Apodosis of the Entrance of the Theotokos

You proposed a little question about the Gospel of Luke (Chapter 16, verse 1 et seq.): Who is the steward of iniquity who is praised by the voice of the Lord? When I wanted to know the reason for this and from which source it came, I examined the volume of the Gospel, and I found among other things that, as the tax collectors and sinners approached the Saviour to hear him, the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, "Why does this one receive sinners and eat with them?" (Luke 15:2). He spoke to them the parable of one hundred sheep, and one that was lost, which was found and carried back on the shoulders of the shepherd. And when it was proposed, he immediately said: "I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need for repentance." He also proposed another parable about ten drachmas lost and found, and he completed it with a similar ending. So I tell you, there will be joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner repenting. He also proposed a third parable about a man who had two sons, and who divided his wealth between them. And when the younger son had lost his faculties and began to eat the pods that the pigs ate, he returned to his father, who accepted him. The envious elder brother, too, was rebuked by his father's voice, and he should have rejoiced because his brother was dead and had come back to life; he was lost, and he has been found. He spoke three parables against the Pharisees and Scribes who did not want to receive the repentance of sinners and the salvation of Publicans. He said also, he said to his disciples (Ibid. 16.1), without doubt, that he used a parable, just as before to the Scribes and Pharisees: by which parable he would exhort the disciples to mercy and would say in other words: Forgive and you shall be forgiven (Luke 6:7), so that you may ask boldly in the Lord's Prayer, Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors (Matthew 6:12). Therefore, what is the parable that urges the disciples towards mercy? There was a certain rich man who had a steward (Luke 16:1), or a manager, for this is what οἰκονόμος means. The steward is properly the governor of the estate, from which he is also called a steward. The οἰκονόμος, however, is a dispenser of both money and fruits and all that the master possesses. Therefore, the most beautiful book of Xenophon's Oeconomica is not about the management of the estate but the management of the entire household (interpreted by Cicero). Therefore, this steward was accused before his master because he was squandering his master's property. When he was called, [the master] said: "What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, for you can no longer be steward." What did he say to himself? "What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg." I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses." He called each one of his master's debtors to him and said to the first, "How much do you owe my master?" He said, "A hundred measures of oil. He said to him: take your bill, and sitting down quickly, write fifty. Then he said to another: And how much do you owe? Who answered: A hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: take your bill, and write eighty. And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. And I say to you: make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you shall fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings. He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in that which is greater: and he that is unjust in that which is little, is unjust also in that which is greater. If then you have not been faithful in the unjust mammon, who will trust you with that which is the true? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's; who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Now all these things were heard by the Pharisees, who were greedy, and they ridiculed him. I have put the entire text of this parable so that we do not seek understanding from elsewhere and strive to find certain persons in the parable, but we should interpret it as a parable, that is, a comparison, which is called "parabolē" because it is "thrown beside" or compared, and is like the shadow of the pre-existent truth. Therefore, if the steward of unjust mammon is praised by the voice of the Lord because he has prepared justice for himself from an unjust matter, and the Lord, having suffered losses, praises the prudence of the steward, when he has acted fraudulently towards the Lord but wisely for himself, how much more will Christ, who cannot suffer any loss and is inclined to mercy, praise his disciples if they are merciful towards those who will believe ((or have believed)) in them? Finally, after the parable, he said: And I tell you, make friends for yourselves with unjust mammon. Mammon, however, in the language of the Syriacs, not the Hebrews, means wealth, because it has been collected unjustly. If, therefore, well-dispensed iniquity turns into justice: how much more will divine speech, in which there is no iniquity, and which is entrusted to the apostles, if it is well-dispensed, raise its dispensers to heaven? Therefore it follows: "He who is faithful in the least, that is, in earthly things, will also be faithful in many, that is, in spiritual things. But whoever is unjust in small things, so as not to give to his brothers for their use what has been created by God for all, he will also be unjust in dividing spiritual wealth, so that he may divide the doctrine of the Lord not for necessity, but for persons." But if, he says, you do not manage well the perishable riches of the flesh, who will trust you with the true and eternal riches of the doctrine of God? And if you have been unfaithful in what belongs to someone else (but everything that belongs to this age is someone else's), who will give you what is yours? That is why he criticizes avarice and says that those who love money cannot love God. Therefore, even the Apostles, if they wish to love God, must hold money in contempt. So the scribes and Pharisees, who were greedy, understanding that the parable was directed at themselves, mocked Him, preferring the carnal things, which are certain and present, to the spiritual and future things, which are uncertain. Theophilus, the seventh Bishop of the Church of Antioch after the Apostle Peter, who compiled the sayings of the four Evangelists into one work, has spoken about this parable in his Commentaries. 'The rich man who had a steward, or manager, is Almighty God, who is richer than anything else. His steward is Paul, who learned the sacred Scriptures at the feet of Gamaliel (Act. 22. 3), and had received the Law of God to be dispensed.' When he had begun to persecute the believers in Christ, to bind them, to kill them, and to plunder all the substance of his Lord, he was rebuked by the Lord: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the pricks. (Acts 9:4-5). And he thought to himself: What should I do? Since I, who was a teacher and a steward, must become a disciple and a worker. I cannot dig. For I see that all the commandments of the Law, which were on the earth, are destroyed; and that the Law and the Prophets were fulfilled up to John the Baptist. I am ashamed to beg, that I, who was a teacher of the Jews, should be compelled to beg for instruction from a gentile and from the disciple Ananias. Therefore, I will do what I think is useful to me: so that after I am dismissed from my position, Christians will receive me into their homes. And those who formerly practiced the law, but had now believed in Christ, began to teach that the law was abolished, and that the prophets had foretold these things. And they taught that what had been done by those who kept the law, was worthy of nothing but contempt (Philippians 3:8). Then he called two of his debtors. The first owed him one hundred measures of oil, that is, those who had been gathered from the Gentiles and were in great need of God's mercy; and he made them write fifty in the document instead of one hundred, which was a special number for those who repented, and based on the Jubilee, and that parable in the Gospel in which one is forgiven five hundred denarii, and another fifty. However, he called the people of the Jews who were nourished on the wheat of God's commandments, and who owed him a hundred denarii, and he forced them to make eighty out of a hundred, that is, to believe in the resurrection of the Lord, which is contained in the number of the eighth day, and is completed in eight decades, so that he might pass from the Sabbath of the Law to the first Sabbath. For this reason, it is preached by the Lord that he did well, and that he was changed from the severity of the Law to the mercy of the Gospel for his salvation. And if you ask why he is called the steward of iniquity in the Law, which is from God, he was an unjust steward who indeed offered well, but did not divide well, believing in the Father, but persecuting the Son; having almighty God, but denying the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Apostle Paul was wiser in transgressing the Law than the once children of light who, engaged in the observation of the Law, lost Christ who is the true light of God the Father. You can read what Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, thought about this place in his comments. I could not find an explanation of this parable in Origen and Didymus, and I am uncertain whether it has been abolished by the antiquity of the times or whether they did not write it themselves. To me, it seems according to my previous interpretation, that we ought to make friends for ourselves from the unjust mammon, not just any poor person, but those who can receive us into their homes and eternal dwellings, so that when we offer them small things, we may receive great things from them, and giving them what belongs to others, we may receive what belongs to us, and sow in blessing, so that we may reap blessings. For he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly.

(de Quæst. Ev. l. ii. q. 87.) They also do violence to the kingdom of heaven, in that they not only despise all temporal things, but also the tongues of those who desire their doing so. This the Evangelist added, when he said that Jesus was derided when He spoke of despising earthly riches.

Be slow to wrath; for such a one is very prudent, since "he that is hasty of spirit is a very fool." Be merciful; for "blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." Be sincere, quiet, good, "trembling at the word of God." Thou shalt not exalt thyself, as did the Pharisee; for "every one that exalteth himself shall be abased," and "that which is of high esteem with man is abomination with God." Thou shalt not entertain confidence in thy soul; for "a confident man shall fall into mischief." Thou shalt not go along with the foolish, but with the wise and righteous; for "he that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but he that walketh with the foolish shall be known."

And he said to them: You are those who justify yourselves before men. But God knows your hearts, for what is exalted among men is an abomination before God. They justify themselves before men, who indeed despise sinners as if they were infirm and hopeless, but consider themselves as perfect in everything and without any weakness, not believing that they have need of the remedy of alms. But this height of noxious pride, how justly it is to be condemned, is seen by Him who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and manifest the counsels of hearts.

They justify themselves before men who despise sinners as in a weak and hopeless condition, but fancy themselves to be perfect and not to need the remedy of almsgiving; but how justly the depth of deadly pride is to be condemned, He sees who will enlighten the hidden places of darkness. Hence it follows, But God knoweth your hearts.

Second, regarding the rebuke of the rebellious, by which Christ was pressing down their arrogance, there is added: And he said to them: You are they who justify yourselves before men, through the display of your righteousness, by which you consider yourselves righteous: Romans 10: "Being ignorant of the justice of God and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to the justice of God." By which you also call yourselves righteous, against that passage in Job 9: "If I would justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me; if I would show myself innocent, he shall prove me wicked." By which you also outwardly pretend yourselves righteous, against that passage in Matthew 6: "Take heed that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them." — And since such self-justification gives birth to guilt, he therefore adds: But God knows your hearts, through the detestation of pride: whence he does not know so as to approve but so as to judge: Psalm: "The Lord is high, and he regards the lowly, and the lofty he knows from afar." Whence it is said in Proverbs 16: "All the ways of men are open to his eyes; the Lord is the weigher of spirits"; Jeremiah 17: "The heart of man is perverse and unsearchable, and who shall know it?" It avails you little, therefore, to be commended by human testimony, since you are to be condemned by the judgment of God, who is the searcher of hearts. Therefore, 1 Corinthians 4: "Judge not before the time, until the Lord come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness." Whence, because that justice was not of truth but of vanity — not directed to the reality but to human opinion; not interior but exterior — it was rather a detestable fault than a commendable virtue, rather worthy of punishment than of eternal reward. Whence Matthew 5: "Unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Third, regarding the reason for the rebuke, by which he was expressing the divine judgment, he adds: Because that which is exalted among men is an abomination before God. Note that he does not rebuke the height of perfection, of which 2 Corinthians 8 says: "Their most profound poverty abounded unto the riches of their simplicity," etc. Nor the height of contemplation, of which Romans 11 says: "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments," etc.; and Sirach 24: "I dwelt in the highest places, and my throne was in a pillar of cloud." Nor the height of desire and expectation, of which the Psalm says: "You, O Lord, are my hope; you have made the Most High your refuge." For these heights are before God. — But there is another height, which distances one from the Most High, and this is the height of presumption, of which Jeremiah 48 says: "We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is exceedingly proud: his haughtiness and his arrogance and his pride and the loftiness of his heart I know, says the Lord." This is also the height of ambition: Jeremiah 49: "Your arrogance has deceived you, you who strive to seize the height of the hill." This is also the height of ostentation: Ezekiel 31: "Because he was exalted in height and set his top among the green and thick boughs, and his heart was lifted up in his height, now I have delivered him into the hand of the mightiest of the nations," etc. This height in the sight of men is an abomination before God, according to that passage in Proverbs 16: "Every arrogant man is an abomination to the Lord; even if hand is joined to hand, he is not innocent." Now the Lord is said to abominate this kind of height on account of its severe casting down, according to that passage in Isaiah 2: "The lofty eyes of man are humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day."

Therefore this threefold height, as being abominable to the Lord, is discouraged: first, namely, the height of presumption: Sirach 3: "Seek not the things that are too high for thee"; and Romans 11: "Be not highminded," etc. Second, the height of ambition: Romans 12: "Not minding high things, but condescending to the lowly," etc. Third, the height of ostentation is discouraged: the Psalm: "Lift not up your horn on high; speak not iniquity against God." Now the Lord abhors this height, because it is haughty: 1 Kings 16: "Look not on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him." Because it is feigned: Daniel 3: "King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue whose height was sixty cubits," etc. Because it is ruinous: on account of which, Proverbs 17: "He who makes his house high seeks ruin." And therefore it is said in 2 Corinthians 10: "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, destroying counsels and every height that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every understanding to the obedience of Christ."

For what is a greater or a more worthy care of overseers, than to provide by diligent solicitude and wholesome medicine for cherishing and preserving the sheep? since the Lord speaks, and says, "The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost. And my sheep were scattered because there is no shepherd; and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, and none did search or seek after them. Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my flock at their hands, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall they feed them any more: for I will deliver them from their mouth, and I will feed them with judgment." Since therefore the Lord thus threatens such shepherds by whom the Lord's sheep are neglected and perish, what else ought we to do, dearest brother, than to exhibit full diligence in gathering together and restoring the sheep of Christ, and to apply the medicine of paternal affection to cure the wounds of the lapsed, since the Lord also in the Gospel warns, and says, "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick? " For although we are many shepherds, yet we feed one flock, and ought to collect and cherish all the sheep which Christ by His blood and passion sought for; nor ought we to suffer our suppliant and mourning brethren to be cruelly despised and trodden down by the haughty presumption of some, since it is written, "But the man that is proud and boastful shall bring nothing at all to perfection, who has enlarged his soul as hell." And the Lord, in His Gospel, blames and condemns men of that kind, saying, "Ye are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight Of God." He says that those are execrable and detestable who please themselves, who, swelling and inflated, arrogantly assume anything to themselves. Since then Marcian has begun to be of these, and, allying himself with Novatian, has stood forth as the opponent of mercy and love, let him not pronounce sentence, but receive it; and let him not so act as if he himself were to judge of the college of priests, since he himself is judged by all the priests.

