Luke 3

The Son of God, who is to gather the church, first works in a servant. Thus St. Luke fittingly says that the Word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness, so that the church would not begin from a man but from the Word. For she is a wilderness, because children of depravity outnumber hers, though she has a husband. Then it is said to her, "Sing, O barren one," and, "Break forth together into singing, you waste places," because the desert had not yet been cultivated by any work of a flock of people, nor had those trees which could bear fruit displayed the crown of their merits. The one who said, "I am like a green olive tree in the house of the Lord," had not yet come, nor had that heavenly Vine borne fruit with its shoots of words on the trained branch of its own people. So the Word came that the desolate earth would bring forth fruit for us. The Word came, and the voice followed, for the Word first works within before the voice follows. Hence David too says, "I believed, and then I spoke."

The Son of God being about to gather together the Church, commences His work in His servant. And so it is well said, The word of the Lord came to John, that the Church should begin not from man, but from the Word. But Luke, in order to declare that John was a prophet, rightly used these few words, The word of the Lord came to him. He adds nothing else, for they need not their own judgment who are filled with the Word of God. By saying this one thing, he has therefore declared all. But Matthew and Mark desired to show him to be a prophet, by his raiment, his girdle, and his food.

Again, the wilderness is the Church itself, for the barren has more children than she who has an husband. The word of the Lord came, that the earth which was before barren might bring forth fruit unto us.

(Metaphrastes) For the emperor Augustus being dead, from whom the Roman sovereigns obtained the name of "Augustus," Tiberius being his successor in the monarchy, was now in the 15th year of his receiving the reins of government.

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene. Herod, Philip, and Lysanias, who governed Judea with the Roman prefect Pilate, were the sons of that Herod under whom the Lord was born, among whom also their brother Archelaus reigned for ten years. He was accused by the Jews before Augustus because of his intolerable cruelty, and he perished in eternal exile at Vienna. Augustus took care to divide the kingdom of Judea into tetrarchies so that it would become less powerful. Moreover, Pilate, in the twelfth year of Tiberius Caesar, was sent to Judea and took over the administration of the nation, and he continued there for ten consecutive years until almost the very end of Tiberius's reign.

Pilate was sent in the twelfth year of Tiberius to take the government of the Jewish nation, and remained there for ten successive years, almost until the death of Tiberius. But Herod, and Philip, and Lysanias, were the sons of that Herod in whose reign our Lord was born. Between these and Herod himself Archelaus their brother reigned ten years. He was accused by the Jews before Augustus, and perished in exile at Vienne. But in order to reduce the Jewish kingdom to greater weakness, August us divided it into Tetrarchies.

Both Annas and Caiaphas, when John began his preaching, were the High Priests, but Annas held the office that year, Caiaphas the same year in which our Lord suffered on the cross. Three others had held the office in the intervening time, but these two, as having particular reference to our Lord's Passion, are mentioned by the Evangelist. For at that time of violence and intrigue, the commands of the Law being no longer in force, the honour of the High Priest's office was never given to merit or high birth, but the whole affairs of the Priesthood were managed by the Roman power. For Josephus relates, that Valerius Gratus, when Annas was thrust out of the Priesthood, appointed Ismael High Priest, the son of Baphas; but not long after casting him off, he put in his place Eleazar the son of the High Priest Ananias. After the space of one year, he expelled him also from the office, and delivered the government of the High Priesthood to a certain Simon, son of Caiaphas, who holding it not longer than a year, had Joseph, whose name also was Caiaphas, for his successor; so that the whole time during which our Lord is related to have taught is included in the space of four years.

In the fifteenth year etc. Above the Evangelist treated the mystery of the incarnation of Christ with regard to the nativity in the womb and from the womb: here he treats of it with regard to the nativity outside the womb, according to that saying of Ambrose, who says that he was reborn by the Sacraments, namely when he was baptized. And this part has three sections, in the first of which he treats of the baptism and preaching of John in general regard to the whole people: in the second, in special regard to special persons, there: And they asked him etc. In the third, in singular regard to Christ, there: And it came to pass, while he was being baptized. And the order is clear, because the general directs to the special, the special to the singular.

First, on the baptism and preaching of John in general with regard to three things. With regard to the first it should be noted that the doctrine and preaching of John is commended on three grounds: first, from the opportuneness of the time: second, from the authority of the office, there: The word of the Lord came etc.; third, from the severity of zeal, there: He said therefore to the crowds etc. The first regards what is outside, the second, what is above, the third, what is within. And thus in every way his preaching and doctrine is perfect.

The preaching of John is first commended with regard to the opportuneness of the time in three ways. With regard to the first it should be noted that the opportuneness of the time is gathered from three things, namely from the union of the Roman Empire, from the partition of the Jewish kingdom and from the division of the Levitical priesthood: from which the opportuneness of the time is gathered, because John was announcing him who was scattering the synagogue of the Jews and gathering the varieties of the nations into the unity of the Church.

With regard to the union of the empire it is said: In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, in which, namely, the time of the coming of Christ had already arrived, because, namely, before Tiberius there were Julius and Pompey; and Julius crushed Pompey, and after these Tiberius succeeded. And thus that saying of Daniel, chapter two, concerning the fourth kingdom, namely of the Romans, had already been verified, that "it was partly solid and partly crushed"; and therefore it was the time for the verification of what follows in the same place: "In those days the God of heaven will raise up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, and its power shall not be delivered to another people."

As for the partition of the Jewish kingdom, there is added: Pontius Pilate being procurator of Judea, under whom, namely, the Lord was crucified, according to what the history of all the Evangelists narrates; and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee: this was the one under whom the Lord was also crucified, below in the twenty-third chapter, and who killed John the Baptist, according to what is said in Matthew fourteen, because he said to him: "It is not lawful for you to have the wife of Philip, your brother"; concerning which Philip it is added: Philip, his brother, being tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis. And thus that word of Isaiah one was already verified: "Strangers devour your land before your face"; and Proverbs twenty-eight: "Because of the sins of the land, many are its princes." And therefore there is added: And Lysanias being tetrarch of Abilene, that is, of another region, which was a fourth part of the kingdom. For a tetrarchy is called a fourth part of a kingdom; for it is derived from tetra, which means four, and archos, which means rule. For when Archelaus, the son of Herod the Great, was deported into exile at Lyons on account of his pride, the kingdom was divided into four tetrarchies, so that the pride of the Jews might thus be diminished. Whence Bede: "Three tetrarchies were governed by the three sons of Herod the Great, under whom the Lord was born. Pilate, however, was procurator of the other tetrarchy." And note that there were two men named Lysanias: one the son of Hyrcanus, about whom Josephus writes; and the other of Herod, about whom Bede speaks.

And our Lord was born in the twenty-eighth year, when first the census was ordered to be taken in the reign of Augustus. And to prove that this is true, it is written in the Gospel by Luke as follows: "And in the fifteenth year, in the reign of Tiberius Caesar, the word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zacharias." And again in the same book: "And Jesus was coming to His baptism, being about thirty years old," and so on. And that it was necessary for Him to preach only a year, this also is written: "He hath sent Me to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." This both the prophet spake, and the Gospel. Accordingly, in fifteen years of Tiberius and fifteen years of Augustus; so were completed the thirty years till the time He suffered.

The blessed Isaiah was not ignorant of the scope of John's preachings, but of old, even long before the time, bearing witness of it, he called Christ Lord and God: but John he styled His minister and servant, and said that he was a lamp advancing before the true light, the morning star heralding the sun, foreshowing the coming of the day that was about to shed its rays upon us: and that he was a voice, not a word, forerunning Jesus, as the voice does the word.

(de Virg. c. 6.) Who also entered this life at once in the spirit and power of Elias, removed from the society of men, in uninterrupted contemplation of invisible things, that he might not, by becoming accustomed to the false notions forced upon us by our senses, fall into mistakes and errors in the discernment of good men. And to such a height of divine grace was he raised, that more favour was bestowed upon him than the Prophets, for from the beginning even to the end, he ever presented his heart before God pure and free from every natural passion.

The time when the precursor of our Redeemer received the word of preaching is indicated by mention of the prince of the Roman commonwealth and the kings of Judea, when it is said: "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, under the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, the word of the Lord came upon John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness." For since he was coming to preach him who would redeem some from Judea and many from the Gentiles, the times of his preaching are indicated by the king of the Gentiles and the rulers of the Jews. Moreover, because the Gentiles were to be gathered in and Judea was to be scattered on account of the guilt of faithlessness, the very description of earthly rule shows that one man is described as having been in charge of the Roman commonwealth, while in the kingdom of Judea very many ruled over a fourth part each. For by the voice of our Redeemer it is said: "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste." It is clear, therefore, that Judea had come to the end of its kingdom, since it lay subject to so many kings by whom it was divided. It is also fittingly demonstrated not only under which kings but also under which priests this took place; because John the Baptist was preaching him who would be both king and priest at the same time, Luke the Evangelist indicated the times of his preaching through both the kingdom and the priesthood.

(Hom. 20. in Ev.) The time at which the forerunner of the Saviour received the word of preaching, is marked by the names of the Roman sovereign and of the princes of Judæa, as it follows: Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judæa, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, &c. For because John came to preach Him who was to redeem some from among the Jews, and many among the Gentiles, therefore the time of his preaching is marked out by making mention of the king of the Gentiles and the rulers of the Jews. But because all nations were to be gathered together in one, one man is described as ruling over the Roman state, as it is said, The reign of Tiberius Cæsar.

(ubi sup.) Because the Jews were to be scattered for their crime of treachery, the Jewish kingdom was shut up into parts under several governors. According to that saying, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. (Luke 11:17.)

Because John preached Him who was to be at the same time both King and Priest, Luke the Evangelist has marked the time of that preaching by the mention not only of Kings, but also of Priests. As it follows, Under the High Priests Annas and Caiaphas.

In the word of prophecy, spoken to the Jews alone, the Jewish kingdom only is mentioned, as, The vision of Esaias, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. (Is. 1:1.) But in the Gospel which was to be proclaimed to the whole world, the empire of Tiberius Cæsar is mentioned, who seemed the lord of the whole world. But if the Gentiles only were to be saved, it were sufficient to make mention only of Tiberius, but because the Jews also must believe, the Jewish kingdom therefore, or Tetrarchies, are also introduced, as it follows, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judæa, and Herod tetrarch, &c.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius (for such is Marcion's proposition) he "came down to the Galilean city of Capernaum," of course meaning from the heaven of the Creator, to which he had previously descended from his own.

The mention of the time and the rulers is rightly made to show that under Christ the succession of Jewish leaders had ceased; since the governor was Pilate, a man from another nation, and the tetrarchs were the sons of Herod the Ascalonite, and so that it would therefore be accepted as certain that Christ had come, according to the prophecy of Jacob (Gen. 49:10).

Through the whole of the time until his showing himself he was hid in the wilderness, that no suspicion might arise in men's minds, that from his relation to Christ, and from his intercourse with Him from a child, he would testify such things of Him; and hence he said, I knew him not. (John 1:33.)

During the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the desert. Both indeed, at the beginning of John's prophecy, that is, Annas and Caiaphas were the chief priests; but Annas held the office for that year, while Caiaphas administered it in the year when the Lord ascended the cross, and indeed with three others in between completing the pontificate, but especially with those mentioned by the evangelist who were related to the passion of the Lord. For at that time, legal precepts having ceased through force and ambition, the honor of the pontificate was conferred neither on account of life nor lineage, but by Roman authority it was conferred upon some now, and again upon others. Indeed, Josephus reports in this manner, saying: Valerius Gratus, having removed Annas from the priesthood, appointed Ismael, son of Fabo, as high priest. But soon after rejecting him as well, he substituted Eleazar, son of Ananus, to the high priesthood. After one year, he also removed him from office and bestowed the ministry of the high priesthood upon one Simon, son of Camith. He too fulfilled the office scarcely for the breadth of a year and then received Joseph, whose name was also Caiaphas, as a successor. And thus, the whole time in which our Lord is described as teaching on earth is confined within a span of four years. In this time, the four successions of high priests that Josephus mentions are described, scarcely ministering for individual years. Because John was coming to preach about Him who would redeem some from Judea and many from the Gentiles, the times of his preaching are designated by the king of the nations and the princes of the Jews. Because the Gentiles were to be gathered, and Judea, for its fault of unfaithfulness, was to be scattered, the very account of earthly authority also shows that in the Roman republic one is described as presiding, and in the kingdom of Judea, many ruled by quarters. For our Redeemer's voice says: "Every kingdom divided against itself will be desolate" (Matthew XII). Therefore, it is clear that the kingdom of Judea had come to an end since it was subjected to division under so many kings. It is fittingly demonstrated not only by which kings, but also by which priests the events took place. So that because John the Baptist was to preach about Him who would also be king and priest at the same time, Luke the evangelist designated the times of his preaching by the kingdom and the priesthood.

As for the division of the priesthood, there is added: Under the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, who, moved by ambition, as Bede says, were purchasing the high priesthood from the Romans. Whence, because according to Bede and Josephus priests were no longer being instituted through anointing but through earthly power, therefore the priestly anointing and the royal anointing had ceased. Already, therefore, the time had come for Christ to arrive, according to that passage in the penultimate chapter of Genesis: "The scepter shall not be taken away from Judah," etc. — Likewise, the anointing of the Levitical priesthood had already ceased, and therefore it was the time for the "priest according to the order of Melchizedek" to come, so that that word of Isaiah twenty-two might be fulfilled, which was spoken concerning the Levitical priesthood and the priesthood of Christ: "I will expel you from your station and depose you from your ministry"; and afterwards, concerning Christ in figure: "And it shall be in that day, I will call my servant Eliakim and I will clothe him with your robe"; and below: "And I will lay the key of David upon his shoulder." In this it is shown that this Eliakim must be king and priest, which was fulfilled in Christ alone, who was "a priest according to the order of Melchizedek," who was at once king and priest, according to that passage in Hebrews seven. And because "when the priesthood is transferred, it is necessary that a transfer of the Law also be made," already it was the time for the Gospel to be preached; and at such a time the Gospel ought to have begun and been preached starting from the preaching of John.

It is therefore clear how sufficiently, according to the Scriptures, the Evangelist showed the opportune time in the coming of Christ and the preaching of the precursor, which the blind Jews did not see. Therefore Jeremiah 8: "The kite in the sky has known its time; the turtledove and the swallow and the stork have kept the time of their coming; but my people have not known the judgment of the Lord"; and below in the twelfth chapter: "Hypocrites, you know how to test the face of the sky and the earth, but how do you not test this time?" — Moreover, they could have known this time not only through the Scriptures, but also through the very events carried out in those times, according to what Gregory says: "It is clear that Judea had come to its end, which lay subject, divided among so many rulers." And since they were already subject to a foreign empire, it was already time for the Lord to restore the Israelite kingdom, which he had promised to establish forever in every way. — It is also clear how reasonably the Evangelist, although he intends to treat of the priesthood of Christ, nevertheless announces the time of kings and priests, so as to show that Christ's priesthood and kingdom are joined together: and through both the time of his coming is proven; and at once the kingdom of the Jews and of the Gentiles, because he had come to unite both together into one; likewise the former divided and the latter one, because the fullness of the Gentiles was to enter in and the multitude of the Jews was to be scattered on account of the sin of unbelief.

The word came to pass etc. Here the preaching of John is commended from the authority of his office, which the Evangelist first commends from itself; and secondly, from prophetic attestation, at the passage: As it is written etc. — As to the first, it should be noted that the authority entrusted to John is commended on three grounds, namely: from the gift of heavenly grace, from the ministry of humble obedience, and from the sign of sacramental remedy.

As for the gift of heavenly grace, it is said: The word of the Lord came upon John, the son of Zechariah, in the desert. It came, namely through divine inspiration, and therefore it says: Upon John: because, in Second Peter 1, "Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the holy men of God spoke." Whence upon signifies authority, according to that passage of Isaiah 61: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he has sent me to announce to the meek." And for this he was worthy by reason of the gift of divine grace; therefore it says: Upon John, "in whom, namely, is grace," because in Wisdom 7 it is said that "wisdom transfers itself into holy souls." — Worthy also by the merit of his father, and therefore it says: The son of Zechariah: whence that passage of Tobit 7 could be said to him: "Blessing be upon you, my son, because you are the son of a good and excellent man." — Worthy also by the merit of his own virtue: whence it says: In the desert, in a harsh and hard place: Deuteronomy 32: "He found him in a desert land, in a place of horror," etc.; and Hosea 13: "I knew you in the desert, in a land of solitude"; in which land the word of God was accustomed to come to man, as to Moses: Exodus 3: "He called him from the midst of the bush," etc., when "he drove the flock to the interior of the desert"; Hosea 2: "I will lead her into the wilderness, and there I will speak to her heart."

(in Matt. Hom. 10.) The word of God here mentioned was a commandment, for the son of Zacharias came not of himself, but God moved him.

But the king deprived Joseph of the high priesthood, and bestowed the succession to that dignity on the son of Ananus, who was also himself called Ananus. Now the report goes that this eldest Ananus proved a most fortunate man; for he had five sons who had all performed the office of a high priest to God, and who had himself enjoyed that dignity a long time formerly, which had never happened to any other of our high priests. But this younger Ananus, who, as we have told you already, took the high priesthood, was a bold man in his temper, and very insolent; he was also of the sect of the Sadducees, who are very rigid in judging offenders, above all the rest of the Jews, as we have already observed.

"The word of God came to John," it is said, so that you would know that he came to bear witness about Christ not as a self-appointed man, but because he was moved by the Spirit of God. By "word" understand either the Holy Spirit or the commandment of God. The word of God came to John "in the wilderness." Since the children of the forsaken church, that is, the church from the Gentiles, were more numerous than the children of "her who has a husband" (Isa. 54:1), that is, the Jewish church, the word and commandment of God fittingly came to John when he was in the wilderness.

The Word came, and the voice followed. For the Word first works inward, then follows the office of the voice, as it is said, And he went into all the country about Jordan.

And therefore many say that St. John is a type of the Law, because the Law could denounce sin, but could not pardon it.

And he went into all the region around Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. To all readers it is clear that John not only preached the baptism of repentance, but also gave it to certain people, yet he could not grant his baptism for the remission of sins. For indeed, the remission of sins is granted to us by the baptism of Christ alone. It should be noted, therefore, what is said, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, since he could not give a baptism that would absolve sins, he preached it. Just as he preceded the incarnate Word of the Father with the word of preaching: so the baptism of repentance, by which sins are absolved, would precede his baptism, by which sins cannot be absolved.

As for the ministry of humble obedience, it is added: And he came into the whole region of the Jordan. Whence Chrysostom says: "John came as the preparer and faithful herald of the great King." And then was fulfilled that passage of Malachi 3: "Behold, I send my Angel, and he will prepare your way." And he says pointedly: Into the whole region, to signify true obedience, which makes no exceptions but is ready for all things: Jeremiah 1: "To all things to which I shall send you, you shall go," etc.

As for the sign of sacramental medicine, it is added: Preaching the baptism of repentance, as is said in Acts 19: "John baptized the people with the baptism of repentance." He calls it the baptism of repentance because it instructed unto repentance; Matthew 3: "Jerusalem and all Judea went out to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins." But although it instructed unto repentance, nevertheless it did not effect the remission of sins, but prepared for that baptism. And therefore it is added: For the remission of sins, that is, unto the baptism of Christ, in which is remission: whence Acts 2: "Let each one of you be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." And concerning this Zechariah 13 says: "There shall be a fountain open to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for the washing of the sinner and of the unclean"; and Ezekiel 36: "I will pour clean water upon you, and you shall be cleansed from all your defilements," etc.

And all flesh did see the salvation of God, even of the Father: for He sent the Son to be our Saviour. And in these words by "flesh," man generally is to be understood, that is, the whole human race. For thus all flesh shall see the salvation of God: no longer Israel only, but all flesh. For the gentleness of the Saviour and Lord of all is not limited, nor did He save one nation merely, but rather embraced within His net the whole world, and has illuminated all who were in darkness.

Moreover, the fruit of repentance is, in the highest degree, faith in Christ. Next to it is the evangelic mode of life, and in general terms the works of righteousness as opposed to sin, which the penitent must bring forth as fruits worthy of repentance.

(Orat. 39.) To speak now of the difference of baptisms. Moses indeed baptized, but in the water, the cloud, and the sea, but this was done figuratively. John also baptized, not indeed according to the Jewish rite, (for he baptized not only with water,) but also for the remission of sins, yet not altogether spiritually, (for he adds not, in the Spirit.) Jesus baptizes but with the Spirit, and this is perfect baptism. There is also a fourth baptism, namely by martyrdom and blood, by which also Christ Himself was baptized, and which is so far more glorious than the others, as it is not sullied by repeated acts of defilement. There is also a fifth, the most weary, according to which David every night washed his bed and his couch with tears. It follows, As it is written in the book of Esaias the Prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness. (Is. 40:3.)

And he came into all the region of Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. It is clear to all readers that John not only preached the baptism of repentance, but also gave it to some, yet nevertheless he was not able to give his baptism for the remission of sins. For the remission of sins is granted to us only in the baptism of Christ. Therefore it must be noted what is said: Preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, because the baptism that would loose sins, since he was not able to give it, he preached: so that just as he preceded the incarnate Word of the Father with the word of preaching, so he might precede the baptism of repentance, by which sins are loosed, with his own baptism, by which sins cannot be loosed; so that because his speech preceded the presence of the Redeemer, his baptism also by preceding might become a shadow of the truth.

(ubi sup.) It is plain to every reader that John not only preached the baptism of repentance, but to some also he gave it, yet his own baptism he could not give for the remission of sins.

(ubi sup.) Or John is said to preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, because the baptism which was to take away sin, as he could not give, he preached; just as the Incarnate Word of the Father preceded the word of preaching, so the baptism of repentance, which was able to take away sin, was preceded by John's baptism, which could not take away sin.

(ubi sup.) For as the sacrifice had not yet been offered up, nor had the holy Spirit descended, how could remission of sins be given? What is it then that St. Luke means by the words, for the remission of sins? Seeing the Jews were ignorant, and knew not the weight of their sins, and because this was the cause of their evils, in order that they might be convinced of their sins and seek a Redeemer, John came exhorting them to repentance, that being thereby made better and sorrowful for their sins, they might be ready to receive pardon. Rightly then after saying, that he came preaching the baptism of repentance, he adds, for the remission of sins. As if he should say, The reason by which he persuaded them to repent was, that thereby they would the more easily obtain subsequent pardon, believing on Christ. For if they were not led by repentance, in vain could they ask for grace, other than as a preparation for faith in Christ.

The Jordan is interpreted as "descending." Truly, the river of God is a descent, the true water, the saving water. And he preaches "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." "For the forgiveness of sins" to whom? To the one who no longer sins; for forgiveness of sins is not given to one who still sins.

But he was the forerunner of Christ, "the voice of one crying in the desert," to a soul not at war; and not just then, but even now the first "burning and shining lamp" comes "preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins," then after him comes "the true light," about which the lamp says, "He must increase, but I must decrease." "And he went into all the region around the Jordan." For where else should the baptist go except "into the region around the Jordan," so that if anyone wishes to repent, he can easily find the river?

Jordan is the same as descending, for there descends from God a river of healing water. But what parts would John be traversing but the country lying about Jordan, that the penitent sinner might soon arrive at the flowing stream, humbling himself to receive the baptism of repentance. For it is added, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

He preached to the people "the baptism of repentance," that is, of confession. And this baptism assisted them toward the remission of sins, granted through the baptism of Christ. For the baptism of John did not have the remission of sins, but led to remission, that is, it prepared the people to receive the baptism of Christ, which has the remission of sins.

Again, the wilderness is the Church itself, for the barren has more children than she who has an husband. The word of the Lord came, that the earth which was before barren might bring forth fruit unto us.

John the forerunner of the Word is rightly called the voice, because the voice being inferior precedes, the Word, which is more excellent, follows.

(non occ.) And because a path is a way trodden down by those that have gone before, and which former men have worn away, the word bids those who depart from the zeal of their predecessors repeatedly pursue it.

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: The voice, etc. The same John the Baptist, being asked who he was, answered, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, who is therefore called a voice by the prophet because he preceded the word; who also cries in the wilderness, because he announces the comfort of redemption to the abandoned and destitute Judea. What he cried out is made clear when it is added: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Whoever preaches true faith and good works, what else is he doing but preparing the way for the Lord to come to the hearts of the listeners? That the power of grace may penetrate these, and the light of truth may illuminate, making straight paths for God, by forming pure thoughts in the mind through the word of good preaching.

As it is written etc. Here the authority of John is commended from the prophetic attestation, in which John preaching is shown to have the office of arousing, admonishing, and consoling. — He is shown, I say, first to have the office of arousing through exclamation: and therefore it is said: As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: for this is written in Isaiah forty. Moreover, John is called a voice, because, just as the voice precedes the word, so John preceded Christ: and the voice of one crying, because it arouses the sleeping, that they may awaken to the light, according to that passage in Isaiah fifty-eight: "Cry out, cease not, lift up your voice like a trumpet"; and Job thirty-seven: "The Lord will thunder wondrously with his voice," "and he shall not be searched out, when his voice has been heard." This is the voice of which it is said in the Psalm: "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters, the God of majesty has thundered." Whence John, in John one, responded to those asking: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness." The voice therefore is an expressive sign of the word: whence the prophecies of others were as it were a nod with respect to Christ, but John's was as it were a voice with respect to the Word, because he showed him visibly.

It is also shown secondly that he has the office of admonishing through exhortation, when it is added: Prepare the way of the Lord, namely through the observance of the commandments. Psalm: "I have run the way of your commandments"; and Baruch 3: "If you had walked in the way of God, you would surely have dwelt in peace upon the earth." Make straight his paths, through the observance of the counsels: Proverbs 4: "I have shown you the way of wisdom and led you through the paths of equity, which when you have entered, your steps shall not be straitened, and running you shall have no stumbling block"; Isaiah 26: "The path of the just is right, the right way of the just to walk in," etc. Psalm: "Direct me in the path of your commandments," etc. — Make straight, namely the intentions: Job 1: "And that man was simple and upright and fearing God and departing from evil." — The thoughts: Psalm: "The innocent and the upright have adhered to me"; and Ecclesiastes 7: "This I have found, that God made man upright." — The affections: Song of Songs 1: "The upright love you"; and Psalm: "How good is the God of Israel to those who are upright of heart"! — The words: Proverbs 8: "All my words are just; they are right to those who understand." — The actions: Proverbs 20: "By his pursuits a child is known, whether his works are clean and right"; Job 8: "If you walk clean and upright, he will presently awake unto you." — The sufferings: Job 4: "Remember, I beseech you, who ever perished being innocent? Or when were the upright destroyed?" — The rewards: Proverbs 11: "The justice of the upright shall deliver them." For justice, according to Tully, is "the constant and perpetual will to render to each one his right." — Those who walk by these rectitudes are understood through those living creatures of which Ezekiel 1 says: "Their feet were straight," etc.

John, being chosen for the apostleship, was also the last of the holy prophets. For this reason, as the Lord has not come yet, he says, "Prepare the way of the Lord." What is the meaning of "Prepare the way of the Lord"? It means, Make ready for the reception of whatever Christ may wish to do. Withdraw your hearts from the shadow of the law, discard vague figures and no longer think perversely. Make the paths of our God straight. For every path that leads to good is straight and smooth and easy, but the one that is crooked leads down to wickedness those that walk in it.

(in Esai. 40. lib. 3.) But suppose some one should answer, saying, How shall we prepare the way of the Lord, or how shall we make His paths straight? since so many are the hindrances to those who wish to lead an honest life. To this the word of prophecy replies, There are some ways and paths by no means easy to travel, being in some places hilly and rugged, in others steep and precipitous; to remove which it says, Every valley shall be filled, every mountain and hill shall he brought low. Some roads are most unequally constructed, and while in one part rising, in another sloping downwards, are very difficult to pass. And here he adds, And the crooked ways shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth. But this was in a spiritual manner brought to pass by the power of our Saviour. For formerly to pursue an Evangelical course of life was a difficult task, for men's minds were so immersed in worldly pleasures. But now that God being made Man, has condemned sin in the flesh, all things are made plain, and the way of going has become easy, and neither hill nor valley is an obstacle to those who wish to advance.

"I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord, as Isaiah the prophet said." You know, dearest brothers, that the only-begotten Son is called the Word of the Father, as John testifies when he says: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." And from your own manner of speaking you recognize that the voice sounds first, so that the word may afterward be heard. Therefore John asserts that he is the voice, because he precedes the Word. And so, going before the coming of the Lord, he is called a voice, because through his ministry the Word of the Father is heard by men. He also cries out in the wilderness, because he announces the comfort of the Redeemer to abandoned and forsaken Judea. But what he cries out he indicates when he adds: "Make straight the way of the Lord." The way of the Lord is made straight to the heart when the word of truth is humbly heard. The way of the Lord is made straight to the heart when one's life is prepared according to his commandment.

