Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 5

Now all this came to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel. I.

I hear many saying that, while we are present and enjoying the hearing, we are restrained and subdued;

but when we have gone out, we again become other men instead of what we were, quenching the fire of our zeal.

What then might come to pass, so that this may not happen? Let us consider from what source it arises.

From what source, then, does so great a change come upon us? From unbecoming occupation, and from the company of wicked men.

For we ought not, on withdrawing from the assembly, to cast ourselves into affairs unbefitting the assembly;

but immediately on coming home, to take up the book, and to summon our wife and children to share in the gathering-up of the things that have been said, and only then to lay hold of the affairs of daily life.

For if, on coming from the bath, you would not choose to plunge into the marketplace, so as not to spoil by the marketplace affairs the refreshment gained there;

much more ought we to do this on coming from the assembly.

But as it is, we do the very opposite;

and for this very reason we lose everything.

For while the benefit of the things spoken has not yet been well fixed within us, the great rush of the things that assail us from without sweeps everything away and is gone.

In order, then, that this may not happen, on withdrawing from the assembly, make nothing more necessary than the gathering-up of the things that have been said.

For it would be the utmost thanklessness, while apportioning five and six days to the affairs of daily life, not to give even one day to spiritual things—or rather, not even a small part of the day.

Do you not see our children, how the lessons that they have received, these they practice throughout the whole day? Let us also do this very thing;

since otherwise there will be no more profit to us from our coming here than to those who draw water into a pierced jar day by day, and who bestow not even so much diligence upon the safe-keeping of the things spoken as we display concerning gold and silver.

For when a man has received a few denarii, he lays them away in a purse and sets a seal upon it;

but we, though receiving oracles more precious than gold and than costly stones, and though welcoming the treasures of the Spirit, lay them not away in the storehouses of the soul, but simply and carelessly let them flow out of our mind.

Who then will henceforth have mercy on us, who plot against ourselves and cast ourselves into so great a poverty? In order, then, that this may not happen, let us write for ourselves an immovable law—for ourselves and for our wives and for our children—to dedicate this one whole day of the week to the hearing and to the gathering-up of the things heard.

For thus we shall come better prepared to learn the things that are yet to be spoken, and the toil will be less for us, and the gain greater for you, when, bringing the things previously spoken

in remembrance, you thus hear the things that come after.

For this too contributes in no small measure to the understanding of the things spoken: to know with accuracy the sequence of the thoughts that are woven together for you by us.

For since it is not possible to lay down everything in a single day, take the things laid down for you over many days, and, making of them as it were a chain by the continuity of memory, thus wrap them about the soul, so that the whole body of the Scriptures may appear entire.

Having therefore reminded ourselves of the things lately spoken, let us thus today also proceed to the matters set before us.

And what are the matters set before us today? 'Now all this came to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying.'

Worthily of the marvel, as far as was possible for him, he cried aloud, saying:

For when he beheld the sea and the abyss of God's lovingkindness, and that which had never been hoped for coming to pass in deed, and the laws of nature loosed, and reconciliations taking place, and Him who is above all descending to him who is beneath all, and the middle walls of partition broken down, and the hindrances taken away, and many other things far greater than these coming to pass, in a single utterance he set forth the marvel, saying:

'Now all this came to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord.'

For do not think, he says, that these things have now first been decreed;

which very thing Paul also everywhere was zealous to show.

And he refers Joseph henceforth to Isaiah, so that even if, on being awakened, he should forget his own words as but recently spoken, he might, being reminded of the prophetic sayings—among which he had continually conversed—retain also the things spoken to him.

And to the woman he had said none of these things, seeing that she was a young maiden and inexperienced in such matters;

but with the man, being both righteous and one who studied the prophets, he discourses from this source.

And before this he says, 'Mary thy wife';

but here, when he has drawn the prophet into the midst, then he entrusts to him the name of virginity;

for he would not have remained thus untroubled, hearing from him of a virgin, had he not first heard it also from Isaiah.

For it was nothing strange, but the customary thing, long meditated upon, that he was about to hear from the prophet.

For this reason the angel, making the saying easy to receive, brings Isaiah into the midst.

And not even here does he stop, but he refers the word up to God;

for he says that the saying is not that of Isaiah himself, but of the God of all.

For this reason he did not say, 'That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah,' but, 'That which was spoken by the Lord.'

For the mouth indeed was Isaiah's, but the oracle was borne from above.

What then does this oracle say? 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel.'

