Friday of the 27th week after Pentecost

"Blessed," it says, "are the poor." Not all the poor are blessed, for poverty is neutral. The poor can be either good or evil, unless, perhaps, the blessed pauper is to be understood as he whom the prophet described, saying, "A righteous poor man is better than a rich liar." Blessed is the poor man who cried and whom the Lord heard. Blessed is the man poor in offense. Blessed is the man poor in vices. Blessed is the poor man in whom the prince of this world finds nothing. Blessed is the poor man who is like that poor Man who, although he was rich, became poor for our sake. Matthew fully revealed this when he said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." One poor in spirit is not puffed up, is not exalted in the mind of his own flesh. This beatitude is first, when I have laid aside every sin, and I have taken off all malice, and I am content with simplicity, destitute of evils. All that remains is that I regulate my conduct. For what good does it do me to lack worldly goods, unless I am meek and gentle?

Let us see how St. Luke encompassed the eight blessings in the four. We know that there are four cardinal virtues: temperance, justice, prudence and fortitude. One who is poor in spirit is not greedy. One who weeps is not proud but is submissive and tranquil. One who mourns is humble. One who is just does not deny what he knows is given jointly to all for us. One who is merciful gives away his own goods. One who bestows his own goods does not seek another's, nor does he contrive a trap for his neighbor. These virtues are interwoven and interlinked, so that one who has one may be seen to have several, and a single virtue befits the saints. Where virtue abounds, the reward too abounds.… Thus temperance has purity of heart and spirit, justice has compassion, patience has peace, and endurance has gentleness.

But being about to utter His divine oracles, He begins to rise higher; although He stood in a low place, yet as it is said, He lifted up his eyes. What is lifting up the eyes, but to disclose a more hidden light?

Now Luke mentions only four blessings, but Matthew eight; but in those eight are contained these four, and in these four those eight. For the one has embraced as it were the four cardinal virtues, the other has revealed in those eight the mystical number. For as the eighth 1 is the accomplishment of our hope, so is the eighth also the completion of the virtues. But each Evangelist has placed the blessings of poverty first, for it is the first in order, and the purest, as it were, of the virtues; for he who has despised the world shall reap an eternal reward. Now can any one obtain the reward of the heavenly kingdom who, overcome by the desires of the world, has no power of escape from them? Hence it follows, He said, Blessed are the poor.

In that He says, Blessed are the poor, thou hast temperance; which abstains from sin, tramples upon the world, seeks not vain delights. In Blessed are they that hunger, thou hast righteousness; for he who hungers suffers together with the hungry, and by suffering together with him gives to him, by giving becomes righteous, and his righteousness abideth for ever. In Blessed are they that weep now (Ps. 112:9.), thou hast prudence; which is to weep for the things of time, and to seek those which are eternal. In Blessed are ye when men hate you, thou hast fortitude; not that which deserves hatred for crime, but which suffers persecution for faith. For so thou wilt attain to the crown of suffering, if thou slightest the favour of men, and seekest that which is from God. Temperance therefore brings with it a pure heart; righteousness, mercy; prudence, peace; fortitude, meekness. The virtues are so joined and linked to one another, that he who has one seems to have many; and the Saints have each one especial virtue, but the more abundant virtue has the richer reward. What hospitality in Abraham, what humility, but because he excelled in faith, he gained the preeminence above all others. To every one there are many rewards because many incentives to virtue, but that which is most abundant in a good action, has the most exceeding reward.

(in Ps. 33.) But not every one oppressed with poverty is blessed, but he who has preferred the commandment of Christ to worldly riches. For many are poor in their possessions, yet most covetous in their disposition; these poverty does not save, but their affections condemn. For nothing involuntary deserves a blessing, because all virtue is characterized by the freedom of the will. Blessed then is the poor man as being the disciple of Christ, Who endured poverty for us. For the Lord Himself has fulfilled every work which leads to happiness, leaving Himself an example for us to follow.

And he, lifting his eyes towards his disciples, said, Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. And although he speaks generally to all, yet he more specifically lifts his eyes towards the disciples, so that to those who perceive the word with the attentive ear of the heart, he may more broadly reveal the light of inward savor. This is similar to what Matthew says: And when he sat down, his disciples came to him, and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit (Matt. V). For those to whom he opens his mouth while sitting on the mountain to hear lofty things, he directs his eyes standing in the plain, so that they may plainly understand what they have heard. Therefore, blessed are the poor. Certainly not all, but only those who regard all the heights of the present age as nothing, even if they may seem lofty. Who are rightly deemed worthy of the gift of the heavenly kingdom, because they are found to be stripped of the desire for human delight. Such poverty as King David, declaring the poverty he endured, said: But I am poor and needy. And elsewhere, not only considering earthly things as trivial, but even the heavenly ones for the Lord's sake, saying: For what is there for me in heaven, and what have I desired on earth besides thee (Psalm LXXII)? Soon, when he had fixed the anchor of his hope, he manifests by adding: But for me it is good to cling to God, to put my trust in the Lord God. Otherwise, some in the most wretched condition of poverty, both here lack the joys of the world due to the scarcity of things, and there lack the kingdom of God due to the wickedness of their deeds.

And although He speaks in a general way to all, yet more especially He lifts up His eyes on His disciples; for it follows, on his disciples, that to those who receive the word listening attentively with the heart, He might reveal more fully the light of its deep meaning.

Concerning the promise of the beatitudes, note that he promises four things, namely the kingdom, which consists in participation in divine power; fullness, which consists in the taste of divine goodness; laughter, which consists in the contemplation of divine truth; and a great reward, which consists in the duration of eternity. And these four are designated in Ephesians three: "That you may be able," he says, "to comprehend with all the Saints what is the length, breadth, height, and depth"; the length of eternity, the breadth of goodness, the height of power, and the depth of wisdom or truth. Moreover, he promises these four things to four kinds of merits that raise us to God and build up our free will. For the kingdom of wealth is promised to those who despise temporal goods, such as are the poor; the banquet of abundance to those who desire spiritual things, and these are called the hungry; the laughter of delight to those who detest the evils of sin, and these are called the weeping; the multitude of reward to those who endure the evils of punishment, and these are the patient. In these four is enclosed the perfection of the human will with respect to a twofold good and with respect to a twofold evil.

First, therefore, he promises to the poor the kingdom of wealth on account of their contempt of temporal things, and such were the disciples, and therefore he says: And he, lifting up his eyes upon his disciples, said: Blessed are the poor, etc. By lifting up his eyes he calls them blessed, because "the eyes of the Lord are upon the just," and especially upon the poor: Ecclesiasticus eleven: "There is a man who is feeble and in need of recovery, lacking in strength and abounding in poverty, and the eye of the Lord looked upon him for good." Moreover, he calls these poor blessed because they are prepared for beatitude. And therefore he adds: For yours is the kingdom of God, which indeed is very great. For in the Psalm: "Your kingdom, O Lord, is a kingdom of all ages." This he says belongs to the poor, because the poor are its heirs, according to that passage in James two: "Has not God chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith, heirs of the kingdom which God has promised to those who love him?" "Better therefore is the poor man who walks in his simplicity than the rich man who twists his lips and is foolish," Proverbs nineteen.

And note that he says is in the present tense, either on account of the certainty of the promise, or also because the truly poor now in a certain way begin to be kings, according to that passage in 2 Corinthians 6: "As having nothing and yet possessing all things." "For their deep poverty has abounded unto the riches of simplicity," as is said in 2 Corinthians 8. Whence the evangelical or voluntary poor are now to be reckoned as already blessed, not wretched. Seneca: "No one is born rich: whoever comes forth into the light is commanded to be content with bread and milk." "No one is poor amid these things: among which if anyone has enclosed his desire, he will be able to contend with Jupiter concerning happiness." And note that he begins from poverty, because, as Ambrose says there, "poverty is the first parent of virtues, because he who has despised worldly things will merit eternal things," an imitator of that poor one "who, though he was rich, became poor for our sake," 2 Corinthians 8.

Of poverty--the affliction which actually or potentially includes all other afflictions--I would not dare to speak as from myself; and those who reject Christianity will not be moved by Christ's statement that poverty is blessed. But here a rather remarkable fact comes to my aid. Those who would most scornfully repudiate Christianity as a mere "opiate of the people" have a contempt for the rich, that is, for all mankind except the poor. They regard the poor as the only people worth preserving from "liquidation", and place in them the only hope of the human race. But this is not compatible with a belief that the effects of poverty on those who suffer it are wholly evil; it even implies that they are good. The Marxist thus finds himself in real agreement with the Christian in those two beliefs which Christianity paradoxically demands--that poverty is blessed and yet ought to be removed.

After the ordination of the Apostles, the Saviour directed His disciples to the newness of the evangelical life.

In the Gospel according to St. Matthew it is said, Blessed are the poor in spirit, that we should understand the poor in spirit to be one of a modest and somewhat depressed mind. Hence our Saviour says, Learn from me, for I am meek and lowly of heart. But Luke says, Blessed are the poor, without the addition of spirit, calling those poor who despise riches. For it became those who were to preach the doctrines of the saving Gospel to have no covetousness, but their affections set upon higher things.

But when the celestial kingdom is considered in the many gradations of its blessings, the first step in the scale belongs to those who by divine instinct embrace poverty. Such did He make those who first became His disciples; therefore He says in their person, For yours is the kingdom of heaven, as pointedly addressing Himself to those present, upon whom also He lifted up His eyes.

The poor have many other vices, but, at least, they are never realistic. The poor are melodramatic and romantic in grain; the poor all believe in high moral platitudes and copy-book maxims; probably this is the ultimate meaning of the great saying, "Blessed are the poor." Blessed are the poor, for they are always making life, or trying to make life like an Adelphi play.

There remains always this great boast, perhaps the greatest boast that is possible to human nature. I mean the great boast that the most unhappy part of our population is also the most hilarious part. The poor can forget that social problem which we (the moderately rich) ought never to forget. Blessed are the poor; for they alone have not the poor always with them. The honest poor can sometimes forget poverty. The honest rich can never forget it.

But in a deeper sense, as they who partake of bodily food vary their appetites according to the nature of the things to be eaten; so also in the food of the soul, by some indeed that is desired which depends upon the opinion of men, by others, that which isessentially and of its own nature good. Hence, according to Matthew, men are blessed who account righteousness in the place of food and drink; by righteousness I mean not a particular but an universal virtue, which he who hungers after is said to be blessed.

The phrase "lift up your eyes" occurs in many places in Scripture. By this expression, the divine Word admonishes us to exalt and lift up our thoughts. It invites us to elevate the insight that lies below in a rather sickly condition and is stooped and completely incapable of looking up. For instance, it is written in Isaiah, "Lift up your eyes on high and see. Who has made all these things known?"The Savior too, when he is about to deliver the Beatitudes, lifts up his eyes to the disciples and says "blessed" are such and such.

"Wherefore, girding up your loins," "serve the Lord in fear" and truth, as those who have forsaken the vain, empty talk and error of the multitude, and "believed in Him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and gave Him glory," and a throne at His right hand. To Him all things in heaven and on earth are subject. Him every spirit serves. He comes as the Judge of the living and the dead. His blood will God require of those who do not believe in Him. But He who raised Him up from the dead will raise up us also, if we do His will, and walk in His commandments, and love what He loved, keeping ourselves from all unrighteousness, covetousness, love of money, evil speaking, false witness; "not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing," or blow for blow, or cursing for cursing, but being mindful of what the Lord said in His teaching: "Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again;" and once more, "Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God."

"Then Caiaphas attempted to impugn the doctrine of Jesus, saying that He spoke vain things, for He said that the poor are blessed; and promised earthly rewards; and placed the chief gift in an earthly inheritance; and promised that those who maintain righteousness shall be satisfied with meat and drink; and many things of this sort He is charged with teaching. Thomas, in reply, proves that his accusation is frivolous; showing that the prophets, in whom Caiaphas believes, taught these things much more, and did not show in what manner these things are to be, or how they are to be understood; whereas Jesus pointed out how they are to be taken. And when he had spoken these things, and others of like kind, Thomas also held his peace."

But even now you have the Lord's sayings, as examples taking away from you all excuse. For what is it you say? "I shall be in need." But the Lord calls the needy "happy." "I shall have no food.

"Blessed are the needy" (for no less than this is required for interpreting the word in the Greek, "because theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Now this very fact, that He begins with beatitudes, is characteristic of the Creator, who used no other voice than that of blessing either in the first fiat or the final dedication of the universe: for "my heart," says He, "hath indited a very good word.

"Blessed are the needy, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven." "He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted.

To a Christian believer it is irksome to wed a believer inferior to herself in estate, destined as she will be to have her wealth augmented in the person of a poor husband! For if it is "the pour," not the rich, "whose are the kingdoms of the heavens," the rich will find more in the poor (than she brings him, or than she would in the rich).

Purify yourself with your tears. Wash yourselves with mourning. If you weep for yourself, another will not weep for you.… One who is a sinner weeps for himself and rebukes himself, that he may become righteous, for just people accuse themselves of sin. Let us pursue order, because it is written, "Set in order love in me." I have laid down sin. I have tempered my conduct. I have wept for my transgressions. I begin to hunger. I hunger for righteousness. The sick, when he is seriously ill, does not hunger, because the pain of the illness excludes hunger. What is the hunger for righteousness? What is the bread of which it is said, "I have been young and am old, and I have not seen the righteous man forsaken, nor his seed begging bread"? Surely one who is hungry seeks increase of strength. What greater increase of virtue is there than the rule of righteousness?

If you propose a choice between these two things, which is better, to laugh or to cry? Is there anybody who wouldn't prefer to laugh? Because repentance involves a beneficial sorrow, the Lord presented tears as a requirement and laughter as the resulting benefit. How? When he says in the Gospel, "Blessed are those who cry, because they shall laugh." So crying is a requirement, laughter the reward, of wisdom. He wrote laughter to mean joy. He did not mean howling with laughter but jumping for joy.

(Hom. de Grat. act.) But He promises laughing to those who weep; not indeed the noise of laughter from the mouth, but a gladness pure and unmixed with aught of sorrow.

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Matthew explains what it means to hunger, that is, to thirst for righteousness. He teaches us very clearly that we should never consider ourselves sufficiently righteous, but should always love and even burn for daily progress in righteousness. The Psalmist, burning with desire for heavenly things, shows that perfect satisfaction cannot come in this age but in the future, saying: As for me, I shall appear in righteousness before your face; I shall be satisfied when your glory is revealed (Psalm 17:15). It can also simply be understood: Blessed are you who hunger now, who discipline your body and make it a slave (1 Corinthians 9:27), who give yourselves to the word in hunger and thirst (2 Corinthians 11:27), because you will then enjoy the fullness of heavenly joys.

Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Those who weep not for the losses of temporal goods but for the detriment of spiritual virtues will be consoled by eternal bliss. Here we are commanded not only to weep for our own sins but also for the sins of our neighbors. If we love them as ourselves, we must consequently rejoice at their progress and grieve at their failings; and not only grieve but be moved to tears. Thus Samuel and David mourned the sin and death of Saul. Thus the Lord Himself wept over the sinful city, and, moved with compassion for the grieving sisters, wept over Lazarus, whom He was to resurrect by His divine majesty, showing human pity first. Mystically, this signifies that those who are dead in sin should be mourned by their neighbors so that they may revive. The promise that those who weep now will laugh should not be understood childishly; in the language of Scripture, laughter signifies inner exaltation and joy of the mind. As Sarah said: God has brought me laughter (Genesis 21:6). And in Job it is said: The lips of the truthful shall be filled with laughter. By these names, as I said, the inward joy of the soul is depicted.

That is, blessed are ye who chasten your body and subject it to bondage, who in hunger and thirst give heed to the word, for then shall ye receive the fulness of heavenly joys.

Plainly instructing us, that we ought never to account ourselves sufficiently righteous, but always desire a daily increase in righteousness, to the perfect fulness of which the Psalmist shows us that we can not arrive in this world, but in the world to come. I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall be made manifest (Ps. 17:15.). Hence it follows, For ye shall be filled.

Secondly, he promises to those who hunger the banquet of abundance on account of the desire for spiritual things: and this he indicates when he adds: Blessed are you who now hunger, namely for the food of justice, according to what is said in the Gloss on Matthew 5. For you shall be satisfied, through the banquet of abundance. Ambrose: "He who hungers seeks an increase of strength," according to that passage in Ecclesiasticus 24: "Those who eat me will hunger still more, and those who drink me will thirst still more." Those hunger for justice who can say with Jesus that word in John 4: "My food is to do the will of my Father." Those also hunger for justice who for love of justice willingly endure hunger: and these can say with the Apostle that word in 1 Corinthians 4: "Even unto this hour we hunger and thirst." Such were those holy Fathers, of whom in Hebrews 11 it is said that "they went about in sheepskins, destitute, afflicted, tormented," etc. Such shall be satisfied by the Lord, because, Revelation 7, "they shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore, nor shall the sun fall upon them, nor any heat, for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall rule them." And this will be in the divine glory, according to what is said in the Psalm: "I shall be satisfied when your glory shall appear"; and again: "They shall be inebriated with the abundance of your house, and you shall give them to drink of the torrent of your pleasure." And so is fulfilled that word in 1 Kings 2: "The hungry were filled." Nor is this surprising, because, Isaiah 25, "the Lord of hosts shall make for all peoples on this mountain a feast of vintage, of rich things full of marrow, of refined vintage"; and again, according to that word of the Psalm: "He fed them with the fat of wheat, and from the rock he satisfied them with honey."

Third, he promises the laughter of joy to those who weep on account of repentance for the evil of sin, when he adds: Blessed are you who now weep, namely for evils committed, as Hezekiah, "turning to the wall," "wept with great weeping," as is said in Isaiah thirty-eight; as also Peter, of whom in Matthew twenty-six after the denial it is said that "going out he wept bitterly"; and Job thirty: "My harp is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of those who weep." Or for the sins of others, as David over Saul, II Kings one; so Christ over Jerusalem, below in chapter nineteen: "Seeing the city, he wept over it." Or: you now weep, namely for the miseries of others: Job thirty: "I wept once over him who was afflicted"; Romans twelve: "Weep with those who weep." Or: You who now weep, for escaping the temptations of sins and their consequences: in Judges two it is said that "when the Angel of the Lord spoke to the children of Israel, they lifted up their voice and wept. And the name of that place was called the place of weepers—or of tears." And this place is the state of the present life, which lasts only until now. And therefore he says: You who now weep: I Peter one: "Though now for a little while, if need be, you are made sorrowful in various temptations, that the testing of your faith, much more precious than gold which is tried by fire, may be found unto praise," etc. Or: You who now weep, namely from desire for eternal things, and this is the proper understanding: John sixteen: "You shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice, and you shall be sorrowful; but your sorrow shall be turned into joy"; and the Psalm: "My tears have been my bread day and night, while it is said to me daily: Where is your God?" To these he says: you are blessed, because you shall laugh, with a spiritual laughter, which consists in the joy of the mind through the contemplation of truth: Job eight: "Your mouth shall be filled with laughter, and your lips with rejoicing"; for it is said in Proverbs thirty-one: "Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the last day." This laughter shall be over one's own goods and those of others, according to what is said of Sarah in Genesis twenty-one: "The Lord has made laughter for me, and whoever hears of it will laugh with me."

After having commanded them to embrace poverty, He then crowns with honour those things which follow from poverty. It is the lot of those who embrace poverty to be in want of the necessaries of life, and scarcely to be able to get food. He does not then permit His disciples to be fainthearted on this account, but says, Blessed are ye who hunger now.