Let us see the cause of their wickedness. The passion of greed possessed and tyrannized their heart. Their mind was in subjection even against its will. It was humbled under the power of wickedness and bound as it were by inevitable bonds.…The Savior of all spoke many things to them but saw that they would not change from their crafty purposes and passions. They preferred rather to abide in their innate folly. He began to correct them sternly, calling them by the very occasion. He shows that they are hypocrites and liars in wait among the altars. They are eager for the glory due to righteous and good people, but in reality, they are not like these. They are not eager to receive the approval of God.

But what can be more worthless, what more contemptible before God, than to preserve honor among men and not to fear the eyes of the inner witness? Hence also in the holy Gospel the Lord says to the Pharisees: "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts, because what is lofty among men is abominable before God." Note, brothers, note what is said. For if what is lofty among men is abominable before God, the thought of our heart is as low before God as it is high among men, and the humility of our heart is as high before God as it is low among men.

May I enjoy you in all respects, if indeed I be worthy! For though I am bound, I am not worthy to be compared to one of you that are at liberty. I know that ye are not puffed up, for ye have Jesus in yourselves. And all the more when I commend you, I know that ye cherish modesty of spirit; as it is written, "The righteous man is his own accuser; " and again, "Declare thou first thine iniquities, that thou mayest be justified; " and again, "When ye shall have done all things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; " "for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." For says [the Scripture], "God be merciful to me a sinner." Therefore those great ones, Abraham and Job, styled themselves "dust and ashes before God. And David says, "Who am I before Thee, O Lord, that Thou hast glorified me hitherto? " And Moses, who was "the meekest of all men," saith to God, "I am of a feeble voice, and of a slow tongue." Be ye therefore also of a humble spirit, that ye may be exalted; for "he that abaseth himself shall be exalted, and he that exalteth himself shall be abased."

How then can he possibly seem to belong to another god, if He be not set forth, with the express intention of being separated from the very thing which is in question. But when the Pharisees "justified themselves before men," and placed their hope of reward in man, He censured them in the sense in which the prophet Jeremiah said, "Cursed is the man that trust-eth in man.

When He strikes at pride in the words: "That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God," He recalls Isaiah: "For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is arrogant and lifted up, and they shall be brought low.

Perhaps some (woman) will say: "To me it is not necessary to be approved by men; for I do not require the testimony of men: God is the inspector of the heart." (That) we all know; provided, however, we remember what the same (God) has said through the apostle: "Let your probity appear before men.

The Lord, exposing the hidden wickedness of the Pharisees and showing that, although they assume an appearance of righteousness, they are nevertheless abominable before God because of their self-conceit, says: you present yourselves as righteous before men and think that you alone have been given the ability to understand what is needful and to teach; therefore you also laugh at My words as foolish, wishing to be regarded by the common people as teachers of truth. But in reality it is not so. For "God knows your hearts" and considers you abominable for your high-mindedness and attachment to human glory. "For what is exalted among men is an abomination before God." "Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord" (Prov. 16:5). Therefore you, Pharisees, ought to have lived not for human opinion, "for God has scattered the bones of those who encamp against you" (Ps. 53:5), but rather to have made yourselves righteous before God.

But the Lord detecting in them a hidden malice, proves that they make a pretence of righteousness. Therefore it is added, And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men.

And therefore ye are an abomination to Him because of your arrogance, and love of seeking after the praise of men; as He adds, For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Not that the Law failed, but that the preaching of the Gospel began; for that which is inferior seems to be completed when a better succeeds.

For the Law delivered many things according to nature, as being more indulgent to our natural desires, that it might call us to the pursuit of righteousness. Christ breaks through nature as cutting off even our natural pleasures. But therefore we keep under nature, that it should not sink us down to earthly things, but raise us to heavenly.

The law and the prophets were until John; since then the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces their way into it. The Pharisees, who loved money, mocked the Savior disputing against avarice, as if He commanded things contrary to the law and the prophets, where many and very rich were read to have existed and yet to have been pleasing to God. But even Moses, if he followed the law, promised the people he governed an abundance of all the good things the earth produces, while if they neglected it, he predicted they would be struck by plague, famine, poverty, and all evils. To this He responded, showing that between the law and the Gospel, just as with promises, so too with commandments, there should be no small difference; and indeed greater ones for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, but lesser ones for the sake of the kingdom of earth, are commanded by the same one God who made heaven and earth. For there it is said: If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land (Isaiah 1). But here: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5). Therefore, appropriately, when he said the kingdom of God is preached, he added: and everyone forces their way into it. For it is a great force and a significant violence for us, born of the earth, to seek the seat of heaven, to want to possess through virtue what we could not hold by nature, and not only to despise earthly things but also the tongues of those mocking us for seeking such things. This indeed he added when he was mocked by the Pharisees for speaking of despising riches.

Now the Pharisees derided our Saviour disputing against covetousness, as if He taught things contrary to the Law and the Prophets, in which many very rich men are said to have pleased God; but Moses also himself promised that the people whom he ruled, if they followed the Law, should abound in all earthly goods. (Deut. 28:11.) These the Lord answers by showing that between the Law and the Gospel, as in these promises so also in the commands, there is not the slightest difference. Hence He adds, The Law and the Prophets were until John.

The Law and the Prophets were until John, etc. After the repression of the arrogance of the rebellious Pharisees, there is here secondly subjoined a description of the abrogation of the legal precepts, on account of which the Pharisees, raising their brow, were spurning Christ's teachings and cloaking their avarice. And since the Mosaic law has been abrogated through Christ, in such a way that it remains with respect to the spiritual understanding of the ceremonial precepts and the literal observance of the moral precepts: therefore in this part he intimates not only the abrogation of the Law itself according to literal observance, but also its fulfillment according to spiritual understanding, and its endurance according to moral law and the conjugal bond.

First, therefore, as regards the abrogation of the Law according to literal observance, he says: The Law and the Prophets were until John: as if he were saying to the Pharisees: you ought not to raise your brow on account of the observance of the Law, because it has now ceased as regards the letter and the figure. And note that, although Christ could have said, until me, because, Romans 10, "Christ is the end of the Law unto justice," etc.; he nevertheless preferred to name the Precursor as his own voice, because through the ministry of John himself the Lamb was pointed out with a finger: John 1: "Behold, the Lamb of God; behold, he who takes away," etc.; and he had already begun to show the open truth and thereby to abrogate the figure. For since the Law and the Prophets all promised Christ as yet to come, and John showed him as present, therefore "the Law and the Prophets were until John, because that which is clear to have come by the testimony of John could no longer be prophesied as future which is manifest to have come by the testimony of John."

And because the end of the Law is through the beginning of the new testament, therefore there follows: From that time the kingdom of God is preached as good news, that is, from him the Gospel of grace is begun. Whence Mark chapter one: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in Isaiah: Behold, I send my Angel" etc.; therefore also blessed Luke took the beginning of his Gospel from the very conception of blessed John: above, chapter one: "There was in the days of Herod." Whence, so that his preaching might be shown to be new, it is said in Mark chapter one that "he was baptizing and preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." - And because John's preaching was about repentance, in which a person does violence to himself, therefore he adds: And everyone forces his way into it, which is expressed more clearly in Matthew chapter eleven: "From the days of John the Baptist the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent seize it." Now this is the violence by which one exceeds natural power: whence Bede: "It is a great force when one born of earth seeks to possess heaven through virtue, who could not hold it by nature." This is also the violence that overcomes the curvature of nature: whence the Gloss: "Let us do violence to nature, so that it does not sink down to earthly things, but raises itself to things above." This is also the violence by which one overcomes the torpor of sloth: whence Bede: "Everyone who does violence hastens with vehement zeal, and does not grow sluggish with torpid affection. Therefore the violence of faith is devout; sluggishness is criminal." For it is a great violence when through the force and rigor of repentance one mitigates the severity of the divine sentence, when through humble prayer one bends the lofty strictness. As a figure of this, it was said to Jacob, that vigorous wrestler, in Genesis chapter thirty-two: "If you were strong against God, much more will you prevail against men."

And note that blessed Bernard distinguishes four kinds of people possessing the kingdom of heaven: "For some violently seize it, others purchase it, others steal it, others are compelled to it." "For those seize it who abandon all things and follow Christ," to whom can be referred that passage from the penultimate chapter of Genesis: "Judah is a lion's whelp; you have gone up to the prey, my son"; and again in the same place: "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he shall seize the prey, and in the evening he shall divide the spoils." - "But those purchase it who give temporal things in order to receive eternal things"; concerning whom, above, chapter twelve: "Make for yourselves purses that do not grow old"; and above, in the same chapter: "Make for yourselves friends from the mammon of iniquity." To such people belongs that saying of Augustine: "I have something for sale—what? The kingdom of heaven. How is it bought? The kingdom by poverty, glory by lowliness, joy by sorrow, rest by labor, life by death." - "But those steal it who do good deeds in secret, and avoiding human praise, are content with the divine testimony alone"; to whom belongs that passage from Matthew chapter six: "But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face." "But the poor are compelled to enter, whom here the fire of poverty, by God's dispensation, tests, lest in the future the fire of judgment damnably oppress them"; concerning these things, above in the fourteenth chapter: "Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to enter, that my house may be filled." Although therefore in the time of the Law it was a time of trading, now after John it is a time of seizing. For, just as then wealth was promised, so now poverty is urged.

This, then, is the type of "the law and the prophets which were until John;" while he, though speaking more perspicuously as no longer prophesying, but pointing out as now present, Him, who was proclaimed symbolically from the beginning, nevertheless said, "I am not worthy to loose the latchet of the Lord's shoe." For he confesses that he is not worthy to baptize so great a Power; for it behooves those, who purify others, to free the soul from the body and its sins, as the foot from the thong.

For Moses, He says, and with him the company of the holy prophets, before announced the import of My mystery to the inhabitants of earth: both the law declaring by shadows and types that to save the world I should even endure the death of the flesh, and abolish corruption by rising from the dead; and the prophets also speaking words of the same import as the writings of Moses. It is nothing strange therefore, He says, or that was not known before, that you spurn My words, and despise everything that would avail for your good. For the word of prophecy concerning Me, and you, extends until the holy Baptist John: but "from the days of John, the kingdom of heaven is preached, and every one takes it by force." And by the kingdom of heaven He here means justification by faith, the washing away of sin by holy baptism, sanctification by the Spirit, worshipping in the Spirit, the service that is superior to shadows and types, the honour of the adoption of sons, and the hope of the glory about to be given to the saints.

The kingdom of heaven therefore, He says, is preached, for the Baptist has stood forth in the midst saying, "Prepare you the way of the Lord:" and has shown, that lo! He is already near, and as it were within the doors, even the true Lamb of God, Who bears the sin of the world. Whosoever therefore is a hearer and lover of the sacred message takes it by force: by which is meant, that he uses all his earnestness and all his strength in his desire to enter within the hope. For, as He says in another place, "The kingdom of heaven is taken by violence and the violent seize upon it."

The Law and the Prophets reached as far as John did, but the Messiah is the beginning of the New Testament. Through baptism, the Lord assumed the justice of the Old Testament in order to receive the perfection of the anointing and to give it in its fullness and entirety to his disciples. He ended John's baptism and the law at the same time. He was baptized in justice, because he was sinless, but he baptized in grace because all others were sinners. Through his justice, he dispensed from the law, and through his baptism, he abolished baptism [of John].

Now the ancient prophets knew the preaching of the kingdom of heaven, but none of them had expressly announced it to the Jewish people, because the Jews having a childish understanding were unequal to the preaching of what is infinite. But John first openly preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, as well as also the remission of sins by the laver of regeneration. Hence it follows, Since that time the kingdom of heaven is preached, and every one presseth into it.

A great struggle befals men in their ascent to heaven. For that men clothed with mortal flesh should be able to subdue pleasure and every unlawful appetite, desiring to imitate the life of angels, must be compassed with violence. But who that looking upon those who labour earnestly in the service of God, and almost put to death their flesh, will not in reality confess that they do violence to the kingdom of heaven.

Since, then, the law originated with Moses, it terminated with John as a necessary consequence. Christ had come to fulfil it: wherefore "the law and the prophets were" with them "until John." And therefore Jerusalem, taking its commencement from David, and fulfilling its own times, must have an end of legislation when the new covenant was revealed. For God does all things by measure and in order; nothing is unmeasured with Him, because nothing is out of order. Well spake he, who said that the unmeasurable Father was Himself subjected to measure in the Son; for the Son is the measure of the Father, since He also comprehends Him. But that the administration of them (the Jews) was temporary, Esaias says: "And the daughter of Zion shall be left as a cottage in a vineyard, and as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers." And when shall these things be left behind? Is it not when the fruit shall be taken away, and the leaves alone shall be left, which now have no power of producing fruit?

