Monday of the 13th week after Pentecost

Now notice that Solomon did not only pray for his people but also for the foreigners and the strangers who distrusted the nation of Israel and were often hostile to it, so that the son of David might show the God of David to everyone in general, by praying for his enemies and by speaking ahead of time for us those future words: "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

Likewise, Third Kings, chapter eight: If heaven and the heavens of heavens cannot contain you, how much more this house which I have built? If therefore the being of God can be contained by nothing and circumscribed by nothing, it must be acknowledged that it has entirely the character of the infinite.

Solomon the son of David, in the books styled The Reigns of the Kings, comprehending not only that the structure of the true temple was celestial and spiritual but had also a reference to the flesh, which he who was both the son and the Lord of David was to build up, both for his own presence, where, as a living image, he resolved to make his shrine, and for the church that was to rise up through the union of faith, says expressly, "Will God in very deed dwell with humans on the earth?" He dwells on the earth clothed in flesh, and his abode with humans is effected by the conjunction and harmony that obtain among the righteous and that build … a new temple. For the righteous are the earth, being still encompassed with the earth; and earth, too, in comparison with the greatness of the Lord. Thus also the blessed Peter does not hesitate to say, "You also, as living stones, are built up, a spiritual house, a holy temple, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." And with reference to the body, which by circumscription he consecrated as a hallowed place for himself on earth, he said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again." The Jews therefore said, "In forty-six years was this temple built, and will you raise it up in three days?" "But he spoke of the temple of his body."

Afterwards Solomon, hearing his father David say these things, and having built a wondrous house and foreseeing him who would come to it, says in astonishment, "Is it then to be thought that God should indeed dwell on earth?" Yes, says David in anticipation in the psalm inscribed "For Solomon," wherein it is said, "He shall be like rain coming down on the fleece"; "rain" because of his heavenly origin but "on the fleece" because of his humanity. For rain, falling on fleece, falls noiselessly; so that, the mystery of his birth being unknown, the wise men said, "Where is he that is born king of the Jews?" And Herod, being troubled, inquired concerning him who had been born, and said, "Where is the Christ born?"

Therefore, the one God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, fills up the whole, contains the whole; as the whole is in each thing, so the whole is in everything; as the whole is in small things, so the whole is in the largest creatures. This is true of nature but not of grace. When it creates human beings, it does not by the same act save them. While it makes them, it does not by the same act remake them. While it makes that sun to rise over the good and the evil, it does not do the same when the sun of justice rises on those on whom the light, not of the flesh but of the heart, is poured by the gift of prevenient mercy. As it belongs to all to be born through nature, it does not in the same way belong to all to be reborn through grace. Since the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit by nature are one God, eternal and infinite, there is nothing in heaven, nothing on earth, nothing above the heavens, nothing in any nature that he made that has not been made, where the same one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, could be missing. In God, just as there is no mutability of times, so there is no spatial capacity. As Solomon truly said at the dedication of the temple in these words: "Even heaven and the highest cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built."

Paul declares that it was said of the Son: "You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands." Whether therefore the Son made the heavens, as also the apostle would have it understood, while he himself certainly did not alone spread out the heavens without the Father; or as it stands in the book of Proverbs, "the Lord in wisdom has founded the earth, in understanding he has prepared the heavens," it is proved that neither the Father made the heavens alone without the Son, nor yet the Son without the Father.

Solomon says, "The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens." And this wisdom is the Word, and by him, as John says, "all things were made" [and without him not one thing was made]. This Word is Christ, "for there is one God the Father, from whom are all things. We are for him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we are through him." If all things are through him, he himself should not be reckoned with the "all things." Whoever dares to say that he, through whom are all things, is one of all the things surely will have the same speculation about God, from whom are all things. If anyone flees from this as absurd and excludes God from the "all things," it would follow that even the only-begotten Son, since he is proper to the Father's substance, must be excluded from the "all things." And if he is not one of the "all things," then it is not right to say about him "There was once when he was not" and "He was not before he was begotten." Such terms are fittingly used of creatures, but the Son himself is such a one as is the Father, of whose substance the Son is a proper offspring, Word and wisdom. This is peculiar to the Son in relation to the Father, and this shows that the Father is peculiar to the Son; so that we may neither say that God was ever wordless or that the Son was ever nonexistent. For how else could he be a Son, unless from God? Or how could he be Word and wisdom unless he is always peculiar to [God]?

The Lord founded the earth by wisdom, etc. God the Father through the Son created all things. Typically, however, He founded the earth by wisdom when He established the holy Church in the solidity of faith through Him; He stabilized the heavens with understanding when through the same He enlightened the sublime hearts of the preachers.

You will find it said in Proverbs, "God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heaven." Thus there is a certain prudence of God which one does not seek [except] in Christ Jesus. For all such [virtues], insofar as they are of God, are Christ: he is the wisdom of God, he is the power of God, he is the righteousness of God, he is sanctification, he is redemption. In this way he is the prudence of God. But though there is one substance, for differences in the aspects the names are many. You do not understand the same thing about Christ when you understand him as wisdom and when you understand him as righteousness. For when he is wisdom, you mean the knowledge of things divine and human, but when he is righteousness, he is that power which allots to every person according to worth. And when he is sanctification, he is what enables those faithful and dedicated to God to become holy. In this way also then you will understand him as prudence, when he is the knowledge of what is good and evil, and what is neither.

For in the beginning when He created the world and all that therein is, and when He was establishing things, wisdom worked with Him, even as Solomon saith, "The Lord by His wisdom laid the foundations of the earth, and He constructed the heavens by His understanding; and by His knowledge were the depths broken up, and the clouds distilled water." And again wisdom saith, "When He constructed the heaven I was with Him, and when He made a circle upon the face of the deep, and when He made firm the clouds from above, and when the fountains of the depths became strong." Now wisdom was with God in His primaeval works, but in this second creation faith is with Him; and in this second giving of birth He hath taken to Himself faith as a helpmeet. In everything faith cleaveth to God, and without it to-day He worketh no new things. It were an easy thing for Him to give thee birth from water and spirit without it, but until it is satisfied He doth not give thee new birth. He is able to make thee a new creature, and from being old to make thee new, but until He receiveth from thee faith as a pledge He neither changeth thee nor maketh thee a new creature.

By His wisdom the depths burst forth. When in the days of Noah all the fountains of the great abyss were broken up, or when through the daily course the fountains and rivers emanate from the abyss through the veins of the earth. Otherwise, by His wisdom the depths burst forth, when, by the grace of Christ granted, the profound mysteries of the heavens become known to the faithful.

And the clouds condense with dew. It is clear according to the letter, but allegorically the clouds are the teachers of the Church, elevated by contemplation and life, watering the hearts of listeners, like the land subjected to them by doctrine. Which condense with dew, because by the most subtle discernment they examine their virtues, which profit them, which lift them to high things, and which display examples to the lesser, and they examine them.

