Matthew § 98

What then saith He? "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that ye be not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."

For since they felt as being told of vengeance falling on others when hearing of that which was to be brought upon Jerusalem and as though they were to be out of the turmoils, and were dreaming of good things only, and looked for these to befall them quite immediately; for this cause He again foretells to them grievous things, making them earnest, and commanding them on two grounds to watch, so as neither to be seduced by the deceit of them that would beguile them, nor to be overpowered by the violence of ills that should overtake them.

But He answered nothing directly to this question, but first speaks of those other things that are urgent, and which it was needful for them to learn first. For neither concerning Jerusalem straightway, nor of His own second coming, did He speak, but touching the ills that were to meet them at the doors. Wherefore also He makes them earnest in their exertions, by saying, "Take heed that no man deceive you; for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ."

Afterwards, when He hath roused them to listen about these things (for, "take heed," saith He, "that no man deceive you"); and having made them energetic, and prepared them to be watchful, and hath spoken first of the false Christs, then He speaks of the ills of Jerusalem, assuring them ever by the things already past, foolish and contentious though they were, of those which were yet to come.

The character of the times in which we live is such as to call forth from us even this admonition, that we ought not to be astonished at the heresies (which abound) neither ought their existence to surprise us, for it was foretold that they should come to pass; nor the fact that they subvert the faith of some, for their final cause is, by affording a trial to faith, to give it also the opportunity of being "approved.

Many, He says, will come declaring themselves to be Christs. For Dositheus the Samaritan said, "I am that prophet foretold by Moses" (Dt. 18:18); and Simon the Samaritan called himself the great power of God.

In regard to the first, two things. First, he foretells those things which are antecedent to the destruction; secondly, the destruction itself, at when therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, etc. These preliminaries were both on the part of outsiders and of those who were contained within the Church. First, therefore, on the part of outsiders; secondly, on the part of those within the Church, at and many false prophets shall rise and shall seduce many. In regard to the first, two things. First, he presents spiritual dangers; secondly, bodily dangers, at for you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. He says, therefore: so you ask about the consummation, yet first you should be concerned for yourselves, that you not be deceived; therefore he says, take heed that no man seduce you. Ephesians 5:15: See therefore, brethren, how you walk cautiously.

Long before [the Christian movement] became as important as that the real opposition would have begun, and to be on the Christian side would be costing a man (at the least) his career. But remember, in England the opposition will quite likely be called Christianity (or Christo-democracy, or British Christianity, or something of that kind).

(Verse 5.) For many will come in my name, saying: I am the Christ, and they will deceive many. One of them is Simon the Samaritan, whom we read about in the Acts of the Apostles, who claimed to be a great power of God (Acts 8). Leaving these things aside, he also wrote among other things in his own volumes: I am the word of God, I am beautiful, I am the Paraclete, I am omnipotent, I am all things of God. But even the apostle John speaks in his epistle: You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, now many antichrists are already here (1 John 2:18). I believe that all heresiarchs are Antichrists, and they teach under the name of Christ those things which are contrary to Christ. It is not surprising if we see some being led astray by them, since the Lord has said: And many will be led astray.

One of them of whom The speaks was Simon of Samaria, of whom we read in the Acts of the Apostles, that he gave himself out to be the great Power, leaving these things written in his worksa among others, I am the Word of God, I am the Almighty, I am all things of God. The Apostle John also in his Epistle, Ye have heard that Antichrist shall come; even now there are many Antichrists. (1 John 2:18.) I suppose all heresiarchs to be Antichrists, and under the name of Christ to teach those things which are contrary to Christ. No wonder if we see some led away by such teachers, when the Lord has said, And shall deceive many.

"For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many."

For the war, saith He, shall be twofold that of the deceivers, and that of the enemies, but the former far more grievous, as coming upon them in the confusion and turmoils, and when men were terrified and troubled. For indeed great was the storm then, when the Roman power was beginning to flourish, and cities were taken, and camps and weapons were set in motion, and many were readily believed.

They that are deceived are many, because wide is the gate that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. (Mat. 7:13.) This one thing is enough to detect the Antichrists and seducers that they shall say, I am Christ, which Christ Himself is no where read to have said: for the works of God, and the word which He taught, and His power, were enough to produce belief that He is Christ. For every discourse which professes to expound Scripture faithfully, and has not the truth, is Antichrist. For the truth is Christ, that which feigns itself to be the truth is Antichrist. So also all virtues are Christ, all that feigns itself to be virtue is Antichrist; for Christ has in Himself in truth all manner of good for the edification of men, but the devil has forged resemblances of the same for the deceiving of the saints. We have need therefore of God to help us, that none deceive us, neither word nor power. It is a bad thing to find any one erring in his course of life; but I esteem it much worse not to think according to the most true rule of Scripture.

Many will come in my name, saying: I am Christ. Someone comes as sent by Christ; so the disciples came. But others are said to come in the name of Christ who say they are Christ, usurping for themselves a name that is not given to another; Philippians 2:9: He hath given him a name which is above all names. Hence many deceivers will come, who will come of themselves; but Christ did not come of himself, but from God; hence John 7:28: I am not come of myself. Although this is said specifically of the Antichrist, it can nevertheless be said of many others. Hence, because they did not adhere to the truth, they were given over to errors. And this happened in the case of Simon Magus, who wrote books and called himself the book of God, the great God, all things of God, and he seduced many. For it belongs to the foolish to be seduced, who are divided in errors, because the number of fools is infinite (Ecclesiastes 1:15). Hence truth gathers together, but error divides; and this is the danger. This can also be referred to the second coming, for these things will happen around the day of judgment.

(Ep. 199. 25.) To this enquiry of the disciples the Lord makes answer, declaring all things which were to come to pass from that time forwards, whether relating to the destruction of Jerusalem, which had given occasion to their enquiry; or to His coming through the Church, in which He ceases not to come to the end of time; for He is acknowledged as coming among His own, while new members are daily born to Him; or relating to the end itself when He shall appear to judge the quick and the dead. When then He describes the signs which shall attend these three events, we must carefully consider which signs belong to which events, lest perchance we refer to one that which belongs to another.

Our Lord and Redeemer announces beforehand the evils that precede the perishing world, so that the things to come may disturb us less because they have been foreknown. For missiles that are foreseen strike less forcefully; and we endure the evils of the world more tolerably if we are fortified against them by the shield of foreknowledge. For behold he says: "When you hear of wars and seditions, do not be terrified; for these things must happen first, but the end is not yet at once." The words of our Redeemer must be weighed carefully, through which he announces that we will suffer one thing internally, another externally. For wars indeed pertain to enemies, seditions to citizens. Therefore, to indicate that we are troubled both internally and externally, he declares that we suffer one thing from enemies, another from brothers.

(Verse 6.) For you will hear of battles and rumors of battles: see that you are not troubled. For these things must happen; but the end is not yet. Therefore, when we see these things happening, let us not think that the day of judgment is imminent, but that it is reserved for that time, whose sign is clearly set forth in the following events.

That is, Think not that the day of judgment is at hand, but that it is reserved against another time; the sign of which is plainly put in what follows, For nation shall rise against-nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

"And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that ye be not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."

But of wars in Jerusalem is He speaking; for it is not surely of those without, and everywhere in the world; for what did they care for these? And besides, He would thus say nothing new, if He were speaking of the calamities of the world at large, which are happening always. For before this, were wars, and tumults, and fightings; but He speaks of the Jewish wars coming upon them at no great distance, for henceforth the Roman arms were a matter of anxiety. Since then these things also were sufficient to confound them, He foretells them all.

Then lest on hearing of the showers of evils, they should suppose the gospel to be broken through, He added, "See, be not troubled, for all things must come to pass," i.e which I foretold, and the approach of the temptations will set aside none of the things which I have said; but there shall indeed be tumults and confusion, but nothing shall shake my predictions.

Then since He had said to the Jews, "Ye shall not see me, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord;" and the disciples supposed that together with the destruction would be the end also; to set right this secret thought of theirs, He said, "But the end is not yet." For that they did suspect even as I said, you may learn from their question. For, what did they ask? When shall these things be? i.e. when shall Jerusalem be destroyed? And what is the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?

For the war, saith He, shall be twofold that of the deceivers, and that of the enemies, but the former far more grievous, as coming upon them in the confusion and turmoils, and when men were terrified and troubled. For indeed great was the storm then, when the Roman power was beginning to flourish, and cities were taken, and camps and weapons were set in motion, and many were readily believed.

But of wars in Jerusalem is He speaking; for it is not surely of those without, and everywhere in the world; for what did they care for these? And besides, He would thus say nothing new, if He were speaking of the calamities of the world at large, which are happening always. For before this, were wars, and tumults, and fightings; but He speaks of the Jewish wars coming upon them at no great distance, for henceforth the Roman arms were a matter of anxiety. Since then these things also were sufficient to confound them, He foretells them all.

Then to show that He Himself also will assail the Jews with them, and war on them, He speaks not of battles only, but also of plagues sent from God, famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, showing that the wars also He Himself permitted to come upon them, and that these things do not happen for no purpose according to what has been before the accustomed course of things amongst men, but proceed from the wrath on high.

Therefore He saith, they shall come not by themselves or at once, but with signs. For that the Jews may not say, that they who then believed were the authors of these evils, therefore hath He told them also of the cause of their coming upon them. "For verily I say unto you," He said before, "all these things shall come upon this generation," having made mention of the stain of blood on them.

Then lest on hearing of the showers of evils, they should suppose the gospel to be broken through, He added, "See, be not troubled, for all things must come to pass," i.e which I foretold, and the approach of the temptations will set aside none of the things which I have said; but there shall indeed be tumults and confusion, but nothing shall shake my predictions.

Then since He had said to the Jews, "Ye shall not see me, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord;" and the disciples supposed that together with the destruction would be the end also; to set right this secret thought of theirs, He said, "But the end is not yet." For that they did suspect even as I said, you may learn from their question. For, what did they ask? When shall these things be? i.e. when shall Jerusalem be destroyed? And what is the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?

But He answered nothing directly to this question, but first speaks of those other things that are urgent, and which it was needful for them to learn first. For neither concerning Jerusalem straightway, nor of His own second coming, did He speak, but touching the ills that were to meet them at the doors. Wherefore also He makes them earnest in their exertions, by saying, "Take heed that no man deceive you; for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ."

Afterwards, when He hath roused them to listen about these things (for, "take heed," saith He, "that no man deceive you"); and having made them energetic, and prepared them to be watchful, and hath spoken first of the false Christs, then He speaks of the ills of Jerusalem, assuring them ever by the things already past, foolish and contentious though they were, of those which were yet to come.

But by "wars and rumors of wars," He meaneth, what I before said, the troubles coming upon them. After this, because, as I have already said, they supposed after that war the end would come, see how He warns them, saying, "But the end is not yet. For nation," He saith, "shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." Of the preludes to the ills of the Jews doth He speak. "All these are the beginning of sorrows," that is, of those that befall them.

To hear the shouts raised in the battles, is to hear wars; to hear rumours of wars, is to hear accounts of wars waged afar off.

This must come to pass before we can see the perfection of that wisdom which is in Christ; but not yet shall be that end which we seek, for a peaceful end is far from those men.

RABANUS.b Or, this is a warning to the Apostles not to flee from Jerusalem and Judæa in terror of these things, when they should begin to come upon them; because the end was not immediately, but the desolation of the province, and the destruction of the city and temple should not come till the fortieth year. And we know that most grievous woes, which spread over the whole province, fell out to the very letter.

He is speaking of the wars conducted by the Romans in Jerusalem. Not only does He say that there will be wars, but famines and plagues as well, showing that the wrath directed against the Jews is sent by God. For while it can be said that wars are caused by the violence of men, famines and plagues have no other cause than God. Then He says, lest they think that the world will come to an end before they have preached the Gospel, "Be not troubled, the end is not yet." For the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the whole world will not be at the same time. But "nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom," He says, on account of the calamities soon to befall the Jews. And these calamities are the beginning of the pangs of labor; for just as the expectant mother goes into labor but does not give birth yet, so too this present age will first suffer turmoil and wars and then give birth to the things that shall be.

For you shall hear of wars, etc. Here, first, he sets forth the dangers; secondly, he gives comfort. He says, therefore: so it was said, take heed that no man seduce you, for you shall hear of wars, etc. And this happened immediately after the Passion. For immediately the most wicked tyrants were sent into Judea by the emperor, who burdened them marvelously, so that they could scarcely endure. Hence, you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, because in wars rumors count for much; hence it often happens that a few defeat many; Jeremiah 8:16: The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan; all the land was moved at the sound of the neighing of his warriors. And see. Some might believe that the end of the world was coming immediately; hence it is said that the tribulation was so great that they believed the end of the world had come; therefore he says, see that you be not troubled. For these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet, as though the destruction of Jerusalem were meant, because its destruction did not come until fifty years after the Passion.

The final tribulation is preceded by many tribulations, and through the frequent evils that come before, the perpetual evils that will follow are indicated. And therefore after wars and seditions the end does not come immediately, because many evils must run before, so that they may be able to announce evil without end. But since so many signs of disturbance have been mentioned, we ought to touch briefly upon the consideration of each one, because it is necessary that we suffer some things from heaven, some from earth, some from the elements, some from men. For he says: "Nation will rise against nation"—behold the disturbance of men; "there will be great earthquakes in various places"—behold the look of wrath from above; "there will be pestilences"—behold the disorder of bodies; "there will be famine"—behold the barrenness of the earth. Because therefore all things are to be brought to an end, before the end all things are disturbed; and we who have sinned in all things are struck in all things.

(Verses 7, 8.) For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be pestilences and famines, and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are the beginnings of sorrows. I do not doubt that these things indeed shall come to pass literally as they are written. But it seems to me that the kingdom against kingdom and their pestilence, whose speech spreads like cancer (2 Timothy 2), and the famine to hear the word of God, and the commotion of the whole earth, and the separation from true faith, are more understood in heretics who fight against each other, making victory for the Church. But what he said: These things, however, are the beginnings of sorrows, are better translated as birth pains, so that it may be understood as a kind of conception of the coming of the Antichrist, not as childbirth.

Figuratively; Kingdom rising against kingdom and pestilence of that discourse which spreadeth as a plague-spot, and hunger of hearing the word of God, and commotion throughout the earth, and separation from the true faith, my be rather understood of the heretics, who fighting among themselves give the victory to the Church.

"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom."

But by "wars and rumors of wars," He meaneth, what I before said, the troubles coming upon them. After this, because, as I have already said, they supposed after that war the end would come, see how He warns them, saying, "But the end is not yet. For nation," He saith, "shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." Of the preludes to the ills of the Jews doth He speak.

Then to show that He Himself also will assail the Jews with them, and war on them, He speaks not of battles only, but also of plagues sent from God, famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, showing that the wars also He Himself permitted to come upon them, and that these things do not happen for no purpose according to what has been before the accustomed course of things amongst men, but proceed from the wrath on high.

Therefore He saith, they shall come not by themselves or at once, but with signs. For that the Jews may not say, that they who then believed were the authors of these evils, therefore hath He told them also of the cause of their coming upon them. "For verily I say unto you," He said before, "all these things shall come upon this generation," having made mention of the stain of blood on them.

Or otherwise; As the body sickens before the death of the man, so it must needs be that before the consummation of this world the earth should be shaken, as though it were palsied, with frequent earthquakes, the air should gather a deadly quality and become pestilential, and that the vital energy of the soil should fail, and its fruits wither. And by consequence of this scarcity, men are stirred up to robbery and war. But because war and strife arise sometimes from covctousness, and sometimes from desire of power and empty glory, of these which shall happen before the end of the world a yet deeper cause shall be assignable. For as Christ's coming brought through His divine power peace to divers nations, so it shall be on the other hand, that when iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold, and God and His Christ shall desert them; wars shall be again when actions which beget wars are not hindered by holiness; and hostile powers when they are not restrained by the Saints and by Christ shall work unchecked in the hearts of men, stirring up nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. But if, as some will have it, famine and pestilence are from the Angels of Satan, these shall then gather might from opposite powers, when the salt of the earth, and the lights of the world, Christ's disciples, shall be no longer, destroying those things which the malice of dæmons hatches. Ofttimes in Israel famines and pestilences were caused by sin, and removed by the prayers of the Saints. (1 Kings 17:1. Jer. 14. James 5:17, 18.) Well is that said, In divers places, for God will not destroy the whole race of men at once, but judging them in portions, He gives opportunity of repentance. But if some stop be not put to these evils in their commencement, they will progress to worse, as it follows, These all are the beginnings of sorrows, that is, sorrows common to the whole world, and those which are to come upon the wicked who shall be tormented in most sharp pains.

Nation shall rise against nation, shows the disquietude of men's minds; pestilences, the affliction of their bodies; famines, the barrenness of the soil; earthquakes in dicers places, wrath from heaven above.

But someone might say: you say that we will hear of wars, but there have always been wars. He responds: you have never seen such things. For nation shall rise against nation, namely, the Roman nation against the Jewish nation, and kingdom, namely, the Roman kingdom against the Jewish kingdom. And there shall be pestilences, etc. Someone might say: these wars happen by chance and not from God's vengeance. But that they come from God's vengeance is evident, because not only will these evils be inflicted by men, but by God, because there shall be pestilences, which come from the corruption of the air, and famines, and earthquakes in places. And all these things happened before the destruction of Jerusalem.

These all are the beginnings of sorrows, is better understood of pains of labour, as it were the conception of the coming of Antichrist, and not of the birth.

"All these are the beginning of sorrows," that is, of those that befall them.

Seest thou in what a state things were then, and how manifold was the war? And this is the beginning, when each of the things to be effected most required quiet. In what state then were they? for nothing hinders us from resuming the same things again. The first war was that of the deceivers; "For there shall come," He saith, "false Christs and false prophets:" the second, that of the Romans, "For ye shall hear," He saith, "of wars:" the third, that which bringeth on the "famines:" the fourth, "the pestilences" and "the earthquakes:" the fifth, "they shall deliver you into afflictions:" the sixth, "ye shall be hated of all men:" the seventh, "They shall betray one another, and hate one another" (an intestine war doth He here make known); then, "false Christs," and false brethren; then, "the love of the most shall wax cold," which is the cause of all the ills.

Seest thou numberless kinds of war, new and strange? Yet nevertheless in the midst of these things, and much more (for with the intestine wars was mingled also that of kinsmen), the gospel prevailed over the whole earth. "For the gospel," He saith, "shall be preached in the whole world."

Someone might say: all these things happened by chance and were not indicative of sorrow. On the contrary. Hence he says, now all these are the beginnings of sorrows. Isaiah 13:8: They shall be in pain as women that are in labor. So Chrysostom explains it. But insofar as it is referred to the consummation of the world, Origen explains it thus. We should consider the world as one man, because when it tends toward death, the vital powers begin to weaken. So in showing the universal change, the Lord will send some particular change, so that they will not have any strength, and then there will be pestilences, because the air that serves us in two ways will be corrupted. Likewise the earth, which serves us for food because it produces herbs and grain from which food comes, will be weakened, so that there will be famine in the land. Likewise the earth supports us, and against this the earth will be disturbed; hence there will be earthquakes. The first two are universal, but the last will be particular, because it will be in places. And why will it not happen universally throughout the whole world? So that men, seeing it, may return to their hearts and be converted. Likewise it happens that famine arises from a scarcity of things, and then on account of the famine nation rises against nation; and this could happen near the end of the world. It can also be, however, that sometimes nation rises against nation not on account of scarcity, but on account of vainglory. Sometimes it happens on account of the injustices of men. Sometimes God has mercy and restrains the evil angels through the good angels, as Ezekiel 13:5: You have not gone up to face the enemy, nor have you set up a wall for the house of Israel, to stand in battle in the day of the Lord. Hence the world stands through the prayer of the good. And then, namely at the end of the world, the charity of many shall grow cold, and then there will be many evils, because then the good angels will release the demons, who have power to harm the land and the sea; therefore, because they have power over the land and the sea, they will disturb the whole earth. And that they can do this is found in Job 1:7ff. Jerome says that this can be said of the coming of the Lord by which he comes daily in the Church. For insofar as heretics impede the goods of the Church, then spiritual pestilences occur, and famine, namely, a want of good teaching, Amos 5, and earthquakes, i.e., men who are solid will be shaken.

But because all these things come not from the injustice of the one striking but from the merit of the world that suffers, the deeds of wicked men are set forth first when it is said: "But before all these things they will lay their hands upon you and persecute you, and deliver you to synagogues, leading you before kings and governors for my name's sake." As if he were saying openly: First the hearts of men are disturbed, and afterward the elements, so that when the order of things is thrown into confusion, it may be shown from what retribution this comes.

(V. 9.) Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. The apostles are a representation of all believers, not that the apostles themselves will be found in physical form at that time.

"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you."

In good season did He introduce their ills, having a consolation from the common miseries; and not in this way only, but also by His adding, that it is "for my name's sake. For ye shall be hated," He saith, "of all men for my name's sake. Then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and many false Christs and false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold; but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

This is the greater evil, when the war is intestine too, for there were many false brethren. Seest thou the war to be threefold? from the deceivers, from the enemies, from the false brethren. See Paul too lamenting over the same things, and saying, "Without were fightings, within were fears;" and, "perils among false brethren," and again, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ."

After this again, what is more grievous than all, they shall not have so much as the consolation from love. Then indicating, that these things will in no degree harm the noble and the firm, He saith, Fear not, neither be troubled. For if ye show forth the patience that becomes you, the dangers will not prevail over you.

"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you."