(Hom. 37. in Matt. Pseudo-Chrys. Hom. 19. op. imp.) He hereby disposes them readily to believe on Him, because if as far as John's time all things were complete, I am He who am come. For the Prophets had not ceased unless I had come; but you will say, "how" were the Prophets until John, since there have been many more Prophets in the New than the Old Testament. But He spoke of those prophets who foretold Christ's coming.

In short, if this is not so, let the Jews exhibit, subsequently to Christ, any volumes of prophets, visible miracles wrought by any angels, (such as those) which in bygone days the patriarchs saw until the advent of Christ, who is now come; since which event "sealed is vision and prophecy," that is, confirmed. And justly does the evangelist write, "The law and the prophets (were) until John" the Baptist.

And thus, the former gifts of grace being withdrawn, "the law and the prophets were until John," and the fishpool of Bethsaida until the advent of Christ: thereafter it ceased curatively to remove from Israel infirmities of health; since, as the result of their perseverance in their frenzy, the name of the Lord was through them blasphemed, as it is written: "On your account the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles: " for it is from them that the infamy (attached to that name) began, and (was propagated during) the interval from Tiberius to Vespasian.

He continued his pupillage up to the time of John, and then proceeded forthwith to announce the kingdom of God, saying: "The law and the prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is proclaimed." Just as if we also did not recognise in John a certain limit placed between the old dispensation and the new, at which Judaism ceased and Christianity began-without, however, supposing that it was by the power of another god that there came about a cessation of the law and the prophets and the commencement of that gospel in which is the kingdom of God, Christ Himself.

Now, if the Creator indeed promised that "the ancient things should pass away," to be superseded by a new course of things which should arise, whilst Christ marks the period of the separation when He says, "The law and the prophets were until John" -thus making the Baptist the limit between the two dispensations of the old things then terminating-and the new things then beginning, the apostle cannot of course do otherwise, (coming as he does) in Christ, who was revealed after John, than invalidate "the old things" and confirm "the new," and yet promote thereby the faith of no other god than the Creator, at whose instance it was foretold that the ancient things should pass away.

From Judah were taken away "the wise man, and the cunning artificer, and the counsellor, and the prophet; " that so it might prove true that "the law and the prophets were until John." Now hear how he declared that by Christ Himself, when returned to heaven, these spiritual gifts were to be sent: "He ascended up.

Yet I must necessarily prescribe you a law, not to stretch out your hand after the old things, not to look backwards: for "the old things are passed away," according to Isaiah; and "a renewing hath been renewed," according to Jeremiah; and "forgetful of former things, we are reaching forward," according to the apostle; and "the law and the prophets (were) until John," according to the Lord.

" At all events, in the Gospel they think that those days were definitely appointed for fasts in which "the Bridegroom was taken away; " and that these are now the only legitimate days for Christian fasts, the legal and prophetical antiquities having been abolished: for wherever it suits their wishes, they recognise what is the meaning of" the Law and the prophets until John." Accordingly, (they think) that, with regard to the future, fasting was to be indifferently observed, by the New Discipline, of choice, not of command, according to the times and needs of each individual: that this, withal, had been the observance of the apostles, imposing (as they did) no other yoke of definite fasts to be observed by all generally, nor similarly of Stations either, which (they think) have withal days of their own (the fourth and sixth days of the week), but yet take a wide range according to individual judgment, neither subject to the law of a given precept, nor (to be protracted) beyond the last hour of the day, since even prayers the ninth hour generally concludes, after Peter's example, which is recorded in the Acts.

The Creator promised that old things would pass away because he said that new things were to arise. Christ marked the date of that passing, saying, "The law and the prophets were until John." He set up John as a boundary stone between the one order and the other, of old things thereafter coming to an end, and new things beginning. The apostle necessarily, in Christ revealed after John, also invalidates the old things while validating the new. His concern is for the faith of no other god than the Creator under whose authority it was even prophesied that the old things were to pass away.

Apparently, this is a separate discourse having nothing in common with what was said above, but to the attentive reader it will not seem inconsistent, but on the contrary very connected with the preceding. The Lord by the aforementioned words taught non-possessiveness and called wealth unrighteous possession, while the Law (Lev. 26:3-9) placed blessings in wealth as well (among other things), and the prophets (Isa. 19) promised earthly goods as a reward. Lest someone, like the Pharisees, say to Him mockingly: what are You saying? You contradict the Law: it blesses with wealth, yet You teach non-possessiveness? — therefore the Lord says: "The Law and the prophets had their time until John," and they taught well, because the listeners were then of a young age. But from the time John appeared, nearly bodiless in his non-possessiveness and non-possessive in his near-bodilessness, and preached the Kingdom of Heaven, earthly goods no longer have their time, and the Kingdom of Heaven is preached. Therefore those who desire heaven must adopt non-possessiveness on earth. Since the prophets and the Law made no mention of the Kingdom of Heaven, they rightly promised earthly goods to people who were still far from perfect and unable to conceive of anything great and manly. Therefore, Pharisees, I rightly teach non-possessiveness, when the imperfect commandments of the Law no longer have their time.

It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the law to become void. Lest they think that in what he said, "The law and the prophets were until John," he was proclaiming the destruction of the law or the prophets, he clearly declares that the greatest elements of the world will pass more easily than the smallest words of the law. And indeed: for the figure of this world passes away (1 Cor. 7). And elsewhere: "We look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells, according to his promise" (2 Pet. 3). Yet not even the smallest stroke of a letter, that is, not even the smallest and seemingly trivial or superstitious things, are devoid of spiritual significance, as all things are summed up in the Gospel. And yet the law and the prophets were until John, because it could not be prophesied what was already clear had come through John's proclamation.

But lest they should suppose that in His words, the Law and the Prophets were until John, He preached the destruction of the Law or the Prophets, He obviates such a notion, adding, And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law should fail. For it is written, the fashion of this world passeth away. (1 Cor. 7:31.) But of the Law, not even the very extreme point of one letter, that is, not even the least things are destitute of spiritual sacraments. And yet the Law and the Prophets were until John, because that could always be prophesied as about to come, which by the preaching of John it was clear had come. But that which He spoke beforehand concerning the perpetual inviolability of the Law, He confirms by one testimony taken therefrom for the sake of example, saying, Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery; that from this one instance they should learn that He came not to destroy but to fulfil the commands of the Law.

Secondly, as regards the fulfillment of the Law according to the spiritual understanding, it is added: But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, through the conflagration of the world: Psalm: "And you in the beginning founded the earth. They shall perish," etc.

Than for one tittle of the Law to fall, through the frustration of any promise. Rabanus: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, by the change of renewal, their form being laid aside while the prior substance remains: but the words of the Lord shall in no way pass away without the effect of their fulfillment." Therefore it is said in Matthew twenty-four: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away"; because, as it is said in the Psalm, "forever, O Lord, your word endures." Whence although the old law may seem transitory, yet it is more abiding than worldly creation. It also abides through the spiritual understanding of the divine word: whence Matthew five: "I have not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it. For amen I say to you, not one iota or one tittle shall pass from the Law, until all things be accomplished."

And note that he says one tittle: for apex properly refers to the topmost point of a letter, which is placed for the adornment of the letter itself and is, as it were, a very small thing. In this it is given to understand that nothing at all, neither small nor great, is in Scripture, nor anything whatsoever, that does not have its fulfillment. For all things are referred to human salvation, which shall have perpetual duration, even as worldly creation passes away according to its outward appearance; Isaiah fifty-one: "The heavens shall melt away like smoke, and the earth shall be worn away like a garment, etc. But my salvation shall be forever, and my justice shall not fail." Whence the book of Scripture is nearer to the book of life than the book of creation, and therefore it cannot remain unfulfilled.

Perhaps by the iota and tittle His righteousness cries, "If ye come right unto Me, I will also come right to you; but if crooked, I also will come crooked, saith the Lord of hosts;" intimating that the ways of sinners are intricate and crooked. For the way right and agreeable to nature which is intimated by the iota of Jesus, is His goodness, which constantly directs those who believe from hearing, "There shall not, therefore, pass from the law one iota or one tittle," neither from the right and good the mutual promises, nor from the crooked and unjust the punishment assigned to them. "For the Lord doeth good to the good, but those who turn aside into crooked ways God will lead with the workers of iniquity."

"More easily, therefore, may heaven and earth pass away-as also the law and the prophets-than that one tittle of the Lord's words should fail." "For," as says Isaiah: "the word of our God shall stand for ever.

Then, lest anyone say that in the end everything of the Law has been rejected as vain and utterly empty, the Lord says: No! On the contrary, now it is even more fulfilled and accomplished. For what the Law sketched in shadow, speaking figuratively about Christ or about the commandments, is now fulfilled, and not one stroke of it shall be lost. What was indicated there in the form of a shadow concerning Christ is now accomplished in the clearest manner. And the commandments of the Law, given at that time in an accommodated way suited to the understanding of the imperfect, will now have a higher and most perfect meaning.

He had above proposed that the kingdom of God should be preached. When he had said that one tittle cannot fall from the law, he added, "Everyone who puts away his wife, and marries another, commits adultery." The apostle rightly admonishes, saying that this is a great sacrament concerning Christ and the church. You find a marriage that doubtlessly was joined by God, when he himself says, "No man comes to me, unless my Father who sent me has drawn him." He alone could join this marriage. Solomon mystically said, "A wife will be prepared for a man by God." The man is Christ, and the wife is the church that is a wife in love and a virgin in innocence. Do not let him whom God has drawn to the Son be separated by persecution, distracted by extravagance, ravaged by philosophy, tainted by Manichaeus, perverted by Arius, or infected by Sabellius. God has joined; let not a Jew separate. All who desire to defile the truth of faith and wisdom are adulterers.… Come, Lord Jesus, to find your bride not tainted or polluted. She has not defiled your house or disregarded your commandments. Let her say to you, "I found him whom my soul loved." Let her lead you into the house of wine. Wine makes glad the heart of man. Let the Spirit saturate her. Let her recognize the mystery and speak the prophecy.

But we must first speak, I think, of the law of marriage, that we may afterwards discuss the forbidding of divorce. Some think that all marriage is sanctioned by God, because it is written, Whom God hath joined, let not man put asunder. (Matt. 19:6.) How then does the Apostle say, If the unbelieving depart, let him depart? (Mark 10:9, 1 Cor. 7:15.) Herein he shows that the marriage of all is not from God. For neither by God's approval are Christians joined with Gentiles. Do not then put away thy wife, lest thou deny God to be the Author of thy union. For if others, much more oughtest thou to bear with and correct the behaviour of thy wife. And if she is sent away pregnant with children, it is a hard thing to shut out the parent and keep the pledge; so as to add to the parents' disgrace the loss also of filial affection. Harder still if because of the mother thou drivest away the children also. Wouldest thou suffer in thy lifetime thy children to be under a step-father, or when the mother was alive to be under a step-mother? How dangerous to expose to error the tender age of a young wife. How wicked to desert in old age one, the flower of whose growth thou hast blighted. Suppose that being divorced she does not marry, this also ought to be displeasing to you, to whom though an adulterer, she keeps her troth. Suppose she marries, her necessity is thy crime, and that which thou supposest marriage, is adultery. But to understand it morally. Having just before set forth that the kingdom of God is preached, and said that one tittle could not fall from the Law, He added, Whosoever putteth away his wife, &c. Christ is the husband; whomsoever then God has brought to His son, let not persecution sever, nor lust entice, nor philosophy spoil, nor heretics taint, nor Jew seduce. Adulterers are all such as desire to corrupt truth, faith, and wisdom.

If a layman divorces his own wife, and takes another, or one divorced by another, let him be suspended.

A person should either remain as he was born, or be content with one marriage; for a second marriage is only a specious adultery. "For whosoever puts away his wife," says He, "and marries another, commits adultery;" [Matthew 19:9] not permitting a man to send her away whose virginity he has brought to an end, nor to marry again. For he who deprives himself of his first wife, even though she be dead, is a cloaked adulterer, resisting the hand of God, because in the beginning God made one man and one woman, and dissolving the strictest union of flesh with flesh, formed for the intercourse of the race.

Who are we to say that someone commits adultery in taking another woman after he puts away his wife, and that another who, in doing this, does not commit adultery? The Gospel says that everyone who performs such an act commits adultery. If everyone who marries another woman after the dismissal of his wife commits adultery, this includes the one who puts away his wife without the cause of immorality and the one who puts away his wife for this reason.

Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. What he foretold concerning the law that must never be violated, he confirms with one example taken from it, so that from this one example they may learn that he came not to abolish but to fulfill the decrees of the law. For a fuller exposition of this testimony, let anyone who desires to see it search not our works, but the writings of the greater authorities. For the most blessed fathers, Augustine in the first book of "On the Sermon on the Mount," Jerome, and Ambrose in their commentaries on the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and indeed many others in their various works have more than sufficiently discussed it.

