Luke 1:24–80

During the time of their course, the priests of the temple were so occupied by their office, that they kept themselves not only from the society of their wives, but even from the very threshold of their houses. Hence it is said, And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days were accomplished, &c. For as there was then required a priestly succession from the root of Aaron, of necessity then a time was appointed for keeping up the inheritance. But as now not a carnal succession, but spiritual perfection, is looked for, the priests are enjoined (in order that they might ever be able to serve the altar) the perpetual observance of chastity. It follows: But after those days, &c. that is, after the days of Zacharias's ministration were completed. But these things were done in the month of September, the twenty-second day of the month, upon which the Jews were bound to observe the feast of the Tabernacles, just before the equinox, at which the night began to be longer than the day, because Christ must increase, but John must decrease. And those days of fasting were not without their meaning; for by the mouth of John, repentance and mortification were to be preached to men. It follows: And she hid herself. (see John 3:30.)

Now mystically by Zacharias may be signified the Jewish Priesthood, by Elisabeth the law itself; which, well administered by the teaching of the Priests, ought to have borne spiritual children to God, but was not able, because the Law made no one perfect. (Heb. 7:19, 1 Tim. 1:8.) Both were just, because the law is good, and the Priesthood for that time holy; both were well stricken in years, because at Christ's coming both the Law and Priesthood were just bending to old age. Zacharias enters the temple, because it is the priest's office to enter into the sanctuary of heavenly mysteries. There was a multitude without the doors, because the multitude cannot penetrate mysteries. When he places frankincense on the altar, he discovers that John will be born; for while the teachers are kindled with the flame of divine reading, they find the grace of God flow to them through Jesus: and this is done by an angel, for the Law was ordained by angels. (Gal. 3:19.)

And yet Elisabeth conceives John, because the more inward parts of the Law abound with sacraments of Christ. She conceals her conception five months, because Moses in five books set forth the mysteries of Christ; or because the dispensation of Christ is represented by the words or deeds of the saints, in the five ages of the world.

Great care is given to modesty by the saints, so that often shame is in their very desires; as we observe in this place the holy Elizabeth, who desired to have children and concealed herself for five months. What is the reason for this concealment, if not modesty? For there is a prescribed age for everyone's duty: and what is fitting at one time is not fitting at another; the change of age often changes the nature of an action.

She who was hiding herself, because she had conceived a son, began to boast because she was giving birth to a prophet. And she who was ashamed before, now gives blessings; and she who was doubtful before, is strengthened. Behold, she says, how the voice of your greeting has become in my ears, the baby in my womb rejoiced with joy. Therefore, she cried out with a loud voice when she sensed the coming of the Lord; because she believed in the religious birth. For there was no cause for shame, when she bore a prophet, not acquiring faith in the generation by pretense.

What reason then for concealment, except shame? For there are certain allowed times in wedlock, when it is becoming to attend to the begetting of children; while the years thrive, while there is hope of child-bearing. But when in good time old age has come on, and the period of life is more fitted for governing children, than begetting them, it is a shame to bear about the signs of pregnancy, however lawful. It is a shame to be laden with the burden of another age, and for the womb to swell with the fruit of not one's own time of life. It was a shame then to her on account of her age; and hence we may understand the reason why they did not at this time come together, for surely she who blushed not at their coming together in their old age, would not blush at her child-bearing; and yet she blushes at the parental burden, while she yet is unconscious of the religious mystery. But she who hid herself because she had conceived a son, began to glory that she carried in her womb a prophet.

After these days, Elizabeth, his wife, conceived. Specifically, after the days of Zacharias' duty were completed. John, the bishop of the city of Constantinople, mentioning this most holy conception, said: "These events occurred in the month of September, on the eighth day before the Kalends of October, when the moon was beginning its eleventh day, at the time when it was necessary for the Jews to celebrate the fast of Scenopegia. And it was found that the same day, the eighth day before the Kalends of October, was the equinox, on which the beginning of the night is longer than the day. For he must increase, but I must decrease," (John 3). Indeed, the light had been diminished by the darkness, when the Jews, according to the law and prophecy, offered sacrifices to God; in which time John was conceived. For these are the things that were offered for the people's sins, which were to cease when John, the Baptist, was conceived. And therefore, Zacharias, his father, a priest of the Jews, became mute, because their sacrifices, which were offered for the people's sins, had to cease and fall silent. For the only priest was coming, who from his own lamb offered as a sacrifice, would offer the sacrifice to God for the sins of all. From the words of the Blessed John, we are taught that on the first day after the day of atonement, the change of the priestly order was celebrated, and therefore on this day the conception of the Lord's forerunner occurred. This day, not by chance, is a day of fasting and affliction foretold by the angel, because through him affliction of repentance was to be preached to men.

And Elisabeth rightly hides her conception for five months, whether because the lawgiver Moses in five books mystically designated the mysteries of Christ, or because the entire series of the Old Testament prefigures that same dispensation of Christ through the deeds or words of saintly people in the five ages of the world. And therefore, because the incarnation of Christ would happen either in the sixth age of the world or to fulfill the law, it is rightly in the sixth month of Elisabeth's conception that the angel was sent to Mary to announce that the Savior would be born, as the following lesson in order explains.

Secondly, a fruitful conception is intimated, when he says: But after these days Elizabeth conceived: as is said in 1 Kings 1: "After the cycle of days Anna conceived." After the days of his office: in which it is shown that carnal things are to be set after spiritual things; and therefore below in chapter ten: "Mary has chosen the best part."

Thirdly, a modest concealment is described, when it is said: And she hid herself for five months. For this was a sign of humility and modesty: not like Hagar the handmaid, of whom it is said in Genesis 16 that "seeing that she had conceived, she despised her mistress." The reason for this is well given in the Gloss of Ambrose. — But spiritually we are instructed that the conception of a holy purpose is to be hidden at the beginning, as is said in Matthew 13: "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field"; where Gregory says: "The found treasure is hidden, so that it may be preserved, because he who does not hide it from human praise does not suffice to guard the zeal of heavenly desire from malign spirits."

Elizabeth hid herself because of Zechariah's grief. Or alternatively, she hid herself because she was ashamed on account of the fact that she had resumed intercourse. So it was because of her old age that Elizabeth hid herself. But see, Moses did not write in relation to Sarah that she hid herself, when at the age of ninety she carried Isaac, nor with regard to Rebecca, who was pregnant with twins. Elizabeth hid herself for five months, until her infant would be sufficiently formed in his members to exult before his Lord, and because Mary was about to receive the annunciation.

Truly He has loosed her barrenness, a supernatural gift He has bestowed upon her, and the unfruitful rock has produced the green blade. He has taken away her disgrace, in that He has made her to bring forth. Hence it follows: In the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

(Homil. de Anna.) Her joy therefore is twofold. The Lord has taken away from her the mark of barrenness, and also given her an illustrious offspring. In the case of other births, the coming together of the parents only occurs; this birth was the effect of heavenly grace.

And therefore he says, Five months, that is, until Mary should conceive, and her babe leaping with joy should prophesy.

And though she might blush at the time of her child-bearing, on the other hand she rejoiced that she was free from reproach, saying, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me.

For it is a shame among women not to receive that reward of marriage, which is the only cause of their being married.

And she hid herself for five months, saying, "Thus has the Lord dealt with me in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people." How much care the saints take to admit nothing shameful that should make them blush is shown by Elisabeth, who is even embarrassed by the gifts she desired to receive. And although she rejoices in the removal of the reproach of sterility, she is modest regarding the birth in her advanced age. But the burden of motherhood is a cause of shame only as long as the honor of having a child remains hidden. For she who concealed herself because she had conceived a son, when the blessed Mother of God came in, joyfully exclaimed, because she was about to bear a prophet.

Fourthly, a joyful exultation is touched upon in recognition of the benefit, at: Saying, Because the Lord has done thus for me. Similarly Genesis 21: "The Lord has made laughter for me: whoever hears of it will laugh with me." — In the days in which he looked upon me to take away my reproach among men, the reproach, namely, of barrenness: Genesis 30: "Rachel conceived and bore a son, saying: God has taken away my reproach." This was a reproach among men, on account of that passage in Deuteronomy 7: "There shall not be one barren among you of either sex." Whence it is said in 1 Kings 1 that "her rival afflicted Anna so greatly as to reproach her that the Lord had closed her womb." And on account of this she rejoiced, according to that passage of the Psalm: "Who makes the barren woman to dwell in a house, a joyful mother of children."

Elizabeth, being chaste, was ashamed and, having conceived in old age, "hid herself five months," until Mary also conceived. When she (Mary) also conceived, and the baby "leaped in her womb" (Elizabeth's), she no longer hid herself and even carried herself boldly, as the mother of such a son who even before his birth was honored with the dignity of a prophet.

Scripture has rightly mentioned that she was espoused, as well as a virgin, a virgin, that she might appear free from all connection with man; espoused, that she might not be branded with the disgrace of sullied virginity, whose swelling womb seemed to bear evident marks of her corruption. But the Lord had rather that men should cast a doubt upon His birth than upon His mother's purity. He knew how tender is a virgin's modesty, and how easily assailed the reputation of her chastity, nor did He think the credit of His birth was to be built up by His mother's wrongs. It follows therefore, that the holy Mary's virginity was of as untainted purity as it was also of unblemished reputation. Nor ought there, by an erroneous opinion, to be left the shadow of an excuse to living virgins, that the mother of our Lord even seemed to be evil spoken of. But what could be imputed to the Jews, or to Herod, if they should seem to have persecuted an adulterous offspring? And how could He Himself say, I came not to abolish the law, but to fulfil it, (Matt. 5:18.) if He should seem to have had his beginning from a violation of the law, for the issue of an unmarried person is condemned by the law? (Deut. 23:17.) Not to add that also greater credit is given to the words of Mary, and the cause of falsehood removed? For it might seem that unmarried becoming pregnant, she had wished to shade her guilt by a lie; but an espoused person has no reason for lying, since to women child-birth is the reward of wedlock, the grace of the marriage bed. Again, the virginity of Mary was meant to baffle the prince of the world, who, when he perceived her espoused to a man, could cast no suspicion on her offspring.

But still more has it baffled the princes of the world, for the malice of devils soon detects even hidden things, while they who are occupied in worldly vanities, can not know the things of God. But moreover, a more powerful witness of her purity is adduced, her husband, who might both have been indignant at the injury, and revenged the dishonour, if he also had not acknowledged the mystery; of whom it is added, Whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.

(in Esai. 6.) The heavenly spirits visit us, not as it seems fit to them, but as the occasion conduces to our advantage, for they are ever looking upon the glory and fulness of the Divine Wisdom; hence it follows, The angel Gabriel was sent.

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth. Therefore, angels are called by private names so that it may be understood by the names even in their activities what they are capable of. For neither in that holy city, which He perfects with full knowledge of the vision of Almighty God, do they thus receive proper names, nor can their persons be unknown without names: but when they come to minister something to us, they also take names from their ministries among us. To Mary the virgin, then, Gabriel is sent, who is named the strength of God. For he was indeed coming to announce Him who deigned to appear humble to wrestle down the airy powers. Of whom the Psalmist says, "The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle" (Psalm 24). And again, "The Lord of hosts, he is the king of glory" (ibid.). Therefore, by the strength of God He was to be announced, who is the Lord of powers and mighty in battle, coming to war against the airy powers. Understand the sixth month as March, on the twenty-fifth day of which our Lord is said both to have been conceived and to have suffered, just as He is said to have been born on the twenty-fifth day of the month of December. Because whether we believe that the vernal equinox happens today (as some think) or that the winter solstice occurs at that time, it is surely fitting that He who illuminates every man coming into the world should be conceived or born with the increase of light. But if someone should prove that before the time of the Lord's nativity and conception, light either increased or overcame the darkness, we also say that John then preached the kingdom of heaven before His face and now too, preachers are commanded, "Prepare the way for him who ascends above the sunset" (Psalm 68). Why John was conceived around the autumn equinox and born around the summer solstice, he himself teaches either from his own or from the persona of the Old Testament (as many claim); "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3).

Now Gabriel means "strength of God." Rightly he shone forth with such a name, since by his testimony he bore witness to the coming birth of God in the flesh. The prophet said this in the psalm, "The Lord strong and powerful, the Lord powerful in battle"—that battle, undoubtedly, in which he [Christ] came to fight "the powers of the air" and to snatch the world from their tyranny.

The first cause of human perdition occurred when a serpent was sent by the devil to a woman who was to be deceived by the spirit of pride. Moreover, the devil himself came in the serpent, who, once he had deceived our first parents, stripped humankind of the glory of immortality. Because death made its entrance through a woman, it was fitting that life return through a woman. The one, seduced by the devil through the serpent, brought a man the taste of death. The other, instructed by God through the angel, produced for the world the Author of salvation.

And yet Elisabeth conceives John, because the more inward parts of the Law abound with sacraments of Christ. She conceals her conception five months, because Moses in five books set forth the mysteries of Christ; or because the dispensation of Christ is represented by the words or deeds of the saints, in the five ages of the world.

Because either the Incarnation of Christ was to be in the sixth age of the world, or because it was to serve to the fulfilling of the law, rightly in the sixth month of John's conception was an angel sent to Mary, to tell her that a Saviour should be born. Hence it is said, And in the sixth month, &c. We must understand the sixth month to be March, on the twenty-fifth day of which our Lord is reported to have been conceived, and to have suffered, as also to have been born on the twenty-fifth day of December. But if either the one day we believe to be the vernal equinox, or the other the winter solstice, it happens that with the increase of light He was conceived or born Who lighteneth every man that cometh into the world. But if any one shall prove, that before the time of our Lord's nativity or conception, light began either to increase, or supersede the darkness, we then say, that it was because John, before the appearance of His coming, began to preach the kingdom of heaven.

(in Homil. de fest Annunt.) It was a fit beginning for man's restoration, that an angel should be sent down from God to consecrate a virgin by a divine birth, for the first cause of man's perdition was the Devil sending a serpent to deceive a woman by the spirit of pride.

(in Homil. de Annunt. sup.) Which last applies not only to Joseph, but also to Mary, for the Law commanded that every one should take a wife out of his own tribe or family. It follows, And the virgin's name was Mary.

Maria, in Hebrew, is the star of the sea; but in Syriac it is interpreted Mistress, and well, because Mary was thought worthy to be the mother of the Lord of the whole world, and the light of endless ages.

In the sixth month, etc. The author treated above of the conception of the precursor, which was in the fecundation of a barren woman: in this part he treats of the conception of the Savior, which was in the fecundation of the Virgin. Now this fecundation was accomplished by God effecting, by the Angel announcing, and by the Virgin consenting, so that the restoration might correspond to the fall, as Bernard says: "It pleased God to reconcile man to himself in the same manner and order in which he knew him to have fallen."

He indicates the congruence of the time when he says: In the sixth month, namely from the conception of John, which was March, in which month man and the world had been created, in which also through Christ's incarnation it was to be renewed, so that the restoration might correspond to the first creation, so that what is said in Isaiah sixty-six might be seen to be fulfilled: "As the new heavens and the new earth, which I make to stand before me, says the Lord: so shall your seed and your name stand. And it shall be month after month, and Sabbath after Sabbath." Nor is the number six devoid of mystery: for since it is perfect, therefore man, perfect among the other works of God, was created on the sixth day. And so Christ came in the sixth age and in the sixth millennium of years and was conceived in the sixth month and suffered on the sixth day of the week and was suspended on the cross at the sixth hour, so that it might be signified that he who was conceived in the sixth month comes in the fullness of times and perfection; Galatians four: "But when the fullness of time came, God sent his Son," etc.

He notes the congruence of the legate when he says: The Angel Gabriel was sent by God, so that the restoration might correspond to the fall, and, just as man fell through the suggestion of an evil angel, so he might rise again through the ministry of a good one; Proverbs thirteen: "The messenger of the wicked shall fall into evil: a faithful ambassador is health"; and also that the fulfillment might correspond to the promise, so that, just as through Gabriel that mystery was foretold to Daniel, so it was revealed to the Virgin; Daniel nine: "Behold, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, flying swiftly, touched me at the time of the evening sacrifice and instructed me"; and afterward: "Seventy weeks are shortened upon your people and upon your holy city, that transgression may be consummated, and sin may have an end, and iniquity may be blotted out, and everlasting justice may be brought in, and vision and prophecy may be fulfilled, and the Holy of Holies may be anointed." And note that he is said to be sent by God. Bernard: "He is declared to be sent by God himself"; in which it is noted that "to none of the blessed spirits is he thought to have revealed his counsel before the Virgin, except only the Archangel Gabriel"; and because he was from God, he was fitting for the announcement of the divine mystery.

He notes the fittingness of the place in that he says: To a city of Galilee, whose name was Nazareth, according to what the Lord had foretold through Isaiah, chapter nine: "The way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, was made glorious; the people who walked in darkness saw a great light." Therefore, in that he was sent to a city of Galilee, which was on the border of the Jews and the Gentiles, it is signified that he came to announce the one who had been promised to Abraham in Genesis twenty-two: "In your seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed"; and that word of Jacob, in the penultimate chapter of Genesis: "He shall be the expectation of the nations." In that the city is called Nazareth, which is interpreted as flower, it is signified that he came to foretell the one who is "the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys," Song of Songs two; and Isaiah eleven: "A rod shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall ascend from his root"; where Jerome says that according to the Hebrew truth it reads: "A Nazarene shall ascend from the root of Jesse." Therefore, from Nazareth something good can come — indeed, the flower of all good. For it was fitting that the flower be conceived in a flower, nourished in a flower, and announced in the season of flowers, that is, in spring and in March. Whence Bernard says: "The flower from the root of Jesse loves a flower-bearing homeland." And therefore he could already sing: "The flowers have appeared in our land," Song of Songs two.

We, with our modern democratic and arithmetical presuppositions would so have liked and expected all men to start equal in their search for God. One has the picture of great centripetal roads coming from all directions, with well-disposed people, all meaning the same thing, and getting closer and closer together. How shockingly opposite to that is the Christian story! One people picked out of the whole earth; that people purged and proved again and again. Some are lost in the desert before they reach Palestine; some stay in Babylon; some becoming indifferent. The whole thing narrows and narrows, until at last it comes down to a little point, small as the point of a spear—a Jewish girl at her prayers. That is what the whole of human nature has narrowed down to before the Incarnation takes place. Very unlike what we expected, but, of course, not in the least unlike what seems, in general, as shown by Nature, to be God's way of working.

(interlin.) But the place is also added whither he is sent, as it follows, To a city, Nazareth. For it was told that He would come a Nazarite, (i. e. the holy of the holy.)

Gabriel, who is called the strength of God, is also sent to Mary. For he came to announce him who deigned to appear humble to conquer the powers of the air. Of whom it is said through the Psalmist: "Lift up your gates, O princes, and be lifted up, eternal gates, and the King of glory shall enter. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle." And again: "The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory." Therefore, he who was the Lord of hosts and mighty in battle, coming to wage war against the powers of the air, was to be announced through the strength of God.

It should also be known that the word "angel" is a name of office, not of nature. For those holy spirits of the heavenly homeland are indeed always spirits, but they cannot always be called angels, since they are angels only when something is announced through them. Moreover, those who announce lesser things are called angels, while those who announce the greatest things are called archangels. This is why not just any angel, but the archangel Gabriel, was sent to the Virgin Mary. For it was fitting that the highest angel should come for this ministry, since he was announcing the highest of all things.

(Hom. 34, in Evan.) To the virgin Mary was sent, not any one of the angels, but the archangel Gabriel; for upon this service it was meet that the highest angel should come, as being the bearer of the highest of all tidings. He is therefore marked by a particular name, to signify what was his effectual part in the work. For Gabriel is interpreted, "the strength of God." By the strength of God then was He to be announced Who was coming as the God of strength, and mighty in battle, to put down the powers of the air.

But concerning the creation of this (Jesus), he expresses himself thus: That powers emanating from the second tetrad fashioned Jesus, who appeared on earth, and that the angel Gabriel filled the place of the Logos, and the Holy Spirit that of Zoe, and the "Power of the Highest" that of Anthropos, and the Virgin that of Ecclesia. And so it was, in Marcus' system, that the man (who appeared) in accordance with the dispensation was born through Mary. And when He came to the water, (he says) that He descended like a dove upon him who had ascended above and filled the twelfth number. And in Him resides the seed of these, that is, such as are sown along with Him, and that descend with (Him), and ascend with (Him). And that this power which descended upon Him, he says, is the seed of the Pleroma, which contains in itself both the Father and the Son, and the unnameable power of Sige, which is recognised through these and all the Aeons. And that this (seed) is the spirit which is in Him and spoke in Him through the mouth of the Son, the confession of Himself as Son of man, and of His being one who would manifest the Father; (and that) when this spirit came down upon Jesus, He was united with Him. The Saviour, who was of the dispensation, he says, destroyed death, whereas He made known (as) the Father Christ (Jesus). He says that Jesus, therefore, is the name of the man of the dispensation, and that it has been set forth for the assimilation and formation of Anthropos, who was about to descend upon Him; and that when He had received Him unto Himself, He retained possession of Him. And (he says) that He was Anthropos, (that) He (was) Logos, (that) He (was) Pater, and Arrhetus, and Sige, and Aletheia, and Ecclesia, and Zoe.

[Daniel 8:16-17] "And I heard the voice of a man in the midst of the Ulai, and he cried out and said: 'Gabriel, make this vision intelligible (Vulgate: make this man to understand the vision).' And he came and stood near to where I was standing." The Jews claim that this man who directed Gabriel to explain the vision to Daniel was Michael. Quite appropriately it was Gabriel, who has been put in charge of battles, to whom this duty was assigned, inasmuch as the vision had to do with battles and contests between kings and even between kingdoms themselves. For Gabriel is translated into our language as "the strength of, or the mighty one of, God." And so at that time also when the Lord was about to be born and to declare war against the demons and to triumph over the world, Gabriel came to Zacharias (Luke 1:11-20) and to Mary (Luke 1:26-27). And then we read in the Psalms concerning the Lord in His triumph: "Who is this king of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle; He is the King of glory" (Psalm 24:8). But whenever it is medicine or healing that is needed, it is Raphael who is sent, for his name is rendered as "the healing of," or "the medicine of God" - that is, if one cares to accept the authority of the Book of Tobias (Tobit 12:11-15). And then, when favorable promises are made to the people, and hilasmos, which we might render as "propitiation" or "expiation," is the thing required, then it is Michael who is directed to go, for his name means, "Who is like God?" Of course the significance of the name indicates the fact that the only true remedy is to be found in God.

"And he said to me: 'Son of man, understand that in the time of the end the vision shall be fulfilled.'" Inasmuch as Ezekiel and Daniel and Zechariah behold themselves to be often in the company of angels, they were reminded of their frailty, lest they should be lifted up in pride and imagine themselves to partake of the nature or dignity of angels. Therefore they are addressed as sons of men, in order that they might realize that they are but human beings.

(sup. Mat. Hom. 4.) The angel announces the birth to the virgin not after the conception, lest she should be thereby too much troubled, but before the conception he addresses her, not in a dream, but standing by her in visible shape. For as great indeed were the tidings she receives, she needed before the issue of the event an extraordinary visible manifestation.

(Hieron. vol. xi. 92. De Assumpt.) And rightly an angel is sent to the virgin, because the virgin state is ever akin to that of angels. Surely in the flesh to live beyond the flesh is not a life on earth but in heaven.

Clearly enough is the nativity announced by Gabriel. But what has he to do with the Creator's angel? The conception in the virgin's womb is also set plainly before us.

Let us now see whether the apostle withal observes the norm of this name in accordance with Genesis, attributing it to the sex; calling the virgin Mary a woman, just as Genesis (does) Eve. For, writing to the Galatians, "God," he says, "sent His own Son, made of a woman," who, of course, is admitted to have been a virgin, albeit Hebion resist (that doctrine). I recognise, too, the angel Gabriel as having been sent to "a virgin." But when he is blessing her, it is "among women," not among virgins, that he ranks her: "Blessed (be) thou among women." The angel withal knew that even a virgin is called a woman.

In the sixth month, counting from the time of the conception of John.

Therefore he who undertook to prove the mystery of the Incarnation in its incorrupt state, did not think it necessary to pursue at length the testimony of the Virgin Mary's virginity, lest he should be thought to be a defender rather than an assertor of the mystery. Certainly, when Joseph had made lawful the marriage he was about to contract, he sufficiently showed that the temple of the Holy Ghost, the abode of the mystery, the mother of the Lord could not have been violated.

We have learned the series of truth, we have learned the counsel: let us also learn the mystery. Well betrothed, but a virgin; for she is a type of the Church, which is immaculate, but married. The virgin conceives us by the Spirit, the virgin gives birth to us without groaning. And therefore perhaps holy Mary is married to one, filled by another; for indeed individual Churches and souls are filled by the Spirit and grace; yet they are joined to the outward appearance of a temporal priest.

(de san. Virg. cap. vi.) To a virgin, for Christ could be born from virginity alone, seeing He could not have an equal in His birth. It was necessary for our Head by this mighty miracle to be born according to the flesh of a virgin, that He might signify that his members were to be born in the spirit of a virgin Church.

To a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. For many reasons, the Savior wished to be born not of a simple virgin, but of one betrothed. Firstly, evidently, so that through Joseph's lineage, to whom Mary was a relative, Mary's origin could also be known. For it is not the custom of Scripture to trace the genealogy of women. For it can be understood from both that it is said of the house of David. Next, lest she should be stoned by the Jews as an adulteress, preferring that some should doubt her origin rather than the chastity of the parent. At the same time, it removes the occasion for impudent virgins, lest they say the mother of the Savior was defamed by false suspicions. Thirdly, so that while fleeing to Egypt and then returning, she would have the solace of a husband, who would exist equally as a protector and witness of her intact virginity. Fourthly, lest her birth be exposed to the devil; who if he knew he was born of a virgin, might perhaps fear to hand him over to death as eminently as other men. But Mary is called in Hebrew the star of the sea, and in Syriac lady; and rightly so, because she deserved to give birth to the Lord of the whole world, and the perpetual light for the ages.

As to why he wished to be conceived and born not of a simple virgin but of one who was betrothed to a man, several of the Fathers have put forward reasonable answers. The best of these is to prevent her from being condemned as guilty of defilement if she were to bear a son when she had no husband. Then too, in the things the care of a home naturally demands, the woman in labor would be sustained by a husband's care. Therefore blessed Mary had to have a husband who would be both a perfectly sure witness to her integrity and a completely trustworthy foster father for our Lord and Savior, who was born of her. He was a husband who would, in accordance with the law, make sacrificial offerings to the temple for him when he was an infant. He would take him, along with his mother, to Egypt when persecution threatened. He would bring him back and would minister to the many other needs consequent upon the weakness of the humanity which he had assumed. It did no great harm if, for a time, some believed that he was Joseph's son, since from the apostles' preaching after his ascension it would be plainly evident to all believers that he had been born of a virgin.

He indicates the fittingness of the person in what he says: To a virgin espoused: whose fittingness is shown as chaste, when he says: A virgin: First Corinthians seven: "The unmarried woman and the virgin thinks about the things of God, how she may be holy in body and spirit." Bernard: "He was sent to a Virgin, a virgin in flesh, a virgin in mind, a virgin by profession, a virgin such as the Apostle describes, holy in mind and body." — She is also shown to be approved, when he says: Espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, etc., so that "Joseph, a just man," according to what is said in Matthew one, might be a witness of her chastity, according to that saying of Proverbs last: "And her husband shall praise her." Bernard: "He names a man, not because he was a husband, but because he was a man of virtue and was just"; and therefore he was a legitimate witness. Bernard: "By this one plan, a witness is admitted to the heavenly secrets, and the enemy is excluded, and the reputation of the Virgin Mother is preserved intact: otherwise, how would the just man have spared an adulteress?" "Because jealousy and the fury of a man will not spare," Proverbs six. — She is also shown to be promised in what he says: Of the house of David: which refers to the Virgin and to Joseph, because both were of the seed of David, to whom the promise had been made in the Psalm: "The Lord swore truth to David and will not frustrate it: of the fruit of your womb," etc. Bernard: "Both were of the house and family of David; but in the one the truth was fulfilled which the Lord swore to David, with the other serving only as witness and confidant," namely Joseph himself. — She is also shown to be forenamed in what he says: And the name of the Virgin was Mary. Mary is interpreted as star of the sea, and thus is shown to be fulfilled that prophecy of Balaam, Numbers twenty-four: "A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a rod shall rise out of Israel"; Ecclesiasticus fifty: "As the morning star in the midst of a cloud"; Revelation last: "I am the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star."

Therefore he names the Virgin, to show that she was prepared, not found by chance. Bernard: "She was not newly or accidentally found, but chosen from eternity, foreknown by the Most High, prepared for Himself, preserved for Himself, prefigured by the Patriarchs, promised by the Prophets." For what was shown to Moses in the bush and fire, to Aaron in the rod and flower, to Gideon in the fleece and dew—this Solomon foresaw in the valiant woman and her worth, Jeremiah foretold concerning the woman and the man, Isaiah most clearly declares concerning the virgin and the house, and Gabriel at last presented the Virgin herself by greeting her. — Or he names the Virgin to teach us to invoke her name in our necessities; whence Bernard in a Homily: "O whoever you are who understands yourself in the flood of this world to be tossed about among storms and tempests rather than walking upon solid ground: look to the star, call upon Mary! If you are cast about by the waves of pride, of ambition, of detraction, of rivalry: look to the star, call upon Mary. If anger, or avarice, or the allurement of the flesh has shaken the little ship of your mind: look to the star, call upon Mary. If troubled by the enormity of your crimes, if confused by the foulness of your conscience, you begin to be swallowed up by the abyss of desperation: look to Mary." Whence he also says: "With her holding you, you do not fall; with her protecting you, you do not fear; with her leading, you do not grow weary; with her favorable, you arrive." — Or he names her to intimate that her name is full of mystery according to a threefold interpretation, through which we understand the threefold state of those to be saved: the active through "bitter sea," the contemplative through "star," prelates through "dominion."

Holy Mary, blessed Mary, mother and virgin, virgin before giving birth, virgin after giving birth! I, for my part, marvel how a virgin is born of a virgin, and how, after the birth of a virgin, the mother is a virgin.Would you like to know how he is born of a virgin and, after his nativity, the mother is still a virgin? "The doors were closed, and Jesus entered." There is no question about that. He who entered through the closed doors was neither a ghost nor a spirit. He was a real man with a real body. Furthermore, what does he say? "Touch me and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." He had flesh and bones, and the doors were closed. How do flesh and bones enter through closed doors? The doors are closed, and he enters, whom we do not see entering. Whence has he entered? Everything is closed up. There is no place through which he may enter. Nevertheless he who has entered is within, and how he entered is not evident. You do not know how his entrance was accomplished, and you attribute it to the power of God. Attribute to the power of God, then, that he was born of a virgin and the virgin herself after bringing forth was a virgin still.

For if she had had no husband, soon would the thought have stolen into the Devil's mind, how she who had known no man could be pregnant. It was right that the conception should be Divine, something more exalted than human nature.

" For to none of men was the universal aggregation of spiritual credentials appropriate, except to Christ; paralleled as He is to a "flower" by reason of glory, by reason of grace; but accounted "of the root of Jesse," whence His origin is to be deduced,-to wit, through Mary. For He was from the native soil of Bethlehem, and from the house of David; as, among the Romans, Mary is described in the census, of whom is born Christ.

The text says that the Virgin was betrothed to a man "of the house of David" in order to show that she too was descended from the same lineage of David, for there was a law that both parties (in a marriage) should be from one and the same lineage and from one and the same tribe (Num. 36:6–9).

Mark the virgin by her manner of life. Alone in an inner chamber, unseen by the eyes of men, discovered only by an angel; as it is said, And the angel came in unto her. That she might not be dishonoured by any ignoble address, she is saluted by an angel.

But mark the Virgin by her bashfulness, for she was afraid, as it follows; And when she heard, she was troubled, It is the habit of virgins to tremble, and to be ever afraid at the presence of man, and to be shy when he addresses her. Learn, O virgin, to avoid light talking. Mary feared even the salutation of an angel.

She wondered also at the new form of blessing, unheard of before, reserved for Mary alone.

(Geometer) But that she was judged worthy of the nuptials is attested by his saying, Full of grace. For it is signified as a kind of token or marriage gift of the bridegroom, that she was fruitful in graces. For of the things which he mentions, the one appertains to the bride, the other to the bridegroom.

(Geometer) But this is the sum of the whole message. The Word of God, as the Bridegroom, effecting an incomprehensible union, Himself, as it were, the same both planting, and being planted, hath moulded the whole nature of man into Himself. But comes last the most perfect and comprehensive salutation; Blessed art thou among women. i. e. Alone, far before all other women; that women also should be blessed in thee, as men are in thy Son; but rather both in both. For as by one man and one woman came at once both sin and sorrow, so now also by one woman and one man hath both blessing and joy been restored, and poured forth upon all.

And the angel entered to her and said, Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you: blessed are you among women. It is rightly that she is called full of grace, because she obviously attained the grace that no other had merited, that she would conceive and bear the author of grace himself.

Truly full of grace was she, upon whom it was conferred by divine favor that, first among women, she should offer God the most glorious gift of her virginity. Hence she who strove to imitate the life of an angel was rightfully worthy to enjoy the experience of seeing and speaking with an angel. Truly full of grace was she to whom it was granted to give birth to Jesus Christ, the very one through whom grace and truth came. And so the Lord was truly with her whom he first raised up from earthly to heavenly desires, in an unheard of love of chastity, and afterwards sanctified, by means of his human nature, with all the fullness of his divinity. Truly blessed among women was she who without precedent in the womanly state rejoiced in having the honor of parenthood along with the beauty of virginity, inasmuch as it was fitting that a virgin mother bring forth God the Son.

Maria, in Hebrew, is the star of the sea; but in Syriac it is interpreted Mistress, and well, because Mary was thought worthy to be the mother of the Lord of the whole world, and the light of endless ages.

After man fell through sin, divine wisdom provided a mode of condescension through the Word incarnate, through which man might be adapted unto grace. And because this was accomplished in the womb of the glorious Virgin, therefore it was said to her: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee." Thus therefore at first sight there meets us the Father of mercies and the mother of mercies and the Son, who is the light of mercies. Thus is manifest the first origination of grace in us, which comes about through the Word incarnate. O most unhappy ones! Those who are ignorant of this beginning cannot have grace.

The Angel said: "Hail, full of grace," because she was holy and modest: holy in flesh and modest in mind. On that text, "The Angel Gabriel was sent," Bernard says: "Gabriel was sent to the Virgin, such as the Apostle describes, holy in mind and body, not newly nor by chance discovered, but chosen from eternity, foreknown by the Most High and prepared for himself, guarded by Angels, prefigured by the Patriarchs, promised by the Prophets." To this Virgin Gabriel had to be sent as a bridesman. She alone pleased the Most High. Likewise Bernard: "The royal Virgin, resplendent with the twofold beauty of her mind, drew upon herself the gaze of the citizens of heaven, so that she both inclined the heart of the King to desire of her and drew the heavenly messenger down to herself from on high."

And the Angel entering, etc. After the sending of the messenger has been described, here the execution of the ministry is described, which indeed consisted in the announcement of the future conception, in which the Angel proceeds, like a good rhetorician, in very orderly fashion, and the Evangelist explains perfectly. The Evangelist introduces the Angel as having taken his beginning from a salutation upon his entrance: in which salutation he captures her goodwill, raises her confidence, and shows her reverence. For he shows her to be commendable by the fullness of goodness, and therefore lovable; by the loftiness of dignity, and therefore venerable; by the breadth of praise, and therefore worthy of proclamation. And on account of these three things she was prefigured by the Ark of the Covenant, of which it is said in Hebrews nine that it contained three things, namely "the rod of Aaron, the tablets of the Law, and manna"; so that it might thus be shown that she was sweet and lovable through the manna, venerable through the rod, and worthy of proclamation and commendation through the divine law. And accordingly there was in her a threefold excellence, namely of dignity, of virtue, and of charity: Sirach twenty-four: "I am the mother of fair love and of fear and of knowledge and of holy hope."

Therefore, to show her lovable in graciousness, he says: The Angel, having entered to her, said: Hail, full of grace. And therefore she was fittingly prefigured by Esther, of whom it is said in Esther two that she was exceedingly beautiful and of incredible loveliness, and appeared gracious and lovable in the eyes of all. Whence of her can be said that word from Sirach twenty-four: "In me is all grace of life and of truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue." Nor is this a wonder, because she was to conceive him of whom it is said in John one: "We have seen his glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth"; and therefore afterwards it is added: "Of his fullness we have all received."

But to show her venerable by reason of dignity, he adds: The Lord is with you: this is said in a distinctive sense, because in an excellent and singular manner, as in his own tabernacle: Sirach twenty-four: "He who created me rested in my tabernacle"; the Psalm: "The Lord is in his holy temple," that is, in the womb of the Virgin; and again: "The Most High has sanctified his tabernacle; God is in the midst of it, it shall not be moved." Bernard: "The Lord is with you: you will be the mother of him whose Father is God: the Son of the Father's love will be the crown of your chastity"; from which you obtain an inestimable dignity above all, and for this reason she is called queen in the Psalm: "The queen stood at your right hand."

That he might also show her praiseworthy by reason of blessing, he adds: Blessed art thou among women, on account of the universal remedy: 1 Kings 25: "David said to Abigail: Blessed art thou, who hast kept me from avenging myself with my own hand." Blessed, I say, among women, that is, among women; Judges 5: "Blessed among women is Jael, blessed shall she be in her tent." Or: blessed among women, that is, above all women: Judith 13: "Blessed art thou, daughter, by the Lord the most high God, above all women upon the earth"; and again in chapter 15: "They all blessed her with one voice, saying: Thou art the glory of Jerusalem, thou the joy of Israel, thou the honor of our people, because thou hast acted manfully, and thy heart has been strengthened, because thou hast loved chastity, and after thy husband hast not known another; therefore also the hand of the Lord has strengthened thee, and therefore thou shalt be blessed." Or: blessed by women: Song of Songs 6: "The daughters of Sion saw her and declared her most blessed, and the queens and concubines praised her."

