Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 75

'Woe unto you, because you build the tombs of the prophets, and adorn the sepulchres of them, and you say:'

'If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'

It is not because they build, nor because they accuse those men, that He says 'Woe';

but because both by this and by what they say—while pretending to condemn their fathers—they do worse things.

That the condemnation was a pretence, Luke declares, saying, 'For you also consent, in that you build.'

'For woe unto you,' He says, 'because you build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.'

'So then you bear witness and consent to the works of your fathers;'

'in that they indeed killed them, but you build their sepulchres.'

For here He censures the disposition with which they built;

namely, that not out of honour for the slain, but as though making a triumphal show of the slaughters, and fearing lest in time, when the tombs had been effaced, the proof and memory of so great an audacity should fade away, for this reason they built the tombs—setting up, as it were, some trophy in the splendid structures, and glorying and displaying themselves in the daring deeds of those men.

For the things now being dared by you show that you do these very things in this same manner.

For even though you say the contrary, He means, as though condemning them—saying, for instance, that 'We would not, if we had been in those days, have been partakers with them'—

yet the disposition that utters these things is manifest.

Wherefore also, uncovering it—enigmatically indeed, yet nevertheless—He has spoken.

'You say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets;'

'So that you bear witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.'

And what charge is it to be the son of a murderer, if one does not share in the father's disposition? None.

Whence it is plain that He brings this against them for this very reason, hinting at their kinship in wickedness.

And this also that which follows makes clear;

for as those men resembled their forebears in the corruption of the poison, so also do you resemble your fathers in the murderous bent.

Then, since He was scrutinizing a disposition that was hidden from the multitude, He establishes what He has said from the things they were about to dare, which would be plain to all.

For since He had said, 'So that you bear witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets'—declaring that He speaks of the kinship in wickedness, and that it was a fabrication to say, 'We would not have been partakers with them'—He added:

'And you—fill up the measure of your fathers!'

not commanding, but foretelling what was to come;

that is to say, His own slaying.

For this reason, then, having brought forward the reproof, and having shown that the things they said were fabrications by which

they were making a defence on their own behalf, such as, 'We would not have been partakers with them';

(For those who did not keep their hands from the Master, how should they have kept them from the servants?) In what follows He employs still more vehement language, calling them serpents and offspring of vipers, and saying:

How shall you flee from the judgment of hell, while you dare such things, and deny them, and conceal your intent? Then, convicting them yet again from another quarter and out of abundance, He says: I will send unto you prophets and wise men and scribes, and some of them you will kill and crucify, and in your synagogues you will scourge.

For lest they should say, 'Even if we crucified the Master, yet we would have kept our hands from the servants, had we lived in those days,'

'Behold,' He says, 'I send you servants also, prophets even as they were, and not even them will you spare.'

And He says these things to show that it is nothing strange that He should be slain by those sons, who are murderous and treacherous, full of much guile, and surpass their fathers in audacity.

And besides what has been said, He shows them to be exceedingly vainglorious as well.

For indeed, when they say, 'If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them,' they speak out of vainglory, philosophizing in words only, while in their deeds they do the very opposite.

'Serpents, offspring of vipers'—

that is, 'Wicked children of the wicked, and worse than those who begot you.'

For He shows that they dared greater things, both in daring after those men, and in daring things far more grievous than theirs, and this while reckoning up matters precisely, as though they would never have fallen into the same offenses.

For they themselves bring on the consummation,

and the crowning point of their evils.

For those slew the men who came to the vineyard,

but these slew the Son also, and those who invited to the wedding feast.

And He says these things to sever them from kinship with Abraham, and to show that they have no gain from that source, unless they imitate his works.

How shall you escape from the judgment of hell, imitating those who dared such things? And here He also reminded them of John's accusation;

for he too had called them by that name;

and He put them in mind of the judgment to come.

Then, since neither judgment nor hell alarmed them—because of their unbelief, and because the matter lay in the future—He restrains them by things present, and says:

Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets and scribes, and some of them you will kill, and crucify, and scourge;

that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom you slew between the temple and the altar.

Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation.

See from how many quarters He secured His case against them. He said, 'You condemn your fathers,' by the very words in which you say, 'We would not have shared with them';

and this was no small thing toward putting them to shame.

He said, 'While condemning them, you yourselves do worse';

and this too was enough to shame them.

He said, 'These things shall not be unpunished,' and thereby instilled in them an unspeakable fear;

at any rate, He reminded them of hell.

Then, since that lay in the future, He set before them the terrors that were present as well;

'For all these things shall come,' He says, 'upon this generation.'

