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.
.
Book XII.
1. Concerning Those Who Asked Him to Show Them a Sign from Heaven.
"And the Sadducees and Pharisees came, and tempting Him kept asking
Him to shew them a sign from heaven." [5553]The Sadducees and
Pharisees who disagreed with each other in regard to the most
essential truths,--for the Pharisees champion the doctrine of the
resurrection of the dead, hoping that there will be a world to come,
while the Sadducees know nothing after this life in store for a man
whether he has been advancing towards virtue, or has made no effort at
all to come out from the mountains of wickedness,--these, I say, agree
that they may tempt Jesus. Now, a similar thing, as Luke has
narrated, [5554] happened in the case of Herod and Pilate, who became
friends with one another that they might kill Jesus; for, perhaps,
their hostility with one another would have prevented Herod from
asking that He should be put to death, in order to please the people,
who said, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him," [5555] and would have influenced
Pilate, who was somewhat inclined against His condemnation, his
hostility with Herod giving fresh impulse to the inclination which he
previously cherished to release Jesus. But their apparent friendship
made Herod stronger in his demand against Jesus with Pilate, who
wished, perhaps, also because of the newly-formed friendship to do
something to gratify Herod and all the nation of the Jews. And often
even now you may see in daily life those who hold the most divergent
opinions, whether in the philosophy of the Greeks or in other systems
of thought, appearing to be of one mind that they may scoff at and
attack Jesus Christ in the person of His disciples. And from these
things I think you may go on by rational argument to consider, whether
when forces join in opposition which are in disagreement with one
another, as of Pharaoh with Nebuchadnezzar, [5556] and of Tirhakah,
king of the Ethiopians, with Sennacherib, [5557] a combination then
takes place against Jesus and His people. So perhaps, also, "The
kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers were gathered
together," [5558] though not at all before at harmony with one
another, that having taken counsel against the Lord and His Christ,
they might slay the Lord of glory.
Footnotes
[5553] Matt. xvi. 1.
[5554] Luke xxiii. 12.
[5555] Luke xxiii. 21.
[5556] 2 Kings xxiv. 7.
[5557] 2 Kings xix. 9.
[5558] Ps. ii. 2.
2. Why the Pharisees Asked a Sign from Heaven.
Now, to this point we have come in our discourse, because of the
Pharisees and Sadducees coming together unto Jesus, who disagreed in
matters relating to the resurrection, but came, as it were, to an
agreement for the sake of tempting our Saviour, and asking Him to show
them a sign from heaven. For, not satisfied with the wonderful signs
shown among the people in the healing of all forms of disease and
sickness, and with the rest of the miracles which our Saviour had done
in the knowledge of many, they wished Him to show to them also a sign
from heaven. And I conjecture that they suspected that the signs upon
earth might possibly not be of God; for they did not hesitate indeed
to say, "Jesus casts out demons by Beelzebub the prince of the
demons;" [5559] and it seemed to them that a sign from heaven could
not spring from Beelzebub or any other wicked power. But they erred
in regard to both, in regard to signs upon earth as well as to signs
from heaven, not being "approved money-changers," [5560] nor knowing
how to distinguish between the spirits that are working, which kind
are from God, and which have revolted from Him. And they ought to
have known that even many of the portents wrought against Egypt in the
time of Moses, though they were not from heaven, were clearly from
God, and that the fire which fell from heaven upon the sheep of Job
was not from God; [5561] for that fire belonged to the same one as he
to whom belonged those who carried off, and made three bands of
horsemen against, the cattle of Job. I think, moreover, that in
Isaiah--as if signs could be shown both from the earth and from
heaven, the true being from God, but "with all power and signs and
lying wonders" [5562] those from the evil one--it was said to Ahaz,
"Ask for thyself a sign from the Lord thy God in the depth or in the
height." [5563]For, unless there had been some signs in the depth
or in the height which were not from the Lord God, this would not have
been said, "Ask for thyself a sign from the Lord thy God in the depth
or in the height." But I know well that such an interpretation of the
passage, "Ask for thyself a sign from the Lord thy God," will seem to
some one rather forced; but give heed to that which is said by the
Apostle about the man of sin, the son of perdition, that, "with all
power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceit of
unrighteousness," [5564] he shall be manifested to them that are
perishing, imitating all kinds of wonders, to-wit, those of truth.
And as the enchanters and magicians of the Egyptians, as being
inferior to the man of sin and the son of perdition, imitated certain
powers, both the signs and wonders of truth, doing lying wonders so
that the true might not be believed; so I think the man of sin will
imitate signs and powers. And perhaps, also, the Pharisees suspected
these things because of the prophecies concerning Him; but I inquire
whether also the Sadducees tempting Him asked Jesus to show them a
sign from heaven. For unless we say that they suspected this, how
shall we describe their relation to the portents which Jesus wrought,
who continued hard-hearted and were not put to shame by the miraculous
things that were done? But if any one supposes that we have given an
occasion of defence to the Pharisees and Sadducees, both when they say
that the demons were cast out by Jesus through Beelzebub, and when
tempting Him, they ask Jesus about a heavenly sign, let him know that
we plausibly say that they were drawn away to the end that they might
not believe in the miracles of Jesus; but not as to deserve
forgiveness; for they did not look to the words of the prophets which
were being fulfilled in the acts of Jesus, which an evil power was not
at all capable of imitating. But to bring back a soul which had gone
out, so that it came out of the grave when already stinking and
passing the fourth day, [5565] was the work of no other than Him who
heard the word of the Father, "Let us make man after our image and
likeness." [5566]But also to command the winds and to make the
violence of the sea cease at a word, was the work of no other than Him
through whom all things, both the sea itself and the winds, have come
into being. Moreover also as to the teaching which stimulates men to
the love of the Creator, in harmony with the law and the prophets, and
which checks passions and moulds morals according to piety, what else
did it indicate to such as were able to see, than that He was truly
the Son of God who wrought works so mighty? In respect of which
things He said also to the disciples of John, "Go your way and tell
John what great things ye see and hear; the blind receive their
sight," etc. [5567]
Footnotes
[5559] Matt. ix. 24, xii. 24.
[5560] The familiar saying so frequently quoted as Scripture in the
Fathers, sometimes ascribed to Jesus by them, sometimes to Paul. See
Suicer.
[5561] Job i. 16.
[5562] 2 Thess. ii. 9.
[5563] Isa. vii. 11.
[5564] 2 Thess. ii. 9, 10.
[5565] John xi. 39.
[5566] Gen. i. 26.
[5567] Matt. xi. 4, 5.
3. The Answer of Jesus to Their Request.
Next let us remark in what way, when asked in regard to one sign, that
He might show it from heaven, to the Pharisees and Sadducees who put
the question, He answers and says, "An evil and adulterous generation
seeketh after a sign, and there shall be no sign given to it, but the
sign of Jonah the prophet, " when also, "He left them and departed."
[5568]But the sign of Jonah, in truth, according to their question,
was not merely a sign but also a sign from heaven; so that even to
those who tempted Him and sought a sign from heaven He, nevertheless,
out of His own great goodness gave the sign. For if, as Jonah passed
three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so the Son of man
did in the heart of the earth, and after this rose up from it,--whence
but from heaven shall we say that the sign of the resurrection of
Christ came? And especially when, at the time of the passion, He
became a sign to the robber who obtained favour from Him to enter into
the paradise of God; after this, I think, descending into Hades to the
dead, "as free among the dead." [5569]And the Saviour seems to me
to conjoin the sign which was to come from Himself with the reason of
the sign in regard to Jonah when He says, not merely that a sign like
to that is granted by Him but that very sign; for attend to the words,
"And there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah the
prophet." [5570]Accordingly that sign was this sign, because that
became indicative of this, so that the elucidation of that sign, which
was obscure on the face of it, might be found in the fact that the
Saviour suffered, and passed three days and three nights in the heart
of the earth. At the same time also we learn the general principle
that, if the sign signifies something, each of the signs which are
recorded, whether as in actual history, or by way of precept, is
indicative of something afterwards fulfilled; as for example, the sign
of Jonah going out after three days from the whale's belly was
indicative of the resurrection of our Saviour, rising after three days
and three nights from the dead; and that which is called circumcision
is the sign of that which is indicated by Paul in the words: "We are
the circumcision." [5571]Seek you also every sign in the Old
Scriptures as indicative of some passage in the New Scripture, and
that which is named a sign in the New Covenant as indicative of
something either in the age about to be, or even in the subsequent
generations after that the sign has taken place.
Footnotes
[5568] Matt. xvi. 4.
[5569] Ps. lxxxviii. 6.
[5570] Matt. xvi. 4.
[5571] Phil. iii. 3.
4. Why Jesus Called Them an Adulterous Generation. The Law as
Husband.
And He called them, indeed, "an evil generation," because of the
quality arising from evil which had been produced in them, for
wickedness is voluntary evil-doing, but "adulterous" because that when
the Pharisees and Sadducees left that which is figuratively called
man, the word of truth or the law, they were debauched by falsehood
and the law of sin. For if there are two laws, the law in our members
warring against the law of the mind, and the law of the mind, [5572]
we must say that the law of the mind--that is, the spiritual--is man,
to whom the soul was given by God as wife, that is, to the man who is
law, according to what is written, "A wife is married to a man by
God;" [5573] but the other is a paramour of the soul which is subject
to it, which also on account of it is called an adulteress. Now that
the law is husband of the soul Paul clearly exhibits in the Epistle to
the Romans, saying, "The law hath dominion over a man for so long time
as he liveth; for the woman that hath a husband is bound to the
husband while he liveth, to the husband who is law," [5574] etc. For
consider in these things that the law hath dominion over the man so
long time as the law liveth,--as a husband over a wife. "For the
woman that hath a husband," that is, the soul under the law, "is bound
to the husband while he liveth," to the husband who is the law; but if
the husband--that is, the law die--she is discharged from the law,
which is her husband. Now the law dies to him who has gone up to the
condition of blessedness, and no longer lives under the law, but acts
like to Christ, who, though He became under law for the sake of those
under law, that He might gain those under law, [5575] did not continue
under law, nor did He leave subject to law those who had been freed by
Him; for He led them up along with Himself to the divine citizenship
which is above the law, which contains, as for the imperfect and such
as are still sinners, sacrifices for the remission of sins. He then
who is without sin, and stands no longer in need of legal sacrifices,
perhaps when he has become perfect has passed beyond even the
spiritual law, and comes to the Word beyond it, who became flesh to
those who live in the flesh, but to those who no longer at all war
after the flesh, He is perceived as being the Word, as [5576] He was
God in the beginning with God, and reveals the Father. Three things
therefore are to be thought of in connection with this place--the
woman that hath a husband, who is under a husband--the law; and the
woman who is an adulteress, to-wit, the soul, which, while her
husband, the law, liveth, has become joined to another husband,
namely, the law of the flesh; and the woman who is married to the
brother of the dead husband, to the Word who is alive and dies not,
who "being raised from the dead dieth no more, for death hath no more
dominion over Him." [5577]So far then because of the saying, "But
if the husband die she is discharged from the law, the husband," and
because of this, "so then, while her husband liveth, she shall be
called an adulteress, if she be joined to another man," and because of
this, "but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she
is no adulteress though she be joined to another man." [5578]But
this very saying, "So then while her husband liveth, she shall be
called an adulteress," we have brought forward, wishing clearly to
show why in answer to the Pharisees and Sadducees who were tempting
Him and asking Him to show them a sign from heaven, He said not only
"a wicked generation," but an "adulterous" generation. [5579]In a
general way, then, the law in the members which wars against the law
of the mind, [5580] as a man who is an adulterer, is an adulterer of
the soul. But now also every power that is hostile, which gains the
mastery over the human soul, and has intercourse with it, commits
adultery with her who had a bridegroom given to her by God, namely,
the Word. After these things it is written that "He left them and
departed." For how was the bridegroom--the Word--not going to leave
the adulterous generation and depart from it? But you might say that
the Word of God, leaving the synagogue of the Jews as adulterous,
departed from it, and took a wife of fornication, [5581] namely, those
from the Gentiles; since those who were "Sion, a faithful city,"
[5582] have become harlots; but these have become like the harlot
Rahab, who received the spies of Joshua, and was saved with all her
house; [5583] after this no longer playing the harlot, but coming to
the feet of Jesus, and wetting them with the tears of repentance, and
anointing them with the fragrance of the ointment of holy
conversation, on account of whom, reproaching Simon the leper,--the
former people,--He spoke those things which are written. [5584]
Footnotes
[5572] Rom. vii. 23.
[5573] Prov. xix. 14.
[5574] Rom. vii. 1, 2. ;;E gar hupandros gune to zonti andri dedetai
nomo. The reader must note that Origen takes nomo in apposition to
andri.
[5575] 1 Cor. ix. 10.
[5576] Or, who was God.
[5577] Rom. vi. 9.
[5578] Rom. vii. 2, 3.
[5579] Matt. xvi. 4.
[5580] Rom. vii. 23.
[5581] Hos. i. 2.
[5582] Isa. i. 21.
[5583] Josh. vi. 25.
[5584] Luke vii. 37-50. Cf. Matt. xxvi. 6.
5. Concerning the Leaven of the Pharisees.
"And His disciples came to the other side and forgot to take loaves."
[5585]Since the loaves which they had before they came to the other
side were no longer useful to the disciples when they came to the
other side, for they needed one kind of loaves before they crossed and
a different kind when they crossed,--on this account, being careless
of taking loaves when going to the other side, they forgot to take
loaves with them. To the other side then came the disciples of Jesus
who had passed over from things material to things spiritual, and from
things sensible to those which are intellectual. And perhaps that He
might turn back those who, by crossing to the other side, "had begun
in spirit," [5586] from running back to carnal things, Jesus said to
them when on the other side, "Take heed and beware." [5587]For
there was a certain lump of teaching and of truly ancient
leaven,--that according to the bare letter, and on this account not
freed from those things which arise from wickedness,--which the
Pharisees and Sadducees offered, of which Jesus does not wish His own
disciples any longer to eat, having made for them a new and spiritual
lump, offering Himself to those who gave up the leaven of the
Pharisees and Sadducees and had come to Him--"the living bread which
came down from heaven and gives life to the world." [5588]But
since, to him who is no longer going to use the leaven and the lump
and the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the first thing
is to "see" and then to "beware," so that no one, by reason of not
seeing and from want of taking heed, may ever partake of their
forbidden leaven,--on this account He says to the disciples, first,
"see," and then, "beware." It is the mark of the clear-sighted and
careful to separate the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees and
every food that is not of "the unleavened-bread of sincerity and
truth" [5589] from the living bread, even that which came down from
heaven, so that no one who eats may adopt the things of the Pharisees
and the Sadducees, but by eating the living and true bread may
strengthen his soul. And we might seasonably apply the saying to
those who, along with the Christian way of life, prefer to live as the
Jews, materially, for these do not see nor beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and Sadducees, but, contrary to the will of Jesus who
forbade it, eat the bread of the Pharisees. Yea and also all, who do
not wish to understand that the law is spiritual, and has a shadow of
the good things to come, [5590] and is a shadow of the things to come,
[5591] neither inquire of what good thing about to be each of the laws
is a shadow, nor do they see nor beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees; and they also who reject the doctrine of the resurrection
of the dead are not on their guard against the leaven of the
Sadducees. And there are many among the heterodox who, because of
their unbelief in regard to the resurrection of the dead, are imbued
with the leaven of the Sadducees. Now, while Jesus said these things,
the disciples reasoned, saying not aloud, but in their own hearts, "We
took no loaves." [5592]And something like this was what they said,
"If we had loaves we would not have had to take of the leaven of the
Pharisees and the Sadducees; but since, from want of loaves, we run
the risk of taking from their leaven, while the Saviour does not wish
us to run back to their teaching, therefore He said to us, "Take heed
and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."" [5593]
And these things then they reasoned; Jesus, while looking to that
which was in their hearts, and hearing the reasons in them, as the
true overseer of hearts, reproves them because they did not see nor
remember the loaves which they received from Him; on account of which,
even when they appeared to be in want of loaves, they did not need the
leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
Footnotes
[5585] Matt. xvi. 5.
[5586] Cf. Gal. iii. 3.
[5587] Matt. xvi. 6.
[5588] John vi. 33, 51.
[5589] 1 Cor. v. 8.
[5590] Heb. x. 1.
[5591] Col. ii. 17.
[5592] Matt. xvi. 7.
[5593] Matt. xvi. 6.
6. The Meaning of Leaven. Jesus' Knowledge of the Heart.
Then expounding clearly and representing to them, who were being
distracted because of the equivocal meaning of loaf and leaven, in an
undisguised fashion, that He was not speaking to them about sensible
bread but about the leaven in the teaching, He subjoins, "How is it
that ye do not perceive that I spake not you concerning bread? But
beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees." [5594]And
though He had not laid bare the interpretation, but still continued to
use metaphorical language, the disciples would have understood that
the discourse of the Saviour was about the teaching, figuratively
called leaven, which the Pharisees and Sadducees were teaching. So
long, then, as we have Jesus with us fulfilling the promise which
runs, "Lo, I am with you always unto the consummation of the age,"
[5595] we cannot fast nor be in want of food, so that, because of want
of it we should desire to take and eat the forbidden leaven, even from
the Pharisees and Sadducees. Now there may sometimes be a time, when
He is with us, that we are without food, as is spoken of in the
passage above, "They continue with me now three days and have nothing
to eat;" [5596] but, even though this should happen, being unwilling
to send us away fasting lest we faint on the way, He gives thanks over
the loaves which were with the disciples, and causes us to have the
seven baskets over from the seven loaves, as we have recorded. And
moreover this also is to be observed, in view of those who think that
the divinity of the Saviour is not at all demonstrable from the Gospel
of Matthew, that the fact that, when the disciples were reasoning
among themselves and saying, "We have no loaves," Jesus knew their
reasonings and said, "Why reason ye among yourselves, O ye of little
faith, because ye took no loaves," [5597] was beyond the power of man;
for the Lord alone, as Solomon says in the third Book of Kings, knows
the hearts of men. [5598]But since the disciples understood, when
Jesus said, "Beware of the leaven," [5599] that He did not tell them
to beware of the loaves but of the teaching of the Pharisees and
Sadducees, you will understand that whenever leaven is named it is put
figuratively for teaching, whether in the law, or in the Scriptures
which come after the law; and so perhaps leaven is not offered upon
the altar; for it is not right that prayers should take the form of
teaching, but should only be supplications of good things from God.
But one might inquire, on account of what has been said about
disciples who came to the other side, if any one who has reached the
other side can be reproached as one of little faith, and as not yet
understanding nor remembering what was done by Jesus. But it is not
difficult, I think, to say to this, that in relation to that which is
perfect, on the coming of which "that which is in part shall be done
away," [5600] all our faith here is little faith, and in regard to
that, we who know in part do not yet know nor remember; for we are not
able to obtain a memory which is sufficient and able to attain to the
magnitude of the nature of the speculations.
Footnotes
[5594] Matt. xvi. 11.
[5595] Matt. xxviii. 20.
[5596] Matt. xv. 32.
[5597] Matt. xvi. 8.
[5598] 1 Kings viii. 39.
[5599] Matt. xvi. 6.
[5600] 1 Cor. xiii. 10.
7. Relative Magnitude of Sins of the Heart and Actual Sins.
But we may also learn from this, that in respect of the reasonings
only which we reason within ourselves, we are sometimes convicted and
reproached as being of little faith. And I think that just as a man
commits adultery in his heart only, though not proceeding altogether
to the overt act, so he commits in his heart the rest of the things
which are forbidden. As then he who has committed adultery in his
heart will be punished proportionately to adultery of this kind, so
also he who has done in his heart any one of the things forbidden, for
example, who has stolen in his heart only, or borne false witness in
his heart only, will not be punished as he who has stolen in fact, or
who has completed the very act of false testimony, but only as he who
has done such things in his heart. There is also the case of the man
who while he did not arrive at the evil action, came short of it in
spite of his own will. For if, in addition to willing it, he has
attempted it, but not carried it out, he will be punished not as one
who has sinned in his heart alone but in deed. To questions of this
sort one might ask, whether any one commits adultery in his heart,
even if he does not do the deed of adultery, but lacks self-control in
heart only. And the like also you will say concerning the rest of
things which are deserving of praise. But the passage possibly
contains a plausible fallacy which must be cleared away, I think, in
this manner: adultery which takes place in the heart is a less sin,
than if one were also to add to it the act. But it is impossible that
there can be chastity in the heart, hindering the chaste
action--unless indeed one brings forward for an illustration of this
the case of the virgin who according to the law was violated in
solitude; [5601] for it may be granted that the heart of any one may
be most pure, [5602] but that force in a matter of licentiousness has
caused the corruption of the body of her who was chaste. In truth she
seems to me to be altogether chaste in secret heart, but no longer to
be pure in body such as she was before the act of violence; but though
she is not pure outwardly, is she therefore now also unchaste? I have
said these things because of the words, "They reasoned among
themselves saying, We took no loaves," to which is added, "And Jesus
perceiving it, said, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among
yourselves," [5603] etc.; for it was necessary that investigation
should be made in regard to the censure of things in secret and
correlatively to the praise of things in secret.
Footnotes
[5601] Deut. xxii. 25.
[5602] Or, violence in the licentious person.
[5603] Matt. xvi. 7, 8.
8. The Leaven Figurative Like the Water Spoken of by Jesus to the
Woman of Samaria.
But I wonder if the disciples thought, before the saying was explained
to them by Jesus, that their Teacher and Lord was forbidding them to
beware of the sensible leaven of the Pharisees or the Sadducees as
impure, and on this account forbidden, lest they might use that leaven
because they had not taken loaves. And we might make a like inquiry
in regard to other things; but by-way of illustration the narrative
about the woman of Samaria sufficeth, "Every one that drinketh of this
water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I
shall give him shall never thirst." [5604]For there, also, so far
as the mere form of expression is concerned, the Samaritan woman would
seem to have thought that the Saviour was giving a promise about
sensible water, when He said, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I
shall give him shall never thirst." And those things then must be
figuratively interpreted, and we must examine and compare the water of
the spring of Jacob from which the woman of Samaria drew water with
the water of Jesus; and here the like must be done; for perhaps the
loaves were not baked, but a kind of raw leaven solely, the teaching,
namely, of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Footnotes
[5604] John xiv. 13, 14.
9. Concerning the Question of Jesus in Cæsarea, Who Do Men Say that I
Am? Different Conceptions of Jesus.
"Now when Jesus came into the parts of Cæsarea Philippi, He asked His
disciples." [5605]Jesus inquires of the disciples, "Who do men say
that I am," that we may learn from the answer of the Apostles the
different conceptions then held among the Jews in regard to our
Saviour; and perhaps also that the disciples of Jesus might learn to
be interested in knowing what is said by men about them; [5606]
because that will be an advantage to them who do it, by cutting off in
every way occasions of evil if anything evil is spoken of, and by
increasing the incitements to good, if anything good is spoken of.
Only, observe how, on account of the different movements of opinion
among the Jews about Jesus, some, under the influence of unsound
theories, said that He was John the Baptist, like Herod the tetrarch
who said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist, he is risen from
the dead, and therefore do the powers work in him;" [5607] but others
that He who was now called Jesus was Elijah, either having been born a
second time, or living from that time in the flesh, and appearing at
the present time. But those who said that Jesus was Jeremiah, and not
that Jeremiah was a type of the Christ, were perhaps influenced by
what is said in the beginning of Jeremiah about Christ, which was not
fulfilled in the prophet at that time, but was beginning to be
fulfilled in Jesus, whom "God set up over nations and kingdoms to root
up, and to break down, and to destroy, and to build up, and to
transplant," [5608] having made Him to be a prophet to the Gentiles to
whom He proclaimed the word. Moreover also those who said, "that he
was a certain one of the prophets," [5609] conceived this opinion
concerning Him because of those things which had been said in the
prophets as unto them, but which had not been fulfilled in their
case. But also the Jews, as worthy of the veil which was upon their
heart, held false opinions concerning Jesus; while Peter as not a
disciple "of flesh and blood," [5610] but as one fit to receive the
revelation of the Father in heaven, confessed that He was the Christ.
The saying of Peter to the Saviour, "Thou art the Christ," when the
Jews did not know that He was Christ, was indeed a great thing, but
greater that he knew Him not only to be Christ, but also "the Son of
the living God," [5611] who had also said through the prophets, "I
live," [5612] and "They have forsaken Me the spring of living water;"
[5613] --and He is life also, as from the Father the spring of life,
who said, "I am the Life;" [5614] and consider carefully, whether, as
the spring of the river is not the same thing as the river, the spring
of life is not the same as life. And these things we have added
because to the saying, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of God," was
subjoined the word "living;" [5615] for it was necessary to set forth
something noteworthy in regard to that which is said about God and the
Father of all things as living, both in relation to His absolute life,
and in relation to those things which participate in it. But since we
said that they were under the influence of unsound opinions who
declared that Jesus was John the Baptist, or any one of those named,
in saying this let us prove that if they had fallen in with Jesus as
He was going away to John for baptism, or with John when he was
baptizing Jesus, or if they had heard it from any one, they would not
have said that Jesus was John. But also if they had understood the
opinions under the influence of which Jesus said, "If ye are willing
to receive it, this is Elijah which is to come," [5616] and had heard
what was said, as men having ears, some would not have said that He
was Elijah. And if those who said that He was Jeremiah had perceived
that the most of the prophets took upon themselves certain features
that were symbolical of Him, they would not have said that He was
Jeremiah; and in like manner the others would not have said that He
was one of the prophets.
Footnotes
[5605] Matt. xvi. 13.
[5606] Or, Him.
[5607] Matt. xiv. 2.
[5608] Jer. i. 10.
[5609] Matt. xvi. 14.
[5610] Matt. xvi. 17.
[5611] Matt. xvi. 16.
[5612] Jer. xxii. 24.
[5613] Jer. ii. 13.
[5614] John xiv. 6.
[5615] Matt. xvi. 16.
[5616] Matt xi. 14.
10. The Answer of Peter.
And perhaps that which Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God," [5617] if we say it as Peter, not
by flesh and blood revealing it unto us, but by the light from the
Father in heaven shining in our heart, we too become as Peter, being
pronounced blessed as he was, because that the grounds on which he was
pronounced blessed apply also to us, by reason of the fact that flesh
and blood have not revealed to us with regard to Jesus that He is
Christ, the Son of the living God, but the Father in heaven, from the
very heavens, that our citizenship may be in heaven, [5618] revealing
to us the revelation which carries up to heaven those who take away
every veil from the heart, and receive "the spirit of the wisdom and
revelation" of God. [5619]And if we too have said like Peter, "Thou
art the Christ, the Son of the living God," not as if flesh and blood
had revealed it unto us, but by light from the Father in heaven having
shone in our heart, we become a Peter, and to us there might be said
by the Word, "Thou art Peter," etc. [5620]For a rock [5621] is
every disciple of Christ of whom those drank who drank of the
spiritual rock which followed them, [5622] and upon every such rock is
built every word of the church, and the polity in accordance with it;
for in each of the perfect, who have the combination of words and
deeds and thoughts which fill up the blessedness, is the church built
by God.
Footnotes
[5617] Matt. xvi. 16.
[5618] Phil. iii. 20.
[5619] Eph. i. 17.
[5620] Matt. xvi. 18.
[5621] Or, a Peter.
[5622] 1 Cor. x. 4.
11. The Promise Given to Peter Not Restricted to Him, But Applicable
to All Disciples Like Him.
But if you suppose that upon that one Peter only the whole church is
built by God, what would you say about John the son of thunder or each
one of the Apostles? Shall we otherwise dare to say, that against
Peter in particular the gates of Hades shall not prevail, but that
they shall prevail against the other Apostles and the perfect? Does
not the saying previously made, "The gates of Hades shall not prevail
against it," [5623] hold in regard to all and in the case of each of
them? And also the saying, "Upon this rock I will build My church"?
[5624]Are the keys of the kingdom of heaven given by the Lord to
Peter only, and will no other of the blessed receive them? But if
this promise, "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of
heaven," [5625] be common to the others, how shall not all the things
previously spoken of, and the things which are subjoined as having
been addressed to Peter, be common to them? For in this place these
words seem to be addressed as to Peter only, "Whatsoever thou shalt
bind on earth shall be bound in heaven," [5626] etc.; but in the
Gospel of John the Saviour having given the Holy Spirit unto the
disciples by breathing upon them said, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit,"
[5627] etc. Many then will say to the Saviour, "Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God;" but not all who say this will say it to
Him, as not at all having learned it by the revelation of flesh and
blood but by the Father in heaven Himself taking away the veil that
lay upon their heart, in order that after this "with unveiled face
reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord" [5628] they may speak
through the Spirit of God saying concerning Him, "Lord Jesus," and to
Him, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." [5629]And if
any one says this to Him, not by flesh and blood revealing it unto Him
but through the Father in heaven, he will obtain the things that were
spoken according to the letter of the Gospel to that Peter, but, as
the spirit of the Gospel teaches, to every one who becomes such as
that Peter was. For all bear the surname of "rock" who are the
imitators of Christ, that is, of the spiritual rock which followed
those who are being saved, [5630] that they may drink from it the
spiritual draught. But these bear the surname of the rock just as
Christ does. But also as members of Christ deriving their surname
from Him they are called Christians, and from the rock, Peters. And
taking occasion from these things you will say that the righteous bear
the surname of Christ who is Righteousness, and the wise of Christ who
is Wisdom. [5631]And so in regard to all His other names, you will
apply them by way of surname to the saints; and to all such the saying
of the Saviour might be spoken, "Thou art Peter," etc., down to the
words, "prevail against it." But what is the "it"? Is it the rock
upon which Christ builds the church, or is it the church? For the
phrase is ambiguous. Or is it as if the rock and the church were one
and the same? This I think to be true; for neither against the rock
on which Christ builds the church, nor against the church will the
gates of Hades prevail; just as the way of a serpent upon a rock,
according to what is written in the Proverbs, [5632] cannot be found.
Now, if the gates of Hades prevail against any one, such an one cannot
be a rock upon which Christ builds the church, nor the church built by
Jesus upon the rock; for the rock is inaccessible to the serpent, and
it is stronger than the gates of Hades which are opposing it, so that
because of its strength the gates of Hades do not prevail against it;
but the church, as a building of Christ who built His own house wisely
upon the rock, [5633] is incapable of admitting the gates of Hades
which prevail against every man who is outside the rock and the
church, but have no power against it.
Footnotes
[5623] Matt. xvi. 18.
[5624] Matt. xvi. 18.
[5625] Matt. xvi. 19.
[5626] Matt. xvi. 19.
[5627] John xx. 22.
[5628] 2 Cor. iii. 18.
[5629] Matt. xvi. 16.
[5630] 1 Cor. x. 4.
[5631] 1 Cor. i. 30.
[5632] Prov. xxx. l9.
[5633] Matt. vii. 24.
12. Every Sin--Every False Doctrine is a "Gate of Hades."
But when we have understood how each of the sins through which there
is a way to Hades [5634] is a gate of Hades, we shall apprehend that
the soul, which has "spot or wrinkle or any such thing," [5635] and
because of wickedness is neither holy nor blameless, is neither a rock
upon which Christ builds, nor a church, nor part of a church which
Christ builds upon the rock. But if any one wishes to put us [5636]
to shame in regard to these things because of the great majority of
those of the church who are thought to believe, it must be said to him
not only "Many are called, but few chosen;" [5637] but also that which
was said by the Saviour to those who come to Him, as it is recorded in
Luke in these words, "Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many,
I say unto you, shall seek to enter in through the narrow door and
shall not be able;" [5638] and also that which is written in the
Gospel of Matthew thus, "For narrow is the gate, and strait is the way
that leadeth unto life, and few be they that find it." [5639]Now,
if you attend to the saying, "Many, I say unto you, shall seek to
enter in and shall not be able," [5640] you will understand that this
refers to those who boast that they are of the church, but live weakly
and contrary to the word. Of those, then, who seek to enter in, those
who are not able to enter will not be able to do so, because the gates
of Hades prevail against them; but in the case of those against whom
the gates of Hades will not prevail, those seeking to enter in will be
strong, being able to do all things, in Christ Jesus, who
strengtheneth them. [5641]And in like manner each one of those who
are the authors of any evil opinion has become the architect of a
certain gate of Hades; but those who co-operate with the teaching of
the architect of such things are servants and stewards, who are the
bond-servants of the evil doctrine which goes to build up impiety.
