word of flattery, either when it is made
the excuse for covetousness, or when any one seeks glory from men
because of his teaching, is not reckoned to be the teaching of those
"who have been set by God in the Church: first, apostles; secondly,
prophets; and thirdly, teachers." [5485]And you will say the like
in the case of him who seeks the office of a bishop for the sake of
glory with men, or of flattery from men, or for the sake of the gain
received from those who, coming over to the word, give in the name of
piety; for a bishop of this kind at any rate does not "desire a good
work," [5486] nor can he be without reproach, nor temperate, nor
sober-minded, as he is intoxicated with glory and intemperately
satiated with it. And the same also you will say about the elders and
deacons. And if we seem to some to have made a digression in speaking
of these things, consider if it were not necessary that they should be
said, because that evil thoughts are the spring of all sins, and can
pollute even those actions which, if they were done apart from evil
thoughts, would have justified the man who did them. We have thus
investigated according to our ability what are the things which
defile; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man; but if
we must say it with boldness, with unwashed heart to eat anything
whatsoever which is the natural food of our reason, defileth the man.
Footnotes
[5479] Matt. xv. 18, 19.
[5480] Prov. iv. 23.
[5481] 1 Cor. iv. 5.
[5482] Rom. ii. 15.
[5483] Hos. vii. 2.
[5484] Matt. vi. 1, 2.
[5485] 1 Cor. xii. 28.
[5486] 1 Tim. iii. 1.
16. Concerning the Canaanitish Woman. Meaning of the "Borders of
Tyre and Sidon."
"And Jesus went out thence and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and
Sidon. And behold a Canaanitish woman." [5487]Whence the
"thence"? Was it from the land of Gennesaret, concerning which it was
said before, "And when they had crossed over they came into the land
of Gennesaret?" [5488]But He withdrew, perhaps because the
Pharisees were offended when they heard that "not that which entereth
in, but that which proceedeth out, defileth the man;" [5489] and that,
because of their being suspected of plotting against Him, it is said,
"He withdrew," is manifest from the passage, "And when He heard that
John was delivered up He withdrew into Galilee." [5490]Perhaps also
on this account, when describing the things in this place, Mark says
that "He rose up and went into the borders of Tyre, and having entered
into the house wished no man to know it." [5491]It is probable that
He sought to avoid the Pharisees who were offended at His teaching,
waiting for the time for His suffering, which was more fitting and
rightly appointed. But some one might say that Tyre and Sidon are
used for the Gentiles; accordingly when He withdrew from Israel He
came into the parts of the Gentiles. Among the Hebrews, then, Tyre is
called Sor, and it is interpreted "anguish." Sidon, which is also the
Hebrew name, is rendered "hunters." And among the Gentiles likewise
the hunters are the evil powers, and among them is great distress, the
distress, namely, which exists in wickedness and passions. When
Jesus, then, went out from Gennesaret He withdrew indeed from Israel
and came, not to Tyre and Sidon, but into "the parts" of Tyre and
Sidon, with the result that those of the Gentiles now believe in part;
so that if He had visited the whole of Tyre and Sidon, no unbeliever
would have been left in it. Now, according to Mark, "Jesus rose up
and went into the borders of Tyre," [5492] --that is, the distress of
the Gentiles,--in order that they also from these borders who believe
can be saved, when they come out of them; for attend to this: "And
behold a Canaanitish woman came out from these borders and cried
saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David, my daughter is
terribly vexed with a demon." [5493]And I think that if she had not
come out from those borders she would not have been able to cry to
Jesus with the great faith to which testimony was borne; and according
to the proportion of faith one comes out from the borders among the
Gentiles, which "when the Most High divided the nations He set up
according to the number of the sons of Israel," [5494] and prevented
their further advance. Here, then, certain borders are spoken of as
the borders of Tyre and Sidon, but in Exodus the borders of Pharaoh,
[5495] in which, they say, were formed the plagues against the
Egyptians. And we must suppose that each of us when he sins is in the
borders of Tyre or Sidon or of Pharaoh and Egypt, or some one of those
which are outside the allotted inheritance of God; but when he changes
from wickedness to virtue he goes out from the borders of evil, and
comes to the borders of the portion of God, there being among these
also a difference which will be manifest to those who are able to
understand the things that concern the division and the inheritance of
Israel, in harmony with the spiritual law. And attend also to the
meeting, so to speak, which took place between Jesus and the
Canaanitish woman; for He comes as to the parts of Tyre and Sidon, and
she comes out of those parts, and cried, saying, "Have mercy on me, O
Lord, Thou Son of David." [5496]Now the woman was Canaanitish,
which is rendered, prepared for humiliation. The righteous, indeed,
are prepared for the kingdom of heaven and for the exaltation in the
kingdom of God; [5497] but sinners are prepared for the humiliation of
the wickedness which is in them, and of the deeds which flow from it
and prepare them for it, and of the sin which reigns in their mortal
body. Only, the Canaanitish woman came out of those borders and went
forth from the state of being prepared for humiliation, crying and
saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David."
