Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 15 part 1/2

And Jesus, seeing the multitudes, went up into the mountain;

and when He had sat down, His disciples came unto Him.

And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Observe how free from ostentation and vainglory it is.

For He did not lead them about with Himself; but when there was need to heal, He Himself went about everywhere, visiting both cities and country regions;

but when a great multitude was gathered, He seats Himself in one place;

and not in a city or in the midst of a marketplace, but on a mountain and in a solitude, teaching us to do nothing for display, and to withdraw from the tumults in the midst of men—and this most of all when we must pursue wisdom and discourse concerning necessary matters.

Now when He had gone up and sat down, the disciples came unto Him.

Do you see their advance in virtue, and how of a sudden they became better? For the many were spectators of the miracles;

but these longed to hear something further, great and lofty;

which very thing indeed impelled Him to His teaching, and made Him begin these discourses.

He did not heal only, but also set souls aright, and again He passed from the care of these to the healing of those, at once diversifying the benefit, and mingling with the teaching of words the demonstration from works, and stopping the shameless mouths of the heretics, whereby He showed His care for either substance, proving that He is Himself the Creator of the whole living being.

Wherefore also He imparted much providence to each nature, now setting right the one, now the other.

For He opened, it says, His mouth and taught them.

And for what reason is it added, He opened His mouth? That you may learn that He instructed even in silence, not only by speaking; but now opening His mouth, now sending forth the voice that comes from His works.

But when you hear that He taught them, think not that He conversed with the disciples alone, but also, through them, with all men.

For since the multitude was of the common sort, and moreover of those that grovel on the ground, He set the band of the disciples before Him and directs His words to them, in His discourse to them making the teaching of true wisdom unburdensome for all the rest as well, even for those who fell far short of what was spoken.

This very thing indeed Luke also hinted at when he said that He turned His discourse toward them;

and Matthew too, making this same thing plain, wrote that His disciples came unto Him, and He taught them.

For thus also the rest were likely to give heed more eagerly than if He had addressed Himself to all.

Whence, then, does He begin, and what foundations does He lay for us of the new polity? Let us hearken with exactness to the things spoken;

for they were spoken to those men, but were written also for the sake of all that come after.

For this cause, indeed, in His public discourse He gave heed to the disciples;

yet He does not restrict the things spoken to them, but without distinction sets forth all the beatitudes.

For neither did He say, Blessed are you, if you become poor, but, Blessed are the poor.

And yet, even had He addressed those men, the counsel would have become common to all.

Lo, I am with you always, even unto the consummation of the age—

He does not converse with those men alone, but also through them with the whole inhabited world;

and when He calls them blessed as being persecuted and driven out and suffering things unbearable, it is not for them alone, but for all who accomplish the same things, that He weaves the crown.

Yet, that this may become even clearer, and that you may learn that the things spoken have much in common with you, and with the whole of human nature—if one be willing to give heed—hear how He begins these wondrous words.

«Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.»

What is the meaning of «the poor in spirit»? They are the humble and those contrite in mind.

For here by «spirit» He means the soul and the deliberate purpose of the will.

For since there are many who are humble, not willingly, but constrained by the necessity of their circumstances, He passes over these (for this would be no praise), and pronounces blessed first of all those who abase and restrain themselves out of deliberate choice.

And why did He not say «the humble», but «the poor»? Because this is more than that.

For here He means those who are crouched down in awe, and who tremble at the commandments of God — those whom God, greatly approving of them through the prophet Isaiah, spoke of, saying:

«Upon whom shall I look, but upon him that is meek and quiet, and that trembleth at My words?» 2.

For indeed the modes of humble-mindedness are many;

and one man is humble in due measure, but another with all excess. It is this latter humility that the blessed prophet also praises — not sketching for us the mind that is merely composed and subdued, but that which is utterly broken — in the words by which he says:

«The sacrifice for God is a broken spirit; a broken and a humbled heart God will not despise.»

And the three children, too, offer this to God in place of a great sacrifice, saying:

«But in a contrite soul and a spirit of humility may we be accepted.»

This same humility Christ also pronounces blessed now.

For since the greatest of

evils, which have laid waste the whole world, entered in through senseless pride;

for the devil, who was not such before this, became a devil in this very way;

which very thing Paul also made plain when he said:

«Lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil»;

and the first man, being puffed up by the devil with these same hopes, was hurled down headlong and became mortal;

for looking to become a god, he lost even that which he had;

which is why God, reproaching him and mocking his folly, said:

«Behold, Adam is become as one of us.»