For in the beginning when He created the world and all that therein is, and when He was establishing things, wisdom worked with Him, even as Solomon saith, "The Lord by His wisdom laid the foundations of the earth, and He constructed the heavens by His understanding; and by His knowledge were the depths broken up, and the clouds distilled water." And again wisdom saith, "When He constructed the heaven I was with Him, and when He made a circle upon the face of the deep, and when He made firm the clouds from above, and when the fountains of the depths became strong." Now wisdom was with God in His primaeval works, but in this second creation faith is with Him; and in this second giving of birth He hath taken to Himself faith as a helpmeet. In everything faith cleaveth to God, and without it to-day He worketh no new things. It were an easy thing for Him to give thee birth from water and spirit without it, but until it is satisfied He doth not give thee new birth. He is able to make thee a new creature, and from being old to make thee new, but until He receiveth from thee faith as a pledge He neither changeth thee nor maketh thee a new creature.

My son, do not let these depart from your eyes. Beware lest, wearied by temporal discipline, you lose the grace of wisdom, which is so great.

Observe law and counsel. The law of wisdom is, as it says, If you wish to enter into life, you shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, and the rest (Mark 10). The counsel of wisdom is when it immediately adds: If you wish to be perfect, go, sell all that you have, etc. (Ibid.).

The first counsel is regulated according to the dictate of divinely instituted laws. Whence in Proverbs: 'Keep the law and counsel, and you will have grace for your mouth and life for your soul.' What is this law? Surely the law written outwardly and the law divinely inspired.

And it will be life to your soul. Your soul has life with God if you keep His decrees, however much the flesh may be pressed by the discipline of correction or even death.

And grace to your throat. How sweet are your words to my throat, says the psalm (Psalm 118)! The senses of the soul, therefore, have their throat, by which they judge the words they hear, by which they scrutinize the deeds of each person they see, and by which they receive these by embracing them, and reject those by despising them. When we keep the law and counsel of the Lord with these throats, grace is multiplied, because the more diligently one obeys the divine commands, the more sweetly he conceives His love. The Psalmist desired that this grace be in our throats when he said: Taste and see that the Lord is sweet (Psalm 34).

Then you will walk confidently in your way. We walk confidently in our way when, trusting in the grace of God, we undertake progress in our good conversation. Therefore, if we humbly submit to His commands, and taste the sweetness of heavenly love with the palate of our mind, we will always obtain an increase in good works. Moreover, with His help, we are defended in temptations so that we do not falter. For this is what follows: "And your foot will not stumble. For all things work together for good to those who love God."

Before the Lord's coming, philosophy was an essential guide to righteousness for the Greeks. At the present time, it is a useful guide toward reverence for God. It is a kind of preliminary education for those who are trying to gather faith through demonstration. "Your foot will not stumble," says Scripture, if you attribute good things, whether Greek or Christian, to Providence. God is responsible for all good things: of some directly, like the blessings of the Old and New Covenants, of others indirectly, like the riches of philosophy. Perhaps philosophy too was a direct gift of God to the Greeks before the Lord extended his appeal to the Greeks. For philosophy was to the Greek world what the Law was to the Hebrews, a tutor escorting them to Christ. So philosophy is a preparatory process; it opens the road for the person whom Christ brings to his final goal.

"If you lie down, you will not be afraid," etc. It is clear according to the letter, since he who remembers to live innocently and justly before God, sleeps securely, wakes securely, rests and walks securely. But also, when the just man sleeps in death, he not only does not fear the powers of evil spirits, but also rests in peace and safely awaits the day of resurrection, because he has God everywhere as his protector and keeper. This is like in the Psalm: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me" (Psalm 22).

If you believe that God makes provision for you, why be anxious and concerned about temporal affairs and the needs of your flesh? But if you do not believe that God makes provision for you, and for this reason you take pains to provide for your need separately from Him, then you are the most wretched of all men. Why even be alive or go on living in such a case? "Cast thy care upon the Lord, and He will nourish thee," and you shall never be dismayed at any terror that overtakes you.A man who has dedicated himself once and for all to God goes through life with a restful mind. Without non-possessiveness the soul cannot be freed from the turmoil of thoughts; and without stillness of the senses she will not perceive peace of mind. Without entering into temptations, no man will ever gain the wisdom of the Spirit; and without assiduous reading, he will know no refinement of thoughts. Without tranquility of thoughts the intellect will not be moved in hidden mysteries; and without the confidence that comes through faith, the soul cannot dare to withstand temptations with boldness. Moreover, without actual experience of God's protection, the heart cannot hope in Him; and if the soul does not taste Christ's sufferings consciously, she will never have communion with Him.

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due," etc. Because above he diligently urged the observance of the law of the Lord and his counsel, and promised eternal rest to those who observe it, now he repeatedly explains in various ways what should be observed. First, returning to what he had previously mentioned, he teaches that mercy should be shown to one's neighbor, and that one should live justly with him; then, he warns that one should be cautious of the enemy. Thus he says, "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it; if you can, do good yourself. Do not hear from the Lord with the Pharisees, 'You have not entered, and you hindered those who were entering' (Luke 11).

"Do not say to your neighbor, 'Go, and come back,' etc. This command is given not only about someone asking for alms but that we should be willing and ready to give generously and promptly. Likewise, all the commands of Christ, who said: 'You are my friends if you do what I command you,' we are ordered to do immediately and not defer until tomorrow.

"Do not contend with a person for no reason," etc. He does not forbid contending with the one who does wrong in order to correct him, because that is not done without purpose, but out of certain necessity which compels it to be done. Indeed, he who said: "If your brother sins, rebuke him" (Luke 17), wants us to try to recall the erring one to the path of truth as much as we can.

"For the Lord detests the perverse man." The Lord detests every mocker. Indeed, every mocker, because a mocker either despises carrying out the words of God which he knows, or distorts them by understanding and teaching them perversely. A mocker is also one who despises His promises as small, and scorns His threatening as bearable: just as he who insultingly mocks the simplicity or poverty of others. Consequently, divine justice rightly detests such a mocker. It is well added: "And he is intimate with the upright." For often the proud, while mocking the simple, judge themselves to be more prudent than those they mock. But their prudence, as James says, is earthly, unspiritual, demonic (James 3). The Lord, however, is intimate with the upright, because He illuminates them with the secrets of heavenly wisdom, which He considers those free from earthly pride and possessing simplicity. Hence, He says, "You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children" (Matthew 11; Luke 10).

"The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked," etc. According to the example of the rich man clothed in purple, who in this life lacked spiritual goods, and in the future came to such poverty that he sought a drop of water from the finger of the once poor Lazarus and did not deserve to receive it (Luke 16).

"The tents of the righteous will be blessed." As the apostle says to the faithful, speaking of God: "Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1). And they are to hear in reward from Him, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom" (Matthew 25). According to the letter, it often happens that those who for a long time prey on the property of others are finally consumed by poverty. But those who give their own generously often abound even in earthly goods.

