Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 25

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, the multitudes were astonished at His teaching.

And indeed it would have been natural for them to be pained at the burdensomeness of what was said, and to grow faint at the loftiness of the commands enjoined;

but now so great was the power of the Teacher, that it both captivated many of them, and cast them into the greatest amazement, and persuaded them, because of the delight of the things spoken, not even to depart when He had ceased speaking.

For not even when He came down from the mountain did the hearers depart, but even so the whole audience followed Him;

so great a longing for the things spoken had He implanted in them.

And they were amazed most of all at His authority.

For not referring what He said to another, as the prophet and Moses did, did He say the things He said, but everywhere showing Himself to be the One who possessed sovereign power.

For indeed, in laying down laws, He continually added:

And in bringing to remembrance that Day, He showed Himself to be the Judge, both by the punishments and by the honours.

And yet, even on this account it was likely they would be thrown into confusion.

For if, when they saw Him displaying His authority by works, the scribes stoned Him and drove Him away;

there where there were only words manifesting this, how was it not likely that they would be offended, and especially when these things were spoken in the very outset, and before He had given proof of His own power? But nevertheless they suffered none of these things;

for when the soul and the mind are candid, they are easily persuaded by the words of truth.

For this reason those men, even while the signs were proclaiming His power, were offended;

but these, hearing bare words, were persuaded and followed.

This then the evangelist also intimated, saying that great multitudes followed Him;

not any of the rulers, nor of the scribes, but as many as were freed from wickedness, and had an incorruptible judgment.

And throughout the whole of the Gospel you see these cleaving to Him.

For indeed, when He was speaking, they listened in silence, interposing nothing, neither interrupting the sequence, nor tempting Him and desiring to find some handle, like the Pharisees;

and after the discourse they again followed Him, marvelling.

But do you consider for me the wisdom of the Master, how He diversifies the benefit of those present, passing from miracles to words, and again from the teaching of words changing over to miracles.

For indeed before He went up into the mountain, He healed many, preparing the way for the things He was about to say;

and after having completed this long discourse, He comes again to miracles, confirming by the things done the things spoken.

For since He taught as one having authority, in order that this manner of His teaching might not be thought to be vaunting and self-will, He does this same thing in His works also.

healing as one having authority, that they might no longer be troubled at seeing Him teaching thus, seeing that He wrought His miracles also in the same manner.

For when He had come down from the mountain, there came to Him a leper, saying:

Lord, if You will, You can make me clean.

Great was the understanding and the faith of him that came.

For he did not interrupt the teaching, nor break through the assembly, but awaited the fitting time, and comes to Him as He was coming down.

And not simply, but with great fervour, and before His knees he beseeches Him, as another evangelist says, and with genuine faith and the fitting opinion concerning Him.

For he did not say, If you will beseech God;

but, If You will, You can make me clean.

but he commits the whole to Him, and makes Him Lord of the correction, and testifies unto Him all authority.

What then, one says, if the opinion of the leper was mistaken? It behoved to overthrow it, and to rebuke, and to set it right.

Did He then do this? By no means, but altogether the contrary, and He both establishes and confirms what had been said.

For this reason neither did He say, Be cleansed;

in order that the doctrine might no longer be of that man's surmise, but of His own will.

But not so the apostles;

but how? When all the people were amazed, they said:

Why do you give heed to us, as though by our own power or authority we had made this man to walk? But the Master, though He had oftentimes uttered many humble things, even below His own glory, in order to fix the doctrine here of those who were amazed at Him for His authority, what says He? I will; be cleansed.

And yet, having wrought so many and so great signs, nowhere does He appear to have uttered this word.

Here, however, in order to confirm the surmise both of the whole people and of the leper concerning His authority, He therefore added, 'I will.'

And He did not merely say this without also doing it;

rather, the deed itself immediately followed.

But if what He said were not well spoken, if the utterance were blasphemy, then the deed ought to have been cut short.

As it is, however, nature yielded to His command, and with fitting speed—indeed with greater speed than the evangelist expressed.

For even the word 'immediately' is far too slow for the swiftness with which the deed came to pass.

Nor did He simply say, 'I will, be cleansed';

but He also stretched out His hand and touched him;

which is indeed especially worthy of inquiry.

For what reason, when He was cleansing him by His will and by a word, did He add the touch of His hand? To me it seems for no other reason than that He might thereby also show that He is not subject to the Law, but stands above it;

and that to the pure nothing henceforth is unclean.

For this very reason Elisha would not so much as look upon Naaman; rather, though he saw him take offense because he did not come out and touch him, yet keeping the strictness of the Law he remained indoors, and sent him to the Jordan to wash.

But the Master, showing that He heals not as a servant but as a lord, both touches him;

for the hand did not become unclean from the leprosy, but the leprous body was rendered clean by the holy hand.

For He came not only to heal bodies, but also to lead the soul into true wisdom.

Therefore, just as He no longer forbade eating with unwashed hands, introducing that most excellent law concerning the indifference of foods;

so also here He instructs us henceforth that we must care for the soul, and being freed from outward purifications must scour it clean, and must fear its leprosy alone—which is sin (for to be leprous is no hindrance to virtue);

He is the first to touch the leper, and no one brings any charge.