Third, regarding the duration of the Law according to the law of nature and the conjugal bond, he adds: Everyone who dismisses his wife and marries another commits adultery: first, because he cannot dismiss the first except for the sole cause of fornication, according to Matthew nineteen: "Whoever dismisses his wife except for fornication and marries another commits adultery." Second, because for whatever cause he dismisses her, it is not lawful for him, while she lives, to marry another, and this according to the law of nature divinely instituted in the formation of man; Genesis two: "A man shall leave his father and mother," etc. And this is what dictates that "matrimony is the union of a man and a woman, retaining an indivisible manner of life"; which also dictates that it is an indissoluble bond. - And therefore he adds: And he who marries a woman dismissed by her husband commits adultery. And the reason for this is that the wife belongs to him whose she first was, however much she may seem to be separated; whence the Apostle, Romans seven: "The woman who is under a husband, while the husband lives, is bound to the law. Therefore, while the husband lives, she shall be called an adulteress if she has been with another man." And therefore Jeremiah three: "If a man dismisses his wife, and she, departing from him, marries another man, shall he return to her again? Shall not that woman be polluted and contaminated?" - It should be noted, however, that although no mention had been made of wives, the Lord nevertheless, wishing to show the permanence of the Law with regard to morals and its passing with regard to ceremonials and judicials, gives the example of matrimony, because in it the bill of divorce was given. And the law of matrimony is confirmed in the Gospel as moral law, and the bill of divorce is rejected; whence Matthew nineteen: "Moses commanded to give a bill of divorce and to dismiss. He said to them: Because Moses, on account of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to dismiss your wives."

From these things, therefore, it is gathered how the Law remains, how it is abolished, how it is fulfilled, and nevertheless the arrogance of the Pharisees glorying in the letter of the Law is refuted.

Now that the Scripture counsels marriage, and allows no release from the union, is expressly contained in the law, "Thou shalt not put away thy wife, except for the cause of fornication;" and it regards as fornication, the marriage of those separated while the other is alive. Not to deck and adorn herself beyond what is becoming, renders a wife free of calumnious suspicion, while she devotes herself assiduously to prayers and supplications; avoiding frequent departures from the house, and shutting herself up as far as possible from the view of all not related to her, and deeming housekeeping of more consequence than impertinent trifling. "He that taketh a woman that has been put away," it is said, "committeth adultery; and if one puts away his wife, he makes her an adulteress," that is, compels her to commit adultery. And not only is he who puts her away guilty of this, but he who takes her, by giving to the woman the opportunity of sinning; for did he not take her, she would return to her husband.

"Whosoever shall marry her that is divorced from another husband, committeth adultery." And, "There are some who have been made eunuchs of men, and some who were born eunuchs, and some who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake; but all cannot receive this saying." So that all who, by human law, are twice married, are in the eye of our Master sinners, and those who look upon a woman to lust after her.

But perhaps some Jewish man of those who dare to oppose the teaching of our Saviour will say, that when Jesus said, "Whosoever shall put away his own wife, saving for the cause of fornication, makes her an adulteress," [Matthew 5:32] He also gave permission to put away a wife like as well as Moses did, who was said by Him to have given laws for the hardness of heart of the people, and will hold that the saying, "Because he found in her an unseemly thing," [Deuteronomy 24:1] is to be reckoned as the same as fornication on account of which with good cause a wife could be cast away from her husband. But to him it must be said that, if she who committed adultery was according to the law to be stoned, clearly it is not in this sense that the unseemly thing is to be understood. For it is not necessary for adultery or any such great indecency to write a bill of divorcement and give it into the hands of the wife; but indeed perhaps Moses called every sin an unseemly thing, on the discovery of which by the husband in the wife, as not finding favour in the eyes of her husband, the bill of divorcement is written, and the wife is sent away from the house of her husband; "but from the beginning it has not been so." [Matthew 19:8] After this our Saviour says, not at all permitting the dissolution of marriages for any other sin than fornication alone, when detected in the wife, "Whosoever shall put away his own wife, saving for the cause of fornication, makes her an adulteress." [Matthew 5:32] But it might be a subject for inquiry if on this account He hinders any one putting away a wife, unless she be caught in fornication, for any other reason, as for example for poisoning, or for the destruction during the absence of her husband from home of an infant born to them, or for any form of murder whatsoever. And further, if she were found despoiling and pillaging the house of her husband, though she was not guilty of fornication, one might ask if he would with reason cast away such an one, seeing that the Saviour forbids any one to put away his own wife saving for the cause of fornication. In either case there appears to be something monstrous, whether it be really monstrous, I do not know; for to endure sins of such heinousness which seem to be worse than adultery or fornication, will appear to be irrational; but again on the other hand to act contrary to the design of the teaching of the Saviour, every one would acknowledge to be impious. I wonder therefore why He did not say, Let no one put away his own wife saving for the cause of fornication, but says, "Whosoever shall put away his own wife, saving for the cause of fornication, makes her an adulteress." [Matthew 5:32] For confessedly he who puts away his wife when she is not a fornicator, makes her an adulteress, so far as it lies with him, for if, "when the husband is living she shall be called an adulteress if she be joined to another man;" [Romans 7:3] and when by putting her away, he gives to her the excuse of a second marriage, very plainly in this way he makes her an adulteress. But as to whether her being caught in the act of poisoning or committing murder, furnishes any defense of his dismissal of her, you can inquire yourselves; for the husband can also in other ways than by putting her away cause his own wife to commit adultery; as, for example, allowing her to do what she wishes beyond what is fitting, and stooping to friendship with what men she wishes, for often from the simplicity of husbands such false steps happen to wives; but whether there is a ground of defense or not for such husbands in the case of such false steps, you will inquire carefully, and deliver your opinion also in regard to the difficult questions raised by us on the passage. And even he who withholds himself from his wife makes her oftentimes to be an adulteress when he does not satisfy her desires, even though he does so under the appearance of greater gravity and self-control. And perhaps this man is more culpable who, so far as it rests with him, makes her an adulteress when he does not satisfy her desires than he who, for other reason than fornication, has sent her away — for poisoning or murder or any of the most grievous sins. But as a woman is an adulteress, even though she seem to be married to a man, while the former husband is still living, so also the man who seems to marry her who has been put away, does not so much marry her as commit adultery with her according to the declaration of our Saviour.

"Sir, if any one has a wife who trusts in the Lord, and if he detect her in adultery, does the man sin if he continue to live with her?" And he said to me, "As long as he remains ignorant of her sin, the husband commits no transgression in living with her. But if the husband know that his wife has gone astray, and if the woman does not repent, but persists in her fornication, and yet the husband continues to live with her, he also is guilty of her crime, and a sharer in her adultery." And I said to him, "What then, sir, is the husband to do, if his wife continue in her vicious practices?" And he said, "The husband should put her away, and remain by himself. But if he put his wife away and marry another, he also commits adultery." And I said to him, "What if the woman put away should repent, and wish to return to her husband: shall she not be taken back by her husband?" And he said to me, "Assuredly. If the husband do not take her back, he sins, and brings a great sin upon himself; for he ought to take back the sinner who has repented. But not frequently. For there is but one repentance to the servants of God. In case, therefore, that the divorced wife may repent, the husband ought not to marry another, when his wife has been put away. In this matter man and woman are to be treated exactly in the same way."

But Christ prohibits divorce, saying, "Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery; and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband, also committeth adultery." In order to forbid divorce, He makes it unlawful to marry a woman that has been put away.

His words are: "Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery; and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband, also committeth adultery," -"put away," that is, for the reason wherefore a woman ought not to be dismissed, that another wife may be obtained.

And concerning chastity, the holy word teaches us not only not to sin in act, but not even in thought, not even in the heart to think of any evil, nor look on another man's wife with our eyes to lust after her. Solomon, accordingly, who was a king and a prophet, said: "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee: make straight paths for your feet." And the voice of the Gospel teaches still more urgently concerning chastity, saying: "Whosoever looketh on a woman who is not his own wife, to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." [Matthew 5:28] "And he that marrieth," says [the Gospel], "her that is divorced from her husband, committeth adultery; and whosoever putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery." [Matthew 5:32] Because Solomon says: "Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he that goeth in to a married woman shall not be innocent." [Proverbs 6:27-29]

But that the Law spoke imperfectly to the imperfect is evident from the following. For example, the Law, on account of the hardheartedness of the Jews, gave a decree concerning the dissolution of marriage, namely: a husband, if he came to hate his wife, had the right to divorce her, so that nothing worse would happen. For the Jews, being inclined to murder and bloodthirsty, did not spare their closest relatives, so that they even slaughtered their own sons and daughters as sacrifices to demons. But this is a deficiency and imperfection of the Law. That was the time for such legislation, but now a different, more perfect teaching is needed. Therefore I say: whoever divorces his wife except for adultery and marries another commits adultery. Therefore there is nothing surprising if I teach about non-possessiveness, even though the Law says nothing clearly about it. Behold, the Law indifferently gave a commandment about marital divorce, to prevent murder among the Jews; but I, training My listeners toward the highest perfection, forbid divorce without a justifiable reason, and I command this not in opposition to the Law, but so that there would be no murders between husbands and wives. And I confirm this when I teach that spouses should care for one another and cherish each other as their own members. The Law also desired this, but since the listeners were imperfect, it ordained the dissolution of marriage so that, at least under such a condition, husband and wife would spare each other and not rage against one another. So, Christ confirmed all the requirements of the Law; and therefore He said well that it is impossible for one tittle of the Law to perish. For how could it have perished, when Christ fulfilled it (the Law) in a better form?

For that to the imperfect the Law spoke imperfectly is plain from what he says to the hard hearts of the Jews, "If a man hate his wife, let him put her away," (Deut. 24:1.) because since they were murderers and rejoiced in blood, they had no pity even upon those who were united to them, so that they slew their sons and daughters for devils. But now there is need of a more perfect doctrine. Wherefore I say, that if a man puts away his wife, having no excuse of fornication, he commits adultery, and he who marrieth another commits adultery.

And he said to his disciples: It is impossible that scandals should not come, but woe to him through whom they come. The Apostle also says: There must be heresies, that those who are approved may be made manifest among you. It is therefore impossible in this world, so full of errors and afflictions, that scandals will not come very often; but woe to him who, by his fault, causes what is inevitable to come through him. Although some false brother or Judas himself, who was preparing his mind for betrayal, may be understood here by the general sense, this passage yet looks back to the previous context, where the Lord, speaking about giving alms, is mocked by the Pharisees. For he who reproaches one speaking rightly certainly provides a scandal, that is, a stumbling block and ruin to weak listeners, especially if he, like the Pharisees, appears to possess knowledge of the law. Rebuking whom, the Apostle says: And the weak brother perishes by your knowledge, for whom Christ died (I Cor. VIII).

This is spoken according to the custom of the province of Palestine; for among the ancient Jews the punishment of those who were guilty of the greater crimes was that they should be sunk into the deep with a stone tied to them; and in truth it were better for a guilty man to finish his bodily life by a punishment however barbarous, yet temporal, than for his innocent brother to deserve the eternal death of his soul. Now he who can be offended is rightly called a little one; for he who is great, whatsoever he is witness of, and how great soever his sufferings, swerves not from the faith. As far then as we can without sin, we ought to avoid giving offence to our neighbours. But if an offence is taken at the truth, it is better to let the offence be, than that truth should be abandoned.

And he said to his disciples. After having refuted the impiety of the Jews, he invited the disciples to piety according to corporal almsgiving; here follows the second part, in which he invites to piety according to spiritual almsgiving. This part is divided into three, in the first of which he instructs the disciples by a reasonable teaching: in the second he leads them by hand through a sensible example, there: And the Apostles said to the Lord: in the third he confirms by an admirable deed, there: And it came to pass, as Jesus was going.

Concerning the reasonable teaching, he first sets forth a dissuasion from spiritual impiety, which consists in the scandal of neighbors; then he adds a persuasion to spiritual piety, which consists in the remission of offenses, there: Take heed to yourselves: If he shall sin. Concerning the dissuasion therefore from scandalizing impiety, he proceeds in this order, showing namely that passive scandal is inevitable, active scandal is damnable, and its punishment is horrible.

First, therefore, with regard to the inevitability of passive scandal, he says: And he said to his disciples: It is impossible that scandals should not come. For this is not said of active scandal, because that one can well avoid, but of passive scandal, which is not in the power of any man, because it sometimes takes occasion not only from evil, but even from good, as is said of the Jews in Matthew thirteen: "Who were scandalized in him"; on account of which, Matthew eleven: "Blessed is he who shall not be scandalized in me"; because, First Peter two, "to them that believe not, the stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of scandal." But God permits this to happen by just judgment for the punishment of the wicked and the testing of the just; whence Matthew eighteen: "It is necessary that scandals come." And the reason is given in First Corinthians eleven: "There must be heresies, that they also who are approved may be made manifest." Although scandals come through the wicked and from the wicked, they ought nevertheless to be avoided by just men, as much as they can, while preserving the threefold truth. Whence Bede: "Note that insofar as you can without sin, you ought to avoid the scandal of your neighbor; but if it concerns the truth, truth ought not to be abandoned on account of scandals."

Now there is a threefold truth that ought not to be abandoned on account of scandal, namely the truth of life, of doctrine, and of justice. Hence Jerome says: "Everything that can be done or not done, while preserving this threefold truth, should be set aside." But this is not a matter of necessity, but of perfect justice, according to which the Apostle said in First Corinthians 8: "If food scandalizes my brother, I will never eat meat, lest I scandalize my brother." Hence Romans 14: "It is good not to eat meat or drink wine, nor anything by which your brother is offended, or scandalized, or made weak." Hence if anyone is scandalized on account of works of perfection, these are nevertheless not to be abandoned; hence Jerome on the death of Blaesilla: "A darker garment scandalizes someone; John scandalizes, who was clothed in camel's hair." But we have an example of setting aside indifferent things on account of scandal in Christ, Matthew 17: "But that we may not scandalize them, go to the sea," etc.; where he paid the tribute. And yet he did not abandon the teachings of truth on account of scandal; hence Matthew 15: "Do you know that the Pharisees, when they heard this word, were scandalized?" But he said: "Let them alone: they are blind and leaders of the blind," etc.

