Thomas Aquinas

Matthew, from Judea, etc. Jerome prefixes a prologue to the Gospel of Matthew, in which he does three things: first, he describes the author himself; second, he opens up the mysteries of the Gospel, at the place "presupposing two principles in the generation of Christ"; third, he shows his own intention, at the place "but for us, this was our concern in this study of the argument."

He describes the author himself, however, by four things: first from his name, when he says "Matthew"; second from his origin, when he says "from Judea"; third from the order of writing, at "as he is placed first in order"; fourth from his calling, at "whose calling to the Lord," that is, to Christ, etc. Concerning this, Matthew 9:9 and Luke 5:27. And note that the interlinear Gloss, which says: "first," that is, before whom none [wrote], etc., seems to want to say that others wrote in Judea after Matthew, which is not true: for Matthew alone wrote in Judea, Mark in Italy, Luke in Achaia, John in Asia.

Consequently he opens up the mysteries of the Gospel itself. And first he opens up the mysteries concerning the beginning of the Gospel; second he shows that these same mysteries are to be sought both in the middle and at the end, at "in which Gospel it is useful," etc.

Now at the beginning of the Gospel two things are touched upon. First something like a title is set down, when it says, "the book of the generation"; second a certain series of generation is described, when it says, "Abraham begot Isaac," etc. First, then, he sets down the mysteries of the title, or the things touched upon in the title; second, the mysteries of the generation, at "and thus by a group of fourteen."

Now in the title it is said, "the book of the generation of Jesus Christ"; where two principles are touched upon, namely David and Abraham. And this is because the precept concerning circumcision was given first to Abraham; Romans 4:11: "he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which is in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all who believe." David, however, was chosen by the Lord; 1 Kings 13:14: "I have found a man after my own heart." Hence on account of this these two are touched upon, so that it might be denoted that Christ drew his origin both from circumcised fathers and from the elect. And this is the meaning of "of two," of men, or of two principles, that is, there are two principles, namely David and Abraham.

Consequently he sets down the mysteries which are touched upon in the genealogy. And first he touches upon the mysteries of the Gospel itself, or of the Evangelist; second, those of Christ himself, at "of all which things," etc.

And it is a mystery that the Evangelist divided the genealogy of Christ into three groups of fourteen: of which the first is from Abraham to David; the second from David to the deportation; the third up to Christ; so that he might show Christ to be both of the circumcised, and of the elect, and of those deported. And this is the meaning of "set forth in threefold fashion," that is, repeated three times, above in the genealogy — "from the faith of believing," that is, from Abraham himself, who was the first exemplar of believing, "reaching forward to the time of election," that is, leading up to David himself, and "from the election," that is, from David himself, "directing to the day of the deportation"; and "from the day of the deportation defining up to Christ" — it is evident that the generation, "run through," that is, briefly and cursorily touched upon, shows the advent of the Lord, "satisfying both number and time." It is evident.

Of all which things, etc. Note that in this series of the generation four things are touched upon: time, number, order, and disposition or reckoning; for it says "from Abraham even to David," etc. All these things show nothing other than that Christ is God: for this is what is intended according to the disposition and allegorical reckoning, that Christ is God. "Which is necessary for faith," namely, that Christ is God — that is, in all these things there is nothing more required of the necessity of faith except that Christ is God.

"Who was made of a woman," etc. Note, and expound, and mark the chapters. "And he fixed all things to the cross," that is, sins, according as he took out of the midst the handwriting that was against us. Again, better: Christ according to God and man, who is all things, according to that saying, John 12:32, "if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to myself," and Philippians 2:10: "that at the name of the Lord every knee should bow, of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth." "Triumphing over them in himself," because through the trophy of the cross he subjected all things to himself, and triumphed over each and every one.

"And the name of the father, in the fathers, to the son." Now for the clarification of this it must be noted that in the series of the generation certain fathers and certain sons are set down, as is evident. Likewise there is set down there a certain father without a father, as Adam; a certain son without a son, as Jesus. Likewise there are set down some who are both fathers and sons, as all the intermediate ones. Now by this it is mystically designated that in the Trinity there is Father and Son, just as in this genealogy there are certain fathers, certain sons. Likewise, by the fact that the first father does not have a father in this series, nor the last son a son, it is shown that these are from eternity. Likewise, by the fact that one and the same person is father and son with respect to different persons, it is touched upon that these are one, not indeed in person, but in nature.

And this is what he says: "and restoring the name of father to the son, among the fathers" — that is, that the son should have a father; "among the fathers," that is, by the fact that certain fathers are set down there. And "restoring the name to the father," that is, that the father should have a son, and this "among the sons," that is, by the fact that certain sons without beginning and without end are set down there: because the first father does not have a father, nor the last son a son. "Showing himself to be one with the Father," that is, one in nature, because each is one in person, namely father and son, yet with respect to different persons, in the said genealogy. Note the interlinear Gloss which says: "one Christ"; which is a statement that amounts to nothing.

Consequently he shows that similar mysteries are to be sought in the said Gospel, not only at the beginning, but also in the middle and at the end: and this is the meaning of "in which Gospel," namely that of Matthew, "it is useful for those desiring God," thus, that is, in the same way as we have said, "to know the first things," that is, the beginning, or the middle things, or "the perfect things," the end, and the consummation; "as also the calling of the apostle," etc. It is written, Philippians 3:12: "but I follow after, if by any means I may attain."

But for us. Here he shows his own intention, namely that he intends that the things which are said here are true in their history, and yet are to be understood spiritually. "But for us this was" — that is, this was our intention — "in the pursuit of the argument," that is, of the prologue.