Footnotes
[5487] Matt. xv. 21, 22.
[5488] Matt. xiv. 34.
[5489] Matt. xv. 11.
[5490] Matt. iv. 12.
[5491] Mark vii. 24.
[5492] Mark vii. 24.
[5493] Matt. xv. 22.
[5494] Deut. xxxii. 8.
[5495] Exod. viii. 2.
[5496] Matt. xv. 22.
[5497] Cf. Matt. xxv. 34.
17. Exposition of the Details in the Narrative.
Now bring together from the Gospels those who call Him Son of David,
as she, and the blind men in Jericho; [5498] and who call Him Son of
God, and that without the addition "truly" like the demoniacs who say,
"What have we to do with Thee, Thou Son of God;" [5499] and who call
Him so with the addition "truly," like those in the boat who
worshipped Him saying, "Truly Thou art the Son of God." [5500]For
the bringing together of these passages will, I think, be useful to
you with a view to seeing the difference of those who come (to Jesus);
some indeed come as to Him "who was born of the seed of David
according to the flesh;" [5501] but others come to Him who "was
declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of
holiness;" [5502] and of these some with the "truly," and some without
it. Further, observe, that the Canaanitish woman besought Him not
about a son, whom she does not seem to have brought forth at all, but
about a daughter who was terribly vexed with a demon; but another
mother receives back alive her son who was being carried forth dead.
[5503]And again the ruler of the synagogue makes supplication for a
daughter twelve years old, as being dead, [5504] but the nobleman
about a son as being still sick, and at the point of death. [5505]
The daughter, accordingly, who was distressed by a demon, and the dead
son sprang from two mothers; and the dead daughter, and the son who
was sick unto death, sprang from two fathers, of whom the one was a
ruler of the synagogue, and the other was a nobleman. And I am
persuaded these things contain reasons concerning the diverse kinds of
souls which Jesus vivifies and heals. And all the cures that He works
among the people, especially those recorded by the Evangelists, took
place at that time, that those who would not otherwise have believed
unless they saw signs and wonders might believe; [5506] for the things
aforetime were symbols of the things that are ever being accomplished
by the power of Jesus; for there is no time when each of the things
which are written is not done by the power of Jesus according to the
desert of each. The Canaanitish woman, therefore, because of her race
was not worthy even to receive an answer from Jesus, who acknowledged
that He had not been sent by the Father for any other thing than to
the lost sheep of the house of Israel, [5507] --a lost race of souls
possessed of clear vision; but, because of her resolution and of
having worshipped Jesus as Son of God, she obtains an answer, which
reproaches her with baseness of birth and exhibits the measure of her
worthiness, namely, that she was worthy of crumbs as the little dogs,
but not of the loaves. But when she with intensified resolution,
accepting the saying of Jesus, puts forth the claim to obtain crumbs
even as a little dog, and acknowledges that the masters are of a
nobler race, then she gets a second answer, which bears testimony to
her faith as great, and a promise that it shall be done unto her as
she wills. [5508]And corresponding, I think, "to the Jerusalem
above, which is free, the mother" [5509] of Paul and those like to
him, must we conceive of the Canaanitish woman, the mother of her who
was terribly distressed with a demon, who was the symbol of the mother
of such a soul. And consider whether it is not according to sound
reason that there are also many fathers and many mothers corresponding
to the fathers of Abraham to whom the patriarch went away, [5510] and
to Jerusalem the "mother," as Paul says, concerning himself and those
like to him. And it is probable that she of whom the Canaanitish
woman was a symbol came out of the borders of Tyre and Sidon, of which
the places on earth were types, and came to the Saviour and besought
Him and even now beseeches Him saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou
Son of David, my daughter is terribly vexed with a demon." [5511]
Then also to those without and to the disciples when necessary He
answers and says, "I was not sent;" [5512] teaching us that there are
some lost souls pre-eminently intellectual and clear of vision,
figuratively called sheep of the house of Israel; which things, I
think, the simpler who are of opinion that they are spoken in regard
to the Israel which is after the flesh will of necessity admit,
namely, that our Saviour was sent by the Father to no others than to
those lost Jews. But we, who can truthfully boast that "if we have