For the tribunal was not corrupt, nor were the onlookers gripped by envy.

Therefore not only did they not lay any charge against Him, but they were also amazed at the miracle, and gave way, worshipping His irresistible power both from what was said and from what was done.

Having then healed his body, He commands him to tell no one, but to show himself to the priest and to offer the gift which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.

Now some indeed say that for this reason He commanded him to tell no one—so that they might not deal fraudulently concerning the verdict of the cleansing; but this is exceedingly foolish.

For He did not cleanse him in such a way that the cleansing could even be a matter of dispute;

rather, He commands him to tell no one, teaching him to be unboastful and free from vainglory.

And yet He knew that the man would not be persuaded, but would proclaim aloud his Benefactor;

How then does He elsewhere command him to speak? one may ask.

It is not that He falls into contradiction with Himself, nor is at variance; rather, He is training us to be grateful.

For neither in that case did He command the man to proclaim himself, but to give glory to God;

through this leper preparing us to be free from conceit and vainglory, and through that other one to be thankful and grateful, and teaching us in all things to refer the praise for what is done to the Master.

For since, as often happens, men remember God while they are sick, but once freed from the illness become more careless, He, commanding them to attend to the Master continually—both when sick and when healthy—says:

But for what reason did He command him also to show himself to the priest and to offer a gift? Here again He was fulfilling the Law.

For He neither did away with it everywhere, nor kept it everywhere;

but at one time He did this, at another that;

by the one paving the way for the philosophy that was to come, and by the other for the present restraining the shameless tongue of the Jews, and condescending to their weakness.

And why do you marvel if He did this at the beginning, when even the apostles—after being commanded to go to the Gentiles, and after the doors of teaching throughout the world had been opened, and the Law shut up, and affairs made new, and all the old things brought to rest—appear at one time keeping the Law and at another passing it by? And what, one may say, does saying 'Show yourself to the priest' contribute to the keeping of the Law? No small matter.

For there was an ancient law that a leper who had been cleansed should not entrust to himself the examination of the cleansing, but should present himself to the priest, and afford the proof to his very eyes, and by that verdict be reckoned among the clean.

For if the priest did not declare that the leper had been cleansed, he still remained outside the camp together with the unclean.

Therefore He says, 'Show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded.'

He did not say, 'Which I command';

but for the present He refers him to the Law, stopping their mouths on every side.

For lest they should say that He had seized the honor of the priests, He Himself accomplished the deed, but entrusted the examination to them, and seated them as judges of His own miracles.

For so far am I, He says, from contending either with Moses or with the priests, that I even lead those who have been benefited by Me to obey them.

And what is 'for a testimony to them'? For a reproof, for a demonstration, for an accusation, if they should be ungrateful.

For since they were saying, 'We persecute Him as a deceiver and impostor, as one opposed to God and lawless';

you shall be My witness, He says, at that time, that I am not lawless.

For indeed, having healed you, I refer you to the Law and to the examination of the priests;

which was the mark of one who honored the Law, and admired Moses, and did not oppose the ancient ordinances.

But even if they were to gain nothing, still from this above all one may learn His reverence toward the Law—that even foreknowing they would reap no fruit, He nevertheless fulfilled all that pertained to it.

For indeed He foreknew this very thing, and foretold it.

For neither did He say 'for their correction,' nor 'for instruction';

but 'for a testimony to them,' that is, for accusation, and for reproof, and for a witness, that all that pertained to Me has been done;

and although I foreknew they would remain uncorrected, not even so did I leave undone what needed to be done;

but they persisted in preserving their own wickedness.

This indeed He says also in another place:

'This Gospel shall be preached in all the world for a testimony unto all the nations, and then shall the end come';

to the nations, those who do not obey, those who are not persuaded.

For lest anyone should say, 'And why do you preach to all, if not all are going to be persuaded?'—it is that I may be shown to have done all that was Mine, and that afterward no one may have grounds to bring a charge, as though he had not heard.

the very proclamation itself; and they could not thereafter say, 'We did not hear';

for the word of true religion has gone forth to the ends of the inhabited world.

Considering these things, then, let us too fulfill all that is ours toward our neighbors, and give thanks to God continually.

For it is indeed absurd that, while we enjoy the benefit of His kindness in deed every single day, we should not even in word acknowledge our gratitude—and this when the acknowledgment in turn brings the profit back to ourselves.

For He Himself has need of nothing of ours, but we have need of all that is His.

For thanksgiving adds nothing to Him, but renders us more intimate with Him.

For if, when we call to mind the benefactions of men, we are the more warmed with affection;

much more, if we continually remember the Master's good deeds toward us, shall we be more zealous for His commandments.

For this reason Paul also said:

For the best safeguard of a benefaction is the remembrance of the benefaction, and continual thanksgiving.

For this very reason also the awesome Mysteries, so full of salvation, which are celebrated at every gathering, are called 'the Eucharist' (Thanksgiving), because it is a commemoration of many benefactions, and displays the sum of God's providence, and through all things disposes us to give thanks.