(Diem Nat. Orat. in Christi.) Far different then to the news formerly addressed to the woman, is the announcement now made to the Virgin. In the former, the cause of sin was punished by the pains of childbirth; in the latter, through gladness, sorrow is driven away. Hence the angel not unaptly proclaims joy to the Virgin, saying, Hail.

The angel greeted Mary with a new address, which I could not find anywhere else in Scripture. I ought to explain this expression briefly. The angel says, "Hail, full of grace." … I do not remember having read this word elsewhere in Scripture. An expression of this kind, "Hail, full of grace," is not addressed to a male. This greeting was reserved for Mary alone.

"The Lord is with you." Why is the Lord with you? Because he is coming to you not merely to pay a visit, but he is coming down into you in a new mystery, that of being born. Fittingly did the angel add, "You are blessed among women." Through the curse she incurred, Eve brought pains upon the wombs of women in childbirth. Now, in this very matter of motherhood, Mary, through the blessing she received, rejoices, is honored, is exalted. Now too womankind has become truly the mother of those who live through grace, just as previously by nature are subject to death.

(Aug. in Serm. de Annunt. iii. app. 195.) More than with me, for He Himself is in thy heart, He is (made) in thy womb, He fills thy soul, He fills thy womb.

(Jerome sup.) And it is well said, Full of grace, for to others, grace comes in part; into Mary at once the fulness of grace wholly infused itself. She truly is full of grace through whom has been poured forth upon every creature the abundant rain of the Holy Spirit. But already He was with the Virgin Who sent the angel to the Virgin. The Lord preceded His messenger, for He could not be confined by place Who dwells in all places. Whence it follows, The Lord is with thee.

Since the Lord said to Eve, "In pain you shall bear children" (Gen. 3:16), now that pain is dissolved by the joy which the Angel brings to the Virgin, saying, "Rejoice, O Full of Grace!" Since Eve was cursed, Mary now hears, "Blessed are you."

In this salutation three things are contained. One part the Angel wrought, that is, "Hail full of grace, the Lord is with Thee! Blessed art Thou among women". Another part Elisabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, wrought, that is, "Blessed is the fruit of Thy womb". The third part the Church added, that is, "Mary": for the Angel did not say, "Hail Mary", but "Hail, full of grace". And this name, that is Mary, according to its interpretation befits the things said by the Angel, as will be made clear.

Therefore, the first thing to be considered about it is, that in antiquity it was a very great thing that angels appeared to men; and/or because men would make reverence to them, they held them in the greatest praise. Whence to praise Abraham it is written, that he received the Angels with hospitality, and that he exhibited reverence to them. Moreover, that an angel would make reverence to a man, was a thing never heard, except after he saluted the Blessed Virgin, reverently saying, "Hail!" Moreover, the reason that in antiquity an angel did not revere a man, but a man an angel, is that an Angel is greater than a man; and this as much as it regards three things.

First as much as regards dignity: the reason is, an angel is of a spiritual nature. Psalm 103:4, "Who makes His angels of spirit"; but a man is of a corruptible nature: whence Abraham use to say, Gen. 18:27, "I will speak to my Lord, although I am dust and ashes." It was not, therefore, decent that a spiritual and incorruptible creature exhibit reverence to a corporal one, that is to a man.

Second, as much as regards familiarity before God. For an angel is familiar with God, as one assisting. Dan 7:10, "Thousands of thousands were ministering to Him, and tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands assisted Him." But man is as if a stranger, and distanced from God by means of sin. Psalm 54:8, "I have distanced myself as one fleeing." For that reason it is fitting that a man revere an angel, as one who is near and familiar with his King.

Third, he was pre-eminent on account of the plenitude of the splendor of divine grace: for angels are participants in that Divine Light in the highest plenitude. Job. 25:3, "What is the number of His soldiers, and upon which does His light not rise?" And for that reason he always appears with light. But men, even if some participate from the light of grace, however in a little manner, and in a certain obscurity. Therefore it was not decent that he exhibit reverence to a man, so long as someone in human nature was not found, who exceeded angels in these three. And this was the Blessed Virgin. And for that reason, to designate that She exceeded him in these three, the Angel wanted to exhibit reverence to Her: whence he said, "Ave!" Whence the Blessed Virgin exceeded angels in these three.

And first in a plenitude of grace, which is greater in the Blessed Virgin than in any angel; and for that reason to insinuate this, the Angel exhibited reverence to Her, saying, "full of grace", as if he said, "For that reason I exhibit reverence to Thee, because Thou dost excell me in the plenitude of grace." Moreover the Blessed Virgin is said to be full of grace as much as regards three things. First as much as regards Her soul, in which She had every plenitude of grace. For the grace of God is given for two things: that is, for working the good, and for avoiding the evil; and as much as regards those two the Blessed Virgin had the most perfect grace. For She Herself avoided every sin, more holy than anyone after Christ. For sin is either original, and from this she was cleansed in the womb; or mortal or venial, and from these She was free. Whence Cant. 4:7, "Thou are entirely beautiful, My love, and there is not a stain in Thee". St. Augustine in the book On Nature and Grace says: "Except the holy Virgin Mary, if all the saints, when they were living here, had been asked whether they were without sin, all would have shouted with one voice: 'If we said that we did not have sin, we seduce ourselves, and the truth is not in us.' (1 Jn. 1:8) Except, I say, this holy Virgin, of whom for the sake of the honor of the Lord, when one deals with sin, I want, plainly, to have no questioning." For we know that upon Her there was conferred more grace to conquer sin on every side, She who merited to conceive and bear Him, who it is established never had sin.

But Christ excelled the Blessed Virgin in this, that He was conceived and born without original sin. Moreover the Blessed Virgin was conceived in original sin, but not born in it. She Herself also exercised the works of all virtues, but the other saints only certain special ones: because one was humble, another chaste, another merciful; and for that reason they are given as an example of special virtues, just as blessed Nicholas is an example of mercy etc. But the Blessed Virgin is an example of all virtues: because in Her you find the example of humility: Lk. 1:38, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord", and after this, verse 48, "He has looked back upon the humility of His handmaid", of chastity, "since I do not know a man", verse 34, and of all virtues; as is sufficiently clear. Thus, therefore, the Blessed Virgin is full of grace both as much as regards the working of good, and as much as regards the avoiding of evil.

Second, She was full of grace as much as regards it redounding from the soul to the flesh and/or body. For it is a great thing among the Saints that they have so much of grace that it sanctifies their soul; but the soul of the Blessed Virgin was so full that from it there overflowed grace into Her flesh, so that from it She might conceive the Son of God. And for that reason Hugh of St. Victor says: "Because in Her heart the love of the Holy Spirit burned in a singular manner, for that reason She worked wonders in Her flesh, inasmuch as that from it there was born God and man." Lk 1:35, "For that which shall be born from Thee holy, shall be called the Son of God."

Third, as much as regards it overflowing unto all men. For it is a great thing in any saint, when he has so much of grace that it suffices for the salvation of many; but when one had so much that it would suffice for the salvation of all men of the world, this would be the greatest; and this is in Christ, and in the Blessed Virgin. For in every danger you can obtain salvation from the glorious Virgin Herself. Whence Cant. 4:4, "A thousand round shields," that is the remedy against dangers, "hang from her." Likewise in every work of virtue you can have Her as a helper; and for that reason Eccli. 24:25 says of Her, "In Me ever hope of life and virtue." Thus, therefore She is full of grace, and exceeds the angels in the plenitude of grace; and on this account She is fittingly called Mary, which is interpreted "She who is illuminated in Herself"; whence Isaiah 58:11, "He shall fill Thy soul with splendors"; and She is an Illuminatrix unto others, as much as regards the whole world; and for that reason She is likened to the sun and to the moon.

Second, She excelled the angels in divine familiarity. And for this reason the Angel, designating this, said: "the Lord is with Thee"; as if he were to say: "For this reason I exhibit reverence to Thee, because Thou are more familiar with God than I, for the Lord is with Thee." "The Lord," he said, the Father with the same Son; which no angel, nor any creature had. Lk 1:35, "For that which shall be born from Thee holy, shall be called the Son of God." The Lord, the Son, in Her womb. Isaiah 12:6, "Exult and praise, O habitation of Sion, because great in thy midst is the Holy One of Israel." Therefore, the Lord is with the Blessed Virgin in a manner other than with an angel; because He is with Her as Son, He is with an angel as Lord. The Lord, the Holy Spirit, as in a temple; whence She is called: "temple of the Lord", "sacrarium of the Holy Spirit", because She conceived of the Holy Spirit: Lk. 1:35, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon Thee." Thus, therefore, the Blessed Virgin was more familiar with God than an angel; because He was with Her as the Lord, the Father, the Lord the Son, the Lord, the Holy Spirit, that is as the whole Trinity. And for that reason there is sung of Her: "Of the whole Trinity the noble Triclinium". Moreover this word, "The Lord is with Thee," is the more noble word which can be said to Her. Deservedly, therefore, does the Angel revere the Blessed Virgin, because She is the Mother of the Lord, and for that reason is the Lady. Whence this name Mary befits Her, which in the Syriac tongue is interpreted, "the Lady."

Third, She exceeds angels as much as regards purity: because the Blessed Virgin was not only pure in Herself, but also procured purity for others. For She Herself was the most pure even as much as regards fault, because the Virgin Herself incurred neither mortal nor venial sin. Likewise as much as regards punishment. For three maledictions have been given to men on account of sin. The first was given to the woman, that is, that she would conceive with corruption, would carry with a burden, and would give birth in pain. But from this the Blessed Virgin was immune: because She conceived without corruption, carried in solace, and gave birth to the Savior in joy. Isaiah 35:2, "Sprouting forth she shall sprout forth, leaping for joy and praising." The second was given to man, that is that in the sweat of his face he would eat his bread. From this the Blessed Virgin was immune: because, as the Apostle says, 1 Cor. 7, virgins are released from the cares of this world, and make time for God alone. The third was common to men and women, that is that they would return into dust. And from this the Blessed Virgin was immune, because She was assumed into Heaven with Her body. For we believe that after death She was resuscitated, and born into Heaven. Psalm 131:8, "Rise, Lord, unto Thy rest; Thou and the ark of Thy sanctification."

Thus, therefore, was She immune from every malediction, and for that reason blessed among women; because She alone endured the malediction, and carried the Blessing, and She has opened the gate of Paradise; and for that reason the name Mary befitted Her, that which is interpreted "Star of the Sea"; because just as sailors are directed to port by means of a star of the sea, so Christians are directed by means of Mary to glory.

Learn the virgin in morals, learn the virgin in modesty, learn the virgin in prayer, learn the virgin in mystery. To tremble is for virgins, and to fear the approach of every man, to fear the speech of every man. Let women learn to imitate the purpose of modesty. Alone in the inner chambers, where no man could see, only the angel would find her: alone without a companion, alone without a witness; lest she be corrupted by any improper speech, she is greeted by the angel. Learn, O virgin, to avoid lascivious words: even Mary feared the greeting of the angel.

(sup.) But as she might be accustomed to these visions, the Evangelist ascribes her agitation not to the vision, but to the things told her, saying, she was troubled at his words. Now observe both the modesty and wisdom of the Virgin; the soul, and at the same time the voice. When she heard the joyful words, she pondered them in her mind, and neither openly resisted through unbelief, nor forthwith lightly complied; avoiding equally the inconstancy of Eve, and the insensibility of Zacharias. Hence it is said, And she cast in her mind what manner of salutation this was, it is not said conception, for as yet she knew not the vastness of the mystery. But the salutation, was there aught of passion in it as from a man to a virgin? or was it not of God, seeing that he makes mention of God, saying, The Lord is with thee.

When she heard this, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of salutation this might be. Learn the virgin by her manners, learn the virgin by her modesty, learn the virgin by her prophecy, learn the virgin by her mystery. It is the nature of virgins to be startled and to fear every man's approach, to revere every man's speech. Let women learn to imitate the resolve of modesty. Alone in her innermost chambers where no men might see her, the angel alone found her, alone without a companion, alone without a witness, lest she be corrupted by any degenerate affection, she is greeted by the angel. Learn, virgin, to avoid the wantoness of words. Even Mary feared the angel's salutation. Nevertheless, she was thinking, he said, what manner of salutation this might be. And so with modesty, because she was afraid; with prudence, because she marveled at the new formula of blessing, which had been nowhere read, nowhere before discovered.

When she had heard, etc. He first introduced the Angel greeting; here he introduces the Virgin listening, in which listening he shows the Virgin to be commendable in three ways: in hearing, namely, affection, and thought. — In hearing, modesty is commended, when it is said: When she had heard, that is, had listened in silence and taciturnity, according to that passage of Ecclesiasticus 32: "Listen in silence, and for thy reverence good grace shall come to thee." Thus she was ready to hear, though not to speak, according to that passage of James 1: "Let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak." And therefore it says: had heard, that is, she had given her attention perfectly: "for a good ear will hear wisdom with all desire," Ecclesiasticus 3.

In affection, bashfulness is commended, when it is said: She was troubled at his saying, namely from bashfulness. Bede: "It is proper to virgins to tremble and to fear at every man's approach, to be wary of every man's gaze"; Habakkuk 3: "I heard, and my belly was troubled; at the voice my lips trembled"; so that her spirit might say that passage of Job 23: "At his face I am troubled, and considering him, I am seized with fear." An example of this is in Esther, in the penultimate chapter: "I saw thee, lord, as an Angel of God, and my heart was troubled for fear of thy glory."

In thought, prudence is praised, when it is said: And she was thinking what manner of salutation this might be; and this was great prudence. For it contained the depth of wisdom, concerning which Wisdom 6 says: "To think upon her is the perfection of understanding"; whence Daniel 4: "Daniel, whose name was Balthassar, began to think silently within himself for about one hour, and his thoughts troubled him." But the thoughts of the Virgin, although they disturbed her on account of the modesty of innocence, did not nevertheless throw her into confusion on account of the splendor of understanding. Bernard: "She was troubled, but not thrown into confusion; indeed, according to that word of the Psalm: I was troubled and I did not speak, but I thought upon the days of old," etc.

For if Mary had known that similar words had been addressed to others, such a salutation would never have appeared to her so strange and alarming.

She soon realized that she was receiving within herself the heavenly judge, there in that same place where with lingering gaze she had just seen the harbinger from heaven. It was by a soothing motion and holy affection that God transformed the virgin into a mother for himself and made his handmaid into a parent. Nevertheless her bosom was disturbed, her mind recoiled, and her whole state became one of trembling when God, whom the whole of creation does not contain, placed his whole Self inside her bosom and made himself a man.

Mary was pondering about the greeting, what kind it was: whether it was vile and corrupt, as a man's address to a maiden, or divine, since God was also mentioned in the greeting: "The Lord is with you."

(Photius.) As if he said, I came not to deceive you, nay rather to bring down deliverance from deception; I came not to rob you of your inviolable virginity, but to open a dwelling-place for the Author and Guardian of thy purity; I am not a servant of the Devil, but the ambassador of Him that destroyeth the Devil. I am come to form a marriage treaty, not to devise plots. So far then was he from allowing her to be harassed by distracting thoughts, lest he should be counted a servant unfaithful to his trust.

(ubi sup.) For the Virgin found favour with God, in that decking her own soul in the bright robes of chastity, she prepared a dwelling-place pleasing to God. Not only did she retain her virginity inviolate, but her conscience also she kept from stain. As many had found favour before Mary, he goes on to state what was peculiar to her. Behold, thou shall conceive in thy womb.

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God. Having seen that she was troubled by an unusual greeting, as it were, which was kept for her alone, calling her more familiarly by her name, he bids her not to fear. And because he had called her full of grace, he further establishes that grace and explains it more abundantly, saying:

Therefore the Angel, expressing the good pleasure of divine acceptance, strengthens and addresses the Virgin by name: Fear not, Mary. Fear not, I say, but rejoice, because your name is written in heaven, according to what is said below to the Apostles, in chapter ten: "Rejoice that your names are written in the heavens." And he gives the reason: For you have found grace with God, the grace, namely, of election, as Moses: Exodus 33: "You have found grace before me, and I have known you by name"; so it is said to the Virgin Mary. Also the grace of perfection, as Noah: Genesis 6: "Noah found grace before God"; and shortly after: "Noah was a just and perfect man, and he walked with God." The grace of espousal, that she might become the spouse of God and the mother of the Son of God; Esther 2: "Esther found grace and mercy before Ahasuerus above all women, and he set the royal crown upon her head." Moreover, she found grace on account of her exceeding humility and meekness: James 4: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble"; and Sirach 3: "The greater you are, humble yourself in all things, and you shall find grace before God."

That Christ was to be born of the seed of David, according to the flesh. In the second of Kings: "And the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shall not build me an house to dwell in; but it shall come to pass, when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shall sleep with thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee who shall come from thy loins, and I will establish His kingdom. He shall build me a house in my name, and I will set up His throne for ever; and I will be to; Him a Father, and He shall be to me a Son; and His house shall obtain confidence, and His kingdom for ever in my sight." Also in Isaiah: "And a rod shall go forth of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall go up from his root; and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and piety; and the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill Him." Also in the cxxxist Psalm: "God hath sworn the truth unto David himself, and He has not repudiated it; of the fruit of thy belly will I set upon my throne." Also in the Gospel according to Luke: "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary. For thou hast found favour before God. Behold, thou shall conceive, and shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus. The same shall be great, and He shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give Him the throne of His father David, and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end." Also in the Apocalypse: "And I saw in the right hand of God, who sate on the throne, a book written within, and on the back sealed with seven seals; and I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to receive the book, and to open its seals? Nor was there any one either in heaven or upon the earth, or under the earth, who was able to open the book, nor even to look into it. And I wept much because nobody was found worthy to open the book, nor to look into it. And one of the elders said unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose its seven seals."

(Orat. in Diem Nat.) While the expectation of child-birth strikes a woman with terror, the sweet mention of her offspring calms her, as it is added, And thou shall call his name Jesus. The coming of the Saviour is the banishing of all fear.

But he who earns favour in the sight of God has nothing to fear. Hence it follows, For thou hast found favour before God. But how shall any one find it, except through the means of his humility. For God giveth grace to the humble. (James 4:6, 1 Pet. 5:5.)

Wonder! God is come among humanity; he who cannot be contained is contained in a womb; the timeless enters time, and great mystery: his conception is without seed, his emptying past telling! So great is this mystery! For God empties himself, takes flesh and is fashioned as a creature, when the angel tells the pure Virgin of her conception: "Rejoice, you who are full of grace; the Lord who has great mercy is with you!"

For if Mary had known that similar words had been addressed to others, such a salutation would never have appeared to her so strange and alarming. When the angel saw that she was troubled at this unusual salutation, calling her by her name as if she was well known to him, he tells her she must not fear, as it follows; And the angel said, Fear not, Mary.

The Angel, first of all, calms Her heart from fear, so that She might receive the divine response in an undisturbed state; for in a state of confusion she could not properly hear what was about to come to pass — then, as if in explanation of the aforementioned word "Full of grace," he says: "You have found favor with God." For to be graced means to receive grace from God, that is, to please God. But this happiness is common, for many others also found favor with God, whereas the greeting brought to Mary has not yet been addressed to anyone.

But all are not as Mary, that when they conceive the word of the Holy Spirit, they bring forth; for some put forth the word prematurely, others have Christ in the womb, but not yet formed.

(Geometer.) By the word behold, he denotes rapidity and actual presence, implying that with the utterance of the word the conception is accomplished.

(Sev. Antiochenus.) Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, that he might show that our Lord from the very Virgin's womb, and of our substance, took our flesh upon Him. For the Divine Word came to purify man's nature and birth, and the first elements of our generation. And so without sin and human seed, passing through every stage as we do, He is conceived in the flesh, and carried in the womb for the space of nine months.

(Geometer.) But since it happens also that to the spiritual mind is given in an especial manner to conceive the Divine Spirit, and bring forth the Spirit of salvation, as says the Prophet; therefore he added, And thou shalt bring forth a Son. (Is. 26:18.)

Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shalt call his name Jesus. Jesus is interpreted as savior or saving. The angel addressing Joseph explained the sacrament of this name: For he, he said, shall save his people from their sins. He did not say the people of Israel, but his people, that is, called into the unity of faith from among the uncircumcision and the circumcision, where, gathered from different parts, there might be one shepherd and one flock.

We should carefully note the order of the words here, and the more firmly they are engrafted in our heart, the more evident it will be that the sum total of our redemption consists in them. For they proclaim with perfect clarity that the Lord Jesus, that is, our Savior, was both the true Son of God the Father and the true Son of a mother who was a human being. "Behold," he says, "you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son" - acknowledge that this true human being assumed the true substance of flesh from the flesh of the Virgin! "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High" - confess too that this same Son is true God of true God, coeternal Son forever of the eternal Father!

Jesus is interpreted Saviour, or Healing.

The full accord of the witnesses is found in the words of Scriptures. Isaiah says: The virgin shall be with child; and Luke: Thou shalt conceive. One says: Christ shall be slain; and the Evangelist: Put Him to death. Whatever, then, had been foretold by the prophets was fulfilled through Christ.

Expressing also the benefit of the salvific conception or fecundation, he shows that it is at hand, when he says: Behold, you shall conceive in your womb and shall bear a son; so that thus may be fulfilled in you that word of Isaiah 7: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and shall bear a son." And he says pointedly: Behold, you shall conceive in your womb, to show that this very thing is great and wondrous and new, that she should conceive within, receiving nothing from without: Jeremiah 31: "The Lord has created a new thing upon the earth: a woman shall encompass a man." And because conception without lust is followed by birth without travail and pain, therefore he adds: And you shall bear a son, according to that word of the last chapter of Isaiah: "Before she travailed, she brought forth. Who has ever heard such a thing, or who has seen the like?" And because birth without pain is followed by the fruit of the womb with salvation, therefore he adds: You shall call his name Jesus: because, as is said in Acts 4, "neither is there any other name under heaven given to men, by which we must be saved." The prefiguration of this name preceded in Jesus, son of Nave: Ecclesiasticus 46: "Mighty in war was Jesus of Nave, who was great according to his name, very great for the salvation of God's elect." The prefiguration of this also preceded in Joseph, of whom it is said in Genesis 41 that "Pharaoh changed his name and called him in the Egyptian tongue Savior of the world."

(de fide ad Theod.) But this name was given anew to the Word in adaptation to His nativity in the flesh; as that prophecy saith, Thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord hath named. (Is. 62:2.)

(contra Julian lib. viii.) Not however from Joseph proceeded the most pure descent of Christ. For from one and the same line of connection had sprung both Joseph and the Virgin, and from this the only-begotten had taken the form of man.

The words "in the sixth month" are reckoned in relation to Elizabeth's pregnancy. "The angel was sent to a virgin," and he said to her, "Behold, in your virginity you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus." He was speaking about him who was to appear in the body. He did not say to her, "that name which is called Jesus," but "you shall call his name." This shows that this name is of the economy which is through the body, since Jesus in Hebrew means "Savior." For the angel said, "You shall call his name Jesus," that is, Savior, "for he shall save his people from sins." This name therefore refers not to his nature but to his deeds.

(non occ.) But since it seems shocking or unworthy to some men that God should inhabit a body, is the Sun, I would ask, the heat whereof is felt by each body that receives its rays, at all sullied as to its natural purity? Much more then does the Sun of Righteousness, in taking upon Himself a most pure body from the Virgin's womb, escape not only defilement, but even show forth His own mother in greater holiness.

And hear again how Isaiah in express words foretold that He should be born of a virgin; for he spoke thus: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bring forth a son, and they shall say for His name, `God with us.'" For things which were incredible and seemed impossible with men, these God predicted by the Spirit of prophecy as about to come to pass, in order that, when they came to pass, there might be no unbelief, but faith, because of their prediction. But lest some, not understanding the prophecy now cited, should charge us with the very things we have been laying to the charge of the poets who say that Jupiter went in to women through lust, let us try to explain the words. This, then, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive," signifies that a virgin should conceive without intercourse. For if she had had intercourse with any one whatever, she was no longer a virgin; but the power of God having come upon the virgin, overshadowed her, and caused her while yet a virgin to conceive. And the angel of God who was sent to the same virgin at that time brought her good news, saying, "Behold, thou shalt conceive of the Holy Ghost, and shalt bear a Son, and He shall be called the Son of the Highest, and thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins," -as they who have recorded all that concerns our Saviour Jesus Christ have taught, whom we believed, since by Isaiah also, whom we have now adduced, the Spirit of prophecy declared that He should be born as we intimated before. It is wrong, therefore, to understand the Spirit and the power of God as anything else than the Word, who is also the first-born of God, as the foresaid prophet Moses declared; and it was this which, when it came upon the virgin and overshadowed her, caused her to conceive, not by intercourse, but by power. And the name Jesus in the Hebrew language means Σωτήρ (Saviour) in the Greek tongue. Wherefore, too, the angel said to the virgin, "Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." And that the prophets are inspired by no other than the Divine Word, even you, as I fancy, will grant.

But is this the only statement of prophecy which will be frustrated? Will not the angel's announcement also be subverted, that the virgin should "conceive in her womb and bring forth a son? " And will not in fact every scripture which declares that Christ had a mother? For how could she have been His mother, unless He had been in her womb? But then He received nothing from her womb which could make her a mother in whose womb He had been.

"And behold, you will conceive" — no other virgin has ever been deemed worthy of this privilege. He said "in your womb"; by this it is shown that the Lord was substantially incarnated from the very womb of the Virgin. He who came for the salvation of our race was rightly named "Jesus," for this name translated into the Greek language means "salvation from God." Jesus, by interpretation, means Savior, because salvation is also called "iao."

It was said also of John, that he shall be great, but of him indeed as of a great man, of Christ, as of the great God. For abundantly is poured forth the power of God; widely the greatness of the heavenly substance extended, neither confined by place, nor grasped by thought; neither determined by calculation, nor altered by age.

(Geom. sup.) And he says, Thou shalt call, not His father shall call, for He is without a father as regards His lower birth, as He is without a mother in respect of the higher.

(sup.) But as this name was common to Him with the successor of Moses, the angel therefore implying that He should not be after Joshua's likeness, adds, He shall be great. (Josh. 1.)

(Photius.) The assumption of our flesh does not diminish ought from the loftiness of the Deity, but rather exalts the lowness of man's nature. Hence it follows, And he shall be called the Son of the Highest. Not, Thou shalt give Him the name, but He Himself shall be called. By whom, but His Father of like substance with Himself? For no one hath known the Son but the Father. (Matt. 11:27.) But He in Whom exists the infallible knowledge of His Son, is the true interpreter as to the name which should be given Him, when He says, This is my beloved Son; (Matt. 17:5.) for such indeed from everlasting He is, though His name was not revealed till now; therefore he says, He shall be called, not shall be made or begotten. For before the worlds He was of like substance with the Father. Him therefore thou shalt conceive; His mother thou shalt become; Him shall thy virgin shrine enclose, Whom the heavens were not able to contain.

(Epist. 236. ad Amphil.) Our Lord sat not on the earthly throne of David, the Jewish kingdom having been transferred to Herod. The seat of David is that on which our Lord reestablished His spiritual kingdom which should never be destroyed. Hence it follows, And he shall reign over the house of Jacob.

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. It is said of John that he will be great, but he as a great man, this one however as a great God. For he will be great before the Lord, but this one, it says, will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. Therefore, the same Son of the Most High who was conceived and born in the virginal womb. The same man in time, created from the mother, who is God born from the Father before all times. But if the same man who is God, Nestorius must cease to say that only a man was born from a virgin, and that he was received by the Word of God, not into the unity of person, but into an inseparable association. Otherwise, he is found to assert not one Christ, true God and man, but two (which is impious to say), and thus to preach not the Trinity, but a quaternity. However, the Catholic faith rightly confesses one Christ as one man of both flesh and soul, just as the angelic words signify, which had asserted that the throne of David his father was to be given to him. For he who would have the same father David, whom he declares will be called the Son of the Most High, demonstrates one person of Christ in two natures. He received the throne of David, so that certainly he might call to the eternal kingdom the people to whom David once and his sons provided temporal rule, which has been prepared for them from the foundation of the world.

The time had come when, having redeemed the world through his blood, he was to be acknowledged as king not of the house of David alone but also of the whole church; moreover, that he was maker and governor of all generations. Hence the angel properly said afterwards, "and the Lord God will give him the seat of David his father," and he immediately added, "and he will reign in the house of Jacob forever." Now the house of Jacob refers to the universal church, which through its faith in and confession of Christ pertains to the heritage of the patriarchs—either among those who took their physical origin from the stock of the patriarchs or among those who, though brought forth with respect to the flesh from other countries, were reborn in Christ by the spiritual washing.

Let Nestorius then cease to say that the Virgin's Son is only man, and to deny that He is taken up by the Word of God into the unity of the Person. For the Angel when he says that the very same has David for His father whom he declares is called the Son of the Highest, demonstrates the one Person of Christ in two natures. The Angel uses the future tense (vocabitur, regnabit) not because, as the Heretics say, Christ was not before Mary, but because in the same person, man with God shares the same name of Son.

Lastly, expressing the eminence of the offspring to be born, he shows him to be great, when he says: He shall be great. He shows, moreover, that his greatness is most excellent on account of singular grace, on account of royal excellence, on account of eternal power. — He touches upon singular grace when he says: And he shall be called the Son of the Most High, namely through the grace of union: the Son, I say, the Only-begotten, according to that word of John 1: "We saw his glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father." And thus he shall be equal to the Most High, according to that word of the Psalm: "You, Lord, are most high over all the earth." Who is this but Christ the Lord? of whom it is said in Philippians 2: "He gave him a name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow," etc. This, however, he gave to no other, because in the Son of the Virgin alone is the grace of union.

He intimates royal excellence when he says: And the Lord God shall give him the throne of David, his father, that is, the royal seat, according to what was promised to David: "Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne"; and according to what was promised through Jeremiah the Prophet, Jeremiah 23: "Behold, the days come, says the Lord. And I will raise up to David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign and shall be wise." This also was first shown in Daniel 7, concerning the Son of man, of whom he says that "the Ancient of Days gave him power and honor and a kingdom, and all peoples and tribes and tongues shall serve him."

And again, speaking in reference to the angel, he says: "But at that time the angel Gabriel was sent from God, who did also say to the virgin, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favour with God." [Luke 1:26, etc.] And he says concerning the Lord: "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end." [Luke 1:32-33] For who else is there who can reign uninterruptedly over the house of Jacob for ever, except Jesus Christ our Lord, the Son of the Most High God, who promised by the law and the prophets that He would make His salvation visible to all flesh; so that He would become the Son of man for this purpose, that man also might become the son of God?

See then the greatness of the Saviour, how it is diffused over the whole world. Go up to heaven, see there how it has filled the heavenly places; carry thy thoughts down to the deep, behold, there too He has descended. If thou seest this, then, in like manner, beholdest thou fulfilled in very deed, He shall be great.

Great was John too, but he was not yet a Son of the Most High, whereas the Savior was great in His teaching and "Son of the Most High" also by His teaching, for He taught as One having authority, and by the performance of wondrous miracles. The visible Man is called "Son of the Most High," for since the Person was one, the Man, the Son of the Virgin, was truly the Son of the Most High. The Word was the Son of the Most High even before the ages, but was not so called and was not known as such; but when He became incarnate and appeared in the flesh, then the Visible One who works miracles was also called the Son of the Most High. Hearing of "the throne of David," do not think of a sensible kingdom, but understand the Divine one, by which He reigned over all nations through the Divine preaching.

Peter said: We preach one God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that has made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that therein is, who is the true King; and of His kingdom there shall be no end. [Luke 1:33] Nero said: What king is lord? Paul said: The Saviour of all the nations. Simon said: I am he whom you speak of. Peter and Paul said: May it never be well with you, Simon, magician, and full of bitterness.

(Severus Antiochenus.) And to make the Virgin mindful of the prophets, he adds, And the Lord God shall give unto him the seat of David, that she might know clearly, that He Who is to be born of her is that very Christ, Whom the prophets promised should be born of the seed of David.

(Geometer.) But to reign for ever is of none save God alone; and hence though because of the incarnation Christ is said to receive the seat of David, yet as being Himself God He is acknowledged to be the eternal King. It follows, And, his kingdom shall have no end, not in that He is God, but in that He is man also. Now indeed He has the kingdom of many nations, but finally he shall reign over all, when all things shall be put under Him. (1 Cor. 15:25.)

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Isaiah said: His empire will be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace. Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it in judgement and in justice (Isa. IX). He did not say in the acquisition of earthly glories and treasures, not in the victory over many nations or the subjugation of proud cities, but in judgment and justice. For by these the kingdom of Christ is multiplied and established, both in each of the faithful and in the universal Church throughout the earth. For he calls the whole Church the house of Jacob, which, whether born from a good root or grafted in, although it was a wild olive, is rightfully grafted into a good olive tree by faith. After the triumph of his passion, the Savior addressing it says: "You who fear the Lord, praise him; all you offspring of Jacob, glorify him" (Psal. XXI). However, Jesus is not said to be great in future words and to be called the Son of the Most High, to accept the scepter of David, and to reign over the house of Jacob, because, as the heretics senselessly think and fall away from the truth, Christ did not exist before Mary, but that the man assumed into God was glorified by that glory which the Word of God had with the Father before the world was; that is, the same name of the Son would mean the same person of Christ, man with God, full of grace and truth.

Or by the house of Jacob he means the whole Church which either sprang from a good root, or though formerly a wild olive branch, has yet been for a reward of its faith grafted into the good olive tree. (Rom. 11:17.)

Eternal power he notes, when he says: And he shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, according to what was promised to David, according to that passage of 2 Kings 7: "I will raise up your seed, which shall come forth from your womb, and I will establish his kingdom: and I will make firm the throne of his kingdom forever." Daniel 7 says this same thing: "His power is an everlasting power, which shall not be taken away, and his kingdom, which shall not be destroyed."

But to show that this eternity is properly spoken of through the absence of an end, he adds: And of his kingdom there shall be no end: so that that passage of Isaiah 9 might be fulfilled: "He shall sit upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to confirm it and strengthen it in judgment and justice, from henceforth and forever." And therefore the Psalmist rightly says: "Your kingdom is a kingdom of all ages, and your dominion endures throughout every generation."

if that expression for ever be taken as applying to the Lord Christ, it signifies endless duration, in accordance with what Gabriel also says to the Virgin: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there shall be no end

(Hom. vii. in Matt.) Now He assigns to the present house of Jacob all those who were of the number of the Jews that believed on Him. For as Paul says, They are not all Israel which are of Israel, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

"The house of Jacob" are those who believed both from the Jews and equally from other nations, for such are properly Jacob and Israel. How then is it said that He sat on the throne of David? Listen. David was the least among his brothers; and the Lord was in contempt and reproach as one who loves to eat and drink wine, and the Son of a carpenter, and in dishonor even among His own brothers, the sons of Joseph. "For even His brothers," it says, "did not believe in Him" (John 7:5). David, despite his beneficence, was persecuted; and the Lord, working miracles, was slandered and had stones cast at Him. David conquered and reigned through meekness; and the Lord reigned, having accepted the cross through meekness. So then, do you see in what sense it is said that He sat on the throne of David? As David received a physical kingdom, so the Lord received a spiritual reign, which "will have no end." For the reign of Christ, that is, the knowledge of God and Christianity, will have no end. For even in persecution we shine by the grace of Christ.

It seems that Mary did not believe here, unless you pay careful attention; for it is not right for the chosen one to be seen as unbelieving in conceiving the only-begotten Son of God. But in what way could it happen (although the prerogative of the mother is preserved, to whom it certainly had to be deferred to a greater extent: but as a greater prerogative, a greater faith should also have been reserved for her), therefore in what way could it happen, that Zacharias, who did not believe, was condemned to silence: but Mary, if she had not believed, would be exalted by the infusion of the Holy Spirit? But Mary neither should not believe, nor should she rashly usurp: not believe the angel, usurp divine things. For it was not easy to know the mystery hidden in God from the ages, which even the higher Powers could not know. And yet she did not refuse faith, did not reject the duty: but she adjusted her emotions, promised obedience. For when she says: How will this be done? she did not doubt the outcome, but sought the quality of the effect itself.

It was Mary's part neither to refuse belief in the Angel, nor too hastily take unto herself the divine message. How subdued her answer is, compared with the words of the Priest. Then said Mary to the Angel, How shall this be? She says, How shall this be? He answers, Whereby shall I know this? He refuses to believe that which he says he does not know, and seeks as it were still further authority for belief. She avows herself willing to do that which she doubts not will be done, but how, she is anxious to know. Mary had read, Behold, she shall conceive and bear a son. (Is. 7:14.) She believed therefore that it should be, but how it was to take place she had never read, for even to so great a prophet this had not been revealed. So great a mystery was not to be divulged by the mouth of man, but of an Angel.

(Geometer.) But mark, how the Angel solves the Virgin's doubts, and shows to her the unstained marriage and the unspeakable birth. And the Angel answered, and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee.

(Victor Presbyter.) But observe, how the Angel has declared the whole Trinity to the Virgin, making mention of the Holy Spirit, the Power, and the Most High, for the Trinity is indivisible.c

(Ep. ad Epictetum.) For we confess that which then was taken up from Mary to be of the nature of man and a most real body, the very same also according to nature with our own body. For Mary is our sister, seeing we have all descended from Adam.