How then, one asks, was his name not called Emmanuel, but Jesus Christ? Because he did not say, 'Thou shalt call,' but, 'They shall call'—that is, the multitudes, and the outcome of events.

For here he sets down a name derived from the event;

and this is a custom of Scripture: to put the events that come to pass in place of names.

Therefore the words 'They shall call him Emmanuel' signify nothing else than that 'They shall see God among men';

for he had indeed always been with men, but never so manifestly.

But if the Jews should behave shamelessly, we shall ask them:

When was the child ever called, 'Quickly despoil, swiftly plunder'? They would not be able to say.

How then did the prophet say:

'Call his name, Quickly despoil'? Because at his birth there took place a seizing and dividing of spoils.

For this reason he sets down, as his name, the event that came to pass concerning him.

'And the city,' he says, 'shall be called a city of righteousness, a faithful mother-city, Zion.'

Yet nowhere do we find that the city was called 'Righteousness'; rather it continued to be called Jerusalem.

But since this came to pass—that the city was changed for the better—for that reason he said that it should be so called.

For whenever some event comes to pass which, more clearly than any title, makes known the one who accomplishes it or enjoys its benefit, he says that the truth of the matter is the man's name.

But if, being silenced from this quarter, they should seek another point—the saying concerning virginity—and should bring forward against us other translators, saying, 'They did not say virgin, but...'—

first we shall say this: that the Seventy would with justice be held more worthy of credence than all the rest.

For those others made their translation after the coming of Christ, remaining Jews;

and they might justly be suspected, as having spoken rather out of hostility, and deliberately obscuring the prophecies.

But the Seventy, who came to this task a hundred years and more before the coming of Christ, and being so many in number, are free from all such suspicion; and by reason of the time, and of their multitude, and of their agreement, they would with greater justice be believed.

But even if they should bring forward the testimony of those others, even so the victory rests with us.

For indeed the word 'young woman' is used of virginity;

Scripture is accustomed to apply it not to women only, but also to men.

For 'young men,' it says, 'and virgins, old men with the young.'

And again, speaking about a maiden who is being wronged, it says, 'If the young woman cry out'—that is, the virgin.

And what was said before this also establishes this argument.

For he did not say simply, 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive';

but having first said, 'Behold, the Lord himself shall give you a sign,' he then added:

'Behold, the virgin shall conceive.'

And yet, if she who was to conceive were not a virgin, but this came about by the law of marriage, what kind of sign would that which took place be? For the sign must transcend the ordinary course of things, and be strange and out of the common;

otherwise, how could it be a sign? Now Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him.

Do you see his obedience, and his submissive mind? Do you see a soul that is wakeful, and in all things incorruptible? For neither, when he suspected something distasteful and unseemly, did he consent to retain the Virgin, nor, when he was freed from this suspicion, did he endure to cast her out;

but he both keeps her, and ministers to the whole dispensation.

'And he took unto him Mary his wife.'

Do you see how continually the evangelist sets down this name, not wishing that mystery to be uncovered for the present, and doing away with that wicked suspicion? And having taken her, 'he knew her not until she had brought forth her firstborn Son.'

He said 'until' here, not that you should suspect that after this he knew her, but that you might learn that before the birth-pangs the Virgin was altogether untouched.

'For what reason then,' one may ask, 'did he set down the word until?' Because it is the custom of Scripture often to do this, and not to use this expression only of determinate times.

For indeed, concerning the ark also, it says:

'The raven returned not until the earth was dried up';

and yet it did not return even after this.

And again, speaking concerning God, it says:

'From everlasting and unto everlasting, thou art';

not thereby setting any limits.

And again, bringing good tidings and saying:

'In his days shall righteousness spring up, and abundance of peace, until the moon be taken away';

not thereby setting an end to this fair luminary.

So then here also he said 'until,' making sure what was before the birth-pangs, but leaving to you to reckon out what came after.

For what it was necessary for you to learn from him, this he himself has told—that the Virgin was untouched until the birth;

but that which, from what was said, appeared to follow logically and was acknowledged, this he leaves for the rest to you to perceive;

namely, that not even after this would that righteous man have submitted to know her thenceforth, seeing that she had become a mother in such a manner, and had been counted worthy of new birth-pangs and strange childbearing.

For if he had known her, and held her in the rank of a wife, how is it that he entrusts her, as unprotected and having no one, to the disciple, and commands him to take her to his own home? How then, one may ask, are those about James called his brothers? Just as he too was reputed to be the husband of Mary.