In good season did He introduce their ills, having a consolation from the common miseries; and not in this way only, but also by His adding, that it is "for my name's sake. For ye shall be hated," He saith, "of all men for my name's sake. Then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and many false Christs and false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold; but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

This is the greater evil, when the war is intestine too, for there were many false brethren. Seest thou the war to be threefold? from the deceivers, from the enemies, from the false brethren. See Paul too lamenting over the same things, and saying, "Without were fightings, within were fears;" and, "perils among false brethren," and again, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ."

After this again, what is more grievous than all, they shall not have so much as the consolation from love. Then indicating, that these things will in no degree harm the noble and the firm, He saith, Fear not, neither be troubled. For if ye show forth the patience that becomes you, the dangers will not prevail over you. And it is a plain proof of this, that the word shall surely be preached everywhere in the world, so much shall ye be above the things that alarm you. For, that they may not say, how then shall we live? He said more, Ye shall both live and preach everywhere. Therefore He added moreover, "And this gospel shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all nations, and then shall the end come," of the downfall of Jerusalem.

But how should the people of Christ be hated by the nations who dwelt in the uttermost parts of the earth? But one may perhaps say, that in this place all is put hyperbolically for many. But this that He says, Then shall they deliver you, presents some difficulty; for before these things the Christians were delivered to tribulation. To this it may be answered, that at that time the Christians shall be more delivered to tribulation than ever. And persons in any misfortune love to examine into the origin of them, and to talk about them. Hence when the worship of the Gods shall be almost deserted by reason of the multitude of Christians, it will be said that that is the cause of the wars, and famines, and pestilences; and of the earthquakes also they will say that the Christians are the cause, whence the persecution of the Churches.

And that, Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake, might be then applied thus; That indeed at this time all nations are conspired together against the Christians, but that when the things foretold by Christ shall have come to pass, then there shall be persecutions, not as before in places, but every where against the people of God.

Morally; He who shall see that glorious second coming of the word of God into his soul, must needs suffer in proportion to the measure of his proficiency assaults of opposing influences, and Christ in him must be hated by all, not only by the nations literally understood, but by the nations of spiritual vices. And in such enquiries there will be few who shall reach the truth with any fulness, the more part shall be offended and fall therefrom, betraying and accusing one another because of their disagreement respecting doctrines, which shall give rise to a mutual hatred. Also there shall be many setting forth unsound words concerning things to come, and interpreting the Prophets in a manner in which they ought not; these are the false Prophets who shall deceive many, and who shall cause to wax cold that fervour of love which was before in the simplicity of the faith. But he who can abide firmly in the Apostolic tradition, he shall be saved; and the Gospel being preached to the minds of all shall be for a testimony to all nations, that is, to all the unbelieving thoughts of the soul.

For what desert so many evils are to be brought upon Jerusalem, and the whole Jewish province the Lord shows, when He adds, Then shall they deliver you up,&c.

He foretells the evils that will occur, strengthening His disciples by speaking of these things beforehand. It is often the unexpected that strikes terror and disarray, so He mitigates their fear beforehand by speaking in advance of the terrible events that will be: the spite, the enmity, the snares, and the false prophets who are the forerunners of the Antichrist, deceiving many who will then hurl themselves headlong into every type of iniquity. Because of the burgeoning of iniquity stemming from the deceit of the Antichrist, men will become so savage that not even towards those closest to them will they preserve the milk of human kindness, but will betray each other. But he that endures patiently until the end, steadfastly withstanding and not giving in to the assaults brought upon him, he it is who will be saved as the proven and tested soldier.

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted. Then he sets forth certain things that were to come in the Church. In the Church there were to be both prosperous things and adverse. And first he sets forth the adverse; secondly, the prosperous, at and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world. He announces the adverse in two ways: from those outside and from those inside. Deuteronomy 32:25: Without, the sword shall lay them waste, and within, terror. And he touches on three dangers: tribulation, killing, and hatred. They might say: it is true that the world will suffer these things, but what does that have to do with us? On the contrary, he says. And therefore he says, you; as if to say, you will not be immune, but you will be afflicted, literally; 2 Corinthians 6:4: In tribulations, in necessities, etc. Likewise, they shall put you to death, as was evident when they killed Stephen and James; hence Psalm 43:22 says: We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Likewise, you shall be hated by all nations, i.e., by the Jews. Or by all, who were spread throughout the whole world; above, 5:10: Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake. And he gives a consolation, because though all suffer, you will suffer these things for my name's sake. Jeremiah 45:4: Behold, those whom I have built, I destroy, and after: and do you seek great things for yourself? Origen says that this should be referred to the second coming, because there will be such a universal persecution that all the wicked will persecute the good; and on account of this he says then. For it was customary that when evils occurred, they would say it was on account of the sin of the Christians. Hence they rose up against them; hence, then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted.

"Then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and many false Christs and false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many."

This is the greater evil, when the war is intestine too, for there were many false brethren. Seest thou the war to be threefold? from the deceivers, from the enemies, from the false brethren. See Paul too lamenting over the same things, and saying, "Without were fightings, within were fears;" and, "perils among false brethren," and again, "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ."

If we ought to understand this passage in the moral sense, in accordance with how we treated the passages above, then we will explain its meaning as follows. It is necessary that he who is about to see the glorious coming of the Word of God in his soul should, like a great athlete, suffer the snares of his enemies and be given over to afflictions insofar as they advance the perfection of the Word within him.…The manifestation of the qualities of Christ implanted in him, on account of which he is called a Christian, makes him an object of hatred to everyone who has the spirit of the world. This persecution also only tends more and more toward the perfection of the indwelling of Christ. Few, however, will be left untouched by discussions and questions concerning the fullness of truth. Indeed, many will be "scandalized" and will fall on account of it, having been made betrayers and accusers of one another because of their dissensions over the truth of doctrine, which not everyone is able to learn. This is why they "hate one another." Among the great many who will be engaged in questions of this sort, those "false prophets who deceive many" will report prophecies concerning the future inaccurately and will interpret them incorrectly. Very few will seek the truth. False doctrines in and of themselves cannot overcome the power of truth, but those who have itchy ears will multiply and will take delight in speaking evil contrary to the law. And the tendentious words of many teachers will do such great harm that even those whose charity was once fervent in the simplicity of faith will "grow cold" toward the divine mysteries and toward the truth. But whoever is able to see all these things and yet to remain in communion with the original purpose of the church's founding and the apostolic tradition will be saved. In this way then the gospel will be preached to every soul and a testimony will be given to every nation, that is, to all the unbelieving thoughts of every single individual.

But the whole passage might be referred to the end of the world. For then shall many be offended, and depart from the faith, when they see the numbers and wealth of the wicked, and the miracles of Antichrist, and they shall persecute their brethren; and Antichrist shall send false Prophets, who shall deceive many; iniquity shall abound, because the number of the wicked shall be increased; and love shall wax cold, because the number of the good shall diminish.

And then shall many be scandalized. Here he sets forth the dangers from those within. For there is a threefold scandal that you will suffer: namely, that of the weak, mutual injury, and debility. Hence he says, then shall many be scandalized; because even the very perfect will be scandalized; hence above, 18:7: It must needs be that scandals come. Hence even the elect are troubled when they see scandals; hence Paul was saying, 2 Corinthians 11:29: Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire? And they shall betray one another. From this the tribulation is evident. Above, 10:21: And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, etc. And not only bodily, but also spiritually, because some are the source of error; and from this it will follow that they shall hate one another.

Such was Nicolaus, one of the seven deacons, who led astray many by his pretences. And Simon Magus who, armed with diabolic works and words, perverted many by false miracles.

The fact that there are such men confessing themselves to be Christians, and admitting the crucified Jesus to be both Lord and Christ, yet not teaching His doctrines, but those of the spirits of error, causes us who are disciples of the true and pure doctrine of Jesus Christ, to be more faithful and stedfast in the hope announced by Him. For what things He predicted would take place in His name, these we do see being actually accomplished in our sight. For he said, "Many shall come in My name, clothed outwardly in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." And, "There shall be schisms and heresies." And, "Beware of false prophets, who shall come to you clothed outwardly in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." And, "Many false Christs and false apostles shall arise, and shall deceive many of the faithful." There are, therefore, and there were many, my friends, who, coming forward in the name of Jesus, taught both to speak and act impious and blasphemous things; and these are called by us after the name of the men from whom each doctrine and opinion had its origin.

As the capture of Jerusalem approached, many rose up, calling themselves Christians, and deceived many; such Paul calls false brethren, John Antichrists.

And many false prophets shall rise and shall seduce many. Such are those who seduce many in the Church; 2 Peter 2:1: There were also false prophets among the people. Likewise, 1 John 2:18: Many antichrists have arisen. They went out from us, but they were not of us. Hence these evils will happen: brothers will corrupt, and they will seduce many.

(Verse 12, 13.) And since iniquity will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who perseveres to the end, he will be saved. He did not deny the faith of all, but of many. For many are called, but few are chosen. For in the apostles and those like them, charity will remain, of which it is written: 'Many waters cannot quench love' (Song of Solomon 8:7). And even Paul himself said: 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?' tribulation, or distress, or famine (Rom. VIII, 35)? and so on.

Observe, He says, the love of many, (Rom. 8:35.) not 'of all,' for in the Apostles, and those like them, love would continue, as Paul speaks, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold; but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

After this again, what is more grievous than all, they shall not have so much as the consolation from love. Then indicating, that these things will in no degree harm the noble and the firm, He saith, Fear not, neither be troubled. For if ye show forth the patience that becomes you, the dangers will not prevail over you.

And if thou art minded to learn these things more distinctly, I mean, the famines, the pestilences, the earthquakes, the other calamities, peruse the history about these things composed by Josephus, and thou wilt know all accurately. Therefore Himself too said, "Be not troubled, for all must be;" and, "He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved;" and, "The gospel shall surely be preached in all the world." For when weakened and faint at the fear of what had been said, He braces them up by saying, Though ten thousand things be done, the gospel must be preached in every part of the world, and then shall the end come.

That is, true love towards God and our neighbour, in proportion as each surrenders himself to iniquity, in that proportion will the flame of charity in his heart be extinguished.

But as the conquering power of things evil is on the increase-which is the characteristic of the last times -things good are now not allowed either to be born, so corrupted are the seminal principles; or to be trained, so deserted are studies; nor to be enforced, so dined are the laws.

Likewise, a third thing, because they will not only do this but will also corrupt, and so they will fail: because iniquity shall abound, the charity of many shall grow cold. Apocalypse 2:4: But I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first charity. It can be said to grow cold, because when they see others abandoning charity, they too grow cold, although it does not entirely perish; and in many, but not in all, because it was always fervent in the apostles; Romans 8:35: Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or persecution, or the sword? Hence it will be so in many, but not in all.

The long, dull monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or middle-aged adversity are excellent campaigning weather. You see, it is so hard for these creatures to persevere. The routine of adversity, the gradual decay of youthful loves and youthful hopes, the quiet despair (hardly felt as pain) of ever overcoming the chronic temptations with which we have again and again defeated them, the drabness which we create in their lives and the inarticulate resentment with which we teach them to respond to it—all this provides admirable opportunities of wearing out a soul by attrition.

"In your patience you shall possess your souls." The possession of the soul is placed in the virtue of patience because patience is the root and guardian of all virtues. Through patience we truly possess our souls, because while we learn to master ourselves, we begin to possess that very thing which we are.

Patience, however, is to endure the evils of others with equanimity, and to feel no sting of resentment even against the one who inflicts the evils. For whoever bears the evils of a neighbor in such a way that he nevertheless grieves silently and seeks an opportunity for fitting retribution does not display patience but merely shows it outwardly. For it is written: "Love is patient, love is kind." It is patient so as to bear the evils of others, and kind so as to love even those whom it bears. Hence Truth says through Himself: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute and slander you." It is therefore a virtue before men to tolerate adversaries, but the virtue before God is to love them, because God accepts only that sacrifice which the flame of charity kindles before His eyes on the altar of good works.

For Solomon indicates how great is the height at which the virtue of patience excels, saying: "The patient man is better than the strong man, and he who rules his spirit than he who captures cities." It is therefore a lesser victory to capture cities, because what is conquered is external. But what is conquered through patience is greater, because the mind is overcome by itself, and it subjects itself to itself, when patience prostrates it in the humility of forbearance.

Whoso shall endure unto the end, i. e. to the end of his life; for whoso to the end of his life shall persevere in the confession of the name of Christ, and in love, he shall be saved.

But "by patience," says He, "ye shall yourselves be saved." Of this very patience the Psalm says, "The patient endurance of the just shall not perish for ever; " because it is said in another Psalm, "Precious (in the sight of the Lord) is the death of the just"-arising, no doubt, out of their patient endurance, so that Zechariah declares: "A crown shall be to them that endure.

To speak plainly, if they who reproach us with harshness, or esteem heresy (to exist) in this (our) cause, foster the "infirmity of the flesh" to such a degree as to think it must have support accorded to it in frequency of marriage; why do they in another case neither accord it support nor foster it with indulgence-when, (namely), torments have reduced it to a denial (of the faith)? For, of course, that (infirmity) is more capable of excuse which has fallen in battle, than (that) which (has fallen) in the bed-chamber; (that) which has succumbed on the rack, than (that) which (has succumbed) on the bridal bed; (that) which has yielded to cruelty, than (that) which (has yielded) to appetite; that which has been overcome groaning, than (that) which (has been overcome) in heat. But the former they excommunicate, because it has not "endured unto the end: " the latter they prop up, as if withal it has "endured unto the end.

Because he that shall persevere to the end, namely, of the present life, he shall be saved. The same is found above, 10:22.

(Ep. 199, 46.) But that this preaching the Gospel of the kingdom in all the world was accomplished by the Apostles, we have not any certain evidence, to prove. There are numberless barbarous nations in Africa, among whom the Gospel is not even yet preached, as it is easy to learn from the prisoners who are brought from thence. But it cannot be said that these have no part in the promise of God. For God promised with an oath not the Romans only, but all nations to the seed of Abraham. But in whatever nation there is yet no Church established, it must needs be that there should be one, not that all the people should believe; for how then should that be fulfilled, Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake, unless there be in all nations those who hate and those; who are hated? That preaching therefore was not accomplished by the Apostles, while as yet there were nations among whom it had not begun to be fulfilled. The words of the Apostle also, Their sound hath gone out into all the world, though expressed as of time past, are meant to apply to something future, not yet completed; as the Prophet, whose words he quotes, said that the Gospel bore fruit and grew in the whole world (Ps. 19:4.), to show thereby to what extent its growth should come. If then we know not when it shall be that the whole world shall be filled with the Gospel, undoubtedly we know not when the end shall be; but it shall not be before such time.

The Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world: and along with it shall the woman too be told of who did him a kindness—and we see that all these predictions have been fulfilled. For the Christians who were at one time persecuted by the Greeks and Jews have conquered, and drawn their persecutors over to their own side. In like manner we see that the Church has never been destroyed, but that its adherents have been greatly multiplied, and that similarly the whole earth has been filled with the doctrine of the Lord Christ, and is still being filled, and that the gospel is preached throughout all the world. This I avouch to be the veritable fact, from what I have seen and heard in the many places which I have visited.

Even in Taprobanê, an island in Further India, where the Indian sea is, there is a Church of Christians, with clergy and a body of believers, but I know not whether there be any Christians in the parts beyond it. In the country called Malê, where the pepper grows, there is also a church, and at another place called Calliana there is moreover a bishop, who is appointed from Persia. In the island, again, called the Island of Dioscoridês, which is situated in the same Indian sea, and where the inhabitants speak Greek, having been originally colonists sent thither by the Ptolemies who succeeded Alexander the Macedonian, there are clergy who receive their ordination in Persia, and are sent on to the island, and there is also a multitude of Christians. I sailed along the coast of this island, but did not land upon it. I met, however, with some of its Greek-speaking people who had come over into Ethiopia. And so likewise among the Bactrians and Huns and Persians, and the rest of the Indians, Persarmenians, and Medes and Elamites, and throughout the whole land of Persia there is no limit to the number of churches with bishops and very large communities of Christian people, as well as many martyrs, and monks also living as hermits. So too in Ethiopia and Axôm, and in all the country about it; among the people of Happy Arabia—who are now called Homerites—through all Arabia and Palestine, Phoenicia, and all Syria and Antioch as far as Mesopotamia; among the Nubians and the Garamantes, in Egypt, Libya, Pentapolis, Africa and Mauretania, as far as southern Gadeira, there are everywhere churches of the Christians, and bishops, martyrs, monks and recluses, where the Gospel of Christ is proclaimed. So likewise again in Cilicia, Asia, Cappadocia, Lazica and Pontus, and in the northern countries occupied by the Scythians, Hyrcanians, Heruli, Bulgarians, Greeks and Illyrians, Dalmatians, Goths, Spaniards, Romans, Franks, and other nations, as far as Gadeira on the ocean towards the northern parts, there are believers and preachers of the Gospel confessing the resurrection from the dead; and so we see the prophecies being fulfilled over the whole world.

(non occ.)c. But it is possible to maintain both applications of the passage, if only we will take this diffusion of Gospel preaching in a double sense. If we understand it of fruit produced by the preaching, and the foundation in every nation of a Church of believers in Christ, as Augustine (in the passage above quoted) expounds it, then it is a sign which ought to precede the end of the world, and which did not precede the destruction of Jerusalem. But if we understand it of the fame of their preaching, then it was accomplished before the destruction of Jerusalem, when Christ's disciples had been dispersed over the four quarters of the earth. Whence Jerome says, (Hieron. in loc.) I do not suppose that there remained any nation which knew not the name of Christ; for where preacher had never been, some notion of the faith must have been communicated by neighbouring nations.

(Verse 14) And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come. The sign of the Lord's coming is the preaching of the Gospel in the whole world, so that no one may be without excuse; which has either already been fulfilled, or is about to be fulfilled very soon. For I do not think that any nation remains which does not know the name of Christ. And although it may not have had preachers, it cannot ignore the expectation of faith from neighboring nations.

The sign of the Lord's coming is that the gospel will be preached throughout the entire world, leaving no one any excuse. We believe that this has already been accomplished or is about to be accomplished, since it appears to me that there remains no nation that does not know the name of Christ. Even if they haven't been visited by an evangelist themselves, certainly they have heard about the Christian faith from neighboring countries.

And the sign of the Lord's second coming is, that the Gospel shall be preached in all the world, so that all may be without excuse.

This, we may observe, He saith elsewhere also; "This gospel shall be preached in all the world for a testimony to all the nations, and then shall the end come;" to the nations, to them that obey not, to them that believe not. Thus, lest any one should say, "And wherefore preach to all, if all are not to believe?"-it is that I may be found to have done all my own part, and that no man may hereafter be able to find fault, as though he had not heard. For the very preaching shall bear witness against them, and they will not be able hereafter to say, "We heard not;" for the word of godliness "hath gone out unto the ends of the world."

For in proof that He meant this, and that before the taking of Jerusalem the gospel was preached, hear what Paul saith, "Their sound went into all the earth;" and again, "The gospel which was preached to every creature which is under Heaven." And seest thou him running from Jerusalem unto Spain? And if one took so large a portion, consider what the rest also wrought. For writing to others also, Paul again saith concerning the gospel, that "it is bringing forth fruit, and growing up in every creature which is under Heaven."

But what meaneth, "For a witness to all nations?" Forasmuch as though it was everywhere preached, yet it was not everywhere believed. It was for a witness, He saith, to them that were disbelieving, that is, for conviction, for accusation, for a testimony; for they that believed will bear witness against them that believed not, and will condemn them. And for this cause, after the gospel is preached in every part of the world, Jerusalem is destroyed, that they may not have so much as a shadow of an excuse for their perverseness. For they that saw His power shine throughout every place, and in an instant take the world captive, what excuse could they then have for continuing in the same perverseness? For in proof that it was everywhere preached at that time, hear what Paul saith, "of the gospel which was preached to every creature which is under Heaven."

Which also is a very great sign of Christ's power, that in twenty or at most thirty years the word had reached the ends of the world. "After this therefore," saith He, "shall come the end of Jerusalem." For that He intimates this was manifested by what follows.

When every nation shall have heard the preaching of the Gospel, then shall come the end of the world. For at this time there are many nations, not of barbarians only, but of our own, who have not yet heard the word of Christianity.

Morally; He who shall see that glorious second coming of the word of God into his soul, must needs suffer in proportion to the measure of his proficiency assaults of opposing influences, and Christ in him must be hated by all, not only by the nations literally understood, but by the nations of spiritual vices. And in such enquiries there will be few who shall reach the truth with any fulness, the more part shall be offended and fall therefrom, betraying and accusing one another because of their disagreement respecting doctrines, which shall give rise to a mutual hatred. Also there shall be many setting forth unsound words concerning things to come, and interpreting the Prophets in a manner in which they ought not; these are the false Prophets who shall deceive many, and who shall cause to wax cold that fervour of love which was before in the simplicity of the faith. But he who can abide firmly in the Apostolic tradition, he shall be saved; and the Gospel being preached to the minds of all shall be for a testimony to all nations, that is, to all the unbelieving thoughts of the soul.

For the Lord knew that the hearts of the disciples would be made sad by the destruction of Jerusalem, and overthrow of their nation, and He therefore comforts them with a promise that more of the Gentiles should believe than of the Jews should perish.

