Calling The Righteous

Non enim veni in mundum vocare justos... Non enim veni vocare falsos justos, qui erant de justitia sua gloriantes, sicut Pharisaeos, qui ignorantes Dei justitiam, et suam volentes statuere, justitiae Dei non sunt subjecti. Sed illos, qui se peccatores recognoscunt, et gratiae Dei colla submittunt. Quandiu enim justi in oculis suis erunt sapientes, ad fidem converti non poterunt, sed, postquam sua peccata recognoscunt, ipsi idem peccatores, non justi ad fidem vocari poterunt. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput IX Source: Migne PL 162.1331c

I did not come into the world to call the righteous... 1 He did not come into the world to call those falsely righteous, who gloried in their righteousness, like the Pharisees, who ignored the righteousness of God and wished to establish their own, not being subject to the righteousness of God, 2 but those who recognised themselves to be sinners, and who submitted their necks to the grace of God. For while the righteous are wise in their own eyes, they cannot be converted to the faith, but after they recognise their own sins, as sinners and not as righteous men, they can be called to the faith. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 9 1 Mt 9.13 2 Rom 10.3

Mouths And Honour

Ὑποκριταὶ , καλῶς προεφήτευσε περὶ ὑμῶν Ἠσαΐας, λέγων· Ἐγγίζει μοι ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν , καὶ τοῖς χείλεσί με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόῤῥω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ. Μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με, διδάσκοντες διδασκαλίας ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων. Δείκνυσι διὰ τῆς Ἡσαῖου φωνῆς, καὶ περὶ τὸν Πατέρα αὐτοῦ τοιούτους ὄντας αὐτοὺς, οἷοι καὶ περὶ αὐτὸν εὑρίσκονται· πονηροὶ γὰρ ὄντες, καὶ διὰ τῶν πονηρῶν ἔργων μακρύνοντες ἑαυτοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ, στόματι μόνον ἐλάλουν τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγια. Μάτην γὰρ πάντως σέβονται καὶ δοκοῦσι τιμᾶν τὸν Θεὸν, οἱ διὰ τῶν ἔργων αὐτὸν ἀτιμάζοντες . Καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τὸν ὄχλον, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ᾿Ακούετε καὶ συνίετε. Οὐ τὸ εἰσερχόμενον εἰς τὸ στόμα κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐκπορευόμενον ἐκ τοῦ στόματος , τοῦτο κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Οὐκ ἔτι τοῖς Φαρασαίοις διαλέγεται , ὡς ἀθεραπεύτοις, τῷ ὄχλῳ δὲ. Καὶ διὰ τοῦ προσκαλέσασθαι δοκεῖ τιμᾶν αὐτοὺς, ἵνα παραδέξωνται τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ, καί φησιν· ᾿Ακούετε καὶ συνίετε, διανιστῶν αὐτοὺς εἰς προσοχήν. Τῶν δὲ Φαρισαίων αἰτιωμένων τοὺς μαθητὰς ὡς ἀνίπτοις χερσὶν ἐσθίοντας,, ὁ Κύριος περὶ βρωμάτων λέγει, ὅτι οὐδὲν βρῶμα κοινοῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, τουτέστι μολύνει. Καὶ εἰ τὸ βρῶμα οὐ μολύνει, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸ ἀνίπτοις χερσὶν ἐσθίειν. Μολύνει γὰρ τὸν ἐντὸς ἄνθρωπον, τὸ λέγειν ἃ μὴ δεῖ. Αἰνίττεται δὲ διὰ τούτου τοὺς Φαρισαίους, μολυνομένους ἐκ τοῦ λέγειν φθονούντων ῥήματα· ὅρa δὲ σοφίαν , πῶς οὔτε φανερῶς τὸ ἄνιπτον ἐσθίειν νομοθετεῖ, οὔτε ἀποτρέπει. ᾿Αλλ' ἕτερόν τι διδάσκει, τὸ μὴ ἐκβάλλειν ἀπὸ τῆς καρδίας πονηρούς λόγους. Τότε προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, εἶπον αὐτῷ · Οἶδας ὅτι οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ἀκούσαντες τὸν λόγον, ἐσκανδαλίσθησαν; Οἱ μὲν μαθηταὶ διὰ τοὺς Φαρισαίους λέγουσιν, ὅτι ἐσκανδαλίσθησαν. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐθορυβήθησαν· τοῦτο δὲ δῆλον ἀπὸ τοῦ προσελθεῖν τὸν Πέτρον καὶ ἐρωτῆσαι περὶ τούτου. Ὁ γοῦν Ἰησοῦς ἀκούσας, ὅτι ἐσκανδαλίσθησαν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι, ειπε· Πᾶσα φυτεία ἣν οὐκ ἐφύτευσεν ὁ Πατήρ μου ὁ οὐράνιος, ἐκριζωθήσεται· ἄφετε αὐτούς· ὁδηγοί εἰσι τυφλοὶ τυφλῶν, τυφλὸς δὲ τυφλὸν ἐὰν ἐδηγῇ , ἀμφότεροι εἰς βόθυνον πεσοῦνται. Τὰς τῶν πρεσβυτέρων παραδόσεις καὶ τὰ Ἰουδαῖκὰ ἐντάλματα λέγει ἐκριζωθήσεσθαι· οὐχὶ τὰ τοῦ νόμου , ὡς νοοῦσι Μανιχαῖοι· ὁ γὰρ νόμος φυτεία ἐστὶ Θεοῦ· οὐ τοίνυν οὗτος ἐξεῤῥιζώθη. Μένει γὰρ ἡ ῥίζα αὐτοῦ, τουτέστι, τὸ κρυπτόμενον πνεῦμα. Τὰ δὲ φύλλα, ἤτοι τὸ φαινόμενον γράμμα, ἀπεῤῥύη· οὐκ ἔτι γὰρ τὸν νόμον κατὰ τὸ γράμμα, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ πνεῦμα νοοῦμεν·᾿Απεγνωσμένων δὲ ὄντων τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ ἀνιάτων, εἶπε τό· ῎Αφετε αὐτούς. Ἐντεῦθεν οὖν μανθάνομεν, ὅτι τὸ σκανδαλίζεσθαι τοὺς ἑκοντὶ σκανδαλιζομένους καὶ ἀνιάτους, οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν βλαβερόν· διδασκάλους δὲ αὐτοὺς λέγει τυφλοὺς τυφλῶν· τοῦτο δὲ φησιν ὡς ἂν ἀποστήσῃ ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν τοὺς ὄχλους. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον, Κεφαλὴ IE' Source: Migne PG 123.305c-308b

'Hypocrites, well was prophecy made of you by Isaiah, saying, 'This people draw near to me with their mouths, and they honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching the lessons of men's teaching.' 1 By the voice of Isaiah He shows that as things were opposed to His Father so they are found to be opposed to Him, for when they were evil and withdrew far from God on account of evil works, they spoke the Divine words only with their mouths, and so they worshipped vainly, thinking that they worshipped God, who by their works they dishonoured. And calling the crowd to Himself, He said to them, 'Hear and understand, it is not what enters the mouth that defiles a man, but it is what goes out from the mouth that defiles a man.' He no longer speaks to the Pharisees, as if they were incurable, but He speaks to the crowd, and by calling them to Himself he seems to give honour to them, that they might receive His word, and He says, 'Hear and understand,' to arouse them and make them attentive. Because when the Pharisees were arguing with the disciples that they ate with unclean hands, then the Lord spoke of food, that no food is able to pollute man or defile him, and if food does not make him unclean, much more it is the case with eating with dirty hands, for what does pollute a man within is to say what he should not. And He obliquely refers to the Pharisees with these words, because they were speaking envious words and so polluting themselves. And see the wisdom here, how He neither manifestly commends eating with unclean hands, nor is He adverse to it, but He teaches something else, that they should not bring forth wicked words from their hearts. Then the disciples approached him and said to him, 'Do you not know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard such words?' The disciples say that the Pharisees were offended, but certainly they were troubled, which is made clear by their coming to Peter to question him about this. Therefore Jesus, when he heard that the Pharisees were offended, said, 'Every plant which my heavenly Father did not plant will be torn up. Let them be. They are blind leaders of the blind. But if the blind lead the blind they both fall into a pit.' He says that the traditions of the elders and the teachings of the Jews shall be torn up, but not the law, as the Manichees think. For the law is the planting of God, and therefore it is not to be torn up, for its root, that is, the spirit, persists and is hidden, and it is the leaves, that is, the manifest letter, that fall. For we must not understand the law according to the letter but according to the spirit. And because the Pharisees were wretched and incurable He says, 'Let them be.' Hence we learn they were offended of their own choice, and that they were incurable is no injury to us. He then spoke of those teachers as the blind leading the blind, so that He turned away from them to the crowd. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Chapter 15 1 Mt 15.7-9, Isaiah 29.13

Mercy And Sacrifice

Euntes autem, discite quid est, misericordiam volo, et non sacrificium. Pharisaeis de falsa justitia tumidis, dat consilium correctionis. Faciebant saepe sacrificia in templo, ut justi apparerent coram populo, sed non exercebant opera misericordiae, ubi comprobatur vera justitia. Si enim vere justi essent, peccatoribus condescenderent, et de salute illorum, sicut de sua laborarent, quasi dicat: Vos aestimatis vos esse justos, sed euntes ad prophetas, discite, quid est vera justitia, discite quod ait Dominus per Prophetam. Ait enim: Misericordiam volo, et non sacrificium, tamen non despicit Deus sacrificium, sed sacrificium sine misericordia. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput IX Source: Migne PL 162.1331a-b