For many were the veils drawn over it, so that for the time this childbirth might be shrouded.

Wherefore John also called them thus, saying:

'For neither did his brothers believe in him.'

But nevertheless those who did not believe at first became admirable and illustrious afterwards.

At any rate, when Paul and his company went up to Jerusalem for the sake of doctrines, they went in straightway to him.

For he was so admirable that he was the first to be entrusted with the office of oversight.

the office of oversight, being the first to be entrusted with it.

And they say that he gave himself to such severe discipline that all his limbs became deadened, and that from continual prayer and unceasing communion with the ground his forehead grew so hardened as to be in no better condition than a camel's knees, by reason of its callousness.

This man also, when Paul came up again to Jerusalem after these things, directs him, saying:

'You see, brother, how many myriads there are of those who have come together.'

So great was his understanding and his zeal;

or rather, so great was the power of Christ.

For those who tore him to pieces while he lived were, after his death, so amazed that they even died for his sake with great eagerness;

which most of all shows the might of the resurrection.

For this very reason the more brilliant things were reserved for later, that this demonstration might become indisputable.

For if we forget even those who were admired in life once they have departed from us, how did those who mocked this man while he lived afterwards suppose him to be God, if he were one of the many? And how could they have consented even to be slain for his sake, unless they had received a clear demonstration of the resurrection? IV.

But these things we say, not only that you should hear them, but that you should also imitate his manliness, his boldness of speech, and all his righteousness;

that no one should despair of himself, even though before this he was slothful;

that he should set his hopes on nothing else, next to the mercy of God, but on his own virtue.

For if these men reaped no benefit from such kinship, being of the same house and lineage as Christ, until they showed forth virtue, what pardon shall we be able to obtain, we who put forward righteous kinsmen and brethren, if we are not exceedingly virtuous and have not lived in virtue? For indeed the prophet, hinting at this very thing, said:

'A brother does not redeem; shall a man redeem?'—even though it be Moses, even though it be Samuel, even though it be Jeremiah.

Hear then what God says to him:

'Pray not for this people, for I will not hear you.'

And why do you marvel if I hear not you? For even Moses himself—

he says—if he were present, and Samuel, I would not have received their supplication on behalf of these.

And even if it were Ezekiel who entreated, he shall hear: 'Though Noah stand, and Job, and Daniel, they shall not deliver their sons and daughters.'

Even if it be Abraham the patriarch who intercedes on behalf of those who are grievously and incurably sick and who will not change, God will depart, forsaking him, so as not to accept his plea on their behalf.

And again, if it be Samuel who does this, He will say to him:

And if anyone should intercede unfittingly on behalf of a sister, he will hear once more that same word which Moses heard:

«If her father had but spat in her face...»

Let us not, then, stand gaping toward others.

For the prayers of the saints do indeed have very great power, but only when we ourselves also repent and become better.

Since even Moses, though he snatched his own brother and sixty myriads of the people from the wrath that was then sent from God, had not the strength to deliver his sister;

and yet the sin was not equal;

for she indeed had insulted Moses,

but there the deed that was dared was impiety.

But this question I leave to you;

I shall attempt rather to resolve one still harder than this.

For why need I speak of the sister? He who presided over so great a people had not the strength to secure enough even for himself, but after his countless labors and hardships, and his forty years of unwearied attendance, he was hindered from setting foot upon the land concerning which there had been so many promises and pledges.

What then was the cause? This favor would not have been to his profit, but would have carried much harm, and was destined to trip up many of the Jews.

For if, merely because they had been delivered from Egypt alone, they forsook God and sought after Moses, and reckoned everything to him;

if they had also seen him bringing them into the land of promise, to what depths of impiety would they not have run aground? For this very reason not even his tomb was made manifest.

And Samuel, too, had not the strength to release Saul from the wrath that came from above, yet he many times preserved the Israelites.

And Jeremiah did not avail for the Jews, yet he sheltered a certain other in his prophecy.

He delivered barbarians who were being slaughtered, but the Jews he did not deliver when they were being led away captive.

And in the Gospels also we shall see these two things happening not to different persons, but to the very same;

the same man now availing for himself, and now being betrayed.

For he who owed the ten thousand talents both delivered himself from the danger by his entreaty, and again had not the strength to do so;

while another, on the contrary, having first betrayed himself, was afterward able to render himself the greatest help.

And who is this? He who had devoured his father's substance.