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Indeed, the same John the Baptist, when asked who he was, answered, saying: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. He, as was said by us before, was called a voice by the prophet because he preceded the Word. But what he cried out is revealed when it is added: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Everyone who preaches right faith and good works, what else does he do but prepare a way for the coming Lord into the hearts of his hearers? So that the power of grace may penetrate, so that the light of truth may illuminate, so that he may make straight paths for God, while he forms pure thoughts in the mind through the word of good preaching.

(7, 20. in Ev.) John cries in the desert because he brings the glad tidings of redemption to deserted and forsaken Judæa, but what he cries is explained in the words, Prepare ye the way of the Lord. For they who preach true faith and good works, what else do they than prepare the way for the Lord's coming into the hearts of the hearers, that they might make the paths of God straight, forming pure thoughts in the mind by the word of good preaching.

Thus the prophet wrote that he shall come saying, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." And John himself said when he came, "Bring forth fruits consistent with repentance," which corresponds with "prepare the way of the Lord." See that both by the words of the prophet and by his own preaching, this one thing is manifested alone. John was to come, making a way and preparing beforehand, not bestowing the gift, which was the remission, but ordering in good time the souls of such as should receive the God of all.

(ubi sup.) But to cry, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, was not the office of the king, but of the forerunner. And so they called John the voice, because he was the forerunner of the Word.

"Prepare a way for the Lord." What way are we to prepare for the Lord? Surely not a material way. Can the Word of God go on such a journey? Should not the way be prepared for the Lord within? Should not straight and level paths be built in our hearts? This is the way by which the Word of God has entered. That Word dwells in the spaces of the human heart.

I believe that the mystery of John is still being achieved in the world today. If anyone is going to believe in Christ Jesus, John's spirit and power first come to his soul and "prepare a perfect people for the Lord." It makes the ways in the heart's rough places smooth and straightens out its paths.

Or, a way must be prepared in our heart for the Lord, for the heart of man is large and spacious if it has become clean. For imagine not that in the size of the body, but in the virtue of the understanding, consists that greatness which must receive the knowledge of the truth. Prepare then in thy heart by good conversation a way for the Lord, and by perfect works pursue the path of life, that so the word of God may have free course in thee.

As messenger of God, who was about to come, He faithfully observed this law, constructing well, That every hill might low become and tough ways plain, Lest when the truth should glide from heaven down to earth It then would find a barrier to its swift approach.

The law, indeed, had to be overthrown, from the moment when John "cried in the wilderness, Prepare ye the ways of the Lord," that valleys and hills and mountains may be filled up and levelled, and the crooked and the rough ways be made straight and smooth -in other words, that the difficulties of the law might be changed into the facilities of the gospel.

John holds not his peace, saying, "Enter upon repentance, for now shall salvation approach the nations" -the Lord, that is, bringing salvation according to God's promise.

The "way" which he commands to prepare is the manner of life according to the teaching of Christ, for the Lord was soon to preach. The "paths" are the commandments of the Law, as if already worn away. He commands to make them "straight" because the Pharisees had perverted the commandments. By "way" one can also understand the soul, and by "paths" the thoughts and deeds. Thus we must prepare the soul and make right our deeds and thoughts.

(non occ.) But as the hills differ from mountains in respect of height, in other things are the same, so also the adverse powers agree indeed in purpose, but are distinguished from one another in the enormity of their offences.

Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. What else is meant by the term valley in this place but the humble; what else by mountains and hills but proud men? At the coming of the Redeemer, therefore, the valleys were filled, and the mountains and hills were made low. Because according to his word, everyone who exalts himself will be humbled: and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted (Luke 14). For a valley filled grows, but a mountain and a hill made low decrease. Because in the faith of the mediator of God and men, the man Jesus Christ, both the gentiles received the fullness of grace, and Judea through the error of perfidy, lost that by which it was arrogant.

The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth. The crooked are made straight when the hearts of the wicked, twisted by injustice, are guided to the rule of justice. The rough ways are made smooth when harsh and irascible minds are brought back to gentleness through the infusion of heavenly grace. For when the word of truth is not received by an irascible mind, it is as if the roughness of the path repels the steps of the one advancing. But when the irascible mind, corrected through the grace of gentleness, receives the word of reproof or exhortation, the preacher finds a smooth way there, where previously he could not step forward due to the roughness of the path, that is, where he could not engage in the steps of preaching.

It is also shown thirdly to have the office of consoling through promise, when it is added: Every valley etc.; in which he foretells the effect of Christ's coming with respect to the humble just, with respect to sinners, and with respect to all. — Because he will exalt the humble; on account of which it is said: Every valley shall be filled, that is, the humble one: Psalm: "The valleys shall abound with grain"; above in the first chapter: "He has exalted the humble"; below in the eighteenth chapter: "Everyone who humbles himself shall be exalted." The figure of this is in Fourth Kings, chapter four, where Elisha filled the empty vessels. — He will humble the proud; on account of which is added: And every mountain and hill shall be brought low: Isaiah forty-five: "I will go before you and will humble the glorious ones of the earth"; Job forty: "Look upon every arrogant one and humble him." — He will set straight those who go astray: on account of which he adds: And the crooked shall be made straight: Bede: That is, the hearts of the wicked, twisted through injustice, shall be made straight, that is, they shall be directed to the rule of justice: Proverbs sixteen: "Reveal your works to the Lord, and your thoughts shall be directed." This moreover is against hypocrites, who hide their counsels from the Lord: Second Thessalonians three: "But may the Lord direct your hearts" etc. — He will calm the turbulent: on account of which he says: And the rough ways into smooth paths, that is, wrathful minds shall be converted to meekness; Isaiah eleven: "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid: the calf and the lion and the sheep shall abide together."

(ubi sup.) Or by the valleys he means a quiet habitual practice of virtue, as in the Psalms, The valleys shall be filled with corn. (Ps. 65:13.)

(ubi sup.) Or, He orders the valleys to be filled, the mountains and hills to be cast down, to show that the rule of virtue neither fails from want of good, nor transgresses from excess.

Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low. What is designated by the name of valleys in this place except the humble, what by mountains and hills except proud people? At the coming of the Redeemer, therefore, valleys were filled, but mountains and hills were brought low, because according to his voice: Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted. For a valley that is filled grows, but a mountain and hill that is brought low decreases, because indeed in the faith of the Mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus, the Gentiles received the fullness of grace, while Judea through the error of unbelief lost that by which it was puffed up. For every valley shall be filled, because the hearts of the humble will be filled with the grace of virtues through the eloquence of sacred teaching, according to what is written: He sends forth springs in the valleys. And from which again it is said: And the valleys shall abound with grain. For water flows down from mountains; because the teaching of truth abandons proud minds. But springs rise in the valleys, because humble minds receive the word of preaching. Already we see, already we perceive that the valleys abound with grain, because their mouths are filled with the food of truth who, being meek and simple, seemed despicable to this world.

The people, seeing that John the Baptist himself was endowed with wonderful holiness, believed him to be that singularly lofty and solid mountain of which it is written: "In the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of the mountains." For they thought he was Christ, as it is said through the Gospel: "And as the people were in expectation, and all were reasoning in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he might be the Christ," whom they also sought out saying: "Are you the Christ?" But unless John had been a valley within himself, he would not have been filled with the spirit of grace. To show what he was, he said: "There comes one mightier than I after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to loose." And again he said: "He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease." Behold, although he was such through his wonderful working of virtues that he was believed to be Christ, he not only answered that he was not Christ, but also declared that he was not worthy to loose the strap of his sandal, that is, to scrutinize the mystery of his incarnation. Those who thought John was Christ believed the Church to be his bride. But he said: "He who has the bride is the bridegroom." As if to say: I am not the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom. Nor did he declare that he rejoiced because of his own voice, but in the voice of the bridegroom, because he did not rejoice in his heart because he was humbly heard by the people when he spoke, but because he himself heard the voice of truth within so that he might speak outwardly. He rightly says his joy was fulfilled, because whoever rejoices in his own voice does not have full joy. And he adds: "He must increase, but I must decrease." In this matter we must ask in what way Christ increased and in what way John decreased, unless it be that the people, seeing John's abstinence and observing that he was withdrawn from men, thought he was Christ; but seeing Christ eating with tax collectors and walking among sinners, they believed he was not Christ but a prophet. But as time passed, Christ who was thought to be a prophet was recognized as Christ, and John who was believed to be Christ became known to be a prophet, and thus was fulfilled what his forerunner predicted about Christ: "He must increase, but I must decrease." Indeed, in the estimation of the people Christ increased because he was recognized as what he was; and John decreased because he ceased to be called what he was not. Therefore, since John persisted in holiness because he persevered in humility of heart, and many fell because they swelled up with proud thoughts within themselves, let it rightly be said: "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low," because the humble receive the gift which the hearts of the proud repel from themselves.

The text continues: "And the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth." The crooked are made straight when the hearts of the wicked, twisted by injustice, are directed to the rule of justice. And the rough are changed into smooth ways when harsh and wrathful minds, through the infusion of heavenly grace, return to the gentleness of meekness. For when the word of truth is not received by a wrathful mind, the roughness of the path, as it were, repels the step of one journeying. But when a wrathful mind, through the received grace of meekness, accepts the word of correction or exhortation, there the preacher finds a smooth way where previously, because of the roughness of the path, he was unable to proceed—that is, to set the step of preaching.

(20. in Ev.) Or, the valley when filled increases, but the mountains and hills when brought low decrease, because the Gentiles by faith in Christ receive fulness of grace, but the Jews by their sin of treachery have lost that wherein they boasted. For the humble receive a gift because the hearts of the proud they keep afar off.

(ubi sup.) But the crooked places are become straight, when the hearts of the wicked, perverted by a course of injustice, are directed to the rule of justice. But the rough ways are changed to smooth, when fierce and savage dispositions by the influence of Divine grace return to gentleness and meckness.

Do you perceive how the prophet anticipated all by his words—the concourse of the people? Thus, when he says, "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the rough ways shall be made smooth," he is signifying the exaltation of the lowly, the humiliation of the self-willed, the hardness of the law changed into easiness of faith. For it is no longer toils and labors, says he, but grace and forgiveness of sins, affording the way to salvation. Next he states the cause of these things, saying, "All flesh shall see the salvation of God." No longer Jews and proselytes only, but also all earth and sea and the whole race of people may be saved. By "the crooked things" he signified our whole corrupt life, publicans, harlots, robbers and magicians, as many as having been perverted before, afterward walk in the right way. As Jesus himself likewise said, "Tax collectors and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you," because they believed.

(ubi sup.) He denounces the haughty and arrogant by the name of mountains, whom Christ has brought low. But by the hills He implies the wreckless, not only because of the pride of their hearts, but because of the barrenness of despair. For the hill produces no fruit.

For when Jesus had come and sent His Spirit, every valley was filled with good works, and the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which if thou hast, thou wilt not only cease to become a valley, but will begin also to be a mountain of God.

Or you may understand the mountains and hills to be the hostile powers, which have been overthrown by the coming of Christ.

Then it is as if someone asked: how shall we accomplish this? For virtue is not easy to fulfill and encounters many snares and obstacles both from the evil powers and from the passions dwelling in us. He answers that nothing will be difficult, but all will be easy. For the valleys "shall be filled," that is, our natural powers, weakened for good and brought to a low state, shall be replenished; "every mountain and hill," that is, the opposing powers and desires that seem to us implanted by nature, have truly been weakened; and everything has become level, and what was crooked has been changed to straight. For Christ abolished the opposing powers, which are here called mountains and hills, and revived our natural impulses toward good, which the Evangelist called the valleys that are filled. For He became incarnate for this very reason: to restore our nature to its proper form.

The expression of Scripture, "And all flesh shall see the salvation of God," may without difficulty be understood as if it were said, "And every man shall see the Christ of God." And He certainly was seen in the body, and shall be seen in the body when He judges quick and dead. And that Christ is the salvation of God, many other passages of Scripture witness, but especially the words of the venerable Simeon, who, when he had received into his hands the infant Christ, said, "Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation."

And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Because "all flesh" is understood as every human being, but not every human being could see Christ, the salvation of God, in this life. So where does the prophet direct the prophetic eye in this sentence if not toward the day of the final judgment? When the heavens are opened, the angels minister, and the Apostles are seated, and Christ appears on His throne of majesty, all will see Him, the wicked equally with the just, so that the just may rejoice forever in the reward of their recompense, and the unjust may eternally groan in the punishment of vengeance. For this sentence intends that He will be seen by all flesh at the final judgment, and rightly it is added.

He will illuminate all who approach: on account of which he adds: And all flesh shall see the salvation of God, that is, from every kind of flesh, as the distribution gives for the classes of individuals, according to that of the Psalm: "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God." In Isaiah forty, after the aforementioned words, it is added: "And all flesh together shall see that the mouth of the Lord has spoken." But in the fifty-second chapter it is said: "All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." And note that the very same one who is the mouth or Word of the Father according to his Divinity, is the salvation according to his humanity.

And all flesh did see the salvation of God, even of the Father: for He sent the Son to be our Saviour. And in these words by "flesh," man generally is to be understood, that is, the whole human race. For thus all flesh shall see the salvation of God: no longer Israel only, but all flesh. For the gentleness of the Saviour and Lord of all is not limited, nor did He save one nation merely, but rather embraced within His net the whole world, and has illuminated all who were in darkness. And this is what was celebrated by the Psalmist's lyre, "All the nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before Thee, O Lord." While at the same time the remnant of the Israelites is saved, as the great Moses also long ago declared, saying, "Rejoice ye nations with His people."

(ubi sup.) That is, of the Father, who sent His Son as our Saviour. But the flesh is here taken for the whole man.

There follows: "And all flesh shall see the salvation of God." Because by "all flesh" is meant every person, not every person was able to see the salvation of God, namely Christ, in this life. Where then does the prophet direct the eye of prophecy in this statement except to the day of the last judgment? When, with the heavens opened, angels ministering, apostles seated alongside, Christ shall appear on the throne of His majesty, all—both the elect and the reprobate alike—will see Him, so that the just may rejoice without end in the gift of recompense, and the unjust may groan perpetually in the vengeance of punishment.

(ubi sup.) Or else, All flesh, i. e. Every man can not see the salvation of God in Christ in this life. The Prophet therefore stretches his eye beyond to the last day of judgment, when all men both the elect and the reprobate shall equally see Him.

"Every flesh shall see," it is said, "the salvation of God" — not only the Jews and proselytes, but "every flesh," for the Gospel has been carried throughout all the earth. One could say much more besides, but for the sake of greater clarity, let this suffice.

We see these men through the compassion of God, inspired with prudence to seek repentance of their crimes, dreading with wise devotion the terror of the judgment to come. Or perhaps, according to the precept, Be ye wise as serpents, (Matt. 10:16.) they are shown to have a natural prudence, who perceive what is coming, and earnestly desire help, though they still forsake not what is hurtful.

(cont. Eunom. lib. 2.) Now it may be observed, that the following words natus and filius are spoken of animals, but genimen may be said of the fœtus before it is formed in the womb; the fruit of the palm trees is also called genimina, but that word is very seldom used with respect to animals, and when it is, always in a bad sense.

He said therefore to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him: "Brood of vipers," etc. For the coming wrath is the judgment of final retribution. The sinner will not be able to escape this judgment who now does not turn to the laments of penance. And it is to be noted that the offspring of the wicked, imitating the actions of their evil parents, are called a brood of vipers. Because by envying the good and persecuting them, by repaying evil to others, by seeking to harm their neighbors, in all these things they follow the ways of their carnal predecessors, as if venomous offspring born of venomous parents. But since we have already sinned, since we are entangled in the habit of evil custom, let him tell us what we must do to be able to flee from the coming wrath.

He said therefore to the crowds etc. Here the preaching of John is commended for the severity of his zeal. And because piety ought to be joined to severity, therefore first a rebuke is set forth; second, an exhortation is added, at the words: Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of penance; third, a threat is subjoined, at the words: For now the axe is laid to the root etc. The rebuke is of fault, the admonition is of penance, but the threat is of penal punishment. — The rebuke moreover is concerning two things, namely concerning the certain malice of fault and concerning the ignorance or inconsideration of punishment.

He rebukes therefore concerning the certain malice of fault under the metaphor of the viper, when it is said: He said therefore to the crowds that went out to be baptized by him: Brood of vipers, etc. And note that he compares them to vipers on account of a threefold property: "For the viper, when it has bitten a man, immediately runs to water: so these, confessing mortal sins, were running to baptism." Against which, Sirach thirty-four: "He who is baptized from the dead and again touches the dead, what does his washing profit"? Likewise, the broods of vipers are born by rupturing the maternal entrails: so these, by persecuting the Prophets, violated their maternal entrails: Matthew twenty-three: "You are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who killed the Prophets." "Serpents, brood of vipers, how will you flee from the judgment of Gehenna"? "Likewise, outwardly they are beautiful and as if painted, but inwardly filled with venom"; so also these: Matthew twenty-three: "You are like whitewashed sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful to men, but inwardly are full of the bones of the dead".

He rebukes also concerning the lack of consideration of punishment, when he adds: Who showed you to flee from the wrath to come? Gregory: "The wrath to come is the retribution of the final vengeance, which the sinner cannot then flee who now does not have recourse to the laments of penance"; First Thessalonians five: "Then sudden destruction shall come upon them, as labor pains upon her who is with child, and they shall not escape"; likewise, Revelation six: "They shall say to the mountains: Fall upon us, and to the hills: Cover us from the face of him who sits upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb"; Jeremiah twenty-five: "Their land has been made a desolation from the face of the wrath of the dove and from the face of the wrath of the fury of the Lord"; therefore Job nineteen: "Flee from the face of the sword"; the Psalm: "Where shall I go from your spirit, and where shall I flee from your face"? Not "to Tarshish" with Jonah, Jonah one — for Tarshish is interpreted as "exploration of joy" — but with the Prophet into the desert of penance: the Psalm: "I went far off, fleeing, and remained in solitude"; Matthew twenty-four: "Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains"; "But pray that your flight be not in winter or on the Sabbath".

Denunciation is vehement speech. And He employs denunciation as medicine, by Isaiah, saying, "Ah, sinful nation, lawless sons, people full of sins, wicked seed!" And in the Gospel by John He says, "Serpents, brood of vipers."

WE affirm therefore that the blessed Baptist, as being full of the Holy Ghost, was not ignorant of the daring acts that Jewish wickedness would venture against Christ. For he foreknew that they would both disbelieve in Him, and wagging their envenomed tongue, would pour forth railings and accusations against Him: accusing Him at one time of being born of fornication; at another, as one who wrought His miracles by the help of Beelzebub, prince of the devils: and again, as one that had a devil, and was no whit better than a Samaritan. Having this therefore in view, he calls even those of them who repent wicked, and reproves them because, though they had the law speaking unto them the mystery of Christ, and the predictions of the prophets relating thereunto, they nevertheless had become dull of hearing, and unready for faith in Christ the Saviour of all. "For who hath warned you to flee from the coining wrath?" Was it not the inspired Scripture, which tells the happiness of those who believe in Christ, but forewarns those who believe not, and are ignorant, that they will be condemned to severe and inevitable punishment?

For because this statement aims at this—that He will be seen by all flesh at the final examination—it is rightly added: "He said therefore to the crowds that went out to be baptized by him: You offspring of vipers, who has shown you to flee from the wrath to come?" For the wrath to come is the punishment of final vengeance, which the sinner cannot then escape who does not now have recourse to the laments of penance. And it should be noted that evil offspring, imitating the actions of evil parents, are called offspring of vipers, because by envying the good and persecuting them, by returning evil to some, by seeking injuries against their neighbors—since in all these things they follow the ways of their carnal forebears—they are as if venomous children born from venomous parents.

(in Hom. 20, in Ev.) Because the Jews hated good men, and persecuted them, following the steps of their carnal parents, they are by birth the poisonous sons, as it were, of poisonous or sorcerous parents. But because the preceding verse declares that at the last judgment Christ shall be seen by all flesh, it is rightly added, Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? The wrath to come being the awarding of final punishment.

(Hom. in Matt. 10.) The dweller in the wilderness, when he saw all the people of Palestine standing round him and wondering, bent not beneath the weight of such respect, but rose up against them and reproved them. (Hom. in Gen. 12.) The holy Scripture often gives the names of wild beasts to men, according to the passions which excite them, calling them sometimes dogs because of their impudence, horses on account of their lust, asses for their folly, lions and panthers for their ravening and wantonness, asps for their guile, serpents and vipers for their poison and cunning; and so in this place John calls the Jews a generation of vipers.

(Hom. in Matt. 11.) Now they say that the female viper kills the male in copulation, and the fœtus as it increases in the womb kills the mother, and so comes forth into life, bursting open the womb in revenge as it were of its father's death; the viper progeny therefore are parricides. Such also were the Jews, who killed their spiritual fathers and teachers. But what if he found them not sinning, but beginning to be converted? He ought not surely to rebuke them, but to comfort them. We answer, that he gave not heed to those things which are outward, for he knew the secrets of their hearts, the Lord revealing them to him; for they vaunted themselves too much in their forefathers. Cutting therefore at this root, he calls them a generation of vipers, not indeed that he blamed the Patriarchs, or called them vipers.

No one that remains in his old state, and forsakes not his old habits and practices, can rightly come to be baptized; whoever then wishes to be baptized, let him go forth. Hence are those words significantly spoken, And he said unto the multitude that went forth to be baptized of him. To the multitudes then who are going forth to the laver of baptism, He speaks the following words, for if they had already gone forth, He would not have said, O generation of vipers.

The Jews he calls "offspring of vipers," because they insulted their fathers and mothers; for this animal, they say, gnaws through the womb of its mother and is thus born. Moreover, they killed the prophets and teachers. By "the wrath to come" he means the eternal punishment.

But although God can alter and change the most diverse natures, yet in my mind a mystery is of more avail than a miracle. For what else than stones were they who bowed down to stones, like indeed to them who made them. It is prophesied therefore that faith shall be poured into the stony hearts of the Gentiles, and through faith the oracles promise that Abraham shall have sons. But that you may know who are the men compared to stones, he has also compared men to trees, adding, For now the axe is laid to the root of the tree. This change of figure was made, that by means of comparison might be understood to have now commenced a more kindly growth of manhood.

Let him then that is able bring forth fruit unto grace, him who ought, unto repentance. The Lord is at hand seeking for His fruit, who shall cherish the fruitful, but rebuke the barren.

In a word, therefore, let us all listen, and seriously reflect what great merit there is in having fed Christ when he was hungry—and what sort of a crime it is to have ignored Christ when he was hungry. Repentance for our sins does indeed change us for the better. But even repentance will not appear to be of much use to us if works of mercy do not accompany it. Truth bears witness to this through John, who said to those who came to him, "Bear fruits that befit repentance." And so those who haven't produced such fruits have no reason to suppose that by a barren repentance they will earn pardon for their sins.

(non occ.) For neither does the speed of its sire make the horse swift; but as the goodness of other animals is looked for in individuals, so also that is reckoned to be man's legitimate praise which is decided by the test of his present worth. For it is a disgraceful thing for a man to be adorned with the honours of another, when he has no virtue of his own to commend him.

Therefore, produce fruit worthy of repentance. In these words, it is notable that he advises not only producing fruits of repentance but also those worthy of repentance. For it is one thing to produce a fruit of repentance and another to produce one worthy of repentance. Indeed, the fruit of good work ought not to be equal for one who has sinned less and one who has sinned more, or for one who has not fallen into any sins and one who has committed certain crimes. Therefore, by the phrase "produce fruits worthy of repentance," each person's conscience is addressed, so that one seeks greater gains of good works through repentance, to the extent that they have brought upon themselves greater losses through their faults. But the Jews, boasting in the nobility of their lineage, refused to acknowledge themselves as sinners because they were descended from Abraham's lineage. To them, it is rightly said:

And do not begin to say, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones. For what were stones, if not the hearts of the Gentiles, insensible to the knowledge of the Almighty God? Just as it is said to some Jews: 'I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh' (Ezekiel 36). And it is not unreasonably that the Gentiles are signified by the name of stones, as they worshipped stones. Whence it is written: 'Let those who make them become like them, and all who trust in them' (Psalm 113). Indeed, from these very stones children of Abraham have been raised up, for as the hard hearts of the Gentiles believed in the seed of Abraham, which is Christ, they became his children, united to his seed. Hence, it is said to these same Gentiles by the valiant preacher: 'And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed' (Galatians 3). So, if we through faith in Christ now exist as the seed of Abraham, the Jews, due to their unbelief, have ceased to be Abraham's children.

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of penance, etc. Here is set forth an exhortation concerning two things, namely concerning the humility of satisfaction and concerning caution against presumption. — As regards the humility of satisfaction, it is said: Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of penance, so that the satisfaction may be condign: Romans 6: "As you have yielded your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity, so now yield your members to serve justice unto sanctification"; because it is said in Deuteronomy 25: "According to the measure of the sin shall the measure of the stripes also be." Whence Gregory: "The fruit of good work is not equal for one who has sinned little or not at all and for one who has fallen gravely. For it is necessary that one inflict upon oneself lamentations through penance the greater, the graver the damages one has inflicted upon oneself through fault."

But as regards caution against presumption, it is added: And do not begin to say: We have Abraham for our father, according to that passage in John 8: "We are the seed of Abraham, and we have never served anyone"; Romans 9: "Not all who are the seed of Abraham are children of Abraham," unless they also imitate the father: John 8: "If you are children of Abraham, do the works of Abraham"; Isaiah 51: "Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah who bore you."

And he gives the reason when he adds: For I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Literally able, because, Wisdom 12, "the ability is at hand to you whenever you will it." Or from stones, that is, from the Gentiles. Gregory: "The Gentiles are rightly called stones, because they worship stones," according to that passage of the Psalm: "Let those who make them become like them." Ambrose: "He compares the Gentiles to stones, because they are unshapen for use, bare for adornment, barren for fruit, irrational for progress." And from these children of Abraham have been raised up; Galatians 3: "But if you are Christ's, then you are the seed of Abraham"; Romans 9: "Not those who are children of the flesh are children of God, but those who are children of the promise are counted as the seed." Such are those who imitate Abraham through faith: John 1: "He gave them power to become children of God." And therefore on account of the faith of the Gentile centurion it is said in Matthew 8: "Many shall come from the east and the west and shall recline with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven."

Can you see how most skillfully he humbles their foolish pride and shows that their being born of Abraham according to the flesh brings them no profit? Of what benefit is nobility of birth, if people's deeds are not accordingly earnest and they fail to imitate the virtue of their ancestors? The Savior says to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did." The relationship that God requires is one of character and manners. Thus it is useless to boast of holy and good parents, while we fall short of their virtue.But, says the Jew, if it is so, how is the seed of Abraham still to be multiplied? How can God's promise to him hold true, according to which he will multiply his seed as the stars of heaven? By the calling of the Gentiles, O Jew! God said to Abraham himself, "Through Isaac shall your descendants be named," adding that he has set Abraham as a father of many nations. But the phrase "through Isaac" means "according to promise." He is set, therefore, as a father of many nations by faith, that is to say, in Christ. As can be seen, the blessed Baptist called them stones, because they as yet did not know the one who is by nature God. They were in error and in their great folly worshiped the creation instead of the Creator. But they were called and became the sons of Abraham and, by believing in Christ, acknowledged him who is by nature God.

For what profits the nobleness we inherit through the flesh, unless it be supported by kindred feelings in us? It is folly then to boast of our worthy ancestors, and fall away from their virtues.

(non occ.) So then having foretold the casting away of the Jews, He goes on to allude to the calling of the Gentiles, whom He calls stones. Hence it follows, For I say unto you, &c.

But because we have already sinned, because we are entangled by the habit of evil custom, let him say what we must do in order to be able to flee from the wrath to come. There follows: "Therefore bring forth fruits worthy of repentance." In these words it should be noted that the friend of the bridegroom admonishes that not only fruits of repentance should be brought forth, but fruits worthy of repentance. For it is one thing to bring forth a fruit of repentance, another to bring forth a fruit worthy of repentance. For to speak according to fruits worthy of repentance, it must be known that whoever has committed no unlawful things, to him it is rightly granted to use lawful things; and so let him do works of piety, yet if he does not wish, he need not abandon the things that are of the world. But if anyone has fallen into the sin of fornication, or perhaps, what is more serious, into adultery, he ought to cut off from himself lawful things to the same degree that he remembers having perpetrated unlawful things. For the fruit of good work ought not to be equal for him who has sinned less and him who has sinned more, or for him who has fallen into no crimes and him who has fallen into some crimes, and him who has fallen into many. Therefore by what is said, "Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance," the conscience of each person is addressed, so that one may seek greater gains of good works through repentance to the same degree that one has brought upon oneself greater losses through sin.

