Building On The Rock

Omnis ergo qui audit verba mea hæc, et facit ea, similabo eum, inquit, viro sapienti, qui aedificavit domum suam supra petram. Quaerendum igitur quis sit iste architectus, qui aedificavit domum suam supra petram, cui assimilari debeat is qui audit et facit verba Salvatoris? Non enim simpliciter de quolibit artifice domorum accipiendum puto, quae saepe supra petras aedficatae impulsu ventorum praecipitanter ruunt, sed forte de illo qui ait: Ut sapiens architectus fundamentum posui. Magnum itaque est quempiam Paulo assimilari. Ipse enim hoc ait; sed si veraciter inspicimus, magis adhuc est quod promittitur. Quia nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum, in vanum laborant omnes qui aedificant eam. Idcirco licet Petrus aedificet, licet Paulus, licet quilibet sanctorum seu doctorum, Christus est vir sapiens qui aedificat; non quascunque domos, sed unam coelestem in coelis, supra se, qui recte petra est appelatus, fundamento fidei collocatam. Unde in hoc eodem Evangelio Perto dicitur: Tu es Petrus et super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam, id est: A qua tu Petrus sortiris nomen, pro firmitate fidei, supra ipsam eamdemque petram aedificabo fundamento fidei Ecclesiam, quae est domus Dei vivi constructa in coelestibus lapidibus pretiosis. Ubi nullus haereticorum aedificat, nullus hypocrita, nullus terrenarum thesaurizatorum, nullus vitiorum sectator, sed soli qui audiunt quod docuit, et faciunt ut docuit. Sanctus Paschasius Radbertus Corbeiensis, Expositio In Evangelium Matthaei, Lib IV Cap VII Source: Migne PL 120.329b

Therefore everyone who hears my words and does them, I shall liken him to that wise man who built his house on a rock. 1 One must ask, therefore, who this architect is, who built his house on the rock, to whom he should be likened who heard and did the words of the Saviour. For it is not, I think, that this is to be understood as about any builder of houses, which often being set on rock are yet thrown down by blasts of the wind, but perhaps concerning him who said: 'As a wise architect I have placed the foundation.' 2 Great, then, it is for anyone to be likened to Paul. He himself said this, but if we truly inspect it, more is promised. Because 'unless the Lord builds the house, all labour in vain who build it.' 3 So when Peter builds, when Paul, when which ever one of the saints and teachers, Christ is the wise man who builds, and not any sort of house, but the heavenly one in heaven, and upon Himself, who rightly is named the rock, 4 it is set, on the foundation of faith. Whence in this same Gospel it is said to Peter: 'You are Peter and on this rock I shall build my church.' 5 That is, from that which you, Peter, draw your name, on account of the firmness of your faith, on that same rock I shall build my Church, on the foundation of faith, which is the house of the living God constructed in heaven with precious stones. Where no heretic builds, no hypocrite, none who heap up worldly riches, none who pursue the vices, but only the one who hears what He teaches and does what He teaches. Saint Paschasius Radbertus, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Book 4, Chap 7 1 Mt 7.24 2 1 Cor 3.10 3 Ps 126.1 4 1 Cor 10.4 5 Mt 16.18