Take courage, you will not be hindered from preaching. For the Gospel will be preached to all the nations as a witness, that is, as a reproof, a condemnation of those who do not believe, and then the end will come, not of the world, but of Jerusalem. For prior to the taking of Jerusalem, the Gospel was already preached [as a witness to all the nations], for St. Paul, in writing to the Colossians, speaks of "the Gospel which was preached to every creature under heaven" (Col. 1:23). That Christ is speaking of the end of Jerusalem is clear from what follows, for He says:

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world. Above, the Lord foretold the adverse things that would come in the Church; now he foretells the prosperous, because the apostles, who were born from the Jews, were zealous for their own flesh; Romans 9:2: I have great sadness and continual sorrow in my heart; therefore, for their consolation, because many more were to be called to the faith, he says: this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world. For he himself, beginning his preaching, said: Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. But this shall be preached in the whole world: for the new law is not determined to one people, as the old law was. Mark 16:15: Preach the gospel to every creature. And Chrysostom says that this was fulfilled before the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, and he proves this through the Apostle in Romans 10:18, where the Apostle says: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth. Therefore the evangelical teaching seemed to have been spread throughout the whole world. Likewise through another authority found in Colossians 1:6: The preaching of the gospel bears fruit. And this is not surprising, because one apostle, namely Paul, expanded it so much that he reached Rome and Spain; hence what is found in Isaiah 57:9 was fulfilled: Thou hast sent thy messengers far off. And therefore Chrysostom says that in this the power of Christ is to be admired, that within the space of forty years his teaching grew so much that it filled the whole world; hence he rightly says, and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world. But will everyone believe? No; some will believe and some will not. And the fact that some will believe will be as a testimony against those who do not believe, as Jerome says. For a testimony to all nations; Romans 1:5: We have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith in all nations, so that they are without excuse. And then, namely, when all nations believe, the consummation shall come, i.e., the destruction of Jerusalem; and about this can be understood what is said in Ezekiel 7:3: The end is come upon thee, and I will send my fury upon thee. For he worked signs, he spread the gospel, and they did not wish to believe; therefore what is said in Malachi 1:10 happened to them: I will not receive a gift of your hand. Augustine holds that this should not be referred to the consummation of Jerusalem, but of the world; hence he says, it shall be preached, namely, before the end of the world, for a testimony to all nations, because not all will believe; and then the consummation shall come, i.e., the end of the world. And this is one sign: that as long as the preaching of the gospel has not been spread throughout the whole world, the end will not come. But it had not yet come, as Augustine says, to certain barbarians in Africa. And he responds to the text, Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth (Psalm 18:5), that it used the past tense for the future. And to what is written in Colossians 1:6, he says that it was not yet bearing fruit fully, but was already beginning to do so. And it can be distinguished thus: the diffusion of the gospel can be understood in two ways. Either as to fame only, and in this way it was completed before the destruction of the city; for although some had not received it, nevertheless there was no nation to which the fame had not reached. But if the diffusion is understood with its effect, then it is true what Augustine says, that it had not yet come to all nations.

(Ep. 199. 31.) Luke, in order to show that the abomination of desolation foretold by Daniel had reference to the time of the siege of Jerusalem, repeats these words of our Lord, When ye shall see Jerusalem encompassed by armies, then know ye that its desolation draweth nigh. (Luke 21:20.)

(ubi sup.) For let us not suppose that the computation of Daniel's weeks was interfered with by this shortening of those days, or that they were not already at that time complete, but had to be completed afterwards in the end of all things, for Luke most plainly testifies that the prophecy of Daniel was accomplished at the time when Jerusalem was overthrown.

Or otherwise; It is a sign of His future coming that the Lord gives, when He says, When ye shall see the abomination. For the Prophet spoke this of the times of Antichrist; and he calls abomination that which coming against God claims to itself the honour of God. It is the abomination of desolation, because it will desolate the earth with wars and slaughter; and it is admitted by the Jews, and set up in the holy place, that where God had been invoked by the prayers of the saints, into that same place admitted by the unbelievers it might be adored with the worship of God. And because this error will be peculiar to the Jews, that having rejected the truth they should adopt a lie, He warns them to leave Judæa, and flee to the mountains, that no pollution or infection might be gathered by admixture with a people who should believe on Antichrist.

Whenever we are urged to use our understanding, the meaning is shown to be mystical. But we read in Daniel this only: "And for half a week my sacrifice and offering will be removed, and the abomination of desolation shall be in the temple until the end of time, and the end will be given in abandonment." The apostle also said in this regard that the man of iniquity, the enemy, would rise up against everything uttered by God and would dare to stand in the temple and be worshiped as though he were God. After Satan's work is finished, however, Christ's coming will destroy all who raised themselves against him and will return them to the state of divine abandonment. This man of iniquity can be interpreted either simply as the antichrist, or as the image of Caesar which Pilate put in the temple, or as the statue of Hadrian the equestrian which still today stands in the Holy of Holies. Because the Old Testament normally calls the abomination an idol, the word desolation is added here to indicate that the idol shall be placed there resulting in the temple's abandonment and destruction.

(Verse 15.) When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he that readeth, let him understand. When we are called to understanding, it is shown to be a mystical happening. We read in Daniel in this way: And in the middle of the week, sacrifice and oblation shall be taken away: and in the temple shall be the abomination of desolation: and the desolation shall continue even to the consummation, and to the end. The apostle speaks about this (II Thess. II): that the man of sin and the adversary will be exalted against everything that is called God and worshiped, so that he dares to stand in the temple of God and show himself to be God, whose coming is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and destroys those who do not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. It can be understood either simply or of the Antichrist, or of the image of Caesar, which Pilate placed in the temple, or of the equestrian statue of Hadrian, which stood in the holy of holies until the present day. Abominatio quoque, secundum veterem Scripturam, idolum nuncupatur; et idcirco additur, desolationis; quod in desolato templo atque destructo idolum positum sit.

That, Let him that readeth understand, is said to call us to the mystic understanding of the place. What we read in Daniel is this; And in the midst of the week the sacrifice and the oblation shall be taken away, and in the temple shall be the abomination of desolations until the consummation of the time, and consummation shall be given upon the desolate. (Dan. 9:27. sec. LXX.)

Or it may be understood of the statue of Cæsar, which Pilate set up in the temple; or of the equestrian statue of Adrian, which stood to the present time in the very Holy of Holies. For, according to the Old Scripture, an idol is called 'abomination;' of desolation is added, because the idol was set up in the desolated and deserted temple.

Whence one may most marvel at Christ's power, and their courage, for that they preached in such times, in which most especially the Jewish state was warred against, in which most especially men regarded them as movers of sedition, when Caesar commanded all of them to be driven away. And the result was the same as if any one (when the sea was stirred up on every side, and darkness was filling all the air, and successive shipwrecks taking place, and when all their fellow-sailors were at strife above, and monsters were rising up from beneath, and with the waves devouring the mariners, and thunderbolts falling, and their being pirates, and those in the vessel plotting one against another), were to command men inexperienced in sailing, and who had not so much as seen the sea to sit at the rudder, and to guide and fight the vessel, and when an immense fleet was coming against them with a great array, making use of a single bark, with her crew in this disturbed state, to sink and subdue the fleet. For indeed by the heathens they were hated as Jews, and by the Jews were stoned, as waging war against their laws; and nowhere could they stand.

Thus were all things, precipices, and reefs, and rocks, the things in the cities, the things in the fields, the things in the houses, and every single person was at war with them; generals and rulers, and private persons, and all nations, and all people, and a turmoil which cannot be set forth by words. For the Jewish race was exceedingly detestable to the government of the Romans, as having occasioned them endless trouble; and not even from this did the preaching of the word take hurt; but the city was stormed and set on fire, and involved its inhabitants in countless evils; but the apostles that came from thence, introducing new laws, prevailed even over the Romans.

O strange and wonderful facts! Countless myriads of Jews did the Romans then subdue, and they did not prevail over twelve men fighting against them naked and unarmed. What language can set forth this miracle? For they that teach need to have these two things, to be worthy of credit, and to be beloved by them whom they are instructing; and together with these, and besides them, that their sayings should be easy of reception, and the time should be free from trouble and tumults.

But then were all the contraries to these. For while they did not seem worthy of credit, they were withdrawing from such as did seem worthy of it, those who had been deceived by them. So far from being loved, they were even hated, and were taking men away from what they loved, both habits, and hereditary customs, and laws.

Again, their injunctions had great difficulty; but the things, from which they were withdrawing men, much pleasure. And many were the perils, many the deaths, both themselves and they that obeyed them underwent, and together with all this, the time also occasioned them much difficulty, teeming with wars, tumults, disturbance, so that, even if there had been none of the things we have mentioned, it would have quite thrown all things into confusion.

We have good occasion to say, "Who shall tell the mighty works of the Lord, and make all His praises to be heard." For if his own people amid signs hearkened not to Moses, because of the clay only, and the bricks; who persuaded these that every day were beaten and slain, and were suffering incurable evils, to leave a quiet life, and to prefer thereto this which was teeming with blood and death, and that when they who preached it were strangers to them, and very hostile in every way? For I say not unto nations and cities and people, but into a small house let one bring in him that is hated of all that are in the house, and by him endeavor to bring them away from those whom they love, from father, and wife, and child, will he not surely be seen torn in pieces, before he hath opened his mouth? And if there be added moreover a tumult and strife of husband and wife in the house, will they not stone him to death before he steps on the threshold? And if he also be one whom they may readily despise, and who enjoins galling things, and commands them who are living in luxury to practise self restraint, and together with this the conflict be against those who are far more in numbers and who excel him, is it not quite manifest that he will be utterly destroyed? Yet nevertheless, this, which is impossible to be done in one house, this hath Christ accomplished in all the world, through precipices and furnaces, and ravines, and rocks, and land and sea at war with Him, bringing in the healers of the world.

For He brought in also a prophecy, to confirm their desolation, saying, "But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, let him that readeth understand." He referred them to Daniel. And by "abomination" He meaneth the statue of him who then took the city, which he who desolated the city and the temple placed within the temple, wherefore Christ calleth it, "of desolation." Moreover, in order that they might learn that these things will be while some of them are alive, therefore He said, "When ye see the abomination of desolation."

Observe this economy of the Holy Spirit in this, that John wrote nothing of all this, that he might not seem to be writing a history after the event; for he survived sometime the taking of Jerusalem. But these who died before it, and saw nothing of it, these write it, that the power of prophecy may shine manifestly forth.

Mystically; In the holy place of the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, Antichrist, that is, false word, has often stood; let those who see this flee from the Judæa of the letter to the high mountains of truth. And whoso has been found to have gone up to the house-top of the word, and to be standing upon its summit, let him not come down thence as though he would fetch any thing out of his house. And if he be in the field in which the treasure is hid, and return thence to his house, he will run into the temptation of a false word; but especially if he have stripped off his old garment, that is, the old man, and should have returned again to take it up. Then the soul, as it were with child by the word, not having yet brought forth, is liable to a woe; for it casts that which it had conceived, and loses that hope which is in the acts of truth; and the same also if the word has been brought forth perfect and entire, but not having yet attained sufficient growth. Let them that flee to the mountains pray that their flight be not in the winter or on the sabbath-day, because in the serenity of a settled spirit they may reach the way of salvation, but if the winter overtake them they fall amongst those whom they would fly from. And there be some who rest from evil works, but do not good works; be your flight then not on such sabbath when a man rests from good works, for no man is easily overcome in times of peril from false doctrines, except he is unprovided with good works. But what sorer affliction is there than to see our brethren deceived, and to feel one's self shaken and terrified? Those days mean the precepts and dogmas of truth; and all interpretations coming of science falsely so called (1 Tim. 6:20.) are so many additions to those days, which God shortens by those whom He wills.

Whence I think that by the abomination of desolation, He means the army by which the city of the holy Jerusalem was desolated.

The "abomination of desolation" means the monument of the city's captor which he set up in the inner sanctuary of the temple. "Of desolation," because the city had been ravaged; "abomination," because statues and images of men were called "abominations" by the Jews, who hated idolatry.

Having already presented the destruction, in this part he sets forth the coming of the consummation; and he presents certain preliminaries. And first he sets forth the prophecy; secondly, the admonition, at then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains; thirdly, the reason for the admonition, at for there shall be then great tribulation. So he said, the consummation shall come, when therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, etc. What is it that he calls the abomination? It can be said that the abomination refers to the Roman army, and they are called abominations of desolation because they were desolators of the land. Or by abominations, idols: and this can be said of a twofold idol. It is recorded that Pilate introduced the eagle into the temple, which was the standard of the Romans, which the Jews called an abomination. Hence, when you shall see the idol placed in the holy place, then you can recognize the fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel about the destruction of Jerusalem. Or it can be said that Jerusalem was destroyed twice. First by Titus and Vespasian, and then the temple was burned, and then some were still permitted to remain. Afterward some rebelled again, and then Hadrian, who succeeded Trajan, destroyed it utterly and gave a law that no Jew should henceforth dwell there, and he called the city by his own name; likewise he placed an idol in the sacred place. Hence, that idol which Hadrian placed can be called the abomination; hence, when you shall see this, etc. About this destruction, much is found in Lamentations 2. He that readeth, let him understand. And why does he say this? Because in that prophecy of Daniel many things are said about the Passion of Christ. For these are words to be carefully observed; hence it says there: Christ shall be slain, and there shall be in the temple the abomination of desolation, and unto the consummation and to the end the desolation shall continue. Hence he who sees, let him understand that such things have come to pass.

Hilary explains that these words are referred to the end of the world. When you shall see this abomination, he names the Antichrist. 2 Thessalonians 2:2: Be not terrified, neither by spirit nor by word, as if the day of the Lord were at hand; let no man deceive you by any means. Likewise, Origen says that just as the word of the gospel was spread abroad when Christ himself came, so false teaching will be spread abroad when the Antichrist comes; and just as Christ had his prophets, so also will the Antichrist.

(Verse 16 onwards) Then those who are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains; and those who are on the roof, let them not come down to take anything from their house; and those who are in the field, let them not turn back to take their cloak. The abomination of desolation can be understood, and every perverse teaching; when we see it standing in the holy place, that is, in the Church, and proclaiming itself as God, we must flee from Judea to the mountains, that is, leaving behind the letter of the law and Jewish corruption, and approach the eternal mountains, from which God wonderfully enlightens (Psalm 75); and be on the roof and in the inner room, where the fiery darts of the devil cannot reach: neither coming down and taking anything from the former way of life: nor turning back are they to seek; but rather to sow in the field of spiritual Scriptures, so that we may bear fruit from it. Neither to take off the other tunic, which the apostles are forbidden to have. On this subject, that is, on the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by the prophet Daniel, Porphyry blasphemed against us in the thirteenth volume of his work, while standing in a holy place. To him, Eusebius of Caesarea, the bishop, responded in three volumes: the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth. Apollinaris ((also known as Apollinarius)) also wrote extensively, and attempted to discuss in one chapter what has been disputed in so many thousands of verses.

Having spoken of the ills that were to overtake the city, and of the trials of the apostles, and that they should remain unsubdued, and should overrun the whole world, He mentions again the Jews' calamities, showing that when the one should be glorious, having taught the whole world, the others should be in calamity.

And see how He relates the war, by the things that seem to be small setting forth how intolerable it was to be. For, "Then," saith He, "let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains." Then, When? When these things should be, "when the abomination of desolation should stand in the holy place." Whence be seems to me to be speaking of the armies. Flee therefore then, saith He, for thenceforth there is no hope of safety for you.

For since it had fallen out, that they often had recovered themselves in grievous wars, as under Sennacherib, under Antiochus again (for when at that time also, armies had come in upon them, and the temple had been seized beforehand, the Maccabees rallying gave their affairs an opposite turn); in order then that they might not now also suspect this, that there would be any such change, He forbids them all thought of the kind. For it were well, saith He, to escape henceforth with one's naked body.

And this we know was so done when the fall of Jerusalem drew near; for on the approach of the Roman army, all the Christians in the province, warned, as ecclesiastical history tells us (Euseb. H.E. iii. 5.), miraculously from heaven, withdrew, and passing the Jordan, took refuge in the city of Pella; and under the protection of that King Agrippa, of whom we read in the Acts of the Apostles, they continued some time; but Agrippa himself, with the Jews whom he governed, was subjected to the dominion of the Romans.

To suggest the utter inevitability of the calamities, He says that one must flee without turning back, and without taking any thought for what is in the houses, neither clothing nor any other possessions. Some say that the "abomination of desolation" means the Antichrist who will come at the time of the desolation of the world and the destruction of the churches and will sit in the temple. They also interpret these things as follows: he who is on the housetop, that is, he who has attained the heights of the virtues, let him not come down from that height in to order to take with him the things of the body. For the house of the soul is the body. But he must also depart from the field, that is, from earthly things, for the field is earthly life. Neither must we return to take our clothing, which is the former wickedness which we have put off.

Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains. He sets forth a useful admonition. And first he presents it; secondly, he excludes impediments to flight. For some impediments are avoidable, and some unavoidable. He says, then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains. Then, namely, in the time of Vespasian. At that time a certain man named Agrippa ruled in the mountains, and he obeyed the Romans and did not rebel against them; hence, while other peoples were at war, he and his people were at peace. Hence, by God's providence the faithful who were in Judea were admonished to withdraw and go to the kingdom of this Agrippa, and so they did; hence, then they that are in Judea, namely, the faithful, let them flee to the mountains; Zechariah 2:6: Flee from the land of the north, etc.

Hilary explains: and then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains; because the Jews will fail, hence they will flee the land of the Jews and will be converted to the mountains of Christianity. Origen says: then let those who are in the city flee to the mountains, of perfect justice.

(ubi sup.) For in tribulations we must beware of coming down from the spiritual heights, and yielding ourselves to the carnal life; or of failing and looking behind us, after having made some progress forwards.

(Quæst. Ev. I. 37.) That no one be found in that day in either joy or sorrow for temporal things.

The roof is the summit of the house, the noble perfection of the entire dwelling. For one may not even say that a house exists if it does not have a roof. Whoever therefore is established at the summit of his house—that is, in the perfection of his body made new by regeneration, raised high by the Spirit and perfected by the absolution of the divine gift—should not allow himself to be provoked within by bodily enticements and to descend to the sinful desire for the lowly things of this world or fall from the heights of the roof."And let whoever is in the field not return to retrieve his tunic," that is, if he is busy fulfilling the commandments, he should not return to his previous cares or desire clothing for this body, lest he restore and wear again the old tunic of sin with which he was once covered.

That He says, Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take ang thing out of his house, is thus understood. The roof is the highest part of the house, the summit and perfection of the whole building. He then who stands on the top of his house, i. e. in the perfection of his heart, aloft in the regeneration of a new spirit, ought not to come down to the lower desire of things of the world.

Therefore them also that are on the housetop, He suffers not to enter into the house to take their clothes, indicating the evils to be inevitable, and the calamity without end, and that it must needs be that he that was involved therein should surely perish. Therefore He adds also, him that is in the field, saying, neither let this man turn back to take his clothes. For if they that are in doors flee, much more they that are out of doors ought not to take refuge within.

Then he removes the impediments to flight. And because some impediments are avoidable and some are not, therefore he first sets forth the avoidable dangers; secondly, the unavoidable, at and woe to them that are with child, etc. Those that are avoidable are the concerns of earthly affairs; and some of these occur in the city, and some outside; therefore he presents both. He says, therefore, and he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take anything out of his house; i.e., whoever dwells in the city, even if he is in his house, let him not turn back to take anything, etc.

Hilary explains: and he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take anything out of his house. He means to say that the perfect should not be moved from their perfection. Hence he touches on the contemplative life, which is signified by the housetop; hence such persons should not withdraw from their contemplation.

The holy reading continues: "Let him in the field not turn back." This field represents the church, as was demonstrated by the blessing our blessed patriarch Isaac gave to his son Jacob: "Behold, the smell of my son is like the smell of a bountiful field which the Lord has blessed." The field was replete with a multitude of flowers and was redolent with the sweetest aroma. Clearly this signifies the church where the Lord's flowers—that is, virginity, chastity, continence, confession, faith, mercy, justice, truth and martyrdom—are perfected. These are the flowers of the field, which is the church; the flowers in which the Son of God rejoices, which have merited God's blessing. Therefore he said, "Let him in the field not turn back." Likewise, the same Lord once said, "Remember Lot's wife." While fleeing the conflagration of Sodom, she looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt, leaving an example of foolishness behind her. Therefore the Lord admonishes us that clinging more fully to his love and faith, we would not turn back, yet rather would save our souls for eternal life.

Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his coat; i. e. He that has attained to obedience to the command, let him not return back to his former cares, to take on him again the coat of his former sins in which he once was clothed.

Whoever is in Judea, that is, "in the letter of the old law," should flee to the mountains of the new things of the Spirit. And whoever is found to have gone up onto the roof, which is the Word, and stands high above his home should not descend to retrieve anything from within his house. For he who remains on the roof and denies himself will never need to come down.Whoever is in the field must not turn back. If he is in the field in which the treasure is hidden, as the Lord taught in his parable, he must not turn back. If he is in the field to which Jacob was compared when his father blessed him, saying, "Behold, the smell of my son is like the smell of a bountiful field which the Lord has blessed," in which everyone who lives according to the law will be blessed with the spiritual blessings of the law, he still must not turn back. As the Scripture says, "You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the field." Whoever therefore is in the field of "every plant which the heavenly Father has planted," he too must not turn back. Just as he who puts his hand to the plow and turns back is unfit for the kingdom of God, so also the one in the field who turns back on account of those things which he ought to have forsaken will undoubtedly incur the abomination of desolation which is deception. This is especially true of those who had previously stripped off their old tunic (that is, "the old nature with its practices") and return again to retrieve it.

Likewise, he that is in the field, let him not go back, to his house, to take his coat, namely, whatever things are necessary, because all that a man has he will give for his life. And why does he say this? Because when the feast of Passover was approaching, many gathered in Jerusalem; knowing this, Titus besieged the city while they were thus assembled. Hence he means to say: this evil will come so quickly that no one will be able to protect himself.