Her virginity also itself was on this account more pleasing and accepted, in that it was not that Christ being conceived in her, rescued it beforehand from a husband who would violate it, Himself to preserve it; but, before He was conceived, chose it, already dedicated to God, as that from which to be born. This is shown by the words which Mary spoke in answer to the Angel announcing to her her conception; "How," says she, "shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" Which assuredly she would not say, unless she had before vowed herself unto God as a virgin. But, because the habits of the Israelites as yet refused this, she was espoused to a just man, who would not take from her by violence, but rather guard against violent persons, what she had already vowed. Although, even if she had said this only, "How shall this take place?" and had not added, "seeing I know not a man," certainly she would not have asked, how, being a female, she should give birth to her promised Son, if she had married with purpose of sexual intercourse. She might have been bidden also to continue a virgin, that in her by fitting miracle the Son of God should receive the form of a servant, but, being to be a pattern to holy virgins, lest it should be thought that she alone needed to be a virgin, who had obtained to conceive a child even without sexual intercourse, she dedicated her virginity to God, when as yet she knew not what she should conceive, in order that the imitation of a heavenly life in an earthly and mortal body should take place of vow, not of command; through love of choosing, not through necessity of doing service. Thus Christ by being born of a virgin, who, before she knew Who was to be born of her, had determined to continue a virgin, chose rather to approve, than to command, holy virginity. And thus, even in the female herself, in whom He took the form of a servant, He willed that virginity should be free.

The first sinner, the first transgressor, begot sinners liable to death. To heal them, the Savior came from the Virgin; because he didn't come to you the way you came, seeing that he did not originate from the sexual appetite of male and female, not from that chain of lust. The Holy Spirit, it says, will come upon you. That was said to the Virgin glowing with faith, not seething with carnal lust. The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [Luke 1:35]. Being overshadowed like that, how could she be seething with the heat of sexual desire? So, because he didn't come to you the way you came, he sets you free.

(235. Ep. Amph.) Knowledge is spoken of in various ways. The wisdom of our Creator is called knowledge, and an acquaintance with His mighty works, the keeping also of His commandments, and the constant drawing near to Him; and besides these the marriage union is called knowledge, as it is here.

(Lib. de Spirit. Sanct. c. v.) Hence also, St. Paul says, God sent forth his Son, born not (through a woman) but of a woman. For the words through a woman might convey only a notion of birth as a passing through, but when it is said, of a woman, (Gal. 4:4.) there is openly declared a communion of nature between the son and the parent.

But Mary said to the angel: How will this be, since I do not know a man? She reverently expressed the purpose of her mind, that is, that she had decided to lead a virginal life. Because she was the first among women to devote herself to such great virtue, she rightfully deserved, by unique merit, to excel in blessedness above other women. How, she said, will this be? She did not say: How will I know this; but, How will this be, she said, since I do not know a man. She inquired about the order of obedience to which she should submit, not asking for a sign to believe. For it did not befit the virgin chosen to bear God to exist in doubtful mistrust but in cautious prudence, since man could not easily know the mystery that was hidden in God through the ages. Therefore, because she had read, Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, but had not read how it could happen, rightfully believing in what she had read, she asked the angel about what she did not find in the prophet (Isaiah VII).

Let Nestorius then cease to say that the Virgin's Son is only man, and to deny that He is taken up by the Word of God into the unity of the Person. For the Angel when he says that the very same has David for His father whom he declares is called the Son of the Highest, demonstrates the one Person of Christ in two natures. The Angel uses the future tense  (vocabitur, regnabit) not because, as the Heretics say, Christ was not before Mary, but because in the same person, man with God shares the same name of Son.

Thou shalt conceive then not by the seed of man whom thou knowest not, but by the operation of the Holy Spirit, with which thou art filled. There shall be no flame of desire in thee when the Holy Spirit shall overshadow thee.

Thus animated to cast out fear by a spirit of faith, she said to the angel: "How shall this be done, for I know not man?" She doubts not the fact, but only inquires about the manner of its accomplishment. She says not "Will it be done?" but "How will this be done?" As if she would say: "Since my Lord knows, and my conscience bears me witness, that His handmaid has made a vow to know no man, by what law shall it please Him to work this wonder? If I must break my vow that I may bring forth such a Son, I rejoice on account of the Son, but I grieve because of my vow. Nevertheless, His will be done. If, however, as a Virgin I may bring forth this Son and it is not impossible if He so will it then I shall know that He hath had regard to the humility of His handmaid. How, then, shall this be done, for I know not man?"

But Mary said to the Angel. The Evangelist first introduced the Angel narrating; here he adds the most prudent Virgin inquiring: in which inquiry three things are explained to us, namely, a fitting doubt, a moving reason, and a satisfying solution. — A fitting doubt is noted, when it is said: How shall this be done? For since there is a threefold mode of conceiving — one carnal, another spiritual, and a third wondrous and singular — I ask, by which of these modes shall it come about? Nicodemus asked the Lord in this way, when he heard that he must be born again, in John 3: "How, he said, can these things come to pass?" And note that she does not ask for the mode of knowing or a sign to produce faith, as Zacharias did, who was punished, above in the same chapter: "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her days"; but she asks for the mode of its coming to be, so that she might consent, according to that passage of Proverbs 4: "Let your eyelids go before your steps."

He touches upon the moving reason when he says: Because I know not a man, that is, I propose not to know one, and thus I am a virgin in mind and flesh and purpose, so that that passage concerning Rebecca, Genesis 24, rightly applies to her, that she was "a maiden exceedingly fair and a most beautiful virgin and unknown to man." And according to the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 7, she was no longer thinking of the things of the flesh, but "of the things of the Lord, how she might be holy both in body and in spirit"; and therefore she not unreasonably asked how she ought to conceive offspring, she who did not propose to know a man, so that, if it could be that she might have both virginity and fruitfulness at once, then she would give her consent.

It was fitting that the Architect of the works of creation should come and raise up the house that had fallen and that the hovering Spirit should sanctify the buildings that were unclean. Thus, if the Progenitor entrusted the judgment that is to come to his Son, it is clear that he accomplished the creation of humanity and its restoration through him as well. He was the live coal, which had come to kindle the briars and thorns. He dwelt in the womb and cleansed it and sanctified the place of the birth pangs and the curses. The flame, which Moses saw, was moistening the bush and distilling the fat lest it be inflamed. The likeness of refined gold could be seen in the bush, entering into the fire but without being consumed. This happened so that it might make known that living fire which was to come at the end, watering and moistening the womb of the Virgin and clothing it like the fire that enveloped the bush.

If any one affirms that Christ was born of the seed of man by the Virgin, in the same manner as all men are born, and refuses to acknowledge that He was made flesh by the Holy Spirit and the holy Virgin Mary, mad became man of the seed of David, even as it is written, let him be anathema.

Explication: How could one say that Christ was born of the seed of man by the Virgin, when the holy Gospel and the angel, in proclaiming the good tidings, testify of Mary the Virgin that she said, "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? " [Luke 1:34] Wherefore he says, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of the Highest." [Luke 1:35] And to Joseph he says, "Fear not to take unto you Mary your wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins." [Matthew 1:20-21]

Then the virgin was initiated into the mystery by Gabriel. The words of the mystagogy were a blessing. "Hail," he says, "blessed woman, the Lord is with you." [...] He says, "You will conceive in your womb and will bear a son and you shall call his name 'Jesus'." [Luke 1:31, Protevangelium of James 11.3] And what did Mary do? Listen to the pure virgin's utterance. The angel declared the birth, and she clings to her virginity, judging incorruption to be nobler than the angelic appearance and could neither disbelieve the angel nor abandon her judgments. She says, I have no experience of intercourse with a husband: "How will this happen to me, since I have not known a husband?" [Luke 1:34] Mary's very utterance is proof of what is narrated in the apocryphal book [the Protevangelium of James]. For if she had been taken by Joseph for marriage, how could she be totally astonished at the one who announced the birth to her if she was quite favorably disposed to becoming a mother according to the law of nature? But since the flesh that had been consecrated to God had to be kept inviolate like one of the holy dedicated things, this is why she says, "Even if you are an angel, even if you have come from heaven, even if the appearance was beyond humanity, still for a husband to know me is not possible. How will I become a mother without a husband? I know Joseph as a fiancé, but I have not known a husband." And what did Gabriel (the bridal escort) do? What sort of bridal chamber did he announce for the pure and undefiled marriage? "The Holy Spirit," he says, "will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." [Luke 1:35, Protevangelium of James 11.3]

(Orat. in Diem Nat. Christi.) Hear the chaste words of the Virgin. The Angel tells her she shall bear a son, but she rests upon her virginity, deeming her inviolability a more precious thing than the Angel's declaration. Hence she says, Seeing that I know not a man.

(sup.) These words of Mary are a token of what she was pondering in the secrets of her heart; for if for the sake of the marriage union she had wished to be espoused to Joseph, why was she seized with astonishment when the conception was made known unto her? seeing in truth she might herself be expecting at the time to become a mother according to the law of nature. But because it was meet that her body being presented to God as an holy offering-should be kept inviolate, therefore she says, Seeing that I know not a man. As if she said, Notwithstanding that thou who speakest art an Angel, yet that I should know a man is plainly an impossible thing. How then can I be a mother, having no husband? For Joseph I have acknowledged as my betrothed.

(Orat. in Diem Nat.) O blessed is that womb which because of the overflowing purity of the Virgin Mary has drawn to itself the gift of life! For in others scarcely indeed shall a pure soul obtain the presence of the Holy Spirit, but in her the flesh is made the receptacle of the Spirit.

(Lib. de Vita Moysis.) For the tables of our nature which guilt had broken, the true Lawgiver has formed anew to Himself from our dust without cohabitation, creating a body capable of taking His divinity, which the finger of God hath carved, that is to say, the Spirit coming upon the Virgin.

(in Diem Natal.) Moreover, the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. Christ is the power of the most high King, who by the coming of the Holy Spirit is formed in the Virgin.

(Orat. in Diem Nat.) Or he says, overshadow thee, because as a shadow takes its shape from the character of those bodies which go before it, so the signs of the Son's Deity will appear from the power of the Father. (non occ. in Greg. Nyss.). For as in us a certain life-giving power is seen in the material substance, by which man is formed; so in the Virgin, has the power of the Highest in like manner, by the life-giving Spirit, taken from the Virgin's body a fleshly substance inherent in the body to form a new man. Hence it follows, Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee.

(18 Moral. c. 20. super Job 27:21.) By the term overshadowing, both natures of the Incarnate God are signified. For shadow is formed by light and matter. But the Lord by His Divine nature is light. Because then immaterial light was to be embodied in the Virgin's womb, it is well said unto her, The power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, that is, the human body in thee shall receive an immaterial light of divinity. For this is said to Mary for the heavenly refreshing of her soul.

(18 Moral. c. 52. super Job 28:19.) To distinguish His holiness from ours, Jesus is stated in an especial manner to be born holy. For we although indeed made holy, are not born so, for we are constrained by the very condition of our corruptible nature to cry out with the Prophet, Behold, I was conceived in iniquity. (Ps. 51:5.) But He alone is in truth holy, who was not conceived by the cementing of a fleshly union, nor as the heretics rave, one person in His human nature, another in His divine; not conceived and brought forth a mere man, and afterwards by his merits, obtained that He should be God, but the Angel announcing and the Spirit coming, first the Word in the womb, afterwards within the womb the Word made flesh. Whence it follows, Shall be called the Son of God.

(Hom. 49 in Gen.) As if he said, Look not for the order of nature in things which transcend and overpower nature. Dost thou say, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? Nay rather, shall it happen to thee for this very reason, that thou hast never known a husband. For if thou hadst, thou wouldest not have been thought worthy of the mystery, not that marriage is unholy, but virginity more excellent. It became the common Lord of all both to take part with us, and to differ with us in His nativity; for the being born from the womb, He shared in common with us, but in that He was born without cohabitation, He was exalted far above us.

In this nativity also, Isaiah's saying is fulfilled, "let the earth produce and bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together." [Isaiah 45:8] For the earth of human flesh, which in the first transgressor, was cursed, in this Offspring of the Blessed Virgin only produced a seed that was blessed and free from the fault of its stock. And each one is a partaker of this spiritual origin in regeneration; and to every one when he is re-born, the water of baptism is like the Virgin's womb; for the same Holy Spirit fills the font, Who filled the Virgin, that the sin, which that sacred conception overthrew, may be taken away by this mystical washing.

But the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ exceeds all understanding and goes beyond any precedent.

Each one is a partaker of this spiritual origin in regeneration. To every one, when he is reborn, the water of baptism is like the Virgin's womb, for the same Holy Spirit fills the font, who filled the Virgin, that the sin, which that sacred conception overthrew, may be taken away by this mystical washing.

He had to be redeemed: my Spirit came down And impregnated flesh made from the dust With the divine nature; God has assumed Humanity, joining it with divinity, And kindled in men's hearts new love of me.

When God's coming draws near, the angel Gabriel advances From the Father's high throne and enters the house of the Virgin. "Mary," he says, "the Holy Spirit will render you fruitful, And you shall give birth to the Christ, O glorious Virgin."

A heavenly fire engenders him, not flesh Nor blood of father, nor impure desire. By power of God a spotless maid conceives, As in her virgin womb the Spirit breathes. The mystery of this birth confirms our faith That Christ is God: a maiden by the Spirit Is wed, unstained by love; her purity Remains intact; with child within, untouched Without, bright in her chaste fertility, Mother yet virgin, mother that knew not man. Why, doubter, do you shake your silly head? An angel makes this known with holy lips. Will you not hearken to angelic words? The Virgin blest, the shining messenger Believed, and by her faith she Christ conceived. Christ comes to men of faith and spurns the heart Irresolute in trust and reverence. The Virgin's instant faith attracted Christ into her womb and hid him there till birth.

Theotokos: Make plain to me, how I, a virgin, shall bear him?

The angel: You seek to know from me the manner of your conceiving, Virgin, but this is beyond all interpretation! The Holy Spirit will overshadow you in his creative power and shall make this come to pass!

Theotokos: When she accepted the suggestion of the serpent, my mother Eve was banished from divine delight. Therefore I fear your strange greeting, for I take care that I not slip.

The angel: I am sent as God's messenger to disclose the divine will to you. Why are you afraid of me, undefiled one? I rather am afraid of you! Why do you stand in awe of me, O lady, who stand in reverent awe of you?

[...]

The angel: Rejoice, lady; rejoice, most pure virgin! Rejoice, God-containing vessel! Rejoice, candlestick of the light, the restoration of Adam and the deliverance of Eve! Rejoice, holy mountain, shining sanctuary! Rejoice, bridal chamber of immortality!

Theotokos: The descent of the Holy Spirit has purified my soul; it has sanctified my body; it has made me a temple containing God, a divinely adorned tabernacle, a living sanctuary and the pure mother of life.

The angel: I see you as a lamp with many lights; a bridal chamber made by God! Spotless maiden, as an ark of gold, receive now the giver of the law, who through you has been pleased to deliver humankind's corrupted nature!

The Virgin said, "How will this be?" not because she disbelieved, but because she, being wise and understanding, wished to learn the manner of the present event, for nothing like it had ever happened before, nor would it happen after. Therefore the Angel pardons Her and does not condemn Her as he did Zacharias, but further explains the manner of the event. Zacharias is justly condemned: he had many examples, since many barren women had given birth, but the Virgin had not a single example.

Article 4. Whether the Mother of God took a vow of virginity?

Objection 1. It would seem that the Mother of God did not take a vow of virginity. For it is written (Deuteronomy 7:14): "No one shall be barren among you of either sex." But sterility is a consequence of virginity. Therefore the keeping of virginity was contrary to the commandment of the Old Law. But before Christ was born the old law was still in force. Therefore at that time the Blessed Virgin could not lawfully take a vow of virginity.

Objection 2. Further, the Apostle says (1 Corinthians 7:25): "Concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give counsel." But the perfection of the counsels was to take its beginning from Christ, who is the "end of the Law," as the Apostle says (Romans 10:4). It was not therefore becoming that the Virgin should take a vow of virginity.

Objection 3. Further, the gloss of Jerome says on 1 Timothy 5:12, that "for those who are vowed to virginity, it is reprehensible not only to marry, but also to desire to be married." But the Mother of Christ committed no sin for which she could be reprehended, as stated above (III:27:4). Since therefore she was "espoused," as related by Luke 1:27 it seems that she did not take a vow of virginity.

On the contrary, Augustine says (De Sanct. Virg. iv): "Mary answered the announcing angel: 'How shall this be done, because I know not man?' [Luke 1:34] She would not have said this unless she had already vowed her virginity to God."

I answer that, As we have stated in the II-II:88:6, works of perfection are more praiseworthy when performed in fulfilment of a vow. Now it is clear that for reasons already given virginity had a special place in the Mother of God. It was therefore fitting that her virginity should be consecrated to God by vow. Nevertheless because, while the Law was in force both men and women were bound to attend to the duty of begetting, since the worship of God was spread according to carnal origin, until Christ was born of that people; the Mother of God is not believed to have taken an absolute vow of virginity, before being espoused to Joseph, although she desired to do so, yet yielding her own will to God's judgment. Afterwards, however, having taken a husband, according as the custom of the time required, together with him she took a vow of virginity.

Reply to Objection 1. Because it seemed to be forbidden by the law not to take the necessary steps for leaving a posterity on earth, therefore the Mother of God did not vow virginity absolutely, but under the condition that it were pleasing to God. When, however, she knew that it was acceptable to God, she made the vow absolute, before the angel's Annunciation.

Reply to Objection 2. Just as the fulness of grace was in Christ perfectly, yet some beginning of the fulness preceded in His Mother; so also the observance of the counsels, which is an effect of God's grace, began its perfection in Christ, but was begun after a fashion in His Virgin Mother.

Reply to Objection 3. These words of the Apostle are to be understood of those who vow chastity absolutely. Christ's Mother did not do this until she was espoused to Joseph. After her espousals, however, by their common consent she took a vow of virginity together with her spouse.

And the angel, responding, said to her: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Not by the seed of man, which you do not know, he said, but by the work of the Holy Spirit by which you are filled, you will conceive. There will be conception in you, desire will not be. There will be no heat of lust, where the Holy Spirit makes a shadow. Indeed, in that he said, And the power of the Most High will overshadow you, both natures of the incarnate Savior can also be indicated. For a shadow is usually formed by both light and a body. And to whom it is overshadowed, indeed by the light or heat of the sun it is refreshed as much as is sufficient, but the heat of the sun itself, lest it be unbearable, is moderated by an intervening light cloud or some other body. Therefore, to the Blessed Virgin, because as a pure human she could not fully contain all the fullness of the divinity bodily, the power of the Most High overshadowed, that is, the incorporeal light of divinity assumed a body in her of humanity. Of which the prophet beautifully says: Behold, the Lord, he says, ascends upon a light cloud, and will enter Egypt (Isaiah 19), which is to say: Behold, the Word of God coeternal with the Father, and light from light born before the ages, will assume flesh at the end of the ages and a soul not weighed down by any burden of sin, and from the virginal womb, as a bridegroom from his chamber, (Psalm 18) will come forth into the world.

Therefore, the holy one to be born from you will be called the Son of God. In distinction from our holiness, Jesus is asserted to be uniquely holy in his birth. For we, even if we are made holy, are not born holy, because we are constrained by the condition of corruptible nature itself. Rightly, then, we each lament with the Prophet, saying: "Behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me" (Psalm 50). But He alone is truly holy who, to overcome the condition of corruptible nature itself, was not conceived from a commingling of carnal union. "The holy one," He says, "will be called the Son of God." What do you say here, Nestorian, who denies the blessed Mary to be the Mother of God, trying to attack the clearly open truth? Behold, It said that God will come, the Son of God will be born. How, then, either is the Son of God not God, or the one who bore God, how can she not be Θεοτόκος, that is, the Mother of God?

When the Angel announced to the most blessed Virgin Mary the mystery of the incarnation to be accomplished in her, the Virgin believed, desired, and consented; the Holy Spirit came upon her to sanctify and to make fruitful, by whose power the Virgin conceived the Son of God, whom the Virgin brought forth, and after the birth she remained a Virgin.

She conceived, however, not only flesh, but also flesh animated and united to the Word, subject to no sin, but wholly holy and immaculate, by reason of which the most sweet Virgin Mary is called and is the Mother of God.

Since the human race had fallen through diabolic suggestion and through the consent of the deceived woman and through concupiscent generation, transmitting original sin to offspring: it was necessary that on the contrary there be here a good Angel persuading to good, and a believing Virgin consenting to the good proposed, and the charity of the Holy Spirit sanctifying and making fruitful for an immaculate conception: so that thus "contraries might be cured by contraries." And through this, just as the woman, deceived by the devil and known and corrupted by man through concupiscence, transfused into all guilt, disease, and death; so the woman, instructed by the Angel and sanctified and made fruitful by the Holy Spirit, without any corruption of either mind or body, would generate offspring who would give to all coming to him grace, health, and life.

Although that work is from the whole Trinity, nevertheless by appropriation the Virgin is said to have conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Of four modes of producing man, three modes had preceded: the first neither from man nor woman, as in Adam; the second from man without woman, as in Eve; the third from woman and man, as in all those born through concupiscence; it was fitting that, for the completion of the universe, a fourth mode be introduced, which namely would be from woman without male seed through the power of the supreme Worker.

In the conception of the Son of God there concurred simultaneously an innate power, an infused power, and an uncreated power: the innate power prepared the matter, the infused power by purifying segregated it, the uncreated power instantly accomplished what could not be done by created power except successively. And thus the most blessed Virgin Mary was a mother in the most complete manner, conceiving the very Son of God without a man, the Holy Spirit rendering her fruitful. For because in the mind of the Virgin the love of the Holy Spirit burned in a singular way, therefore in her flesh the power of the Holy Spirit worked wonders, namely grace partly exciting, partly assisting, partly elevating nature, according to what that wondrous conception required.

The Angel Gabriel said to her: "Blessed are you among women. The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you. And therefore the holy one that shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God." Augustine: The Holy Spirit is love, and although he is given with his gifts, there is no gift from which he cannot be separated except the gift of love. While the other virtues are common to the good and the wicked, the love of God and neighbor is proper to the good and the pious: it alone is what sanctifies. "The Holy Spirit came upon her," because love was added to love, so that she might transcend the bounds of all others. Whence Hugo says: "Because the love of God burned singularly in the mind of the Virgin, therefore it worked wonders in her flesh."

"And therefore that which shall be born of you," through undefiled love and keeping her unstained, "shall be called the Son of God." Just as from the love of a man with a woman a carnal son is born, so from the love of the Virgin with God the Son of God was born.

And because her doubt had a reason rightly prompting it, she therefore merited a satisfying response, which is noted there: And the Angel answering said to her: The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you: as if the Angel were saying: you ask how you will conceive? To this I respond that you will be made fruitful without corruption, you will conceive without lust, you will give birth without pain, because not from virile seed but from the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus it is said in Matthew 1: "That which is born in her is of the Holy Spirit." And rightly he says: The Holy Spirit shall come upon, that is, shall come from above: James 1: "Every best gift and every perfect gift is from above, descending from the Father of lights." On account of this it is said in Acts 1: "You shall receive the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon you"; and thus there will be no corruption, because it is of the Holy Spirit. Nor will there be lust, because the power of the Most High shall overshadow you, namely so that you may not feel the heat of concupiscence, according to that passage in Song of Songs 2: "I sat under the shadow of him whom I had desired."

And note that a threefold figure preceded the three foregoing points: because without virile seed is prefigured in the rod of Aaron, which blossomed, Numbers 17; Isaiah 11: "A flower shall ascend from his root," etc.; because without lust is prefigured in the bush and fire, Exodus 3, because the bush burned and was not consumed; because birth without pain is signified in the dew and the fleece of Gideon, Judges 6. "For the fleece, as Jerome says, although it is from the body, nevertheless does not know the body's suffering"; and therefore in the Psalm: "He shall descend like rain upon the fleece."

And therefore that which shall be born of you, the Holy One, etc. After the entrance of the salutation and the progression of the narration have been described, there is set down here lastly the terminus of the conclusion: and the conclusion is that the Virgin Mary would conceive, and from her the Son of God would be born. The conclusion he draws when he says: And therefore that which shall be born of you, the Holy One, shall be called the Son of God. For because, being made fruitful by the power of the Holy Spirit, you will not bear the offspring of a man but the offspring of God, not a sinner but a holy one: Daniel 9: "That vision and prophecy may be fulfilled, and the Holy of Holies may be anointed." For if, as it is said in John 3, "that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," then it necessarily follows that what is born of the Holy Spirit is holy. Bernard: "If he had said 'holy flesh' or 'holy man,' he would seem to have said too little: therefore he put indefinitely the Holy One, because whatever it was that the Virgin bore was without doubt holy and singularly holy." And because the sons of men are born defiled, Ephesians 2: "We are all born by nature children of wrath"; therefore he is now not a son of man, but shall be called the Son of God: Isaiah 9: "And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, God, the Mighty," etc. He shall be called by God himself: Mark 9: "This is my most beloved Son"; and Matthew 17: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear him." He shall be called by the believers themselves: Matthew 16: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God"; and Romans 1: "Who was predestined the Son of God in power." He shall be called by all: in the penultimate chapter of Matthew, the centurion said: "Truly this was the Son of God."

There is an activity of God displayed throughout creation, a wholesale activity let us say which men refuse to recognize. The miracles done by God incarnate, living as a man in Palestine, perform the very same things as this wholesale activity, but at a different speed and on a smaller scale. One of their chief purposes is that men, having seen a thing done by personal power on the small scale, may recognize, when they see the same thing done on the large scale, that the power behind it is also personal – is indeed the very same person who lived among us two thousand years ago. The miracles in fact are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see...

I can understand the man who denies the miraculous altogether; but what is one to make of the people who admit some miracles but deny the Virgin Birth? Is it that for all their lip service to the laws of Nature there is only one law of Nature that they really believe? Or is it that they see in this miracle a slur upon sexual intercourse which is rapidly becoming the one thing venerated in a world without veneration? No miracle is in fact more significant. What happens in ordinary generation? What is a father's function in the act of begetting? A microscopic particle of matter from his body fertilizes the female: and with that microscopic particle passes, it may be, the color of his hair and his great grandfather's hanging lip, and the human form in all its complexity of bones, liver, sinews, heart, and limbs, and pre-human form which the embryo will recapitulate in the womb. Behind every spermatozoon lies the whole history of the universe: locked within it is no small part of the world's future. That is God's normal way of making a man – a process that takes centuries, beginning with the creation of matter itself, and narrowing to one second and one particle at the moment of begetting. And once again men will mistake the sense impressions which this creative act throws off for the act itself or else refer it to some infinite being such as Genius. Once, therefore, God does it directly, instantaneously; without a spermatozoon, without the millenniums of organic history behind the spermatozoon. There was of course another reason. This time He was creating not simply a man, but the man who was to be Himself: the only true Man. The process which leads to the spermatozoon has carried down with it through the centuries much undesirable silt; the life which reaches us by that normal route is tainted. To avoid that taint, to give humanity a fresh start, he once short-circuited the process. There is a vulgar anti-God paper which some anonymous donor sends me every week. In it recently I saw the taunt that we Christians believe in a God who committed adultery with the wife of a Jewish carpenter. The answer to that is that if you describe the action of God in fertilizing Mary as "adultery" then, in that sense, God would have committed adultery with every woman who ever had a baby. For what He did once without a human father, He does always even when He uses a human father as His instrument. For the human father in ordinary generation is only a carrier, sometimes an unwilling carrier, always the last in a long line of carriers, of life that comes from the supreme life. Thus the filth that our poor, muddled, sincere, resentful enemies fling at the Holy One, either does not stick, or, sticking, turns into glory.

That Christ is both man and God, compounded of both natures, that He might be a Mediator between us and the Father. In Jeremiah: "And He is man, and who shall know Him? Also in Numbers: "A Star shall arise out of Jacob, and a man shall rise up from Israel." Also in the same place: "A Man shall go forth out of his seed, and shall rule over many nations; and His kingdom shall be exalted as Gog, and His kingdom shall be increased; and God brought Him forth out of Egypt. His glory is as of the unicorn, and He shall eat the nations of His enemies, and shall take out the marrow of their fatnesses, and will pierce His enemy with His arrows. He couched and lay down as a lion, and as a lion's whelp. Who shall raise Him up? Blessed are they who bless Thee, and cursed are they who curse Thee." Also in Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; on account whereof He hath anointed me: He hath sent me to tell good tidings to the poor; to heal the bruised in heart, to preach deliverance to the captives, and sight to the blind, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of retribution." Whence, in the Gospel according to Luke, Gabriel says to Mary: "And the angel, answering, said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. Wherefore that holy thing which is born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Also in the first Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians: "The first man is of the mud of the earth; the second man is from heaven. As was he from the soil, such are they also that are of the earth; and as is the heavenly, such also are the heavenly. As we have borne the image of him who is of the earth, let us also bear the image of Him who is from heaven."

The Lord rests in those hearts which the love of the present age does not inflame, which the desires of the flesh do not burn up, which, set ablaze by their anxieties, do not wither in the lusts of this world. Hence it is also said to Mary: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." Therefore, the young deer seeks shady places at midday for feeding, because the Lord is fed by such minds as are not burned by bodily desires through the regard of tempering grace.

All the prophets, therefore, and the law spoke by means of the Demiurge,-a silly god, he says, (and themselves) fools, who knew nothing. On account of this, he says, the Saviour observes: "All that came before me are thieves and robbers." And the apostle (uses these words) "The mystery which was not made known to former generations." For none of the prophets, he says, said anything concerning the things of which we speak; for (a prophet) could not but be ignorant of all (these) things, inasmuch as they certainly had been uttered by the Demiurge only. When, therefore, the creation received completion, and when after (this) there ought to have been the revelation of the sons of God-that is, of the Demiurge, which up to this had been concealed, and in which obscurity the natural man was hid, and had a veil upon the heart;-when (it was time), then, that the veil should be taken away, and that these mysteries should be seen, Jesus was born of Mary the virgin, according to the declaration (in Scripture), "The Holy Ghost will come upon thee"-Sophia is the Spirit-" and the power of the Highest will overshadow thee"-the Highest is the Demiurge,-"wherefore that which shall be born of thee shall be called holy." For he has been generated not from the highest alone, as those created in (the likeness of) Adam have been created from the highest alone-that is, (from) Sophia and the Demiurge. Jesus, however, the new man, (has been generated) from the Holy Spirit-that is, Sophia and the Demiurge-in order that the Demiurge may complete the conformation and constitution of his body, and that the Holy Spirit may supply his essence, and that a celestial Logos may proceed from the Ogdoad being born of Mary.

Now this (mystery) was not made known to previous generations, as he says, it has been written, "By revelation was made known unto me the mystery; " and, "I have heard inexpressible words which it is not possible for man to declare." The light, (therefore,) which came down from the Ogdoad above to the Son of the Hebdomad, descended from the Hebdomad upon Jesus the son of Mary, and he had radiance imparted to him by being illuminated with the light that shone upon him. This, he says, is that which has been declared: "The Holy Spirit will come upon thee," (meaning) that which proceeded from the Sonship through the conterminous spirit upon the Ogdoad and Hebdomad, as far as Mary; "and the power of the Highest will overshadow thee," (meaning) the power of the anointing, (which streamed) from the (celestial) height above (through) the Demiurge, as far as the creation, which is (as far as) the Son. And as far as that (Son) he says the world consisted thus. And as far as this, the entire Sonship, which is left behind for benefiting the souls in Formlessness, and for being the recipient in turn of benefits,-(this Sonship, I say,) when it is transformed, followed Jesus, and hastened upwards, and came forth purified. And it becomes most refined, so that it could, as the first (Sonship), hasten upwards through its own instrumentality. For it possesses all the power that, according to nature, is firmly connected with the light which from above shone down (upon earth).

This is the Spirit that at the beginning "moved upon the thee of the waters; " by whom the world moves; by whom creation consists, and all things have life; who also wrought mightily in the prophets, and descended in flight upon Christ. This is the Spirit that was given to the apostles in the form of fiery tongues. This is the Spirit that David sought when he said, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Of this Spirit Gabriel also spoke to the Virgin, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee." By this Spirit Peter spake that blessed word, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." By this Spirit the rock of the Church was stablished. This is the Spirit, the Comforter, that is sent because of thee, that He may show thee to be the Son of God.

For the one and the same Spirit of God, who proclaimed by the prophets what and of what sort the advent of the Lord should be, did by these elders give a just interpretation of what had been truly prophesied; and He did Himself, by the apostles, announce that the fulness of the times of the adoption had arrived, that the kingdom of heaven had drawn nigh, and that He was dwelling within those that believe on Him who was born Emmanuel of the Virgin. To this effect they testify, [saying,] that before Joseph had come together with Mary, while she therefore remained in virginity, "she was found with child of the Holy Ghost;" [Matthew 1:18] and that the angel Gabriel said unto her, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God;" [Luke 1:35] and that the angel said to Joseph in a dream, "Now this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, Behold, a virgin shall be with child." [Matthew 1:23] But the elders have thus interpreted what Esaias said: "And the Lord, moreover, said unto Ahaz, Ask for thyself a sign from the Lord thy God out of the depth below, or from the height above. And Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not tempt the Lord. And he said, It is not a small thing for you to weary men; and how does the Lord weary them? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son; and ye shall call His name Emmanuel. Butter and honey shall He eat: before He knows or chooses out things that are evil, He shall exchange them for what is good; for before the child knows good or evil, He shall not consent to evil, that He may choose that which is good." [Isaiah 7:10-17] Carefully, then, has the Holy Ghost pointed out, by what has been said, His birth from a virgin, and His essence, that He is God (for the name Emmanuel indicates this). And He shows that He is a man, when He says, "Butter and honey shall He eat;" and in that He terms Him a child also, [in saying,] "before He knows good and evil;" for these are all the tokens of a human infant. But that He "will not consent to evil, that He may choose that which is good,"— this is proper to God; that by the fact, that He shall eat butter and honey, we should not understand that He is a mere man only, nor, on the other hand, from the name Emmanuel, should suspect Him to be God without flesh.

After a space of two days, on the third day" -which is His glorious resurrection-He received back into the heavens (whence withal the Spirit Himself had come to the Virgin ) Him whose nativity and passion alike the Jews have failed to acknowledge.

These facts he had also received from the angel, according to our Gospel: "Wherefore that which shall be born of thee shall be called the Holy One, the Son of God; " and, "Thou shalt call his name Jesus.

Forasmuch, however, as it has been declared concerning the Son Himself, Thou hast made Him a little lower than the angels" how will it appear that He put on the nature of angels if He was made lower than the angels, having become man, with flesh and soul as the Son of man? As "the Spirit of God." however, and "the Power of the Highest," can He be regarded as lower than the angels,-He who is verily God, and the Son of God? Well, but as bearing human nature, He is so far made inferior to the angels; but as bearing angelic nature, He to the same degree loses that inferiority.

I will not here largely use the support of the other Gospels, which confirm our belief by the Lord's nativity: it is sufficient to remark that He who had to be born of a virgin is announced in express terms by the angel himself as the Son of God: "The Spirit of God shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also the Holy Thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." On this passage even they will wish to raise a cavil; but truth will prevail.

See, say they, it was announced by the angel: "Therefore that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Therefore, (they argue, ) as it was the flesh that was born, it must be the flesh that is the Son of God.

Of them Jesus consists-Man. of the flesh; of the Spirit, God-and the angel designated Him as "the Son of God," in respect of that nature, in which He was Spirit, reserving for the flesh the appellation "Son of Man.

"The Holy Spirit," he says, "shall come upon Thee," making Thy womb fruitful and fashioning flesh for the consubstantial Word. "And the power of the Most High" — the Son of God, for Christ is the power of God (1 Cor. 1:24) — "shall overshadow Thee," that is, shall cover Thee, shall surround Thee on all sides. For as a bird completely overshadows its chicks, covering them with its wings, so the power of God encompassed the Virgin completely; this is what "overshadow" means. Perhaps someone might say: just as a painter first sketches in shadow, then applies the final colors, so too the Lord, fashioning flesh for Himself and composing the form of a man, first shadowed forth the flesh in the Mother's womb, blending it from the blood of the Ever-Virgin, and then formed it. But this is uncertain. For some say that at the very moment the Lord overshadowed the Virgin's womb, a perfect infant came into being at once, while others do not accept this. Listen, then, to what he says: "therefore also the Holy Thing being born," that is, growing in thy womb gradually, and not appearing all at once in perfect form. From this the mouth of Nestorius is also stopped. For he said that it was not the Son of God dwelling in the Virgin's womb who became incarnate, but a mere man, born of Mary, who later came to have God as his companion. Let him hear, then, that what was being born in the womb — that very thing — was the Son of God; it was not one who was carried in the womb and another who was the Son of God, but one and the same was the Son of the Virgin and the Son of God. See how he also pointed to the Holy Trinity, naming the Holy Spirit, the power — the Son, and the Most High — the Father.

And behold, your cousin Elizabeth, she has also conceived a son in her old age. And this is the sixth month for her who was called barren, for with God, nothing will be impossible. Lest the Virgin doubt her ability to give birth, she receives the example of the barren old woman who is to give birth, in order to learn that all things are possible with God, even those that seem contrary to the natural order. If anyone is troubled by how he calls Elizabeth the cousin of Blessed Mary, since one comes from the house of David and the other from the daughters of Aaron, let him note that their ancestors of both tribes could have joined in marriage by children given to each other. And if this explanation is not sufficient for one arguing more contentiously, as though this could not have happened contrary to the interdiction of the law, let him read Exodus, where it is written: "Aaron took Elizabeth, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, as a wife, and she bore him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar" (Exodus 6). And let him see that before the law's decree, by divine providence, the priestly and royal lineage had already been joined. Thus, the Lord Jesus Christ, who according to the flesh was to be a true King and Priest, would take this flesh from both lineages, namely David and Aaron. Hence, in this dual lineage, the mystical chrism was celebrated according to the law, a foretelling of both the name and generation of Christ. And David himself, entering the house of God, received the holy bread and the sword as a king and priest. He was prefiguring the one who would come from his seed, who would fight for our freedom by the right of a king, and for our absolution would offer the bread of his flesh.

Now when the mediator between God and human beings appeared in the world, it was fitting that he had his physical origin from both tribes because, in the humanity which he assumed, he would possess the roles of both priest and king.

So it was then, lest the virgin should despair of being able to bear a son, that she received the example of one both old and barren about to bring forth, in order that she might learn that all things are possible with God, even those which seem to be opposed to the order of nature. Whence it follows, For there shall be no word (verbum) impossible with God.