But poverty is followed not only by a want of those things which bring delight, but also by a dejected look, because of sorrow. Hence it follows, Blessed are ye that weep. He blesses those who weep, not those who merely drop tears from their eyes, (for this is common to the believing and unbelieving, when sorrow befals them,) but rather He calls those blessed, who shun a careless life, mixed up with sin, and devoted to carnal pleasures, and refuse enjoyments almost weeping from their hatred of all worldly things.

(de Beat. orat. 4.) But in a deeper sense, as they who partake of bodily food vary their appetites according to the nature of the things to be eaten; so also in the food of the soul, by some indeed that is desired which depends upon the opinion of men, by others, that which is essentially and of its own nature good. Hence, according to Matthew, men are blessed who account righteousness in the place of food and drink; by righteousness I mean not a particular but an universal virtue, which he who hungers after is said to be blessed.

(ubi sup.) For to those who hunger and thirst after righteousness He promises abundance of the things they desire. For none of the pleasures which are sought in this life can satisfy those who pursue them. But the pursuit of virtue alone is followed by that reward, which implants a joy in the soul that never faileth.

(Hom. 18. ad pop. Ant.) But godly sorrow is a great thing, and it worketh repentance to salvation. Hence St. Paul when he had no failings of his own to weep for, mourned for those of others. Such grief is the source of gladness, as it follows, For ye shall laugh. For if we do no good to those for whom we weep, we do good to ourselves. For he who thus weeps for the sins of others, will not let his own go unwept for; but the rather he will not easily fall into sin. Let us not be ever relaxing ourselves in this short life, lest we sigh in that which is eternal. Let us not seek delights from which flow lamentation, and much sorrow, but let us be saddened with sorrow which brings forth pardon. We often find the Lord sorrowing, never laughing.

For even if you suppose that the promises of the Creator were earthly, but that Christ's are heavenly, it is quite clear that heaven has been as yet the property of no other God whatever, than Him who owns the earth also; quite clear that the Creator has given even the lesser promises (of earthly blessing), in order that I may more readily believe Him concerning His greater promises (of heavenly blessings) also, than (Marcion's god), who has never given proof of his liberality by any preceding bestowal of minor blessings. "Blessed are they that hunger, for they shall be filled." I might connect this clause with the former one, because none but the poor and needy suffer hunger, if the Creator had not specially designed that the promise of a similar blessing should serve as a preparation for the gospel, that so men might know it to be His.

Meanwhile the promise of fulness to the hungry is a provision of God the Creator. "Blessed are they that weep, for they shall laugh." Turn again to the passage of Isaiah: "Behold, my servants shall exult with joy, but ye shall be ashamed; behold, my servants shall be glad, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart.

"Blessed are they that hunger, for they shall be filled." I might connect this clause with the former one, because none but the poor and needy suffer hunger, if the Creator had not specially designed that the promise of a similar blessing should serve as a preparation for the gospel, that so men might know it to be His.

"Blessed are they that weep, for they shall laugh." Turn again to the passage of Isaiah: "Behold, my servants shall exult with joy, but ye shall be ashamed; behold, my servants shall be glad, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart.

How unworthy, also, is the way in which you interpret to the favour of your own lust the fact that the Lord "ate and drank" promiscuously! But I think that He must have likewise "fasted" inasmuch as He has pronounced, not "the full; "but "the hungry and thirsty, blessed: " (He) who was wont to profess "food" to be, not that which His disciples had supposed, but "the thorough doing of the Father's work; " teaching "to labour for the meat which is permanent unto life eternal; " in our ordinary prayer likewise commanding us to request "bread," not the wealth of Attalus therewithal.

Do you also rejoice when ye suffer such things, for ye shall be blessed in that day.

Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they separate you, and reproach you. He who for the sake of the wealth of the inheritance of Christ in the saints, for the sake of the bread of eternal life, and for the hope of the heavenly joys, desires to suffer weeping, hunger, and poverty, is blessed. But much more blessed is he who does not fear to keep these virtues amidst adversities. For although men may hate with a wicked heart, they cannot harm the beloved heart of Christ. Let them separate and expel from the synagogue, Christ will find and strengthen. Let them reproach the name of the Crucified, He Himself raises the dead with Him and makes them sit in the heavenly places (Ephesians II).

And they will cast out your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. The name he says signifies the name of Christians, which, as far as their memory goes, has very often been erased and cast out by the Gentiles and Jews, with no longer any cause for hatred except for the Son of Man, because, evidently, believers would want to make the name of Christ their own surname; and therefore the persecutors of the highest name are, not unjustly, marked by the name of men. Blessed (He says) are you when men hate you, teaching them that they will be harassed by men, but will be blessed beyond men.

He then who on account of the riches of the inheritance of Christ, for the bread of eternal life, for the hope of heavenly joys, desires to suffer weeping, hunger, and poverty, is blessed. But much more blessed is he who does not shrink to maintain these virtues in adversity. Hence it follows, Blessed are ye when men shall hate you. For although men hate, with their wicked hearts they can not injure the heart that is beloved by Christ, It follows, And when they shall separate you. Let them separate and expel you from the synagogue. Christ finds you out, and strengthens you. It follows; And shall reproach you. Let them reproach the name of the Crucified, He Himself raises together with Him those that have died with Him, and makes them sit in heavenly places. It follows, And cast out your name as evil. Here he means the name of Christian, which by Jews and Gentiles as far as they were able was frequently erased from the memory, and east out by men, when there was no cause for hatred, but the Son of man; for in truth they who believed on the name of Christ, wished to be called after His name. Therefore He teaches that they are to be persecuted by men, but are to be blessed beyond men. As it follows, Rejoice ye in that day, and weep for joy, for behold your reward is great in heaven.

Fourth, he promises to those who suffer the greatness of the reward on account of endurance in the evil of punishment, when he adds: Blessed shall you be, when men shall hate you, namely with respect to the act of the heart. Most fittingly he says: men, that is, those who are animal-like and bestial, because "man, when he was in honor, did not understand: he was compared to senseless beasts and was made like unto them"; First Corinthians 3: "Whereas there is among you jealousy and contention, are you not carnal, and do you not walk according to man"? according to that man, namely, of whom it is said in Sirach 28: "Man reserves wrath for man." These hate the servants of Christ: Proverbs 19: "The brothers of the poor man hate him"; and Matthew 10: "You shall be hated by all men for my name's sake."

With respect to the act of deed he adds: And when they shall separate you, namely by casting you out of the synagogues, according to that passage in John 9: "The Jews had already conspired that if anyone should confess him to be the Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue," and thus would be separated from others in reproach, even from his own household members, just as the Lord foretold would come to pass for his disciples: Matthew 10: "I have come to set a man against his father"; and afterward it is added: "And a man's enemies shall be those of his own household."

With respect to the act of the mouth he adds: And shall reproach you, reviling you, and shall cast out your name as evil, by defaming; First Peter 4: "If you are reproached in the name of Christ, you shall be blessed"; James 2: "They blaspheme the good name that has been invoked over you," because they call good evil, according to that passage in Matthew 5: "They shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake." And because not just any punishment makes a Martyr unless the proper cause is present, therefore he adds: On account of the Son of Man: First Peter 3: "If you suffer anything for the sake of justice, you shall be blessed," that is, for the sake of Christ, "who was made by God wisdom and justice and sanctification." And for this threefold justice Paul wished to suffer; Acts 21: "I am prepared not only to be bound, but also to be killed in Jerusalem for the sake of Christ Jesus."

And, "Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, when they shall separate you, when they shall cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake;" if we do not detest our persecutors, and undergo punishments at their hands, not hating them under the idea that we have been put to trial more tardily than we looked for; but knowing this also, that every instance of trial is an occasion for testifying.

Which things must all now be considered by us, that no one may desire anything from the world that is now dying, but may follow Christ, who both lives for ever, and quickens His servants, who are established in the faith of His name. For there comes the time, beloved brethren, which our Lord long ago foretold and taught us was approaching, saying, "The time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things they will do unto you, because they have not known the Father nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them." Nor let any one wonder that we are harassed with constant persecutions, and continually tried with increasing afflictions, when the Lord before predicted that these things would happen in the last times, and has instructed us for the warfare by the teaching and exhortation of His words. Peter also, His apostle, has taught that persecutions occur for the sake of our being proved, and that we also should, by the example of righteous men who have gone before us, be joined to the love of God by death and sufferings. For he wrote in his epistle, and said, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is thing happened unto you; but as often as ye partake in Christ's sufferings, rejoice in all things, that when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached in the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the name of the majesty and power of the Lord resteth on you, which indeed on their part is blasphemed, but on our part is glorified." Now the apostles taught us those things which they themselves also learnt from the Lord's precepts and the heavenly commands, the Lord Himself thus strengthening us, and saying, "There is no man that hath left house, or land, or parents, or brethren, or sisters, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive sevenfold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting." And again He says, "Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and shall separate you from their company, and shall cast you out, and shall reproach your name as evil for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy; for, behold your reward is great in heaven."

But how can they follow Christ, who are held back by the chain of their wealth? Or how can they seek heaven, and climb to sublime and lofty heights, who are weighed down by earthly desires? They think that they possess, when they are rather possessed; as slaves of their profit, and not lords with respect to their own money, but rather the bond-slaves of their money. These times and these men are indicated by the apostle, when he says, "But they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and in perdition. For the root of all evil is the love of money, which, while some have coveted, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." But with what rewards does the Lord invite us to contempt of worldly wealth? With what compensations does He atone for the small and trifling losses of this present time? "There is no man," saith He, "that leaves house, or land, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, but he shall receive seven fold even in this time, but in the world to come life everlasting." If we know these things, and have found them out from the truth of the Lord who promises, not only is not loss of this kind to be feared, but even to be desired; as the Lord Himself again announces and warns us, "Blessed are ye when men shall persecute you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall cast you out, and shall speak of your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake! Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy; for, behold, your reward is great in heaven."

What hope and reward remains for the righteous and for martyrs after the conflicts and sufferings of this present time, The Holy Spirit shows and predicts by Solomon, saying: "And although in the sight of men they suffered torments, yet their hope is full of immortality. And having been troubled in a few things, they shall be in many happily ordered, because God has tried them, and has found them worthy of Himself. As gold in the furnace, He hath tried them; and as whole burnt-offerings of sacrifice, He hath received them, and in its season there will be respect of them. They will shine and run about as sparks in a place set with reeds. They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the peoples; and their Lord shall reign for ever." In the same also our vengeance is described, and the repentance of those who persecute and molest us is announced. "Then," saith he," shall the righteous stand in great constancy before such as have afflicted them, and who have taken away their labours; when they see it, they shall be troubled with a horrible fear: and they shall marvel at the suddenness of their unexpected salvation, saying among themselves, repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit, These are they whom we had sometime in derision and as a proverb of reproach. We fools counted their life madness, and their end to be without honour. How are they numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints! Therefore have we erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shined unto us, and the sun hath not risen upon us. We have been wearied in the way of unrighteousness and perdition, and have walked through hard deserts, but have not known the way of the Lord. What hath pride profited us, or what hath the boasting of riches brought to us? All these things have passed away like a shadow." Likewise in the cxvth Psalm is shown the price and the reward of suffering: "Precious," it says, "in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. In the cxxvth Psalm also is expressed the sadness of the struggle, and the joy of the retribution: "They who sow," it says. "in tears, shall reap in joy. As they walked, they walked and wept, casting their seeds; but as they come again, they shall come in exultation, bearing their sheaves." And again, in the cxviiith Psalm: "Blessed are those that are undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who search His testimonies, and seek Him out with their whole heart." Moreover, the Lord in the Gospel, Himself the avenger of our persecution and the rewarder of our suffering, says: "Blessed are they who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." And again: "Blessed shall ye be when men shall hate you, and shall separate you, and shall expel you, and shall revile your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy; for, behold, your reward is great in heaven." And once more: "Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it." Nor do the rewards of the divine promise attend those alone who are reproached and slain; but if the passion itself, be wanting to the faithful, while their faith has remained sound and unconquered, and having forsaken and contemned all his possessions, the Christian has shown that he is following Christ, even be also is honoured by Christ among the martyrs, as He Himself promises and says: "There is no man that leaveth house, or land, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, but shall receive seven times as much in this present time, and in the world to come eternal life." In the Apocalypse also He says the same thing: "And I saw," saith he, "the souls of them that were slain for the name of Jesus and the word of God." And when he had placed those who were slain in the first place, he added, saying: "And whosoever had not worshipped the image of the beast, neither had received his mark upon their forehead or in their hand; "all these he joins together, as seen by him at one time in the same place, and says, "And they lived and reigned with Christ." He says that all live and reign with Christ, not only who have been slain; but even whosoever, standing in firmness of the faith and in the fear of God, have not worshipped the image of the beast, and have not consented to his deadly and sacrilegious edicts.

Of the benefits of martyrdom. In the Proverbs of Solomon: "The faithful martyr delivers his soul from evils." Also in the same place: "Then shall the righteous stand in great boldness against them who have afflicted them, and who took away their labours. When they see them, they shall be disturbed with a horrible fear; and they shall wonder at the suddenness of their unhoped-for salvation, saying among themselves, repenting and groaning with distress of spirit, These are they whom some time we had in derision, and in the likeness of a proverb; we fools counted their life madness, and their end without honour. How are they reckoned among the children of God, and their lot among the saints! Therefore we have wandered from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness has not shined upon us, and the sun has not risen upon us. We have been wearied in the way of iniquity and of perdition, and we have walked through difficult solitudes; but we have not known the way of the Lord. What hath pride profited us? or what hath the boasting of riches brought to us? All these things have passed away as a shadow." Of this same thing in the cxvth Psalm: "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." Also in the cxxvth Psalm: "They who sow in tears shall reap in joy. Walking they walked, and wept as they cast their seeds; but coming they shall come in joy, raising up their laps." Of this same thing in the Gospel according to John: "He who loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall find it to life eternal." Also in the same place: "But when they shall deliver you up, take no thought what ye shall speak; for it is not ye who speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." Also in the same place: "The hour shall come, that every one that killeth you shall think he doeth service to God l but they shall do this also because they have not known the Father nor me." Of this same matter, according to Matthew: "Blessed are they which shall suffer persecution for righteousness' sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Also in the same place: "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him which is able to kill the soul and body in Gehenna." Also in the same place: "Whosoever shall confess me before men, him also will I confess before my Father which is in heaven; but he who shall deny me before men, him also will I deny before my Father which is in heaven. And he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved." Of this same thing, according to Luke: "Blessed shall ye be when men shall hate you, and shall separate you (from their company), and shall drive you out, and shall speak evil of your name, as wicked, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice in that day, and exult; for, lo, your reward is great in heaven." Also in the same place: "Verily I say unto you, There is no man that leaveth house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, and does not receive seven times as much in this present time, but in the world to come life everlasting." Of this same thing in the Apocalypse: "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar of God the souls of them that were slain on account of the word of God and His testimony. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And unto every one of them were given white robes; and it was said to them, that they should rest still for a short time, until the number of their fellow-servants, and of their brethren, should be fulfilled, and they who shall afterwards be slain, after their example." Also in the same place: "After these things I saw a great crowd, which no one among them could number, from every nation, and from every tribe, and from every people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb; and they were clothed with white robes, and palms were in their hands. And they said with a loud voice, Salvation to our God, that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb. And one of the elders answered and said to me, What are these which are clothed with white robes? who are they, and whence have they come? And I said unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are they who have come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sitteth upon the throne shall dwell among them. They shall neither hunger nor thirst ever; and neither shall the sun fall upon them, nor shall they suffer any heat: for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall protect them, and shall lead them to the fountains of the waters of life; and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes." Also in the same place: "He who shall overcome I will give him to eat of the tree of life, which as in the paradise of my God." Also in the same place: "Be thou faithful even unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Also in the same place: "Blessed shall they be who shall watch, and shall keep their garments, lest they walk naked, and they see their shame." Of this same thing, Paul in the second Epistle to Timothy: "I am now offered up, and the time of my assumption is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. There now remains for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me in that day; and not only to me, but to all also who love His appearing." Of this same thing to the Romans: "We are the sons of God: but if sons and heirs of God, we are also joint-heirs with Christ; if we suffer together, that we may also be magnified together." Of this same thing in the cxviiith Psalm: "Blessed are they who are undefiled in the way, and walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who search into His testimonies."

The Lord mentioned persecution already, even before the apostles had been sent on their mission. The Gospel anticipated what would happen. So he forewarns them for their benefit, that even the assault of things grievous to bear will bring its reward and advantage to them. They shall scold you, he says, as deceivers do, and try to mislead you. They shall separate you from them, even from their friendship and society. Let none of these things trouble you, he says. What harm will their intemperate tongue do a well-established mind? The patient suffering of these things will not be without fruit, he says, to those who know how to endure piously. It is the pledge of the highest happiness. Besides, he points out for their benefit, nothing strange will happen to them, even when suffering these things. On the contrary, they will resemble those who before their time were the bearers to the Israelites of the words that came from God above. These prophets were persecuted. They were sawn in two. They perished slain by the sword. They endured blame unjustly cast on them. He would have them also understand that they shall be partakers with those whose deeds they have imitated. They shall not fail in winning the prophet's crown, after having traveled by the same road.

The Christian who has advanced by means of good discipline and the gift of the Spirit to the measure of the age of reason experiences glory and pleasure and enjoyment that is greater than any human pleasure. These come to one after grace is given to him, after being hated because of Christ, being driven, and enduring every insult and shame in behalf of his faith in God. For such a person, whose entire life centers on the resurrection and future blessings, every insult and scourging and persecution and the other sufferings leading up to the cross are all pleasure and refreshment and surety of heavenly treasures. For Jesus says, "Blessed are you when men reproach you and persecute you and, speaking falsely, say all manner of evil against you; for my sake rejoice and exult because your reward is great in heaven."

I beg you to remember in your entire present contest the great reward laid up in heaven for those who are persecuted and reviled for righteousness' sake. Be glad and leap for joy on account of the Son of man, just as the apostles once rejoiced when they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for his name.

Now since Christ, as soon as He entered on His course, fulfilled such a ministration as this, He is either, Himself, He who predicted His own coming to do all this; or else if he is not yet come who predicted this, the charge to Marcion's Christ must be a ridiculous one (although I should perhaps add a necessary one), which bade him say, "Blessed shall ye be, when men shall bate you, and shall reproach you, and shall cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake." In this declaration there is, no doubt, an exhortation to patience.

If the tongue's bitterness break out in malediction or reproach, look back at the saying, "When they curse you, rejoice." The Lord Himself was "cursed" in the eye of the law; and yet is He the only Blessed One.

For the Jews persecuted the prophets even to death.

(Hom. 6. in Hex.) Again, great has sometimes a positive signification, as the heaven is great, and the earth is great; but sometimes it has relation to something else, as a great ox or great horse, on comparing two things of like nature. I think then that great reward will be laid up for those who suffer reproach for Christ's sake, not as in comparison with those things in our power, but as being in itself great because given by God.

