“The kingdom of heaven, in respect of Him who reigns there, is like a king; in respect of Him who shares the kingdom, it is like a king’s son; in respect of those things which are in the kingdom, it is like servants and guests, and among them the king’s armies. It is specified, A man that is a king, that what is spoken may be as by a man to men, and that a man may regulate men unwilling to be regulated by God. But the kingdom of heaven will then cease to be like a man, when zeal and contention and all other passions and sins having ceased, we shall cease to walk after men, and shall see Him as He is. For now we see Him not as He is, but as He has been made for us in our dispensation.”
“(Hom. lxix.) Forasmuch as He had said, And it shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof, He now proceeds to shew what nation that is.”
“That is, the whole sacrament of the human dispensation is completed and closed. But they which, were bidden, (Rom. 10:3.) that is, the Jews, were not worthy, because, ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. The Jewish nation then being rejected, the Gentile people were taken in to the marriage-feast; whence it follows, Go ye out into the crossings of the streets, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the wedding.”
2 The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king, who made a marriage for his son.3 And he sent his servants, to call them that were invited to the marriage; and they would not come.4 Again he sent other servants, saying: Tell them that were invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my beeves and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come ye to the marriage.5 But they neglected, and went their own ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise.6 And the rest laid hands on his servants, and having treated them contumeliously, put them to death.7 But when the king had heard of it, he was angry, and sending his armies, he destroyed those murderers, and burnt their city.8 Then he saith to his servants: The marriage indeed is ready; but they that were invited were not worthy.9 Go ye therefore into the highways; and as many as you shall find, call to the marriage.10 And his servants going forth into the ways, gathered together all that they found, both bad and good: and the marriage was filled with guests.11 And the king went in to see the guests: and he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment.12 And he saith to him: Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? But he was silent.13 Then the king said to the waiters: Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.14 For many are called, but few are chosen.15 Then the Pharisees going, consulted among themselves how to insnare him in his speech.
“From this place we learn by the Saviour’s example not to be allured by those things which have many voices for them, and thence seem famous, but to incline rather to those things which are spoken according to some method of reason. But we may also understand this place morally, that we ought to give some things to the body as a tribute to Cæsar, that is to say, necessaries. And such things as are congenial to our souls’ nature, that is, such things as lead to virtue, those we ought to offer to God. They then who without any moderation inculcate the law of God, and command us to have no care for the things required by the body, are the Pharisees, who forbad to give tribute to Cæsar, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created. (1 Tim. 4:3.) They, on the other hand, who allow too much indulgence to the body are the Herodians. But our Saviour would neither that virtue should be enfeebled by immoderate devotedness to the flesh; nor that our fleshly nature should be oppressed by our unremitting efforts after virtue. Or the prince of this world, that is, the Devil, is called Cæsar; and we cannot render to God the things that are God’s, unless we have first rendered to this prince all that is his, that is, have cast off all wickedness. This moreover let us learn from this place, that to those who tempt us we should neither be totally silent, nor yet answer openly, but with caution, to cut off all occasion from those who seek occasion in us, and teach without blame the things which may save those who are willing to be saved.”
“For if there remain with us nothing that is Cæsar’s, we shall not be bound by the condition of rendering to him the things that are his; but if we lean upon what is his, if we avail ourselves of the lawful protection of his power, we cannot complain of it as any wrong if we are required to render to Cæsar the things of Cæsar.”
“(Hom. lxx.) They send their disciples and Herod’s soldiers together, that whatever opinion the might give might be found fault with. Yet would they rather have had Him say somewhat against the Herodians; for being themselves afraid to lay hands on Him because of the populace, they sought to bring Him into danger through His liability to pay tribute.”
“Lately under Cæsar Augustus, Judæa, which was subject to the Romans, had been made tributary when the census was held of the whole world; and there was a great division among the people, some saying that tribute ought to be paid to the Romans in return for the security and quiet which their arms maintained for all. The Pharisees on the other hand, self-satisfied in their own righteousness, contended that the people of God who paid tithes and gave first-fruits, and did all the other things which are written in the Law, ought not to be subject to human laws. But Augustus had given the Jews as king, Herod, son of Antipater, a foreigner and proselyte; he was to exact the tribute, yet to be subject to the Roman dominion. The Pharisees therefore send their disciples with the Herodians, that is, with Herod’s soldiers, or those whom the Pharisees in mockery called Herodians, because they paid tribute to the Romans, and were not devoted to the worship of God.”