Hilary explains: likewise, he that is in the field touches on the active life. Such persons should not return to their former way of life, but should remain in their purpose.

This firmness of faith was shaken violently in the beginning when the martyrs were crucified by idolaters. It was also shaken in intermediate times by different heresies. It will be shaken most violently at the end of the time of the Church through torment, argument, and the working of miracles. Hence, woe to those who are with child, or have infants at the breast in those days! And the meaning here is, woe to those whose faith is not sufficiently strong. Clearly, then, it is necessary that faith be strengthened by the Inspired Word.

The holy reading continues: "Woe to those who are with child and to those who are nursing in those days." This means woe to those who have conceived suffering and begotten iniquity by neglecting the faith. For just as a pregnant woman in flight has no rest but only pain and tribulation, so also sinners and disbelievers in the Christian faith will have nothing but grief when the day of judgment comes upon them.The holy Gospel next says, "Pray that your flight not fall in the winter or on the sabbath, for there will be a tribulation such as has not been from the beginning of the world." These two times, winter and the sabbath, represent two races of people: the Gentiles and the Jews. Just as everything is fruitless, desolate and dead in the winter, so also are the Gentiles. The Lord is hereby warning us therefore not to be found as the Gentiles: desolate, dead and without the fruit of good works on the day of judgment or in the time of persecution. The sabbath … is a day reserved entirely for leisure. The Jews do nothing on the sabbath other than rest. We ought to be vigilant then that the time of persecution or the day of judgment does not find us resting. Whoever is found like this will deservedly suffer "a tribulation such as the world has not seen since its beginning."

One must not believe that the Lord was drawing our attention to the burden of pregnant women when he said, "Woe to those who are with child." Instead, he wanted to demonstrate the heavy weight of souls filled with sins, a weight which prevents them from escaping the storm of wrath stored up for them, whether they are on the roof or in the field. Suffering naturally accompanies pregnancy, and no one is born into the world without his entire body being shaken by the experience. Souls therefore who are found in a similar condition will continue in their suffering and burdens."Woe also to those who are nursing." The weaned infant is no less unfit for flight than is the one who is still nursing. But if the difference in age and status between those who are nursing and those who are weaned is of no importance, how are we to understand "Woe also to those who are nursing"? This warning is meant to show the infirmity of souls who were being taught to know God as though they were being nursed. But in fact they only had a weak foretaste of the knowledge of God and were deprived of the strength which comes from the perfect food. The Lord's woe therefore is said to the souls themselves who are too weighed down to escape the antichrist or too weak to face him because they had not been avoiding sin and because they had not been fed with the true bread. Therefore we are admonished to pray that our flight does not take place in the winter or on the sabbath. In other words, let us not be found in the coldness of our sins or in the absence of good works. A heavy, intolerable affliction will be visited upon everyone, unless those days are shortened because of the elect of God.

That which is said, Woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, is not to be taken literally as an admonition to women pregnant, but as a description of souls burdened with the weight of sin, that neither in the house, nor in the field, may escape the storm of the wrath that is in store for them. Woe also to those that are being suckled; the weak souls, that is, who are being brought to the knowledge of God as by milk, to whom it shall be woe, because they are too laden to fly, and too inexperienced to resist Antichrist, having neither escaped sin, nor partaken of the food of true bread.

(Verse 19.) But woe to those who are pregnant and nursing in those days. Woe to those souls who have not brought forth their offspring to perfect manhood, but have the beginnings of faith, that they should need the nourishment of masters. This can also be said, that in the persecution of Antichrist, or the Roman captivity, those who are pregnant and nursing, burdened with the weight of their wombs and their children, were unable to make an easy escape.

What is meant by the fact that it is written in the same Matthew, Woe to those who are pregnant and those who nurse in those days. And: Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath (Matthew 24:19-20). This is clearly dependent on the earlier statements. For when the Gospel of Christ has been preached to all nations and the end has come, and they see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet, standing in the holy place (Mark 13): then those who are in Judea are commanded to flee to the mountains; and those who are on the housetop, not to come down and take anything from their house; and those who are in the field, not to turn back and take their cloak. We have spoken more fully on these matters in the Commentaries of the same Matthew. And at once it is joined: Woe to the pregnant and nursing women in those days. In which days? when the abomination of desolation stands in the holy place. Indeed, it is not doubtful that this is preached according to the letter concerning the advent of Antichrist: when the magnitude of persecution compels them to flee, and heavy wombs, and nursing infants impede flight. Although some want it to mean the siege and battle against the Jews, and especially Jerusalem, by Titus and Vespasian. Winter and Sabbaths are also interpreted thus so as not to compel flight at that time when the severity of the cold in the fields and in desert places does not allow refugees to hide: and the observance of the Sabbath either makes deserters if they flee, or exposes them to the swords of the enemy if they keep Sabbath rest and commandments. But let us, hearing the Lord and Savior, flee to the mountains with those who are in Judea; let us also raise our eyes to the mountains, of which it is written: "I lift up my eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help" (Psalm 120:1). And in another place: "His foundation is in the holy mountains" (Psalm 87:1). And, "The mountains are around him and the Lord is around his people" (Psalm 124). And, "A city set on a hill cannot be hidden" (Matthew 5:14). Let us also, taking off the skin of letters, and going up the mountain with bare feet with Moses, say: "I will go over and see this great sight" (Exodus 3:3); so that we may understand the pregnant souls, which conceived the beginnings of faith from the seed of doctrine and the Word of God, and say with Isaiah, "By your fear, O Lord, we have conceived, and have been in pain, and have brought forth the spirit of your salvation, which you have placed upon the earth" (Isaiah 26:14). For just as seeds are gradually formed in the womb, and a person is not considered or thought to be formed until the confused elements receive their shapes and members, so a sense concept conceived by reason, unless it breaks forth into works, is still retained in the womb; and it quickly perishes as an abortion, when it has seen the abomination of desolation standing in the Church (Dan. 9. 27, Mat. 24. 15, Mark. 13. 14) and Satan being transformed into an angel of light (2 Cor. 11.14). Of such fetuses Paul speaks when he says: "My little children, of whom I travail in birth until Christ be formed in you" (Galatians 4. 10). So I consider that women are akin to the mystical understanding, about whom the same Apostle writes: The woman was seduced and became a transgressor. But she will be saved by childbearing, if they remain in faith and love and sanctity with prudence (1 Tim. 2:14-15). For if she ever gives birth to anything related to divine teaching, it is necessary for what is born to grow; and to receive first the milk of infancy, until they reach solid food, and mature age in the fullness of Christ (1 Cor. 3:2; Eph. 4:13). For every one that is fed with milk, is unskillful in the word of justice: for he is a little child. Therefore, those souls which have not yet brought forth, or which, having brought forth, have not yet suckled them, seeing a heretical discourse standing in the Church, are presently scandalized and destroyed; they can't endure in times of trials and persecutions, especially if they have had leisure to perform good works and have not walked in the way that is Christ's (John 14:6). The Apostle said of this abomination of heretical and perverse doctrine that the man of iniquity and the adversary raises himself up against everything called God and religion, so that he dares to stand in the Temple of God, and show himself as if he were God (2 Thess. 2:4); whose coming is according to the working of Satan; and he destroys what is conceived by abortion; and what is born cannot reach childhood and perfect age. Therefore we must pray to the Lord, lest in the beginning of faith and growing age there arise a winter, of which it is written: Winter has passed, the rain is over and gone (Song of Solomon 2.11); lest we become sluggish in idleness, but with shipwreck imminent, let us awaken the sleeping Lord and say: Master, save us, we perish (Matthew 8.25).

"Woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck," to the one because of their greater inertness, and because they cannot flee easily, being weighed down by the burden of their pregnancy; to the other, because they are held by the tie of feeling for their children, and cannot save their sucklings. For money it is a light thing to despise, and an easy thing to provide, and clothes; but the bonds of nature how could any one escape? how could the pregnant woman become active? how could she that gives suck be able to overlook that which she had borne?

Or because that will not be a time of showing pity, neither upon them who are with child, nor upon them who are suckling, nor upon their infants.

(Aug. Serm. App. 75. 2.) Or, They that are with child, are they who covet what belongs to others; they that give suck, are they who have already forcibly taken that which they coveted; to them shall be woe in the day of judgment. Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, or on the sabbath day; ...

For why should we be eager to bear children, whom, when we have them, we desire to send before us (to glory) (in respect, I mean, of the distresses that are now imminent); desirous as we are ourselves, too, to be taken out of this most wicked world, and received into the Lord's presence, which was the desire even of an apostle? To the servant of God, forsooth, offspring is necessary! For of our own salvation we are secure enough, so that we have leisure for children! Burdens must be sought by us for ourselves which are avoided even by the majority of the Gentiles, who are compelled by laws, who are decimated by abortions; burdens which, finally, are to us most of all unsuitable, as being perilous to faith! For why did the Lord foretell a "woe to them that are with child, and them that give suck," except because He testifies that in that day of disencumbrance the encumbrances of children will be an inconvenience? It is to marriage, of course, that those encumbrances appertain; but that ("woe") will not pertain to widows.

A third saying let them add, "Let us eat, and drink, and marry, for to-morrow we shall die; " not reflecting that the "woe" (denounced) "on such as are with child, and are giving suck," will fall far more heavily and bitterly in the "universal shaking" of the entire world than it did in the devastation of one fraction of Judaea.

Those who are with child will not be able to flee, weighed down as they are by the burden of their womb. Those who give suck, because of their compassion for their children, will not be able to leave them, nor to carry them and survive together, and so they will not escape the wrath that will be. Christ is also implying the eating of children, for Josephus speaks of a woman who, on account of the starvation during the siege, cooked her child and ate it.

Then he presents the unavoidable impediments. And because there were some impediments that were unavoidable by human power and absolutely, and some that, although unavoidable by human power, were avoidable by the power of God, therefore first about the first; secondly about the second, at pray, etc. That which, when present, can in no way be avoided is the burden of children. For although one might be told: save your life, he could say: how can I leave my child? Therefore he explains this: woe to them that are with child and that give suck, because such women could not flee, for neither should they be told to procure an abortion, nor those nursing to kill their children; and so what is said in Luke 23:29 is fulfilled: Blessed are the breasts that have not given suck.

Hilary explains: and what is meant by those who are with child? Men burdened with sins. Those who are nursing are imperfect men. Hence he means to say: woe to men burdened with sins and not confirmed in virtue. According to Augustine, those with child are those who conceive to do evil; those nursing are those who already carry out the deed. Origen says: those with child are said to be those who are still pursuing the word of salvation; those nursing, those who have already accomplished something.

Perhaps this saying contains a puzzle. It admonishes us to pray that our departure from this body would not happen in the time of rest from good works, which the sabbath signifies, nor in the time of unfruitfullness, which is winter. It is notable, however, that God did not create the winter of misfortunes. Winter means the time that we are possessed by the fleshly passions.

Let us therefore, dearest brethren, now carefully consider these things, lest our time pass away in vain, and then we seek to live for doing good when we are already being compelled to depart from the body. Remember what the Truth says: "Pray that your flight be not in winter or on the Sabbath." For by the commandment of the law it is not permitted to walk far on the Sabbath; winter also is a hindrance to walking, because the numbness of cold restrains the steps of those who walk. He says therefore: "Pray that your flight be not in winter or on the Sabbath." As if He were to say openly: See that you do not seek to flee your sins when it is no longer permitted to walk. That time therefore when flight is not permitted ought to be thought about now while it is permitted. That hour of our departure is always to be kept in view, this admonition of our Redeemer is always to be placed before the eyes of our mind, wherein He says: "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour."

Or; That we be not taken in the frost of sins, or in discontinuance of good works, because of the soreness of the affliction; notwithstanding that for the sake of God's elect, those days shall be shortened, that the abridgment of the time may disarm the force of the calamities.

(Verse 20.) Pray, however, that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. If we wish to receive the captivity of Jerusalem, when it was captured by Titus and Vespasian, they ought to pray that their flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath; for in the former, the harshness of the cold prevents them from going to the desolate places and hiding in the mountains and deserts; in the latter, it is either a violation of the Law if they wish to flee, or imminent death if they remain. But if the end of the world is understood, this commands us, that our faith may not grow cold and our love for Christ may not grow dim, nor may we become idle in the work of God, languishing in the virtues of the Sabbath.

Because in the one the severity of the cold prevents your flight to the deserts, and your lurking in mountains and wilds; in the other, you must either transgress the Law, if you will fly, or encounter instant death if you will stay.

Then, to show again the greatness of the calamity, He saith, "Pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be."

Seest thou that His discourse is addressed to the Jews, and that He is speaking of the ills that should overtake them? For the apostles surely were not to keep the Sabbath day, neither to be there, when Vespasian did those things. For indeed the most part of them were already departed this life. And if any was left, he was dwelling then in other parts of the world.

But wherefore neither "in the winter, nor on the Sabbath day?" Not in the winter, because of the difficulty arising from the season; not on the Sabbath day, because of the absolute authority exercised by the law. For since they had need of flight, and of the swiftest flight, but neither would the Jews dare to flee on the Sabbath day, because of the law, neither in winter was such a thing easy; therefore, "Pray ye," saith He; "for then shall be tribulation, such as never was, neither shall be."

And let not any man suppose this to have been spoken hyperbolically; but let him study the writings of Josephus, and learn the truth of the sayings. For neither can any one say, that the man being a believer, in order to establish Christ's words, hath exaggerated the tragical history. For indeed He was both a Jew, and a determined Jew, and very zealous, and among them that lived after Christ's coming.

What then saith this man? That those terrors surpassed all tragedy, and that no such had ever overtaken the nation. For so great was the famine, that the very mothers fought about the devouring of their children, and that there were wars about this; and he saith that many when they were dead had their bellies ripped up.

I should therefore be glad to inquire of the Jews. Whence came there thus upon them wrath from God intolerable, and more sore than all that had befallen aforetime, not in Judaea only, but in any part of the world? Is it not quite clear, that it was for the deed of the cross, and for this rejection? All would say it, and with all and before all the truth of the facts itself.

But mark, I pray thee, the exceeding greatness of the ills, when not only compared with the time before, they appear more grievous, but also with all the time to come. For not in all the world, neither in all time that is past, and that is to come, shall any one be able to say such ills have been. And very naturally; for neither had any man perpetrated, not of those that ever have been, nor of those to come hereafter, a deed so wicked and horrible. Therefore He saith, "there shall be tribulation such as never was, nor shall be."

And as speaking to Jews who thought they might travel no more upon the sabbath than a sabbath-day's journey, He adds, But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath.

He addresses these words to the Jews in the person of the apostles; for the apostles would have already departed from Jerusalem by the time that flight would be necessary. To the Jews, then, He says to pray that their flight not be in winter when they would not be able to flee on account of the severity of the weather; and that it would not be on the sabbath day when they rested according to the law and would not dare to flee. But you, O reader, understand it also in this manner: we must pray that our flight from this life, that is, our end, not be on the sabbath during idleness from good deeds, nor in winter, when no good fruit is brought forth, but rather in tranquility of soul, free from all disturbance.

Likewise, there are other impediments where man cannot provide a remedy except through God. For some time is unsuitable either by nature or by law: by nature, as wintertime, because then a man is impeded from fleeing on account of the harshness of the weather. Likewise by law, as if it should happen on the sabbath, because God commanded that they should not go beyond one mile. And because this is not in our power but in God's, therefore, pray that your flight be not in the winter or on the sabbath, because in such matters one must have recourse to God alone. Hence Hosea 6:1: Come, and let us return to the Lord, for he hath taken us and he will heal us. Pray that it be not in winter, because it impedes flight naturally on account of the difficulty of the road; nor on the sabbath, because it impedes according to the law of God. Likewise note that he says on the sabbath, by which he signifies that on a feast day they were duly slain.

Hilary explains: and what does he say about winter and the sabbath? By winter is signified sadness, by the sabbath joy. Hence, let it not happen in winter through a sorrow that overwhelms, or on the sabbath through a joy that exalts the soul. Or by the sabbath, idleness from good works; by winter, the cooling of charity. Origen says: pray, therefore, that they be not impeded through slothfulness and torpor.

(Ep. 199. 30.) In Luke it is thus read, There shall be great distress upon the earth, and wrath upon this people, and they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations. (Luke 21:23.) And so Josephus, who wrote the Jewish History, (B. J. vii.) relates evils so great happening to this people as to seem hardly credible. Whence it was not unreasonably said, that such tribulation had never been from the beginning of creation, nor should be; for though in the lime of Antichrist shall be such, or perhaps greater; yet to the Jews, of whom we must understand this, such shall never more befal. For if they shall be the first and the chief to receive Antichrist, they will then rather inflict than suffer tribulation.

There was at that time [of the capture of Jerusalem] unendurable tribulation. For the Roman soldiers were commanded to spare no one; but God, for the sake of those who would believe or who had already believed, did not allow them to be completely destroyed, but curtailed both the tribulations and the war. For if war had continued any longer, everyone within would have perished of starvation. Some understand these words to refer to the days of the Antichrist; but they are not concerning the Antichrist, but the capture of Jerusalem. That which concerns the Antichrist begins from this point. Listen, then:

Hence, the necessity for fleeing? From the magnitude of the tribulation. Hence, first he sets forth the tribulation and its magnitude; secondly, he sets forth the cause, at and unless those days had been shortened, etc. He says, therefore, for there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world. And this can be sufficiently perceived by one who reads the history of Josephus: that many died of hunger. Likewise, there were seditions in the city, so that they killed one another; hence, when Titus, who was most merciful, wished to spare them, they themselves refused. Likewise, there were brigands among them who killed many. And a certain woman ate her own son. Hence there was such tribulation as had never been seen. And Luke 21:23-24 says this: There shall be tribulation, and they shall fall by the edge of the sword. But will it be greater in the time of the Antichrist? Yes; but it will not be among the Jews. And Chrysostom asks on account of what sin this happened, because not even the punishment of the Sodomites was so great; hence there would not have been a greater punishment unless the sin was greater. And because they might say that these things happened to them on account of the sins of the Christians, he therefore says that this was not the case.

Origen explains: for there shall be then great tribulation, because there will be a perversion of Christian teaching through false doctrine.

Indeed some persons seem to me not unfitly to understand by these days the evils themselves, as in other places of divine Scripture evil days are spoken of; not that the days themselves are evil, but the things that are done on them. And they are said to be shortened, because they are less felt, God giving us endurance; so that even though grievous, they are felt as short.

For we ought not to doubt that when Jerusalem was overthrown, there were among that people elect of God who had believed out of the circumcision, or would have believed, elect before the foundation of the world, for whose sake those days should be shortened, and their evils made endurable. Some there are who suppose that the days will be shortened by a more rapid motion of the sun, as the day was made longer on the prayer of Jesus Naue.

[Daniel 7:25] "And he shall utter (variant: "he utters") speeches against the Lofty One." Or else, as Symmachus has rendered it: "He utters speeches like God," so that one who assumes the authority of God will also arrogate to himself the words of divine majesty.

"...And he shall crush the saints of the Most High, and will suppose himself to be able to alter times and laws." The Antichrist will wage war against the saints and will overcome them; and he shall exalt himself to such a height of arrogance as to attempt changing the very laws of God and the sacred rites as well. He will also lift himself up against all that is called God, subjecting all religion to his own authority.

"...And they shall be delivered into his hand for a time, and times, and half a time." "Time" is equivalent to "year." The word "times," according to the idiom of the Hebrews (who also possess the dual number) represents "two years." The half a year signifies "six months." During this period the saints are to be given over to the power of the Antichrist, in order that those Jews might be condemned who did not believe the truth but supported a lie. The Savior also speaks of this period in the Gospel, saying: "Unless those days had been cut short, no flesh would be saved" (Matthew 24:22). In the final vision we shall assert the inappropriateness of this period to Antiochus.

(Verse 22.) And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. The shortened days, not according to the delusions of some (who think that the moments of time can be changed; and do not remember that writing: Your ordinance endures (Ps. CXVIII, 91)), but we should understand it according to the quality of time, that is, the days are shortened not in measure, but in number; just as in the blessing it is said; I will satisfy him with long life (Ps. XC); so now the shortened days should be understood: lest the delay of time shake the faith of the believers.

Not remembering that which is written. The day continues according to thy ordinances. (Ps. 119:91.) We must understand it of their being shortened not in measure, but in number, lest the faith of believers should be shaken by lengthened affliction.

"And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." By these things He shows them to be deserving of a more grievous punishment than had been mentioned, speaking now of the days of the war and of that siege. But what He saith is like this. If, saith He, the war of the Romans against the city had prevailed further, all the Jews had perished (for by "no flesh" here, He meaneth no Jewish flesh), both those abroad, and those at home. For not only against those in Judaea did they war, but also those that were dispersed everywhere they outlawed and banished, because of their hatred against the former.

But whom doth He here mean by the elect? The believers that were shut up in the midst of them. For that Jews may not say that because of the gospel, and the worship of Christ, these ills took place, He showeth, that so far from the believers being the cause, if it had not been for them, all had perished utterly. For if God had permitted the war to be protracted, not so much as a remnant of the Jews had remained, but lest those of them who had become believers should perish together with the unbelieving Jews, He quickly put down the fighting, and gave an end to the war. Therefore He saith, "But for the elect's sake they shall be shortened." But these things He said to leave an encouragement to those of them who were shut up in the midst of them, and to allow them to take breath, that they might not be in fear, as though they were to perish with them. And if here so great is His care for them, that for their sakes others also are saved, and that for the sake of Christians remnants were left of the Jews, how great will be their honor in the time for their crowns?