Rejoice in that day, and exult. For behold, your reward is great in heaven. This command can be fulfilled not by anyone suffering, but by him who suffers solely with a view to the heavenly reward. Thus, amidst the hatred of hearts, amidst the insults of tongues, amidst the very hands of persecutors, one can remain with an equally, or even more joyful heart. Not to this are those like us capable, but those who went rejoicing from the presence of the council, because they were deemed worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus (Acts V). Therefore, whoever endures many adversities on earth for Christ, will receive many gifts in heaven from Christ. However, how many javelins of words did the false prophets endure from Elijah, who, mocking them, said: Shout with a louder voice: For Baal is a god, perhaps he is talking, or he is in an inn, or on a journey, or certainly he is sleeping, so that he must be awakened (1 Kings XVIII). What a great massacre did those who were eight hundred and fifty in number suffer when they were all killed! But because Baal and not Christ was the cause, neither did the mocked ones rejoice, nor did the slain ones deserve a palm, but an eternal punishment.

For such things their fathers did to the prophets. He encouraged well by example, because those who speak the truth usually suffer persecution. Nevertheless, the ancient prophets did not fail in their preaching of truth out of fear of persecution. It should be noted indeed that just as Matthew, through the eight beatitudes he set forth, insinuates the eighth as the perfection of our hope dedicated to the glory of the resurrection, so Luke embraces the four cardinal virtues. For blessed are the poor, who are restrained from the enticements of the world through temperance. Blessed are the hungry, who, reminded by their own hunger, show mercy to the hungry, and themselves show mercy through justice as much as they can. For the alms which we give to Christ, not out of our own, but as His, the Psalmist rightly testifies as being called justice, saying: He has distributed to the poor; his justice endures forever (Psalm 111). For it is justice when we give what is rightfully due to each, owing no one anything except to love each other. Blessed are those who, through prudence, discern good from evil, who mourn for what is transitory, and long for what is eternal. Blessed are those who, through fortitude of faith, are able to endure all hardships. Thus, those who are not yet able to ascend the pinnacle of consummate virtue, are to be cherished with the blessedness of general perfection. So that, progressing gradually from good to better, while they willingly listen to the Lord who stands on the plain, they may someday ascend to Him who sits on the mountain in sublimity. For those whose hearts He is still taming and instructing, He addresses them as one standing, which is the position of laboring. But those He finds ready and teachable from long spiritual exercise, He, in the freedom and dignity of the teacher, seated as the peaceful Savior, imparts mystical things of the higher realms. This difference in spiritual progress is beautifully expressed in the attire of the Israelite people. Where all the common folk, using whatever garments, are commanded to make for themselves fringes of blue in the four corners of their garments. Priests are to have four garments, distinguished in wonderful variety by as many mystical colors. And high priests are to bear both what the priests have and four other kinds of garments, of the same colors, but with greater dignified grace, interspersed with glittering gold, and bearing the name of the patriarchs and of the Lord Himself. To explain or even to merely present these details pertains to the diligence of its own work.

They who speak the truth commonly suffer persecution, yet the ancient prophets did not therefore from fear of persecution turn away from preaching the truth.

Thus he gladdens the patient through reward, when he adds: Rejoice and exult: behold, your reward is great in heaven: rejoice, namely from recompense: Romans twelve: "Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation." Which was fulfilled in Acts five: "The Apostles went rejoicing from the presence of the council, because they were counted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus." This, moreover, the consideration of reward brings about; Jeremiah thirty-one: "Let your voice cease from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work." A reward, I say, great, because "great peace have they that love your law" etc., as it is said in the Psalm: and perpetual, because it is in heaven; Wisdom five: "But the just shall live forever, and their reward is with the Lord." And this is what Bede says: "Amid the hatreds of hearts, amid the reproaches of tongues, amid the hands of persecutors, dwell with a more joyful heart in contemplation of the heavenly reward." And because this work is most arduous, namely to rejoice in tribulations: therefore he not only promises a reward, but adds an example, when he continues: For according to these things did their fathers do to the Prophets: according to what is said in Matthew twenty-three: "You are witnesses against yourselves, that you are the sons of those who killed the Prophets"; and Acts seven: "Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. Which of the Prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One." He sets these forth as an example on account of their constancy: James, last chapter: "Take as an example, brothers, of patience, labor, and long-suffering, the Prophets"; who were not moved from the truth on account of scourges. Whence concerning Elisha, Sirach forty-eight: "In his days he did not fear the prince, and in power no one overcame him, nor did any man surpass him." All these evils the Prophets endured on account of the reward, which they promise to others: Sirach thirty-six: "Give a reward, O Lord, to those who wait for you, that your Prophets may be found faithful." Whence that eminent Prophet John, after all the tribulations of the Church, adds at the end of Apocalypse twenty-two: "Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to each one according to his works."

Whence note that divine Scripture intimates to us the difference of rewards according to the diversities of merits. Whence there is found a reward that is safe, a reward that is great, worthy, full, timely, swift, faithful, abundant, perpetual. The reward is safe for the Angels who minister to us; great is given to prelates or those who preside; worthy, to the obedient; full, to the contemplatives; timely is given to workers; swift, to those making progress; faithful, to those who bring to perfection; much or abundant, to those who suffer; but perpetual, to those who persevere. Whence concerning the safe reward of the Angels, because the ministry which they exercise toward us is not defrauded of its prize, it is said in Tobit 5: "Seek some faithful man who may go with you, his reward being safe," says Tobias. Concerning the great reward of those who preside, it is said in Genesis 15 to Abraham, who bears the type of prelates: "I am your protector, and your reward exceedingly great." Concerning the worthy reward of the obedient, it is said in Esther 16: "Let all know that those who obey the Persians faithfully receive a worthy reward for their fidelity." Concerning the full reward of the contemplatives, it is said to Ruth, in chapter 2, who bears the type of contemplatives who relinquish all things for God, and is also interpreted as sheep, or seeing, so that the contemplative soul may be called sheep on account of the gentleness of affection, but seeing on account of the illumination of the intellect; whence Boaz says to her: "May you receive a full reward from the Lord God of Israel, to whom you have come and under whose wings you have taken refuge." Concerning the timely reward of workers, it is said in the last chapter of Sirach: "Work your work while there is time, and He will give you your reward in His time." Concerning the swift reward of those making progress, it is said in Sirach 11: "The blessing of God hastens toward the reward of the just." Concerning the faithful reward of the perfect, such as preachers and the like, it is said in Proverbs 11: "To the one sowing justice, a faithful reward." Concerning the abundant reward of those who suffer or those who struggle, it is said here and in Matthew 5: "For behold, your reward is abundant in the heavens." Concerning the perpetual reward indeed, which befits those who persevere, Sirach 18: "Do not be afraid to be justified even unto death, for the reward of God remains forever." Thus therefore, according to the diversities of merits, the differences of rewards are appropriated; and so "God will render to the just the reward of their labors," Wisdom 10.

He then fortifies His disciples against the attacks of their adversaries, which they were about to suffer as they preached through the whole world; adding, For in like manner did their fathers to the prophets.

Great and little are measured by the dignity of the speaker. Let us enquire then who promised the great reward. If indeed a prophet or an apostle, little had been in his estimation great; but now it is the Lord in whose hands are eternal treasures and riches surpassing man's conception, who has promised great reward.

(in lib. de Logic c. 49.) Those things which may be measured or numbered are used definitely, but that which from a certain excellence surpasses all measure and number we call great and much indefinitely; as when we say that great is the longsuffering of God.

It remains for us, lest ancient times may perhaps have had the sacrament (exclusively) their own, to review the modern Christian system, as though, being also from God, it might be different from what preceded, and besides, therefore, opposed thereto in its code of rules likewise, so that its Wisdom knows not to murder her own sons! Evidently, in the case of Christ both the divine nature and the will and the sect are different from any previously known! He will have commanded either no martyrdoms at all, or those which must be understood in a sense different from the ordinary, being such a person as to urge no one to a risk of this kind as to promise no reward to them who suffer for Him, because He does not wish them to suffer; and therefore does He say, when setting forth His chief commands, "Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The following statement, indeed, applies first to all without restriction, then specially to the apostles themselves: "Blessed shall ye be when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, for my sake.

(de Qu. Ev. lib. ii. qu. 40.) Or the far country is the Gentile Church, extending to the uttermost parts of the earth. For He went that the fulness of the Gentiles might come in; He will return that all Israel may be saved.

(in Esai. c. 13. 13.) Noble, not only in respect of His Godhead, but of His manhood, being sprung from the seed of David according to the flesh. He went into a far country, separated not so much by distance of place as by actual condition. For God Himself is nigh to every one of us, when our good works bind us to Him. And He is afar off, as often as by cleaving to destruction, we remove ourselves away from Him. To this earthly country then He came at a distance from God, that He might receive the kingdom of the Gentiles, according to the Psalm, Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. (Ps. 2:8.)

Therefore, he said: A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. That nobleman is he, to whom the blind man above cried out: Son of David, have mercy on me (Luke XVIII). And coming to Jerusalem, they sang together: Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel (Matthew XXI). The far country is the church from the Gentiles. Concerning which the same nobleman, who speaks: But I have been established as king by him (Psalm II); is told by the Father: Ask of me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, and the ends of the earth as your possession (Ibid.). This inheritance and possession is called a far country for a twofold reason, either because it cries out to the Lord from the ends of the earth, or because salvation is far from sinners (Psalm CCXVIII). And although God is present everywhere, yet he is far from the sense of those who worship idols, the true God is absent. But those who were far off have been made near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians II).

He said therefore: A certain man etc.

After the occasion for introducing the parable, there follows here the ordered exposition of what has been introduced: concerning which there is first described the state of merit and demerit; and secondly, the state and form of judgment, at the passage: And it came to pass, that he returned, having received the kingdom etc.

Concerning the state of merit and demerit, three things are introduced, namely the withdrawal of the divine presence in Christ's ascension, the conferral of heavenly grace in the sending of the Holy Spirit, and the hardening of human perfidy in the rebellion of the Jews.

First, therefore, as regards the withdrawal of the divine presence in the ascension of Christ, he says: He said therefore: A certain nobleman went into a far country. This nobleman is Christ, who was noble according to the flesh, since he was of royal lineage: above in the eighteenth chapter: "Jesus, Son of David," etc.; he was more noble as regards his superadded power, according to Proverbs, the last chapter: "Her husband is noble in the gates, when he sits among the senators of the land," and this will be at the judgment; but he is most noble as regards his origin from the Father. Therefore Revelation nineteen: "He has on his garment and on his thigh written: King of kings and Lord of lords." Truly noble, from whose generation—to be praised, to be declared, and to be contemplated—every tongue falls short: Isaiah fifty-three: "Who shall declare his generation?" Therefore the Angel to the Virgin, above in the first chapter: "He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord shall give to him," etc. He went into a far country, when he ascended into heaven and into the highest heaven, which is most distant from the earth both by local distance and by qualitative difference. Therefore as a figure of this, Proverbs seven: "The man is not in his house; he has gone on a very long journey." And this indeed was accomplished in the ascension: the Psalm: "Sing praises to God, who ascends above the heaven of heavens to the east." And then was verified that word of Isaiah fifty-five: "As the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways exalted above your ways." And since he so went into heaven that he is to return for judgment, therefore he adds: To receive for himself a kingdom and to return, he went, namely, to the kingdom, but reigning he shall return for judgment, according to that word of Acts one: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?" etc. He shall come, however, as a king with power, according to that word of Matthew twenty-four: "Then they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power," and then he shall return from the far country: Isaiah thirty: "Behold, the name of the Lord comes from afar, his burning wrath, and heavy to bear."

The scope of the parable briefly represents the whole meaning of the dispensation that was for us and of the mystery of Christ from the beginning even to the end. The Word, being God, became man. He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, because of this he is also called a servant. He is and was free born, because the Father unspeakably begot him. He is also God, transcending all in nature and in glory and surpassing the things of our estate, or rather even the whole creation, by his incomparable fullness.…By nature God, he is said to have received from the Father the name that is above every name when he became man. We might then believe in him as God and the King of all, even in the flesh that was united to him. When he had endured the passion on the cross for our sakes and had abolished death by the resurrection of his body from the dead, he ascended to the Father and became like a man journeying to a far country. Heaven is a different country from earth, and he ascended so that he might receive a kingdom for himself.… How does he who reigns over all with the Father ascend to him to receive a kingdom? The Father also gives this to the Son according to his becoming man. When he ascended into heaven, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, waiting until his enemies are put under his feet.

This parable is intended to set before us the mysteries of Christ from the first to the last. For God was made man, who was the Word from the beginning; and though He became a servant, yet was He noble because of His unspeakable birth from the Father.

Or by His setting out into a far country, He denotes His own ascension from earth to heaven. But when He adds, To receive for himself a kingdom, and to return; He points out His second appearance, when He shall come as a King and in great glory. He first of all calls Himself a man, because of His nativity in the flesh, then noble; not yet a King, because as yet at His first appearance He exercised no kingly power. It is also well said to obtain for Himself a kingdom, according to Daniel, Behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and a kingdom was given to him. (Dan. 7:13.)

(Hom. 39. in 1. ad Cor.) Holy Scripture notes two kingdoms of God, one indeed by creation, since by right of creation He is King over all men; the other by justification, since He reigns over the just, of their own will made subject to Him. And this is the kingdom which He is here said to have received.

"And there was given unto Him the kingly power," which (in the parable) "He went away into a far country to receive for Himself," leaving money to His servants wherewithal to trade and get increase -even (that universal kingdom of) all nations, which in the Psalm the Father had promised to give to Him: Ask of me, and I will give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance.

But the Lord, in order to show them that they reason foolishly, for His Kingdom is not a sensible one, and at the same time to express that as God He knows their thoughts, speaks the present parable, presenting Himself in the person of a man "of noble birth." For although He became man, He did not depart from the height and nobility of the Godhead. And having accomplished the Mystery of the Dispensation in the flesh, He again departed "to a far country," that is, so that even in His humanity He might sit with His flesh "at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens" (Heb. 8:1). For as God He always sat with the Father, but as man He then sat down when He ascended, waiting until His enemies be made His footstool (Heb. 10:12–13). And this will be at the end of the world, when all, even those unwilling, will submit to Him, believing that "Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:11).

(de Qu. Ev. lib. ii. qu. 40.) Or by the ten pounds he signifies the law, because of the ten commandments, and by the ten servants, those to whom while under the law grace was preached. For so we must interpret the ten pounds given them for trading, seeing that they understood the law, when its veil was removed, to belong to the Gospel.

But calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas. The number ten pertains to the law, because of the Decalogue. Therefore the head of the household calls ten servants, because he chooses disciples steeped in the letter of the law. He gives them ten minas, because he reveals the words of the law to be understood spiritually. After his passion and resurrection, he indeed opened their minds to understand the scriptures. For a mina, which the Greeks call "mna," amounts to a hundred drachmas. And the discourse of all scripture, because it suggests the perfection of heavenly life, sparkles with the weight of the number one hundred.

And he said to them: Trade until I come. He says, offer the words of the law and the prophets to the people through mystical interpretation, and receive from them the confession of faith and the integrity of morals. Just as the Psalmist commands his listeners, saying: Take up the psalm, and give the timbrel (Psalm 80). That is, perceive the praise of preaching with the intention of the heart, and return the devotion of work in the chastisement of the flesh. For the timbrel is a skin stretched on wood. Indeed, the skin stretched on wood is our flesh afflicted after the example of the Lord's cross.

A pound which the Greeks call μνᾶ is equal in weight to a hundred drachmas, and every word of Scripture, as suggesting to us the perfection of the heavenly life, shines as it were with the greatness of the hundredth number.

Second, with regard to the conferral of grace in the sending of the Holy Spirit, he adds: And having called his ten servants, he gave them ten minas. By the calling of the servants we understand the calling of preachers and prelates, who ought to be called, because Hebrews 5: "Neither does anyone take the honor to himself, but he who is called by God, as Aaron was." These are called servants both from serving and from preserving: from serving, through the reverence of humility, according to that saying of Matthew 20: "Whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your servant." They are also called servants from preserving, through the guardianship of the flocks, because they ought to preserve and guard the Lord's flock: 3 Kings 20: "Guard this man; if he escapes, your life shall be for his life." And concerning these, 1 Peter 5: "Elders, feed the flock that is among you, not as lording it over the clergy, but being made a pattern of the flock from the heart." These are said to be ten either on account of the sufficiency of the number, or because all service of Christ is reduced to the perfect observance of the ten commandments; of which the Apostles had literal knowledge from the law of the Decalogue; but they did not have spiritual understanding and perfect observance except through the grace given to them. Therefore he is said to have given ten minas, that is, grace sufficient for understanding, fulfilling, and preaching those precepts. Whence Bede: "He calls ten servants when he chooses disciples imbued with the letter of the Decalogue; he gives ten minas when after the resurrection he opens their understanding, so that they may spiritually understand the sayings of the Law." And this was fully accomplished when they were taught the truth through the Holy Spirit; whence John 16: "When that Spirit of truth shall come, he will teach you," etc. Moreover, he gave ten minas to intimate the perfect understanding of the Scriptures; whence the Gloss: "A mina weighs ten drachmas; and every word of Scripture, because it suggests the perfection of heavenly life, shines as it were with the weight of the hundredfold number." In designation of which, that Spirit came ten days after the Ascension and descended upon twelve times ten, that is, "one hundred and twenty," for the perfection of the ministry and the mystical body, according to Ephesians 4: "He who descended is the same who also ascended, that he might fill all things. And he himself gave some indeed to be Apostles, and some Prophets, and others Evangelists, and others pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry."

Now he gave them wisdom for the purpose of instructing the universal Church; and therefore he adds: And he said to them: Trade, until I come: trade, namely by preaching and bearing fruit: 1 Corinthians 12: "To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for profit." Now there is a threefold trade: indifferent, worst, and best: indifferent, by which temporal things are exchanged for temporal things: Baruch 3: "The children of Hagar, who sought out" etc. Another indeed is evil, by which spiritual things are exchanged for temporal things through simony: and this is displeasing to God, concerning which John 2: "He says to those selling doves: Take these things away from here, and do not make my Father's house a house of trade." Another trade is the best, by which one gives spiritual things in order to gather spiritual things: and this is good and pleasing to God, according to that passage of Isaiah 23: "Her trades and her wages shall be sanctified to the Lord." And concerning this, the last chapter of Proverbs: "She tasted and saw that her trade is good"; because "the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant" etc. Whence the Gloss: "Offer to the peoples the words of the Law examined by mystical interpretation, and receive from them the confession of faith and uprightness of morals."

He therefore who preaches for temporal gain is an evil trader; but he who does so for the gain of souls is a spiritual trader, such as Paul was, who said in 2 Corinthians 12: "I do not seek your things, but you." If however he also reaps carnal things here, provided he does not place his end there, but rather the contrary, he does not depart from spiritual trade nor make the Gospel a thing for sale. For this is permitted to be done not as the principal intention, but as ordered to something else, because, as is said in 1 Corinthians 9, "if we have sown spiritual things for you, it is no great thing if we reap your carnal things."

To those who believe in him, the Savior distributes a variety of divine gifts. We affirm that this is the meaning of the talent. Truly great is the difference between those who receive the talents and those who have even completely denied his kingdom. They are rebels that throw off the yoke of his scepter, while the others are endowed with the glory of serving him. As faithful servants, therefore, they are entrusted with their Lord's wealth. They gain something by doing business. They earn the praises due to faithful service, and they are considered worthy of eternal honors.

The sacred Scripture clearly shows how he distributed, who the persons are, and what the talents that he distributes signify. He continues to distribute even to this day. Blessed Paul said, "There are distributions of gifts but the same Spirit. There are distributions of ministries but the same Lord. There are distributions of things to be done but the same God who works all in every man." Explaining what he said, he states the kinds of the gifts as follows: "For to one is given the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, and to another faith, and to another gifts of healing, and so on. These words make plain the differences in the gifts.