The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. [Proverbs 3:34] Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

We add, in the next place, that neither is every one that prophesies holy, nor every one that casts out devils religious: for even Balaam the son of Beor the prophet did prophesy, though he was himself ungodly; as also did Caiaphas, the falsely-named high priest. Nay, the devil foretells many things, and the demons, about Him; and yet for all that, there is not a spark of piety in them: for they are oppressed with ignorance, by reason of their voluntary wickedness. It is manifest, therefore, that the ungodly, although they prophesy, do not by their prophesying cover their own impiety; nor will those who cast out demons be sanctified by the demons being made subject to them: for they only mock one another, as they do who play childish tricks for mirth, and destroy those who give heed to them. For neither is a wicked king any longer a king, but a tyrant; nor is a bishop oppressed with ignorance or an evil disposition a bishop, but falsely so called, being not one sent out by God, but by men, as Ananiah and Samoeah in Jerusalem, and Zedekiah and Achiah the false prophets in Babylon. And indeed Balaam the prophet, when he had corrupted Israel by Baalpeor, suffered punishment; and Caiaphas at last was his own murderer; and the sons of Sceva, endeavouring to cast out demons, were wounded by them, and fled away in an unseemly manner; and the kings of Israel and of Judah, when they became impious, suffered all sorts of punishments. It is therefore evident how bishops and presbyters, also falsely so called, will not escape the judgment of God. For it will be said to them even now: "O ye priests that despise my name, I will deliver you up to the slaughter, as I did Zedekiah and Achiah, whom the king of Babylon fried in a frying-pan," as says Jeremiah the prophet. We say these things, not in contempt of true prophecies, for we know that they are wrought in holy men by the inspiration of God, but to put a stop to the boldness of vainglorious men; and add this withal, that from such as these God takes away His grace: for "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble."

There is hardly a page in the holy books in which it is not shown that God resists the proud but to the humble offers grace.

The Lord gives greater grace than does the friendship of the world, because this grants earthly goods for a time and things that are to be lost with sorrow; he bestows the eternal joy of life. On what sort he bestows this grace, however, he explains in succession. Wherefore he says, "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble." God indeed punishes thieves, perjurers, dissolute persons, and other sinners, as despisers of his commandments. But he is said particularly to resist the proud, because they certainly are punished with a greater penalty who trust in their own strength, who neglect to be made subject to divine power by repenting, who refuse to seek the help of grace from above, as if they are sufficient by themselves to achieve salvation. But, on the other hand, he gives grace to the humble, because they who in the midst of the wounds of their vices humbly put themselves in the hands of the true physician rightly receive the gift of the hoped-for cure.… He will give grace, however, to the meek, because he bestows both the perfection of their good work and the gifts of a blessed everlasting life on those who humbly follow him.

"He mocks proud mockers, etc." The Apostle James and Peter, following the ancient translation, wrote these verses, saying: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble" (James 4; 1 Peter 5).

Since, then, we are a holy portion, we should do everything that makes for holiness. We should flee from slandering, vile and impure embraces, drunkenness, rioting, filthy lusts, detestable adultery and disgusting arrogance. "For God," says Scripture, "resists the arrogant but gives grace to the humble." We should attach ourselves to those to whom God's grace has been given. We should clothe ourselves with concord, being humble, self-controlled, far removed from all gossiping and slandering, and justified by our deeds, not by words.

Let no man deceive himself: if any one be not within the altar, he is deprived of the bread of God. For if the prayer of one or two possesses such power, how much more that of the bishop and the whole Church! He, therefore, that does not assemble with the Church, has even by this manifested his pride, and condemned himself. For it is written, "God resisteth the proud." Let us be careful, then, not to set ourselves in opposition to the bishop, in order that we may be subject to God.

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. [Proverbs 3:34] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Candidly, I say to you, God hates all sin without exception: lying, perjury, theft, robbery, adultery, fornication; and if anyone should be caught in any of these acts, he would not be able to raise his eyes, and we would look upon him as one accursed. Yet, the proud man commits a far worse sin than adultery, and still we continue to converse with him. The fornicator may say, My flesh overcame me; youth was too much for me. I am not advocating that you yield to such a sin, for God hates that as well as any other; but, in comparing evils, I maintain that whatever other wrong a man may commit, theft, for example, he can always find an excuse for it. What excuse does he give? I committed the theft because I was in need, I was dying from hunger, I was sick. What can the proud man say? Realize how evil pride is from the very fact that there is no excuse for it. Other vices harm only those who commit them; pride inflicts far more injury upon everyone. I am saying all this lest you consider pride a trifling sin. What, in fact, does the apostle say? "Lest he incur the condemnation passed on the devil." The one who is puffed up with his own importance falls into the judgment of the devil. On the strength of Holy Writ, therefore, I declare, "When God is dealing with the arrogant he is stern, but to the humble, he shows kindness," so that we may shun all sin, most of all pride.

[Wisdom said] to the unwise, "Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you." In these words, surely, we recognize that the wisdom of God, the Father's coeternal Word, has built a house for himself, namely, a body in the virgin's womb. And to this body, as to the head, he has united the church as his members, has "slain" his martyrs as "victims," set his "table" with bread and wine in allusion to the priesthood according to Melchizedek, and called the weak and unwise.

Wisdom has built herself a house. Because he had adequately spoken about the eternity of the divinity of Christ, he also adds to speak of the assumed humanity: Therefore, Wisdom has built herself a house, because the Son of God himself created the man whom he would assume in the unity of his own person.

She has hewn out her seven pillars. He established churches throughout the world with the sevenfold grace of the Spirit, which would, by believing, worshiping, and preaching, as if by sustaining, uphold his house, that is, the mystery of his incarnation, so that the memory would not be obliterated by the wickedness of the faithless. Or certainly the house of wisdom is the Church of Christ; the pillars, however, are the teachers of the holy Church filled with the sevenfold Spirit, such as James, Cephas, and John; indeed, Wisdom has hewn out these pillars, because, detached from the love of the present age, she raised the minds of the preachers to bear the structure of the same Church.

"Wisdom has built herself a house, she has hewn out seven pillars." This house is principally built by wisdom, and thus wisdom builds the Church and the soul, so that it may be a dwelling place of God: a house pleasant, a house beautiful, and a house strong. It is certain that wisdom delights to be with men: whence she says: "My delights are to be with the children of men." But that wisdom does not dwell with us is not a defect on her part, but on ours. If we wish that the aforesaid light dwell in us, we must have seven pillars.

Moreover the Holy Spirit by Solomon shows before the type of the Lord's sacrifice, making mention of the immolated victim, and of the bread and wine, and, moreover, of the altar and of the apostles, and says, "Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath underlaid her seven pillars; she hath killed her victims; she hath mingled her wine in the chalice; she hath also furnished her table: and she hath sent forth her servants, calling together with a lofty announcement to her cup, saying, Whoso is simple, let him turn to me; and to those that want understanding she hath said, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled for you."11 He declares the wine mingled, that is, he foretells with prophetic voice the cup of the Lord mingled with water and wine, that it may appear that that was done in our Lord's passion which had been before predicted.