once known Christ after the flesh, but now no longer do we know Him
so," [5513] are assured that it is pre-eminently the work of the Word
to save the more intelligent, for these are more akin to Him than
those who are duller. But since the lost sheep of the house of
Israel, with the exception of "the remnant according to the election
of grace," [5514] disbelieved the Word, on this account "God chose the
foolish things of the world," [5515] namely, that which was not
Israel, nor clear of vision, that He might put to shame the wise ones
of Israel; and He called "the things which are not," [5516] handing
over to them an intelligent nation who were able to admit "the
foolishness of the preaching," [5517] and of His good pleasure saved
those who believe in this, that He might refute "the things which
are," having perfected praise for Himself, "out of the mouths of babes
and sucklings," [5518] when they became hostile to truth. Now, the
Canaanitish woman, having come, worshipped Jesus as God, saying,
"Lord, help me," but He answered and said, "It is not possible to take
the children's bread and cast it to the little dogs." [5519]But
some one might inquire also into the meaning of this saying,
since,--inasmuch as there was a measure of loaves such that both the
children and the dogs of the household could not eat loaves, unless
the dogs ate other loaves than those which were well made,--it was not
possible according to right reason for the well-made loaf of the
children to be given as food to the little dogs. But no such thing
appears in the case of the power of Jesus, for of this it was possible
both for the children and those called little dogs to partake.
Consider, then, whether perhaps with reference to the saying, "It is
not possible to take the bread of children," we ought to say that, "He
who emptied Himself and took upon Him the form of a servant," [5520]
brought a measure of power such as the world was capable of receiving,
of which power also He was conscious that a certain quantity went
forth from Him as is plain from the words, "Some one did touch Me, for
I perceived that power had gone forth from Me." [5521]From this
measure of power, then, He dispensed, giving a larger portion to those
who were pre-eminent and who were called sons, but a smaller portion
to those who were not such, as to the little dogs. But though these
things were so, nevertheless where there was great faith, to her, who
because of her base birth in Canaanitish land was a little dog, He
gave as to a child the bread of the children. And perhaps, also, of
the words of Jesus there are some loaves which it is possible to give
to the more rational, as to children only; and other words, as it
were, crumbs from the great house and table of the wellborn and the
masters, which may be used by some souls, like the dogs. And
according to the law of Moses it is written about certain things, "Ye
shall cast them to the dogs," [5522] and it was a matter of care to
the Holy Spirit to give instruction about certain foods that they
should be left to the dogs. Let others, then, who are strangers to
the doctrine of the Church, assume that souls pass from the bodies of
men into the bodies of dogs, according to their varying degree of
wickedness; but we, who do not find this at all in the divine
Scripture, say that the more rational condition changes into one more
irrational, undergoing this affection in consequence of great
slothfulness and negligence. But, also, in the same way, a will which
was more irrational, because of its neglect of reason, sometimes turns
and becomes rational, so that that which at one time was a dog, loving
to eat of the crumbs that fell from the table of its masters, comes
into the condition of a son. For virtue contributes greatly to the
making of one a son of God, but wickedness, and mad fury in wanton
discourses and shamelessness, contribute to the giving of a man the
name of dog according to the word of the Scripture. [5523]And the
like you will also understand in the case of the other names which are
applied to animals without reason. Only, he who is reproached as a
dog and yet is not indignant at being called unworthy of the bread of
children and with all forbearance repeats the saying of that
Canaanitish woman, "Yea, Lord, for even the little dogs eat of the
crumbs which fall from their masters' [5524] table," will obtain the
very gentle answer of Jesus saying to him, "Great is thy faith,"--when
he has received so great faith--and saying, "Be it done unto thee even
as thou wilt," [5525] so that he himself may be healed, and if he has
produced any fruit which stands in need of healing, that this, too,
may be cured.