I think that I should mention whom Christ has entrusted with these gifts, according to the measure of each one's readiness and disposition.… Another Evangelist is aware of a difference between the amounts of the talents distributed. To one, he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one. You see that the distribution was suitable to the measure of each one's faculties. As to those who were entrusted with them, come, and let us to the best of our ability declare who they are. They are those who are perfect in mind to whom also strong meat is fitting and whose intellectual senses are exercised for the discerning of good and evil. They are those who are skilled in instructing correctly and acquainted with the sacred doctrines. They know how to direct both themselves and others to every better work. In short, the wise disciples were above all others. Next to these come those who succeeded to their ministry, or who hold it at this day, even the holy teachers that stand at the head of the holy churches.

For ascending up to heaven, He sits on the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Heb. 1:3.) But being ascended, He hath dispensed to those that believe on Him different divine graces, as unto the servants were committed their Lord's goods, that gaining something they might bring him token of their service. As it follows, And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds.

By those then who receive the pounds, He means His disciples, giving a pound to each, since He entrusts to all an equal stewardship; He bade them put it out to use, as it follows, Occupy till I come. Now there was no other employment but to preach the doctrine of His kingdom to those who would hear it. But there is one and the same doctrine for all, one faith, one baptism. And therefore is one pound given to each.

Let us consider what profit we have made for God—we who, having received a talent, were sent by him to trade. For he says: Trade until I come. Behold, he has already come; behold, he seeks profit from our trading. What profit of souls shall we show him from our trading? How many sheaves of souls shall we bring before his sight from the harvest of our preaching?

Let us place before our eyes that day of such great severity, when the Judge will come and settle accounts with his servants to whom he entrusted the talents. Behold, in terrible majesty, he will be seen among the choirs of angels and archangels. In that great examination, the multitude of all the elect and the reprobate will be brought forth, and what each one has done will be shown. There Peter will appear with converted Judea, which he drew after himself. There Paul, leading the converted world, so to speak. There Andrew will lead Achaia after himself, there John will lead Asia, Thomas will lead India, converted, into the sight of their king. There all the rams of the Lord's flock will appear with the gains of souls, who by their holy preaching draw after themselves a flock made subject to God. Therefore, when so many shepherds with their flocks have come before the eyes of the eternal Shepherd, what shall we wretches say, who return to our Lord empty-handed after the business, who have had the name of shepherds and do not have the sheep we ought to show from our nurturing? Here we are called shepherds, and there we lead no flock.

Holy Scripture is accustomed to use the number ten as a sign of perfection, for if any one wishes to count beyond it, he has again to begin from unity, having in ten as it were arrived at a goal. And so in the giving of the talents, the one who reaches the goal of divine obedience is said to have received ten pounds.

For in earthly wealth it does not belong to one man to be made rich without another being made poor, but in spiritual riches, without his making another rich also. For in earthly matters participation lessens, in spiritual it increases wealth.

Interest on the Word of God is having in life and deeds things that the Word of God has commanded. When you hear the Word, if you use it and act according to those words that you hear and live according to these words, then you are preparing interest for the Lord. Each of you can make ten talents from five. You will then hear from the Lord, "Well done, good and faithful servant, you shall have power over ten cities." Beware of this, fearing that any one of you may gather "in a napkin" or bury "in the earth" the money that has been received. You know well the nature of the outcome for this kind of man when the Lord comes.

What you have offered to God you shall receive back multiplied. Something like this, although put in another way, is related in the Gospels when in a parable someone received a pound that he might engage in business, and the master of the house demanded the money. If you have caused five to be multiplied to ten, then they are given to you. Hear what Scripture says, "Take his pound, and give it to him who has ten pounds."We therefore appear at least to engage in business for the Lord, but the profits of the business go to us. We appear to offer sacrifice to the Lord, but the things we offer are given back to us. God does not need anything, but he wants us to be rich. He desires our progress through each, individual thing.

The Jews hated the Lord, but He gave ten minas to His servants. His servants are those to whom ministries in the Church have been entrusted. They are said to be "ten" on account of the perfection of ecclesiastical leadership. For the order in the Church has a perfect arrangement of leaders, and there was no need for either more or fewer of them. For example, we see in the Church the following three actions: purification, illumination, and perfection, and three ranks among which these actions are divided. Deacons purify through catechism and teaching, presbyters illuminate through baptism, and bishops appoint to sacred ranks and perfect, that is, they ordain. Do you see that the ranks are proportionate to the actions, and that there are neither more nor fewer ranks of leaders? To these servants the Lord distributes "ten minas," that is, gifts, which are given to each one for benefit (1 Cor. 12:7). For everyone to whom leadership has been entrusted, even if he is unworthy, has a gift from the anointing itself, and this is truly a great Mystery of God's love for mankind and Divine Economy.

(de Quæst. Ev. lib. ii. qu. 40.) And they sent a message after Him, because after His resurrection also, they persecuted His Apostles, and refused the preaching of the Gospel.

But his citizens hated him. And they sent a delegation after him, saying: We do not want him to reign over us. By citizens, he means the impious Jews. Of whom he elsewhere protests: But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father (John 15). Who not only hated him present even unto the death of the cross, but also after his resurrection sent persecution to the apostles and spurned the preaching of the heavenly kingdom.

Third, with regard to the hardening of human perfidy in the rebellion of the Jewish people, it is added: But his citizens hated him. These citizens are said to be the Jews: whence the Gloss: "Citizens, that is, the Jews, from whom Christ is according to the flesh," according to that passage in Romans 9: "Whose is the adoption of sons and the glory and the covenant and the giving of the law and the worship and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom Christ is according to the flesh, who is over all things God blessed." These citizens hated him, according to that passage of John 15: "That the word which is written in their Law may be fulfilled: Because they hated me without cause," when rather they ought to have loved him: and John 1: "He came unto his own, and his own received him not."

And because the Jews not only hated Christ when present, but also when rising and ascending, therefore he adds: And they sent an embassy after him, saying: We do not want this man to reign over us. They are said to send an embassy after Christ when they not only persecuted him in himself, but also in his body; whence the Gloss: "They not only hated him while present even unto the death of the cross, but also after his resurrection they sent persecution upon the Apostles and spurned the preaching of the heavenly kingdom." Whence it is said in Acts 8: "There arose a great persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the regions"; and 1 Thessalonians 2: "You became imitators of all the Churches which are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they also from the Jews, who both killed the Lord and persecuted us and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, so as to fill up their sins always." Whence they denied him: John 19: "We have no king but Caesar." But by refusing Christ to reign over them, they lost the kingdom; whence Daniel 9: "It shall not be his people, who shall deny him"; and by refusing him to reign, they ceased to be citizens, according to that passage of Isaiah 1: "How has the faithful city become a harlot," etc. But they refused the heavenly one to reign because they loved the carnal kingdom: John 3: "The light came into the world, and they loved darkness rather than light." And thus was verified that passage of Isaiah 1: "I have nourished and brought up children, and they have despised me."

It says that his citizens hated him. Likewise, Christ admonishes the Jewish crowds, saying, "If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father." They would not let him reign over them, and yet the holy prophets were constantly speaking predictions of Christ as a king. One of them even said, "Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion, for your King comes to you, just, and a Savior; he is meek, and riding on a donkey, and on a new foal." Blessed Isaiah says of him and of the holy apostles, "Behold, a just king shall reign, and princes shall rule with judgment." Again, Christ somewhere said by the voice of the psalmist, "But I have been appointed King by him on Zion, his holy mount, and I will declare the commandment of the Lord." They then denied his kingdom. When they came near to Pilate saying, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him," he asked them, or rather said to them in derision, "Shall I crucify your king?" They answered with wicked words and said, "We have no king but Caesar."Having denied the kingdom of Christ, they fell under the dominion of Satan and brought on themselves the yoke of sin that cannot be lifted.

But greatly indeed do these differ from those who denied the kingdom of God, of whom it is added, But his citizens hated him. And this it is for which Christ upbraided the Jews, when He said, But now have they both seen and hated me and my Father. (John 15:24.) But they rejected His kingdom, saying to Pilate, We have no king but Cæsar. (John 19:15.)

By citizens He signifies the Jews, who were sprung from the same lineage according to the flesh, and with whom He joined in the customs of the law.

His "citizens" are the Jews, who hate Him. "And they have seen, He says, and hated both Me and My Father" (John 15:24). They did not want Him to reign over them. Therefore, renouncing His kingdom, they said to Pilate: "We have no king," and again, "Do not write: The King of the Jews" (John 19:15, 21). Yet Zechariah cries out: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion...: behold, your King comes to you, righteous and saving" (Zech. 9:9); and Isaiah: "Behold, a King shall reign in righteousness" (Isa. 32:1); and David: "I have set My King upon Zion" (Ps. 2:6).

(de Quæst. Ev. lib. ii. qu. 40.) He also returns after having received His kingdom, because in all glory will He come who appeared lowly to them to whom He said, My kingdom is not of this world. (John 18:36.)

And it happened that he returned, having received the kingdom. It signifies the time when he will come in the most manifest and most eminent clarity, he who appeared to them humble, when he said: My kingdom is not of this world (John 18).

And he ordered the servants to be called to whom he had given the money, that he might know what each had gained by trading. To know, he said, not that anything should be hidden from him, to whom it is truly said: "Lord, you know all things." But to know, he says, is to make everyone know. For then the works and thoughts of all shall be plainly shown to everyone. As in Deuteronomy: He tests you, he says, the Lord your God, that he might know if you love him (Deut. XIII), that is, to make it known. Let no one think indeed that only those to whom the grace of preaching is given, but not also those to whom it is preached, shall be called to judgment then. For they themselves are the money which the good servants gained by trading. Furthermore, know that those also who have never been preached to shall be there to be condemned, about whom we shall speak below.

And it came to pass, that he returned, etc. After he described the state of merit, he here describes the form and state of judgment, which indeed the Evangelist describes: first, generally with respect to all; second, with respect to the faithful servants, at the passage: And the first came saying; third, with respect to the negligent, at the passage: And the third came saying; fourth, with respect to the rebellious, at the passage: But those enemies of mine, etc.

Moreover, he describes the state of judgment in general in a threefold manner, namely with regard to the manifest appearance of the judge himself, his authoritative command, and his strict inquiry.

First, therefore, as regards the manifest appearance of the judge, he says: And it came to pass, that he returned, having received the kingdom. The Gloss: "This will be when he who appeared humble will come to judge in the most manifest glory": Apocalypse 1: "Behold, he comes with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and those who pierced him." For then that coming of his will be manifest: whence above in the seventeenth chapter: "As the lightning from heaven shines upon those things that are under heaven, so also shall be the coming of the Son of Man"; because, as is said in First Corinthians 4, "he will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of hearts." But what is said in Amos 5: "The day of the Lord is darkness and not light, gloom and not splendor," is understood with respect to the proud and impious, whom a dark whirlwind will envelop, and they will be taken away, lest they see the glory of the Lord.

Second, as regards the authoritative command, he adds: He commanded the servants to be called, to whom he had given the money. This command will be one of supreme power, because he will also raise the dead: First Thessalonians 4: "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a command and with the voice of the Archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead who are in Christ shall rise first." This command will also be in his own power, according to that passage in John 5: "The hour comes, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear the voice of the Son of God." It will also be through the angelic ministry: Second Thessalonians 1: "In the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ from heaven with the Angels of his power, in a flame of fire giving vengeance"; whence Matthew 13: "The Son of Man shall send his Angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals and those who work iniquity." They also gather the good by the power and swiftness of their nature: the Psalm: "Bless the Lord, all his Angels, mighty in power, doing his word, to hear the voice of his words."

Third, as regards the strict inquiry, he adds: That he might know how much each one had gained by trading: the Gloss: "He will make it known: then the works and thoughts of all will be openly shown to all." Whence Daniel 7: "The judgment sat, and the books were opened"; this opening is the weighing of merits and demerits according to the comparison of deeds done to the norms of what ought to have been done. Whence Apocalypse 20: "I saw the dead, small and great, standing in the sight of the throne, and books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from those things which were written in the books"; because, according to what is said in Second Corinthians 5, "we must all be made manifest before the tribunal of Christ, that each one may receive the things proper to his body, according as he has done, whether good or evil." Whence to each one will be said that which is said to the steward above in the sixteenth chapter: "Render an account of your stewardship."

But when Christ returns, having taken unto Himself His kingdom, the ministers of the word will receive their deserved praises and delight in heavenly rewards, because they multiplied their talent by acquiring more talents, as it is added, Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound has gained ten pounds.

After our Saviour had instructed them in the things belonging to His first coming, He proceeds to set forth His second coming with majesty and great glory, saying, And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom.

This is a noble and sacred expenditure, attended neither with sorrow nor fear, but with joy. Do not practise the expenditure of the heathen, for it is injurious to you who are the servants of God; but practise an expenditure of your own, in which ye can rejoice.

What if you come to feel that what we have called a loss is a gain? For continence will be a mean whereby you will traffic in a mighty substance of sanctity; by parsimony of the flesh you will gain the Spirit.

"When he returns" — Christ, noble both in His humanity (for the Lord was of royal lineage) and in His Divinity, at His second coming, when He shall appear with the apostles as King, coming in the glory of the Father, and when every knee shall bow before Him, then He will indeed demand an accounting from the servants who received the gifts.

But the ten cities are the souls over whom he is rightly placed who has deposited in the minds of men his Lord's money and the holy words, which are tried as silver is tried in the fire. For as Jerusalem is said to be built as a city, (Ps. 121:3.) so are peace-making souls. And as angels have rule, so have they who have acquired the life of angels. It follows, And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound has gained five pounds.

Or perhaps differently; he who gained five pounds has all the moral virtues, for there are five senses of the body. He who gained ten has so much more, that is to say, the mysteries of the law as well as the moral virtues. The ten pounds may also here be taken to mean the ten words, that is, the teaching of the law; the five pounds, the ordering of discipline. But the scribe must be perfect in all things. And rightly, since He is speaking of the Jews, are there two only who bring their pounds multiplied, not indeed by a gainful interest of money, but a profitable stewardship of the Gospel. For there is one kind of usury in money lent on interest, another in heavenly teaching.

(de Quæst. Evan. lib. ii. qu. 46.) Or else; That one of those who well employed their money gained ten pounds, another five, signifies that they acquired them for the flock of God, by whom the law was now understood through grace, either because of the ten commandments of the law, or because he, through whom the law was given, wrote five books; and to this belong the ten and five cities over which He appoints them to preside. For the manifold meanings or interpretations which spring up concerning some individual precept or book, when reduced and brought together in one, make as it were a city of living eternal reasons. Hence a city is not a multitude of living creatures, but of reasonable beings bound together by the fellowship of one law. The servants then who bring an account of that which they had received, and are praised for having gained more, represent those giving in their account who have well employed what they had received, to increase their Lord's riches by those who believe on Him, while they who are unwilling to do this are signified by that servant who kept his pound laid up in a napkin; of whom it follows, And the third came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin, &c. For there are some who flatter themselves with this delusion, saying, It is enough for each individual to answer concerning himself, what need then of others to preach and minister, in order that every one should be compelled also to give an account of himself, seeing that in the Lord's sight even they are without excuse to whom the law was not given, and who were not asleep at the time of the preaching of the Gospel, for they might have known the Creator through the creature; and then it follows, For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man, &c. For this is, as it were, to reap when he did not sow, that is, to hold those guilty of ungodliness to whom this word of the law or the Gospel was not preached, and avoiding as it were this peril of judgment, with slothful toil they rest from the ministration of the word. And this it is to tie up in a napkin what they had received.

But the first came, saying: Lord, your mina has gained ten minas. The first servant is the order of teachers sent to the circumcision, who received one mina to trade with, because they were commanded to preach one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God. But this same mina gained ten minas, because the people under the law came to be united to him through teaching.

The first servant is the order of teachers sent to the circumcision, who received one pound to put out to use, inasmuch as it was ordered to preach one faith. But this one pound gained ten pounds, because by its teaching it united to itself the people who were subject to the law.

But the first came etc. After he describes the form of judgment with respect to all, here he consequently describes it with respect to the faithful servants. And since there was a twofold order of preachers, joined according to the twofold wall of the Church through the cornerstone, namely some who converted the people of the Jews, and others who converted the people of the Gentiles: therefore he first describes the remunerative judgment of the faithful servant in the instruction of the Jews: secondly, in the conversion of the Gentile peoples, at the words: And another came saying etc.

Concerning the judgment of the faithful servants in the conversion of the Jews, three things are introduced, namely the multiplication of the entrusted talent, the approbation of the heavenly judgment, and the retribution of the accumulated reward.

First, therefore, as regards the multiplication of the entrusted talent, he says: But the first came saying: Lord, your mina has gained ten minas. The first servant, however, is said to be the one to whom the office of preaching was first entrusted, as was Peter, to whom the synagogue of the Jews was entrusted to be converted; whence the Gloss: "The first servant is the order of doctors sent to the circumcision," who is therefore called first, because, as is said in Acts thirteen, "it was necessary to preach the kingdom of God to you first." For this servant is said to have received one mina on account of the unity of grace and doctrine; whence the Gloss: "He received one mina for trading, because he was commanded to preach one God, one faith, one baptism"; Ephesians four: "Being careful to preserve the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, as you were called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism." He is also said to have gained ten minas on account of the conversion of those who were under the Law; whence also the Gloss: "He gained ten minas, when by teaching he joined to himself the people established under the Law"; Acts five: "The multitude of men and women believing in the Lord was increasingly augmented, so that they cast the sick out into the streets, that when Peter came, they might be overshadowed and freed from infirmity." Therefore he offers this acquired people to the Lord as merit. As a figure of this, Genesis twenty-seven: "Arise, eat of my game, that your soul may bless me."

And note that he does not say: I gained, but: the mina, so as to say that word of Isaiah twenty-six: "All our works you have wrought in us, O Lord"; and that word of First Corinthians fifteen: "Yet not I, but the grace of God with me."

(Hom. 78. in Matt. Mat. 25.) This parable as it is related in Luke is different from that given in Matthew concerning the talents. For in the former indeed out of one and the same principal there were different sums produced, seeing that from the profits of one pound received, one servant brought five, another ten pounds. But with Matthew it is very different. For he who received two pounds, thereto added two more. He who received five, gained as much again. So the rewards given are unlike also.

It is revealed that one brought benefit to many and multiplied the gift tenfold. Therefore, the one who multiplied what he received tenfold is set over ten cities, that is, he receives authority over ten cities, and consequently is rewarded many times over.

(Evagrius.) Because he receives the reward of his own good works, he is said to be set over ten cities. And some conceiving unworthily of these promises imagine that they themselves are preferred to magistracies and chief places in the earthly Jerusalem, which is built with precious stones, because they have had their conversation honest in Christ; so little do they purge their soul of all hankering after power and authority among men.

And he said to him: Well done, good servant, because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities. The servant is faithful in a very little, who does not adulterate the word of God, but speaks in Christ as from God, in the presence of God (II Cor. II). For whatever we receive of gifts at present is in comparison to the future very little and small, for we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part shall be done away (I Cor. XIII). The ten cities, however, are the souls coming to the grace of the Gospel through the word of the law. To whom he who has worthily given the money of the word to God shall then be rightly glorified. Hence, a certain excellent merchant, addressing the cities over which he presided, that is, the souls he had received to govern, says: What is our hope or joy or crown of glory? Is it not even you before our Lord Jesus (I Thess. II)?