Go, then, and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.'1 He gave the counsel of correction to the Pharisees who were puffed up with false righteousness. For they often sacrificed in the temple so that they might appear righteous before the people, but they did not apply themselves to the works of mercy, where true righteousness is proved. For if they were truly righteous, they would have concerned themselves with sinners and their salvation, just as much as they toiled for themselves, so it as if He said, 'You think yourself righteous men, but go to the prophets and learn what true righteousness is. Learn what the Lord said through the prophet. For he said, 'I desire mercy not sacrifice.' Not that the Lord scorned sacrifice, but sacrifice without mercy. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 9 1 Mt 9.13, Hosea 6.6

Seed And Weeds and Wheat

Ἄλλην παραβολὴν παρέθηκεν αυτοῖς, λέγων· Ωμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ σπείραντι καλὸν σπέρμα ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ αὐτοῦ, ἐν δὲ τῷ καθεύδειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους , ἦλθεν αὐτοῦ ὁ ἐχθρὸς, καὶ ἔσπειρε ζιζάνια ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σίτου , καὶ ἀπῆλθεν. Ὅτε δὲ ἐβλάστησεν ὁ χόρτος καὶ καρπὸν ἐποίησε, τότε ἐφάνη καὶ τὰ ζιζάνια . Προσελθόντες δὲ οἱ δοῦλοι τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου, εἶπον αὐτῷ· Κύριε, οὐχὶ καλὸν σπέρμα ἔσπειρας ἐν τῷ σῷ ἀγρῷ; Πόθεν οὖν ἔχει τὰ ζιζάνια; Ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτοῖς· Ἐχθρὸς ἄνθρωπος τοῦτο ἐποίησεν. Οἱ δὲ δοῦλοι εἶπον αὐτῷ· Θέλεις οὖν ἀπελθόντες συλλέξωμεν αὐτά; Ὁ δὲ ἔφη Οῦ· μήποτε συλλέγοντες τὰ ζιζάνια, ἐκριζώσητε ἅμα αὐτοῖς τὸν σἴτον. "Αφετε οὖν συναυξάνεσθαι ἀμφότερα μέχρι τοῦ θερισμοῦ, καὶ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τοῦ θερισμοῦ ἐρῶ τοῖς θερισταῖς· Συλλέξατε πρῶτον τὰ ζιζάνια, καὶ δήσατε αὐτὰ εἰς δέσμας πρὸς τὸ κατακαῦσαι αὐτὰ, τὸν δὲ σἴτον συναγάγετε εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην μου. Ἐν τῇ προτέρᾳ παραβολῇ εἶπε τὸ τέταρτον μέρος τοῦ σπόρου πεσεῖν εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν ἀγαθὴν , ἐν δὲ τῇ παρούσῃ δείκνυσιν , ὅτι οὐδὲ αὐτὸ ἐκεῖνο τὸ πεσὸν εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν ἀγαθὴν, ἀδιάφθορον εἴασεν ὁ ἐχθρὸς , διὰ τὸ καθεύδειν καὶ ῥαθυμεῖν ἡμᾶς. Ἀγρὸς οὖν , ὁ κόσμος, ἢ ἡ ἑκάστου ψυχή . Ὁστείρας, ὁ Χριστός. Καλὸν σπέρμα, οἱ ἀγαθοὶ ἄνθρωποι ἢ λογισμοί. Ζιζάνια, αἱ αἱρέσεις ἢ οἱ πονηροὶ λογισμοί . Ὁ σπείρας δὲ ταῦτα, ὁ διάβολος . Καθεύδοντες δὲ ἄνθρωποι, οἱ διὰ ῥαθυμίαν χώραν διδόντις τοῖς αἱρετικοῖς καὶ τοῖς πονηροῖς λογισμοῖς. Δοῦλοι δὲ, οἱ ἄγγελοι, οἱ ἀγανακτοῦσιν ἐπὶ τῷ εἶναι αἱρέσεις, ἢ πονηρίας ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ, καὶ βούλονται ἀνασπᾶν καὶ ἐκκόπτειν ἐκ τοῦ βίου τοὺς τε αἱρετικοὺς καὶ τοὺς τὰ πονηρὰ λογιζομένους. Ὁ Θεὸς οὐ συγχωρεῖ τοὺς αἱρετικοὺς διὰ πολέμων ἀναλίσκεσθαι, ἵνα μὴ συμπάσχωσι καὶ συν αλίσκωνται καὶ οἱ δίκαιοι. ῾Ομοίως οὐδὲ διὰ τοὺς πονηροὺς λογισμούς θέλει ὁ Θεὸς ἐκκόπτειν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἵνα μὴ καl ὁ σἶτος συνδιαφθαρῇ. Οἷον ἐὰν ὁ Ματθαῖος ζιζάνιον ὧν ἐκόπη ἐκ τῆς ζωῆς, συνεξεκόπη ἂν αὐτῷ καὶ ὁ ὕστερον μέλλων ἐξ αὐτοῦ βλαστῆσαι τοῦ λόγου σἶτος· ὁμοίως καὶ ὁ Παῦλος, καὶ ὁλῃστής· οὗτοι γὰρ ζιζάνια ὄντες , οὐκ ἐξεκόπησαν , ἀλλὰ συνεχωρήθησαν ζῇν, ἵνα αὐξηθῇ ἡ μετὰ ταῦτα αὐτῶν ἀρετή. Λέγει τοίνυν τοῖς ἀγγέλοις , ὅτι, Ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ, τότε συνάξετε τὰ ζιζάνια, ἤτοι τοὺς αἱρετικούς. Ἀλλὰ πῶς ; Εἰς δέσμας, τουτέστι, δήσαντες αὐτῶν χεῖρα ; καὶ πόδας· οὐκ ἔτι γὰρ δύναται τις ἐργάσασθαι τότε, ἀλλὰ πᾶσα πρακτικὴ δύναμις δεσμεῖται. Ὁ δὲ σἴτος, ἤτοι οἱ ἅγιοι, συνάγονται παρὰ τῶν θεριστῶν ἀγγέλων εἰς τὰς οὐρανίους ἀποθήκας. ὑμοίω; οὖν καὶ οἱ πονηροὶ λογισμοὶ οὓς εἶχεν ὁ Παῦλος ὅταν ἐδίωκεν , ἐκαύθησαν τῷ πυρὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁ ἦλθε βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὁ δὲ σἴτος, ἤτοι οἱ ἀγαθοὶ λογισμοί, συνήχθησαν εἰς τὰς ἀποθήκας τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον, Κεφαλὴ IΓ' Source: Migne PG 123.284c-285b

And He set before them another parable. Here is an image, He said, of the kingdom of heaven. There was a man who sowed his field with good seed, but while men slept, an enemy of his came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. So when the blade had sprung up and come into ear, the weeds, too, came to light. His servants went to him and said, 'Master, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? How is it, then, that there are weeds in it? He said, An enemy has done this.' And the servants said to him, 'Would you have us go and gather them up?' He said, No, lest while you are gathering the weeds you will tear up the wheat with them. Leave them to grow side by side until the harvest, and when it comes I will give the word to the reapers, 'Gather up the weeds first, and tie them in bundles to be burned, and store the wheat in my barn.' 1 In the previous parable that He told, a quarter of the seed fell on to good ground, 2 but in this one He shows that while we sleep and are indolent the seed which fell on good ground is not immune to corruption by the enemy. The field is the world, or the soul of a man. However Christ is the sower. The good seed is good men or good thoughts. The weeds are heresies or wicked thoughts and he who sows that seed is the devil. But men are the sleepers, who on account of their indolence give a place for heretics and wicked thoughts. The servants are angels who are indignant that there are heresies or wickedness in the soul, and they wish to uproot heretics and tear them up of from life, and it is the same with wicked thoughts. But God does not permit heretics to be consumed by war lest the righteous also suffer and be consumed. Similarly God does not want evil thoughts cut out of a man lest at the same time the wheat is ruined. For the sake of an example, if Mathew had been uprooted from this life when he was a weed, likewise the wheat of his writing, which later arose in himself, would have been torn up. It is the same for Paul and the thief. For they were weeds and they were not pulled up but they were allowed to live so that they might later grow in virtue. He then speaks of the angels who in the end shall gather up the weeds, that is heretics. But how? In sheaves, that is, bound hand and feet, for then they shall no longer be able to act, but their power of acting shall be chained. But the wheat, that is, those who are holy, shall be gathered at the harvest by the angels for the heavenly granaries. Similarly the evil thoughts which Paul had when he was a persecutor were burnt up in the fire of Christ, which he came to place on the earth, 3 but the wheat, that is, the good thoughts, they were gathered into the granary of the Church. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Chapter 13 1 Mt 13.24-30 2 Mt 13.3-8 3 Lk 12.49