He added an unspeakable severity to the punishment as well, saying that they should suffer things more grievous than all;

and by none of these things did they become any better.

And why then do they suffer things more grievous than all? We would say: because they also dared things more grievous than all, and by none of the things that had happened were they brought to their senses.

Or have you not heard Lamech saying:

'Of Lamech vengeance is taken seventy times seven'? that is, 'I am worthy of more punishments than Cain.'

Why so? And yet he did not slay a brother;

but because not even by the example was he brought to his senses.

And this is what God says in another place:

'Repaying the sins of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation, to them that hate Me';

not as though others paid the penalty for what had been dared by others, but as though those who, after many had sinned and been chastised, did not become better, but committed the same offenses, and were justly liable to undergo the punishments of those before them as well.

See how seasonably He called Abel also to mind, showing that this murder too was the offspring of envy.

What then could you have to say? For surely you have not failed to learn what Cain suffered? Did God pass over in silence what had been done? Did He not exact the most severe penalty? Have you not heard how many things your fathers suffered when they slew the prophets? Were they not given over to countless punishments and torments? How then have you not become better men? And why do I speak of the punishments of your fathers, and of what they suffered? You yourself, who have passed sentence upon your fathers, how is it that you act more wickedly still? For you yourselves have declared that He will miserably destroy those wicked men.

What pardon, then, will you henceforth have, daring such deeds after passing such a sentence? But who is this Zacharias? Some say he was the father of John;

but others say he was a certain priest bearing two names, whom the Scripture also calls Jehoiada.

But do you consider this, that the outrage was twofold.

For they were slaying not only holy men, but slaying them also in a holy place.

And in saying these things, He was not only striking fear into those men, but was also consoling His disciples, showing that the righteous who lived before them had suffered these same things.

And He was striking fear into these men, foretelling that just as those of old paid the penalty, so also these would suffer the uttermost things.

For this reason He calls them prophets and wise men and scribes, and hereby again takes away every excuse of theirs.

For you cannot say, He declares, that 'You sent us men from the Gentiles, and on that account we were offended';

but it was their being murderous and thirsting after blood that led them to this.

Wherefore He also said beforehand, 'For this cause I send prophets and scribes.'

This too all the prophets laid to their charge, saying, 'They mingle blood with blood';

and that they are men of blood.

For this reason He commanded that even the blood be offered to Him, showing that if it is so precious in the case of a brute beast, much more so in the case of a man.

'I will avenge all blood that is shed.'

And one may find countless other such ordinances given for their not committing murder;

wherefore He did not even permit them to eat what was strangled.

Oh, the loving-kindness of God, that even foreknowing they would gain nothing, He nevertheless did what pertained to Himself!

For I send them, He says, even knowing this, that they will be slain.

So that from this too they were convicted of speaking to no purpose when they said,

'We would not have been partakers with our fathers.'

For these men too slew prophets, and slew them in the synagogues;

and they reverenced neither the place itself, nor the dignity of the persons.

For they slew not merely chance persons, but prophets and wise men, so that they could bring no charge against them.

And by 'these' He means the apostles and those who came after them;

for indeed many were prophesying.

Then, wishing to heighten their fear, He says:

'Verily, verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation';

that is, 'Upon your own heads I will turn all these things, and I will make the retribution severe.'

For he who knows that many have sinned, and yet is not brought to his senses, but himself again commits the very same sins, and not the same only, but even far more grievous ones, would justly be liable to a punishment far more grievous than theirs.

For just as, had he been willing, he might have gained great profit by becoming better through the examples of others;

so, since he remained uncorrected, he is liable to a greater punishment, inasmuch as he had enjoyed more admonition through those who had sinned and been punished before him, and yet reaped no benefit from it.

Then He turns His discourse toward the city, and wishing by this means also to instruct His hearers, He says:

What does the repetition mean? This form of speech belongs to one who is pitying her and bewailing her, and loving her exceedingly.

For just as toward a beloved one who has been loved continually, but who has despised her lover, and on that account is about to be punished, He now makes His defense as He is about to bring on the chastisement.

This He does also among the prophets, saying:

'I said, Return unto me, and she returned not.'

Then, having called her, He also names her acts of bloodshed:

'O you who kill the prophets, and stone those who are sent unto you, how often would I have gathered your children together, and you would not!' And by this too making His defense concerning His own dealings, He shows that not even by these deeds did you turn me away, nor cause me to withdraw from the great goodwill I bear toward you, but—

I willed it even thus, and not once or twice, but many times, to draw you to Myself.