And though the gates of Hades are many and almost innumerable, no gate
of Hades will prevail against the rock or against the church which
Christ builds upon it. Notwithstanding, these gates have a certain
power by which they gain the mastery over some who do not resist and
strive against them; but they are overcome by others who, because they
do not turn aside from Him who said, "I am the door," [5642] have
rased from their soul all the gates of Hades. And this also we must
know that as the gates of cities have each their own names, in the
same way the gates of Hades might be named after the species of sins;
so that one gate of Hades is called "fornication," through which
fornicators go, and another "denial," through which the deniers of God
go down into Hades. And likewise already each of the heterodox and of
those who have begotten any "knowledge which is falsely so called,"
[5643] has built a gate of Hades--Marcion one gate, and Basilides
another, and Valentinus another.
Footnotes
[5634] Or, each of the sins on account of which Christ was about to go
to Hades. (Erasmus)
[5635] Eph. v. 27.
[5636] Or, you.
[5637] Matt. xxii. 14.
[5638] Luke xiii. 24.
[5639] Matt. vii. 14.
[5640] Luke xiii. 24.
[5641] Phil. iv. 13.
[5642] John x. 9.
[5643] 1 Tim. vi. 20.
13. The "Gates of Hades" And the "Gates of Zion" Contrasted.
In this place, then, the gates of Hades are spoken of; but in the
Psalms the prophet gives thanks saying, "He who lifteth me up from the
gates of death that I may declare all thy praises in the gates of the
daughter of Zion." [5644]And from this we learn that it is never
possible for any one to be fit to declare the praises of God, unless
he has been lifted up from the gates of death, and has come to the
gates of Zion. Now the gates of Zion may be conceived as opposed to
the gates of death, so that there is one gate of death, dissoluteness,
but a gate of Zion, self-control; and so a gate of death,
unrighteousness, but a gate of Zion, righteousness, which the prophet
shows forth saying, "This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall
enter into it." [5645]And again there is cowardice, a gate of
death, but manly courage, a gate of Zion; and want of prudence, a gate
of death, but its opposite, prudence, a gate of Zion. But to all the
gates of the "knowledge which is falsely so called" [5646] one gate is
opposed, the gate of knowledge which is free from falsehood. But
consider if, because of the saying , "our wrestling is not against
flesh and blood," [5647] etc., you can say that each power and
world-ruler of this darkness, and each one of the "spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places" [5648] is a gate of Hades and a
gate of death. Let, then, the principalities and powers with which
our wrestling is, be called gates of Hades, but the "ministering
spirits" [5649] gates of righteousness. But as in the case of the
better things many gates are first spoken of, and after the gates,
one, in the passage, "Open to me the gates of righteousness, I will
enter into them, and will make full confession to the Lord," and "this
is the gate of the Lord, by it the righteous shall enter;" [5650] so
also in the case of those gates which are opposed, many are the gates
of Hades and death, each a power; but over all these the wicked one
himself. And let us take heed in regard to each sin, as if we were
descending into some gate of death if we sin; but when we are lifted
up from the gates of death let us declare all the praises of the Lord
in the gates of the daughter of Zion; as, for example, in one gate of
the daughter of Zion--that which is called self-control--we will
declare by our self-control the praises of God; and in another which
is called righteousness, by righteousness we will declare the praises
of God; and, generally, in all things whatsoever of a praiseworthy
character with which we are occupied, in these we are at some gate of
the daughter of Zion, declaring at each gate some praise of God. But
we must make inquiry whether in one of the Twelve [5651] it is said,
"They hated him that reproveth in the gates, and they loathed the holy
word." [5652]Perhaps, then, he who reproves in the gates is of the
gates of the daughter of Zion, reproving those who are in sins which
are opposed to this gate, even of the gates of Hades or death. But if
ye do not so understand the words, "They hated him that reproveth in
the gates," either the expression "in the gates" will be held to be
superfluous, or investigate how that which is said can be worthy of
the prophetic spirit.
Footnotes
[5644] Ps. ix. 13, 14.
[5645] Ps. cxviii. 20.
[5646] 1 Tim. vi. 20.
[5647] Eph. vi. 12.
[5648] Eph. vi. 12.
[5649] Heb. i. 14.
[5650] Ps. cxviii. 19, 20.
[5651] That is, the Minor Prophets.
[5652] Amos v. 10.
14. In What Sense the "Keys" Are Given to Peter, and Every Peter.
Limitations of This Power.
And after this let us see in what sense it is said to Peter, and to
every Peter, "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of
heaven." [5653]And, in the first place, I think that the saying, "I
will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven," is spoken in
consistency with the words, "The gates of Hades shall not prevail
against it." [5654]For he is worthy to receive from the same Word
the keys of the kingdom of heaven, who is fortified against the gates
of Hades so that they do not prevail against him, receiving, as it
were, for a prize, the keys of the kingdom of heaven, because the
gates of Hades had no power against him, that he might open for
himself the gates that were closed to those who had been conquered by
the gates of Hades. And he enters in, as a temperate man, through an
opened gate--the gate of temperance--by the key which opens
temperance; and, as a righteous man, by another gate--the gate of
righteousness--which is opened by the key of righteousness; and so
with the rest of the virtues. For I think that for every virtue of
knowledge certain mysteries of wisdom corresponding to the species of
the virtue are opened up to him who has lived according to virtue; the
Saviour giving to those who are not mastered by the gates of Hades as
many keys as there are virtues, which open gates equal in number,
which correspond to each virtue according to the revelation of the
mysteries. And perhaps, also, each virtue is a kingdom of heaven, and
all together are a kingdom of the heavens; so that according to this
he is already in the kingdom of the heavens who lives according to the
virtues, so that according to this the saying, "Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand," [5655] is to be referred, not to the
time, but to deeds and dispositions; for Christ, who is all virtue,
has come, and speaks, and on account of this the kingdom of God is
within His disciples, and not here or there. [5656]But consider how
great power the rock has upon which the church is built by Christ, and
how great power every one has who says, "Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the living God," so that the judgments of this man abide sure, as
if God were judging in him, that in the very act of judging the gates
of Hades shall not prevail against him. But when one judges
unrighteously, and does not bind upon earth according to the Word of
God, nor loose upon earth according to His will, the gates of Hades
prevail against him; but, in the case of any one against whom the
gates of Hades do not prevail, this man judges righteously. Wherefore
he has the keys of the kingdom of heaven, opening to those who have
been loosed on earth that they may be also loosed in heaven, and free;
and shutting to those who by his just judgment have been bound on
earth that they also may be bound in heaven, and condemned. But when
those who maintain the function of the episcopate make use of this
word as Peter, and, having received the keys of the kingdom of heaven
from the Saviour, teach that things bound by them, that is to say,
condemned, are also bound in heaven, and that those which have
obtained remission by them are also loosed in heaven, we must say that
they speak wholesomely if they have the way of life on account of
which it was said to that Peter, "Thou art Peter;" [5657] and if they
are such that upon them the church is built by Christ, and to them
with good reason this could be referred; and the gates of Hades ought
not to prevail against him when he wishes to bind and loose. But if
he is tightly bound with the cords of his sins, [5658] to no purpose
does he bind and loose. And perhaps you can say that in the heavens
which are in the wise man--that, is the virtues,--the bad man is
bound; and again in these the virtuous man is loosed, and has received
an indemnity for the sins which he committed before his virtue. But,
as the man, who has not the cords of sins nor iniquities compared to a
"long rope or to the strap of the yoke of a heifer," [5659] not even
God could bind, in like manner, no Peter, whoever he may be; and if
any one who is not a Peter, and does not possess the things here
spoken of, imagines as a Peter that he will so bind on earth that the
things bound are bound in heaven, and will so loose on earth that the
things loosed are loosed in heaven, he is puffed up, not understanding
the meaning of the Scriptures, and, being puffed up, has fallen into
the ruin of the devil. [5660]
Footnotes
[5653] Matt. xvi. 19.
[5654] Matt. xvi. 18.
[5655] Matt. iii. 2; iv. 17.
[5656] Luke xvii. 21.
[5657] Matt. xvi. 18.
[5658] Prov. v. 22.
[5659] Isa. v. 18.
[5660] 1 Tim. iii. 10.
15. Relation of the Former Commission Given by Jesus to the
Disciples, to His Present Injunction of Silence. Belief and Knowledge
Contrasted.
"Then enjoined He His disciples that they should tell no man that He
was the Christ." [5661]It is written above that Jesus sent forth
these twelve saying unto them, "Go not into any way of the Gentiles,"
[5662] and the other words which are recorded to have been said to
them when He sent them to the apostleship. Did He then wish them when
they were already discharging the function of Apostles to proclaim
that He was the Christ? For, if He wished it, it is fitting to
inquire why He now at all commands the disciples that they should not
say that He was the Christ? Or if He did not wish it, how can the
things concerning the apostleship be safely maintained? And these
things also one may inquire at this place,--whether, when He sent away
the Twelve, He did not send them away with the understanding that He
was the Christ? But if the Twelve had such understanding, manifestly
Peter had it also; how, then, is he now pronounced blessed? For the
expression here plainly indicates that now for the first time Peter
confessed that Christ was the Son of the living God. Matthew then,
according to some of the manuscripts, has written, "Then He commanded
His disciples that they should tell no man that He was the Christ,"
but [5663] Mark says, "He charged them that they should tell no man of
Him;" [5664] and Luke, "He charged them and commanded them to tell
this to no man." [5665]But what is the "this"? Was it that also
according to him, Peter answered and said to the question, "Who say ye
that I am."--"The Christ, the Son of the living God?" [5666]You
must know, however, that some manuscripts of the Gospel according to
Matthew have, "He charged." [5667]The difficulty thus started seems
to me a very real difficulty; but let a solution which cannot be
impugned be sought out, and let the finder of it bring it forward
before all, if it be more credible than that which shall be advanced
by us as a fairly temperate view. [5668]Consider, then, if you can
say, that the belief that Jesus is the Christ is inferior to the
knowledge of that which is believed. And perhaps also there is a
difference in the knowledge of Jesus as the Christ, as every one who
knows does not know Him alike. From the words in John, "If ye abide
in My word, ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you
free," [5669] it is plain that belief without knowledge is inferior to
knowing; but that there is a difference in the knowledge of Jesus as
the Christ, as all who know Him do not know Him equally, is a fact
self-evident to any one who gives even a very little consideration to
the matter. For who would not acknowledge, for example, that Timothy,
though he knew that Jesus was the Christ, had not been enlightened to
such an extent in the knowledge of Him as the Apostle had been
enlightened? And who would not also admit this--that though many,
speaking the truth, say about God, "He has given to me a true
knowledge of things that are," yet they will not say this with equal
insight and apprehension of the things known, nor as knowing the same
number of things? But it is not only in respect of the difference of
knowing that those who know do not know alike, but also according to
that which is the source of the knowledge; so that according to this
he who knows the Son by the revelation of the Father, [5670] as Peter
is testified to have known, has the highest beatitude. Now, if these
views of ours are sound, you will consider whether the Twelve formerly
believed but did not know; but, after believing, they gained also the
rudiments of knowledge and knew a few things about Him; and afterwards
they continued to advance in knowledge so that they were able to
receive the knowledge from the Father who reveals the Son; in which
position Peter was, when he was pronounced blessed; for also he is
pronounced blessed not merely because he said, "Thou art the Christ,"
but with the addition, "the Son of the living God." Accordingly Mark
and Luke who have recorded that Peter answered and said, "Thou art the
Christ," but have not given the addition found in Matthew, have not
recorded that he was declared blessed for what had been said, nor the
blessing which followed the declaration of blessedness, "Thou art
Peter," [5671] etc.
Footnotes
[5661] Matt. xvi. 20.
[5662] Matt. x. 5.
[5663] Matt. xvi. 20.
[5664] Mark viii. 30.
[5665] Luke ix. 21.
[5666] Matt. xvi. 15, 16.
[5667] Matt. xvi. 20.
[5668] Or, which he may regard as mediocre.
[5669] John viii. 31, 32.
[5670] Matt. xvi. 16.
[5671] Matt. xvi. 18.
16. Gradual Growth in Knowledge of the Disciples.
But now we must first investigate the fact that they were declaring
other things about Him as being great and wonderful, but did not yet
proclaim that He was the Christ, lest the Saviour may not appear to
take away from them the authority to announce that He was the Christ,
which He had formerly bestowed upon them. And perhaps some one will
support an argument of this kind, saying that on their introduction
into the school of Christ the Jews were taught by the disciples
glorious things about Jesus, so that in due season there might be
built upon these as a foundation the things about Jesus being the
Christ; and perhaps many of the things which were said to them were
said to all who virtually believed; for not to the Apostles alone did
the saying apply, "Before governors and kings also shall ye be brought
for My sake for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles;" [5672] and
perhaps also not to the Apostles absolutely, but to all who were about
to believe the word, "And brother shall deliver up brother to death,"
[5673] etc.; but, "Whosoever shall confess Me," [5674] etc., is said
not specially to the Apostles, but also to all believers. According
to this, then, through that which was said to the Apostles an outline
was given beforehand of the teaching which would afterwards come to be
of service both to them and to every teacher.
Footnotes
[5672] Matt. x. 18.
[5673] Matt. x. 21.
[5674] Matt. x. 32.
17. Reasons for that Gradual Knowledge.
And likewise he who holds that the fact that He was Christ had been
formerly proclaimed by the Apostles when they heard the saying, "What
I tell you in the darkness, speak ye in the light, and what ye hear in
the ear proclaim on the housetops," [5675] will say, that He wished
first to give catechetical instruction as it were to those of the
Apostles who were to hear the name of Christ, then to permit this, so
to speak, to be digested in the minds of the hearers, that, after
there had been a period of silence in the proclamation of something of
this kind about Him, at a more seasonable time there might be built up
upon the former rudiments "Christ Jesus crucified and raised from the
dead," which at the beginning not even the Apostles knew; for it is
written in the passage now under consideration, "From that time began
Jesus to show unto His disciples that He must go unto Jerusalem"
[5676] and suffer this and that. But if now, for the first time, the
Apostles learn from Jesus the things that were about to happen unto
Him, namely, that the elders will plot against Him, and that He will
be killed, and that after these things, on the third day, He will rise
from the dead,--what necessity is there for supposing that those who
had been taught by the Apostles concerning Jesus knew them before, or
that although Christ was announced to them He was announced to them by
way of an introduction which did not clearly elucidate the things
concerning Him? For our Saviour wished, when He enjoined the
disciples to tell no man that He was the Christ, to reserve the more
perfect teaching about Him to a more fitting time, when to those who
had seen Him crucified, the disciples who had seen Him crucified and
risen could testify the things relating to His resurrection. For if
the Apostles, who were always with Him and had seen all the wonderful
things which He did, and who bore testimony to His words that they
were words of eternal life, [5677] were offended on the night on which
He was betrayed,--what do you suppose would have been the feelings of
those who had formerly learned that He was the Christ? To spare them,
I think, He gave this command.
Footnotes
[5675] Matt. x. 27.
[5676] Matt. xvi. 21.
[5677] John vi. 68.
18. Jesus Was at First Proclaimed by the Twelve as a Worker and a
Teacher Only.
But he who holds that the things spoken to the Twelve refer to the
times subsequent to this, and that the Apostles had not as yet
announced to their hearers that He was the Christ, will say that He
wished the conception of the Christ which was involved in the name of
Jesus to be reserved for that preaching which was more perfect, and
which brought salvation, such as Paul knew of when he said to the
Corinthians, "I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus
Christ and Him crucified." [5678]Wherefore, formerly they
proclaimed Jesus as the doer of certain things, and the teacher of
certain things; but now when Peter confesses that He was the Christ,
the Son of the living God, as He did not wish it to be proclaimed
already that He was the Christ, in order that He might be proclaimed
at a more suitable time, and that as crucified, He commands His
disciples that they should tell no man that He was the Christ. And
that this was His meaning, when He forbade proclamation to be made
that He was the Christ, is in a measure established by the words,
"From that time began Jesus to show unto His disciples how that He
must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders," and
what is annexed; [5679] for then, at the fitting time, He proclaims,
so to speak, to the disciples who knew that Jesus was Christ, the Son
of the living God, the Father having revealed it to them, that instead
of believing in Jesus Christ who had been crucified, they were to
believe in Jesus Christ who was about to be crucified. But also,
instead of believing in Christ Jesus and Him risen from the dead, He
teaches them to believe in Christ Jesus and Him about to be risen from
the dead. But since "having put off from Himself the principalities
and the powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over in the
cross," [5680] if any one is ashamed of the cross of Christ, he is
ashamed of the dispensation on account of which these powers were
triumphed over; and it is fitting that he, who both believes and knows
these things, should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
[5681] through which, when Christ was crucified, the
principalities--among which, I think, was also the prince of this
world--were made a show of and triumphed over before the believing
world. Wherefore, when His suffering was at hand he said, "Now the
prince of this world has been judged," [5682] and, "Now shall the
prince of this world be cast out," and, "I, if I be lifted from the
earth, will draw all men unto Myself;" [5683] as he no longer had
sufficient power to prevent those going to Jesus who were being drawn
by Him.
Footnotes
[5678] 1 Cor. ii. 2.
[5679] Matt. xvi. 21.
[5680] Col. ii. 15.
[5681] Gal. vi. 14.
[5682] John xvi. 11.
[5683] John xii. 31, 32.
19. Importance of the Proclamation of Jesus as the Crucified.
It is necessary, therefore, to the proclamation of Jesus as Christ,
that He should be proclaimed as crucified; and the proclamation that
Jesus was the Christ does not seem to me so defective when any of His
other miracles is passed over in silence, as when the fact of His
crucifixion is passed over. Wherefore, reserving the more perfect
proclamation of the things concerning Him by the Apostles, He
commanded His disciples that they should tell no man that He was the
Christ; and He prepared them to say that He was the Christ crucified
and risen from the dead, "when He began" not only to say, nor even to
advance to the point of teaching merely, but "to show" [5684] to His
disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, etc.; for attend to the
expression "show"; because just as sensible things are said to be
shown so the things spoken by Him to His disciples are said to be
shown by Jesus. And I do not think that each of the things seen was
shown to those who saw Him suffering many things in body from the
elders of the people, with such clearness as was the rational
demonstration about Him to the disciples.
Footnotes
[5684] Matt. xvi. 21.
20. Why Jesus Had to Go to Jerusalem.
"Then began He to show;" [5685] and probably afterwards when they were
able to receive it He shewed more clearly, no longer beginning to show
as to those who were learning the introduction, but already also
advancing in the showing; and if it is reasonable to conceive that
Jesus altogether completed what He began, then, some time, He
altogether completed that which He began to show to His disciples
about the necessity of His suffering the things which are written.
For, when any one apprehends from the Word the perfect knowledge of
these things, then it must be said that, from a rational exhibition
(the mind seeing the things which are shown,) the exhibition becomes
complete for him who has the will and the power to contemplate these
things, and does contemplate them. But since "it cannot be that a
prophet perish out of Jerusalem," [5686] --a perishing which
corresponds to the words, "He that loseth his life for My sake shall
find it," [5687] --on this account it was necessary for Him to go to
Jerusalem, that having suffered many things in that Jerusalem, He
might make "the first-fruits" [5688] of the resurrection from the dead
in the Jerusalem above, doing away with and breaking up the city upon
the earth with all the worship which was maintained in it. For so
long as Christ "had not been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of
them that are asleep," [5689] and those who become conformed to His
death and resurrection had not yet been raised along with Him, the
city of God was sought for below, and the temple, and the
purifications, and the rest; but when this took place, no longer were
the things below sought for, but the things above; and, in order that
these might be set up, it was necessary that He should go unto the
Jerusalem below, and there suffer many things from the elders in it,
and the chief priests and scribes of the people, in order that He
might be glorified by the heavenly elders who could receive his
bounties, and by diviner high-priests who are ordained under the one
High-Priest, and that He might be glorified by the scribes of the
people who are occupied with letters "not written with ink" [5690] but
made clear by the Spirit of the living God, and might be killed in the
Jerusalem below, and having risen from the dead might reign in Mount
Zion, and the city of the living God--the heavenly Jerusalem. [5691]
But on the third day He rose from the dead, [5692] in order that
having delivered them from the wicked one, and his son, [5693] in whom
was falsehood and unrighteousness and war and everything opposed to
that which Christ is, and also from the profane spirit who transforms
himself into the Holy Spirit, He might gain for those who had been
delivered the right to be baptized in spirit and soul and body, into
the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, which
represent the three days eternally present at the same time to those
who by means of them are sons of light.
Footnotes
[5685] Matt. xvi. 21.
[5686] Luke xiii. 33.
[5687] Matt. x. 39.
[5688] 1 Cor. xv. 20.
[5689] 1 Cor. xv. 20.
[5690] 2 Cor. iii. 3.
[5691] Heb. xii. 22.
[5692] Or (putting a comma after Jerusalem), but that on the third day
He might rise.
[5693] See xi. c. 6, p. 434, note 2.
21. The Rebuke of Peter and the Answer of Jesus.
"And Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him, saying, God be propitious
to Thee. Lord, this shall never be unto thee." [5694]To whom He
said, "Get thee behind Me, Satan; thou art a stumbling-block unto Me;
for thou mindest not the things of God but the things of men." [5695]
Since Jesus had begun to show unto His disciples that He must go
unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things, Peter up to this point learned
the beginnings of those things which were shown. [5696]But since he
thought that the sufferings were unworthy of Christ the Son of the
living God, and below the dignity of the Father who had revealed to
him so great things about Christ,--for the things that concerned His
coming suffering had not been revealed to him,--on this account he
took Him, and as one forgetful of the honour due to the Christ, and
that the Son of the living God neither does nor says anything worthy
of rebuke, he began to rebuke Him; and as to one who needed
propitiation,--for he did not yet know that "God had set Him forth to
be a propitiation through faith in His blood," [5697] he said, "God be
propitious to thee, O Lord." [5698]Approving his purpose, indeed,
but rebuking his ignorance, because of the purpose being right, He
says to him, "Get thee behind Me," [5699] as to one who, by reason of
the things of which he was ignorant and spake not rightly, had
abandoned the following of Jesus; but because of his ignorance, as to
one who had something antagonistic to the things of God, He said,
"Satan," which in the Hebrew means "adversary." But, if Peter had not
spoken from ignorance, nor rebuked the Son of the living God, saying
unto Him, "God be propitious to thee, Lord, this shall never be unto
Thee," Christ would not have said to him, "Get thee behind Me," as to
one who had given up being behind Him and following Him; nor would He
have said as to one who had spoken things adverse to what He had said,
"Satan." But now Satan prevailed over him who had followed Jesus and
was going behind Him, to turn aside from following Him and from being
behind the Son of God, and to make him, by reason of the words which
he spoke in ignorance, worthy of being called "Satan" and a
stumbling-block to the Son of God, and "as not minding the things of
God but the things of men." But that Peter was formerly behind the
Son of God, before he committed this sin, is manifest from the words,
"Come ye behind Me, and I will make you fishers of men." [5700]
Footnotes
[5694] Matt. xvi. 22.
[5695] Matt. xvi. 23.
[5696] These three sentences are supplied from the old Latin version,
as at this point there is a hiatus in the mss.
[5697] Rom. iii. 25.
[5698] Matt. xvi. 22.
[5699] Matt. xvi. 23.
[5700] Matt. iv. 19.
22. Importance of the Expressions "Behind" And "Turned."
But you will compare together His saying to Peter, "Get thee behind
me, Satan," [5701] with that said to the devil (who said to Him, "All
these things will I give Thee if Thou wilt fall down and worship me"),
[5702] "get thee hence," [5703] without the addition, "behind Me;" for
to be behind Jesus is a good thing. Wherefore it was said, "Come ye
behind Me and I will make you fishers of men." [5704]And to the
same effect is the saying, "He that doth not take his cross and follow
behind Me is not worthy of Me." [5705] And as a general principle
observe the expression "behind"; because it is a good thing when any
one goes behind the Lord God and is behind the Christ; but it is the
opposite when any one casts the words of God behind him, or when he
transgresses the commandment which says, "Do not walk behind thy
lusts." [5706]And Elijah also, in the third Book of Kings, says to
the people, "How long halt ye on both your knees? If God is the Lord,
go behind Him, but if Baal is the Lord, go behind him." [5707]And
Jesus says this to Peter when He "turned," and He does so by way of
conferring a favour. And if therefore you will collect more
illustrations of the "having turned," and especially those which are
ascribed to Jesus, and compare them with one another, you would find
that the expression is not superfluous. But it is sufficient at
present to bring forward this from the Gospel according to John,
"Jesus turned and beheld them"--clearly, Peter and Andrew--"following,
and saith unto them, What seek ye?" [5708]For observe that, when He
"turned," it is for the advantage of those to whom He turned.
Footnotes
[5701] Matt. xvi. 23.
[5702] Matt. iv. 9.
[5703] Matt. iv. 10.
[5704] Matt. iv. 19.
[5705] Matt. x. 38.
[5706] Ecclus. xviii. 30.
[5707] 1 Kings xviii. 21.
[5708] John i. 38.
23. Peter as a Stumbling-Block to Jesus.
Next we must inquire how He said to Peter, "Thou art a stumbling-block
unto Me," [5709] especially when David says, "Great peace have they
that love Thy law, and there is no stumbling-block to them." [5710]
For some one will say, if this is said in the prophet, because of the
steadfastness of those who have love, and are incapable of being
offended, for "love beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth
all things, endureth all things, love never faileth," [5711] how did
the Lord Himself, "who upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all
that be bowed down," [5712] say to Peter, "Thou art a stumbling-block
unto Me"? But it must be said that not only the Saviour, but also he
who is perfected in love, cannot be offended. But, so far as it
depends on himself, he who says or does such things is a
stumbling-block even to him who will not be offended; unless perhaps
Jesus calls the disciple who sinned a stumbling-block even to Himself,
as much more than Paul He would have said from love, "Who is weak, and
I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I burn not?" [5713]In
harmony with which we may put, "Who is made to stumble, and I am not
made to stumble?" But if Peter, at that time because of the saying,
"God be propitious to Thee, Lord, this shall not be unto Thee," [5714]
was called a stumbling-block by Jesus, as not minding the things of
God in what he said but the things of men, what is to be said about
all those who profess to be made disciples of Jesus, but do not mind
the things of God, and do not look to things unseen and eternal, but
mind the things of man, and look to things seen and temporal, [5715]
but that such still more would be stigmatized by Jesus as a
stumbling-block to Him, and because stumbling-blocks to Him, as
stumbling-blocks to His brethren also? As in regard to them He says,
"I was thirsty and ye gave Me no drink," [5716] etc., so also He might
say, "When I was running ye caused Me to stumble." Let us not
therefore suppose that it is a trivial sin to mind the things of men,
since we ought in everything to mind the things of God. And it will
be appropriate also to say this to every one that has fallen away from
the doctrines of God and the words of the church and a true mind; as,
for example, to him who minds as true the teaching of Basilides, or
Valentinus, or Marcion, or any one of those who teach the things of
men as the things of God.
Footnotes
[5709] Matt. xvi. 23.
[5710] Ps. cxix. 165.
[5711] 1 Cor. xiii. 7, 8.
[5712] Ps. cxlv. 14.
[5713] 2 Cor. xi. 29.
[5714] Matt. xvi. 22.
[5715] 2 Cor. iv. 18.
[5716] Matt. xxv. 42.
24. Self-Denial and Cross-Bearing.
"Then Jesus said to His disciples, If any man wills to follow after
Me," etc. [5717]He shows by these words that, to will to come after
Jesus and to follow Him, springs from no ordinary manly courage, and
that no one who has not denied himself can come after Jesus. And the
man denies himself who wipes out by a striking revolution his own
former life which had been spent in wickedness; as by way of
illustration he who was once licentious denies his licentious self,
having become self-controlled even abidingly. But it is probable that
some one may put the objection, whether as he denied himself so he
also confesses himself, when he denied himself, the unjust, and
confesses himself, the righteous one. But, if Christ is
righteousness, he who has received righteousness confesses not himself
but Christ; so also he who has found wisdom, by the very possession of
wisdom, confesses Christ. And such a one indeed as, "with the heart
believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth maketh confession unto
salvation," [5718] and bears testimony to the works of Christ, as
making confession by all these things of Christ before men, will be
confessed by Him before His Father in heaven. [5719]So also he who
has not denied himself but denied the Christ will experience the
saying, "I also will deny him." [5720]On this account let every
thought and every purpose and every word and every action become a
denial of ourselves, but a testimony about Christ and in Christ; for I
am persuaded that every action of the perfect man is a testimony to
Christ Jesus, and that abstinence from every sin is a denial of self,
leading him after Christ. And such an one is crucified with Christ,
and taking up his own cross follows Him who for our sakes bears His
own cross, according to that which is said in John: "They took Jesus
therefore and put it on Him," etc., down to the words, "Where they
crucified Him." [5721]But the Jesus according to John, so to speak,
bears the cross for Himself, and bearing it went out; but the Jesus
according to Matthew and Mark and Luke, does not bear it for Himself,
for Simon of Cyrene bears it. [5722]And perhaps this man refers to
us, who because of Jesus take up the cross of Jesus, but Jesus Himself
takes it upon Himself; for there are, as it were, two conceptions of
the cross, the one which Simon of Cyrene bears, and the other which
Jesus Himself bears for Himself.
Footnotes
[5717] Matt. xvi. 24.
[5718] Rom. x. 10.
[5719] Matt. x. 32.
[5720] Matt. x. 33.
[5721] John xix. 17, 18.
[5722] Matt. xxvii. 32; Mark xv. 21; Luke xxiii. 26.
25. Reference to the Saying of Paul About Crucifixion with Christ.
Moreover in regard to the saying, "Let him deny himself," [5723] the
following saying of Paul who denied himself seems appropriate, "Yet I
live, and yet no longer I but Christ liveth in me;" [5724] for the
expression, "I live, yet no longer I," was the voice of one denying
himself, as of one who had laid aside his own life and taken on
himself the Christ, in order that He might live in him as
Righteousness, and as Wisdom, and as Sanctification, and as our Peace,
[5725] and as the Power of God, who worketh all things in him. But
further also, attend to this, that while there are many forms of
dying, the Son of God was crucified, being hanged on a tree, in order
that all who die unto sin may die to it, in no other way than by the
way of the cross. Wherefore they will say, "I have been crucified
with Christ," and, "Far be it from me to glory save in the cross of
the Lord, through which the world has been crucified unto me and I
unto the world." [5726]For perhaps also each of those who have been
crucified with Christ puts off from himself the principalities and the
powers, and makes a show of them and triumphs over them in the cross;
[5727] or rather, Christ does these things in them.
Footnotes
[5723] Matt. xvi. 24.
[5724] Gal. ii. 20.
[5725] 1 Cor. i. 30; Eph. ii. 14.
[5726] Gal. ii. 20; vi. 14.
[5727] Col. ii. 15.
26. The Less of Life; And the Saving of It.
"For whosoever would save his own life shall lose it." [5728]The
first expression is ambiguous; for it may be understood in one way
thus. If any one as being a lover of life, and thinking that the
present life is good, tends carefully his own life with a view to
living in the flesh, being afraid to die, as through death going to
lose it, this man, by the very willing to save in this way his own
life will lose it, placing it outside of the borders of blessedness.
But if any one despising the present life because of my word, which
has persuaded him to strive in regard to eternal life even unto death
for truth, loses his own life, surrendering it for the sake of piety
to that which is commonly called death, this man, as for my sake he
has lost his life, will save it rather, and keep it in possession.
And according to a second way we might interpret the saying as
follows. If any one, who has grasped what salvation really is, wishes
to procure the salvation of his own life, let this man having taken
farewell of this life, and denied himself and taken up his own cross,
and following me, lose his own life to the world; for having lost it
for my sake and for the sake of all my teaching, he will gain the end
of loss of this kind--salvation.
Footnotes
[5728] Matt. xvi. 25.