“(ord.) Who as unknown to Him, were more likely to ensnare Him, and so through them they might take Him, which they feared to do of themselves because of the populace.”
16 And they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying: Master, we know that thou art a true speaker, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou dost not regard the person of men.17 Tell us therefore what dost thou think, is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?18 But Jesus knowing their wickedness, said: Why do you tempt me, ye hypocrites?19 Shew me the coin of the tribute. And they offered him a penny.20 And Jesus saith to them: Whose image and inscription is this?21 They say to him: Caesar’s. Then he saith to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God, the things that are God’s.22 And hearing this they wondered, and leaving him, went their ways.23 That day there came to him the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection; and asked him,
“It had been enough to have cut off this opinion of the Sadducees of sensual enjoyment, that where the function ceased, the empty pleasure of the body accompanying it ceased also; but He adds, But are as the Angels of God in heaven.”
“The disciples of the Pharisees with the Herodians being thus confuted, the Sadducees next offer themselves, whereas the overthrow of those before them ought to have kept them back. But presumption is shameless, stubborn, and ready to attempt things impossible. So the Evangelist, wondering at their folly, expresses this, saying, The same day came to him the Sadducees.”
“These things which are spoken concerning the conditions of the resurrection He spoke in answer to their enquiry, but of the resurrection itself He replies aptly against their unbelief.”
“Not the Sadducees but the multitudes were astonished. This is daily done in the Church; when by Divine inspiration the adversaries of the Church are overcome, the multitude of the faithful rejoice.”
24 Saying: Master, Moses said: If a man die having no son, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up issue to his brother.25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first having married a wife, died; and not having issue, left his wife to his brother.26 In like manner the second, and the third, and so on to the seventh.27 And last of all the woman died also.28 At the resurrection therefore whose wife of the seven shall she be? for they all had her.29 And Jesus answering, said to them: You err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.30 For in the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married; but shall be as the angels of God in heaven.31 And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken by God, saying to you:32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.33 And the multitudes hearing it, were in admiration at his doctrine.34 But the Pharisees hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together:
“Jesus had put the Sadducees to silence, to shew that the tongue of falsehood is silenced by the brightness of truth. For as it belongs to the righteous man to be silent when it is good to be silent, and to speak when it is good to speak, and not to hold his) peace; so it belongs to every teacher of a the Not indeed to be silent, but to be silent as far as any good purpose is concerned.”
“Or otherwise; That the second command is like the first signifies that the obligation and merit of both are alike; for no love of God without Christ, or of Christ without God, can profit to salvation.
It follows, On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
“The Pharisees having been themselves already confuted (in the matter of the denarius), and now seeing their adversaries also overthrown, should have taken warning to attempt no further deceit against Him; but hate and jealousy are the parents of impudence.”
“For to these two commandments belongs the whole decalogue; the commandments of the first table to the love of God, those of the second to the love of our neighbour.”
“Or, with all thy heart, i. e. understanding; with all thy soul, i.e. thy will; with all thy mind, i.e. memory; so you shall think, will, remember nothing contrary to Him.”
35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, asking him, tempting him:36 Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?37 Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.38 This is the greatest and the first commandment.39 And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.40 On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.41 And the Pharisees being gathered together, Jesus asked them,
“(Hom. lxxi.) He first asked His disciples what others said of Christ, and then what they themselves said; but not so to these. For they would have said that He was a deceiver, and wicked. They thought that Christ was to be mere man, and therefore they say unto Him, The Son of David. To reprove this, He brings forward the Prophet, witnessing His dominion, proper Sonship, and His joint honour with His Father.”
“This passage is out of the 109th Psalm. Christ is therefore called David’s Lord, not in respect of His descent from him, but in respect of His eternal generation from the Father, wherein He was before His fleshly Father. And he calls Him Lord, not by a mere chance, nor of his own thought, but by the Holy Spirit.”
“That He says, Sit thou on my right hand, is not to be taken as though God had a body, and either a right hand or a left hand; but to sit on the right hand of God is to abide in the honour and equality of the Father’s majesty.”
42 Saying: What think you of Christ? whose son is he? They say to him: David’s.43 He saith to them: How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying:44 The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool?45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?46 And no man was able to answer him a word; neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.