For 'How often,' He says, 'would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not?' And He says this to show that they were ever scattering themselves abroad through their sins.

And by this image He displays His tender affection;

for indeed the creature is ardent in its care for its offspring.

And everywhere among the prophets this image of the wings appears—both in the Song of Moses and in the Psalms—setting forth the abundant shelter and providence.

'But you would not,' He says.

'Behold, your house is left unto you desolate';

stripped bare of the help that comes from Me.

So then it was He who in former times stood before them as their protector, and held them together and sustained them;

so then it is He who ever chastises them.

And He sets before them a punishment which they had ever dreaded exceedingly;

for this signified the complete overthrow of their commonwealth.

'For I say unto you, you shall not see Me henceforth, until you shall say, Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.'

And this is the word of one who loves vehemently, drawing them powerfully even by things to come, and not putting them to shame by things past only;

for here He speaks of the day to come of His second coming.

What then? Did they not see Him thereafter? But it is not that hour which He indicates by saying 'Henceforth,' but the time up to the cross.

For since they were ever bringing this charge against Him, that He was some rival of God and an enemy to God, from this very point He urges them to love Him, by showing Himself to be in agreement with the Father; and He shows that He was the One who spoke in the prophets.

Wherefore also He has used the very same words which the prophet also used.

And by these words He hinted also at the resurrection and at the second coming;

and He made plain even to those who utterly disbelieved that they would then assuredly worship Him.

And how did He make this plain? By first foretelling many things that were to be;

that they themselves should suffer the uttermost things;

that the house should be made desolate;

that they should undergo things more grievous than all others, and such as had never happened before.

For all these things were sufficient, even to the utterly senseless and contentious, to afford proof also of that which should come to pass at His coming.

Did He send prophets and wise men? They slew them in the synagogues. Was their house left desolate? Did all the things of vengeance come upon that generation? It is evident, and no one will gainsay it.

As therefore all these things came to pass, so also shall those come to pass, and they shall then assuredly bow down.

But there is no profit to them from this for their defense, just as neither is there to those who then repent for their commonwealth's sake.

Wherefore, while there is yet time, let us do good works.

For just as to them their knowledge is thereafter of no profit, so neither to ourselves is our repentance for wickedness.

For neither to a pilot, when the sea has swept the vessel away through his own negligence, nor to a physician, when the patient has departed, will there be any advantage;

but each of these must contrive and busy himself with all things before the end, so as to fall into no danger nor into any shame;

but after these things all his efforts are unavailing.

We too, therefore, while we are yet in the sickness, let us call in physicians, and expend money, and bring to bear unceasing diligence, that rising up from our evil, we may depart hence in health.

And as much forethought as we exercise concerning our own servants when their bodies are sick, so much let us display concerning our own selves when our soul is sick.

And yet we are nearer to ourselves than to our household servants, and our souls are more needful than their bodies;

but nevertheless it would be a welcome thing if we should bring to bear at least equal diligence.

For if we do not do this now, when we have departed there is thereafter nothing to be reaped by way of defense.

'And who is so wretched,' one may say, 'as not to display even so much forethought?' For this is the marvel, that we are so dishonored in our own eyes as to despise ourselves even more than our household servants.

For when our servants are in a fever, we both call in physicians, and set apart a room, and constrain them to obey the rules of that art;

For these things we become harsh toward them, and we set guards over them, who do not permit them, even when they wish, to fulfil their own desire.

And if those who care for them say that medicines must be prepared at great cost, we yield.

And whatever they command, we obey, and we pay them wages for these prescriptions.

Nay rather, there is no time when we are not toiling.

But we neither bring in a physician nor spend money; rather, as though it were some executioner and foe and enemy that lay there, so do we neglect the soul.

And I say these things not as finding fault with the care given to servants, but demanding that we should bestow at least as much care upon our own soul.

"And how might we do so?" one says.

Show it to Paul when it is sick.

Hear from them what one who is thus ailing must do.

Assuredly they will tell you, and will not hide it.

For indeed they have not died, but live and speak.

But does it not attend, being held fast by the fever? Do you constrain it, and rouse its faculty of reason.

There is no money to lay down for these physicians.

For neither do they demand a fee for themselves, nor for the medicines which they prepare do they cast you into the necessity of expense—except for the giving of alms.

In other matters they even give you more; for instance, when they bid you to be temperate, they deliver you from untimely and unseemly expenditures.

When they bid you abstain from drunkenness, they make you more prosperous.

Have you seen the art of physicians who, together with health, furnish money too? Sit down beside them, then, and learn from them the nature of your disease.