Righteousness And Appearances

Attendite ne justitiam vestram faciatis coram hominibus, ut videamini ab eis: alioquin mercedem non habebitis apud Patrem vestrum qui in caelis est. Cum ergo facis eleemosynam, noli tuba canere ante te, sicut hypocritae faciunt in synagogis, et in vicis, ut honorificentur ab hominibus. Amen dico vobis, receperunt mercedem suam. Te autem faciente eleemosynam, nesciat sinistra tua quid faciat dextera tua: ut sit eleemosyna tua in abscondito, et Pater tuus, qui videt in abscondito, reddet tibi. Et cum oratis, non eritis sicut hypocritae qui amant in synagogis et in angulis platearum stantes orare, ut videantur ab hominibus : amen dico vobis, receperunt mercedem suam. Tu autem cum oraveris, intra in cubiculum tuum, et clauso ostio, ora Patrem tuum in abscondito: et Pater tuus, qui videt in abscondito, reddet tibi. Instructis illis in perfectiori justitia agit de fine, ut non tamen hoc fine faciant, scilicet propter humanum favorem. Et agit de tribus virtutibus, eleemosyna, jejunio, et oratione, removendo a singulis hunc finem. Non prohibet fieri opera coram hominibus, quia superius dixit: Luceat lux vestra coram hominibus, sed hac intentione fieri prohibet, ut videantur, id est ut velint videri. Cum ergo, etc. Quando quidem nullam justitiam, ergo nec eleemosynam pro laude faciatis. Tangit morem Judaeorum, qui quando pauperes congregare volebant, tuba sonabant in publicis locis, et hoc praecipue faciebant hypocritae, qui sub specie boni laudes quaerebant, quasi dicat: Noli tuba canere, id est noli facta tua notificare et innotescere, ea intentione sicut hypocritae, quia receperunt mercedem laudis: vel receperunt quidam eorum in inferno mercedem suam, id est aptam. Tu autem, etc. Quia aliquis diceret: Ego faciam pro utroque, et pro aeterno bono, et pro humana laude, prohibet illud, quia Deus non patitur secum esse participem. Dextra est amor coelestium bonorum, sinistra vero est amor temporalium bonorum, laudis scilicet et caeterorum: non ergo consocientur isti amores, et nesciat sinistra, id est petitio humanae laudis, quid faciat dextra, id est amor et coelestium respectus: Ut sit eleemosyna tua in abscondito, id est in pura conscientia, ubi homo non videt, sed Deus tantum. Et cum oratis, etc., qui amant orare stantes, quasi cum labore in synagogis, id est in angulis platearum. Duo genera notat hypocritarum, alios qui aperte orant in publico ut viderentur, sicut illi qui orant in synagogis, ubi est totus conventus hominum, et alios qui licet in publico orarent, tamen latere se velle simulabant, cum tamen vellent videri, sicut illi qui in plateis orabant, sed tamen in angulis. Tu autem cum orabis, intra, etc. Ad litteram est hoc bonum facere, tamen aptius accipitur per cubiculum secretum conscientiae, in quo cubili oportet ut non sit litigiosa uxor, id est carnalitas, quae inquietet et faciat foras vagari mentem, non permittens sibi quiescere. Oportet igitur eam domari et comprimi, ut non inquietet et litiget. Sed non valet refugere ad cubiculum, nisi clauso ostio, ne intret turba phantasmatum. Ostia sunt ut quinque sensus corporis, et praecipue timor et amor terrenus. Per haec enim duo ostia intrant omnia phantasmata peccatorum, quae claudenda sunt. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput VI Source: Migne PL 162.1303d-1304c

Take care you do not do your righteousness before men, to be seen by them, otherwise you shall not have a reward from your Father who is in heaven. Therefore when you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honoured by men. Truly I say to you that they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be given in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners, so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, enter into your chamber, and having shut the door, pray to your Father in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 1 Having instructed them in the more perfect righteousness, He treats of the end, that they do not act for this end, that is, for the favour of men. And He treats of the three virtues of alms giving and fasting and prayer, removing this end from each one. He does not prohibit us from doing works before men, because previously He said, 'Let your light shine out before men,' 2 but He prohibits the intention of appearing, that is, that they wish to appear. 'Therefore when...' Do not give alms for praise when then there is no righteousness in it. This touches on a custom of the Jews who when they wished to gather the poor together they would blow a trumpet in a public space, and the hypocrites especially did this, who beneath a mask of goodness sought praise, as if He said with, 'Do not blow a trumpet,' 'Do not proclaim your deeds or exhibit them for notice, for this is to act like a hypocrite,' because they received the reward of praise, and some of them received their reward in hell, as is fitting. 'But you,' Because if someone were to say, 'I act for both reasons, for the eternal reward and also for human praise,' He prohibits it because God does not suffer to be a participant in it. The right hand is the love of heavenly goods, but the left is the love of transient goods, that is, praise and the rest of them. Therefore they should not associate with the latter loves, and the left does not know, that is, the wish for human praise, what the right hand does, that is, for the love and reverence of heaven. 'So that your alms be given in secret.' That is, with a pure conscience, when no man sees but only God. 'And when you pray,' those who love standing in prayer as if toiling in the synagogues, that is, on street corners. He notes two types of hypocrites, one sort who openly pray in the streets so that they might be seen, and those who pray in synagogues when there is a great gathering of men, and it is possible that there others who pray in public, who feign they wish to be hidden but they do wish to be seen just like those who prays in the streets but on the corners. 'You, however, when you pray...' According to the letter prayer is good, but it is more fittingly performed in the secret chamber of the conscience, in which chamber there should not be a nagging wife, that is, carnality, which disturbs and makes the mind wander outside and does not allow quietness. Thus one must rule and suppress this, so that it does not disquiet and provoke to argument. But one cannot withdraw to this chamber unless the door is closed, lest a crowd of illusions enter. The doors are the five bodily senses, and also the fear and love of worldly things. For through these two doors pass in the illusions of errors, which must be shut out. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 5 1 Mt 6.1-6 2 Mt 5.16

The Withered Hand

Εγένετο δὲ καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ Σαββάτῳ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν Συναγωγὴν καὶ διδάσκειν. Καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ἡ δεξιὰ ἦν ξηρά. Παρετήρουν δὲ αὐτὸν οἱ Γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι, εἰ ἐν τῷ Σαββάτῳ θεραπεύσει, ἵνα εὕρωσι κατηγορίαν κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ. Αὐτὸς δὲ ᾔδει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς αὐτῶν. Καὶ εἶπε τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ ξηρὰν ἔχοντι τὴν χεῖρα · Ἔγειραι , καὶ στῆθι εἰς τὸ μέσον. Ὁ δὲ ἀναστὰς ἔστη. Εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς αὐτοὺς· Επερωτήσω ὑμᾶς τι· ἔξεστι τοῖς Σάββασιν ἀγαθοποιῆσαι, ἢ κακοποιῆσαι; ψυχὴν σῶσαι, ἢ ἀπολέται; Καὶ περιβλεψάμενος πάντας αὐτοὺς, εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρά σου. Ὁ δὲ ἐποίησε, καὶ ἀποκατεστάθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ὑγιὴς ὡς ἡ ἄλλη. Αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐπλήσθησαν ἀνοίας, καὶ διελάλουν πρὸς ἀλλήλους, τὶ ἂν ποιήσειαν τῷ Ἰησοῦ. Ὅσα μὲν εἴπομεν ἐν τῷ κατὰ Ματθαῖον, δῆλα· νῦν δὲ τόδε λέγομεν, ὅτι ξηρὰν ἔχει τὴν χεῖρα, ὃς οὐ πράττει τι τῶν τῆς ἀρε- τῆς ἔργων. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ χεὶρ ἐνεργείας ὄργανον, ὃς δὲ ἐξήρανται ταύτην, ἀργεῖ πάντως. Ὅστις οὖν θέλει ὑγιασθῆναι τὴν χεῖρα, ἐν τῷ Σαββάτῳ ταύτην ὑγιασθήσεται. Οἷον τί λέγω· Οὐκ ἔστιν ἐνεργῆσαί τι τῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἔργων, ἐὰν μὴ παυθῇ τις ἀπὸ τῆς κακίας. Ἔκκλινον γὰρ πρῶτον ἀπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ, καὶ τότε ποίησον τὸ ἀγαθόν. Ὅταν οὖν σαββατίσῃς, τουτέστιν , ἀργήσῃς ἀπὸ τῶν τῆς κακίας ἔργων, τότε ἐκτενεῖς σου τὴν χεῖρα ἐπὶ τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ ἀποκαταστήσεταί σοι αὕτη. Εἰκότως δὲ εἶπε τὸ, ᾿Αποκατεστάθη. Ἧν γὰρ ὅτε ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη φύσις εἶχε τὴν ἐργασίαν τοῦ καλοῦ, καὶ τὴν χεῖρα, τουτέστι τὴν ἐνεργητικὴν δύναμιν, ὑγιᾶ . Εἶτα ἀπολέσασα, χάριτι Χριστοῦ ἀπέλαβε ταύτην, καὶ ἀποκατέστη εἰς τὸ πρώην ἀγαθόν. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Λουκαν, Κεφαλὴ Ϛ' Source: Migne PG 123.769b-d

On another Sabbath He went into a synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. And the Scribes and the Pharisees watched Him to see if He would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might have something with which to accuse Him. He knew their thoughts and to the man with the withered hand, 'Rise up and stand in the midst of us.' And he rose up and stood. Then Jesus said to them, 'I ask you, is it permitted on the Sabbath to do good or to evil, to save a soul or to destroy it?' And looking around at them all, He said to the man, 'Hold out your hand.' He did so and the hand was restored to health just like the other one. And they were utterly astonished and they spoke among themselves about what had been done by Jesus. 1 What we have said in Matthew is clear, but now we will say that the man had a withered hand that could do not work of virtue. For the hand is the instrument of working, which if it has withered, is completely useless for that. If someone, then, wishes to heal the hand, he sanctifies it on the Sabbath. For it cannot perform any work of virtue unless it previously stops doing evil. Decline from evil, it is said, and then do good. 2 Thus when you observe the Sabbath, that is, when you rest from all evil works, then you may extend your hand to the works of virtue and it may be restored. And rightly it says that it was restored, for when human nature has the power of doing good, the hand, that is, the instrument of working is healthy, but since it withered it received the grace of Christ again and was restored to its former health. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Luke, Chapter 6 1 Lk 6.6-11 2 Ps 36.27