27. Life Lost to the World is Saved.
But at the same time also observe that at the beginning it is said,
"Whosoever wills," but afterwards, "Whoso shall lose." [5729]If we
then wish it to be saved let us lose it to the world, as those who
have been crucified with Christ and have for our glorying that which
is in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world is
to be crucified unto us and we unto the world, [5730] that we may gain
our end, even the salvation of our lives, which begins from the time
when we lose it for the sake of the word. But if we think that the
salvation of our life is a blessed thing, with reference to the
salvation which is in God and the blessednesses with Him, then any
loss of life ought to be a good thing, and, for the sake of Christ
must prove to be the prelude to the blessed salvation. It seems to
me, therefore, following the analogy of self-denial, according to what
has been said, that each ought to lose his own life. Let each one
therefore lose his own sinning life, that having lost that which is
sinful, he may receive that which is saved by right actions; but a man
will in no way be profited if he shall gain the whole world. Now he
gains the world, I think, to whom the world is not crucified; and to
whom the world is not crucified, to that man shall be the loss of his
own life. But when two things are put before us, either by gaining
one's life to forfeit the world, or by gaining the world to forfeit
one's life, much more desirable is the choice, that we should forfeit
the world and gain our life by losing it on account of Christ.
Footnotes
[5729] Matt. xvi. 25.
[5730] Gal. vi. 14.
28. The Exchange for One's Life.
But the saying, "What shall a man give in exchange for his own life,"
[5731] if spoken by way of interrogation, will seem to be able to
indicate that an exchange for his own life is given by the man who
after his sins has given up his whole substance, that his property may
feed the poor, as if he were going by that to obtain salvation; but,
if spoken affirmatively, I think, to indicate that there is not
anything in man by the giving of which in exchange for his own life
which has been overcome by death, he will ransom it out of its hand.
A man, therefore, could not give anything as an exchange for his own
life, but God gave an exchange for the life of us all, "the precious
blood of Christ Jesus," [5732] according as "we were bought with a
price," [5733] "having been redeemed, not with corruptible things as
silver or gold, but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish
and without spot," even of Christ. [5734]And in Isaiah it is said
to Israel, "I gave Ethiopia in exchange for thee, and Egypt and Syene
for thee; from what time thou hast become honourable before Me thou
wast glorified." [5735]For the exchange, for example, of the
first-born of Israel was the first-born of the Egyptians, and the
exchange for Israel was the Egyptians who died in the last plagues
that came upon Egypt, and in the drowning which took place after the
plagues. But, from these things, let him who is able inquire whether
the exchange of the true Israel given by God, "who redeems Israel from
all his transgressions," [5736] is the true Ethiopia, and, so to
speak, spiritual Egypt, and Syene of Egypt; and to inquire with more
boldness, perhaps Syene is the exchange for Jerusalem, and Egypt for
Judæa, and Ethiopia for those who fear, who are different from Israel,
and the house of Levi, and the house of Aaron.
Footnotes
[5731] Matt. xvi. 26.
[5732] 1 Pet. i. 19.
[5733] 1 Cor. vi. 20.
[5734] 1 Pet. i. 18, 19.
[5735] Isa. xliii. 3, 4.
[5736] Ps. cxxx. 8.
29. The Coming of the Son of Man in Glory.
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His own Father with His
angels." [5737]Now, indeed, the Son of man has not come in His
glory; "for we saw Him, and He had no form nor beauty; but His form
was dishonoured and defective compared with the sons of men; He was a
man in affliction and toil, and acquainted with the enduring of
sickness, because His face was turned away, He was dishonoured and not
esteemed." [5738]And it was necessary that He should come in such
form that He might bear our sins [5739] and suffer pain for us; for it
did not become Him in glory to bear our sins and suffer pain for us.
But He also comes in glory, having prepared [5740] the disciples
through that epiphany of His which has no form nor beauty; and, having
become as they that they might become as He, "conformed to the image
of His glory," [5741] since He formerly became conformed to "the body
of our humiliation," [5742] when He "emptied Himself and took upon Him
the form of a servant," [5743] He is restored to the image of God and
also makes them conformed unto it.
Footnotes
[5737] Matt. xvi. 27.
[5738] Isa. liii. 2, 3.
[5739] Isa. liii. 4.
[5740] Reading proeutrepisos as the Vetus Inter.
[5741] Rom. viii. 29.
[5742] Phil. iii. 21.
[5743] Phil. ii. 7.
30. The Word Appears in Different Forms; The Time of His Coming in
Glory.
But if you will understand the differences of the Word which by "the
foolishness of preaching" [5744] is proclaimed to those who believe,
and spoken in wisdom to them that are perfect, you will see in what
way the Word has the form of a slave to those who are learning the
rudiments, so that they say, "We saw Him and He had no form or
beauty." [5745]But to the perfect He comes "in the glory of His own
Father," [5746] who might say, "and we beheld His glory, the glory as
of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." [5747]
For indeed to the perfect appears the glory of the Word, and the
only-begotten of God His Father, and the fulness of grace and likewise
of truth, which that man cannot perceive who requires the "foolishness
of the preaching," in order to believe. But "the Son of man shall
come in the glory of His own Father" not alone, but "with His own
angels." And if you can conceive of all those who are fellow-helpers
in the glory of the Word, and in the revelation of the Wisdom which is
Christ, coming along with Him, you will see in what way the Son of man
comes in the glory of His own Father with His own angels. And
consider whether you can in this connection say that the prophets who
formerly suffered in virtue of their word having "no form or beauty"
had an analogous position to the Word who had "no form or beauty."
And, as the Son of man comes in the glory of His own Father, so the
angels, who are the words in the prophets, are present with Him
preserving the measure of their own glory. But when the Word comes in
such form with His own angels, He will give to each a part of His own
glory and of the brightness of His own angels, according to the action
of each. But we say these things not rejecting even the second coming
of the Son of God understood in its simpler form. But when shall
these things happen? Shall it be when that apostolic oracle is
fulfilled which says, "For we must all stand before the judgment-seat
of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body,
according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad?" [5748]
But if He will render to each according to his deed, not the good deed
only, nor the evil apart from the good, it is manifest that He will
render to each according to every evil, and according to every good,
deed. But I suppose--in this also following the Apostle, but
comparing also the sayings of Ezekiel, in which the sins of him who is
a perfect convert are wiped out, and the former uprightness of him who
has utterly fallen away is not held of account--that in the case of
him who is perfected, and has altogether laid aside wickedness, the
sins are wiped out, but that, in the case of him who has altogether
revolted from piety, if anything good was formerly done by him, it is
not taken into account. [5749]But to us, who occupy a middle
position between the perfect man and the apostate, when we stand
before the judgment-seat of Christ, [5750] there is rendered what we
have done, whether good or bad; for we have not been so pure that our
evil deeds are not at all imputed unto us, nor have we fallen away to
such an extent that our better actions are forgotten.
Footnotes
[5744] 1 Cor. i. 21.
[5745] Isa. liii. 2.
[5746] Matt. xvi. 27.
[5747] John i. 14.
[5748] 2 Cor. v. 10.
[5749] Ezek. xviii. 21-24.
[5750] 2 Cor. v. 10.
31. The Simpler Interpretation of the Promise About Not Tasting of
Death.
"Verily I say unto you there be some of them that stand here that
shall not taste of death." [5751]Some refer these things to the
going up--six days after, or, as Luke says, [5752] eight days--of the
three disciples into the high mountain with Jesus apart; and those who
adopt this interpretation say that Peter and the remaining two did not
taste of death before they saw the Son of man coming in His own
kingdom and in His own glory. For when they saw Jesus transfigured
before them so that "His face shone," etc., "they saw the kingdom of
God coming with power." [5753]For even as some spear-bearers stand
around a king, so Moses and Elijah appeared to those who had gone up
into the mountains, talking with Jesus. But it is worth while
considering whether the sitting on the right hand and on the left hand
of the Saviour in His kingdom refers to them, so that the words, "But
for whom it is prepared," were [5754] spoken because of them. Now
this interpretation about the three Apostles not tasting of death
until they have seen Jesus transfigured, is adapted to those who are
designated by Peter as "new-born babes longing for the reasonable milk
which is without guile," [5755] to whom Paul says, "I have fed you
with milk, not with meat," [5756] etc. Now, too, every interpretation
of a text which is able to build up those who cannot receive greater
truths might reasonably be called milk, flowing from the holy ground
of the Scriptures, which flows with milk and honey. But he who has
been weaned, like Isaac, [5757] worthy of the good cheer and reception
which Abraham gave at the weaning of his son, would seek here and in
every Scripture food which is different, I think, from that which is
meat, indeed, but is not solid food, and from what are figuratively
called herbs, which are food to one who has been weaned and is not yet
strong but weak, according to the saying, "He that is weak eateth
herbs." [5758]In like manner also he who has been weaned, like
Samuel, and dedicated by his mother to God, [5759] --she was Hannah,
which is, by interpretation, grace,--would be also a son of grace,
seeking, like one nurtured in the temple, flesh of God, the holy food
of those who are at once perfect and priests.
Footnotes
[5751] Matt. xvi. 28.
[5752] Luke ix. 28.
[5753] Mark ix. 1.
[5754] Matt. xx. 23.
[5755] 1 Pet. ii. 2.
[5756] 1 Cor. iii. 2.
[5757] Gen. xxi. 8.
[5758] Rom. xiv. 2.
[5759] 1 Sam. i. 23, 24.
32. Standing by the Saviour.
The reflections in regard to the passage before us that occur to us at
the present time are these: Some were standing where Jesus was,
having the footsteps of the soul firmly planted with Jesus, and the
standing of their feet was akin to the standing of which Moses said in
the passage, "And I stood on the mountain forty days and forty
nights," [5760] who was deemed worthy to have it said to him by God
who asked him to stand by Him, "But stand thou here with Me." [5761]
Those who really stand by Jesus--that is, by the Word of God--do not
all stand equally; for among those who stand by Jesus are differences
from each other. Wherefore, not all who stand by the Saviour, but
some of them as standing better, do not taste of death until they
shall have seen the Word who dwelt with men, and on that account
called Son of man, coming in His own kingdom; for Jesus does not
always come in His own kingdom when He comes, since to the newly
initiated He is such that they might say, beholding the Word Himself
not glorious nor great, but inferior to many among them, "We saw Him,
and He had no form or beauty, but His form was dishonoured, defective
compared with all the sons of men." [5762]And these things will be
said by those who beheld His glory in connection with their own former
times, when at first the Word as understood in the synagogue had no
form nor beauty to them. To the Word, therefore, who has assumed most
manifestly the power above all words, there belongs a royal dignity
which is visible to some of those who stand by Jesus, when they have
been able to follow Him as He goes before them and ascends to the
lofty mountain of His own manifestation. And of this honour some of
those who stand by Jesus are deemed worthy if they be either a Peter
against whom the gates of Hades do not prevail, or the sons of
thunder, [5763] and are begotten of the mighty voice of God who
thunders and cries aloud from heaven great things to those who have
ears and are wise. Such at least do not taste death.
Footnotes
[5760] Deut. x. 10.
[5761] Deut. v. 31.
[5762] Isa. liii. 2, 3.
[5763] Mark iii. 17.
33. Interpretation of "Tasting of Death."
But we must seek to understand what is meant by "tasting of death."
And He is life who says, "I am the life," [5764] and this life
assuredly has been hidden with Christ in God; and. "when Christ our
life shall be manifested, then along with Him" [5765] shall be
manifested those who are worthy of being manifested with Him in
glory. But the enemy of this life, who is also the last enemy of all
His enemies that shall be destroyed, is death, [5766] of which the
soul that sinneth dies, having the opposite disposition to that which
takes place in the soul that lives uprightly, and in consequence of
living uprightly lives. And when it is said in the law, "I have
placed life before thy face," [5767] the Scripture says this about Him
who said, "I am the Life," and about His enemy, death; the one or
other of which each of us by his deeds is always choosing. And when
we sin with life before our face, the curse is fulfilled against us
which says, "And thy life shall be hanging up before thee," etc., down
to the words, "and for the sights of thine eyes which thou shalt see."
[5768]As, therefore, the Life is also the living bread which came
down from heaven and gave life to the world, [5769] so His enemy death
is dead bread. Now every rational soul is fed either on living bread
or dead bread, by the opinions good or bad which it receives. As then
in the case of more common foods it is the practice at one time only
to taste them, and at another to eat of them more largely; so also, in
the case of these loaves, one eats insufficiently only tasting them,
but another is satiated,--he that is good or is on the way to being
good with the living bread which came down from heaven, but he that is
wicked with the dead bread, which is death; and some perhaps
sparingly, and sinning a little, only taste of death; but those who
have attained to virtue do not even taste of it, but are always fed on
the living bread. It naturally followed then in the case of Peter,
against whom the gates of Hades will not prevail, that he did not
taste of death, since any one tastes of death and eats death at the
time when the gates of Hades prevail against him; and one eats or
tastes of death in proportion as the gates of Hades to a greater or
less extent, more or fewer in number, prevail against him. But also
for the sons of thunder who were begotten of thunder, which is a
heavenly thing, it was impossible to taste of death, which is
extremely far removed from thunder, their mother. But these things
the Word prophesies to those who shall be perfected, and who by
standing with the Word advanced so far that they did not taste of
death, until they saw the manifestation and the glory and the kingdom
and the excellency of the Word of God in virtue of which He excels
every word, which by an appearance of truth draws away and drags about
those who are not able to break through the bonds of distraction, and
go up to the height of the excellency of the Word of truth.
Footnotes
[5764] John xiv. 6.
[5765] Col. iii. 3, 4.
[5766] 1 Cor. xv. 26.
[5767] Deut. xxx. 15.
[5768] Deut. xxviii. 66, 67.
[5769] John vi. 33, 51.
34. Meaning of "Until." No Limitation of Promise.
But since some one may think that the promise of the Saviour
prescribes a limit of time to their not tasting of death, namely, that
they will not taste of death "until" [5770] they see the Son of man
coming in His own kingdom, but after this will taste of it, let us
show that according to the scriptural usage the word "until" signifies
that the time concerning the thing signified is pressing, but is not
so defined that after the "until," that which is contrary to the thing
signified should at all take place. Now, the Saviour says to the
eleven disciples when He rose from the dead, this among other things,
"Lo, I am with you all the days, even until the consummation of the
age." [5771]When He said this, did He promise that He was going to
be with them until the consummation of the age, but that after the
consummation of the age, when another age was at hand, which is
"called the age to come," He would be no longer with them?--so that
according to this, the condition of the disciples would be better
before the consummation of the age than after the consummation of the
age? But I do not think that any one will dare to say, that after the
consummation of the age the Son of God will be no longer with the
disciples, because the expression declares that He will be with them
for so long, until the consummation of the age is at hand; for it is
clear that the matter under inquiry was, whether the Son of God was
forthwith going to be with His disciples before the age to come and
the hoped for promises of God which were given as a recompense. But
there might have been a question--it being granted that He would be
with them--whether sometimes He was present with them, and sometimes
not present. Wherefore setting us free from the suspicion that might
have arisen from doubt, He declared that now and even all the days He
would be with the disciples, and that He would not leave those who had
become His disciples until the consummation of the age; (because He
said "all the days" He did not deny that by night, when the sun set,
He would be present with them.) But if such is the force of the
words, "until the consummation of the age," plainly we shall not be
compelled to admit that those who see the Son of man coming in His own
kingdom shall taste of death, after being deemed worthy of beholding
Him in such guise. But as in the case of the passage we brought
forward, the urgent necessity was to teach us that "until the
consummation of the age" He would not leave us but be with us all the
days; so also in this case I think that it is clear to those who know
how to look at the logical coherence of things that He who has seen
once for all "the Son of man coming in His own kingdom," and seen Him
"in His own glory," and seen "the kingdom of God come with power,"
could not possibly taste of death after the contemplation of things so
good and great. But apart from the word of the promise of Jesus, we
have conjectured not without reason that we would taste of death, so
long as we were not yet held worthy to see "the kingdom of God come
with power," and "the Son of man coming in His own glory and in His
own kingdom."
Footnotes
[5770] Matt. xvi. 28.
[5771] Matt. xxviii. 20.
35. Scriptural References to Death.
But since here it is written in the three Evangelists, "They shall not
taste of death," [5772] but in other writers different things are
written concerning death, it may not be out of place to bring forward
and examine these passages along with the "taste." In the Psalms,
then, it is said, "What man is he that shall live and not see death?"
[5773]And again, in another place, "Let death come upon them and
let them go down into Hades alive;" [5774] but in one of the prophets,
"Death becoming mighty has swallowed them up;" [5775] and in the
Apocalypse, "Death and Hades follow some." [5776]Now in these
passages it appears to me that it is one thing to taste of death, but
another thing to see death, and another thing for it to come upon
some, and that a fourth thing, different from the aforesaid, is
signified by the words, "Death becoming mighty has swallowed them up,"
and a fifth thing, different from these, by the words, Death and Hades
follow them." And if you were to collect them, you would perhaps find
also other differences than those which we have mentioned, by a
comparison of which with one another and right investigation, you
would find the things signified in each place. But here I inquire
whether it is a less evil to see death, but a greater evil than seeing
to taste of it, but still worse than this that death should follow any
one, and not only follow him, but also now come upon him and seize him
whom it formerly followed; but to be swallowed up seems to be more
grievous than all the things spoken of. But giving heed to what is
said, and to the differences of sins committed, you will not I think,
be slow to admit that things of this kind were intended by the Spirit
who caused these things to be written in the oracles of God. But, if
it be necessary to give an exposition clearer than what has been said
of what is signified by seeing the Son of man coming in His own
kingdom, or in His own glory, and what is signified by seeing the
kingdom of God come with power, these things--whether those that are
made to shine in our hearts, or that are found by those who seek, or
that enter gradually into our thoughts,--let each one judge as he
wills--we will set forth. He who beholds and apprehends the
excellency of the Word, as he breaks down and refutes all the
plausible forms of things which are truly lies but profess to be
truths, sees the Son of man, (according to the word of John, "the Word
of God,") coming in His own kingdom; but if such an one were to behold
the Word, not only breaking down plausible oppositions, but also
representing His own truths with perfect clearness, he would behold
His glory in addition to His kingdom. And such an one indeed would
see in Him the kingdom of God come with power; and he would see this,
as one who is no longer now under the reign of "sin which reigns in
the mortal body of those who sin," [5777] but is ever under the orders
of the king, who is God of all, whose kingdom is indeed potentially
"within us," [5778] but actually, and, as Mark has called it, "with
power," and not at all in weakness within the perfect alone. These
things, then, Jesus promised to the disciples who were standing,
prophesying not about all of them, but about some.
Footnotes
[5772] Matt. xvi. 28; Mark ix. 1; Luke ix. 27.
[5773] Ps. lxxxix. 48.
[5774] Ps. lv. 18.
[5775] Isa. xxv. 8.
[5776] Rev. vi. 10.
[5777] Rom. vi. 12.
[5778] Luke xvii. 21.
36. Concerning the Transfiguration of the Saviour.
"Now after six days," according to Matthew and Mark, [5779] "He taketh
with him Peter and James and John his brother, and leads them up into
a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them." Now, also,
let it be granted, before the exposition that occurs to us in relation
to these things, that this took place long ago, and according to the
letter. But it seems to me, that those who are led up by Jesus into
the high mountain, and are deemed worthy of beholding His
transfiguration apart, are not without purpose led up six days after
the discourses previously spoken. For since in six days--the perfect
number--the whole world,--this perfect work of art,--was made, on this
account I think that he who transcends all the things of the world by
beholding no longer the things which are seen, for they are temporal,
but already the things which not seen, and only the things which are
not seen, because that they are eternal, is represented in the words,
"After six days Jesus took up with Him" certain persons. If therefore
any one of us wishes to be taken by Jesus, and led up by Him into the
high mountain, and be deemed worthy of beholding His transfiguration
apart, let him pass beyond the six days, because he no longer beholds
the things which are seen, nor longer loves the world, nor the things
in the world, [5780] nor lusts after any worldly lust, which is the
lust of bodies, and of the riches of the body, and of the glory which
is after the flesh, and whatever things whose nature it is to distract
and drag away the soul from the things which are better and diviner,
and bring it down and fix it fast to the deceit of this age, in wealth
and glory, and the rest of the lusts which are the foes of truth. For
when he has passed through the six days, as we have said, he will keep
a new Sabbath, rejoicing in the lofty mountain, because he sees Jesus
transfigured before him; for the Word has different forms, as He
appears to each as is expedient for the beholder, and is manifested to
no one beyond the capacity of the beholder.
Footnotes
[5779] Matt. xvii. 1; Mark ix. 2.
[5780] 1 John ii. 15.
37. Force of the Words "Before Them."
But you will ask if, when He was transfigured before those who were
led up by Him into the lofty mountain, He appeared to them in the form
of God, in which He formerly was, so that He had to those below the
form of a servant, but to those who had followed Him after the six
days to the lofty mountain, He had not that form, but the form of
God. But hear these things, if you can, at the same time giving heed
spiritually, that it is not said simply, "He was transfigured," but
with a certain necessary addition, which Matthew and Mark have
recorded; for, according to both, "He was transfigured before them."
[5781]And according to this, indeed, you will say that it is
possible for Jesus to be transfigured before some with this
transfiguration, but before others at the same time not to be
transfigured. But if you wish to see the transfiguration of Jesus
before those who went up into the lofty mountain apart long with Him,
behold with me the Jesus in the Gospels, as more simply apprehended,
and as one might say, known "according to the flesh," by those who do
not go up, through works and words which are uplifting, to the lofty
mountain of wisdom, but known no longer after the flesh, but known in
His divinity by means of all the Gospels, and beholden in the form of
God according to their knowledge; for before them is Jesus
transfigured, and not to any one of those below. But when He is
transfigured, His face also shines as the sun, that He may be
manifested to the children of light, who have put off the works of
darkness, and put on the armour of light, [5782] and are no longer the
children of darkness or night, but have become the sons of day, and
walk honestly as in the day; [5783] and being manifested, He will
shine unto them not simply as the sun, but as demonstrated to be the
sun of righteousness.
Footnotes
[5781] Matt. xvii. 2; Mark ix. 2.
[5782] Rom. xiii. 12.
[5783] Rom. xiii. 13; 1 Thess. v. 5.
38. The Garments White as the Light.
And not only is He transfigured before such disciples, nor does He
only add to the transfiguration the shining of His face as the sun;
but further also to those who were led up by Him into the high
mountain apart, His garments appear white as the light. [5784]But
the garments of Jesus are the expressions and letters of the Gospels
with which He invested Himself. But I think that even the words in
the Apostles which indicate the truths concerning Him are garments of
Jesus, which become white to those who go up into the high mountain
along with Jesus. But since there are differences also of things
white, His garments become white as the brightest and purest of all
white things; and that is light. When therefore you see any one not
only with a thorough understanding of the theology concerning Jesus,
but also making clear every expression of the Gospels, do not hesitate
to say that to Him the garments of Jesus have become white as the
light. But when the Son of God in His transfiguration is so
understood and beheld, that His face is a sun, and His garments white
as the light, straightway there will appear to him who beholds Jesus
in such form Moses,--the law--and Elijah,--in the way of synecdoche,
not one prophet only, but all the prophets--holding converse with
Jesus; for such is the force of the words "talking with Him;" [5785]
but, according to Luke, "Moses and Elijah appeared in glory," down to
the words, "in Jerusalem." [5786]But if any one sees the glory of
Moses, having understood the spiritual law as a discourse in harmony
with Jesus, and the wisdom in the prophets which is hidden in a
mystery, [5787] he sees Moses and Elijah in glory when he sees them
with Jesus.
Footnotes
[5784] Matt. xvii. 2.
[5785] Matt. xvii. 3.
[5786] Luke ix. 30, 31.
[5787] 1 Cor. ii. 7.
39. Jesus Was Transfigured--"As He Was Praying."
Then, since it will be necessary to expound the passage as given in
Mark, "And as He was praying He was transfigured before them," [5788]
we must say that perhaps it is possible especially to see the Word
transfigured before us if we have done the things aforesaid, and gone
up into the mountain, and seen the absolute Word holding converse with
the Father, and praying to Him for such things as the true High-Priest
might pray for to the only true God. But in order that He may thus
hold fellowship with God and pray to the Father, He goes up into the
mountain; and then, according to Mark, "His garments become white and
glistening as the light, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them."
[5789]And perhaps the fullers upon the earth are the wise men of
this world who are careful about the diction which they consider to be
bright and pure, so that even their base thoughts and false dogmas
seem to be beautified by their fulling, so to speak; but He who shows
His own garments glistering to those who have ascended and brighter
than their fulling can make them, is the Word, who exhibits in the
expressions of the Scriptures which are despised by many the
glistering of the thoughts, when the raiment of Jesus, according to
Luke, becomes white and dazzling. [5790]
Footnotes
[5788] Luke (ix. 28, 29) alone mentions the praying.
[5789] Mark ix. 3.
[5790] Luke ix. 29.
40. Discussion of the Saying of Peter.
But let us next see what was the thought of Peter when he answered and
said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; let us make three
tabernacles," [5791] etc. And on this account these words call for
very special examination, because Mark, in his own person, has added,
"For he wist not what to answer," [5792] but Luke, "not knowing," he
says, "what he spake." [5793]You will consider, therefore, if he
spake these things as in a trance, being filled with the spirit which
moved him to say these things, which could not be a Holy Spirit; for
John taught in the Gospel that, before the resurrection of the
Saviour, no one had the Holy Spirit, saying, "For the Spirit was not
yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified." [5794]But if the Spirit
was not yet, and he, not knowing what he said, spoke under the
influence of some spirit, the spirit which caused these things to be
said was some one of the spirits which had not yet been triumphed over
in the cross, nor made a show of along with them, about whom it is
written, "Having put off from Himself the principalities and the
powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in the
cross." [5795]But this spirit was perhaps that which is called a
stumbling-block by Jesus, and which is spoken of as Satan in the
passage, "Get thee behind Me, Satan; thou art a stumbling-block unto
me." [5796]But I know well that such things will offend many who
meet with them, because they think that it is opposed to sound reason
that he should be spoken ill of who a little before had been
pronounced blessed by Jesus, on the ground that the Father in heaven
had revealed to him the things concerning the Saviour, to-wit, that He
was verily Jesus, and the Christ, and the Son of the living God. But
let such an one attend more exactly to the statements about Peter and
the rest of the Apostles, how even they made requests as if they were
yet alien from Him who was to redeem them from the enemy and purchase
them with His own precious blood; or let them also, who will have it
that even before the passion of Jesus the Apostles were perfect, tell
us whence it came about that "Peter and they that were with him were
heavy with sleep." [5797]But to anticipate something else of what
follows and apply it to the subject in hand, I would raise in turn
these questions,--whether it is possible for any one to find occasion
of stumbling in Jesus apart from the working of the devil who caused
him to stumble; and whether it is possible for any one to deny Jesus,
and that in presence of a little maid and a doorkeeper and men most
worthless, unless a spirit had been with him in his denial hostile to
the Spirit which is given and the wisdom, (which is given) to those
who are assisted by God to make confession, according to a certain
desert of theirs. But he who has learned to refer the roots of sin to
the father of sin, the devil, will not say that apart from him either
the Apostles were caused to stumble, or that Peter denied Christ
thrice before that well-known cock-crowing. But if this be so,
consider whether perhaps with a view to make Jesus stumble, so far as
was in his power, and to turn Him aside from the dispensation whose
characteristic was suffering that brought salvation to men, which He
undertook with great willingness, seeking to effect these things which
seemed to contribute to this end, he himself also here wishes as it
were, by deceit, to draw away Jesus, as if calling upon Him no longer
to condescend to men, and come to them, and undergo death for them,
but to abide on the high mountain with Moses and Elijah. But he
promised also to build three tabernacles, one apart for Jesus, and one
for Moses, and one for Elijah, as if one tabernacle would not have
sufficed for the three, if it had been necessary for them to be in
tabernacles and in the high mountain. And perhaps also in this he
acted with evil intent, when he incited him "who did not know what he
said," not desiring that Jesus and Moses and Elijah should be
together, but desiring to separate them from one another, under
pretext of the three tabernacles." And likewise it was a lie, "It is
good for us to be here;" [5798] for if it had been a good thing they
would also have remained there. But if it were a lie, you will seek
to know who caused the lie to be spoken; and especially since
according to John, "When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own; for
he is a liar and the father thereof;" [5799] and as there is no truth
apart from the working of Him who says, "I am the Truth," [5800] so
there is no lie apart from him who is the enemy of truth. These
contrary qualities, accordingly, were still in Peter truth and
falsehood; and from truth he said, "Thou art the Christ, the son of
the living God," [5801] but from falsehood he said, "May God be
propitious to Thee, Lord, this shall not be unto Thee," [5802] and
also, "It is good for us to be here." [5803]But if any one will not
admit that Peter spoke these things from any evil inspiration, but
that his words were of his own mere choice, and it is demanded of him
how he will interpret, "not knowing what he said," and, [5804] "for he
did not know what to answer," [5805] he will say, that in the former
case Peter held it to be a shameful thing and unworthy of Jesus to
admit that the Son of the living God, the Christ, whom already the
Father had revealed to him, should be killed; and in the present case
that, as having seen the two forms of Jesus and the one at the
transfiguration which was much more excellent, being well pleased with
that, he said that it was good to make their sojourning in that
mountain, in order that he himself and those with him might rejoice as
they beheld the transfiguration of Jesus and His face shining as the
sun, and His garments white as the light, and, in addition to these
things, might always behold in glory those whom they had once seen in
glory, Moses and Elijah; and that they might rejoice at the things
which they might hear, as they talked and held intercourse with each
other, Moses and Elijah with Jesus, and Jesus with them.
Footnotes
[5791] Matt. xvii. 4; Mark ix. 5; Luke ix. 33.
[5792] Mark ix. 6.
[5793] Luke ix. 33.
[5794] John vii. 39.
[5795] Col. ii. 15.
[5796] Matt. xvi. 23.
[5797] Luke ix. 32.
[5798] Matt. xvii. 4.
[5799] John viii. 44.
[5800] John xiv. 6.
[5801] Matt. xvi. 16.
[5802] Matt. xvi. 20.
[5803] Matt. xvii. 4.
[5804] Luke ix. 33.
[5805] Mark ix. 6.
41. Figurative Interpretation of the Same.
But since we have not yet spent our energy in interpreting the things
in the place figuratively, but have said these things by way of
searching into the mere letter, let us in conformity with these
things, consider whether the aforesaid Peter and the sons of thunder
who were taken up into the mountain of the dogmas of the truth, and
who saw the transfiguration of Jesus and of Moses and Elijah, who
appeared in glory with Him, might wish to make tabernacles in
themselves for the Word of God who was going to dwell in them, and for
His law which had been beholden in glory, and for the prophecy which
spake of the decease of Jesus, which He was about to accomplish;
[5806] and Peter, as one loving the contemplative life, and having
preferred that which was delightsome in it to the life among the crowd
with its turmoil, said, with the design of benefiting those who
desired it, "It is good for us to be here." [5807]But since "love
seeketh not its own," [5808] Jesus did not do that which Peter thought
good; wherefore He descended from the mountain to those who were not
able to ascend to it and behold His transfiguration, that they might
behold Him in such form as they were able to see Him. It is,
therefore, the part of a righteous man who possesses "the love which
seeketh not its own" [5809] to be free from all, but to bring himself
under bondage to all those below that He might gain the more of them.
[5810]But some one, with reference to what we have alleged about
the trance and the working of an evil spirit in Peter, concerning the
words, "not knowing what he said," [5811] not accepting that
interpretation of ours, may say that there were certain mentioned by
Paul "desiring to be teachers of the law," [5812] who do not know
about what they speak, but who, though they do not clearly expound the
nature of what is said, nor understand their meaning, make confident
affirmations of things which they do not know. Of such a nature was
the affection of Peter also, for not apprehending what was good with
reference to the dispensation of Jesus and of those who appeared in
the mountain,--Moses and Elijah,--he says, "It is good for us to be
here," etc., "not knowing what he said," "for he wist not what to
say," for if "a wise man will understand the things from his own
mouth, and carries prudence in his lips," [5813] he who is not so does
not understand the things from his own mouth, nor comprehend the
nature of the things spoken by him.
Footnotes
[5806] Luke ix. 31.
[5807] Matt. xvii. 4.
[5808] 1 Cor. xiii. 5.
[5809] 1 Cor. xiii. 5.
[5810] 1 Cor. ix. 19.
[5811] Luke ix. 33.
[5812] 1 Tim. i. 7.
[5813] Prov. xvi. 23.