It follows, And he said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, &c. The servant is faithful in a very little who does not adulterate the word of God. For all the gifts we receive now are but small in comparison of what we shall have.

Second, with regard to the acceptance of the heavenly judgment, he adds: And he said to him: Well done, good servant, because you have been faithful in a little. And note that well done is sometimes mocking, according to that passage of the Psalm: "They said: Well done, well done, our eyes have seen it." Sometimes it is flattering; the Psalm: "Let them be turned back immediately in shame who say to me: Well done, well done"; and again: "Let them bear their confusion at once who say to me: Well done, well done"; because flattery must be most swiftly repelled. Sometimes it is exhortatory, as here and in Matthew twenty-five: "Well done, good and faithful servant, I will set you over many things." Here, however, the servant is called good in performing service and faithful in keeping and dispensing what was entrusted to him: 1 Corinthians 4: "Here it is now required among stewards that one be found faithful"; and Proverbs 20: "Many men are called merciful, but who will find a faithful man?" He is therefore called faithful without qualification, because he preserved faithfulness in small things. For above in chapter sixteen: "He who is faithful in the least is faithful also in the greater." But "a little," as the Gloss says, is whatever of gifts we receive in the present in comparison to future things. "For we know in part and we prophesy in part," as is said in 1 Corinthians 13. In these things, however, he is faithful who faithfully shares them, "not seeking the things that are his own, but the things of Jesus Christ." Bernard: "You are truly a faithful servant of the Lord if, of the great glory of your Lord—although not going out from you, yet passing through you—nothing has happened to cling to your hands." Such a servant was Paul, who said in 2 Corinthians 2: "I am not as the many who adulterate the word of God, but from sincerity, as from God, before God, in Christ we speak."

Third, with regard to the retribution of the accumulated reward, he adds: You shall have authority over ten cities. Note that these ten cities are understood to be beatified souls, just as by the ten minas gained are understood souls converted to Christ: which he calls minas in the state of the way on account of their changeability, but in the state of the fatherland cities on account of the immutability of glory. And on this the Gloss says: "The ten cities are souls arriving through the words of the Law at the grace of the Gospel, over whom he who has worthily commended to God the money of the word is then set as one to be glorified. Whence First Thessalonians 2: What is our hope, or joy, or crown of glory? Are not you before the Lord Jesus," etc. They are said, however, to be set over them on account of a certain glorious excellence, not through authoritative command, because, First Corinthians 15, "when he shall have brought to nothing all principality and power and virtue," etc.; which is said with regard to the command of domination, not with regard to the degree of excellence and dignity, because great will be the dignity from the conversion of many; therefore it is said in First Timothy 3: "Those who minister well acquire for themselves a good degree"; and again in the fifth chapter: "Let the presbyters who rule well be held worthy of double honor," because both on account of themselves and on account of the people gained. Whence also Daniel 12: "Those who instruct many unto justice shall be as stars," etc. And therefore Ecclesiastes 7: "Wisdom has strengthened the wise man above ten princes of the city." Therefore, although the Jewish peoples were for the most part hardened, the Apostles nevertheless did not preach to them in vain. Whence Romans 11: "Has God cast away his people? God forbid; for I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham. God has not cast away his people, whom he foreknew"; and afterward: "So therefore also at this time a remnant according to the election by grace has been saved," which indeed redound to the glory of the preachers, according to that word of Isaiah 49, "You shall be clothed with all these as with an ornament."

And another came, saying, "Lord, your mina has made five minas." This servant is of the group that was sent to evangelize the uncircumcised, to whom the Lord had granted one mina, that is, the same faith which was also entrusted to the circumcision, but this one made five minas, because he converted the Gentiles, who were previously enslaved by the senses of the body, to the grace of the evangelical faith.

That servant is the assembly of those who were sent to preach the Gospel to the uncircumcision, whose pound, that is the faith of the Gospel, gained five pounds, because it converted to the grace of Evangelical faith, the nations before enslaved to the five senses of the body.

And another came saying, etc. After he has set forth the form of judgment concerning the order of preachers who labored faithfully in the conversion of the Jews, here secondly he sets forth concerning the order of preachers who were faithful in the conversion of the gentile peoples. Concerning which order two things are introduced, namely the faithfulness of ministry and the sublimity of reward.

First, therefore, regarding the faithfulness of ministry, it says: And another came saying: Lord, your mina has made five minas. The Gloss: "One mina makes five, because it converts the Gentiles, previously enslaved to the five senses, to the grace of the evangelical faith." As a figure of this, it was said to that Samaritan woman, who bore the figure of the Gentiles: "You have had five husbands," John 4. But when these five senses are converted to the service of God, then the mina of grace is said to be multiplied fivefold, according to that passage of Isaiah 19: "In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking the language of Canaan and swearing by the Lord of hosts. In that day there shall be an altar of the Lord of hosts in the midst of the land of Egypt and a pillar of the Lord near its border." Therefore the souls converted from the Gentiles are called five, not because they are fewer than those converted from the Jews, but because the latter were guided according to the law of the Decalogue, while the former were guided according to the laws of the senses and carnal pleasures. On account of which the Jews are also said to have been called from near, but the Gentiles from afar: Ephesians 2: "He preached peace to those who were near, and peace to those who were far off."

Another also brought benefit, but to a lesser number. The one who follows the first receives a proportionate reward. But the one who brought no profit is condemned.

And to him he said, "And you be over five cities." This means, from the faith and conversion of the souls whom he had instructed, shine forth as great and exalted. Concerning which Isaiah mystically says: "In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt, speaking the language of Canaan" (Isaiah 19). For the five cities in the land of Egypt are the five senses of the body, which we use in this world, namely sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. And, "whoever looks at a woman to lust after her" (Matthew 5); who "turns his ear away from hearing the poor" (Proverbs 21); who "gets drunk with wine, in which is dissipation" (Ephesians 5); who "enjoys crowning himself with roses before they wither" (Wisdom 2); whose "hands are full of blood, and his right hand is filled with bribes" (Psalm 26), the five senses of this person speak the language of Egypt, that is, all the senses perform works of darkness. For Egypt signifies darkness. But he who "stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil" (Isaiah 33), who "tastes and sees that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34), who "disciplines his body and brings it into subjection" (1 Corinthians 9), who can say with the Apostle, "We are to God the fragrance of Christ" (2 Corinthians 2), the cities of this person speak with a changed language, which is interpreted as Canaan. And the one who had taught them away from the darkness rightly is remembered as being over five cities, because he is honored not only for his own progress but also for the progress of his listeners, whom he called to the light.

And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities; that is, be exalted to shine through the faith and conversation of those souls which thou hast enlightened.

Second, regarding the sublimity of the reward, he adds: And to this one he said: And you, be over five cities, that is, have glory from the whole company of the faithful who were converted. Whence the Gloss: "With respect to those souls which you have imbued with faith and good conduct, be great and exalted, and be honored not only for your own merits but also for the progress of your hearers." From these Gentiles, Paul, the most noble preacher, although he called and considered himself the least of the Apostles, led the greatest multitude to the Lord's sheepfold, since, according to that passage of Isaiah 60, "the least shall become a thousand, and the little one a most mighty nation." Whence he himself also said in Galatians 2: "He who worked in Peter for the apostolate of the circumcision, worked also in me among the Gentiles."

And it should be noted that although he said ten servants were called on account of the universality of preachers, he takes up only three—namely, two good and one bad—to intimate that every preaching of the good is bipartite according to the twofold people and the twofold wall, by reason of which there was also a twofold priesthood and a twofold testament; and a twofold order of good preachers is said to exist according to the twofold difference of sheep to be pastured. As a figure of this, Genesis thirty-two: "With my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I return with two companies"; and John ten: "I have other sheep that are not of this fold"; and Ephesians two: "That he might create the two in himself into one new man, making peace." In designation of this also, the Lord sent forth the two princes of the Apostles as two preeminent preachers and leaders of those who preach, namely Peter and Paul, giving to Peter the preeminent power of working miracles, but to Paul the most profound wisdom for understanding mysteries; because, as is said in First Corinthians one, "Jews demand signs, and Greeks seek wisdom." Whoever therefore are good preachers are imitators of these two and lead to the Lord's manger either the ox or the ass, that is, ten minas or five, according to this difference of peoples. And from this the difference appears between the parable that Matthew proposes concerning talents and that which Luke sets forth here: because this one regards the difference of preachers with respect to hearers, but that one with respect to their own merits. Therefore here it is said that he gave the same amount to all; but there, that he gave more to one and less to another. Hence also that one was proposed in Jerusalem, but this one on the way; in both, however, the zealous diligence of faithful preachers is approved, and negligence is reproved; in this one especially the perfidy of the rebellious Jews is condemned, since at the end of the parable there is added the slaying of the enemies, that is, of the rebellious Jews.

Nothing is said of the other servants, who like wasteful debtors lost all that they had received. By those two servants who gained by trading, are signified that small number, who in two companies were sent as dressers of the vineyard; by the remainder all the Jews. It follows, And they said unto him, Lord, he has ten pounds. And lest this should seem unjust, it is added, For to every one that hath, it shall be given.

In the Gospel, you have heard both the reward of the good servants and the punishment of the bad. The fault of that servant who was reproved and severely punished was this and only this: that he would not put to use what he had received. He preserved it intact, but his master was looking for a profit from it. God is greedy for our salvation. If such condemnation befalls the servant who did not use what he had received, what should they who lose it expect? We therefore are dispensers. We expend, but you receive. We expect a profit on your part—living good lives—for that is the profit from our dispensing. Do not think that you are free from the obligation of dispensing. Of course, you cannot dispense your gifts as from this higher station of ours, but you can dispense them in whatever station you happen to be. When Christ is attacked, defend him. Give an answer to those who complain. Rebuke blasphemers, but keep yourselves far from any fellowship with them. If in this way you gain anyone, you are putting your gifts to use.

And another came, saying: Lord, behold thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin. For I feared thee, because thou art a stern man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. The servant who, being ordered to trade, hid the master's money in a napkin, shows those who, although fit to preach, refuse either to take up the office of preaching, by command of the Lord through the Church, or at least to carry it out worthily once taken up. For to tie money in a napkin is to hide the received gifts in the idleness of sluggish inactivity. There are indeed men flattering themselves with this perverse reasoning, so as to say: It is enough that each one renders an account concerning himself. What need is there to preach to others, so that each one may be obliged to render an account also concerning them, since even those are inexcusable before the Lord to whom the law was not given, and who have slumbered without hearing the Gospel, because they were able to know the creator through creation? For this is, as it were, to reap where he has not sown, that is, also to hold them guilty of impiety to whom the word of the law or the Gospel has not been ministered. However, avoiding this sort of peril of judgment, they rest in lazy languor away from the ministry of the word, and this is, as it were, tying what they have received in a napkin.

Or to tie up money in a napkin is to hide the gifts we have received under the indolence of a sluggish body.

And the third came saying etc. After he described the form of judgment with respect to all and with respect to the faithful, here he describes it with respect to the negligent, who are all designated in the person of this third servant. Concerning this, however, four things are introduced by the Evangelist, namely the lazy servant's concealment, wicked excuse, and just rebuke and just condemnation.

First, therefore, as regards the lazy concealment of the servant himself, he adds: And the third came saying: Lord, behold, your mina, which I kept laid away in a napkin; The Gloss: "The third servant represents those who, after the Jews and gentiles have been gathered, negligently exercise the office of preaching entrusted to them." Concerning whom it is said in Jeremiah 48: "Cursed is he who does the work of God negligently and who withholds his sword from blood." It is done negligently when the gift of wisdom is hidden and concealed; therefore he says it was laid away in a napkin; concerning which Bede says: "He lays away money in a napkin who, though fit for preaching, either refuses to undertake the office of preaching or does not carry it out well once undertaken; but hides the gifts received under idle torpor, saying: It suffices me to give an account of myself. Why should I preach to others, or be compelled to give an account of others?" Such a one deserves to be cursed, because, Proverbs 11, "he who hides grain shall be cursed among the peoples." For he is a wicked shepherd who, having food, allows the sheep to die of hunger. On account of which, Sirach 29: "Lose your money for the sake of a brother and friend, and do not hide it under a stone unto destruction." And if this is said concerning money, how much more so concerning knowledge; whence Sirach 41: "Hidden wisdom and an unseen treasure, what profit is there" in either? Whence Ezekiel 3: "If when I say to the wicked," etc.; there the Gloss says: "It is a great peril to conceal the words of God."

But this is understood not of the concealment that comes from prudence — for in Ecclesiastes 3 it is said: "A time to be silent and a time to speak"; and in the Psalm: "In my heart I have hidden your words, that I might not sin against you"; on account of which it is said in Proverbs 10: "The wise hide knowledge"; and Sirach 20: "There is one who is silent and is found wise, and there is one who is hateful who is forward in speaking" — but it is understood of the concealment that comes from fear, or flattery, or avarice, or negligence; therefore he says significantly: it was laid away in a napkin. For in a napkin the dead are wrapped; and the mina is laid away in a napkin when a dead affection toward one's neighbor hides speech and teaching on account of a wicked life, like those of whom it is said in Romans 1, "Who hold the truth of God in unrighteousness"; or on account of sloth of heart, because he does not have fraternal charity; on account of which, Sirach 30: "Good things hidden in a closed mouth are like offerings of food placed around a tomb." And therefore, as a figure of this, the hidden manna rotted, Exodus 16. And the mina in a napkin is not multiplied, and grain in a granary does not increase but is eaten by moths; it only bears fruit when it is sown. So also the word of God, which is compared to a price and to seed; and therefore Proverbs 15: "The lips of the wise shall spread abroad knowledge; the heart of fools shall be otherwise."

Isn't it possible that many "liberals" have a highly illiberal motive for banishing the idea of Heaven? They want the gilt-edged security of a religion so contrived that no possible fact could ever refute it. In such a religion they have the comfortable feeling that, whatever the real universe may be like, they will not have "been had" or "backed the wrong horse". It is close to the spirit of the man who hid his talent in a napkin—"I know you are a hard man and I'm taking no risks". But surely the sort of religion they want would consist of nothing but tautologies?

He had Himself fore-shown, by means of a parable, that they should not keep back in secret, fruitless of interest, a single pound, that is, one word of His.

Let us see what he says: "Lord! here is your mina," take it; "I kept it, wrapped in a handkerchief." A cloth was placed on the head of the deceased Lord (John 20:7), and the face of Lazarus in the tomb was wrapped with a handkerchief (John 11:44). Therefore this negligent man rightly says that he wrapped the gift in a handkerchief. For having made it dead and inactive, he made no use of it and brought no profit.

For with a napkin the face of the dead is covered; well then is this idler said to have wrapped up his pound in a napkin, because leaving it dead and unprofitable he neither touched nor increased it.

Secondly, as to the wicked excuse, he adds: For I feared you, because you are an austere man; in which he excuses himself as a sluggard through fear; Proverbs twenty-two: "The sluggard says: There is a lion in the way, a lioness in the paths, and I shall be killed in the midst of the streets." Whence also that word of the Psalm applies to such people: "They trembled with fear where there was no fear." He excuses himself wickedly, because he imposes the blame for his own negligence upon the severity of the judging Lord, when on the contrary He Himself says in Matthew eleven: "Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart," and in Romans two: "Do you not know that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?"

He also excuses himself foolishly, because, when he ought to speak for himself, he speaks against himself, when he adds: You take up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow: The Gloss: "The Lord reaps where He did not sow, that is, He holds guilty of impiety those to whom He did not minister the word of the Law or of the Gospel." In this he alleges the severity of the divine judgment, because the Lord punishes even the ignorant; and therefore he ought to fear that He will much more severely punish the negligent; whence Ecclesiasticus two: "Those who fear the Lord will seek out what is well-pleasing to Him." Moreover, the Lord punishes even those to whom He did not give the Law, from whom He requires justice, because, even if they do not have the written law, they nevertheless have the law of nature impressed within them; on account of which it is said in Romans two: "Those who sinned without the Law will perish without the Law." Whence also in the same place: "For when the Gentiles, who do not have the Law, do by nature those things that are of the Law, such as these, not having the Law, are a law unto themselves, who show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to them," "when God will judge the hidden things of men through Jesus Christ";

"For I feared you," he says, "because you take up what you did not lay down." Many excuse themselves with such a pretext. Not wishing to be of benefit to anyone, they say: where God has not sown giftedness and ability, do not seek a harvest there. He did not create such-and-such a person gifted and capable of learning — so why demand from me that I be of benefit to him?

We are well aware of the threats made by the Lord's merciful "greed." He is everywhere seeking a profitable return on his money. He says to the lazy servant, who wished to pass judgment on something he could not see, "Wicked servant, out of your own mouth I condemn you. You said I am a difficult man, reaping where I have not sown, gathering where I have not scattered. So you knew all about my greed. You, then, should have given my money to the stockbrokers. When I came, I would have demanded it with interest." We could only lay out our Lord's money. He is the one who will demand the interest on it, not only from this man but also from all of us.

He saith unto him: Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. He is called a wicked servant, because he is both lazy and idle in conducting business, and insolent and proud in accusing the judgment of the Lord.

You knew that I am a harsh man, taking what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow, and why did you not give my money to the table? What he had thought to say as an excuse turns into his own fault. If, he says, you knew I was harsh and cruel, and seeking what belongs to others and reaping where I have not sown, why did such thinking not instill fear in you, so that you would know that I would seek my own more diligently and give my money or silver to the table? For the Greek word ἀργυρίῳ signifies both. The words of the Lord, he says, are pure words, silver tried in a furnace (Psalm XI). Therefore, money and silver are the preaching of the Gospel, and the divine word, which ought to have been given to the table, that is, to be planted in the ready and prepared hearts of the faithful. In particular, to this table, that is, to the mind of the hearers, should no other money than the Lord's be presented, so that every word of the teacher follows the meaning of Scripture. For in this place the Lord says that not just any money, but His own, must be entrusted to the bankers, as the Apostle explains, saying: If anyone speaks, let him speak as the words of God (1 Peter IV).

But that which he thought to have used as an excuse is turned to his own blame, as it follows, He says unto him, Out of thy own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. He is called a wicked servant, as being slothful in business, and proud in questioning his Lord's judgment. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: wherefore then gavest thou not my money into the bank? As though he said, If thou knewest me to be a hard man, and a seeker of what is not mine own, why did not the thought of this strike thee with terror, that thou mightest be sure that I would require mine own with strictness?

Thirdly, as to the just reproof of the servant, it is added: He says to him: Out of your own mouth I judge you, wicked servant. Wicked servant he calls him, because he was slothful in neglecting, because he was proud in justifying himself, and wicked in accusing the lord. The Gloss: "Wicked, because slothful in carrying out his duty, proud in accusing the divine judgment." And therefore out of his own mouth, while he believes himself to be justifying himself, he rather accuses himself, according to that passage in Job nine: "If I would justify myself, my own mouth will condemn me; if I would show myself innocent, it will prove me wicked"; because, as Augustine says, "to speak well and to live wickedly is nothing other than to condemn oneself by one's own tongue."

This negligent servant, therefore, while he shows that he knows the judgment and severity of God, speaks against himself; whence he also adds: You knew that I am an austere man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow, through the severity of vengeance, according to that passage of the Psalm: "When I shall receive the appointed time, I will judge justly."