Second, as regards the damnability of active scandal, he adds: But woe to him through whom they come! that is, who actively scandalizes. Now those actively scandalize who through a word or deed that is less than upright provide an occasion of ruin. For the Gloss says on Numbers thirty-one at the beginning: "Scandal is when a deception unto sinning is placed before one who walks rightly," as Balaam did to the children of Israel. On account of which it is said in Revelation two: "You have those holding the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel," namely, to eat of the sacrifices, etc. This scandal is one of spiritual impiety, when someone by evil example kills the soul of his neighbor, and therefore he himself is rendered worthy of death. As a figure of which it is said in Numbers thirty-one: "Why have you preserved the women? Are not these the ones who deceived the children of Israel at the suggestion of Balaam and caused you to transgress against the Lord?" "Therefore slay all of them, whatever is of the male sex, even the little ones, and the women who have known men in intercourse, put to death"; and in the twenty-fifth chapter: "Let the Midianites regard you as enemies, and strike them, because they too have acted with hostility against you." For he acts most hostilely who extinguishes the spirit of life in the fountain of the heart; therefore Matthew eighteen: "If your hand or your foot scandalizes you, cut it off and cast it from you; and if your eye scandalizes you, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is better to enter life with one eye than having two eyes to be cast into the gehenna of fire." Now this is not to be understood of bodily members, but of friends, who as members are carnally joined to us, from whom, if they scandalize, we ought to be separated, according to that saying in Matthew ten: "I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's enemies shall be those of his own household." Therefore Sirach six: "Separate yourself from enemies and be on guard against friends." Chrysostom: "Nothing is so harmful as to associate with the pernicious"; and therefore he himself says: "If we cut off members when they have become incurable and have harmed the rest, much more ought we to do this with friends."

What are the offences which Christ mentions as being in every way certain to happen? Offences then are of two kinds: for some are against the glory of the Supreme Being, and assail That Substance Which transcends all, as far at least as regards the purpose of the contrivers of them: while other offences happen from time to time against ourselves, and proceed no further than to the injury of some of the brethren, who are our partners in the faith. For whatever heresies have been invented, and every argument which opposes itself to the truth, resist really the glory of the supreme Godhead, by drawing away those who are caught therein from the uprightness and exactness of the sacred doctrines. And the Saviour has attached a bitter penalty against those who lay such stumbling-blocks in men's road.

Perhaps, however, these are not the offences here referred to, but those rather, which very frequently from human infirmity happen between friends and brethren: and the accompanying discourse which immediately follows these opening remarks, and which speaks of our pardoning the brethren in case they ever sin against us, leads us to the idea that these were the offences meant. And what then are these offences? Mean and annoying actions, I suppose; fits of anger, whether on good grounds or without justification; insults; slanders very frequently; and other stumbling-blocks akin and similar to these. Such, He says, must needs come. Is this then because God, Who governs all, obliges men to their commission? Away with the thought: for from Him comes nothing that is evil, yes! rather He is the fountain of all virtue. Why then must they happen? Plainly because of our infirmity: "for in many things we all of us stumble," as it is written. Nevertheless there will be woe, He says, to the man who lays the stumbling-blocks in the way: for He does not leave indifference in these things without rebuke, but restrains it rather by fear of punishment. Nevertheless He commands us to bear with patience those who occasion them.

The accompanying discussion that immediately follows these opening remarks and speaks of our pardoning our brothers and sisters in case they ever sin against us leads us to the idea that these were the offenses meant. What are these offenses? They are, I suppose, mean and annoying actions, fits of anger whether on good grounds or without justification, insults, slander, and other stumbling blocks similar to these. He says that these temptations must come. Is this then because God, who governs all, forces people to their commission of sin? Away with the thought! Nothing that is evil comes from him. He is the fountain of all virtue. Why then must this happen? They clearly happen because of our infirmity, for all of us stumble in many things, as it is written. Nevertheless he says that there will be woe to the person who lays the stumbling blocks in the way. He does not leave indifference in these things without rebuke but restrains it by fear of punishment. He still commands us to bear with patience those who cause sins to happen.

Now there are two kinds of offences, of which the one resist the glory of God, but the other serve only to cause a stumbling-block to the brethren. For the inventions of heresies, and every word that is spoken against the truth, are obstructions to the glory of God. Such offences however do not seem to be mentioned here, but rather those which occur between friends and brethren, as strifes, slanders, and the like. Therefore He adds afterwards, If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him.

"It is impossible," he says, "that scandals should not come." I suppose that a scandal is a sin because sin comes through scandal. "In many things we all offend." Granted that I have not come to ruin, but I have certainly offended not only in one thing but also in many things.

But by the punishment of the man who offends, learn the reward of him who saves. For had not the salvation of one soul been of such exceeding care to Christ, He would not threaten with such a punishment the offender.

Hear the Lord saying, "Woe to the world because of scandals!" A scandal tempts the saints, fatigues the cautious, throws down the incautious, disturbs all things and confuses all people. It is true that in this present passage the Lord is talking about the scandal of his passion.

Be not, my brethren, distressed by those things that have been done, but give heed to the future: for what is passed is ended; but the things which threaten are dangerous to those who shall fall in with them. For offenses shall never be wanting in this world, so long as the enemy is permitted to act according to his will; in order that the prudent and those who understood his wiles may be conquerors in the contests which he raises against them; but that those who neglect to learn the things that pertain to the salvation of their souls, may be taken by him with merited deceptions.

Then Peter answered, "The prophet of the truth has said, 'Good things must needs come, and blessed, said he, is he by whom they come; in like manner evil things must needs come, but woe to him through whom they come.' But if evil things come by means of evil men, and good things are brought by good men, it must needs be in each man as his own to be either good or bad, and proceeding from what he has proposed, in order to the coming of the subsequent good or evil, which, being of his own choice, are not arranged by the providence of God to come from him.

Then, turning to His disciples, He says: "Woe unto him through whom offences come! It were better for him if he had not been born, or if a millstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones," that is, one of His disciples.

Since the covetous Pharisees were grumbling against the Lord because He spoke about non-possessiveness, He first told the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, showing them through it what punishment awaited them for their attachment to wealth; and then He turns His discourse to the disciples concerning the Pharisees themselves, that they cause scandal and hold others back from the Divine path, and that for this "woe" is appointed as their portion. Let us see, then, what He says. "It is impossible that offenses should not come, but woe to him through whom they come," that is, it is impossible that offenses or obstacles to a good and God-pleasing life should not come. For given the great wickedness of men, there must necessarily appear a multitude of obstacles to the preaching and to the truth. But woe only "to him through whom they come," that is, to their instigator, such as the Pharisees, who cause offense and hinder the preaching. Many ask in perplexity: if offenses must necessarily come and it is impossible for the preaching not to encounter obstacles, then why, Lord, do You condemn and call wretched the instigators of offenses? They became such by necessity, and everything that is done by necessity is worthy of forgiveness. Know, then, that this very necessity has its origin in free will. I shall say it more clearly: the Lord, seeing the wickedness of the people of that time, seeing how they were devoted to evil and chose nothing good, said that, judging by the consequence of what was then before their eyes, it was necessary for offenses to come. Thus, the wickedness in which people delighted was a matter of free choice, while the production of offenses necessarily followed from that wickedness; and for this reason the authors of offenses are worthy of punishment. This can be illustrated by an example. A physician, seeing that a certain person leads a bad way of life and gives himself over to excess, can say that he will necessarily fall ill. Is this illness then a necessity? Yes, as a consequence of a bad way of life, it is a necessity. Therefore, woe to those who hinder the preaching, because they have reached such a degree of wickedness that offenses necessarily had to come.

Because the Pharisees were covetous and railed against Christ when He preached poverty, He put to them the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Afterwards, in speaking with His disciples concerning the Pharisees, He declares them to be men who caused division, and placed obstacles in the divine way. As it follows; Then said he unto his disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come, that is, hindrances to a good life and which is pleasing to God.

Or, He says that there must arise many obstacles to preaching and to the truth, as the Pharisees hindered the preaching of Christ. But some ask, If it needs be that offences should come, why does our Lord rebuke the author of the offences? for it follows, But woe to him through whom they come. For whatsoever necessity engenders is pardonable, or deserving of pardon. But observe, that necessity itself derives its birth from free-will. For our Lord, seeing how men cling to evil, and put forward nothing good, spoke with reference to the consequence of those things which are seen, that offences must needs come; just as if a physician, seeing a man using an unwholesome diet, should say, It is impossible but that such a one should be sick. And therefore to him that causes offences He denounces woe, and threatens punishment, saying, It were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, &c.

It is better for him that a millstone be placed around his neck and he be cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. He speaks according to the custom of the province, by which this punishment was for greater crimes among the ancient Jews, that they be drowned with a stone tied to them in the depths. And indeed it is better for the innocent to end their bodily life with a punishment, however atrocious, than to deserve the eternal death of the soul by harming a brother. Rightly, however, one who can be scandalized is called little. For he who is great, whatever he sees, whatever he suffers, does not turn away from the faith. But he who is small in spirit and little, seeks opportunities to be scandalized. Therefore, it is most appropriate for us to consider those who are small in faith, that they not be offended by anything of ours, and leave the faith, and fall from salvation. It is indeed to be noted that in our good work sometimes we must avoid scandalizing our neighbor, but at other times, it must be contemptuously disregarded. Insofar as we can without sin, we must avoid scandalizing our neighbors. But if a scandal arises from the truth, it is better to permit the scandal to arise than to forsake the truth.

Third, as regards the horribleness of the punishment, he adds: It is more profitable for him if a millstone were placed around his neck and he were cast into the sea. Bede: "He speaks according to the custom of the province, where this was the punishment for crimes, that one would be plunged into the deep with a stone tied to him." This, I say, he calls more profitable than that he should scandalize one of these little ones: because this punishment is far less than that which he deserves by scandalizing his neighbor. Whence Bede: "Truly it is more profitable to end life while innocent by the gravest punishment than to merit perpetual death by harming a brother." And again the same author: "For it is more profitable to receive a brief punishment for a fault than to be reserved for eternal torments."

The reason, moreover, why so great a punishment is owed to the one who scandalizes is that he takes from Christ that which He loves most, namely the soul, according to that passage of Wisdom 11: "All things are Yours, O Lord, who love souls." Whence also the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 8: "The weak brother shall perish by your knowledge, for whom Christ died"; and there follows: "But thus sinning against the brethren, you sin against Christ." — Another reason is that, just as a great crown is owed to works of edification, so a great punishment is owed to works of destruction; Romans 14: "Let us pursue the things that are of peace, and let us keep the things that are of mutual edification: do not for the sake of food destroy the work of God." — The third reason is that, just as it is great cruelty to afflict the sick, so it is great perversity to seduce the simple; on account of which, Leviticus 19: "You shall not place a stumbling block before the blind"; and therefore He says pointedly: One of these little ones. — The fourth reason is that the one who scandalizes is obligated not only to render his own soul, but also the scandalized soul; whence Exodus 21: "If anyone opens a cistern and does not cover it, and an ox or donkey falls into it, the owner of the cistern shall pay the price of the animals." — This sin, moreover, is grave in all, but especially in those whose life is taken as an example, such as prelates, such as great clerics, such as also religious and renowned men; whence Malachi 2: "The lips of the priest keep knowledge, and they seek the law from his mouth." "But you have departed from the way and have scandalized very many; you have made void the covenant of Levi. For which reason I have made you contemptible and base," etc.

And indeed, for a person who causes offenses and obstacles, it is better that "a millstone be hung around his neck and he be cast into the sea" than that he should offend and lead astray "one of these little ones," that is, the faithful.

After the parable of the rich man who is tormented in punishment, Christ added a commandment to give forgiveness to those who turn themselves from their trespasses, lest any one through despair should not be reclaimed from his fault; and hence it is said, Take heed to yourselves.

That there might neither be hard-wrung pardon, nor a too easy forgiveness, neither a harsh upbraiding, to dishearten, nor an overlooking of faults, to invite to sin; therefore it is said in another place, Tell him his fault between him and thee alone. (Mat. 18:15.) For better is a friendly correction, than a quarrelsome accusation. The one strikes shame into a man, the other moves his indignation. He who is admonished will more likely be saved, because he fears to be destroyed. For we more readily give ear to counsel than yield to injury. Fear is a weak preserver of consistency, but shame is an excellent master of duty. For he who fears is restrained, not amended. But He has well said, If he trespass against thee. For it is not the same thing to sin against God and to sin against man.

Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. We read something similar in Leviticus: You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall surely rebuke your neighbor and not bear sin because of him (Lev. 19). He therefore shows the order in which we can avoid scandals and escape eternal woe: if we take care not to offend anyone, if we rebuke the sinner with the zeal of justice, if we open the bowels of mercy and compassion to the penitent. Here it must be carefully noted that we are commanded not to forgive indiscriminately but to forgive the one who repents. And first, indeed, to rebuke the sinner with mercy, so that we may justly have someone to forgive afterwards. Therefore, whoever sees his brother sin and remains silent is no less a transgressor of the Lord's command than he who refuses to grant pardon to the penitent. For he who said, If he repents, forgive, preceded it with, If he sins, rebuke. Therefore, mercy on a brother is to be granted after rebuke, but certainly to the one who turns away from error by repenting, lest forgiveness be either too difficult or indulgence too lax.

But we must mark, that He does not bid us forgive every one who sins, but him only who repents of his sins. For by taking this course we may avoid offences, hurting no one, correcting the sinner with a righteous zeal, extending the bowels of mercy to the penitent.

By using the number seven He assigns no bound to the giving of pardon, but commands us either to forgive all sins, or always to forgive the penitent. For by seven the whole of any thing or time is frequently represented.

Take heed to yourselves, etc. After He dissuaded impiety, which consists in the scandal of one's neighbors, here consequently He counsels spiritual piety, which consists in the remission of injuries. And since piety ought to be exhibited according to ordered charity, which consists in vigilance with respect to oneself and in clemency with respect to one's neighbor, therefore in this part He exhorts the Apostles to the vigilance of their minds, to discipline with respect to those who err, and to indulgence with respect to the penitent.

First therefore, as regards the guarding of their minds, he says: Take heed to yourselves: as if to say: you ought first to be watchful concerning your own correction rather than concerning the sins of your neighbor: Sirach thirty: "Have mercy on your own soul, pleasing God." This the Apostle taught in First Timothy four: "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. For in doing this, you will save both yourself and those who hear you." And this especially belongs to prelates themselves, who ought first to be watchful concerning themselves: Acts twenty: "Take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock, in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops to govern the Church of God, which he acquired with his own blood." This order, however, is necessary, lest perhaps that word of Romans two be said to one who attends to the correction of others and neglects his own: "You who teach another, do you not teach yourself?" and that of Matthew seven: "Hypocrite! First cast out the beam from your own eye, and then you will see to remove the speck from your brother's eye." And therefore that good watchman said in Isaiah twenty-one: "I stand upon the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day, and I am at my post, standing through all the nights." He attended to his neighbor, not like Cain: Genesis four: "Am I my brother's keeper?" He also attended to himself, lest that word above in chapter four be said: "Physician, heal yourself."

Second, as regards discipline with respect to sinners, he adds: If your brother sins against you, rebuke him: and this through friendly correction, according to that of Second Timothy four: "Reprove, entreat, rebuke with all patience and teaching"; and Sirach nineteen: "Correct a friend, lest perhaps he did not understand and say: 'I did not do it'; or if he did, lest he do it again." Whence this rebuke ought not to come from anger, but from clemency, not from the desire for vengeance, but from the love of justice: whence Gregory in the Moralia: "If we ought to love our neighbors as ourselves, it follows that we should be angered at their sins, just as at our own." Moreover, one is said to sin against us not only when he sins against our person, but also when he sins in our presence: whence Augustine, On the Words of the Lord: "A brother sins against us if he also sins with our knowledge," because, insofar as it lies in him, he corrupts us by his example, making us witnesses of iniquity.

And note that in this rebuke an order must be observed, which is expressed in Matthew eighteen: "If your brother sins against you, correct him between you and him alone." And afterwards he adds that witnesses must be brought in, then the matter must be told to the Church. For first the sinner ought to be recalled by love: which is done when he is admonished in secret: Galatians six: "Brothers, if a man is overtaken in any fault," etc. Second, by shame: which is done when witnesses are brought in, according to that of Leviticus nineteen: "You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but reprove him publicly, lest you bear sin on his account." Third, however, by fear: which is done in the face of the Church—First Timothy chapter five: "Rebuke the one who sins before all, so that the rest also may have fear." This order, however, is one of fittingness, not of necessity, and especially if it is perceived that the neighbor is incorrigible by the word of a brother, but only by a strong hand, according to that passage of Proverbs chapter nine: "Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you." Hence Jerome: "To strive in vain and to gain nothing else by laboring than hatred is the height of madness." On account of this, holy Joseph also did not observe this order, of whom it is said in Genesis chapter thirty-seven, that "he accused his brothers before his father of a most grievous crime." From which a pattern is given, that to a prelate, who is a person able to be of benefit, even with no preceding correction, the fault of a neighbor can and ought to be accused—outside of judgment, if it is hidden, and in judgment, if certain proof is had. Hence Bede: "He who sees one sinning and remains silent sins just as much as he who does not pardon the penitent"; which indeed is understood when by one's word the neighbor can be corrected, and no greater danger is feared. Hence on that passage of Second Corinthians chapter six: "Go out from the midst of them," the Gloss says: "To go out is to do what pertains to the correction of the wicked, as much as is permitted according to the rank of each one, with peace preserved."

Third, as regards indulgence with respect to the penitent, he adds: And if he shall do penance, forgive him. Bede: "We are not commanded to forgive indiscriminately the one sinning, but the one doing penance. First therefore is to rebuke the one sinning, so that afterwards we may forgive the penitent." For the Lord established this law in the Lord's Prayer in Matthew chapter six: "Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors"; and there follows: "For if you forgive men their sins, your heavenly Father will forgive you your debts. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your sins." Therefore it is said in Sirach chapter twenty-eight: "Forgive your neighbor who harms you, and then when you pray, your sins will be loosed. A man harbors anger against another man, and seeks remedy from God? He has no mercy on a man like himself, and yet prays for his own sins? He himself, being flesh, stores up anger, and seeks propitiation from God?"

He says, "If he who sins against you repents and acknowledges his fault, you shall forgive him not only once, but very many times." We … must rather imitate those whose business it is to heal our bodily diseases and who do not care for a sick person once only or twice, but just as often as he happens to become ill. Let us remember that we also are liable to infirmities and overpowered by our passions. This being the case, we pray that those who have the duty to rebuke us and who have the authority to punish us may show themselves forgiving and kind to us. It is our duty, having a common feeling for our mutual infirmities, to bear one another's burdens, so we will fulfill the law of Christ. Observe also that in the Gospel according to Matthew, Peter makes the inquiry, "How often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?" The Lord then tells the apostles, "Although he sins seven times in the day," that is, frequently, "and will acknowledge his fault, you shall forgive him."

Forgiveness as a transaction is impossible until the offender seeks that forgiveness. Forgiveness as a readiness to conduct the transaction is possible now. You can't give the present until it is requested, but you can have it wrapped and sitting by the door.

Such identity of care proceeds from one and the same Being. A trespassing brother He will have rebuked. If one failed in this duty of reproof, he in fact sinned, either because out of hatred he wished his brother to continue in sin, or else spared him from mistaken friendship, although possessing the injunction in Leviticus: "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart; thy neighbor thou shalt seriously rebuke, and on his account shalt not contract sin.

Therefore the Lord warns the disciples: "Take heed to yourselves." Behold, He says, I tell you beforehand that evil will come; do not be held accountable. For evil must come, but there is no necessity for you to perish, if you are careful and arm yourselves. The wolf must come, but if the shepherd is watchful, there is no necessity for the sheep to perish, and the wolf must depart with an empty maw. The Lord said this about those who cause offense and those who harm the preaching, that is, who hinder it. Since there is a great difference among them, for some are incurable like the Pharisees, while others are curable like the Lord's brothers in relation to the Lord Himself, for even they did not believe in Him (John 7:5). So, since there is a great difference among those who hinder the preaching, for among them there could be some who are even of the same faith, the Lord says: "if your brother sins against you," "rebuke him" privately, and "if he listens to you, you have gained" him, "but if he does not listen, take with you one or two more," and the rest, which the evangelist Matthew (Matt. 18:15–17) set forth more extensively, while the evangelist Luke passed over in silence, as it had already been said by the evangelist Matthew. Whoever heeds the rebuke is worthy of forgiveness; but whoever does not heed, let him "be to you as a heathen and a tax collector," that is, abominable and unworthy of being called a brother.

As if He says, Offences must needs come; but it does not follow that you must perish, if only you be on your guard: as it need not that the sheep should perish when the wolf comes, if the shepherd is watching. And since there are great varieties of offenders, (for some are incurable, some are curable,) He therefore adds, If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him.

But some one may well ask, If when I have several times forgiven my brother he again trespass against me, what must I do with him? In answer therefore to this question He adds, And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; forgive him.

Or this number is used because God rested on the seventh day from His works. After the seventh day of the world everlasting rest is promised us, that as the evil works of that world shall then cease, so also may the sharpness of punishment be abated.

And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turns back to you, saying: I repent, forgive him. The number seven does not set a limit for granting forgiveness, but either commands that all sins should be forgiven, or that the one repenting should always be forgiven. For often the universality of any matter or time is indicated by the number seven. Hence it is sung in the psalm: Seven times a day I have praised you (Psalm 119), which means nothing other than His praise is always in my mouth (Psalm 34). For elsewhere too, when Peter asked how many times he should forgive a brother sinning against him, and he said up to seven times, the Lord replied: I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven (Matthew 18), that is, four hundred and ninety times. So you should forgive your brother sinning that many times in a day, as he could not sin that many times. Therefore, if a brother sins against you and repents, you have the power, indeed the necessity, to forgive him, so that the Father who is in heaven may also forgive you when you repent and ask for mercy. But if he, having been reprimanded, neglects to convert and to do penance, consider what the judgment of truth decrees about this. If your brother sins against you, go and correct him, and so on, up to where he says: If he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. And deservedly so, because under the name of the faithful he performed the works of the unfaithful. Certainly, we are commanded to give forgiveness differently to a brother who asks for it and differently to an enemy who persecutes. To the former, so that, having received forgiveness for the sin by which he harmed us innocents, he may join us in communal charity; to the latter, that while he wishes evil upon us and, if possible, does it, we may always wish and do good to him as far as we can. For David could not extend the same measure of forgiveness to his persecutors, deprived of the remedy of penance and despite compassionately mourning for them, as Joseph kindly and recognizably extended to his brothers, corrected with salutary contrition.

And since mercy ought to exceed the offense, therefore he adds: And if he sins against you seven times in a day, through manifold injury. Bede: "Universality is customarily designated by the number seven," on account of which it is also said in Proverbs chapter twenty-four: "The just man falls seven times in a day and rises again." Moreover, through these seven occasions, sevenfold tribulations can be gathered by which someone injures a neighbor: by misleading the intellect, by corrupting the affections, by afflicting the body, by taking away his possessions, by denying what is his, by mocking his reputation with words, and by corrupting his life through example; concerning which it is said in Job chapter five: "In six tribulations he will deliver you, and in the seventh evil shall not touch you."

And all these things must be forgiven to the penitent: And if seven times in a day he turns to you, saying: I repent, through mental compunction; forgive him, through merciful pardon, lest perchance that which was said to the wicked servant in Matthew eighteen be said to you: "Wicked servant, I forgave you all your debt because you asked me; should you not then also have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I also had mercy on you?" Just as therefore God grants pardon to everyone who asks, according to that passage in Ezekiel thirty-three: "The wickedness of the wicked shall not harm him, on whatever day he turns away from it," etc.: so also we ought to forgive the penitent. Hence a finite number is put here in place of an infinite one; whence Chrysostom says: "Even if you forgive seventy times seven, nevertheless, as a drop of water compared to the sea, indeed much more so, your generosity falls short of the infinite clemency of God." Therefore all offenses, however great and however many and whenever and by whomever they were committed, must be forgiven, if pardon is humbly sought through true repentance; and the offense must also be forgiven to one who does not ask, but in one way to one who asks, in another way to one who persecutes. Whence the Gloss of Bede says: "We are commanded to grant pardon in one way to a brother who asks, in another way to an enemy who persecutes. To a brother, having granted remission, we share in the fellowship of charity; to a persecutor who wishes us evil, or, if he can, does us evil, we wish good things and do what we can"; and this by the example of Christ, concerning whom below in chapter twenty-three: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do"; by the example of David, who said: "If I have repaid those who rendered evil to me," etc.; by the example of the protomartyr Stephen, concerning whom in Acts seven: "And kneeling down, he cried out with a loud voice, saying: Lord, receive my spirit, and do not hold this sin against them. And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord."

Further, in respect to forbearance. "If thy brother," it is said, "sin against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. If he sin against thee seven times in a day, and turn to thee the seventh time, and say, I repent, forgive him."