But the Jews, glorying in the nobility of their lineage, were unwilling to acknowledge themselves as sinners for this reason: that they had descended from the stock of Abraham. To them it is rightly said: "And do not begin to say, 'We have Abraham as our father'; for I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham." For what were the stones but the hearts of the Gentiles, insensible to the understanding of Almighty God? As it is also said to certain ones among the Jews: "I will take away the heart of stone from your flesh." Nor is it undeserved that the Gentiles were signified by the name of stones, because they worshipped stones. Whence it is written: "Let those who make them become like them, and all who trust in them." From these stones, indeed, children of Abraham were raised up, because when the hard hearts of the Gentiles believed in the seed of Abraham, that is, in Christ, they became children of him to whose seed they were united. Whence also it is said to these same Gentiles through the outstanding preacher: "But if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed." If therefore we, through faith in Christ, are now the seed of Abraham, the Jews on account of their unbelief have ceased to be children of Abraham. That indeed on that day of the dreadful judgment good parents cannot benefit wicked children, the prophet testifies who says: "If Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the midst of them, as I live, says the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter, but they themselves shall deliver their own souls by their righteousness." And again, that good children profit wicked parents nothing, but rather the goodness of children increases the guilt of wicked parents, the Truth Himself says to the unbelieving Jews: "If I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges."

(ubi sup.) But because he cannot then flee from the wrath of God, who now has not recourse to the sorrows of repentance, it is added, Bring forth therefore fruits.

(ubi sup.) He warns them that they must bring forth not only the fruits of repentance, but fruits worthy of repentance. For he that has violated no law, to him it is permitted to use what is lawful, but if a man has fallen into sin, he ought so to cut himself off from what is lawful, as he remembers to have committed what is unlawful. For the fruit of good works ought not to be equal in the man who has sinned less, and the man who has sinned more, nor in him who has fallen into no crimes, and him who has fallen into some. In this way it is adapted to the conscience of each man, that they should seek for so much the greater blessing on good works through repentance, as they have by guilt brought on themselves the heavier penalties.

(ubi sup.) But the Jews glorying in their noble birth were unwilling to acknowledge themselves sinners, because they were descended from the stock of Abraham. So then it is rightly said, And begin not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham for our father.

If, then, God promised him the inheritance of the land, yet he did not receive it during all the time of his sojourn there, it must be, that together with his seed, that is, those who fear God and believe in Him, he shall receive it at the resurrection of the just. For his seed is the Church, which receives the adoption to God through the Lord, as John the Baptist said: "For God is able from the stones to raise up children to Abraham." Thus also the apostle says in the Epistle to the Galatians: "But ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise." And again, in the same Epistle, he plainly declares that they who have believed in Christ do receive Christ, the promise to Abraham thus saying, "The promises were spoken to Abraham, and to his seed. Now He does not say, And of seeds, as if [He spake] of many, but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." And again, confirming his former words, he says, "Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore, that they which are of faith are the children of Abraham. But the Scripture, fore-seeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, declared to Abraham beforehand, That in thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which are of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham." Thus, then, they who are of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham, and these are the children of Abraham.

(ubi sup.) For it is not sufficient for the penitent to leave off his sins, he must also bring forth the fruits of repentance, as it is in the Psalms, depart from evil and do good, (Ps. 34:14.) just as in order to heal, it will not do to pluck out the arrow only, but we must also apply a salve to the wound. But he says not fruit, but fruits, signifying abundance.

(ubi sup.) Not meaning thereby that they had not descended in their natural course from Abraham, but that it avails them nothing to have Abraham for their father, unless they observed the relationship in respect of virtue. For Scripture is accustomed to entitle laws of relationship, such as do not exist by nature, but are derived from virtue or vice. To whichsoever of these two a man conforms himself, he is called its son or brother.

(ubi sup.) As if He said, Think not that if you perish the Patriarch will be deprived of sons, for God even from stones can produce men unto him, and prolong the line of his descendants. For so has it been from the beginning, seeing that for men to be made from stones unto Abraham is but equivalent to the coming forth of a son from the dead womb of Sarah.

(lib. Ascet.) The fruit of repentance is an equanimity of soul, which we do not fully obtain, as long as we are at times affected by our passions, for not as yet have we performed the fruits worthy of repentance. Let us then repent truly, that being delivered from our passions we may obtain the pardon of their sins.

To you who are coming to baptism, Scripture says, "Bear fruits that befit repentance." Do you want to know what fruits befit repentance? Love is a fruit of the Spirit. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. So are peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control, and the others of this sort. If we have all of these virtues, we have produced "fruits that befit repentance." … John, the last of the prophets, prophesies the expulsion of the first nation and the call of the Gentiles. To those who were boasting about Abraham he says, "Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for a father.' " And again he speaks about the Gentiles, "For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham."From what stones? Surely he was not pointing to irrational, material stones but to people who were uncomprehending and sometimes hard.

It is enough for me that even John, when "strewing the Lord's ways," was the herald of repentance no less to such as were on military service and to publicans, than to the sons of Abraham. The Lord Himself presumed repentance on the part of the Sidonians and Tyrians if they had seen the evidences of His "miracles.

For, in coming to the High Priest of the Father-Christ-all impediments must first be taken away, in the space of a week, that the house which remains, the flesh and the soul, may be clean; and when the Word of God has entered it, and has found "stains of red and green," forthwith must the deadly and sanguinary passions "be extracted" and "cast away" out of doors-for the Apocalypse withal has set "death" upon a "green horse," but a "warrior" upon a "red" -and in their stead must be under-strewn stones polished and apt for conjunction, and firm,-such as are made (by God) into (sons) of Abraham, -that thus the man may be fit for God.

"Worthy fruits of repentance" consist not only in departing from evil, but also in the practice of good; for the doing of good is truly the fruit and offspring of repentance. Do not begin to say within yourselves that you are of good lineage, and, hoping in your fathers, do not neglect virtue. God is able even from "these stones... to raise up children" to the patriarch; for something almost like this He did before as well. The womb of Sarah, though it was harder than stones, nevertheless received the grace of childbearing (Gen. 17:17).

The ax is already laid at the root of the tree. The tree of this world is the entire human race. The ax, however, is our Redeemer, who is held, as it were, by a handle and iron from humanity, but cuts from divinity. This ax is already laid at the root of the tree, because although He awaits patiently, it is evident what He is about to do.

Therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. For every perverse person quickly finds the prepared burning of hell, who here scorns to bear the fruit of good work. It should be noted that the ax is said to be laid not next to the branches, but at the root. For when the children of the wicked are taken away, what else is it but the branches of the unfruitful tree being cut off? But when the whole progeny is taken away together with the parent, the unfruitful tree is cut off at the root, so that there no longer remains any source from where the wicked offspring could sprout again. In these words of John the Baptist, it is evident that the hearts of the listeners are disturbed, when it is immediately added:

For now the axe is laid to the root of the tree. Here thirdly is added a threat, which is twofold, namely concerning the present and concerning the future. — As to the threat concerning the present it is said: For now the axe is laid to the root of the tree. Whence the Gloss: "The axe is the judicial severity for utterly uprooting fruitless trees, insofar as they are fruitless"; of which it is said in the Epistle of Jude: "Autumn trees, fruitless, twice dead." And such were signified by that fig tree which the Lord withered, Matthew twenty-one, where he says that "he cursed the fig tree, and immediately it withered"; and the reason for this was that he did not find fruit in it. And yet another Evangelist, namely Mark eleven, says that "it was not the time of figs"; in which he intimates that at all times God requires fruit from us: Galatians last chapter: "And let us not grow weary in well doing: for in due season" etc.

But as to the threat concerning the future it is added: Every tree not bearing good fruit, that is, every unprofitable man without respect of persons: Proverbs six: "The jealousy and fury of a man will not spare in the day of vengeance, nor will he relent" etc. Shall be cut down, through death: below in chapter thirteen: "Cut it down; why does it even occupy the ground?" And Daniel four: "Cut down the tree and lop off its branches, shake off its leaves and scatter its fruits." The tree therefore is cut down not only for lack of fruit, but also of good fruit. — And shall be cast into the fire, namely through eternal damnation: John fifteen it is said of the fruitless branch: "They shall gather it and cast it into the fire" etc.: Matthew twenty-five: "Depart from me, you cursed, into eternal fire"; and Isaiah last chapter: "Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched."

What he means by the axe in this passage is the sharp wrath which God the Father brought on the Jews for their wickedness towards Christ and brazen violence. The wrath was brought on them like an axe. To this you may also add the parable in the Gospels about the fig tree. As an unfruitful plant, no longer of the generous kind, it was cut down by God. John does not say, however, that the axe was laid into the root, but at the root, that is, near the root. The branches were cut off, but the plant was not dug up by its root. Thus the remnant of Israel was saved and did not perish utterly.

By the axe then he declares the deadly wrath of God, which fell upon the Jews on account of the impieties they practised against Christ; he does not pronounce the axe to be yet fixed to the root, (ad radicem) but that it was laid, i. e. near the root. For though the branches were cut down, the tree itself was not yet entirely destroyed. For a remnant of Israel shall be saved.

There follows: "For now the axe is laid to the root of the tree. For every tree not producing good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire." The tree of this world is the entire human race. The axe, however, is our Redeemer, who is held as if by a handle and iron through His humanity, but cuts through His divinity. This axe is now laid to the root of the tree because, although He waits through patience, it is nevertheless seen what He is about to do. "For every tree not producing good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire," because every perverse person more quickly finds the prepared burning of Gehenna who scorns to produce the fruit of good work here. And it should be noted that he says the axe is laid not beside the branches, but to the root. For when the children of the wicked are taken away, what else is done but the branches of an unfruitful tree are cut off? But when an entire lineage together with the parent is taken away, the unfruitful tree is cut off from the root, so that nothing may remain from which a wicked offspring might grow again.

(ubi sup.) Or we may take it in this way; The tree represents the whole human race in this world, but the axe is our redeemer, who by the handle and iron, as it were, is held indeed in the hand of man, but strikes by the power of God. Which axe indeed is now laid at the root of the tree; for although it waits patiently, yet it is plain what it is about to do. And we must observe that the said axe is to be laid not at the branches, but at the root. For when the children of the wicked are taken away, what is this but the cutting off of the branches of an unfruitful tree. But when the whole family together with the parent is removed, the unfruitful tree is cut off from the very root. But every hardened sinner finds the fire of hell the quicker prepared for him, as he disdains to bring forth the fruits of good works. Hence it follows, Every one then.

And this same (one) is styled also by the Phrygians "unfruitful." For he is unfruitful when he is carnal, and causes the desire of the flesh. This, he says, is what is spoken: "Every tree not producing good fruit, is cut down and cast into the fire." For these fruits, he says, are only rational living men, who enter in through the third gate. They say, forsooth, "Ye devour the dead, and make the living; (but) if ye eat the living, what will ye do? "They assert, however, that the living "are rational faculties and minds, and men-pearls of that unportrayable one cast before the creature below." This, he says, is what (Jesus) asserts: "Throw not that which is holy unto the dogs, nor pearls unto the swine." Now they allege that the work of swine and dogs is the intercourse of the woman with a man. And the Phrygians, he says, call this very one "goat-herd" (Aipolis), not because, he says, he is accustomed to feed the goats female and male, as the natural (men) use the name, but because, he says, he is "Aipolis"-that is, always ranging over,-who both revolves and carries around the entire cosmical system by his revolutionary motion. For the word "Polein" signifies to turn and change things; whence, he says, they all call the twos centre of the heaven poles (Poloi).

All things, therefore, he says, when unbegotten, are in us potentially, not actually, as the grammatical or geometrical (art). If, then, one receives proper instruction and teaching, and (where consequently) what is bitter will be altered into what is sweet,-that is, the spears into pruning-hooks, and the swords into plough-shares, -there will not be chaff and wood begotten for fire, but mature fruit, fully formed, as I said, equal and similar to the unbegotten and indefinite power. If, however, a tree continues alone, not producing fruit fully formed, it is utterly destroyed. For somewhere near, he says, is the axe (which is laid) at the roots of the tree. Every tree, he says, which does not produce good fruit, is hewn down and cast into fire.

It is elegantly said, that beareth not fruit, and it is added, good. For God created man an animal fond of employment, and constant activity is natural to him, but idleness is unnatural. For idleness is hurtful to every member of the body, but much more to the soul. For the soul being by nature in constant motion does not admit of being slothful. But as idleness is an evil, so also is an unworthy activity. But having before spoken of repentance, he now declares that the axe lies near, not indeed actually cutting, but only striking terror.

If the completion of all things had been then already begun, and the end of time close at hand, I should have no question but that the prophecy was given, because at that time it was to be fulfilled. But now that many ages have elapsed since the Spirit spoke this, I think it was prophesied to the people of Israel, because their cutting off was approaching. For to those that went out to him that they should be baptized, he gave this warning among others.

And He shall come of Whom it is said, "He holdeth His fan in His hand and He will purify His threshing-floors; and He will gather His wheat into the garner, but the straw He will burn up with unquenchable fire." And the Husbandman who planted in the world the tree of our mankind will shew Himself to be the Judge, and He will hold in His hand the axe for cutting down, and every tree which beareth not good fruit He will cut down and cast into the fire.

"The axe" is the divine judgment that uproots the unworthy from among the living. If, he says, you do not repent, you will be deprived of life. The axe lies "at the root of your trees." By "root" is meant life, as we have said. But by "root" one can also understand kinship with Abraham. From this kinship with Abraham, according to the apostle (Rom. 11:21–22), those who are unworthy to be his branches are cut off. The punishment is twofold, for the sinful and fruitless one is not only cut off from kinship with the righteous, but is also cast into fire.

The Baptist gave a fitting response to each kind of people. To the tax collectors he said that they should not exact payment beyond what was appointed. To the soldiers, that they should not make false accusations or rob anyone, by which he meant that their pay was fixed, so that wanting to have more, they could not resort to plunder. These and other precepts are appropriate for all occupations, and the practice of compassion is shared. Thus it is a common precept that the basic necessities of life must be provided for all occupations, all ages and all people. Neither the tax collector nor the soldier is exempted, neither the farmer nor the townsman, neither the rich man nor the pauper—all are commanded in common to give to the one who does not have. Compassion is the fullness of the virtues and therefore the form of the perfect virtue is placed before all. Neither should they spare their own food and clothing. Yet the measure of compassion is maintained in relation to the capacity of the human condition, so that each does not take all for himself but shares what he has with the poor.

And the crowds asked him, saying: What then shall we do? For they were struck with terror, seeking advice.

And the crowds asked him etc. After the Evangelist commended the preaching of the precursor in general, here he commends it in particular according to the instruction with respect to special persons of the people. Moreover his teaching is commended in this part: first, in comparison to the need of the people in administering sound doctrine; second, in comparison to the excellence of Christ in avoiding false glory, at that place: But the people thinking etc.; third, in comparison to the perfidy of the tyrant in enduring the punishment inflicted, at that place: Many things indeed and other things. In the first, John's prudence is commended; in the second, John's innocence; in the third, his patience.

As to the first point, it should be noted that according to the threefold difference of the persons hearing, he administers diverse instructions: first, to the crowds, who bear the person of subjects: second, to the tax collectors, who bear the person of ministers: third, to the soldiers, who bear the person of rulers or overseers. And in each of these parts, first the question is set forth, then the response is added.

First, therefore, to the crowds asking, he gives instruction concerning the giving of alms: on account of which it is said: And the crowds asked him, saying: What then shall we do? Since it is necessary to bring forth worthy fruits of penance, therefore teach us. The simple were more eager to learn than the wise of the world; whence John 7: "Has any of the rulers believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the Law, they are accursed." But although they are considered accursed and reprobate by men, it is the contrary way in the judgment of God: Matthew 11: "You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to little ones"; and Proverbs 3: "And his conversation is with the simple." Such ones were questioning John as a great prophet: Deuteronomy 32: "Ask your father, and he will tell you," etc.

THE blessed Luke has introduced three classes of men making inquiry of John,----the multitudes, the publicans, and, thirdly, the soldiers: and as a skilful physician applies to each malady a suitable and fitting remedy, so also the Baptist gave to each mode of life useful and becoming counsel, bidding the multitudes in their course towards repentance practise mutual kindness: for the publicans, he stops the way to unrestrained exactions: and very wisely tells the soldiers to oppress no one, but be content with their wages.

St. Luke has introduced three groups of people that ask John questions—the multitudes, the tax collectors and the soldiers. Just as a skillful physician applies to each sickness a suitable and fitting remedy, so also the Baptist gave to each group, representing a mode of life, useful and appropriate advice. He told the multitudes to practice mutual kindness as they strive for repentance. In the case of the tax collectors, he put an end to unrestrained taxation. Then, very wisely, he told the soldiers to oppress no one but be content with their wages.

From these words of John the Baptist it is clear that the hearts of the hearers were disturbed, since it is immediately added: "And the crowds asked him, saying: 'What then shall we do?'" For they had been struck with terror who were seeking counsel.

(ubi sup.) In the preceding words of John, it is plain that the hearts of his hearers were troubled, and sought for advice from him. As it is added, And they asked him, saying, &c.

Three classes of men are introduced as enquiring of John concerning their salvation, one which the Scripture calls the multitude, another to which it gives the name of Publicans, and a third which is noticed by the appellation of soldiers.

But this place admits of a deeper meaning, for as we ought not to serve two masters, so neither to have two coats, lest one should be the clothing of the old man, the other of the new, but we ought to cast off the old man, and give to him who is naked. For one man has one coat, another has none at all, the strength therefore of the two is exactly contrary, and as it has been written that we should cast all our crimes to the bottom of the sea, so ought we to throw from us our vices and errors, and lay them upon him who has been the cause of them.

John instructs three classes of people who came to him: the common class of people, tax collectors, and soldiers. He persuades the common class of people to be diligent in almsgiving, commanding that whoever has "two garments" should share with the one who has none. Some understand the command—that whoever has "two garments" should share with the one who has none—in a moral sense. Specifically, they say: the two garments signify the Spirit of Scripture and the letter; John urges the one who has both to impart them to the one who has absolutely nothing. For example, if someone understands Scripture in both respects, according to the letter and according to the spirit, let him pass it on to the one who has not, let him teach the one who does not know and give him at least the letter.

Now to the Publicans and soldiers he gives a commandment to abstain from evil, but the multitudes, as not living in an evil condition, he commands to perform some good work, as it follows, He that hath two coats, let him give one.

For other commands of duty have reference only to individuals, mercy has a common application. It is therefore a common commandment to all, to contribute to him that has not. Mercy is the fulness of virtues, yet in mercy itself a proportion is observed to meet the capacities of man's condition, in that each individual is not to deprive himself of all, but what he has to share it with the poor.

But we are hereby taught, that every thing we have over and above what is necessary to our daily support, we are bound to give to him who hath nothing for God's sake, who hath given us liberally whatever we possess.

And he answered them, saying: He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise. Because a tunic is more necessary for our use than a cloak, it pertains to the fruit worthy of repentance. That we ought not only to share our exterior and less necessary things but also those very necessary to us with our neighbors, namely either the food by which we live carnally or the tunic by which we are clothed. For it is written in the law: You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Mark XII), he is convicted of loving his neighbor less who does not share with him in his necessity even in those things that are necessary to himself. Therefore, the command is given to share two tunics with a neighbor because this could not be said of one since if one tunic is divided, no one is clothed. For in a half tunic, both he who receives and he who gives remain naked. Among these things, it must be known how much the works of mercy avail, since they are particularly commanded as worthy fruits of repentance. Hence also Truth itself says: Give alms, and behold all things are clean for you.

And because they put forward a humble question, therefore they hear a useful response, when it is added: He who has two tunics, let him give one to him who has none. An excellent counsel, because, as the Savior says below in chapter eleven, "give alms, and behold, all things are clean for you." So did Job, chapter thirty-one: "If I have despised him who was passing by because he had no garment, and the poor man without covering: if his sides have not blessed me, and he was warmed with the fleece of my sheep," etc. — And note how discreetly he teaches, namely: He who has two tunics, that is, one necessary and the other superfluous — what is superfluous to himself, let him give to another, to whom it is necessary. Whence Bede: "The precept is given concerning the dividing of two tunics, because if one were divided, no one would be clothed: for both he who receives and he who gives would remain naked."

And what he said about clothing with respect to extrinsic deficiency, he said about food with respect to intrinsic deficiency; whence he also adds: And let him who has food do likewise, namely, if he has beyond necessity. Thus Job, chapter thirty-one: "If I have eaten my morsel alone"; and Tobit, chapter four: "Eat your bread with the hungry and the needy." — And concerning both of the aforesaid together, it is found in Isaiah, chapter fifty-eight: "Break your bread for the hungry," etc.; and afterward: "When you see the naked, cover him." — And note here that by tunic and food are understood all things from which alms ought to and can be given. Whence Jerome, to Hedibia: "Whatever can suffice for our body and succor human weakness is to be called one tunic. For nature brought us forth naked, and whatever is necessary in present nourishment is called one day's sustenance."

Note also that in his manner of teaching he expresses how alms ought to be given and what conditions they ought to have. — The first is that they be from one's own substance; on account of which he says: Who has: Proverbs, chapter three: "Honor the Lord from your own substance," etc. — The second is that they be from something somewhat necessary, not entirely superfluous; and therefore he says: Two tunics. Whence Bede: "By the fact that a tunic is more necessary for our use than a cloak, it pertains to a worthy fruit of penance that we divide not only whatever external and less necessary things, but even the very necessities of nature with our neighbors—such as the food by which we live and the tunic by which we are clothed." Whence that poor widow is praised in Mark, chapter twelve, who "cast all that she had, out of her want, into the treasury," but others gave "from that which abounded to them." — Third, note that it ought to be gratuitous, in that it says: Let him give one: Tobit, chapter four: "If you have much, give abundantly"; and Matthew, chapter ten: "Freely you have received, freely give." — Fourth, note that it is to be bestowed on the needy, when it adds: Let him give to him who has not: below, chapter fourteen: "When you make a feast, invite the poor," etc.

And note that the aforesaid word is said by some expositors to be a precept, and by some to be a counsel; and this because the superfluity indicated in the second tunic is twofold, namely, with respect to nature but not to one's station; and to give this is a matter of perfection and counsel. But what is superfluous to both nature and one's station, when the place and time are at hand, and one sees a person in need—unless one reserves it for someone more needy—to give this is a precept, according to that of First John, chapter three: "He who sees his brother having need," etc.

It follows: "But he answered and said to them: He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." By the fact that a tunic is more necessary for our use than a cloak, it pertains to fruit worthy of repentance that we ought to share with our neighbors not only whatever external and less necessary things we have, but even those things that are very necessary to us—namely, either the food by which we live bodily, or the tunic by which we are clothed. For since it is written in the law: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," he is proven to love his neighbor less who does not share with him even those things necessary to himself in his neighbor's time of need. Therefore the precept is given about dividing two tunics with one's neighbor, because this could not be said of one tunic, since if one is divided, no one is clothed. For with half a tunic, both he who receives remains naked and he who gave remains naked. But amid these things it should be known how greatly works of mercy avail, since for fruits worthy of repentance these are commanded above all others. Hence Truth also says through itself: "Give alms, and behold, all things are clean to you." Hence again he says: "Give, and it shall be given to you." Hence it is written: "Water extinguishes a burning fire, and almsgiving resists sins." Hence again it is said: "Store up almsgiving in the bosom of the poor, and it will pray for you." Hence a good father admonishes his innocent son, saying: "If you have much, give abundantly; if you have little, take care to impart even that little willingly."

But behold, no one persecutes us even unto death. How then can we prove whether we love our enemies? Yet there is something that ought to be done in the peace of holy Church, by which it may become clear whether we would be able to die for love in a time of persecution. Certainly the same John says: "He who has the substance of this world, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God remain in him?" Hence also John the Baptist says: "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none." Therefore, he who in a time of tranquility does not give his tunic for God, when will he give his life in persecution? Therefore, let the virtue of charity, that it may be unconquered in disturbance, be nourished through mercy in tranquility, so that one may first learn to spend one's possessions for almighty God, and afterward oneself.

(ubi sup.) Because a coat is more necessary for our use than a cloak, it belongs to the bringing forth of fruits worthy of repentance, that we should divide with our neighbours not only our superfluities but those which are absolutely necessary to us, as our coat, or the meat with which we support our bodies; and hence it follows, And he who has meat, let him do likewise.

(ubi sup.) For because it was written in the law, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, he is proved to love his neighbour less than himself, who does not share with him in his distress, those things which are even necessary to himself. Therefore that precept is given of dividing with one's neighbour the two coats, since if one is divided no one is clothed. But we must remark in this, of how much value are works of mercy, since of the works worthy of repentance these are enjoined before all others.

And therefore has the Lord said: "Judge not, that ye be not judged: for with what judgment ye shall judge, ye shall be judged." [The meaning is] not certainly that we should not find fault with sinners, nor that we should consent to those who act wickedly; but that we should not pronounce an unfair judgment on the dispensations of God, inasmuch as He has Himself made provision that all things shall turn out for good, in a way consistent with justice. For, because He knew that we would make a good use of our substance which we should possess by receiving it from another, He says, "He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." And, "For I was an hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink; I was naked and ye clothed Me." And, "When thou doest thine alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth." And we are proved to be righteous by whatsoever else we do well, redeeming, as it were, our property from strange hands. But thus do I say, "from strange hands," not as if the world were not God's possession, but that we have gifts of this sort, and receive them from others, in the same way as these men had them from the Egyptians who knew not God; and by means of these same do we erect in ourselves the tabernacle of God: for God dwells in those who act uprightly, as the Lord says: "Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that they, when ye shall be put to flight, may receive you into eternal tabernacles." For whatsoever we acquired from unrighteousness when we were heathen, we are proved righteous, when we have become believers, by applying it to the Lord's advantage.

To say that the person who has two coats should give one to someone who has none fits the apostles better than the crowd. To understand that this command fits the apostles more than the people, listen to what the Savior says to the apostles, "Do not take two coats on a journey." Therefore, there are two garments with which each one is clothed. The command is to "share with him who has none." This denotes an alternate meaning: just as we may not "serve two masters," the Savior does not want us to have two coats, or to be clothed with a double garment. Otherwise, one would be the garment of the old man, the other of the new man. On the contrary, he desires that we strip ourselves of the old man and put on the new man. Up to this point, the explanation is easy.

Who fears not to lose, finds it not irksome to give. Else how will one, when he has two coats, give the one of them to the naked, unless he be a man likewise to offer to one who takes away his coat his cloak as well? How shall we fashion to us friends from mammon, if we love it so much as not to put up with its loss? We shall perish together with the lost mammon.

But some one has observed that the two coats are the spirit and letter of Scripture, but John advises him that hath these two to instruct the ignorant, and give him at least the letter.

Then publicans also came to be baptized and said to him: Master, what shall we do? And he said to them: Do nothing more than what is appointed to you. The great power that the word of the blessed Baptist had and how much it stirred the minds of the hearers is proven here, as it compelled even the publicans and soldiers to seek counsel for their salvation. To whom he, no differently than to the crowds, advises the practice of mercy according to their appropriate situation. He commands the publicans not to exact more than what is prescribed. Publicans, as their name suggests, are those who collect public taxes, or who are contractors of the treasury's revenues or public properties. Additionally, those who pursue the profits of this world through trading are also so called. He restrains all of them equally in their respective statuses from engaging in fraud so that while first refraining from the desire for what belongs to others, they may at last reach the point of sharing their own goods with neighbors.

What great virtue there was in the discourse of the Baptist is manifested by this, that the Publicans, nay even the soldiers, he compelled to seek counsel of him concerning their salvation, as it follows, But the publicans came.

Secondly, to the publicans seeking instruction, he gives a lesson about keeping the laws, when it is added: And the publicans also came to him, to be baptized. "Publicans were those who collected public taxes, or who were contractors of the revenues of the treasury, or of public affairs," or who received the royal taxes in a lump sum. And these were already coming to John, as desiring salvation more than the scribes: Matthew twenty-one: "The publicans and harlots shall go before you into the kingdom of heaven." And their diligence is expressed when the question is added: And they said to him: Master, what shall we do? They did well indeed in this, according to the counsel of Isaiah one: "Cease to do perversely, learn to do well"; and according to that of Jeremiah six: "Stand upon the ways and ask about the ancient paths, which is the good way, and walk in it."

(Hom. in Matt. 24.) Great is the force of virtue that makes the rich seek the way of salvation from the poor, from him that hath nothing.

"Tax collectors also came to be baptized." According to the simple interpretation, he teaches the tax collectors to seek "no more" than the law commands. Those who exact more transgress not John's commandment but that of the Holy Spirit, who spoke through John.…We said all this to show that John taught the tax collectors. Among them there were not only those who collected revenue for the state, but also those who were coming for repentance and were not literally tax collectors. And others were soldiers who were going out to the baptism of repentance.

