2 Apodosis of the Annunciation of the Theotokos

For your part, however, dearly beloved, don't simply pass this by on hearing it; instead, consider the time when it happened and absolve Joseph of all blame. I mean, the gates of the underworld were still not broken or the bonds of death loosed. Nor was death yet called sleep. Hence, because they feared death, they acted this way; today, on the contrary, thanks to the grace of God, since death has been turned into slumber and life's end into repose and since there is great certitude of resurrection, we rejoice and exult at death like people moving from one life to another. Why do I say from one life to another? From a worse to a better, from a temporary to an eternal, from an earthly to a heavenly.

Joseph wept and said, "Do not be afraid of me, for although your father has died, the God of your father, on account of whom I will never strike you, is still alive. Because he turned the evil that you did to me to my good and he placed many people in my hands, God forbid that I do any evil to those who thus became the cause of life for many. But, just as I did not kill you in Egypt, do not leave my bones in Egypt." He made them swear to this and said, "God will indeed remember you and will bring you up to the land which he swore to Abraham. Bring my bones up to there, so that even if I do not inherit the land with you, I may be raised up with you from that land."

See how great a thing virtue is, how powerful and invincible, and how profound the weakness of evil. I mean, look, the one who endured such suffering reigns as king whereas those who submitted their brother to such indignities beg to be slaves of the one given by them into servitude.

"Don't be apprehensive or anxious," Jacob says. "I belong to God," and in imitation of my Lord I strive to reward with kindness those who are maliciously disposed to me—"I belong to God," after all. Then to show how great is the favor he enjoys from God Joseph says, You acted against me with evil intent, but God turned everything to good for me. Hence Paul also said, "For those who love God all things work together for good." "All things," he says. What is meant by "all things"? Opposition and apparent disappointment—even these things are turned into good, which is exactly what happened with this remarkable man. In fact, what was done by his brothers had the particular effect of bringing him the kingship, thanks to the creative God's wisdom transforming all their wickedness into good.

The text goes on: "Joseph passed away at one hundred and ten." Why did it indicate to us his age too? For you to learn how long he had been entrusted with the control of Egypt. He was seventeen when he went down to Egypt, and it was when he reached the age of thirty that he appeared before Pharaoh and interpreted his dreams. Joseph then held complete control of Egypt for eighty years. Do you see how the rewards were greater than the hardships and the recompense manifold? For thirteen years he struggled with temptations, suffering servitude, that illicit accusation, ill treatment in prison. Since he nobly bore everything with thankfulness, accordingly he attained generous rewards even in the present life. Consider, after all, I ask you, that as a result of that short period that he endured servitude and imprisonment Joseph occupied a royal position for eighty years. For proof that it was by faith that he did all this and for the same motive gave directions about the transfer of his bones, listen to Paul's words: "It was by faith that at the point of death Joseph gave a reminder about the exodus of the sons of Israel."

Those who write of the nature of animals say that all wild creatures, beasts of burden, and sheep and birds have an innate affection for their offspring and young but that the greatest love is found among eagles, who build their nests in very high and inaccessible locations so that no serpent can harm their chicks. Also to be found among newly hatched eagles is the aetiten stone, which overcomes all poisons. If this is true, then the eagle's affection is rightly compared with that of God for his creatures, who protects his children by taking every precaution to shatter the adversary's plots on the name of the stone that is placed in Zion's foundation, lest the dragon and ancient serpent, the devil and Satan, seize his newborns. And this Jerusalem, a mother by whom sons are consoled and caressed on her knees, is she of whom the apostle wrote: "But the Jerusalem above, who is the mother of us all, is free."

(Verse 10.) Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her. Delight in her with joy, all you who mourn over her, so that you may nurse and be satisfied from her comforting breast, and drink deeply and enjoy the abundance of her glory. LXX: Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and gather together all you who love her. Delight in her with joy, all you who mourn over her, so that you may nurse and be filled from her comforting breast, and after you have nursed, be delighted by the entrance of her glory. The apostles are commanded, and the apostolic men, who love both Jerusalems, and the one that has fallen they mourn and lament, and the one that will rise again they eagerly await with all desire, so that they may rejoice with her and in her, the one that is built with living stones, which roll upon the earth, and in the likeness of the wheels of the Cherubim, they follow the preceding spirit: not in those who have been dissolved into eternal ashes. About which the Lord spoke: Amen, amen I say to you, not one stone will remain upon another, until all these things are accomplished (Matthew 24:2). Rejoice, He says, with joy, all you who mourn for her. As we have taught about Peter and Paul, the apostles, and all who were awaiting the redemption of Israel, in order to suckle and be filled with the breasts of her consolation. For it could not be that she who gave birth to a male and was a mother, lacked an abundance of milk for the raising of her people and infants, who were born together, so that she would offer them two breasts, not at all like before in Egypt, broken and lying down, but whole and standing in virgin beauty, of the old and new Instrument, to offer rational milk. About whom the bridegroom speaks to her: Your breasts are better than wine (Song of Solomon 1:1). These were the ones about whom it was specifically said: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:5). And it should be noted that those who are little children are in need of milk for consolation, and they are still in a mortal place. But those who have progressed from the milk of consolation to solid food will have abundant delights of truth and knowledge of all glory, which is called Ziz in Hebrew. For this reason, where in our and the Greek codices it is read μόνιος ἄγριος, that is, singular wild, in Hebrew it is written Ziz Sadai, which Aquila translated as παντόδαπον χώρας, that is, various kinds of regions, to signify that Israel was devastated not only by the Romans, but by all nations. However, the glorious entrance of the Church is to be understood, about which the apostle John writes: 'And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, and the streets of the city were pure gold, as transparent glass' (Rev. 21:21). These pearls are forbidden by the Lord to be thrown before swine (Matt. 7), which the good merchant, when he found them in the Prophets and the Apostles, goes to one most precious pearl, not rejecting the others, but seeking through them something more precious (Matt. 13).

Second, he promises immense comfort to the gathered Jews. And first, he invites others to congratulation: rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, as in the object of joy, setting out the condition of congratulation as to affection: all you that love her: eat, O friends, and drink, and be inebriated, my dearly beloved (Song 5:1); as to the sign of affection: all you that mourn for her: blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted (Matt 5:5).

This struggle is the correction of noble good deeds in them. For their sweat is profitable, and they have youth-like endurance in order to gain not an earthly possession but rather so that they become filled with graces from God and are satisfied in every desire. To these he makes this promise, "Like infants at the breast you will be filled by the breasts of consolation." Since Isaiah has previously compared the figure of a woman with the new Zion, he remains in this way of speaking and compares this comfort with that of the breasts and milk of the Holy Spirit. For in the Song of Songs it says, "Your breasts are better than wine."

And the fruit of congratulation as to participation in her gladness or peace: that you may suck: your breasts are better than wine (Song 1:1); as to participation in her glory, that you may milk out, as though extracting milk: then shall you abound in delights in the Almighty (Job 22:6).

So, then, the Holy Spirit is the river, and the abundant river, which according to the Hebrews flowed from Jesus in the lands, as we have received it prophesied by the mouth of Isaiah. This is the great river that flows always and never fails. And not only a river but also one of the copious stream and overflowing greatness, as also David said, "The stream of the river makes glad the city of God."

And Scripture calls Christ "glory," for the psalmist says about him, "to prepare glory in our land." This entrance is the mystery of the economy in the flesh. Being God by nature, he became man through his incarnation and in such manner came into the world. Those feed on the precise message of faith concerning him, and they learn in what way the glory, that is, Christ came into the world. And directly connected to this, the divine prophet speaks of his clear appearance in the flesh, taking on Christ's voice as he says, "I will descend on them as a river of peace, and as a spring I will wash over the glory of the nations."