Setting Aside And Fulfilling

Qui ergo solverit unum de mandatis isitis minimis... Postquam se dixit non velle solvere legem, sed omnia ese complenda, dat sententiam supera solutores et adimpletores. Solutores dicuntur, qui non volunt facere, quod moralia praecepta jubent, et qui figuras legis male interpretantur vel promissione, et negant in eis esse significatum, ut Judaei. Horum duae sunt differentiae. Alii solvunt, et alios solvere docent. Alii solvunt et non docent. Illi qui solvunt et docent, perjores sunt. Iterum adimpletores sunt diversi, quia alii faciunt, et non docent, qui sibi et non aliis proficiunt. Alii qui faciunt et docent, qui sibi et aliis proficiunt, et isti maximi sunt. Est quoddam tertium genus, qui nec adimpletores debent dici, qui docent et non faciunt, qui aliis et non sibi proficiunt, qui minimi sunt. Hic autem dat sententiam super prejores solutores, qui solvunt et docent, et super maximos adimpletores, qui faciunt et docent. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput V Source: Migne PL 162.1293c-d

Therefore he who sets aside the least of these commandments.... 1 After He said He did not wish to set aside the law, but to fulfill everything, He gives judgement over those who set aside and those who fulfill. They are called those who set aside because they do not wish to do what the moral precepts command, and they understand the figures of the law badly, and the promises, and they deny there is meaning in them, as the Jews. Of these there are two sorts. One sets aside and teaches others to do so. The other sets aside and does not teach it. Those who set aside and teach are worse. Again there is a difference in those who fulfill, because some do it and do not teach it and they profit themselves and not others, and others do it and teach it and so profit themselves and others, and these are the greatest. There is also a certain sort of third type, who should not be called fulfillers, because they teach it and they do not do it, and so they profit others but not themselves, and they are the least. But here He gives judgement on the worst of those who set aside, who set aside and teach it, and on the greatest of the fulfillers, who do it and teach it. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 5 1 Mt 5.19

Sitting And Teaching

Videns autem Jesus turbas, ascendit in montem... Ut vitaret eas, quia coram eis tam alta non erant praedicanda. In his ergo docet quod praedicator debet dicere juxta capacitatem audientium. Et cum sedisset, accesserunt ad eum discipuli ejus. Ideo sedit, ut doceret se esse magistrum. Magistrorum enim et docentium est sedere. Accedunt discipuli, ut vicinius audiant quae adimplenda properant. Et aperiens os suum. Per hoc quod dicit aperiens, significat quod non pauca sed multa, non humilia sed profunda, quasi thesaurum aperiens, dicturus erat. Allegoria. Christus ascendit in montem, id est, in Ecclesiam, ut impleretur quod dictum erat per David: Ego autem constitutus rex ab eo super Sion montem. Quod significat ibi Sion, hic et mons iste. Sedere, est humiliari per humanitatem assumptam. Aliter non doceret nos, nisi formam nostram assumendo sederet, id est, se nobis inclinaret, et via sessione ejus humilitatis, potuerunt ei discipuli accedere, quia quandiu erat in throno majestatis suae, non poterant eum homines comprehendere. Unde dicitur: In mundo erat, et mundus eum non cognovit. Et qui prius nobis erat locutus in prophetis, in Filio suo locutus est, et proprium os Filius nobis modo aperuit. Alia lex data est in terrore, quia fumus et turbae et procellae fuerunt circa montem. In datione vero Novi Testamenti nihil horum, sed totum in tranquillitate fuit factum, ut doceret hanc legem non timore, sed amore complendam esse. Alia lex scripta in lapididus, ista in cordibus. Aliter enim Novum a Veteri Testamentio non distaret. Unde Apostolus: Multo melioris Testamenti mediator est. Et per prophetam ait Dominus: Hoc Testamentum quod disponam domui Israel, post dies illos, dando leges meas in mentes eorum, et in corde eorum superscribam eas etc. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput V Source: Migne PL 162.1283b-1284a

And seeing the crowds Jesus went up the mountain... 1 That He might avoid them, because in their presence high things should not be preached. With this, then, He teaches that the preacher should speak according to the capability of the hearers. And when He sat, His disciples came to Him. Therefore He sits that He may teach, He who is the teacher, for it is of teachers and instructors to sit. And the disciples came that they might listen closely to what should be swiftly fulfilled. And He opened His mouth. This opening signifies that the things to be said were not few but many, and not common but profound, as with the opening of a treasury. Allegorically Christ went up the mountain, that is, into the Church that He might fulfill what was written through David, 'I have been established as a king by Him over mount Sion.' 2 And what Sion signifies is this mount. To sit is to be humble through the assumption of humanity. And He could not teach us unless He sat in the form He had taken up, that is, when He inclined Himself to us, and by the way of the sitting of His humility the disciples were able to draw near Him, because while He was enthroned in His majesty, no man was able to grasp Him. Hence it is said, 'In the world He was, and the world did not know Him.' 3 And He who previously spoke to us through the prophets, now spoke in His Son, and the Son opened His own mouth to us. Another law was given in fear because there was smoke and turmoil and storms around the mountain, 4 but in the giving of the New Testament there was none of these things, but all was done peacefully, so that He might teach that this law was not to be fulfilled through fear but love. Another law was written in stone, this law in the heart. But He did not separate the New and Old Testaments, hence the Apostle says, 'He is the mediator of the much better Testament.' 4 And through the prophet the Lord says, 'This testament which I shall give to the house of Israel after those days shall be a giving of my laws into their minds, and I will inscribe it in their hearts.' 5 Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 5 1 Mt 5.1 2 Ps 2.6 3 Jn 1.10 4 Exod 19.16-18 5 Heb 5.8 6 Heb 8.10, Jerem 31.33

The Transfiguration And Peter

Kαὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ προσεύχεσθαι αὐτὸν τὸ εἶδος τοῦ προσώπου αὐτοῦ ἕτερον καὶ ὁ ἱματισμὸς αὐτοῦ λευκὸς ἐξαστράπτων. Ἐγένετο δὲ τὸ εἶδες αὐτοῦ ἕτερον, οὐχ ὡς μεταστάντης αὐτοῦ εἰς ἄλλην φύσιν. Ἔμεινε γὰρ οἷος ἦν· ἀλλὰ τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ προσὠπου αὐτοῦ ἐφάνη λαμπρότερον ἢ πρότερον. Ωσπερ οὖν καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἱματίων αὐτοῦ γέγονε. Τούτων γὰρ τὸ εἶδος μόνον ἐξήστραψεν, οὐχὶ τῆς οὐσίας τῶν ἱματίων μεταμειφθείσης, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐπιφανείας. Μωϋσῆς δὲ καὶ Πλίας συνειστήκεισαν αὐτῷ προσευχομένῳ, Β ἵνα δειχθῇ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐναντίος τοῖς προφήταις καὶ τῷ νόμῳ. Εἰ γὰρ ἦν, οὐκ ἂν ὁ τὸν νόμον δοὺς Μωϋσῆς, καὶ ὁ τῶν προφητῶν θερμότατος Ἠλίας, ἠνέσχοντο δορυφορεῖν αὐτὸν, καὶ αὐτῷ συνίστασθαι. Ἔλεγον δὲ τὴν ἔξοδον ἣν ἔμελλε πληροῦν ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ, τουτέστι τὸν θάνατον. Ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ὕπνῳ ἐβαρεῖτο, τῇ προσευχῇ σχολάζοντος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. ᾿Ασθενής γὰρ ἦν, καὶ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ἐπλήρους, ὕπνῳ δουλεύων. Διαγρηγορήσας δὲ, θεωρεῖ τὴν δόξαν, καὶ τοὺς δύο ἄνδρας· ὥσπερ δὲ ἀποδεχόμενος τὴν ἐκεῖσε διατριβὴν, διά τε τὸ φῶς καὶ διὰ τὸ θεωρεῖν τοὺς προφήτας, φησί · Καλόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς ὧδε εἶναι. Ἐνόμιζε γὰρ ὅτι τότε ἦν ἡ συντέλεια, καὶ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Ἰησοῦ· μὴ εἰδὼς ὁ λέγει. Ούπω γὰρ ἦν τὸ πέρας, εἰδὲ τῆς βασιλείας ἡ ἡμέρα ἐνειστήκει, οὐδὲ τῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀπολαύσεως ὧν μεθέξουσιν οἱ ἅγιοι. ῎Αμα δὲ καὶ φοβούμενος τὸ σταυρωθῆναι τὸν Χριστὸν, ταῦτά φησιν. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἤκουσεν αὐτοῦ, ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν ἀποκτανθῆναι , καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστῆναι , φησὶ ταῦτα, μονονουχὶ λέγων· Μὴ κατέλθωμεν ἐκ τοῦ ὄρους, ἐνταῦθα καταμείνωμεν, ἵνα τὸν σταυρὸν διαδράσωμεν καὶ τὸ πάθος. Ἔχομεν Ἠλίαν βοηθὸν, εἰ ἐπέλθωσιν ἡμῖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, τὸ πῦρ κατενεγκόντα, καὶ τοὺς πεντηκοντάρχους ἀπολέσαντα. Έχομεν Μωϋσῆν τὸν τόσα καὶ τόσα έθνη ἀφανίσαντα· ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγε μὴ εἰδὼς ὁ λέγει. Αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ἐνόμιζεν ὅτι παγχάλεπόν τι καὶ κακόν ἐστιν ὁ σταυρὸς, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀποδιδράσκων αὐτὸν , ταῦτα ἔλεγεν. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἐδίψα σταυρωθῆναι, ἐπεὶ τὐκ ἐνῆν ἄλλως τοὺς ἀνθρώπους σωθῆναι. Τοῦ δὲ Πέτρου, Ποιή ωμεν σκηνάς τρεῖς, λέγοντος, ὁ Κύριος σκηνὴν ἀχειροποίηταν ἐξαίφνης ποιεῖ, καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ εἰσέρχεται μετά γε τῶν προφητῶν, ἵνα δειχθῇ ὅτι οὐδὲν ἐλαττοῦται τοῦ Πατρός. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῇ παλαιᾷ ἡ νεφέλη ἐλέγετο ἔχειν τὸν Κύριον, καὶ Μωϋσῆς εἰσήρχετο ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ οὕτω τὸν νόμον ἐδέχετο, οὕτω καὶ νῦν ἡ νεφέλη τὸν Χριστὸν ἐδέξατο, καὶ νεφέλη οὐ γνοφώδης · παρῆλθε γὰρ ἡ σκιά τοῦ νόμου, καὶ τὸ σκοτεινὸν τῆς ἀσαφείας· ἀλλὰ νεφέλη φωτεινή. Ἦλθε γὰρ ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ἔλαμψεν ἡ τοῦ Κυρίου χάρις, καὶ οὐδὲν σκοτεινέὴν νῦν. Ἐγένετο δὲ καὶ φωνὴ ἐκ τῆς νεφέλης, ὥσπερ καὶ τὸ παλαιὸν φωνὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡκούετο ἐκ τῆς νεφέλης. Εὑρέθη δὲ Ἰησοῦς μόνος, ἵνα μὴ τις νομίσῃ ὅτι τὸ, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου, περὶ Μωϋσέως ἢ Ἡλίου λέχθη. Τάχα μέντοι καὶ τοῦτο σημαίνει, ὅτι μέχρι μέν τινος καιροῦ ἐφαίνοντο ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται ὥσπερ καὶ ἐνταῦθα Μωσῆς καὶ Ἠλίας, εἶτα μόνος Ἰησοῦς, ἐκείνων παρελθόντων· τὸ γὰρ Εὐαγγέλιον νῦν κρατεῖ, τῶν νομικῶν παρελθόντων. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Λουκαν, Κεφαλὴ Θ' Source: Migne PG 123.821a-824a