And each one of those after this drifted into impiety from this same source, imagining himself equal to God;

since therefore this was the citadel of evils, the root and the fountain of all wickedness, in preparing the remedy suited to the disease, He first laid down this law as a strong and secure foundation.

For when this is laid beneath, the builder sets all the rest upon it with safety;

but when this is removed, even though a man in his manner of life should reach as far as the heavens, all is easily swept away and turns to a grievous end.

Though you should gather fasting, prayer, almsgiving, temperance, or any other good thing whatsoever, without humble-mindedness it all runs to waste and perishes.

Which very thing happened also in the case of the Pharisee.

For even after reaching the very summit, he came down having lost everything, because he did not possess the mother of good things.

For just as pride is the fountain of all vice, so humble-mindedness is the beginning of all true wisdom.

Therefore He begins from this very point, plucking up arrogance by the very root out of the soul of His hearers.

And what has this to do with the disciples, one may say, who were humble in every respect? For they had no occasion for pride, being fishermen and poor men, obscure and unlearned.

Even if these words were not addressed to the disciples, yet they were at least addressed to those then present, and to those who were afterwards to receive them, that they might not on this account despise them;

or rather, they were addressed to the disciples also.

For even if not then, yet later they were going to need this benefit — after the signs and the wonders, and the honour paid them by the whole world, and their boldness before God.

For neither wealth, nor dominion, nor royalty itself was so able to lift a man up, as those things which fell to their lot.

And apart from this, it was likely that even then, before the signs, they should be lifted up, when they saw the multitude and that great throng surrounding their Teacher, and should experience some human feeling.

For this reason He at once represses their pride of mind.

And He does not introduce what He says in the manner of exhortations and commandments, but in the manner of a blessing, making His word less burdensome, and opening the arena of His teaching to all.

For He did not say, «This man and that man», but «Blessed are all they that do these things.»

So that even if you be a slave, or poor, or needy, or a stranger, or unlearned, there is nothing to hinder you from being blessed, if you emulate this virtue.

Having begun therefore from this point, where it was most fitting, He proceeds to another commandment, which seems to be opposed to the verdict of the whole world.

For while all men count those who rejoice to be enviable, but those in dejection, poverty, and mourning to be wretched, He, in their stead, pronounces these last to be blessed, saying thus:

And yet all men count them miserable.

For this reason He first wrought the signs beforehand, that in laying down such laws He might be worthy of credence.

And here again He has not simply set down those that mourn, but those who do this over their sins;

since that other kind, to lament over some worldly thing, is even exceedingly forbidden.

Which very thing Paul also made plain, saying that «the sorrow of the world worketh death»;

«but that which is according to God worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of.»

It is these, then, that He too here pronounces blessed — those who sorrow in this way;

and He has not set down simply those who sorrow, but those who do so with intensity.

For this reason He did not say, «They that are sorrowful», but «They that mourn.»

For this commandment, too, is again a teacher of all true wisdom.

For if those who mourn for children, or a wife, or any other of their kindred who has departed, are not, during

that season of grief, in love with riches or with bodily pleasures, do not aspire after glory, are not provoked by insults, are not taken captive by envy, nor besieged by any other passion, being wholly given over to mourning alone;

much more will those who mourn their own sins, as is worthy of mourning, display a wisdom greater than this.

Then, what is the reward for them? «That they shall be comforted», He says.

Where shall they be comforted? tell me.

For since the commandment was very heavy and burdensome, that which most of all made it light — this He promised to give.

So that if you wish to be comforted, mourn.

And do not think that what has been said is a riddle.

For when God comforts, even if ten thousand storms of sorrows come upon you, you shall be higher than them all.

For indeed God always gives rewards far greater than the toils;

which very thing He has done here also, in declaring those that mourn to be blessed — not according to the worth of the deed, but according to His own loving-kindness.

For those who mourn, mourn over their transgressions;

and for such it is enough to enjoy pardon and to obtain acquittal.

But since He Himself is exceedingly loving toward mankind, He does not make His recompense to stand merely in the removal of punishments nor in the deliverance from sins, but He even makes them blessed and imparts to them much comfort.

And He bids us mourn not only over our own transgressions, but also over those of others;

such were the souls of the saints;

such was the soul of Paul, and of David.