By this He also encouraged them not to be distressed at their own dangers, since these others are suffering such things, and for no profit, but for evil upon their own head.

But He not only encouraged them, but also led them off secretly and unsuspectedly from the customs of the Jews. For if there is not to be a change afterwards, and the temple is not to stand, it is quite evident that the law also shall be made to cease.

However, He spake not this openly, but by their entire destruction He darkly intimated it. But He spake it not openly, lest He should startle them before the time. Wherefore neither at the beginning did He of Himself fall into discourse touching these things; but having first lamented over the city, He constrained them to show Him the stones, and question Him, in order that as it were in answering them their question, He might declare to them beforehand all the things to come.

But mark thou, I pray thee, the dispensation of the Spirit, that John wrote none of these things, lest he should seem to write from the very history of the things done (for indeed he lived a long time after the taking of the city), but they, who died before the taking, and had seen none of these things, they write it, in order that every way the power of the prediction should clearly shine forth.

"Those days" refers to the commandments and truths which were placed in Scripture for the illumination of rational souls. Accordingly, every doctrine that comes from "false knowledge" and is joined to the words of Scripture is to be understood as corresponding to additions beyond the natural length of days in Scripture. The good God, however, shortens the addition of these days through whom he chooses. Whenever you see then by the advent of the Word of truth in your mind that the "arrogant who fight against the knowledge of God" are cut off, understand that the days of tribulation are shortened. The extra length is abbreviated which the abomination of desolation always adds in opposition to the natural number of the days of the Lord which are in Scripture. "Those days" will be shortened "for the sake of the elect," so that they will suffer nothing from the desolation of abomination nor from what was added to the true and natural days of Scripture. This assumes that the addition of days has been shortened and that the only remaining light is that of the word of truth.

Hence, unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved. Augustine says that some have explained this as meaning that the days were then made shorter, as in the time of Joshua a day was made longer. But against this Psalm 118:91 says: By thy ordinance the days continue; therefore it can be said in two ways. First, that the days of tribulation were shortened in number. Hence, if that time had lasted longer, all would have been killed, because none would have remained. And why? Because the Romans dominated throughout the whole world, and the Jews were already scattered throughout the whole world; therefore, if that time had lasted, they would have been killed everywhere. Or the days are said to be shortened when the evils are made brief. And why are they shortened? For the sake of the elect: not that the word of God had failed. For many of that people had been converted and were praying for the people that a remnant might be left; Isaiah 1:9: Unless the Lord had left us seed, we would have been as Sodom, etc. Then Chrysostom presents two considerations for why this is said: because there were some disciples there, and also John still lived beyond that time. Therefore he says that John did not mention this in his Gospel, because he wrote after it had taken place; hence he would have spoken of past events. But Matthew and Luke, who wrote before, mentioned it, because at that time it was still future. Therefore he says that it was a manifest miracle that, while the Romans were attacking the Jews and almost the whole Jewish nation was undergoing destruction, so few Jews could go throughout the whole world to convert almost the entire world; and this was the marvelous power of Christ.

Hilary explains: and unless those days had been shortened; because it will last only a short time, and if it were to last longer, no flesh should be saved, i.e., no one who is carnal. Origen explains: and unless those days had been shortened, namely, by the teaching of doctrine, through additions of true teaching, no flesh should be saved, i.e., all would be converted to false doctrine.

The demons, wanting to tempt a hermit, said to him, 'Would you like to see Christ?' He said, 'A curse be upon you and him by whom you speak. I believe my Christ when He said, "If anyone says to you, 'Lo, here is Christ,' or 'Lo, there,' do not believe him" (Matt. 24:23).' They vanished at the words.

Notwithstanding, by reason of the great tribulation in which men shall be cast, false prophets promising to show aid present from Christ, will falsely affirm that Christ is present in divers places, that they may draw into the service of Antichrist men discouraged and distracted.

"If anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There is the Christ,' do not believe him." At the time of the Jewish captivity by Rome, many Jewish elders claimed to be the Christ. There were so many, in fact, that there were three distinct camps of them when the Romans besieged Jerusalem. This saying is better understood as referring to the end of the world, however."False Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders so that even the elect might be led into error. Behold, I told you." As I have already noted, this passage is to be explained in one of three ways. It refers either to the Roman siege of Jerusalem or to the end of the world or to the war waged by heretics against the church and by antichrists who oppose Christ under the pretext of false knowledge. "If, therefore, they say to you, 'Behold, he is in the desert,' do not go out. And if they say 'Behold, he is inside,' don't believe it." If anyone were to tell you that Christ dwells in the wilderness of the pagans or in the doctrine of the philosophers or within the inner chambers of heretics who promise to reveal the secrets of God, do not go out and do not believe them. And lest false prophets find an opportunity for deceiving you at a time of persecution and anxiety, you should not trust just anyone who claims to speak in the name of Christ.

(Verse 23.) Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. Many leaders arose during the time of the Jewish captivity who claimed to be the Christ, to the extent that there were three factions inside the besieged Romans. But the end of the world is better understood.

Having finished what concerned Jerusalem, He passes on to His own coming, and tells the signs of it, not for their use only, but for us also, and for all that shall come after us.

"Then." When? Here, as I have often said, the word, "then," relates not to the connection in order of time with the things before mentioned. At least, when He was minded to express the connection of time, He added, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days," but here not so, but, "then," not meaning what should follow straightway after these things, but what should be in the time, when these things were to be done, of which He was about to speak.

Awhile He secures them by the place, mentioning the distinguishing marks of His second coming, and the indications of the deceivers. For not, as when at His former coming He appeared in Bethlehem, and in a small corner of the world, and no one knew Him at the beginning, so doth He say it shall be then too; but openly and with all circumstance, and so as not to need one to tell these things. And this is no small sign that He will not come secretly.

The genus of Antichrist is one, the species many, just as all lies are of one sort. As all the holy Prophets were Prophets of the true Christ, so understand that each false Christ shall have his own false Prophets, who shall preach as true the false teachings of some Antichrist. When then one shall say, Lo, here is Christ, or lo, there, we need not look abroad out of the Scriptures, for out of the Law, the Prophets, and the Apostles, they bring the things which seem to favour their lie. Or by this, Lo, here is Christ, or lo, there, they show that it was not Christ, but some impostor under the same title, such for example as Marcion, or Valentinus, or Basilides taught.

Since the disciples had brought two questions to Him, one concerning the captivity of Jerusalem, and the other, the Lord's second coming, having already spoken of the captivity of Jerusalem, here He begins to speak of His own coming, and of the end of the world. When He says, "Then if any man shall say unto you," "then" does not mean immediately after the capture of Jerusalem, but rather at that time when this shall occur. So it means, "Then," that is, when the Antichrist is about to come, there will be many false christs and false prophets who, by means of the apparitions of demons who, in order to deceive, will play tricks with the eyes of those who see the apparitions. So that if the righteous were not sober minded, even they would be deceived. But, behold, I have foretold these things to you; you have no excuse, for it is within your power not to be deceived.

After the Lord answered the disciples' question about the destruction of the city, here he begins to answer those things that pertain to the second coming. Now this coming is the coming for judgment; therefore it is divided, because first he sets forth the signs and manner of his coming; secondly, he treats of the judgment, below at 25:1, the kingdom of heaven shall be like ten virgins. Regarding the first he does two things. First, he sets forth the signs preceding the coming of Christ; secondly, he treats of the coming itself, at and they shall see the Son of man etc. Regarding the first there are two parts, because two things will precede: first, on the part of men and the elect; secondly, on the part of the elements, at and immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened etc. Regarding the first he does two things. First, he sets forth a certain warning; secondly, the reason for this warning, at for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets. He says therefore, then if any man shall say to you: lo, here is Christ etc. It should be noted that the word then does not indicate a determinate time, but a vague time, because this did not happen immediately after the destruction of Jerusalem, but is expected to happen in the end. Something similar is found above in chapter 2, where it says that the Lord dwelt in Nazareth, whence he is called a Nazarene, and there follows: then came John the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea; not that he came at that time, because there were perhaps twenty years between the two events; hence it is taken as a vague time. So also here. For it will happen that many deceivers will come, and will say that the Antichrist is God. Then if any man shall say to you: lo, here is Christ, or there, do not believe him. 2 Thessalonians 2:2: Be not terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle, as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand.

(Lib. 83 Quæst. q. 79.) Here the Lord forewarns us that even wicked men shall do some miracles which the saints cannot do, yet are they not therefore to be thought to have a higher place in the sight of God. For the Egyptian magi were not more acceptable to God than the people of Israel, because they could do what the Israelites could not; yet did Moses, by the power of God, work greater things. This gift is not bestowed on all the saints, lest the weak should be led astray by a most destructive error, supposing such powers to be higher gifts than those works of righteousness by which eternal life is secured. And though magi do the same miracles that the saints do, yet are they done with a different end, and through a different authority; for the one do them seeking the glory of God, the others seeking their own glory; these do them by some special compact or privilege granted to the Powers, within their sphere, those by the public dispensation and the command of Him to whom all creation is subject. For it is one thing for the owner of a horse to be compelled to give it up to a soldier, another for him to hand it over to a purchaser, or to give or lend it to a friend; and as those evil soldiers, who are condemned by the imperial discipline, employ the imperial ensigns to terrify the owners of any property, and to extort from them what is not required by the public service; so some evil Christians, by means of the name of Christ, or by words or sacraments Christian, compel somewhat from the Powers; yet these, when thus at the bidding of evil men, they depart from their purpose, they depart in order to deceive men in whose wanderings they rejoice. It is one way then in which magi, another in which good Christians, another in which bad Christians, work miracles; the magi by a private compact, good Christians by the public righteousness, evil Christians by the signs of public righteousness. And we ought not to wonder at this when we believe not unreasonably that all that we see happen is wrought by the agency of the inferior powers of this air.

(de Trin. iii. 8.) Yet are we not therefore to think that this visible material world attends the nod of the disobedient angels, but rather the power is given them of God. Nor are we to suppose that such evil angels have creative power, but by their spirituality they know the seeds of things which are hidden from us, and these they secretly scatter by suitable adaptations of the elements, and so they give occasion both to the whole being, and the more rapid increase of substances. For so there are many men who know what sort of creatures use to be generated out of certain herbs, meats, juices and humours, bruised and mingled together in a certain fashion; save only that it is harder for men to do these things, inasmuch as they lack that subtlety of sense, and penetrativeness of body in their limbs dull and of earthly mould.

The fifth time, at the end, is that of the restoration of ruins, for "Elias indeed is to come and to restore all things," and with him Henoch will come too. For "the beast will conquer them." And so, it is necessary that they fail, so that there be first a ruin and then a restoration; and there will be so great a "tribulation as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect."

We are warned by the Lord so that if anyone were to come to us falsely in his name, none of us would believe in such a person, having already been prepared. Henceforth how great will be the signs by which the faith of the elect is demonstrated! But whoever builds his house on the rock, that is, establishes his faith on Christ, cannot be destroyed by winds or rains. The rock represents Christ, the floods are the kings, and the winds are the kings' orders to persecute the servants of God.The holy reading continues: "False Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders so that even the elect would be led into error, if possible. Behold, I have told you." You see then, beloved, what great love the Lord displays toward us. He carefully instructs each one of us individually regarding the future so that even if we see all these signs come to pass (having been forewarned by him) we will be wise to the enemy and accept nothing contrary to Christ and the catholic faith. In the Acts of the Apostles, Simon declared himself to be the power of God. Likewise, in the last days, the antichrist will declare himself to be God, as the apostle says, "Thus he will sit in the temple of God, calling himself God … whom the Lord Jesus Christ will kill with the breath of his mouth." The day of judgment will come upon the antichrist also, and the Lord will kill him with the sword of his mouth.

(Mor. xv. 61.) When then Antichrist shall have wrought wonderful prodigies before the eyes of the carnal, he shall draw men after him, all such as delight in present goods, surrendering themselves irrevocably to his sway, Insomuch that if it were possible the very elect should be led astray.

(Hom. in Ev. xxxv. i.) Or, because the heart of the elect is assailed with fearful thoughts, yet their faithfulness is not shaken, the Lord comprehends both under the same sentence, for to waver in thought is to err. He adds, If it were possible, because it is not possible that the elect should be taken in error

(Verse 24) For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will perform great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you beforehand. There are three ways, as I have already said, in which this may be interpreted: either concerning the time of the siege of Rome, or concerning the end of the world, or concerning the struggle of heretics against the Church and similar antichrists, who under the guise of false knowledge fight against Christ.

Or otherwise; This may be understood of the false prophets. At the time of the Jewish captivity, there were many leaders who declared themselves to be Christs, (Joseph B.J. v. 1) so that while the Romans were actually besieging them, there were three factions within. But it is better taken as we expounded it above, of the end of the world. Thirdly, it may be understood of the warfare of the heretics against the Church, and of those Antichrists, who under pretext of false science, fight against Christ.

But mark how here He saith nothing of war (for He is interpreting the doctrine concerning His advent), but of them that attempt to deceive. For some in the days of the apostles deceived the multitude, "for they shall come," saith He, "and shall deceive many;" and others shall do so before His second coming, who shall also be more grievous than the former. "For they shall show," He saith, "signs and wonders, so as to deceive if possible the very elect:" here He is speaking of Antichrist, and indicates that some also shall minister to him. Of him Paul too speaks on this wise. Having called him "man of sin," and "son of perdition," He added, "Whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders; and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish."

That, If it were possible, is spoken hyperbolically; not that the elect can be led astray, but He wishes to show that the discourse of heretics is often so persuasive, as to have force to prevail even with those who act wisely.

He says not this because it is possible for the divine election to be defeated, but because they, who to men's judgment seemed elect, shall be led into error.

We know that "Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light" -much more into a man of light-and that at last he will "show himself to be even God," and will exhibit "great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, he shall deceive the very elect." He hardly hesitated on the before-mentioned occasion to affirm himself to be a prophet of God, and especially to Saul, in whom he was then actually dwelling.

He Himself afterwards deprived it of its authority, because when He declared that many would come and "show great signs and wonders," so as to turn aside the very elect, and yet for all that were not to be received, He showed how rash was belief in signs and wonders, which were so very easy of accomplishment by even false christs.

Then when he says, for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, he assigns the reason for the warning. And first he sets forth the reason from necessity; secondly, from the falsity of their teaching, at for as lightning comes out of the east etc. Regarding the first he does three things. First, he introduces the deceivers; secondly, the vehemence of the deception; thirdly, the warning. He says therefore: you say that some will claim to be Christ; but will there be others? Yes, for there shall arise false Christs, i.e., those who will say they are christs, and this happened before the destruction of Jerusalem; 1 John 2:18: But you have heard that Antichrist comes, and many antichrists have arisen. And false prophets. For just as Christ had true prophets, who foretold him, so the Antichrist will have false ones; and this is what is said in 1 John 4:1: Many false prophets have gone out into the world. But will they perform miracles and wonders? Hence, they shall show great signs and wonders; 2 Thessalonians 2:9: Whose coming is according to the working of Satan; Apocalypse 16:13: And I saw from the mouth of the dragon, and from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits go forth like frogs. But here there is a question: can demons work miracles? It must be said that they cannot, if miracle is taken in the proper sense, because a miracle properly speaking is not something done outside the order of some particular cause, but something done outside the order of all creation, and this is done by the power of God alone. But it is indeed possible that a higher creature is not contained within the order of a lower creature; hence something is done by the power of higher beings that is not done by the power of the elements. So among men, someone produces by art something that seems marvelous to others. So it is with demons, because they are of a more subtle intelligence; therefore, just as certain artisans do things that seem marvelous to others, so also demons do certain things naturally that seem marvelous to us. But how will this happen? It was the opinion of Avicenna that corporeal nature obeys the mere will of an intelligence, so that a body is changed at the apprehension of an intelligence. But Augustine sets this aside, because corporeal nature does not obey the mere will of any creature, but of God alone. Therefore it must be said that in natural things there are powers determined to produce certain things, such as frogs and the like; demons know these powers better than anyone else. And Augustine proves this, because the fire that descended upon the sheep of Job was natural. For a demon can excite and gather bodies so as to produce such miracles. But those miracles that do not proceed from the power of any natural thing, these they cannot do, namely, to raise the dead. Hence they do not perform such things except in illusions, as Simon Magus made a head move. Hence those things that are not done by the power of nature, they cannot do; thus they shall show great signs, i.e., signs that men consider great. But what will be the effect? So as to deceive, if possible, even the elect. And Origen says that this statement is made by way of exaggeration, because any man in this life, considered in himself, can be deceived; yet, considered in relation to God's election, that the elect should be deceived is impossible. Therefore, speaking in an aggravated way, he says that so great will be the force that unless they were preserved by divine predestination, they would be deceived. Or it can be said that they are not truly elect, but elect according to appearance; 1 Timothy 1:19: Which some rejecting have made shipwreck concerning the faith; Isaiah 19:14: The Lord has mingled a spirit of giddiness in the midst thereof, and they have caused Egypt to err.

And as darts, when foreseen, are less likely to hit, He adds, Lo, I have told you. Our Lord announces the woes which are to precede the destruction of the world, that when they come they may alarm the less from having been foreknown.

(Verses 25, 26.) So if they say to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out; 'Look, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. If someone promises you that Christ is staying in the wilderness of the Gentiles and philosophers' doctrine, or in the inner rooms of heretics who promise the secrets of God, do not go out, do not believe it; or (because during times of persecution and distress false prophets always find a place for deception) if someone wants to boast under the name of Christ, do not immediately give them your trust.

If then any one assert to you that Christ tarries in the desert of the Gentiles, or in the teaching of the Philosophers, or in the secret chambers of the heretics, who promise the hidden things of God, believe Him not, but believe that the Catholic Faith shines from east to west in the Churches.

Or by this, in the desert, or in the secret chambers, He means that in times of persecution and distress, the false Prophets always find place for deceiving.

Behold I have told it to you beforehand, because, according to Gregory, darts that are foreseen wound less; Amos 3:7: The Lord God will do nothing without revealing his secret.

(Quæst. Ev. i. 38.) By the east and west, He signifies the whole world, throughout which the Church should be. In the same way as He said below, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, (Mat. 26:64.) so now He likens His coming to lightning, which uses to flash out of the clouds. When then the authority of the Church is set up clear and manifest throughout the whole world, He suitably warns His disciples that they should not believe schismatics and heretics. Each schism and heresy holds its own place, either occupying some important position in the earth, or ensnaring men's curiosity in obscure and remote conventicles. Lo, here is Christ, or lo, there, refers to some district or province of the earth; the secret chambers, or the desert, signify the obscure and lurking conventicles of heretics.

The false prophets, of whom He had spoken above, shall say of Christ one while, Lo, He is in the desert, in order that they may cause men to wander astray; another while, Lo, He is in the secret chambers, that they may enthral men under the dominion of Antichrist. But the Lord declares Himself to be neither lurking in a remote corner, nor shut up to be visited singly, but that He shall be exhibited to the view of all, and in every place, As the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.

And see how He secures them; "Go not forth into the deserts, enter not into the secret chambers." He did not say, "Go, and do not believe;" but, "Go not forth, neither depart thither." For great then will be the deceiving, because that even deceiving miracles are wrought.

Or, when they allege secret and before unpublished Scriptures, in proof of their lie, they seem to say, Lo, the word of truth is in the desert. But when they produce canonical Scripture in which all Christians agree, they seem to say, Lo, the word of truth is in the chambers. Or wishing to point out such discourses as are altogether without Scripture, He said, If they shall say to you, Lo, he is in the secret chambers, believe it not. Truth is like the lightning that cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west. Or this may mean, that truth can be supported out of every passage of Scripture. The lightning of truth comes out of the east, that is, from the first beginnings of Christ, and shines throughout even to His passion, which is His setting; or from the very beginning of creation, to the last Scripture of the Apostles. Or, the east is the Law, the west is the end of the Law, and of John's prophecy. The Church alone neither takes away word or meaning from this lightning, nor adds aught to its prophecy. Or He means that we should give no heed to those who say, Lo, here is Christ, but show Him not in the Church, in which alone is the coming or the Son of Man, who said, Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. (Mat. 28:20.)

If the deceivers should come and say, "Christ has come, but He is hiding in the desert, or in a house within its inner chambers," do not be deceived.

Hence, if they shall say to you: behold, he is in the desert, go not out. Having set forth the necessity in general, he now sets it forth more specifically: if they shall say to you, behold, he is in the desert etc. It should be noted that true teaching is done in public; above 10:27: That which I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; but false teaching always seeks corners; Proverbs 1:20: Wisdom cries aloud in the streets. Hence truth is light, and seeks to be seen in the light; but if it is a perverse doctrine, it seeks hidden places. Proverbs 9:14: Wisdom sits in the doorways, and there follows, stolen waters are sweeter. Hence the desert is a hidden place, because it lacks people, or because it is enclosed; therefore, if they shall say to you, behold, he is in the desert, go not out. And what does he mean? These unfaithful men and heretics, while they are in the society or congregation of the faithful, cannot deceive; but they strive to have people separated from the society, and then they deceive. And this is what he means: if they shall say to you, behold, he is in the desert, go not out. Do not allow yourselves to be separated from good society and congregation. Likewise, if in the inner chambers, because they always seek a secret place, nor do they dare to speak their teaching in public; hence John 18:20: I have spoken openly to the world. Do not believe it, for he who is quick to believe is light of heart, Sirach 19:4. According to Jerome this can be referred to the time before the destruction; but it is better to refer it to the end. Likewise, it can be understood of deception practiced in the Church. False christs give a document of falsehood, and it is called one document, because all are united in one thing; and every falsehood has its own prophets. Hence they say: here is Christ, or there; Ezekiel 13:6: They persevered in confirming their word; and sometimes they try to confirm it by apocryphal scriptures, sometimes by hidden senses of Scripture. When by apocryphal writings, they say he is in the desert; when by hidden senses, they say he is in the inner chambers. Or according to Augustine, true teaching has two characteristics: it is the same in every place and is to be proclaimed publicly, and heresy falls short of both; hence one says here is Christ, i.e., in this land and not in another. Likewise, because their teaching is not public, they say he is in the inner chambers; hence, do not believe it.