Footnotes
[5498] Matt. xx. 30.
[5499] Matt. viii. 29.
[5500] Matt. xiv. 33.
[5501] Rom. i. 3.
[5502] Rom. i. 4.
[5503] Luke vii. 12.
[5504] Matt. ix. 18.
[5505] John iv. 46.
[5506] John iv. 48.
[5507] Matt. xv. 24.
[5508] Matt. xv. 28.
[5509] Gal. iv. 26.
[5510] Gen. xv. 15.
[5511] Matt. xv. 22.
[5512] Matt. xv. 24.
[5513] 2 Cor. v. 16.
[5514] Rom. xi. 5.
[5515] 1 Cor. i. 27.
[5516] 1 Cor. i. 28.
[5517] 1 Cor. i. 21.
[5518] Ps. viii. 2.
[5519] Matt. xv. 25, 26.
[5520] Phil. ii. 7.
[5521] Luke viii. 46.
[5522] Exod. xxii. 31.
[5523] 2 Sam. xvi. 9.
[5524] Matt. xv. 27.
[5525] Matt. xv. 28.
18. Concerning the Multitudes Who Were Healed. Comparison of the
Mountain Where Jesus Sat to the Church.
"And Jesus departed thence,"--manifestly, from what has been said
before, from the parts of Tyre and Sidon,--"and came nigh unto the sea
of Galilee," [5526] which is commonly called the Lake of Gennesaret,
and again went up into the mountain where He went up and sat. We may
say, then, that into this mountain where Jesus sits, not only the
sound in health go up, but along with the sound, those also who were
suffering from various disorders. And, perhaps, this mountain to
which Jesus went up and sat is that which is more commonly called the
Church, which has been set up through the word of God over the rest of
the world and the men upon it; whither go not the disciples only,
leaving the multitudes as in the case of the beatitudes, but great
multitudes who were not accused themselves of being deaf or suffering
from any affection, but who had such along with themselves. For you
may see, along with the multitudes who come to this mountain where the
Son of God sits, some who have become deaf to the things promised, and
others blind in soul and not looking at the true light, and others who
are lame and not able to walk according to reason, and others who are
maimed and not able to work according to reason. Those, accordingly,
who are suffering in soul from such things, though they go up along
with the multitudes into the mountain where Jesus was, so long as they
are outside of the feet of Jesus, are not healed by Him; but when, as
men suffering from such disorders, they are cast by the multitude at
His feet, [5527] and at the extremities of the body of Christ, not
being worthy to obtain such things so far as they themselves are
concerned, they are then healed by Him. And when you see in the
congregation of what is more commonly called the church the
catechumens cast behind those who are at the extreme end of it, and as
it were at the feet of the body of Jesus--the church--coming to it
with their own deafness and blindness and lameness and crookedness,
and in time cured according to the Word, you would not err in saying
that such having gone up with the multitudes of the church to the
mountain where Jesus was, are cast at His feet and are healed; so that
the multitude of the church is astonished at beholding transformations
which have taken place from so great evils to that which is better, so
that it might say, those who were formerly dumb afterwards speak the
word of God, and the lame walk, the prophecy of Isaiah being
fulfilled, not only in things bodily but in things spiritual, which
said, "Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of him
that hath an impediment in his speech be plain." [5528]And there,
unless the expression, "the lame man shall leap as an hart," is to be
taken as accidental, we will say that those formerly lame, and who now
through the power of Jesus leap as an hart are not without design
compared to a hart, which is a clean animal, and hostile to serpents