(Verse 12) For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will incline upon her like a river of peace, and like a torrent overflowing with the glory of the nations, whom you will nurse at your breast; they shall be carried on your side, and cuddled on your knees. LXX: For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will incline towards them like a river of peace, and like a overflowing torrent of the glory of the nations. Their little ones shall be carried on shoulders, and cuddled on knees. After Jerusalem has been rebuilt by the Apostles and restored to its former state, once its children and inhabitants have been comforted by the abundance of milk and have reached the delights of truth, through which we come to the glory of God, then the Lord will incline upon it a river of peace, of which we have often spoken: The river of God is filled with water (Psalm 64:10). And the rush of the river makes the city of God glad (Ps. 45:5); so that when peace possesses all things, and the wars of the nations cease, of which Scripture says, Scatter the nations that desire wars (Ps. 68:32), the torrent of God's teachings may irrigate the fields of the believers. Then his children, or the little ones (as the LXX translated), will be carried on shoulders and receive consolation on the knees. On shoulders, about which it was said in the earlier prophecy and which Jacob curses his son Issachar with: For he has placed his shoulder to work (Gen. 49:15), and he is called a farmer. For it is through excessive sweat and toil that we reach the abundance of fruits. Hence, it is said to Zion through Jeremiah: Put your heart upon your shoulders (Jerem. XXIV, 7), so that he may understand the Lord's commandments, imitating Him of whom it is written: Jesus began to do and to teach (Act. I, 1), so that faith may not be idle, but may run towards the reward through works. However, I have briefly explained the meaning of knees and bosoms above, and now Abraham can teach us by his example, in whose bosom Lazarus finds rest, and all who come from the East and the West will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Second, he promises an abundant gathering of peace: for thus says the Lord: behold I will bring upon her, so that an overflowing is called, as a river descending with great force comes and does not overflow; and of glory: and as an overflowing torrent, above: your peace had been as a river (Isa 48:18).

Third, he promises full reception of comfort. First, as to the administration of the gentiles: which you shall suck, that is, the glory of the Gentiles, for the kings of the gentiles themselves will comfort and sustain you; thus follows: at the breasts. Mystically: this is said of the Apostles, who delighted in the glory of the gentiles who were swiftly converted, and who carried them as at the breast with caressing admonitions, above: you shall suck the milk of the Gentiles (Isa 60:16).

A mother draws her children near her; we seek our mother, the church. Whatever is weak and young has an appeal and sweetness and lovableness of its own, just because in its weakness it does stand in need of assistance. But God does not withhold assistance from such an age of life. Just as the male and female parent regard their young tenderly—whether it be horses their colts, or cows their calves, or lions their cubs, or deer their fawn or men and women their children—so, too, does the Father of all draw near to those who seek his aid, giving them a new birth and making them his own adopted children. He recognizes them as his little ones, he loves only them, and he comes to the aid of such as these and defends them. That is why he calls them his children.

(Verse 13, 14) Just as a mother caresses her child, so will I comfort you, and in Jerusalem you will find comfort. Your heart will rejoice and your bones will flourish like grass. The hand of the Lord will be known to his servants, and he will be angry with his enemies. The Septuagint translates 'servants' as 'those who fear' and 'enemies' as 'unbelievers'; the rest is the same. We learn from the example of mothers, who surpass all charity by nourishing their children with love in their arms, the mercy of the Creator towards his creatures. Finally, wanting to show how much He loves and cares for those whom He has created, God asks, 'Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you' (Isaiah 49:15). This sentiment is also expressed in the Gospel when the Lord speaks to Jerusalem, saying, 'How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not' (Matthew 23:37). And in Deuteronomy, it is written: As an eagle protects its nest and desires its young, spreading its wings, it receives them and carries them on its shoulders (Deut. XXXII, 11). Those who have written about the nature of animals say that all beasts, and even beasts of burden, and cattle, and birds have an innate affection for their offspring, but the greatest love is that of eagles, which build their nests in high and inaccessible places to protect their young from the serpent. They also say that among its feathers is found a stone called amethyst, which surpasses all poisons. If this is true, the affection of God towards his creatures is rightly compared to that of the eagles, who protect their offspring with constant vigilance, so that the ancient dragon and serpent, the devil and Satan, may not approach the newly hatched chicks, and so that all the snares of their adversaries may be broken by the name of the stone that is laid in the foundations of Zion. This Jerusalem, in which the sons will find consolation in their mother's embrace and will kneel, is the same Jerusalem of which the Apostle writes: 'But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother' (Galatians 4:26). Satisfied with the milk of this consolation, he comforted others who needed his words, saying: Blessed be God, the Father of mercies, and the God of all consolation, who comforts us in all our tribulation, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any tribulation, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God (1 Corinthians 1:3). And when they have been comforted, it will be said to them: And you will see, and your heart will rejoice, and your bones will flourish like an herb; or according to Symmachus: they will bloom (John 16:22). But they shall indeed see God, which is true joy. Of whom the Lord spoke: Blessed are the clean of heart; for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8). The vision of God is perfect joy, which dwells in a heart full of faith: and the resurrection of the bones follows, of which we have already spoken. If the reader has forgotten these things, let them return to the original explanation. For it is better for them to reread what has been written, than for us to repeat what has been said. And he says, 'Behold, the hand of the Lord will be upon his servants, or upon those who fear him, and he will threaten his enemies, or his unbelievers. But the hand is also understood as power, because God is able to do all things that he promises, according to what Moses, speaking as the voice of God, says to Pharaoh: 'Now I will stretch out my hand and strike you and your people with pestilence, and you shall be cut off from the land' (Exodus 9:15). And again, concerning the same tyrant, Moses says: 'Behold, the hand of the Lord will be upon your livestock' (Exodus 9:3); about which the Psalmist says to God: 'Your hand has destroyed nations and planted them' (Psalm 44:2). Certainly, the hand of the Lord Christ must be understood, about whom we have also read above: My hand has made all these things. The Lord will make this known to his servants and those who fear him, and he will threaten the unbelievers and his enemies, so that he may promise rewards to some and threaten punishment to others. In this, the proper use of words must be considered, that he did not say: He will inflict upon his enemies; but he will threaten, so that, being deterred by the threat, they themselves may pass into the service of the Lord.

Second, as to divine protection: as one whom the mother caresses: you have forgotten the consolation (Heb 12:5).

For it is not only in the present life that I provide consolation for you through my heralds, but also in the heavenly city I will fill you with manifold joys—granting you the resurrection from the dead. This is what he meant by comparing the growth of bones to the growth of a plant.

Third, as to the enjoyment of goods, you shall see good things given to you by God; bones, you who in adversity were like dry bones: you dry bones, hear the word of the Lord (Ezek 37:4). Or you shall see the divine essence: the light is sweet, and it is delightful for the eyes to see the sun (Eccl 11:7); and your bones shall flourish like an herb, in the resurrection.

And the hand of the Lord shall be known. Here he promises punishment to the wicked. And first, he threatens punishment, setting out the indignation of the judge: the hand, afflicting the impious, in his servants; or, the hand, of comfort, in his servants, by its effect, above: there is no indignation in me (Isa 27:4).

By "the Lord will come in fire and with his chariots like a tornado or storm" we should understand him to be speaking of the angelic powers, when the Lord will come in the glory of the Father with his angels to judge the living and the dead. This is not to suggest, however, that the Lord himself is fire, but rather that the punishment to be sustained will feel like fire. Although Moses said and an apostle confirmed that "God is a consuming fire," the Savior expressed the very substance of his divinity when he said, "God is spirit." And there is a great difference between fire and spirit, according to the corporal understanding.… God is called "a consuming fire," therefore, because he consumes our weaknesses, our stubble and briars and thorns, that is, the cares of this world, which cause the earth to be fruitless for the good seed, as it is said in the letter to the Hebrews: "But if it bears thorns and stubble, it is reprobate and near to being cursed, the end of which is destruction."