But how will a Christian man war, nay, how will he serve even in peace, without a sword, which the Lord has taken away? For albeit soldiers had come unto John, and had received the formula of their rule; albeit, likewise, a centurion had believed; still the Lord afterward, in disarming Peter, unbelted every soldier. No dress is lawful among us, if assigned to any unlawful action.

He persuades the tax collectors not to overcharge, that is, not to demand anything extra.

For I Matthew, one of those twelve which speak to you in this doctrine, am an apostle, having myself been formerly a publican, but now have obtained mercy through believing, and have repented of my former practices, and have been vouchsafed the honour to be an apostle and preacher of the word. And Zacchaeus, whom the Lord received upon his repentance and prayers to Him, was also himself in the same manner a publican at first. And, besides, even the soldiers and multitude of publicans, who came to hear the word of the Lord about repentance, heard this from the prophet John, after he had baptized them: "Do nothing more than that which is appointed you." In like manner, life is not refused to the heathen, if they repent and cast away their unbelief.

He commands them therefore that they exact no more than what was presented to them, as it follows, And he said unto them, Do no more than what is appointed to you. But they are called publicans who collect the public taxes, or who are the farmers of the public revenue or public property? Those also who pursue the gain of this world by traffic are denoted by the same titles, all of whom, each in his own sphere, he equally forbids to practise deceit, that so by first keeping themselves from desiring other men's goods, they might at length come to share their own with their neighbours.

And because they ask with discernment, therefore they are fruitfully instructed, when it is added: And he said to them: Do nothing more than what has been appointed for you — appointed, I say, according to divine law: Deuteronomy four: "You shall not add to the word that I speak to you, neither shall you diminish from it: keep the commandments of your God." Thus the Lord answered the rich young man: Matthew nineteen: "If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments," because, according to that of the Psalm, "in keeping them there is great reward": Ecclesiastes eight: "He who keeps the commandment shall experience no evil." — And note his prudence, by which he commands each one according to his ability. For seeing them to be weak, he does not impose heavy burdens, but mitigates the load as much as he can, according to that of Romans fourteen: "Him that is weak in the faith, receive." Whence John, who was most rigorous with himself, became kind to the weak publicans, so that he could say that word of the Apostle, First Corinthians nine: "I became weak to the weak, that I might gain the weak. I became all things to all men," etc.

And note that here John seemed to uphold the office of the publicans, although below in chapter five concerning Matthew the publican that office is suggested to be disreputable. — And therefore it must be understood that for taxes to be duly collected, there is required due authority, due cause, and due measure: and this he indicates when he says: Nothing more — behold, measure; than what has been appointed — behold, authority; for you, that is, for the benefit of the community — behold, cause. And because these conditions are rarely observed, therefore such men were accustomed to be sinners and disreputable, not because that office could in no way be rightly performed, but because it is difficult and rare that they do not exceed what has been appointed.

(Hom. in Matt. 11.) But John's desire when he spoke to the Publicans and soldiers, was to bring them over to a higher wisdom, for which as they were not fitted, he reveals to them commoner truths, lest if he put forward the higher they should pay no attention thereto, and be deprived of the others also.

Teaching thereby that wages were affixed to military duty, lest men seeking for gain should go about as robbers.

If a soldier come, let him be taught to "do no injustice, to accuse no man falsely, and to be content with his allotted wages:" if he submit to those rules, let him be received; but if he refuse them, let him be rejected.

For if the Christian religion condemned wars of every kind, the command given in the gospel to soldiers asking counsel as to salvation would rather be to cast away their arms, and withdraw themselves wholly from military service; whereas the word spoken to such was, "Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages,"—the command to be content with their wages manifestly implying no prohibition to continue in the service.

(cont. Faust. lib. xxii c. 74.) For he knew that soldiers, when they use their arms, are not homicides, but the ministers of the law; not the avengers of their own injuries, but the defenders of the public safety. Otherwise he might have answered, "Put away your arms, abandon warfare, strike no one, wound no one, destroy no one." For what is it that is blamed in war? Is it that men die, who some time or other must die, that the conquerors might rule in peace? To blame this is the part of timid not religious men. The desire of injury, the cruelty of revenge, a savage and pitiless disposition, the fierceness of rebellion, the lust of power, and such like things are the evils which are justly blamed in wars, which generally for the sake of thereby bringing punishment upon the violence of those who resist, are undertaken and carried on by good men either by command of God or some lawful authority, when they find themselves in that order of things in which their very condition justly obliges them either to command such a thing themselves, or to obey when others command it.

But soldiers also questioned him, saying: What shall we do? And he said to them: Do not accuse anyone falsely, etc. The most just teacher, of exceptional moderation, advises that they should not extort money by falsely accusing those they ought to benefit by defending. He teaches that the wages of military service are therefore established so that one does not become a plunderer while seeking sustenance. No office, no type of activity should be exempt from showing mercy, which is the fullness of virtues, and alone liberates from death and confers eternal life. The judge himself attests, who promised to say: Come, blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom. For I was hungry, and you gave me food, etc.

It follows, But the soldiers also asked him. In the justest manner he advises them not to seek gain by falsely accusing those whom they ought to benefit by their protection. Hence it follows, And he says unto them, Strike no one, (i. e. violently,) nor accuse any falsely, (i. e. by unjustly using arms,) and be content with your wages.

Third, to the soldiers who were inquiring, he gives instruction about avoiding plunder, as is added: And the soldiers also asked him, saying: What shall we also do? And rightly so, according to the counsel of Tobit chapter four: "Always seek counsel from a wise person." And in this a great power appears in John's preaching, that he draws to himself men who seem most worldly. Whence the Gloss: "Great is the force in John's speech, which compels even tax collectors and soldiers to seek counsel for their salvation." And note that they ask: What shall we do? according to the words of the young man, below in chapter eighteen: "Master, what shall I do to possess eternal life?" Not so the Pharisees, but they inquire out of curiosity; John chapter one: "The Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to John, to ask him: Who are you?" and afterwards: "Those who had been sent were of the Pharisees, and they asked him: Why then do you baptize?"

And since they were seeking salutary counsel, and the word is not to be withheld in the time of salvation, therefore they heard a saving response, as is added: And he said to them. In which instruction he forbids what is unlawful, when he says: Do violence to no man, that is, oppress no one through the force of power; neither calumniate any man, under the appearance of justice; Leviticus chapter nineteen: "You shall not calumniate your neighbor nor oppress him by force." On the contrary, the Lord threatens evil to the wicked in Isaiah chapter three: "Why do you crush my people, and grind the faces of the poor?" "The spoil of the poor is in your house." In this soldiers are accustomed to sin: and therefore he teaches them to avoid it as unlawful.

But lest this should seem burdensome to them, therefore he grants what is lawful, when he adds: And be content with your pay: your pay, that is, the revenues established by your superiors for the defense of the commonwealth, because such a man is acceptable to God; Ezekiel chapter eighteen: "If a man be just and has not grieved anyone, has restored the pledge to the debtor, has taken nothing by violence, etc., he shall surely live." For such a man is content with his pay. But such are not the exactors, of whom Isaiah chapter three says: "My people, their exactors have despoiled them." And therefore Augustine in On the Words of the Lord: "Whoever uses the belt of his military service and receives the pay publicly decreed for him: if he seeks more, he is as a calumniator and an extortioner. For military pay was established for soldiers lest, while gain is sought, the plunderer should run rampant."

And note that blessed John seems here to approve the office of military service, even though it seems to conflict with the commandments by which it is commanded that one should in no way avenge oneself nor repel injury: indeed it is said in Matthew 5: "Whoever strikes you on your right cheek, offer him the other also." — And therefore note that the practice of military service can be licit and illicit: but for the licit use, there must concur a fitting person and cause: namely the person declaring war, in whom it is required that he have authority: likewise the person waging war, who ought to be a layman and secular, not a cleric or religious: likewise the person suffering, who should be of such insolence that they must be restrained by war. — A fitting cause, moreover, exists when it is for the defense of the fatherland, or of peace, or of the faith. When therefore these concur, then it is licit to serve as a soldier; but when any of these is lacking, for instance because there is a defect on the part of the person or the cause: for instance when a cleric or a religious man, who ought to be perfect, wishes to wage war, or when it is for human glory or vengeance: then it is illicit. — But as to what is objected from the evangelical commandment, it must be said that it is understood concerning patience to be held in the soul, not concerning bodily display, as Augustine shows in The Lord's Sermon on the Mount. — Or say that this was said to the perfect, whose way is not "to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good"; it was also said to subjects, not to prelates or princes and their officials, because, since they are ministers of the law, it is not they who punish or kill, but the law.

It is no good quoting 'Thou shalt not kill.' There are two Greek words: the ordinary word to kill and the word to murder. And when Christ quotes that commandment He uses the murder one in all three accounts, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. And I am told there is the same distinction in Hebrew. All killing is not murder any more than all sexual intercourse is adultery. When soldiers came to St John the Baptist asking what to do, he never remotely suggested that they ought to leave the army: nor did Christ when He met a Roman sergeant-major—what they called a centurion. The idea of the knight—the Christian in arms for the defence of a good cause—is one of the great Christian ideas. War is a dreadful thing, and I can respect an honest pacifist, though I think he is entirely mistaken. What I cannot understand is this sort of semi-pacifism you get nowadays which gives people the idea that though you have to fight, you ought to do it with a long face and as if you were ashamed of it. It is that feeling that robs lots of magnificent young Christians in the Services of something they have a right to, something which is the natural accompaniment of courage—a kind of gaiety and wholeheartedness.

(Orat. 19.) For by wages he refers to the imperial pay, and the rewards assigned to distinguished actions.

Then shall the holy angels run on their commission to gather together all the nations, whom that terrible voice of the trumpet shall awake out of sleep. And before the judgment-seat of Christ shall stand those who once were kings and rulers, chief priests and priests; and they shall give an account of their administration, and of the fold, whoever of them through their negligence have lost one sheep out of the flock. And then shall be brought forward soldiers who were riot content with their provision, but oppressed widows and orphans and beggars. Then shall be arraigned the collectors of tribute, who despoil the poor man of more than is ordered, and who make real gold like adulterate, in order to mulct the needy, in fields and in houses and in the churches. Then shall rise up the lewd with shame, who have not kept their bed undefiled, but have been ensnared by all manner of fleshly beauty, and have gone in the way of their own lusts. Then shall rise up those who have not kept the love of the Lord, mute and gloomy, because they contemned the light commandment of the Saviour, which says, Thou shalt love try neighbour as thyself. Then they, too, shall weep who have possessed the unjust balance, and unjust weights and measures, and dry measures, as they wait for the righteous Judge.

He persuades the soldiers not to plunder, but to be content with their wages, that is, the pay ordinarily given by the king. Notice how John persuades the common class of people, as being without malice, to do something good, that is, to share with others, while the tax collectors and soldiers he persuades to refrain from evil. For these were not yet capable, they could not accomplish anything good, and it was sufficient for them not to do evil.

Now what could be more absurd than that he who was fancied to be in another should not be believed in his own person? He whom they thought to have come by a woman, is not believed to have come by a virgin; while in fact the sign of the Divine coming was placed in the childbearing of a virgin, not of a woman.

(Metaphrastes.) And hence John gloried not in the estimation in which all held him, nor in any way seemed to desire the deference of others, but embraced the lowest humility. Hence it follows, John answered.

But as the people were expecting, and all were pondering in their hearts about John, whether perhaps he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying. How did he respond to those who were considering him, and secretly in their hearts were thinking that he might be Christ? Except that they not only were thinking but also, as another Evangelist declares, they sent priests and Levites to him to inquire if he was Christ. From this, it is evident that at that time the Jews were very much aware from the Scriptures that the time of the Lord's incarnation was at hand. But a marvelous blindness, that what they believed willingly in John, they did not believe in the Savior, approved by so many signs and virtues, and testified to by John himself.

But how could he answer them who in secret thought that he was Christ, except it was that they not only thought, but also (as another Evangelist declares) sending Priests and Levites to him asked him whether he was the Christ or not?

Now as the people were thinking etc. The preaching of John has been commended in comparison to the need of the people; here secondly it is commended in comparison to the excellence of Christ in this, that he does not usurp the glory owed to Christ. Whence just as above he administered sound doctrine, so here he avoids a glory that is not his own. For explaining this, three things are introduced: the first is the estimation of falsehood among the people; the second is the confession of truth in John; the third is the commendation of sublimity in the Savior.

Regarding the false estimation among the people, it is said: But as the people were thinking, and all were pondering in their hearts, with a false estimation and erroneous thought about John, whether perhaps he might be the Christ, namely the one promised in the Law — and not only thinking inwardly, but also inquiring outwardly, John 1: "The Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to John, to ask him: Who are you?" And this, because they suspected that he was the Christ; whence above in chapter one: "What, do you think, will this child be?" But they ought not to have considered him the Christ, but rather his minister, according to that passage in 1 Corinthians 4: "Let a man so account of us as ministers of Christ," etc. And therefore in such thinking they were in error; whence Bede: "Wondrous is the blindness of the Jews, that what they willingly believed concerning John, this they do not believe concerning the Savior, though he was approved by so many signs and miracles, and even with John himself bearing witness." Whence not undeservedly they are called "blind and leaders of the blind," Matthew 15, who "made darkness light and light darkness"; whence John 1: "He was not the light."

IT is written, that "a just father will bring up (his children) excellently." For those who are clad in the glory of the righteousness that is by Christ, and are acquainted with His sacred commands, will train up excellently and piously those who are their sons in the faith, giving them not the material bread of earth, but that which is from above, even from heaven. Of which bread the admirable Psalmist also makes mention, where he says, "Bread establisheth man's heart, and wine rejoiceth man's heart." Let us therefore now also establish our hearts: let our faith in Christ be assured, as we correctly understand the meaning of those evangelic writings now read unto us. "For when the people, it says, were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts of John, whether he were not the Christ, he answered them in the words which we have just heard read." They had beheld with admiration the incomparable beauty of John's mode of life: the splendour of his conduct: the unparalleled and surpassing excellence of his piety. For so great and admirable was he, that even the Jewish populace began to conjecture whether he were not himself the Christ, Whom the law had described to them in shadows, and the holy prophets had before proclaimed. Inasmuch therefore as some ventured on this conjecture, he at once cuts away their surmise, declining as a servant the honours due to the Master, and transferring the glory to Him Who transcends all, even to Christ. For he knew that He is faithful unto those that serve Him. And what he acknowledges is in very deed the truth: for between God and man the distance is immeasurable. "Ye yourselves, therefore, he says, bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before Him." But where shall we find the holy Baptist thus speaking? In the Gospel of John, who has thus spoken concerning him; "And this is the testimony of John when the scribes and Pharisees at Jerusalem sent to ask him whether he were the Christ. And he confessed, and denied not, and said, that I am not the Christ, but am he that is sent before Him." Great therefore and admirable in very deed is the forerunner, who was the dawning before the Saviour's meridian splendour, the precursor of the spiritual daylight, beautiful as the morning star, and called of God the Father a torch. Having therefore thus declared himself not to be the Christ, he now brings forward proofs, which we must necessarily consider, and by which we may learn how immeasurable the distance evidently is between God and man, between the slave and the Master, between the minister and Him Who is ministered unto, between him who goes before as a servant, and Him Who shines forth with divine dignity. What, therefore, is the proof? "I indeed baptize in water: after me shall come He Who is mightier than I, Whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose." As I said, therefore, the difference is incomparable, the superiority immeasurable, if, as is the case, the blessed Baptist, being so great in virtue, declares that he is not worthy even, as it were, to touch His shoes. And his declaration is true: for if the rational powers above, principalities, and thrones, and lordships, and the holy Seraphim themselves, who stand around His godlike throne, holding the rank of ministers, unceasingly crown Him with praises as the Lord of all, what dweller upon earth is worthy even to be nigh unto God? For though He be loving unto man, and gentle, and mild, yet must we, as being of slight account, and children of earth, confess the weakness of our nature. And after this, he again brings forward a second proof, saying, "I indeed baptize you in water: but He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and in fire." And this too is of great importance for the proof and demonstration that Jesus is God and Lord. For it is the sole and peculiar property of the Substance That transcends all, to be able to bestow on men the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, and make those that draw near unto It partakers of the divine nature. But this exists in Christ, not as a thing received, nor by communication from another, but as His own, and as belonging to His substance: for "He baptizes in the Holy Ghost." The Word therefore That became man is, as it appears, God, and the fruit of the Father's substance. But to this, it may be, those will object who divide the one Christ into two sons,----those I mean who, as Scripture says, are "animal, and dividers, and having not the Spirit,"----that He Who baptizes in the Holy Ghost is the Word of God, and not He Who is of the seed of David. What answer shall we make, then, to this? Yes! we too affirm, without fear of contradiction, that the Word being God as of His own fulness bestows the Holy Ghost on such as are worthy: but this He still wrought, even when He was made man, as being the One Son with the flesh united to Him in an ineffable and incomprehensible manner. For so the blessed Baptist, after first saying, "I am not worthy to stoop down "and loose the thong of His shoes," immediately added, |40 "He shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and in fire;" plainly while having feet for shoes. For no one whose mind was awake would say, that the Word, while still incorporeal, and not as yet made like unto us, had feet and shoes, but only when He had become a man. Inasmuch, however, as He did not then cease to be God, He wrought even so works worthy of the Godhead, by giving the Spirit unto them that believe in Him. For He, in one and the same person, was at the same time both God and also man. But yes, he objects, the Word wrought the works of Deity by means of Him Who is of the seed of David. If so then thou arguest, we will repeat to thee in answer the words of John; for he somewhere said unto the Jews, "There cometh after me a man Who was before me, because He is before me: and I knew Him not, but He That sent me to baptize in water, He said unto me, Upon Whom thou seest the Spirit descending from heaven, and abiding upon Him, This is He That baptizeth in the Holy Ghost: and I saw, and bare witness, that This is the Son of God." Behold, therefore, while plainly calling Him a man, he says that He is prior to him, and was before him, in that He is first, evidently in His divine nature; according to what was plainly said by Himself to the Jewish populace, "Verily I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am." Next, he says as well, that the Spirit also came down from heaven upon Him. Do they pretend that the Holy Ghost came down upon the Word of God while still abstract and incorporeal? and represent Him Who bestows the Spirit as made partaker of His own Spirit? Or rather is this their meaning, that having received the Spirit in His human nature, He in His divine nature baptizes in the Holy Ghost? For He is Himself singly, and alone, and verily the Son of God the Father, as the blessed Baptist, being taught of God, himself bare witness, saying, "And I saw, and bare witness that This is the Son of God!" Wouldst thou have also a third proof, in addition to what have already been given? "His fan," he says, "is in His hand, and He shall purge His floor, and gather His wheat into His stores, but the chaff He shall burn with fire unquenchable." For he compares those upon earth to ears of corn, or rather to the threshingfloor and the wheat upon it: for each one of us has grown like an ear of corn. And our Lord once, when speaking to the holy Apostles, made a similar comparison of our state: "The harvest indeed is great: but the labourers are few: pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into His harvest." We therefore, who are upon the earth, are called ears of corn and wheat, and the harvest. And this harvest belongs to God over all: for He is Lord of all. But behold! says the blessed Baptist, the threshing floor belongs to Christ as its owner; for as such He purges it, removing and separating the chaff from the wheat. For the wheat is the just, whose faith is established and assured: but the chaff signifies those whose mind is weak, and their heart easy to be ensnared, and unsafe and timorous, and blown about by every wind. The wheat, then, he says, is stored up in the granary: is deemed worthy, that is, of safety at God's hand, and mercy, and protection and love: but the chaff, as useless matter, is consumed in the fire. In every way, therefore, we may perceive that the Word of God, even when He was man, nevertheless continued to be one Son. For He performs those works that belong to Deity, possessing the majesty and glory of the Godhead inseparable from Him. If so we believe, He will crown us with His grace: by Whom and with Whom to God the Father be glory and dominion with the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever, Amen.

But it is well to know, that the treasure which according to the promises are laid up for those who live honestly, are such as the words of man cannot express, as eye has not seen, nor the ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man to conceive. And the punishments which await sinners bear no proportion to any of those things which now affect the senses. And although some of those punishments are called by our names, yet their difference is very great. For when you hear of fire, you are taught to understand something else from the expression which follows, that is not quenched, beyond what comes into the idea of other fire.

The people, seeing that John the Baptist himself was endowed with wonderful holiness, believed him to be that singularly lofty and solid mountain of which it is written: "In the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on the top of the mountains." For they thought he was Christ, as it is said through the Gospel: "And as the people were in expectation, and all were reasoning in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he might be the Christ," whom they also sought out saying: "Are you the Christ?" But unless John had been a valley within himself, he would not have been filled with the spirit of grace.

It was meet that more deference should be paid to John than to other men, for he lived such as no other man. Wherefore indeed most rightly did they regard him with affection, only they kept not within due bounds; hence it is said, But while the people were expecting whether he were the Christ.

But love is dangerous when it is uncontrolled. For he who loves any one ought to consider the nature and causes of loving, and not to love more than the object deserves. For if he pass the due measure and bounds of love, both he who loves, and he who is loved, will be in sin.

The virtue of John was so great that everyone thought about him, whether he might be the Christ himself.

Or: John saw into the secrets of the heart; but let us remember by whose grace, for it is of the gift of God to reveal things to man, not of the virtue of man, which is assisted by the Divine blessing, rather than capable of perceiving by any natural power of its own. But quickly answering them, he proved that he was not the Christ, for his works were by visible operations. For as man is compounded of two natures, i. e. soul and body, the visible mystery is made holy by the visible, the invisible by the invisible; for by water the body is washed, by the Spirit the soul is cleansed of its stains. It is permitted to us also in the very water to have the sanctifying influence of the Deity breathed upon us. And therefore there was one baptism of repentance, another of grace. The latter was by both water and Spirit, the former by one only; the work of man is to bring forth repentance for his sin, it is the gift of God to pour in the grace of His mystery. Devoid therefore of all envy of Christ's greatness, he declared not by word but by work that he was not the Christ. Hence it follows, There cometh after me one mightier than I. In those words, mightier than I, he makes no comparison, for there can be none between the Son of God and man, but because there are many mighty, no one is mightier but Christ. So far indeed was he from making comparison, that he adds, Whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

By the words, Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shows that the grace of preaching the Gospel was conferred upon the Apostles, who were shod for the Gospel. (Eph. 6:15.) He seems however to say it, because John frequently represented the Jewish people.

(de Cons. Evang. lib. ii. 12.) Matthew says, Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear. If therefore it is worth while to understand any difference in these expressions, we can only suppose that John said one at one time, another at another, or both together, To bear his shoes, and to loose the latchet of his shoes, so that though one Evangelist may have related this, the others that, yet all have related the truth. But if John intended no more when he spoke of the shoes of our Lord but His excellence and his own humility, whether he said loosing the latchet of the shoes, or bearing them, they have still kept the same sense who by the mention of shoes have in their own words expressed the same signification of humility.

(lib. de Spir. Sanct. c. 12.) But because he says, He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, let no one admit that baptism to be valid in which the name of His Spirit only has been invoked, for we must ever keep undiminished that tradition which has been sealed to us in quickening grace. To add or take away ought thereof excludes from eternal life.

I indeed baptize you with water. However, one mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie. John does not baptize with the spirit, but with water, because he, being unable to absolve sins, washes the bodies of the baptized with water but does not wash the mind through forgiveness. So why does he baptize who does not remit sins through baptism? Except that by maintaining the order of his forerunning, he who was born before Christ by birth would also be a forerunner to the Lord by baptizing Him, and thus he who was made the forerunner of Christ by preaching would also become His forerunner by baptizing in imitation of the sacrament. It was a custom among the ancients that if anyone did not wish to take as his wife the one who was properly his to take, the one who came as a suitor by the right of kinship would untie his sandal. What, then, was Christ among men except the bridegroom of the holy Church? About whom the same John also says, "He who has the bride is the bridegroom" (John III). But because people thought John to be the Christ, which John himself denies, it is proper that he declares himself unworthy to untie His sandal strap. As if he said openly: I cannot lay bare the feet of the Redeemer, because I, unworthy, do not usurp the name of the bridegroom. However, this can be understood in another way: for who does not know that sandals are made from dead animals? When the Lord incarnate came, He appeared as if shod, who in His divinity assumed the mortality of our corruption. But the mystery of this incarnation the human eye is not able to penetrate. For it cannot at all be investigated how the Word is made flesh, how the supreme and life-giving Spirit is animated in the womb of the mother, how He who has no beginning both exists and is conceived. Therefore, the sandal strap is the binding of the mystery. Thus, John cannot untie the strap of His sandal, because the mystery of the incarnation he also cannot sufficiently investigate, he who recognized it through the spirit of prophecy.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. This is both the cleansing of sanctification and the testing of tribulation. However, the same Holy Spirit can also be understood as signified by the name of fire. Because He both enkindles through love and illuminates the hearts which He fills with wisdom. Hence, to those to whom it was said, "John indeed baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts XI), the same baptism of the spirit is perceived in the vision of fire. Some explain it in this way, that in the present we are baptized in the spirit, and in the future we will be baptized in fire. Namely, just as now we are reborn in the remission of all sins from water and the spirit, so also then, from certain light sins which have adhered to us as we go from here, we are cleansed by the baptism of purgatorial fire before the final judgment. As the Apostle says: "If anyone builds on this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will be made clear by fire. If anyone's work remains which he has built on it, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, though as through fire" (I Corinthians III). Although this can also be understood of the fire of tribulation applied to us in this life, yet if anyone takes this as referring to the fire of future purification, it should be carefully considered, because he said that he can be saved through fire, not someone who builds on the foundation of Christ with iron, bronze, or lead, that is, greater and harder sins which are already unresolvable, but with wood, hay, and straw, that is, the smallest and lightest sins, which fire easily consumes. Nevertheless, it should be known that no one will obtain any purification even from the smallest sins there, unless he has acted with good deeds in this life so that he may deserve to obtain it there.

The Holy Spirit also may be understood by the word fire, for He kindles with love and enlightens with wisdom the hearts which He fills. Hence also the Apostles received the baptism of the Spirit in the appearance of fire. There are some who explain it, that now we are baptized with the Spirit, hereafter we shall be with fire, that as in truth we are now born again to the remission of our sins by water and the Spirit, so then we shall be cleansed from certain lighter sins by the baptism of purifying fire.

Regarding the confession of truth in John, it is added: John answered, saying to all, that is, publicly, because all were in error: I indeed baptize you with water, and "only, as Ambrose says, I immerse bodies"; and therefore I am not the savior of souls, whom you think me to be. Whence he himself said, John 1: "Upon whom you shall see the Holy Spirit descending and remaining, he it is who baptizes in the Holy Spirit." Whence when the Jews asked who he was, according to what is said in John 1, "he confessed and did not deny, and he confessed: I am not the Christ." And therefore he could say that passage from 2 Corinthians 12: "But I forbear, lest anyone should think of me above that which he sees in me, or hears anything from me."

And note that there is the baptism of water, of the Spirit, and of blood. The baptism of water is twofold: one in water only, as that of blessed John, Acts 19: "In what were you baptized? And they said: In the baptism of John"; another in water and the Spirit, as the baptism of Christ, John 3: "Unless one is born again of water and the Holy Spirit," etc. — The baptism of the Spirit: one in the gift of grace, Acts 1: "John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit"; another in the word of doctrine, Song of Songs 4: "Your teeth are like flocks of shorn sheep, which have come up from the washing," by which we understand preachers; and John 15: "You are clean because of the word which I have spoken to you." — The baptism of blood: one in tribulation, Isaiah 4: "If the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and shall have cleansed the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning"; another in death, Luke 12: "I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened until it be accomplished."

As for the commendation of sublimity in the Savior, there follows: But one mightier than I comes, etc. Now John commends Christ with respect to the mystery of the Incarnation, with respect to the Sacrament of reparation, and with respect to the judgment of retribution. In the first is the beginning of our salvation; in the second, its increase; in the third, its completion. As for the mystery of the Incarnation, he says: But one mightier than I comes, mightier, worthier, and more excellent; Isaiah 9: "His name shall be called Wonderful," because, First Corinthians 1, "the weakness of God is stronger than men"; and this indeed not slightly, but incomparably: on account of which there follows: Whose sandal strap I am not worthy to unfasten. According to the literal sense, this can mean that he so greatly humbles himself that he is not worthy to serve Him in the most lowly ministry: whence also Matthew 3: "Whose sandals I am not worthy to carry." — Or spiritually, by the sandal is understood the human nature assumed, according to that verse of the Psalm: "Over Edom will I extend my shoe." By the strap I understand the union itself. The sense therefore, according to Bede, is: Whose I am not worthy, etc., "that is, to explain the mystery of the Incarnation," because it is said in Apocalypse 5 that "no one was found worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof except the Lamb alone." — In another way it is understood according to a third manner thus: I am not worthy, etc., that is, to carry the evangelical preaching throughout the world: whence Bede: "The nuptial sandal is the evangelical preaching, with which the Apostles were shod"; Ephesians 6: "Your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace." — In yet another way it is expounded according to a fourth manner, so that the sense is: I am not worthy to unfasten, that is, to remove His sandal according to the custom of the Law and to take His bride to myself: whence John 3: "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom stands," etc. — But according to the first sense there seems to be greater testimony, in which the wondrous humility of blessed John is expressed, so that, while he is regarded by God as the greatest, he regards himself as the least, according to that verse of Ecclesiasticus 3: "The greater you are, humble yourself in all things, and you shall find grace before God."