For if to be born of a virgin is a great wonder, at which the evangelist in astonishment said, 'Now all this came to pass';

then where shall we place His being slain? tell me.

For if His being born is called all this, then His being crucified, and shedding His blood, and giving Himself to us for a spiritual banquet and feast — what should that be called? Let us therefore give Him thanks without ceasing, and let this go before all our words and all our deeds.

But let us give thanks not only for our own blessings, but also for those of others;

for in this way we shall be able both to do away with envy, and to draw love tighter and make it more genuine.

For you will no longer be able to envy those on whose behalf you give thanks to the Master.

This is why the priest, when that sacrifice is set forth, bids us give thanks for the whole world, for those of former times, for those now living, for those who were before us, and for those who shall come after us.

For this both frees us from earth and transports us to heaven, and makes angels out of men.

For indeed those beings too, forming a choir, give thanks to God for the good things done to us, saying:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men.

And what is that to us, who are neither in heaven nor angels? Most certainly it is to us;

for we were taught to love our fellow servants in such a way as to count their good things also as our own.

This is why Paul too, everywhere in his Epistles, gives thanks for the good achievements of the whole world.

Let us therefore also give thanks without ceasing, for our own and for others', for small things and for great.

For even if the gift be small, it becomes great by the fact that it is given by God;

or rather, nothing that comes from Him is small — not merely because it is furnished by Him, but by its very nature.

And, to pass over all the rest, which in their multitude surpass the sand —

what is equal to the dispensation that was wrought for us? For that which was more precious to Him than all things, His only-begotten Son, He gave for us who were His enemies;

and He not only gave Him, but after giving Him He also set Him before us as a table, Himself doing all things for us — both the giving, and the making us thankful for these things.

For since man is for the most part ungrateful, everywhere He Himself undertakes and provides the things that are for us.

And what He did in the case of the Jews — reminding them of His benefits by places and times and feasts — this He has done here also, by the manner of the sacrifice casting us into a perpetual remembrance of the benefit conferred for these things.

Thus no one has been so eager for us to become approved and great and thankful in all things, as the God who made us.

For this reason He often does good to us even against our will, and for the most part without our knowing it.

But if you marvel at what has been said, I will show you this happening not

in the case of some ordinary person, but in the case of the blessed Paul.

For that blessed man too, being in many dangers and afflictions, often besought God that his trials might depart from him;

yet nevertheless God gave heed not to his request, but to his advantage;

and showing this, He said:

For My power is made perfect in weakness.

So that before telling him the reason, He did him good against his will and without his knowing it.

What great thing, then, does He ask, when in return for so great a care He bids us be thankful? Let us then obey, and everywhere maintain this.

For indeed nothing so ruined the Jews as being ungrateful, and those many and successive plagues nothing else brought upon them but this;

or rather, even before the plagues this destroyed and corrupted their soul.

For the hope of the ungrateful, it says, is like the wintry hoar-frost;

in such a way does it make the soul grow numb and dead, just as that frost does to bodies.

And this comes from arrogance, and from thinking oneself worthy of something.

But the contrite man will render thanks to God not only for good things, but also for those that seem to be adverse, and whatever he may suffer he will count that he has suffered nothing undeservedly.

Let us therefore also, the more we advance toward virtue, so much the more crush ourselves;

since this very thing is especially virtue.

For just as, the more keenly we see, so much the more do we learn how far we are distant from heaven;

so, the more we advance toward virtue, so much the more are we instructed to know the interval between God and us.

And no small part of philosophy is this — to be able to discern our own worth.

For he especially is the man who knows himself, who counts himself to be nothing.

For this very reason both David and Abraham, when they had ascended to the highest summit of virtue, then most of all achieved this;

and the one called himself earth and ashes, the other a worm;

and all the saints likewise abase themselves as these did;

whereas he who is lifted up to boastfulness, that man is of all men the one who is most ignorant of himself.

This is why also, according to common custom, we are wont to say of the proud:

He does not know himself; he is ignorant of himself.

But he who is ignorant of himself, whom will he know? For just as he who knows himself will know all things;

so he who does not know this will not know the rest either.

Such was that one who said:

I will set my throne above the heavens.

For since he was ignorant of himself, he was ignorant of all else besides.

but he called himself an untimely birth and the least of the saints, and reckoned himself not even worthy of the name of the apostles, after so many and such great achievements.

Him therefore let us emulate and imitate.

And we shall imitate him, if we are freed from earth and the affairs that are in the earth.

For nothing so makes a man ignorant of himself as being nailed to the things of this life;

and nothing again so prepares a man to be nailed to the affairs of this life as being ignorant of himself;

for these two things are bound up with one another.

For just as he who loves outward glory, and counts present things great, though he strive ten thousand times, is not permitted to see himself clearly;

so he who despises these things will easily know himself;

and having learned himself, he will proceed by an orderly path to all the other parts of virtue as well.

In order, then, that we may learn this excellent knowledge, being freed from all things perishable that kindle in us so great a flame, and having learned our own worthlessness, let us display all lowliness of mind and true wisdom, that we may attain both the present and the good things to come, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father be glory, might, and honor, together with the Holy and good Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.