(Verse 15, 16.) For behold, the Lord will come in fire: and like a whirlwind, his chariots, to render his anger with indignation, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire will the Lord judge, and by his sword, all flesh: and the slain by the Lord shall be multiplied. Septuagint: Behold, the Lord will come like fire, and his chariots like a storm, to render his vengeance in fury: and his rebuke in flames of fire. For in the fire of the Lord all the earth shall be judged: and all flesh shall fall by the sword thereof: many shall be wounded by the Lord. The hand of the Lord, which shall be made known to his servants, and which shall threaten the unbelievers and his enemies, so that if they do not repent, they shall suffer what follows: For behold, says the Lord, he shall come in fire, and like a whirlwind or storm shall be his chariot. Which we should understand as the angelic powers, when the Lord is coming in the glory of the Father with his angels, to judge the living and the dead: not that the Lord is fire, but that to those who endure punishment, he appears to be fire. And although Moses said (Deut. IV, 24), the same thing is confirmed by the Apostle (Hebr. XII, 29): God is a consuming fire. However, the Savior, expressing the substance of divinity, says: God is Spirit (John IV, 24). But between spirit and fire, according to corporeal understanding, there is much difference. For if fire or spirit, how is it said that they have eyes, ears, hands, feet, a stomach, and other members of the body, when these do not belong to spirit or fire? Therefore, the consuming fire is called God, so that it may consume whatever vices are in us, like hay, wood, and straw, and thorns, that is, the anxieties of this world, which the unfruitful earth brought forth instead of good seed, of which it is said to the Hebrews: But that which brings forth thorns and thistles is rejected, and is near to being cursed: whose end is to be burned (Hebrews 6:8). The Lord also spoke of this fire in the Gospel: I came to cast fire upon the earth (Luke 12:49). And above we read: Iniquity will burn like fire, and dry grass will be consumed by the fire (Isaiah 9:18), and all the weeds that the enemy sowed will grow while the father of the family sleeps (Matthew 13). Concerning this, it is also written in the Letter of James: A small fire kindles a large fuel (James 3:5)! And in Proverbs: Fire thrives on many logs (Proverbs 26:20). Although in that which is a Proverb, another meaning can be understood (Sirach 28). I believe this fire sat upon the tongues of all the apostles and believers when they spoke in various tongues, and it dispelled the darkness of error and illuminated the hearts of those who received the word of the Lord (Acts 2). And what follows: Like a storm, we proclaim the examples of the Psalms, in which it is written: God will come openly, our God, and he will not keep silent. A fire will burn before him, and around him there will be a powerful storm (Psalm 49:3-4). And elsewhere: The chariot of God is ten thousandfold, thousands of joyful ones (Ps. 67:18). With these chariots and horses, Elisha was surrounded, which his servant could not see. Therefore he said: Lord, open the eyes of this boy so that he may see. And when his eyes were opened, he saw the chariots and the charioteers and the horses all around (2 Kings 6:17). With this fiery chariot, Elijah was taken up to heaven, when Elisha cried out: My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its charioteer (2 Kings 2:12). But all these things are narrated, not because God has chariots or horses or is carried by their speed; about whom it is written elsewhere: 'Who walks upon the wings of the wind' (Psalm 103:3); but rather, it is said that He sits on a throne when He assumes the appearance of a judge; and when He comes for vengeance, to destroy His adversaries, He is displayed in the appearance of a victor and triumphalist. We have frequently spoken of the anger of the Lord, which should be understood as His forgetfulness, and repentance, and sadness, and other affections that do not befit His majesty. And in this fire and fury, in these chariots and in the flame of fire, all flesh shall be judged, whether the Lord himself with his creatures, so that he may appear to give judgment not by his power, but by the truth of judgment, according to what is said more fully in Micah, and more briefly in the fiftieth psalm: That you may be justified in your words, and may overcome when you are judged (Psalm 50:5). But the sword by which all flesh is to be judged, that must be understood, of which we have spoken before, and now we will speak in part: Unless you be converted, he will brandish his sword (Psalm 7:13). The Israelites complain about this avenging sword, given into the hands of Pharaoh, against the flesh of sinners and all vices; and they say to Moses and Aaron: May God see and judge you, for you have made our odor abominable before Pharaoh, so that the sword would be given into his hand and he would kill us. (Exod. IV, 21). Concerning this sword, it is also written in Amos: By the sword, all the sinners of the people will perish (Amos IX, 10): while certainly there are other kinds of punishments. Therefore, whatever pricks, strikes, twists, and torments is called a sword in the Holy Scriptures, by which sword those who do not do God's will shall be wounded or killed; and having forsaken the light of truth, they shall be enveloped in the darkness of error. Concerning whom it is written in Jeremiah: 'Can the Ethiopian change his skin?' (Jeremiah 13:23). And in Zephaniah: 'You Ethiopians who have been wounded or killed by my sword.' (Zephaniah 2:12). The Apostle explained in more detail the meaning of the entirety of this passage when he wrote to the Romans: 'But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds.' To those indeed who, according to patience in good work, seek glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life. But to those who are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man who works evil, Jew first and Greek' (Rom. 2:5-10).

And he sets out the magnitude of the punishment: for behold the Lord will come with fire, by which the city is to be burned, or by which the world is to be purified; and his chariots, the army of the Chaldeans, in which God comes, as it were, or the angels, who will come with him for judgment: a fire shall go before him (Ps 96[97]:3).

"For he will come like fire." … For he will descend from heaven in the glory of God the Father and with the angels. This is his chariot, as it is praised in the Psalms: "The chariot of the Lord is ten thousand in dimensions with thousands of those rejoicing." For he will come to give judgment in anger and to cast them off with a flame of fire. For "casting off" means rejection, just as he says to those who are dead in their sins, "Depart from me, you evildoers."

They shall fall by the sword of God (Amos 9:10). And he sets out the multitude of those who are punished: the slain of the Lord shall be many, above: for there is a victim of the Lord in Bosra and a great slaughter in the land of Edom (Isa 34:6).

(Verse 17.) Those who were sanctified and considered themselves clean in gardens afterwards: those who ate pork, abomination, and mouse, will be consumed together, says the Lord. LXX: Those who are sanctified and purified in gardens and thresholds: eating pork, abominations, and mouse: they will be consumed together, says the Lord. Symmachus and Theodotion interpreted this passage as follows: Those who are sanctified and purified in gardens one after another, among them are those who eat pork, abomination, and mouse, they will perish together, says the Lord, in order to show that it is not themselves who eat pork, abomination, and mouse, but those who are sanctified in gardens one after another; rather, it is those who are purified who associate with them, who eat what is forbidden. But the divine word accuses the people of the Jews, rather the Scribes and Pharisees, whom the Lord also accused, saying: You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts, for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God (Luke XVI, 15). Therefore, he reproached them and said: Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside are full of greed and wickedness (Matthew XXIII, 25). And again: You are whitewashed sepulchers, full of dead bones and all uncleanness (Matthew 23:27): those who blessed with their mouth and cursed with their heart (Psalm 62): those who spoke peace to the Lord and softened their words over oil, but they were spears, of whom it was rightly said: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me (Isaiah 29:13). But God commanded through Moses (Numbers 19) that if anyone had been contaminated by sin beforehand, they should be sprinkled with the ashes of a red cow and other means of expiation, through sacrifices and victims, and return to the Temple. However, those negligent ones built baptisteries or pools for irrigating gardens in places of delights and pleasures: thinking that adulteries and all forms of lustful behavior could be washed away with simple water, to whom that saying truly applies: And they cleanse the night with a river (Horace). And let it not seem incongruous to anyone that things that are done shamefully should be explained more clearly in order to correct those who are not ashamed to commit such things, which are shameful both to speak of, while they cling to prostitutes like dogs, and to engage in homosexuality with other males, receiving the punishment of their sin upon themselves. Those who do these deeds are of the same will and wickedness as those who eat pork and all the things that are prohibited by the Law, and the mouse, which we call a dormouse, or in the Eastern provinces, μυωξοὺς. And therefore those who eat these things, and those who practice all kinds of immorality, do the same things that even the pagans do. According to the allegory, we can say: All lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God, are sanctified in gardens and thresholds, because the mysteries of truth are not able to enter, and to eat the food of impiety, while they are not holy in body and spirit: nor do they eat the flesh of Jesus, nor drink his blood. Regarding which He Himself speaks: 'Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life.' (John 6:55). For indeed Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed. (1 Corinthians 5). It is not consumed outside, but in one house and inwardly.

Second, he reproaches their fault: they that were sanctified, thinking to cleanse themselves of uncleanness by the waters, or even by the sacrifices of idols, in the gardens, in which they worshipped idols, or occupied themselves with pleasure; behind one woman, copulating with women in the manner of beasts, or behind the gate, in other manuscripts; the mouse, the dormouse, contrary to the law (Lev 11:29), above: that eat swine's flesh, and profane broth (Isa 65:4).