And now the Saviour shows Himself, out of His abundance, dispensing goods to His servants according to the ability of the recipient, that they may augment them by exercising activity, and then returning to reckon with them; when, approving of those that had increased His money, those faithful in little, and commanding them to have the charge over many things, He bade them enter into the joy of the Lord. But to him who had hid the money, entrusted to him to be given out at interest, and had given it back as he had received it, without increase, He said, "Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou oughtest to have given my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received mine own." Wherefore the useless servant "shall be cast into outer darkness." "Thou, therefore, be strong," says Paul, "in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." And again: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Else, if it is the Creator whom He has here delineated as the "austere man," who "takes up what he laid not down, and reaps what he did not sow," my instructor even here is He, (whoever He may be, ) to whom belongs the money He teaches me fruitfully to expend.

Therefore the Lord also says: you teach and give My silver to the laborers, that is, to all people appointed to receive benefit. For every person has been established by God as a money-changer, so as to make transactions in the great workshop of this world. And "so that when I come, I may receive it back with interest," that is, demand it back with profit. We must do our part, and as for what follows, God will judge those who did not wish to make use of it.

(de Quæst. Ev. lib. ii. qu. 46.) Or the bank into which the money was to be given, we take to be the very profession of religion which is publicly put forth as a means necessary to salvation.

And I coming, would have certainly demanded it with interest. He who receives the money of the word from the teacher, and acquires it by believing, must necessarily repay it with interest by working, so that what he has learned by hearing, he may carry out in action. Indeed, through interest, money even not given is received. Or certainly, he repays the interest on the received money of the word, who from what he hears also strives to understand other things, which he has not yet learned from the mouth of the preacher.

But money or silver is the preaching of the Gospel and the word of God, for the words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in the fire. (Ps. 12:6.) And this word of the Lord ought to be given to the bank, that is, put into hearts meet and ready to receive it.

For they who by faith receive the riches of the word from a teacher, must by their works pay it back with usury, or be earnestly desirous to know something more than what they have as yet learnt from the mouth of their preachers.

And why did you not put my money at the bank? through the diligence of watchfulness, by which he ought to have multiplied the money of evangelical preaching by evangelizing, lest through negligence he incur divine wrath. Whence the Gloss: "If you knew me to be harsh and cruel, why did this thought not strike fear into you, so that you would know that I would seek what is mine more diligently?"

And note that he calls the mina his money, because knowledge and grace and doctrine belong to God rather than to us; and therefore Ezekiel 2: "You shall speak my words to them"; the Gloss: "Not your own"; whence also Matthew 10: "For it is not you who speak," etc.

But this is money granted to us for bearing fruit, and therefore he adds: And at my coming I should certainly have exacted it with interest, namely through the equity of justice, by which he exacts the interest of manifold fruitfulness. Whence the Gloss: "He who purchases the money of the word from the teacher by believing must necessarily repay it with interest by working." He therefore who neglected to teach others whom he could have taught, the negligence of those others will be imputed to him. Whence Chrysostom: "He who received seed for the purpose of sowing and does not sow at the time of sowing causes loss to the master, even if he guards the seed, as great a loss as the profit he could have made if he had sown at the opportune time." Whence also the Lord, coming to judgment, does not require only the gift that he gave, but also the fruit that he expected from the gift. Therefore he says in Matthew 3: "Every tree that does not bear good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire." Whence also concerning the fig tree, above in chapter 13: "Behold, it is three years since I have come seeking fruit on it and find none. Cut it down therefore; why should it even occupy the ground?" He seeks therefore both fruit from trees and interest from spiritual money; whence Gregory says that "when gifts are increased, the accounts of those gifts also grow."

In the payment of earthly riches the debtors are obliged only to strictness. Whatever they receive, so much must they return, nothing more is required of them. But with regard to the words of God, we are not only bound diligently to keep, but we are commanded to increase; and hence it follows, that at my coming I might have required the same with usury.

And to those standing by, he says: Take away the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas. And they said to him: Lord, he has ten minas. Rightly does he lose the bestowed grace, which by preaching to others he neglected to share, so that it may be increased to him who labored for it. According to what is said to the angel of the Church of Ephesus: And I will move your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent (Rev. II). And while the royal anointing, which Saul lost through pride, David earned by obedience: The Spirit of the Lord, it says, departed from Saul, and was directed to David from that day forward. But indeed the mina taken from the wicked servant being commanded to be given to him who had ten minas mystically indicates, as I believe, that upon the fullness of the Gentiles entering all Israel will be saved (Rom. XI), and then the abundance of spiritual grace, which we now suddenly exercise, will be bestowed upon the teachers of that people.

The mystical meaning I suppose is this, that at the coming in of the Gentiles all Israel shall be saved, (Rom. 11:26.) and that then the abundant grace of the Spirit will be poured out upon the teachers.

Fourth, as regards the just condemnation of the servant himself, there is added: And he said to those standing by: Take the mina from him and give it to him who has ten minas. Those standing by he calls those who assist him in judgment, whether Angels or other Saints, by whose judgment and approbation the reward corresponding to the gift uselessly held will be taken away, and glory and joy will be given to the faithful steward, according to that passage in Apocalypse 3: "Hold fast what you have, lest another receive your crown." This judgment the Lord also exercises in the present, taking away even gifts that have been granted on account of the sloth and misuse of the negligent. Whence the Gloss: "He who neglects to preach grace that has been bestowed by communicating it to others loses it; but it is increased for him who has labored in it, just as the royal chrism, which Saul lost through pride, David merited through obedience. For the Spirit of the Lord, which departed from Saul, was directed from that day forward upon David," 1 Kings 16. Whence also it is said in Matthew 21: "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."

But more is given to him who has ten minas, on account of the mystery, because he designates the order of those who preached to the Jewish people, who also are finally to be converted to Christ. Whence the Gloss: "When all Israel shall be saved, then the whole fullness of spiritual grace, which we now exercise sluggishly, will be abundantly conferred upon the doctors of that time." Whence Romans 9: "Isaiah cries out for Israel: If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved."

It is the work of teachers to engraft in their hearers' minds wholesome and profitable words, but of divine power to win the hearers to obedience, and render their understanding fruitful. Now this servant, so far from being commended or thought worthy of honour, was condemned as slothful, as it follows, And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give to him that hath ten pounds.

(Hom. 43. in Act.) He says then to them that stood by, Take from him the pound, because it is not the part of a wise man to punish, but he needs some one else as the minister of the judge in executing punishment. For even God does not Himself inflict punishment, but through the ministry of His angels.

The gift is taken away and given to the good worker. Although he already has, for that very reason it is profitable for him to receive more.

For seeing that he gained ten, by multiplying his pound tenfold, it is plain that by having more to multiply, he would be an occasion of greater gain to his Lord.

And because this seems unreasonable and incredible, that he should give to one who has abundance, therefore it is added: And they said to him: Lord, he has ten minas, as if they were saying: this does not seem to be a right judgment.

(de Quæst. Ev. l. ii. qu. 46.) Signifying thereby that both he will lose the gift of God, who having, hath not, that is, useth it not, and that he will have it increased, who having, hath, that is, rightly useth it.

But I say to you that to everyone who has, it will be given. But from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. This saying refers to the previous teachings, showing that even he who has the gift of God can lose it if he does not use it, and it will be increased in him who has it and uses it well. This transformation of graces, because it usually happens in this life, should be noted from the testing of the Lord's return, which is now partially celebrated but will then be universally fulfilled. For every day He returns with the kingdom received from the Father because He observes the state of the Church, which sojourns on earth. Every day He gives money to be traded by this large number of faithful servants, and in each examines the measure of their completed work, rewarding one who works faithfully and wisely with a greater gift of grace, and depriving another who follows idle pleasures and softness in luxury of what had been given to him. Truly, regarding the universal judgment manifest to all, which is terrible even to speak of, many who seemed apt to teach will be counted among the ignorant because of their negligence. But other simpler brothers and those entirely ignorant of the basics but devoted in excellent conduct will receive the highest rewards among the apostolic teachers. For he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward (Matt. X).

Therefore he pronounces judgment generally for all, adding: But I say to you, that to everyone who has, it shall be given, and he shall abound: The Gloss: "To one who uses what he has." But from him who does not have, namely right use, even what he has, namely the divine gift, shall be taken away from him, by divine judgment. Which is stated more expressly in Matthew 25: "What he seems to have shall be taken away from him." Whence then that saying of Proverbs 11 shall be verified: "Some distribute their own goods and become richer; others seize what belongs to others and are always in want." And therefore generally to everyone who has, that is, having the desire of hearing, shall be given the sense of understanding: Sirach 6: "If you love to hear, you shall be wise." To him who has the will of working, shall be given the faculty of accomplishing: Philippians 2: "God is the one who works in you both to will and to accomplish." To him who has works, shall be given understanding: the Psalm: "From your commandments I have understood." "I have understood above the elders," etc. To him who has justice, shall be given wisdom: Sirach 1: "Son, desiring wisdom, preserve justice." To him who has grace, shall be given glory: the Psalm: "The Lord will give grace and glory." To him who has the pledge, shall be given the eternal inheritance: Ephesians 1: "In whom also believing you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the pledge of our inheritance," etc. To him who has an abundance of merits, shall be given an abundance of rewards, because, Second Corinthians 9, "he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, and he who sows in blessings shall also reap of blessings"; above in chapter six: "Give, and it shall be given to you. A good measure," etc.

But it is not doubting in reference to God, but believing, that is the foundation of knowledge. But Christ is both the foundation and the superstructure, by whom are both the beginning and the ends. And the extreme points, the beginning and the end-I mean faith and love-are not taught. But knowledge, conveyed from communication through the grace of God as a deposit, is entrusted to those who show themselves worthy of it; and from it the worth of love beams forth from light to light. For it is said, "To him that hath shall be given:" to faith, knowledge; and to knowledge, love; and to love, the inheritance.

And committing many other abominations and impieties, they run us down (who from the fear of God guard against sinning even in thought or word) as utterly contemptible and ignorant persons, while they highly exalt themselves, and claim to be perfect, and the elect seed. For they declare that we simply receive grace for use, wherefore also it will again be taken away from us; but that they themselves have grace as their own special possession, which has descended from above by means of an unspeakable and indescribable conjunction; and on this account more will be given them.

"To him who has, it will be given," that is, whoever through good dealings has accumulated rich means, to him even more will be given. For if he increased a small amount tenfold, then obviously, having multiplied a greater amount tenfold, he will bring the master even greater profit. But from the negligent and lazy one, who did not take care to multiply what he received, even that which he has will be taken away, so that the master's property does not lie useless when it can be given to another and increased many times over. We understand this not only of the word and teaching, but also of moral virtues. For in these too God has given us gifts — to one the gift of fasting, to another of almsgiving, to another of meekness, to another of humility. And if we are watchful, we will multiply these gifts; but if we are careless and willingly die, then afterwards we will lay the blame on God, as we commonly say: what am I to do? If such-and-such a person is holy, it is because God favors him and he is holy; but He does not favor me, and I am not holy; and that one was Peter, the other was Paul. Foolish man! The very mina given to you makes you a Peter and a Paul. Work according to your ability and bring something to the One who gave it, if not as much as Peter and Paul — for they received a mina each, and you too received a mina. And then, having not advanced at all in doing good, you accuse God! Therefore, proving ourselves unworthy of the gifts, we are deprived of them.

But from the slothful and idle, who stirs not himself to increase what he has received, shall be taken away even that which he possesses, that there may be no gap in the Lord's account when it is given to others and multiplied. But this is not to be applied only to the words of God and teaching, but also to the moral virtues; for in respect of these also, God sends us His gracious gifts, endowing one man with fasting, another with prayer, another with mildness or humility; but all these so long as we watch strictly over ourselves we shall multiply, but if we grow cold we shall extinguish.

(de Quæst. Ev. l. ii. qu. 46.) Whereby He describes the ungodliness of the Jews who refused to be converted to Him.

Nevertheless, bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me. This signifies the impiety of the Jews or all the reprobates unwilling to turn to Christ, to be punished on the day of judgment. Through the two faithful servants, representing the teachers of both peoples, through the ten and five minas, the same peoples believing, through the wicked servant, evil Catholics, through the enemies who did not want Him to reign over them, indicating the impiety of those who either never heard the word of faith or preferred to corrupt it by misinterpretation, through the unsewn field, indicating even those who never had the opportunity to hear the word of God, the examination is signaled. Through these five personas is expressed the entirety of the human race, which will be on the day of judgment.

But as for my enemies etc. After the form of judgment with respect to all, both the faithful and the negligent, here is subjoined the punishment with respect to the rebellious. Whence from this parable five classes of men can be drawn out, of which two are good and three evil. For the good are those faithfully teaching, and the good are those faithfully adhering to their doctrine. But the evil are the negligent, the ignorant, and the malicious. For all the good are either subjects or prelates. But the evil sin universally either from weakness, or from ignorance, or from malice. Whence the Gloss says: "By these five persons he signifies every kind of men to be examined in the future judgment." In this parable, therefore, concerning the judgment of the rebellious, two things are intimated, namely the punishment of the rebellious and the person of the rebellious.

First, therefore, as to the punishment of the rebellious, he says: But as for my enemies, through their arrogance, according to that of the Psalm: "The pride of those who hate you ascends continually." For he is most an enemy of God who raises his neck against him through pride, according to that of Job 15: "He ran against him with an erect neck and was armed with a fat neck." Such is he who seeks glory in this world: James 4: "Do you not know that the friendship of this world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore" etc.; and 1 John 2: "He who loves the world, the love of God is not in him" etc.

Those who did not want me to reign over them, through disobedience; Jeremiah 2: "Of old you have broken my yoke, you have burst my bonds and said: I will not serve." And this arises from arrogance: Job 22: "Who said to God: Depart from us, and they esteemed the Almighty as if he could do nothing."

Bring them here and slay them before me, through severe vengeance, by which they shall be slain by the sword of the divine sentence and cast down into the death of eternal damnation; the Psalm: "Two-edged swords in their hands, to execute vengeance upon the nations." Whence Apocalypse 1: "From his mouth there went forth a sword sharp on both sides." And this he threatens in Deuteronomy 32: "If I shall sharpen my sword like lightning, and my hand shall take hold of judgment, I will render vengeance to my enemies." And concerning this in figure, Ezekiel 9: "Pass through the midst of the city and slay."

These things are of force against the Marcionists. For Christ also says, Bring hither my enemies, and slay them before me. (Mat. 21:41). Whereas they say Christ indeed is good, but the God of the Old Testament evil. Now it is plain that both the Father and the Son do the same things. For the Father sends His army to the vineyard, and the Son causes His enemies to be slain before Him.

-Let no one amongst us be found to receive Him with a sad countenance, lest he be condemned with those wicked citizens-the citizens, I mean, who refused to receive the Lord as King over them.

"But as for my enemies – He says – those who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them before me," that is, the Jews, whom He will deliver to destruction, sending them into eternal fire. Yes, the wretches were slain here too, that is, in this world, by the Roman armies, and they are still kept and will be kept for slaughter there.

He adds of His adversaries, But those mine enemies who would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before me. Whom he will deliver to death, casting them into the outer fire. But even in this world they were most miserably slain by the Roman army.

(cont. Maximin. ii. 12.) For if He has aught less in His power than the Father has, then all that the Father has, are not His; for by begetting Him the Father gave power to the Son, as by begetting Him He gave all things which He has in His substance to Him whom He begot of His substance.

(De Trin. i. 8.) And because their substance is inseparable, it is enough sometimes to name the Father, sometimes the Son, nor is it possible to separate from either His Spirit, who is especially called the Spirit of truth.

(De Trin. vii. 3.) The Father is revealed by the Son, that is, by His Word. For if the temporal and transitory word which we utter both shows itself, and what we wish to convey, how much more the Word of God by which all things were made, which so shows the Father as He is Father, because itself is the same and in the same manner as the Father.

(Quæst. Ev. i. 1.) When He said, None knoweth the Son but the Father, He did not add, And he to whom the Father will reveal the Son. But when He said, None knoweth the Father but the Son, He added, And he to whom the Son will reveal him. But this must not be so understood as though the Son could be known by none but by the Father only; while the Father may be known not only by the Son, but also by those to whom the Son shall reveal Him. But it is rather expressed thus, that we may understand that both the Father and the Son Himself are revealed by the Son, inasmuch as He is the light of our mind; and what is afterwards added, And he to whom the Son will reveal, is to be understood as spoken of the Son as well as the Father, and to refer to the whole of what had been said. For the Father declares Himself by His Word, but the Word declares not only that which is intended to be declared by it, but in declaring this declares itself.

A beginning should be made from the center, that is, from Christ. For He Himself is the "Mediator between God and men," holding the central position in all things. Hence it is necessary to start from Him if a man wants to reach Christian wisdom, as it is proved in Matthew: for "no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and him to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him."

In this manner it is possible to find in the illumination of mechanical art, whose entire intention is directed toward the production of artifacts. In which we can perceive these three things, namely the generation and incarnation of the Word, the order of living, and the covenant of God and the soul. And this, if we consider the origin, the effect, and the fruit; or thus: the art of working, the quality of the artifact produced, and the usefulness of the fruit derived.

If we consider the origin, we shall see that the artificial product proceeds from the artisan by means of a likeness existing in his mind, through which the artisan conceives before he produces, and then produces as he has planned. Moreover, the artisan produces an exterior work conformed to the interior exemplar as closely as he can; and if he could produce such a product that would love and know him, he would certainly do so; and if that product were to know its maker, this would be by means of the likeness according to which it proceeded from the artisan; and if it had darkened eyes of knowledge, so that it could not raise itself above itself, it would be necessary, in order that it might be led to knowledge of its maker, that the likeness through which the product had been produced should condescend to that nature which could be grasped and known by it.

By this manner understand that from the supreme Artisan no creature proceeded except through the eternal Word, "in whom He disposed all things," and through whom He produced not only creatures having the nature of a vestige, but also of an image, so that they might be assimilated to Him through knowledge and love. And since through sin the rational creature had the eye of contemplation clouded over, it was most fitting that the eternal and invisible should become visible and assume flesh, in order to lead us back to the Father. And this is what is said in John fourteen: No one comes to the Father except through me; and Matthew eleven: No one knows the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. And therefore it is said the Word was made flesh. Considering therefore the illumination of mechanical art with respect to the production of the work, we shall behold therein the Word begotten and incarnate, that is, the Divinity and the humanity and the integrity of the whole faith.

But "no one is good," except His Father. It is this same Father of His, then who being one is manifested by many powers. And this was the import of the utterance, "No man knew the Father," who was Himself everything before the coming of the Son. So that it is veritably clear that the God of all is only one good, just Creator, and the Son in the Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.

The one who sees the Son, who has the image of the Father in himself, sees the Father himself.… These things are to be understood in a manner befitting to God. He said, "Everything has been handed down to me" so that he might not seem to be a member of a different species or inferior to the Father. Jesus added this in order to show that his nature is ineffable and inconceivable, like the Father's. For only the divine nature of the Trinity comprehends itself. Only the Father knows his own Son, the fruit of his own substance. Only the divine Son recognizes the One by whom he has been begotten. Only the Holy Spirit knows the deep things of God, the thought of the Father and the Son.

So that it might not be supposed that anything in him is less than what is in God, Jesus said that everything was entrusted to him by his Father, that he alone was known to his Father and that his Father was known to him alone or to one to whom he himself had wished to reveal his Father. By this revelation Jesus showed that the same essence of both Father and Son existed in their knowledge of each other. One who could know the Son would also know the Father in his Son, because everything was handed down to him from the Father. Moreover, nothing else was handed down than what was known to the Father in the Son alone, but the things that belonged to the Father were known to be revealed in the Son alone. Thus in this mystery of mutual knowledge it is understood that nothing else existed in the Son than what was known to be in the Father.