and cannot at all be injured by their poison. But also, in respect of
the fact that the dumb are seen speaking is the prophecy fulfilled
which said, "And the tongue of him that hath an impediment shall be
plain," or rather that which said, "Hear ye deaf;" but the blind see
according to the prophecy following, "Hear ye deaf, and ye blind look
up that ye may see." [5529]Now the blind see, when they see the
world and from the exceeding great beauty of the things created they
contemplate the Creator corresponding in greatness and beauty to them;
and when they see clearly "the invisible things of God Himself from
the creation of the world, which are perceived through the things that
are made;" [5530] that is, they see and understand with care and
clearness. Now the multitudes seeing these things, glorified the God
of Israel, [5531] and glorify Him in the persuasion that it is the
same God, who is the Father of Him who healed those previously
mentioned, and the God of Israel. For He is not the God of the Jews
only, but also of the Gentiles. [5532]Let us then cause to go up
along with ourselves to the mountain where Jesus sits--His
church--those who wish to go up to it along with us, the deaf, the
blind, the lame, the maimed and many others, and let us cast them at
the feet of Jesus that He may heal them, so that the multitudes are
astonished at their healing; for it is not the disciples who are
described as wondering at such things, although at that time they were
present with Jesus, as is manifest from the words, "And Jesus called
unto Him His disciples and said, I have compassion on the multitudes,"
[5533] etc.; and perhaps if you attend carefully to the words, "There
came unto Him great multitudes," [5534] you would find that the
disciples at that time did not come to Him, but had begun long ago to
follow Him and followed Him into the mountain. But there came unto
Him those who were inferior to the disciples, and were then for the
first time approaching Him, who had not the same experience as those
who had gone up with them. Observe, moreover, in the Gospel who are
described as having followed Jesus, and who as having come to Him, and
who as having been brought to Him, and the division between those who
go before and of those who follow; and of those who came, who came to
Him in the house, and who when He was elsewhere. For by observation,
and by comparing things spiritual with spiritual, you would find many
things worthy of the accurate wisdom in the Gospels.
Footnotes
[5526] Matt. xv. 29.
[5527] Matt. xv. 30.
[5528] Isa. xxxv. 6.
[5529] Isa. xlii. 18.
[5530] Rom. i. 20.
[5531] Matt. xv. 31.
[5532] Rom. iii. 29.
[5533] Matt. xv. 32.
[5534] Matt. xv. 30.
19. Concerning the Seven Loaves. The Narrative of the Feeding of the
Four Thousand Compared with that of the Five Thousand.
"And Jesus called unto Him His disciples and said." [5535]Above in
the similar history to this about the loaves, before the loaves are
spoken of, "Jesus came forth and saw a great multitude and had
compassion upon them and healed their sick. And when even was come
the disciples came to Him saying, The place is desert and the time is
already past, send them away," [5536] etc. But now after the healing
of the deaf and the rest, He takes compassion on the multitude which
had continued with Him now three days and had nothing to eat. And
there the disciples make request concerning the five thousand; [5537]
but here He speaks of His own accord about the four thousand. [5538]
Those, too, are fed when it was evening after they had spent a day
with Him; but these, who are testified to have continued with Him
three days, partake of the loaves lest they might faint by the way.
