Faith And Excellence

Amen dico vobis: non inveni tantam fidem in Israel. Non de omnibus prioribus Patribus et sanctis hoc dictum putamus , sed de solis ejusdem temporis loquitur hominibus, quibus ideo istius antefertur fides, quia eos, licet lex aut prophetae, tamen longa eruditione perduxerant ad fidem; hunc vero, nullo docente alio, Pater solus per Spiritum sanctum plenius instituit. Non enim caro et sanguis eum ista perdocuit, sed Pater Christi coelitus reseravit. Unde per eum, nec immerito, fides genitum collaudatur. Nam in priori leproso universitas designatur quos lepra peccati originalis resperserat, in isto vero centurione sola gentilitas aggegatur. Cujus nimirum fides, utlra Judaeorum, multis in locis, propter Christi gratiam, praedicatur, quia gentes mox, gratia praedictionis et signorum percepta, plenissime crediderunt. Israel autem, inquit, me non cognovit et populus ille me non intellexit. Non quod in Israel salvato tunc fides aliqua non fuerit, sed in isto plurima et praecipua, quasi in omnibus gentibus, approbatur. Ostendit denique in illo electos per gratiam ex gentibus, propterea fides ejus Israeli cum pomorum fructibus praeponitur. Fructus autem fidei fuit charitas qua Deum et proximum dilexit; prudentia et intellectus quibus in homine divinitatem deprehendit; humilitas fundatissima, qua se indignum quem Christus tecto accipiat, confitetur. Justificatur autem ex fide, et primam carnis conditionem non spernit, curam gerens pro domesticis. Quapropter nec immerito, virtutum militia ciccumvallatus, centurio nominatur. Sanctus Paschasius Radbertus Corbeiensis, Expositio In Evangelium Matthaei, Liber V, Caput VIII Source: Migne PL 120.349b-d

Truly I say to you, I have not found such faith in Israel. 1 We should not think that this is spoken of the patriarchs and holy men of the past, but He speaks only of the men of that time, whom, therefore, the faith of this man excels, because they having the law and prophets only came to the faith by long study, but this man was not taught by anyone, but the Father alone, through the Holy Spirit, fully established him. For it was not flesh and blood that instructed him, but it was the heavenly Father of Christ who enlightened him. Whence rightly the faith of the Gentiles is praised through him. The previous leper signifies all who were sprinkled with the disease of original sin, 2 but in this centurion the Gentiles alone are gathered. Certainly his faith, which exceeded the Jews, on account of the grace of Christ, shall be preached in many places, because soon the nations, by the grace of preaching and the instruction of signs would come to believe most fully. 'But Israel,' it says, 'did not know me and my people did not understand.' 3 Not that there were not some in Israel then who were saved by faith, but in this man more and especially, as among all the nations, it is approved. Finally He shows in this man the elect through grace from the nations, because of which the fruit of his trees are greater. For the fruit of faith here was charity which loved God and neighbour, and prudence and understanding which grasped the Divinity in man, and most firmly founded on humility confessed itself unworthy to receive Christ under its roof. And there is justification from faith, for he does not scorn the original condition of the flesh, but cares for his servants. Because of which, quite rightly, being walled with an army of the virtues, he is called 'centurion.' Saint Paschasius Radbertus, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Book 5, Chapter 8 1 Mt 8.10 2 Mt 8.1-4 3 Isaiah 1.3