(Verse 27.) For as the lightning comes from the east and shines even to the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Do not go out, do not believe that the Son of man is in the deserts of the nations or in the inner chambers of heretics; but rather that from the east even unto the west, his faith may shine forth in the Catholic Churches. It must also be said that the second coming of the Savior will not be in humility as before, but in glory to be shown. It is foolish, therefore, to seek him in a small or hidden place, who is the light of the whole world.

Wherein He shows that His second coming shall be not in lowliness as His first, but in glory; and therefore it is folly to seek in places little and obscure for Him who is the Light of the whole world. (John 8:12.)

Having told them how Antichrist cometh, as, for instance, that it will be in a place; He saith how Himself also cometh. How then doth He Himself come? "As the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there also will the eagles be gathered together."

How then shineth the lightning? It needs not one to talk of it, it needs not a herald, but even to them that sit in houses, and to them in chambers it shows itself in an instant of time throughout the whole world. So shall that coming be, showing itself at once everywhere by reason of the shining forth of His glory. But He mentions also another sign, "where the carcase is, there also shall the eagles be;" meaning the multitude of the angels, of the martyrs, of all the saints.

Christ is shown to be the Word and Truth and Wisdom of God from the very first creature of the world to the last of the writings of the apostles (that is, from Genesis through the apostolic books of the Bible). No Scripture written after these is to be believed in the same way. Because "the law and the prophets prophesied until the coming of John," the law and the prophets represent the lightning or radiance of truth which "comes from the East and shines as far as the West." The East represents the law, and the West represents the "end of the law," which is marked by "the coming of John." The church alone has neither removed one word from this radiance nor added any prophecy of its own. If we were to consider carefully why the Evangelist does not use the singular here but writes of a plurality shining "from the Easts to the Wests," we would see that the law and the prophets are one thing and Jesus Christ himself is yet another reality which extends from East to West, appearing to the apostle Paul "last of all, as to one untimely born."

For it is much the same with lightning. Lightning is figuratively compared with truth. It is likened to the coming of the Son of man, which is explained in every Scripture, whether it concerns the law, prophecy, the gospel or apostolic testimony. It flashes out from the east, the region of principalities and spiritual powers, and shines all the way to the west, the realm of darkness and Satan, in the time of the Passion. Note that if the law is rising in the east, the end of the law is setting in the west. But from Jesus Christ to Paul is a rising and setting. He was revealed to Paul last of all as "to one abnormally born."

For the coming of Christ needs no one to point it out, but it will be utterly clear to all, like the lightning. For just as the lightning is sudden and seen by all, so too will the Lord's coming be visible to everyone on earth. It will not be as in the first coming when He went about from place to place, but at the second coming He will appear in a twinkling of an eye.

For as lightning comes out of the east etc. Here he assigns another reason, because they speak falsely who say that Christ will come in secret; rather, he will come manifestly. And he gives two reasons. One from the manifestation of Christ, another from the gathering of the saints. He says, do not believe that he will not come manifestly: for as lightning comes out of the east, and appears even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be; Psalm 49:3: God shall come manifestly. But will he come like lightning, which is seen here one moment and then toward the east the next? Therefore do not understand it as though he will be manifest only in one direction, but in all directions. If we wish to refer this to its mystical meaning, the lightning is the coming of truth. Do not therefore seek hidden teaching, because truth is manifested throughout the whole world. Or the east signifies the beginning, and the west the end. Hence the truth of teaching always has harmony from beginning to end; for true teaching accepts all of Scripture. Some do not accept the Old Testament, some do not accept the prophets, and thus they could not be confirmed by other Scriptures; but true teaching from the beginning of the Church's birth until the end will have confirmation; hence it is said below at the end (28:20): Behold, I am with you all days even to the consummation of the world.

Jesus spoke in a kind of comparison, as in the form of an illustration and example. For, he says, the appearing of the Son of man will be much the same as when eagles and other flesh-eating birds find a carcass and dead body lying on the ground. They secretly and unexpectedly bear them through the heights and by doing so will provide food for themselves. In the same way, he will appear again on the earth a second and glorious time to judge the world. Ranks of angels will be seen serving as an escort with all the saints rising up "in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye," according to the last trumpet.… But some attempted to explain this text as teaching that at the second coming of the Lord all who conducted themselves uprightly, corresponding with eagles in their lofty and spiritual outlook, will leave paradise behind and be gathered to that place where the fall of Adam occurred. This is the place where Adam violated the commandment and through his disobedience fell into sin.

(Mor. xxxi. 53.) We may understand this, Wheresoever the carcase is, as meaning, I who incarnate sit on the throne of heaven, as soon as I shall have loosed the souls of the elect from the flesh, will exalt them to heavenly places.

That we might not be ignorant of the place in which He should come, He adds this, Wheresoever the carcase, &c. He calls the Saints eagles, from the spiritual flight of their bodies, and shows that their gathering shall be to the place of His passion, the Angels guiding them thither; and rightly should we look for His coming in glory there, where He wrought for us eternal glory by the suffering of His bodily humiliation.

We are taught about the sacrament of Christ by the use of a natural example taken from daily life. Eagles and vultures are said to sense the presence of a carcass all the way across the sea and to gather their food in this way. If therefore these irrational creatures have the natural capacity to know where a small body lies, even though separated by so great a distance across land and sea, how much more ought we and the whole multitude of believers hasten to him whose splendor comes from the east and shines as far as the west!In Greek the body is called a ptōma, but the Latin word for it, cadaver, is more illuminating because it comes from the word "to fall," cadere, and implies that the body has fallen dead. We can understand this body to refer to the Passion of Christ because wherever Scripture says that we are gathered together, it is for the purpose of coming to the Word of God. For example, "A company of evildoers encircle me; they have pierced my hands and feet," "like a lamb led to the slaughter," and in other passages like these. The eagles represent those saints whose youth is renewed like the eagle's and who, according to Isaiah, shall mount up with wings to come to the passion of Christ.

(Verse 28.) Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together. From the natural example that we see every day, we are instructed by the sacrament of Christ. Eagles and vultures are also said to sense corpses even across the seas, and to gather for such food. Therefore, if irrational birds with their natural sense can feel a small corpse wherever it lies, separated by such vast distances of land and the waves of the sea: how much more should we and the whole multitude of believers hasten to him, whose lightning comes from the East and appears even to the West! But we can understand the body, that is, the corpse, which is more significantly called cadaver in Latin, as a representation of the passion of Christ, in which we are called to participate. So whenever it is read in the Scriptures, let us gather and through it, come to the Word of God, as it is written: They have pierced my hands and feet (Ps. 22:17). And in Isaiah: Like a sheep being led to the slaughter (Isa. 53:7). And similar things can be found in other passages. But the holy ones are called eagles, to whom youth is renewed like the eagles; and they who grow feathers like Isaiah, and assume wings, so as to come to Christ's passion.

By an instance from nature, which we daily see, we are instructed in a sacrament of Christ. Eagles and vultures are said to scent dead bodies even beyond sea, and to flock to feed upon them. If then birds, not having the gift of reason, by instinct alone find out where lays a dead body, separated by so great space of country, how much more ought the whole multitude of believers to hasten to Christ, whose lightning goeth forth out of the east, and shines even to the west? We may understand by the carcase here, or corpse, which in the Latin is more expressively 'cadaver,' an allusion to the passion of Christ's death.

They are called eagles whose youth is renewed as the eagle's, and who take to themselves wings that they may come to Christ's passion. (Ps. 103:5. Is. 40:31.)

We are invited to flock to Christ's passion wheresoever in Scripture it is read of, that through it we may be able to come to God's word.

And observe, He says not vultures or crows, but eagles, showing the lordliness and royalty of all who have believed in the Lord's passion.

And as the eagles, that is, the vultures, swiftly converge on a corpse, so too all the saints, who soar in the heights, will come where Christ will be and they will be snatched up into the clouds as the eagles. Certainly the corpse is Christ Who died for us and lay as a corpse. As St. Symeon also says, "Behold, this child is laid out for the fall and resurrection of many in Israel" (Lk. 2:34).

Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together. For someone might say: they say here is Christ, or there; how shall we know when he comes? But he shows that there will be no need to search, because his coming will be manifest, since others also will be gathered together. And it will be like what happened when someone asked his lord, who was keeping his counsel very secret about moving camp, and said: when will you move camp? And the lord said: will you not hear the trumpet? Why do you ask? So it is said here: you say that he will be here or there; I know that where the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together. Note that in the Hebrew there is the word anathe, which means cadaver; hence he wished to signify the passion of Christ, because Christ will come showing the signs of his passion. And he speaks by way of similitude, where the body is etc. 1 Thessalonians 4:16: We shall be taken up in the clouds to meet Christ. But some are eagles, some are vultures and crows. But he does not say vultures or crows, but eagles, by which the saints are signified. Isaiah 40:31: They shall take wings as eagles, they shall fly and not grow weary. Thus, as Jerome says, wherever the memorial of Christ's passion is celebrated, holy men ought to gather together through the continual remembrance of his passion. Hebrews 10:32: Remember the former days, in which, being illuminated, you endured a great conflict of sufferings.

(Ep. 199, 39.) Or, the Church is the sun, moon, and stars, to which it is said, Fair as the moon, bright as the sun. Then shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light (Song of Solomon 6:10.), because in that ungoverned fury of wicked persecutors, the Church shall not be seen. Then shall the stars fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken, because many, who seemed to be shining in God's grace, shall give way to their persecutors, and shall fall, and even the stoutest believers shall be shaken. And these things shall be after the tribulation of those days, not because they shall happen when the whole persecution is overpast, but because the tribulation shall be first, that the falling away may come after. And because it shall be so throughout all those days, it shall be after the tribulation of those days, yet on those very days.

The sun signifies spiritual combat. In this regard, "the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light." When the fight will be between Christ and Antichrist, between the teaching of truth and that of falsity, then "the sun" will become "black as sackcloth of hair," and a certain teacher of truth or superior in truth shall be obscured by errors, while others will stand firm, although they may seem to be darkened in their reputation.

as the Lord also in the Gospels speaks thus concerning the consummation: For the powers of heaven shall be shaken, thus calling the angels the powers of heavens, and by the expression they shall be shaken, He means they shall be set free from their former office. As the angels, therefore, who move the stars themselves and other things, are certainly set free from this office and ministry, He declares that the stars fall to the earth.

How will they not shudder with fear? For heaven and earth are transformed for the sake of God's own discretion (to speak something accurately about such things requires more than one word). The sun and the moon will be darkened, and the stars will fall like flowers. Their very nature is again changed by the One who created them, just as he wills, and the heavenly bodies will be thrown into disorder. For as humanity is renewed the whole creation, which had been created for the sake of humanity, is recapitulated and restored.

(non occ.) As soon as the Lord has fortified the believers against the arts of Antichrist and his ministers, by showing that His coming would be public, He proceeds to show the order and method of His coming.

Our Lord and Redeemer, most beloved brethren, desiring to find us prepared, announces what evils will follow upon the aging world, so that He might restrain us from love of it. He makes known what great calamities will precede its approaching end, so that if we are unwilling to fear God in times of peace, we may at least fear His judgment drawing near, worn down by these afflictions.

Of all these things, we certainly see some already accomplished, and we dread others as soon to come. For we see nation rising against nation and their pressure bearing down upon the lands more in our own times than we read of in books. How often we have heard from other parts of the world that earthquakes have destroyed countless cities, you well know. We suffer pestilences without ceasing. Signs in the sun, and moon, and stars we do not yet see openly, but that these too are not far off we gather from the very changes in the atmosphere. Indeed, before Italy was handed over to be struck by the barbarian sword, we saw fiery battle lines in the sky, flashing with that very blood of the human race which was afterward shed. But since many things foretold have already been fulfilled, there is no doubt that the few which remain will also follow, for the fulfillment of past events is the certainty of things to come.

We say these things, dearly beloved brethren, so that your minds may be awakened to the pursuit of caution, lest they grow sluggish through security, lest they become feeble through ignorance, but that fear may always stir them and solicitude strengthen them in good work. For what does the Lord call the powers of heaven except angels, archangels, thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, which at the coming of the strict Judge will then visibly appear to our eyes, so that they may then strictly demand from us what the invisible Creator now patiently bears with us?

The darkening of the sun, the failing of the moon, and the fall of the stars, indicate the glories of His coming.

(Verse 29.) But immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. The sun and the moon will be darkened and will not give their light; and the other stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, not by a diminishing of light (otherwise we read that the sun will have sevenfold light (Ibid. XXX)), but because all things will be dark to the sight compared to true light. Therefore, if that sun, which now shines throughout the whole world, and the moon, which is the next luminary, and the stars, which are kindled for the solace of the night, and all the powers (which we understand to be the multitudes of angels) shall be regarded as darkness in the coming of Christ, let the pride of those who, thinking themselves saints, do not fear the presence of judgment, be cast down.

We are invited to flock to Christ's passion wheresoever in Scripture it is read of, that through it we may be able to come to God's word.

These things, therefore, shall not come to pass by any diminution of light, for in another place we read that the light of the sun shall be sevenfold; but by comparison with real light, all things shall seem dim.

By the powers of heaven, we understand the bands of the Angels.

Rightly does He say, the tribes of the earth, for they shall mourn who have no citizenship in heaven, but are written in earth. (Jer. 17:13.)

Then He tells of fearful prodigies. What are these prodigies? "Immediately after the tribulation of those days," saith He, "the sun shall be darkened." Of the tribulation of what days doth He speak? Of those of Antichrist and of the false prophets? For there shall be great tribulation, there being so many deceivers. But it is not protracted to a length of time. For if the Jewish war was shortened for the elect's sake, much more shall this temptation be limited for these same's sake. Therefore, He said not, "after the tribulation," but Immediately "after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened," for almost at the same time all things come to pass. For the false prophets and false Christs shall come and cause confusion, and immediately He Himself will be here. Because no small turmoil is then to prevail over the world.

But how doth He come? The very creation being then transfigured, for "the sun shall be darkened," not destroyed, but overcome by the light of His presence; and the stars shall fall, for what shall be the need of them thenceforth, there being no night? and "the powers of Heaven shall be shaken," and in all likelihood, seeing so great a change come to pass. For if when the stars were made, they trembled and marvelled ("for when the stars were made, all angels," it is said, "praised Me with a loud voice"); much more seeing all things in course of change, and their fellow servants giving account, and the whole world standing by that awful judgment-seat, and those who have lived from Adam unto His coming, having an account demanded of them of all that they did, how shall they but tremble, and be shaken?

"Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven;" that is, the cross being brighter than the sun, since this last will be darkened, and hide himself, and that will appear when it would not appear, unless it were far brighter than the beams of the sun. But wherefore doth the sign appear? In order that the shamelessness of the Jews may be more abundantly silenced. For having the cross as the greatest plea, Christ thus cometh to that judgment-seat, showing not His wounds only, but also the death of reproach. "Then shall the tribes mourn," for there shall be no need of an accusation, when they see the cross; and they shall mourn, that by His death they are nothing benefited; because they crucified Him whom they ought to have adored.

Seest thou how fearfully He has pictured His coming? how He has stirred up the spirits of His disciples? For this reason, let me add, He puts the mournful things first, and then the good things, that in this way also He may comfort and refresh them. And of His passion He suggests to them the remembrance, and of His resurrection, and with a display of glory, He mentions His cross, so that they may not be ashamed nor grieve, whereas indeed He cometh then setting it forth for His sign. And another saith, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced." Therefore it is that they shall mourn, when they see that this is He.

And forasmuch as He had made mention of the cross, He added, "They shall see the Son of Man coming," no longer on the cross, but "in the clouds of Heaven, with power and great glory."

For think not, He meaneth, because thou hearest of the cross, that it is again anything mournful, for He shall come with power and great glory. But He bringeth it, that their sin may be self-condemned, as if any one who had been struck by a stone, were to show the stone itself, or his garments stained with blood. And He cometh in a cloud as He was taken up, and the tribes seeing these things mourn. Not however that the terrors shall with them proceed no further than mournings; but the mourning shall be, that they may bring forth their sentence from within, and condemn themselves.

One will say, As at the breaking out of great conflagrations, great darkness is at the first caused by the smoke, so when the world shall be consumed by fire, which shall be kindled, even the great luminaries shall be darkened; and when the light of the stars is decayed, the rest of their substance, incapable of exaltation, shall fall from heaven into what it was, when it was first raised aloft by the light. When this shall have taken place, it follows that the rational heavenly powers shall suffer dismay and derangement, and shall be suspended from their functions. Others will think otherwise, that as the light of a lamp dies away by degrees, so when the supply of the heavenly luminaries shall fail, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon and the light of the stars shall grow dim, and that which in their composition is earthy shall fall from heaven. But how can it be said of the sun that its light shall be darkened, when Esaias the Prophet (Is. 30:26.) declares, that in the end of the world, there shall be light proceeding forth from the sun? And of the moon he declares that it shall be as the sun. But concerning the stars, there are some that endeavour to convince us that all, or many of them, are larger than the whole earth. How then shall they fall from heaven, when this earth would not be large enough to contain them?

But as, at the dispensation of the Cross, the sun was eclipsed, and darkness was spread over the earth; so when the sign of the Son of Man appears in heaven, the light of the sun, moon, and stars, shall fail, as though waning before the might of that sign. This we understand to be the sign of the cross, that the Jews may see, as Zacharias and John speak, Him whom they have pierced, (Zech. 12:10. John 19:37.) and the sign of victory.

Morally, one may say that the sun, which shall be darkened, is the Devil, who shall be convicted in the end of the world, that whereas he is darkness, he has feigned himself to be the sun; the moon, which seems to receive its light from this sun, is the Church of the wicked, which professes to have and to give light, but then convicted with its sinful dogmas, shall lose its brightness; and all those who, either by false teaching, or false virtues, promised truth to men, but led them astray by lies, these are fitly called stars falling from, so to say, their own heaven, where they were raised on high, exalting themselves against the knowledge of God. For illustration of this discourse, we may apply that place in Proverbs, which says, The light of the just is unquenchable, but the light of the wicked shall be quenched. (Prov. 4:18) Then the brightness of God shall appear in every one who has borne the image of the heavenly; and they of heaven shall rejoice, but they of earth shall lament.

But nothing hinders our supposing that the sun and moon with the other stars shall for a time lose their light, as we know did the sun at the time of the Lord's passion; as Joel also says, The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord come. (Joel 2:31.) But when the day of judgment is passed, and the life of future glory shall dawn, and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth, then shall that come to pass of which Isaiah speaks, The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold. (Is. 30:26.) The stars shall fall from heaven, is expressed in Mark; There shall be stars falling from heaven, (Mark. 13:25.) that is, lacking their proper light.

Besides, the belief that everything was made from nothing will be impressed upon us by that ultimate dispensation of God which will bring back all things to nothing. For "the very heaven shall be rolled together as a scroll; '" nay, it shall come to nothing along with the earth itself, with which it was made in the beginning.

He says: after the coming of the Antichrist who will be swiftly destroyed, (for this is the meaning of "immediately"), "the sun shall be darkened," instead of being blackened; not disappearing, but being overwhelmed by the light of Christ's appearance, and so too will the stars and the moon. For what need is there for sensory light when the Sun of Righteousness has appeared and night is no more? But the powers of the heavens shall also be shaken, that is, the angelic hosts will be astonished and will tremble seeing creation changed, and all mankind from Adam until now about to give an account.

And because these things will not only be manifest through tribulations, therefore he says: and immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened etc. And here he treats of signs taken from other things that are above us. And first he sets forth the signs; secondly, the effects. In those things that are above us he shows a threefold order: the heavenly bodies, the angels, Christ. Ephesians 1:21: He set him above all power and principality etc. Therefore regarding the first he says, and immediately after the tribulation of those days, namely, when the Antichrist will come. Immediately, because not long after, since for many it would be a danger; and this is against those who set forth a fable about a thousand years. The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light. And what is this? This statement has both a literal and a mystical sense. Insofar as it refers to the last coming, it has a literal sense; insofar as it refers to another coming, a mystical sense. But it seems to be objected that he says the sun shall be darkened, because it is said in Isaiah 30:26: And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold. Hence to see this clearly you must distinguish three times: the time before the coming, the time of the coming, and after the coming. Before the coming of Christ these disturbances will occur, of which it is said here, and Joel 2:31: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. At the coming of Christ they will not be changed in substance, but by comparison, because so great will be the brightness of Christ and the saints that their brightness will not even appear; Isaiah 24:23: The moon shall blush and the sun shall be confounded. But after the day of judgment the brightness of the moon and stars will be increased. And then what is said in Isaiah 30:26 will be true, namely, that the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days. But it seems false that the stars will fall from heaven, because one star is larger than the whole earth. Rabanus solves this by the text of Mark 13:25, that the stars shall be falling, i.e., diminished in light. But from what could this diminution arise? The light of any luminary is diminished from two causes: either in itself, or on account of something interposed, as when a cloud is interposed, or when the moon is eclipsed, its light is diminished. Hence Origen says this can be understood in two ways. First, that what will be interposed is the fire that will precede Christ and consume all things up to the middle of the air, namely, as high as the waters of the flood rose, and much smoke will follow this fire, so that the luminaries of heaven will be darkened. Or it can be said that some held these bodies to be corruptible; and just as the elementary bodies will be changed, so also these. Concerning these three things there is one text, Apocalypse 6:12: The sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as blood, and the stars from heaven fell. The stars shall fall from heaven. Stars seem to fall from heaven when they are deprived of their light. So therefore there will be a change in the heavenly bodies. Likewise in the angels; hence he says, and the powers of heaven shall be moved, i.e., the powers that minister to God. And Augustine says that all bodies are administered by the spirit of life; hence they are said to be moved in their effect, because at the coming of the Lord the motion of heaven will cease. Hence those powers are said to be moved when those things that pertain to their office are changed into another state. Or the angels will be moved not by a movement of fear but of admiration, because they will admire the power of Christ. Or they will be moved with a movement of joy over the glorification of the saints. Of this can be taken what is said in Job 26:11, that the pillars of heaven tremble and are amazed at his movement.