And while He prayed His face was changed, and His garments became white and glittering. 1 'His face was changed.' His nature did not change, He remained as He was, but the appearance of His face appeared more splendid than before and likewise His garments shone in their appearance but they were not changed in their substance as garments, but in appearance. And Moses and Elijah stood with him praying, that they might show He was no adversary of the law and the prophets. For if He had been, neither the giver of the law, Moses, nor that most fervent of the prophets Elijah would have associated with him or stood with Him. And they spoke of His departure and how it would be fulfilled in Jerusalem, that is, His death. But Peter was weighed down with sleep, and falling away from praying with Christ, for he was weak and in a human manner subject to sleep. But when he was awake He saw the glory and the two men, and then as if approving that life on account of its splendor, he said, 'It is good for us to be here.' For he thought this was the consummation and the kingdom of Jesus, not knowing what he said. But it was not yet the end, it was not yet the day of the kingdom, nor were the fruits of joy communicated to the saints. But fearing the crucifixion of Christ he said this, because he had heard that it was necessary for Him to be killed, and to rise on the third day, and so he spoke in this sort of manner, 'Let us not go down from the mountain, let us remain here, and let us avoid the cross and passion. We have Elijah here, who if the Jews approach us, can call down fire, as on the fifty, and burn them up, 2 and we have Moses, who destroyed such a great number of Gentiles.' He said these things not knowing what he said. For he thought the cross was wicked and wretched and because of this he wished to avoid it, and so he spoke. But Christ desired to be crucified, because there was no other way to save men. And with Peter saying, 'Let us make three booths,' the Lord would have no booth made and enter in with the prophets, so that he might show that He was in nothing less than the Father, for as in the old law the Lord spoke in a cloud, and Moses entered into it and received the law, even now a cloud came over Christ, but it was not dark, since the old law had passed with the darkness of its obscurity, but the cloud was now bright. For the truth had come and the grace of the Lord shone forth and there was no more darkness. Then there was a voice from the cloud, as once the voice of God had been heard from the cloud and Jesus was found alone, so that no one might think that 'This is my son' was said about Moses or Elijah. And perhaps it even signified this, that until that time the law and the prophets had appeared, just as in this place Moses and Elijah were found, but then only Jesus was seen without them, for now the Gospel reigned and the law was set aside. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Luke, Chapter 9 1 Lk 9.29 2 4 Kings 1.10

Water And Wine

Ὡς δὲ ἐγεύσατο ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον γεγενημένον, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδεὶ πόθεν ἐστὶν οἱ δὲ διάκονοι ᾔδεισαν οἱ ἡντληκότες τὸ ὕδωρ, φωνεῖ τὸν νυμφίον ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Πᾶς ἄνθρωπος πρῶτον τὸν καλὸν οἶνον τίθησι, καὶ ὅταν μεθυσθῶσι, τότε τὸν ἐλάσσω · σὺ τετήρηκας τὸν καλὸν οἶνον ἕως ἄρτι. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ οἶνον ἐποίησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κάλλιστον.Τοιαῦτα γὰρ τὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ θαύματα· πολλῷ βελτίω τῶν διὰ φύσεως τελουμένων. Τοῦ μὲν οὖν τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον γενέσθαι, μάρτυρες οἱ διάκονοι, οἱ ἡντληκότες τὸ ὕδωρ· τοῦ δὲ κάλλιστον γενέσθαι , ὁ ἀρχιτρίκλινος· ἅπερ πάντα, τοῦ χρόνου προϊόντος , ἔμελλον κηρυχθέντα πιστωθῆναι βεβαιότερον τοῖς ἀκούουσι. Δύνασαι δὲ νοῆσαι οἶνον μὲν τὸν εὐαγγελικὸν λόγον, ὕδωρ δὲ πάντα τὰ πρὸ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου· ὑδαρέστερα γὰρ ἦσαν, καὶ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ λόγου τελείωσιν μὴ φθάνοντα. Οἷον τί φημι Δέδωκε νόμους διαφόρους τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ὁ Κύριος, ἕνα τὸν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ, δεύτερον τὸν ἐπὶ Νῶε,τρίτον τὸν ἐπὶ ᾿Αβραὰμ τῆς περιτομῆς, τέταρτον τὸν διὰ τοῦ Μωσέως, πέμπτον διὰ τῶν προφητῶν. Πάντες οὖν οὗτοι , ὡς πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἀκρίβειαν καὶ δύναμιν συγκρινόμενοι, ὑδαρεῖς εἰσιν, εἴτις ἁπλῶς αὐτοὺς καὶ κατὰ τὸ γράμμα νοεῖ. Εἰ δ' ἐμβαθύνας τῷ πνεύματι, κατανοήσει τὰ κεκρυμμένα, εὐρήσει τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον γεγενημένον· τὰ γὰρ ἁπλῶς λεγόμενα καὶ κατὰ τὸ γράμμα νοούμενα τοῖς πολλοῖς ὕδωρ ὄντα, πάντως ὁ πνευματικῶς ἀνακρίνων, εὐρήσει οἶνον κάλλιστον, ὕστερον πινόμενον, καὶ τηρούμενον παρὰ τοῦ νυμφίου Χριστοῦ · ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐν ἐσχάτοις καιροῖς ἐδείχθη τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ιὠαννὴν, Κεφαλὴ B' Source: Migne PG 123.1193b-d

The master of the feast tasted the water which had been turned into wine, and he did not know whence it came; only the servants who had drawn the water knew. The master of the feast then called to the bridegroom, and said to him, 'Every man serves the good wine first, and when the guests are drunk he serves the worst, but you have kept the good wine until now. 1 He did not simply make wine but the best wine. For such are the wonders of Christ, that they are much better than what is brought about by nature. And that the water was turned into wine, the servants who tasted the water were witnesses, but that it was the best the master of the wedding feast gave witness, which signifies that everything preached in times before was made made more believable to the hearers, since one is able to understand the wine as the word of the Gospel, and water as what came before the Gospel, which was a tasteless liquid and did not bring to perfection. For the sake of an example I will say that the Lord gave various laws to men, one in paradise, the second in the time of Noah, the third to Abraham, which was circumcision, the fourth to Moses, and the fifth through the prophets. All these, then, when compared to the revelations and power of the Gospel, were water, if someone understands them simply according to the letter, But if someone walks according to the spirit and understands hidden things, he shall find water turned into wine. For what is simply said and understood according to the letter is like water to many, but he who judges spiritually finds the best wine and drinks what has been brought forth by Christ the bridegroom, for in the last times the Gospel has been set forth. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 2 1 Jn 7.37-38

The Narrow Gate

Intrate per angustam portam... Quasi dicat: Dura videntur vobis quae praecipio et angusta sed per hanc duritiam et angustiam intrandum es vobis ad vitam, et vere per angustam portam, quia non per latam viam, per latam enim viam intratur ad mortem, et hoc est quod dicit. Porta vero quae ducit ad vitam, non solum est angusta, sed etiam arcta quia per labores et jejunia panditur. Considerandum est quod competenter de utraque via locutus est. Per latam multi ambulant, angustam pauci inveniunt, latam non quaeramus, nec investigatione opus est, sponte se offert erranti in via; angustam vero nec omnes inveniunt, nec qui inveniunt, statim ingrediuntur per eam. Multi enim, inventa veritatis via, capti saeculi voluptatibus, de medio itinere revertuntur. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput VII Source: Migne PL 162.1316a-b

Enter through the narrow gate... 1 As if He said, 'It seems to you that what I command is hard but through this difficulty and narrowness you must go to enter into life, and truly through the narrow gate, because it is not through the wide way, for going along the wide way one enters into death,' which is what He says. But the gate that leads to life is not only narrow but even difficult because it is opened by toil and fasting. One must consider what has been said of both ways. Many walk on the wide way, and few find the narrow way. We do not seek the wide way, there is no toil to discover it, because it is immediately offered to those who wander on the way, but not all find the narrow gate, nor do those who find it immediately enter through it. For many who have found the true way are seized by the pleasures of the world and in the middle of going along it they turn back. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 7 1 Mt 7.13