We say, therefore, that when he said in his previous discourse that wisdom built a house for itself, he is speaking enigmatically about the formation of the Lord's flesh. For true wisdom did not live in someone else's building but built a home for itself from the Virgin's body.

We may also not inappropriately interpret the 'pillars of heaven' the Churches themselves, which being many in number, constitute one Catholic Church spread over the whole face of the earth. Hence too the Apostle John writes to the seven Churches, meaning to denote the one Catholic Church replenished with the Spirit of sevenfold grace, and we know that Solomon said of the Lord, Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars. And the same, to make known that it was of the seven Churches he had spoken that, in going on sedulously introduced the very Sacraments themselves too, saying, She hath killed her sacrifices, she hath mingled her wine, she hath also set forth her table; she hath sent forth her maidens, that they may cry to the citadel and to the walls of the city. If any be a little one, let him come to me. For the Lord 'killed the sacrifices' by offering Himself on our behalf. He 'mingled the wine,' blending together the cup of His precepts from the historical narration and the spiritual signification. And 'He set forth His table,' i.e. Holy Writ, which with the bread of the word refreshes us when we are wearied, and come to Him away from the burthens of the world, and by its effect of refreshing strengthens us against our adversaries. He 'sent forth His maidens,' i.e. the souls of the Apostles, 'that they might cry to the citadel and the walls of the city;' in that whilst they tell of the interior life, they lift us up to the high walls of the City Above, which same walls, surely, except any be humble they do not ascend. Whence it is there added by that same Wisdom; If any be a little one, let him come unto Me. As if she said in plain words; 'Whosoever accounts himself great in his own eyes, contracts the avenue of his approach unto Me; for there is a loftier reaching unto Me in proportion as the mind of each one is in himself the more truly abased.'

Christ, he means, the wisdom and power of God the Father, hath builded His house, i.e., His nature in the flesh derived from the Virgin, even as he (John) hath said beforetime, "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us." As likewise the wise prophet testifies: Wisdom that was before the world, and is the source of life, the infinite "Wisdom of God, hath builded her house" by a mother who knew no man,-to wit, as He assumed the temple of the body. "And hath raised her seven pillars; "that is, the fragrant grace of the all-holy Spirit, as Isaiah says: "And the seven spirits of God shall rest upon Him," But others say that the seven pillars are the seven divine orders which sustain the creation by His holy and inspired teaching; to wit, me prophets, the apostles, the martyrs, the hierarchs, the hermits, the saints, and the righteous.

"Wisdom has built her house, and has set seven pillars." Since wisdom is the Son of God, once he became man he built his house, that is, the flesh from the Virgin. He [Solomon] calls the seven pillars "the spirit of God, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and piety, the spirit of the fear of God," as Isaiah says. [Solomon] also calls the church "house" and the apostles "pillars." The wise individual is the one who is safe and self-sufficient, lacking nothing. As the house of wisdom is the church, the pillars are those who appear to be pillars in the church.

It was the Holy Ghost that gave fecundity to the Virgin, but it was from a body that a real body was derived. And when "Wisdom was building herself a house," "the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us," that is, in that flesh which he assumed from a human being and which he animated with the spirit of rational life.

We are his flesh, the flesh that had been taken up from the Virgin's womb. If this flesh had not been from ours, that is, had it not been truly human, the Word made flesh would not have dwelt among us. "He did" in fact "dwell among us," however, for he made the nature of our body his own. "Wisdom built itself a house," not from just any material but from the substance that is properly ours. The fact that he had taken it on has been made clear from when it was said, "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us."

She has slaughtered her beasts. She consecrated the Church with her sufferings, or she allowed the lives of the preachers to be martyred in persecution. And indeed, these beasts are opposed to the beasts of the harlot, to which she invites fools, as it was read above, saying: I owed victims for salvation, today I have paid my vows.

She has mixed her wine, etc. For those unable to grasp the mysteries of her divinity, she revealed the sacraments of the assumed humanity and prepared for us the nourishment of the sacred Scriptures by revealing them.

And the phrase, "She hath killed her beasts," denotes the prophets and martyrs who in every city and country are slain like sheep every day by the unbelieving, in behalf of the truth, and cry aloud, "For thy sake we are killed all the day long, we were counted as sheep for the slaughter." And again, "She hath mingled her wine" in the bowl, by which is meant, that the Saviour, uniting his Godhead, like pure wine, with the flesh in the Virgin, was born of her at once God and man without confusion of the one in the other. "And she hath furnished her table: "that denotes the promised knowledge of the Holy Trinity; it also refers to His honoured and undefiled body and blood, which day by day are administered and offered sacrificially at the spiritual divine table, as a memorial of that first and ever-memorable table of the spiritual divine supper.

"Wisdom has prepared her table, she has slain her victims, she has mingled her wine in the bowl and cries with a loud voice, Turn in to me and eat the bread which I have prepared for you, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you." The mind, when nourished by this food of wisdom to a whole and perfect state, as man was made in the beginning, will be restored to the "image and likeness" of God. [Thus], even though a man may have departed out of this life insufficiently instructed but with a record of acceptable works, he can be instructed in that Jerusalem, the city of the saints. That is, he can be taught and informed and fashioned into a "living stone," a "stone precious and elect," because he has borne with courage and endurance the trials of life and the struggles after piety. There, too, he will come to a truer and clearer knowledge of the saying already uttered here, that "man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

She has also sent out her maidens, etc. She chose weak and despised preachers, who would gather the faithful people to the heavenly edifices of the supernal homeland.

And again, "She bath sent forth her servants: "Wisdom, that is to say, has done so-Christ, to wit-summoning them with lofty announcement.

Whoever is simple, let him come to me, etc. He calls the humble the simple; he calls the foolish those who have no arrogance of worldly wisdom. But he calls such to make them wise and noble by his teaching.

"Whoso is simple, Let him turn to me," she says, alluding manifestly to the holy apostles, who traversed the whole world, and called the nations to the knowledge of Him in truth, with their lofty and divine preaching. And again, "And to those that want understanding she said"-that is, to those who have not yet obtained the power of the Holy Ghost.

But do you want to eat, do you want to drink? Come to the banquet of wisdom which invites everyone with great preaching, saying: Come and eat my bread, and drink the wine which I have mixed for you. Do songs delight and soothe the feasting? Listen to the exhorter, listen to the Church singing, not only in songs, but also in the Song of Songs: Eat, my friends, and drink, and be intoxicated, my dears. But this drunkenness makes the sober; this drunkenness is of grace, not of intoxication. It generates joy, not stumbling.