Origen says: by the sun the devil is signified, by the moon the Antichrist. Of these it is said in Job 31:27: If I beheld the sun when it shone, and the moon advancing in brightness, and my heart rejoiced in secret. I beheld, i.e., I approved the sun, i.e., those things that seem to have brightness and holiness and power; then they will appear. 1 Corinthians 4:5: He will bring to light the things hidden in darkness and will make manifest the counsels of hearts. Hence all teaching, all brightness will then appear, because the image of Christ will appear in all. Or by the sun the Church is signified; hence the Church on account of tribulations will seem not to shine. And why does he say after the tribulation? Origen answers: both after and at the same time. Likewise, stars, i.e., those who afterward seemed to shine. The powers of heaven, i.e., the saints, will be moved.

(Ep. 199, 41.) The first and most apparent meaning of this is of that time when He shall come to judge the quick and the dead in His body--that body in which He sits at the right hand of the Father, in which He died and rose again and ascended into heaven. As we read in the Acts of the Apostles; He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight, (Acts 1:9.) upon which it was said by the Angels, He shall so come as ye hare seen Him go into heaven, we may reasonably believe that He will come again, not only in the same body, but also in a cloud.

(ubi sup.) But because the Scriptures are to be searched, and we are not to content ourselves with the surface of them, let us look closely at what follows, When ye see all these things come to pass, know that he is near even at the door. We know then that He is near, when we see come to pass not any of the foregoing things, but all of them, among which is this that the Son of Man shall be seen coming. And he shall send his Angels, who from the four quarters of the world shall gather together His elect. All these things He does at the last hour (1 John 2:18.) coming in His members as in the clouds, or in the whole Church as in one great cloud, as now He ceases not to come. And with great power and glory, because His power and glory will seem greater in the Saints to whom He will give great power, that they may not be overcome of persecution.

And then shall appear the signs of the truth; first, the sign of an outspreading in heaven; then the sign of the sound of the trumpet; and the third, the resurrection of the dead; yet not of all, but as it is said: The Lord shall come and all His saints with Him. Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.

"And then they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and majesty." As if it were openly said: They shall see in power and majesty Him whom, placed in humility, they refused to hear, so that they may then feel His power all the more strictly, inasmuch as now they do not bow the neck of their heart to His patience.

The aforesaid Scribes and Pharisees therefore placed James upon the pinnacle of the temple, and cried out to him and said: 'You just one, in whom we ought all to have confidence, forasmuch as the people are led astray after Jesus, the crucified one, declare to us, what is the gate of Jesus.'

And he answered with a loud voice, 'Why do you ask me concerning Jesus, the Son of Man? He himself sits in heaven at the right hand of the great Power, and is about to come upon the clouds of heaven.'

(Verse 30) And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven. Let us understand this sign, either as the cross, so that the Jews may see the one they crucified (according to Zechariah (Zech. XII) and John (John XIX)); or as the banner of triumphant victory.

And then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Those who did not have citizenship in heaven will mourn, but they are written in the earth.

But if so great a power is shown to have followed and to be still following the dispensation of His suffering, how great shall that be which shall follow His glorious advent! For He shall come on the clouds as the Son of man, so Daniel foretold, and His angels shall come with Him. These are the words: [...he quotes Daniel 7:9-28]

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, that sign by which the heavenly things were made, that is, the power which the Son wrought when He hung upon the cross. And the sign shall appear in heaven, that men of all tribes who before had not believed Christianity when preached, then by that sign, acknowledging it as made plain, shall grieve and mourn for their ignorance and sins.

Therefore shall they see with the bodily eyes the Son of Man, coming in human shape, in the clouds of heaven, that is, on high. As at the transfiguration, a voice came out of the cloud, so when He shall come again transformed into His glorious appearance, it shall be not on one cloud, but upon many, which shall be His chariot. And if when the Son of God went up to Jerusalem, they who loved Him spread their garments in the way, not willing that even the ass that carried Him should tread upon the earth; what wonder, if the Father and God of all should spread the clouds of heaven under the body of the Son, when He comes to the work of the consummation? And one may say, that as in the creation of man, God took clay from the earth and made man; so to manifest the glory of Christ, the Lord taking of the heaven, and of its substance, gave it a body of a bright cloud in the Transfiguration, and of bright clouds at the Consummation; wherefore it is here said, in the clouds of heaven, as it was there said, of the clay of the ground. (Gen. 2:7.) And it behoves the Father to give all such admirable gifts to the Son, because He humbled Himself; and He has also exalted Him, not only spiritually, but bodily, that He should come upon such clouds; and perhaps upon rational clouds, that even the chariot of the glorified Son of Man should not be irrational. At the first, Jesus came with that power with which He wrought signs and wonders in the people; yet was that power little in comparison of that great power with which He shall come in the end; for that was the power of one emptying Himself of power. And also, it is fitting that He should be transformed into greater glory than at the transfiguration on the mount; for then He was transfigured for the sake of three only, but in the consummation of the whole world, He shall appear in great glory, that all may see Him in glory.

Or He comes every day with great power to the mind of the believer in the clouds of prophecy, that is, in the Scriptures of the Prophets and the Apostles, who utter the word of God with a meaning above human nature. Also we say that to those who understand He comes with great glory, and that this is the more seen in the second coming of the Word which is to the perfect. And so it may be, that all which the three Evangelists have said concerning Christ's coming, if carefully compared together and thoroughly examined, would be found to apply to His continual daily coming in His body, which is the Church, of which coming He said in another place, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven, (Mat. 26:6.) excepting those places in which He promises that His last coming in His own person.

The Cross will then be seen in heaven shining more brightly than the sun as a reproof to the Jews, for when the Lord comes He will display the Cross as the strongest evidence against the Jews, like one who shows the stone with which he was struck. He calls the Cross a sign, as a trophy and royal ensign. Then all the tribes of the land of Judea will mourn and bewail their own unbelief, and all those who care for earthly things will mourn, though they be Christians. For those who are attached to earthly things might also be called "the tribes of the earth." Although the Lord comes accompanied by the Cross, He also comes "with power and great glory."

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven. Here is set forth the sign of the Son of man existing above the angels. The sign of the Son, i.e., the sign of the victory of Christ; because when the whole world will be renewed, it will be signified that he obtained victory over all things through his passion, which is not apparent now. Or the sign of the cross will appear, to show that all this glory is through his passion. Likewise, it will be signified that he acquired all judicial power through his passion. Job 36:29: If he shall spread his clouds like a tent etc. And there follows: for by these he judges peoples. Likewise, it will appear to confound the wicked who refused to follow Christ. Likewise, the sign of the cross will be brighter than the sun. But what will the effect be? Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, seeing such great power of Christ, which they despised, and such great wisdom, which they did not obey, and such great brightness of the saints; hence they will say what is said in Wisdom 5:3: These are they whom we once held in derision and as a parable of reproach. We fools esteemed their life madness and their end without honor. Behold how they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints. Likewise, the tribes of heaven, i.e., those who bore the image of heaven; Isaiah 40:18: To whom then will you liken God, or what image will you set up for him? They will impute to themselves that they suffer such things; Apocalypse 1:7: Every eye shall see him, and they also that pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth shall bewail themselves because of him. And Zechariah 12:10: They shall look upon me whom they pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and they shall grieve over him as one grieves at the death of a firstborn.

And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven. Above the Lord foretold what would happen before the second coming; here, however, he foretells the coming itself. And regarding this he does three things. First, he sets forth his coming; secondly, the certainty of the coming; thirdly, the uncertainty of the hour or day. And how will he come? They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven. And who will see? All men, for he will come to judge. For he has a human nature and a divine nature. According to his divine nature he will not be seen except by the pure of heart, etc., according to what is said above at 5:8: Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God; but according to his human nature even the wicked will see him; Luke 3:6: All flesh shall see the salvation of our God. Therefore they shall see the Son of man, because the Son of man and the Son of God are the same; but they will not see him as the Son of God, but as the Son of man; John 5:27: He gave him power to do judgment, because he is the Son of man. But there can be a question whether both the good and the wicked will see him in his glorious form; and it must be said that they will. And the reason is given in Isaiah 26:10, where the Lord, disputing with the prophet, says: He shall not see the glory of the Lord. And the prophet answers: Lord, let your hand be exalted, that they may not see. To which the Lord answered: And let them be confounded. Hence the good will see him unto joy, the wicked unto torment and sorrow. For when someone fears being punished, the more the power of the judge appears against him, the more he is afflicted; so the more glorious Christ appears, the more the wicked will be tormented. And this is signified when it says, coming in the clouds of heaven. In lightning there are two things, splendor and terror. Splendor represents a certain joy, but terror comes from the sound, and a cloud brings refreshment; Isaiah 18:4: And it shall be like a cloud of dew in the day of harvest, which is then pleasant. Likewise, a cloud has darkness, and when it is thick, it is terrible on account of the lightning and rain that come from the clouds; and this corresponds to the terror of the wicked; Psalm 96:2: Clouds and darkness are round about him. Likewise, it is fitting that he come in clouds to designate the divinity of Christ, because the majesty of God appeared in a cloud, Exodus 16:10; hence it is said in 3 Kings 8:12: The Lord said that he would dwell in a cloud; therefore he will come in clouds. Likewise, it is fitting to show his humanity, because, as is recorded in Acts 1:9: While they looked on, he was raised up, and a cloud received him out of their sight, and they heard the angels saying: in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven, so shall he come. Therefore, to show that he is the same one who was taken up in a cloud, he will appear in a cloud. It is also fitting to signify glorification. For when he was transfigured, a bright cloud appeared, and then there was one; but then there will be many, because then he appeared only to three, but then he will appear to many more; Apocalypse 1:7: Behold, he comes with the clouds, and every eye shall see him. And what will these clouds be? They will be nothing other than certain splendors overflowing from the body of Christ and the other saints. Origen says that they will be angels assuming ministry not only intelligibly but truly. For in the first coming he came humbly; Zechariah 9:9: Behold your king comes to you meek. But afterward he will come in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty. For in the first coming there were two things: he had weakness and ignominy. Weakness, because the Apostle says, 2 Corinthians 13:4: He was crucified through weakness. Ignominy, according to what is found in Isaiah 52:14: So shall his appearance be without glory among men, and his form among the sons of men. Consequently, corresponding to these two things, he says two things. Corresponding to the weakness, he sets forth power; hence of this it is said: all power is given to me in heaven and on earth, and this was given to him by generation, inasmuch as he is the Son of God. But he merited it inasmuch as he is man; and this will be manifested when all the angels and all the elements will minister to him. Likewise, against the ignominy, he says he will come in majesty, as judge of the living and the dead.

By saying that the Son of man will send his angels, he demonstrates that the Son of man is God. For they are God's angels, and to send them is solely God's prerogative. The saying "from one end of the heavens to the other" teaches us that the extremes of earth and heaven are the same. Hence it is necessary to believe in Christ and not to be deceived as though the smallest part of earth, situated in the midst of the heavens, was surpassed by their infinite greatness.

(Ver. 31.) And He will send His angels with a trumpet and a loud voice; and they will gather His chosen ones from the four winds, from the highest heavens to their ends. The Apostle speaks of this trumpet in I Corinthians XV; I Thessalonians IV: and we read in the Apocalypse of John (Apocalypse VIII): and in the Old Testament (Numbers X), we are instructed to make trumpets of gold, silver, and bronze, so that the lofty mysteries of doctrine may resound.

And then again, "He will send His angels with a great trumpet, and they shall gather the elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other."

But when thou hast heard of this, consider the punishment of them that remain. For neither shall they suffer that former penalty only, but this too. And as above He said, that they should say, "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord," so here, that they shall mourn. For since He had spoken unto them of grievous wars, that they might learn, that together with the fearful things here, the torments there also await them, He brings them in mourning and separated from the elect, and consigned to hell; by this again rousing the disciples, and indicating from how many evils they should be delivered, and how many good things they shall enjoy.

And why now doth He call them by angels, if He comes thus openly? To honor them in this way also. But Paul saith, that they "shall be caught up in clouds." And He said this also, when He was speaking concerning a resurrection. "For the Lord Himself," it is said, "shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel." So that when risen again, the angels shall gather them together, when gathered together the clouds shall catch them up; and all these things are done in a moment, in an instant. For it is not that He abiding above calleth them, but He Himself cometh with the sound of a trumpet. And what mean the trumpets and the sound? They are for arousing, for gladness, to set forth the amazing nature of the things then doing, for grief to them that are left.

You will understand why the saints are gathered "from the heights of the earth" if you consider the conduct of their lives and the perfection, insofar as possible, of their dealings with others. All who lived uprightly will be gathered not simply from the earth but "from the heights of the earth." After their earthly lives have ended, their conduct in the next life will raise them not simply from the highest point in heaven, as it was from the highest level of earth, but from the "heights of the heavens" because each and every heaven has both a beginning and a conclusion or perfection. After their exemplary lives on earth, the saints' conduct in the first heaven, once they have attained its perfection or conclusion, will elevate them still further. The same is true for the second heaven and the third heaven. It seems to me therefore that there are many heavens, each with its own initiation and perfection. It is from the beginnings and ends of these diverse heavens that God gathers his elect."From the heights of the heavens to their ends." It is also possible that the heavens here represent either the divine Scriptures or their authors, in both of which God dwells. In that case, the heights of the Scripture is its beginning, and the perfection of Scripture is its conclusion. To say that the saints will be gathered from "the heights of the heavens" means that they will be found from among those who live in the beginning of Scripture to those who live at its conclusion, or, if I may speak more profoundly, from the unskilled to the experts. The angels who will be sent by the Savior to gather his elect will gather them not just with any ordinary voice but with what Scripture calls a "great trumpet." It won't be an uncertain voice but one that is definite and clear so that all who hear and learn will be established on the way of perfection which leads to the Son of God.

Or He comes every day with great power to the mind of the believer in the clouds of prophecy, that is, in the Scriptures of the Prophets and the Apostles, who utter the word of God with a meaning above human nature. Also we say that to those who understand He comes with great glory, and that this is the more seen in the second coming of the Word which is to the perfect. 1And so it may be, that all which the three Evangelists have said concerning Christ's coming, if carefully compared together and thoroughly examined, would be found to apply to His continual daily coming in His body, which is the Church, of which coming He said in another place, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven, (Mat. 26:6.) excepting those places in which He promises that His last coming in His own person.

Because He had spoken of mourning, which shall be only that they may bear witness against themselves and condemn themselves, that none should suppose that that mourning will end their woes, He now adds, And he shall send his Angels with a trump and a loud voice.

It is written in Numbers (Numb. 10:3.), that the Priests shall summon by the sound of the trumpet from the four winds those who are of the camp of Israel, and it is in allusion to this that Christ speaks here of the Angels, And they shall gather together the elect from the four winds.

Some of little discernment think, that only those who shall then be found in the body shall be gathered together, but it is better to say that the Angels of Christ shall then gather together not only all who from the coming of Christ to the end of the world have been called and chosen, but all from the foundation of the world, who like Abraham have seen the day of Christ and rejoiced therein. (John 8:56.) And that He here means not only those that shall be found in the body, but those also who have quitted the body, the following words show, from one end of heaven to the other, which cannot be meant of any one upon earth. Or, the heavens are the divine Scriptures and their authors in which God dwells. One end of heaven is the beginning of the Scriptures, the other end is their conclusion. The saints there are gathered together from one end of heaven, that is, from those that live in the beginning of the Scriptures to those who live in the ends of them. They shall be gathered together with a trump and a loud voice, that they who hear and attend may prepare themselves for that way of perfection which leads to the Son of God.

Here we are not to think of a real trumpet, but of the voice of the archangel, which shall be so loud that at its sound all the dead shall rise out of the dust of the earth.

That is, from the four quarters of the world, north, south, east, and west.

Or otherwise; Lest any one should suppose that they should be gathered only from the four quarters of the world, and not from the middle regions, The adds this, And from one end of heaven to the other. By the heights of heaven meaning the central regions of the earth, which are under the heights of heaven; and by the ends of heaven, meaning the extreme parts of the earth, where the land seems to join a very wide and distant horizon.

He will send the angels to gather together the saints and those risen from the dead, so that they can meet Him in the clouds. He also honors them by calling them with angels. And if Paul says that they will be caught up in the clouds (1Thess. 4:17), this is not contradictory. For when they have been gathered together by the angels, the clouds will snatch them up. There will be the trumpet, to cause the greater consternation.

Then he will come and he shall send his angels with a trumpet and a great voice. Here he treats of the gathering of the saints; and he sets forth three things. First, the ministers; secondly, those gathered; thirdly, from where they are gathered. The ministers are the angels, as is found in Psalm 102:21: His ministers who do his will. But he says, with a great voice and a trumpet. In the resurrection a threefold power will operate. First, the divine power; secondarily, the power of Christ's humanity, because his resurrection is the cause of our resurrection, as the Apostle says in 1 Corinthians 15:22: As in Adam all have died, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. Likewise, the angelic power will operate there for certain preparatory things, namely, for gathering the dust. And he touches on these three things. The angelic power, when he says, he shall send his angels; the power of God, when he says, with a trumpet; the power of his humanity in that he says, and with a great voice. Of this it is said in John 5:25: All who hear the voice of the Son of God shall live. And that voice must be great, because he shall give to his voice the voice of power, Psalm 67:34. By the trumpet the divinity is well signified, because the voice of a trumpet is greater than the human voice; Apocalypse 11:12: And they heard a great voice from heaven saying to them, come up hither. And shortly after: and the seventh angel sounded the trumpet, and there were great voices in heaven. And note that the trumpet is quite fitting, because in Numbers 10:2 the Lord commanded Moses to make two trumpets; and they sounded the trumpets for assembly, for feasts, for battle, and for the moving of the camp. And so it will be at the judgment; because there will be an assembly, i.e., a gathering of all the saints, because the wicked shall not rise in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the just, Psalm 1:5. Likewise, there will then be an everlasting feast. Likewise, there will be battle against the wicked, as is found in Zechariah 14:14: But Judah also shall fight against Jerusalem. Likewise, there will be a moving of the camp, because the saints will be transferred to the life of the saints; Zechariah 2:11: And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day. Likewise, some are now gathered, but not all; but then all will be gathered; below 25:32: All nations shall be gathered before him. Here only the elect are gathered, because they alone are gathered to reign with him; Psalm 49:5: Gather together his saints to him. Hence he says, and they shall gather together his elect. But from where will they be gathered? From the four winds of heaven, from the heights of heaven to the ends thereof. The winds of heaven are distinguished by the four parts of the world. From the east comes the subsolanus; from the west the favonius; from the north the boreas; from the south the auster; and all other winds are contained under these. Hence from the four winds of heaven, i.e., from all parts of the world. There follows, from the heights of heaven to the ends thereof. This can be expounded in two ways. Origen says thus: they shall be gathered. Someone might say that this gathering is only of the living and not of the dead; which he removes by showing that the dead also will be gathered; therefore he says, from the heights of heaven etc. You know that the saints ascend into the heavens, and some are lower, some higher, because according to the measure of merits will be the measure of reward. Hence this is what Augustine says, that from the four winds refers to the bodies, and from the heights of heaven refers to the souls. Remigius says thus, and it is in the Gloss: I shall gather etc. Someone might believe that the gathering is only from the extremities of the earth; but what about the middle of the earth? Hence to the ends thereof. And he means that the gathering will be not only from the extremities of the earth, but from heaven, i.e., from the middle of the world.

(Ep. 199, 22.) That now from the Evangelic and Prophetic signs that we see come to pass, we ought to look that the Lord's coming should be nigh, who is there that denies? For daily it draws ever more and more near, but of the exact time it is said, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons. (Acts 1:7.) See how long ago the Apostle said, Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (Rom. 13:11.) What he spoke was not false, and yet how many years have elapsed, how much more may we not say that the Lord's coming is at hand now, that so great an accession of time has been made?

(Quaest. Ev. i. 39.) Or, by the fig tree understand the human race, by reason of the temptations of the flesh. When its branch is fender, i. e. when the sons of men through faith in Christ have progressed towards spiritual fruits, and the honour of their adoption to be the sons of God has shone forth in them.

Moreover, our Redeemer shows by a thoughtful comparison that the world ought to be trampled upon and despised, when He immediately adds: "See the fig tree and all the trees; when they now produce fruit from themselves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near." As if He openly said: Just as the approaching summer is known from the fruit of trees, so from the ruin of the world it is recognized that the kingdom of God is near. But the kingdom of God is rightly compared to summer, because then the clouds of our sorrow pass away, and the days of life shine bright with the radiance of the eternal sun.