The Mustard Seed

῎Αλλην παραβολὴν παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς λέγων· Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν κόκκῳ σινάπεως, ὃν λαβὼν ἄνθρωπος ἔσπειρεν ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, αὐτοῦ· ὁ μικρότερον μὲν ἐστιν πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων. Ὅταν δὲ αὐξηθῇ , μεῖζον πάντων τῶν λαχάνων ἐστὶ, καὶ γίνεται δένδρον, ὥστε ἐλθεῖν τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κατασκηνοῦν ἐν τοῖς κλάδοις αὐτοῦ. Κόκκος σινάπεως, τὸ κήρυγμα καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι· ὀλίγοι γὰρ δοκοῦντες οὗτοι, τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην περιέλαβον· ὥστε τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ εὐρανοῦ, τουτέστι, τοὺς κούφην καὶ πτερωτὴν πρὸς τὰ ἄνω ἔχοντας γνώμην, ἀναπαύεσθαι ἐν αὐτοῖς. Καὶ σὺ τοίνυν ἔσο κόκκος σινάπεως, μικρὸς μὲν τὸ φαινόμενον, οὐ γὰρ δεῖ θεατρίζειν τὴν ἀρετὴν, θερμὸς δὲ καὶ ζηλωτὴς καὶ δριμὺς καὶ ἐλεγκτικός· οὕτω γὰρ γενήσῃ μείζων τῶν λαχάνων, τουτέστι, τῶν ἀσθενῶν καὶ οὐ τελείων, τέλειος αὐτὸς ὡν , ὥστε καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, τουτέστι, τοὺς ἀγγέλους, ἐν σοὶ ἀναπαύεσθαι ἀγγελικὴν ζῶντι ζωήν. Χαίρουσι γὰρ καὶ οὗτοι ἐπὶ τοῖς δικαίοις. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον, Κεφαλὴ IΓ' Source: Migne PG 123.235c

He told them another parable, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is life a mustard seed, which when a man takes it and sows it in his field, is certainly the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown, it is the largest among the herbs, and it becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and nest in its branches.' 1 The mustard seed is preaching and the Apostles, for these seem to be small things, and yet they have come to occupy the whole world, and thus as the birds of heaven, the light and winged ones who have their minds in the heavens, find their rest in them. And you should also be a mustard seed, which certainly seems small, for it is not necessary to boast about virtue, or to be fervid and zealous and bitter in reproof. So you will be great among the other herbs, that is, perfect among the weak and the flawed, so that the birds of heaven, that is, the angels, shall dwell in you who live an angelic life, for they rejoice in those who are righteous. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Chapter 13 1 Mt 13.31-32

Grief And Joy

Cui autem simile existimabo generationem istam? Similes sunt pueris sedentibus in foro, etc. Tantus est Joannes, sed vos nec ei, nec mihi voluistis credere, et ideo, cui vos similes aestimabo? Per generationem accipit communiter et Judaeos, et se etiam cum Joanne, quia aliter non diceret: Similis est pueris, etc., cum non solum Judaei, sed ipse etiam Joannes et Jesus pueris comparentur. Pueri dicunt sociis in ludo: Vos non estis socii nostri, quia quando cecinimus modo in ludo, vos non saltavistis, et quando ploravimus in ludo, vos noluistis nobiscum plorare. Similiter sunt duo status in sanctis, luctus pro peccatis, gaudium pro Redemptione nostra, quae utraque prophetaverunt antiqui prophetae. Alius enim dicit: Convertimini in toto corde vestro, etc. David vero ad gaudium nos invitat, cum ait: Haec est dies quam fecit Dominus, exsultate et laetate in ea. Similiter Christus et Joannes nos invitaverunt, alius ad lucem, sicut Joannes, qui jejunavit, et ad poenitentiam invitavit. Alius ad gaudium, sicut Christus qui in signum aeternae refectionis non jejunabat cum apostolis, sed comedebat, et ad gaudium nostrae redemptionis invitabat, quasi dicat: Ego, et sequaces mei apostoli et prophetae cecinimus in foro, id est in Jerusalem, ubi omnes conveniebant, id est gaudium vestrae redemptionis praedicavimus, et vos, qui eratis nobis coaequales, quia de eadem gente et promissione, noluistis saltare, id est mente et corpore, de redemptione vestra congaudere. Joannes et alii prophetae lamentaverunt, id est ad luctum poenitentiae invitaverunt, et vos noluistis cum eis plangere. Imo vocastis Joannem daemoniacum, qui tantum potest jejunare, me autem voracem, qui in signum vestri gaudii, et aeternae refectionis manduco. Sed ego, quidquid vos dicatis, qui sum sapientia Patris, justificor a filiis meis, id est juste agere dicor ab apostolis. Vel sapientia justificatur a filiis suis, id est ab operibus suis, id est opera quae ipse facit et generat, ostendunt sapientiam justam esse. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput XI Source: Migne PL 162.1352b-1352d

To what shall I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplace... 1 John is great, yet you do not believe in him nor in me, and therefore to what shall I liken you? By 'generation' the Jews are commonly understood, and even Himself and John, because otherwise He would have said, 'It is similar to children,' when not only the Jews but even John and Jesus are being compared to children. Children are saying to their peers in play, 'You are not our friends, because when we sing to you in play you do not dance, and when we lament in play you do not weep with us.' Likewise there are two states among the holy, sorrow for sin and joy for our redemption, which both the prophets of old made prophecy about. For one says, 'Convert in your whole hearts.' But David invites us to joy, when he says, 'This is the day that the Lord made, exult and delight in it.' 2 Similarly Christ and John invite us, one to sorrow, like John, who fasts and invites us to penance, and the other to joy, as Christ, who as a sign of eternal refreshment does not fast with the Apostles but eats, and invites us to the joy of our redemption, as if He said, 'I and my followers the Apostles and the prophets sang to you in the marketplace, that is, in Jerusalem, when all were gathered together, that is, we proclaimed the joy of your redemption, and you, who were our peers, because we are of the same people and promise, did not wish to dance, that is, in the mind and body, in joy at your redemption. John and other prophets lamented, that is, they invited you to the sorrow of penance, and you did not want to weep with them. Then you call John a demoniac, who is a great faster, and me a glutton who eat as a sign of your joy and eternal refreshment. But whatever you say, I, who am the wisdom of the Father, am justified by my sons, that is, I am spoken of by the Apostles through righteous conduct . Or 'Wisdom is justified by her sons,' that is, from their works, that is, the works performed and brought forth show wisdom to be righteous. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 11 1 Mt 11.16 2 Joel 2.12, Ps 117.24

The Spirit And Rivers And Speech

Εάν τις διψᾷ, ἐρχέσθω πρός με, καὶ πινέτω. Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ , καθὼς εἶπεν ἡ Γραφή, ποταμοὶ ῥεύσουσιν ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας αὐτοῦ ὕδατος ζῶντος Ποταμούς δὲ ῥεῦσαι ἔφη, καὶ οὐ ποταμὸν, ὕδατος ζῶντος, τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος ἄφθονον χάριν καν τὴν δαψίλειαν αἰνιττόμενος. Τοιοῦτον γάρ ἐστι τὸ Πνεῦμα, εἰς οἷαν ψυχὴν εἰσέλθοι , καὶ ἐν ᾧ ἂν ἱδρυνθείη, ποιοῦν αὐτὴν ἀναβλύζειν πάσης πηγῆς ἀφθονώτερον. Καὶ μάθο: ἄν τις, πῶς ποταμοὶ ῥεύσουσιν ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας τοῦ πιστεύοντος κατὰ τὰς Γραφὰς, εἴγε τὴν τοῦ Πέτρου γλώτταν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ Παύλου ῥύμην, καὶ τὴν τοῦ Στεφάνου σοφίαν κατασκέψαιτο· οὓς οὐδὲν ὑφίστατο λέγοντας, ἀλλὰ πάντες παρεσύροντο ὡς τινων ποταμῶν ῥεύμασιν ἀνυποστάτοις τὴν φοράν. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ιὠαννὴν, Κεφαλὴ Z' Source: Migne PG 123.1152a

If someone thirsts, let him come to me, and drink. He who believes in me, as Scripture says, rivers of living water shall flow from his breast. 1 He speaks of flowing rivers of living waters, and not just a river, because He refers to the generous grace and largess of the Holy Spirit. So great is the Spirit that in whatever soul He enters, and in which He dwells, there He makes gush forth a bountiful fountain. And anyone may learn how these rivers flow forth from the breast of one who believes according to the Scriptures if he considers the speech of Peter, and the force of Paul, and the wisdom of Stephen, none of whom shrank from any speech, but drove on in everything, as if caught up in the racing flow of waters. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 7 1 Jn 7.37-38