42. The Meaning of the "Bright Cloud."
Next to these come the words, "While He was yet speaking, behold,
also, a bright cloud overshadowed them," [5814] etc. Now, I think
that God, wishing to dissuade Peter from making three tabernacles,
under which so far as it depended on his choice he was going to dwell,
shows a tabernacle better, so to speak, and much more excellent, the
cloud. For since it is the function of a tabernacle to overshadow him
who is in it, and to shelter him, and the bright cloud overshadowed
them, God made, as it were, a diviner tabernacle, inasmuch as it was
bright, that it might be to them a pattern of the resurrection to
come; for a bright cloud overshadows the just, who are at once
protected and illuminated and shone upon by it. But what might the
bright cloud, which overshadows the just, be? Is it, perhaps, the
fatherly power, from which comes the voice of the Father bearing
testimony to the Son as beloved and well-pleasing, and exhorting those
who were under its shadow to hear Him and no other one? But as He
speaks of old, so also always does He speak through what He wills.
And perhaps, too, the Holy Spirit is the bright cloud which
overshadows the just, and prophesies of the things of God, who works
in it, and says, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased;"
but I would venture also to say that our Saviour is a bright cloud.
When, therefore, Peter said, "Let us make here three tabernacles,"
[5815] ...one from the Father Himself, and from the Son, and one from
the Holy Spirit. For a bright cloud of the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit overshadows the genuine disciples of Jesus; or a cloud
overshadows the Gospel and the law and the prophets, which is bright
to him who is able to see the light of it in the Gospel, and the law,
and the prophets. But perhaps the voice from the cloud says to Moses
and Elijah, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased, hear
Him," as they were desirous to see the Son of man, and to hear Him,
and to behold Him as He was in glory. And perhaps it teaches the
disciples that He who was, in a literal sense, the Son of God, and His
beloved in whom He was well-pleased, whom it behoved them especially
to hear, was He who was then beheld, and transfigured, and whose face
shone as the sun, and who was clothed with garments white as the
light.
Footnotes
[5814] Matt. xvii. 5.
[5815] The text is mutilated.
43. Relation of Moses and Elijah to Jesus. The Injunction of
Silence.
But after these things it is written that, when they heard the voice
from the cloud bearing testimony to the Son, the three Apostles, not
being able to bear the glory of the voice and power resting upon it,
"fell on their face," [5816] and besought God; for they were sore
afraid at the supernatural sight, and the things which were spoken
from the sight. But consider if you can also say this with reference
to the details in the passage, that the disciples, having understood
that the Son of God had been holding conference with Moses, and that
it was He who said, "A man shall not see My face and live," [5817] and
taking further the testimony of God about Him, as not being able to
endure the radiance of the Word, humbled themselves under the mighty
hand of God; [5818] but, after the touch of the Word, lifting up their
eyes they saw Jesus only and no other. [5819]Moses, the law, and
Elijah, the prophet, became one only with the Gospel of Jesus; and
not, as they were formerly three, did they so abide, but the three
became one. But consider these things with me in relation to mystical
matters; for in regard to the bare meaning of the letter, Moses and
Elijah, having appeared in glory and talked with Jesus, went away to
the place from which they had come, perhaps to communicate the words
which Jesus spake with them, to those who were to be benefited by Him,
almost immediately, namely, at the time of the passion, when many
bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep, their tombs being opened,
were to go to the city which is truly holy--not the Jerusalem which
Jesus wept over--and there appear unto many. [5820]But after the
dispensation in the mountain, when the disciples were coming down from
the mountain in order that, when they had come to the multitude, they
might serve the Son of God concerning the salvation of the people,
Jesus commanded the disciples saying, "Tell the vision to no man until
the Son of man rise from the dead." [5821]But that saying, "Tell
the vision to no man," is like that which was investigated in the
passage above, when "He enjoined the disciples to tell no man that He
was the Christ." [5822]Wherefore the things that were said at that
passage may be useful to us also for the passage before us; since
Jesus wishes also, in accordance with these, that the things of His
glory should not be spoken of, before His glory after the passion; for
those who heard, and in particular the multitudes, would have been
injured when they saw Him crucified, who had been so glorified.
Wherefore since His being glorified in the resurrection was akin to
His transfiguration, and to the vision of His face as the sun, on this
account He wishes that these things should then be spoken of by the
Apostles, when He rose from the dead.
Footnotes
[5816] Matt. xvii. 6.
[5817] Exod. xxx. 20.
[5818] 1 Pet. v. 6.
[5819] Matt. xvii. 8.
[5820] Matt. xxvii. 52, 53.
[5821] Matt. xvii. 9.
[5822] Matt. xvi. 20.
.
Book XIII.
1. Relation of the Baptist to Elijah. The Theory of Transmigration
Considered.
"The disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah
must first come?" [5823]The disciples indeed who went up with Jesus
remembered the traditions of the scribes concerning Elijah, that
before the advent of Christ, Elijah would come and prepare for Him the
souls of those who were going to receive Him. But the vision in the
mountain, at which Elijah appeared, did not seem to be in harmony with
the things which were said, since to them it seemed that Elijah had
not come before Jesus but after Him; wherefore, they say these things,
thinking that the scribes lied. But to this the Saviour answers, not
setting aside the traditions concerning Elijah, but saying that there
was another advent of Elijah before that of Christ of which the
scribes were ignorant; and, in regard to this, being ignorant of him,
they "had done unto him whatsoever they listed," [5824] as if they had
been accomplices in his having been cast into prison by Herod and
slain by him; then He says that according as they had done towards
Elijah so would He suffer at their hands. [5825]And these things
indeed as about Elijah the disciples asked and the Saviour answered,
but when they heard they understood that the words, "Elijah has
already come," and that following which was spoken by the Saviour, had
reference to John the Baptist. [5826]And let these things be said
by way of illustration of the passage before us. But now according to
our ability let us make investigation also into the things that are
stored up in it. In this place it does not appear to me that by
Elijah the soul is spoken of, lest I should fall into the dogma of
transmigration, which is foreign to the church of God, and not handed
down by the Apostles, nor anywhere set forth in the Scriptures; for it
is also in opposition to the saying that "things seen are temporal,"
[5827] and that "this age shall have a consummation," and also to the
fulfilment of the saying, "Heaven and earth shall pass away," [5828]
and "the fashion of this world passeth away," [5829] and "the heavens
shall perish," [5830] and what follows. For if, by hypothesis, in the
constitution of things which has existed from the beginning unto the
end of the world, the same soul can be twice in the body, for what
cause should it be in it? For if because of sin it should be twice in
the body, why should it not be thrice, and repeatedly in it, since
punishments, in respect of this life, and of the sins committed in it,
shall be rendered to it only by the method of transmigration? But if
this be granted as a consequence, perhaps there will never be a time
when a soul shall not undergo transmigration: for always because of
its former sins will it dwell in the body; and so there will be no
place for the corruption of the world, at which "the heaven and the
earth shall pass away." [5831]And if it be granted, on this
hypothesis, that one who is absolutely sinless shall not come into the
body by birth, after what length of time do you suppose that a soul
shall be found absolutely pure and needing no transmigration? But
nevertheless, also, if any one soul is always thus being removed from
the definite number of souls and returns no longer to the body,
sometime after infinite ages, as it were, birth shall cease; the world
being reduced to some one or two or a few more, after the perfecting
of whom the world shall perish, the supply of souls coming into the
body having failed. But this is not agreeable to the Scripture; for
it knows of a multitude of sinners at the time of the destruction of
the world. This is manifest from consideration of the saying,
"How-beit when the Son of man cometh shall He find faith on the
earth?" [5832]So we find it thus said in Matthew, "As were the days
of Noah so shall also be the coming of the Son of man; for as they
were in the days of the flood," etc. [5833]But to those who are
then in existence there shall be the exaction of a penalty for their
sins, but not by way of transmigration; for, if they are caught while
still sinning, either they will be punished after this by a different
form of punishment,--and according to this either there will be two
general forms of punishment, the one by way of transmigration, and the
other outside of a body of this kind, and let them declare the causes
and differences of these,--or they will not be punished, as if those
who were left at the consummation of things had forthwith cast away
their sins; or, which is better, there is one form of punishment for
those who have sinned in the body, namely, that they should suffer,
outside of it, that is, outside the constitution of this life, what is
according to the desert of their sins. But to one who has insight
into the nature of things it is clear that each of these things is
fitted to overturn the doctrine of transmigration. But if, of
necessity, the Greeks who introduce the doctrine of transmigration,
laying down things in harmony with it, do not acknowledge that the
world is coming to corruption, it is fitting that when they have
looked the Scriptures straight in the face which plainly declare that
the world will perish, they should either disbelieve them, or invent a
series of arguments in regard to the interpretation of the things
concerning the consummation; which even if they wish they will not be
able to do. And this besides we will say to those who may have had
the hardihood to aver that the world will not perish, that, if the
world does not perish but is to exist for infinite periods of time,
there will be no God knowing all things before they come into being.
But if, perhaps, He knows in part, either He will know each thing
before it comes into being, or certain things, and after these again
other things; for things infinite in nature cannot possibly be grasped
by that knowledge whose nature it is to limit things known. From this
it follows that there cannot be prophecies about all things
whatsoever, since all things are infinite.
Footnotes
[5823] Matt. xvii. 10.
[5824] Matt. xvii. 12.
[5825] Matt. xvii. 12.
[5826] Matt. xvii. 13.
[5827] 2 Cor. iv. 18.
[5828] Matt. xxiv. 35.
[5829] 1 Cor. vii. 31.
[5830] Ps. cii. 26.
[5831] Matt. xxiv. 35.
[5832] Luke xviii. 8.
[5833] Matt. xxiv. 37-39.
2. "The Spirit and Power of Elijah"--Not the Soul--Were in the
Baptist.
I have thought it necessary to dwell some time on the examination of
the doctrine of transmigration, because of the suspicion of some who
suppose that the soul under consideration was the same in Elijah and
in John, being called in the former case Elijah, and in the second
case John; and that, not apart from God, had he been called John, as
is plain from the saying of the angel who appeared to Zacharias, "Fear
not, Zacharias, for thy supplication is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth
shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John;" [5834] and
from the fact that Zacharias regained his speech after he had written
in the tablet, that he who had been born should be called John. [5835]
But if it were the soul of Elijah, then, when he was begotten a
second time, he should have been called Elijah; or for the change of
name some reason should have been assigned, as in the case of Abram
and Abraham, Sarah and Sarrah, Jacob and Israel, Simon and Peter. And
yet not even thus would their argument in the case be tenable; for, in
the case of the aforesaid, the changes of name took place in one and
the same life. But some one might ask, if the soul of Elijah was not
first in the Tishbite and secondly in John, what might that be in both
which the Saviour called Elijah? And I say that Gabriel in his words
to Zacharias suggested what the substance was in Elijah and John that
was the same; for he says, "Many of the children of Israel shall he
turn to the Lord their God; and he shall go before his face in the
spirit and power of Elijah." [5836]For, observe, he did not say in
the "soul" of Elijah, in which case the doctrine of transmigration
might have some ground, but "in the spirit and power of Elijah." For
the Scripture well knows the distinction between spirit and soul, as,
"May God sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be
preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ;" [5837] and the passage, "Bless the Lord, ye spirits and souls
of the righteous" [5838] as it stands in the book of Daniel, according
to the Septuagint, represents the difference between spirit and soul.
Elijah, therefore, was not called John because of the soul, but
because of the spirit and the power, which in no way conflicts with
the teaching of the church, though they were formerly in Elijah, and
afterwards in John; and "the spirits of the prophets are subject to
the prophets," [5839] but the souls of the prophets are not subject to
the prophets, and "the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha." [5840]
But we ought to inquire whether the spirit of Elijah is the same as
the spirit of God in Elijah, or whether they are different from each
other, and whether the spirit of Elijah which was in him was something
supernatural, different from the spirit of each man which is in him;
for the Apostle clearly indicates that the Spirit of God, though it be
in us, is different from the spirit of each man which is in Him, when
he says somewhere, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit
that we are the children of God;" [5841] and elsewhere, "No one of men
knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of the man which is in
him; even so the things of God none knoweth save the Spirit of God."
[5842]But do not marvel in regard to what is said about Elijah, if,
just as something strange happened to him different from all the
saints who are recorded, in respect of his having been caught up by a
whirlwind into heaven, [5843] so his spirit had something of choice
excellence, so that not only did it rest on Elisha, but also descended
along with John at his birth; and that John, separately, "was filled
with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's womb," and separately,
"came before Christ in the spirit and power of Elijah." [5844]For
it is possible for several spirits not only worse, but also better, to
be in the same man. David accordingly asks to be established by a
free spirit, [5845] and that a right spirit be renewed in his inward
parts. [5846]But if, in order that the Saviour may impart to us of
"the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and
might, the spirit of knowledge and reverence," [5847] he was filled
also with the spirit of the fear of the Lord; it is possible also that
these several good spirits may be conceived as being in the same
person. And this also we have brought forward, because of John having
come before Christ "in the spirit and power of Elijah," [5848] in
order that the saying, "Elijah has already come," [5849] may be
referred to the spirit of Elijah that was in John; as also the three
disciples who had gone up with Him understood that He spake to them
about John the Baptist. [5850]Upon Elisha, then, only the spirit of
Elijah rested, but John came before, [5851] not only in the spirit,
but also in the power of Elijah. Wherefore, also, Elisha could not
have been called Elijah, but John was Elijah himself. But if it be
necessary to adduce the Scripture from which the scribes said that
Elijah must first come, listen to Malachi who says, "And behold I will
send to you Elijah the Tishbite," etc., down to the words, "Lest I
come and smite the earth utterly." [5852]And it seems to be
indicated by these words, that Elijah was to prepare for the glorious
coming of Christ by certain holy words and dispositions in their
souls, those who had been made fittest for this, which those upon
earth could not have endured, because of the excellency of the glory,
unless they had been prepared before hand by Elijah. And likewise, by
Elijah, in this place, I do not understand the soul of that prophet
but his spirit and his power; for these it is by which all things
shall be restored, [5853] so that when they have been restored, and,
as a result of that restoration, become capable of receiving the glory
of Christ, the Son of God who shall appear in glory may sojourn with
them. But if also Elijah be in some sort a word inferior to "the Word
who was in the beginning with God, God the Word," [5854] this word
also might come as a preparatory discipline to the people prepared by
it, that they might be trained for the reception of the perfect Word.
But some one may raise the question whether the spirit and power of
Elijah, suffered what was suffered in John, according to the words,
"They did in him whatsoever they listed." [5855]And to this it will
be said on the one hand, in simpler fashion that there is nothing
strange in the thought, that the things which assist do, because of
love, suffer along with those that are assisted; and Jesus indeed
says. "Because of the weak I was weak, and I hungered because of the
hungry, and I thirsted because of the thirsty," [5856] and, on the
other hand, in a deeper sense that the words are not, "But they did
unto him whatsoever they listed in him," for the things which suffered
leaned upon the spirit and the power of Elijah, the soul of John being
in no wise Elijah; and probably also the body (leaned upon them). For
in one fashion is the soul in the body, and the spirit, and the power;
and in another fashion is the body of the righteous man in these
better parts, as leaning upon them, and clinging to them; but "they
who are in the flesh cannot please God; but ye are not in the flesh,
but in the spirit, if the Spirit of God dwell in you;" [5857] for the
soul of the sinner is in the flesh, but of the righteous man in
spirit. And likewise, further, this might be inquired into, to whom
refer the words, "But they did in him whatsoever they listed." [5858]
Was it to the scribes in regard to whom the disciples inquired and
said, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must first come?"
[5859]But it is not at all evident that John suffered anything at
the hands of the scribes, except, indeed, that they did not believe
him; or, as we said also before, that they were accomplices in the
wrongs which Herod dared to inflict on him. But another might say
that the words, "But they did in him whatsoever they listed," refer
not to the scribes but to Herodias and her daughter, and Herod, who
did in him whatsoever they listed. And that which follows, "So shall
the Son of man suffer from them," [5860] might be referred to the
scribes, if the former were referred to them; but, if the former
refers to Herod and Herodias and her daughter, the second passage will
also refer to them; [5861] for Herod also seems to have joined in the
vote that Jesus should die, perhaps his wife also taking part with him
in the plot against Him.
Footnotes
[5834] Luke i. 13.
[5835] Luke i. 63.
[5836] Luke i. 16, 17.
[5837] 1 Thess. v. 23.
[5838] Dan. iii. 86. (Song of the Three Children 64.)
[5839] 1 Cor. xiv. 32.
[5840] 2 Kings ii. 15.
[5841] Rom. viii. 16.
[5842] 1 Cor. ii. 11.
[5843] 2 Kings ii. 11.
[5844] Luke i. 15, 17.
[5845] Ps. li. 12.
[5846] Ps. li. 10.
[5847] Isa. xi. 2.
[5848] Luke i. 17.
[5849] Matt. xvii. 12.
[5850] Matt. xvii. 13.
[5851] Cf. Luke i. 17.
[5852] Mal. iv. 5, 6.
[5853] Matt. xvii. 11.
[5854] John i. 1.
[5855] Matt. xvii. 12.
[5856] Cf. Matt. xxv. 35.
[5857] Rom. viii. 8, 9.
[5858] Matt. xvii. 12.
[5859] Matt. xvii. 10.
[5860] Matt. xvii. 12.
[5861] The text is uncertain.
3. Concerning the Epileptic.
"And when they were come to the multitude, there came to Him a man
kneeling to Him and saying, Lord, have mercy upon my son." [5862]
Those who are suffering, or the kinsfolk of the sufferers, are along
with the multitudes; wherefore, when He has dispensed the things that
were beyond the multitudes, He descends to them, so that those, who
were not able to ascend because of the sicknesses that repressed their
soul, might be benefited when the Word descended to them from the
loftier regions. But we ought to make inquiry, in respect of what
diseases the sufferers believe and pray for their own healing, and in
respect of what diseases others do this for them, as, for example, the
centurion for his servant, and the nobleman for his son, and the ruler
of the synagogue for a daughter, and the Canaanitish woman for her
female child who was vexed with a demon, and now the man who kneels to
Him on behalf of his epileptic son. And along with these you will
investigate when the Saviour heals of Himself and unasked by any one,
as for example, the paralytic; for these cures, when compared with one
another for this very purpose, and examined together, will exhibit to
him who is able to hear "the wisdom of God hidden in a mystery,"
[5863] many dogmas concerning the different diseases of souls, as well
as the method of their healing.
Footnotes
[5862] Matt. xvii. 14, 15.
[5863] 1 Cor. ii. 7.
4. Spiritual Epileptics.
But since our present object is not to make inquiry about every case,
but about the passage before us, let us, adopting a figurative
interpretation, consider who we may say the lunatic was, and who was
his father who prayed for him, and what is meant by the sufferer
falling not constantly but oft-times, sometimes into the fire, and
sometimes into the water, and what is meant by the fact that he could
not be healed by the disciples but by Jesus Himself. For if every
sickness and every infirmity, which our Saviour then healed among the
people, refers to different disorders in souls, it is also in
accordance with reason that by the paralytics are symbolised the
palsied in soul, who keep it lying paralysed in the body; but by those
who are blind are symbolised those who are blind in respect of things
seen by the soul alone, and these are really blind; and by the deaf
are symbolised those who are deaf in regard to the reception of the
word of salvation. On the same principle it will be necessary that
the matters regarding the epileptic should be investigated. Now this
affection attacks the sufferers at considerable intervals, during
which he who suffers from it seems in no way to differ from the man in
good health, at the season when the epilepsy is not working on him.
Similar disorders you may find in certain souls, which are often
supposed to be healthy in point of temperance and the other virtues;
then, sometimes, as if they were seized with a kind of epilepsy
arising from their passions, they fall down from the position in which
they seemed to stand, and are drawn away by the deceit of this world
and other lusts. Perhaps, therefore, you would not err if you said,
that such persons, so to speak, are epileptic spiritually, having been
cast down by "the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly
places," [5864] and are often ill, at the time when the passions
attack their soul; at one time falling into the fire of burnings,
when, according to what is said in Hosea, they become adulterers, like
a pan heated for the cooking from the burning flame; [5865] and, at
another time, into the water, when the king of all the dragons in the
waters casts them down from the sphere where they appeared to breath
freely, so that they come into the depths of the waves of the sea of
human life. This interpretation of ours in regard to the lunatic will
be supported by him who says in the Book of Wisdom with reference to
the even temperament of the just man, "The discourse of a pious man is
always wisdom," but, in regard to what we have said, "The fool changes
as the moon." [5866]And sometimes even in the case of such you may
see impulses which might carry away in praise of them those who do not
attend to their want of ballast, so that they would say that it was as
full moon in their case, or almost full moon. And you might see again
the light that seemed to be in them diminishing ,--as it was not the
light of day but the light of night,--fading to so great an extent,
that the light which appeared to be seen in them no longer existed.
But whether or not those who first gave their names to things, on
account of this gave the name of lunacy to the disease epilepsy, you
will judge for yourself.
Footnotes
[5864] Eph. vi. 12.
[5865] Hos. vii. 4.
[5866] Ecclus. xxvii. 11.
5. The Deaf and Dumb Spirit.
Now the father of the epileptic--perhaps the angel to whom he had been
allotted, if we are to say that every human soul is put in subjection
to some angel--prays the Physician of souls for his son that He may
heal him who could not be healed from his disorder by the inferior
word which was in the disciples. But the dumb and deaf spirit, who
was cast out by the Word, must be figuratively understood as the
irrational impulses, even towards that which seems to be good, so
that, what things any man once did by irrational impulse which seemed
to onlookers to be good, he may do no longer irrationally but
according to the reason of the teaching of Jesus. Under the
inspiration of this Paul also said, "If I have all faith so as to
remove mountains;" [5867] for he, who has all faith, which is as a
grain of mustard seed, [5868] removes not one mountain only, but also
several analogous to it; for although faith is despised by men and
appears to be something very little and contemptible; yet when it
meets with good ground, that is the soul, which is able fittingly to
receive such seed, it becomes a great tree, so that no one of those
things which have no wings, but the birds of heaven which are winged
spiritually, are able to lodge in the branches of faith so great.
[5869]
Footnotes
[5867] 1 Cor. xiii. 2.
[5868] Matt. xvii. 20.
[5869] Cf. Matt. xiii. 31, 32.
6. Influence of the Moon and Stars on Men.
Let us now, then, give heed to the very letter of the passage, and
first let us inquire, how he who has been cast into darkness and
repressed by an impure and deaf and dumb spirit is said to be a
"lunatic," and for what reason the expression to be a "lunatic"
derives its name from the great light in heaven which is next to the
sun, which God appointed "to rule over the night." [5870]Let
physicians then, discuss the physiology of the matter, inasmuch as
they think that there is no impure spirit in the case, but a bodily
disorder, and inquiring into the nature of things let them say, that
the moist humours which are in the head are moved by a certain
sympathy which they have with the light of the moon, which has a moist
nature; but as for us, who also believe the Gospel that this sickness
is viewed as having been effected by an impure dumb and deaf spirit in
those who suffer from it, and who see that those, who are accustomed
like the magicians of the Egyptians to promise a cure in regard to
such, seem sometimes to be successful in their case, we will say that,
perhaps, with the view of slandering the creation of God, in order
that "unrighteousness may be spoken loftily, and that they may set
their mouth against the heaven," [5871] this impure spirit watches
certain configurations of the moon, and so makes it appear from
observation of men suffering at such and such a phase of the moon,
that the cause of so great an evil is not the dumb and deaf demon, but
the great light in heaven which was appointed "to rule by night," and
which has no power to originate such a disorder among men. But they
all "speak unrighteousness loftily," as many as say, that the cause of
all the disorders which exist on the earth, whether of such generally
or of each in detail, arises from the disposition of the stars; and
such have truly "set their mouth against the heaven," when they say
that some of the stars have a malevolent, and others a benevolent
influence; since no star was formed by the God of the universe to work
evil, according to Jeremiah as it is written in the Lamentations, "Out
of the mouth of the Lord shall come things noble and that which is
good." [5872]And it is probable that as this impure spirit,
producing what is called lunacy, observes the phases of the moon, that
it may work on him who for certain causes has been committed to it,
and who has not made himself worthy of the guardianship of angels, so
also there are other spirits and demons who work at certain phases of
the rest of the stars; so that not the moon only, but the rest of the
stars also may be calumniated by those "who speak unrighteousness
loftily." It is worth while, then, to listen to the casters of
nativities, who refer the origin of every form of madness and every
demoniacal possession to the phases of the moon. That those, then,
who suffer from what is called lunacy sometimes fall into the water is
evident, and that they also fall into the fire, less frequently
indeed, yet it does happen; and it is evident that this disorder is
very difficult to cure, so that those who have the power to cure
demoniacs sometimes fail in respect of this, and sometimes with
fastings and supplications and more toils, succeed. But you will
inquire whether there are such disorders in spirits as well as in men;
so that some of them speak, but some of them are speechless, and some
of them hear, but some are deaf; for as in them will be found the
cause of their being impure, so also, because of their freedom of
will, are they condemned to be speechless and deaf; for some men will
suffer such condemnation if the prayer of the prophet, as spoken by
the Holy Spirit, shall be given heed to, in which it is said of
certain sinners, "Let the lying lips be put to silence." [5873]And
so, perhaps, those who make a bad use of their hearing, and admit the
hearing of vanities, will be rendered deaf by Him who said, "Who hath
made the stone-deaf and the deaf," [5874] so that they may no longer
lend an ear to vain things.
Footnotes
[5870] Gen. i. 16.
[5871] Ps. lxxiii. 8, 9.
[5872] Lam. iii. 38. Origen reads ta kala instead of ta kaka.
[5873] Ps. xxxi. 18.
[5874] Exod. iv. 11.
7. The Power of Faith.
But when the Saviour said, "O faithfulness and perverse generation,"
[5875] He signifies that wickedness, which is contrary to nature,
stealthily enters in from perversity, and makes us perverted. But of
the whole race of men on earth, I think, being oppressed by reason of
their wickedness and His tarrying with them, the Saviour said, "How
long shall I be with you?" We have already, then, spoken in part of
the words, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say
unto this mountain," [5876] etc.; but nevertheless also we shall speak
in this place the things that appear to us fitted to increase
perspicuity. The mountains here spoken of, in my opinion, are the
hostile powers that have their being in a flood of great wickedness,
such as are settled down, so to speak, in some souls of men.
Whenever, then, any one has all faith so that he no longer disbelieves
in any things which are contained in the Holy Scriptures, and has
faith such as was that of Abraham, who believed in God to such a
degree that his faith was counted for righteousness. he has all faith
as a grain of mustard seed; then will such an one say to this
mountain--I mean, the dumb and deaf spirit in him who is called
lunatic,--"Remove hence," clearly, from the man who is suffering,
perhaps to the abyss, and it shall remove. And the Apostle, taking, I
think. his starting-point from this place, says with apostolical
authority, "If I have all faith so as to remove mountains," [5877] for
not one mountain merely, but also several analogous to it, he removes
who has all faith which is as a grain of mustard-seed; and nothing
shall be impossible to him who has so great faith. [5878]But let us
also attend to this, "This kind goeth not out save by prayer and
fasting," [5879] in order that if at any time it is necessary that we
should be engaged in the healing of one suffering from such a
disorder, we may not adjure, nor put questions, nor speak to the
impure spirit as if it heard, but devoting ourselves to prayer and
fasting, may be successful as we pray for the sufferer, and by our own
fasting may thrust out the unclean spirit from him.
Footnotes
[5875] Matt. xvii. 17.
[5876] Matt. xvii. 20.
[5877] 1 Cor. xiii. 2.
[5878] Matt. xvii. 20.
[5879] Matt. xvii. 21.
8. Jesus' Prediction of His "Delivery" Into the Hands of Men.
"And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man
shall be delivered into the hands of men." [5880]And these things
will appear to be of the same effect as those, "that Jesus began to
show unto His disciples that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer
many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes." [5881]But
it is not so; for it is not the same thing "to show unto the disciples
that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders
and chief priests and scribes," and, after suffering, "be killed,"
and, after being killed, "be raised up on the third day," as that
which was said to them, when they were in Galilee,--which we did not
learn before,--that the Son of man "would be delivered up;" for the
being delivered up was not mentioned above, but now also it is said
that "He is to be delivered up into the hands of men." [5882]As for
these matters let us inquire by what person or persons He will be
delivered up into the hands of men; for there we are taught of whom He
will suffer, and in what place He will suffer; but here, in addition,
we learn that while His suffering many things takes place at the hands
of the aforesaid, they are not the prime causes of His suffering many
things, but the one or ones who delivered Him up into the hands of
men. For some one will say that the Apostle, interpreting this, says
with reference to God, "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered
Him up for us all;" [5883] but the Son also gave Himself to death for
us, so that He was delivered up, not only by the Father but also by
Himself. But another will say not merely that, but also collecting
the passages together, will say that the Son is first delivered up by
God,--then about to be tempted, then to be in conflict, then to suffer
for men, or even for the whole world that He might take away its sin,
[5884] --to the prince of this age, and to the rest of its princes,
and then by them delivered into the hands of men who would slay Him.
The case of Job will be taken as an illustration. "Lo, all that is
his I give into thy hands, but do not touch him;" [5885] thereafter,
he was, as it were, delivered up by the devil to his princes, namely,
to those who took prisoners of war, to the horsemen, to the fire that
came down from heaven, to the great wind that came from the desert and
broke up his house. [5886]But you will consider if, as he delivered
up the property of Job to those who took them captive, and to the
horsemen, so also he delivered them up to a certain power, subordinate
to "the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that now worketh
in the sons of disobedience," [5887] in order that the fire which
descended thence on the sheep of Job might seem to fall from heaven,
to the man who announced to Job that "fire fell from heaven, and
burned up his sheep, and consumed the shepherds likewise." [5888]
And in the same way you will inquire whether also the sudden mighty
wind, that came down from the desert and assailed the four corners of
the dwelling, was one of those which are under the devils to whom the
devil delivered up the banquet of the sons and daughters of Job, that
the house might fall on the children of the just man, and they might
die. Let it be granted, then, that, as in the case of Job, the Father
first delivered up the Son to the opposing powers, and that then they
delivered Him up into the hands of men, among which men Judas also
was, into whom after the sop [5889] Satan entered, who delivered Him
up in a more authoritative manner than Judas. But take care lest on
comparing together the delivering up of the Son by the Father to the
opposing powers, with the delivering up of the Saviour by them into
the hands of men, you should think that what is called the delivering
up is the same in the case of both. For understand that the Father in
His love of men delivered Him up for us all; but the opposing powers,
when they delivered up the Saviour into the hands of men, did not
intend to deliver Him up for the salvation of some, but, as far as in
them lay, since none of them knew "the wisdom of God which was hidden
in a mystery," [5890] they gave Him up to be put to death, that His
enemy death might receive Him under its subjection, like those who die
in Adam; [5891] and also the men who slew Him did so, as they were
moulded after the will of those who wished indeed that Jesus should
become subject to death. I have deemed it necessary also to examine
into these things, because that when Jesus was delivered up into the
hands of men, He was not delivered up by men into the hands of men,
but by powers to whom the Father delivered up His Son for us all, and
in the very act of His being delivered up, and coming under the power
of those to whom He was delivered up, destroying him that has the
power of death; for "through death He brought to nought him that hath
the power of death, that is, the devil, and delivered all them who
through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."
[5892]
Footnotes
[5880] Matt. xvii. 22.
[5881] Matt. xvi. 21.
[5882] Matt. xvii. 22.
[5883] Rom. viii. 32.
[5884] John i. 29.
[5885] Job i. 12.
[5886] Job i. 15-19.
[5887] Eph. ii. 2.
[5888] Job i. 16.
[5889] John xiii. 27.
[5890] 1 Cor. ii. 7, 8.
[5891] 1 Cor. xv. 22.
[5892] Heb. ii. 14, 15.