"Come and eat of my bread and drink the wine which I have mixed for you." Plato judged that the discourse over this bowl should be copied into his books, he summoned forth souls to drink of it, but did not know how to fill them, for he provided not the drink of faith but that of unbelief.

And so he comes; whether you eat or drink, if you call upon Christ he is present, saying, "Come, eat of my bread and drink of my wine." Even if you are asleep, he is knocking at the door. He comes, I say, frequently and reaches in through the window. Frequently (but not always and not to everyone) he comes to that soul which can say, "At night I had put off my garment." For in this night of the world the garment of corporeal life is first to be taken off as the Lord divested himself in his flesh that for you he might triumph over the dominions and powers of this world.

Come, eat my bread, etc. In the bread, the divine words are expressed; in the mixed wine, the united nature of his divinity and humanity in one person of Christ is expressed, as was said above. Or certainly in the bread, it is shown the sacred mystery of his body, and in the mixed wine, the holy mystery of his blood, with which we are satisfied on his altar, that is, his table.

The same food is called "meat," "bread," "milk" and "wine." However, fools say that they take it as [simply] bread and mixed wine. But if it were really taken in that manner, how would we interpret the words: "So men ate the bread of angels"? Now "bread," it seems to me, should be understood as the firm commandments of God and "wine" as the knowledge of God through meditation on holy Scripture; similarly also [the knowledge of] his divine body and his precious blood.

"Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled for you;" by which is meant, that He gave His divine flesh and honoured blood to us, to eat and to drink it for the remission of sins.

Forsake foolishness and live, etc. After offering the feast, he also adds the admonitions of life, so that those whom he refreshed with the mysteries of his incarnation, he may also instruct equally with the words of his teaching.

He who corrects a scoffer, etc.

Do not rebuke a scoffer, etc. It is not to be feared that a scoffer, when rebuked, will insult you; but rather this should be foreseen, that, drawn to hatred, he may become worse: and therefore, you must sometimes cease from his correction for the sake of love, not out of fear.

It happens regularly and it happens often that a man is cast down for a short time while he is being reproved, that he resists and fights back. But afterwards he reflects in solitude where there is no one but God and himself, and where he does not fear the displeasure of others by being corrected, but does fear the displeasure of God by refusing correction. Thereafter, he does not repeat the act which was justly censured but now loves the brother, whom he sees as the enemy of his sin, as much as he hates the sin itself.

Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. He speaks of a wise man who is in progress, that is, a lover of wisdom, whom he previously called a little one due to humility. For a perfect wise man does not need to be rebuked.

"Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you: rebuke a wise man, and he will love you." It is better to be corrected by a wise man than to be deceived by the flattery of fools. A fool, when he is corrected, does not withdraw from evil nor is he led to good. He who recognizes his faults, and they displease him, is wise. He who rebukes a person and calls him back from evil renders him a greater service than if he gave him the whole world.

Let us always admonish each other in charity. As often as any one of us sins, let us willingly and patiently accept the reproof of a neighbor or a friend, because of what is said: "Reprove a wise man, and he will love you; rebuke a foolish man, and he will hate you." Therefore I beseech you, brethren, to chide, rebuke and reprove those who you know are dancing, leading songs, uttering disgraceful words voluptuously or drunkenly on the holy feasts.

The fear of God avails for obtaining the illumination of divine wisdom, because "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." For the fear of the Lord is the extrinsic principle of wisdom and the intrinsic principle and the complement of wisdom; because there is servile fear, and this is the initiator of wisdom, because, just as the needle introduces the thread and does not remain with the thread, so servile fear introduces wisdom and does not remain with wisdom. Another is the fear of punishment and of offending God; and this is the intrinsic beginning of wisdom and the root of wisdom. The third is the fear of filial reverence: and this is the complement of wisdom, because "the fullness of wisdom is to fear God."

A minimal religion compounded of spirit messages and bare theism has no power to touch any of the deepest chords in our nature, or to evoke any response which will raise us even to a higher secular level—let alone to the spiritual life. The god of whom no dogmas are believed is a mere shadow. He will not produce that fear of the Lord in which wisdom begins, and therefore, will not produce that love in which it is consummated.

In this experience there was a great deal of fear. I do not think there was more than was wholesome or even necessary; but if in my books I have spoken too much of Hell, and if critics want a historical explanation of the fact, they must seek it not in the supposed Puritanism of my Ulster childhood but in the Anglo-Catholicism of the church at Belsen. I feared for my soul; especially on certain blazing moonlit nights in that curtainless dormitory--how the sound of other boys breathing in their sleep comes back! The effect, so far as I can judge, was entirely good. I began seriously to pray and to read my Bible and to attempt to obey my conscience.

He also said, 'The beginning and the end is the fear of the Lord. For it is written, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps. 111:10) and, when Abraham built an altar the Lord said to him, "Now I know that you fear God" (Gen. 22:12).'

Discipline is an index to doctrine. [The heretics] say that God is not to be feared. So everything is free to them and unrestrained. But where is God not feared, except where he is not present? Where God is not present, there is no truth either; and where there is no truth, discipline like theirs is natural. But where God is present, there is the fear of God, there are decent seriousness, vigilant care and anxious solicitude, well-tested selection, well-weighed communion and deserved promotion, religious obedience, devoted service, modest appearance, a united church, and all things godly.

But the Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. He refers to the Herodians as the ministers of Herod the tetrarch, who, on account of the enmity which their lord exercised against John, also plotted against and hated the Savior whom John preached. However, it was of great foolishness for those who greatly needed salvation to take counsel about the death of the Savior. Their zeal for wickedness is shown when they even consider it a crime that he stretched out the hand of the one who was sick to heal it at his word, as if none of them had ever done greater works on the Sabbath, such as carrying food, offering a cup, and performing other necessary tasks for sustenance. For indeed, he who said "Let there be," and it was made, could not be convicted of working on the Sabbath.

(in Marc. i. 15) The Pharisees, thinking it a crime that at the word of the Lord the hand which was diseased was restored to a sound state, agreed to make a pretext of the words spoken by our Saviour; wherefore it is said, And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. As if every one amongst them did not greater things on the sabbath day, carrying food, reaching forth a cup, and whatever else is necessary for meals. Neither could He, Who said and it was done, be convicted of toiling on the sabbath day.

(ubi sup.) Or else he calls Herodians the servants of Herod the Tetrarch, who on account of the hatred which their lord had for John, pursued with treachery and hate the Saviour also, Whom John preached.

Who were the Herodians? Either soldiers of Herod, or some new sect that recognized Herod as the Christ, for the reason that under him the succession of Jewish kings came to an end. The prophecy of Jacob determined that when the princes of Judah would be exhausted, then Christ would come (Gen. 49). And so, since in the times of Herod no one from among the Jews was a prince any longer, but Herod the foreigner ruled (he was an Idumean), some accepted him as Christ and formed a sect. These were the people who wanted to kill the Lord. In a figurative sense, pay attention also to the fact that the Herodians, these carnal and coarse people (Herod means "of leather"), want to kill Jesus.