But they assert that not only is there in favour of their doctrine, testimony to be drawn from the mysteries of the Assyrians, but also from those of the Phrygians concerning the happy nature-concealed, and yet at the same time disclosed-of things that have been, and are coming into existence, and moreover will be,-(a happy nature) which, (the Naassene) says, is the kingdom of heaven to be sought for within a man. And concerning this (nature) they hand down an explicit passage, occurring in the Gospel inscribed according to Thomas, expressing themselves thus: "He who seeks me, will find me in children from seven years old; for there concealed, I shall in the fourteenth age be made manifest." This, however, is not (the teaching) of Christ, but of Hippocrates, who uses these words: "A child of seven years is half of a father." And so it is that these (heretics), placing the originative nature of the universe in causative seed, (and) having ascertained the (aphorism) of Hippocrates, that a child of seven years old is half of a father, say that in fourteen years, according to Thomas, he is manifested. This, with them, is the ineffable and mystical Logos. They assert, then, that the Egyptians, who after the Phrygians, it is established, are of greater antiquity than all mankind, and who confessedly were the first to proclaim to all the rest of men the rites and orgies of, at the same time, all the gods, as well as the species and energies (of things), have the sacred and august, and for those who are not initiated, unspeakable mysteries of Isis. These, however, are not anything else than what by her of the seven dresses and sable robe was sought and snatched away, namely, the pudendum of Osiris. And they say that Osiris is water. But the seven-robed nature, encircled and arrayed with seven mantles of ethereal texture-for so they call the planetary stars, allegorizing and denominating them ethereal robes,-is as it were the changeable generation, and is exhibited as the creature transformed by the ineffable and unportrayable, and inconceivable and figureless one. And this, (the Naassene) says, is what is declared in Scripture, "The just will fall seven times, and rise again." For these falls, he says, are the changes of the stars, moved by Him who puts all things in motion.

Nor is it to be wondered at, if He thus teaches who forbids your refusing to bring back even your brother's cattle, if you find them astray in the road; much more should you bring back your erring brother to himself. He commands you to forgive your brother, should he trespass against you even "seven times." But that surely, is a small matter; for with the Creator there is a larger grace, when He sets no limits to forgiveness, indefinitely charging you "not to bear any malice against your brother," and to give not merely to him who asks, but even to him who does not ask.

Then, as if someone were to say: let it be so, Lord! You have distinguished this well; but what is to be done with the one who has been forgiven many times and offends again? The Lord says: if he repents again, forgive him. And further: "if... he turns back seven times in a day,... forgive him." And the phrase "seven times in a day" is used here in place of "many times," just as in the expression: "even the barren woman bears seven times" (1 Sam. 2:5). Therefore, as many times as he repents, so many times must you forgive him. And do not think that the Lord is setting a number of how many times to forgive, but, as I said before, understand "seven times in a day" in the sense of "many times" and innumerably. For we say in ordinary conversation: in such-and-such a city there are a myriad (ten thousand) inhabitants, but we say this not because there are actually ten thousand inhabitants in it, for there may be even more, but instead of calling the city very populous, we say that it has ten thousand inhabitants. And that "seven times in a day" is used in this sense is evident from the Gospel of Matthew (Matt. 18:21–22). For there, when Peter said: Lord, must I forgive him (my brother) up to seven times? The Lord said: not "up to seven, but up to seventy times seven," signifying by this an innumerable multitude of times.

Virtue does not have a single form. In the example of Martha and Mary, there is added the busy devotion of the one and the pious attention of the other to the Word of God, which, if it agrees with faith, is preferred even to the very works, as it is written: "Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her." So let us also strive to have what no one can take away from us, so that not careless but diligent hearing may be granted to us. For even the seeds of the heavenly Word itself are likely to be taken away if they are sowed by the wayside. Let the desire for wisdom lead you as it did Mary. It is a greater and more perfect work. Do not let service divert the knowledge of the heavenly Word.… Nor is Martha rebuked in her good serving, but Mary is preferred because she has chosen the better part for herself, for Jesus abounds with many blessings and bestows many gifts. And therefore the wiser chooses what she perceives as foremost.

May you then like Mary be influenced by the desire of wisdom. For this is the greater, this the more perfect work. Nor let the care of ministering to others turn thy mind from the knowledge of the heavenly word, nor reprove or think indolent those whom thou seest seeking after wisdom.

At present alleluia is for us a traveler's song, but this tiresome journey brings us closer to home and rest where, all our busy activities over and done with, the only thing that will remain will be alleluia.That is the delightful part that Mary chose for herself, as she sat doing nothing but learning and praising, while her sister, Martha, was busy with all sorts of things. Indeed, what she was doing was necessary, but it wasn't going to last.

Our Lord therefore, who was not at a loss, for He had shown He was the Lord, answered as follows, And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha. The repetition of the name is a mark of love, or perhaps of drawing the attention, that she should listen more earnestly. When twice called, she hears, Thou art troubled about many things, that is, thou art busied about many things. For man wishes to meet with something when he is serving, and can not; and thus between seeking what is wanting and preparing what is at hand, the mind is distracted. For if Martha had been sufficient of herself, she would not have required the aid of her sister. There are many, there are diverse things, which are carnal, temporal, but one is preferred to many. For one is not from many, but many from one. Hence it follows, But one thing is needful. Mary wished to be occupied about one, according to that, It is good for me to cling close unto the Lord. (Ps. 73:28.) The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, are one. To this one he does not bring us, unless we being many have one heart. (Acts 4:32.)

(Serm. 104.) What then? Must we think that blame was cast upon the service of Martha, who was engaged in the cares of hospitality, and rejoiced in having so great a guest? If this be true, let men give up ministering to the needy; in a word, let them be at leisure, intent only upon getting wholesome knowledge, taking no care what stranger is in the village in want of bread; let works of mercy be unheeded, knowledge only be cultivated.

(Serm. 104.) Our Lord then does not blame the actions, but distinguishes between the duties. For it follows, Mary hath chosen that good part, &c. Not thine a bad one, but hers a better. Why a better? because it shall not be taken away from her. From thee the necessary burden of business shall one time be taken away. For when thou comest into that country, thou wilt find no stranger to receive with hospitality. But for thy good it shall be taken away, that what is better may be given thee. Trouble shall be taken away, that rest may be given. Thou art yet at sea; she is in port. For the sweetness of truth is eternal, yet in this life it is increased, and in the next it will be made perfect, never to be taken away.

(de Qu. Evang. l. ii. q. 30.) Now mystically, by Martha's receiving our Lord into her house is represented the Church which now receives the Lord into her heart. Mary her sister, who sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word, signifies the same Church, but in a future life, where ceasing from labour, and the ministering to her wants, she shall delight in Wisdom alone. But by her complaining that her sister did not help her, occasion is given for that sentence of our Lord, in which he shows that Church to be anxious and troubled about much service, when there is but one thing needful, which is yet attained through the merits of her service; but He says that Mary hath chosen the good part, for through the one the other is reached, which shall not be taken away.

And the Lord answered and said to her: Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but only one thing is necessary. And blessed David, defining this one thing necessary for man, desires to continually cling to God, saying: But it is good for me to cling to God, to put my hope in the Lord God (Psalm LXXII). And elsewhere: One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple (Psalm XXVI). Therefore, one and only theology, that is, contemplation of God, to which all merits of justifications and all studies of virtues are justly postponed.

And the Lord answering said to her. After the rational comparison, the Evangelist subjoins the judicial determination: concerning which four things are introduced, namely the humiliation of the active life, the commendation of the contemplative life, the promulgation of the sentence, and the assignment of the cause.

First, therefore, as regards the humiliation of the active life, he says: Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. Therefore he repeats the name of Martha, so that he might rouse her to consider her own defect, and this with attention to the divine word: just as it is said of Moses in Exodus 3 that the Lord, seeing that he went forward to look, called him from the midst of the bush and said: "Moses, Moses." And the Lord, wishing to rouse sinners to attention, repeats the call in Jeremiah 22: "O earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord." And so now he rouses Martha, showing that in her there is a threefold defect, namely of anxiety in thought, disturbance in affection, and division in action. And all these things hinder us from tending wholly toward God.

Hence excessive anxiety is to be avoided, according to that passage in the last chapter of Philippians: "Be anxious for nothing, but in every prayer let your petitions be made known before God"; and the last chapter of First Peter: "Casting all your anxiety upon him, for he has care of you."

Disturbance is also to be avoided: hence John 14: "Let not your heart be troubled nor let it fear. You believe in God; believe also in me." Hence also concerning Christ, Isaiah 42: "He shall not be sad nor turbulent." For a troubled eye is not fit for seeing.

Division is also to be avoided: hence Sirach 11: "Son, let not your pursuits be in many things." And these disadvantages belong to the active life, not the contemplative; hence First Corinthians 7: "He who is with a wife is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and he is divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinks about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in body and spirit; but she who is married thinks about the things of the world." — Thus therefore the importunity of action is humbled through the showing of its disadvantage and defect.

And he was capable of busying himself about many things; but the one thing, the work of life, he was powerless, and disinclined, and unable to accomplish. Such also was what the Lord said to Martha, who was occupied with many things, and distracted and troubled with serving; while she blamed her sister, because, leaving serving, she set herself at His feet, devoting her time to learning: "Thou art troubled about many things, but Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." So also He bade him leave his busy life, and cleave to One and adhere to the grace of Him who offered everlasting life.

Moreover, to speak more precisely, the Lord forbids not hospitality, but its elaborateness and vanity, that is, distraction and anxiety. Why, He says, "Martha, you are anxious and... troubled about many things," that is, you are distracted and worried? We have need only of eating a little, not of a variety of dishes.

Mary has chosen the best part, which will not be taken away from her. Behold, the part of Martha is not blamed, but Mary's is praised. For he does not say that Mary has chosen a good part, but the best, so that Martha's part may also be indicated as good. But why the part of Mary is the best is explained when it is said: Which will not be taken away from her. For the active life ceases with the body. For who will give bread to the hungry in the eternal homeland, where no one is hungry? Who will give drink to the thirsty, where no one thirsts? Who will bury the dead, where no one dies? Therefore, with the present age, the active life is taken away. But the contemplative life begins here, so that it may be perfected in the heavenly homeland. For the fire of love that begins to burn here, when it sees the very one whom it loves, burns more intensely in love. Therefore the contemplative life is by no means taken away, because it is perfected with the light of the present age being withdrawn.

Second, with regard to the commendation of the contemplative life, he adds: But one thing is necessary: this, namely, is the kingdom of God, which once possessed, nothing is lacking; whence Matthew 6: "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you"; and in the Psalm: "One thing have I asked of the Lord, this will I seek"; this, however, is the blessed life, which consists in cleaving to God, to which the contemplative life is devoted; in whose person it is said in the Psalm: "But it is good for me to cleave to God." And this is that one thing which is necessary; because "he who cleaves to the Lord is one spirit," as is said in First Corinthians 6. He who has this one thing has every good; whence as a figure of this it is said in Tobit 10: "Having all things together in you alone, we ought not to have let you go from us"; and Wisdom 7: "All good things came to me together with her," etc. And therefore the Lord said to Moses, in the person of the contemplative man, in Exodus 33: "I will show you all good."

Third, with regard to the promulgation of the judgment, it is added: Mary has chosen the best part; because, namely, she chose the one thing above all else. "For the one is set before the many," as Augustine says, because "not the one from the many, but the many from the one. Many are the things that were made; one is he who made them. Very good are the things he made — how much better is he who made them"; indeed, he is simply the best. And this is the portion of the contemplative soul; whence Lamentations 3: "The Lord is my portion, said my soul; therefore I will wait for him. The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to the soul that seeks him"; and in the Psalm: "How good is the God of Israel to those who are upright in heart"! Very good, I say, and the best; therefore the contemplative soul says in the Psalm: "I cried to you, O Lord; I said: You are my hope, my portion in the land of the living," namely, with Mary; which indeed the contemplatives have already chosen, by contemplating and desiring it. Whence in the person of the contemplative it is said in Deuteronomy 3: "I will cross over and see this excellent land, and that noble mountain, and Lebanon." And on account of love for this, he wished to possess nothing on earth except poverty alone, according to that word of the Psalm: "For one day in your courts is better than a thousand. I have chosen to be abject in the house of my God"; because, as is said in Matthew 13, "the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which when a man found, he hid," etc.

Fourth, as regards the assignment of the cause, he adds: Which shall not be taken away from her. The Gloss says: "The part of Martha is not reproved, for it too is good, but the part of Mary is praised, and why it is the best is added: Which shall not be taken away from her." "From the opposite, understand that from Martha the part which she chose shall be taken away, because the labor of multiplicity passes away, and the charity of unity remains." And this is the reason why the part of Mary is simply better and more worthy of choice, because the contemplative life begins here and is perfected in the future. This is signified in the figure of John, according to what is said in the last chapter of John: "So I will him to remain," as if the contemplation once begun remains, "until I come," to be perfected when I shall have come. And because it is more enduring, therefore it is better, as the Apostle says of charity in First Corinthians thirteen: "Charity never fails," and from this he concludes that charity is the greatest. So also concerning the contemplative life; whence Bede in the Gloss says: "Which begins to burn here, when it shall see him whom it loves, will be more greatly kindled in love"; Isaiah thirty-one: "Whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem." Whence, as far as it is in itself, it is to be preferred, according to that passage in Second Corinthians four: "While we contemplate not the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

On account of this, the contemplative life is simply more to be desired as that which is better and of itself to be preferred, both because it is more secure, and because it is more sweet, and because it is more stable; nevertheless the active life is not to be despised, but for place and time it is to be preferred for a time, both because it is prior, and because it is more laborious, and because it is more fruitful: for it avails both for oneself and for others.

And this is well signified in the two wives of Jacob, namely Rachel and Leah, of whom one signifies the active life, the other the contemplative. Whence the Bridegroom sometimes compels the Bride to go forth to action, according to what is said in Song of Songs two: "Let your voice sound in my ears," etc. Whence, if the question concerns superiority, simply speaking the contemplative is better, according to what Gregory says in the sixth book of the Moralia: "Great are the merits of the active life, but those of the contemplative are greater." For Mary has chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.