9. Satan and the "Delivery" Of Jesus.
Now we must think that the devil has the power of death,--not of that
which is common and indifferent, in accordance with which those who
are compacted of soul and body die, when their soul is separated from
the body,--but of that death which is contrary to and the enemy of Him
who said, "I am the Life," [5893] in accordance with which "the soul
that sinneth, it shall die." [5894]But that it was not God who gave
Him up into the hands of men, the Saviour manifestly declares when He
says, "If My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight
that I should not be delivered to the Jews." [5895]For, when He was
delivered up to the Jews, He was delivered into the hands of men, not
by His own servants, but by the prince of this age who says,
concerning the powers which are in the sphere of the invisible, the
kingdoms which are set up against men, "All these things will I give
Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship Me." [5896]Wherefore also
we should think that in regard to them it was said, "The kings of the
earth stood side by side, and the rulers were gathered together
against the Lord and against His Christ." [5897]And those kings,
indeed, and those rulers stood side by side and were gathered against
the Lord and against His Christ; but we, because we have been
benefited by His being delivered by them into the hands of men and
slain, say, "Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their yoke
from us." [5898]For, when we become conformed to the death of
Christ, we are no longer under the bonds of the kings of the earth, as
we have said, nor under the yoke of the princes of this age, who were
gathered together against the Lord. And, on this account, "the Father
spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all," [5899] that
those, who took Him and delivered Him up into the hands of men, might
be laughed at by Him who dwells in the heavens, and might be derided
by the Lord, inasmuch as, contrary to their expectation, it was to the
destruction of their own kingdom and power, that they received from
the Father the Son, who was raised on the third day, by having
abolished His enemy death, and made us conformed, not only to the
image of His death but also of His resurrection; through whom we walk
in newness of life, [5900] no longer sitting "in the region and shadow
of death," [5901] through the light of God which has sprung up upon
us. But when the Saviour said, "The Son of man shall be delivered up
into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him, and the third day He
shall rise again," they were "exceeding sorry," [5902] giving heed to
the fact that He was about to be delivered up into the hands of men,
and that He would be killed, as matters gloomy and calling for sorrow,
but not attending to the fact that He would rise on the third day, as
He needed no longer time "to bring to nought through death him that
had the power of death." [5903]
Footnotes
[5893] John xiv. 6.
[5894] Ezek. xviii. 4.
[5895] John xviii. 36.
[5896] Matt. iv. 9.
[5897] Ps. ii. 2.
[5898] Ps. ii. 3.
[5899] Rom. viii. 32.
[5900] Rom. vi. 4.
[5901] Matt. iv. 16.
[5902] Matt. xvii. 22, 23.
[5903] Heb. ii. 14.
10. Concerning Those Who Demanded the Half-Shekel.
"And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received the
half-shekel came to Peter." [5904]There are certain kings of the
earth, and the sons of these do not pay toll or tribute; and there are
others, different from their sons, who are strangers to the kings of
the earth, from whom the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute.
And among the kings of the earth, their sons are free as among
fathers; but those who are strangers to them, while they are free in
relation to things beyond the earth, are as slaves in respect of those
who lord it over them and keep them in bondage; as the Egyptians
lorded it over the children of Israel, and greatly afflicted their
life and violently held them in bondage. [5905]It was for the sake
of those who were in a bondage, corresponding to the bondage of the
Hebrews, that the Son of God took upon Him only the form of a slave,
[5906] doing no work that was foul or servile. As then, having the
form of that slave, He pays toll and tribute not different from that
which was paid by His disciple; for the same stater sufficed, even the
one coin which was paid for Jesus and His disciple. But this coin was
not in the house of Jesus, but it was in the sea, and in the mouth of
a fish of the sea which, in my judgment, was benefited when it came up
and was caught in the net of Peter, who became a fisher of men, in
which net was that which is figuratively called a fish, in order also
that the coin with the image of Cæsar might be taken from it, and that
it might take its place among those which were caught by them who have
learned to become fishers of men. Let him, then, who has the things
of Cæsar render them to Cæsar, [5907] that afterwards he may be able
to render to God the things of God. But since Jesus, who was "the
image of the invisible God," [5908] had not the image of Cæsar, for
"the prince of this age had nothing in Him," [5909] on this account He
takes from its own place, the sea, the image of Cæsar, that He may
give it to the kings of the earth for Himself and His disciple, so
that those who receive the half-shekel might not imagine that Jesus
was the debtor of them and of the kings of the earth; for He paid the
debt, not having taken it up, nor having possessed it, nor having
acquired it, nor at any time having made it His own possession, so
that the image of Cæsar might never be along with the image of the
invisible God.
Footnotes
[5904] Matt. xvii. 24.
[5905] Exod. i. 13, 14.
[5906] Phil. ii. 7.
[5907] Mark xli. 17; Luke xx. 25.
[5908] Col. i. 15.
[5909] John xiv. 31.
11. The Freedom of Sons.
And this may be put in another way. There are some who are kings'
sons on the earth, and yet they are not sons of those kings, but sons,
and sons absolutely; but others, because of their being strangers to
the sons of the kings of the earth, and sons of no one of those upon
the earth, but on this very account are sons, whether of God or of His
Son, or of some one of those who are God's. If, then, the Saviour
inquires of Peter, saying, "The kings of the earth from whom do they
receive toll or tribute--from their own sons or from strangers?"
[5910] and Peter replies not from their own sons, but "from
strangers," then Jesus says about such as are strangers to the kings
of the earth, and on account of being free are sons, "Therefore the
sons are free;" [5911] for the sons of the kings of the earth are not
free, since "every one that committeth sin is the bond-servant of
sin," [5912] but they are free who abide in the truth of the word of
God, and on this account, know the truth, that they also may become
free from sin. If, any one then, is a son simply, and not in this
matter wholly a son of the kings of the earth, he is free. And
nevertheless, though he is free, he takes care not to offend even the
kings of the earth, and their sons, and those who receive the
half-shekel; wherefore He says, "Let us not cause them to stumble, but
go thou and cast thy net, and take up the fish that first cometh up,"
[5913] etc. But I would inquire of those who are pleased to make
myths about different natures, of what sort of nature they were,
whether the kings of the earth, or their sons, or those who receive
the half-shekel, whom the Saviour does not wish to offend; it appears
of a verity, ex hypothesi, that they are not of a nature worthy of
praise, and yet He took heed not to cause them to stumble, and He
prevents any stumbling-block being put in their way, that they may not
sin more grievously, and that with a view to their being saved--if
they will--even by receiving Him who has spared them from being caused
to stumble. And as in a place verily of consolation,--for such is, by
interpretation, Capernaum,--comforting the disciple as being both free
and a son, He gives to him the power of catching the fish first, that
when it came up Peter might be comforted by its coming up and being
caught, and by the stater being taken from its mouth, in order to be
paid to those whose the stater was, and who demanded as their own such
a piece of money.
Footnotes
[5910] Matt. xvii. 25.
[5911] Matt. xvii. 26.
[5912] John viii. 34.
[5913] Matt. xvii. 27.
12. The Stater Allegorized.
But you might sometimes gracefully apply the passage to the lover of
money, who has nothing in his mouth but things about silver, when you
behold him healed by some Peter, who takes the stater, which is the
symbol of all his avarice, not only from his mouth and words, but from
his whole character. For you will say that such an one was in the
sea, and in the bitter affairs of life, and in the waves of the cares
and anxieties of avarice, having the stater in his mouth when he was
unbelieving and avaricious, but that he came up from the sea and was
caught in the rational net, and being benefited by some Peter who has
taught him the truth, no longer has the stater in his mouth, but in
place of it those things which contain His image, the oracles of God.
13. The Sacred Half-Shekel.
Moreover to the saying, "They that received the half-shekel came to
Peter," [5914] you will adduce from Numbers that, for the saints
according to the law of God, is paid not a half-shekel simply, but a
sacred half-shekel. For it is written, "And thou shalt take five
shekels per head, according to the sacred half-shekel." [5915]But
also on behalf of all the sons of Israel is given a sacred half-shekel
per head. Since then it was not possible for the saint of God to
possess along with the sacred half-shekels the profane shekels, so to
speak, on this account, to them who do not receive the sacred
half-shekels, and who asked Peter and said, "Doth not your master pay
the half-shekel?" the Saviour commands the stater to be paid, in which
was the half-shekel which was found in the mouth of the first fish
that came up, in order that it might be given for the Teacher and the
disciple.
Footnotes
[5914] Matt. xvii. 24.
[5915] Num. iii. 47.
14. Concerning Those Who Said, Who is the Greatest? and Concerning
the Child that Was Called by Jesus.
"In that day came the disciples unto Jesus saying, Who then is
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" [5916]In order that we might be
taught what it was that the disciples came to Jesus and asked to learn
of Him, and how He answered to their inquiry, Matthew, though he might
have given an account of this very thing only, has added, according to
some manuscripts, "In that hour the disciples came unto Jesus," but,
according to others, "In that day;" and it is necessary that we should
not leave the meaning of the evangelist without examination.
Wherefore giving attention to the words preceding "in that day," or
"hour," let us see if it is possible from them to find a way to
understand, as being necessary, the addition, "in that day," or
"hour." Jesus then had come to Capernaum along with His disciples,
where "they that received the half-shekel came to Peter," and asked
and said, "Doth not your Master pay the half-shekel?" Then, when
Peter answered and said to them, Yea, Jesus giving further a defence
with reference to the giving of the half-shekel, sends Peter to drag
up the fish into the net, in the mouth of which He said that a stater
would be found which was to be given for Himself and Peter. It seems
to me, then, that thinking that this was a very great honour which had
been bestowed on Peter by Jesus, who judged that he was greater than
the rest of His friends, they wished to learn accurately the truth of
their suspicion, by making inquiry of Jesus and hearing from Him,
whether, as they supposed, He had judged that Peter was greater than
they; and at the same time also they hoped to learn the ground on
which Peter had been preferred to the rest of the disciples. Matthew
then, I think, wishing to make this plain, has subjoined to the words
"that take"--the stater, to-wit--"and give unto them for thee and me,"
the words, "In that day came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who
then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" [5917]And, perhaps,
they were also in doubt because of the preference which had been given
to the three at the transfiguration, and they were in doubt about
this--which of the three was judged by the Lord to be greatest. For
John reclined on His breast through love, and we may conclude that
before the Supper they had seen many tokens of special honour given by
Jesus to John; but Peter on his confession was called blessed in their
hearing, because of his saying, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the
living God;" [5918] but again because of the saying, "Get thee behind
Me, Satan; thou art a stumbling-block unto Me, for thou mindest not
the things of God but the things of men," [5919] they were distracted
in mind as to whether it was not he but one of the sons of Zebedee,
that was the greatest. So much for the words "in that day" or "hour,"
on which took place the matters relating to the stater.
Footnotes
[5916] Matt. xviii. 1.
[5917] Matt. xvii. 27; xviii. 1.
[5918] Matt. xvi. 16, 17.
[5919] Matt. xvi. 23.
15. Greatness Varies in Degree.
But next we must seek to understand this: the disciples came to Him,
as disciples to a teacher proposing difficult questions, and making
inquiry, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? [5920]And,
in this respect, we must imitate the disciples of Jesus; for if, at
any time, any subject of investigation among us should not be found
out let us go with all unanimity in regard to the question in dispute
to Jesus, who is present where two or three are gathered together in
His name, [5921] and is ready by His presence with power to illumine
the hearts of those who truly desire to become His disciples, with a
view to their apprehension of the matters under inquiry. And likewise
it would be nothing strange for us to go to any of those who have been
appointed by God as teachers in the church, and propose any question
of a like order to this, "Who, then, is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven?" What, then, was already known to the disciples of the
matters relating to this question? And what was the point under
inquiry? That there is not equality in regard to those who are deemed
worthy of the kingdom of heaven they had apprehended, and that, as
there was not equality, some one was greatest, and so in succession
down to the least: but of what nature was the greatest, and what was
the way of life of him who was the least, and who occupied the middle
position, they further desired to know; unless, indeed, it is more
accurate to say that they knew who was least from the words,
"Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall
teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven;" but who
was the greatest of all they did not know, even if they had grasped
the meaning of the words, "Whosoever shall do and teach them, the same
shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven;" [5922] for as there
were many great, it was not clear to them who was the greatest of the
great, to use a human standard. And that many are great, but the
great not equally great, will be manifest from the ascription of the
epithet "great" to Isaac, "who waxed great, and became exceedingly
great," [5923] and from what is said in the case of Moses, and John
the Baptist, and the Saviour. And every one will acknowledge that
even though all these were great according to the Scripture, yet the
Saviour was greater than they. But whether John also (than whom there
was no greater among those born of women), [5924] was greater than
Isaac and Moses, or whether he was not greater, but equal to both, or
to one of them, it would be hazardous to declare. And from the
saying, "But Isaac, waxing great, became greater," [5925] until he
became not simply great, but with the twice repeated addition,
"exceedingly," we may learn that there is a difference among the
great, as one is great, and another exceedingly great, and another
exceedingly exceedingly great. The disciples, therefore, came to
Jesus and sought to learn, who was the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven; and perhaps they wished to learn, hearing from Him sometimes
like this, "A certain one is greatest in the kingdom of heaven;" but
He gives a universal turn to the discourse, showing what was the
quality of him who was greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Let us seek
to understand, from what is written, to the best of our ability, who
this is. "For Jesus called a little child," [5926] etc.
Footnotes
[5920] Matt. xviii. 1.
[5921] Matt. xviii. 20.
[5922] Matt. v. 19.
[5923] Gen. xxvi. 13.
[5924] Matt. xi. 11.
[5925] Gen. xxvi. 13.
[5926] Matt. xviii. 2.
16. Why the Great are Compared to Little Children.
But first we may expound it in simple fashion. One, expounding the
word of the Saviour here after the simple method, might say that, if
any one who is a man mortifies the lusts of manhood, putting to death
by the spirit the deeds of the body, and "always bearing about in the
body the putting to death of Jesus," [5927] to such a degree that he
has the condition of the little child who has not tasted sensual
pleasures, and has had no conception of the impulses of manhood, then
such an one is converted, and has become as the little children. And
the greater the advance he has made towards the condition of the
little children in regard to such emotions, by so much the more as
compared with those who are in training and have not advanced to so
great a height of self-control, is he the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven. But that which has been said about little children in respect
of lustful pleasures, the same might also be said in regard to the
rest of the affections and infirmities and sicknesses of the soul,
into which it is not the nature of little children to fall, who have
not yet fully attained to the possession of reason; as, for example,
that, if any one be converted, and, though a man, such an one becomes
as a child in respect of anger; and, as is the child in relation to
grief, so that sometimes he laughs and plays at the very time that his
father or mother or brother is dead, he who is converted would become
such an one as little children; and, having received from the Word a
disposition incapable of grief, so that he becomes like the little
child in regard to grief. And the like you will say about what is
called pleasure, in regard to which the wicked are irrationally lifted
up, from which little children do not suffer, nor such as have been
converted and become as little children. As, then, it has been
accurately demonstrated also by others, that no passion is incident to
the little children who have not yet attained to full possession of
reason; and if no passion, clearly fear also; but, if there be
anything corresponding to the passions, these are faint, and very
quickly suppressed, and healed in the case of little children, so that
he is worthy of love, who, being converted as the little children, has
reached such a point as to have, as it were, his passions in
subjection like the little children. And with regard to fear,
therefore, similar things to those spoken might be conceived, that the
little children do not experience the fear of the wicked, but a
different thing, to which those who have an accurate knowledge of
questions in regard to the passions and their names give the name of
fear; as, for example, in the case of children there is a
forgetfulness of their evils at the very time of their tears, for they
change in a moment, and laugh and play along with those who were
thought to grieve and terrify them, but in truth had wrought in them
no such emotion. So too, moreover, one will humble himself like the
little child which Jesus called; for neither haughtiness, nor conceit
in respect of noble birth, or wealth, or any of those things which are
thought to be good, but are not, comes to a little child. Wherefore
you may see those who are not altogether infants, up to three or four
years of age, like to those who are of mean birth, though they may
seem to be of noble birth, and not appearing at all to love rich
children rather than the poor. If, therefore, in the same way as
according to their age children are affected towards those passions
which exalt the senseless, the disciple of Jesus under the influence
of reason [5928] has humbled himself like the little child which Jesus
showed, not being exalted because of vainglory, nor puffed up on the
ground of wealth, or raiment, nor elated because of noble birth, in
particular are they to be received and imitated in the name of Jesus,
who have been converted as the Word showed, like the little child
which Jesus took to Him; since especially in such the Christ is, and
therefore He says, "Whosoever shall receive one such little child in
My name receiveth Me." [5929]
Footnotes
[5927] 2 Cor. iv. 10.
[5928] Or, the Word.
[5929] Matt. xviii. 5.
17. The Little Ones and Their Stumbling-Blocks.
But it is a hard task to expound what follows in logical harmony with
what has already been said; for one might say, how is it that he who
is converted and has become as the little children, is a little one
among such as believe in Jesus, and is capable of being caused to
stumble? And likewise let us attempt to explain this coherently.
Every one that gives his adherence to Jesus as the Son of God
according to the true history concerning Him, and by deeds done
according to the Gospel, is on the way to living the life which is
according to virtue, is converted and is on the way towards becoming
as the little children; and it is impossible for him not to enter into
the kingdom of heaven. There are, indeed, many such; but not all, who
are converted with a view to becoming like the little children, have
reached the point of being made like unto little children; but each
wants so much of the likeness to the little children, as he falls
short of the disposition of little children towards the passions, of
which we have spoken. In the whole multitude, then, of believers, are
also those who, having been, as it were, just converted in regard to
their becoming as the little children, at the very point of their
conversion that they may become as the little children, are called
little; and those of them, who are converted that they may become as
the little children, but fall far short of having truly become as the
little children, are capable of being caused to stumble; each of whom
falls so far short of the likeness to them, as he falls short of the
disposition of children towards the passions, of which we have spoken,
to whom we ought not to give occasions of stumbling-block; but, if it
be otherwise, he who has caused him to stumble will require, as
contributing towards his cure, to have "an ass's millstone hanged
about his neck, and be sunk into the depths of the sea." [5930]For,
in this way, when he has paid the due penalty in the sea, where is
"the dragon which God formed to play in it," [5931] and, so far as is
expedient for the end in view, has been punished and undergone
suffering, he shall then [5932] have his part in those troubles which
belong to the depths of the sea, which he endured when he was dragged
down by the ass's millstone. For there are also differences of
millstones, so that one of them may be, so to call it, the millstone
of a man, and another that of an ass; and that is human, about which
it is written, "Two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken
and one is left;" [5933] but the millstone of the ass is that which
shall be put round him who has given occasion of stumbling-block. But
some one might say--I know not whether he would speak soundly or
erroneously--that the ass's millstone is the heavy body of the wicked
man, which is sunken downwards, and which he will receive at the
resurrection that he may be sunk in the abyss which is called the
depth of the sea, where "is the dragon which God formed to play
therein." [5934]But another will refer the creating of a
stumbling-block to one of the little ones to the powers that are
unseen by men; for from these arise many stumbling-blocks to the
little ones pointed out by Jesus. But when they cause to stumble one
of the little ones pointed out by Jesus, who are believers in Him, he
shall assume an ass's millstone, the corruptible body which presses
heavily on the soul, which is itself hung from the neck, which is
dragged down to the affairs in this life, that by means of these their
conceit may be taken away, and having paid the penalty, they shall
come, through means of the ass's millstone, to the condition expedient
for them.
Footnotes
[5930] Matt. xviii. 6.
[5931] Ps. civ. 26.
[5932] Or, be free from. The Vetus Inter. has "extra dolores." It
has had exo instead of hexes.
[5933] Matt. xxiv. 41.
[5934] Ps. civ. 26.
18. Who Was the Little Child Called by Jesus.
Now another interpretation different from what is called the simpler
may be uttered; whether as dogma, or for the sake of exercise, so to
speak, let us also inquire what was the little child who was called by
Jesus and set in the midst of the disciples. Now consider if you can
say that the little child, whom Jesus called, was the Holy Spirit who
humbled Himself, when He was called by the Saviour, and set in the
midst of the reason of the disciples of Jesus; if, indeed, He wishes
us, being turned away from everything else, to be turned towards the
examples suggested by the Holy Spirit, so that we may so become as the
little children, who are themselves also turned and likened to the
Holy Spirit; which little children God gave to the Saviour, according
to what is said in Isaiah, "Behold, I and the little children which
God has given to me." [5935]And it is not possible for any one to
enter into the kingdom of heaven, who has not been turned away from
the affairs of this world, and made like unto the little children who
possess the Holy Spirit; which Holy Spirit was called by Jesus, and,
descending from His own perfection to men as a little child, was set
by Jesus in the midst of the disciples. It is necessary, then, for
him who has turned away from the desires of this world to humble
himself not simply as the little child, but, according to what is
written, "as this little child." [5936]But to humble oneself as
that little child is to imitate the Holy Spirit, who humbled Himself
for the salvation of men. Now, that the Saviour and the Holy Spirit
were sent by the Father for the salvation of men has been declared in
Isaiah, in the person of the Saviour, saying, "And now the Lord hath
sent me and His Spirit." [5937]You must know, however, that this
expression is ambiguous; for either God sent, but also the Holy Spirit
sent, the Saviour; or, as we have taken it, the Father sent both--the
Saviour and the Holy Spirit. He, therefore, who has humbled himself
more than all those who have humbled themselves in imitation of that
little child, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. For there are
many who are willing to humble themselves as that little child; but
the man, who in every respect has become like to the little child who
humbled himself, in the name of Jesus--especially in Jesus
Himself,--in reality, would be found to be he who is named greater
than all in the kingdom of heaven. But as he receives Jesus,
whosoever receives one such of the little children in His name, so he
rejects Jesus and casts Him out, who does not wish to receive one such
little child in the name of Jesus. But if, also, there is a
difference in those who are deemed worthy of the Holy Spirit, as
believers receive more or less of the Holy Spirit, there would be some
little ones among those who believe in God who can be made to
stumble: to avenge whose being made to stumble the Word says, with
reference to those who had caused them to stumble, "It is profitable
for him that an ass's millstone should be hanged about his neck, and
that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea." [5938]Let these
things be said in regard to the passage of Matthew before us.
Footnotes
[5935] Psa. viii. 18.
[5936] Matt. xviii. 4.
[5937] Isa. xlviii. 16.
[5938] Matt. xviii. 6.
19. The Parallel Passages in Mark and Luke.
But let us consider also the like account in the other Evangelists.
Mark, [5939] then, says, that the Twelve reasoned in the way as to
which of them was the greatest. Wherefore He sat down, and called
them, and teaches who is the greatest, saying, that he who became last
of all by means of his moderation and gentleness, would as the
greatest obtain the first place, so that he did not receive the place
of one who was being ministered unto, but the place of one who
ministered, and that not to some but not to others, but to all
absolutely; for attend to the words, "If any man would be first he
shall be last of all, and minister of all." [5940]And next to that
He says, that "He,"--Jesus to-wit--"took a little child, and set him
in the midst of His own disciples, and taking him in His arms, He said
unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of the little children in My
name receiveth Me." [5941]But what was the little child which Jesus
took and placed in His arms, according to the deeper meaning in the
passage? Was it the Holy Spirit? And to this little child, indeed,
some were likened, of whom He said, "Whosoever shall receive one of
such little children in My name receiveth Me." According to Luke,
however, the reasoning did not arise spontaneously in the disciples,
but was suggested to them by the question, "which of them should be
greatest." [5942]And Jesus, seeing the reasoning of their heart, as
He had eyes that see the reasonings of hearts,--seeing the reasoning
of their heart,--without being questioned, according to Luke, "took
the little child and set him," not in the midst alone, as Matthew and
Mark have said, but now, also, "by His side," and said to the
disciples, not only, "Whosoever shall receive one such little child,"
or, "Whosoever shall receive one of such little ones in My name
receiveth Me," but, now going even a step higher, "Whosoever shall
receive this little child in My name receiveth Me." [5943]It is
necessary, therefore, according to Luke, to receive in the name of
Jesus that very little child which Jesus took and placed by His side.
And I know not if there be any one who can interpret figuratively the
word, "Whosoever shall receive this little child in My name." For it
is necessary that each of us should receive in the name of Jesus that
little child which Jesus then took and set by His side; for he lives
as immortal, and we must receive him from Jesus Himself in the name of
Jesus; and without being separated from him, Jesus is with him who
receives the little child, so that according to this it is said,
"Whosoever shall receive this little child in My name receiveth Me."
Then, since the Father is inseparable from the Son, He is with him who
receives the Son. Wherefore it is said, "And whosoever shall receive
Me receives Him that sent Me." [5944]But he who has received the
little child, and the Saviour, and Him that sent Him, is least of all
the disciples of Jesus, making himself little. But, so far as he
belittles himself, to that extent does he become great; as that very
thing, which caused him the more to make himself little, contributes
to his advance in greatness; for attend to what is said, "He that is
least among you all the same is great;" but in other manuscripts we
read, "The same shall be great." Now, according to Luke, "If any one
shall not receive the kingdom of God as the little child, he shall in
no wise enter therein." [5945]And this expression is ambiguous; for
either it means that he who receives the kingdom of God may become as
a little child, or, that he may receive the kingdom of God, which has
become to him as a little child. And perhaps here those who receive
the kingdom of God receive it, when it is as a little child, but in
the world to come no longer as a little child; and they receive the
greatness of the perfection in the spiritual manhood, so to speak,
which perfection is manifested to all who in the present time receive
it, when it is here as a little child.
Footnotes
[5939] Mark ix. 33, 34.
[5940] Mark ix. 35.
[5941] Mark ix. 36, 37.
[5942] Luke ix. 46.
[5943] Luke ix. 47, 48.
[5944] Luke ix. 48.
[5945] Luke xviii. 17.
20. The World and Offences. Various Meanings of World.
"Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling." [5946]The
expression "cosmos," is used in itself and absolutely in the passage,
"He was in the cosmos and the cosmos knew Him not," [5947] but it is
used relatively and in respect of its connection with that of which it
is the cosmos, in the words, "Lest you look up to the heaven, and
seeing the sun, and the moon, and all the cosmos of the heavens, you
should stray and bow down to them and worship them." [5948]And the
like you will find in the Book of Esther, spoken about her, when it is
written, stripping off all her "cosmos." [5949]For the word
"cosmos," simply, is not the same as the "cosmos" of heaven, or the
"cosmos" of Esther; and this which we are now investigating is
another. I think, then, that the world is not this compacted whole of
heaven and earth according to the Divine Scriptures, but only the
place which is round about the earth, and this is not to be conceived
in respect of the whole earth, but only in respect of ours which is
inhabited; for the true light "was in the world," that is, in the
place which is around, conceived in relation to our part of the earth;
"and the world knew Him not," [5950] that is, the men in the region
round about, and perhaps also the powers that have an affinity to this
place. For it is monstrous to understand by the world here the
compacted whole formed of heaven and earth, and those in it; so that
it could be said, that the sun and moon and the choir of the stars and
the angels in all this world, did not know the true light, and, though
ignorant of it, preserved the order which God had appointed for them.
But when it is said by the Saviour in the prayer to the Father, "And,
now, glorify me, O Father, with Thine own self, with the glory which I
had with Thee before the world was," [5951] you must understand by the
"world," that which is inhabited by us on the earth; for it was from
this world that the Father gave men to the Son, in regard to whom
alone the Saviour beseeches His Father, and not for the whole world of
men. Moreover, also, when the Saviour says, "And I come to thee and
am no longer in the world," [5952] He speaks of the terrestrial world;
for it is not to be supposed that He spoke things contradictory when
He said, "And I come to thee, and I am no longer in the world," and "I
am in the world." But also in this, "And these things I speak in the
world," [5953] we must think of the place round about the earth. And
this is clearly indicated also by the words, "And the world hated
them, because they are not of the world." [5954]For it hated us
from the time when we no longer "look at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen," [5955] because of the teaching
of Jesus; not the world of heaven and earth and them that are therein,
all compacted together but the men on the earth along with us. And
the saying, "They are not of the world," [5956] is equivalent to, They
are not of the place round about the earth. And so also the disciples
of Jesus are not of this world, as He was not of the world. And
further also the saying, "That the world may believe that Thou hast
sent Me," [5957] twice spoken in the Gospel according to John, does
not refer to the things that are superior to men, but to men who need
to believe that the Father sent the Son into the world here. Yea, and
also in the Apostle, "Your faith is proclaimed in the whole world."
[5958]
Footnotes
[5946] Matt. xviii. 7.
[5947] John i. 10.
[5948] Deut. iv. 19.
[5949] Lomm., following Huet. refers to Esther (The addition to
Esther, xiv. 2). But the word kosmos does not occur in this passage.
See Judith x. 4; 1 Macc. ii. 11.
[5950] John i. 10.
[5951] John xvii. 5.
[5952] John xvii. 11.
[5953] John xvii. 13.
[5954] John xvii. 14.
[5955] 2 Cor. iv. 18.
[5956] John xvii. 21.
[5957] John xvii. 21, 23.
[5958] Rom. i. 8.
21. The "Woe" Does Not Apply to the Disciples of Jesus.
But if there is woe unto men everywhere on the earth, because of
occasions of stumbling to those who are laid hold of by them; but the
disciples are not of the world, as they do not look at things seen,
like as the Master is not of this world; to no one of the disciples of
Jesus does the "woe because of occasions of stumbling" apply, since
"great peace have they who love the law of God, and there is to them
no occasion of stumbling." [5959]But if any one seems to be called
a disciple, but yet is of the world, because of his loving the world,
and the things therein,--I mean, the life in the place round about the
earth, and the property in it, or the possessions, or any form of
wealth whatsoever,--so that the saying, "they are not of the world,"
[5960] does not fit him; to him, as being really of the world, shall
come that which happens to the world, the "woe, because of occasions
of stumbling." But let him who wishes to avoid this woe not be a
lover of life, but let him say with Paul," "The world is crucified
unto me, and I unto the world." [5961]For the saints while "in the
tabernacle, do groan being burdened" [5962] with "the body of
humiliation," and do all things that they may become worthy to be
found in the mystery of the resurrection, when God shall fashion anew
the body of humiliation not of all, but of those who have been truly
made disciples to Christ, so that it may be conformed to the body of
the glory of Christ. [5963]For as none of the "woes" happen to any
of the disciples of Christ, so does not this "woe, because of
occasions of stumbling;" for, supposing that thousands of occasions
should arise, they shall not touch those who are no longer of the
world. But if any one, because of his faith wanting ballast, and the
instability of his submission in regard to the Word of God, is capable
of being caused to stumble, let him know that he is not called by
Jesus His disciple. Now we must suppose that so many stumbling-blocks
come, that, as a result, the woes extend not to some parts of the
earth, but to the whole "world" which is in it.
Footnotes
[5959] Ps. cxix. 165.
[5960] John xvii. 16.
[5961] Gal. vi. 14.
[5962] 2 Cor. v. 4.
[5963] Phil. iii. 21.
22. What the "Occasions of Stumbling" Are.
"And it must needs be that occasions of stumbling come," [5964] which
I take to be different from the men by whom they come. The occasions
then which come are an army of the devil, his angels, and a wicked
band of impure spirits, which, seeking out instruments through whom
they will work, often find men altogether strangers to piety, and
sometimes even some of those who are thought to believe the Word of
God, for whom exists a worse woe than that which comes to him who is
caused to stumble, just as also it shall be more tolerable for Tyre
and Sidon in the day of judgment, [5965] than for the places where
Jesus did signs and wonders, and yet was not believed. But as one
might undertake to make a collection from the Scriptures of those who
are pronounced blessed, and of the things in respect of which they are
so called, so also he might undertake to do with the woes which are
written, and those in whose case the woes are spoken. But that the
woe is worse in the case of him who causes to stumble, than in him who
is made to stumble, you may prove by the passage, "Whoso shall cause
to stumble one of these little ones which believe in Me, it is
profitable for him," [5966] etc.; for, while the little one who is
made to stumble receives retribution from him who caused him to
stumble, it is expedient that the severe and intolerable punishment
which is written should befall the man who has caused the stumbling.
But if we were to give more careful consideration to these things, we
should be on our guard against sinning against the brethren, and
wounding their conscience when it is weak, lest we sin against Christ;
[5967] as often our brethren about us, "for whom Christ died," perish,
not only through our knowledge, but also through some other causes
connected with us; in the case of whom, we, sinning against Christ,
shall pay the penalty, the soul of them who perish through us being
required of us.
Footnotes
[5964] Matt. xviii. 7.
[5965] Matt. xi. 22.
[5966] Matt. xviii. 6.
[5967] 1 Cor. viii. 11, 12.
23. In What Sense "Necessary."
Next we must test accurately the meaning of the word "necessity" in
the passage, "For there is a necessity that the occasions come,"
[5968] and to the like effect in Luke, "It is `inadmissible' but that
occasions of stumbling should come," [5969] instead of "impossible."