Christ makes, as it were, a certain recapitulation of the whole discourse, and of all prophecy through these things, and as in brief and concise terms he announces the things from the beginning to the end, and the power of the economy in the flesh. For he also remembers the calling of the nations, and the appointment of the holy apostles, and that he will be worshipped by all under heaven. For the old law gathered one and only one nation, that is, clearly, the one from Israel, and it called one tongue. But our Lord Jesus Christ did not bestow the power of the economy in the flesh on those of the blood of Israel alone, but indeed on every nation and all tongues. For He said through the lyre of the Psalmist: "Hear these things, all nations: give ear, all you who inhabit the world:" therefore I will gather all, he says: "They shall come, and shall see my glory." For they have been called through faith, and those who were once far off have become near, and they have seen his glory: how, or in what way? For they have heard through the evangelical proclamations that he is both equal in work and equal in strength to God the Father, and he has become the accomplisher of things beyond reason, so as to raise the dead from their tombs, and to give light to the blind, and in addition to these things to have done other things worthy of all account and wonder. Or in another way: they have seen his glory, having been initiated that the Word was God, and became man: for the Gentiles have not said, as the Jews did: "Why do you, being a man, make yourself God?" But rather, having recognized the mystery concerning him, they cry out those sacred words: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," and indeed also that which was said by the holy apostles, "Truly you are the Son of God." And a sign has also been set upon them: for as Paul says, "We were sealed with the Spirit of redemption, and Christ was formed in all our hearts through participation in the Holy Spirit."

And Zechariah saw during the night, "behold, a man mounting a red horse, who was standing between two shady mountains, and behind him were red and white and chestnut and variously colored horses." … John also in the Apocalypse testified that he saw this: "I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it was called faithful and true and a righteous judge and warrior. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many diadems, having a written name that no one knew except himself. And he was clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood and the name by which he was called was Word of God. And an army in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in the purest white linen, and a sharp sword went forth from his mouth to strike the nations." The Lord and Savior was sitting on a red horse as he assumed human nature, to whom it is asked: "Why are your garments red? And who is this who ascends from Edom with crimson garments from Bozrah?" Horses of various colors followed him, moreover, either red with martyrdom or chestnut in flight or variegated with virtues or white with virginity. But he was sitting on a white horse when he assumed an immortal and uncorrupted body after the resurrection. Whoever followed him also used a white horse, incorrupt and immortal in body. If we wished to explain both texts, it would take a long time, but let me say only this, that the various vehicles by which people are led to faith are angels, or saints who have advanced from being people to being angels. Many Scripture passages teach that each of us should have angels, one of which is: "Do not despise one of these little ones, for their angels daily behold the face of the Father who is in heaven." Also, when the maid Rhoda announced that it was Peter at the door, others believed him to be Peter's angel.

(Verse 18, 19.) But I come to gather together with all nations and tongues their works and thoughts: and they shall come and see my glory. And I will set a sign among them, and will send some of them, who have been saved, to the nations in the sea ((or sea)), to Africa, to Lydia spreading the bow, to Italy and Greece, to distant islands: to those who have not heard of me, and have not seen my glory. LXX: And I know their works and thoughts, and I come to gather all nations and all tongues: and they shall come and see my glory, and I will send a sign upon them: and I will send some of them, who have been saved, to the nations, to Tarshish and Put, and Lud and Mosoch and Tubal, and to Greece, and to distant islands, who have not heard my name, nor seen my glory. Before I explain what the enumeration of many nations signifies, it must be briefly said about the variety of interpretation. Tharsis, in the Hebrew language, is called sea; and (as they say) the region of India: although Josephus, changing the letter, thinks that Tarshish is now called Tarsum, a city of Cilicia, to which Jonah, fleeing from Joppa, wanted to go (Jonah 1). Phud, or Phul, however, refers to the Libyans, and the whole of Africa up to the sea of Mauritania, in which the river that is now called Phud, and the whole region around it, is named Phutensis. But the Lydians are called Lud, whose colonists, the Etruscans, who are now called the Tuscans, were once the most skilled in shooting arrows, and they are now said to be arrow shooters. For this reason, it is written in Hebrew as Mosche Ceseth, which all translated similarly without the Septuagint, interpreting it as 'those who shoot arrows.' And the Septuagint put μοσὸχ, interpreting the word as a name. If this is accepted, it means 'Cappadocians,' whose capital is Mazaca, which later received the name Caesarea from Caesar Augustus. Those who do not know what they want, even in Genesis (Chapter X) the last son of Aram, that is, the Syrians of Damascus, who are called Mes, are interpreted as μοσὸχ: for which we more correctly transfer to Moeonas. Thubal, however, is interpreted as either Italy or Iberia, that is, Spain, from the river Iberus, from which today the region of Spain is called Celtiberia. Concerning these, Lucanus (Lucan, Book IV) beautifully says:

The Celts of Gaul mixing with the Iberian people: whom we can call Gallo-Hispanics. The Greeks, however, who are called Javan in the Hebrew language, are signified by Jonas: hence Greeks are also called Jones, and the Ionian Sea. And it should be considered that the Eastern nations are mostly descended from Japheth, one of Noah's sons: although Tharsis and Phut, as well as Shem and Ham, that is, the names of India and Africa, were also mentioned, in order to show the whole world. Therefore, the Lord comes to gather the works and thoughts of each individual. From this, we learn that not only actions but also thoughts will be judged on the day of judgment. For whoever looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5). Regarding this, it is said: 'Now their own thoughts have surrounded them: when the Lord will judge the hidden things of men according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ' (Romans 2:15). So that what the Apostle writes may be proven true by the judgment, with thoughts accusing and satisfying one another, on the day when God will judge the hidden things of men. That all our thoughts, gathered together at once, may be proven by the just judge, whether our conscience accuses us or satisfies us for our wrongdoing, whether there are more sins or good deeds, whether they are old or new, whether they have been erased by repentance or rebuilt with new crimes, as the Lord says: 'I will give them their ways upon their heads, and I will repay their thoughts to them' (Hosea 9:7). He who formed every heart and understands all their works. (Psalm XXXII, 15) About whom we also read in another place: You alone know the hearts of men. (2 Chronicles VI, 30) For no one knows what is in a man, except the spirit of man that is in him. (1 Corinthians II) Therefore, God speaks through Jeremiah: Am I a God at hand, says the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can a man hide himself in secret places, and I will not see him? (Jeremiah XXIII, 23) Finally, it is said to the scribes and Pharisees: You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts (Luke XVI, 15). In this, it should be considered that he did not say 'Father,' according to the blasphemies of heretics, so as not to appear to exclude the Son, but 'God,' which is common to both the Father and the Son. For in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; this was in the beginning with God (John I, 1, 2). About which John also writes: But Jesus himself did not believe in them, because he knew all men, and he did not need anyone to bear witness of man: for he himself knew what was in man (John 2:24-25). This is also consistent with this: But Jesus knowing their thoughts (Luke 6:8). And in another place: But Jesus knowing their wickedness (Matthew 22:18). And to prevent any doubt, when heretics maliciously slander the Word of God, that it knows all things, it is stated more fully in the Epistle to the Hebrews: For the word of God is living and effectual, and more piercing than any two-edged sword; and reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit, of the joints also and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature invisible in his sight. But all things are naked and open to his eyes, to whom our speech is. (Hebrews IV, 12). But after all thoughts have been gathered into one, accusing or defending us: then all peoples and languages ​​will be brought together with their thoughts. And according to the Apostle Paul, we not only read the languages ​​of men but also of Angels (I Corinthians XIII). From this it is understood that all creatures are to be judged by the Lord, not only on earth, but in the air and in the heavens, as he himself said in the passages above: My sword is intoxicated in heaven, and it will come down to the earth (Isaiah 34:5). But everyone will come to see the glory of God, and he will put a sign on them, as shown in the beginning of the book of Ezekiel under the interpretation of the Hebrew letter Thau (Ezekiel 9). By this sign, the hand of the one who struck will flee. This was also marked on the doorposts of houses in Egypt when Egypt was perishing, and only Israel remained untouched (Exodus 12). Concerning this sign that King Ahaz of Judah did not want to receive, the prophet Isaiah testifies: Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son (Isaiah 7:14). And so the Prophet prays for what was promised: Show me a sign for good (Psalm 86:17). And in another place: You have given a sign to those who fear you, that they may flee from the face of the bow (Psalm 59:4). The Lord left this to us as he ascended to the Father, or placed it on our foreheads, so that we may freely say: The light of your face, Lord, has shone upon us (Psalm 4:7). But what follows: And I will send those who have been saved to the nations: and he enumerates them individually, seems to be contrary to our interpretation. For if it is said of the Day of Judgment: how does the coming of the Savior recur to the first, when the Apostles are sent to the Gentiles, and hear from the Lord: Go, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matt. XXVIII, 19.) This is how it is resolved: The Day of Judgment is preached, or rather threatened, so that out of fear of future punishment, they may receive the coming of the Savior and the Gospel of the Apostles, who are to be sent before. But beautifully he said, 'And I will send out of them that shall be saved' (Isai. LXVI, 18). For unless the Lord had left us seed, we had been made as Sodom and we should have been like unto Gomorrha. And the Apostle says: 'The remnants, he saith, have been saved' (Rom. IX, 27). These are sent to the Gentiles in Tharsis, and Phud, and Lud, and Mosoch, and Thobel, and Greece, and to many islands which are far off, and have not heard my name, nor seen my glory. Of which we have already spoken in the account above (Ch. XII). Now the anagoge must be sought. Tharsis signifies the exploration of joy: so that we may consider not those things which are in the present, but those which are in the future; and may deserve to hear: 'Well done, good and faithful servants, enter into the joy of your Lord' (Matt. XXV, 21). Concerning which the Apostle Peter also writes: 'Rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory' (I Pet. I, 8); so that we may praise God, saying: 'Our mouth is filled with joy, and our tongue with exultation' (Ps. CXXV, 2). And what follows, Phud is interpreted as the exclusion of the mouth: that we may exclude all blasphemy, and speak those things which are good, and say: My mouth shall declare thy righteousness, O Lord: all the day long thy salvation (Psalm 70:15). And again: I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy salvation (Psalm 39:11). Lud also in our language signifies usefulness, and Mosoch signifies extension, and Thubal, or Thobel, signifies mourning, or turned, or universal: all of which are in accord with the calling of the nations, that they may follow usefulness through the confession of their soul, forgetting the past and extending to the future. And let the ancient sins be mourned, and let them be dragged to lamentation and sadness, which leads to life. Blessed are those who mourn, for they themselves will laugh (Matthew 5). And let everyone turn to the Lord, so that they may later pass to grace, and know the saying by the Apostle: Glory and honor, from peace to everyone who works good, to the Jew first and to the Greek (Romans 2:10): for God is not only the God of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles. Furthermore, that which is said: And to the distant islands, who have not heard my name, nor seen my glory, applies to them, of whom we read above: Those to whom it has not been announced about him, they will see; and those who have not heard, they will understand (Isaiah 55:5). And again: I manifested myself to those who did not question me: I was found by those who did not seek me (Isaiah LXV, 1). I said: Behold, I am here, to those who do not call upon my name. However, we often said that the islands signify either all the nations of the world, or the Churches dispersed throughout the whole world.