But the soldiers of Herod the king are called Herodians, because a certain new heresy had sprung up, which asserted that Herod was the Christ. For the prophecy of Jacob intimated, that when the princes of Judah failed, then Christ should come; because therefore in the time of Herod none of the Jewish princes remained, and he, an alien, was the sole ruler, some thought that he was the Christ, and set on foot this heresy. These, therefore, were with the Pharisees trying to kill Christ.

Morally again, the Herodians, that is, persons who love the lusts of the flesh, wish to slay Christ. For the meaning of Herod is, 'of skin.' (pelliceus. v. Hier. de Nom. Hebr)

And Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea. He withdrew as a man fleeing the snares of those who persecuted Him, because neither had His hour of suffering yet arrived, nor was the place of His suffering outside Jerusalem. He withdrew, fleeing from those who persecuted Him out of hatred; but He went to a place where He found many following Him out of love. For it is added: And a large crowd from Galilee and Judea followed Him, and from Jerusalem and Idumaea, and beyond Jordan, and those around Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, hearing what He was doing, came to Him. Behold, the Pharisees and Herodians, namely the teachers of the people and the king's ministers, sought to destroy the Lord with unanimous counsel. But the unlearned crowd and the masses gathered from everywhere followed Him with unanimous love. They, seeing the works of His virtues and hearing the words of His teaching, wanted to learn nothing more than to persecute Him. These, led only by the reputation of His virtues, came in a great throng to hear Him and to demand the help of salvation. Hence, they soon deserved to achieve the effect of their will and desire, with many healed by the Lord, as is read in the following. Where He also set an example for His followers, if they suffered persecution in one city, to flee to another. Finally, Paul, instructed by the Lord's example and precept, fled from Damascus, where he was threatened by the snares of the wicked. But having left there, he found countless people elsewhere who followed him to piety. Truly according to the laws of allegory, the Lord in that He went out from the synagogue, withdrew to the sea, everywhere encountering a large multitude coming to Him to be healed and taught, manifestly prefigured our salvation, to whom He deigned to come through faith, leaving Judea due to their perfidy. Rightly indeed are the incredulous nations, long tossed by the diverse windings of errors, compared to the instability, bitterness, and darkness of the fluctuating sea. But the Lord came to the sea with His disciples, and a large crowd from various provinces followed Him, because the hearts of the nations came to Him as the Apostles preached. And after He kindly consecrated in them a home dear to Himself, He already received many coming to Him generously and granted them to possess the desired salvation. To them aptly fits what follows: And He told His disciples to have a small boat ready for Him because of the crowd, lest they crush Him. For He healed many, so that they pressed upon Him, that they might touch Him. The small boat serving the Lord on the sea is indeed the Church, gathered from the nations, and crossing the waves of the passing world by the virtue of a free mind. The more the bosom of the heart expands to receive the grace of its Creator, the higher it rises above all the volumes of transient things, as a small boat tossed by the winds on the waves of a swelling sea. However, there is a difference between compressing the Lord and touching Him. For he touches Him who receives His faith and love with a true heart. They compress Him who disturb the peace of those in whom the truth used to dwell with carnal thoughts or even deeds. Therefore, it is aptly said that those who touched Him were saved, because indeed true faith and love are accustomed to generate eternal salvation. Because of the crowd, lest they compress Him, the Lord ascended into a boat, because fleeing the troubled minds of the carnal, He rejoices to come and make His abode with those who have learned to despise both the fleeting glory and the abasement of the world.

(ubi sup.) It goes on, But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea; He fled from their treachery, because the hour of His passion had not yet come, and no place away from Jerusalem was proper for His Passion. By which also He gave an example to His disciples, when they suffer persecution in one city, to flee to another.

(ubi sup.) For the strangers followed Him, because they saw the works of His powers, and in order to hear the words or His teaching. But the Jews, induced solely by their opinion of His powers, in a vast multitude come to hear Him, and to beg for His aiding health; wherefore there follows, And he spake to his disciples, that they should wait, &c.

But He departs, since the time of suffering had not yet come. He departs from the ungrateful also in order to benefit a greater number of people. Many indeed followed Him, and He healed them.

At the same time again, He goes away, that by quitting the ungrateful He might do good to more, for many followed him, and he healed them.

Even the Tyrians and Sidonians received benefit, despite being foreigners. Meanwhile His own kinsmen persecuted Him. So there is no benefit in kinship if there is no good character! Here even strangers came to Christ from afar, while the Jews persecuted Him who had come to them. On the contrary, those who went out from their homes and from their fatherland, that is, from the carnal way of life, follow Him; and therefore their wounds are healed, that is, the sins that wound the conscience, and the unclean spirits are driven out.

Syrians and Sidonians, being foreigners, receive benefit from Christ; but His kindred the Jews persecute Him: thus there is no profit in relationship, if there be not a similarity in goodness.

But those who quit their country, that is, a carnal mode of living, follow Christ, and their plagues are healed, that is, the sins which wound their conscience.

See then how Christ is free from love of glory; so that the crowd would not press around Him, He calls for a boat, in order to be at a distance from the crowd in it. Consider, finally, that Jesus commands His disciples to have a boat ready, so that the crowd would not press upon Him. Jesus is the word within us, commanding that our boat, that is, our body, be ready for Him, and not be given over to the storm of worldly affairs, so that these crowds of worldly cares would not trouble Christ who dwells within us.

Consider then how He hid His glory, for He begs for a little ship, lest the crowd should hurt Him, so that entering into it, He might remain unharmed.

But Jesus in us is our reason, which commands that our vessel, that is, our body, should serve Him, lest the troubles of worldly affairs should press upon our reason.

It is by faith that we touch Jesus. And far better to touch him by faith than to touch or handle him with the hands only and not by faith. It was no great thing to merely touch him manually. Even his oppressors doubtless touched him when they apprehended him, bound him, and crucified him, but by their ill-motivated touch they lost precisely what they were laying hold of. O worldwide church! It is by touching him faithfully that your "faith has made you whole."