And as it is necessary that that which is mortal should die, and it is
impossible but that it should die, and as it must needs be that he who
is in the body should be fed, for it is impossible for one who is not
fed to live, so it is necessary and impossible but that occasions of
stumbling should arise, since there is a necessity also that
wickedness should exist before virtue in men, from which wickedness
stumbling-blocks arise; for it is impossible that a man should be
found altogether sinless, and who, without sin, has attained to
virtue. For the wickedness in the evil powers, which is the primal
source of the wickedness among men, is altogether eager to work
through certain instruments against the men in the world. And perhaps
also the wicked powers are more exasperated when they are cast out by
the word of Jesus, and their worship is lessened, their customary
sacrifices not being offered unto them; and there is a necessity that
these offences come; but there is no necessity that they should come
through any particular one; wherefore the "woe" falls on the man
through whom the stumbling-block comes, as he has given a place to the
wicked power whose purpose it is to create a stumbling-block. But do
not suppose that by nature, and from constitution, there are certain
stumbling-blocks which seek out men through whom they come; for as God
did not make death, so neither did He create stumbling-blocks; but
free-will begot the stumbling-blocks in some who did not wish to
endure toils for virtue.
Footnotes
[5968] Matt. xviii. 7.
[5969] Luke xviii. 1.
24. The Offending Hand, or Foot, or Eye.
And it is well, then, if the eye and the hand are deserving of praise,
that the eye cannot with reason say to the hand, "I have no need of
thee." [5970]But if any one in the whole body of the congregations
of the church, who because of his practical gifts has the name of
hand, should change and become a hand causing to stumble, let the eye
say to such a hand, "I have no need of thee," and, saying it, let him
cut it off and cast it from him. [5971]And so it is well, if any
head be blessed, and the feet worthy of the blessed head, so that the
head observing the things which are becoming to itself, may not be
able to say to the feet, "I have no need of you." If, however, any
foot be found to become a stumbling-block to the whole body, let the
head say to such a foot, "I have no need of thee," and having cast it
off, let him cast it from himself; for even it is much better that the
rest of the body should enter into life, wanting the foot or the hand
which caused the stumbling-block, rather than, when the
stumbling-block has spread over the whole body, it should be cast into
the hell of fire with the two feet or the two hands. And so it is
well, that he who can become the eye of the whole body should be
worthy of Christ and of the whole body; but if such an eye should ever
change, and become a stumbling-block to the whole body, it is well to
take it out and cast it outside the whole body, and that the rest of
the body without that eye should be saved, rather than that along with
it, when the whole body has been corrupted, the whole body should be
cast into the hell of fire. [5972]For the practical faculty of the
soul, if prone to sin, and the walking faculty of the soul, so to
speak, if prone to sin, and the faculty of clear vision, if prone to
sin, may be the hand that causes to stumble, and the foot that causes
to stumble, and the eye that causes to stumble, which things it is
better to cast away, and having put them aside to enter into life
without them, like as one halt, or maimed, or one-eyed, rather than
along with them to lose the whole soul. And likewise in the case of
the soul it is a good and blessed thing to use its power for the
noblest ends; but if we are going to lose one for any cause, it is
better to lose the use of it, that along with the other powers we may
be saved.
Footnotes
[5970] 1 Cor. xii. 21.
[5971] Matt. xviii. 8.
[5972] Cf. Matt. xviii. 9.
25. The Eye or Hand Allegorized.
And it is possible to apply these words also to our nearest kinsfolk,
who are our members, as it were; being considered to be our members,
because of the close relationship; whether by birth, or from any
habitual friendship, so to speak; whom we must not spare if they are
injuring our soul. For let us cut off from ourselves as a hand or a
foot or an eye, a father or mother who wishes us to do that which is
contrary to piety, and a son or daughter who, as far as in them lies,
would have us revolt from the church of Christ and the love of Him.
But even if the wife of our bosom, or a friend who is kindred in soul,
become stumbling-blocks to us, let us not spare them, but let us cut
them out from ourselves, and cast them outside of our soul, as not
being truly our kindred but enemies of our salvation; for "whosoever
hates not his father, and mother," [5973] and the others subjoined,
when it is the fitting season to hate them as enemies and assailants,
that he may be able to win Christ, this man is not worthy of the Son
of God. And in respect of these we may say, that from a critical
position any lame one, so to speak, is saved, when he has lost a
foot--say a brother--and alone obtains the inheritance of the kingdom
of God; and a maimed one is saved, when his father is not saved, but
they perish, while he is separated from them, that he alone may obtain
the benedictions. And so also any one is saved with one eye, who has
cut out the eye of his own house, his wife, if she commit fornication,
lest having two eyes he may go away into the hell of fire.
Footnotes
[5973] Luke xiv. 26.
26. The Little Ones and Their Angels.
"See that ye despise not one of these little ones." [5974]It seems
to me that as among the bodies of men there are differences in point
of size,--so that some are little, and others great, and others of
middle height, and, again, there are differences among the little, as
they are more or less little, and the same holds of the great, and of
those of middle height,--so also among the souls of men, there are
some things which give them the stamp of littleness, and other things
the stamp of greatness, so to speak, and generally, after the analogy
of things bodily, other things the stamp of mediocrity. But in the
case of bodies, it is not due to the action of men but to the
spermatic principles, that one is short and little, another great, and
another of middle height; but in the case of souls, it is our
free-will, and actions of such a kind, and habits of such a kind, that
furnish the reason why one is great, or little, or of middle height;
and it is of our free-will either by advancing in stature to increase
our size, or not advancing to be short. And so indeed I understand
the words about Jesus having assumed a human soul, "Jesus advanced;"
[5975] for as from the free-will there was an advance of His soul in
wisdom and grace, so also in stature. And the Apostle says, "Until we
all attain unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of
the fulness of Christ;" [5976] for we must think that he attains unto
a man, and that full-grown, according to the inner man, who has gone
through the things of the child, and has reached the stage of the man,
and has put away the things of the child, and generally, has perfected
the things of the man. [5977]And so we must suppose that there is a
certain measure of spiritual stature unto which the most perfect soul
can attain by magnifying the Lord, and become great. Thus, then,
these became great, of whom this is written, Isaac, and Moses, and
John, and the Saviour Himself above all; for also about Him Gabriel
said, "He shall be great;" [5978] but the little ones are "the newborn
babes which long for the reasonable milk which is without guile,"
[5979] such as stand in need of nursing-fathers and nursing-mothers,
spoken of in Isaiah when he says, about the calling from the Gentiles,
"And they shall bring the sons in the bosom, and take their daughters
on the shoulders, and kings shall be thy nursing-fathers and their
princesses thy nursing-mothers." [5980]For these reasons you will,
then, attend to the word, "Do not despise one of these little ones,"
[5981] and consider whether it is their angels who bring them in their
bosom, since they have become sons, and also take on their shoulders
what are called daughters, and whether from them are the
nursing-fathers who are called kings, and the nursing-mothers who are
called princesses. And since the little ones, pointed out by our
Saviour, are under the stewardship as of nursing-fathers and
nursing-mothers, on this account I think that Moses, who believed that
he had been already assigned a place among the ranks of the great,
said, with regard to the promise, "My angel shall go before you,"
[5982]"If thou thyself do not go along with me, carry me not up
hence." [5983]For though the little one even be an heir, yet as
being a child he differs nothing from a servant when he is a child,
[5984] and to the extent to which he is little "has the spirit of
bondage to fear;" [5985] but he who is not at all any longer such has
no longer the spirit of bondage, but already the spirit of adoption,
when "perfect love casteth out fear;" [5986] it will be plain to thee,
how that according to these things "the angel of the Lord" is said "to
encamp round about them that fear Him, and to save them." [5987]But
you will consider, according to these things also, whether these are
indeed angels of the little ones "who are led by the spirit of bondage
to fear," "when the angel of the Lord encamps round about them that
fear Him and delivereth them;" but of the great, whether it is the
Lord who is greater than the angels, who might say about each of them,
"I am with him in affliction;" [5988] and, so long as we are
imperfect, and need one to assist us that we may be delivered from
evils, we stand in need of an angel of whom Jacob said, "The angel who
delivered me from all the evils;" [5989] but, when we have become
perfected, and have passed through the stage of being subject to
nursing-fathers and nursing-mothers and guardians and stewards, [5990]
we are meet to be governed by the Lord Himself.
Footnotes
[5974] Matt. xviii. 10.
[5975] Luke ii. 52.
[5976] Eph. iv. 13.
[5977] Cf. 1 Cor. xiii. 11.
[5978] Luke i. 32.
[5979] 1 Pet. ii. 2.
[5980] Isa. xlix. 22, 23.
[5981] Matt. xviii. 10.
[5982] Exod. xxxii. 34.
[5983] Exod. xxxiii. 15.
[5984] Gal. iv. 1.
[5985] Rom. viii. 15.
[5986] 1 John iv. 18.
[5987] Ps. xxxiv. 7.
[5988] Ps. xci. 15.
[5989] Gen. xlviii. 16.
[5990] Gal. iv. 4.
27. When the Little Ones are Assigned to Angels.
Then again one might inquire at what time those who are called their
angels assume guardianship of the little ones pointed out by Christ;
whether they received this commission to discharge concerning them,
from what time "by the laver of regeneration," [5991] through which
they were born "as new-born babes, they long for the reasonable milk
which is without guile," [5992] and no longer are in subjection to any
wicked power; or, whether from birth they had been appointed,
according to the foreknowledge and predestination of God, over those
whom God also foreknew, and foreordained to be conformed to the glory
of the Christ. [5993]And with reference to the view that they have
angels from birth, one might quote, "He who separated me from my
mother's womb," [5994] and, "From the womb of my mother thou hast been
my protector," [5995] and, "He has assisted me from my mother's womb,"
[5996] and, "Upon thee I was cast from my mother," [5997] and in the
Epistle of Jude, "To them that are beloved in God the Father and are
kept for Jesus Christ, being called," [5998] --kept completely by the
angels who keep them.
Footnotes
[5991] Tit. iii. 5.
[5992] 1 Pet. ii. 2.
[5993] Rom. viii. 29.
[5994] Gal. i. 15.
[5995] Ps. lxxi. 6.
[5996] Ps. cxxxix. 13.
[5997] Ps. xxii. 10.
[5998] Jude 1.
28. Close Relationship of Angels to Their "Little Ones."
With reference to the words, "When through the laver I became a child
in Christ," [5999] it may be said, that there is no holy angel present
with those who are still in wickedness, but that during the period of
unbelief they are under the angels of Satan; [6000] but, after the
regeneration, He who has redeemed us with His own blood consigns us to
a holy angel, who also, because of his purity, beholds the face of
God. And a third exposition of this passage might be something like
the following, which would say, that as it is possible for a man to
change from unbelief to faith, and from intemperance to temperance,
and generally from wickedness to virtue, so also it is possible that
the angel, to whom any soul has been entrusted at birth, may be wicked
at the first, but afterwards may at some time believe in proportion as
the man believes, and may make such advance that he may become one of
the angels who always behold the face of the Father in heaven, [6001]
beginning from the time that he is yoked along with the man who was
foreknown and foreordained to believe at that time, the judgments of
God, which are unspeakable and unsearchable and like to the depths,
fitly bringing together all this harmonious relationship--angels with
men. And it may be that as when a man and his wife are both
unbelievers, sometimes it is the man who first believes and in time
saves his wife, and sometimes the wife who begins and afterwards in
time persuades her husband, so it happens with angels and with men.
If, however, anything of this kind takes place in the case of other
angels or not, you may seek out for yourself. But consider whether it
may not be appropriate to say something of this kind in regard to each
angel who is so honoured according to the word of the Saviour, that he
is said to behold always the face of the Father who is in heaven. But
since in what we said above, that the little ones have angels, but
that the great have passed beyond such a position, some one will quote
in opposition to us from the Acts of the Apostles, where it is
written, that a certain maid Rhoda, when Peter knocked at the door,
came to answer, and recognizing the voice of Peter, ran in and
announced that Peter stood before the gate; but when they who were
gathered together in the house wondered, and thought that it was quite
impossible that Peter verily stood before the gate, they said, It is
his angel. [6002]For the objector will say that, as they had
learned once for all that each of the believers had some definite
angel, they knew that Peter also had one. But he, who adheres to what
we have previously said, will say that the word of Rhoda was not
necessarily a dogma, and perhaps also the word of those who did not
accurately know, when one as being little and God-fearing is governed
by angels, and when now by the Lord Himself. After this, in order to
establish our conception of the little one which we have brought
forward, it will be said that we need no command about "not despising"
in the case of the great, but we do need it in the case of the little;
wherefore it is not merely said, "Do not despise one of these,"
pointing to all the disciples, but "one of these little ones," [6003]
pointed out by Him, who sees the littleness and the greatness of the
soul.
Footnotes
[5999] Cf. Tit. iii. 5; 1 Pet. ii. 2.
[6000] The text is perhaps corrupt.
[6001] Matt. xviii. 10.
[6002] Acts xii. 13-15.
[6003] Matt. xviii. 10.
29. The Little Ones and the Perfect.
But another might say that the perfect man is here called little,
applying the word, "For he that is least among you all, the same is
great," [6004] and will affirm that he who humbles himself and becomes
a child in the midst of all that believe, though he be an apostle or a
bishop, and becomes such "as when a nurse cherisheth her own
children," [6005] is the little one pointed out by Jesus, and that the
angel of such an one is worthy to behold the face of God. For to say
that the little are here called perfect, according to the passage, "He
that is least among you all, the same is great," [6006] and as Paul
said, "Unto me who am less than the least of all saints was this grace
given," [6007] will seem to be in harmony with the saying, "Whoso
shall cause one of these little ones to stumble," [6008] and "So it is
not the will of My Father in heaven, that one of these little ones
should perish." [6009]For he, as has been stated, who is now
little, could not be made to stumble nor perish, for "great peace have
they who love the law of God, and there is no stumbling-block to
them;" [6010] and he could not perish, who is least of all among all
the disciples of Christ, and on this account becomes great; and, since
he could not perish, he could say, "Who shall separate us from the
love," [6011] etc. But he who wishes to maintain this last exposition
will say that the soul even of the just man is changeable, as Ezekiel
also testifies, saying, that the righteous man may abandon the
commandments of God, so that his former righteousness is not reckoned
unto him; [6012] wherefore it is said, "Whoso shall cause to stumble
one of these little ones, [6013] and, "It is not the will of My Father
which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."
[6014]
[As for the exposition of the matters relating to "the hundred sheep,"
you may consult the homilies on Luke. [6015] ]
Footnotes
[6004] Luke ix. 48.
[6005] 1 Thess. ii. 7.
[6006] Luke ix. 48.
[6007] Eph. iii. 8.
[6008] Matt. xviii. 6.
[6009] Matt. xviii. 14.
[6010] Ps. cxix. 165.
[6011] Rom. viii. 35.
[6012] Ezek. xxxiii. 12.
[6013] Matt. xviii. 6.
[6014] Matt. xviii. 14.
[6015] Matt. xviii. 12-14.
30. The Sinning Brother.
"If thy brother sin against thee, go, shew him his fault between thee
and him alone. [6016] " He, then, who attends closely to the
expression, in proof of the surpassing philanthropy of Jesus, will
say, that as the words do not suggest a difference of sins, they will
act in a singular manner and contrary to the goodness of Jesus, who
supply the thought, that these words are to be understood as being
limited in their application to lesser sins. But another, also
attending closely to the expression, and not wishing to introduce
these extraneous thoughts, nor admitting that it is spoken about every
sin, will say, that he who commits those great sins is not a brother,
even if he be called a brother, as the Apostle says, "If any one that
is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, etc.,
with such an one not to eat;" [6017] for no one who is an idolater, or
a fornicator, or covetous, is a brother; for if he, who seems to bear
the name of Christ, though he is named a brother, has something of the
features of these, he would not rightly be called a brother. As then
he, who says that such words are spoken about every sin, whether the
sin be murder, or poisoning, or pæderasty, or anything of that sort,
would give occasion of injury to the exceeding goodness of Christ, so,
on the contrary, he who distinguishes between the brother and him who
is called the brother, might teach that, in the case of the least of
the sins of men, he who has not repented after the telling of the
fault is to be reckoned as a Gentile and a publican, for sins which
are "not unto death," [6018] or, as the law has described them in the
Book of Numbers, not "death-bringing." [6019]This would seem to be
very harsh; for I do not think that any one will readily be found who
has not been censured thrice for the same form of sin, say, reviling,
with which revilers abuse their neighbours, or those who are carried
away by passion, or for over-drinking, or lying and idle words, or any
of those things which exist in the masses. You will inquire,
therefore, whether any observation of the passage has escaped the
notice of those, who are influenced by their conception of the
goodness of the Word, and grant pardon to those who have committed the
greatest sins, as well as of those who teach that, in the case of the
very least sins, he is to be reckoned as a Gentile and a publican,
making him a stranger to the church, after he has committed three very
trivial transgressions. But the following seems to me to have been
overlooked by both of them, namely, the words, "Thou hast gained thy
brother." [6020]It is assigned by the Word to him only who heard,
and He no longer applies it in the case of him who has stumbled twice
or thrice and been censured; but that which was to be said about him
who was censured twice or thrice, corresponding to the saying, "Thou
hast gained thy brother," He has left in the air, so to speak. He is
not, therefore, altogether gained, nor will he altogether perish, or
he will receive stripes. And attend carefully to the first passage,
"If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother," and to the second
passage, which is literally, "If he hear thee not, take with thyself
one or two more, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every
word may be established." [6021]What, then, will happen to him who
has been censured for the second time, after every word has been
established by two or three witnesses, He has left us to conceive.
And, again, "If he refuse to hear them"--manifestly, the witnesses who
have been taken--"tell it," he says, "to the church;" [6022] and He
does not say what he will suffer if he does not hear the church, but
He taught that if he refused to hear the church, then he who had
thrice admonished, and had not been heard, was to regard him for the
future as the Gentile and the publican. [6023]Therefore he is not
altogether gained, nor will he altogether perish. But what at all he
will suffer, who at first did not hear, but required witnesses, or
even refused to hear these, but was brought to the church, God knows;
for we do not declare it, according to the precept, "Judge not that ye
be not judged," [6024] "until the Lord come, who will both bring to
light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of
the hearts." [6025]But, with reference to the seeming harshness in
the case of those who have committed less sins, one might say that it
is not possible for him who has not heard twice in succession to hear
the third time, so as, on this account, no longer to be as a Gentile
or a publican, or no longer to stand in need of the censure in
presence of all the church. For we must bear in mind this, "So it is
not the will of My Father in heaven that one of these little ones
should perish." [6026]For if "we must all stand before the
judgment-seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in
the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad,"
[6027] let each one with all his power do what he can so that he may
not receive punishment for more evil things done in the body, even if
he is going to receive back for all the wrongs which he has done; but
it should be our ambition to procure the reward for a greater number
of good deeds, since "with what measure we mete, it shall be measured
to us," [6028] and, "according to the works of our own hands shall it
happen unto us," [6029] and not in infinite wise, but either double or
sevenfold shall sinners receive for their sins from the hand of the
Lord; since He does not render unto any one according to the works of
his hands, but more than that which he has done, for "Jerusalem," as
Isaiah taught, "received from the hand of the Lord double for her
sins;" [6030] but the neighbours of Israel, whoever they may be, will
receive sevenfold, according to the following expression in the
Psalms, "Render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom the
reproach with which they have reproached Thee, O Lord." [6031]And
other forms of payment in return could be found, which, if we
apprehend, we shall know that to repent after any sin, whatever its
greatness, is advantageous, in order that, in addition to our not
being punished for more offences, there may be some hope left to us
concerning good deeds done afterwards at some time, even though,
before them, thousands of errors have been committed by anyone of us.
For it would be strange that evil deeds should be reckoned to any one,
but the better which are done after the bad should profit nothing;
which may also be learned from Ezekiel, [6032] by those who pay
careful consideration to the things said about such cases.
Footnotes
[6016] Matt. xviii. 15.
[6017] 1 Cor. v. 11.
[6018] 1 John v. 16.
[6019] Num. xviii. 22.
[6020] Matt. xviii. 15.
[6021] Matt. xviii. 15, 16.
[6022] Matt. xviii. 17.
[6023] Matt. xviii. 17.
[6024] Matt. vii. 1.
[6025] 1 Cor. iv. 5.
[6026] Matt. xviii. 14.
[6027] 2 Cor. v. 10.
[6028] Matt. vii. 2.
[6029] Isa. iii. 11.
[6030] Isa. xl. 2.
[6031] Ps. lxxix. 12.
[6032] Ezek. xxxiii.
31. The Power to Bind on Earth and in Heaven.
But to me it seems that, to the case of him who after being thrice
admonished was adjudged to be as the Gentile and the publican, it is
fitly subjoined, "Verily, I say unto you,"--namely, to those who have
judged any one to be as the Gentile and the publican,--"and what
things soever ye shall bind on the earth," [6033] etc.; for with
justice has he, who has thrice admonished and not been heard, bound
him who is judged to be as a Gentile and a publican; wherefore, when
such an one is bound and condemned by one of this character, he
remains bound, as no one of those in heaven overturns the judgment of
the man who bound him. And, in like manner, he who was admonished
once for all, and did things worthy of being gained, having been set
free by the admonition of the man who gained him, and no longer bound
by the cords of his own sins, [6034] for which he was admonished,
shall be adjudged to have been set free by those in heaven. Only, it
seems to be indicated that the things, which above were granted to
Peter alone, are here given to all who give the three admonitions to
all that have sinned; so that, if they be not heard, they will bind on
earth him who is judged to be as a Gentile and a publican, as such an
one has been bound in heaven. But since it was necessary, even if
something in common had been said in the case of Peter and those who
had thrice admonished the brethren, that Peter should have some
element superior to those who thrice admonished, in the case of Peter,
this saying "I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of the
heavens," [6035] has been specially set before the words, "And what
things soever ye shall bind on earth," etc. And, indeed, if we were
to attend carefully to the evangelical writings, we would also find
here, and in relation to those things which seem to be common to Peter
and those who have thrice admonished the brethren, a great difference
and a pre-eminence in the things said to Peter, compared with the
second class. For it is no small difference that Peter received the
keys not of one heaven but of more, and in order that whatsoever
things he binds on the earth may be bound not in one heaven but in
them all, as compared with the many who bind on earth and loose on
earth, so that these things are bound and loosed not in the heavens,
as in the case of Peter, but in one only; for they do not reach so
high a stage, with power as Peter to bind and loose in all the
heavens. [6036]The better, therefore, is the binder, so much more
blessed is he who has been loosed, so that in every part of the
heavens his loosing has been accomplished.
Footnotes
[6033] Matt. xviii. 18.
[6034] Prov. v. 22.
[6035] Matt. xvi. 19.
[6036] Matt. xvi. 19.
.
Book XIV.
1. The Power of Harmony in Relation to Prayer.
"Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree [6037] on earth
as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them."
[6038]The word symphony is strictly applied to the harmonies of
sounds in music. And there are indeed among musical sounds some
accordant and others discordant. But the Evangelic Scripture is
familiar with the name as applied to musical matters in the passage,
"He heard a symphony and dancing." [6039]For it was fitting that
when the son who had been lost and found came by penitence into
concord with his father a symphony should be heard on the occasion of
the joyous mirth of the house. But the wicked Laban was not
acquainted with the word symphony in his saying to Jacob, "And if thou
hadst told me I would have sent thee away with mirth and with music
and with drums and a harp." [6040]But akin to the symphony of this
nature is that which is written in the second Book of Kings when "the
brethren of Aminadab went before the ark, and David and his son played
before the Lord on instruments artistically fitted with might and with
songs;" [6041] for the instruments thus fitted with might and with
songs, had in themselves the musical symphony which is so powerful
that when two only, bring along with the symphony which has relation
to the music that is divine and spiritual, a request to the Father in
heaven about anything whatsoever, the Father grants the request to
those who ask along with the symphony on earth,--which is most
miraculous,--those things which those who have made the symphony
spoken of may have asked. So also I understand the apostolic saying
"Defraud ye not one the other except it be by agreement for a season
that ye may give yourselves unto prayer." [6042]For since the word
harmony is applied to those who marry according to God in the passage
from Proverbs which is as follows: "Fathers will divide their house
and substance to their sons, but from God the woman is married to the
man," [6043] it is a logical consequence of the harmony being from
God, that the name and the deed should enjoy the agreement with a view
to prayer, as is indicated in the word, "unless it be by agreement."
[6044]Then the Word repeating that the agreeing of two on the earth
is the same thing as the agreeing with Christ, adds, "For where two or
three are gathered together in My name." [6045]Therefore the two or
three who are gathered together in the name of Christ are those who
are in agreement on earth, not two only but sometimes also three. But
he who has the power will consider whether this agreement and a
congregation of this sort in the midst of which Christ is, can be
found in more, since "narrow and straightened is the way that leadeth
unto life, and few be they that find it." [6046]But perhaps also
not even few but two or three make a symphony as Peter and James and
John, to whom as making a symphony the Word of God showed His own
glory. But two made a symphony, Paul and Sosthenes, when writing the
first Epistle to the Corinthians; [6047] and after this Paul and
Timothy when sending the second Epistle to the same. [6048]And even
three made a symphony when Paul and Silvanus and Timothy gave
instruction by letter to the Thessalonians. [6049]But if it be
necessary also from the ancient Scriptures to bring forward the three
who made a symphony on earth, so that the Word was in the midst of
them making them one, attend to the superscription of the Psalms, as
for example to that of the forty-first, which is as follows: "Unto
the end, unto understanding, for the sons of Korah." [6050]For
though there were three sons of Korah whose names we find in the Book
of Exodus, [6051] Aser, which is, by interpretation, "instruction,"
and the second Elkana, which is translated, "possession of God," and
the third Abiasaph, which in the Greek tongue might be rendered,
"congregation of the father," yet the prophecies were not divided but
were both spoken and written by one spirit, and one voice, and one
soul, which wrought with true harmony, and the three speak as one, "As
the heart panteth after the springs of the water, so panteth my soul
after thee, O God." [6052]But also they say in the plural in the
forty-fourth Psalm, "O God, we have heard with our ears." [6053]But
if you wish still further to see those who are making symphony on
earth look to those who heard the exhortation, "that ye may be
perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment," [6054]
and who strove after the goal, "the soul and the heart of all the
believers were one," [6055] who have become such, if it be possible
for such a condition to be found in more than two or three, that there
is no discord between them, just as there is no discord between the
strings of the ten-stringed psaltery with each other. But they were
not in symphony in earth who said, "I am of Paul, and I of Apollos,
and I of Cephas, and I of Christ," [6056] but there were schisms among
them, upon the dissolution of which they were gathered together in
company with the spirit in Paul, with the power of the Lord Jesus
Christ, [6057] that they might no longer "bite and devour one another
so that they were consumed by one another;" [6058] for discord
consumes, as concord brings together, and admits [6059] the Son of God
who comes in the midst of those who have become at concord. And
strictly, indeed, concord takes place in two things generic, through
the perfecting together, as the Apostle has called it, of the same
mind by an intellectual grasp of the same opinions, and through the
perfecting together of the same judgment, by a like way of living.
But if whenever two of us agree on earth as touching anything that
they shall ask, it shall be done for them of the Father of Jesus who
is in heaven, [6060] plainly when this is not done for them of the
Father in heaven as touching anything that they shall ask, there the
two have not been in agreement on earth; and this is the cause why we
are not heard when we pray, that we do not agree with one another on
earth, neither in opinions nor in life. But further also if we are
the body of Christ and God hath set the members each one of them in
the body that the members may have the same care one for another, and
may agree with one another, and when one member suffers, all the
members suffer with it, and if one be glorified, they rejoice with it,
[6061] we ought to practise the symphony which springs from the divine
music, that when we are gathered together in the name of Christ, He
may be in the midst of us, the Word of God, and the Wisdom of God, and
His Power. [6062]
Footnotes
[6037] sumphonesosin.
[6038] Matt. xviii. 19.
[6039] Luke xv. 25.
[6040] Gen. xxxi. 27.
[6041] 2 Sam. vi. 4, 5.
[6042] 1 Cor. vii. 5.
[6043] Prov. xix. 14, harmozetai;.
[6044] 1 Cor. vii. 5.
[6045] Matt. xviii. 20.
[6046] Matt. vii. 14.
[6047] 1 Cor. i. 1.
[6048] 2 Cor. i. 1.
[6049] 1 Thess. i. 1.
[6050] Ps. xlii.
[6051] Exod. vi. 24.
[6052] Ps. xlii. 1.
[6053] Ps. xliv. 1.
[6054] 1 Cor. i. 10.
[6055] Acts iv. 32.
[6056] 1 Cor. i. 12.
[6057] 1 Cor. v. 4.
[6058] Gal. v. 15.
[6059] Or reading chorizei, following the Vetus Inter, keeps apart.
[6060] Matt. xviii. 19.
[6061] 1 Cor. xii. 25, 18, 25, 26.
[6062] 1 Cor. i. 24.
2. The Harmony of Husband and Wife.
So much then for the more common understanding of the two or three
whom the Word exhorts to be in agreement. But now let us also touch
upon another interpretation which was uttered by some one of our
predecessors, exhorting those who were married to sanctity and purity;
for by the two, he says, whom the Word desires to agree on earth, we
must understand the husband and wife, who by agreement defraud each
other of bodily intercourse that they may give themselves unto prayer;
[6063] when if they pray for anything whatever that they shall ask,
they shall receive it, the request being granted to them by the Father
in heaven of Jesus Christ on the ground of such agreement. And this
interpretation does not appear to me to cause dissolution of marriage,
but to be an incitement to agreement, so that if the one wished to be
pure, but the other did not desire it, and on this account he who
willed and was able to fulfil the better part, condescended to the one
who had not the power or the will, they would not both have the
accomplishment from the Father in heaven of Jesus Christ, of anything
whatever that they might ask.
Footnotes
[6063] 1 Cor. vii. 5.
3. The Harmony of Body, Soul, and Spirit.
And next to this about the married, I am familiar also with another
interpretation of the agreement between the two which is as follows.
In the wicked, sin reigns over the soul, being settled as on its own
throne in this mortal body, so that the soul obeys the lusts thereof;
[6064] but in the case of those, who have stirred up the sin which
formerly reigned over the body as from a throne and who are in
conflict with it, "the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the
spirit against the flesh;" [6065] but in the case of those who have
now become perfected, the spirit has gained the mastery and put to
death the deeds of the body, and imparts to the body of its own life,
so that already this is fulfilled, "He shall quicken also your mortal
bodies because of His Spirit that dwelleth in you;" [6066] and there
arises a concord of the two, body and spirit, on the earth, on the
successful accomplishment of which there is sent up a harmonious
prayer also of him who "with the heart believes unto righteousness,
but with the mouth maketh confession unto salvation," [6067] so that
the heart is no longer far from God, and along with this the righteous
man draws nigh to God with his own lips and mouth. But still more
blessed is it if the three be gathered together in the name of Jesus
that this may be fulfilled, "May God sanctify you wholly, and may your
spirit and soul and body be preserved entire without blame at the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." [6068]But some one may inquire
with regard to the concord of spirit and body spoken of, if it is
possible for these to be at concord without the third being so,--I
mean the soul--and whether it does not follow from the concord of
these on the earth after the two have been gathered together in the
name of Christ, that the three also are already gathered together in
His name, in the midst of whom comes the Son of God as all are
dedicated to Him,--I mean the three,--and no one is opposed to Him,
there being no antagonism not only on the part of the spirit, but not
even of the soul, nor further of the body.
Footnotes
[6064] Rom. vi. 12.
[6065] Gal. v. 17.
[6066] Rom. viii. 11.
[6067] Rom. x. 10.
[6068] 1 Thess. v. 23.
4. Harmony of the Old and New Covenants.
And likewise it is a pleasant thing to endeavour to understand and
exhibit the fact of the concord of the two covenants,--of the one
before the bodily advent of the Saviour and of the new covenant; for
among those things in which the two covenants are at concord so that
there is no discord between them would be found prayers, to the effect
that about anything whatever they shall ask it shall be done to them
from the Father in heaven. And if also you desire the third that
unites the two, do not hesitate to say that it is the Holy Spirit,
since "the words of the wise," whether they be of those before the
advent, or at the time of the advent, or after it, "are as goads, and
as nails firmly fixed, which were given by agreement from one
shepherd." [6069]And do not let this also pass unobserved, that He
did not say, where two or three are gathered together in My name,
there "shall I be" in the midst of them, but "there am I," [6070] not
going to be, not delaying, but at the very moment of the concord being
Himself found, and being in the midst of them.