For indeed these too have often mourned over the calamities of others.

'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.'

For nowhere in the Scripture do we find a spiritual, intelligible earth.

But what then is meant by this saying? He sets forth a perceptible reward, just as Paul also does.

For having said, 'Honour thy father and thy mother,' he added, 'For so shalt thou be long-lived upon the earth.'

And He Himself again said to the thief:

'Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.'

For He urges them on not only by the good things to come, but also by those that are present, for the sake of the grosser among His hearers, who even before the things to come are seeking after these.

For this reason indeed, as He went on, He also said:

'Be well-disposed toward thine adversary.'

Then He sets forth the reward of such love of wisdom, and says:

'Lest the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge to the officer.'

Seest thou whence He inspired fear? From perceptible things, from what happens right at our feet.

'Whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council.'

And Paul too abounds in setting forth perceptible rewards, and in urging men on by present things;

as, for instance, when he discourses concerning virginity;

for saying there nothing about the heavens, he for the time being draws them on from present considerations, saying:

'Because of the present distress;'

and, 'But I spare you;'

and, 'But I would have you to be without carefulness.'

Thus indeed did Christ also mingle perceptible things with spiritual.

For since the meek man is thought to lose all that is his own, He promises the contrary, saying that this is rather the man who possesses his goods in security—he who is neither insolent nor boastful;

whereas such a bold man will often be dispossessed even of his ancestral inheritance, and of his very soul.

And in another way too: since in the Old Testament the Prophet continually said, 'For the meek shall inherit the earth,' He weaves His discourse out of words familiar to them, so as not everywhere to speak in an alien tongue.

But He says these things not confining the recompenses to present things, but with these bestowing also those others.

For whether He speak of some spiritual thing, He does not take away the things in the present life;

or whether again He promise something of the things in this life, He does not confine the promise to that alone.

'For seek ye,' saith He, 'the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you;'

'Whosoever hath forsaken houses, or brethren, shall receive a hundredfold in this world, and in the world to come shall inherit eternal life.'

'Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness.'

What manner of righteousness? Either He means virtue as a whole, or that particular virtue which stands opposed to covetousness.

For since He is about to give commandment concerning almsgiving, showing

how one ought to show mercy—namely, that it be not out of rapine nor out of covetousness—He pronounces blessed those who lay claim to righteousness.

And observe with how great an emphasis He sets it forth.

For He said not, 'Blessed are they that hold fast to righteousness,' but, 'Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness;'

that we may pursue it not carelessly, but with all desire.

For since this is especially the property of covetousness, and we do not so love meats and drinks as the acquiring and encompassing of more,

He commanded us to transfer this desire to the not being covetous.

Then again He appoints a perceptible reward, saying:

For because covetousness is thought to make the multitude wealthy, He says that on the contrary it is quite otherwise;

for it is righteousness that works this.

Therefore, in doing what is just, fear not poverty, neither tremble at famine.

For they that snatch away, these especially are the men that fall from everything;

whereas he that loves righteousness possesses all men's goods in security.

But if they that covet not other men's goods enjoy so great abundance, much more do they that give away their own.

Here He seems to me to mean not only those who show mercy by money, but also those who do so by deeds.

For manifold is the manner of mercy, and this commandment is broad.

What then is its reward? 'That they themselves shall obtain mercy.'

And it seems indeed to be a kind of equal recompense;

but it is far greater than the good deed.

For they themselves show mercy as men, but they obtain mercy from the God of all.

And human mercy and divine are not equal, but as great as is the interval between wickedness and goodness, so far is the one distant from the other.

'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.'

Behold again a spiritual reward.

And by 'pure' here He means either those who have acquired virtue as a whole and are conscious of no evil in themselves, or those who live in chastity;

for of nothing have we so much need, in order to see God, as of this virtue.

Wherefore Paul also said:

'Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.'

But by 'sight' He here means such as it is possible for man to see.

For since many show mercy, and do not snatch away, nor covet, yet commit fornication and act licentiously,

showing that the former does not suffice, He added this also.

Which very thing Paul also testified of the Macedonians, when writing to the Corinthians, that not only did they abound in almsgiving, but also in the rest of virtue;

for having spoken of their liberality in money, he says that they also 'gave their own selves to the Lord and to us.'

Here He takes away not only their being at strife and hating one another, but He requires yet something more—that we should also bring together others that are at strife;

and again He brings in a spiritual reward.