But I. Here he describes the manner of separation as to everyone together. And first, he decrees universal judgment: I know their works, and their thoughts, as though judging them for both; I come, in the day of judgment, or the various kingdoms of your enemies destroying also the wicked among you; they shall come, into Jerusalem after your return, either to judgment, or to faith: behold, I will raise them up out of the place wherein you have sold them (Joel 3:7).

"And from them I will send" the sign "to Tarshish, Tubal and Javan," and to all the other cities, which came to help the house of Gog in its fight against Zerubbabel, that is, against Christ, who was symbolized by Zerubbabel, the king of the people in its return from captivity to the land of the inheritance of the Lord. Therefore the revolt of the nations against Zerubbabel prefigured what the prophet foretold about Christ by saying, "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed."

It is with them [the apostles] that the prophecy found its accomplishment, because it was they who preached the gospel to all nations.

Second, he sets out the summons to judgment: and I will set a sign, the edict of Cyrus, among them, that is, the Jews who were with Zorobabel and the other leaders; to the Gentiles, to the nations whom the Jews had been dispersed; Lydia them that draw the bow, for they are good archers; my glory, which will appear in your liberation, above: he shall set up a sign unto the nations (Isa 11:12). Or he sets the sign of the cross on the apostles, so that they might convert all nations to God, as though prepared for judgment.

For like something consecrated to God, the host of the nations are given over to God's glory, released from all charges through faith and washed from all filth through holy baptism, like a guest's gift, as if given out of the apostolic fervor for God. On that account they rejoice, naming him their joy and crown. For that the return of the nations to God happens in an extremely comfortable fashion and without sweat and struggle is clearly declared in parabolic fashion when he speaks for our instruction, saying that "they will be led with horses, chariots, now with illuminations, now with shade.…"

(Verse 20.) And they shall proclaim my glory among the nations, and they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and on mules, and on carts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord. LXX: And they shall proclaim my glory among the nations, and they shall bring your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, with horses and chariots, and with litters on the backs of mules, with sunshades to the holy city Jerusalem, says the Lord. Those who have been saved and sent to various nations, and to those who have not heard or seen the glory of the Lord, will proclaim it to all nations, and will bring the brothers of the Jewish people, whose remains have been saved, as a gift to the Lord from all nations: either those who have followed the knowledge of the true God, rejecting the error of idolatry, or those who have believed from the entire world among the Israelite people. To them, the apostle Peter writes (1 Peter 1). They brought in horses, chariots, litters, mules, and wagons. As for the wagons, which Symmachus alone interpreted and which we have followed in this place, Aquila, Septuagint, and Theodotion translated them as 'mulos'. And where Septuagint placed 'cum umbraculis', which we can interpret as dormitories or sleeping chambers, others translated with the similar-sounding word 'basternas'. And when they said 'φορεῖα', which we interpret as various types of vehicles, Septuagint and Theodotion used the term 'lampenas', for which Symmachus interpreted as 'lecticas'. Aquila used 'σκεπαστὰ', which itself means 'covered with skins', as a translation for 'lecticas'. This is said about the variety of translations. However, by horses, and chariots, and litters, and mules and wagons, and vehicles of various kinds, we can understand Angelic ministries, of which elsewhere it is said to God: Ascend upon your horses, and your riding is salvation (Hab. 3:8). With these horses, chariots, and chariots, Elijah was taken up to heaven, and Elisha showed himself to be surrounded and protected by them, demonstrating to the unaware boy (2 Kings 2). And Zacharias saw in the night: Behold a man ascending upon a red horse, and he stood in the midst of two shady mountains: and after him there were red, black, and white horses. And I said: What are these, my Lord? And he said to me: I will show thee what these are. And the man that stood in the midst of the mountains answered, and said to me: These are they, whom the Lord hath sent to walk through the earth (Zach. I, 8-10). John also testifies in the Apocalypse that he saw these things: I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse: and he who sat upon it was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed which no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, followed him on white horses. From his mouth issues a sharp sword with which to smite the nations (Rev. 19:11-15). The Lord and Savior was sitting on a red horse, assuming a human body, to whom it is said: Why are your garments red? And: Who is this that comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah (Isaiah 63:2). And there followed him horses of various colors, either red in martyrdom, or starlings in flight, or varied in virtues, or white in virginity. But he was sitting on a white horse when he took on an immortal and incorruptible body after the resurrection. And whoever followed him used white horses, clearly with incorruptible and immortal bodies. It would take a long time, if we wanted to explain both testimonies: I will only say this, that the different vehicles by which people are led to faith are angels, or holy men who have progressed from being human to being angels. That each of us has angels is taught by many Scriptures, among which is this: Do not despise one of these little ones, for their angels behold the face of the Father who is in heaven (Matthew 18:10). And when Rhoda, a girl, announced that Peter was at the door, others believed that he was his angel (Acts 12). But if this is said about the least, and about one man, how much more should it be thought about all the saints, and especially about the Apostles? Whose angels see the face of the Father daily, according to what is written: The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him (Psalm 34:7). And Jacob speaks of himself: The angel who redeemed me. These are those who ascend and descend upon the Son of Man. Those who are swift in faith ride on horses; those who are abundant in grace ride on chariots; those who are in need of consolation are carried in covered litters and shaded tents, so that they may deserve to hear: The sun shall not scorch you by day, nor the moon by night (Psalm 121:6). However, we understand mules in Holy Scripture in two ways: either in terms of barrenness and continence, which is how David and Solomon sat, one interpreted as strong-handed and the other as peaceful, or in a negative sense, of which it is said: Do not be like the horse and the mule, without understanding (Psalm 32:9), to which Doeg was appointed (1 Samuel 21). But the carriages, for which (as we said above) the Seventy, the covered vehicles, the others simply carried them, they are to be understood as the ones the Apostle is speaking of: Bear one another's burdens (Galatians VI, 2). Moreover, the lamps are to be understood as the shining bodies of the saints, and the souls illuminated by the faith of the Lord, of which it can be said: You are the light of the world (Matthew V, 14). However, all this apparatus serves to enter the holy city of God, or the holy mountain of the Lord Jerusalem: not the one that kills the Prophets, and that stones those sent to her; but the heavenly Jerusalem, of which we have frequently said: But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother (Galatians IV, 26). And again: But you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb. XII, 22). This can be understood either of the present Church, which is gathered throughout the whole world by the Apostles, or of the future: so that what the Apostle prophesied by the Holy Spirit may be fulfilled: We shall be caught up together with the Lord in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord (I Thess. IV, 16). The Jews and the followers of the Judaic error, the Ebionites, who, for the sake of affected humility, have taken the name of the poor; all those who are looking forward to a thousand years of delight, understand horses and chariots, and chariots, and litters, or palanquins, and beds, and mules and donkeys, and carts, and various types of vehicles, as they are written. Indeed, at the consummation of the world, when Christ will come to reign in Jerusalem, and the Temple will be restored, and the Judaic victims will be offered, the sons of Israel will be gathered from the whole world, not on horses, but on the mules of Numidia. And those who will be of senatorial rank and hold positions of authority, they will come in carts from the Britons, the Spaniards, and the Morini, who are called Morinos by Virgil (Aeneid VIII), and from where the Rhine is divided by the two-horned [river], with all the nations prepared for their service meeting them.