Footnotes
[6069] Eccl. xii. 11.
[6070] Matt. xviii. 20.
5. The Limit of Forgiveness.
"Then came Peter and said unto Him, Lord, how often shall my brother
sin against me and I forgive him?" [6071]The conception that these
things were said in a simple sense by Peter, as if he were inquiring
whether he was to forgive his brother when he sinned against him seven
times, but no longer if he sinned an eighth time, and by the Saviour,
as if He thought that one should sit still and reckon up the sins of
his neighbours against him in order that he might forgive seventy
times and seven, but that from the seventy-eighth he should not
forgive the man who wronged him, seems to me altogether silly and
unworthy alike of the progress which Peter had made in the company of
Jesus and of the divine magnanimity of Jesus. Perhaps, then, these
things also border on an obscurity akin to the words, "Hear My voice,
ye wives of Lamech," [6072] etc. If any one has already become a
friend of Jesus so as to be taught by His spirit which illumines the
reason of him who has advanced so far according to his desert, he
might know the true meaning, therefore, in regard to these things, and
such as Jesus Himself would have clearly expounded it; but we who fall
short of the greatness of the friendship of Jesus must be content if
we can babble a little about the passage. The number six, then,
appears to be working and toilsome, but the number seven to contain
the idea of repose. And consider if you can say that he, who loves
the world and works the things of the world, and does those things
which are material, sins six times, and that the number seven is the
end of sin in his case, so that Peter with some such thought in his
mind wished to pardon seven sins of those which his brother had
committed against him. But since as units the tens and the hundreds
have a certain common measure of proportion to the number which is in
units, and Jesus knew that the number might be exceeded, on this
account, I think, that He added to the number seven also the seventy,
[6073] and said that there ought to be forgiveness to brethren here,
and to them who have sinned in respect to things here. But if any one
going beyond the things about the world and this age were to commit
sin, even if it were trifling, he could not longer reasonably have
forgiveness of sins; for forgiveness extends to the things here, and
in relation to the sins committed here, whether the forgiveness comes
late or soon; but there is no forgiveness, not even to a brother, who
has sinned beyond the seven and seventy times. But you might say that
he who has sinned in such wise, whether as against Peter his brother,
or as against Peter, against whom the gates of Hades do not prevail,
is by sins of this kind in the smaller number of the sin, but
according to sins still worse is in the number which has no
forgiveness of sins.
Footnotes
[6071] Matt. xviii. 21.
[6072] Gen. iv. 23.
[6073] Matt. xviii. 22.
6. Concerning the King Who Made a Reckoning with His Own Servants, to
Whom Was Brought a Man Who Owed Ten Thousand Talents.
"Therefore I say unto you the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a
certain king, who wished to make a reckoning with his own servants."
[6074]The general conception of the parable is to teach us that we
should be inclined to forgive the sins committed against us by those
who have wronged us, and especially if after the wrongdoing he who has
done it supplicates him who has been wronged, asking forgiveness for
the sins which he has committed against him. And this the parable
wishes to teach us by representing that even when forgiveness has been
granted by God to us of the sins in respect of which we have received
remission, exaction will be demanded even after the remission, unless
we forgive the sins of those who have wronged us, so that there is no
longer left in us the least remembrance of the wrong that was done,
but the whole heart, assisted by the spirit of forgetfulness of
wrongs, which is no common virtue, forgives him who has wronged us
those things which have been wickedly done against any of us by him,
even treacherously. But next to the general conception of the
parable, it is right to examine the whole of it more simply according
to the letter, so that he who advances with care to the right
investigation of each detail of the things previously written may
derive profit from the examination of what is said. Now there is, as
is probable, an interpretation, transcendental and hard to trace, as
it is somewhat mystical, according to which, after the analogy of the
parables which are interpreted by the Evangelists, one would
investigate each of the details in this; as, for example, who the king
was, and who the servants were, and what was the beginning of his
making a reckoning, and who was the one debtor who owed many talents,
and who was his wife and who his children, and what were the "all
things" spoken of besides those which the king ordered to be sold in
order that the debt might be paid out of his belongings, and what was
meant by the going out of the man who had been forgiven the many
talents, and who was the one of the servants who was found and was a
debtor not to the householder, but to the man who had been forgiven,
and what is meant by the number of the hundred pence, and what by the
word, "He took him by the throat saying, Pay what thou owest," and
what is the prison into which he who had been forgiven all the talents
went out and cast his fellow-servant, and who were the fellow-servants
who were grieved and told the lord all that had been done, and who
were the tormentors to whom he who had cast his fellow-servant into
prison was delivered, and how he who was delivered to the tormentors
paid all that was due, so that he no longer owed anything. [6075]
But it is probable also that some other things could be added to the
number by a more competent investigator, the exposition and
interpretation of which I think to be beyond the power of man, and
requiring the Spirit of Christ who spoke them in order that Christ may
be understood as He spoke; for as "no one among men knows the things
of the man, save the spirit which is in him," and "no one knows the
things of God, save the Spirit of God," [6076] so no one knows after
God the things spoken by Christ in proverbs and parables save the
Spirit of Christ, in which he who participates in Christ not only so
far as He is Spirit, but in Christ as He is Wisdom, as He is Word,
would behold the things which were revealed to him in this passage.
But with regard to the interpretation of the loftiest type, we make no
profession; nor on the other hand with the assistance of Christ who is
the Wisdom of God do we despair of apprehending the things signified
in the parable; but whether it shall be the case that such things
shall be dictated to us in connection with this Scripture or not, may
God in Christ suggest the doing of that which is pleasing to Him, if
only there be granted to us also concerning these things, the word of
wisdom which is given from God through the Spirit, and the word of
knowledge which is supplied according to the Spirit. [6077]
Footnotes
[6074] Matt. xviii. 23.
[6075] Matt. xviii. 23, 34.
[6076] 1 Cor. ii. 11.
[6077] 1 Cor. xii. 8.
7. Exposition Continued: the King and the Servants.
"The kingdom of heaven," He says, "is likened," [6078] etc. But if it
be likened to such a king, and one who has done such things, who must
we say that it is but the Son of God? For He is the King of the
heavens, and as He is absolute Wisdom and absolute Righteousness and
absolute Truth, is He not so also absolute Kingdom? But it is not a
kingdom of any of those below, nor of a part of those above, but of
all the things above, which were called heavens. But if you enquire
into the meaning of the words, "Theirs is the kingdom of heaven,"
[6079] you may say that Christ is theirs in so far as He is absolute
Kingdom, reigning in every thought of the man who is no longer under
the reign of sin which reigns in the mortal body of those who have
subjected themselves to it. [6080]And if I say, reigning in every
thought, I mean something like this, reigning as Righteousness and
Wisdom and Truth and the rest of the virtues in him who has become a
heaven, because of bearing the image of the heavenly, and in every
power, whether angelic, or the rest that are named saints, not only in
this age, but also in that which is to come, and who are worthy of a
kingdom of such a kind. Accordingly this kingdom of heaven (when it
was made "in the likeness of sinful flesh," [6081] that for sin it
might condemn sin, when God made "Him who knew no sin to be sin on
behalf of us," [6082] who bear the body of our sin), is likened to a
certain king who is understood in relation to Jesus being united to
Him, if we may dare so to speak, having more capacity towards being
united and becoming entirely one with the "First-born of all
creation," [6083] than he, who, being joined to the Lord, becomes one
spirit with Him. [6084]Now of this kingdom of the heavens which is
likened unto a certain king, according to the conception of Jesus, and
is united to Him, it is said by anticipation that he wished to make a
reckoning with his servants. But he is about to make a reckoning with
them in order that it may be manifested how each has employed the
tried money of the householder and his rational coins. And the image
in the parables was indeed taken from masters who made a reckoning
with their own servants; but we shall understand more accurately what
is signified by this part of the parable, if we fix our thought on the
things done by the slaves who had administered their master's goods,
and who were asked to give a reckoning concerning them. For each of
them, receiving in different measure from his master's goods, has used
them either for that which was right so as to increase the goods of
his master, or consumed it riotously on things which he ought not, and
spent profusely without judgment and without discretion that which had
been put into his hands. But there are those who have wisely
administered these goods and goods so great, but have lost others, and
whenever they give the reckoning when the master makes a reckoning
with them, there is gathered together how much loss each has incurred,
and there is reckoned up how much gain each has brought, and according
to the worthiness of the way in which he has administered it, he is
either honoured or punished, or in some cases the debt is forgiven,
but in others the talents are taken away. Well, then, from what has
been said, let us first look at the rational coins and the tried money
of the householder, of which one receives more and another less, for
according to the ability of each, to one are given five talents as he
has the ability to administer so many, but to another two as not being
able to receive the amount of the man before him, and to another one
as being also inferior to the second. [6085]Are these, then, the
only differences, or are we to recognize these differences in the case
of certain persons of whom the Gospel goes on to speak while there are
also others besides these: In other parables also are found certain
persons, as the two debtors, the one who owed five hundred pence, and
the other fifty; [6086] but whether these had been entrusted with them
and had administered them badly as being inferior in ability to him
who had been entrusted with a talent, or had received them, we have
not learned; but that they owed so much, we seem to be taught from the
parable. And there are found other ten servants who were each
entrusted with a pound separately. [6087]And if any one understood
the varied character of the human soul and the wide differences from
each other in respect of natural aptitude, or want of aptitude for
more or fewer of the virtues, and for these virtues or for those,
perhaps he would comprehend how each soul has come with certain coins
of the householder which come to light with the full attainment of
reason, and with the attention which follows the full attainment of
reason, and with exercise in things that are right, or with diligence
and exercise in other things, whether they be useful as pursuits, or
in part useful and in part not useful, such as the opinions which are
not wholly true nor wholly false.
Footnotes
[6078] Matt. xviii. 23.
[6079] Matt. v. 3.
[6080] Rom. vi. 12.
[6081] Rom. viii. 3.
[6082] 2 Cor. v. 21.
[6083] Col. i. 15.
[6084] 1 Cor. vi. 17.
[6085] Matt. xxv. 15.
[6086] Luke vii. 41.
[6087] Luke xix. 13.
8. The Principle of the Reckoning.
But you will here inquire whether all men can be called servants of
the king, or some are servants whom he foreknew and fore-ordained,
while there are others who transact business with the servants, and
are called bankers. [6088]And in like manner you will inquire if
there are those outside the number of the slaves from whom the
householder declares that he will exact his own with usury, not only
men alien from piety, but also some of the believers. Now the
servants alone are the stewards of the Word, but the king, making a
reckoning with the servants, demands from those who have borrowed from
the servants, whether a hundred measures of wheat or a hundred
measures of oil, [6089] or whatever in point of fact those who are
outside of the household of the king have received; for he who owed
the hundred measures of wheat or the hundred measures of oil is not
found to be, according to the parable, a fellow-servant of the unjust
steward, as is evident from the question--how much owest thou to my
lord? [6090]But mark with me that each deed which is good or seemly
is like a gain and an increment, but a wicked deed is like a loss; and
as there is a certain gain when the money is greater and another when
it is less, and as there are differences of more or less, so according
to the good deeds, there is as it were a valuing of gains more or
less. To reckon what work is a great gain, and what a less gain, and
what a least, is the prerogative of him who alone knows to investigate
such things, looking at them in the light of the disposition, and the
word, and the deed, and from consideration of the things which are not
in our power cooperating with those that are; and so also in the case
of things opposite, it is his to say what sin, when a reckoning is
made with the servants, is found to be a great loss, and what is less,
and what, if we may so call it, is the loss of the very last mite,
[6091] or the last farthing. [6092]The account, therefore, of the
entire and whole life is exacted by that which is called the kingdom
of heaven which is likened to a king, when "we must all stand before
the judgment-sent of Christ that each one may receive the things done
in the body according to what he hath done, whether good or bad;"
[6093] and then when the reckoning is being made, shall there be
brought into the reckoning that is made also every idle word that men
shall speak, [6094] and any cup of cold water only which one has given
to drink in the name of a disciple. [6095]
Footnotes
[6088] Matt. xxv. 27.
[6089] Luke xvi. 6, 7.
[6090] Luke xvi. 5.
[6091] Luke xii. 59.
[6092] Matt. v. 26.
[6093] 2 Cor. v. 10.
[6094] Matt. xii. 36.
[6095] Matt. x. 42.
9. The Time Occupied by the Reckoning.
And these things will take place whenever that happens which is
written in Daniel, "The books were opened and the judgment was set;"
[6096] for a record, as it were, is made of all things that have been
spoken and done and thought, and by divine power every hidden thing of
ours shall be manifested, and everything that is covered shall be
revealed, [6097] in order that when any one is found who has not
"given diligence to be freed from the adversary," he may go in
succession through the hands of the magistrate, and the judge, and the
attendant into the prison, until he pays the very last mite; [6098]
but when one has given diligence to be freed from him and owes nothing
to any one, and already has made the pound ten pounds or five pounds,
or doubled the five talents, or made the two four, he may obtain the
due recompense, entering into the joy of his Lord, either being set
over all His possessions, [6099] or hearing the word, "Have thou
authority over ten cities," [6100] or "Have thou authority over five
cities." [6101]But we think that these things are spoken of as if
they required a long period of time, in order that an account may be
made by us of the whole times of the earthly life, so that we might
suppose that when the king makes a reckoning with each one of his many
servants the matter would require so vast a period of time, until
these things come to an end which have existed from the beginning of
the world down to the consummation of the age, not of one age, but of
many ages. But the truth is not so; for when God wished all at once
to rekindle in the memories of all everything that had been done by
each one throughout the whole time, in order that each might become
conscious of his own doings whether good or bad, He would do it by His
ineffable power. For it is not with God as with us; for if we wish to
call some things to remembrance, we require sufficient time for the
detailed account of what has been said by us, and to bring to our
remembrance the things which we wish to remember; but if He wished to
call to our memory the things which have been done in this life, in
order that becoming conscious of what we have done we may apprehend
for what we are punished or honoured, He could do so. But if any one
disbelieves the swiftness of the power of God in regard to these
matters, he has not yet had a true conception of the God who made the
universe, who did not require times to make the vast creation of
heaven and earth and the things in them; for, though He may seem to
have made these things in six days, there is need of understanding to
comprehend in what sense the words "in six days" are said, on account
of this, "This is the book of the generation of heaven and earth,"
[6102] etc. Therefore it may be boldly affirmed that the season of
the expected judgment does not require times, but as the resurrection
is said to take place "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,"
[6103] so I think will the judgment also be.
Footnotes
[6096] Dan. vii. 10.
[6097] Matt. x. 26 ; Luke xii. 2.
[6098] Luke xii. 58, 59.
[6099] Matt. xxiv. 47.
[6100] Luke xix. 17.
[6101] Luke xix. 19. In chap. 12 Origen reads: Be thou also over
five cities--as W. and H., and comments on the difference of the
reward. The mss. are therefore in error here.
[6102] Gal. ii. 4.
[6103] 1 Cor. xv. 52.
10. The Man Who Owed Many Talents.
Next we must speak in regard to this, "And when he had begun to
reckon, there was brought unto him one which owed many talents."
[6104]The sense of this appears to me to be as follows: The season
of beginning the judgment is with the house of God, who says, as also
it is written in Ezekiel, to those who are appointed to attend to
punishments, "Begin ye with My saints;" [6105] and it is like "the
twinkling of an eye;" but, the time of making a reckoning includes the
same "twinkling," ideally apprehended, for we are not forgetful of
what has been previously said of those who owe more. Wherefore it is
not written, when he was making reckoning, but it is said, "When he
began to reckon," there was brought, at the beginning of his making a
reckoning, one who owed many talents; he had lost tens of thousands of
talents, having been entrusted with great things, and having had many
things committed to his care, but he had brought no gain to his
master, but had lost tens of thousands so that he owed many talents;
and, perhaps on this account, he owed many talents, seeing that he
followed often the woman, who was sitting upon the talent of lead,
whose name is wickedness. [6106]But observe here that every great
sin is a loss of the talents of the master of the house, and such sins
are committed by fornicators, adulterers, abusers of themselves with
men, effeminate, idolaters, murderers. Perhaps then the one who is
brought to the king owing many talents has committed no small sin but
all that are great and heinous; and if you were to seek for him among
men, perhaps you would find him to be "the man of sin, the son of
perdition, he that opposeth and exalteth himself against every God or
object of worship;" [6107] but if you seek him outside the number of
men, who can this be but the devil who has ruined so many who received
him, who wrought sin in them. For "man is a great thing, and a
pitiful man is precious," [6108] precious so as to be worthy of a
talent, whether of gold like as the lamp which was equal to a talent
of gold, [6109] or of silver or of any kind of material whatsoever
understood intellectually, the symbols of which are recorded in the
Words of the Days, [6110] when David became enriched with many talents
of which the number is mentioned, so many talents of gold, and so many
of silver, and of the rest of the material there named, from which the
temple of God was built.
Footnotes
[6104] Matt. xviii. 24.
[6105] Ezek. ix. 6.
[6106] Zech. v. 7, 8.
[6107] 2 Thess. ii. 3, 4.
[6108] Prov. xx. 6.
[6109] Exod. xxv. 39.
[6110] 1 Chron. xxii. 14.
11. The Servant Who Owed a Hundred Pence.
Only, though he cannot pay the talents, for he has lost them, he has a
wife and children and other things, of which it is written, "All that
he has." [6111]And it was possible that when he had been sold along
with his own, he would have prospered if some one had bought him, and,
by his worth and the things that were his, have paid the whole debt in
full; and it was possible that he might no longer be the servant of
the king, but become that of his purchaser. And he makes a request
that he be not sold along with his own, but may continue to abide in
the house of the king; wherefore he fell down and worshipped him,
knowing that the king was God, and said, "Have patience with me, and I
will pay thee all;" [6112] for he was, as is probable, an active man,
who knew that he could by a second course of action fill up the whole
deficiency of the former loss of many talents. And this truly good
king was moved with compassion for the man who owed him many talents
and then released him, having bestowed upon him a favour greater than
the request which had been made; for the debtor promised to the
long-suffering master to pay all his debts, but the Lord moved with
compassion for him did not merely forgive him with the idea of
receiving his own back as a result of his patience, but even entirely
released him and forgave him the whole debt. But this wicked servant,
who had besought his master to have patience for his many talents,
acted without mercy, for, having found one of his fellow-servants
which owed him a hundred pence, he laid hold on him and took him by
the throat, saying, "Pay if thou owest." [6113]And did he not
exhibit the very excess of wickedness who laid hold of his
fellow-servant for a hundred pence, and took him by the throat and
deprived him of freedom to breathe, when he himself, for the many
talents, had neither been laid hold of, nor seized by the throat, but
at first was ordered to be sold along with his wife and children and
all that was his own; but afterwards, when he had worshipped him, the
master was moved with compassion for him, and he was released and
forgiven in regard to the whole of the debt. But it were indeed a
hard task to tell according to the conception of Jesus who is the one
fellow-servant who was found to be owing a hundred pence, not to his
own lord, but to him who owed many talents, and who are the
fellow-servants who saw the one taking by the throat, and the other
taken, and were exceedingly sorry, and represented clearly unto their
own lord all that had been done. But what the truth in these matters
is, I declare that no one can interpret unless Jesus, who explained
all things to His own disciples privately, takes up His abode in his
reason, and opens up all the treasures in the parable which are dark,
hidden, unseen, and confirms by clear demonstrations the man whom He
desires to illumine with the light of the knowledge of the things that
are in this parable, that he may at once represent who is brought to
the king as the debtor of many talents, and who is the other one who
owes to him a hundred pence, etc.; whether he can be the man of sin
previously mentioned, [6114] or the devil, or neither of these, but
some other, whether a man, or some one of these under the sway of the
devil; for it is a work of the wisdom of God to exhibit the things
that have been prophesied concerning those who are in themselves of a
certain nature, or have been made according to such and such
qualities, whether among visible powers or also among some men, in
whatever way they may have been written by the Holy Spirit. But as we
have not yet received the competent mind which is able to be blended
with the mind of Christ, and which is capable of attaining to things
so great, and which is able with the Spirit to "search all things,
even the deep things of God," [6115] we, forming an impression still
indefinitely with regard to the matters in this passage, are of
opinion that the wicked servant indicated by the parable who is here
represented in regard to the debt of many talents, refers to some
definite one.
Footnotes
[6111] Matt. xviii. 25.
[6112] Matt. xviii. 26.
[6113] Matt. xviii. 28.
[6114] 2 Thess. ii. 3.
[6115] 1 Cor. ii. 10.
12. The Time of the Reckoning.
But it is fitting to examine at what time the man--the king--in the
parable wished to make a reckoning with his own servants, and to what
period we ought to refer the things that are said. For if it be after
the consummation, or at it at the time of the expected judgment, how
are we to maintain the things about him who owed a hundred pence, and
was taken by the throat by the man who had been forgiven the many
talents? But if, before the judgment, how can we explain the
reckoning that was made before this by the king, with his own
servants? But we ought to think in a general way about every parable,
the interpretation of which has not been recorded by the evangelists,
even though Jesus explained all things to His own disciples privately;
[6116] and for this reason the writers of the Gospels have concealed
the clear exposition of the parables, because the things signified by
them were beyond the power of the nature of words to express, and
every solution and exposition of such parables was of such a kind that
not even the whole world itself could contain the books that should be
written [6117] in relation to such parables. But it may happen that a
fitting heart be found, and, because of its purity, able to receive
the letters of the exposition of the parable, so that they could be
written in it by the Spirit of the living God. But some one will say
that, perhaps, we act with impiety, who, because of the secret and
mystical import of some of the Scriptures which are of heavenly
origin, wish them to be symbolic, and endeavour to expound them, even
though it might seem ex hypothesi that we had an accurate knowledge of
their meaning. But to this we must say that, if there be those who
have obtained the gift of accurate apprehension of these things, they
know what they ought to do; but as for us, who acknowledge that we
fall short of the ability to see into the depth of the things here
signified, even though we obtain a somewhat crass perception of the
things in the passage, we will say, that some of the things which we
seem to find after much examination and inquiry, whether by the grace
of God, or by the power of our own mind, we do not venture to commit
to writing; but some things, for the sake of our own intellectual
discipline, and that of those who may chance to read them, we will to
some extent set forth. But let these things, then, be said by way of
apology, because of the depth of the parable; but, with regard to the
question at what time the man--the king--in the parable wished to make
a reckoning with his own servants, we will say that it seems that this
takes place about the time of the judgment which had been proclaimed.
And this is confirmed by two parables, one at the close of the Gospel
before us, [6118] and one from the Gospel according to Luke. [6119]
And not to prolong the discussion by quoting the very letter, as any
one who wishes can take it from the Scripture himself, we will say
that the parable according to Matthew declares, "For it is as when a
man going into another country called his own servants, and delivered
unto them his own goods, and to one he gave five talents, and to
another two, and to another one talent;" [6120] then they took action
with regard to that which had been entrusted to them, and, after a
long time, the lord of those servants cometh, and it is written in the
very words, that he also makes a reckoning with them. [6121]And
compare the words, "And when he began to make a reckoning," [6122] and
consider that he called the going of the householder into another
country the time at which "we are at home in the body but absent from
the Lord;" [6123] but his advent, when, "after a long time the lord of
those servants cometh," [6124] the time at the consummation in the
judgment; for after a long time the lord of those servants cometh and
makes a reckoning with them, and those things which follow take
place. But the parable in Luke represents with more clearness, that
"a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a
kingdom, and to return," and when going, "he called ten servants, and
gave to them ten pounds, and said unto them, Trade ye till I come."
[6125]But the nobleman, being hated by his own citizens, who sent
an ambassage after him, as they did not wish him to reign over them,
came back again, having received the kingdom, and told the servants to
whom he had given the money to be called to himself that he might know
what they had gained by trading. And, seeing what they had done, to
him who had made the one pound ten pounds, rendering praise in the
words, "Well done, thou good servant, because thou wast found faithful
in a very little," [6126] he gives to him authority over ten cities,
to-wit, those which were under his kingdom. And to another, who had
multiplied the pound fivefold, he did not render the praise which he
assigned to the first, nor did he specify the word "authority," as in
the case of the first, but said to him, "Be thou also over five
cities." [6127]But to him who had tied up the pound in a napkin, he
said, "Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant;"
[6128] and he said to them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and
give it unto him that hath the ten pounds. [6129]Who, then, in
regard to this parable, will not say that the nobleman, who goes into
a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return, is
Christ, going, as it were, into another country to receive the
kingdoms of this world, and the things in it? And those who have
received the ten talents are those who have been entrusted with the
dispensation of the Word which has been committed unto them. And His
citizens who did not wish Him to reign over them when He was a citizen
in the world in respect of His incarnation, [6130] are perhaps Israel
who disbelieved Him, and perhaps also the Gentiles who disbelieved
Him.
Footnotes
[6116] Mark iv. 34.
[6117] John xxi. 25.
[6118] Matt. xxv. 14-30.
[6119] Luke xix. 12-27.
[6120] Matt. xxv. 14, 15.
[6121] Matt. xxv. 19.
[6122] Matt. xviii. 24.
[6123] 2 Cor. v. 6.
[6124] Matt. xxv. 19.
[6125] Luke xix. 12, 13.
[6126] Luke xix. 17.
[6127] Luke xix. 19. See note 4, p. 500.
[6128] Luke xix. 22.
[6129] Luke xix. 24.
[6130] Luke xix. 14.
13. No Forgiveness to the Unforgiving.
Only, I have said these things with the view of referring his return
when he comes with his kingdom to the consummation, when he commanded
the servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him that
he might know what they had gained by trading, and from a desire to
demonstrate from this, and from the parable of the Talents, that the
passage "he who wished to make a reckoning with his own servants"
[6131] is to be referred to the consummation when now he is king,
receiving the kingdom, on account of which, according to another
parable, [6132] he went into a far country, to receive for himself a
kingdom and to return. Therefore, when he returned after receiving
the kingdom, he wished to make a reckoning with his own servants. And
"when he had begun to reckon, there was brought unto him one who owed
many talents," [6133] and he was brought as to a king by those who had
been appointed his ministers--I think, the angels. And perhaps he was
one of those under the kingdom who had been entrusted with a great
administration and had not dispensed it well, but had wasted what had
been entrusted to him, so that he came to owe the many talents which
he had lost. This very man, perhaps not having the means to pay, is
ordered by the king to be sold along with his wife, by intercourse
with whom he became the father of certain children. But it is no easy
task to see what is intellectually meant by father and mother and
children. What this means in point of truth God may know, and whether
He Himself has given insight to us or not, he who can may judge. Only
this is our conception of the passage; that, as "the Jerusalem which
is above" is "the mother" [6134] of Paul and of those like unto him,
so there may be a mother of others after the analogy of Jerusalem, the
mother, for example, of Syene in Egypt, or Sidon, or as many cities as
are named in the Scriptures. Then, as Jerusalem is "a bride adorned
for her husband," [6135] Christ, so there may be those mothers of
certain powers who have been allotted to them as wives or brides. And
as there are certain children of Jerusalem, as mother, and of Christ,
as father, so there would be certain children of Syene, or Memphis, or
Tyre, or Sidon, and the rulers set over them. Perhaps then, too, this
one, the debtor of many talents who was brought to the king, has, as
we have said, a wife and children, whom at first the king ordered to
be sold, and also all that he had to be sold; but afterwards, being
moved with compassion, he released him and forgave him all the debt;
not, as if he were ignorant of the future, but, in order that we might
understand what happened, it was written that he did so. Each one
then of those who have, as we have said, a wife and children will
render an account whenever the king comes to make a reckoning, having
received the kingdom and having returned; and each of them as a ruler
of any Syene or Memphis, or Tyre or Sidon, or any like unto them, has
also debtors. This one, then, having been released, and having been
forgiven all the debt, "went out from the king and found one of his
fellow-servants," [6136] etc.; and, on this account, I suppose that he
took him by the throat, when he had gone out from the king, for unless
he had gone out he would not have taken his own fellow-servant by the
throat. Then observe the accuracy of the Scripture, how that the one
fell down and "worshipped," but the other fell down and did not
worship but "besought;" [6137] and the king being moved with
compassion released him and forgave him all the debt, but the servant
did not wish even to pity his own fellow-servant; and the king before
his release ordered him to be sold and what was his, while he who had
been forgiven cast him into prison. And observe that his
fellow-servants did not bring any accusation or "said," but "told,"
[6138] and that he did not use the epithet "wicked" at the beginning
in regard to the money lost, but reserved it afterwards for his action
towards the fellow-servant. But mark also the moderation of the king;
he does not say, You worshipped me, but You besought me; and no longer
did he order him and his to be sold, but, what was worse, he delivered
him to the tormentors, because of his wickedness. [6139]But who may
these be but those who have been appointed in the matter of
punishments? But at the same time observe, because of the use made of
this parable by adherents of heresies, that if they accuse the Creator
[6140] of being passionate, because of words that declare the wrath of
God, they ought also to accuse this king, because that "being wroth,"
he delivered the debtor to the tormentors. But it must further be
said to those whose view it is that no one is delivered by Jesus to
the tormentors,--pray, explain to us, good sirs, who is the king who
delivered the wicked servant to the tormentors? And let them also
attend to this, "So therefore also shall My heavenly Father do unto
you;" [6141] and to the same persons also might rather be said the
things in the parable of the Ten Pounds that the Son of the good God
said, "Howbeit these mine enemies which would not that I should reign
over them," [6142] etc. The conclusion of the parable, however, is
adapted also to the simpler; for all of us who have obtained the
forgiveness of our own sins, and have not forgiven our brethren, are
taught at once that we shall suffer the lot of him who was forgiven
but did not forgive his fellow-servant.
Footnotes
[6131] Matt. xviii. 23.
[6132] Luke xix. 12.
[6133] Matt. xviii. 24.
[6134] Gal. iv. 26.
[6135] Rev. xxi. 2.
[6136] Matt. xviii. 28.
[6137] Matt. xvii. 26, 29.
[6138] Matt. xviii. 31.
[6139] Matt. xviii. 34.
[6140] That is, the God of the Old Testament--according to Marcion.
[6141] Matt. xviii. 35.
[6142] Luke xix. 27.
14. How Jesus Finished His Words.
"And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these words." [6143]He
who gives a detailed and complete account of each of the questions
before him so that nothing is left out, finishes his own words. But
he will give a declaration on this point with more confidence who
devotes himself with great diligence to the entire reading of the Old
and New Testament; for if the expression, "he finished these words,"
may be applied to no other, neither to Moses, nor to any of the
prophets, but only to Jesus, then one would dare to say that Jesus
alone finished His words, He who came to put an end to things, and to
fulfil what was defective in the law, by saying, "It was said to them
of old time," [6144] etc., and, again, "That the things spoken through
the prophets might be fulfilled." [6145]But if it is written
somewhere also in them, then you may compare and contrast the
discourses finished by them with those finished by the Saviour, that
you may find the difference between them. And yet at this point,
also, investigation might be made whether in the case of the things
spoken by way of oracle the expression, "he finished," is applied
either to the things spoken by Moses, or any of the prophets, or of
both together; for careful observation would suggest very weighty
thoughts to those who know how "to compare spiritual things with
spiritual," and on this account "speak not in words which man's wisdom
teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth." [6146]But perhaps some
other one, attending with over-curious spirit to the word "finished,"
which is assigned to things of a more mystical order, just as we say
that some one delivered to those who were under his control mysteries
and rites of "perfecting" [6147] not in a praiseworthy fashion, and
another delivered the mysteries of God to those who are worthy, and
rites of "perfecting" proportionate to such mysteries, might say that
having initiated them, he made a rite of "perfecting," by which
"perfecting" the words were shown to be powerful, so that the gospel
of Jesus was preached in the whole world, and by virtue of the divine
"perfecting" gained the mastery of every soul which the Father draws
to the Son, according to what is said by the Saviour, "No one comes to
Me except the Father which has sent Me draw him." [6148]Wherefore
also "the word" of those who by the grace of God are ambassadors of
the gospel, "and their preaching, is not in persuasive words of
wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit of power," [6149] to those
for whom the words of the doctrine of Jesus were finished. You will
therefore observe how often it is said, "He finished," and of what
things it is said, and you will take as an illustration that which is
said in regard to the beatitudes, and the whole of the discourse to
which is subjoined, "And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these
words, all the multitudes were astonished at His teaching." [6150]
But now the saying, "Jesus finished these words," is referred also
immediately to the very mystical parable according to which the
kingdom of heaven is likened unto a king, but also beyond this parable
to the sections which were written before it.