He adds the proof or confirmation when he says: Behold, Elizabeth, your kinswoman, she also has conceived a son in her old age. If therefore God gave conception to an aged woman, he can also give it to a young woman, although the latter is new while the former had already occurred: Genesis 21: "Sarah conceived and bore a son in her old age." — So that the Virgin may be more firmly assured, it is added: And this is the sixth month for her who is called barren. And thus, since her barrenness was manifest, her fruitfulness is now manifest. Now therefore signs and wonders begin to be wrought on earth, according to Sirach 36: "Renew signs and work new wonders." And therefore it is firm and certain that you also, O Virgin, shall now conceive above nature; and this is what Bede says in the Gloss: "Lest the Virgin despair of giving birth, she receives the example of a barren and aged woman about to bear, so that she may learn that all things are possible to God which seem contrary to the order of nature." And therefore the Lord sent beforehand so many conceptions of barren women, so that they might prefigure this conception, and by prefiguring, foretell it, and by foretelling, give testimony to it and make it credible.

From what the angel said to Mary, namely, "Elizabeth, your kinswoman," it could be supposed that Mary was from the house of Levi. Nevertheless up to this, the prophecy was established within the framework of the husbands. The family of David continued as far as Joseph, who had espoused her, and the birth of her child was reckoned through the framework of the men, for the sake of the family of David. It is in Christ that the seed and family of David are brought to completion. Scripture is silent about Mary's genealogy since it is the generations of men that it numbers and reckons. If Scripture had been accustomed to indicate the family line through the mothers, it would be in order for one to seek the family of Mary. But, lest the words "Elizabeth, your kinswoman" were to show that Mary was also from the house of Levi, take note that the Evangelist has said elsewhere, concerning Joseph and Mary, that "they were both of the house of David." The angel did not say to Mary that Elizabeth was her sister but "Elizabeth, your kinswoman."

(Carm. 18. de Geneal. Christi.) But some one will ask, How is Christ related to David, since Mary sprang from the blood of Aaron, the angel having declared Elisabeth to be her kinswoman? But this was brought about by the Divine counsel, to the end that the royal race might be united to the priestly stock; that Christ, Who is both King and Priest, might be descended from both according to the flesh. For it is written, that Aaron, the first High Priest according to the law, took from the tribe of Judah for his wife Elisabeth, the daughter of Aminadab. (Exod. 6:23.) And observe the most holy administration of the Spirit, in ordering that the wife of Zacharias should be called Elisabeth, so bringing us back to that Elisabeth whom Aaron married.

That the Lord then was manifestly coming to His own things, and was sustaining them by means of that creation which is supported by Himself, and was making a recapitulation of that disobedience which had occurred in connection with a tree, through the obedience which was [exhibited by Himself when He hung] upon a tree, [the effects] also of that deception being done away with, by which that virgin Eve, who was already espoused to a man, was unhappily misled — was happily announced, through means of the truth [spoken] by the angel to the Virgin Mary, who was [also espoused] to a man. For just as the former was led astray by the word of an angel, so that she fled from God when she had transgressed His word; so did the latter, by an angelic communication, receive the glad tidings that she should sustain (portaret) God, being obedient to His word. And if the former did disobey God, yet the latter was persuaded to be obedient to God, in order that the Virgin Mary might become the patroness (advocata) of the virgin Eve. And thus, as the human race fell into bondage to death by means of a virgin, so is it rescued by a virgin; virginal disobedience having been balanced in the opposite scale by virginal obedience. For in the same way the sin of the first created man (protoplasti) receives amendment by the correction of the First-begotten, and the coming of the serpent is conquered by the harmlessness of the dove, those bonds being unloosed by which we had been fast bound to death.

(49 in Gen.) Seeing that his previous words had overcome the mind of the virgin, the angel drops his discourse to a humbler subject, persuading her by reference to sensible things. Hence he says, And, behold, Elisabeth thy cousin, &c. Mark the discretion of Gabriel; he did not remind her of Sarah, or Rebecca, or Rachel, because they were examples of ancient times, but he brings forward a recent event, that he might the more forcibly strike her mind. For this reason also he noticed the age, saying, She also hath conceived a son in her old age; and the natural infirmity also. As it follows, And this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For not immediately at the beginning of Elisabeth's conception did he make this announcement, but after the space of six months, that the swelling of her womb might confirm its truth.

(contra Faust. l. xxvi. c. 5.) But whoever says, "If God is omnipotent, let Him cause those things which have been done to have not been done," does not perceive that he says, "Let Him cause those things which are true, in that very respect in which they are true to be false." For He may cause a thing not to be which was, as when He makes a man who began to be by birth, not to be by death. But who can say that He makes not to be that which no longer is in being? For whatever is past is no longer in being. But if aught can happen to a thing, that thing is still in being to which any thing happens, and if it is, how is it past? Therefore that is not in being which we have truly said has been, because the truth is, in our opinions, not in that thing which no longer is. But this opinion God can not make false; and we do not so call God omnipotent as supposing also that He could die. He plainly is alone truly called omnipotent, who truly is, and by whom alone that is, whatever in any wise exists, whether spirit or body.

The reason for this he adds when he says: For no word shall be impossible with God. Ecclesiastes 8: "Whatever he has willed, he shall do, and his word is full of power"; Matthew 19: "With God all things are possible," as was said to Sarah, Genesis 18: "Is anything difficult for God?" Bernard: "With the Lord, to do is the same as to speak, and to speak is the same as to will. Rightly therefore you should know that no word is impossible"; and therefore, when God promises something, it must be believed without doubt, because, since he can do all things and cannot lie, it is necessary that it come to pass just as he promises. Numbers 23: "God is not as a man, that he should lie, nor as the son of man, that he should change. Has he said then, and will he not do it? Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?" — And thus the Angel shows his conclusion to be necessary, so that the Virgin can now neither doubt nor be able to dissent.

For the Lord of nature can do all things as He will, Who executes and disposes all things, holding the reins of life and death.

It has learnt not to respect life; how much more food? [You ask] "How many have fulfilled these conditions? "But what with men is difficult, with God is easy. Let us, however, comfort ourselves about the gentleness and clemency of God in such wise, as not to indulge our "necessities" up to the point of affinities with idolatry, but to avoid even from afar every breath of it, as of a pestilence.

Perhaps someone is puzzled how Elizabeth was a relative of the Virgin, when the Virgin was from the tribe of Judah, and Elizabeth was from the daughters of Aaron, for the Law required that marriages be from one and the same tribe, and therefore kinship was found among those descended from one and the same tribe. To this one can say, on the one hand, that since the time of the captivity the families became mixed, but better still the following: Aaron had as his wife Elizabeth, the daughter of Amminadab, and he was from the tribe of Judah. Do you see that the Mother of God was a relative of Elizabeth from the very beginning, from Aaron? Since Aaron's wife was from the tribe of Judah, from which the Mother of God also came, and Elizabeth was from the daughters of Aaron, consequently Elizabeth was a relative of the Mother of God. For her foremother, the wife of Aaron, was from the tribe of Judah. Notice also the succession of kinship: Aaron's wife was Elizabeth, and Zacharias's wife was Elizabeth, as one descended from her.

Behold now the humility, the devotion of the virgin. For it follows, But Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord. She calls herself His handmaid, who is chosen to be His mother, so far was she from being exalted by the sudden promise. At the same time also by calling herself handmaid, she claimed to herself in no other way the prerogative of such great grace than that she might do what was commanded her. For about to bring forth One meek and lowly, she was bound herself to show forth lowliness. As it follows, Be it unto me according to thy word. You have her submission, you see her wish. Behold the handmaid of the Lord, signifies the readiness of duty. Be it unto me according to thy word, the conception of the wish.

(Geometer.) Some men will highly extol one thing, some another, in these words of the virgin. One man, for example, her constancy, another her willingness of obedience; one man her not being tempted by the great and glorious promises of the great archangel; another, her self-command in not giving an instant assent, equally avoiding both the heedlessness of Eve and the disobedience of Zacharias. But to me the depth of her humility is an object no less worthy of admiration

But Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word. How great the humility with devotion, who wishes for the angel's promise to be fulfilled, and calls herself, though chosen to be the mother, the handmaid. She most explicitly insinuates that she claims no merit for herself in that she complies with the Lord's commands. Let it be (she says), conceived without a man's seed in the virgin, let it be born of the Holy Spirit in full flesh, let the Holy one be born from a mother woman without a human father, let him be called the Son of God.

And the angel departed from her. Rising in those days, Mary went into the hill country with haste to a city of Judah. With the virgin's consent granted, the angel soon returned to the heavens, she sought the mountains. She hastens to visit Elizabeth, not as one who is incredulous about the oracle, nor doubtful about the example, but joyful for the vow, and devout for the duty. At the same time, she provides a typical example, that every soul which has conceived the word of God in the mind immediately ascends the lofty peaks of virtues with the step of love, so as to penetrate the city of Judah, that is, of confession and praise, and to be able to dwell as it were for three months in it, up to the perfection of faith, hope, and charity.

Having received the consent of the virgin, the angel soon returns heavenward, as it follows, And the angel departed from her.

And Mary said, etc. Here lastly is set forth the attainment of the purpose, which consisted in the consent of the Virgin, through which she immediately conceived the Son of God. This consent he describes as duly and orderly made: because it proceeded from humility predisposing and charity perfecting and belief pronouncing.

Therefore first is introduced the pronouncement from belief, when it is said: And Mary said to the Angel. For because she believed the Angel's word to be true, she therefore gives an express and consonant response. Romans 10: "With the heart one believes unto justice, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation"; and in the Psalm: "I believed, therefore I spoke." She said: concerning this word of faith it is said in Romans 10: "The word is near in your mouth and in your heart; this is the word of faith which we preach." Because therefore she conceived the word of faith in her heart, she conceived the Son of God in her womb. Below in the same chapter: "Blessed is she who believed," etc.; and chapter 11: "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you."

Then follows the preparation from humility, when it is said: Behold, the handmaid of the Lord. A similar response was given by Abigail, a prudent woman, when David wished to take her as his wife. 1 Kings 25: "Behold, let your servant be a handmaid to wash the feet of the servants of my lord"; and that Ruth, who prefigures the blessed Virgin, Ruth 2: "How is it that I have found grace before your eyes?" since "you have spoken to the heart of your handmaid, who am not like one of your maidens." And because the Virgin Mary humbled herself, she prepared herself for grace. Bernard: "The response is given humbly, so that a seat may be prepared." And because her humility was singular, therefore her grace was also singular. Whence Bernard: "It is no great thing to be humble in abjection; a truly great and rare virtue is humility when honored"; this "is the luminary that diminishes at its fullness," Ecclesiasticus 43.

Finally there is added the perfect consent from charity, when it is said: Let it be done to me according to your word. "Let it be done, as Bernard says, is a sign of desire, not an indication of doubt"; it is also a sign of assertion, as it is said in the Psalm: "Let all the people say: So be it, so be it"; and again of affection, as in the Psalm: "Let your hand be present, that it may save me" — for the Word and the hand of the Father are the same — and it can be a word of prayer, so that thus it may be: desiderative, because from charity; precatory, because from humility; assertory, because from faith. — This is the sweetest voice to men, to Angels, and to the Spouse himself. He sought this in the second chapter of the Song of Songs: "Let your voice sound in my ears: for your voice is sweet, and your face is comely"; which she does when she said to the Angel: Let it be done to me according to your word. "The Word, which was in the beginning with God, let it be made flesh from my flesh, according to your word." Whence Bernard: "Let there be done to me, I beseech, a Word not uttered so as to pass away, but conceived so as to remain. Let the Word be not only audible to the ears, but also visible to the eyes, palpable to the hands, able to be carried on the shoulders," so that by the word of his power he may carry me. "The Word was made flesh."

And since in such consent the Son of God was conceived, and the Angel achieved his purpose, therefore there follows: And the Angel departed from her. For he was showing by deed what Raphael said to Tobias in word, Tobit 12: "It is time that I return to him who sent me"; and concerning Peter it is said in Acts 12 that when he had been led out of prison, "immediately the Angel departed from him." The Angel withdrew from her, but the Son of God remained with her: he departed as to appearance, but many remained as to guardianship: Song of Songs 3: "Behold, the bed of Solomon: sixty mighty men surround it, from the mightiest of Israel." These are the most blessed Angels, who guarded her as the most chosen "place of divine habitation." Whence she was designated by that ladder, upon which the Lord was leaning, and the Angels ascended through it, which Jacob saw, Genesis 28: and afterward follows: "This is nothing other than the house of God and the gate of heaven," because no one can now enter heaven unless he passes through Mary as through a gate. For just as God came to us through her, so through her we must return to God. And therefore she is called house, gate and ladder: house on account of the conception of Christ, gate on account of the birth of Christ, and ladder on account of the ascent to God. — Let us therefore not depart from her, but prostrate at her feet, let us always greet her: Hail, full of grace, so that through her who found grace and mercy above all women in the sight of that great Ahasuerus, we may "find grace and obtain mercy for timely help."

That this reaction does not spring from any contempt for women is, I think, plain from history. The Middle Ages carried their reverence for one Woman to a point at which the charge could be plausibly made that the Blessed Virgin became in their eyes almost 'a fourth Person of the Trinity'. But never, so far as I know, in all those ages was anything remotely resembling a sacerdotal office attributed to her. All salvation depends on the decision which she made in the words Ecce ancilla; she is united in nine months' inconceivable intimacy with the eternal Word; she stands at the foot of the cross. But she is absent both from the Last Supper and from the descent of the Spirit at Pentecost. Such is the record of Scripture. Nor can you daff it aside by saying that local and temporary conditions condemned women to silence and private life. There were female preachers. One man had four daughters who all 'prophesied', i.e. preached. There were prophetesses even in Old Testament times. Prophetesses, not priestesses.

(vel Geometer.) Not only having obtained what he wished, but wondering at her virgin beauty, and the ripeness of her virtue.

Through an ineffable sacrament of a holy conception and a birth inviolable, agreeable to the truth of each nature, the same virgin was both the handmaid and mother of the Lord.

In accordance with this design, Mary the Virgin is found obedient, saying, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." [Luke 1:38] But Eve was disobedient; for she did not obey when as yet she was a virgin. And even as she, having indeed a husband, Adam, but being nevertheless as yet a virgin (for in Paradise "they were both naked, and were not ashamed," [Genesis 2:25] inasmuch as they, having been created a short time previously, had no understanding of the procreation of children: for it was necessary that they should first come to adult age, and then multiply from that time onward), having become disobedient, was made the cause of death, both to herself and to the entire human race; so also did Mary, having a man betrothed [to her], and being nevertheless a virgin, by yielding obedience, become the cause of salvation, both to herself and the whole human race. And on this account does the law term a woman betrothed to a man, the wife of him who had betrothed her, although she was as yet a virgin; thus indicating the back-reference from Mary to Eve, because what is joined together could not otherwise be put asunder than by inversion of the process by which these bonds of union had arisen; so that the former ties be cancelled by the latter, that the latter may set the former again at liberty. And it has, in fact, happened that the first compact looses from the second tie, but that the second tie takes the position of the first which has been cancelled. For this reason did the Lord declare that the first should in truth be last, and the last first. And the prophet, too, indicates the same, saying, "instead of fathers, children have been born unto thee." For the Lord, having been born "the First-begotten of the dead," and receiving into His bosom the ancient fathers, has regenerated them into the life of God, He having been made Himself the beginning of those that live, as Adam became the beginning of those who die. Wherefore also Luke, commencing the genealogy with the Lord, carried it back to Adam, indicating that it was He who regenerated them into the Gospel of life, and not they Him. And thus also it was that the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free through faith.

The handmaid of God dwells amid alien labours; and among these (labours), on all the memorial days of demons, at all solemnities of kings, at the beginning of the year, at the beginning of the month, she will be agitated by the odour of incense.

I am the painter's board; let the painter paint what he wishes; let the Lord create what is pleasing to Him. It is evident that what was said before — "how will this be" — was an expression not of unbelief, but of a desire to learn the manner; for if she had not believed, she would not have said: "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." Know also that Gabriel means "man of God," Mary means "lady," and Nazareth means "sanctification." Therefore, when God was about to become man, it is fitting that Gabriel is sent, whose name means "man of God"; and the greeting takes place in a holy place, that is, in Nazareth, for where God is, there is nothing unclean.

The Angel, when he announced the hidden mysteries to the Virgin, that he might build up her faith by an example, related to her the conception of a barren woman. When Mary heard it, it was not that she disbelieved the oracle, or was uncertain about the messenger, or doubtful of the example, but rejoicing in the fulfilment of her wish, and consicentious in the observance of her duty, she gladly went forth into the hill country. For what could Mary now, filled with God, (plena Deo) but ascend into the higher parts with haste!

The grace of the Holy Spirit knows not of slow workings. Learn, ye virgins, not to loiter in the streets, nor mix in public talk.

(Geometer.) But to Elisabeth alone she has recourse, as she was wont to do from their relationship, and other close bonds of union.

She went so that she could offer her congratulations concerning the gift which she had learned her fellow servant had received. This was not in order to prove the word of the angel by the attestation of a woman. Rather it was so that as an attentive young virgin she might commit herself to ministry to a woman of advanced age.

But every soul which has conceived the word of God in the heart, straightway climbs the lofty summits of the virtues by the stairs of love, so as to be able to enter into the city of Juda, (into the citadel of prayer and praise, and abide as it were for three months in it,) to the perfection of faith, hope, and charity.

First, therefore, the encounter of the Virgin greeting is introduced as eager and familiar. — On account of the haste, he says: And Mary arising in those days, went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah: as if to say: she did not delay, but arose at dawn, according to that passage in Song of Songs 2: "Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one, and come." Whence that passage in Proverbs 31, which is said of the valiant woman, who "rose up while it was still night and gave prey to her household and food to her handmaids," is fitting for her; for she arose to minister to Elisabeth, who was aged and weak. Whence "neither did the roughness of the journey delay her," according to what is said in the Gloss, and the text indicates, because she went into the hill country, namely with haste, to ascertain the truth, like those spies, Joshua 2: "Go up into the hill country"; or even with the Bridegroom himself, Song of Songs 2: "Behold, he comes leaping upon the mountains and bounding over the hills." Nor did the length of the way delay her, which is noted there: Into a city of Judah, that is, Jerusalem, so that she might now cry out with Isaiah 2: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob." Nor did she delay on the journey, because with haste, like Rachel, Genesis 29, who, when she saw Jacob, "hastened to tell her father."

Spiritually, moreover, we are given to understand from this that haste is necessary for one who wishes to attain perfection; Hebrews 4: "Let us hasten to enter into that rest"; therefore 1 Corinthians 9: "So run, that you may obtain." Against which it is said of the foolish virgins, Matthew 25, that "they came last"; and Sirach 5: "Do not delay to turn to the Lord, and do not defer from day to day."

(Hom. iv. in Matt.) Or else the Virgin kept to herself all those things which have been said, not revealing them to any one, for she did not believe that any credit would be given to her wonderful story; nay, she rather thought she would suffer reproach if she told it, as if wishing to screen her own guilt.

Better men go to weaker men to give them some advantage by their visits. Thus the Savior came to John to sanctify John's baptism.… Jesus was in her womb, and he hastened to sanctify John, who was still in his own mother's womb. Before Mary came and greeted Elizabeth, the infant did not rejoice in her womb. But as soon as Mary spoke the word that the Son of God, in his mother's womb, had supplied, "the infant [John] leaped in joy." At that moment Jesus made his forerunner a prophet for the first time.

For Jesus who was in her womb hastened to sanctify John, still in the womb of his mother. Whence it follows, with haste.

The Virgin, having heard from the Angel that Elizabeth had conceived, hastened to her, partly rejoicing in the good fortune of her kinswoman, and partly, as one most prudent, wishing to confirm conclusively whether what had appeared to her was true, so that by the truthfulness of what was said about Elizabeth she might not doubt what concerned herself. For although she hoped, she nevertheless feared lest she might somehow be deceived, and this was not from unbelief, but from a desire to know the matter more precisely. Zachariah lived in the hill country; therefore the Virgin hastens there.

She went into the mountains, because Zacharias dwelt there. As it follows, To a city of Juda, and entered into the house of Zacharias. Learn, O holy women, the attention which ye ought to show for your kinswomen with child. For Mary, who before dwelt alone in the secret of her chamber, neither virgin modesty caused to shrink from the public gaze, nor the rugged mountains from pursuing her purpose, nor the tediousness of the journey from performing her duty.

And she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. Learn, O virgin, the humility of Mary, so that you may be chaste in body and devout in heart. The younger visits the elder, the virgin greets the wife. For it is fitting that the more chaste the virgin, the more humble she should be, and by deferring to elders, she may commend the habit of chastity with the testimony of humility. Alternatively: Mary to Elizabeth, the Lord came to John, so that this one might be filled with the Holy Spirit, and that one might consecrate baptism. The humility of the greater is indeed the exaltation of the lesser. Consequently, it follows:

The encounter of the Virgin was eager, and it was also familiar; on account of which he says: And she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elisabeth. She entered, I say, so that she might dwell together familiarly; Wisdom 8: "Entering into my house, I shall find rest with her." She entered, she did not stand outside, like that "wandering woman, impatient of rest and unable to stay in her house with her feet," Proverbs 7. She also entered, not to quarrel, but to greet, according to what is customary among the Saints: Romans 16: "Greet one another with a holy kiss." She greeted, I say, not only by wishing well, but also by bringing salvation to Jerusalem, so that that word of Isaiah 62 might be fulfilled: "For the sake of Zion I will not be silent, and for the sake of Jerusalem I will not rest, until her just one goes forth as brightness, and her Savior is kindled as a lamp"; and afterward: "Say to the daughter of Zion: Behold, your Savior comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him." — And note that the Virgin first entered the house and afterward greeted, because the Virgin was already beginning to comply with the evangelical precepts: for below in the tenth chapter it is said: "Greet no one along the way"; and afterward it is added: "Into whatever house you enter, first say: Peace to this house." Which the blessed Virgin also did.

Learn also, O virgins, the lowliness of Mary. She came a kinswoman to her next of kin, the younger to the elder, nor did she merely come to her, but was the first to give her salutations; as it follows, And she saluted Elisabeth. For the more chaste a virgin is, the more humble she should be, and ready to give way to her elders. Let her then be the mistress of humility, in whom is the profession of chastity. Mary is also a cause of piety, in that the higher went to the lower, that the lower might be assisted, Mary to Elisabeth, Christ to John.

But soon the blessed fruits of Mary's coming and our Lord's presence are made evident. For it follows, And it came to pass, that when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb. Mark the distinction and propriety of each word. Elisabeth first heard the word, but John first experienced the grace. She heard by the order of nature, he leaped by reason of the mystery. She perceived the coming of Mary, he the coming of the Lord.

(Geometer.) For the Prophet sees and hears more acutely than his mother, and salutes the chief of Prophets; but as he could not do this in words, he leaps in the womb, which was the greatest token of his joy. Who ever heard of leaping at a time previous to birth? Grace introduced things to which nature was a stranger. Shut up in the womb, the soldier acknowledged his Lord and King soon to be born, the womb's covering being no obstacle to the mystical sight.

We see instances of leaping not only in children but even in animals, although certainly not for any faith or religion or rational recognition of someone coming. But this case stands out as utterly uncommon and new, because it took place in a womb, and at the coming of her who was to bring forth the Savior of humankind. Therefore this leaping, this greeting, so to speak, offered to the mother of the Lord is miraculous. It is to be reckoned among the great signs. It was not effected by human means by the infant, but by divine means in the infant, as miracles are usually wrought.

(Epist. ad Dardanum 57.) But in order to say this, as the Evangelist has premised, she was filled with the Holy Spirit, by whose revelation undoubtedly she knew what that leaping of the child meant; lamely, that the mother of Him had come unto her, whose forerunner and herald that child was to be. Such then night be the meaning of so great an event; to be known indeed by grown up persons, but not understood by a little child; for she said not, "The babe leaped in faith in my womb," but leaped for joy. Now we see not only children leaping for joy, but even the cattle; not surely from any faith or religious feeling, or any rational knowledge. But this joy was strange and unwonted, for it was in the womb; and at the coming of her who was to bring forth the Saviour of the world. This joy, therefore, and as it were reciprocal salutation to the mother of the Lord, was caused (as miracles are) by Divine influences in the child, not in any human way by him. For even supposing the exercise of reason and the will had been so far advanced in that child, as that he should be able in the bowels of his mother to know, believe, and assent; yet surely that must be placed among the miracles of Divine power, not referred to human examples.

And it happened when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. See the distinction and the proprieties of each word. Elizabeth heard the voice first, but John felt the grace first. She heard by the order of nature, he leaped by the reason of the mystery. She sensed the coming of Mary, he sensed the coming of the Lord. These speak of grace, those inwardly work, and they undertake the mystery of piety by the progress of the mothers, and with a double miracle, the mothers prophesy by the spirit of the little ones. The infant leaped, and the mother was filled. The mother was not filled before the child, but as the child was filled with the Holy Spirit, he also filled the mother.

Nor is it to be wondered at, that our Lord, about to redeem the world, commenced His mighty works with His mother, that she, through whom the salvation of all men was prepared, should herself be the first to reap the fruit of salvation from her pledge.

Second, the effect of the virginal greeting is introduced, which was the stirring of the mother and the gladdening of the child. — On account of the stirring of the mother it is said: And it came to pass that when Elisabeth heard the greeting of Mary. For Elisabeth had heard the greeting of the Virgin, because she loved her: Song of Songs 8: "You who dwell in the gardens, friends listen for you; make me hear your voice"; and John 8: "He who is of God hears the words of God"; whence First Thessalonians 2: "When you had received from us the word of the hearing of God, you received it not as the word of men, but, as it truly is, the word of God." She heard indeed the word of salvation from her who had conceived the incarnate Word, in whom alone is salvation, according to that word of James 1: "In meekness receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."

Therefore the mother was stirred by the word of the Virgin, and the offspring too was gladdened: whence it says: He leaped, with joy, the infant in her womb. In this it is shown that John was the preeminent friend of the Bridegroom, according to what is written of him in John 3: "The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears his voice, rejoices with joy because of the bridegroom's voice." He leaped, I say, with desire, as did the Fathers; John 8: "Abraham rejoiced to see my day: he saw it and was glad." He leaped at the presence of the Lord and Savior, as if eager to greet and rise before his Lord, whose forerunner he was. Whence it is said in the Gloss of Bede, "because he could not with his tongue, he greets with an exulting spirit and begins the office of his forerunning. Behold, what the Angel had said is made manifest: 'He shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb.'" — From this it is given to understand spiritually that a holy purpose cannot remain hidden without manifesting itself, and that interior love bursts forth into action: whence Gregory says: "The love of God is never idle."

That although from the beginning He had been the Son of God, yet He had to be begotten again according to the flesh. In the second Psalm: "The Lord said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of me, and I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, and the bounds of the earth for Thy possession." Also in the Gospel according to Luke: "And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and she was filled with the Holy Ghost, and she cried out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? " Also Paul to the Galatians: "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent His Son, horn of a woman." Also in the Epistle of John: "Every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. But whosoever denies that He is come in the flesh is not of God, but is of the spirit of Antichrist."

John jumped for joy to make an announcement concerning his future preaching. The infant of the barren woman exulted before the infant of the virgin. He sought out his mother's tongue and desired to pronounce a prophecy concerning the Lord. Therefore Elizabeth's conception was kept hidden from Mary for six months, until the infant would have limbs sufficiently formed to exult before the Lord with his jumping and become a witness to Mary through his exultation. Moreover, that he exulted in the womb of his mother was not of himself, nor because of his five months, but so that the divine gifts might show themselves in the barren womb that was now carrying him. It was also so that the other womb, that of the Virgin, would know the great gifts given to Elizabeth, and that the two soils might believe in the seeds they had received through the word of Gabriel, cultivator of both grounds. Since John could not cry out in his exultation and render witness to his Lord, his mother began to say, "You are blessed among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." Our Lord prepared his herald in a dead womb, to show that he came after a dead Adam. He vivified Elizabeth's womb first, and then vivified the soil of Adam through his body.

Not yet born, already John prophesies and, while still in the enclosure of his mother's womb, confesses the coming of Christ with movements of joy—since he could not do so with his voice. As Elizabeth says to holy Mary, "As soon as you greeted me, the child in my womb exulted for joy." John exults, then, before he is born. Before his eyes can see what the world looks like, he can recognize the Lord of the world with his spirit. In this regard, I think that the prophetic phrase is appropriate: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you came forth from the womb I sanctified you." Thus we ought not to marvel that after Herod put him in prison, he continued to announce Christ to his disciples from his confinement, when even confined in the womb he preached the same Lord by his movements.

(vid. etiam Tit. Bos.) He was not filled with the Spirit, until she stood near him who bore Christ in her womb. Then indeed he was both filled with the Spirit, and leaping imparted the grace to his mother; as it follows, And Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. But we cannot doubt that she who was then filled with the Holy Spirit, was filled because of her son.

However, even these have life, each of them in his mother's womb. Elizabeth exults with joy, (for) John had leaped in her womb; Mary magnifies the Lord, (for) Christ had instigated her within.

Therefore even Elisabeth must be silent although she is carrying in her womb the prophetic babe, which was already conscious of his Lord, and is, moreover, filled with the Holy Ghost. For without reason does she say, "and whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? " If it was not as her son, but only as a stranger that Mary carried Jesus in her womb, how is it she says, "Blessed is the fruit of thy womb? What is this fruit of the womb, which received not its germ from the womb, which had not its root in the womb, which belongs not to her whose is the womb, and which is no doubt the real fruit of the womb-even Christ? Now, since He is the blossom of the stem which sprouts from the root of Jesse; since, moreover, the root of Jesse is the family of David, and the stem of the root is Mary descended from David, and the blossom of the stem is Mary's son, who is called Jesus Christ, will not He also be the fruit? For the blossom is the fruit, because through the blossom and from the blossom every product advances from its rudimental condition to perfect fruit.

And John, having received a certain special gift beyond other people, leaps in his mother's womb, which is why he is also "more than a prophet" (Matt. 11:9), for they prophesied after their birth, but he was deemed worthy of such a gift while still in his mother's womb. Notice: the Virgin "greeted Elizabeth," that is, she began to speak with her.

She who had hid herself because she conceived a son, began to glory that she carried in her womb a prophet, and she who had before blushed, now gives her blessing; as it follows, And she spake out with a loud voice, Blessed art thou among women. With a loud voice she exclaimed when she perceived the Lord's coming, for she believed it to be a holy birth. But she says, Blessed art thou among women. For none was ever partaker of such grace or could be, since of the one Divine seed, there is one only parent.

(Geometer.) This fruit alone then is blessed, because it is produced without man, and without sin.

(Severus.) From this place we derive the refutation of Eutyches, in that Christ is stated to be the fruit of the womb. For all fruit is of the same nature with the tree that bears it. It remains then that the virgin was also of the same nature with the second Adam, who takes away the sins of the world. But let those also who invent curious fictions concerning the flesh of Christ, blush when they hear of the real child-bearing of the mother of God. For the fruit itself proceeds from the very substance of the tree. Where too are those who say that Christ passed through the virgin as water through an aqueduct? Let these consider the words of Elisabeth who was filled with the Spirit, that Christ was the fruit of the womb. It follows, And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

[Elizabeth is attributed] properly with a great voice because she recognized the great gifts of God … [and] she sensed that he whom she knew to be present everywhere was also present bodily there. Indeed, by a "great" voice is not to be understood so much a loud voice as a devoted one. She was not capable of praising the Lord with the devotion of a moderate voice. Being full of the Holy Spirit, she was on fire, harboring in her womb the one than whom no one of those born of woman would be greater. She rejoiced that he had come there—he who, conceived from the flesh of a virgin mother, would be called, and would be, the Son of the Most High.

"Blessed is the fruit of your womb"—since through you we have recovered both the seed of incorruption and the fruit of our heavenly inheritance, which we lost in Adam.

And she cried out with a loud voice and said: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. It should be noted that the prophecy about Christ mentioned previously is fulfilled not only through the miracles of events but also through the specificity of the words. For this is the fruit that is promised to the patriarch David under oath: From the fruit of your womb, I will place someone on my throne (Psalm 131). At the same time, it should be observed that Mary is blessed by Elizabeth with the same voice as by Gabriel, showing that she is to be revered by both angels and humans and rightly preferred above all other women.

Mary is blessed by Elisabeth with the same words as before by Gabriel, to show that she was to be reverenced both by men and angels.

This is the fruit which is promised to David, Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. (Ps. 132:11.)

Fourth is the fullness of restoring fruits. Isaiah says: "The branch of the Lord will be luster and glory, and the fruit of the earth will be honor and splendor." And when was this? When the woman said: "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb!"

Third, there is subjoined the great affection of Elizabeth in her greeting and kindly. — On account of its greatness it is said: And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out with a loud voice. For the greatness of the voice is a sign of great affection, because "words are signs of the passions"; Sirach 15: "The Lord will fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding"; and: "He himself will send forth the words of his wisdom like showers, and in prayer he will give thanks to the Lord." But therefore she cried out with a loud voice, because she contained in her womb him who was the voice of the Word, according to what is said of him in Isaiah 40: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord." To whom it is also said in the same place: "Get up onto a high mountain, you who bring good tidings to Zion; lift up your voice with strength, you who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift it up, do not be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah: Behold, your God, behold, the Lord God will come with strength."

Nor was her voice so much loud as it was devout; whence, to express the kindness of her affection, she adds, saying: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Elizabeth blesses the Virgin together with her offspring, so as to complete the angelic salutation. She wishes blessing upon her and announces her already blessed with that blessing which the Lord had promised to Abraham in Genesis 12: "I will bless you and magnify your name, and you shall be blessed. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you, and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed." This blessing Isaac foretold under the figure of a field, in Genesis 27: "Behold, the smell of my son is like the smell of a full field, which the Lord has blessed." This Jacob confirmed, in the penultimate chapter of Genesis: "The Almighty shall bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep lying beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb; the blessings of your father are strengthened by the blessings of his fathers, until the desire of the everlasting hills should come." This Moses desired and this he invoked, in Deuteronomy 28: "Blessed is the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land." And therefore let us sing with David: "You have blessed, O Lord, your land."

Fulfilled also in Mary is that word of Ecclesiasticus 24: "Among the multitude of the elect she shall have praise, and among the blessed she shall be blessed." Blessed indeed was Jael, in Judges 5: "Blessed among women is Jael." Blessed was Ruth, in Ruth 3: "Blessed are you by the Lord, daughter." Blessed was Abigail, in 1 Kings 25: "Blessed are you, who have kept me this day from avenging myself by my own hand." Blessed was Judith, in chapter 13: "Blessed are you, daughter, by the Lord God most high above all women upon the earth." Among these women and above these women, blessed is the Virgin Mary, because those blessings were fulfilled in her.

And when He says, "Hear, O house of David," He performed the part of one indicating that He whom God promised David that He would raise up from the fruit of his belly (ventris) an eternal King, is the same who was born of the Virgin, herself of the lineage of David. For on this account also, He promised that the King should be "of the fruit of his belly," which was the appropriate [term to use with respect] to a virgin conceiving, and not "of the fruit of his loins," nor "of the fruit of his reins," which expression is appropriate to a generating man, and a woman conceiving by a man. In this promise, therefore, the Scripture excluded all virile influence; yet it certainly is not mentioned that He who was born was not from the will of man. But it has fixed and established "the fruit of the belly," that it might declare the generation of Him who should be [born] from the Virgin, as Elisabeth testified when filled with the Holy Ghost, saying to Mary, "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy belly;" [Luke 1:42] the Holy Ghost pointing out to those willing to hear, that the promise which God had made, of raising up a King from the fruit of [David's] belly, was fulfilled in the birth from the Virgin, that is, from Mary. Let those, therefore, who alter the passage of Isaiah thus, "Behold, a young woman shall conceive," and who will have Him to be Joseph's son, also alter the form of the promise which was given to David, when God promised him to raise up, from the fruit of his belly, the horn of Christ the King. But they did not understand, otherwise they would have presumed to alter even this passage also.

Elizabeth, who was filled with the Holy Spirit at that moment, received the Spirit on account of her son. The mother did not inherit the Holy Spirit first. First John, still enclosed in her womb, received the Holy Spirit. Then she too, after her son was sanctified, was filled with the Holy Spirit. You will be able to believe this if you also learn something similar about the Savior. (In a certain number of manuscripts, we have discovered that blessed Mary is said to prophesy. We are not unaware of the fact that, according to other copies of the Gospel, Elizabeth speaks these words in prophecy.) Mary also was filled with the Holy Spirit when she began to carry the Savior in her womb. As soon as she received the Holy Spirit, who was the creator of the Lord's body, and the Son of God began to exist in her womb, she too was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Believe what says the angel who was sent From the Father's throne, or if your stolid ear Catch not the voice from heaven, be wise and hear The cry of aged woman, now with child. O wondrous faith! The babe in senile womb Greets through his mother's lips the Virgin's Son, Our Lord; the child unborn makes known the cry Of the Child bestowed on us, for speechless yet, He caused that mouth to herald Christ as God.

So, the voice of the Virgin was the voice of God incarnating within Her, and therefore He also granted grace to the Forerunner while still in the womb and made him a prophet, for the prophetic words of Elizabeth to Mary were not the words of Elizabeth, but of the infant; and the lips of Elizabeth only served him, just as the lips of Mary served the One dwelling in Her womb — the Son of God. For Elizabeth was then filled with the Spirit when the infant leaped in the womb; if the infant had not leaped, she would not have prophesied. Just as it is said of the prophets that they first entered into a supernatural state and were inspired, and then prophesied, so perhaps John too, as if inspired, first leaped, then prophesied through the lips of his mother. What did he prophesy? "Blessed are You among women." Then, since many holy women bore unworthy children, for example Rebekah bore Esau, he says: "and blessed is the fruit of Your womb." It can also be understood differently: "Blessed are You among women." Then, as if someone were asking: why? — he states the reason: for "blessed is the fruit of Your womb," that is, for "the fruit of Your womb" is God, since God alone is blessed, as David also says: "Blessed is He who comes" (Ps. 117:26). For in Scripture, it is customary to use the conjunction "and" in place of the conjunction "for"; for example: "Give us help from trouble, and vain is the salvation of man" (Ps. 59:13) instead of "for vain is the salvation of man"; and again: "Behold, You were angry, and we sinned" (Isa. 64:5) instead of "for we sinned." He calls the Lord the "fruit of the womb" of the Mother of God, because the conception was without a man. Other infants are the offspring of fathers, but Christ is the fruit of the womb of the Mother of God alone, for She alone bore Him.