Third, he sets out the preparation of those to be judged. And first, as to the good; second, as to the wicked: and they shall go out, and see (Isa 66:22). The first of these is divided into two parts. First, as to the Jews, he sets out their honorable return: and they shall bring all your brethren out upon horses, by which are signified the reinforcements they reverently received from the gentiles: the Lord will bring them to you (Bar 5:6); or by which are signified the various conditions of those who are converted to the faith, as the Gloss explains.

"And I will take from them priests and Levites." From whom? This is not yet so clear, meaning either those sent to call them out from the nations or from those who were thus called out. For the divine disciples served through Christ as priests. But many were called to the priesthood, and many are still called who are of Greek stock, once God has changed them into the newness of life and knowledge.

(Verse 21) Just as the sons of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. And I will take from among them priests and Levites, says the Lord. LXX: Just as the sons of Israel offer their sacrifices to me with Psalms in the house of the Lord; and I will take from among them priests and Levites, says the Lord. As they have been directed to the nations, and have proclaimed my glory to them, so they shall bring your brothers from all nations as an offering to the Lord, with horses, and chariots, and litters, and mules, and carts, and various vehicles, to the holy mountain Jerusalem, just as the sons of Israel used to do when their religion was established and the ceremonies of the Temple were observed, offering sacrifices with Psalms in the house of the Lord. Or, as it is written in Hebrew, they rendered it all with consonant voice in pure vessel: which they also offer until this day in the House of God, which is the Church, the sons of Israel who behold God with their mind, spiritual sacrifices with the fruits and virtues of their soul in pure vessels, that is, in holy bodies. Concerning which the Apostle writes: Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Holy Spirit dwells in you (1 Corinthians 3:16)? And I will select, says the Lord, priests and Levites from among them, so that those who are saved may proclaim the message to the nations. Of whom one spoke: Thus let a man consider us as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God (I Cor. IV, 1). And Luke the evangelist says: Just as they handed down to us, who from the beginning saw and were ministers of the word. Of whom we also read above: You shall be priests to me, says the Lord (Isaiah LXI, 6). For just as a Jew is hidden, who is circumcised in spirit (Rom. II), of whom it is written: We are the circumcision, who serve God in spirit (Philipp. III, 3), and offer spiritual sacrifices pleasing to God, and sing with spirit and understanding: thus also the priests and Levites are hidden, who do not follow the order of their lineage, but the order of faith. Or certainly he does not speak of the Apostles and apostolic men, who were the leaders of the Church from the Jewish people, but of those mentioned above the nations, from the sea, from Africa, from Libya, from Cappadocia, from Italy, from Greece, from all the islands, the inhabitants of which had not first heard the Lord, nor seen His glory, and afterwards they turn into priests, so that those who were tail become the head, and those who were the head, turn into the tail.

" 'And I will take from them priests and Levites,' says the Lord," so that those who will be saved can preach to the Gentiles." Concerning this, one author said, "Thus a person should regard us as ministers of Christ and dispensers of the mysteries of God," and the Evangelist Luke wrote, "just as they delivered to us, who saw from the beginning and were ministers of the word." We, too, read above about this very matter: "But you will be for me priests of the Lord." For just as he who is circumcised by the Spirit is a Jew in hiding, of whom it is written "we are the circumcision who serve the Spirit of God and offer spiritual sacrifices pleasing to God and sing psalms with the Spirit and with the mind," so also they are priests and Levites in hiding who follow not a genealogy but the order of faith. It is certain, at least, that this does not speak of the apostles or of apostolic men, who were the princes of the church from the people of the Jews, but it speaks instead of those Gentiles enumerated above, from the sea, from Africa, from Lybia, from Cappadocia, from Italy, from Greece, and from all the islands, the inhabitants of which have not yet had an opportunity to hear the Lord for the first time or to see his glory and afterward to be made priests, such that those who were the tail may become the head and those who were the head may become the tail."For, like the new heaven and the new earth that I will cause to stand before me," says the Lord, "so shall your seed and your name stand. From month to month and from sabbath to sabbath, all flesh will come to adore the Lord in my presence in Jerusalem." When the Lord says, "I will take from them priests and Levites," he shows the old priesthood to have passed away, which was bound to the tribe of Levi, where there was no choice but only a succession by the order of nature in family posterity. For "when there is a change in the priesthood, it is necessary that there be a change in the law as well" and that election to the priesthood be conferred by no means according to blood lineage but according to merits and virtues, choosing people who will come from the islands of the Gentiles and proclaim the glory of the Lord.

Second, the exaltation of their return, first, as to their worthiness: and I will take of them to be priests, which was literally fulfilled in the Jews, and also in the apostles, above: you shall be called the priests of the Lord: to you it shall be said: you ministers of our God (Isa 61:6).

This is the immovable hope that Christ promises in all goodness to those who love him and who acknowledged his epiphany. As it says, "When I remake the heaven and the earth, I will allow them to remain, and no passing of time will destroy them." So your seed and your name will stand before me. For we are the new heaven and the new earth and his promised things, just as they are written about. For the hope of the saints will stand forever and endures, as Paul confirms. …