Footnotes
[6143] Matt. xix. 1.
[6144] Matt. v. 33.
[6145] Mark xiv. 49; Matt. xxvi. 56.
[6146] 1 Cor. ii. 13.
[6147] teletas. Origen's play on the words etelesen and telete cannot
be fully reproduced in English. The word telete, in reference to the
mysteries, meant the rite, or participation in the rite, by which one
became perfect; and in later Christian usage it was applied to the
Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper. See Suicer.
[6148] John vi. 44.
[6149] 1 Cor. ii. 4. pneumatos dunameos. The omission of the kai is
strange; for in the Contra Celsum (i. 2) Origen characterises the
argument from prophecy as "the demonstration of the Spirit" and the
argument from miracles as "the demonstration of power."
[6150] Matt. vii. 28.
15. How Men Followed Jesus.
Only, when Jesus had finished these words, having spoken them in
Galilee about Capernaum, then "He departed thence, and came into the
borders of Judæa," [6151] which were different from Galilee. But He
came to the borders of Judæa, and not to the middle of it, but, as it
were, to the outermost parts, where great multitudes followed Him,
[6152] whom He healed at "the borders of Judæa beyond Jordan,"--where
baptism had been given. [6153]But you will observe the difference
between the crowds who simply followed, and Peter and the others who
gave up everything and followed, and Matthew, who arose and followed
him; [6154] he did not simply follow, but "having arisen;" for "having
arisen" is an important addition. There are always those, then, who
follow like the great multitudes, who have not arisen that they may
follow, nor have given up all that was theirs formerly, but few are
they who have arisen and followed, who also, in the regeneration,
shall sit on twelve thrones. [6155]Only, if one wishes to be
healed, let him follow Jesus.
Footnotes
[6151] Matt. xix. 1.
[6152] Matt. xix. 2.
[6153] John i. 28.
[6154] Matt. ix. 9.
[6155] Matt. xix. 28.
16. Concerning the Pharisees and Scribes Tempting Jesus (by Asking)
Whether Was Lawful for a Man to Put Away His Wife for Every Cause.
After this it is written that "there came unto Him the Pharisees
tempting Him and saying, Is it lawful for a man to wife for every
cause?" [6156]Mark, also, has written to the like effect. [6157]
Accordingly, of those who came to Jesus and inquired of Him, there
were some who put questions to tempt Him; and if our Saviour so
transcendent was tempted, which of His disciples who is ordained to
teach need be vexed, when he is tempted by some who inquire, not from
the love of learning, but from the wish to tempt? And you might find
many passages, if you brought them together, in which the Pharisees
tempted our Jesus, and others, different from them, as a certain
lawyer, [6158] and perhaps also a scribe, [6159] that by bringing
together what is said about those who tempted Him, you might find by
investigation what is useful for this kind of inquiries. Only, the
Saviour, in response to those who tempted Him, laid down dogmas; for
they said, "Is it lawful for a man to put away his own wife for every
cause?" and He answered and said, "Have ye not read that He who
created them from the beginning made them male and female?" [6160]
etc. And I think that the Pharisees put forward this word for this
reason, that they might attack Him whatever He might say; as, for
example, if He had said, "It is lawful," they would have accused Him
of dissolving marriages for trifles; but, if He had said, "It is not
lawful," they would have accused Him of permitting a man to dwell with
a woman, even with sins; so, likewise, in the case of the
tribute-money, [6161] if He had told them to give, they would have
accused Him of making the people subject to the Romans, and not to the
law of God, but if He had told them not to give, they would have
accused Him of creating war and sedition, and of stirring up those who
were not able to stand against so powerful an army. But they did not
perceive in what way He answered blamelessly and wisely, in the first
place, rejecting the opinion that a wife was to be put away for every
cause, and, in the second place, giving answer to the question about
the bill of divorcement; for He saw that not every cause is a
reasonable ground for the dissolution of marriage, and that the
husband must dwell with the wife as the weaker vessel, giving honour,
[6162] and bearing her burdens in sins; [6163] and by what is written
in Genesis, He puts to shame the Pharisees who boasted in the
Scriptures of Moses, by saying, "Have ye not read that He who created
them from the beginning made them male and female," etc., and,
subjoining to these words, because of the saying, "And the twain shall
become one flesh," teaching in harmony with one flesh, namely, "So
that they are no more twain, but one flesh." [6164]And, as tending
to convince them that they should not put away their wife for every
cause, is it said, "What God hath joined together, let not man put
asunder." [6165]It is to be observed, however, in the exposition of
the words quoted from Genesis in the Gospel, that they were not spoken
consecutively as they are written in the Gospel; and I think that it
is not even said about the same persons, namely, of those who were
formed after the image of God, and of those who were formed from the
dust of the ground and from one of the ribs of Adam. For where it is
said, "Male and female made He them," [6166] the reference is to those
formed "after the image," but where He also said, "For this cause
shall a man leave his own father and mother," [6167] etc., the
reference is not to those formed after the image; for some time after
the Lord God formed the man, taking dust from the ground, and from his
side the helpmate. And mark, at the same time, that in the case of
those who are formed "after the image," the words were not "husband
and wife" but "male and female." But we have also observed this in
the Hebrew, for man is indicated by the word "is," but male by the
word "zachar," and again woman by the word "essa," but female by the
word "agkeba." For at no time is it "woman" or "man" "after the
image," but the superior class, the male, and the second, the female.
But also if a man leave his mother and his father, he cleaves not to
the female, but to his own wife, and "they become," since man and
woman are one in flesh, "one flesh." Then, describing what ought to
be in the case of those who are joined together by God, so that they
may be joined together in a manner worthy of God, the Saviour adds,
"So that they are no more twain;" [6168] and, wherever there is indeed
concord, and unison, and harmony, between husband and wife, when he is
as ruler and she is obedient to the word, "He shall rule over thee,"
[6169] then of such persons we may truly say, "They are no more
twain." Then since it was necessary that for "him who was joined to
the Lord," it should be reserved "that he should become one spirit
with Him," [6170] in the case of those who are joined together by God,
after the words, "So that they are no more twain," it is said, "but
one flesh." And it is God who has joined together the two in one so
that they are no more twain, from the time that [6171] the woman is
married to the man. And, since God has joined them together, on this
account in the case of those who are joined together by God, there is
a "gift"; and Paul knowing this, that marriage according to the Word
of God was a "gift," like as holy celibacy was a gift, says, "But I
would that all men were like myself; howbeit, each man hath his own
gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that." [6172]
And those who are joined together by God both mind and keep the
precept, "Husbands love your wives, as Christ also the church." [6173]
The Saviour then commanded, "What God hath joined together, let not
man put asunder," [6174] but man wishes to put asunder what God hath
joined together, when, "falling away from the sound faith, giving heed
to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, through the hypocrisy of
men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a hot
iron, forbidding," not only to commit fornication, but "to marry,"
[6175] he dissolves even those who had been before joined together by
the providence of God. Let these things then be said, keeping in view
what is expressly said concerning the male and the female, and the man
and the woman, as the Saviour taught in the answer to the Pharisees.
Footnotes
[6156] Matt. xix. 3.
[6157] Mark x. 2.
[6158] Matt. xxii. 35.
[6159] Mark xii. 28.
[6160] Matt. xix. 4.
[6161] Matt. xxii. 17.
[6162] 1 Pet. iii. 7.
[6163] Gal. vi. 2.
[6164] Matt. xix. 4-6.
[6165] Matt. xix. 6.
[6166] Gen. i. 27.
[6167] Gen. ii. 24.
[6168] Matt. xix. 6.
[6169] Gen. iii. 16.
[6170] 1 Cor. vi. 17.
[6171] Or, by God the woman is married to the man.
[6172] 1 Cor. vii. 7.
[6173] Eph. v. 25.
[6174] Matt. xix. 6.
[6175] 1 Tim. iv. 1-3.
17. Union of Christ and the Church.
But since the Apostle understands the words, "And they twain shall be
one flesh," [6176] of Christ and the church, [6177] we must say that
Christ keeping the saying, "What God hath joined together let not man
put asunder," [6178] did not put away His former wife, so to
speak--that is, the former synagogue--for any other cause than that
that wife committed fornication, being made an adulteress by the evil
one, and along with him plotted against her husband and slew Him,
saying, "Away with such a fellow from the earth, crucify Him, crucify
Him." [6179]It was she therefore who herself revolted, rather than
her husband who put her away and dismissed her; wherefore, reproaching
her for falling away from him, it says in Isaiah, "Of what kind is the
bill of your mother's divorcement, with which I sent her away?" [6180]
And He who at the beginning created Him "who is in the form of God"
after the image, made Him male, and the church female, granting to
both oneness after the image. And, for the sake of the church, the
Lord--the husband--left the Father whom He saw when He was "in the
form of God," [6181] left also His mother, as He was the very son of
the Jerusalem which is above, and was joined to His wife who had
fallen down here, and these two here became one flesh. For because of
her, He Himself also became flesh, when "the Word became flesh and
dwelt among us," [6182] and they are no more two, but now they are one
flesh, since it is said to the wife, "Now ye are the body of Christ,
and members each in his part;" [6183] for the body of Christ is not
something apart different from the church, which is His body, and from
the members each in his part. And God has joined together these who
are not two, but have become one flesh, commanding that men should not
separate the church from the Lord. And he who takes heed for himself
so as not to be separated, is confident as one who will not possibly
be separated and says, "Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ?" [6184]Here, therefore, the saying, "What God hath joined
together, let not man put asunder," [6185] was written with relation
to the Pharisees, but to those who are superior to the Pharisees, it
could be said, "What then God hath joined together, let nothing put
asunder," neither principality nor power; for God, who has joined
together is stronger than all those which any one could conceive and
name.
Footnotes
[6176] Matt. xix. 5.
[6177] Eph. v. 31, 32.
[6178] Matt. xix. 6.
[6179] John xix. 6, 15; Luke xxiii. 18.
[6180] Isa. l. 1.
[6181] Phil. ii. 6.
[6182] John i. 14.
[6183] 1 Cor. xii. 27.
[6184] Rom. viii. 35.
[6185] Matt. xix. 6.
18. The Bill of Divorcement.
After this we will discuss the saying of the Pharisees which they said
to Jesus, "Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement
and put her away?" [6186]And with good reason we will bring forward
for this purpose the passage from Deuteronomy concerning the bill of
divorcement, which is as follows: "But if a man taketh a wife and
cohabit with her, and it shall be, if she do not find favour in his
sight because he hath found in her a thing unseemly," etc., down to
the words, "and ye shall not pollute the land which the Lord your God
giveth you for an inheritance." [6187]Now I inquire whether in
these things according to this law, we are to seek nothing in it
beyond the letter seeing that God has not given it, or whether to the
Pharisees who quoted the saying, "Moses commanded to give a bill of
divorcement and put her away," it was of necessity said, "Moses, for
your hardness of heart, suffered you to put away your wives; but from
the beginning it hath not been so." [6188]But if any one ascends to
the Gospel of Christ Jesus which teaches that the law is spiritual, he
will seek also the spiritual understanding of this law. And he who
wishes to interpret these things figuratively will say that, just as
it was said by Paul confident in the grace which he had, "A wife is
bound for so long time as her husband liveth, but if the husband be
dead she is free to be married to whom she will, only in the Lord; but
she is happier if she abide as she is, after my judgment, and I think
that I also have the Spirit of God" [6189] (for here to the words,
"after my judgment," lest it should be despised as being without the
Spirit of God, he well added, "and I think that I also have the Spirit
of God)," so also it would be possible for Moses, by reason of the
power given to him to make laws, to the effect that he suffered for
the hardness of heart of the people certain things, among which was
the putting away of wives, to be persuaded in regard to the laws which
he promulgated according to his own judgment, that in these also the
legislation took place with the Spirit of God. And he will say that,
unless one law is spiritual and another is not such, this is a law,
and this is spiritual, and its spiritual significance ought to be
investigated.
Footnotes
[6186] Matt. xix. 7.
[6187] Deut. xxiv. 1-4.
[6188] Matt. xix. 8.
[6189] 1 Cor. vii. 39, 40.
19. The Divorce of Israel.
Now, keeping in mind what we said above in regard to the passage from
Isaiah about the bill of divorcement, we will say that the mother of
the people separated herself from Christ, her husband, without having
received the bill of divorcement, but afterwards when there was found
in her an unseemly thing, and she did not find favour in his sight,
the bill of divorcement was written out for her; for when the new
covenant called those of the Gentiles to the house of Him who had cast
away his former wife, it virtually gave the bill of divorcement to her
who formerly separated from her husband--the law, and the Word.
Therefore he, also, having separated from her, married, so to speak,
another, having given into the hands of the former the bill of
divorcement; wherefore they can no longer do the things enjoined on
them by the law, because of the bill of divorcement. And a sign that
she has received the bill of divorcement is this, that Jerusalem was
destroyed along with what they called the sanctuary of the things in
it which were believed to be holy, and with the altar of burnt
offerings, and all the worship associated with it. And a further sign
of the bill of divorcement is this, that they cannot keep their
feasts, even though according to the letter of the law designedly
commanded them, in the place which the Lord God appointed to them for
keeping feasts; but there is this also, that the whole synagogue has
become unable to stone those who have committed this or that sin; and
thousands of things commanded are a sign of the bill of divorcement;
and the fact that "there is no more a prophet," and that they say, "We
no longer see signs;" [6190] for the Lord says, "He hath taken away
from Judæa and from Jerusalem," according to the word of Isaiah, "Him
that is mighty, and her that is mighty, a powerful giant," etc., down
to the words, "a prudent hearer." [6191]Now, He who is the Christ
may have taken the synagogue to wife and cohabited with her, but it
may be that afterwards she found not favour in His sight; and the
reason of her not having found favour in His sight was, that there was
found in her an unseemly thing; for what was more unseemly than the
circumstance that, when it was proposed to them to release one at the
feast, they asked for the release of Barabbas the robber, and the
condemnation of Jesus? [6192]And what was more unseemly than the
fact, that they all said in His case, "Crucify Him, crucify Him," and
"Away with such a fellow from the earth"? [6193]And can this be
freed from the charge of unseemliness, "His blood be upon us, and upon
our children"? [6194]Wherefore, when He was avenged, Jerusalem was
compassed with armies, and its desolation was near, [6195] and their
house was taken away from it, and "the daughter of Zion was left as a
booth in a vineyard, and as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, and as a
besieged city." [6196]And, about the same time, I think, the
husband wrote out a bill of divorcement to his former wife, and gave
it into her hands, and sent her away from his own house, and the bond
of her who came from the Gentiles has been cancelled about which the
Apostle says, "Having blotted out the bond written in ordinances,
which was contrary to us, and He hath taken it out of the way, nailing
it to the cross;" [6197] for Paul also and others became proselytes of
Israel for her who came from the Gentiles. [6198]The first wife,
accordingly, not having found favour before her husband, because in
her had been found an unseemly thing, went out from the dwelling of
her husband, and, going away, has become joined to another man, to
whom she has subjected herself, whether we should call the husband
Barabbas the robber, who is figuratively the devil, or some evil
power. And in the case of some of that synagogue there has happened
the former thing which was written in the law, but in the case of
others, that which was second. For the last husband [6199] hated his
wife and will write out for her some day at the consummation of things
a bill of divorcement, when God so orders it, and will give it into
her hands and will send her away from his dwelling; for as the good
God will put enmity between the serpent and the woman, and between his
seed and her seed, [6200] so will He order it that the last husband
shall hate her.
Footnotes
[6190] Ps. lxxiv. 9.
[6191] Isa. iii. 1-3.
[6192] Matt. xxvii. 21.
[6193] John xix. 15.
[6194] Matt. xxvii. 25.
[6195] Luke xxi. 20.
[6196] Isa. i. 8.
[6197] Col. ii. 14.
[6198] The text is corrupt.
[6199] Deut. xxiv. 3.
[6200] Gen. iii. 15.
20. Christ and the Gentiles.
Now there are those in whose case it has happened that the man dwells
with them without having hated them, because they abide in the house
of the last husband, who took to himself their synagogue as wife. But
also in their case the latter husband dies, [6201] perhaps whenever
the last enemy of Christ, death, is destroyed. But whichever of these
things may happen, whether the former or the latter to the wife, the
former husband, it says, who sent her away, will not he able to turn
back and take her to be a wife to himself after she has been defiled,
since "it is abomination," it says, "before the Lord thy God." [6202]
But these things will not seem to be consistent with this, "If the
fulness of the Gentiles be come in, all Israel shall be saved." [6203]
But consider if it can be said to this, that, if she shall be saved
by her former husband returning and taking her to himself as wife, she
will in any case be saved after she has been polluted. A priest,
then, will not take to himself as a wife one who has been a harlot and
an outcast, [6204] but no other, as being inferior to the priest, is
hindered from doing so. But if you seek for the harlot in regard to
the calling of the Gentiles, you may use the passage, "Take to
yourself a wife of fornication, and children of fornication," [6205]
etc.; for, as "the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are
guiltless," [6206] so he who, casting out his former wife, takes in
due season "a wife of fornication," having done it according to the
command of Him who says, when it is necessary, and so long as it was
necessary, "He shall not take a harlot to wife," and, when it was
reasonable, He says, "Take to yourself a wife of fornication." For as
the Son of man is Lord of the sabbath, [6207] and not the slave of the
sabbath as the people are, so He who gives the law has power to give
it "until a time of reformation," [6208] and to change the law, and,
when the time of the reformation is at hand, also to give after the
former way and after the former heart another way and another heart,
"in an acceptable time, and in a day of salvation." [6209]And let
these things be said according to our interpretation of the law in
regard to the bill of divorcement.
Footnotes
[6201] Deut. xxiv. 3.
[6202] Deut. xxiv. 4.
[6203] Rom. xi. 25, 26.
[6204] Lev. xxi. 14.
[6205] Hos. i. 2.
[6206] Matt. xii. 5.
[6207] Matt. xii. 8.
[6208] Heb. ix. 10.
[6209] 2 Cor. vi. 2.
21. Union of Angels and the Souls of Men.
But some one may inquire whether the human soul can be figuratively
called a wife, and the angel who is set over her and is her ruler,
with whom as her sovereign she holds conversation, can be called her
husband; so that according to this each lawfully dwells along with the
soul which is worthy of the guardianship of a divine angel; but
sometimes after long sojourning and intercourse a cause may arise in
the soul why she does not find favour in the eyes of the angel who is
her lord and ruler, because that in it there is found an unseemly
thing; and bonds may be written out, as such are written, and a bill
of divorcement be written and put into the hands of her who is cast
out, so that she may no longer be familiar with her former guardian,
when she is cast out from his dwelling. And even she who has gone
away from her former dwelling may be joined to another husband, and be
unfortunate with him, not only, as in the case of the former, not
finding favour in his sight because an unseemly thing was found in
her, but even being hated by him. [6210]Yea, and even there might
be written out from the second husband a bill of divorcement and it
might be put into her hands from the last husband who sends her away
from his dwelling. But whether there can be such a change of the life
of angels with men, as to amount, so far as concerns their relation to
us, to their death, one may put the question rash though it be; but be
that as it may, she also who has once fallen away from the former
husband will not return again to him, for the former husband who sent
her away will not be able to turn back and take her as wife to
himself, after she was defiled. [6211]And if one should dare, using
a Scripture which is in circulation in the church, but not
acknowledged by all to be divine, to soften down a precept of this
kind, the passage might be taken from The Shepherd, concerning some
who as soon as they believe are put in subjection to Michael, [6212]
but falling away from him from love of pleasure, are put in subjection
to the angel of luxury, [6213] then to the angel of punishment, [6214]
and after this to the angel of repentance; for you observe that the
wife or soul who has once been given to luxury no longer returns to
the first ruler, but also besides suffering punishment, is put in
subjection to one inferior to Michael; for the angel of penitence is
inferior to him. We must therefore take heed lest there be found in
us any unseemly thing, and we should not find favour in the eyes of
our husband Christ, or of the angel who has been set over us. For if
we do not take heed, perhaps we also shall receive the bill of
divorcement, and either be bereft of our guardian, or go to another
man. But I consider that it is not of good omen to receive, as it
were, the marriage of an angel with our own soul. [6215]
Footnotes
[6210] Cf. Deut. xxiv. 1-3.
[6211] Deut. xxiv. 4.
[6212] Cf. Her. Sim. viii. 3.
[6213] Cf. Her. Sim. vi. 2.
[6214] Cf. Her. Sim. vi. 3.
[6215] The text is probably corrupt. Perhaps it means the marriage of
a second angel with our soul.
22. The Marriage of Church Dignitaries.
But, while dealing with the passage, I would say that we will be able
perhaps now to understand and clearly set forth a question which is
hard to grasp and see into, with regard to the legislation of the
Apostle concerning ecclesiastical matters; for Paul wishes no one of
those of the church, who has attained to any eminence beyond the many,
as is attained in the administration of the sacraments, to make trial
of a second marriage. For laying down the law in regard to bishops in
the first Epistle to Timothy, he says, "If a man seeketh the office of
a bishop, he desireth a good work. The bishop, therefore, must be
without reproach, the husbands of one wife, temperate, sober-minded,"
[6216] etc.; and, in regard to deacons, "Let the deacons," he says,
"be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own
houses well," [6217] etc. Yea, and also when appointing widows, he
says, "Let there be no one as a widow under threescore years old,
having been the wife of one man;" [6218] and after this he says the
things superadded, as being second or third in importance to this.
And, in the Epistle to Titus, "For this cause," he says, "I left thee
in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that were
wanting, and appoint elders in every city as I gave thee charge. If
any one is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children, that
believe" [6219] --of course--and so on. Now, when we saw that some
who have been married twice may be much better than those who have
been married once, we were perplexed why Paul does not at all permit
those who have been twice married to be appointed to ecclesiastical
dignities; for also it seemed to me that such a thing was worthy of
examination, as it was possible that a man, who had been unfortunate
in two marriages, and had lost his second wife while he was yet young,
might have lived for the rest of his years up to old age in the
greatest self-control and chastity. Who, then, would not naturally be
perplexed why at all, when a ruler of the church is being sought for,
we do not appoint such a man, though he has been twice married,
because of the expressions about marriage, but lay hold of the man who
has been once married as our ruler, even if he chance to have lived to
old age with his wife, and sometimes may not have been disciplined in
chastity and temperance? But, from what is said in the law about the
bill of divorcement, I reflect whether, seeing that the bishop and the
presbyter and the deacon are a symbol of things that truly exist in
accordance with these names, he wished to appoint those who were
figuratively once married, in order that he who is able to give
attention to the matter, may find out from the spiritual law the one
who was unworthy of ecclesiastical rule, whose soul did not find
favour in the eyes of her husband because there had been found in her
an unseemly thing, and she had become worthy of the bill of
divorcement; for such a soul, having dwelt along with a second
husband, and having been hated by such an one, can no longer, after
the second bill of divorcement, return to her former husband. [6220]
It is likely, therefore, also, that other arguments will be found by
those who are wiser than we, and have more ability to see into such
things, whether in the law about the bill of divorcement, or in the
apostolic writings which prohibit those who have been twice married
from ruling over the church or being preferred to preside over it.
But, until something shall be found that is better and able by the
excessive brilliancy of the light of knowledge to cast into the shade
what we have uttered, we have said the things which have occurred to
us in regard to the passages.
Footnotes
[6216] 1 Tim. iii. 1, 2.
[6217] 1 Tim. iii. 12.
[6218] 1 Tim. v. 9.
[6219] Tit. i. 5, 6.
[6220] Cf. Deut. xxiv. 4.
23. Some Laws Given by Concession to Human Weakness.
But, even if we have seemed to touch on things too deep for our
capacity in the passages, nevertheless, because of the literal
expression these things must further be said, that some of the laws
were written not as excellent, but as by way of accommodation to the
weakness of those to whom the law was given; for something of this
kind is indicated in the words, "Moses for your hardness of heart
suffered you to put away your wives;" [6221] but that which is
pre-eminent and superior to the law, which was written for their
hardness of heart, is indicated in this, "But from the beginning it
hath not been so." But in the new covenant also there are some legal
injunctions of the same order as, "Moses for your hardness of heart
suffered you to put away your wives;" for example, because of our
hardness of heart, it has been written on account of our weakness,
"But because of fornications, let each man have his own wife and let
each woman have her own husband;" [6222] and this, "Let the husband
render unto the wife her due, and likewise also the wife unto the
husband." [6223]To these sayings it is accordingly subjoined, "But
this I say by way of permission, not of commandment." [6224]But
this also, "A wife is bound for so long time as her husband liveth,
but if her husband be dead, she is free to be married to whom she
will, only in the Lord," [6225] was said by Paul in view of our
hardness of heart and weakness, to those who do not wish to desire
earnestly the greater gifts [6226] and become more blessed. But now
contrary to what was written, some even of the rulers of the church
have permitted a woman to marry, even when her husband was living,
doing contrary to what was written, where it is said, "A wife is bound
for so long time as her husband liveth," and "So then if while her
husband liveth, she shall be joined to another man she shall be called
an adulteress," [6227] not indeed altogether without reason, for it is
probable this concession was permitted in comparison with worse
things, contrary to what was from the beginning ordained by law, and
written.
Footnotes
[6221] Matt. xix. 8.
[6222] 1 Cor. vii. 2.
[6223] 1 Cor. viii. 3.
[6224] 1 Cor. vii. 6.
[6225] 1 Cor. vii. 39.
[6226] 1 Cor. xii. 31.
[6227] Rom. vii. 3.
24. Jewish Criticism of the Law of Christ.
But perhaps some Jewish man of those who dare to oppose the teaching
of our Saviour will say, that when Jesus said, "Whosoever shall put
away his own wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an
adulteress," [6228] He also gave permission to put away a wife like as
well as Moses did, who was said by Him to have given laws for the
hardness of heart of the people, and will hold that the saying,
"Because he found in her an unseemly thing," [6229] is to be reckoned
as the same as fornication on account of which with good cause a wife
could be cast away from her husband. But to him it must be said that,
if she who committed adultery was according to the law to be stoned,
clearly it is not in this sense that the unseemly thing is to be
understood. For it is not necessary for adultery or any such great
indecency to write a bill of divorcement and give it into the hands of
the wife; but indeed perhaps Moses called every sin an unseemly thing,
on the discovery of which by the husband in the wife, as not finding
favour in the eyes of her husband, the bill of divorcement is written,
and the wife is sent away from the house of her husband; "but from the
beginning it hath not been so." [6230]After this our Saviour says,
not at all permitting the dissolution of marriages for any other sin
than fornication alone, when detected in the wife, "Whosoever shall
put away his own wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her
an adulteress." [6231]But it might be a subject for inquiry if on
this account He hinders any one putting away a wife, unless she be
caught in fornication, for any other reason, as for example for
poisoning, or for the destruction during the absence of her husband
from home of an infant born to them, or for any form of murder
whatsoever. And further, if she were found despoiling and pillaging
the house of her husband, though she was not guilty of fornication,
one might ask if he would with reason cast away such an one, seeing
that the Saviour forbids any one to put away his own wife saving for
the cause of fornication. In either case there appears to be
something monstrous, whether it be really monstrous, I do not know;
for to endure sins of such heinousness which seem to be worse than
adultery or fornication, will appear to be irrational; but again on
the other hand to act contrary to the design of the teaching of the
Saviour, every one would acknowledge to be impious. I wonder
therefore why He did not say, Let no one put away his own wife saving
for the cause of fornication, but says, "Whosoever shall put away his
own wife, saving for the cause of fornication, maketh her an
adulteress." [6232]For confessedly he who puts away his wife when
she is not a fornicator, makes her an adulteress, so far as it lies
with him, for if, "when the husband is living she shall be called an
adulteress if she be joined to another man;" [6233] and when by
putting her away, he gives to her the excuse of a second marriage,
very plainly in this way he makes her an adulteress. But as to
whether her being caught in the act of poisoning or committing murder,
furnishes any defence of his dismissal of her, you can inquire
yourselves; for the husband can also in other ways than by putting her
away cause his own wife to commit adultery; as, for example, allowing
her to do what she wishes beyond what is fitting, and stooping to
friendship with what men she wishes, for often from the simplicity of
husbands such false steps happen to wives; but whether there is a
ground of defence or not for such husbands in the case of such false
steps, you will inquire carefully, and deliver your opinion also in
regard to the difficult questions raised by us on the passage. And
even he who withholds himself from his wife makes her oftentimes to be
an adulteress when he does not satisfy her desires, even though he
does so under the appearance of greater gravity and self-control. And
perhaps this man is more culpable who, so far as it rests with him,
makes her an adulteress when he does not satisfy her desires than he
who, for other reason than fornication, has sent her away,--for
poisoning or murder or any of the most grievous sins. But as a woman
is an adulteress, even though she seem to be married to a man, while
the former husband is still living, so also the man who seems to marry
her who has been put away, does not so much marry her as commit
adultery with her according to the declaration of our Saviour.
Footnotes
[6228] Matt. v. 32.
[6229] Deut. xxiv. 1.
[6230] Matt. xix. 8.
[6231] Matt. v. 32.
[6232] Matt. v. 32.
[6233] Rom. vii. 3.
25. Chastity and Prayer.
Now after these things, having considered how many possible accidents
may arise in marriages, which it was necessary for the man to endure
and in this way suffer very great hardships, or if he did not endure,
to transgress the word of Christ, the disciples say to him, taking
refuge in celibacy as easier, and more expedient than marriage, though
the latter appears to be expedient, "If the case of the man is so with
his wife, it is not expedient to marry." [6234]And to this the
Saviour said, teaching us that absolute chastity is a gift given by
God, and not merely the fruit of training, but given by God with
prayer, "All men cannot receive the saying, but they to whom it is
given." [6235]Then seeing that some make a sophistical attack on
the saying. "To whom it is given," as if those who wished to remain
pure in celibacy, but were mastered by their desires, had an excuse,
we must say that, if we believe the Scriptures, why at all do we lay
hold of the saying, "But they to whom it is given," but no longer
attend to this, "Ask and it shall be given you," [6236] and to that
which is added to it, "For every one that asketh receiveth"? [6237]
For if they "to whom it is given" can receive this saying about
absolute purity, let him who wills ask, obeying and believing Him who
said, "Ask and it shall be given you," [6238] and not doubting about
the saying, "Every one that asketh receiveth." [6239]But when there
you will inquire who it is that asketh, for no one of those who do not
receive has asked, even though he seems to have done so, since it is
not lawful to say that the saying, "Every one that asketh receiveth,"
is a lie. Who then is he that asketh, but he who has obeyed Jesus
when He says, "If ye stand praying, believe that ye receive, and ye
shall receive"? [6240]But he that asketh must do everything in his
power that he may pray "with the spirit" and pray also "with the
understanding," [6241] and pray "without ceasing," [6242] keeping in
mind also the saying, "And He spake a parable unto them to the end
that they ought always to pray, and not to faint, saying, There was in
a city a judge," [6243] etc. And it is useful to know what it is to
ask, and what it is to receive, and what is meant by "Every one that
asketh, receiveth," [6244] and by "I say unto you though he will not
rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his
importunity, he will arise and give him as many as he needeth." [6245]
It is therefore added, "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be
given you," and so on. Further, let the saying, "All men cannot
receive the saying but they to whom it is given," [6246] be a stimulus
to us to ask worthily of receiving; and this, "What son is there of
you who shall ask his father for a fish, will he for a fish give him a
serpent," [6247] etc. God therefore will give the good gift, perfect
purity in celibacy and chastity, to those who ask Him with the whole
soul, and with faith, and in prayers without ceasing.
Footnotes
[6234] Matt. xix. 10.
[6235] Matt. xix. 11.
[6236] Matt. vii. 7.
[6237] Matt. vii. 8.
[6238] Matt. vii. 7.
[6239] Matt. vii. 8.
[6240] Mark xi. 24, 25.
[6241] 1 Cor. xiv. 15.
[6242] 1 Thess. v. 17.
[6243] Luke xviii. 1, 2.
[6244] Matt. vii. 8.
[6245] Luke xi. 8.
[6246] Matt. xix. 11.
[6247] Luke xi. 11.
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