But because there have been other holy women who yet have borne sons stained with sin, she adds, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb. Or another interpretation is, having said, Blessed art thou among women, she then, as if some one enquired the cause, answers, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb: as it is said, Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. The Lord God, and he hath showed us light; (Ps. 118:26, 27.) for the Holy Scriptures often use and, instead of because.

A sinner sometimes seeks in something that which he cannot attain, but the just does attain it. Prov. 13:22, "By the just is the substance of the sinner guarded." Thus Eve sought the fruit, and in that she did not find all that she desired; but the Blessed Virgin in Her Fruit found all that Eve desired. For Eve in her fruit desired three things. First, that which the Devil falsely promised her, that is, that they would be as gods, knowing good and evil. "You shall be," that liar said, "as gods," just as is said in Gen. 3:5. And he lied, because he is a liar, and the father of him. For Eve on account of eating of the fruit was not made like to God, but unlike: because by sinning she receded from God her Savior, whence she was also expelled from Paradise. But this the Blessed Virgin found, and all Christians, in the Fruit of Her womb: because through Christ we are conjoined and assimilated to God. 1 Jn. 3:2, "When He shall appear, we shall be like Him, since we shall see Him just as He is."

Second, in her fruit Eve desired delight, because it was good to eat; but she did not find this, because she immediately recognized herself to be naked, and was sorrowful. But in the Fruit of the Virgin we find sweetness and salvation. Jn 6:55, "He who eats My Flesh has eternal life."

Third, the fruit of Eve was beautiful in sight; but more beautiful was the Fruit of the Virgin, upon Whom the angels desire to look. Psalm 44:3, "Sightly in form before the sons of men": and this is, because He is the Splendor of the Father's glory. Therefore, Eve could not find in her fruit what even no sinner can find in sins. And for that reason, that which we desire, we seek in the Fruit of the Virgin. Moreover, this Fruit is blest by God, because He has so filled Him with every grace that He comes to us by exhibiting reverence to Her: Ephes. 1:3, "Blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blest us in every spiritual blessing in Christ": by the angels: Apoc. 7:12, "Blessing and clarity and wisdom and thanksgiving, honor and virtue and fortitude to our God"; by men: the Apostle says in Phil. 2:11, "Let every tongue confess, that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father." Psalm 117:26, "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord." Thus, therefore, is the Virgin blessed; but more blessed is Her Fruit.

Now she rightly calls the Lord the fruit of the virgin's womb, because He proceeded not from man, but from Mary alone. For they who are sown by their fathers are the fruits of their fathers.

She says it not ignorantly, for she knew it was by the grace and operation of the Holy Spirit that the mother of the prophet should be saluted by the mother of his Lord, to the advancement and growth of her own pledge; but being aware that this was of no human deserving, but a gift of Divine grace, she therefore says, Whence is this to me, that is, By what right of mine, by what that I have done, for what good deeds?

And how has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? She does not inquire as if she does not know what she indeed recognizes to be of the Holy Spirit, namely, that she is blessed by the mother of the Lord for the advancement of her offspring, but, struck by the novelty of the miracle, she confesses that this is not of her own merit but of divine gift.

"And whence does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" Oh! What great humility in the mind of the prophet! How true the utterance of the Lord, in which he said, "Upon whom does my spirit rest if not upon one who is humble and quiet and who trembles at my words?" As soon as Elizabeth saw the one who had come to her, she recognized that she was the mother of the Lord. But she discovered in herself no such merit by which she might have become worthy to be visited by such a guest. "Whence does this happen to me," she asked, "that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" Undoubtedly the very Spirit who conferred upon her the gift of prophecy at the same time endowed her with the favor of humility. Filled with the prophetic spirit, she understood that the mother of the Savior had drawn near to her. But being discreet in the spirit of humility, she understood that she herself was less than worthy of Mary's coming.

He therefore introduces an admirative proclamation when Elizabeth says: And whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? For this is greatly praiseworthy and also wonderful, that a woman should be the Mother of God, and that the Mother of God should visit the handmaid of God. Whence she could say, as Araunah said to King David in the last chapter of 2 Kings: "What is the reason that my lord the king comes to his servant?" For it is a greater thing to be the Mother of God; whence it was a condescension of the Mother of the Lord of all to visit on her own feet another's dwelling. Whence the Virgin glories in Ecclesiasticus twenty-four: "I am the mother of fair love and of fear and of holy hope"; because on account of her maternal dignity the Virgin Mary is to be loved, to be venerated and to be approached with all confidence as the mother of supreme mercy.

This is the prophetess Elisabeth, who by the Holy Spirit was privileged to prophesy both concerning the Lord Christ and the Holy Virgin, speaking thus: And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Thus both the father and the mother of the forerunner were privileged to announce beforehand the Lord Christ.

(super Ezech. lib. i. Hom. i. 8.) She was touched with the spirit of prophecy at once, both as to the past, present, and future. She knew that Mary had believed the promises of the Angel; she perceived when she gave her the name of mother, that Many was carrying in her womb the Redeemer of mankind; and when she foretold that all things would be accomplished, she saw also what was to follow in the future.

(non occ. vide Theoph. et. Tit. Bost.) Now in saying this, she coincides with her son. For John also felt that he was unworthy of our Lord's coming to him. But she gives the name of "the mother of our Lord" to one still a virgin, thus forestalling the event by the words of prophecy. Divine foreknowledge brought Mary to Elisabeth, that the testimony of John might reach the Lord. For from that time Christ ordained John to be a prophet. Hence it follows, For, to, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded, &c.

Just as later, when Christ came to be baptized, John forbade Him out of reverence, saying, "I am not worthy" (Matt. 3:14, 11), so now he proclaims through his mother: "How is it that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?" calling her who bore Him in her womb "Mother" before she had given birth to the Lord. Other women, before they give birth, are not customarily called mothers, out of fear of an unsuccessful delivery, that is, a miscarriage; but with regard to the Virgin there was no such suspicion whatsoever.

For behold, as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the child leaped for joy in my womb. Elizabeth was embarrassed by the burden of pregnancy as long as she did not know the mystery of the religion. But she who hid herself because she had conceived a son began to boast because she was bearing a prophet. And she who was previously embarrassed now blesses, and she who doubted before is now affirmed. For behold (she says), as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the child leaped for joy in my womb. Therefore, she cried out with a loud voice when she sensed the Lord's coming, because she believed the birth to be religious. For there was no cause for shame where faith in the given birth of the prophet newly ascended, not affected.

Secondly she adds an approbative indication, when she says: For behold, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leapt for joy: and this is a sign that "grace is poured forth upon your lips"; and therefore it is certain that "God has blessed you forever," in the Psalm. And since the infant leapt beyond nature, it is certain that the Lord of nature came to meet him. And since the little infant responds from the womb, it is certain that you have conceived him who calls from the womb, according to that passage of Isaiah forty-nine: "The Lord has called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother he has remembered my name," etc. And again, since the child leapt for joy, it is certain that what is said in Isaiah has now been truly fulfilled: "Exult and give praise, O habitation of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel"; and that passage of Zechariah nine: "Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your king comes to you, just and a savior."

You see that Mary did not hesitate, but believed; and therefore she obtained the fruit of faith. Blessed, he says, are you who believed. But blessed are you also, who have heard and believed; for whatever the soul believes, it conceives and gives birth to the Word of God, and recognizes His works. Let the soul of Mary be in each one of us, so that we may magnify the Lord. Let the spirit of Mary be in each one of us, so that we may rejoice in God. If according to the flesh she is the one mother of Christ, yet according to faith Christ is the fruit of all. Indeed, the soul receives the Word of God, but only if it is immaculate and free from vices, preserving chastity with unblemished modesty.

You see that Mary doubted not but believed, and therefore the fruit of faith followed.

But happy are ye also who have heard and believed, for whatever soul hath believed, both conceives and brings forth the word of God, and knows His works.

And blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord. You see that Mary did not doubt, but believed, and therefore attained the fruit of faith. Blessed (she says) is she who believed. And indeed she is truly blessed, who is more excellent than the priest. While the priest doubted, the virgin corrected the error. Nor is it surprising if the Lord, about to redeem the world, began His work with His mother, so that she through whom salvation was being prepared for all, might receive the first fruit of salvation from the pledge. And it is equally noteworthy how much grace adorned the soul of Elizabeth when Mary entered, whom she enlightened simultaneously concerning the past, present, and future by the spirit of prophecy. For by saying, Blessed is she who believed, she clearly indicates that she recognized by the spirit the words of the angel that were spoken to Mary. And by adding: For there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told you by the Lord, she also foresaw what would follow in the future. And naming her the mother of her Lord, because she understood that she was carrying the Redeemer of the human race in her womb.

Since therefore the precursor leapt wondrously, she now had a certain indication that the Savior had come; and since she now had a certain indication, therefore thirdly there is added to the truth a testimony, or an affirmative oracle, when it is said: Blessed are you who believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to you by the Lord. For faith makes one blessed: Matthew sixteen: "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, because flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven"; and John twenty: "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." — Moreover faith makes the blessed, because by beginning in merit it disposes toward consummation in reward: Philippians one: "Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will perfect it," and this by the merit of faith; whence Matthew eight: "Go, and as you have believed, let it be done for you"; and so it was done for Mary.

Note that in Scripture not only believers are called blessed, but also those who hope: Psalm: "Blessed is the man whose hope is the name of the Lord." Likewise, those who love: Ecclesiasticus forty-eight: "Blessed are they who saw you and were adorned with your friendship." Likewise, those who fear: Ecclesiasticus twenty-five: "Blessed is he to whom it has been given to have the fear of God"; again, Psalm: "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord." Likewise, those who act: John thirteen: "If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them"; and below in the eleventh chapter: "Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it." Likewise, those who endure: First Peter three: "But even if you suffer something for the sake of righteousness, blessed are you"; and Matthew five: "Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you, lying, for my sake." Likewise, those who contemplate: Third Kings ten: "Blessed are your men, and blessed are your servants, these who stand before you always and hear your wisdom."

For all these reasons the Virgin Mary was blessed, and for a singular reason she was most blessed, because she conceived the Son of God: below in the eleventh chapter: "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that you sucked." And for this reason she herself says below in the same chapter: "For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed." Blessed therefore are you who believed, because by believing you conceived, and by conceiving you brought forth blessedness for all nations as regards its sufficiency. As a figure of this, Genesis thirty: "Leah said: This is for my blessedness, for all women shall call me blessed."

O Mary! Even before You gave birth, You are a Mother, and blessed, because You believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to You by the Lord.

The mother of our Lord had come to see Elisabeth, as also the miraculous conception, from which the Angel had told her should result the belief of a far greater conception, to happen to herself; and to this belief the words of Elisabeth refer, And blessed art thou who hast believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told thee from the Lord.

As evil came into the world by a woman, so also is good introduced by women; and so it seems not without meaning, that both Elisabeth prophesies before John, and Mary before the birth of the Lord. But it follows, that as Mary was the greater person, so she uttered the fuller prophecy.

(Athanasius.) As if she said, Marvellous things hath the Lord declared that He will accomplish in my body, but neither shall my soul be unfruitful before God. It becomes me to offer Him the fruit also of my will, for inasmuch as I am obedient to a mighty miracle, am I bound to glorify Him who performs His mighty works in me.

(in Psalm 33) For the Virgin, with lofty thoughts and deep penetration, contemplates the boundless mystery, the further she advances, magnifying God; And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord.

And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord. And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. The Lord has raised me up to such and such an unheard-of honor, which cannot be explained by the service of any language, but can barely be comprehended by the feeling of the innermost heart, and thus I offer all the strength of my soul in praiseful thanks, I joyfully devote whatever I live, feel, and know in contemplation of His greatness, which has no end, because my spirit rejoices in the same Jesus, that is, the Savior, in whose eternal divinity my flesh rejoices in temporal conception. Similar to this is what the Psalmist says: And my soul shall exult in the Lord, and shall be delighted above His salvation (Psalm 35). For he indeed venerated the Father and the Son with equal love.

And Mary said, etc. After the testimony of prophecy follows the song of joy, in which the most blessed Virgin Mary praises divine mercy for the most excellent grace conferred upon her. In this canticle three things are noted. The first is the affection of the one praising. The second is the reason for praising. The third is the amplification of divine praise. For praise is not perfect unless there is present a fitting affection, a fitting cause, and a fitting manner.

There is therefore first intimated the affection of the one praising, as grateful, by magnifying the divine power, when she says: Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, that is, the divine power. "For great is our Lord, and great is his power"; and therefore he ought to be praised with great affection, because he works great things; Daniel 4: "I praise and magnify and glorify the King of heaven, because all his works are true"; and to this the devout soul invites in the Psalm: "Magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together." Then our soul truly magnifies the Lord, when under him it captivates and humbles itself: Sirach 3: "How great is the power of God alone, and he is honored by the humble alone." Whence the Virgin Mary, because she humbled herself beyond all others, magnified the Lord more highly than all others. And therefore she began from magnification, because this was fitting to the humility of the Virgin singing. — It was also fitting to the dignity of God, whose supreme condescension is not known unless his dignity is first known; whence the Apostle: "Who, though he was in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal to God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant." — It was also fitting to the intention of the canticle, which is to praise God perfectly: Sirach 43: "Glorifying the Lord as much as you can, he will still surpass, and admirable is his magnificence." — It was also fitting to Mary's canticle, because it was about great, indeed about the greatest benefits; whence Proverbs 8: "Listen, for I am about to speak of great things"; and below: "Because he has done great things for me," etc. — It was also fitting to an orderly progression, which is by beginning from fear: whence the Psalm: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." But the fear of reverence magnifies the Lord.

I think, too, it will do us no harm to remember that, in becoming Man, He bowed His neck beneath the sweet yoke of a heredity and early environment. Humanly speaking, He would have learned this style, if from no one else (but it was all about Him) from His Mother... is this the only aspect in which we can say of His human nature 'He was His Mother's own son'? There is a fierceness, even a touch of Deborah, mixed with the sweetness in the Magnificat to which most painted Madonnas do little justice; matching the frequent severity of His own sayings. I am sure the private life of the holy family was, in many senses, 'mild' and 'gentle', but perhaps hardly in the way some hymn writers have in mind. One may suspect, on proper occasions, a certain astringency; and all in what people at Jerusalem regarded as a rough north-country dialect.

[Mary] revealed to Elizabeth what the angel spoke to her in secret, and that he called her blessed because she believed in the realization of the prophecy and the teaching that she heard. Then Mary gently brought forth the fruit of what she heard from the angel and Elizabeth: "My soul bless the Lord." Elizabeth had said, "Blessed is she who has believed," and Mary replied, "From henceforth all generations will call me blessed." It was then that Mary began to preach the new kingdom.

(super Ezech. lib. i. Hom. i. 8.) She was touched with the spirit of prophecy at once, both as to the past, present, and future. She knew that Mary had believed the promises of the Angel; she perceived when she gave her the name of mother, that Many was carrying in her womb the Redeemer of mankind; and when she foretold that all things would be accomplished, she saw also what was to follow in the future.

For who else is there who can reign uninterruptedly over the house of Jacob for ever, except Jesus Christ our Lord, the Son of the Most High God, who promised by the law and the prophets that He would make His salvation visible to all flesh; so that He would become the Son of man for this purpose, that man also might become the son of God? And Mary, exulting because of this, cried out, prophesying on behalf of the Church, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For He hath taken up His child Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spake to our fathers, Abraham, and his seed for ever." [Luke 1:46-47] By these and such like [passages] the Gospel points out that it was God who spake to the fathers; that it was He who, by Moses, instituted the legal dispensation, by which giving of the law we know that He spake to the fathers.

Therefore Abraham also, knowing the Father through the Word, who made heaven and earth, confessed Him to be God; and having learned, by an announcement [made to him], that the Son of God would be a man among men, by whose advent his seed should be as the stars of heaven, he desired to see that day, so that he might himself also embrace Christ; and, seeing it through the spirit of prophecy, he rejoiced. [Genesis 17:17] Wherefore Simeon also, one of his descendants, carried fully out the rejoicing of the patriarch, and said: "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace. For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people: a light for the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of the people Israel." [Luke 2:29, etc.] And the angels, in like manner, announced tidings of great joy to the shepherds who were keeping watch by night. [Luke 2:8] Moreover, Mary said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my salvation;" [Luke 1:46] — the rejoicing of Abraham descending upon those who sprang from him — those, namely, who were watching, and who beheld Christ, and believed in Him; while, on the other hand, there was a reciprocal rejoicing which passed backwards from the children to Abraham, who did also desire to see the day of Christ's coming. Rightly, then, did our Lord bear witness to him, saying, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad."

Elizabeth prophesies before John. Before the birth of the Lord and Savior, Mary prophesies. Sin began from the woman and then spread to the man. In the same way, salvation had its first beginnings from women. Thus the rest of women can also lay aside the weakness of their sex and imitate as closely as possible the lives and conduct of these holy women whom the Gospel now describes.

Let us consider the Virgin's prophecy. She says, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior." Two subjects, "soul" and "spirit," carry out a double praise. The soul praises the Lord, the Spirit praises God—not because the praise of the Lord differs from the praise of God but because he who is God is also Lord, and he who is Lord is also God.We ask how a soul can magnify the Lord. The Lord can undergo neither increase nor loss. He is what he is. Thus, why does Mary now say, "My soul magnifies the Lord?" … My soul is not directly an image of God. It was created as the image of an Image that already existed.… Each one of us shapes his soul into the image of Christ and makes either a larger or a smaller image of him. The image is either dingy and dirty, or it is clean and bright and corresponds to the form of the original. Therefore, when I make the image of the Image—that is, my soul—large and magnify it by work, thought and speech, then the Lord himself is magnified in my soul, because it is an image of him. Just as the Lord is thus magnified in our image of him, so too, if we are sinners, he diminishes and decreases. But surely the Lord is not diminished, nor does he decrease. Rather, we create other images in ourselves instead of the Savior's image. Instead of being the image of the Word, or of wisdom, justice and the rest of the virtues, we assume the form of the devil.

Now if the Lord could neither receive increase or decrease, what is this that Mary speaks of, My soul doth magnify (magnificat) the Lord? But if I consider that the Lord our Saviour is the image of the invisible God, and that the soul is created according to His image, so as to be an image of an image, then I shall see plainly, that as after the manner of those who are accustomed to paint images, each one of us forming his soul after the image of Christ, makes it great or little, base or noble, after the likeness of the original; so when I have made my soul great in thought, word, and deed, the image of God is made great, and the Lord Himself, whose image it is, is magnified in my soul.

Elizabeth exults with joy, (for) John had leaped in her womb; Mary magnifies the Lord, (for) Christ had instigated her within. The mothers recognise each their own offspring, being moreover each recognised by their infants, which were therefore of course alive, and were not souls merely, but spirits also.

The Virgin, being completely convinced of the truth of what was foretold to Her, glorifies God, attributing the miracle not to Herself but to Him; for He, She says, looked upon Me, the lowly one, and not I looked upon Him; He showed Me mercy, and not I sought Him out. Observe: first the soul magnifies the Lord, then the spirit rejoices. Or what is the same: he magnifies God who walks worthily of God. You are called a Christian — do not then diminish the dignity and name of Christ through unworthy deeds, but magnify it through the accomplishment of great and heavenly works, and then your spirit too will rejoice, that is, the spiritual gift received by you through great works will leap and prosper, and will not be diminished and, so to speak, put to death.

The soul of Mary therefore magnifies the Lord, and her spirit rejoiced in God, because with soul and spirit devoted to the Father and the Son, she worships with a pious affection the one God from whom are all things. But let every one have the spirit of Mary, so that he may rejoice in the Lord. If according to the flesh there is one mother of Christ, yet, according to faith, Christ is the fruit of all. For every soul receives the word of God if only he be unspotted and free from sin, and preserves it with unsullied purity.

(ubi sup.) The first-fruit of the Spirit is peace and joy. Because then the holy Virgin had drunk in all the graces of the Spirit, she rightly adds, And my spirit hath leaped for joy. (exultavit.) She means the same thing, soul and spirit. But the frequent mention of leaping for joy in the Scriptures implies a certain bright and cheerful state of mind in those who are worthy. Hence the Virgin exults in the Lord with an unspeakable springing (and bounding) of the heart for joy, and in the breaking forth into utterance of a noble affection. It follows, in God my Saviour.

(ubi sup.) But if at any time light shall have crept into his heart, and loving God and despising bodily things he shall have gained the perfect standing of the just, without any difficulty shall he obtain joy in the Lord.

Because the spirit of the Virgin rejoices in the eternal Godhead of the same Jesus. (i. e. the Saviour,) whose flesh is formed in the womb by a temporal conception.

There is also intimated the affection of the one praising not only as grateful, but as joyful, by exulting in the divine salvation, when it is added: And my spirit has exulted in God my savior, that is, in God the savior, so that she could say that word of the Psalm: "My soul shall exult in the Lord and shall delight in his salvation"; and again: "My heart and my flesh have exulted in the living God." Truly she could now say that word of Song of Songs 1: "The king has brought me into his storerooms: we shall exult and rejoice in you," etc. Now there was verified in Mary what the Psalmist desired: "Let all who seek you exult and rejoice in you, and let those who love your salvation always say: Let the Lord be magnified." Since therefore the Virgin Mary sought the Lord and loved his salvation, therefore her soul magnified the Lord, and her spirit exulted in the salvation of God. Therefore that word of Anna is fitting for her, 1 Kings 2: "My heart has exulted in the Lord, and my horn is exalted in my God, because I have rejoiced in your salvation."

And note that spirit is taken for the substance of the soul: Ecclesiastes 3: "Who knows if the spirit," etc.; for the higher part: Malachi 2: "Guard your spirit"; and Romans 8: "The Spirit intercedes for us with unutterable groanings"; for the imagination: First Corinthians 14: "For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays," etc. Here, however, it is taken for the soul according to its highest part, and soul is taken in relation to the body, as in First Thessalonians 5: "That your spirit and soul and body may be preserved whole and without complaint at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." For because the spirit had inwardly exulted, therefore the soul magnified with her voice — and therefore she places the exultation in the past tense and the magnification in the present tense, because exultation is prior by nature.

But the soul first magnifies the Lord, that it may afterwards rejoice in God; for unless we have first believed, we can not rejoice.

Know also that Scripture, seemingly, simply calls spirit and soul one and the same thing, but properly it distinguishes between them. For it calls the psychical man one who lives according to nature and is guided by human reasoning — for example, when hungry he eats, he hates his enemy, and in general in nothing appears to rise above nature; but it calls spiritual the one who overcomes the laws of nature and sets his mind on nothing human. Such is the distinction in Scripture between soul and spirit (1 Cor. 2:14–15; Gal. 6:8). Perhaps physicians distinguish them differently, but we must attend to Scripture, and let the physicians err.

But he magnifies God who worthily follows Christ, and now that he is called Christian, lessens not the glory of Christ by acting unworthily, but does great and heavenly things; and then the Spirit (that is, the anointing of the Spirit) shall rejoice, (i. e. make him to prosper,) and shall not be withdrawn, so to say, and put to death.

(Isidore.) She gives the reason why it becomes her to magnify God and to rejoice in Him, saying, For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden; as if she said, "He Himself foresaw, therefore I did not look for Him." I was content with things lowly, but now am I chosen unto counsels unspeakable, and raised up from the earth unto the stars.

(Metaphrastes.) She does not call herself blessed from vain glory, for what room is there for pride in her who named herself the handmaid of the Lord? But, touched by the Holy Spirit, she foretold those things which were to come.

For if as the Prophet says, Blessed are they who have seed in Sion, and kinsfolk in Jerusalem, (Isa. 31:9. apud LXX.) how great should be the celebration of the divine and ever holy Virgin Mary, who was made according to the flesh, the Mother of the Word?

(Pseudo-Aug. Serm. de Assumpt 208.) O true lowliness, which hath borne God to men, hath given life to mortals, made new heavens and a pure earth, opened the gates of Paradise, and set free the souls of men. The lowliness of Mary was made the heavenly ladder, by which God descended upon earth. For what does regarded mean but "approved?" For many seem in my sight to be lowly, but their lowliness is not regarded by the Lord. For if they were truly lowly, their spirit would rejoice not in the world, but in God.

Because He has regarded the humility of His handmaid. For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. She whose humility is regarded rightly rejoices, named blessed by all, just as on the contrary, she whose pride is condemned with disdain, Eve, that is, woe, or by the name of calamity, punished, languishes. For it was fitting that just as by the pride of our first parent death entered the world, so again by the humility of Mary the entry of life might be opened.

In the following words she teaches us how worthless she felt of herself and that she received by the heavenly grace that was lavished on her every sort of good merit that she had. She says, "For he has considered the humility of his handmaid. For behold from this time on all generations will call me blessed." She demonstrates that in her own judgment she was indeed Christ's humble handmaid, but with respect to heavenly grace she pronounces herself all at once lifted up and glorified to such a degree that rightly her preeminent blessedness would be marveled at by the voices of all nations.

But she, whose humility is regarded, is rightly called blessed by all; as it follows, For, behold, from henceforth all shall call me blessed.

For it was fitting, that as by the pride of our first parent death came into the world, so by the lowliness of Mary should be opened the entrance into life.

Because He has regarded the lowliness, etc. After the affection or devotion of the one praising has been described, there is here added the reason for praising, which is drawn from a twofold cause. The first is the benefit of grace, which made her lovable to God and praiseworthy to men. Because lovable to God, she says: Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid. In Genesis 29, a figure of this preceded in Leah, who, having conceived offspring, said: "The Lord has seen my lowliness; now my husband will love me." And humility was the disposition for the regard of grace: Isaiah, last chapter: "To whom shall I look except to the poor and contrite in spirit and the one who trembles at my words?" Because, as it is said in the Psalm, "the Lord is exalted and regards the lowly, and knows the lofty from afar." Hence concerning the just man, Sirach 11: "The eye of God regarded him for good and raised him from his lowliness"; and therefore the Prophet prayed in the Psalm: "Look upon me and have mercy on me, for I am alone and poor."

That benefit of grace also made her praiseworthy to men, and therefore she adds: For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed, both men and women: Proverbs, last chapter: "Her children rose up and proclaimed her most blessed; her husband also praised her." Now the Virgin Mary was blessed on account of the merit of chastity: Psalm: "Blessed are the undefiled in the way"; and Apocalypse 16: "Blessed is he who keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame"; and Wisdom 3: "Happy is the barren and undefiled woman, who has not known the bed in transgression." — She was also more blessed on account of the counsel of virginity: First Corinthians 7: "But she will be more blessed if she so remains, according to my counsel." — She was also most blessed on account of the privilege of fruitfulness, on account of which the other women proclaim her most blessed, Song of Songs 6: "The daughters of Sion saw her and proclaimed her most blessed."

The Middle Ages carried their reverence for one Woman to a point at which the charge could be plausibly made that the Blessed Virgin became in their eyes almost 'a fourth Person of the Trinity'.

I do not think we are entitled to assume that the use of the word Blessed when we speak of the Virgin Mary is 'necessary'; otherwise, we should have to condemn both the Nicene and the Apostles' Creed for omitting it. Should we not rather recognize that the presence or absence of such prefixes constitutes a difference, not in faith or morals, but simply in style?

who even before his birth announced with great joy the dignity of her son, and said: For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Those runners gather impetus as they run. Ages afterwards they still speak as if something had just happened. They have not lost the speed and momentum of messengers; they have hardly lost, as it were, the wild eyes of witnesses. In the Catholic Church, which is the cohort of the message, there are still those headlong acts of holiness that speak of something rapid and recent; a self-sacrifice that startles the world like a suicide. But it is not a suicide; it is not pessimistic; it is still as optimistic as St. Francis of the flowers and birds. It is newer in spirit than the newest schools of thought; and it is almost certainly on the eve of new triumphs. For these men serve a mother who seems to grow more beautiful as new generations rise up and call her blessed. We might sometimes fancy that the Church grows younger as the world grows old.

"For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed." If I take "all generations" literally, I apply it to believers. But, if I search for something more profound, I will notice how valuable it is to join to it, "because he who is powerful has done great things for me." For "everyone who humbles himself will be exalted." God looked upon the blessed Mary's humility, and on account of it "he who is powerful did great things for her, and holy is his name."

But why was she lowly and cast down, who carried in her womb the Son of God? Consider that lowliness, which in the Scriptures is particularly praised as one of the virtues, is called by the philosophers "modestia." And we also may paraphrase it, that state of mind in which a man instead of being puffed up, casts himself down.

"From now on all generations will call Me blessed," not Elizabeth alone, but also the generations of believers. And for what reason will they call Her blessed? Is it for Her virtue? No! But because God has shown His greatness upon Me.

And therefore she says, all generations, not only Elisabeth, but also every nation that believed.

(sup.) What great things hath He done unto thee? I believe that a creature thou gavest birth to the Creator, a servant thou broughtest forth the Lord, that through thee God redeemed the world, through thee He restored it to life.

(in Ps. 33.) But holy is the name of God called, not because in its letters it contains any significant power, but because in whatever way we look at God we distinguish his purity and holiness.

Because He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. This refers back to the beginning of the hymn, where it is said: My soul magnifies the Lord. For indeed, the soul to which the Lord deigns to do great things usually magnifies Him with fitting praises, and can exhort her companions of the same vow and purpose saying: Magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together (Psalm 33). For whoever neglects to magnify the Lord, whom he has known, and to sanctify His name, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. His name is called holy because, by the peak of His unique power, He surpasses all creation and is far separated from all that He has made. This is better understood in the Greek expression in which the word itself, ἅγιον (hagion), signifies being beyond the earth. By imitation of this, we also, to the extent of our ability, are commanded to be separated from all that is not holy or dedicated to God. The Lord said: Be holy, for I am holy (Leviticus 11). For whoever consecrates himself will rightly be seen as beyond the earth and beyond the world. Such a one can also say, while walking on the earth, we have our conversation in heaven.

But this has reference to the beginning of the hymn, where it is said, My soul doth magnify the Lord. For that soul can alone magnify the Lord with due praise, for whom he deigus to do mighty things.

For in the height of His marvellous power He is far beyond every creature, and is widely removed from all the works of His hands. This is better understood in the Greek tongue, in which the very word which means holy, (ἅγιον) signifies as it were to be "apart from the earth."

The second reason for praising is the miracle of power, which was great and devout. Because it was great, she says: Because he who is mighty has done great things for me. This refers to the mystery of the incarnation, as Bede says in the Gloss; and concerning this, Job 5: "Who does great and unsearchable and wonderful things without number." The mystery of the incarnation is great and inscrutable, and therefore wondrous: and this he who is mighty has done, because "in miraculous things, as Augustine says, the entire reason for the deed is the power of the one doing it"; Ecclesiastes 8: "Whatever he wills, he shall do, because his word is full of power, nor can anyone say to him: Why do you act thus?"

It was also devout, and therefore she says: Holy is his name. Whence he does holy and devout things, to show the holiness of his name; Daniel 3: "Blessed be the name of your glory, which is holy"; and the Psalm: "Holy and terrible is his name." And the reason for this is premised: "He sent redemption to his people." And because holiness befits his name, therefore we pray: "Hallowed be your name," Matthew 6; and again the Psalm: "Holiness befits your house, O Lord, for length of days." Concerning these two, namely greatness and devotion, 1 Timothy 3: "And manifestly great is the sacrament of devotion, which was manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, appeared to angels, was preached to the nations, was believed in the world, was taken up in glory"; great indeed by reason of the Divinity, holy by reason of the assumed humanity: above in the same chapter: "That which shall be born of you, the Holy One, shall be called the Son of God." And therefore the Virgin in the conception was magnified and sanctified: the Psalm: "The Most High has sanctified his tabernacle." And these two correspond to the two things stated above, because she was magnified and sanctified, therefore she magnified and exulted: thus she renders the reason most fittingly.

She called Him "Mighty" so that everyone would believe Her words, considering that the Lord is mighty to do this. She called "His Name" "holy" to show that the Most Pure One, being conceived in the womb of a woman, is in no way defiled, but remains Holy.

And therefore she says, all generations, not only Elisabeth, but also every nation that believed.

The Virgin shows that not for her own virtue is she to be pronounced blessed, but she assigns the cause, saying, For he that is mighty hath magnified me.

But where are the great things, if they be not that I still a virgin conceive (by the will of God) overcoming nature? I have been accounted worthy, without being joined to a husband, to be made a mother, not a mother of any one, but of the only-begotten Saviour.

But she says, that is mighty, that if men should disbelieve the work of her conception, namely, that while yet a virgin, she conceived, she might throw back the miracles upon the power of the Worker. Nor because the only-begotten Son has come to a woman is He thereby defiled, for holy is his name.

(Victor Pres.) According to the mercy which He hath upon generations of generations, I conceive, and He Himself is united to a living body, out of mercy alone undertaking our salvation. Nor is His mercy shown indiscriminately, but upon those who are constrained by the fear of Him in every nation; as it is said, upon those who fear him, that is, upon those who being brought by repentance are turned to faith and renewal for the obstinate unbelievers have by their sin shut against themselves the gate of mercy.

And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. Turning from His special gifts to the general judgments of God, he describes the state of the entire human race and explains alternately what the proud deserve, what the humble deserve, what the children of Adam have by free will, and what the children of God are by grace. Therefore, he says, He who is mighty has not done great things only for me, but also in every nation and generation, he who fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

She adds, more clearly, "And his mercy is for generations and generations to those who fear him." She names "generations and generations," referring either to both of the two peoples, namely, the Jews and the Gentiles, or alternatively to all the countries throughout the world which she foresaw would believe in Christ. For, as Peter said, "God is not a respecter of persons, but in every nation one who fears him and works justice is acceptable to him."

Turning from God's special gifts to His general dealings, she describes the condition of the whole human race, And his mercy is from generation to generation on them that fear him. As if she said, Not only for me hath He that is mighty done great things, but in every nation he that feareth God is accepted by Him.

And his mercy, etc. After the affection of the one praising and the reason for praising have been described, here is added thirdly the amplification of divine praise. And this consists in the commendation of divine mercy with respect to the work of human redemption, already begun in the conception of the Virgin. Now the work of our redemption is declarative of mercy and power, and is manifestative of generosity and truth: mercy in the raising up of fallen man; power, in the overthrow of the devil; generosity, in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit; and truth, in the fulfillment of the promise.

First, therefore, she praises her Lord in the work of redemption, insofar as it is manifestative of mercy, where she says: And his mercy is from generation to generation upon those who fear him: Ephesians 2: "God, who is rich in mercy, on account of his exceeding great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, quickened us together with Christ"; and in the Psalm: "But the mercy of the Lord is from eternity and unto eternity upon those who fear him." For this extends to all with respect to the benefit of conservation, according to that saying of Sirach 18: "The compassion of man is toward his neighbor, but the mercy of God is upon all flesh." Yet mercy that liberates and saves extends only to those who fear him, as it is written in the Psalm: "How great is the multitude of your sweetness, O Lord, which you have hidden for those who fear you!" Therefore Sirach 2: "You who fear the Lord, hope in him."

"And his mercy extends to generations of generations." God's mercy is not for one generation, nor for two, nor for three. It is not for five. It stretches "from generation to generation."

For the mercy of God is not upon one generation, but extends to eternity from generation to generation.

"His mercy" is not upon Me alone, but also upon all who fear Him; for those who do not fear Him, being utterly unworthy, do not receive mercies. Having said that God's mercy is "from generation to generation," She indicated that those who fear God receive mercy both in the present generation, that is, in the present age, and in the future generation, that is, in the endless age; for here too they "receive a hundredfold," and there even more (Matt. 19:29).

Or by this she means that they who fear shall obtain mercy, both in that generation, (that is, the present world,) and the generation which is to come, (i. e. the life everlasting.) For now they receive a hundred-fold, but hereafter far more. (Matt. 19:29.)

(Photius.) Or she says, Hath showed, for will show strength, not as long ago by the hand of Moses against the Egyptians, nor as by the Angel, (when he slew many thousand of the rebel Assyrians,) nor by any other instrument save His own power, He openly triumphed, overcoming spiritual (intelligibiles) enemies. Hence it follows, he hath scattered, &c. that is to say, every heart that was puffed up and not obedient to His coming He hath laid bare, and exposed the wickedness of their proud thoughts.

He has shown strength with His arm, He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. By His arm, He signifies the Son of God Himself. Not that God the Father is determined by the form of human flesh, and that the Son adheres to Him as a member of the body, but because all things were made through Him, therefore, He is called the arm of the Lord. For just as your arm is called by which you work, so the arm of God is called His Word, because through the Word He made the world. For why does man extend his arm to achieve something, except because what he says is immediately done? But if he had such great power that without any movement of his body what he said was done, his arm would be his word. Therefore, when we hear that the arm of God the Father is the Son of God, let not the carnal custom obstruct us, but let us consider as much as we are able the virtue and wisdom of God by which all things were made.

Because the venerable mother of God taught that his mercy would come to be present for all those who feared him throughout the world, it remained for her to also suggest what those who were proud and who despised the warnings of truth would deserve. "He has shown … might in his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart." "In his arm" signifies "under the control of his own strength." For he did not stand in need of any outside help, since, as was written with reference to him, the strength is at hand when he wishes to do something. This is said in contrast to our working of good, since we perform deeds of virtue not by the power of our own freedom to act, but in God. And as it is written in another place, "And their arm did not save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the illumination of your countenance."

In describing the state of mankind, she shows what the proud deserve, and what the humble; saying, He hath showed strength with his arm, &c. i. e. with the very Son of God. For as your arm is that whereby you work, so the arm of God is said to be His word by whom He made the world.