Peace And Wisdom

Beati pacifici, quoniam filii Dei vocabuntur. Postquam omnes supradictas virtutes habet homo, nihil aliud restat, nisi ut Deum, qui est vera pax, praemium habeat. Deus in tanta pace, quod neque in personis est dissensio aliqua, sed perfecta concordia, neque in seipso variatur, quamvis res, in quibus est, variantur. Suos vero similes sibi faciet, quia erunt incorruptibiles, et impassibiles, et incommutabiles, et ita sunt concordes, quod de bonis aliorum gaudebunt, tanquam de suis. Septimo loco ponitur, quia in sabbato vero, requiei dabitur illa pax transactis septem aetatibus, quam Adam nondum habebat, sed quam transferendus in coelum completa obedientia accepturus erat. Haec est pax illa, de qua Apostolus dicit: Et pax Dei, quae exsuperat omnem sensum. Haec est illa, de qua Christus dicit: Pacem meam do vobis, pacem relinquo vobis. Illic do, hic relinquo, quia illa pax non potest haberi, nisi in futuro, sed tamen aliquae reliquiae dantur in praesenti, quod potest videri in illis, qui ita habent sedatos illicitos motus corporis, quod nullum civile bellum patiuntur in se, sed habet anima requiem suam in hac vita, nec etiam conturbari posset quolibet modo, vel quantumcunque verberentur, sed in se quieti sunt, et alios reconciliare laborant. Unde dicitur: Pax multa diligentibus legem tuam, non tamen perfecta. Illa perfecta pax et spiritus sapientiae non differunt. Aliud est intelligentia, aliud sapientia. Intelligentia est quando res investigatur et discutitur. Sapientia est quando non investigamus, sed jam sapientes sumus, et in ipso bono sapientiae delectamur. Haec eadem est illa pax, quando Deum scrutari non laborabimus, sed in eo tamen cognito delectabimur, et tunc erimus filii Dei, quia similes ei efficiemur. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput V Source: Migne PL 162.1288b-d

Blessed are the peacemakers, because they shall be called sons of God. 1 After a man has all the virtues spoken of above, nothing else remains but that he shall have God as his reward, He who is true peace. God is such great peace, because there is no dissension at all among the Persons but perfect harmony, nor is there are variation in Him, although the things in which He is may vary. And He makes those who are His own similar to Himself, because they shall be incorruptible and impassible and unchangeable and thus harmonious, for they will rejoice in the goods of others as their own. This beatitude is placed in the seventh place because on the true sabbath that peace shall be given that surpasses the seven ages, which Adam did not yet have, but which he shall receive when in perfect obedience he shall be transported into heaven. This is the peace of which the Apostle says, 'And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding.' This is the peace of which Christ says, 'My peace I give to you, my peace I leave to you.' 2 From there I give it, and here I leave it, because it is only possible to have that peace in the future, and yet a remnant of it is given in the present, which it is possible to observe in those who are tranquil amid the shameful motions of the body because they suffer no internal strife in themselves, but the soul has its rest in this life, and it is not possible to trouble it in any way, and as much as they are struck, yet they remain quiet in themselves, and they labour to reconcile others. Hence it is said, 'Much peace to the lovers of your law,' 3 though it is not that perfect peace. That perfect peace and the spirit of wisdom do not differ. Intelligence is one thing, wisdom is another. Intelligence is when we we investigate something and study it. Wisdom is when we do not investigate but now we are wise and we delight in the good of wisdom. This is that same peace that is not in labouring to know God but rather we shall delight in that knowledge, and then we shall be sons of God, because we shall be made like Him. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 5 1 Mt 5.9 2 Phil 4.7, Jn 14.27 3 Ps 118.165

Scripture And Life

Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς Γραφὰς, ὅτι ὑμεῖς δοκεῖτε ἐν αὐταῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔχειν· καὶ ἐκεῖναί εἰσιν αἱ μαρτυροῦσαι περὶ ἐμοῦ, καὶ οὐ θέλετε έλθεῖν πρὸς με, ἴνα ζωὴν ἔχητε . Δόξαν παρὰ ἀνθρώπων οὐ λαμβάνω, ἀλλ᾽ ἔγνωκα ὑμᾶς , ὅτι τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς. Εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, ὅτι, Ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, τουτέστιν, αἱ Γραφαὶ αἱ περὶ ἐμοῦ μαρτυροῦσαι, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ὑμῖν. Διδάσχων οὖν πῶς δυνήσονται σχεῖν τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, φησίν· Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς Γραφάς· ἐν αὐταῖς γὰρ δοκεῖτε ὑμεῖς ζωὴν ἔχειν. Ὄρα δὲ πῶς οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἔχετε ζωὴν, ἀλλ᾽, Ὅτι δοκεῖτε· δοκεῖτε δὲ εἰπε, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐδὲν κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ἐκεῖθεν έκαρποῦντο, ἀπὸ τῆς ἀναγνώσεως μόνης σώζεσθαι προσδοκῶντες, πίστεως μὴ προσούσης. Ἐκεῖναι μὲν γάρ εἰσιν αἱ μαρτυροῦσαι περὶ ἐμοῦ· ἀλλ' ὑμεῖς οὐ θέλετε ἐλθεῖν πρός με, ἵνα ζωὴν ἔχητε. Ὥστε κἀντεῦθεν μανθάνωμεν, ὡς ἐκ προαιρέσεως ἦσαν κακοί. Οὐκ εἶπε γὰρ , ὅτι Οὐ δύνασθε ἐλθεῖν, ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι Οὐ θέλετε ἐλθεῖν. ᾿Ακουέτωσαν Μανιχαῖοι, ὅτι οὐ φύσει τὸ κακὸν, ἀλλὰ προαιρέσει συνίσταται. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀνέμνησεν αὐτοὺς τῆς Ἰωάννου μαρτυρίας, καὶ τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τῆς δια τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ, διὰ τὴν σωτηρίαν αὐτῶν μόνον ταῦτα ποιῶν· εἰκὸς δὲ ἦν πολλοὺς ὑποπτεύειν, ὅτι δόξης ἔρωτι ταῦτα λέγει· διὰ τοῦτό φησιν, ὅτι Δόξαν παρὰ ἀνθρώπων οὐ λαμβάνω· τουτέστι, Δόξης οὐ δέομαι· οὐδὲ γὰρ φύσιν ἔχω τοιαύτην, ὥστε δεῖ σθαι τῆς παρὰ ἀνθρώπων δόξης. Ὑμεῖς δὲ διώκετέ με προφασιζόμενοι, ὅτι δι' ἀγάπην Θεοῦ τοῦτο ποιεῖτε. ᾿Αλλ' οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο, οὐκ ἔστι. Ἔγνωκα γὰρ ὑμᾶς , ὅτι τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἔχετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς· κἂν ἄνω καὶ κάτω τοῦτο προβάλλοισθε, τὸ διὰ τὸ διώκειν με. Εἰκότως οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ εἶχον, ἐπεὶ ἐδίωκον τὴν αὐτο αγάπην, τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἰκότως καὶ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ οὐκ εἶχον μένοντα ἐν αὐτοῖς· τὸν γὰρ Λόγον καὶ Θεὸν παρῃτοῦντο . Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ιὠαννὴν, Κεφαλὴ E' Source: Migne PG 123.1280a-c

You study the Scriptures because you think you will find eternal life in them, and they bear witness to me, and you do not wish to come to me that you might have life. I do not receive glory from men, but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 1 He said to them, that is, the word of God said, that the Scriptures which testify about me, they are not in you. Then teaching how one is able to have the word of God, He says, 'You study the Scriptures because you think you will find eternal life in them.' Note how He does not say 'You have eternal life,' but 'you think' showing that they do not gather according to truth there who hope to be saved from reading alone, not coming near to faith. For 'they bear witness to me, and you do not wish to come to me, so that you might have life.' Hence we learn from this that they were wicked. For He does not say, 'You are not able to come,' but 'You do not wish to come,' Let the Manicheans hear that nothing is evil by nature, but it is established in the will. Then having borne witness to John and the Father, and the works He had performed for their salvation, He says that they scorned many of them, as if they were done for the love of glory. Therefore He says, 'I do not receive glory from men,' that is, 'I do not lack it, but nor do I have a nature which values human glory. But you persecute me, saying that is on account of the love of God that you do this, but it is not so. I know that you do not have the love of God in you, even if you boast of it, because you persecute me because of God.' Rightly, then, it is said that the Jews do not have the love of God, since they persecute that same love which is the Son of God. Hence rightly are they said not to have the word of God abiding in them, for they rejected the Word and God. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 5 1 Jn 5.39-42

The Setting Sun

Vespere autem facto, obtulerunt ei multos daemonia habentes... Solis occubitus passionem mortemque designat illius qui dixit: Quandiu in mundo sum, lux sum mundi, et sole occidente plures daemoniaci quam ante, et plures sanantur aegroti, et qui temporaliter vivens in carne, paucos Judaeorum docuit, calcato mortis regno, omnibus per orbem gentibus fidei dona transmisit, cujus ministris tanquam vitae lucisque praeconibus Psalmista dicit: Iter facite ei qui ascendit super occasum. Ascendit super occasum, quando in passione occubuit; majorem resurgendo suam gloriam manifestavit. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput VIII Source: Migne PL 162.1323a

And when it was evening, they brought to Him many who had demons... 1 With the sun's setting His passion and death is signified, He who said, 'While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.' 2 And with the sun's death there are more demoniacs than before and more who are healed of their sicknesses, for He who while He was living temporally in the flesh taught a few of the Jews, having crushed down the kingdom of death, then sent forth through the world the gift of faith to all peoples, He whose servants are as preachers of life and light, as the Psalmist says, 'You make a way for Him who ascends over the setting sun.' 3 He ascends over the setting sun, when having set in His passion He manifests His greater glory in His rising. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 8 1 Mt 8.16 2 Jn 8.12 3 Ps 67.5