(ubi sup.) Both therefore fell down before the Lord, those who had the plagues of bodily diseases, and those who were vexed by unclean spirits. The sick did this simply with the intention of obtaining health, but the demoniacs, or rather the devils within them, because under the mastery of a fear of God they were compelled not only to fall down before Him, but also to praise His majesty; wherefore it goes on, And they cried out, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And here we must wonder at the blindness of the Arians, who, after the glory of His resurrection, deny the Son of God, Whom the devils confess to be the Son of God, though still clothed with human flesh. There follows, And he straitly charged them, that they should not make him known. (Ps. 50:16) For God said to the sinner, Why dost thou preach my laws? A sinner is forbidden to preach the Lord, lest any one listening to his preaching should follow him in his error, for the devil is an evil master, who always mingles false things with true, that the semblance of truth may cover the witness of fraud. But not only devils, but persons healed by Christ, and even Apostles, are ordered to be silent concerning Him before the Passion, lest by the preaching of the majesty of His Divinity, the economy of His Passion should be retarded. But allegorically, in the Lord's coming out of the synagogue, and then retiring to the sea, He prefigured the salvation of the Gentiles, to whom He deigned to come through their faith, having quitted the Jews on account of their perfidy. For the nations, driven about in divers by-paths of error, are fitly compared to the unstable sea. (v. Cyprian. Ep. lxiii. Aug. de Civ. Dei, 20, 16.) Again, a great crowd from various provinces followed Him, because He has received with kindness many nations, who came to Him through the preaching of the Apostles. But the ship waiting upon the Lord in the sea is the Church, collected from amongst the nations; and He goes into it lest the crowd should throng Him, because flying from the troubled minds of carnal persons, He delights to come to those who despise the glory of this world, and to dwell within them. Further, there is a difference between thronging the Lord, and touching Him; for they throng Him, when by carnal thoughts and deeds they trouble peace, in which truth dwells; but he touches Him, who by faith and love has received Him into his heart; wherefore those who touched Him are said to have been saved.

The evangelist calls diseases "plagues," for diseases truly contribute much to our correction, so that God punishes us with these plagues, as a father does his children.

As many as had scourges, &c. But he means by scourges, diseases, for God scourges us, as a father does His children.

Both the devils and the faithful confessed Christ. "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God," said Peter. "We know who thou art. Thou art the Son of God," said the devils. I hear a similar confession, but I do not find a similar charity. In one there is love, in another fear. He is lovely to those who are sons. He is terrible to those who are not sons.

The "faith that works by love," is not the same faith that demons have. "For the devils also believe and tremble," but do they love? If they had not believed, they would not have said: "You are the holy one of God" or "You are the Son of God." But if they had loved, they would not have said: "What have we to do with you?"

"However many had plagues, unclean spirits, when they saw him, would fall down before him." Both groups would indeed fall down before the Lord, that is, both those who had plagues of physical infirmities and those who were afflicted by unclean spirits: but the sick, with a simple intention of obtaining health, and the demoniacs, or rather the demons dwelling in them, compelled by the force of divine fear, not only to fall down before him, but also to confess his majesty. For struck by the presence of his power, and exceedingly terrified, they dared not hide who they had already recognized was the Son of God. It is greatly to be wondered at, or rather deplored, the blindness of the Arians who, after the glory of his resurrection and ascension, after the faith of the Gospel had been spread throughout the whole world, after churches had been established among all nations, and the name of the Lord the Savior had been praised from the rising to the setting of the sun, suddenly deny that he is the Son of God, whom even the demons, while he was still clothed in mortal flesh, openly acknowledged to be the Son of God. For thus it continues: And they cried out, saying, 'You are the Son of God.' And he sternly ordered them not to make him known. But why he forbade unclean spirits to speak about him, the Psalmist makes clear, who says: To the sinner, however, God said, 'Why do you declare my statutes and take my covenant in your mouth? You hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you' (Psalm 49).

Therefore, the sinner is forbidden to preach the Lord, lest anyone follow the erring while they preach. For the devil is a deceitful teacher, who often mixes falsehoods with truths, so that he may conceal the testimony of deceit under the appearance of truth. Moreover, it was not only the demons, who confessed unwillingly, that were willing to be silent about Christ, but also those who, healed by him, willingly wanted to confess. Indeed, even the apostles, who were to preach him throughout the whole world after his resurrection, were commanded to remain completely silent about him before his passion, lest the proclamation of his divine majesty prevent the dispensation of his passion, and with the passion delayed, the salvation of the world, which was to come through it, be denied."

(non occ.) So by this instance of the Apostles, the followers of the Bishops are instructed, that whatever opinions they may hear out of doors concerning their Bishops, they should tell them to them.

(Verse 14.) But they said: Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. Jesus says to them, I wonder that some interpreters seek the reasons for each individual's errors, and weave a lengthy argument about why some thought that our Lord Jesus Christ was John, others Elijah, others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. If they could be mistaken about Elijah and Jeremiah, how did Herod mistake John, saying: I myself beheaded John, he has risen from the dead, and powers are at work in him (Mark 6:16).

It was as easy for the multitudes to be wrong in supposing Him to be Elias and Jeremias, as Herod in supposing Him to be John the Baptist; whence I wonder that some interpreters should have sought for the causes of these several errors.

Then, since they said, "Some John the Baptist, some Elias, some Jeremias, or one of the prophets," and set forth their mistaken opinion, He next added, "But whom say ye that I am?" calling them on by His second inquiry to entertain some higher imagination concerning Him, and indicating that their former judgment falls exceedingly short of His dignity. Wherefore He seeks for another judgment from themselves, and puts a second question, that they might not fall in with the multitude, who, because they saw His miracles greater than human, accounted Him a man indeed, but one that had appeared after a resurrection, as Herod also said. But He, to lead them away from this notion, saith, "But whom say ye that I am?" that is, "ye that are with me always, and see me working miracles, and have yourselves done many mighty works by me."

Just look at the differences of opinion among the Jews about Jesus. Some, following corrupt thinking, said he was John the Baptist (for example, Herod the tetrarch, who asked his servants, "Is this John the Baptizer now risen from the dead and, because of this, with powers at work in him?") Others said that Elijah is now the one called Jesus. He has either been born a second time or he has been alive somewhere all along and is now appearing again. Some suggested Jeremiah was Jesus, and not that Jeremiah was a type of Christ. This comes perhaps from a mistaken interpretation of a passage in the beginning of Jeremiah about Christ's prophecy unfulfilled in the time of the prophet but beginning to be fulfilled in Jesus, whom God set up over nations and kingdoms "to root up, and to build up, and to transplant."

Then the disciples recount the divers opinions of the Jews relating to Christ; And they said, Some say John the Baptist, following Herod's opinion; others Elias, (vid. Matt. 14:2.) supposing either that Elias had gone through a second birth, or that having continued alive in the body, He had at this time appeared; others Jeremias, whom the Lord had ordained to be Prophet among the Gentiles, not understanding that Jeremias was a type of Christ; or one of the Prophets, in a like way, because of those things which God spoke to them through the Prophets, yet they were not fulfilled in them, but in Christ.

In the same way they had supposed that Christ was Jeremiah. Perhaps they knew that the Lord had wisdom from his birth and was without peer in his teaching. Something similar was thought of Jeremiah, in that as a child he was singled out for prophecy and that without human training he was the prophet of a greater prophet who was to follow.

And they said, Some say that Thou art John the Baptist: some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. Among those who called Him John was Herod, who thought that John after rising from the dead had also received the gift of working miracles. Those who thought He was Elijah did so because of the way in which Christ rebuked and because Elijah was expected to return. Those who thought He was Jeremiah, did so because of His natural wisdom acquired without any instruction. For while Jeremiah was yet a child, he was commanded to prophesy.