The parable of the fig tree is offered as a lesson in recognizing the signs of the times. When its branches become tender and green we know that summer is near. Both this fig tree and this summer are very different from those found in nature, however. In nature there is a considerable interval between the onset of summer and the greening of a tree's branches, which begin to grow tender early in the spring. Consequently this parable cannot be about the tree. Indeed, we have already dealt above with the particular meaning of the tree. We saw that Adam had covered himself with its leaves to hide his shameful conscience, which is to say that he was bound under the law as though clothed in sin. The fig tree's branch therefore represents the antichrist, who is a son of the devil, a partaker of sin and protector of the law. When it begins to grow tender and green, then the summer, which here represents the day of judgment, is near. The greening of the tree then refers to the rise of sinners, a time that will be marked by the flowering of slanderers and the popularity of criminals and favor for blasphemers. This signals that summer, the heat of eternal fire, is near.

Mystically; The Synagogue is likened to the fig treeg; its branch is Antichrist, the son of the Devil, the portion of sin, the maintainer of the law; when this shall begin to swell and to put forth leaves, then summer is nigh, i. e. the approach of the day of judgment shall be perceived.

(Verse 32, 33.) But learn a parable from the fig tree: when its branch is already tender and the leaves have sprouted, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, at the doors. Under the example of the tree, he taught the coming of the consummation. How, he says, when the twigs of the fig tree become tender and a bud comes forth into a flower, and the bark brings forth leaves, you understand the coming of summer, and the entrance of the west winds and spring: so when you see all these things that have been written, do not think that the consummation of the world is already here, but rather like some preludes and forerunners coming, to show that it is near and at the doors.

As much as to say, When the tender shoots first show themselves in the stem of the fig tree, and the bud bursts into flower, and the bark puts forth leaves, ye perceive the approach of summer and the season of spring and growth; so when ye shall see all these things that are written, do not suppose that the end of the world is immediate, but that certain monitory signs and precursors are showing its approach.

Forasmuch as He had said, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days;" but they sought of this, after how long a time it should be, and desired to know in particular the very day, therefore He puts also the similitude of the fig tree, indicating that the interval was not great, but that in quick succession would occur His advent also. And this He declared not by the parable alone, but by the words that follow, saying, "know that it is near, even at the doors."

Whereby He foretells another thing also, a spiritual summer, and a calm that should be on that day (after the present tempest) for the righteous; but to the sinners the contrary, winter after summer, which He declares in what follows, saying, that the day shall come upon them, when they are living in luxury.

But not for this intent only did He put forward this about the fig tree, in order to declare the interval; for it was possible to have set this before them in other ways as well; but that he might hereby also confirm His saying, as assuredly thus to come to pass. For like as this of the fig tree is of necessity, so that too. For thus, wherever He is minded to speak of that which will assuredly come to pass, He brings forward the necessary courses of nature, both Himself, and the blessed Paul imitating Him. Therefore also when speaking of His resurrection, He saith, "When the corn of wheat hath fallen into the earth, except it die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." Whereby also the blessed Paul being instructed uses the same similitude, "Thou fool," he saith, "that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die."

As the fig has its vital powers torpid within it through the season of winter, but when that is past its branches become tender by those very powers and put forth leaves; so the world and all those who are saved had before Christ's coming their vital energies dormant within them as in a season of winter. Christ's Spirit breathing upon them makes the branches of their hearts soft and tender, and that which was dormant within burgeons into leaf, and makes show of fruit. To such the summer and the coming of the glory of the Word of God is nigh at hand.

Or, when this fig shall again bud, that is, when the synagogue shall receive the word of holy preaching, as the preaching of Enoch and Elias, then we ought to understand that the day of the consummation is at hand.

When all these things occur, He says, the time is not far off from the end and My coming. "Summer" means the age to come and serenity after the winter storm, but only for the righteous; for sinners, it is instead storm and tumult. For when you see, He says, the branches and leaves of the fig tree, you expect summer; so too, when you see those signs of which I spoke, the sun and the moon being altered, expect My coming.

From the fig tree learn a parable. Here he teaches about the certainty of his coming. He had said great things, and to some incredible things; now he certifies them in three ways. First, by a similitude; secondly, by an assertion; thirdly, by a reason. He says therefore, from the fig tree learn a parable. Chrysostom says: when God wishes to show something, he always introduces a natural similitude. Trees in winter have life, yet secretly; hence they do not produce leaves or fruit; but at the beginning of spring they begin to bud, and then life appears. So also the saints now do not appear, as is found in Colossians 3:3: You are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God; but then the life of the saints will appear, namely, of those who will not be deceived in the time of the Antichrist. Then summer will come, i.e., the eternal reward; Psalm 125:6: Going they went and wept, casting their seeds; and there follows, but coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves. Hence he says, from the fig tree learn a parable. By the fig tree the synagogue is signified, of which it is found in Luke 13:6: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. When the branch thereof is now tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh. And this can be expounded thus: the tender branch is the Antichrist, whose power will last but a short time, and as leaves cling closely to it, then his power will be made manifest. Or it can be expounded in a good sense. By the branch is meant the strength and fortitude of the saints. When the Church begins to come to its end, the power of Christ and the saints who will sustain it will appear; Song of Songs 2:13: The fig tree has put forth her green figs.

"So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near." As if He openly said: Just as the approaching summer is known from the fruit of trees, so from the ruin of the world it is recognized that the kingdom of God is near. By these words it is certainly shown that the fruit of the world is ruin. For it grows in order to fall. It sprouts forth in order to consume with disasters whatever it has sprouted. But the kingdom of God is rightly compared to summer, because then the clouds of our sorrow pass away, and the days of life shine bright with the radiance of the eternal sun.

The fig tree may be understood to represent the people of the circumcision. The Lord came to them when he was hungry and, "finding no fruit there" but the appearance of life only, said, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." At his coming therefore this fig tree, the people of the circumcision, "withered immediately." But the other fig tree, the one which until that time had been barren and was about to be cut down because no one had ever applied himself diligently to its cultivation, began to bear fruit when fertilizer was spread around it. What was formerly a blight upon the earth will now produce fruit in such abundance sufficient even for the entire time in which it was barren.

"So likewise ye," (He adds), "when ye shall see all these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of heaven is nigh at hand." "Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things, and to stand before the Son of man; " that is, no doubt, at the resurrection, after all these things have been previously transacted.

So you also, when you shall see all these things, know ye that it is nigh, even at the doors. Just as something is said to be near when it is at the doors; James 5:4: Behold the hire of the laborers who have reaped your fields, which by fraud has been kept back by you, cries, and the cry of them has entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Note that Augustine emphasizes the word all, when he says: when you shall see all these things etc. Above he had said that the Lord is near; but what does this mean? For the Lord is always near. Therefore he says: if we wish, let us say that none of this pertains to the end of the world, but to the coming of Christ through the Church; hence what was said, they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds, i.e., in preachers, with great power, since the Lord gives the word to those who preach with great power; and then he will come with majesty, since they give him reverence. Yet according to the exposition of others, we can refer it to the end of the world, and say otherwise. According to Augustine's exposition, he gives us to understand something that is near, i.e., that there are certain signs that it is near; hence what was said, they shall see etc., is referred to all the things said above, namely, to the signs, lightning, and earthquakes.

But there is worse to come. Say what you like, we shall be told. The apocalyptic beliefs of the first Christians have been proved to be false. It is clear from the New Testament that they all expected the second coming in their own lifetime, and, worse still, they had a reason, and one which you will find very embarrassing. Their master had told them so. He shared, and indeed created, their delusion.

He said, in so many words, 'This generation shall not pass till all these things be done.' And he was wrong. He clearly knew no more about the end of the world than anyone else. It is certainly the most embarrassing verse in the Bible. Yet how teasing, also, that within fourteen words of it should come the statement, 'But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.' The one exhibition of error and the one confession of ignorance grow side by side.

That they stood thus in the mouth of Jesus Himself, and were not merely placed thus by the reporter, we surely need not doubt. Unless the reporter were perfectly honest, he would never have recorded the confession of ignorance at all. He could have had no motive for doing so except a desire to tell the whole truth. And unless later copyists were equally honest, they would never have preserved the apparently mistaken prediction about this generation after the passage of time had shown the apparent mistake.

This passage, Mark chapter 13, verses 30-32, and the cry, 'Why hast Thou forsaken Me?' Mark chapter 15, verse 34, together make up the strongest proof that the New Testament is historically reliable. The evangelists have the first great characteristic of honest witnesses. They mention facts which are, at first sight, damaging to their main contention.

The facts then are these, that Jesus professed Himself in some sense ignorant, and within a moment showed that He really was so. To believe in the Incarnation, to believe that He is God, makes it hard to understand how He could be ignorant, but also makes it certain that if He said He could be ignorant, then ignorant He could really be. For a God who can be ignorant is less baffling than a God who falsely professes ignorance.

The answer of theologians is that the God-Man was omniscient as God and ignorant as man. This, no doubt, is true, though it cannot be imagined. Nor, indeed, can the unconsciousness of Christ in sleep be imagined, nor the twilight of reason in His infancy. Still less is merely organic life in His mother's womb.

But the physical sciences, no less than theology, propose for our belief much that cannot be imagined. A generation which has accepted the curvature of space need not boggle at the impossibility of imagining the consciousness of incarnate God. In that consciousness the temporal and the timeless were united. I think we can acquiesce in mystery at that point, provided we do not aggravate it by our tendency to picture the timeless life of God as simply another sort of time.

We are committing that blunder whenever we ask how Christ could be, at the same moment, ignorant and omniscient, or how He could be the God who neither slumbers nor sleeps while He slept. The italicized words conceal an attempt to establish a temporal relation between His timeless life as God and the days, months, and years of His life as man. And, of course, there is no such relation.

The incarnation is not an episode in the life of God. The Lamb is slain, and therefore presumably born, grown to maturity, and risen from all eternity. The taking up into God's nature of humanity, with all its ignorance and limitations, is not itself a temporal event, though the humanity which is so taken up was, like our own, a thing living and dying in time.

And if limitation, and therefore ignorance, was thus taken up, we ought to expect that the ignorance should, at some time, be actually displayed. It would be difficult and, to me, repellent, to suppose that Jesus never asked a genuine question, that is, a question to which He did not know the answer. That would make of His humanity something so unlike ours as scarcely to deserve the name.

I find it easier to believe that when He said, 'Who touched Me?' Luke chapter 8, verse 45, He really wanted to know.

All these things are confirmed with great certainty when the sentence is added which says: "Amen I say to you, this generation shall not pass away until all things come to pass. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." For nothing in the nature of corporeal things is more enduring than heaven and earth, and nothing in nature passes as quickly as speech. For words, as long as they are incomplete, are not words; but when they have been completed, they no longer exist at all, because they cannot be completed except by passing away. Therefore he says: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." As if he were saying openly: Everything that is enduring among you is not enduring unto eternity without change; and everything that is seen to pass away in me is held fixed and without passing away, because my speech which passes away expresses judgments that remain without mutability.

To give sure credit to the things which should come to pass He adds, Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away until all these things be fulfilled. By saying Verily, He gives asseveration to the truth.

(Verse 34) Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen. Above, we mentioned the generations of the righteous and, on the contrary, the wicked being separate. Therefore, it either signifies all types of people or specifically the Jews.

Or, by generation here He means the whole human race, and the Jews in particular.

After this, that they might not straightway return to it again, and say, "When?" he brings to their remembrance the things that had been said, saying, "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled!" All these things. What things? I pray thee. Those about Jerusalem, those about the wars, about the famines, about the pestilences, about the earthquakes, about the false Christs, about the false prophets, about the sowing of the gospel everywhere, the seditions, the tumults, all the other things, which we said were to occur until His coming. How then, one may ask, did He say, "This generation?" Speaking not of the generation then living, but of that of the believers. For He is wont to distinguish a generation not by times only, but also by the mode of religious service, and practice; as when He saith, "This is the generation of them that seek the Lord."

For what He said above, "All these must come to pass," and again, "the gospel shall be preached," this He declares here also, saying, All these things shall surely come to pass, and the generation of the faithful shall remain, cut off by none of the things that have been mentioned. For both Jerusalem shall perish, and the more part of the Jews shall be destroyed, but over this generation shall nothing prevail, not famine, not pestilence, not earthquake, nor the tumults of wars, not false Christs, not false prophets, not deceivers, not traitors, not those that cause to offend, not the false brethren, nor any other such like temptation whatever.

The uninstructed refer the words to the destruction of Jerusalem, and suppose them to have been said of that generation which saw Christ's death, that it should not pass away before the city should be destroyed. But I doubt that they would succeed in thus expounding every word from that, one stone shall not be left upon another, to that, it is even at the door; in some perhaps they would succeed, in others not altogether.

Yet shall the generation of the Church survive the whole of this world, that it may inherit the world to come, yet it shall not pass away until all these things have come to pass.

"Generation" here means, not that which was then, but the generation of all believers. It is as if He were saying, "The generation of believers shall not pass away till all these things have occurred." But when you hear of famines and plagues, do not understand that the generation of believers shall perish from these evil things, but it will remain, and no terrible thing will prevail over it. Some have understood "all these things" to refer only to the captivity of Jerusalem, and not to the second coming as well, and so they have interpreted it as follows: "This generation shall not pass away," that is, the generation of you apostles shall see the calamities that will befall Jerusalem. Confirming what has been said, He says that it would be easier for heaven and earth, those fixed and immoveable elements, to be destroyed than for My words to be proven false.

He has made it manifest therefore by a similitude; now he makes it manifest by an assertion, namely, with an oath, saying, amen I say to you, i.e., it is infallibly true, that this generation shall not pass away until all these things be done. Origen says: as if what you will hear were at hand. For someone might believe that these things were said about the destruction of Jerusalem, and since they were fulfilled at the destruction, because many survived until that time, hence this generation shall not pass away, i.e., the men now living, until all these things be done. But it would be a great stretch to refer everything said to the destruction of Jerusalem; therefore it must be said otherwise, that all the faithful are one generation; Psalm 23:6: This is the generation of those who seek the Lord; and he had premised that the earth is the Lord's. Hence he means, this generation shall not pass away, i.e., the faith of the Church will not cease until the end of the world, against some who said that it would last only until a certain time. The Lord refutes this, saying below at the end (28:20): Behold, I am with you all days even to the consummation of the world.

Nothing in Sacred Scripture is to be despised as useless, nothing rejected as false, nothing repudiated as wicked, because the Holy Spirit, its most perfect author, could say nothing false, nothing superfluous, nothing deficient. And therefore heaven and earth shall pass away, but the words of sacred Scripture shall not pass away, without being fulfilled.

Our upbringing and the whole atmosphere of the world we live in make it certain that our main temptation will be that of yielding to winds of doctrine, not that of ignoring them. We are not at all likely to be hidebound: we are very likely indeed to be the slaves of fashion. If one has to choose between reading the new books and reading the old, one must choose the old: not because they are necessarily better but because they contain precisely those truths of which our own age is neglectful. The standard of permanent Christianity must be kept clear in our minds and it is against that standard that we must test all contemporary thought. In fact, we must at all costs not move with the times. We serve One who said "Heaven and Earth shall move with the times, but my words shall not move with the times."

Since, therefore, some corrupting the meaning of the divine scriptures have misinterpreted the saying of our Lord, namely: The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away, failing to recognize that the mode of expression is hyperbolical, we shall interpret what their meaning properly is; for he says: It is possible for them to be dissolved, but for my words, never.

'Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.' The civilisation of antiquity was the whole world: and men no more dreamed of its ending than of the ending of daylight. They could not imagine another order unless it were in another world. The civilisation of the world has passed away and those words have not passed away. In the long night of the Dark Ages feudalism was so familiar a thing that no man could imagine himself without a lord: and religion was so woven into that network that no man would have believed they could be torn asunder. Feudalism itself was torn to rags and rotted away in the popular life of the true Middle Ages; and the first and freshest power in that new freedom was the old religion. Feudalism had passed away, and the words did not pass away. The whole medieval order, in many ways so complete and almost cosmic a home for man, wore out gradually in its turn: and here at least it was thought that the words would die. They went forth across the radiant abyss of the Renaissance and in fifty years were using all its light and learning for new religious foundations, new apologetics, new saints. It was supposed to have been withered up at last in the dry light of the Age of Reason; it was supposed to have disappeared ultimately in the earthquake of the Age of Revolution. Science explained it away; and it was still there. History disinterred it in the past; and it appeared suddenly in the future. To-day it stands once more in our path; and even as we watch it, it grows.

If our social relations and records retain their continuity, if men really learn to apply reason to the accumulating facts of so crushing a story, it would seem that sooner or later even its enemies will learn from their incessant and interminable disappointments not to look for anything so simple as its death. They may continue to war with it, but it will be as they war with nature; as they war with the landscape, as they war with the skies. 'Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.' They will watch for it to stumble; they will watch for it to err; they will no longer watch for it to end. Insensibly, even unconsciously, they will in their own silent anticipations fulfil the relative terms of that astounding prophecy; they will forget to watch for the mere extinction of what has so often been vainly extinguished; and will learn instinctively to look first for the coming of the comet or the freezing of the star.

Christ as much as Aristotle lived in a world that took slavery for granted. He did not particularly denounce slavery. He started a movement that could exist in a world with slavery. But he started a movement that could exist in a world without slavery. He never used a phrase that made his philosophy depend even upon the very existence of the social order in which he lived. He spoke as one conscious that everything was ephemeral, including the things that Aristotle thought eternal. By that time the Roman Empire had come to be merely the orbis terrarum, another name for the world. But he never made his morality dependent on the existence of the Roman Empire or even on the existence of the world. 'Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away.'

"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." For nothing in the nature of corporeal things is more enduring than heaven and earth, and nothing in nature passes as quickly as speech. For words, as long as they are incomplete, are not words; but when they have been completed, they no longer exist at all, because they cannot be completed except by passing away. Therefore he says: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." As if he were saying openly: Everything that is enduring among you is not enduring unto eternity without change; and everything that is seen to pass away in me is held fixed and without passing away, because my speech which passes away expresses judgments that remain without mutability.

For heaven and earth have in their constitution no necessity of existence, but Christ's words derived from eternity have in them such virtue that they must needs abide.

(Verse 35.) Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Heaven and earth will pass away by change, not by their destruction: otherwise, how will the sun be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall, if the heaven in which these things are, and the earth, do not exist?

And He adds, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away, to confirm their faith in what has gone before; as though He had said, it is easier to destroy things solid and immovable, than that aught should fail of my words.

The heaven and the earth shall pass away by a change, not by annihilation; for how should the sun be darkened, and the moon not give her light, if earth and heaven in which these are should be no more?

Then to lead them on more in faith, He saith, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away;" that is, it were more easy for these firm, fixed, and immoveable bodies to be blotted out, than for ought of my words to fall to the ground. And he who gainsays these things, let him test His sayings, and when he hath found them true (for so he surely will find them) from what is past, let him believe also the things to come, and let him search out all things with diligence, and he will see the actual events bearing witness to the truth of the prophecy. And the elements He hath brought forward, at once to declare, that the church is of more honor than Heaven and earth, and at the same time to indicate Himself by this also to be maker of all. For since He was speaking of the end, a thing disbelieved by many, He brought forward Heaven and earth, indicating His unspeakable power, and showing with great authority, that He is Lord of all, and by these things rendering His sayings deserving of credit, even with those who are much given to doubt.

But when all these shall have been fulfilled, then not the earth only but the heavens also shall pass away; that is, not only the men whose life is earthy, and who are therefore called the earth, but also they whose conversation is in heaven, and who are therefore called the heaven; these shall pass away to things to come, that they may come to better things. But the words spoken by the Saviour shall not pass away, because they effect and shall ever effect their purpose; but the perfect and they that admit no further improvement, passing through what they are, come to that which they are not; and this is that, My words shall not pass away. And perhaps the words of Moses and the Prophets have passed away, because all that they prophesied has been fulfilled; but the words of Christ are always complete, daily fulfilling and to be fulfilled in the saints. Or perhaps we ought not to say that the words of Moses and the Prophets are once for all fulfilled; seeing they also are the words of the Son of God, and are fulfilled continually.

The heaven which shall pass away is not the starry but the atmospheric heaven which of old was destroyed by the deluge.

For "the very heaven shall be rolled together as a scroll; '" nay, it shall come to nothing along with the earth itself, with which it was made in the beginning. "Heaven and earth shall pass away," says He.

And then he sets forth the reason: heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away; as if to say: it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for my words to pass away; Isaiah 40:8: But my word endures forever. And Psalm 32:6: By the word of the Lord the heavens were established. Hence the word is the cause of heaven, and a cause is always more powerful than its effect, therefore etc. And it is not said that heaven and earth will pass away in the sense that they will cease to exist, but that they will pass into another state; Apocalypse 21:1: I saw a new heaven and a new earth. According to Origen, the good are signified by heaven, the wicked by the earth; Isaiah 1:2: Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth. Both will pass, the good into eternal life, the wicked into eternal fire. And that the word of God is said not to pass away does not mean that it will not pass away according to the substance of the word, but according to what it signifies; hence this, as Origen says, has something special, because the word of the Lord will not pass away. But the words of Moses and others pass away; hence the words of Moses are signs of the present Church. But the words of Christ foretell the state of eternal life. Hence the words of Moses pass away, i.e., what Moses promised passes away; but what Christ promised does not, because he promised future glory, which does not pass away. Likewise, the word of Christ insofar as it concerns earthly and temporal things passes away.