A Troubling Deed

Ο δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· ῎Αφετε αὐτήν. Τί αὐτῇ κόπους παρέχετε; Καλὸν ἔργον εἰργάσατο ἐν ἐμοί. Πάντοτε γὰρ τοὺς πτωχοὺς ἔχετε μεθ' ἑαυτῶν, καὶ ὅταν θέλητε, δύνασθε αὐτοὺς εὖ ποιῆσαι, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ πάντοτε έχετε . Ὁ ἔσχεν αὕτη , ἐποίησε, προέλαβε μυρίσαι μου τὸ σῶμα εἰς τὸν ἐνταφιασμόν. 'Αμὴν δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, ὅπου ἂν κηρυχθῇ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τοῦτο εἰς ὅλον τὸν κόσμον, καὶ ὁ ἐποίησεν αὕτη λαληθήσεται εἰς μνημόσυνον αὐτῆς. Μέμφεται ὁ Κύριος τοῖς ἀποστόλοις, ὡς ἀκαίρως ἐμποδίζουσι τῇ προθυμίᾳ τῆς γυναικός. Τἱ γὰρ, φησὶν, αὐτῇ κόπους παρέχετε; μεθ' ὁ προσέφερε τὸ δῶρον, ἀποστρέφοντες αὐτὴν διὰ τοῦ ὀνειδισμοῦ; Αμα δὲ καὶ πλήττει τὸν προδότην, εν τῷ λέγειν, ὅτι Εἰς τὸν ἐνταφιασμόν μου τοῦτο ἐποίησε , καὶ ὡς ἀσυνείδητον ἐλέγχει. Μονονουχὶ τοῦτο λέγων αὐτῷ, ὅτι Σὺ μὲν εἰς θάνατόν με προδιδοὺς, οὐκ ἐλέγχεις σεαυτόν. Αὕτη δὲ εἰς τὸν ἐνταφιασμόν μου τὸ μύρον φέρουσα, ὡσανεὶ ὑπὸ Θεοῦ κινηθεῖσα , ἀξία ἐστὶν ἐλέγχεσθαι ὑπὸ σοῦ; Προφητεύει δὲ ἐνταῦθα ὁ Κύριος δύο προφητείας, ὅτι τε τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον κηρυχθήσεται ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ ὅτι τὸ ἔργον τῆς γυναικὸς συγκηρυχθήσεται. Αἰσχυνέσθωσαν οὖν ἐντεῦθεν οἱ τοὺς πτωχοὺς προτιμῶντες τοῦ Χριστοῦ . Ἡκουσα γὰρ ἐγὼ χρυσοχόων λεγόντων, ὅτι Ἐὰν τὸ ἱερὸν σκεῦος καταλύσας δῶ πτωχοῖς , καὶ ἐγὼ ζήσω, οὐκ ἔστι κρίμα. Ἀκουέτωσαν οὖν πῶς ὁ Χριστὸς προτιμᾷ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ θεραπείαν, τῶν πτωχῶν. Χριστοῦ δὲ σῶμα κυείως, τὸ ἐν τῷ δίσκῳ τῷ χρυσῷ, καὶ αἷμα τὸ ἐν τῷ ποτηρίῳ. Ὁ γοῦν ἀφαιρούμενος τὸν δίσκον τὸν πολύτιμον, καὶ ἀναγκάζων τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν εὐτελεστέρῳ τίθεσθαι , προφασιζόμενος δὲ τοὺς πτωχοὺς , γινωσκέτω ποίας μερίδος ἐστίν. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Μάρκον, Κεφαλὴ AB' Source: Migne PG 123.645c-648a

And Jesus said, 'Allow her. Why do you trouble her? She has a performed a good deed for me. You shall always have the poor with you, and as much as you wish you can do good to them, but you shall not always have me. What she was able to do, she did; she came to anoint my body for the tomb. Truly I say to you that wherever the Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, even this which she has done shall be spoken of in memory of her. 1 The Lord reproves the disciples, who intemperately opposed the zeal of the woman. For why, He says, do you make it your business and why are you troubled by it, and after she has brought her gift turn against her in disapproval? And He strikes out at the traitor in saying that she does this for His burial. Clearly He disputes the judgement of his conscience, as if He said to him, 'You shall hand me over to death, but you will not reproach yourself? This woman brings ointment for my burial, who as one moved by God is worthy of me, and you reprove her?' Then in this passage the Lord makes prophecy of two things, that the Gospel shall be preached in the whole world and that likewise what the woman has done shall be told. And this passage confounds those who prefer the poor to Christ. I myself have heard of the melting down of the holy vessels and that is a holy thing to give of them to the poor, and I should live so as not to be condemned, but let them hear that Christ would have Himself preferred to care for the poor. It is fitting that the body of Christ should be on a dish of gold and His blood in a golden cup. Therefore he who would cast away a precious dish and force the body of Christ to be put on a cheap plate, that is, on the excuse of poverty, let it known whose side he takes. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Mark, Chapter 12 1 Mk 14.6-9

Spreading Vestments And Branches

Καὶ ἤγαγον τὸν πῶλον πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν, καὶ ἐπέβαλον αὐτῷ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν , καὶ ἑκάθισεν ἐπ' αὐτόν. Πολλοὶ δὲ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν ἔστρωσαν εἰς τὴν ὀδόν · ἄλλοι δὲ στιβάδας ἔκοπτον ἐκ τῶν δένδρων, καὶ ἐστρώννυον εἰς τὴν ὁδόν. Καὶ οἱ προάγοντες καὶ οἱ ἀκολουθοῦντες έκραζον λέγοντες · Ωσαννὰ εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. Εὐλογημένη ἡ ἐρχομένη βασιλεία ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν Δαβίδ · Ωσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις. ᾿Αλλά γὰρ στρώσωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς τὰ ἱμάτια ἡμῶν, ἤτοι τὴν σάρκα, ἱμάτιον γὰρ ἡ σάρξ τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ ὑποτάξωμεν ταύτην τῷ Κυρίῳ. Καὶ στρώσωμεν τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ ἡμετέρου βίου, κόπτοντες ἐκ τῶν δένδρων κλάδους, τουτέστι, τοὺς τῶν ἁγίων βίους μιμούμενοι. Δένδρα γὰρ οἱ ἅγιοι, ἀφ᾽ ὧν κόπτει κλάδους ὁ μιμούμενος τὴν ἐκείνων ἀρετήν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ προἀγουσαι καὶ αἱ ἀκολουθοῦσαι πράξεις ἡμῶν εἰς δόξαν θεοῦ ἔστωσαν. Τινὲς γὰρ ἐν μὲν τῷ προάγοντι βίῳ καλὴν ἀρχὴν ἐνεδείξαντο, ὁ δὲ ἀκολουθῶν βίος, ὁ ὕστερον λέγω, οὐκ ἦν τοιοῦτος, οὐδὲ εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ. Θεοφύλακτος Αχρίδος, Ἑρμηνεία Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Μάρκον, Κεφαλὴ AI' Source: Migne PG 123.612c-613a

And they brought the colt to Jesus, and they lay their garments on it, and he sat upon it And many spread their garments in the way, and others cut down branches from the trees, and spread them in the way. And those who went before and those who followed, cried out, saying, 'Hosanna, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed be the coming of the kingdom of our father David. Hosanna in the highest.' 1 Let us spread out our own vestments, that is, the flesh, for the flesh is the covering of the soul, and let us subject it to the Lord. And let us spread out the way of our lives, breaking off the branches from the trees, that is, imitating the lives of those who are holy. For the trees are the holy ones, from which they take the branches in imitation of their virtue. And let our deeds going behind and following after, be for the glory of God. For those who bear an upright life from the beginning go before Him, but the life which follows is not like that, not being for the glory of God. Theophylact of Ochrid, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Mark, Chapter 11 1 Mk 11.7-10

Weeping the World

Beati qui lugent. Quamvis fidelis res mundi abdicavit, quamvis de injuriis non doluit, tamen in multa incidit aliquando, et ideo necessariae sunt lacrymae quae semper abluant, quia semper peccamus, et in miseriis hujus mundi nos esse videmus. Dolemus etiam de peccatis proximorum. Duo sunt genera compunctionis, quando pro miseriis hujus mundi et peccatis nostris gemimus, et pro desiderio coelestium. Unde filia Caleph petivit a parte irriguum superius et irriguum inferius, quia anima petit compunctionem a Deo, et pro peccatis, et pro desiderio patriae coelestis. Luctum autem pro miseriis hujus vitae et desiderio supernae patriae, non habet nisi solus pauper et mitis, qui mundum non diligit, sed miserum se recognoscit, et ideo coelum concupiscit. His lugentibus pro suis et aliorum peccatis convenit postulare: Debita nostra nobis dimitte, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Haec virtus quae mundi miseriam sentit, et a coelesti patria discernit, descendit a spiritu scientiae. Scientia enim de terrenis est, ut sciamus quae sit ista habitatio terrena, quam gravis, quam misera. Quod autem cogitamus de coelesti patria, hoc ideo fit, ut per comparationem miseriam hujus vitae intelligamus. Anselmus Laudunensis, Enarrationes In Matthaeum, Caput V Source: Migne PL 162.1286a-c

Blessed are those who weep... 1 Although the faithful man has forsaken the things of the world, although he has not been grieved because of injuries, however from time to time and in many things he falls, and therefore cleansing tears are always necessary, because we always sin, and we see ourselves among the wretched things of this world, and then we also grieve for the sins of our neighbours. There are two types of compunction, one when we groan for the wretchedness of this world and for our sins, and one in our desire for heavenly things. Hence the daughter of Caleb sought a part of both the higher land and the lower land, 2 because the soul seeks forgiveness from God both because of sin and with a desire for the heavenly fatherland. A man does not groan over the miseries of this life and with the desire for the supernal fatherland unless he is poor and meek, unless he is one who does not love the world but recognises his own wretchedness, and therefore desires heaven. With this groaning over himself, it also befits him to petition for the sins of others, 'Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.' 3 This virtue which feels the wretchedness of the world is learned from the heavenly fatherland and descends from the spirit of knowledge. For it is a knowledge of worldly things, so that we might know the things of this terrestrial dwelling, which are burdensome and which are wretched, and because we think of the heavenly fatherland, so it is that compared to it we understand the wretchedness of this life. Anselm of Laon, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 5 1 Mt 5.5 2 Jud 1.12-15 3 Mt 6.12