As for the Sacrament of reparation, he adds: He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit: Acts 1: "John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit"; otherwise, "unless one is born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God"; and this indeed will be interior. And with fire, this is said as for the exterior sign: of which it is said in Acts 2 that "there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire"; and this, because the love of the Holy Spirit is rightly signified by fire, according to what is said below in chapter twelve: "I have come to cast fire upon the earth," etc. — Or with fire, namely of tribulation, purifying from the consequence of sin, according to that passage in Zephaniah 3: "In the fire of my zeal all the earth shall be devoured." — Or with fire, namely purgatorial, in which the dross of sin will be purged; 1 Corinthians 3: "He himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire." — Or in the fire of testing: Psalm: "You have tested me by fire, and no iniquity has been found in me."

As a witness for simplicity in shoes let John suffice, who avowed that "he was not worthy to unloose the latchet of the Lord's shoes." For he who exhibited to the Hebrews the type of the true philosophy wore no elaborate shoes.

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

After this, John brings forward a second argument, saying, "I indeed baptize you in water. He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire." This too is of great importance for the proof and demonstration that Jesus is God and Lord. For it is the sole and peculiar property of the Substance that transcends all, to be able to bestow on people the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit and make those that draw near unto it partakers of the divine nature. But this exists in Christ, not as a thing received, nor by communication from another, but as his own and as belonging to his substance. He baptizes in the Holy Spirit.

John, filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb, was sanctified for the purpose of baptizing the Lord. John himself did not impart the Spirit but preached the glad tidings of him who does. He says, "I indeed baptize you with water, for repentance. But he who is coming after me, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." Why fire? Because the descent of the Holy Spirit was in fiery tongues. Concerning this the Lord says with joy, "I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish that it would be kindled!"

"I baptize in water; but there has stood in your midst one whom you do not know. He who comes after me was made before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie." John baptizes not with the Spirit, but with water, because, not being able to forgive sins, he washes the bodies of the baptized through water, but nevertheless does not wash the mind through pardon. Why then does he baptize who does not remit sins through baptism, unless, preserving the order of his role as precursor, he who had preceded by being born the one who was to be born, might also precede by baptizing the Lord who was to baptize; and he who by preaching became the precursor of Christ, might also become his precursor in baptizing through imitation of the sacrament?

To show what he was, he said: "There comes one mightier than I after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to loose." Behold, although he was such through his wonderful working of virtues that he was believed to be Christ, he not only answered that he was not Christ, but also declared that he was not worthy to loose the strap of his sandal, that is, to scrutinize the mystery of his incarnation.

(Hom. 7. in Evan.) But John denounces himself as unworthy to loose the latchet of Christ's shoes: as if he openly said, I am not able to disclose the footsteps of my Redeemer, who do not presume unworthily to take unto myself the name of bridegroom, for it was an ancient custom thata when a man refused to take to wife her whom he ought, whoever should come to her betrothed by right of kin, was to loose his shoe. Or because shoes are made from the skins of dead animals, our Lord being made flesh appeared as it were with shoes, as taking upon Himself the carcase of our corruption. The latchet of the shoe is the connection of the mystery. John therefore can not loose the latchet of the shoe, because neither is he able to fathom the mystery of the Incarnation, though he acknowledged it by the Spirit of prophecy.

What happened in the case of our Master's body also happens in the case of your own. Although John appeared to be holding his body by the head, it was the divine Word that led his body down into the streams of Jordan and baptized him. The Master's body was baptized by the Word, by the voice of his Father from heaven which said, "This is my beloved Son," and by the manifestation of the Holy Spirit which descended upon him. This also happens in the case of your body. The baptism is given in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Therefore John the Baptist told us, for our instruction, that man does not baptize us but God: "There comes after me one who is mightier than I, and I am not worthy to loose the strap of his sandal. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."For this reason, when the priest is baptizing he does not say, "I baptize so-and-so," but "So-and-so is baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." In this way he shows that it is not he who baptizes but those whose names have been invoked, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

(ubi sup.) And having said that his own baptism was only with water, he next shows the excellence of that baptism which was brought by Christ, adding, He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and fire, signifying by the very metaphor which he uses the abundance of grace. For he says not, "He shall give you the Holy Spirit," but He shall baptize you. And again, by the addition of fire, he shows the power of grace. And as Christ calls the grace of the Spirit, water, (John 4:14; 7:38.) meaning by water the purity resulting from it, and the abundant consolation which is brought to minds which are capable of receiving Him; so also John, by the word fire, expresses the fervour and uprightness of grace, as well as the consuming of sins.

And as John was waiting by the river Jordan for those who came to his baptism, and some he drove away, saying, Generation of vipers, but those who confessed their sins he received, so shall the Lord Jesus stand in the fiery stream with the flaming sword, that whoever after the close of this life desires to pass over to Paradise and needs purification, He may baptize him with this laver, and pass him over to paradise, but whoso has not the seal of the former baptisms, him He shall not baptize with the laver of fire.

Dispelling such an opinion, he says: the difference between me and Christ is, first, that "I baptize... with water," but "He... with the Spirit... and fire," and the other is that "I am not worthy even to untie the strap of His sandal." What the words "baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" mean is perfectly clear, for He sent the Spirit to the apostles, and divided tongues of fire appeared over them (Acts 2:3–4). And the words "not worthy to untie the strap of His sandal" clearly mean that I am not worthy to count myself even among the least of His servants. In a more hidden sense, the sandals of both feet of the Lord are His appearing from heaven to earth and His descent from earth to Hades. The manner of these two appearings no one can explain, even if he were like John himself. For who can say how the Lord became incarnate, or how He descended into Hades?

Through the sign of the fan, the Lord is said to have the right to distinguish merits. When the grain is winnowed on the threshing floor, the full grain is separated from the empty, the fruitful is separated from the worthless, as if by a weighing of a blowing breeze. So through this comparison, the Lord is manifest, because on the day of judgment, he separates the merits and fruits of solid virtue from the unfruitful shallowness of worthless ostentation and inadequate deeds, before he establishes the people of perfect merit in a heavenly home. For he who has deserved to be like him is the perfect fruit. The Lord is like the grain of wheat that has died. So he confers very many fruits on us, hated by chaff and no friend to worthless merits. And therefore, a fire that is not harmful by its nature will burn before him. For he who burns up the evils of wickedness adds to the radiance of goodness.

By the sign of a fan then the Lord is declared to possess the power of discerning merits, since when the corn is winnowed in the threshing floor, the full cars are separated from the empty by the trial of the wind blowing them. Hence it follows, And he shall gather the wheat into his barn. By this comparison, the Lord shows that on the day of judgment He will discern the solid merits and fruits of virtue from the unfruitful lightness of empty boasting and vain deeds, about to place the men of more perfect righteousness in His heavenly mansion. For that is indeed the more perfect fruit which was thought worthy to be like to Him who fell as a grain of wheat, that He might bring forth fruit in abundance. (John 12:24.)

(ubi sup.) By these words then, He shall baptize with the Holy Spirit, He signifies the abundance of His grace, the plenteousness of His mercy; but lest any should suppose that while to bestow abundantly is both in the power and will of the Creator, He will have no occasion to punish the disobedient, he adds, whose fan is in his hand, showing that He is not only the rewarder of the righteous, but the avenger of them that speak lies. But the fan expresses the promptitude of His judgment. For not with the process of passing sentence on trial, but in an instant and without any interval he separates those that are to be condemned from the company of those that are to be saved.

(non occ.) But they are mixed up with those who are worthy of the kingdom of heaven, as the chaff with the wheat. This is not however from consideration of their love of God and their neighbour, nor from their spiritual gifts or temporal blessings.

His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor. By winnowing fork, that is, openly, the discernment of just judgment is meant; by the threshing floor, the present Church is prefigured. In which undoubtedly, which is sorrowful enough, many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew XX). Few grains are to be received into the heavenly mansions, in comparison to the weeds, which are to be consigned to perpetual flames. The purification of this threshing floor is also carried out now individually, when any perverse person is either cast out from the Church by priestly censure for manifest sins, or condemned after death by divine strictness for hidden sins, and it will be universally completed in the end, when the Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all scandals. Therefore the Lord has the winnowing fork in hand, that is, the discernment of judgment in his power, because the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son.

And he will gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. And the Lord himself ended the parable of the good seed, upon which the enemy man sowed tares, by saying: And in the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers: Gather first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn; but gather the wheat into my barn (Matthew XIII). Clearly teaching that the impious and sinners will be delivered to the fire of Gehenna, while the holy will be crowned with heavenly glory. Indeed, this differs between the chaff and the tares: for the chaff comes forth from no other seed than the wheat, although it degenerates from the nobility of a good root. However, the tares differ not only by their fruit but are also generated from entirely different origins. The chaff are those who are imbued with the mystic rituals of the same faith as the elect, but they differ from their solid perfection, either by the lightness of their works or by the emptiness of their faithlessness. The tares, however, are those who are not even worthy to hear the words of faith, and thus, they are separated from the lot of the good, both in deeds and profession. And so, in this world's field, one is of the elect, and two are the fruits of the reprobate, since all that the enemy sows is subject to flames, and what is graver, many of those things which the good sower casts are either snatched by birds, dried out by the sun, choked by thorns, or certainly turned into chaff and perish. Only the wheat, created of good soil and proven worthy by patience, will be stored in the heavenly barn of the elect. Similarly, according to another parable, not only the fishes that decline the nets of Apostolic faith reside in the deep darkness of sinners, but many, dragged to the shore of extreme discretion among the good, then deserve to be sent to outer darkness because of their wickedness. He calls the fire of Gehenna unquenchable in two ways: that it can never be extinguished, nor will it ever cease to torment those whom it punishes, but will inflict (so to speak) an immortal death. This is in distinction to that most sacred fire, which he had earlier mentioned the elect of Christ would be baptized with. Concerning this, the Psalmist also says: You have tested us by fire, as silver is tested by fire (Psalm LXV). And a little later: We did not stay in that state forever, but we passed through fire and water, and you brought us into refreshment. I will enter into your house with burnt offerings (Ibid.), that is, the distresses of pressures conquered, I will penetrate the courts of your heavenly kingdom with thanksgiving.

For by the floor is represented the present Church, in which many are called but few are chosen. The purging of which floor is even now carried on individually, when every perverse offender is either cast out of the Church for his open sins, (by the hands of the Priesthood,) or for his secret sins is after death condemned by Divine judgment. And at the end of the world it will be accomplished universally, when the Son of Man shall send His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom every thing that has offended.

As for the justice of retribution, he adds: Whose winnowing fan is in his hand. Here the justice of retribution is commended with respect to three things, namely with respect to the discerning judgment of merits, with respect to the rewarding of the good, and with respect to the punishment of the reprobate.

Therefore, as regards the discriminating judgment, it says: Whose winnowing fan is in his hand. He says this with respect to the judicial power by which the good are distinguished from the wicked, just as by the winnowing fan grain is purged from chaff: Jeremiah 15: "I will scatter them with a winnowing fan in the gates of the land." And it says in his hand, that is, with full power, according to that passage in John 5: "The Father has given all judgment to the Son"; and therefore it says in 1 Peter 5: "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in the time of visitation"; Malachi 3: "Behold, he comes, says the Lord of hosts, and who shall be able to think upon the day of his coming?" And since it belongs to the judicial power to separate the good from the wicked, so as to glorify the good and afflict the wicked, therefore, as regards the discrimination and separation, it says: And he will purge his threshing floor: Joel, last chapter: "I will cleanse their blood which I had not cleansed, and the Lord will dwell in Zion." Because the good are now intermixed with hidden evils, therefore it says in the Psalm: "Cleanse me from my hidden faults," in the person of the Church. This will happen when that passage of Isaiah 26 is fulfilled: "Let the wicked be taken away, lest he see the glory of God"; and elsewhere: "Outside are dogs, sorcerers, the unchaste, and those who serve idols." — And note that the Church Militant is understood by the little plot on account of the narrowness of humility: Song of Songs 6: "My beloved went down into his garden, to the bed of spices"; but by the threshing floor on account of the breadth of charity: Judges 6: "I will place this fleece on the threshing floor," etc. This is cleansed at the end, according to that passage in Matthew 13: "So shall it be at the consummation of the age: the Angels will go out and separate the wicked from the midst of the just."

But as regards the rewarding of the good, it says: And he will gather the wheat into his barn: and this is when the Saints in glory will be brought together into one: Isaiah 56: "Thus says the Lord, who gathers the dispersed of Israel: I will yet gather together his congregations." And rightly the elect are compared to wheat by reason of their fruitfulness, according to that passage in John 12: "Unless a grain of wheat falling into the ground dies," etc.; Job 5: "You shall enter the grave in abundance, as a heap of wheat is brought in at its time."

As for the punishment of the reprobate, it is added: But the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. He calls the reprobate chaff, because they are the material of burning: Jeremiah twenty-three: "What is the chaff to the wheat? says the Lord." Whence Job twenty-one: "They shall be as chaff before the face of the wind and as a spark which the whirlwind scatters"; the Psalm: "O my God, make them like a wheel and like stubble before the face of the wind." And so the chaff serves as fuel for the eternal fire, which neither is extinguished nor extinguishes, according to that passage of Isaiah, the last chapter: "Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched"; and Deuteronomy thirty-two: "A fire is kindled in my fury and shall burn even to the lowest depths of hell." But this burning of the chaff shall be far from the gathered wheat, because the former shall be in hell, but the good in paradise, in which they shall be gathered in glory, because here they were gathered in grace.

On account of which it must be understood that there is a threefold gathering: for the pursuit of truth: Ecclesiasticus fifty-one: "Draw near to me, you unlearned, and gather yourselves into the house of discipline"; for the exercise of virtue; Joel two: "Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call an assembly, gather the people, sanctify the church," etc.; for the reward of happiness: the Psalm: "The princes of the peoples are gathered together with the God of Abraham." — For the exercise of virtue, namely in prayer: Acts four: "When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered was shaken"; in preaching: Acts one: "It is necessary that from these men who have been gathered with us"; and afterward: "one of these should be made a witness of his resurrection with us"; in common life: Matthew eighteen: "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them." — For the pursuit of truth, to know the divine precepts: Deuteronomy four: "Gather to me the whole people, that they may hear my words"; the divine Sacraments: the Psalm: "Gather to him his saints, who set his covenant above sacrifices"; the divine promises: Genesis, the second to last chapter: "Gather yourselves to me, sons of Jacob, that I may announce to you what shall come upon you." — For the reward of happiness, through the bond of peace: Matthew twenty-four: "The Son of Man shall send his Angels"; and afterward: "And they shall gather his elect from the four winds," etc.; through the splendor of light: Isaiah sixty: "All these are gathered together, they have come to you"; through the harmony of praise: the Psalm: "Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name."

Sick, we truly stand in need of the Saviour; having wandered, of one to guide us; blind, of one to lead us to the light; thirsty, "of the fountain of life, of which whosoever partakes, shall no longer thirst;" dead, we need life; sheep, we need a shepherd; we who are children need a tutor, while universal humanity stands in need of Jesus; so that we may not continue intractable and sinners to the end, and thus fall into condemnation, but may be separated from the chaff, and stored up in the paternal garner. "For the fan is in the Lord's hand, by which the chaff due to the fire is separated from the wheat." You may learn, if you will, the crowning wisdom of the all-holy Shepherd and Instructor, of the omnipotent and paternal Word, when He figuratively represents Himself as the Shepherd of the sheep. And He is the Tutor of the children.

(non occ.) But it is well to know, that the treasures, which according to the promises are laid up for those who live honestly, are such as the words of man cannot express, as eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive. And the punishments which await sinners bear no proportion to any of those things which now affect the senses. And although some of those punishments are called by our names, yet their difference is very great. For when you hear of fire, you are taught to understand something else from the expression which follows, that is not quenched, beyond what comes into the idea of other fire.

(Mor. 15. sup. Job 20.) The fire of hell is here wonderfully expressed, for our earthly fire is kept up by heaping wood upon it, and cannot live unless supplied with fuel, but on the contrary the fire of hell, though a bodily fire, and burning bodily the wicked who are put into it, is not kept up by wood, but once made remains unquenchable.

...all the prophets announced His two advents: the one, indeed, in which He became a man subject to stripes, and knowing what it is to bear infirmity, and sat upon the foal of an ass, and was a stone rejected by the builders, and was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and by the stretching forth of His hands destroyed Amalek; while He gathered from the ends of the earth into His Father's fold the children who were scattered abroad, and remembered His own dead ones who had formerly fallen asleep, and came down to them that He might deliver them: but the second in which He will come on the clouds, bringing on the day which burns as a furnace, and smiting the earth with the word of His mouth, and slaying the impious with the breath of His lips, and having a fan in His hands, and cleansing His floor, and gathering the wheat indeed into His barn, but burning the chaff with unquenchable fire.

They show, further, that that Horos of theirs, whom they call by a variety of names, has two faculties,-the one of supporting, and the other of separating; and in so far as he supports and sustains, he is Stauros, while in so far as he divides and separates, he is Horos. They then represent the Saviour as having indicated this twofold faculty: first, the sustaining power, when He said, "Whosoever doth not bear his cross (Stauros), and follow after me, cannot be my disciple;" and again, "Taking up the cross follow me;" but the separating power when He said, "I came not to send peace, but a word." They also maintain that John indicated the same thing when he said, "The fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge the floor, and will gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn with fire unquenchable." By this declaration He set forth the faculty of Horos. For that fan they explain to be the cross (Stauros), which consumes, no doubt, all material objects, as fire does chaff, but it purifies all them that are saved, as a fan does wheat.

Or, because without the wind the wheat and chaff cannot be separated, therefore He has the fan in His hand, which shows some to be chaff, some wheat; for when you were as the light chaff; (i. e. unbelieving,) temptation showed you to be what you knew not; but when you shall bravely endure temptation, the temptation will not make you faithful and enduring, but it will bring to light the virtue which was hid in you.

And since the building itself is fixed in the ground every man can build and raise upon it whatsoever he pleaseth, until the day which shall decide is revealed, and He shall come of Whom it is said, "He holdeth His fan in His hand and He will purify His threshing-floors; and He will gather His wheat into the garner, but the straw He will burn up with unquenchable fire." And the Husbandman who planted in the world the tree of our mankind will shew Himself to be the Judge, and He will hold in His hand the axe for cutting down, and every tree which beareth not good fruit He will cut down and cast into the fire.

The words "His winnowing fan is in His hand" mean that although He baptizes you, do not think that you are already exempt from punishment; but if in the life that follows you do not keep yourselves blameless, He "will burn you with unquenchable fire." The chaff is the one who has a barren mind and devotes great care only to worldly matters.

Exhorting many other things indeed, he preached the good news, etc. Above he commended the preaching of John in comparison to the need of the people and the excellence of Christ; in this part he commends it in comparison to the perfidy of the tyrant, in which patience is praised, because, Proverbs nineteen, "the learning of a man is known through his patience." In this part, therefore, John is first introduced exhorting the obedient people; second, rebuking the transgressing ruler; third, enduring the persecuting adversary.

As regards, therefore, the exhortation of the obedient people, it is said: Exhorting many other things indeed, he preached the good news to the people; but nevertheless all things were ordered to the good: Second Corinthians six: "Helping, we exhort you that you receive not the grace of God in vain," etc.; and First Thessalonians two: "Our exhortation was not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deceit, but as we were approved, that the Gospel should be entrusted to us." And therefore it is added: He preached the good news, that is, he announced good things: Isaiah fifty-two: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who announces and preaches peace, who announces good things, who preaches salvation," etc.

The one teaching the word of the Gospel does not evangelize one thing but many, for the proclamation has a mind that "many" things are evangelized. "Many other things" John also evangelized, but it is not written, because, since it was likely something greater than the writing, Luke remained silent.

John having announced the coming of Christ, was preaching the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the other things which the Gospel history has handed down to us. But besides these he is declared to have announced others in the following words, And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.

And as in the Gospel according to St. John it is related of Christ that He spoke many other things, so also in this place we must understand Luke to say the same of John the Baptist, since certain things are announced by John too great to be entrusted to writing.

Good teaching is truly consolation and is rightly called the Gospel.

For his exhortation was the telling of good things, and therefore is fitly called the Gospel.

However, Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him concerning Herodias, the wife of his brother, and concerning all the evil deeds which Herod had done, added this above all, and shut John up in prison. These matters are more fully recounted by Matthew and Mark, who narrate that John, by the schemes of Herodias, was not only bound but also beheaded. This is to be understood as not having occurred at that time but, according to John's Gospel, after some signs had been performed by the Lord and his baptism having already become widely known, yet mentioned here by this Evangelist to emphasize Herod's wickedness. For while the unlearned populace thronged to John's preaching, the soldiers believed, the publicans repented, and the whole populace received baptism in general, on the contrary, he not only despised him but did not hesitate to kill him. Through the deeper understanding of the mystery, because John the Evangelist undertook to write about the divinity of Christ, while the other three about his ministry in humanity, John the Baptist, indeed holding the type of the old law (which is the precursor of grace), beautifully attesting that while John the Evangelist was still preaching and baptizing as the precursor of the Lord, the Lord himself made and baptized more disciples. Mystically teaching him to have been the eternal God throughout the ages and the teacher of the faithful peoples through the law before he was born in the flesh. Beautifully also do the other Evangelists begin the Lord's preaching after John was handed over to prison, whose role it was, after the law corrupted by the Jews and defiled as if by the darkness of prison's ignorance and the savage tradition, to reveal the heavenly doctrine of the Lord appearing in the flesh and acting through the flesh, as if coming into Galilee.

But John was not imprisoned in those days. According to St. John's Gospel it was not till after some miracles had been performed by our Lord, and after His baptism had been noised abroad; but according to Luke he had been seized beforehand by the redoubled malice of Herod, who, when he saw so many flock to the preaching of John, and the soldiers believing, the publicans repenting, and whole multitudes receiving baptism, on the contrary not only despised John, but having put him in prison, slew him.

As regards the rebuke of the transgressing ruler, it is added: But Herod the tetrarch, about whom it was treated above in the same chapter, when he was rebuked by him concerning Herodias, the wife of his brother: Matthew fourteen: "John said to Herod: It is not lawful for you to have her." And concerning all the evils which Herod had done. And so he did not spare him; Sirach ten: "The glory of the rich, of the honored, and of the poor is the fear of God; not to despise the just poor man, and not to magnify the rich sinner." Whence that which is said of Elisha in Sirach forty-eight applies to him: "In his days he did not fear the ruler, and in power no one overcame him, nor did any word surpass him." And because he sinned publicly, he rebuked publicly, according to that of First Timothy five: "Rebuke the one sinning before all, that the rest may have fear"; and this indeed boldly: Titus two: "These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority."

Luke too, before beginning the acts of Jesus, makes a similar observation, saying that Herod added one more offense to his other crimes by shutting up John in jail.

(non occ.) He is called the tetrarch, to distinguish him from the other Herod, in whose reign Christ was born, and who was king, but this Herod was tetrarch. Now his wife was the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia, but he had sacrilegiously married his brother Philip's wife, though she had offspring by his brother. For those only were allowed to do this whose brothers died without issue. For this the Baptist had censured Herod. First indeed he heard him attentively, for he knew that his words were weighty and full of consolation, but the desire of Herodias compelled him to despise the words of John, and he then thrust him into prison. And so it follows, And he added this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

But we marvel at John, because among them that are born of women there was not a greater than he, for by his good deeds he had been exalted to so high a fame for virtue, that by many he was supposed to be Christ. But what is much more marvellous he feared not Herod, nor dreaded death, as it follows, But Herod the tetrarch being reproved by him.

The Evangelist aptly inserted here the account concerning Herod. He speaks as if to say: although the people thought very highly of John, Herod, "being reproved by him," to all his evil deeds "added this also, that he shut him up in prison." He narrates as if with deep sorrow and strong compassion that Herod dealt so unjustly with John, while the people held him in high regard.

As regards the endurance of the persecuting adversary, it is added concerning Herod: He added this also above all and shut John up in prison. And so that word of Sirach three was verified: "The wicked heart shall be laden with sorrows, and the sinner shall add sin to sin"; and this by the just judgment of God: Revelation, the last chapter: "He who is filthy, let him be filthy still." And so that word of Amos five was verified: "They hated the one who rebukes in the gate"; as Ahab hated Micaiah, Third Kings, the last chapter; as Zedekiah hated Jeremiah, chapter thirty-two; as another Herod hated Peter, Acts twelve. On account of which, Hebrews eleven: "Others had trial of mockeries and stripes, moreover also of bonds and prisons, they were cut asunder," etc.

(ordin.) For before that Luke relates any of the acts of Jesus, he says that John was taken by Herod, to show that he alone was in an especial manner going to describe those of our Lord's acts, which were performed since the year in which John was taken or put to death.

Notice that even while in prison he is teaching. For he also had his disciples in that place. Why did they stay there, unless John exercised the office of teacher even in prison and taught them with divine words? In the course of these words, a question about Jesus arose. John sends some of his disciples and asks, "Are you he who is to come, or do we wait for another?" The disciples return and announce to the teacher what the Savior had bidden them to say. With Jesus' words, John was armed for battle. He died confidently and was beheaded without resistance, strengthened by the words of the Lord himself and believing that he in whom he believed was truly the Son of God. This is what we have to say about John, and his freedom, and about Herod's madness. To his many other crimes he also added this one: he first shut John in prison and afterward beheaded him.

Now let us consider the mystery of the Trinity. We say, "one God," but we confess the Father, and we confess the Son. For although it is written, "You shall love the Lord thy God and serve him alone," the Son denied that he is alone, saying, "I am not alone, for the Father is with me." Nor is he alone now, for the Father bears witness that he is present. The Holy Spirit is present, because the Trinity can never be separated from Itself. Then "heaven was opened, the Holy Spirit descended in bodily shape like a dove."

Why like a dove? For the grace of the washing requires simplicity, so that we may be innocent like doves. The grace of the washing requires peace, as in an earlier image the dove brought to the ark that which alone was inviolable by the flood. He of whom the dove was the image, who now deigned to descend in the form of a dove, taught me that in that branch, in that ark, was the image of peace and of the church. In the midst of the floods of the world the Holy Spirit brings its fruitful peace to its church. David too taught, he who perceived the sacrament of baptism and said with the Spirit of prophecy, "Who will give me wings like a dove?"

We saw the Spirit, but in bodily form, let us also see the Father. Because we cannot see, let us hear. Our merciful God is present. He will not forsake his temple. He wishes to build up every soul, he wishes to mold it for salvation, he wishes to convey living stones from earth to heaven. He loves his temple. Let us love him. If we love God, let us keep his commandments. If we love him, we shall know him. He who says that he knows him and keeps not his commandments is a liar. For how can he who does not love Truth love God, for God is Truth? Therefore let us hear the Father, for the Father is invisible. Yet the Son is invisible according to his divinity, for no one has seen God at any time. So, while the Son is God, he is not seen as the Son, insofar as he is God. Yet he wished to show himself in the body. Because the Father did not wear a body, therefore the Father wished to prove to us that he is present in the Son, saying, "You are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased." If you wish to learn that the Son is always present with the Father, read the voice of the Son saying, "If I go up into heaven, you are there. If I go down into the grave, you are present there." If you seek evidence of the Father, you have heard it from John. Believe him by whom Christ believed he must be baptized, to whom the Father entrusted his Son, saying with a heavenly voice, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

In a matter which has been related by others, Luke has rightly given us only a summary, and has left more to be understood than expressed in the fact, that our Lord was baptized by John. As it is said, Now when all were baptized, it came to pass. Our Lord was baptized not that He might be cleansed by the waters but to cleanse them, that being purified by the flesh of Christ who knew no sin, they might possess the power of baptism.

But the cause of our Lord's baptism He Himself declares when He says, Thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness. But what is righteousness, except that what you would have another do to you, you should first begin yourself, and so by your example encourage others? Let none then avoid the laver of grace, since Christ avoided not the laver of repentance.