Second, she praises him in this work, insofar as it is manifestative of power in the casting down of proud demons and wicked rich. On account of the first she says: He has shown might in his arm, he has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. In this is the special praise of God: Job 40: "Scatter the proud in your fury, and looking upon every arrogant one, bring him low." And thus was fulfilled that saying of Sirach 10: "God has destroyed the thrones of proud rulers and has made the meek to sit in their place." And he is said to have done this in his arm, that is, in the Son; Isaiah 40: "Behold, the Lord God shall come with strength, and his arm shall rule." The proud however in the conceit of their heart he calls those who are proud in intellect through presumption and in affection through ambition, as Lucifer and his followers: Job 41: "He beholds every high thing, and he is king over all the children of pride." And thus the sense is: he has scattered those who are proud in the conceit of their heart. — Or otherwise: He has scattered the proud in the conceit of his heart, according to what is said, that the proud by the just judgment of God have a scattered heart: Wisdom 17: "While they thought to lie hidden in their obscure sins, they were scattered under a dark veil of oblivion." — Or: He has scattered the proud in the conceit of his heart, that is, by the determination of his counsel: Job 40: "If you have an arm like God, and if you thunder with a similar voice? Scatter the proud in your fury, and looking upon every arrogant one, bring him low."

The arm enigmatically signifies the Word that was born of her: and by the proud, Mary means the wicked demons who with their prince fell through pride: and the Greek sages, who refused to receive the folly, as it seemed, of what was preached: and the Jews who would not believe, and were scattered for their unworthy imaginations about the Word of God. And by the mighty she means the Scribes and Pharisees, who sought the chief seats. It is nearer the sense, however, to refer it to the wicked demons: for these, when openly claiming mastery over the world, the Lord by His coming scattered, and transferred those whom they had made captive unto His own dominion.

But these words may be more appropriately taken to refer to the hostile ranks of the evil spirits. For they were raging on the earth, when our Lord's coming put them to flight, and restored those whom they had bound, to His obedience.

"To those who fear him he has shown strength in his arm." You may approach the Lord as a weak man. If you fear him, you will be able to hear the promise the Lord makes to you on account of your fear of him.…So, if you fear the Lord, he gives you courage or authority. He gives you the kingdom, so that you might be placed under the "king of kings" and possess the kingdom of heaven in Christ Jesus, to whom is glory and power for ages of ages. Amen.

But to those that fear Him, He hath done mighty things with His arm; though thou comest weak to God, if thou hast feared Him thou shalt obtain the promised strength.

The arm of the Father is the Son; thus God the Father in His Son manifested authority and power over nature, for at the incarnation of the Son nature was overcome: a Virgin gave birth, God became man, and man became God. The Lord "scattered the proud" demons, casting them out of human souls and sending some into the abyss and others into the swine. This can also be understood of the Jews, whom He scattered throughout every land and who remain in dispersion to this day.

Or by this she means that they who fear shall obtain mercy, both in that generation, (that is, the present world,) and the generation which is to come, (i. e. the life everlasting.) For now they receive a hundred-fold, but hereafter far more. (Matt. 19:29.)

For in His arm, that is, His incarnate Son, He hath showed strength, seeing that nature was vanquished, a virgin bringing forth, and God becoming man.

This might also be understood of the Jews whom He scattered into all lands as they are now scattered.

(Macarius ex Serm. 1.) For our understanding is acknowledged to be the judgment-seat of God, but after the transgression, the powers of evil took their seat in the heart of the first man as on their own throne. For this reason then the Lord came and cast out the evil spirits from the seat of our will, and raised up those who were vanquished by devils, purging their consciences, and making their hearts his own dwelling place.

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. What He said with His arm, and what He promised from generation to generation, must be connected to these verses from common source, because through all the generations of the age it is evident that the proud perish and the humble are exalted by the pious and just dispensation of divine power.

Those whom he earlier calls "the proud" he here names "the mighty." Undoubtedly they are called proud because they extol themselves beyond measure as mighty with regard to their condition—not, however, because they are truly mighty, but because they trust in their own strength and scorn to seek their Maker's assistance. They, however, are truly mighty who know how to say with the apostle, "We can do all things in him who strengthens us, the Lord Jesus Christ." Concerning them it is written, God does not cast off the mighty since he himself is mighty. … However, this can also be properly understood to mean that sometimes those who had been rightly cast down by the Lord because of their self-glorification may in turn return to the grace of humility when he has mercy on them.

The words, He hath showed strength with his arm, and those which went before, And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation, must be joined to this verse by a comma only. For truly through all generations of the world, by a merciful and just administration of Divine power, the proud do not cease to fall, and the humble to be exalted. As it is said, He hath put down the mighty from their seat, he hath exalted the humble and meek.

The proud demons He cast down definitively, but not so with men; whence Lamentations 3: "For He did not humble from His heart nor cast away the sons of men." Therefore His power is praised in the casting down of proud demons and also of powerful tyrants, when she continues: He has put down the mighty from their seat and exalted the humble. In Daniel 5 it is said of Nebuchadnezzar: "Whom he wished he slew, and whom he wished he struck down, and whom he wished he exalted, and whom he wished he humbled. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened unto pride, he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom, and his glory was taken away"; and Sirach 10: "God has made the roots of proud nations to wither and planted the humble from among those nations." And the reason for this is given below in chapter 18: "Because everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted." And in this is the praise of divine power; 1 Kings 2: "The Lord makes poor and enriches, He humbles and He lifts up. He raises the needy from the dust and lifts the poor from the dunghill, that he may sit with princes and hold the throne of glory." An example is found in Saul and David, Vashti and Esther.

Great used to be the haughtiness of these demons whom He scattered, and of the devil, and of the Greek sages, as I said, and of the Pharisees and Scribes. But He put them down, and exalted those who had humbled themselves under their mighty hand, "having given them authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy:" and made the plots against us of these haughty-minded beings of none effect. The Jews, moreover, once gloried in their empire, but were stripped of it for their unbelief; whereas the Gentiles, who were obscure and of no note, were for their faith's sake exalted.

The mighty in knowledge were the evil spirits, the Devil, the wise ones of the Gentiles, the Scribes and Pharisees; yet these He hath put down, and raised up those who humbled themselves under the mighty hand of God (1 Pet. 5:6); giving them the power of treading upon serpents and scorpions and every power of the enemy. (Luke 10:19.) The Jews were also at one time puffed up with power, but unbelief slew them, and the mean and lowly of the Gentiles have through faith climbed up to the highest summit.

The modern world, when it praises its little Caesars, talks of being strong and brave: but it does not seem to see the eternal paradox involved in the conjunction of these ideas. The strong cannot be brave. Only the weak can be brave; and yet again, in practice, only those who can be brave can be trusted, in time of doubt, to be strong. The only way in which a giant could really keep himself in training against the inevitable Jack would be by continually fighting other giants ten times as big as himself. That is by ceasing to be a giant and becoming a Jack. Thus that sympathy with the small or the defeated as such, with which we Liberals and Nationalists have been often reproached, is not a useless sentimentalism at all, as Mr. Wells and his friends fancy. It is the first law of practical courage. To be in the weakest camp is to be in the strongest school.

For the truth is much stranger even than it appears in the formal doctrine of the sin of pride. It is not only true that humility is a much wiser and more vigorous thing than pride. It is also true that vanity is a much wiser and more vigorous thing than pride. Vanity is social—it is almost a kind of comradeship; pride is solitary and uncivilized. Vanity is active; it desires the applause of infinite multitudes; pride is passive, desiring only the applause of one person, which it already has. Vanity is humorous, and can enjoy the joke even of itself; pride is dull, and cannot even smile. ... Stevenson had found that the secret of life lies in laughter and humility. Self is the gorgon. Vanity sees it in the mirror of other men and lives. Pride studies it for itself and is turned to stone.

As a matter of fact, the strongest nations are those, like Prussia or Japan, which began from very mean beginnings, but have not been too proud to sit at the feet of the foreigner and learn everything from him. Almost every obvious and direct victory has been the victory of the plagiarist. This is, indeed, only a very paltry by-product of humility, but it is a product of humility, and, therefore, it is successful. Prussia had no Christian humility in its internal arrangements; hence its internal arrangements were miserable. But it had enough Christian humility slavishly to copy France (even down to Frederick the Great's poetry), and that which it had the humility to copy it had ultimately the honour to conquer. The case of the Japanese is even more obvious; their only Christian and their only beautiful quality is that they have humbled themselves to be exalted.

There is the chivalrous lesson of "Jack the Giant Killer"; that giants should be killed because they are gigantic. It is a manly mutiny against pride as such. For the rebel is older than all the kingdoms, and the Jacobin has more tradition than the Jacobite. There is the lesson of "Cinderella," which is the same as that of the Magnificat--exaltavit humiles.

But there were in the play two great human ideas which the mediaeval mind never lost its grip on, through the heaviest nightmares of its dissolution. They were the two great jokes of mediaevalism, as they are the two eternal jokes of mankind. Wherever those two jokes exist there is a little health and hope; wherever they are absent, pride and insanity are present. The first is the idea that the poor man ought to get the better of the rich man. The other is the idea that the husband is afraid of the wife.

I have heard that there is a place under the knee which, when struck, should produce a sort of jump; and that if you do not jump, you are mad. I am sure that there are some such places in the soul. When the human spirit does not jump with joy at either of those two old jokes, the human spirit must be struck with incurable paralysis. There is hope for people who have gone down into the hells of greed and economic oppression (at least, I hope there is, for we are such a people ourselves), but there is no hope for a people that does not exult in the abstract idea of the peasant scoring off the prince. There is hope for the idle and the adulterous, for the men that desert their wives and the men that beat their wives. But there is no hope for men who do not boast that their wives bully them.

I think that we have already, in another passage, sufficiently shown that the glory of riches is condemned by our God, "who putteth down the mighty from their throne, and exalts the poor from the dunghill." From Him, therefore, will proceed the parable of the rich man, who flattered himself about the increase of his fields, and to Whom God said: "Thou fool, this night shall they require thy soul of thee; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? " It was just in the like manner that the king Hezekiah heard from Isaiah the sad doom of his kingdom, when he gloried, before the envoys of Babylon, in his treasures and the deposits of his precious things.

Down in hell, however, it was said concerning them: "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them!"-event hose who did not believe them or at least did not sincerely believe that after death there were punishments for the arrogance of wealth and the glory of luxury, announced indeed by Moses and the prophets, but decreed by that God, who deposes princes from their thrones, and raiseth up the poor from dunghills. Since, therefore, it is quite consistent in the Creator to pronounce different sentences in the two directions of reward and punishment, we shall have to conclude that there is here no diversity of gods, but only a difference in the actual matters before us.

But what will excite my surprise still more is the case (next supposed by Marcion), that a God so good and gracious, and so averse to blows and cruelty, should have suborned the angel Satan-not his own either, but the Creator's-"to buffet" the apostle, and then to have refused his request, when thrice entreated to liberate him! It would seem, therefore, that Marcion's god imitates the Creator's conduct, who is an enemy to the proud, even "putting down the mighty from their seats." Is he then the same God as He who gave Satan power over the person of Job that his "strength might be made perfect in weakness? " How is it that the censurer of the Galatians still retains the very formula of the law: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established? " How again is it that he threatens sinners "that he will not spare" them -he, the preacher of a most gentle god? Yea, he even declares that "the Lord hath given to him the power of using sharpness in their presence!" Deny now, O heretic, (at your cost, ) that your god is an object to be feared, when his apostle was for making himself so formidable!

This we sometimes interpretatively ascribe to the devil, for of him comes hatred of good; sometimes we attribute it to God, for of Him comes judgment upon haughtiness, exalting, as He does, the humble, and depressing the elated. The more holy virgin, accordingly, will fear, even under the name of fascination, on the one hand the adversary, on the other God, the envious disposition of the former, the censorial light of the latter; and will joy in being known to herself alone and to God.

That is, the demons, who lorded over people and had thrones in the souls of men, resting in them. But the Pharisees too are the strong ones, as plunderers of what belongs to the poor, and as teachers they have thrones, from which they have been cast down. And He exalted the humble — people or gentiles, whom sin had humbled; He exalted them, granting them adoption as sons.

This might also be understood of the Jews whom He scattered into all lands as they are now scattered.

(Macarius ex Serm. 1.) For our understanding is acknowledged to be the judgment-seat of God, but after the transgression, the powers of evil took their seat in the heart of the first man as on their own throne. For this reason then the Lord came and cast out the evil spirits from the seat of our will, and raised up those who were vanquished by devils, purging their consciences, and making their hearts his own dwelling place.

Who are the hungry? The humble, the needy. Who are the rich? Proud and self-important people. I will not send you far to find them. I will show you now, in one and the same temple, one of those rich who are sent away empty, and one of those poor who are filled with good things."Two men went up into the temple to pray. One a Pharisee and the other a tax collector." … Observe the rich man burping his undigested food, breathing out the fumes of his intoxication—with pride, though, not with justice. "God," he says, "I thank you because I am not like other men, robbers, unjust, adulterers, like this tax collector here." … Come, poor men—come along, hungry tax collector. Rather, stand there, where you are standing. The tax collector, you see, "was standing a long way off," but the Lord was drawing near to the humble. He did not dare to raise his eyes to heaven; yet where he did not raise his eyes, that is where he had his heart.

(ubi sup.) These words regulate our conduct even with respect to sensible things, teaching the uncertainty of all worldly possessions, which are as shortlived as the wave which is dashed about to and fro by the violence of the wind. But spiritually all mankind suffered hunger except the Jews; for they possessed the treasures of legal tradition and the teachings of the holy prophets. But because they did not rest humbly on the Incarnate Word, they were sent away empty, carrying nothing with them, neither faith nor knowledge, and were bereft of the hope of good things, being shut out both of the earthly Jerusalem, and the life to come. But those of the Gentiles, who were brought low by hunger and thirst, because they clung to the Lord, were filled with spiritual goods.

Third, she praises the Lord in the aforesaid work, insofar as it is a manifestation of generosity, when she says: He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty; because true generosity is to give to the poor, not to the rich. Proverbs 13: "The just man eats and fills his soul, but the belly of the wicked is insatiable"; and again in the Psalm: "The rich have wanted and have been hungry, but those who seek the Lord shall not be deprived of any good"; and Isaiah 65: "Behold, my servants shall eat, and you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, and you shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, and you shall be confounded"; because, as it is said in 1 Corinthians 1, "not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but the foolish things of the world God has chosen, that He may confound the wise; and the weak things of the world God has chosen, that He may confound the strong; and the ignoble things of the world and the contemptible God has chosen, and the things that are not, that He might destroy the things that are, so that no flesh should glory in His sight"; and the Psalm: "The king is not saved by great power, and the giant shall not be saved by the abundance of his strength."

By the hungry, she means the human race: for, excepting the Jews only, they were pining with famine. The Jews, however, were enriched by the giving of the law, and by the teaching of the holy prophets. For "to them belonged the giving of the law, the adoption of sons, the worship, the promises." But they became wanton with high feeding, and too elate at their dignity; and having refused to draw near humbly to the Incarnate One, they were sent empty away, carrying nothing with them, neither faith nor knowledge, nor the hope of blessings. For verily they became both outcasts from the earthly Jerusalem, and aliens from the glorious life that is to be revealed, because they received not the Prince of Life, but even crucified the Lord of Glory, and abandoned the fountain of living water, and set at nought the bread that came down from heaven. And for this reason there came upon them a famine severer than any other, and a thirst more bitter than every thirst: for it was not a famine of the material bread, nor a thirst of water, "but a famine of hearing the Word of the Lord." But the heathen, who were hungering and athirst, and with their soul wasted away with misery, were filled with spiritual blessings, because they received the Lord. For the privileges of the Jews passed over unto them.

(non occ.) Because human prosperity seems to consist chiefly in the honours of the mighty and the abundance of their riches, after speaking of the casting down of the mighty, and the exalting of the humble, he goes on to tell of the impoverishing of the rich and the filling of the poor, He hath filled the hungry, &c.

(ordin.) They also who desire eternal life with their whole soul, as it were hungering after it, shall be filled when Christ shall appear in glory; but they who rejoice in earthly things, shall at the end be sent away emptied of all happiness.

He likewise "filled the hungry with good things" — the same ones, that is, the Gentiles (for they had no Scriptures, law, or commandments) — with good things from the Scriptures, while the Jews, who were "rich" in the law and commandments, He sent away outside Jerusalem, both the heavenly and the earthly, deprived of every good thing. For the Jews now have nothing, even though they seem to have something.

(non occ.) For by Israel she means not Israel after the flesh, whom their own title made noble, but the spiritual Israel, which retained the name of faith, straining their eyes to see God by faith.

Through all the time of this transitory age, the just and merciful Creator is willing to oppose the proud and give grace to the humble.After her general commemoration of the divine benevolence and justice, she did well to turn the words of her confession to the special divinely arranged plan of the unheard-of incarnation, by which God deigned to redeem the world, as she said, "He has taken his child Israel under his protection, being mindful of his mercy." Indeed, Israel means "a man seeing God," by which name is designated every society of redeemed human beings. On their account, God himself appeared in visible form among human beings, so that they might be capable of seeing God. He took Israel under his protection as a physician takes a sick person for whom he is caring. Or as a king, he defends the people from the invasion of enemies. Moreover, he returns them to liberty when the enemy has been overthrown and allows them to reign with him perpetually.

He has taken up Israel, His servant, remembering mercy. He beautifully calls Israel the servant of the Lord, who has been taken up by Him for salvation, namely obedient and humble, as Hosea says: "For Israel is a child, and I loved him" (Hosea XI). For whoever refuses to be humbled cannot indeed be saved, nor say with the Prophet: "Behold, God is my helper, and the Lord is the protector of my soul" (Psalm LIII). But whoever humbles himself like a little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew XVIII).

That is, obedient and humble; for he who disdains to be made humble, cannot be saved.

But by seed he means not so much those who are begotten in the flesh, as those who have followed the steps of Abraham's faith, to whom the Saviour's coming was promised for evermore.

Fourth, she praises God in the aforesaid work, insofar as it is manifestative of the truth of the promise, when she says: He has received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy: where first is set forth the fulfillment of the promise, which promise divine benignity made and divine truth fulfilled: whence the Psalm: "Mercy and truth have met each other, justice and peace have kissed." And this was done when he assumed our flesh: Hebrews 2: "For nowhere does he take hold of angels, but of the seed of Abraham"; Isaiah 42: "Behold my servant, I will uphold him: my elect, my soul is well pleased in him"; and Hosea 11: "Israel was a child, and I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son." — And this: Being mindful of his mercy, which he cannot forget: the Psalm: "Or will God forget to show mercy? Or will he in his anger shut up his mercies?"; and Isaiah 49: "Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb? And if she should forget, yet I will not forget you."

He hath holpen Israel his servant, that he might remember mercy, as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed for ever.

He hath taken hold of Israel,----not of the Israel according to the flesh, and who prides himself on the bare name, but of him who is so after the Spirit, and according to the true meaning of the appellation;----even such as look unto God, and believe in Him, and obtain through the Son the adoption of sons, according to the Word that was spoken, and the promise made to the prophets and patriarchs of old. It has, however, a true application also to the carnal Israel; for many thousands and ten thousands of them believed. "But He has remembered His mercy as He promised to Abraham:" and has accomplished what He spake unto him, that "in thy seed shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed." For this promise was now in the act of fulfilment by the impending birth of our common Saviour Christ, Who is that seed of Abraham, in Whom the Gentiles are blessed. "For He took on Him the seed of Abraham," according to the Apostle's words: and so fulfilled the promise made unto the fathers.

He has taken hold of Israel—not of the Israel according to the flesh, who prides himself on the bare name, but of him who is so after the Spirit, in accordance with the true meaning of the appellation. The latter comprises those who look to God, believe in him and obtain through the Son the adoption of sons, according to the Word that was spoken and the promise made to the prophets and patriarchs of old. It has, however, a true application also to the carnal Israel, for many thousands and ten thousands of them believed. But he has remembered his mercy as he promised to Abraham and has accomplished what he said to him: that in his seed shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed. This promise was not in the act of fulfillment by the impending birth of our common Savior Christ—who is the seed of Abraham, in whom the Gentiles are blessed. For he took on him the seed of Abraham, according to the apostles' words, and fulfilled the promise made unto the fathers.

(ordin.) They also who desire eternal life with their whole soul, as it were hungering after it, shall be filled when Christ shall appear in glory; but they who rejoice in earthly things, shall at the end be sent away emptied of all happiness.

(non occ.) After a general mention of the Divine mercy and holiness, the Virgin changes the subject to the strange and marvellous dispensation of the new incarnation, saying, He hath holpen his servant Israel, &c. as a physician relieves the sick, becoming visible among men, that He might make Israel (i. e. him who sees God) His servant.

(ordin.) For this promise of heritage shall not be narrowed by any limits, but to the very end of time there shall never lack believers, the glory of whose happiness shall be everlasting.

"He has helped Israel, His servant." This is said either of the Israelites according to the flesh, for many tens of thousands of them also believed; or it is said of the spiritual Israel, for everyone who sees God is called Israel, since this name means "one who sees God"; thus, He helped these who see God, raising them to the heavenly inheritance.

(vide etiam Tit. Bost.) It might also be applied to Israel after the flesh, seeing that out of that body multitudes believed. But this He did remembering His mercy, for He hath fulfilled what He promised to Abraham, saying, For in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. (Gen. 12:3.) This promise then the mother of God called to mind, saying, As he spake to our father Abraham; (Gen. 17:12.) for it was said to Abraham, I will place my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, for an eternal covenant, that I shall be thy God, and the God of thy seed after thee.

As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever. The seed of Abraham signifies not the carnal, but the spiritual, that is, not only those born of his flesh, but those who follow his footsteps in faith, whether in circumcision or uncircumcision. For he believed when in uncircumcision, and it was counted to him as righteousness. And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the same faith, so that he might thus become the father of both peoples through faith, as the Apostle most fully explains to the Romans. Therefore, the coming of the Savior was promised to Abraham and his seed forever, that is, to the children of the promise, to whom it is said: "If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to the promise" (Galatians III). It is fitting that the births of either the Lord or John are foretold by mothers prophesying, that just as sin began with women, so too should good begin with women, and that which perished through the deception of one woman, life might be restored to the world through two women proclaiming in agreement.

When blessed Mary was making mention of the memory of the fathers, she properly represented them by naming Abraham in particular. Although many of the fathers and holy ones mystically brought forward testimony of the Lord's incarnation, it was to Abraham that the hidden mysteries of this same Lord's incarnation and of our redemption were first clearly predicted. Also, to him it was specifically said, "And in you all the tribes of the earth will be blessed." None of the faithful doubts that this pertains to the Lord and Savior, who in order to give us an everlasting blessing deigned to come to us from the stock of Abraham. However, "the seed of Abraham" does not refer only to those chosen ones who were brought forth physically from Abraham's lineage, but also to us.… Having been gathered together to Christ from the nations, we are connected by the fellowship of faith to the fathers, from whom we are far separated by the origin of our fleshly bloodline. We too are the seed and children of Abraham since we are reborn by the sacraments of our Redeemer, who assumed his flesh from the race of Abraham.

Then is added the true promise, when it is said: As he spoke to our Fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. And this text should be construed thus: As he spoke to the Fathers, and as he spoke to Abraham in particular, and to his seed, where it touches upon the state of nature and of the written law. — Or otherwise, so that it is construed with the preceding: He has received Israel, being mindful of his mercy, and this, I say, to Abraham and to his seed, as he spoke to the Fathers. A similar passage is found in the Psalm: "He has remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel." Among the Fathers she specially names Abraham, because to him the promise was first made; Genesis 12 and 22: "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you, and in you shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed"; "I will bless you and multiply your seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore: your seed shall possess the gates of their enemies, and in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice"; and Galatians 3: "To Abraham were the promises spoken and to his seed." But the seed of Abraham are believers: Romans 9: "Not those who are children of the flesh are children of God, but those who are children of the promise are reckoned as seed"; whence below, chapter 3: "God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham." Forever, that is, for eternity: the Psalm: "From age to age you are God." — Whence the Blessed Virgin begins the canticle from the greatness of the supreme principle and ends the canticle in the eternity of the end; for she praises him who "is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end," Apocalypse 1: and indeed rightly so, because in this canticle she shows that the consummation of all the promised benefits has been accomplished, and therefore it is the consummation of all praises and canticles and even of the Scriptures.

The promise of God to Abraham was fulfilled, who said to him: "and in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:3). Abraham was indeed multiplied now, when all the nations through faith became his sons; for as he believed, so they too through faith became his sons.

Mary abode with Elisabeth until she had accomplished the time of her bringing forth; as it is said, And Mary abode, &c.

Now it was not only for the sake of friendship that she abode so long, but for the increase also of so great a prophet. For if at her first coming the child had so far advanced, that at the salutation of Mary he leaped in the womb, and his mother was filled with the Holy Spirit, how much must we suppose the presence of the Virgin Mary to have added during the experience of so long a time? Rightly then is she represented as having shown kindness to Elisabeth, and preserved the mystical number.

(Metaphrastes.) For it is the custom for virgins to go away when the pregnant woman brings forth. But when she reached her own home, she went to no other place, but abode there until she knew the time of her delivery was at hand. And Joseph doubting, is instructed by an Angel.

But Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home. Mary stayed so long until, with the completion of Elizabeth's pregnancy, she saw the birth of the precursor of her Lord, especially for whom she had come. It has been said above that every pure soul which has conceived the spiritual desire of the word must soon undergo the high yoke of heavenly exercise, and remain there almost for a period of three months, until it shines with the perfect light of the chief virtues. Describing these months of the most perfect brightness, the Apostle says: "And now these three remain: faith, hope, love. But the greatest of these is love" (I Cor. XIII).

For the chaste soul which conceives a desire of the spiritual word must of necessity submit to the yoke of heavenly discipline, and sojourning for the days as it were of three months in the same place, cease not to persevere until it is illuminated by the light of faith, hope, and charity.

But Mary remained, etc. After the testimony of prophecy and the canticle of joy, the service of benevolence is added, which the Virgin Mary showed to Elizabeth, her kinswoman: in which she is commended for three things, namely for the diligence of her service, the perseverance of her purpose, and the propriety of her companionship. — On account of the diligence of her service, he says: But Mary remained with her, namely with her pregnant kinswoman. She did not depart immediately, but acted according to what the Lord commands his disciples in Matthew 10: "But remain in the same house until you depart." Mary remained; she did not go out like Dinah, of whom Genesis 34 says: "She went out to see the women of that region"; and it follows afterward that she was violated. She remained like a diligent attendant; she did not go about like a curious busybody; 1 Timothy 5, concerning younger widows: "Being idle, they learn to go about from house to house, and not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, speaking things they ought not." Against which Seneca says: "It is a sign of a well-ordered mind to be able to tarry with oneself and to remain with oneself."

On account of the perseverance of her purpose, he adds: About three months, that is, until the time of the birth, according to what Bede says in the Gloss: "Mary remained so long until, when the time of Elizabeth's delivery was completed, she might see the birth of the forerunner of her Lord, for whose sake she had especially come"; and this was signified in 2 Kings 6, where it is said that "the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom for three months." — Mystically, however, by the three months is designated the progress of the three virtues, according to what is said in the Gloss. For "it is necessary that the chaste soul, which conceives the desire of the spiritual word, ascend the lofty heights of the heavenly host and, having remained there as it were for the days of three months, not cease to persevere until it is irradiated with the light of faith, hope, and charity."

On account of the propriety of her companionship, it is added: And she returned to her own home, to dwell with her spouse, the guardian of her virginity; whence she could say that passage from Genesis 30: "The Lord has blessed you at my coming. It is just, therefore, that I should at some time also provide for my own household." She returned to her own home, because her spouse and her household desired her return, according to that passage from Song of Songs 6: "Return, return, O Shulamite, return." Thus therefore the Virgin Mary gives an example to be imitated by all, according to what Ambrose says: "Learn," he says, "from Mary devotion, perseverance, and propriety."

"She returned home after three months," so that the Lord whom she was carrying would not begin service before his servant. She returned to her husband to clarify the matter, for if she had become pregnant through human fruit, it would have been appropriate for her to flee from her husband.

(ordin.) For this promise of heritage shall not be narrowed by any limits, but to the very end of time there shall never lack believers, the glory of whose happiness shall be everlasting.

Mary "remained with Elizabeth about three months," then returned. Since Elizabeth was about to give birth, the Virgin departs because of the multitude of people who would gather for the birth, for it was not fitting for the Virgin to be present under such circumstances. And from the fact that the Virgin returned when the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, it is evident that the Angel came to Mary in the sixth month after the conception of the Forerunner; and Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months; so that is nearly nine months. The Virgin remained with Elizabeth about three months, perhaps because she was struck by the miracle and needed some consolation, which she could find in staying with Elizabeth; but when the birth drew near, she departed.

For in the sixth month of the conception of the forerunner, the Angel came to Mary, and she abode with Elisabeth three months, and so the nine months are completed.

But when Elisabeth was going to bring forth, the Virgin departed, as it follows, And she returned; or, probably because of the multitude, who were about to assemble at the birth. But it became not a virgin to be present on such an occasion.

If you carefully observe, you will find that the word signifying fulness is no where used except at the birth of the righteous. Hence it is said, Now Elisabeth's full time came. For the life of the righteous hath fulness, but the days of the wicked are empty.

For the bringing forth of saints causes the rejoicing of many; it is a common blessing; for justice is a public virtue, and therefore at the birth of a just man a sign of his future life is sent beforehand, and the grace of the virtue which is to follow is represented, being foreshadowed by the rejoicing of the neighbours.

(Metaphrastes.) For it is the custom for virgins to go away when the pregnant woman brings forth. But when she reached her own home, she went to no other place, but abode there until she knew the time of her delivery was at hand. And Joseph doubting, is instructed by an Angel.

Now Elizabeth's time had come to give birth, and she bore a son. Holy Scripture is accustomed to use the term "fulfillment" only in the birth, or condition, or action of good things, which signifies the perfection of life. Hence it is said, "Elizabeth's time to give birth was fulfilled." "The days were fulfilled for Mary to give birth" (Luke II). "Solomon completed building the house of the Lord" (II Chron. III). "Abraham, or another of the fathers, died, full of days." And, "when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son" (Gal. IV). But on the contrary, the days of the wicked are empty and void. For men of blood and deceit will not live out half their days (Psalm LIV).

For Elizabeth the time was fulfilled, etc. After the thanksgiving for the conception of the Savior, there follows here the thanksgiving for the birth of the precursor. Now praise is given to God for the precursor's birth rather than for his conception, because he was conceived in sin, but was born full of the Holy Spirit; Christ, however, was most holy both in conception and in birth, and therefore praises were sung both before and after his birth.

The birth is shown to have been timely in the mother, perfect in the offspring, joyful in the neighborhood. The birth, I say, was timely in the mother by reason of the time; on account of which he says: For Elizabeth the time of her delivery was fulfilled, and thus it was timely that she should give birth, because, Ecclesiastes three, "all things have their season, and in their times all things pass under heaven." It was fulfilled, I say, according to the fulfillment of the angelic word, as was said above in the same chapter: "Behold, you shall be silent until the day in which these things shall come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time." Truly fulfilled, because the fullness of time had already come, in which Christ was to come; Galatians four: "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son," etc.

The birth was also perfect in the offspring by reason of the male sex; on account of which he says: And she brought forth a son, not a daughter. Such offspring Anna sought in First Kings one: "Lord, if you will remember me and give your handmaid a male child, I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life." — She also brought forth with perfect strength, with no impediment hindering her; against which is said in Isaiah thirty-seven: "The children have come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth." — She also brought forth a son perfected by heavenly grace, so that what is said in Wisdom four would apply to him: "Being made perfect in a short time, he fulfilled a long time."

The elderly Elizabeth gave birth to the last of the prophets, and Mary, a young girl, to the Lord of the angels. The daughter of Aaron gave birth to the voice in the desert, but the daughter of David to the strong God of the earth. The barren one gave birth to him who remits sins, but the Virgin gave birth to him who takes them away. Elizabeth gave birth to him who reconciled people through repentance, but Mary gave birth to him who purified the lands of uncleanness. The elder one lit a lamp in the house of Jacob, his father, for this lamp itself was John, while the younger one lit the Sun of Justice for all the nations. The angel announced to Zechariah, so that the slain one would proclaim the crucified one and that the hated one would proclaim the envied one. He who was to baptize with water would proclaim him who would baptize with fire and with the Holy Spirit. The light, which was not obscure, would proclaim the Sun of Justice. The one filled with the Spirit would proclaim concerning him who gives the Spirit. The priest calling with the trumpet would proclaim concerning the one who is to come at the sound of the trumpet at the end. The voice would proclaim concerning the Word, and the one who saw the dove would proclaim concerning him upon whom the dove rested, like the lightning before the thunder.

And for that reason the Lord kept back the delivery of Elisabeth, that her joy might be increased, and her fame the greater. Hence it follows, And her neighbours and cousins heard, &c. For they who had known her barrenness were made the witnesses of the Divine grace, and no one seeing the child departed in silence, but gave praise to God, Who had vouchsafed him beyond their expectation.

It should be noted that concerning sinners it is not said "the time was fulfilled for her to give birth," but this is said only where the one being born is righteous. For the births of sinners are usually imperfect and incomplete, and it would have been better for them if they had not been born.

And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. The birth of the saints brings joy to many because it is a common good. For justice is a communal virtue. Therefore, at the birth of a just person, a sign of future life is foretold, and the grace of the forthcoming virtue is prefigured with the joyful exultation of neighbors.

Joyful also was it in the neighborhood by reason of the celebrated and common report; on account of which it says: And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and they congratulated her. And thus was fulfilled what the Angel had foretold: "And many shall rejoice at his birth," namely the neighbors and kinsfolk, because it belongs especially to such people to rejoice together; below in the fifteenth chapter: "The woman who found the lost drachma calls together her friends and neighbors, saying: Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost." And they congratulated her: for she herself likewise rejoiced, according to that passage of John 16: "But when a woman has brought forth a child, she no longer remembers the anguish, on account of the joy that a man has been born into the world"; and therefore they congratulated her. — Because the Lord magnified his mercy with her, that is, he wrought a great mercy; whence she could say that word of the Psalm: "I will praise you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever, for your mercy is great upon me." For the Lord magnifies those whom he loves; Wisdom, last chapter: "In all things you magnified your people, O Lord, and did not despise them."

The holy Evangelist has especially remarked, that many thought the child should be called after his father Zacharias, in order that we might understand, not that any name of his kinsfolk was displeasing to his mother, but that the same word had been communicated to her by the Holy Spirit, which had been foretold by the Angel to Zacharias. And in truth, being dumb, Zacharias was unable to mention his son's name to his wife, but Elisabeth obtained by prophecy what she had not learnt from her husband. Hence it follows, And she answered, &c. Marvel not that the woman pronounced the name which she had never heard, seeing the Holy Spirit who imparted it to the Angel revealed it to her; nor could she be ignorant of the forerunner of the Lord, who had prophesied of Christ. And it well follows, And they said unto her, &c. that you might consider that the name belongs not to the family, but to the Prophet.

And it happened on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. And his mother answered and said: Not so, but he shall be called John. The holy evangelist thought it well to mention beforehand that many thought the child should be called by the name of his father, Zacharias, so that you might note that the mother did not dislike the name of some relative, but that this name was infused by the Holy Spirit, which had been foretold by the angel to Zacharias before. Indeed, he, being mute, could not intimate the name of the son to his wife, but Elizabeth learned the prophecy, which she had not learned from her husband.

John's circumcision clearly set forth an image of the Lord's resurrection because it too occurred on the eighth day, that is, on the day after the sabbath. And just as the former was wont to release people from the punishable state of everlasting death, so the latter displayed the perfect newness of immortal life in our Creator, and revealed that it is to be hoped for in us.

John means "the grace of God" or "in whom there is grace." By this name are expressed the entire extent of the grace of the gospel dispensation which he was to proclaim, and especially the Lord himself, through whom this grace was to be granted to the world.…As to his subsequent declaration and confirmation of the name of John, and the opening of Zechariah's mouth and his speaking, blessing God, it is surely evident that once the grace of the new covenant was manifested by the apostles, a large number of priests also became obedient to the faith.

Now in an allegory, the celebration of John's birth was the beginning of the grace of the New Covenant. His neighbours and kinsfolk had rather give him the name of his father than that of John. For the Jews, who by the observance of the Law were united to him as it were by ties of kindred, chose rather to follow the righteousness which is of the Law, than receive the grace of faith. But the name of John, (i. e. the grace of God,) his mother in word, his father in writing, suffice to announce, for both the Law itself as well as the Psalms and the Prophecies, in the plainest language foretel the grace of Christ; and that ancient priesthood, by the foreshadowing of its ceremonies and sacrifices, bears testimony to the same. And well doth Zacharias speak on the eighth day of the birth of his child, for by the resurrection of the Lord, which took place on the eighth day, i. e. the day after the sabbath, (septimam sabbati.) the hidden secrets of the legal priesthood were revealed.

And it came to pass on the eighth day. After the birth from the aged one follows the circumcision of the infant, in which according to custom was made the imposition of the name, first according to the human designation from blood-relationship; second, according to the prophetic revelation from the mother; third, according to the authoritative affirmation from the father himself. — The circumcision is therefore introduced with the human designation, when it is said: On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, namely so that they might fulfill the precept of the Law; Genesis 17: "An infant of eight days shall be circumcised among you," because "the male whose flesh of the foreskin shall not have been circumcised shall perish from his people." — And they called him by the name of his father, Zechariah, according to the customary manner, because sons were accustomed to be called by the name of their fathers; Tobit 1: "Tobias begot a son, bestowing his own name upon him," so that by this he might signify that the father lives on in so noble a son, according to that passage of Sirach 30: "His father died and it is as though he did not die, for he left behind one like himself. In his life he saw and rejoiced in him."