What manner of reward is this? 'That they themselves shall be called sons of God.'

For indeed this was the work of the Only-Begotten: to bring together the things that were divided, and to reconcile the things that were at war.

Then, lest thou shouldest think that peace is in every case a good thing, He added:

'Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness' sake;'

that is, for virtue's sake, for the protection of others, for godliness.

For He is accustomed always to call the whole moral discipline of the soul 'righteousness.'

Blessed are you when they reproach you and persecute you, and speak every evil word against you falsely, for My sake.

As if to say: Even should they call you sorcerers, deceivers, pests, or anything else whatsoever, blessed are you, He says.

What could be more novel than these commands, when He declares that the very things which others flee from are to be longed for?

I mean being poor, and mourning, and being persecuted, and being ill spoken of. Yet nonetheless He both spoke it and persuaded, not two or ten or twenty or a hundred or a thousand men, but the whole inhabited world.

And hearing things burdensome and grievous and contrary to the custom of the many, the crowds were astounded.

So great was the power of Him who spoke.

But lest you should suppose that being ill spoken of simply makes men blessed, He set down two conditions: when it is both for His sake, and...

For unless these are present, not only is the one ill spoken of not blessed, but he is even wretched.

Then behold the reward once again:

For your reward is great in the heavens.

But you, even if you do not hear the kingdom bestowed at each one of the beatitudes, do not be disheartened.

For though He names the recompenses variously, yet He leads them all into the kingdom.

For indeed when He says, The mourners shall be comforted, and the merciful shall obtain mercy, and the pure in heart shall see God, and the peacemakers shall be called sons of God, He hints at nothing else through all these than the kingdom.

For those who enjoy these things shall by all means attain to that kingdom.

Do not therefore think that the reward belongs only to the poor in spirit, but also to those who hunger after righteousness, and to the meek, and to all the rest without exception.

For this reason He placed the blessing upon all of them, that you might look for nothing perceptible by the senses.

For he could not be blessed who is crowned in those things which are dissolved together with the present life, and pass by more swiftly than a shadow.

And having said, For your reward is great, He added yet another consolation, saying:

For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

For since that other thing, the matter of the kingdom, was yet to come and lay in the realm of hope, He hence furnishes them consolation from their fellowship with those who suffered ill before them.

Do not suppose, He says, that it is because you speak and legislate things contrary that you suffer these things;

or that, being teachers of wicked doctrines, you are about to be driven out by them.

For the plots and dangers arise not from the wickedness of the things spoken, but from the malice of those who hear.

Hence they do not even slander you who suffer ill, but those men who do the ill.

And all the time before bears witness to these things.

For it was not by charging the prophets with lawlessness and a God-opposing mind that they stoned some, drove out others, and encompassed others with countless other evils.

Let not this therefore trouble you;

for it is from the very same disposition that they now do all these things also.

Do you see how He raised up their spirits, setting them near to those around Moses and Elijah? So also Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, says:

For you became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea.

For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and please not God, and are contrary to all men.

This very thing Christ here also established.

And in the case of the other beatitudes He said, Blessed are the poor, and the merciful;

but here He did not set it down indefinitely, but turns His word directly to them, saying:

Blessed are you when they reproach you and persecute you, and speak every evil word;

showing that this is especially their distinction, and that above all other teachers this is peculiar to them.

And at the same time He hints here also at His own dignity, and His equality of honor with Him who begot Him.

For just as they suffered these things for the Father's sake, He says, so also you shall suffer them for My sake.

And when He says, The prophets who were before you, He shows that they too had already become prophets.

Then, making clear that this above all benefits them and makes them illustrious, He did not say, They will indeed speak ill of you and persecute you, but I will prevent this;

for He wills their security to consist not in not being ill spoken of, but in nobly bearing being ill spoken of, and in refuting them by their deeds;

for this is far greater than that;

just as for one who is struck to suffer nothing grievous is far greater than not to be struck.

Here then He says that Your reward is great in the heavens;

but Luke says that He spoke this both more emphatically and with fuller consolation.

For He does not only pronounce blessed those who are ill spoken of for God's sake, but also calls wretched those who are well spoken of by all;

For woe to you, He says, when all men speak well of you.

And yet they spoke well of the apostles too;

For this reason He did not say, When men speak well of you,

should men speak well of you, but, When all men.

For it is not possible that those who live in virtue should be well spoken of by all.

When they cast out your name as evil, rejoice and leap for joy.