Or that we may not think that there is any thing less in Him than in God, therefore He says this.

And also in the mutual knowledge between the Father and the Son, He teaches us that there is nothing in the Son beyond what was in the Father, for it follows, And none knoweth the Son but the Father, nor does any man know the Father but the Son.

For this mutual knowledge proclaims that they are of one substance, since He that should know the Son, should know the Father also in the Son, since all things were delivered to Him by the Father.

The Father entrusts. The Son receives. What is entrusted? All things have been entrusted to the Son, but this does not mean cosmically heaven and earth and the elements and the rest of nature which God himself made and established. Rather, it refers personally to the people who have access to the Father through the Son and who were formerly rebellious but afterward began to know God.

(Verse 27.) Everything has been handed over to me by my Father. And understand mystically the One who hands over the Father and the One who receives the Son. Otherwise, if we want to feel according to our weakness, when the one receiving starts to have, the one giving will start to not have. However, everything that has been handed over to Him does not mean the heavens and the earth, and the elements, and the rest that He Himself made and created: but those who, through the Son, have access to the Father, and who previously were rebellious, began to feel God afterwards.

And no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal. Let Eunomius be ashamed of claiming to have such knowledge of the Father and the Son as they have of each other. But if he persists in this and consoles himself in his madness because it follows, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal. It is one thing to know by the equality of nature what you know, and another by the dignity of the revealer.

For if we conceive of this thing according to our weakness, when he who receives begins to have, he who gives begins to be without. Or when He says, All things are committed to him, He may mean, not the heaven and earth and the elements, and the rest of the things which He created and made, but those who through the Son have access to the Father.

Let the heretic Eunomius therefore blush hereat who claims to himself such a knowledge of the Father and the Son, as they have one of anothera. But if he argues from what follows, and props up his madness by that, And he to whom the Son will reveal him, it is one thing to know what you know by equality with God, another to know it by His vouchsafing to reveal it.

For since He had said, "I thank Thee, because Thou hast hid them, and hast revealed them unto babes;" to hinder thy supposing that as being Himself deprived of this power, and unable to effect it, so He offers thanks, He saith, "All things are delivered unto me of my Father." And to them that are rejoicing, because the devils obey them, "Nay, why marvel," saith He. "that devils yield to you? All things are mine; All things are delivered unto me."

But when thou hearest, "they are delivered," do not surmise anything human. For He uses this expression, to prevent thine imagining two unoriginate Gods. Since, that He was at the same time both begotten, and Lord of all, He declares in many ways, and in other places also.

Then He saith what is even greater than this, lifting up thy mind; "And no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, but the Son." Which seems indeed to the ignorant unconnected with what went before, but hath full accordance therewith. As thus: having said, "All things are delivered unto me of my Father," He adds, "And what marvel," so He speaks, "if I be Lord of all? I who have also another greater privilege, the knowing the Father, and being of the same substance." Yea, for this too He covertly signifies by His being the only one who so knew Him. For this is His meaning, when He saith, "No man knoweth the Father but the Son."

And see at what time He saith this. When they by His works had received the certain proof of His might, not only seeing Him work miracles, but endowed also in His name with so great powers. Then, since He had said, "Thou hast revealed them unto babes," He signifies this also to pertain to Himself; for "neither knoweth any man the Father," saith He, "save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son is willing to reveal Him;" not "to whomsoever He may be enjoined," "to whomsoever He may be commanded." But if He reveals Him, then Himself too. This however He let pass as acknowledged, but the other He hath set down. And everywhere He affirms this; as when He saith, "No man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

And thereby he establishes another point also, His being in harmony and of one mind with Him. "Why," saith He, "I am so far from fighting and warring with Him, that no one can even come to Him but by me." For because this most offended them, His seeming to be a rival God, He by all means doth away with this; and interested Himself about this not less earnestly, but even more so, than about His miracles.

But when He saith, "Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son," He means not this, that all men were ignorant of Him, but that with the knowledge wherewith He knows Him, no man is acquainted with Him; which may be said of the Son too. For it was not of some God unknown, and revealed to no man, that He was so speaking, as Marcion saith; but it is the perfection of knowledge that He is here intimating, since neither do we know the Son as He should be known; and this very thing, to add no more, Paul was declaring, when he said, "We know in part, and we prophesy in part."

Since the Lord Jesus Christ sent the apostles to preach, (our rule is) that no others ought to be received as preachers than those whom Christ appointed; for "no man knoweth the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him." Nor does the Son seem to have revealed Him to any other than the apostles, whom He sent forth to preach-that, of course, which He revealed to them.

With regard, however, to the Father, the very gospel which is common to us will testify that He was never visible, according to the word of Christ: "No man knoweth the Father, save the Son." For even in the Old Testament He had declared, "No man shall see me, and live.

With us, however, the Son alone knows the Father, and has Himself unfolded "the Father's bosom.

Wherefore? Because "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world" and, "I am the way: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me; " and, "No man can come to me, except the Father draw him; " and, "All things are delivered unto me by the Father; " and, "As the Father quickeneth (the dead), so also doth the Son; " and again, "If ye had known me, ye would have known the Father also.

He exults in spirit when He says to the Father, "I thank Thee, O Father, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent." He, moreover, affirms also that to no man is the Father known, but to His Son; and promises that, as the Son of the Father, He will confess those who confess Him, and deny those who deny Him, before His Father.

In His preceding words, He said to the Father, "Father, Thou hast revealed." Lest you think that He Himself does nothing and that everything is of the Father, He says, "All things have been given to Me and both the Father and I have the same authority." And when you hear "given" do not think that means given as to a servant or a subordinate, but rather as bestowed upon a son. It is because He was begotten of the Father that those things were given to Him. For if He were not begotten and yet were of the same essence as the Father, those things need not have been given to Him because He would have already possessed them. See what He says: all things have been given, not by a master, but by My Father. As, for example, when a handsome child is born of a handsome father, the child says, "I have been given, that is, I have inherited, my father's beauty." He says something great, "There is nothing marvelous in My being the Master of all things since I possess something even greater, that is, to know the Father, and knowing Him, to reveal Him to others." Consider, then: He said, above, that the Father has revealed the mysteries to babes, and here, that the Son reveals the Father. You see, then, the single power of the Father and the Son, since both the Father and the Son reveal.

All things have been delivered to me by my Father. He had given thanks to the Father, because he revealed his secrets to little ones. But someone might suppose that he himself could not reveal; hence he excludes this: first, he touches on the greatness of his own power; secondly, he invites people to himself, as though saying, "I am powerful" (v. 28).

First, he does two things: first, he states that he is equal to the Father; secondly, he applies it spiritually to what he said (v. 27b).

He says, therefore: Someone could ask whether he can do all things. He answers that all things have been delivered to me by my Father. But note the equality, although the origin is from the Father, which is against Sabellius. But what is meant by all things? This can be explained in three ways:

All things, i.e., above every creature, as below (28:18): "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Or all things, i.e., the elect and predestined, who have been given in a special way: "Yours they were and you have given them to me" (Jn 17:6). Likewise, all things, namely, intrinsic, i.e., every perfection of the godhead: "As the Father has life in himself, so he has given to the Son to have life in himself" (Jn 5:26). And we should not understand this in a bodily sense, because if he gave, he also kept it for himself. This explanation is Augustine's and Hilary's.

But someone could ask: How did he give? Therefore, he tells how, when he says, from my Father. Hence he received this by generation. And no one knows the Son except the Father. Now he adapts his statement in a specific way to his proposition not only that he is equal to the Father but also consubstantial. From the substance of the Father exceeds all understanding, since the very essence of the Father is said to be unknowable, as is the essence of the Son. Hence there the equality is noted and Arius answered, who said that the Father is invisible but the Son visible. And no one knows the Son except the Father. But what is this? Did not the saints know? It must be said that they knew him by attaining their goal or by faith, but not by comprehending. But does not the Holy Spirit know? Yes. But it should be noted that limiting statements are sometimes added to the essential divine names and sometimes to the personal names. And when they are added to the personal names, they do not exclude that which is the same by nature; hence terms added to the Father do not exclude the Son. Hence where it says, "honor and glory to the immortal King, the invisible and only God" (1 Tim 1:17), the others of the same nature are not excluded. Similarly, when he says, no one knows..., the Holy Spirit is not excluded, for he is the same in nature. But when he says, no one knows, it means no man except the Son. And thus it is shown that the Father knows the Son. But this is contrary to Origen. For the Son knows by comprehension. Therefore, because he knows perfectly and is knowable, he has the power to reveal, as the Father has; hence he says, and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. For manifestation is by means of a word: "Father, I have manifested your name to men..." (Jn 17:6) and (1:18): "No one has ever seen God." But he knew him; therefore, he could manifest him. Consequently, what he had said of the Father he attributed to himself. For he had said, You have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to little ones. The Son also can do this, in as much as he has the same power.

Whence do we all thus labour, but that we are mortal men, bearing vessels of clay which cause us much difficulty. But if the vessels of flesh are straitened, the regions of love will be enlarged. To what end then does He say, Come unto me, all ye that labour, but that ye should not labour?

As to the other one, about the burden of our sins being intolerable, it might be clearer if we said 'unbearable', because that still has two meanings: you say 'I cannot bear it,' when you mean it gives you great pain, but you also say 'That bridge will not bear that truck' — not meaning 'That bridge will feel pain,' but 'If that truck goes on to it, it will break and not be a bridge any longer, but a mass of rubble.' I wonder if that is what the Prayer Book means; that, whether we feel miserable or not, and however we feel, there is on each of us a load which, if nothing is done about it, will in fact break us, will send us from this world to whatever happens afterwards, not as souls but as broken souls.

It would be a bold and silly creature that came before its Creator with the boast "I'm no beggar. I love you disinterestedly". Those who come nearest to a Gift-love for God will next moment, even at the very same moment, be beating their breasts with the publican and laying their indigence before the only real Giver. And God will have it so. He addresses our Need-love: "Come unto me all ye that travail and are heavy-laden," or, in the Old Testament, "Open your mouth wide and I will fill it."

Stand apart from the inclination to love sin and to love the flesh. Turn to deeds worthy of praise. Draw near to me, so that you may become sharers of the divine nature and partakers of the Holy Spirit. Jesus called everyone, not only the people of Israel. As the Maker and Lord of all, he spoke to the weary Jews who did not have the strength to bear the yoke of the law. He spoke to idolaters heavy laden and oppressed by the devil and weighed down by the multitude of their sins. To Jews he said, "Obtain the profit of my coming to you. Bow down to the truth. Acknowledge your Advocate and Lord. I set you free from bondage under the law, bondage in which you endured a great deal of toil and hardship, unable to accomplish it easily and accumulating for yourselves a very great burden of sins."

(Mor. xxx. 15.) For a cruel yoke and hard weight of servitude it is to be subject to the things of time, to be ambitious of the things of earth, to cling to falling things, to seek to stand in things that stand not, to desire things that pass away, but to be unwilling to pass away with them. For while all things fly away against our wish, those things which had first harassed the mind in desire of gaining them, now oppress it with fear of losing them.

He calls to Him those that were labouring under the hardships of the Law, and those who are burdened with the sins of this world.

(Verse 28, 29.) Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. The weight of sin is heavy, and the prophet Zacharias testifies, saying, iniquity sits upon a talent of lead (Zacch. 5). And the Psalmist laments: My iniquities have overwhelmed me (Psalm 38:4). Certainly, it invites those who were oppressed under the heavy yoke of the Law to the grace of the Gospel.

That the burden of sin is heavy the Prophet Zachariah bears witness, saying, that wickedness sitteth upon a talent of lead. (Zech. 5:7.) And the Psalmist fills it up, Thy iniquities are grown heavy upon me. (Ps. 38:4)

Next, having brought them by His words to an earnest desire, and having signified His unspeakable power, He after that invites them, saying. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Not this or that person, but all that are in anxiety, in sorrows, in sins. Come, not that I may call you to account, but that I may do away your sins; come, not that I want your honor, but that I want your salvation. "For I," saith He, "will give you rest." He said not, "I will save you," only; but what was much more, "I will place you in all security."

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Thus, "be not afraid," saith He, "hearing of a yoke, for it is easy: fear not, because I said, 'a burden,' for it is light."

And how said He before, "The gate is narrow and the way strait?" Whilst thou art careless, whilst thou art supine; whereas, if thou duly perform His words, the burden will be light; wherefore also He hath now called it so.

But how are they duly performed? If thou art become lowly, and meek, and gentle. For this virtue is the mother of all strictness of life. Wherefore also, when beginning those divine laws, with this He began. And here again He doeth the very same, and exceeding great is the reward He appoints. "For not to another only dost thou become serviceable; but thyself also above all thou refreshest," saith He. "For ye shall find rest unto your souls."

Even before the things to come, He gives thee here thy recompense, and bestows the prize already, making the saying acceptable, both hereby, and by setting Himself forward as an example. For, "Of what art thou afraid?" saith He, "lest thou shouldest be a loser by thy low estate? Look to me, and to all that is mine; learn of me, and then shalt thou know distinctly how great thy blessing." Seest thou how in all ways He is leading them to humility? By His own doings: "Learn of me, for I am meek." By what themselves are to gain; for, "Ye shall find," saith He, "rest unto your souls." By what He bestows on them; for, "I too will refresh you," saith He. By rendering it light; "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." So likewise doth Paul, saying, "For the present light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

And how, some one may say, is the burden light, when He saith, "Except one hate father and mother;" and, "Whosoever taketh not up his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me:" and, "Whosoever forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple:" when He commands even to give up our very life? Let Paul teach thee, saying, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" And that, "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us." Let those teach thee, who return from the council of the Jews after plenty of stripes, and "rejoice that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ." And if thou art still afraid and tremblest at hearing of the yoke and the burden, the fear comes not of the nature of the thing, but of thy remissness; since if thou art prepared, and in earnest, all will be easy to thee and light. Since for this cause Christ also, to signify that we too must needs labor ourselves, did not mention the gracious things only, and then hold His peace, nor the painful things only, but set down both. Thus He both spake of "a yoke," and called it "easy;" both named a burden, and added that it was "light;" that thou shouldest neither flee from them as toilsome, nor despise them as over easy.

But if even after all this, virtue seem to thee an irksome thing, consider that vice is more irksome. And this very thing He was intimating, in that He said not first, "Take my yoke upon you," but before that, "Come, ye that labor and are heavy laden;" implying that sin too hath labor, and a burden that is heavy and hard to bear. For He said not only, "Ye that labor," but also, "that are heavy laden." This the prophet too was speaking of, when in that description of her nature, "As an heavy burden they weighed heavy upon me." And Zacharias too, describing her, saith she is "A talent of lead."

And this moreover experience itself proves. For nothing so weighs upon the soul, and presses it down, as consciousness of sin; nothing so much gives it wings, and raises it on high, as the attainment of righteousness and virtue.

And mark it: what is more grievous, I pray thee, than to have no possessions? to turn the cheek, and when smitten not to smite again? to die by a violent death? Yet nevertheless, if we practise self-command, all these things are light and easy, and pleasurable.

But whatever I may say, my speech will present no such proof as the actual trial. Wherefore I would there were present here with us some one of those who have attained unto that summit of self-restraint, and then you would know assuredly the delight thereof; and that none of those that are enamored of voluntary poverty would accept wealth, though ten thousand were to offer it.

But would these, say you, ever consent to become poor, and to cast away the anxieties which they have? And what of that? This is but a proof of their madness and grievous disease, not of anything very pleasurable in the thing. And this even themselves would testify to us, who are daily lamenting over these their anxieties, and accounting their life to be not worth living. But not so those others; rather they laugh, leap for joy, and the wearers of the diadem do not so glory, as they do in their poverty.

Again, to turn the cheek is, to him that gives heed, a less grievous thing than to smite another; for from this the contest hath beginning, in that termination: and whereas by the former thou hast kindled the other's pile too, by the latter thou hast quenched even thine own flames. But that not to be burnt is a pleasanter thing than to be burnt, surely plain to every man. And if this hold in regard of bodies, much more in a soul.

And whether is lighter, to contend, or to be crowned? to fight, or to have the prize? and to endure waves, or to run into harbor? Therefore also, to die is better than to live. For the one withdraws us from waves and dangers, while the other adds unto them, and makes a man subject to numberless plots and distresses, which have made life not worth living in thine account.

And if thou disbelievest our sayings, hearken to them that have seen the countenances of the martyrs in the time of their conflicts, how when scourged and flayed, they were exceeding joyful and glad, and when exposed upon hot irons, rejoiced, and were glad of heart, more than such as lie upon a bed of roses. Wherefore Paul also said, when he was at the point of departing hence, and closing his life by a violent death, "joy, and rejoice with you all; for the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me." Seest thou with what exceeding strength of language he invites the whole world to partake in his gladness? So great a good did he know his departure hence to be, so desirable, and lovely, and worthy of prayer, that formidable thing, death.

But that virtue's yoke is sweet and light, is manifest many other ways also; but to conclude, if you please, let us look also at the burdens of sin. Let us then bring forward the covetous, the retailers and second-hand dealers in shameless bargains. What now could be a heavier burden than such transactions? how many sorrows, how many anxieties, how many disappointments, how many dangers, how many plots and wars, daily spring up from these gains? how many troubles and disturbances? For as one can never see the sea without waves, so neither such a soul without anxiety, and despondency, and fear, and disturbance; yea, the second overtakes the first, and again others come up, and when these are not yet ceased, others come to a head.

Or wouldest thou see the souls of the revilers, and of the passionate? Why, what is worse than this torture? what, than the wounds they have within? what, than the furnace that is continually burning, and the flame that is never quenched?

Or of the sensual, and of such as cleave unto this present life? Why, what more grievous than this bondage? They live the life of Cain, dwelling in continual trembling and fear at every death that happens; the kinsmen of the dead mourn not so much, as these do for their own end.

What again fuller of turmoil, and more frantic, than such as are puffed up with pride? "For learn," saith He, "of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Because long-suffering is the mother of all good things.

Fear thou not therefore, neither start away from the yoke that lightens thee of all these things, but put thyself under it with all forwardness, and then thou shalt know well the pleasure thereof. For it doth not at all bruise thy neck, but is put on thee for good order's sake only, and to persuade thee to walk seemly, and to lead thee unto the royal road, and to deliver thee from the precipices on either side, and to make thee walk with ease in the narrow way.

Since then so great are its benefits, so great its security, so great its gladness, let us with all our soul, with all our diligence, draw this yoke; that we may both here "find rest unto our souls," and attain unto the good things to come, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.

Now poverty is a light thing to those who possess it, and if a man were to call the poverty which is for the sake of God "riches," he would call it rightly, and even as it is. Therefore our Lord also lifted a heavy yoke from His disciples in that He made them destitute of the riches of the world, saying, "Come unto Me, all ye that are weary and are laden with heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." And who are these, unless it be those who are wearied by the superfluities of riches, and who bear the heavy yoke of the cares and anxieties of the world? And what weariness is so oppressive as this? For when thou hast come to enjoy thyself, thou art the more tired. The care for human riches is a path which hath no ending in this life, for however far a man may travel along it, it lengtheneth out before his footsteps, and there is nothing which breaketh it except death. And when a man hath gathered together riches and mammon that he may enjoy himself, and live daintily and luxuriously, his enjoyment is weariness, and if the enjoyment of the world be weariness, what shall weariness itself be called? And if the enjoyments and luxuries are heavy labours, what shall labour itself be called? For the world is heavy in all its conversation, but because of the love thereof they who carry its burdens perceive them not, and they stumble therein like blind men, but discern it not, and though they carry heavy burdens, they are light unto them, and they weary and exert themselves painfully after the merchandise of loss, but know not that it is loss. And because our Lord saw them in this empty labour, He cried unto them, saying, "Come unto Me, and I will give you rest, for in your weariness there is no rest. But your weariness begetteth weariness, and your labour bringeth forth labour, and your riches gather together poverty, and your rest is tribulation, and your enjoyment is affliction, and your refreshing is toil; for the path of the desire of riches which ye have trodden of your own freewill hath no end; but if ye will come to Me by My road it will come to an end."