For example, do you often lust after money and covetousness, as those in fever crave cold water? Hear then what they counsel.

For just as the physician says to you:

"If you gratify your craving, you will perish, and you will undergo this and that,"

so also does he say: "They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare of the devil, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition."

But are you without endurance? Hear him saying:

"Yet a little while, and he that is coming will come, and will not tarry."

"The fashion of this world passes away."

For he does not merely command, but also comforts, like a physician.

And just as those physicians devise certain other things in place of cold water, so too does he redirect the desire into another channel.

Do you desire to lay up treasure? I in no way forbid it.

And just as the physician says that cold water is harmful to teeth, sinews, and bones,

so he himself also speaks, more concisely indeed, inasmuch as he cultivates brevity, yet far more clearly and more powerfully:

"For the love of money is a root of all evils," he says.

What then must one use? He tells this also:

Contentment in place of covetousness.

"For godliness with contentment is great gain," he says.

But if you are impatient, and desire more, and are not yet able to cast away all that is superfluous, he tells even the one so sick how he ought to use these things also.

"That those who rejoice over possessions may be as though not rejoicing;"

"and those who possess, as though not holding fast;"

"and those who use this world, as though not misusing it."

Have you seen what manner of things he enjoins? Do you wish that I bring in yet another physician besides this one? To me at least it seems good.

For these physicians are not like those of the body, who often, vying with one another in rivalry, have sunk the sick man.

For they look to the health of the ailing, not to their own ambition.

Do not, therefore, be afraid of their multitude;

One Teacher speaks in them all, even Christ.

Behold, then, yet another entering in, and speaking severe things concerning this disease;

or rather, it is the Teacher who speaks through him:

'For ye cannot serve God and mammon.'

And how shall these things be? How shall we cease from the desire? From this too it is possible to learn.

And how shall we know? Hear Him saying this also:

'Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.'

Seest thou how, from the place, from the things

that ruin them, He leads away from this earthly desire, and nails us to heaven, where all things are beyond destruction? For if you transfer your wealth thither, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal, you will both repel this disease and establish your soul in the greatest abundance.

And together with the things He has spoken, He also brings forward an example into the midst, to bring you to soberness.

And just as the physician, to frighten the sick man, says, 'Such a one, having used cold water, perished';

so too He Himself brings in the rich man, sick indeed, and desiring life and health, yet not able to obtain it, because he craves after covetousness, but going away empty.

And after this one, another evangelist again shows you yet another, the man broiling in the flames, who was not even master of a single drop.

Then, showing that His commandments are easy, He says, 'Behold the fowls of the air.'

And being condescending, He does not suffer even the rich to despair.

'For the things which are impossible with men are possible with God,' He says.

For even if you are rich, the Physician is able to heal you.

For He did not do away with being rich, but with being a slave of riches and a lover of covetousness.

How, then, is it possible for the rich man to be saved?

By holding his possessions in common with those in need, as Job did, and by banishing from his soul the desire for more, and nowhere going beyond the necessary need.

Together with these, He shows you also this very tax-collector, who was held fast by the fever of covetousness, yet was speedily delivered.

For what is more of a huckster than a tax-collector? Yet nonetheless the man became free of possessions, from obeying the laws of the Physician.

For indeed He has disciples of this sort, who were sick with these same diseases as we, and were speedily made whole.

And He shows us each of them, so that we may not despair.

Behold, then, this tax-collector.

Consider again another, a chief tax-collector;

who promised to give fourfold for what he had seized by extortion, and half of all that he possessed, in order to receive Jesus.

But are you inflamed and do you exceedingly desire riches? Have the goods of all men instead of your own.

'For I give you more than you seek,' He says, 'opening to you the houses of the wealthy throughout the whole world.'

'For whosoever hath forsaken father, or mother, or lands, or house, shall receive an hundredfold.'

Thus you will not only enjoy more, but will also utterly destroy this grievous thirst, and will bear all things with ease, not only not craving after more, but oftentimes not even after things necessary.

Thus Paul hungers, and glories in it more than when he was eating.

Since an athlete too, while contending and being crowned, would not choose to give over and to be at ease;

and a merchant, having laid hold of the passages of the sea, would not desire to be henceforth in idleness.

We too, therefore, if we taste as we ought of the spiritual fruits, will henceforth account the things present to be nothing, being seized, as by some most excellent intoxication, by the desire of the things to come.

Let us taste, therefore, that we may both be delivered from the tumult of things present, and attain the good things to come, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the might, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.