(in Gen. Hom. 39.) The rite of circumcision was first delivered to Abraham as a sign of distinction, that the race of the Patriarch might be preserved in unmixed purity, and so might be able to obtain the promises. But now that the promise of the covenant is fulfilled, the sign attached to it is removed. So then through Christ circumcision ceased, and baptism came in its place; but first it was right that John should be circumcised; as it is said, And it came to pass, that on the eighth day, &c. For the Lord had said, Let the child of eight days be circumcised among you. (Gen. 17:13.) But this measurement of time I conceive was ordered by Divine mercy for two reasons. First, because in its most tender years the child the more easily bears the cutting of the flesh. Secondly, that from the very operation itself we might be reminded that it was done for a sign; for the young child scarcely distinguishes any of the things that are around him. But after the circumcision, the name was conferred, as it follows, And they called him. But this was done because we must first receive the seal of the Lord, then the name of man. Or, because no man except he first cast aside his fleshly lusts, which circumcision signifies, is worthy to have his name written in the book of life.

Why was the name given after circumcision? Because one must first receive the seal from God, and only then a human name. In other words: circumcision signifies the rejection of fleshly qualities, for no one is worthy of being called a soldier of God and being inscribed by name in the heavenly book before rejecting and cutting off fleshly qualities.

But since in John there was no place for a name according to human designation, therefore there follows the naming according to prophetic revelation in Elizabeth, when it is said: And his mother answering said: Not so, but he shall be called John. And this indeed she said, having been taught by the Holy Spirit: whence Ambrose says: "By the spirit of prophecy she learned what she had not learned from her husband." For since he had not been conceived by the power of nature but by the power of grace, he ought not to be called Zacharias after his father, but "John" from the gift of grace, so that one born in a new manner might be called by a new name: Isaiah sixty-two: "You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord has named."

Elizabeth spoke of the name, that his name is John, as a prophetess. Or perhaps John himself assigned his own name, for he imparted the gift of prophecy to his mother.

And they said to her: There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name. They signaled to his father, etc. "John is his name," he said, that is, we do not impose a name on him who has already received a name from God. He has his own name which we acknowledge, not which we chose. Do not be surprised if a woman asserted the name, which she had not heard, when the Holy Spirit who commanded the angel revealed it to her, nor could she be ignorant of the announcement of the Lord, who had prophesied of Christ. And it is well added that there is no one among his kindred who is called by this name, so you may understand that the name is not one of kin, but of a prophet.

And because the relatives were thinking carnally, they did not accept the name of grace: therefore it is added: And they said to her: There is none among your kindred who is called by this name. But their objection was of no account, because, as Ambrose says, "this name is not of family but of a prophet. For the merits of the Saints have this, that they receive their name from God, just as Jacob was called Israel, Genesis thirty-two, because he saw God"; so also of Solomon, 2 Kings twelve: "He called his name beloved of the Lord." And since there was here a contention between grace and nature, between human designation and prophetic revelation, therefore they sought the paternal opinion, so that he himself might pronounce the authoritative declaration.

Zacharias also is questioned, and signs made to him, as it follows, And they made signs to the father, &c. But since unbelief had so bereft him of utterance and hearing, that he could not use his voice, he spoke by his hand-writing, as it follows, And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John; that is, we give no name to him who has received his name from God.

For this reason there follows: And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called: they made signs, I say, to one deaf and mute, because, as Ambrose says, "incredulity had stolen from him both speech and hearing"; and yet they sought from him, because the authority of naming resided with him, both because he was the father, and because he was a priest, and because he had foreknown the birth of his son by divine revelation.

And because he could not respond with his voice, he spoke by hand and by letters; and therefore it is added: And asking for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: John is his name: as if to say: I do not impose a name, but I declare one already imposed; above in the same chapter: "You shall call his name John," according to that passage of Isaiah forty-nine: "The Lord called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother he remembered my name." And rightly it is said written on account of its indelible firmness, to show that his name is written in the book of life, just as those of Christ's disciples; below in the tenth chapter: "Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Concerning this writing it is said in Apocalypse three: "He who overcomes, I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem"; and again in the second chapter: "I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a name written, which no one knows except he who receives it." — And because they did not know the reason for this naming, therefore it follows: And all marveled: the Gloss says: "On account of the agreement between the father and the mother," so that now "by the mouth of two witnesses that word might stand." Or also they marveled at so great a prerogative in the child"; Ecclesiasticus eleven says of the just man: "God exalted him, and many marveled at him and honored God." Whence he himself could say that passage from Wisdom eight: "The faces of princes shall wonder at me." In this we are taught that the prerogatives of divine privileges are to be humbly and soberly admired rather than boldly scrutinized.

Spiritually note that by Zachariah is understood the old priesthood, and by John the new; and because the old and the new differ as the memorial of a gift and the gift itself, therefore the former is rightly named from the memorial, but the latter from the gift of grace; and this indeed quite rightly, because the memory of God in us generates the affections of virtue and grace. For whoever wishes to be John through grace must first be Zachariah through divine remembrance. For Zachariah is interpreted as mindful of God; the Psalm: "He has made a memorial of his wonders"; Exodus twenty: "You shall make an altar of earth for me, and you shall offer upon it your holocausts and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen, in every place in which the memorial of my name shall be; I will come to you and bless you."

Moreover, everyone ought to be mindful of the sacraments of God for believing and confessing: In Exodus thirteen it is said of the paschal lamb: "It shall be as a sign in your hand and as a memorial before your eyes"; it follows: "You shall keep this manner of worship at the appointed time from day to day." — Of benefits for giving thanks: Deuteronomy sixteen: "Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread of affliction, because in fear you went out of Egypt, that you may remember the day of your departure from Egypt all the days of your life"; Psalm: "He has made a memorial," etc. — Of judgments for fearing: Sirach eighteen: "Remember wrath in the day of consummation, and the time of retribution in the turning of the face"; Psalm: "I have been mindful of your judgments from of old, O Lord." — Of promises for hoping: Sirach eleven: "In the day of evil things, be not unmindful of good things." — Of commandments for doing: Psalm: "His justice unto the children of children, to those who keep his covenant and are mindful of his commandments to do them." — Of examples for imitating: John fifteen: "Remember my word, which I said to you: The disciple is not above the master." — Of sufferings for having compassion; Lamentations three: "Remember poverty and transgression"; and it follows: "Remembering I shall remember, and my soul shall waste away within me." — Of consolations for rejoicing together; Song of Songs one: "We shall exult and rejoice in you, mindful of your breasts more than wine." — Of works for praising; Psalm: "I have been mindful of the works of God, for I shall remember from the beginning your wonders, and I shall meditate on all your works and shall be exercised in your designs"; likewise: "Remember his wonderful works which he has done." — Of charisms for petitioning; Isaiah twenty-six: "O Lord, we have waited for you; your name and your memorial are in the desire of the soul. My soul has desired you in the night": and sixty-two: "You who are mindful of the Lord, be not silent, and give him no silence, until he establishes and until he makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth."

But the name John is also interpreted the grace of God. Because then by the favour of Divine grace, not by nature, Elisabeth conceived this son, they engraved the memory of the benefit on the name of the child.

(non occ.) Zacharias is by interpretation "remembering God," but John signifies "pointing to." Now "memory" relates to something absent, "pointing to," to something present. But John was not about to set forth the memory of God as absent, but with his finger to point him out as present, saying, Behold the Lamb of God.

Zechariah, being unable to make known to them by signs, asks for a tablet; and when regarding the name of the child he was found to be in complete agreement with his wife, "all marveled," for this name was not in their kinship, and no one could say that the two of them had agreed upon this beforehand.

And because with the mother the dumb father also agreed as to the name of the child, it follows, And they all marvelled. For there was no one of this name among their kinsfolk that any one could say that they had both previously determined upon it.

Rightly also, from that moment was his tongue loosed, for that which unbelief had bound, faith set free. Let us then also believe, in order that our tongue, which has been bound by the chains of unbelief, may be loosed by the voice of reason. Let us write mysteries by the Spirit if we wish to speak. Let us write the forerunner of Christ, not on tables of stone, but on the fleshly tablets of the heart. For he who names John, prophesies Christ. For it follows, And he spake, giving thanks.

His mouth and his tongue were immediately opened, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came upon all their neighbors. Because the voice of one crying in the wilderness was born, rightly was the father's tongue loosened. For it was not fitting that the father remain silent from praises, who rejoiced in the birth of the herald of the Word. Indeed, the lips bound by unbelief were now loosened by faith. But if anyone desires to scrutinize closely, these things also allegorically point to the celebrated nativity of John, the initiating sublimity of the grace of the New Testament. The neighbors and relatives preferred to name the father rather than John, because the Jews, who were connected to him by the observance of the law as if by kinship, rather desired to follow the justice that is from the law than to accept the grace of faith. But John, which means the grace of God, the mother strives to make known by words, the father by writing, because even the law itself, the psalms, and the prophets proclaim the grace of Christ with clear utterances, and the old priesthood testifies to him with the shadows of ritual ceremonies and sacrifices. And fittingly, Zacharias speaks on the eighth day after the child was born, because through the resurrection of the Lord, which happened on the eighth day, i.e., after the seventh of the Sabbath, the hidden secrets of the legal priesthood were revealed, and the tongue of the Jewish priests, which was bound by the chains of distrust, was loosened by the voice of rational understanding.

And immediately his mouth was opened, etc. After the birth from the barren woman and the circumcision and the naming of the infant, there follows the opening of the priestly mouth, according to the word of the heavenly messenger. This miracle was demonstrative of the prerogative and excellent magnificence in John, so that it might deservedly be shown that he is called by this name. In the description of this miracle, three things are intimated, namely, the evidence of the miracle, and its reverence, and the understanding of the same. For the appearance of a miracle begets admiration, and admiration begets knowledge or inquiry.

He therefore first sets forth the evidence of the miracle, when he says: And immediately the mouth of Zechariah was opened and his tongue, and he spoke blessing God: opened, I say, not by the power of nature, but of heavenly power: Wisdom 10: "Wisdom opened the mouth of the mute and made the tongues of infants eloquent." He, I say, did this, at whom the crowds marveled, saying: "He has done all things well, and has made the deaf to hear and the mute to speak," namely Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God, Mark 7. And so that the miracle may be shown to be true, it says immediately; for as Ambrose says: "The grace of the Holy Spirit knows no slow endeavors." — So that it may be shown to be full and perfect, there is added: And he spoke blessing God, acknowledging the benefit, as in Tobit 13: "And the elder Tobias, opening his mouth, blessed God." In this we are instructed that we ought to have our mouth open for divine praise, which we pray in the Psalm: "O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise"; and especially after the benefit of our redemption: Isaiah 35: "Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute shall be opened." But on the contrary, it is said of the wicked in Job 16: "They have opened their mouths against me, reviling"; because, according to what is said in the Psalm, "their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they acted deceitfully."

(Orat. vi.) The birth of John then broke the silence of Zacharias, as it follows, And his mouth was opened. For it were unreasonable when the voice of the Word had come forth, that his father should remain speechless.

When John his son was born, among his neighbors there was concern about what name he should be given. Writing tablets were offered to his father so that he himself could put down the name that he had decided upon, so that he might express in writing what he could not in speech. Then, in a wonderful manner, when he had taken the tablets in order to begin writing, his tongue was loosened, the written word gave way to speech, and he did not write "John" but spoke it. Consider, then, the merit of the holy Baptist: he gave his father back his voice, he restored the faculty of speech to the priest. Consider, I say, his merit: John unloosed the mouth that the angel had bound. What Gabriel had closed the little child unlocked.… When John is born the father suddenly becomes a prophet or priest, speech attains its use, love receives an offspring, the office recognizes the priest.

John means "the grace of God"; therefore the father also immediately received grace and prophesies first about Christ, and then also about his son.

(Metaphrastes.) For God worked miracles in John which he did not himself, but the right hand of God in him.

And these words were spread over all the mountains of Judaea. And all those who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying: What will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him. Great are the works of the Lord, exquisite in all his desires (Psalm 110). Behold, the silence of Zacharias alone, given to him as a punishment for disbelief and as a sign of belief, not only benefits him when it is taken away, but it also astounds all his neighbors with the miracle and fear. The fame of the born prophet spreads throughout all the surrounding mountains; it stirs up all who can hear to diligently inquire about the manner and state of the child who is born, so that by this and similar auspices, the future prophet of Christ is commended, and, so to speak, it provides signs for the herald of the forthcoming truth. And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he prophesied, saying: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and wrought the redemption of his people. How great is the abundance of the heavenly gift, if the piety of our faith is ready to receive it. Behold, the speech that was taken away for disbelief is restored with the spirit of prophecy to the believer. The Lord has visited his people, as if wasting away from a long infirmity, and as if sold under sin, he has redeemed them by the blood of his only son. Because blessed Zacharias knew this was about to be done soon, he narrates it as though it were already accomplished in a prophetic manner. And it should be noted that it is said he visited and redeemed his people, not because he came and found them as his own, but because by visiting them, he made them his own. Similar to this is what is sung in the conclusion of the Proverbs about the same people: Who shall find a valiant woman (Proverbs 31)? For he did not find that same woman, namely the Church, strong, that is, devoted in faith, but by betrothing her to himself, he made her strong, because he perfected her by the sublimity of his faith.

On the day of John's circumcision, when he also received his name, "fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these words were spread abroad throughout the mountain country of Judea." Furthermore, at the time of our Lord's resurrection, when the Spirit had been sent down from above and the glory of his name was made known to the world by the apostles, a most salutary fear immediately struck the hearts. Not only of the Jews, who were of the neighborhood either by their physical location or by their knowledge of the law, but also those of foreign nations, even to the ends of the earth. And John's reputation for virtue exceeded not only the whole mountain country of Judea, but also all the heights of worldly kingdoms and worldly wisdom, so that everywhere people left behind their former way of life and flocked together to attain the sacramental mysteries of his faith.

For forerunning signs prepare the way for the forerunner of the truth, and the future prophet is recommended by auspices sent before him; hence it follows, For the hand of the Lord was with him.

Second, he adds the reverence of the miracle, when he says: And fear came upon all their neighbors, and throughout all the hill country of Judea all these words were spread abroad: the Psalm: "All who dwell at the borders shall fear at your signs"; whence they could sing that of Exodus 15: "Who is like you among the mighty, O Lord? Who is like you, magnificent in holiness?" And because the magnificence of proclamation follows upon the reverence of the miracle, therefore he says: Throughout all the hill country of Judea they were spread abroad, etc. And rightly so, because, Tobit 12, "it is good to hide the secret of a king, but to reveal and confess the works of God is honorable"; and therefore the Psalm: "Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name"; and afterwards: "Declare all his wondrous works."

(ordin.) But mystically, at the time of our Lord's resurrection, by the preaching of the grace of Christ, a wholesome dread shook the hearts not only of the Jews, (who were neighbours, either from the place of their dwelling, or from the knowledge of the law,) but of the foreign nations also. The name of Christ surmounts not only the hilly country of Judæa, but all the heights of worldly dominion and wisdom.

At the miraculous utterance of Zacharias, fear fell upon all; for just as when silence was imposed upon him the people were amazed, so now too, when he began to speak again, they are amazed, so that by these two miracles all could understand that the one who was born is above many.

As at the silence of Zacharias the people marvelled, so likewise when he spoke. Hence it is said, And fear came upon all; that from these two circumstances all might believe there was something great in the child that was born. But all these things were ordained, to the end that he who was to bear witness of Christ might also be esteemed trustworthy. Hence it follows, And all they that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What manner of child, &c.

Thirdly, he subjoins the understanding of the miracle, when he says: And all who heard laid them up in their heart, saying: What manner of child, think you, shall this be? Ecclesiasticus fifty: "Blessed is he who occupies himself with these good things"; "he who lays them up in his heart shall always be wise"; and Proverbs twenty-four: "I passed through the field of a slothful man and through the vineyard of a foolish man: and behold, nettles had filled the whole of it, thorns had covered its surface, and its stone wall was broken down. When I had seen this, I laid it up in my heart and learned the lesson." They laid them up, namely through attention, understanding, and memory; and through the greatness of the miracle they recognized the greatness of the child: whence they said: What manner of child, think you, shall this be? As if to say: he shall be great, according to that word of the Angel, above in the same chapter: "For he shall be great before the Lord." Thus they spoke of Christ: Mark four: "Who, think you, is this?" Rightly of Christ it is said is, as of the Creator, whose nature is to abide; but of John shall be, as of the forerunner, whose role was to pass on. — And they give the reason: For the hand of the Lord was with him: Ezekiel three: "The hand of the Lord was with me, strengthening me"; so also with John the right hand of the Lord was preserving and strengthening him: Psalm: "Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand and upon the son of man whom you have confirmed for yourself." And thus they understood him, of whom it is written in Isaiah forty-nine: "He made my mouth like a sharp sword; under the covering of his hand he protected me."

All this was by special providence, so that the one who would bear witness concerning Christ would be received with full trust, and so that all would be convinced from the very birth of John that he is above many.

But perhaps some may consider it an irrational excess of the mind that he speaks to an infant for eight days. But if we hold to the truth, we understand without a doubt that the child born could hear the voice of his father, who heard the greeting of Mary before he was born. The prophet knew that the other ears of the prophet, which are opened by the Spirit of God, not by the age of the body. He had the sense of understanding, which had the capacity for rejoicing.

God in His mercy and readiness to pardon our sins, not only restores to us what He has taken away, but grants us favours even beyond our expectations. Let no one then distrust Him, let no one from consciousness of past sins despair of the Divine blessing. God knoweth how to change His sentence, if thou hast known how to correct thy sin, seeing he that was long silent prophesies; as it is said, And Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit.

But the Lord visited His people who were pining away as it were from long sickness, and by the blood of His only begotten Son, redeemed them who were sold under sin. Which thing Zacharias, knowing that it would soon be accomplished, relates in the prophetic manner as if it were already passed. But he says, His people, not that when He came He found them His own, but that by visiting He made them so.

And Zacharias his father, etc. After the origin of John has been described, here is subjoined the thanksgiving for the benefit of redemption already begun in the birth of the forerunner and to be consummated in the birth of the Savior. This thanksgiving, therefore, he describes in two ways: first, on the part of the motive; second, on the part of the manner, at: Blessed be the Lord.

Concerning the motive, note that what moved Zechariah to praise was the divine Spirit, not his own; for which reason he premises that he was breathed upon and filled with the Holy Spirit. And here is touched upon: who is filled? Namely Zechariah, who was a just man, of whom above in the same chapter, that he was "walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame," and in this it is intimated that the memory of God is filled; Tobit 1: "Because he was mindful of the Lord with his whole heart, God gave him grace in the sight of King Shalmaneser." — Why is he filled? Because he is the father of him, namely of John; whence just as the mother had the spirit of prophecy on account of the son, above in the same chapter, so also the father; Proverbs 23: "The father of the just exults with gladness; he who has begotten a wise son shall rejoice in him." In which is understood allegorically that the old law and the priesthood did not have the Spirit except by reason of the new testament, which it prefigured. — How is he filled? For which reason it says: And he was filled with the Holy Spirit; Genesis 41: "Can we find such a man, who is full of the spirit of God?" And Sirach 15: "He filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding." In which we are instructed with what we ought to be filled; Ephesians 5: "Be filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns," etc. — To what end is he filled? And he prophesied, by praising and preaching: Acts 2: "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in various tongues, as the Holy Spirit gave them to speak"; and Amos 3: "The Lord has spoken, who shall not prophesy?"; and 2 Peter 1: "For prophecy was not brought at any time by human will, but holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Spirit."

That Christ our God should come, the En-lightener and Saviour of the human race. In Isaiah: "Be comforted, ye weakened hands; and ye weak knees, be strengthened. Ye who are of a timorous heart, fear not. Our God will recompense judgment, He Himself will come, and will save us. Then shall be opened the eves of the blind, and the ears of the deaf shall hear. Then the lame man shall leap as a stag, and the tongue of the dumb shall be intelligible; because in the wilderness the water is broken forth, and the stream in the thirsty land." Also in that place: "Not an elder nor an angel, but the Lord Himself shall deliver them; because He shall love them, and shall spare them, and He Himself shall redeem them. Also in the same place: "I the Lord God have called Thee in righteousness, that I may hold Thine hand, and I will comfort Thee; and I have given Thee for a covenant of my people, for a light of the nations; to open the eyes of the blind, to bring forth them that are bound from chains, and those who sit in darkness from the prison-house. I am the Lord God, that is my name. I will not: give any glory to another, nor my powers to given images." Also in the twenty-fourth Psalm: "Show me Thy ways, Lord, and teach me Thy paths, and lead me unto Thy truth, and teach me; for Thou art the God of my salvation." Whence, in the Gospel according to John, the Lord says: "I am the light of the world. He that will follow me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Moreover, in that according to Matthew, the angel Gabriel says to Joseph: "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife. For that which shall be born to her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins." Also in that according to Luke: "And Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath foreseen redemption for His people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David." Also in the same. place, the angel said to the shepherds: "Fear not; for, behold, I bring you tidings that unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ Jesus."

(ordin.) But mystically, at the time of our Lord's resurrection, by the preaching of the grace of Christ, a wholesome dread shook the hearts not only of the Jews, (who were neighbours, either from the place of their dwelling, or from the knowledge of the law,) but of the foreign nations also. The name of Christ surmounts not only the hilly country of Judæa, but all the heights of worldly dominion and wisdom.

This same God, after His great goodness, poured His compassion upon us, through which compassion "the Day-spring from on high has looked upon us, and appeared to those who sat in darkness and the shadow of death, and has guided our feet into the way of peace;" [Luke 1:78] as Zacharias also, recovering from the state of dumbness which he had suffered on account of unbelief, having been filled with a new spirit, did bless God in a new manner. For all things had entered upon a new phase, the Word arranging after a new manner the advent in the flesh, that He might win back to God that human nature (hominem) which had departed from God; and therefore men were taught to worship God after a new fashion, but not another god, because in truth there is but "one God, who justifies the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith." [Romans 3:30] But Zacharias prophesying, exclaimed, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David; as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world begun; salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy [promised] to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham, that He would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all our days." [Luke 1:68, etc.] Then he says to John: "And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways; to give knowledge of salvation to His people, for the remission of their sins." [Luke 1:76] For this is the knowledge of salvation which was wanting to them, that of the Son of God, which John made known, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, After me comes a man who was made before me; because He was prior to me: and of His fullness have all we received." [John 1:29, John 1:15-16] This, therefore, was the knowledge of salvation; but [it did not consist in] another God, nor another Father, nor Bythus, nor the Pleroma of thirty Æons, nor the Mother of the (lower) Ogdoad: but the knowledge of salvation was the knowledge of the Son of God, who is both called and actually is, salvation, and Saviour, and salutary.

That is, "with the working of the Holy Spirit;" for he had obtained the grace of the Holy Spirit, not in any manner, but fully; and the gift of prophecy shone forth in him; as it follows, And he prophesied.

Zacharias, when he is blessing God, says, that He hath visited His people, meaning thereby either the Israelites in the flesh, for He came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; (Matt. 15:24.) or the spiritual Israel, that is, the faithful, who were worthy of this visitation, making the providence of God of good effect towards them.

That which was spiritual in the Old Testament, for example, faith, piety, prayer, fasting, patience, chastity and psalm singing—all this has been increased in the New Testament rather than diminished. Therefore you will find in the Gospel Zechariah, the father of John, who uttered a prophecy in the form of a hymn after his long silence.

Now Zacharias being filled with the Holy Spirit utters two prophecies, the first relating to Christ, the second to John. And this is plainly proved by those words in which he speaks of the Saviour as present and already going about in the world, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited, &c.

Hear what Zechariah, prophesying and blessing God, said: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people." Notice in these words that Zechariah was telling by way of prophecy, as if it had already come to pass, what he had foreseen in spirit had begun and would soon come to pass. By his appearance in the flesh our Lord visited us when we were distancing ourselves from him, and he chose to seek out and justify us when we were sinners. He visited us as a doctor visits an ill patient, and, in order to cure the ingrained sickness of our pride, he gave us the example of his own humility. He redeemed his people by giving us freedom, at the price of his own blood—we who had been sold into the slavery of sin and were committed to serving the ancient enemy. Therefore the apostle exhorts us, saying, "For you have been purchased at a great price. Glorify and carry God in your bodies."

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, etc. Here is described the thanksgiving as regards its manner in this canticle, of which there are four parts. In the first of these there is a thanksgiving and singing of praise for the benefit of our redemption, according as the remedial dispensation was to be consummated through Christ. Now giving thanks for the benefit of the redemption to be consummated in Christ, he puts the past tense for the future, in the prophetic manner: in which is touched upon the mystery of the incarnation, the price of redemption, the trophy of the resurrection: in which lies the remedy of our salvation.

He therefore first introduces Zacharias prophesying through the Holy Spirit in thanksgiving, because he gives thanks for a future benefit, when he says: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. Similarly it is said in Tobit 8: "We bless you, Lord God of Israel, because you have shown us your mercy"; and in 1 Chronicles, last chapter: "Blessed are you, Lord God of Israel, our father, from eternity to eternity."

And note that Lord names the majesty to be blessed with fear: Malachi 1: "If I am the Lord, where is my fear?" And therefore it is said in Deuteronomy 10: "You shall fear the Lord your God"; and the Psalm: "O Lord our Lord, how admirable is your name in all the earth." — God of Israel names the benignity to be blessed with love; Isaiah 45: "I am the Lord, who call you by your name, the God of Israel, for the sake of Jacob my servant and Israel my chosen one"; and Exodus 3: "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. This is my name, and this is my memorial." Moreover, Israel is named here rather than another, because it is the name of election and grace.

Now the first motive of this blessing is the mystery of the incarnation, which he indicates when he says: Because he has visited, namely through the incarnation; Exodus 3: "Visiting, the Lord has visited us and has seen all the evils that have befallen us in Egypt, and he will lead us out of the affliction of Egypt," etc. The Prophet was asking for this in the Psalm: "Remember us, O Lord, in the good pleasure of your people; visit us with your salvation." This moreover came to pass when he took flesh from the Virgin; the Psalm: "You have visited the earth and made it drunk; you have multiplied its enrichment."

The second motive is the price of redemption, which he touches upon when he says: And he has wrought the redemption of his people: so that what is said in the Psalm may be fulfilled: "The Lord has sent redemption to his people"; and truly, "because with the Lord there is mercy, and with him plentiful redemption"; and 1 Peter 1: "You were not redeemed with corruptible gold or silver from your vain manner of life received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood as of a Lamb unspotted and undefiled," etc. And this is what is said in Isaiah 52: "You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money"; the Psalm: "You have redeemed your people with your arm."

Zacharias blesses God, who visited the Israelites. He indeed came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but very many of them did not wish to accept the grace, which is why He visited the true Israelites, that is, those who believed.

And he has raised up a horn of salvation for us, in the house of David his servant. A horn of salvation signifies a firm eminence of salvation. Indeed, all bones are covered with flesh, the horn surpasses the flesh, and therefore the horn of salvation is called the kingdom of Christ the Savior, whereby by which the spiritual and what is of the flesh joys are surpassed, height is proclaimed. In figure of which David and Solomon were consecrated with the horn of oil to the glory of the kingdom.

The kingdom of our Saviour Christ is called also the horn of salvation, because all our bones are clothed with flesh, but the horn alone stretches beyond the flesh; so the kingdom of Christ is called the horn of salvation, as reaching beyond the world and the delights of the flesh. According to which figure David and Solomon were consecrated by the horn of oil to the glory of the kingdom.

The third motive is the trophy of the resurrection, which he touches upon when he says: And he raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David, his servant: in which is understood the power of Christ rising: 1 Kings 2: "The Lord will give dominion to his king and will exalt the horn of his Christ." And this was in the resurrection: Matthew, last chapter: "All power has been given to me in heaven and on earth." And because that power was enduring, therefore it is signified by a horn; as a figure of this, the vessel with which Solomon was anointed was a horn, 3 Kings 1; the vessel with which Saul was anointed was a flask, that is, a fragile vessel, 1 Kings 10. And it is said: Horn of salvation, because through it "Israel was saved with an eternal salvation," Isaiah 45. — And he adds: In the house of David, his servant: according to that of the Psalm: "There I will make a horn spring forth for David; I have prepared a lamp for my Christ"; and 2 Kings 22: "My shield and the horn of my salvation, my lifter and my protector; from my iniquity you will free me." This, however, is said on account of the incarnation; below in chapter 2 it is said that Joseph and Mary were "of the family of David."

The word horn is used not only for power, but also for royalty. But Christ, Who is the Saviour that hath risen for us from the family and race of David, is both: for He is the King of kings, and the invincible power of the Father.

The sound of the horn represents the man of God in all his sovereignty. In Scripture, the horn properly signifies kingship and power, just as it is written: "He has raised up a horn of salvation for us."

(Serm. de Anna. IV.) Now by a horn he means power, glory, and honour, deriving it metaphorically from the brute creatures, to whom God has given horns for defence and glory.

Zacharias prophesies two general prophecies, the former concerning Christ and the latter concerning John; and it's evident from the words that the former are about Christ as already present and living among us, and later concerning John. He says, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people." It may be that during the three months Mary stayed with him, receiving aid through mysterious power, he gradually came to be filled with the Spirit and to prophesy the things written. For since "Christ came in the flesh from the seed of David and was truly a 'horn of salvation for us in the house of David his servant'", he prophesies these things. And that Christ is the horn is indicated by the prophecy, "A vineyard was produced in a horn." In what horn? This Christ, concerning whom it is said, "He has raised up a horn for us." "He has raised up," he says, "a horn of salvation for us"—Christ—according to the proclamation of his "holy prophets"; for the mystery concerning Christ has been announced by all the prophets...

Because Christ was born of the seed of David, according to the flesh, it is said, A horn of salvation to us in the house of his servant David; as it has also elsewhere been said, A vineyard hath been planted in a horn, (Is. 5:1.) i. e. in Jesus Christ.

"He raised up a horn of salvation," that is, a salvific power and kingdom. For "horn" signifies either power, since horned animals have their strength in their horns, or kingdom, since kings were anointed from a horn. Christ is the Power and Kingdom of the Father; thus, for us there arose a "horn of salvation" — Christ. He raised it up "in the house of David," that is, in Bethlehem; for there He was born. Bethlehem is, of course, the city of David, as the prophets said.

God seemed to be asleep, disregarding the sins of the multitude, but in these last times coming in the flesh, He hath risen up and trodden down the evil spirits who hated us. Hence it is said, And he hath raised up an horn of salvation to us in the house of his servant David.

(Victor Presbyter.) Whereby he means that God spoke through them, and that their speech was not of man.

As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old. From of old, he says, because the whole Scripture of the Old Testament proceeded as a prophecy about Christ. Not only Jeremiah, Daniel, and Isaiah, and others like them, who are specifically called prophets and spoke manifestly about his coming, but even father Adam, Abel, and Enoch, and other Patriarchs, by their own deeds bear witness to his dispensation. Whence the Lord himself, rebuking the hardness of the Jews, said: If you believed Moses, you might perhaps believe me also. For he wrote of me (John 5).

But he says, Which have been since the world began. Because all the Scriptures of the Old Testament were a constant prophecy of Christ. For both our father Adam himself, and the other fathers, by their deeds bore testimony to His dispensation.

As he spoke by the mouth of his holy ones. Here he offers praises and thanks for our restoration, inasmuch as it was promised through the Prophets by the prophecy of the Holy Spirit. And first he sets forth the prophetic oracle; second, he subjoins the prophesied benefit; and third, the fulfillment of the benefit. For these three things stir one to bless God.

First, therefore, he sets forth the oracle in that he says: As he spoke by the mouth of his holy Prophets who have been from of old. And it should be repeated: "Blessed be the Lord God, because he raised up," etc. As he spoke: 1 Chronicles 17: "Now, Lord, let the word which you have spoken be confirmed forever, and do as you have spoken." This the Saints preceding Christ's advent desired: Ecclesiasticus 36: "Raise up the prayers which your former Prophets spoke in your name, and give reward to those who wait for you, that your Prophets may be found faithful." Which also came to pass: below, chapter 18: "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that were spoken by the Prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished"; Amos 3: "For the Lord will not do a thing unless he has revealed his secret to his servants the Prophets."

For all of them spoke of the incarnation, and Micah also mentioned the house of David, that is, Bethlehem, saying: "And you, Bethlehem... are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you shall come a Ruler" (Mic. 5:2, cited according to Matt. 2:6).

That Christ was born of the house of David, Micah relates, saying, And thou, Bethlehem, art not the least in the city of Juda, for out of thee shall come a governor who shall rule my people Israel. (Micah 5:2.) But all the prophets spoke of the Incarnation, and therefore it is said, As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets.

Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us. It must be joined from the previous verse, "he raised up for us," that is, he raised up for us salvation from our enemies. For when he had briefly stated earlier: "And he raised up a horn of salvation for us," continuing as if explaining more openly what he had said: "Salvation," he says, "from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us." But all who hate us signify either perverse men or unclean spirits. From whose hand, both in the present with hope we have been saved, and in the future, in reality, we will be saved.

Having first briefly said, He hath raised up a horn of salvation to us, he goes on to explain his words, adding, of salvation from our enemies. As if he said, He hath raised up to us a horn, i. e. He hath raised up to us salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us.

Second, he subjoins the benefit which the Prophets promised, when he says: Salvation from our enemies: and the word he wrought or he raised up should be repeated. For the Prophets spoke of this: 1 Peter 1: "Concerning which salvation the Prophets inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace to come in you." This salvation, moreover, consists in liberation from enemies, that is, from demons: Psalm: "Deliver me from my enemies"; Colossians 1: "He has rescued us from the power of darkness."

And he adds thirdly the completion of the benefit, when he says: And from the hand of all who hated us, that is, from the hand or power of all persecutors, whether demons or men: Isaiah nineteen: "They shall cry out to the Lord because of the oppressor, and he shall send them a savior and a champion, who shall deliver them"; Job five: "He dissipates the plans of the malicious, so that their hands cannot accomplish what they had begun." And for so great a benefit God is to be praised: Second Maccabees one: "Having been delivered from great dangers by God, we give him magnificent thanks"; and in the Psalm: "He delivered me from my most powerful enemies, and from those who hated me."

"He has raised up," he says, "a horn of salvation for us"—Christ—according to the proclamation of his "holy prophets"; for the mystery concerning Christ has been announced by all the prophets, who has saved "us from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us", not of perceptible enemies, but of intelligible ones. For Christ the Lord came, "mighty in war," to destroy all our enemies.

Let us not suppose that this refers to our bodily enemies, but our ghostly. For the Lord Jesus came mighty in battle (Ps. 24:8) to destroy all our enemies, that He might deliver us from their snares and temptation.

For He seemed to be at rest when He paid no attention to many sins and was long-suffering toward idol-madness; but when He became incarnate in the last times, He arose and crushed all the demons who hate us, and no longer continues to rest and be long-suffering.

To show mercy to our fathers and to remember His covenant. The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, etc. The Lord had said through the words of the prophets that He would be born in the house of David; He says the same to fulfill the covenant which He arranged with Abraham, that He would liberate us. For it was especially to those patriarchs that either the gathering of nations or the incarnation of Christ was promised from their seed. Which Matthew also briefly indicated when he began his Gospel in this way: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Where it should be noted that in both evangelists, David is preferred to Abraham. For although later in the order of time, he is greater by the gift of promise. For to Abraham, who, although still in circumcision, left his homeland, knew God, and earned the testimony of faith, only the faith of the nations and the holy assembly of the Church was promised, with the Lord saying to him: And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed (Gen. XXVIII). But to David, by a more exalted oracle, it was heard that Christ would be born from him according to the flesh: When your days are fulfilled and you go to your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall be one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me (I Chron. XVII).

Having announced that the Lord, according to the declaration of the Prophet, would be born of the house of David, he now says, that the same Lord to fulfil the covenant He made with Abraham will deliver us, because chiefly to these patriarchs of Abraham's seed was promised the gathering of the Gentiles, or the incarnation of Christ. But David is put first, because to Abraham was promised the holy assembly of the Church; whereas to David it was told that from him Christ was to be born. And therefore after what was said of David, he adds concerning Abraham the words, To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, &c.

To perform mercy, etc. This is the third principal part of the canticle, in which he gives thanks for our restoration, inasmuch as it was promised to the Fathers under oath. And in this part he first sets forth the principle moving to the promise; second, the oath establishing it; and third, the remedy following upon it.

The principle now moving to the promise was the divine mercy, from which promise arose the testimony of the Fathers: and he touches on this when he says: To perform mercy with our Fathers. And the word previously stated must be repeated, namely that of blessing and raising up: blessed, that is, be God, who raised up a horn, so that he might perform mercy: Exodus twenty: "He performs mercy unto thousands for those who love him"; and Tobit three: "Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers, who, when you have been angry, show mercy"; the Psalm: "Magnifying the salvations of his king and showing mercy to his anointed, to David and to his seed forever." And because by promising mercy he as it were made it a debt through a covenant, he therefore adds: And to remember his holy testament: the Psalm: "He has been mindful forever of his testament, of the word which he commanded for a thousand generations."

And note that the old testament was holy through prefiguration, but the new through containment and fulfillment: whence he calls the new testament a holy testament, which he sanctified with his blood: Zechariah nine: "You also, in the blood of your testament, have sent forth your prisoners from the pit"; and Hebrews nine: "If the blood of goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled upon the defiled sanctifies unto the cleansing of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the Holy Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And therefore he is the mediator of the new testament, so that, with death intervening, for the redemption of those transgressions which were under the former testament, those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." And this is what he had promised beforehand, as is said in Hebrews eight: "I will consummate upon the house of Israel and the house of Judah a new testament."

Christ is mercy and justice. We have obtained mercy through him and been justified, having washed away the stains of wickedness through faith that is in him.

But the phrase "to perform mercy with our fathers" I think this indicates how, perhaps during the coming of Christ, both our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the whole chorus of his holy prophets and righteous ones enjoyed the mercy of God. For I do not say that they were previously benefited, but were not benefited during the coming of Christ. What do I say about this regarding the fathers? I will rise with the word and say, being convinced by the Scriptures, that during the presence of Christ, not only the things on earth benefited from his coming and his dispensation, but also those in the heavens. For the apostle indeed says, "making peace through the blood of his cross, whether things on earth or things in heaven"; and if he made peace, why do you hesitate to accept that even towards the fathers the visitation occurred during the coming of Christ, and this was what his descent to Hades accomplished, in order to fulfill: "to show mercy with our fathers; to remember the covenant made with Abraham."