(non occ.) I will not only take from you your burden, but will satisfy you with inward refreshment.

Come, He says, not with the feet, but with the life, not in the body, but in faith. For that is a spiritual approach by which any man approaches God; and therefore it follows, Take my yoke upon you.

We are naturally obliged to state our opinion clearly to such people, and to reply: O, you! Why do you reason to your own perdition rather than your salvation? And why do you pick out for yourselves the obscure passages of inspired Scripture and then tear them out of context and twist them in order to accomplish your own destruction? Do you not hear the Savior crying out every day: "As I live … I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live" [Ezekiel 33:11]? Do you not hear Him Who says: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" [Matthew 3:2]; and again: "Just so, I tell you, there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents" (Luke 15:7, adapted)? Did He ever say to some: "Do not repent for I will not accept you," while to others who were predestined: "But you, repent! because I knew you beforehand"? Of course not! Instead, throughout the world and in every church He shouts: "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). Come, He says, all you who are burdened with many sins, to the One Who takes away the sin of the world; come all who thirst to the fountain which flows and never dies. - "Second Ethical Discourse"

He calls all mankind, not only the Jews, but also the Gentiles. By those "that labour" understand the Jews, who follow the strict observances of the law and labor in the occupation of fulfilling the commandments of the law. Those who are "heavy laden" are the Gentiles, who are oppressed by the burden of sins. To all these does Christ give rest. For to believe, to confess, and to be baptized, what labor is it? Is it not, rather, rest? For here in this life you are unburdened of the things which you did before your baptism, and there in the next life rest awaits you.

Come to me, all you... Come to my blessings. First, the invitation; secondly, the need for the invitation; thirdly, its utility. He says, therefore: Come to me. This is also the word of Wisdom: "Come to me, you who desire me, and eat your fill of my produce" (Sir 24:19). Hence, draw near to me, you untaught, because I want to communicate myself. But what is the need? Because without me men labor too much: all you who labor. In a special way this can be applied to the Jews, because they labored under the yoke of the Law and commandments, as it says in Acts (15:10): "This is a burden which neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear." Likewise, in general, to all who labor on account of human frailty: "I am poor and acquainted with labors from my youth" (Ps 88:15). And are heavy laden, namely, with sins: "My iniquities weigh like a burden too heavy for me" (Ps 38:4).

And what shall we get, if we come to you? I will give you rest [refresh you]. "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink" (Jn 7:37). Then he explains the invitation: first, he explains; secondly, he assigns the reason (v. 30). Having presented the invitation and its purpose, he now wants to explain what that invitation is, when he says, take my yoke upon you. But what is this? You say that you want to refresh us and lift our labor from us, and in the same breath you tell us to carry a yoke? We believed that it would not involve a yoke. Yes, without the yoke of sin: "For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken" (Is 9:4). Not that you are without God's law, but without the yoke of sin: "Let us cast off from us their yoke" (Ps 2:3); "Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled, because of your iniquity" (Hos 14:1); "Freed from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness" (Rom 6:18).

You are to "take my yoke upon you, and learn from me." You are not learning from me how to refashion the fabric of the world, nor to create all things visible and invisible, nor to work miracles and raise the dead. Rather, you are simply learning of me: "that I am meek and lowly in heart." If you wish to reach high, then begin at the lowest level. If you are trying to construct some mighty edifice in height, you will begin with the lowest foundation. This is humility. However great the mass of the building you may wish to design or erect, the taller the building is to be, the deeper you will dig the foundation. The building in the course of its erection rises up high, but he who digs its foundation must first go down very low. So then, you see even a building is low before it is high and the tower is raised only after humiliation.

Not to create a world, or to do miracles in that world; but that I am meek and lowly in heart. Wouldest thou be great? Begin with the least. Wouldest thou build up a mighty fabric of greatness? First think of the foundation of humility; for the mightier building any seeks to raise, the deeper let him dig for his foundation. Whither is the summit of our building to rise? To the sight of God.

When grace, justice, and wisdom have been perfectly attained, one ascends to the summit of evangelical perfection, which Christ Jesus taught by word and example, who specially professed himself the master of humility, in Matthew 11: Learn from me, etc. For humility is the gateway of wisdom, the foundation of justice, and the dwelling place of grace.

Yet (and this is the strange, significant thing) even His enemies, when they read the Gospels, do not usually get the impression of silliness and conceit. Still less do unprejudiced readers. Christ says that He is 'humble and meek' and we believe Him; not noticing that, if He were merely a man, humility and meekness are the very last characteristics we could attribute to some of His sayings.

He holds forth the inducements of a pleasant yoke, and a light burden, that to them that believe He may afford the knowledge of that good which He alone knoweth in the Father.

And what is more pleasant than that yoke, what lighter than that burden? To be made better, to abstain from wickedness, to choose the good, and refuse the evil, to love all men, to hate none, to gain eternal things, not to be taken with things present, to be unwilling to do that to another which yourself would be pained to suffer.

[Daniel 4:10] "'I saw, and behold there was a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was very great...'" It was not only of Nebuchadnezzar, King of the Chaldeans, but also of all impious men that the prophet says: "I beheld the impious man highly exalted and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon" (Psalm 37:35). Such men are lifted up, not by the greatness of their virtues, but by their own pride; and for that reason they are cut down and fall into ruin. Therefore it is good to follow the teaching of our Lord in the Gospel: "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29). But as for the fact that, according to Theodotion, he mentions his kutos or height - or else his kureia, as he himself later renders it, that is to say, his dominion (a word we have translated as "his appearance") - those same detractors of the historicity of this passage slanderously assert that Nebuchadnezzar's dominion never possessed the entire world. He did not rule over the Greeks or barbarians, or over all of the nations in the north and west, but only over the provinces of the East; that is to say, over Asia, not over Europe or Libya. Consequently all these slanders require to be understood as attributable to the devil, for actually we ourselves should accept all this as spoken by way of hyperbole, having in view the arrogance of the impious king, who in Isaiah (chap. 14) makes as great a boast as this, claiming that he possesses the very heaven itself, and the whole earth besides, as if it were a nest full of birds' eggs.

Such a spirit as this let us too acquire, and whatever we may suffer we shall bear it easily, and before the Kingdom, we shall reap here the gain accruing from lowliness of mind. Thus "learn," saith He, "of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Therefore in order that we may enjoy rest both here and hereafter, let us with great diligence implant in our souls the mother of all things that are good, I mean humility. For thus we shall be enabled both to pass over the sea of this life without waves, and to end our voyage in that calm harbor; by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might for ever and ever. Amen.

Seest thou how everywhere practice is required, and the proof by works? "For by their fruits," saith He, "ye shall know them." And what commends our own life? Is it indeed a display of miracles, or the perfection of an excellent conversation? Very evidently it is the second; but as to the miracles, they both have their origin from hence, and terminate herein. For both He that shows forth an excellent life, draws to Himself this gift, and he that receives the gift, receives it for this end, that he may amend other men's lives. Since even Christ for this end wrought those miracles, that having made Himself thereby credible, and drawn men unto Him, He might bring virtue into our life. Wherefore also He lays more stress of the two on this. For He is not at all satisfied with the signs only, but He also threatens hell, and promises a kingdom, and lays down those startling laws, and all things He orders to this end, that He may make us equal to the angels.

And why say I, that Christ doth all for this object? Why, even thou, should one give thee thy choice, to raise dead men by His name, or to die for His name; which I pray thee, of the two wouldest thou rather accept? Is it not quite plain, the latter? and yet the one is a miracle, the other but a work. And what, if one offered thee to make grass gold, or to be able to despise all wealth as grass, wouldest thou not rather accept this latter? and very reasonably. For mankind would be attracted by this more than any way. For if they saw the grass changed into gold, they would covet themselves also to acquire that power, as Simon did, and the love of money would be increased in them; but if they saw us all contemning and neglecting gold, as though it were grass, they would long ago have been delivered from this disease.

Seest thou that our practice has more power to do good? By practice I mean, not thy fasting, nor yet thy strewing sackcloth and ashes under thee, but if thou despise wealth, as it ought to be despised; if thou be kindly affectioned, if thou give thy bread to the hungry, if thou control anger, if thou cast out vainglory, if thou put away envy. So He Himself used to teach: for, "Learn of me," saith He, "for I am meek and lowly in heart." He did not say, "for I fasted," although surely He might have spoken of the forty days, yet He saith not this; but, "I am meek and lowly in heart." And again, when sending them out, He said not, "Fast," but, "Eat of all that is set before you." With regard to wealth, however, He required of them great strictness, saying, "Provide not gold, or silver, or brass, in your purses."

And all this I say, not to depreciate fasting, God forbid, but rather highly to commend it. But I grieve when other duties being neglected, ye think it enough for salvation, having but the last place in the choir of virtue. For the greatest thing is charity, and moderation, and almsgiving; which hits a higher mark even than virginity.

The yoke of Christ is Christ's Gospel, which joins and yokes together Jews and Gentiles in the unity of the faith. This we are commanded to take upon us, that is, to have in honour; lest perchance setting it beneath us, that is wrongly despising it, we should trample upon it with the miry feet of unholiness; wherefore He adds, Learn of me.

We must learn then from our Saviour to be meek in temper, and lowly in mind; let us hurt none, let us despise none, and the virtues which we have shown in deed let us retain in our heart.

The yoke of Christ is humility and meekness. For he who humbles himself before all men has rest and remains untroubled; but he who is vainglorious and arrogant is ever encompassed by troubles as he does not wish to be less than anyone but is always thinking how to be esteemed more highly and how to defeat his enemies. Therefore the yoke of Christ, which is humility, is light, for it is easier for our lowly nature to be humbled than to be exalted. But all the commandments of Christ are also called a yoke, and they are light because of the reward to come, even though for a time they appear heavy.

Take, therefore, my yoke, namely, the gospel lessons. And he says, yoke, because just as a yoke fastens and joins the necks of oxen, so the doctrine of the gospel fastens the people to its yoke. And what is that? Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart. The whole Law consists in two things: meekness and humility. By meekness a man is rightly ordered to his neighbor; hence Psalm 132 (v. 1): "Remember, O Lord, David and all his meekness." By humility he is rightly ordered to himself and to God: "Upon whom will my spirit rest except on the calm and meek" (Is 66:2)? Hence humility makes a man capable of God. He had also said, "and I will refresh you." What is this refreshment? You will find rest for your souls. For the body is not refreshed, as long as it is afflicted, and when it is not afflicted any more, it is said to be refreshed. And just as hunger is to the body, so desire is to the mind; hence the achievement of desires is refreshing: "Who satisfies your desire with good" (Ps 103:5). And this rest is a rest of the soul: "I have labored little and found for myself much rest" (Sir 51:27). The meek are not at rest this way in the world; hence they will find eternal rest, namely, the fulfillment of desires.

If the yoke is easy and the burden light, why did he call "the way" "narrow"? It is narrow to the careless, for to the zealous the Lord's tasks are light. For even if they involve bodily suffering for a little while, yet the one who is now nourished with good hopes is the devout one who easily bears these pains.

So then they who with unfearing neck have submitted to the yoke of the Lord endure such hardships and dangers, that they seem to be called not from labour to rest, but from rest to labour. But the Holy Spirit was there who, as the outward man decayed, renewed the inward man day by day, and giving a foretaste of spiritual rest in the rich pleasures of God in the hope of blessedness to come, smoothed all that seemed rough, lightened all that was heavy. Men suffer amputations and burnings, that at the price of sharper pain they may be delivered from torments less but more lasting, as boils or swellings. What storms and dangers will not merchants undergo that they may acquire perishing riches? Even those who love not riches endure the same hardships; but those that love them endure the same, but to them they are not hardships. For love makes right easy, and almost nought all things however dreadful and monstrous. How much more easily then does love do that for true happiness, which avarice does for misery as far as it can?

Both harder and easier than what we are all trying to do. You have noticed, I expect, that Christ Himself sometimes describes the Christian way as very hard, sometimes as very easy. He says, 'Take up your Cross'—in other words, it is like going to be beaten to death in a concentration camp. Next minute he says, 'My yoke is easy and my burden light.' He means both. And one can just see why both are true.

Teachers will tell you that the laziest boy in the class is the one who works hardest in the end. They mean this. If you give two boys, say, a proposition in geometry to do, the one who is prepared to take trouble will try to understand it. The lazy boy will try to learn it by heart because, for the moment, that needs less effort. But six months later, when they are preparing for an exam, that lazy boy is doing hours and hours of miserable drudgery over things the other boy understands, and positively enjoys, in a few minutes. Laziness means more work in the long run. Or look at it this way. In a battle, or in mountain climbing, there is often one thing which it takes a lot of pluck to do; but it is also, in the long run, the safest thing to do. If you funk it, you will find yourself, hours later, in far worse danger. The cowardly thing is also the most dangerous thing.

It is like that here. The terrible thing, the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self—all your wishes and precautions—to Christ. But it is far easier than what we are all trying to do instead.

Joseph asked Poemen, 'How should we fast?' Poemen said, 'I suggest that everyone should eat a little less than he wants, every day.' Joseph said to him, 'When you were a young man, didn't you fast for two days on end?' He said to him, 'That's right, I used to fast three days on end, even for a week. But the great hermits have tested all these things, and they found that it is good to eat something every day, but on some days a little less. They have shown us that this is the king's highway, for it is easy and light.'

Therefore let everyone who wants life and desires to see good days put down the yoke of iniquity and malice. The prophet says, "Let us burst their bonds and thrust their yoke from us." For unless one throws behind the yoke of iniquity, that is, the spark of all vices, one cannot take up the agreeable and light yoke of Christ. But if the yoke of Christ is so agreeable and light, how is it that divine religion seems so harsh and bitter to some people? It is bitter to some because the heart that has been tainted by earthly desires cannot love heavenly things. It has not yet come to Christ, so that it can take up his yoke and learn that he is gentle and humble of heart. Hence we observe, my dearest friends, from the teaching of our Lord, that unless a person is gentle and humble of heart, he or she cannot bear the yoke of Christ.

(Mor. iv. 33.) What burden is it to put upon the neck of our mind that He bids us shun all desire that disturbs, and turn from the toilsome paths of this world?

(Verse 30.) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. How is the Gospel lighter than the Law, when in the Law murder is condemned, but in the Gospel anger is condemned? In what way is the grace of the Gospel easier, when in the Law adultery is punished, but in the Gospel lust is punished? In the Law there are many precepts, which the Apostle teaches cannot be fully fulfilled (Acts 15). In the Law, works are required, and whoever does them shall live. In the Gospel, the will is sought, and even if it does not have the desired effect, it does not lose the reward. The Gospel commands what we are able to do: that we do not desire, namely, this is within our power. When the law does not punish the will, it punishes the effect, so that you do not commit adultery. Imagine a virgin prostitute in persecution. This virgin is accepted according to the Gospel, since she does not sin by her own will, but she is rejected in the Law as if corrupted.

And how is the Gospel lighter than the Law, seeing in the Law murder and adultery, but under the Gospel anger and concupiscence also, are punished? Because by the Law many things are commanded which the Apostle fully teaches us cannot be fulfilled; by the Law works are required, by the Gospel the will is sought for, which even if it goes not into act, yet does not lose its reward. The Gospel commands what we can do, as that we lust not; this is in our own power; the Law punishes not the will but the act, as adultery. Suppose a virgin to have been violated in time of persecution; as here was not the will she is held as a virgin under the Gospel; under the Law she is cast out as defiled.

But how is Christ's yoke pleasant, seeing it was said above, Narrow is the way which leadeth unto life? (Mat. 7:14.) That which is entered upon by a narrow entrance is in process of time made broad by the unspeakable sweetness of love.

And so they upbraid the discipline of monogamy with being a heresy; nor is there any other cause whence they find themselves compelled to deny the Paraclete more than the fact that they esteem Him to be the institutor of a novel discipline, and a discipline which they find most harsh: so that this is already the first ground on which we must join issue in a general handling (of the subject), whether there is room for maintaining that the Paraclete has taught any such thing as can either be charged with novelty, in opposition to catholic tradition, or with burdensomeness, in opposition to the "light burden" of the Lord.

How is it then that he himself demands a high degree of strictness? He answers, "You have not yet had experience of things that are mine, and for this reason you think this way. But if you would take up my yoke and would believe in those things I give, you would find the greatest difference between the things that are from me and those that are from Moses. From me there is great, patient endurance and kindness. Seeing such a weight of sins—murders and self-love and things more unnamable than these—I am longsuffering and bear with those who do these things, not despising them but waiting for them to repent. If ever they should repent and change their ways, I immediately forgive them, not remembering their former acts. But the law of Moses is not like this. When you sin, it immediately punishes the sinner. It knows no repentance. It promises no remission. When I make demands about the covenant, I am not so much preoccupied with investigating the things that happened. For me, it is enough that a soul choose what is good with a genuine resolution. But the law goes overboard, both adding more punishments to the smaller ones and cursing the transgressors. Therefore my yoke is good on account of forgiveness, and my burden is light because it is not a collection of customs and various observances but decisions of the soul."

But do not wonder if I invite you to a yoke, because my yoke is not a burden. Why? For my yoke is easy and delightful: "How sweet are your words to my taste!" (Ps 119:103). And my burden is light. And these can be referred to two things: by the yoke the oxen are held, but the burden is carried; hence the yoke is referred to the negative precepts, the burden to the affirmative.

But this seems to be false, because the burden of the New Law seems very heavy, as was said above (5:21): "You have heard that it was said of old: You shall not kill. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to the judgment." So it seems that it is a heavier burden: "Narrow is the way, which leads to life." Likewise the Apostle in 2 Corinthians (11:23): "In many labors." Hence the yoke seems most burdensome. Therefore, three things must be considered: the effect of the teaching, the act and the circumstances. And in all three it is light.

The doctrine of Christ is light in its effect, because it changes the heart, in as much as it makes us love not temporal but spiritual things. For the person who loves temporal things finds it more a burden to lose a little than a person who loves spiritual things to lose much. The Old Law did not forbid those temporal things; therefore it was painful to lose them. But now, even though it is burdensome in the beginning, after a while it is light: "I will lead you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered" (Pr 4:11). Likewise, in regard to its act, the Law imposed a burden of external acts. But our law is solely in the will; hence Romans (14:17): "the kingdom of God is not food and drink." Again, the law of Christ brings joy; hence Romans (14:17): "Justice and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Likewise, in regard to circumstances there are many adversities; hence "All who desire to lead a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Tim 3:12). But they are not burdensome, because they are seasoned with the condiment of love; for when a person loves someone, it is not a burden to suffer anything for him. Hence love makes easy all difficult and impossible things. Therefore, if one loves Christ properly, nothing is difficult for him; consequently, the New Law does not impose a burden.