Consequently the opinion of the crowds is set forth: but they said: some, John the Baptist etc. Different people thought different things about Christ. The Pharisees blasphemed Christ, but the crowds called him a prophet; hence Luke 7:16: a great prophet is risen up among us etc. They said he was John by reason of authority, because John preached penance; above 3:2: do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Therefore they believed him to be John, because Christ similarly began do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, as above 4:17. Likewise they held the prophet Elias in reverence; Mal. 4:5: behold, I will send you Elias the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Hence they believed him to be Elias on account of the power of his speech and the force of his preaching; Ecclus. 48:1: and Elias the prophet stood up as a fire, and his word burnt like a torch. And of Christ it is said above 7:29 that he was teaching them as one having authority. Likewise, on account of the eminence of his life, they believed him to be Jeremias, of whom the Lord says: before I formed thee in the womb, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, Jer. 1:5. And in Jer. 40 it is found that he was honored by the Gentiles. So Christ was held in reverence by foreigners; but by the Jews he was blasphemed: therefore they compared him to Jeremias. But how did they say he was Elias? Because it is found in 4 Kings 2:11 that he was taken up, and that he was still living, and that he had been promised to the Jews for their salvation, as is found in Mal. 4:5. Because some held the transmigration of souls, and therefore according to this opinion it could be that the soul of Elias had entered another body.

Peter did not say "you are a Christ" or "a son of God" but "the Christ, the Son of God." For there are many christs by grace, who have attained the rank of adoption [as sons], but [there is] only one who is by nature the Son of God. Thus, using the definite article, he said, the Christ, the Son of God. And in calling him Son of the living God, Peter indicates that Christ himself is life and that death has no authority over him. And even if the flesh, for a short while, was weak and died, nevertheless it rose again, since the Word, who indwelled it, could not be held under the bonds of death.

Did the Lord not know what people called him? But by questioning he brought forth the conviction of the apostle Peter and left for us in the future a strong affirmation of faith. For the Lord questioned not only Peter but all the apostles when he said, "Who do you say that I am?" Yet one on behalf of all answered the King, who is in due time to judge the whole world. He is God, both God and man. How miserable does this make those who are false teachers and strangers now, and to be judged in eternity. If Christ is the Son of God, by all means he is also God. If he is not God, he is not the Son of God. But since he himself is the Son, and as the Son takes up all things from the Father, let us hold this same one inseparably in our heart because there is no one who escapes his hand.

This is the true and unalterable faith, that from God came forth God the Son, who has eternity out of the eternity of the Father. That this God took unto Him a body and was made man is a perfect confession. Thus He embraced all in that He here expresses both His nature and His name, in which is the sum of virtues.

What then saith the mouth of the apostles, Peter, the ever fervent, the leader of the apostolic choir? When all are asked, he answers. And whereas when He asked the opinion of the people, all replied to the question; when He asked their own, Peter springs forward, and anticipates them, and saith, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Peter denied that Jesus was any of those things which the Jews supposed, by his confession, Thou art the Christ, which the Jews were ignorant of; but he added what was more, the Son of the living God, (Ezek. 33:11.) who had said by his Prophets, I live, saith the Lord. And therefore was He called the living Lord, but in a more especial manner as being eminent above all that had life; for He alone has immortality, and is the fount of life, wherefore He is rightly called God the Father; for He is life as it were flowing out of a fountain, who said, I am the life. (John 14:6.)

It must be enquired in this place whether, when they were first sent out, the disciples knew that He was the Christ. For this speech shows that Peter then first confessed Him to be the Son of the living God. And look whether you can solve a question of this sort, by saying that to believe Jesus to be the Christ is less than to know Him; and so suppose that when they were sent to preach they believed that Jesus was the Christ, and afterwards as they made progress they knew Him to be so. Or must we answer thus; That then the Apostles had the beginnings of a knowledge of Christ, and knew some little concerning Him; and that they made progress afterwards in the knowledge of Him, so that they were able to receive the knowledge of Christ revealed by the Father, as Peter, who is here blessed, not only for that he says, Thou art the Christ, but much more for that he adds, the Son of the living God.

And by a remarkable distinction it was that the Lord Himself puts forward the lowliness of the humanity which He had taken upon Him, while His disciple shows us the excellence of His divine eternity.

This (divine relationship) Nathanµl at once recognised in Him, even as Peter did on another occasion: "Thou art the Son of God." And He affirmed Himself that they were quite right in their convictions; for He answered Nathanµl: "Because I said, I saw thee under the fig-tree, therefore dose thou believe?" And in the same manner He pronounced Peter to be "blessed," inasmuch as "flesh and blood had not revealed it to him"-that he had perceived the Father-"but the Father which is in heaven.

Again, when Martha in a later passage acknowledged Him to be the Son of God, she no more made a mistake than Peter and Nathanµl had; and yet, even if she had made a mistake, she would at once have learnt the truth: for, behold, when about to raise her brother from the dead, the Lord looked up to heaven, and, addressing the Father, said-as the Son, of course: "Father, I thank Thee that Thou always hearest me; it is because of these crowds that are standing by that I have spoken to Thee, that they may believe that Thou hast sent me.

And Peter answering, said: thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. He answers for himself and for the others; but he answers more frequently, and in this a perfect faith is touched upon, because faith in the humanity is touched upon. Thou art Christ, i.e., the anointed one. And it is evident that he was anointed with the oil of the Holy Spirit. Anointing does not belong to him according to his divinity, because it proceeds from the divinity itself, but according to his humanity. He says this, therefore, so that they might esteem the humanity of Christ differently than the crowds did. But it is asked why they called him a prophet. A prophet was anointed, as is found concerning Eliseus. Kings were anointed, as is found concerning Saul; likewise priests, as is found in Leviticus. And all these things are implied in the name of Christ: because he is called king, as Jer. 23:5: a king shall reign, and shall be wise. Likewise priest; Ps. 109:4: thou art a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedech. Likewise prophet: the Lord thy God will raise up to thee a prophet of thy nation and of thy brethren etc., Deut. 18:15. Likewise, he not only confessed the humanity, but having penetrated the shell, he transcended even to the divinity, saying thou art the Son of God. For others said he was a blasphemer; hence John 10:33: for a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy; because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. But this man recognizes him as the Son of God. And he says the living God, to exclude the error of the Gentiles, who said that certain dead men were gods, such as Jupiter etc., as is found in Wis. 13:2ff. Likewise, some called dead and lifeless elements gods, such as earth, fire, etc., as is found in Wis. 13; but this man says the Son of the living God. But it should be known that when God is called the living God, and a man is called a living man, of man it is said by participation in life; but of God it is said because he is the fount of life; Ps. 35:10: for with thee is the fountain of life. And in John 14:6: I am the way, and the truth, and the life.