Now the Spirit rightly showed Himself in the form of a dove, for He is not seen in His divine substance. Let us consider the mystery why like a dove? Because the grace of baptism requires innocence, that we should be innocent as doves. The grace of baptism requires peace, which under the emblem of an olive branch the dove once brought to that ark which alone escaped the deluge.

We have seen the Spirit, but in a bodily shape, and the Father whom we cannot see we may hear. He is invisible because He is the Father, the Son also is invisible in His divinity, but He wished to manifest Himself in the body. And because the Father did not take the body, He wished therefore to prove to us that He was present in the Son, by saying, Thou art my Son.

(De Dec. Nic. Syn.) The holy Scriptures by the name of Son set forth two meanings; one similar to that spoken of in the Gospel, He gave to them power that they should become the sons of God; another according to which Isaac is the son of Abraham. Christ is not then simply called a Son of God, but the article is prefixed, that we should understand that He alone is really and by nature the Son; and hence He is said to be the Only begotten. For if according to the madness of Arius He is called Son, as they are called who obtain the name through grace, He will seem in no way to differ from us. It remains therefore that in another respect we must confess Christ to be the Son of God, even as Isaac is acknowledged to be the son of Abraham. For that which is naturally begotten of another, and takes not its origin from any thing besides nature, accounts a son. But it is said, Was then the birth of the Son with suffering as of a man? By no means. God since He cannot be divided is without suffering the Father of the Son. Hence He is called the Word of the Father, because neither is the word of man even produced with suffering, and since God is by nature one, He is the Father of one only Son, and therefore it is added, Beloved. For when a man has only one son, he loves him very much, but if he becomes father of many, his affection is divided by being distributed.

But as the prophet had before announced the promise of God, saying, I will send Christ my son, that promise being now as it were accomplished at Jordan, He rightly adds, In thee I am well pleased.

But it is most strange that He should receive the Spirit when He was thirty years old. But as without sin He came to baptism, so not without the Holy Spirit. For if it was written of John, He shall be filled with the Spirit from his mother's womb, (Luke 1:15.) what must we believe of the man Christ, the very conception of whose flesh was not carnal but spiritual. Therefore He condescended now to prefigure His body, i. e. the Church, in which the baptized especially receive the Holy Spirit.

(de Con. Ev. lib. ii. c. 14.) But the words of Matthew, This is my beloved Son, and those of Luke, Thou art my beloved Son, convey the same meaning; for the heavenly voice spoke one of these. But Matthew wished to show that by the words, This is my beloved Son, it was meant rather to declare to the hearers, that He was the Son of God. For that was not revealed to Christ which He knew, but they heard it who were present, and for whom the voice came.

It happened, however, when all the people were being baptized, and Jesus having been baptized and praying, heaven was opened. The Lord was baptized not to be cleansed by the waters himself, but desiring to cleanse the waters themselves, which having been washed by his flesh, of course ignorant of sin, might assume the right of baptism, and what so many baptisms under the law could not do against the evil of transgression, might conceive the power of regenerative sanctification. Hence, when he said the entire people had been baptized, he added nothing great. But having said that Jesus was baptized and praying, he stated heaven was opened. Because while the Lord descended into the waters of the Jordan in the humility of the body, by the power of his divinity, he opened the gates of heaven for us. And while the innocent flesh was dipped in the cold waters, the fiery sword, once opposed to the guilty, was extinguished. For indeed, was heaven opened to Him at that time, whose eyes beheld the innermost parts of the heavens? But the power of baptism is shown there, from which anyone who emerges, the gate of the heavenly kingdom is declared to him. Also as that which Jesus, whose are all things that are of the Father, is remembered to have prayed when baptized, it is not doubted that it was done to instruct us, for whom after the bath of baptism, so that the hall of heaven may be opened, it is necessary to live not idly but to persevere in fasting, prayers, and almsgiving. For although all sins are released in baptism, yet the frailty of the flesh is not yet strengthened. For as after crossing the Red Sea we indeed rejoice over the Egyptians slain, but in the desert of worldly conversation, other enemies come upon us who, with the leading and cooperating grace of Christ, are conquered by our efforts until we reach the promised country of eternal life.

Because though all sins are forgiven in baptism, not as yet is the weakness of this fleshly substance made strong. For we rejoice at the overwhelming of the Egyptians having now crossed the Red sea, but in the wilderness of worldly living there meet us other foes, who, the grace of Christ directing us, may by our exertions be subdued until we come to our own country.

For not then were the heavens opened to Him whose eyes scanned the innermost parts of the heaven, but therein is shown the virtue of baptism, that when a man comes forth from it the gates of the heavenly kingdom are opened to him, and while his flesh is bathed unharmed in the cold waters, which formerly dreaded their hurtful touch, the flaming sword is extinguished.

As if He said, In Thee have I appointed My good pleasure, i. e. to carry on by Thee what seems good to Me.

Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized etc. After the Evangelist commended the preaching of the Precursor and the execution of his office in general and in particular, here he commends it in singular regard to Christ, to whom the entire preaching was principally directed. For as the Baptist himself says in John 1: "That he might be made manifest in Israel, therefore I came baptizing in water." Therefore here is described the spiritual regeneration of Christ, which is principally intended in the whole chapter. Now this part has two sections. In the first is determined Christ's sacramental regeneration: in the second, Christ's temporal genealogy, at the place: And Jesus himself was beginning etc.

As to the first, two things are introduced: the first is humiliation through the reception of the Sacrament in his assumed humanity; the second is glorification through the presentation of testimony by the entire Trinity, at the place: Heaven was opened etc. Concerning the reception of the Sacrament in the form of a servant, it should be noted that a threefold humiliation is distinguished in Christ: the first, with respect to the people who accompany him; the second, with respect to the minister who baptizes; the third, with respect to God who hears.

The humiliation with respect to the people who accompany him is noted when he says: It came to pass, when all the people were baptized. By people the humble populace is understood, among whom Christ did not disdain to be humble, since, according to the Psalm, "the Lord is high and regards the lowly." By reason of which humility it is said below in chapter twenty-two: "But I am in the midst of you as one who serves," and that passage in John 1 also says: "There has stood in your midst one whom you do not know." And note that all the people is the same as many from the people — because, below in chapter seven, "the Pharisees rejected the counsel of God against themselves, not having been baptized with the baptism of John" — and thus it is understood in Matthew 3: "All Judea and all the region around the Jordan went out to him, to be baptized by him."

The humiliation with respect to the minister baptizing is noted when it says: And Jesus having been baptized, namely by John, which was a wondrous humility, that the Lord willed to be baptized by the baptism of a servant. Whence it is said in Matthew 3 that John said: "I ought to be baptized by you," and it follows: "Suffer it now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all justice," that is, perfect humility, by which he subjected himself not only to a superior and to an equal, but even to an inferior. Now Christ was baptized not that he might be sanctified by baptism, but that he might confer regenerative power upon the waters. Whence Chrysostom says: "He did not receive the remission of sins, but sanctified the waters for all who were to be baptized." He also willed to be baptized so that he might give an example and model to others, because, as is said in Acts 1, "Jesus began to do and to teach"; also that by his baptism he might be made known, as is said in John 1: "that he might be made manifest in Israel," etc. He was also baptized so that he might approve the baptism of the precursor and show the Pharisees that the testimony of John was to be believed, just as a heavenly one; to whom he says in Matthew 21: "The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven, or from men?"

The humiliation, however, with respect to God who hears is noted when it says: And praying, namely to the Lord, according to that of the Psalm: "Be subject to the Lord and pray to him"; Hebrews 5: "Offering prayers and supplications to God, he was heard for his reverence." Whence John 11: "Father, I give you thanks that you have heard me; and I knew that you always hear me, but because of the people who stand about I said it, that they may believe that you have sent me." In all things the Lord is found praying, whether in the reception of baptism, or in solitude, or in preaching, or in the working of miracles and in his passion and in the dispensation of the Sacrament and in the commendation of his soul, to show what is said below in chapter 18: "It is necessary to pray always and not to faint."

For he prayed in the reception of baptism, as here: And it came to pass, Jesus having been baptized and praying, to give the model of praying to those approaching baptism. — In the solitude of the desert; below in chapter 5: "He withdrew into the desert and prayed," to give the model to contemplatives. — In preaching: below in chapter 6: "And it came to pass in those days, he went out into a mountain to pray," to give the model to preachers. — In the working of miracles: John 11: "Father, I give you thanks," etc., to give the model to workers. — In his passion: Matthew 26: "Going forward, he fell upon his face," to give the model to those who suffer. — In the administration of the body: below in chapter 22: "Taking the cup, he gave thanks to God," to give the model to priests. — In the commendation of the spirit: below in chapter 23: "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit; and saying this, he expired," to give the model to the dying. And thus all must pray.

The heaven was opened etc. After the humiliation in the reception of the Sacrament, there follows the glorification in the display of testimony; and so that the testimony might be firm, it is shown to be that of three persons beyond all exception, that is, the person of the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the Father. For there is present light, a dove, and a voice: light to signify the person of the Son; a dove, the Holy Spirit; and the voice is in the person of the eternal Father.

To signify, therefore, the person of the Son, it is said: The heaven was opened, in which opening, namely, a great splendor appeared. For the Son himself says of himself in John 8: "I am the light of the world"; and in John 1: "He was the true light"; and in Hebrews 1: "Who, being the splendor of glory and the figure of his substance." Therefore, while the opened heavens give forth splendor, that word of the Psalm is verified: "The heavens declare the glory of God," that is, of the Son, who is the splendor. — In this it was also signified that by the power of the baptism of Christ, the gate of heaven is opened for the baptized to enter, according to that word of the Psalm: "You have made known to me the ways of life," etc. The Son himself also appeared in his assumed nature; Titus 3: "The kindness and humanity of God our Savior appeared, not by works of justice which we have done," etc., up to: "we might be heirs according to the hope of eternal life." For since "no one ascends into heaven except he who descended from heaven," that is, unless he is a member of Christ, who descended—for this cannot be except through the Sacrament of regeneration—therefore in baptism "the heavens were opened." And just as through the carnal generation of Adam heaven is closed, so through spiritual regeneration it is opened; and just as on account of the burning of concupiscence "the flaming sword was placed to guard the tree of life," as is said in Genesis 3, so through the moisture of grace mitigating concupiscence in baptism, the sword is removed and the gate is opened; Daniel 3: "The angel of the Lord descended into the furnace and made the midst of the furnace like a blowing wind of dew." And this is the Angel of whom John 5 says: "The angel of the Lord descended at a certain time into the pool, and the water was stirred, and one was healed."

From the first moment of his descent from the glories of heaven to earthly things, he did not disdain to put on man's flesh although he was the Son of God. Although he himself was not a sinner, he did not disdain to bear the sins of others. Having put aside his immortality for a time, he suffered himself to become mortal, in order that though innocent he might be slain for the salvation of the guilty. The Lord was baptized by his servant, and he, although destined to grant the remission of sins, did not disdain to have his body cleansed with the water of regeneration.

(De unit. Eccles.) the dove is a harmless and pleasant creature, with no bitterness of gall, no fierceness of bite, no violence of rending talons; they love the abodes of men, consort within one home, when they have young nurturing them together, when they fly abroad, hanging side by side upon the wing, leading their life in mutual intercourse, giving with their bills a sign of their peaceful harmony, and fulfilling a law of unanimity in every way.

But how then, they object, was he baptized and received the Spirit? We reply that he had no need of holy baptism. He was wholly pure and spotless, and the holiest of the holy. He did not need the Holy Spirit, for the Spirit that proceeds from God the Father is from him and equal to him in substance. Now, at last, we must explain God's plan of salvation. God, in his love of humankind, provided for us a way of salvation and of life. Believing in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and making this confession before many witnesses, we wash away all the filth of sin. The communication of the Holy Spirit enriched us, made us partakers of the divine nature and gained for us the grace of adoption as God's children. It was necessary, therefore, that the Word of the Father become for our sakes the pattern and way of every good work when he humbled himself to emptiness and deigned to assume our likeness. For it follows that he who is first in everything must set the example in this too. He commences the work himself in order that we may learn about the power of holy baptism and learn how much we gain by approaching so great a grace. Having been baptized, he prays that you, my beloved, may learn that never-ceasing prayer is a thing most fitting for those who have once been counted worthy of holy baptism.

AGAIN come, that fixing our mind intently upon the Evangelic Scriptures, we may behold the beauty of the truth. Come let us direct the penetrating and accurate eyes of the mind unto the mystery of Christ; let us view with wonder the admirable skill of the divine economy: for so shall we see His glory. And thus to act is for our life: as He Himself assures us, when speaking unto God the Father in heaven, "Those things are life eternal: to know Thee Who alone art true; and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent." How therefore was He sent? and what was the manner of His coming unto us? For being by nature God That filleth all, how, as the blessed John the Evangelist said, "was He in the world," Himself being Lord? And how was He sent by the Father, when as God He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things? for all things were established by Him. The wise John the Evangelist then teaches us, saying, "And the Word was made flesh." But perchance some one will say, 'What then? Having ceased to be the Word, did He change into being flesh? Did He fall from His Majesty, having undergone a transformation unto something which previously He was not?' Not so, we say. Far from it. For by nature He is unchangeable and immutable. In saying, therefore, that the Word became flesh, the Evangelist means a man like unto us. For we also are often called flesh ourselves. For it is written, "And all flesh shall see the salvation of God," meaning thereby that every man shall see it. While therefore He immutably retains that "which He was, yet as having under this condition assumed our likeness, He is said to have been made flesh. Behold Him, therefore, as a man, enduring with us the things that belong to man's estate, and fulfilling all righteousness, for the plan of salvation's sake. And this thou learnest from what the Evangelist says: "And it came to pass that when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized, and prayed." Was He too then in need of holy baptism? But what benefit could accrue to Him from it? The Only-begotten Word of God is Holy of the Holy: so the Seraphim name Him in their praises: so every where the law names Him: and the company of the holy prophets accords with the writings of Moses. What is it that we gain by holy baptism? Plainly the remission of our sins. But in Jesus there was nought of this; "for He did no sin: neither was guile found "in His mouth," as the Scripture saith. "He was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sins, and made higher than the heavens," according to the words of the divine Paul. But yes! perchance some one will say, who has been ill instructed in the faith, 'Was it then God the Word that was baptized? Was He in need of being made partaker of the Holy Ghost? Not at all. Therefore it is that we affirm, that the man who was of the seed of David, and united unto Him by conjunction, was baptized and received the Spirit.' The Indivisible therefore is divided by you into two sous: and because He was baptized when, thirty years old, He was made holy, as you say, by being baptized. Was He therefore not holy until He arrived at His thirtieth year? Who will assent to you, when thus you corrupt the right and blameless faith? For "there is one Lord Jesus Christ," as it is written. But this we affirm: that He was not separate from Him, and by Himself when baptized and made partaker of the Holy Ghost: for we know, both that He is God, and without stain, and Holy of the Holy: for we confess that "of His fulness have all we received." For the Holy Spirit indeed proceedeth from God the Father, but belongeth also to the Son. It is even often called the Spirit of Christ, though proceeding from God the Father. And to this Paul will testify, saying, at one time, "They that are in the flesh cannot please God: but ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any one have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." And again, "But because ye are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Father, our Father." The Holy Spirit therefore proceedeth indeed as I said from God the Father, but His Only-begotten Word, as being both by nature and verily Son, and resplendent with the Father's dignities, ministereth It to the creation, and bestoweth It on those that are worthy. Yea verily He said, "All things that the Father hath are mine." But let us retort upon those who pervert the right belief this question; 'How can He Who received the Spirit, if He be, according to your phrase, a man, and the Son separately and by Himself, baptize with the Holy Ghost, and Himself give the Holy Spirit to them who are baptized?' For to be able to impart the Spirit to men suiteth not any one whatsoever of things created, but, together with God's other attributes, is the distinct property of Almighty God alone. But He Who gave It was man: for the wise John said, "After me cometh a Man, Who was before me . . . He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." As therefore it is unbefitting God the Word, |46 regarded as God the Word, to draw near unto holy baptism, and be made partaker of the Spirit, so in like manner it is altogether incredible, or rather impossible to believe that the ability to baptize men with the Holy Ghost, is the act of a mere man with nothing in Him superior to ourselves. How then will the mystery be true? In that for our aid He assumed a kind of adaptation. The divine Word became man, even "He Who was in the form of God the Father, and thought it not robbery to be equal unto God," as most wise Paul says, "but took the form of a slave, being made in the likeness of men, and humbling Himself to poverty." Enquire therefore Who He was that was first in the likeness of God the Father, and could be regarded as on an equality with Him, but took the form of a slave, and became then a man, and besides this made Himself poor. Was it He of the seed of David, as they argue, Whom they specially regard separately and by Himself as the other Son, distinct from the Word of God the Father? If so, let them show that He ever was on an equality with the Father. Let them show how He assumed the form of a slave. Or what shall we say was that form of a slave? And how did He empty Himself? For what is poorer than human nature? He therefore Who is the exact image of God the Father, the likeness, and visible expression of His person, Who shines resplendent in equality unto Him, Who by right of nature is free, and the yoke of Whoso kingdom is put upon all creation,----He it is Who took the form of a slave, that is, became a man, and made Himself poor by consenting to endure these human things, sin only excepted. But how then, they object, was He baptized, and received also the Spirit? To which we reply, that He had no need of holy baptism, being wholly pure and spotless, and holy of the holy. Nor had He need of the Holy Ghost: for the Spirit That proceedeth from God the Father is of Him, and equal to Him in substance. We must now therefore at length hear what is the explanation of the economy. God in his love to man provided for us a way of salvation and of life. For believing in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and making this confession before many witnesses, we wash away all the filth of sin, and are enriched by the communication of the Holy Spirit, and made partakers of the divine nature, and gain the grace of adoption. It was necessary therefore that the Word of the Father, when He humbled Himself unto emptiness, and deigned to assume our likeness, should become for our sakes the pattern and way of every good work. For it follows, that He Who in every thing is first, must in this also set the example. In order therefore that we may learn both the power itself of holy baptism, and how much we gain by approaching so great a grace, He commences the work Himself; and, having been baptized, prays that you, my beloved, may learn that never-ceasing prayer is a thing most fitting for those who have once been counted worthy of holy baptism. And the Evangelist says that the heavens were opened, as having long been closed. For Christ said, "Forthwith shall ye see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." For both the flock above and that below being now made one, and one chief Shepherd appointed for all, the heavens were opened, and man upon earth brought near to the holy angels. And the Spirit also again came down as at a second commencement of our race: and upon Christ first, Who received it not so much for His own sake as for ours: for by Him and in Him are we enriched with all things. Most suitably therefore to the economy of grace does He endure with us the things of man's estate: for where otherwise shall we see Him emptied, Whose in His divine nature is the fulness? How became He poor as we are, if He were not conformed to our poverty? How did He empty Himself, if He refused to endure the measure of human littleness? Having taken therefore Christ as our pattern, let us draw near to the grace of holy baptism, that so we may gain boldness to pray constantly, and lift up holy hands to God the Father, that He may open the heavens also unto us, and send down upon us too the Holy Ghost, to receive us as sons. For He spake unto Christ at the time of holy baptism, as though having by Him and in Him accepted man upon earth to the sonship, "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased." For He Who is the Son by nature and in truth, and the Only-begotten, when He became like unto us, is specially declared to be the Son of God, not as receiving this for Himself:----for He was and is, as I said, very Son:----but that He might ratify the glory unto us. For He has been made our firstfruits, and firstborn, and second Adam: for which reason it is said, that "in Him all things have become new:" for having put off the oldness that was in Adam, we have gained the newness that is in Christ: by Whom and with Whom, to God the Father, be glory and dominion with the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever, Amen.

He [Jesus] was not baptized to receive the forgiveness of sins. He was without sin. Being sinless, still he was baptized so that he might give grace and dignity to those who receive the sacrament. "Since the children share in flesh and blood, so he in like manner has shared in these," that we, sharing his incarnate life, might also share his divine grace. Jesus was baptized that we in turn also made here partakers with him, might receive not only salvation but also the dignity.

(ordin.) For before that Luke relates any of the acts of Jesus, he says that John was taken by Herod, to show that he alone was in an especial manner going to describe those of our Lord's acts, which were performed since the year in which John was taken or put to death.

Christ is born; the Spirit is his forerunner. Christ is baptized; the Spirit bears him witness. Christ is tempted. The Spirit leads him up. Christ performs miracles. The Spirit accompanies him. Christ ascends. The Spirit fills his place.

(in Orat. 39.) Christ comes also to baptism perhaps to sanctify baptism, but doubtless to bury the old Adam in water.

(sup. Ezech. Hom. 8.) Or else, Every one who by repentance corrects any of his actions, by that very repentance shows that he has displeased himself, seeing he amends what he has done. And since the Omnipotent Father spoke of sinners after the manner of men, saying, It repents me that I have made man, (Gen. 6:7.) He (so to speak) displeased Himself in the sinners whom He had created. But in Christ alone He pleased Himself, for in Him alone He found no fault that He should blame Himself, as it were, by repentance.

Now there was a Jewish baptism which removed the pollutions of the flesh, not the guilt of the conscience; but our baptism parts us from sin, washes the soul, and gives us largely the outpouring of the Spirit. But John's baptism was more excellent than the Jewish; for it did not bring men to the observance of bodily purifications, but taught them to turn from sin to virtue. But it was inferior to our baptism, in that it conveyed not the Holy Spirit, nor showed forth the remission which is by grace, for there was a certain end as it were of each baptism. But neither by the Jewish nor our own baptism was Christ baptized, for He needed not the pardon of sins, nor was that flesh destitute of the Holy Spirit which from the very beginning was conceived by the Holy Spirit; He was baptized by the baptism of John, that from the very nature of the baptism, you might know that He was not baptized because He needed the gift of the Spirit. But he says, being baptized and praying, that you might consider how fitting to one who has received baptism is constant prayer.

But he says, The heavens opened, as if till then they had been shut. But now the higher and the lower sheep-fold being brought into one, and there being one Shepherd of the sheep, the heavens opened, and man was incorporated a fellow citizen with the Angels.

The Holy Spirit descended also upon Christ as upon the Founder of our race, that He might be in Christ first of all who received Him not for Himself, but rather for us. Hence it follows: And the Holy Spirit descended. Let not any one imagine that He received Him because He had Him not. For He as God sent Him from above, and as man received Him below. Therefore from Him the Spirit fled down to Him, i. e. from His deity to His humanity.

That baptism savoured partly of antiquity, partly of novelty. For that He should receive baptism from a Prophet showed antiquity, but the Spirit's descent denoted something new.

Or to show the meekness of the Lord, the Spirit now appears in the form of a dove, but at Pentecost like fire, to signify punishment. For when He was about to pardon offences, gentleness was necessary; but having obtained grace, there remaineth for us the time of trial and judgment.

Christ indeed had already manifested Himself at His birth by many oracles, but because men would not consult them, He who had in the mean time remained secret, again more clearly revealed Himself in a second birth. For formerly a star in the heavens, now the Father at the waves of Jordan declared Him, and as the Spirit descended upon Him, pouring forth that voice over the head of Him who was baptized, as it follows, And a voice came from heaven, Thou art my beloved Son.

Today, then, is another kind of birth of the Savior. We see him born with the same sort of signs, the same sort of wonders, but with greater mystery. The Holy Spirit, who was present to him then in the womb, now pours out upon him in the torrent. He who then purified Mary for him now sanctifies the running waters for him. The Father who then overshadowed in power now cries out with his voice. He who then, as if choosing the more prudent course, manifested himself as a cloud at the nativity now bears witness to the truth. So God says, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear him." Clearly the second birth is more excellent than the first. The one brought forth Christ in silence and without a witness. The other baptized the Lord gloriously with a profession of divinity. From the one, Joseph, thought to be the father, absents himself. At the other, God the Father, not believed in, manifests himself. In the one the mother labors under suspicion because in her condition she lacked a father. In the other she is honored because God attests to his Son.

Today, then, he is baptized in the Jordan. What sort of baptism is this, when the one who is dipped is purer than the font, and where the water that soaks the one whom it has received is not dirtied but honored with blessings? What sort of baptism is this of the Savior, I ask, in which the streams are made pure more than they purify? For by a new kind of consecration the water does not so much wash Christ as submit to being washed. Since the Savior plunged into the waters, he sanctified the outpouring of every flood and the course of every stream by the mystery of his baptism. When someone wishes to be baptized in the name of the Lord, it is not so much the water of this world that covers him but the water of Christ that purifies him. Yet the Savior willed to be baptized for this reason—not that he might cleanse himself but that he might cleanse the waters for our sake.

The Lord was baptized. The heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit came down upon him. A voice from the heavens thundered and said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am pleased." We should say that heaven was opened at the baptism of Jesus and for the plan of forgiving sins. These are not the sins of him "who had committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth." The heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit came down for the forgiveness of the whole world's sins. After the Lord "ascended on high, leading captivity captive," he gave them the Spirit. The Spirit had come to him, and he gave the Spirit at the time of his resurrection, when he said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, they will be forgiven him. If you retain them for anyone, they will be retained." But "the Holy Spirit came down upon the Savior in the form of a dove." The dove is a gentle bird, innocent and simple. Hence we too are commanded to imitate the innocence of doves. Such is the Holy Spirit: pure, swift, and rising up to the heights.

In fact, they say that Jesus Christ descended, that is, that the dove came down on Jesus; and, since the dove is styled by the Greek name peristera/-(peristera), it has in itself this number DCCCI.

In order for us to show that baptism opens heaven to all, which was shut by Adam.

And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon him. Truly in bodily form, because in the nature of divinity it could not be seen by mortals. Truly like a dove, because the spirit of discipline will flee deceit, nor will it dwell in a body subjected to sins. And because some, after the example of Simon, persist in the bitterness of gall and in the bond of iniquity, they can have no part or share in it. Hence, when the world's crimes were once purged by the flood in the figure of baptism, not by a raven, but by a dove bearing the olive branch in its mouth was peace announced as restored to the world. Mystically teaching that the anointing of the Holy Spirit will be present only to those who have been baptized in the simplicity of heart. For no one should think that the Lord after baptism was first anointed by the grace of the Holy Spirit, or that anyone has achieved progress in divine nature over time, but rather should know that from the very moment of human conception, the one who is true man, the same exists as true God. However, with the arrival of the dove, it was shown that in his body, that is, the Church, those especially who are baptized receive the Holy Spirit.

And a voice came from heaven: You are my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased. Rightly John is second to none among those born of women, to whom Christ showed himself to be baptized, the invisible Spirit appeared to be seen, and the Father commended his Son from heaven. For it was not revealed to the Son himself what he already knew well, but it was shown to John or to the others who were present, what they might know. From this it is to be noted that the same John, who until then proclaimed a man stronger than himself and Christ, henceforth being admonished by the descent of the Spirit or the Father's attestation, openly preached the Son of God: He is, he says, of whom I said, after me comes a man who is preferred before me, for he was before me, and I did not know him (John 1). And again about the dove: And I saw, and I testified that this is the Son of God (ibid.). Thus the mystery of the Trinity is shown in the baptism of the Savior, that we too may be taught to be baptized in his name. And what is said: In you I am well pleased, is as if he says: In you I have established my good pleasure, that is, to do through you what pleases me. But what is said according to Matthew: In whom I am well pleased (Matthew 3) is thus explained: That everyone who, by repenting, corrects what they have done, by that very fact indicates that they have displeased themselves by repenting, who amends what was done. And because the Almighty Father, as he could be understood by men, spoke in a human manner about sinners saying: It repents me that I have made man on the earth (Genesis 6), as if he displeased himself in the sinners whom he created. But he was well pleased in his only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ alone. For it did not repent him to have made this man among men, in whom he found no sin at all, thus it is said of him through the Psalmist: The Lord has sworn and will not repent; you are a priest forever (Psalm 110).

To appear denotes a sensible effect with express signification, as the Holy Spirit appeared in a dove. And since, just as the divine persons are distinct, so they can be distinctly signified both by signs and by names, therefore any person can appear by itself, and apparition can belong to all, whether together or to any one by itself. Whence that the Holy Spirit is said to have appeared in tongues of fire and in a dove, this is not on account of a new bond or a special effect, but on account of the union which exists between the thing signified and the sign specially and by manner and origin assigned to it.