And there the disciples say to Him when He was not inquiring, that
they had only five loaves and two fishes; but here to Him making
inquiry, they give answer about the seven loaves and the few small
fishes. And there He commands the multitudes to sit down or lie upon
the grass; for Luke also wrote, "Make them sit down," [5539] and Mark
says, "He commanded them all to sit down;" [5540] but here He does not
command but proclaims [5541] to the multitude to sit down. Again,
there, the three Evangelists say in the very same words that "He took
the five loaves and the two fishes and looking up to heaven He
blessed;" [5542] but here, as Matthew and Mark have written, "Jesus
gave thanks and brake;" [5543] there, they recline upon the grass, but
here they sit down upon the ground. You will moreover investigate in
the accounts in the different places the variation found in John, who
wrote in regard to that transaction that Jesus said, "Make the men sit
down," [5544] and that, having given thanks, He gave of the loaves to
them that were set down, but he did not mention this miracle at all.
[5545]Attending, then, to the difference of those things which are
written in the various places in regard to the loaves, I think that
these belong to a different order from those; wherefore these are fed
in a mountain, and those in a desert place; and these after they had
continued three days with Jesus, but those one day, on the evening of
which they were fed. And further, unless it be the same thing for
Jesus to do a thing of Himself and to act after having heard from the
disciples, consider if those to whom Jesus shows kindness are not
superior when He fed them on the spot with a view to showing them
kindness. And, if according to John, [5546] they were barley loaves
of which the twelve baskets remained over, but nothing of this kind is
said about these, how are not these superior to the former? And the
sick of those He healed, [5547] but here He heals these, along with
the multitudes, who were not sick but blind, and lame, and deaf, and
maimed; wherefore also in regard to these the four thousand marvel,
[5548] but in regard to the sick no such thing is said. And these I
think who ate of the seven loaves for which thanks were given, are
superior to those who ate of the five which were blessed; and these
who ate the few little fishes to those who ate of the two, and perhaps
also these who sat down upon the ground to those who sat down on the
grass. And those from fewer loaves leave twelve baskets, but these
from a greater number leave seven baskets, inasmuch, as they were able
to receive more. And perhaps these tread upon all earthly things and
sit down upon them, but those upon the grass--upon their flesh
only--for "all flesh is grass." [5549]Consider also after this,
that Jesus does not wish to send them away fasting lest they faint on
the way, as being without the loaves of Jesus, and while they were
still on the way--the way to their own concerns--might suffer injury.
Take note also of the cases where Jesus is recorded to have sent any
one away, that you may see the difference of those who were sent away
by Him after being fed, and those who had been sent away otherwise;
and, as a pattern of one who was sent away otherwise, take "Woman,
thou art loosed from thine infirmity." [5550]But further the
disciples who are always with Jesus are not sent away by Him; but the
multitudes after they have eaten are sent away. Likewise, again, the
disciples who conceive nothing great about the Canaanitish woman say,
"Send her away, for she crieth after us;" [5551] but the Saviour does
not at all appear to send her away; for saying unto her, "O woman,
great is thy faith, be it done to thee even as thou wilt," [5552] He
healed her daughter from that hour: it is not however written that He
sent her away. So far at the present time have we been able to
investigate and see into the passage before us.
Footnotes
[5535] Matt. xv. 32.
[5536] Matt. xiv. 15.
[5537] Matt. xiv. 15.
[5538] Matt. xv. 32.
[5539] Luke ix. 14.
[5540] Mark vi. 39.
[5541] ou keleuei halla parangellei
[5542] Matt. xiv. 19; Mark vi. 41; Luke ix. 16.
[5543] Matt. xv. 36; Mark viii. 6.
[5544] John vi. 10.
[5545] Or, did not mention the occasion of this.
[5546] John vi. 13.
[5547] Matt. xiv. 14.
[5548] Matt. xv. 31.
[5549] Isa. xl. 6.
[5550] Luke xiii. 12, Literally `thou art sent away.'
[5551] Matt. xv. 23.
[5552] Matt. xv. 28.
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