But if the question is raised concerning choosability, sometimes the active life is to be preferred, namely for an imperfect man, who must first exercise himself in the field of action, or when someone is obligated to the works of the active life by precept or by office: and therefore sometimes doubt arises in the choice, according to that passage in Philippians 1: "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if to live in the flesh, this is for me the fruit of labor, and what I shall choose, I know not. For I am straitened between the two, having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is far the better: but to remain in the flesh is necessary for your sake." — Therefore spiritual men must sometimes go out, sometimes enter in, sometimes ascend, sometimes descend, as Jacob saw, Genesis 28.

Now this Gospel is customarily read on the Assumption of the Virgin, either because its ending most fittingly applies to Mary, when it says: Mary has chosen the best part, which shall not be taken from her. For although this was said literally of Mary Magdalene, yet it is more truly said of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Whence Bernard: "Mary has chosen the best part. The best indeed: good is the fruitfulness of marriage, better however is the chastity of virginity, but altogether best is virginal fruitfulness, or fruitful virginity: it is the privilege of Mary, it shall not be given to another, because it shall not be taken from her." — Or also, because in this Gospel there is described in the two sisters the perfection of the active and the contemplative lives, both of which were in the Virgin most perfectly. For what was given to these two sisters in parts was given to Mary wholly and completely. Whence Jerome: "To others it was given in parts, but into Mary the fullness of grace poured itself all at once."

Or, because here there is treated the twofold reception of Christ: bodily and spiritual: bodily by Martha in the lodging of the outer house: spiritual by Mary in the lodging of the inner house. And this twofold reception was most perfectly in Mary, who received him in the chamber of the body, nourished and fed and raised him and diligently ministered to him: she also received him in the chamber of the heart, by seeing him, believing, loving, and imitating him. And from both of these she was blessed: whence below in chapter 11: "Blessed is the womb that bore you"; "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it." Whence Augustine: "More blessed was Mary in receiving the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. For maternal kinship would have profited Mary nothing, had she not more happily borne him in her mind than in her flesh."

Or also, because here three things are set forth, namely divine lodging, divine ministry, divine companionship: which three were most perfectly in the Virgin Mary: lodging in the village, ministry in Martha, and companionship in Mary.

Rightly the Virgin Mary in receiving Christ was a castle fortified and elevated with towers of virtues, whose first tower was the strength of severity, concerning which Song of Songs chapter four says: "Your neck is like the tower of David, which was built with bulwarks; a thousand shields hang from it," because the Virgin Mary could be overcome by no vice. The second tower was the rectitude of discernment, concerning which Song of Songs chapter seven says: "Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon, which looks toward Damascus"; where the discernment of good from evil is understood. The third tower was the abundance of devotion, concerning which the last chapter of Song of Songs says: "I am a wall, and my breasts are like a tower," on account of the sweetness of devotion, in which she excelled. Whence these three towers were built by the Holy Spirit through grace upon the three powers of the soul: the first upon the irascible, the second upon the rational, and the third upon the concupiscible. And from these the Virgin was a stronghold fit for receiving the beloved Son of the Father, who was the power and wisdom of the Father, because the Virgin was most strong, most prudent, and most devout.

Rightly also in ministering she was Martha, who ministered to the Lord faithfully and humbly and courageously. So also Mary, though she was the Mother, made herself a handmaid and servant, according to that passage above in chapter one: "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word." Whence she was prefigured by that good woman Abigail, who, when she was sought by David in marriage, offered herself for service: 1 Kings chapter twenty-five: "Behold, let your handmaid be a servant, to wash the feet of your servants." Such was the Virgin Mary on account of her exceeding humility; whence she said of herself: "He has regarded the humility of his handmaid." And this is what Augustine says: "Everyone who is of sound mind understands that Mary was the minister of Christ in the performance of her work and in the most steadfast truth of her faith. For without doubt she was his minister, who bore him in her womb and nourished and cherished him when brought forth in birth, and, as the Gospel says, laid him in a manger, and fleeing from the face of Herod went into Egypt, and attended to his entire infancy with the tender affection of a mother."

Rightly also was Mary in dwelling together or in contemplating. For she herself, like the other Mary, stood beside Christ, according to that passage in John 19: "There stood beside the cross of Jesus his Mother and his Mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene." For the Virgin herself was the one who most closely drew near to him, and therefore she most fully received his words and preserved them for others. For above in chapter two it is said: "Mary kept all these words." Whence she was rightly signified by the ark of the covenant of the Lord, of which it is said in Hebrews 9: "In which was a golden urn containing manna," through her great devotion of charity; "and the rod of Aaron," through her great uprightness of virtue; "and the tablets of the testimony," through her great knowledge of the contemplation of truth. And she herself was also most supremely contemplative. Whence Bernard says: "Blessed Mary penetrated the most profound abyss of divine wisdom, beyond what can be believed, so that, as far as the condition of a creature permits without personal union, she may be seen as immersed in that inaccessible light." And Bede says: "What did she not know of God, in whom the Wisdom of God lay hidden and from whose womb he fashioned a body for himself?"

And thus it is clear how this Gospel passage was assigned to the Assumption of the Virgin not through human invention but through divine inspiration, because the Holy Spirit enclosed within it a commendation of the Virgin with respect to her multitude of prerogatives; for the preservation of which he adds at the end: Mary has chosen the best part, which shall not be taken from her. For Mary chose the best part both in grace and in glory, in which is enclosed the perfect and proper praise of the Virgin; for as Jerome says: "Just as in comparison with God no one is good, so in comparison with the Mother of the Lord no woman is found perfect, however much she may be proven outstanding in virtues." Therefore among women she alone is the best through every manner of superabundance, by reason of which "she is seen to have neither a predecessor like her nor a successor."

A brother went to visit Silvanus on Mount Sinai. When he saw the brothers hard at work, he said to the old man, ' "Labour not for the meat which perisheth" (John 6:27) and "Mary hath chosen the best part" (Luke 10:42).' Silvanus said to his disciple Zacharias, 'Put this brother in a cell where there is nothing.' When three o'clock came, the visitor kept looking at the door, to see when they would send someone to invite him to eat but no one did so. So he got up and went to Silvanus and said, 'Abba, don't the brethren eat today?' He said, 'Yes, they have eaten already.' The brother said, 'Why didn't you call me?' He replied, 'You are so spiritual you do not need food. We are earthly, and since we want to eat, we work with our hands. But you have chosen the good part, reading all day, and not wanting to take earthly food.' When the brother heard this he prostrated himself in penitence and said, 'Forgive me, abba.' Silvanus said, 'I think Mary always needs Martha, and by Martha's help Mary is praised.'

Together with the work the Teacher set forth doctrine, not only in deed but also by His word, even as He did to Mary and Martha, who both offered service unto Him, but the service of Mary was more perfect than that of Martha, and both ministered unto Him, the one only according to the body, and the other according to the spirit, and our Lord received both services, and pronounced blessed the service which was superior to its fellow, saying, "Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." As if a man should say, "Do thou also, O Martha, forsake that service which is imperfect, and be exalted in thy service to the more excellent grade." And Jesus did not reject the ministration of Martha, for according to the measure of her knowledge and of her love was the measure of her ministration; but He wished that she would offer great instead of little things, and instead of the service of the body the service of the spirit. And the service of Mary and of Martha was like exactly unto the service of the holy Apostles of the old and of the latter times, for that bodily service which they also offered unto Him in one place after another was like unto that of Martha; but that other service which He taught them to offer unto Him in the commandment, "Ye shall possess nothing," was the counterpart of the service of the blessed Mary. For there are many who, like Martha and Zacchaeus, and those women who clave to Him, and who ministered unto Him from their possessions, are justified, and there are some whose service like that of Mary and the Apostles is wholly of the spirit; and Jesus wished and desired this service, so that all the children of men might arrive at perfection.

Others understood the words "one thing is needful" not as referring to food, but to attentiveness to teaching. Thus, by these words the Lord instructs the apostles that when they enter anyone's house, they should not demand anything luxurious, but be content with what is simple, caring for nothing more than attentiveness to teaching. Perhaps understand by Martha the active virtue, and by Mary – contemplation. The active virtue has distractions and anxieties, while contemplation, having become master over the passions (for Mary means mistress), exercises itself in the sole examination of divine sayings and judgments. So then, if you can, ascend to the level of Mary through mastery over the passions and the pursuit of contemplation. But if this is impossible for you, be Martha, devote yourself to the active life, and through that receive Christ. Note this: "which shall not be taken away from her." The one who labors in works has something that is taken away from him, that is, cares and distraction. For, having attained to contemplation, he is freed from distraction and vanity, and thus something is taken away from him. But the one who labors in contemplation is never deprived of this good part, that is, contemplation. For in what more shall he advance, when he has reached the very highest, I mean, the contemplation of God, which is equal to deification? For whoever has been deemed worthy to behold God becomes a god, since like is encompassed by like.

But he said: Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it. The Savior beautifully agreed to the testimony of the woman, meaning not only her who was worthy to physically bear the Word of God, but also all those who spiritually, by the hearing of faith, conceive the same Word, and in the custody of good works strive either to bear it in their own heart or in the hearts of others, and as if to nurture it, asserting that they are blessed. For even the mother of God, and indeed she was blessed because she became the minister of the Word made flesh temporally, but much more blessed because she remained the eternal guardian of the same Word always to be loved. With this sentence, he silently strikes the wise of the Jews, who sought not to hear and keep the Word of God, but to deny and blaspheme it.

"A certain woman from the crowd, raising her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you." And Jesus said: "Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it."

Not only is she blessed who conceived and nursed him, but also those who follow her. And who are they? Those who hear the word of God and fulfill it. Eve, having transgressed the commandment of God, destroyed the house which God had prepared for us unto salvation; but the wise woman built the house and restored our salvation.

Third, indeed, as regards the approbation of the expressed praise, he adds: But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God. He does not say this by way of opposing, but rather by way of adding, as if he were saying: not only blessed is the womb that bore me, the Word made flesh, but even more blessed is the one who receives the word uttered by me. Whence Mary too was not only blessed because she bore Christ in the flesh, but even more blessed, because she most perfectly bore him in the mind, according to what Augustine says: "Mary was more blessed in conceiving the faith of Christ than the flesh of Christ." For blessed is everyone who hears and obeys, according to that text of John 13: "If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

And therefore he adds: And keep it: and therefore James 1: "Be doers of the word and not hearers only." By this word Christ did not wish merely carnal kinship to be praised in itself: for thus it is said to the Jews above in the third chapter: "Do not presume to say: We have Abraham as our father," etc.; but spiritual kinship, because the union of minds is holier than that of bodies. And therefore, when his mother and brethren sought him, he said in Matthew 12: "Whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, sister, and mother." And for this reason the Virgin Mary was praiseworthy in conceiving, because she conceived by faith: and therefore Elizabeth said to her above in the first chapter: "Blessed is she who believed, for there shall be a fulfillment of those things which were told her by the Lord." — From which appears a wondrous commendation of truth, which makes all who adhere to it blessed, not only those adhering by carnal kinship, as the Virgin Mary, but also by spiritual love, as any holy soul. For as Augustine says: "Beatitude is joy in the truth"; to which joy shall come those who hear, love, and do the truth, according to that text of Ecclesiasticus 24: "Those who hear me shall not be confounded, and those who work in me shall not sin, and those who elucidate me shall have eternal life."

Spiritually, however, it should be noted here that the woman from the crowd bears the type of the Law, which commends carnal generation, according to the promise made to Abraham, Genesis 15: "Look up at the heaven," etc.; and to David, whence in the Psalm: "Of the fruit," etc.; whence Romans 9: "Of whom is Christ according to the flesh," etc. But Christ bears the type of grace and the spirit, who indeed commends spiritual generation, according to that text of Matthew 12: "Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?" The conception of this spiritual generation first takes place in faith, as it were in the unity of the Church: John 7: "He who believes in me, as the Scripture says," etc. As a sign of which thing also the Virgin Mary conceived through faith: Luke 1: "Blessed is she who believed." Birth, however, comes about through works: Ecclesiasticus twenty-four: "I said, I will water the garden of plantings," etc. But those who believe and do not work are like those of whom Isaiah thirty-seven says: "The children have come to the point of birth, and there is no strength to bring forth." Nursing takes place in love and contemplation; Song of Songs one: "Let him kiss me with a kiss, for your breasts are better than wine," etc.; and Proverbs five: "A most beloved hind and a most graceful fawn," etc. And thus in these three are intimated the reception of grace, the exercise of the active life, and the consolation of the contemplative life. And this whole is enclosed in "faith, which works through love," which only those who possess will be blessed.

But He blesses those who keep the word of God, not, however, in order to deprive His Mother of blessedness, but in order to show that even She would have received no benefit from having given birth to Him and nursed Him at Her breast, if She had not possessed all the other virtues. He says this also because it is timely. Since those who envied Him and did not listen to His words reviled those who did listen, He, contrary to them, especially blesses those who listen. Perhaps He also says this on account of the healed deaf man, so that he too, having heard the word, might keep it, lest the ability to hear that was granted him should serve to his condemnation.