(Vers. 22, 23.) For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make to stand before me, saith the Lord: so shall your seed stand, and your name. And there shall be month after month, and sabbath after sabbath: all flesh shall come to adore in my sight, saith the Lord. LXX: For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make to remain before me, saith the Lord: so shall your seed and your name remain. And there shall be month after month, and sabbath after sabbath: all flesh shall come to adore in my sight in Jerusalem the Lord. When he says: 'Assume from among them priests and Levites,' he indicates that the old priesthood was passed over, which was owed to the Levitical tribe, where there is not an election, but a natural order, and it is a succession of a family descending through offspring. For with the translation of the priesthood, it is necessary that both the translation of the Law be made, and the election pertain to those to whom priesthood is conferred, not according to blood, but according to merits and virtues, who will come from the islands of the Gentiles and announce the glory of the Lord. And they shall be brought in on horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and on mules, and in wagons. But as for the new heaven and the new earth, and the new Jerusalem, that it may not be said: The heaven and the earth shall pass away (Matt. XXIV, 35). And again: The heaven shall be folded up like a book: and the earth shall be dissolved by its corruption (Apoc. VI, 14): so in all things new, the people of God shall be made new, as scripture says: The old things have passed away: behold all things are made new (Isa. XLIII, 19). And in another place: If any man be in Christ a new creature (II Cor. V, 17) . And there shall be a new people; for Christ is the firstfruits, then they that are Christ's, at his coming: and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth, whereof it is said among the eight beatitudes: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land (Matth. V, 3, 4) . For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him that made it subject, in hope (Rom. VIII). But they will be set free from the slavery of corruption into the glory of the children of God, who will be made sons of him through men, and they will stand before him forever, and their name will always remain so that no other nation may succeed them, as happened among the Jews; but they shall remain forever. And, he says, month by month there will be a month, and Sabbath after Sabbath: so that from carnal Sabbaths and months, delicate spiritual Sabbaths may be made, which is the Sabbath of God reserved for the people. The spiritual month, when it is completed from one point to another by the moon, and follows its own order, in order to make a month, that is, the kalends, which in Greek are called 'neomeniai', that is, the beginning of the new month. Among them, the beginning of the kalends does not start and end according to the course of the sun and the different spans of the months, but according to the circuit of the moon. This is the moon about which in praise of the true Solomon it is said: 'It shall endure as long as the sun and before the moon throughout all generations' (Psalm 72:5). She who is called the chosen one in the Song of Songs: Who is this that comes forth like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, bright as the sun, awe-inspiring? (Song of Songs 6:9) Physicists, who are concerned with discussing celestial matters, say that the moon does not have its own light, but is illuminated by the rays of the sun. It is always filled and shines by a part of it, from which it is closer to the sun, and it is not hidden by the shadow of the earth, as the poet also demonstrated in a single verse (Virgil, Georgics Book I).

Nor does the moon rise under the rays of her brother.

If this is true, and we can also say in a metaphorical sense, that the Church which grows and diminishes in times of peace and persecution, and once again takes on its original light, shining with the radiance of the sun of justice, and this is what is meant by: 'The moon will shine like the sun' (Isai. XXX, 26); and its inhabitants will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. And during these months, the seed of the Lord, which is renewed forever, comes to its solemnities, which the holy one proclaimed with mystical words, saying: 'I have considered the eternal years, and I have meditated' (Psal. LXXVI, 6). But on the Sabbath, which signifies rest, we have treated extensively in the sermon (On Chapter LVI), about the prophecy of the eunuch strangers. And now it must be said briefly that they come on the new moons and on the Sabbaths, those who, having passed and left behind the six days in which the world was made, hasten to the seventh day, that is, the Sabbath, in which true rest is found. Concerning these solemnities, the believing Apostle Paul instructs, saying: For the law having a shadow of the good things to come (Hebrews X, 1). And again: Therefore let no one judge you in food, or in drink, or regarding a festival, or a new moon, or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come (Colossians II, 16). But if these have preceded in the shadow of future goods, and in an image, then the whole law must be understood spiritually, of which the same Apostle said: We know that the law is spiritual (Romans VII, 14), the mysteries of which David desired to know: Open my eyes, and I will contemplate the wonders of your law (Psalm CXVIII, 18). For the things that are seen are temporal; but the things that are not seen are eternal. (II Corinthians IV). To quickly run through a discussion about these things is not of this time. For if the eye has not seen, nor the ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, what things God has prepared for those who love him (I Corinthians II), how can we attempt to show the summary of the entire Law and the world in a short tablet? And what follows: All flesh shall come to adore in my sight in Jerusalem, it should be known that it is not written in Hebrew, Jerusalem, so that we may deride the pride of the Jews, but only 'in my sight', so that the word of the Lord may be fulfilled, saying in the Gospel: Amen, amen, I say to you, that the hour comes when you shall neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem adore the Father (John IV, 21). And again: The Spirit is God. And those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John, 4:24). And the Apostle also said: Lifting up holy hands in every place (I Tim. II, 8). But all flesh does not signify the Jewish people, but every kind of people, according to what was said above: All flesh shall see your salvation (Isaiah, 40:5). And in Joel: I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters will prophesy (Joel, 2:28). And in Zechariah: Let all flesh fear before the Lord (Zech. II, 13). And in the Psalms: To you all flesh will come (Ps. LXIV, 2). Which in other words is said in another psalm: All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name (Ps. LXXXV, 9). They interpret from month to month, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, when all flesh will come to worship God, the "chiliasts," who we can call the Milestones: so that those who are nearby come to Jerusalem every Sabbath; those who are far away come through months, that is, completing the cycle of the calendar; those who are very far away come through individual years, that is, on the days of Passover or Tabernacles, according to what is said in Zechariah: And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles (Zech. XIV, 16). And to provide greater laughter to the hearers, which is written in the last volume of the same prophet: 'And there will no longer be a merchant in the house of the Lord of hosts on that day,' thus they interpret, that merchants will cease to exist for a thousand years, because everything will be produced in all places, so that neither will we need the leaf of amomum and pepper, nor will the Indians desire pennyroyal from us.

Second, as to the preservation of their seed: for as the new heavens, as above, so shall your seed stand (Isa 65:17), forever: if these ordinances shall fail before me, says the Lord: then also the seed of Israel shall fail (Jer 31:36); or the saints will stand eternally renewed as heaven and earth.

Physicists and those whose concern it is to argue about the heavens say that the moon does not have its own light but is illuminated by the sun's rays. For it always shines completely on that portion of its orb that is closest to the sun and is not obscured by the shadow of the earth, as the poet demonstrates in one verse: "Nor is the moon liable to rise in the rays of her brother." If this is true, then we are also able to say tropologically that the church, which grows and declines in peace and in persecutions and receives pure light after enduring the oppression of dark temptations, possesses its splendor from the Sun of righteousness and is that reality that was spoken: "The moon will shine like the sun." Its righteous inhabitants will also "shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father." Throughout these months, the seed of the Lord, which is established eternally, comes to his solemnities that the saint sings with a mystical mouth, saying: "I had eternal years in mind as I meditated in the night." …In relation to what follows, namely, "all flesh will come to adore the Lord in my presence in Jerusalem," it should be noted that "Jerusalem" is not written in the Hebrew text, thus enabling us to shake off the arrogance of the Jews, but only "in my presence," so the word of the Lord may be fulfilled by he who says in the Gospel: "Truly, truly, I say to you that the hour will come when you will worship the Father neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem." For "all flesh" signifies not the Jewish people but every human race, in accordance with what is said above: "All flesh will see your salvation." This is also found in Joel: "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and daughters will prophesy," and in Zechariah: "Let all flesh revere the face of the Lord," and in the Psalter: "All flesh will come to you," which another psalm expresses differently: "All the peoples whom you have made will come and worship in your presence and glorify your name, O Lord." This "from month to month and from sabbath to sabbath," in which "all flesh will come to adore the Lord," is given a ridiculous interpretation by the chiliasts, however, whom we can call millenarians, such that all who are in the area come to Jerusalem each sabbath and all who are farther away come every month and those who live at a great distance come for Passover every year, this because of what was said in Zechariah: "Each one shall go up from year to year to worship the Lord, the King of hosts, and to celebrate the feast of tabernacles." Moreover, providing their audience with still further reason to laugh, because it is written in the last chapter of the same prophet that "there will be no merchants any longer in the house of the Lord of hosts," they understand this to mean that all salespersons will cease to exist for one thousand years, for everything will be generated in every location, such that we will neither be in need of a sweet pepper nor will an Indian desire a mint leaf from us.

Third, as to the duration of their glory: and there shall be month after month, as if to say, month will follow month and feast will follow feast in your prosperity, above: year is added to year: the solemnities are at an end (Isa 29:1). Mystically: the Church after the end, spiritual rest after carnal rest.

Second, as to the gentiles, and all flesh shall come, for from the various nations they came to Jerusalem to adore the Lord: all the nations shall come and adore before you, O Lord (Ps 85[86]:9); or in the day of judgment.

If heaven and earth are renewed, how can we doubt the possibility of our renewal, for whom heaven and earth were made? If the transgressor is kept for punishment, why should not the just person be preserved for glory? If the worm of sinners does not die, how shall the flesh of the just perish? For the resurrection, as the very form of the word indicates, is this: What has fallen shall rise again, what has died shall live again.

To this torment of fire will be joined torment according to all the senses; joined to it will be the punishment of the worm and the deprivation of the vision of God, so that in these punishments there will be variety, and with variety severity, and with severity endlessness.