Again, to designate the person of the Holy Spirit, it is added: The Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon him; John 1: "Upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending and remaining, he it is who baptizes." — Now he descended in the form of a dove by reason of signification, because, as Chrysostom says, "this bird above all others is the greatest cultivator of charity." Hence he appeared to Christ in a complete animal, but to the disciples in tongues, to signify that in Christ he was present according to every manner of fullness, but in others in parts: whence it is said in John 3: "God does not give the Spirit by measure." He also appeared over the disciples in fire, but over Christ in a dove, because, as Gregory says, "Christ came to gather us through meekness"; and therefore he appeared over him in a dove, but "over the disciples in fire: whom he came to kindle against themselves for consuming the rust of sin." — And most fittingly does the apparition of the Holy Spirit in a dove befit baptism, on account of the innocence which baptism restores. As a sign of this, it is said in Genesis 8 that the dove after the flood brought back a branch of a green olive tree. By that flood — as Damascene says, and as it is said in 1 Peter 3: "In which few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water," etc. — baptism is understood: whence by the dove bringing back to the ark a branch of a green olive tree is understood the innocence of meekness with the grace of anointing.

And note that the Holy Spirit appeared in a threefold form, namely in a dove at the baptism; in a cloud at the transfiguration, below in chapter 9; in fire over the disciples, Acts 2. And these correspond to three states, as the expositor says. For upon beginners he descends as a dove, because he renders them groaning and meditating: Isaiah 59: "We shall groan like meditating doves"; and Isaiah 38: "Like a young swallow, so shall I cry out; I shall meditate like a dove." — Upon those progressing, as a cloud, because by the striving of the mind he makes them ascend upward from virtue to virtue, until he elevates them to heaven, so that the God of gods may be seen in Sion: Psalm: "They shall go from virtue to virtue; he shall be seen," etc. — Upon the perfect, in fire, because he inflames them so that they tend upward through desire, and also toward their neighbors through beneficence: below in chapter 12: "I came to cast fire upon the earth." As a sign of this, it is said in 4 Kings 2 that "Elijah ascended into heaven in a chariot of fire"; concerning which fire, Lamentations 1: "From on high he sent fire into my bones and instructed me."

Finally, to designate the person of the Father there is added: A voice came from heaven. And then was verified that word of the Psalm: "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters, the God of majesty has thundered"; and that word of Deuteronomy 4: "From heaven he made you hear his voice." And that this voice was in the person of the Father is shown when there is added: You are my Son, namely the Only-begotten, begotten from Eternity: the Psalm: "The Lord said to me: You are my Son." And in this the Father bore witness to him: John 8: "I am the one who bears witness concerning myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness concerning me"; whence First John 5: "If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, because he has testified concerning his Son." You therefore is here taken distinctively, because no other: whence he is called the Only-begotten in John 1: "No one has ever seen God except the Only-begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father," because, according to that word of the Psalm, "before the daystar I begot you." And because he loves him supremely, therefore there is added: beloved, through whom even others who are hateful are loved: Ephesians 1: "He has graced us in his beloved Son"; and again Colossians 1: "He has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love." And for greater expression there is added: In you I am well pleased, namely in everything that pleases: and this on account of the most perfect bond of love which is between the Father and the Son: Proverbs 3: "As a father is well pleased in his son"; and Colossians 1: "In him it pleased all fullness to dwell, making peace through his blood for the things that are in heaven and the things that are on earth"; and therefore it is said in John 8: "He who sent me is with me, and he has not left me alone, because I always do the things that are pleasing to him."

Thus therefore testimony was borne to Christ in the voice by the Father, by the Holy Spirit in the dove, by the Son in the light: and thus the testimony is firm, because "in the mouth of three witnesses every word must stand." And thus that word of 1 John 5 was verified: "There are three who give testimony in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit." — And note that in Matthew 3 it is said concerning this voice: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"; but in Mark 1: "You are my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased"; in Luke, here: You are my beloved Son, in you it has pleased me. In these, however, there is no contradiction, because they express not the sound of the words but the meaning, as Augustine says in the book On the Harmony of the Evangelists. It is expressed differently, however, because this voice of the Father is significative of the fact that Christ is the Word of the Father, most similar and most expressive, and therefore most pleasing. And since the Father speaks himself by the Word in himself, he speaks also to us, by which Word he declares himself to others, and he also speaks all things by the Word, whatsoever he speaks: and this is most perfect; and the Evangelist could not express this by a single word, although that heavenly voice intimated all of this: therefore the Evangelists expressed it in diverse ways, so that Matthew intimates the complacency of the Father with respect to the Word, insofar as he speaks himself in himself; and therefore he says: "In whom I am well pleased"; Mark with respect to the Word, insofar as the Father by the Word speaks himself and is pleased toward others, and therefore he says: "In you I am well pleased"; Luke with respect to the Word, insofar as the Father by the Word speaks all things: and therefore he adds: In you it has pleased me, that is, generally, whatsoever is pleasing.

God here assumed the "likeness" not of a man, but "of a dove," because He wished, by a new apparition of the Spirit in the likeness of a dove, to declare His simplicity and majesty.

Over the waters of baptism, recognising as it were His primeval seat, He reposes: (He who) glided down on the Lord "in the shape of a dove," in order that the nature of the Holy Spirit might be declared by means of the creature (the emblem) of simplicity and innocence, because even in her bodily structure the dove is without literal gall.

The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus so that we might learn from this that upon us also, when we are baptized, the Spirit comes. For the Lord had no need of the Spirit, but He does all things for our sake and Himself becomes the firstborn in all things (Col. 1:18) that we were to receive afterward, so as to be the firstborn among many brethren. The Spirit descended in bodily form, like a dove, so that we might learn that we need to be meek and pure. And just as in the time of Noah the dove depicted the abating of the wrath of God (Gen. 8:8–11), so here too the Holy Spirit, having drowned sin, reconciled us with God. And the Son hears the voice uttered by the Father, saying, "Thou art My Beloved Son," in order to show that to us who are baptized He also granted the adoption as sons. "In You is My good pleasure" means: In You I found rest.

It benefits no one to change what is written: "Who was thought to be the son of Joseph." For it was right that he was "thought" so, because he was not the Joseph's son by nature but was thought to be his Son, because he was born of Mary, who was engaged to Joseph, her husband. So you have: "Is not this Joseph the carpenter's son?"

You see that the description of descent is connected by the old custom from the fathers to the sons and from the sons to the fathers. You see that the family is everywhere listed through the generations of the husband. Do not marvel if Matthew reports the order of the generations from Abraham to Joseph, and Luke from Joseph to Adam and to God. Do not marvel that Joseph's lineage is described. Indeed, being born according to the flesh, he must follow the usage of the flesh, and he who came into the world must be described in the custom of the world, particularly as the lineage of Mary is also in the lineage of Joseph. For since Joseph was a righteous man, he took a wife from his own tribe and his own country, nor could a righteous man contravene what is prescribed in the law. "The inheritance of the people of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another. For every one of the people of Israel shall cleave to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. Every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the people of Israel shall be wife to one of the family of the tribe of her father, so that every one of the people of Israel may possess the inheritance of his fathers." Therefore, also at the time of the enrollment, Joseph went up from his house and the country of David to be enrolled with Mary his wife. She who enrolls from the same house and the same country surely signifies that she is of this same tribe and this same country.

Here too some … raise issues: that Matthew counted forty-two generations from Abraham to Christ, but Luke fifty, and that Matthew reported that the generation descended through some persons, and Luke mentioned others. In this matter, you can test what we said. Although Matthew wove some forefathers of the divine lineage, but Luke others, into the order of generation, nevertheless each indicated that the remaining ancestors were from the race of Abraham and David. Matthew thought the generation should be derived through Solomon, but Luke through Nathan. This fact seems to show both a royal and a priestly family of Christ. We should not consider one account truer than the other, but that the one agrees with the other in equal faith and truth. According to the flesh, Jesus was truly of a royal and priestly family, King from kings, Priest from priests. Although the prophecy pertains not to the carnal but the celestial, since a King exults in the power of God, to whom judgment is committed by the King, his Father, and a Priest is forever. Accordingly it is written, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." Then, each fittingly kept faith, so that Matthew established his origin led through kings, and Luke, by deriving the lineage of his race transmitted through priests from God to Christ, declared his very descent the more holy. At the same time, the image of a calf is indicated, in so much as he thinks the priestly mystery must be preserved.

He could not include more sons of Jacob, lest he seem to digress outside the generations in an irrelevant series. Of course, in the case of other, that is, distant, descendants of the patriarchs, Luke did not think the names should be omitted, but that those of Joseph, Judah, Simeon and Levi should be preferred beyond the rest. We know that there were four kinds of virtues in those from whom they were descended. In Judah, the mystery of the Lord's passion was prefigured. In Joseph, an example of chastity went before. In Simeon, the payment for violated virginity was represented. In Levi, the office of a priest was symbolized. We observe the dignity of prophecy manifested also through Nathan so that because Christ Jesus is one and all, diverse kinds of virtues went before also in individual forefathers.

Yet it seems needful to explain why St. Matthew began to enumerate the descent of Christ from Abraham but St. Luke led it from Christ up to God. But first I think we should not set aside by any means the question why St. Matthew, when he began the order of descent from Abraham, did not say, "The Book of the Generation of Abraham," but "The Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham." Why he named these two in particular.…The Evangelist selected those two authors of the race, the one who received the promise concerning the congregation of the nations, the other who obtained the prophecy of the generation of Christ. Although he is later in the order of the succession, yet he is described before Abraham in the generation of the Lord, because it is more to have received the promise concerning Christ than that concerning the church, since the church itself is through Christ. Then there is one prince of the race according to the flesh, and another according to the spirit. The one is a prince by grace of children, the other through the faith of the peoples. For greater is he who saves than he who is saved. Hence he is called "the Son of David," "the Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ, the Son of David."

Rightly as was supposed, since in reality He was not, but was supposed to be so, because Mary who was espoused to Joseph was His mother. But we might doubt why the descent of Joseph is described rather than that of Mary, (seeing that Mary brought forth Christ of the Holy Spirit, while Joseph seemed to be out of the line of our Lord's descent,) were we not informed of the custom of the Holy Scripture, which always seeks the origin of the husband, and especially in this case, since in Joseph's descent we also find that of Mary. For Joseph being a just man took a wife really from his own tribe and country, and so at the time of the taxing Joseph went up from the family and country of David to be taxed with Mary his wife. She who gives in the returns from the same family and country, shows herself to be of that family and country. Hence He goes on in the descent of Joseph, and adds, Who was the son of Eli. But let us consider the fact, that St. Matthew makes Jacob, who was the father of Joseph, to be son of Nathan, but Luke says that Joseph (to whom Mary was espoused) was the son of Eli. How then could there be two fathers, (namely, Eli and Jacob,) to one man.

For it is related that Matthas, who was descended from Salomon, begat Jacob as his son, and died leaving his wife living, whom Melchi took unto him as wife, and from her Eli was born. Again, Eli, when his brother Jacob died without children, was joined to his brother's wife, and begot a son Joseph, who according to law is called the son of Jacob, since Eli raised up seed to his deceased brother, according to the order of the ancient law. (Deut. 25:5.)

Luke rightly thought, seeing that he could not embrace more of the sons of Jacob, lest he should seem to be wandering from the line of descent in a superfluous course, that the ancient names of the Patriarchs though occurring in others far later, Joseph, Judah, Simeon, and Levi, should not be omitted. For we recognise in these four kinds of virtue; in Judah, the mystery of our Lord's Passion prophesied by figure; in Joseph, an example of chastity going before; in Simeon, the punishment of injured modesty; in Levi, the priestly office. Hence it follows, Who was the son of Melchi, i. e. "my King." Who was the son of Janna, i. e. "a right hand." Who was the son ofJoseph, i. e. "growing up;" but this was a different Joseph. Who was the son of Mattathias, i. e. "the gift of God," or "sometimes." Who was the son of Amos, i. e. "loading, or he loaded." Who was the son of Naum, i. e. "help me." Who was the son of Matthat, i. e. "desire." Who was the son of Mattathias, as above. Who was the son of Simei, i. e. "obedient." Who was the son ofJoseph, i. e. "increase." Who was the son of Judah, i. e. "confessing." Joanna, "the Lord, his grace," or "the gracious Lord." Resa, "merciful." Zorobabel, "chief or master of Babylon." Salathiel, "God my petition." Neri, "my lanthern." Melchi, "my kingdom." Addi, "strong or violent." Cosam, "divining." Her, "watching, or watch, or of skins." Who was the son of Jesus, i. e. "Saviour." Eliezer, i. e. "God my helper." Joarim, i. e. "God exalting, or, is exalting." Matthat, as above. Levi, as above. Simeon, i. e. "He has heard the sadness, or the sign." Juda, as above. Joseph, as above. Jonah, a dove, or wailing. Eliachim, i. e. "the resurrection of God." Melchi, i. e. "his king." Menan, i. e. "my bowels." Mattathias, i. e. "gift." Nathan, i. e. "He gave, or, of giving."

But by Nathan we perceive expressed the dignity of Prophecy, that as Christ Jesus alone fulfilled all things, in each of His ancestors different kinds of virtue might precede Him. It follows, Who was the son of David.

The mention of just Noah ought not to be omitted among our Lord's generations, that as our Lord was born the builder of His Church, He might seem to have sent Noah beforehand, the author of His race, who had before founded the Church under the type of an ark. Who was the son of Lamech.

His years are numbered beyond the deluge, that since Christ is the only one whose life experiences no age, in His ancestors also He might seem to have felt not the deluge. Who was the son of Enoch. And here is a manifest declaration of our Lord's piety and divinity, since our Lord neither experienced death, and returned to heaven, the founder of whose race was taken up into heaven. Whence it is plain that Christ could not die, but was willing that His death should profit us. And Enoch indeed was taken, that his heart might not change by wickedness, but the Lord, whom the wickedness of the world could not change, returned to that place whence He had come by the greatness of His own nature.

Nor do the Evangelists seem so to differ who have followed the old order, nor can you wonder if from Abraham down to Christ there are more successions according to Luke, fewer according to Matthew, since you must admit the line to have been traced through different persons. But it might be that some men have passed a very long life, but the men of the next generation have died at an early age, since we see how many old men live to see their grandchildren, while others depart as soon as they have sons born to them.

(Severus.) For this reason also He came at thirty years to be baptized, to show that spiritual regeneration makes men perfect as far as regards their spiritual life.

(Quæst. Ev. ii. qu. 5.) Or there occur three reasons, by one of which the Evangelist was led. For either one Evangelist has mentioned the father by whom Joseph was begotten, but the other his maternal grandfather, or some one of his ancestors. Or one of the fathers mentioned was the natural father of Joseph, the other his father who had adopted him. Or after the manner of the Jews, when a man has died without children, the next of kin taking his wife ascribes to his dead kinsman the son whom he has himself begotten.

(de Con. Ev. lib. ii. c. 3.) It is most probable that Luke took the origin by adoption, as not being willing to say that Joseph, was begotten by him whose son he related him to be. For more easily is a man said to be his son by whom he was adopted, than to be begotten by him from whose flesh he was not born. But Matthew saying, "Abraham begat lsaac, and Isaac begat Jacob," and continuing in the word "begat," until at last he says, but "Jacob begat Joseph," has sufficiently expressed that he has carried through the succession of the fathers, to that father by whom Joseph was not adopted, but begotten. Although even supposing that Luke should say that Joseph was begotten by Eli, neither ought that word to perplex us. For it is not absurd to say that a man has begotten not in the flesh but in love the Son whom he has adopted. But rightly has Luke taken the origin by adoption, for by adoption are we made the sons of God, by believing on the Son of God, but by His birth in the flesh, the Son of God has rather for our sakes become the Son of man.

(de Con. Ev. lib. ii. c. 3.) He sufficiently declared by this that he called not Joseph the son of Eli because he was begotten by him, but rather because he was adopted by him, for he has called also Adam himself son, since though made by God, yet by grace (which he forfeited by sin) he was placed as a son in paradise.

(ubi sup. c. 4.) Matthew indeed wished to set forth God descending to our mortality; accordingly at the beginning of the Gospel he recounted the generations from Abraham to the birth of Christ in a descending scale. But Luke, not at the beginning, but after the baptism of Christ, relates the generation not descending but ascending, as if marking out rather the high priest in the expiation of sins, of whom John bore testimony, saying, Behold, who taketh away the sins of the world. But by ascending he comes to God, to whom we are reconciled, being cleansed and expiated.

(Quæst. Ev. lib. ii. qu. 6.) But most fitly with regard to our baptized Lord does Luke reckon the generations through seventy-seven persons. For both the ascent to God is expressed, to whom we are reconciled by the abolition of sins, and by baptism is brought to man the remission of all his sins, which are signified by that number. For eleven times seven are seventy-seven. But by the tenth number is meant perfect happiness. Hence it is plain that the going beyond the tenth marks the sin of one through pride coveting to have more. But this is said to be seven times to signify that the transgression was caused by the moving of man. For by the third number the immortal part of man is represented, but by the fourth the body. But motion is not expressed in numbers, as when we say, one, two, three; but when we say, once, twice, thrice. And so by seven times eleven, is signified a transgression wrought by man's action.

And Jesus himself was beginning to be about thirty years old, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph. Jesus is baptized at thirty years of age, and then finally begins to perform signs and teach, thereby showing the legitimate and mature time of age, to those who think any age, whether for a priest or for teaching, is appropriate. Who also, as was read above, at the age of twelve, sitting in the midst of the teachers in the temple, not teaching but asking questions, wanted to be found. For so that men would not dare to preach in an immature age, he at twelve years old asks people on earth, who by his divinity always teaches angels in heaven. Nor should anyone be moved against these things, that Jeremiah and Daniel received the spirit of prophecy as boys, because miracles are not to be drawn as examples of operation. For Almighty God makes even the tongues of infants eloquent, and out of the mouth of infants and sucklings perfected praise. But what we say with the practice of teaching is one thing, what we know from a miracle is another. However, the forty-year-old age of the baptized Savior can also intimate the mystery of our baptism, for the faith, namely of the Holy Trinity and the operation of the legal Decalogue. For the Decalogue indeed, with the grace of faith revealed, the more sublimely it is understood, the more devoutly it is fulfilled. For as some kind of sacred triennial time, he taught those to be baptized who said: Go, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matt. XXVIII). As if he ordered this same triennium to be multiplied by ten when he added: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you (Ibid.). In whose figure also the brazen sea, in which the priests about to enter the temple washed, is said to have been encompassed outwardly by a thirty cubit cord, and inwardly to hold three thousand baths. Because (with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.) This sense is supported by the apostles baptizing three thousand souls first after receiving the grace of the Holy Spirit. And because the mention of the brazen sea has arisen, it is pleasing to also inquire how the rules of baptism agree in other respects. From lip to lip (it says) ten cubits (3 Kings VII), because it is fitting for us not to be constrained by earthly anxiety, but to be expanded by the expectation of the heavenly denarius. Its lip is as the lip of a cup or an unfolded lily leaf: with one of which the cup of the Lord's passion is expressed, with the other the brightness of his resurrection is revealed. For that the Apostle says: Whoever is baptized into Christ Jesus is baptized into his death (Rom. VI), pertains to the lip of the cup. But that he adds: That as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Ibid.), looks to the flower of the unfolded lily. Its thickness is of three fingers, so that the strength of all baptized is solidified by the perfection of faith, hope, and charity. It had a height of five cubits, because whatever is sinned by sight, hearing, taste, smell, or touch, is all washed away by the water of regeneration. The oxen that bear it look in threes to each quarter of the sky so that the whole world is baptized in the faith of the Holy Trinity. It stood on the right side of the priest's court facing east towards the south, because with the grace of the New Testament standing, it was given by him who visited us the day spring from on high (Luke I). But also in countless places of Holy Scripture, the number thirty is found fitting for the sacraments of Christ and the Church. For even Joseph, who in the figure of resurrection and of the New Testament defended the Egyptians from famine for eighty years, took up the government of the kingdom purified of the filth of the dungeon at thirty years, and David at the same age began the kingdom, which he completed as a seventy-year-old, that is, worthy of perpetual rest, and Ezekiel received the gifts of prophecy with the heavens opened at thirty years. And because by faith both adversities should be patiently borne, and rewards should be highly hoped for, both the height of the ark or the temple and the length of the tabernacle are measured by thirty cubits.

As was supposed (he says) the son of Joseph. He placed this phrase on account of those who thought he was born from Joseph like other men are born. Hence, if it troubles anyone that since Mary conceived Christ by the Holy Spirit, and Joseph is called his father not truly, but supposedly, why not rather is Mary's lineage described than Joseph's, who seemed to have no relation to him, let them first know that it is not customary in the Scriptures to set forth the order of women in genealogies. Next, Joseph and Mary were from one tribe, whence the law compelled him to take her as a relative. And that they are registered together in Bethlehem indicates they are born from one stock, and thus through Joseph's genealogy, the origin of Mary is also shown. Certainly, Luke beautifully begins the genealogy of Christ by introducing the Father speaking: You are my beloved Son (Mark 1), so that by divine testimony he confirms the same as the true Son of God, whom by the order of human succession he proves to be the true son of man.

Who was Heli, who was Mathat, who was Levi, who was Melchi, etc. It rightly raises the question of how Joseph could have had two fathers coming from different lines of ancestors, one whom Luke mentions and the other whom Matthew mentions. For Matthew says: "And Mathan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary." But this knotty question, Africanus explained very clearly when writing about the harmony of the Gospels. He said, "Mathan and Mathat, at different times, each fathered children from the same wife named Estha. Because Mathan, who descended from Solomon, had first taken her as his wife, and upon leaving behind a son named Jacob, died. After his death, since the law does not forbid a widow from marrying another man, Mathat, who was descended from Nathan and of the same tribe but not of the same lineage, took the widow of Mathan as his wife, from whom he also fathered a son named Heli. Through this, Jacob and Heli are brothers, though from different fathers. Of these, Jacob, following the law, took the wife of his brother Heli, who died childless, and begot Joseph, who is naturally his son, which is why it is written: 'And Jacob begot Joseph.' But according to the law, Joseph is also considered the son of Heli, since Jacob, as his brother, had taken Heli's wife to raise up seed for him, as mandated by the law. Thus, both genealogies, Matthew's saying 'And Jacob begot Joseph', and Luke's with the proper observation stating 'He was supposed the son of Joseph, who was the son of Heli,' are validated and intact. Moreover, Africanus conveyed these same ideas in these very words, except he wrote 'Melchi' instead of 'Matthat,' because either his copy had it so, or in the history where he learned these things, he found the same Matthat had two names. Since Matthew established the royal persona of the Lord, and Luke the priestly persona, where the strongest of the beasts, the lion, signifies the former, and the calf, the offering of priests, signifies the latter, both maintained their purpose in tracing the genealogy of the Savior. Thus, it has been observed that Matthew, who set forth the royal persona in Christ, listed forty men in his genealogical series, excluding Christ Himself. Now this number signifies the time in which we ought to be ruled by Christ in this world and on this earth according to a laborious discipline, by which God chastises (as it is written) every son whom He receives (Heb. XII). For there are not forty-two generations, which make up thrice fourteen, but due to Jeconiah being counted twice, there are forty-one generations, if we also include Christ, who presides over our temporal and earthly life to be rightly governed by the number forty. For since the number is a sacrament of this laborious time, during which we fight under the discipline of Christ the King against the devil, it is also signified by the fact that He consecrated the fast of forty days, which is the humiliation of the soul. Both the law and the prophets through Moses and Elijah, who fasted for forty days, and the Gospel through the fast of the Lord Himself, who was also tempted by the devil for forty days, what else do they prefigure but the temptation of our flesh throughout all the time of this world, which He deigned to assume from our mortality? Therefore, this number signifies this temporal and earthly life because the times of the years run in fourfold seasons, and the world itself is bounded by four parts. Forty, however, contains ten four times. Furthermore, the number ten is completed by progressing from one to four. And because Matthew wished to signify Christ descending to partake in our mortality, he therefore recounted the generations from Abraham to Joseph and up to the nativity of Christ by descending from the beginning of his Gospel. Luke, however, did not recount the generations from the beginning of his Gospel, but from the baptism of Christ, not by descending but ascending, assigning Him more as a priest in expiating sins, where a voice from heaven declared Him, where John himself bore witness, saying: "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." By ascending, however, he passes from Abraham and arrives at God, to whom we are reconciled, purified and expiated. Rightly, he also took up the origin of adoption, because we are made sons of God by adoption through believing in the Son of God. But by carnal generation, the Son of God rather made the Son of Man. But he sufficiently demonstrated that he did not call Joseph the son of Heli because he was begotten from him, but because he was adopted by him, since he also called Adam the son of God, even though he was made by God, but by the grace which he later lost by sinning, he was constituted as a son in paradise. Therefore, in the generations of Matthew, the acceptance of our sins by the Lord Christ is signified: in the generations of Luke, the abolition of our sins by the Lord Christ is signified. Therefore, he recounted them descending, and the latter ascending. For what the Apostle says: He sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh (Rom. VIII), this is the acceptance of sins. But what he adds: In order to condemn sin in the flesh by means of sin, this is the expiation of sins. Hence Matthew descends from David through Solomon, in whose mother he sinned. But Luke ascends to David through Nathan, through whose name the prophet God expiated his sin.

The thrice ten years also which our Saviour had passed when He was baptized might intimate also the mystery of our baptism, because of the faith in the Trinity, and the obedience to the Decalogue.

Or else, Jacob, taking the wife of his brother Eli who had died without children according to the command of the law, begot Joseph, by natural parentage his own son, but by the ordinance of the law the son of Eli.

And Jesus himself was etc. After the sacramental regeneration, in which he also declared the eternal generation, he here subjoins the temporal genealogy, concerning which three things are introduced for consideration. The first is the time of the one proceeding, to exclude a fantastical understanding. The second is the manner of proceeding, to exclude a carnal understanding. The third is the degree of the procession, or its progress, to strengthen a faithful understanding.

First, therefore, he indicates the time of age, so that those may be refuted who believe that Christ was not a true man: on account of which he says: And Jesus himself was beginning to be about thirty years of age, beginning, that is, to manifest himself to others and to preach. About is said because according to some he was twenty-nine years and thirteen days old; according to others he was thirty years and thirteen days beyond. In this he also provided an example, that no one ought to teach before the age of maturity, however great the wisdom he may possess: whence Sirach 20: "A wise man will be silent until the proper time." And therefore it is said in Sirach 32: "Young man, speak in your own cause only when necessary." Whence the sons of Gershon were not numbered for bearing the burdens of the tabernacle except from thirty years to fifty, Numbers 4. Although this is so by the common law, nevertheless sometimes it happens otherwise by special privilege, as it is said in Jeremiah 1: "Do not say: I am a child"; and in the penultimate chapter of Daniel, of whom it is said that "God raised up the spirit of a younger boy." Therefore it is said in Wisdom 10 that "wisdom opened the mouth of the mute and made the tongues of infants eloquent"; and in the Psalm: "Out of the mouth of infants and sucklings you have perfected praise." Nevertheless, the privileges of the few are not to be drawn into a general rule, nor is a law to be imposed upon the divine operation and grace, because, as it is said in Wisdom 4, "understanding is the gray hair of man, and an immaculate life is old age"; and again: "Being made perfect in a short time, he fulfilled a long time."

Next he describes the manner of descent, when he says: As was supposed the son of Joseph: in which he shows that according to temporal generation he did not have a true father, but a putative one, because he was born of the Virgin; for men supposed Joseph to be his father, according to what is said below in chapter four: "Is not this the son of Joseph?"

But from this it seems that the following genealogy has nothing to do with Christ according to truth. — To which Bede responds, following Jerome, that it is not the custom of the Scriptures for the order of women to be woven into the genealogies; furthermore, he says that both Joseph and Mary were born from the same tribe, whence by the Law he was bound to take her as a kinsman. A sign of this is also that they were enrolled together in Bethlehem, as is stated above in chapter two. And therefore the series of generation in the one pertains to the other. — From this it is apparent why so little mention is made of Mary in Scripture. For if no mention is made of her in Christ's genealogy for the sake of preserving the custom of the Scriptures, even though it would seem almost necessary, much less should it be done concerning her own acts. — Now, no mention is made of women in the order of genealogies, partly because of a deficiency on the part of nature, because "woman is a misbegotten male"; partly because of a deficiency on the part of signification, because she signifies not Christ but the Church, not the higher portion of reason but the lower, First Corinthians eleven; partly because of a deficiency on the part of office, because neither to teach nor to preside befits them; partly because of a deficiency on the part of remedy, because it befits her not to remedy but to be remedied; partly because of a deficiency of principle, because "man is not from woman, but woman from man"; partly because of the memory of the first sin: First Timothy two: "Adam was not deceived, but the woman." And for this reason the descent is not traced through women — whence neither is it the custom in the Scriptures for there to be great mention of Mary — and because the Gospels began from the precursor, Luke one and Mark one: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ," etc., and also for the aforesaid reasons. Nevertheless, it was written in the Old Testament that there could be a figure of the Virgin in certain women who bore the figure of Mary and of the Church.

Third, he adds the degrees of the processions, when he adds: Who was of Heli, etc. — But this seems to be contradicted by Matthew one, where it is said that "Jacob begot Joseph," who descends through Solomon. If therefore it is impossible that someone be begotten by two at the same time, either this genealogy or that of Matthew is entirely erroneous.