Let us not suppose that this refers to our bodily enemies, but our ghostly. For the Lord Jesus came mighty in battle (Ps. 24:8) to destroy all our enemies, that He might deliver us from their snares and temptation.

"He has shown mercy" not only to the living, but also "to our fathers," for the grace of Christ extended to them as well, even though they had already died. Namely: to us the living He granted the hope of resurrection, and we shall rise; but not we alone shall be deemed worthy of this benefaction, but also those who died before us. For all of nature received this blessing. And in another sense: "He showed mercy to the fathers" in that He fulfilled their expectations, for what they had hoped for, they saw fulfilled in Christ. And seeing their children in blessedness from such great blessings, the fathers rejoice and, sharing in the joy, receive mercy as though it were done for themselves.

The grace of Christ extends even to those who are dead, because through Him we shall rise again, not only we, but they also who have been dead before us. He performed His mercy also to our forefathers in fulfilling all their hopes and desires. Hence it follows, And to remember his holy covenant, that covenant, namely, wherein he said, Blessing, I will bless thee, and multiplying, I will multiply thee. (Gen. 22:17.) For Abraham was multiplied in all nations, who became his children by adoption, through following the example of his faith. But the fathers also, seeing their children enjoy these blessings, rejoice together with them, just as if they received the mercy in themselves. Hence it follows, The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us.

(Hom. in Ps. 29. et in Ps. 14. App. op.) But let no one, hearing that the Lord had sworn to Abraham, be tempted to swear. For as when the wrath of God is spoken of, it does not signify passion but punishment; so neither dos God swear as man, but His word is in very truth expressed to us in place of an oath, confirming by an unchangeable sentence what He promised.

Secondly, he adds the establishing oath, when he says: The oath which he swore to Abraham our father: and the preceding word must always be repeated, namely performed: Genesis twenty-two: "By myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not spared your only-begotten son for my sake, blessing I will bless you." Introducing this, the Apostle in Hebrews six says: "For God, promising to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom he might swear, swore by himself"; and thus, so that "he might show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, he interposed an oath, so that through two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have the strongest consolation." To Abraham, he promised, namely that he would give to us, his children, that is through the promise, his Only-begotten; John three: "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son"; and: "He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how has he not also given us all things with him?" Romans eight. Moreover, the figure of this is in Genesis fifteen: "To your seed I will give this land from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates."

But let no one accustom himself to swear from hearing that God sware unto Abraham. For just as anger, when spoken of God, is not anger, nor implies passion, but signifies power exercised in punishment, or some similar motion; so neither is an oath an act of swearing. For God does not swear, but indicates the certainty of the event,----that that which He says will necessarily come to pass. For God's oath is His own word, fully persuading those that hear, and giving each one the conviction that what He has promised and said will certainly come to pass.

I think that at the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, both Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were partakers of His mercy. For it is not to be believed, that they who had before seen His day, and were glad, should afterwards derive no advantage from His coming, since it is written, Having made peace through the blood of his Cross, whether in earth or in heaven. (Coloss. 1:20.)

Of what covenant did he speak, and of what oath given to Abraham? Without doubt, of this one: "In blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed" (Gen. 22:17). Abraham was indeed multiplied now, when all the nations through faith became his sons; for as he believed, so they too through faith became his sons.

(Hom. in Ps. 29. et in Ps. 14. App. op.) But let no one, hearing that the Lord had sworn to Abraham, be tempted to swear. For as when the wrath of God is spoken of, it does not signify passion but punishment; so neither dos God swear as man, but His word is in very truth expressed to us in place of an oath, confirming by an unchangeable sentence what He promised.

Then he adds the benefit or subsequent remedy, when he says: That without fear, delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him. For this is the remedy which we have obtained through Christ given to us: Romans six: "But now being freed from sin and made servants of God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end, life everlasting"; Wisdom sixteen: "You showed our enemies that it is you who deliver from all evil," namely those who hear you by believing and obeying: Proverbs one: "But he who hears me shall be without terror and shall enjoy abundance, the fear of evils being removed." And these are those who serve the Lord: 1 Kings seven: "Prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve him alone"; and he will deliver us from the hands of our enemies.

Having said that a horn of salvation had risen up to us from the house of David, he shows that through it we are partakers of His glory, and escape the assaults of the enemy. As he says, That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve him without fear. The two things above mentioned will not easily be found united. For many escape danger, but fail of a glorious life, as criminals discharged from prison by the king's mercy. On the other hand, some reap glory, but are compelled for its sake to encounter dangers, as soldiers in war embracing a life of honour are oftentimes in the greatest peril. But the horn brings both safety and glory. Safety indeed as it rescues us from the hands of our enemies, not slightly but in a wonderful manner, insomuch that we have no more fear, which arc his very words; that being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we might serve him without fear.

Or in another way; Frequently are men delivered from the hands of the enemy, but not without fear. For when fear and peril have gone before, and a man is then plucked from the enemies' hand, he is delivered indeed, but not without fear. Therefore said he, that the coming of Christ caused us to be snatched from the enemies' hands without fear. For we suffered not from their evil designs, but He suddenly parting us from them, hath led us out to our own allotted resting place.

Often others are delivered, but with fear and many labors and struggle; but Christ was crucified for us without any labor on our part and delivered us at last without fear, that is, without danger.

In holiness and righteousness before Him, all our days. Clearly and briefly, he designates how the Lord is to be served; namely, in holiness and righteousness, and before Him, and all our days. For he who either departs from His service before death, or pollutes the sincerity of his faith with any uncleanness or injustice, or strives to appear holy only before men and not also before the Lord; and just, is not yet perfectly liberated from the hand of spiritual enemies to serve the Lord, but, following the example of the ancient Samaritans, attempts to serve both the gods of the nations and the Lord.

For whosoever either departs from God's service before he dies, or by any uncleanness stains either the strictness or purity of his faith, or strives to be holy and righteous before men, and not before God, does not yet serve the Lord in perfect freedom from the hand of his spiritual enemies, but after the example of the old Samaritans endeavours to serve equally the Gods of the Gentiles, and his Lord.

And because not every manner of serving is acceptable to God, therefore he adds the manner, namely holily with respect to oneself, justly with respect to one's neighbor, simply with respect to God, perseveringly with respect to all the aforesaid. — On account of holiness he says: In holiness indeed let us serve him, because, as it is said in the Psalm, "he who walks in the immaculate way, he ministered to me"; therefore Exodus twenty-eight: "You shall sanctify Aaron and his sons, that they may exercise the priesthood to me," and "let them minister in the sanctuary, lest they die guilty of iniquity"; 1 Peter one: "According to him who called you, the Holy One, that you also may be holy in all your conduct, because it is written: You shall be holy, because I am holy."

On account of justice with regard to one's neighbor, he says: And justice: Romans 6: "As you have yielded your members to serve iniquity unto iniquity, so now yield your members to serve justice unto sanctification"; so that you may be able to say that word of the Psalm: "But I in justice shall appear before your sight."

On account of simplicity he says: Before him, namely God: which is done through simple intention, as Hezekiah, 4 Kings 20: "I beseech you, Lord, remember how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done what is pleasing before you." Thus "the boy Samuel ministered in the sight of the Lord before the face of Eli," 1 Kings 3; and 1 Chronicles, last chapter: "I know, Lord, that you test hearts and love simplicity."

On account of perseverance he adds: All our days, as the Apostle, Acts 20: "You know how through all the time I was with you, serving the Lord with all humility and tears and trials"; and Joshua 22: "Cleave to God and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul."

Christ is mercy and justice. We have obtained mercy through him and been justified, having washed away the stains of wickedness through faith that is in him.

Zacharias glorifies the Lord, because He hath made us to serve Him with full confidence, not in the flesh as Judah did with the blood of victims, but in the spirit with good works. And this is what he means by in holiness and righteousness. For holiness is, a proper observance of our duty towards God, righteousness of our duty towards man; as, for example, when a man devoutly performs the Divine commands, and lives honourably among his fellow men. But he does not say "before men," as of hypocrites desirous to please men, but "before God," as of those whose praise is not of men, but of God; (Rom. 2:29.) and this not once or for a time; but all the days of their life, as it is said, all our days.

Or in another way; Frequently are men delivered from the hands of the enemy, but not without fear. For when fear and peril have gone before, and a man is then plucked from the enemies' hand, he is delivered indeed, but not without fear. Therefore said he, that the coming of Christ caused us to be snatched from the enemies' hands without fear. For we suffered not from their evil designs, but He suddenly parting us from them, hath led us out to our own allotted resting place.

For what purpose did He deliver us? Was it not so that we might live in pleasures? No, but so that we might serve Him, and not for a day or two, but every day, and serve not merely with bodily worship and service, but "in holiness and righteousness." Holiness is righteousness in relation to God, and righteousness is justice in relation to people. For example, one who keeps himself away from sacred things and does not touch divine things impiously, but preserves perfect reverence for what is venerable, is holy; equally holy is one who honors his parents, for they too are household gods. And one who is neither covetous, nor a plunderer, nor a thief, nor an adulterer, nor a fornicator, is righteous. Thus one must serve God "in holiness," that is, with reverence toward divine things, and "in righteousness," that is, with a praiseworthy manner of life in human relations, serving before Him, and not before people, like men-pleasers and hypocrites.

In prophesying of the Lord he rightly addresses the prophet, showing that prophecy also is a gift of the Lord, in order that he might not, while enumerating public benefits, seem to be so ungrateful as to be silent of his own. Hence it is said, And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest.

Now perhaps some may think it an absurd extravagance of the mind to address a child of eight days old. But if we keep our eyes fixed upon higher things, we surely can understand that the son might hear the voice of his father, who before he was born heard the salutation of Mary. The Prophet knew that there were certain organs of hearing in a Prophet which were unclosed by the Spirit of God, not by the growth of the body. He possessed the faculty of understanding who was moved by the feeling of exultation.

And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High. For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways. He spoke beautifully about the Lord, and suddenly turned his words to the prophet, to indicate that this too was a benefit of the Lord. It is indeed asked how he can speak to the infant of eight days. But how would the infant, who heard Mary's greeting while still enclosed in the womb, not hear his father's voice? Unless perhaps Zacharias ought to be considered as instructing those present, wanting to proclaim the future duties of his son, which he had learned long ago through an angel, as soon as he could speak. Let the Arians hear and be ashamed: let the meek hear and rejoice, that Christ the Lord, whom John preceded as a prophet, is called the Most High. As also the Psalmist, praising God and perfect man in one person, says: Mother Zion will say, a man, and a man was born in her, and the Most High himself founded her (Psalm 86). The one who founded is the same who was made, the same man whom he calls the Most High.

Unless indeed Zacharias be supposed to have wished as soon as he was able to speak, to proclaim for their instruction who were present, the future gifts of his son, which he had long before learnt from the Angel. Let the Arians however hear that our Lord Christ, whom John went before prophesying of Him, Zacharias calls "the Most High," as it is said in the Psalms, A man was born in her, and the most highest has established her. (Ps. 87:5.)

And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, etc. This is the fourth part of the canticle, in which he recounts the benefit of our redemption, inasmuch as it was already begun in the precursor; and this by a prophetic proclamation, which he commends in three ways, namely from the authority of prophecy, from the utility of doctrine, and from the proximity of the divine presence.

He commends therefore the proclamation of John, initiatory of our restoration, from the authority of prophecy, turning his discourse to the child. And you, child, prophet of the Most High: you, child both in age and in purity: 1 Corinthians 14: "In malice be children, but in understanding be perfect." You shall be called a prophet; Matthew 11: "Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet"; and prophet of the Most High, that is, of Christ, by reason of his Divinity: the Psalm: "A man is born in her, and the Most High himself has founded her." — For you shall go before the face of the Lord, by reason of his humanity: the Psalm: "Show your face, and we shall be saved"; and Malachi 3: "Behold, I send my angel, and he shall prepare the way before my face." — To prepare his ways, he says ways in the plural, that is, the way of knowledge in faith and of affection in charity. Concerning the first, Job 17: "The just man shall hold to his way, and with clean hands shall add strength"; Romans 1: "The just man lives by faith." Concerning the way of charity: 1 Corinthians 12: "I show you a still more excellent way." John prepared the way of faith inasmuch as he was a voice: below in chapter 3: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord"; the way of charity, inasmuch as he was a lamp: John 5: "He was a burning and shining lamp."

This Zachariah the priest, who was himself thought worthy of the power of prophecy, spoke both concerning his own son and the Lord Christ together, in these words: And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways.

Observe, I pray, this also, that Christ is the Highest, Whose forerunner John was both in his birth, and in his preaching. What remains, then, for those to say, who lessen His divinity? And why will they not understand, that when Zacharias said, "And thou shalt be called Prophet of the Highest," he meant thereby "of God," of Whom also were the rest of the prophets.

(xix. Mor. sup. Job 28:23.) But all they who by preaching cleanse the hearts of their hearers from the filth of their sins, prepare a way for the coming of wisdom into the heart.

But as kings have their companions in arms, who stand nearest to them, so John, who was the friend of the Bridegroom, went before Him nigh unto His coming. And this is what follows, For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways. For some prophets have preached the mystery of Christ at a distance, but he preached it nearer the time, that he might both see Christ, and declare Him to others.

So John heard Jesus while he was still in his mother's womb, and he leaped up and rejoiced when he heard him. Why might you not believe that John could understand his father's prophecy once he was born, as Zechariah said to him: "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways." So I suppose that Zechariah hastily spoke to the infant because he knew John would soon be living in the desert, and therefore he would no longer enjoy John's presence. "For the boy was in the wilderness up to the day of his revelation to Israel."Moses also lived in the desert. After turning forty years old, he fled from Egypt and pastured Jethro's herds for another forty years. But John went out to the wilderness as soon as he was born.

The reason I suppose that Zacharias hastened to speak to his son, was because he knew that John was shortly about to be a sojourner in the wilderness, and that he himself should see him no more.

For thus will they be the rather profited, meditating upon the prophet's words, and saying, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called the Messenger of My mighty counsel." Who, as ye know, when another infant in the sixth month of his conception had preached before His coming repentance for the remission of sins, was himself also conceived to preach repentance.

In this case also a type has preceded; for thus was John beforehand the Lord's forerunner, "preparing His ways." Thus, too, does the angel, the witness of baptism, "make the paths straight" for the Holy Spirit, who is about to come upon us, by the washing away of sins, which faith, sealed in (the name of) the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, obtains.

And so "the baptism of repentance" was dealt with as if it were a candidate for the remission and sanctification shortly about to follow in Christ: for in that John used to preach "baptism for the remission of sins," the declaration was made with reference to future remission; if it be true, (as it is, ) that repentance is antecedent, remission subsequent; and this is "preparing the way." But he who "prepares" does not himself "perfect," but procures for another to perfect.

Was that, then, the reason why Jonah thought not repentance necessary to the heathen Ninevites, when he tergiversated in the duty of preaching? or did he rather, foreseeing the mercy of God poured forth even upon strangers, fear that that mercy would, as it were, destroy (the credit of) his proclamation? and accordingly, for the sake of a profane city, not yet possessed of a knowledge of God, still sinning in ignorance, did the prophet well-nigh perish? except that he suffered a typical example of the Lord's passion, which was to redeem heathens as well (as others) on their repentance. It is enough for me that even John, when "strewing the Lord's ways," was the herald of repentance no less to such as were on military service and to publicans, than to the sons of Abraham.

It seems strange that Zacharias speaks such words to a child, for it is not fitting to converse with an infant who understands nothing yet. To this one may say that this child had an extraordinary birth — for at the arrival of Mary it leaped and prophesied in the womb — so there is nothing improbable in its understanding the words of its father even after birth. "You will go before the face of the Lord," he says, leaving me soon. For Zacharias knew that before long he would be parted from John, since John was to withdraw into the wilderness. Why then "go before"? In order to "prepare His ways." And the ways are souls, to whom the Lord comes. Thus the Forerunner prepared souls so that the Lord might walk in them. How did he prepare them? Through imparting to people the knowledge of salvation.

To give the knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins. As if desiring to expound and commend the name of Jesus, that is, Savior, he frequently mentions salvation, recalling to be raised the horn of salvation, salvation to come from enemies, knowledge of salvation to be given to His people. But lest you think a temporal and carnal salvation is promised, he says, in the remission of their sins. Indeed, the Jews for this reason do not receive Christ Jesus but prefer to wait for the Antichrist, because they wish to be saved not inwardly but outwardly, not from the dominion of sin, but from the yoke of human servitude.

For as if desiring to explain the name of Jesus, i. e. the Saviour, he frequently makes mention of salvation, but lest men should think it was a temporal salvation which was promised, he adds, for the forgiveness of sins.

But the Jews prefer not to receive Christ, but to wait for Antichrist; for they desire to be delivered not from the dominion of sin within, but from the yoke of man's bondage without.

He commends it also secondly from the utility of the doctrine, when he says: To give knowledge of salvation to his people: to give, namely freely: Matthew 10: "Freely you have received, freely give"; and Proverbs 2: "The Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come prudence and knowledge." To give, I say, knowledge, not just any, but of salvation: because without knowledge there is no salvation; Isaiah 5: "Therefore my people has been led captive, because it did not have knowledge." This every ruler of the people ought to have; Hosea 4: "Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you, so that you shall not serve me as priest"; Isaiah 33: "The riches of salvation, wisdom and knowledge," of salvation, I say, not of just any kind, but spiritual: on account of which he adds: In the remission of their sins. Bede: "Lest you think that temporal salvation was being promised, he adds 'in the remission of their sins.'" For of the Savior it is said in Matthew 1: "He shall save his people from their sins"; and Mark 1: "John was preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins."

Salvation is the Lord Jesus. Thus, through John, knowledge of salvation was imparted to people, that is, knowledge of Christ, for John bore witness concerning Jesus. This knowledge consisted in the remission of sins, for the Lord would not otherwise have been acknowledged as God if He did not remit the sins of the people. For to remit sins is proper to God.

For the manner in which the forerunner prepared the way of the Lord he explains, adding, To give knowledge of salvation. The Lord Jesus is salvation, but the knowledge of salvation, i. e. of Christ, was given in John, who bore witness of Christ.

For in no other way was He known to be God, but as having forgiven the sins of His people. For it is of God alone to forgive sins.

(Severus.) Abiding on high yet present upon the earth, suffering neither division nor limitation, which thing neither can our understanding embrace, nor any power of words express.

Through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high has visited us. And the prophet speaking of the Lord says: Behold, a man, his name is the Dawn (Zech. VI). He is rightly called the Dawn, who opening the rise of true light for us, made the children of night and darkness into children of light, as Blessed Zacharias consequently explains, saying:

When Zechariah says, "for his people," he certainly does not mean that he found them his people upon his arrival but that he made them his by visiting and redeeming them. Do you want to hear about the condition in which he found this people and what he made of them? The end of this canticle clearly makes this evident by saying "the day shall dawn upon us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." He found us sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, weighed down by the ancient blindness of sins and ignorance, overcome by the deception and the errors of the ancient enemy. He is rightly called death and a lie, just as on the contrary our Lord is called truth and life. Our Lord brought us the true light of recognition of himself and, having taken away the darkness of errors, opened up for us a sure way to heaven. He guided our works so that we may be able to pursue the way of truth that he showed us and enter into the dwelling of everlasting peace, which he promised us.

Because of the loving-kindness of our God. God's inner goodness is the very reason why He loved to the highest possible degree and was filled with the deepest possible mercy. All this was seen in the resurrection, for by means of that same supreme kindness by which He had created all things, He now restored all things; by His supreme truth, He judged all things; by His supreme goodness, He glorified all things.

He commends also John's proclamation from the proximity of the divine presence, when he says: Through the bowels of mercy of our God. And he describes this in three ways: first, as visiting to console the affection; second, as illuminating to teach the intellect, at: To illuminate those, etc.; third, as directing to rectify the action, at: To direct the feet, etc.

He therefore first describes the divine presence joined to the prophecy of the precursor, when he says: Through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Dayspring from on high has visited us: and it should be continued from the preceding thus: You shall go before to give knowledge of salvation to his people unto the remission of sins, which indeed was through the tender mercy of God, which hastens the divine presence in the flesh, in which he visited us. The tender mercy is exceeding love and exceeding compassion: Ephesians 2: "But God, who is rich in mercy, on account of his exceeding charity with which he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, made us alive together in Christ, by whose grace you are saved"; and Isaiah 63: "Where is the multitude of your tender mercies and your compassions? They have restrained themselves over me." But after the Son of God was incarnate, that word of Genesis 43 concerning Joseph was verified: "His bowels were moved for his brother." Following this example, Colossians 3: "Put on, as the elect of God, tender mercy, kindness, humility, modesty, patience." Through this tender mercy the Dayspring from on high has visited us: Malachi 4: "For you who fear my name, the sun of justice shall arise, and healing in his wings"; and Zechariah 6: "Behold a man, the Dayspring is his name." From on high, according to that word of John 3: "He who comes from above is above all." In this there was a wondrous condescension: the Psalm: "What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you visit him?"

For those under the law, and dwelling in Judea, the Baptist was, as it were, a lamp, preceding Christ: and God so spake before of him; "I have prepared a lamp for My Christ." And the law also typified him in the lamp, which in the first tabernacle it commanded should be ever kept alight. But the Jews, after being for a short time pleased with him, flocking to his baptism, and admiring his mode of life, quickly made him sleep in death, doing their best to quench the ever-burning lamp. For this reason the Saviour also spake concerning him; "He was a burning and shining lamp, and ye were willing a little to rejoice for a season in his light."

What greater destiny can befall man's humility than that he should be intermingled with God, and by this intermingling should be deified, and that we should be so visited by the "dayspring from on high"? Further, that even the holy thing that should be born should be called the Son of the Most High and that he should be given "a name that is above every name"? And what else can this be but God? That every knee should bow to him that was made of no reputation for us, that mingled the form of God with the form of a servant, and that all the house of Israel should know that God has made him both Lord and Christ? For all this was done by the action of the begotten One, and by the good pleasure of him that begot him.

(Hom. xiv. in Matt.) Which mercy we find not indeed by our own seeking, but God from on high hath appeared to us, as it follows; Whereby (i. e. by His tender mercy) the dayspring from on high (that is, Christ) hath visited us, taking upon Him our flesh.

Therefore, since it is manifest that a sabbath temporal was shown, and a sabbath eternal foretold; a circumcision carnal foretold, and a circumcision spiritual pre-indicated; a law temporal and a law eternal formally declared; sacrifices carnal and sacrifices spiritual foreshown; it follows that, after all these precepts had been given carnally, in time preceding, to the people Israel, there was to supervene a time whereat the precepts of the ancient Law and of the old ceremonies would cease, and the promise of the new law, and the recognition of spiritual sacrifices, and the promise of the New Testament, supervene; while the light from on high would beam upon us who were sitting in darkness, and were being detained in the shadow of death. And so there is incumbent on us a necessity binding us, since we have premised that a new law was predicted by the prophets, and that not such as had been already given to their fathers at the time when He led them forth from the land of Egypt, to show and prove, on the one hand, that that old Law has ceased, and on the other, that the promised new law is now in operation.

And He forgave us our sins out of the tender mercy of His compassion, and not for our works; for we had done nothing good, yet He, who is called the Dawn, looked upon us from on high. For He is the Sun of righteousness and shone upon us who were in darkness, that is, in sin. Two evils held sway over human nature: ignorance of God, in which the pagans found themselves, and sin, which the Jews possessed, even though they knew God.

Because God hath forgiven our sins not for our works' sake, but through His mercy, it is therefore fitly added, Through the tender mercy of our God.

Mark also, in how few words Elisabeth prophesies, in how many Zacharias, and yet each spoke filled with the Holy Spirit; but this discipline is preserved, that women may study rather to learn what are the Divine commands than to teach them.

(Severus.) Abiding on high yet present upon the earth, suffering neither division nor limitation, which thing neither can our understanding embrace, nor any power of words express.

(sup. Esai. c. ii) For in thick darkness were the Gentile people sitting, who were sunk deep in idolatry, until the rising light dispersed the darkness, and spread abroad the brightness of truth.

Illuminate those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the way of peace. Indeed, to illuminate those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death is for the Lord to infuse the rays of His recognition and love into those who have lived in the blindness of sin and ignorance. To such the Apostle says: You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Our feet, however, are directed into the way of peace when the path of our actions in all things agrees with the grace of our Redeemer and Illuminator. It is in a fitting order, indeed, that the first thing testified is to illuminate the hearts, and then the works are to be directed, because no one is able to work peace unless they have first learned it. Hence rightly the Psalmist says: Seek (he says) peace, and pursue it (Psalm 33). Which is to say: Illuminate you who sat in darkness, and enter the way of peace from which you have long been exiled.

Christ is rightly called the Day-spring, because He hath disclosed to us the rising of the true light, as it follows; To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

For readiness in action and contemplation there must be seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. For the contemplative life, on account of its turning toward the Trinity, must have three expediting gifts: with respect to reverence for majesty, fear; with respect to the understanding of truth, understanding; with respect to the savor or taste of goodness, wisdom. The active life, however, which is engaged in doing and enduring, must have four, namely piety for doing and fortitude for enduring; and the directive gifts of these two, namely knowledge and counsel. Whence, because direction is necessary for readiness, there arises a combination of gifts; and more gifts pertain to the intellect, because the light of knowledge greatly avails to direct one's feet into the right path.

Now this visitation of the heavenly sun was not only a cause of consolation, but also of illumination: and therefore he adds: To illuminate those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death: and it should be construed: he visited to illuminate, that is, for the purpose of illuminating, those who sit in darkness, that is, the erring nations: Isaiah 9: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; for those dwelling in the region of the shadow of death, a light has risen for them"; and again, Isaiah 42: "I have given you as a light to the nations, that you might open the eyes of the blind and lead forth the bound from confinement, those sitting in darkness from the prison house." And therefore John 9: "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind."

And because through illumination we are led to direction, therefore there follows: To direct our feet into the way of peace: Proverbs 16: "The heart of man disposeth his way, but it is the Lord's to direct his steps." And therefore Proverbs 3: "In all thy ways think upon him, and he shall direct thy steps"; and the Psalm: "Thy good Spirit shall lead me into the right land," where there is the kingdom of peace without toil; Wisdom 10: "The Lord conducted the just one through right ways and showed him the kingdom of God"; of which kingdom it is said in the Psalm: "Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem, who hath placed peace in thy borders." For Jerusalem is interpreted as "vision of peace," to which we are led through the guidance of Christ and through the way of the commandments, which leads to peace: the Psalm: "Much peace have they that love thy law"; and Isaiah 48: "Would that thou hadst attended to my commandments: thy peace would have been as a river."

Note that the Lord visits to correct offenders, as a legate a province; Obadiah 1: "He hath sent a legate to the nations. Arise, and let us rise up against him in battle"; the Psalm: "I will visit their iniquities with a rod." — To justify the penitent, as a physician the sick: Mark 2: "They that are well have no need of the physician, but they that are ill." — To teach the ignorant, as a master a disciple, as here: He hath visited us, to enlighten, etc.; the Psalm: "Thou hast visited the earth and plentifully watered it"; there follows: "The river of God is filled with waters." — To rouse the negligent, as a prince his people; 1 Kings 17: "Visit thy brethren, whether they fare well, and learn with whom they have been stationed"; Acts 15: "Let us return and visit the brethren throughout all the cities." — To advance those who labor, as a vinedresser his vineyard; the Psalm: "Look down from heaven and see, and visit this vineyard"; Isaiah 5: "For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel." — To preserve the obedient, as a shepherd his flock; Ezekiel 34: "I will visit my sheep, as a shepherd visits his flock." — To make fruitful those who contemplate, as a bridegroom his bride; Genesis twenty-one: "The Lord visited Sarah, and she conceived"; Judith fifteen: "Joachim, the high priest, came from Jerusalem to Bethulia with all his priests, to see Judith." — To aid those who fight, as a king his army; Genesis, the last chapter: "After my death God will visit you"; and Luke, the last chapter: "Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." — To console those who suffer, as a healthy person the sick; Job ten: "Your visitation has preserved my spirit"; and Job two and James one: "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their tribulations"; Ecclesiasticus seven: "Let it not weary you to visit the sick." — To reward those who persevere, as a householder; Matthew twenty: "Call the workers and pay them their wages"; and Isaiah sixty: "I will make your visitation peace and your overseers justice."

In the beginning I call upon the first principle, from whom all illuminations descend as from the Father of lights, from whom is every good gift and every perfect gift, namely the eternal Father, through his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that by the intercession of the most holy Virgin Mary, mother of the same God and our Lord Jesus Christ, and of blessed Francis, our leader and father, he may give the enlightened eyes of our mind to direct our feet in the way of that peace which surpasses all understanding; which peace our Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed and gave.

For the world, indeed, was wandering in error, serving the creation in the place of the Creator, and was darkened over by the blackness of ignorance, and a night, as it were, that had fallen upon the minds of all, permitted them not to see Him, Who both by nature and truly is God. But the Lord of all rose for the Israelites, like a light and a sun.

(iv. Moral. sup. Job 3:5.) But the shadow of death is taken to mean the forgetfulness of the mind. For as death causes that which it kills to be no longer in life, so whatever oblivion touches ceases to be in the memory. Hence the Jewish people who were forgetful of God are said to sit in the shadow of death. The shadow of death is taken also for the death of the flesh, because as that is the true death, by which the soul is separated from God, so that is the shadow of death by which the flesh is separated from the soul. Hence in the words of the martyrs it is said, the shadow of death has come over us. (Ps. 44:19.) By the shadow of death also is represented the following of the devil, who is called Death (Rev. 6:8.) in the Revelations, because as a shadow is formed according to the quality of the body, so the actions of the wicked are expressed according to the manner of their following him.

(Hom. 33. in Evang.) For we guide our steps in the way of peace, when we walk in that line of conduct wherein we depart not from the grace of our Maker.

(ubi sup.) By darkness he means not material darkness, but error and distance from the faith, or ungodliness.

(ut sup.) He rightly says sitting, for we were not walking in darkness, but sitting down as having no hope of deliverance.

For what is more splendid for a king than a purple robe embroidered around with flowers, and a shining diadem? Or what for God, who delights in man, is more magnificent than this merciful assumption of the manhood, illuminating with its resplendent rays those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death?. But by means of that light, which is of one substance with Thee, Thou hast given light to those that sat in darkness.

So, He appeared to human nature in order to enlighten both those "sitting in darkness," that is, in ignorance and godlessness, and those sitting in the "shadow of death," that is, in sin. And sin is the shadow of death in this sense, I think: just as a shadow follows a body, so where there is death, there is also sin. For example, from the fact that Adam died, it is clear that there was also sin. Likewise, you will find the death of Christ not without sin, for Christ died, but for our sins. Therefore sin, always accompanied by death, is rightly called the shadow of death. But is it enough merely to shine upon those in darkness? No; it is also necessary to direct our feet onto the path of peace, that is, of righteousness. For just as sin is enmity with God, so righteousness is peace. Thus, the path of peace is the righteous way of life, toward which Christ, having dawned from on high, directed the steps of our souls.

But not only does the Lord at His rising give light to those who sit in darkness, but he says something further as it follows, to direct our feet in the way of peace. The way of peace is the way of righteousness, to which He has directed our feet, i. e. the affections of our souls.

Mark also, in how few words Elisabeth prophesies, in how many Zacharias, and yet each spoke filled with the Holy Spirit; but this discipline is preserved, that women may study rather to learn what are the Divine commands than to teach them.

And rightly is the time noted during which the prophet was in the womb, in order that the presence of Mary might not be passed over, while they are silent about the time of his childhood, because being strengthened in the womb by the presence of the Mother of the Lord, he knew not the struggles of childhood.

But the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the deserts till the day of his showing to Israel. It is appropriate and just that he who is to be a future preacher of repentance follows the harshness of solitude; and so that the young man may more freely lift his listeners by instructing them from the allurements of the world, he himself also passes his early life squalid in deserts.

The future preacher of repentance, that he might the more boldly reclaim his hearers from the allurements of the world, passes the first part of his life in the deserts. Hence it is said, And the child grew.

But the child grew, etc. After the origin of the precursor has been described and the thanksgiving for his origin, here thirdly is added his upbringing, in which there is an amplification of divine praise. The upbringing is described with respect to the progress of age in the flesh and virtue in the mind and religiosity in manner of life.

With respect to the progress of age he says: But the child grew, namely, in body, according to what is said of Samuel in 1 Kings two: "The child Samuel grew and was pleasing both to God and to men." For he had found blessing, like Joseph, of whom Genesis, the penultimate chapter says: "Joseph is a growing son, a growing son and comely to behold"; but contrarily it is said of Reuben in Genesis, the penultimate chapter: "You were poured out like water; may you not grow." Whence also that passage of Genesis twenty-six applies to him: "Isaac advancing and growing, until he became exceedingly great."

With respect to the progress of virtue in the mind he says: And he was strengthened in spirit, namely, of divine power, of which Ezekiel three says: "The hand of the Lord was with me, strengthening me"; whence he could say that word of the Apostle in Philippians, the last chapter: "I can do all things in him who strengthens me." Now this is the Holy Spirit, who gives power to the other Saints; the Psalm: "By the word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the breath of his mouth all their power."

With respect to the progress of religiosity in manner of life he adds: And he was in the deserts, namely, so that there he might lead a religious life, according to what is sung of him: The caves of the desert in your tender years, fleeing the throngs of citizens, you sought, lest you might stain your life with even a slight utterance; because, "if anyone considers himself to be religious, not bridling his tongue but deceiving his own heart, his religion is vain." And therefore he cast forth that prophetic word in the Psalm: "I went far off fleeing and remained in solitude." For whoever wishes to live perfectly ought, having left the cities, to seek the desert places: First Maccabees, chapter two: "Many went down with Mattathias, seeking judgment and justice in the desert, and they settled there." — And because religious devotion is not praiseworthy unless it is persevering, therefore he adds: Until the day of his manifestation to Israel, when, namely, he showed himself in virtuous preaching: according to what the Apostle says in First Corinthians, chapter two: "My speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in the demonstration of the spirit and of power." Whence he first lived hidden to himself for a long time, so that afterward through his manifestation he might live for the salvation of others, according to that saying in James, chapter three: "Who is wise and learned among you? Let him show from his good conduct his works in the meekness of wisdom." — In this all preachers are instructed, that they should first devote themselves to their own perfection and then to the edification of others, because "he whose life is despised, it remains that his preaching be condemned." A figure of this preceded in Elijah, in Third Kings, chapter nineteen, who first went away into the desert and arrived at the mountain of God, where he was instructed: and afterward it follows that he anointed kings and prophets for the governance of the people of God.

John, while still a little boy, grew and became stronger. But it is exceedingly difficult, and very rare among mortals, for one who is still a little child to grow in spirit. "But the boy grew and was strengthened in spirit." It is one thing to "grow," another to "be strengthened." Human nature is weak. It needs divine help to become stronger. We read, "The flesh is weak." What forces can strengthen it? The Spirit, of course, "for the spirit is quick to respond, but the flesh is weak." Someone who wants to become stronger should be strengthened only in spirit. Many are strengthened in the flesh, and their bodies become more powerful, but an athlete of God should become more powerful in spirit. Thus strengthened, he will crush the wisdom of the flesh. Spiritual activity will subject the body to the soul's command. We should not think that, when Scripture says, "he grew and was strengthened in spirit," what was written about John was just a narrative that does not pertain to us in any way. It is written for our imitation. We should take "growth" in the sense we have explained and be multiplied spiritually.

Or he increased in spirit, remaining not in the same measure in which he had begun, but the Spirit was ever growing in him. His will ever tending to better things, was making its own advances, and his mind ever contemplating something more divine, while his memory was exercising itself, that it might lay up more and more things in its treasury, and more firmly retain them. But he adds, And he waxed strong. For human nature is weak, as we learn, the flesh is weak. (Matt. 26:41.) It must therefore be made strong by the Spirit, for the Spirit is ready. Many wax strong in the flesh, but the wrestler of God must be strengthened by the Spirit that he may crush the wisdom of the flesh. He retires therefore to escape the noise of cities, and the thronging of the people. For it follows, And he was in the deserts. Where the air is purer, the sky more clear, and God a closer friend, that as the time had not yet arrived for his baptism and preaching, he might have leisure for praying, and might hold converse with the angels, calling upon God and fearing Him, saying, Behold, here am I.

And also it was because the marvellous preacher, John the Baptist, according to the testimony of the Book, lived in the wilderness until the day of his showing himself to the children of Israel, that he was able to receive and to teach Divine mysteries, and to receive the power of the baptism of the Spirit. And of the things which none of the early prophets had perceived, he, through the natural simplicity in which he had been brought up, became a receptacle in the wilderness; and Grace led him forth to the wilderness that he might remain in the simplicity of nature, and be able to receive the knowledge of the mysteries which were above nature.

The child "grew" in body and "became strong in spirit," for with the body the spiritual gift also grew; and the more the child grew, the more the powers of the spirit were manifested, since the instrument (the body) was capable of containing them. Why was John in the deserts? So that he might live apart from the wickedness of many and, not being ashamed before anyone falsely, rebuke with boldness — for if he had been in the world, then perhaps from cohabitation and association with people he would have lost his purity — and at the same time so that, when he would preach about Christ, he might enjoy full trust, as a desert-dweller who surpassed others in his way of life. He remained hidden in the deserts until God was pleased to reveal him to the people of Israel.

i. e. in bodily stature, and waxed strong in spirit, for together with his body at the same time his spiritual gift increased, and the workings of the Spirit were more and more manifested in him.

Or, he was in the deserts that he might be brought up beyond the reach of the malice of the multitude, and not be afraid of man. For if he had been in the world, perchance he had been corrupted by the friendship and conversation of the world. And secondly, that he who was to preach Christ might also be esteemed trust-worthy. But he was hid in the desert until it pleased God to show him forth to the people of Israel, as it follows, till the day of his showing forth to Israel.