In every actual mortal sin there is a disordered aversion from the highest light and goodness, and an inordinate conversion to a changeable good, and a disorder of the will against the dictate of right reason: hence it is that all who actually sin and will be damned shall be punished with a threefold punishment: on account of their aversion, the deprivation of the vision of God; on account of their conversion, the punishment of material fire; on account of the conflict between will and reason, the punishment of the worm: so that thus afflicted by this multiplicity of punishments they may be tormented both variously and bitterly and eternally, and the smoke of their torments may ascend forever and ever.

These misfortunes piled on the Jews are meant to be the things we say happened to them at the hands of the Romans, when the temple was destroyed and all were subjected to cruel slaughter. For suffering such things they became a spectacle for all, but their suffering was not prolonged indefinitely. Yet this is what perhaps is meant when it says, "Their worm will not die nor the fire go out." Some, however, want to refer these words concerning them to the time of the end of the age.… In any case, Christ will deliver us from all such things, through whom and with whom may glory be to God the Father and the Holy Spirit forever.

But the worm that will not die and the fire that will not be extinguished are understood by many to be the conscience of sinners, which tortures those who are in supplications. Therefore, due to their vice and sin, they are deprived of the good of the elect, in accordance with which it is said, "I was turned to misery, as thorns pierced me," and in the Proverbs, "the worm of the bones is the envious heart." … The Lord also says in the Gospel, "Depart into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels," and in another place, "Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into outer darkness." If we hear "hands" and "feet" and "outer darkness," which is punishment for the eyes that are deprived of seeing the light of God, and "weeping," which belongs to those very eyes, and "gnashing of teeth," I marvel that this bronze body is to be dissolved gradually into an ethereal body, given that the Lord in the power of his majesty entered to the apostles when the door was closed. … The fire, like the worm, must also be understood to burn as long as it has material with which the voracious flame is fed. If, therefore, anyone has weeds in his conscience, which the enemy sowed while the head of the family was asleep, this fire will burn them up, and this conflagration devour them.

(Verse 24.) And they shall go forth, and see the bodies of the men who have transgressed against me. Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be extinguished. And they shall be a vision to all flesh, even to the point of satiety. LXX likewise. All flesh that is to worship before the Lord, whether in heavenly Jerusalem or in any place where clean hands are raised, shall go forth to see the bodies of the dead men who have transgressed against God. What can be understood about the Jews, of whom it is said: I have begotten sons and exalted them, but they have rejected me; or about all those who, having knowledge of God in their hearts, have turned to vanity, worshiping the creature rather than the Creator. However, they will depart not from their place, but from their understanding. For the bodies of the dead cannot be in the presence of the Lord. But if all flesh is to worship the Lord, then, on the contrary, the bodies of men who have transgressed against the Lord will be delivered to eternal burnings. In this way, the resurrection of true flesh will occur on both sides. But the worm that does not die, and the fire that is not extinguished, is understood by many as the conscience of sins, which torments those set in punishments: why they have been deprived of the good of the elect by their own fault and sin, according to what is said: I am tormented in misery, while the thorn is fastened to me (Psalm XXXI, 4). And in Proverbs: The moth of the bones is the intelligent heart (Prov. XXV, 20). And again, under a disguise: Just as a moth to clothing, and a worm to wood, so grief tortures the heart of a man (Ibid.). Thus, while they do not deny the eternal punishments of the evildoers and those denying the Lord, as the Lord says in the Gospel: Go into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). And in another place: Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into outer darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22:13). If we understand by hands and feet the outer darkness, which is the punishment of the eyes that do not see the light of God; and weeping, which certainly also pertains to the eyes; and gnashing of teeth: I wonder why some introduce an airy body, gradually dissolving into thin air after the resurrection; for the Lord, by the power of His majesty, entered through closed doors to the Apostles (John 20). Certainly, he walked on the sea before the resurrection with a suspended step; and he even demonstrated this to the apostle Peter: that he who walked with faith, afterwards was submerged by disbelief; to whom it was said: Why did you doubt, you of little faith (Matt. XIV, 31)? The fire also must be understood in the same way as the worm, which is burnt for as long as it has matter with which the voracious flame can be nourished. Therefore, if anyone has in their conscience the weeds that the enemy sowed while the master of the house was sleeping, these will be burned by fire, these will be devoured by the flame (Matt. XIII). And in the eyes of all the Saints, the punishments of those who built upon the foundation of the Lord with gold, and silver, and precious stones will be revealed as hay, wood, straw, and the eternal fuel of fire. Moreover, those who desire that the punishments will eventually end, and although after many ages, they will have an end to their torments, use these testimonies: 'When the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, then all Israel will be saved' (Rom. 11:25). And again: God concluded all under sin, that he might have mercy on all (Galatians 3:22). And in another place the holy one speaks: I will bear the wrath of the Lord, because I have sinned against him; until he pleads my case and takes away my judgement, and brings me into the light (Micah 7:9). And again: I will bless you, O Lord, for you were angry with me. You turned your face away from me, and had mercy on me (Isaiah 12:1). The Lord also speaks to the sinner: When the fury of my anger has passed, I will heal again (Psalm 30:20). And this is what is said elsewhere: How great is the multitude of your goodness, Lord, which you have hidden for those who fear you. All these things they repeat, seeking to affirm, after pains and torments, the future refreshments which must now be hidden from those for whom fear is useful, so that while they dread the punishments, they may cease from sinning. This we God alone must leave to knowledge, whose torments are not less in weight than his mercies; and he knows whom, how, and how long he ought to judge. And let us only say what is suitable to human frailty: O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath (Psalm 6:1, 38:1) . And just as we believe in eternal torments for the devil and all deniers and impious ones, who have said in their heart: There is no God (Psalm 14:1) , so we consider that the punishment of sinners and impious ones, even of Christians, whose works are to be tested and purified by fire, is a moderated and mixed sentence of the judge's mercy (1 Corinthians 3:13) .

If … we have any sense of our own salvation, let us, while we still have time, abandon evil ways, concern ourselves with virtue and despise vainglory.

As people who have cut your souls off from this hope, it is necessary that you know how to obtain pardon of your sins and a hope of sharing in the promised blessings. There is no other way than this, that you come to know our Christ, be baptized with the baptism that cleanses you from sin (as Isaiah testified) and thus live a life free of sin.

And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. [Isaiah 66:24] For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

Let us then study to fix the fear of God in our mind, and let us meditate thereupon by day and by night. If the fire of lust kindleth in us, let us set in opposition thereto the fire of Gehenna. If greediness of the belly seize upon us, let us remember the worm which dieth not. If the beauty of the face excite us, let us remember the outer darkness. If the love of mammon fight against us, let us call to mind our own unworthiness. If human benefits stir us, let us be afraid lest we lose the kingdom which abideth for ever. If wrath attacketh us with its violent onset, let us look at the threat of God against those who provoke to wrath. If vainglory raise a tumult within us, let us bring up in our minds the disgrace and contempt [which we shall feel] before our Judge. By fear let us make fear of none effect, and by death let us vanquish death.

Just as I will transform all that is seen and will produce a new creation, so I will guard your memory forever—and not yours alone but all those who have believed through you.… He mentions a description of the city and the various dwellings of which the Lord said, "With my father there are many mansions," that is, levels of worthiness. He means those continually rejoicing and singing in choirs … he has displayed by that the everlastingness of the chastisement, for the fire is inextinguishable and the worm immortal. With this chastisement he has threatened them, and not them alone but also those who infringe on his divine laws. Finally, therefore, so as not to partake of this chastisement with them, let us avoid partaking of their iniquity; for thus we will join the chorus of those who are in joy.

And they shall go out. Here he sets out the following judgment as to the wicked. And first, the manifestation of the punishment: and they shall go out, coming to Jerusalem, and see, in the ancient sepulchers, and in the fields, the bones of their dead fathers, above: their slain shall be cast forth, and out of their carcasses shall rise a stink (Isa 34:3); or the saints will see the damned falling into damnation. Second, he sets out the duration of the punishment: their worm, of conscience, by which they will be tortured even when they are dead, and their fire, of hell: he will give fire, and worms into their flesh (Jdt 16:21[17]). Third, the delight from the punishments, as to those who see it: and they shall be a satisfying sight to all flesh, that is, to the saints: the just shall rejoice when he shall see the revenge (Ps 57:11[58:10]).

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.