For the clarification of this matter, it should be noted that Mathat, who descended from David through Nathan, and Mathan, who descended from David through Solomon, successively had one wife, from whom Mathan begot Jacob, and Mathat begot Heli. And thus Heli and Jacob were two uterine brothers. But Heli, having taken a wife, died without children, and therefore according to the Law, Jacob his brother took her, so that he might raise up seed for his brother, and from her "begot Joseph, the husband of Mary." Joseph therefore according to the flesh was the son of Jacob, who descended through Solomon; but according to the Law he was the son of Heli, who descended through Nathan. And since to perfectly write the genealogy of the Savior it was necessary that it be written both according to the Law and according to nature, therefore the Holy Spirit accomplished this through two Evangelists, such that through Matthew the carnal genealogy and through Luke the legal one.

This, however, was not done without a reasonable cause. For Matthew pursues Christ's kingship and humanity, according as he succeeded David, and therefore treats of his descent unto the assumption of our flesh. And because this was first promised to Abraham himself and promised again to David himself, therefore he begins the genealogy of the Savior from Abraham, descending through David and Solomon, who succeeded him in the kingdom. — Hence it is also that in descending he sets down only forty intermediate generations, because by that number the universality of time is designated, according to what Augustine says in the book On the Harmony of the Evangelists: for it is generated if ten is multiplied by four. Or according to another manner of counting, forty-two, according to the forty-two stations of the children of Israel, Numbers thirty-three: so that Jechoniah is counted twice, to designate Christ the cornerstone. And this number is generated from six multiplied by seven, in which the state of the present time is designated. And because the generation of Christ according to the flesh is the beginning of the Gospel, therefore it is placed at the beginning of the book. — But Luke pursues the priesthood of Christ, through which we are reconciled unto the adoption of sons from the state of sin, which indeed takes place through sacramental regeneration; therefore he pursues the adoptive or legal filiation of Christ, ascending all the way to God, and this through seventy-seven steps, because by that number, as Augustine says, the universality of sins is designated: for it is generated by eleven multiplied by seven. Therefore he also places this genealogy not at the beginning of the book, but after the baptism of Christ. Since therefore "the end imposes necessity upon those things which are ordered to the end," and Luke directed the eye of his principal intention toward the priesthood of Christ, but Matthew toward the kingship of Christ, hence it is that they pursued the genealogy of Christ in different ways: they described it not in a contrary manner nor by chance occurrence, but with a certain harmonious and well-articulated variety, the Holy Spirit directing them.

From these things the cause of the sevenfold difference between Luke and Matthew becomes apparent, namely in persons, because they set forth a twofold mode of paternity, according to nature and the Law: the first Matthew, the second Luke: in the first mode through Solomon, in the second through Nathan. — In progression, because Matthew descends, Luke ascends, and this because nature is the principle of propagating, but grace of leading back. — In manner, because Matthew says begot, Luke who was of: because the former indicates natural generation, the latter legal designation. — In time, because Matthew from the beginning, Luke from the thirtieth year, because the former indicates the beginning of being born, the latter of being reconciled. — In position, because Matthew from the beginning, Luke from the baptism, because the former principally attends to generation, the latter to regeneration. — In standing, because Matthew up to Abraham, Luke up to God, because the former indicates nature, and the latter grace, which sanctifies the children. — In number, because Matthew lists forty-two generations and forty persons, one being counted twice, to designate the universality of the pilgrimage to which he descended; Luke seventy-seven, through the number of transgression, which Christ expiated through baptism.

Spiritually it should be noted that all the names which are expressed in the genealogy of the Savior convey something mystical which avails unto salvation. However, in order to avoid tedium and curiosity, only the notable and principal places designated in these degrees should be attended to, namely the first, the seventh, the tenth, the seventeenth, the seventieth, the seventy-sixth — and the last. And thus seven notable places, such that in the first is the beginning of our salvation, in the last the completion, and in the intermediate ones the increase of progress.

In the first place is set Jesus, who is interpreted as Savior, because he saves and liberates from the servitude of sin: Matthew 1: "And you shall call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins." And this is the beginning of our salvation, to depart from evil: Psalm: "Who is the man who desires life and loves to see good days?" "Turn away from evil" etc. — In the seventh place, Jannai, who is interpreted as right hand, because, with sin forgiven, we are transferred from the left to the right: Colossians 1: "He rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love," that is, from the left to the right: Matthew 25: "He shall set the lambs on his right, but the goats on his left." — In the tenth place, Amos, who is interpreted as burdening, because, having been transferred to grace, we are invited to bear the burdens of the law: Matthew 11: "Come to me, all" etc. "Take my yoke upon you" etc.; concerning which yoke and burden it is said in Lamentations 3: "It is good for a man when he has borne the yoke from his youth." — In the seventeenth place, Joseph, who is interpreted as increase, because by keeping and bearing the burden of the law we are increased in grace: Ephesians 4: "Doing the truth in charity, let us grow up in him" etc.: Colossians 1: "That you may walk worthy of God, pleasing in all things, bearing fruit in every good work." — In the seventieth place, Enoch, who is interpreted as dedication, because by advancing in merit and charity we arrive at the quiet of the mind, in which God dwells as in a dedicated temple: John 14: "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him." And this one is borne upward to heaven through contemplation, just as Enoch, of whom Genesis 5 says: "He walked with God and appeared no more, because God took him"; and Wisdom 4: "Being pleasing to God" etc. — In the seventy-sixth place, Adam, who is interpreted as man, because the perfection of quiet and contemplation reforms in us the image of God, unto which man was made: Genesis 1: "Let us make man in our image" etc. Contemplation reforms this: 2 Corinthians 3: "But we, beholding the glory of God with unveiled face, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory"; and further on: "Although our outward man is corrupted" etc. — In the last place is subjoined God, toward whom we tend, in whom is the rest and end of all labors: John 17: "And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" etc.: and 1 Corinthians 15: "Then the end, when he shall have delivered the kingdom to God and the Father, when he shall have abolished all principality and power and virtue"; and afterward: "That God may be all in all." For now that is true which is said in 1 Corinthians 11: "The head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God"; now that other saying is true which is said in 1 Corinthians 3: "All things are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's." "Since therefore from him and through him and in him are all things: to God himself, eternal and living, be all honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."

(Glaph. in Exod. lib. 1.) Although in truth Christ had no father according to the flesh, yet some fancied he had a father. Hence it follows, As was supposed the son of Joseph.

Let us then more carefully explain the meaning of the words themselves. For if when Matthew affirmed Joseph to be the son of Jacob, Luke had in like manner affirmed that Joseph was the son of Eli, there would be some dispute. But seeing the case is that Matthew gives his opinion, Luke repeats the common opinion of many, not his own, saying, as was supposed, I do not think that there is any room for doubt. For since there were among the Jews different opinions of the genealogy of Christ, and yet all traced Him up to David because to him the promises were made, while many affirmed that Christ would come through Solomon and the other kings, some shunned this opinion because of the many crimes related of their kings, and because Jeremiah said of Jechonias that "a man should not rise of his seed to sit on the throne of David." (Jer. 22:30.) This last view Luke takes, though conscious that Matthew gives the real truth of the genealogy. This is the first reason. The next is a deeper one. For Matthew when he began to write of the things before the conception of Mary and the birth of Jesus in the flesh, very fitly as in a history commences with the ancestry in the flesh, and descending from thence deduces His generation from those who went before. For when the Word of God became flesh, He descended. But Luke hastens forward to the regeneration which takes place in baptism, and then gives another succession of families, and rising up from the lowest to the highest, keeps out of sight those sinners of whom Matthew makes mention, (because that he who is born again in God is separated from his guilty parents, being made the son of God,) and relates those who have led a virtuous life in the sight of God. For thus it was said to Abraham, Thou shalt set out to thy fathers, (Gen. 15:15.) not fathers in the flesh, but in God, on account of their likeness in virtue. To him therefore fore who is born in God he ascribes parents who are according to God on account of this resemblance in character.

By interpretation then Eli means, “My God,” or “climbing”;Who was the son of Mat that, i.e. “forgiving sins.” Who was as the son of Levi, i.e. “beingadded.”. David is interpreted, “with amighty arm, strong in fight.” Obith, i.e. “slavery.” Booz, i.e. “strong.” Salmon, i.e. “capableof feeling, or peacemaking.” Naas son, i.e. “augury, or belonging to serpents.” Aminadal, “thepeople being willing.” Aram, i.e. “upright, or lofty.” Esro1n, i.e. “an arrow.” Phares, i.e.“division.” Judah, i.e. “confessing.” Who was the son of Jacob, i.e. “supplanted.” Isaac, i.e.“laughing or joy.” Abraham, i.e. “the father of many nations, or the people.”. Which is interpreted, “finding out,” or“wickedness.” Nachor, i.e. “the light rested.” Sarug, i.e. “correction,” or “holding the reins,”or “perfection.” Ragan, i.e. “sick,” or “feeding.” Phares, i.e. “dividing,” or “divided.” Heber,i.e. “passing over.” Sala, i.e. “taking away.” Canuan, i.e. “lamentation,” or “their possession.”. i.e. “healing the laying waste.” Sem, i.e. “a name,” or being “named.”Who was the son of Noah, i.e. “rest.”. i.e. “humility, or striking, or struck, or humble.” Who was the son of Mathusalem, i.e. “the sending forth of death,” or “he died,”also “he asked.”. Enoch isinterpreted “dedication.” Jared, i.e. descending or “holding together.” Malaleleel, i.e. “thepraised of God,” or “praising God.” Cainan, as above. Enos, i.e. “man,” or “despairing,” or“violent.” Seth, i.e. “placing,” “settling,” “he has placed.” Seth, the last son of Adam, is not omitted, that as there were two generations of people, it might be signified under a figure that Christ was to be reckoned rather in the last than the first. Which is “man,” or “of the earth,” or“needy.” Who was the son of God.

(interlin.) By interpretation then Eli means, "My God," or "climbing," Who was the son of Matthat, i. e. "forgiving sins." Who was the son of Levi, i. e. "being added."

(Orat. 39.) We must therefore consider who He was who was baptized, and by whom and when: seeing He was pure, baptized by John, and at a time when His miracles had begun, that we might thence derive the lesson of purifying ourselves beforehand, and of embracing humility, and of not beginning to preach until the maturity of our spiritual and natural life. The first of these was said for their sakes who are receiving baptism; for although the gift of baptism brings remission, yet we must fear lest we return again to our vomit. The second is pointed at those who exalt themselves against the stewards of the mysteries, whom they may excel in rank. The third was uttered for those who trust in their youth, and imagine that any age is fit for promotion and teaching. Jesus is cleansed, and dost thou despise purification? By John, and dost thou say ought against thy teacher. At thirty years old, but dost thou in teaching precede thy elders? But the example of Daniel and the like are ready in thy mouth, for every guilty person is ready with an answer. But that is not the law of the Church which seldom happens, as neither does a single swallow make the spring.

(Orat. 40.) Still must a child be baptized if necessity demands it. For it is better to be insensibly sanctified, than to pass from this life unsealed. But you will say, Christ is baptized at thirty years old, and He was God, but thou biddest us to hasten our baptism. In that thou saidst God, the objection was done away: He needed no cleansing, nor was any danger hanging over Him while He put off His baptism. But with thee it extends to no slight calamity, if thou passest from this life born in corruption, but not if thou hast put on the robe of incorruption. And truly it is a blessed thing to keep unsullied the clean robe of baptism, but it is better at times to be slightly stained, than to be altogether devoid of grace.

Such are the thirty Aeons in the erroneous system of these men; and they are described as being wrapped up, so to speak, in silence, and known to none [except these professing teachers]. Moreover, they declare that this invisible and spiritual Pleroma of theirs is tripartite, being divided into an Ogdoad, a Decad, and a Duodecad. And for this reason they affirm it was that the "Saviour"-for they do not please to call Him "Lord"-did no work in public during the space of thirty years, thus setting forth the mystery of these Aeons.

They, however, that they may establish their false opinion regarding that which is written, "to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord," maintain that He preached for one year only, and then suffered in the twelfth month. [In speaking thus], they are forgetful to their own disadvantage, destroying His whole work, and robbing Him of that age which is both more necessary and more honourable than any other; that more advanced age, I mean, during which also as a teacher He excelled all others. For how could He have had disciples, if He did not teach? And how could He have taught, unless He had reached the age of a Master? For when He came to be baptized, He had not yet completed His thirtieth year, but was beginning to be about thirty years of age (for thus Luke, who has mentioned His years, has expressed it: "Now Jesus was, as it were, beginning to be thirty years old," when He came to receive baptism); and, [according to these men,] He preached only one year reckoning from His baptism. On completing His thirtieth year He suffered, being in fact still a young man, and who had by no means attained to advanced age.

Or, He waited accomplishing the whole law until that age which takes in every sin, that none might say that He abrogated the law because He was not able to fulfil it.

(Hom. 31, in Ep. ad Rom.) But because this part of the Gospel consists of a series of names, men think there is nothing valuable to be derived therefrom. Lest then we should feel this, let us try to examine every step. For from the mere name we may extract an abundant treasure, for names are indicative of many things. For they savour of the Divine mercy and the offerings of thanks by women, who when they obtained sons gave a name significant of the gift.

(Hom. in Matt 1.) Matthew, who wrote as for the Jews, had no further object than to show that Christ proceeded from Abraham and David, for this was most grateful to the Jews. Luke however, as speaking to all men in common, carried his account beyond as far even as Adam. Hence it follows, Who was the son of Thara.

But if, with Luke, we reckon them from Nathan the son of David, in like manner the third from the end is Mel chi, whose son was Heli the father of Joseph. For Joseph was the son of Hell, the son of Mel chi.

But also if you who hear these words direct your thoughts to the holy Scriptures in your leisure, you will discover many great events to be comprised under the number thirty or fifty. Joseph was thirty years old when he was led out of prison and received the rule of all Egypt that he might divert the calamity of an imminent famine by divine provision. Jesus is reported to have been thirty years old when he came to baptism.

And the descent and ascent of the genealogy are not through the same persons. For the one who brings him down with the word brings him down also through sinful women, mentioning only those with faults, but the one genealogizing the baptized does not mention women in his genealogy: Tamar, who unlawfully came together with her father-in-law; Ruth the Moabitess; Rahab, whom we do not even know; and the one of Uriah. For since he came to take the sins of men, and "he who knew no sin, for our sake was made sin" by God, thus descending he took on sinful persons and is born through Solomon, whose sins are recorded, and Rehoboam, whose failings are mentioned in the Kings, and the others of whom many "did evil in the sight of the Lord."

Having related our Lord's baptism, he next enters upon the generation of the Lord, not bringing it down from the higher to the lower, but beginning with Christ, he carries it up to God Himself. Hence he says, And Jesus Himself began. For when He was baptized, and had Himself undergone the mystery of the second birth, then He is said to have begun, that thou also mightest destroy this first birth and be born in the second.

The Lord descending into the world took upon Him the person of all sinners, and was willing to be born of the stock of Solomon, (as Matthew relates,) whose sins have been written down, and of the rest, many of whom did evil in the sight of God. But when He ascended, and is described as being born a second time in baptism, (as Luke relates,) He is not born through Salomon, but Nathan, who reproves the father for the death of Uriah, and the birth of Solomon.

What do you say about the sacred words of Luke When he the genealogy repeats, The fleshly line retracing through old sires? Up generations seventy-two Christ mounts—so many teachers into the world He sent—and by the steps down to his birth Goes back to Adam, head of earthly flesh. The Father then receives his Son and us, And Adam son of God becomes through Christ. Nothing now remains but that you deem this race Unreal, Levi, Judah, Simeon, King David, other mighty kings, unreal, The virgin's swelling womb itself grown big With lying vapor, flimsy clouds and mist. That airy blood dissolves, the bones grow soft And melt, the trembling muscles disappear. That every deed the idle wind dispels, The breezes scatter, all an empty tale.

(Aug. Quæst. Nov. ac Vet. Test. 56.) Or in another way; Matthew descends from David through Salomon to Joseph: but Luke beginning from Eli, who was in the line of our Saviour, ascends through the line of Nathan the son of David, and joins the tribes of Eli and Joseph, showing that they are both of the same family, and thereby that the Saviour was not only the Son of Joseph, but also of Eli. For by the same reason by which the Saviour is called the son of Joseph, he is also the son of Eli, and of all the rest who are of the same tribe. Hence that which the Apostle says, Of whom are the fathers, and from whom Christ came according to the flesh. (Rom. 9:5.)

The Lord was baptized, being thirty years old, because this age is the most perfect, and in it a man appears honorable or unworthy. Luke presents the genealogy of the Lord in reverse order, compared to the evangelist Matthew (Mt.1, 1–16), to show that the One born now according to the flesh is from God – for look, how the genealogy ascends to God – and also so that we might know that He became incarnate in order to raise all the intervening fathers to God and make them sons. I can say it differently: the birth of the Lord, as being without seed, encountered unbelief. Therefore the evangelist, wishing to show that at another time also man was without seed, ascends from the lower to Adam and God. He speaks as if: if you do not believe how the second Adam was born without seed, then I ask, turn your mind to the first Adam, and you will find that he was created by God without seed, and after this do not be unbelieving. Some ask: how does Matthew call Joseph the son of Jacob, and Luke – of Heli? For it is impossible, they say, for one and the same to be the son of two fathers. To this they answer that Jacob and Heli were uterine brothers, but from different fathers, that after the death of Heli, Jacob took his wife in order to raise up children from her, and that therefore Joseph is called son of Jacob by nature, and of Heli by the Law. For Jacob truly begat him by nature, and he was his own son, but he was the son of Heli only by the Law. For the Law commanded that the wife of him who died childless should be united with his brother and that the child born of this union should be considered the child of the deceased (Deut. 25, 5–6), although by nature it was from the living. Therefore the evangelists speak truly and do not contradict each other. Matthew recorded the natural father of Joseph, and Luke the one reckoned to him as father according to the Law, that is Heli; and both show that the Lord was born in order to sanctify nature and the Law.

For this reason he closes the generations in God, that we may learn that those fathers who intervene, Christ will raise up to God, and make them sons of God, and that it might be believed also that the birth of Christ was without seed; as if he said, If thou believest not that the second Adam was made without seed, you must come to the first Adam, and you will find that he was made by God without seed.

(Retract. i. c. 26.) But it must be confessed that a prophet of this same name reproves David, that he might be thought to be the same man, whereas he was different.

(ubi sup.) David is interpreted, "with a mighty arm, strong in fight." Obith, i. e. "slavery." Booz, i. e. "strong." Salmon, i. e. "capable of feeling, or peace-making." Naasson, i. e. "augury, or belonging to serpents." Aminadab, "the people being willing." Aram, i. e. "upright, or lofty." Esrom, i. e. "an arrow." Phares, i. e. "division." Judah, i. e. "confessing." Who was the son of Jacob, i. e. "supplanted." Isaac, i. e. "laughing or joy." Abraham, i. e. "the father of many nations, or the people."

(Carm. 18.) But some say that there is one succession from David to Joseph, which each Evangelist relates under different names. But this is absurd, since at the beginning of this genealogy, two brothers come in Nathan and Salomon, from whom the lines are carried in different ways.

(ubi sup.) From David upwards according to each Evangelist there is an unbroken line of descent; as it follows, Who was the son of Jesse.

Who was (he says) Mathan, who was David, who was Jesse. This number which Luke follows certainly indicates the abolition of sins, about which you will see in its place. Do not be surprised if Luke lists more successions from David to Christ, and Matthew fewer: that is, the former forty-three, the latter twenty-eight, admitting that the generation runs through different persons. For it can happen that some lived a long life, while men of another generation died prematurely, since we see many old men living with their grandchildren, but other men die as soon as they have begotten sons.

(ubi sup.) Which is interpreted, "finding out," or "wickedness." Nachor, i. e. "the light rested." Sarug, i. e. "correction," or "holding the reins," or "perfection." Ragan, i. e. "sick," or "feeding." Phares, i. e. "dividing," or "divided." Heber, i. e. "passing over." Sala, i. e. "taking away." Canaan, i. e. "lamentation," or "their possession."

(ubi sup.) i. e. "healing the laying waste." Sem, i. e. "a name," or being "named." Who was the son of Noe, i. e. "rest."

Who was Sela, who was Cainan, who was Arphaxad. The name and generation of Cainan, according to Hebrew truth, is found neither in Genesis nor in the Words of the Days; but it is claimed that Arphaxad begat Sela or Sale as a son without any intermediary; for it is written: Now Arphaxad lived thirty years and begot Sale (Gen. XI). And likewise in Chronicles: Arphaxad begot Sala, who also begot Heber (1 Chronicles I). Therefore, understand that blessed Luke took this genealogy from the edition of the seventy interpreters, where it is written that Arphaxad at the age of one hundred and thirty-five begat Cainan, and Cainan, when he was one hundred and thirty years old, begat Sela. But which of these is true, or if both can be true, God knows. We simply remind the reader that such a great discrepancy exists between the two codes in the series of time that from the flood to the birth of Abraham in Hebrew truth there are found to be 292 years, but in the translation of the seventy interpreters, 1,077 years are comprehended. And some chronographers, taking a middle course, removing only the generation of Cainan, and without correcting the other years according to the Hebrew example, describe 942 years of the same period.

The name and generation of Cainan, according to the Hebrew reading, is found neither in Genesis, nor in the Chronicles, (dierum Vulg. verbis.) but Arphaxad is stated to have begot Sala his son, without any one intervening. Know then that Luke borrowed this generation from the Septuagint, where it is written, that Arphaxad at a hundred and thirty-five years old begot Cainan, but he at a hundred and thirty years begot Sala. It follows, Who was the son of Arphaxad.

(ubi sup.) i. e. "humility, or striking, or struck, or humble." Who was the son of Mathusalem, i. e. "the sending forth of death," or "he died," also "he asked."

He was Methuselah, he was Enoch. Beautifully the order of generations ascending from the baptized Son of God to God the Father, in the seventieth degree holds Enoch, who, with death delayed, was translated to paradise, to signify those who, regenerated in the grace of adoption of sons by water and the Holy Spirit, will in the meantime, after the absolution of the body, be received into eternal rest (since the number seventy, on account of the seventh Sabbath, most fittingly signifies the rest of those who, aided by the grace of Christ, have fulfilled the Decalogue of the law) and at the time of the resurrection, will be shown to be joined to the immutable wisdom of God, contemplating through the ages.

But rightly rising up from the baptized Son of God to God the Father, he places Enoch in the seventy-seventh step, who, having put off death, was translated unto Paradise, that he might signify that those, who by the grace of adoption of sons are born again of water and the Holy Spirit, are in the mean time (after the dissolution of the body) to be received into eternal rest, for the number seventy, because of the seventh of the sabbath, signifies the rest of those who, the grace of God assisting them, have fulfilled the decalogue of the aw.

Enoch is interpreted "dedication." Jared, i. e. descending or "holding together." Malaleleel, i. e. "the praised of God," or" praising God." Cainan, as above. Enos, i. e. "man," or "despairing," or "violent." Seth, i. e. "placing," "settling," "he hath placed." Seth, the last son of Adam, is not omitted, that as there were two generations of people, it might be signified under a figure that Christ was to be reckoned rather in the last than the first. It follows, Who was the son of Adam.

(ubi sup.) Which is "man," or "of the earth," or "needy." Who was the son of God.

Therefore Luke also thought that his origin should be traced back to God. Because God is the true Father of Christ, either the Father according to the true generation or the Author of the mystical gift—according to the regeneration of baptism. Furthermore, he did not start by describing his generation but first set forth his baptism. He desired to show him as God, the Author of all, weaving everything together through baptism. He also stated that Christ derived from God in the order of succession, in order to prove him the Son of God according to nature, according to grace and according to the flesh. Then what clearer evidence is there of divine generation than that before speaking of Jesus' generation, Luke has the Father himself saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"?

What could better agree than that the holy generation should commence from the Son of God, and be carried up even to the Son of God; and that he who was created should precede in a figure, in order that he who was born might follow in substance, so that he who was made after the image of God might go before, for whose sake the image of God was to descend. For Luke thought that the origin of Christ should be referred to God, because God is the true progenitor of Christ, or the Father according to the true birth, or the Author of the mystical gift according to baptism and regeneration, and therefore he did not from the first begin to describe His generation, but not till after he had unfolded His baptism, that both by nature and by grace, he might declare Him to be the Son of God. But what more evident sign of His divine generation than that when about to speak of it St. Luke introduces first the Father, saying, Thou art my beloved Son?

Who was Seth, who was Adam, who was of God. Because no iniquity of Christ, who had none, is of course joined with the iniquities of men, which he took upon himself in his flesh; therefore, the number according to Matthew, except for Christ, is forty. But because he unites us, cleansed and purged from all sin, to his own righteousness and that of his Father, as the Apostle says: "But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit" (I Cor. VI), therefore in that number according to Luke, both Christ himself, from whom the enumeration begins, and God, to whom it leads, are included, and the number becomes seventy-eight, signifying the complete remission and abolition of all sins. For the Lord also made mention of this number when Peter asked him about forgiving a brother's sins. For he said: not only seven times, but seventy times seven must be forgiven (Matt. XVIII). Whence it is rightly believed that by the mention of this number, he ordered all sins to be forgiven. Nor did the Lord come in the seventieth and seventh generation to abolish all sins without reason or in vain, except because something lies hidden in that number which pertains to the signification of all sins. This is to be considered in the number eleven and seven. These numbers, when multiplied by each other, reach such an amount. For eleven times seven, or seven times eleven, make seventy-seven. But eleven signifies the transgression of ten. And if in ten is signified the perfection of blessedness, whence also it is that all those hired to the vineyard are rewarded with a denarius (Matt. XX), which happens when the seven-fold creature is joined to the Trinity of the Creator, it is clear that the transgression of ten signifies sin, by the proud desire of having something more and losing the integrity and perfection. This is multiplied by seven because that transgression made by the movement of man is signified. For the incorporeal part of man is signified by the number three. Whence it is that we are ordered to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind (Mark XII). But the body is four; for many ways the nature of the body is found fourfold. Therefore, man, consisting of these combined, is not absurdly signified by the number seven. And movement is not expressed in numbers when we say one, two, three, four, etc., but when we say once, twice, thrice, four times. Accordingly (as I said), not seven and eleven, but seven times eleven signifies the transgression, made by the movement of the sinning man, that is, overstepping the stability of his perfection by the desire for having more. Therefore, suitably by multiplying eleven by seven, all sins reach the number seventy-seven. In which number also is found the full remission of sins, atoning us by the flesh of our priest, from whom this number now begins, and reconciling us to God, to whom this number now extends, through the Holy Spirit who appeared in the form of a dove in this baptism, where this number is mentioned. But if anyone wishes to dispute the exposition given above, by saying that Matthew listed not forty-one but forty-two generations, because, according to the account of the Chronicles, Jechoniah should be counted for two persons, namely father and son, let him understand that the same number nonetheless intimates the present time of the Church, which, with the Lord's cooperation, labors in the hope of the future Sabbath. For seven times six makes forty-two. And it is rare to find anyone who doubts that six pertains to work and seven to signaling rest. Wherefore, rightly, the people saved from the land of Egypt remained forty years in the desert, but because they diligently strove under the hope of entering into rest, they camped in forty-two exceedingly narrow paths. At the last of these, when they received Jesus as leader, immediately through the opening of the Jordan, they entered the promised seats, having conquered their enemies. Just as the Lord Jesus, in the forty-second generation, coming in the flesh since the world dispelled the shadows of ancient blindness with Abraham believing, opened to us the gates of heaven through the washing of baptism. And we ourselves, through the perfected course of virtues, in which we wait with patience, hoping for what we do not see (Romans VIII), under the sacrament of the same number (as has been said), will arrive at the promised kingdoms of the heavenly homeland, joyfully crossing the river dried up by Christ as leader. And since by that same baptism which He began at thirty, He is about to cleanse the stains of the entire Church, the mystical connection of these numbers also reveals this. Because, evidently, the number thirty, computed with its equal parts, adds up to twelve, which is the number of patriarchs and apostles, and becomes forty-two. For its equal parts are: thirty one, one; fifteenth, two; tenth, three; sixth, five; fifth, six; third, ten; half, fifteen. Which, joined together, make forty-two. Where mystically (as we said) it is indicated that the entirety of the Church's perfection consists in the faith and grace of Christ, which was first recognized by the patriarchs and more widely proclaimed by the voice of the apostles. Nor is there any other name under heaven in which we must be saved (Acts IV), just as in forty-two there is no part that is not contained in the parts of the number thirty. Therefore, the number thirty, with its parts, completes forty-two, because the Lord, through the sacraments of His baptism, both presently fortifies the Church laboring temporally and, after the labors are finished, leads it to eternal rest.