For not only for the dangers which they endured, but also for the evil-speaking, He appoints a great recompense.

For this reason He did not say, When they drive you out and kill you, but, When they reproach you, and speak every evil thing.

For evil-speakings sting more grievously than the deeds themselves.

For in dangers there are many things that lighten the pain;

such as being encouraged by all, having many to applaud and crown and proclaim you;

but here, in the case of evil-speaking, even this consolation is taken away.

For the good deed does not seem to be anything great, and it stings the one who contends more than the dangers do.

Many at least have come even to the noose, not being able to bear an evil reputation.

And why do you marvel at other men? For that betrayer, the shameless and abominable one, who cast off all sense of shame utterly toward everything, this above all is what drove him to hang himself.

And Job too, that adamant, harder than rock, when his possessions were taken away and he suffered irremediable calamities, and was suddenly bereft of his children, and saw his body gushing forth a fountain of worms, and his wife pressing upon him, bore all these things easily;

but when he saw his friends reproaching him and trampling upon him, and holding an evil opinion of him, and saying that he suffered these things for his sins and was paying the penalty for his wickedness;

then he was troubled, then that noble and great man was thrown into confusion.

And David too, letting go of all that he had suffered, sought from God a recompense for the evil-speaking alone;

For let him curse, he says, because the Lord has bidden him, that the Lord may look upon my affliction, and repay me good for the cursing of this day.

And Paul too proclaims not only those who are in danger, nor those who are stripped of their possessions, but these also, speaking thus:

Call to mind the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great contest of sufferings;

partly made a spectacle by reproaches and afflictions.

It is for this very reason that Christ has appointed a great reward.

Here you do not defend yourself, nor do you stop up their mouths, and there you are given a reward? He set the prophets before them, showing that not even there did God take vengeance on their behalf.

But if, in those days when the recompense was close at hand, He anointed them for the struggle by the promise of things to come,

how much more now, when this hope has become clearer and the philosophy of life greater.

But consider, too, after how many commandments He has placed this one.

For He did not set it down at random, but to make clear that it is impossible for one who has not been furnished and trained by all those preceding virtues to go forth to these contests.

For this reason, always paving the way from the former commandment to the one that follows, He has woven for us a kind of golden chain.

For he who is humble will surely also mourn his own sins;

he who mourns will be both meek and just and merciful;

he who is merciful and just and contrite of heart will assuredly also be pure in heart; and such a one—

he who has achieved all these things will also be arrayed against dangers, and will not be shaken when he hears himself reviled and suffers countless terrors.

Having therefore exhorted them to what was fitting, He again gives them respite with words of praise.

For since the injunctions were lofty and far greater than those in the Old Covenant, lest they be troubled and dismayed and say:

'How shall we be able to accomplish these things?'—hear what He says:

'You are the salt of the earth';

showing that He enjoins these things of necessity.

For your responsibility, He says, will be not for your own life alone, but for the whole inhabited world.

For I am not sending you to two cities, or ten, or twenty, nor to a single nation, as I sent the prophets, but to land and sea and the whole inhabited world—and that in a wretched condition.

For by saying, 'You are the salt of the earth,' He showed that all human nature had become insipid and was rotted through by its sins.

For this reason He requires of them precisely those virtues which are

most necessary and useful for the care of the many.

For the man who is meek and forbearing and merciful and just does not shut up his good deeds within himself alone, but takes care that these fair springs should overflow also for the benefit of others.

And again, he who is pure in heart and a peacemaker, and is persecuted for the truth's sake, likewise orders his life for the common good.

'Do not therefore suppose,' He says, 'that you are being dragged into ordinary contests, or that your responsibility is for some small matters:

You are the salt of the earth.'

What then? Did they themselves set right what was corrupted? By no means.

For it is not possible to benefit things already utterly ruined by sprinkling salt upon them;

but only after they had first been renewed and delivered over to them, and freed from that foul stench, did they then salt them, holding and preserving them in that freshness which they had received from the Master.

For the deliverance from the rottenness of sins was Christ's achievement;

but again, the not returning any more to that state was the work of these men's own diligence and toil.

Do you see how, little by little, He shows them to be even better than the prophets? For He says they are teachers not of Palestine, but of all the earth;

and not simply teachers, but even awe-inspiring ones.

For this indeed is the marvel: that not by flattering or fawning, but by biting like salt, they became so beloved by all.