So that if we are slothful, we shall not be able to be saved even through others;

but if we are sober and watchful, we shall have the strength to accomplish this even through ourselves — indeed through ourselves rather than through others.

For God is more willing to give the grace to us ourselves than to others on our behalf;

that we may both enjoy confidence before Him and become better, being diligent to appease His wrath.

It was thus He had mercy on the Canaanite woman;

thus He saved the harlot, thus the thief, no one having become a mediator or advocate.

And I say these things, not that we should refrain from beseeching the saints, but that we should not be slothful, nor, sinking down and slumbering ourselves, entrust our affairs to others alone.

For when He said, «Make to yourselves friends,» He did not stop merely at this, but added, «of the mammon of unrighteousness»;

that the good deed might again be your own;

for by this He hinted at nothing other than almsgiving.

And what is truly marvelous is that He does not deal strictly with us as to whether we abstain from injustice. For what He says is of this sort:

«Have you acquired ill? Spend it well.»

«Have you gathered unjustly? Scatter justly.»

And yet what sort of virtue is this, to give out of such gains? Nevertheless God, being a lover of mankind, condescends even to this;

and if we act even thus, He promises us many good things.

But we have come to such a pitch of insensibility that we do not give even out of what is unjustly gained;

rather, while we plunder ten thousandfold, if we lay down but a tiny portion, we suppose we have discharged the whole.

Have you not heard Paul saying that «he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly»? Why then are you sparing? Is the matter an expense? Is it an outlay? It is an income and a trade.

Where there is trade, there also is increase;

where there is sowing, there also is harvest.

But you, if you were about to cultivate rich and deep soil, able to receive many seeds, would even cast forth what you had, and would borrow from others as well, reckoning that in such a case sparing is loss;

yet when you are about to cultivate heaven — which is subject to no inconstancy of climate, but will assuredly repay with abundant increase what is laid down — you shrink back and draw away, and do not consider that it is possible by sparing to lose, and by not sparing to gain.

Scatter, therefore, that you may not lose;

do not hold fast, that you may hold fast;

And if it be needful that they be guarded, do not you guard them;

for no one plunders from thence.

Nor indeed do you know how to gain;

rather, lend to Him who renders the interest greater than the principal.

Lend where there is no envy, where there is no accusation, nor plot, nor fear.

Lend to Him who has need of nothing, yet has need for your sake;

to Him who nourishes all, yet hungers, that you may not go hungry;

to Him who becomes poor, that you may become rich.

Lend where the fruit reaped is not death, but life instead of death;

for these forms of interest procure a kingdom, but those procure hell;

for the one springs from covetousness, the other from true wisdom;

and the one from cruelty, the other from love of mankind.

What excuse, then, shall we have, when — though it is permitted us to receive more, and with security, and at the fitting season, and in much freedom, and without mockeries and fears and dangers — forsaking these, we pursue those shameful and paltry and precarious and perishing gains, which procure for us the great furnace? For there is nothing, nothing more shameful than the interest of this world, nothing more cruel.

For such a man trades upon the misfortunes of others, and makes another's calamity his own income, and demands a wage for his kindness, as though he feared to appear merciful; and under the guise of kindness he digs the pit yet deeper —

in the very act of helping, he grinds down poverty the more, and in the very act of stretching out his hand, he thrusts down; and while receiving the man as into a harbor, he wraps him about with shipwreck, casting him as upon a reef and a sunken rock and a crag.

«What then,» you say, «am I to give the silver I have collected, which is useful to me as well, to another for his work, and to demand no wage?» Away with the thought!

I do not say this; rather, I earnestly desire that you should receive a wage — yet not a paltry and small one, but one far greater;

for instead of gold, I desire that you receive heaven as your interest.

Why then do you shut yourself up in poverty, dragging along the ground, and demanding little in place of great things? For this is the mark of one who knows not how to be rich.

For when God promises you, in place of a little money, the good things that are in the heavens, and you say, «Give me not heaven, but instead of heaven the gold that perishes,» this is to will to remain in poverty.

Since he who truly desires wealth and abundance will choose the abiding before the perishing, the incorruptible before the consumable, the many before the few, the undefiled before the corruptible.

For he who seeks the earth before heaven shall by all means fall away from this earth also;

But he who prefers that life to this one shall enjoy both, and that in exceeding abundance.

And that this may come to pass in us also, let us despise all things here below, and choose the good things that are to come.

For thus shall we obtain both these and those, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and power unto the ages of ages.