Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew 1.8–2.5

You know the affairs of this life exactly, both the new and the old and the ancient, and you can count the rulers under whom you served in time past, … and the presidents of the games, and the prize-winners, and the generals, things that make no difference to you. But who has been ruler in this city, whether first or second or third, or for how long each one, and what he achieved and did, you never imagined even in a dream. And the laws laid down in this city you cannot bear even to hear and attend to when others speak of them. How then, tell me, do you expect to obtain the good things promised, when you do not even attend to what is said? But if not before, let us do this now at least. For we are about to enter, if God permits, a city of gold, more precious than any gold. Let us learn, then, its foundations, its gates made of sapphire and pearls; for we have in Matthew an excellent guide. For through his gate we are now entering, and we need much zeal. For if he sees anyone not attending, he casts him out of the city. For the city is most royal and splendid; not like the cities among us, divided into a marketplace and palaces, but everything there is palace. Let us throw open, then, the gates of our mind, let us open our ears, and as we are about to step upon the threshold with much trembling, let us worship the King who is in it. For at once the first sight can strike the beholder with awe. For now the gates are shut to us; but when we see them thrown open (for that is the solution of the questions), then we shall see much lightning within. For guided by the eyes of the Spirit, this tax collector promises to show you everything: where the King sits, and which of his armies stand beside him; where the angels are and where the archangels; what place has been set apart for the new citizens in this city, and what road leads there; what lot those received who first lived as citizens there, and those after them, and those after these; how many orders there are of those peoples, how many of the council, and how many distinctions of rank. Let us not, then, enter with noise and confusion, but with mystical silence. For if in a theater, when there is much silence, the letters of the emperor are then read, much more in this city ought all to be composed, and to stand with souls and ears erect. For it is not the letters of some earthly ruler, but of the Lord of the angels, that are about to be read. If we so order ourselves, the grace of the Spirit itself will guide us with great exactness, and we shall come to the very royal throne and obtain all good things, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always and to the ages of ages. Amen.

“The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

Do you remember the charge we gave you the other day, urging you to listen to everything said with complete silence and mystical stillness? For today we are about to step upon the sacred threshold; that is why I have reminded you of the charge. For if the Jews, when they were about to approach a mountain that burned, and fire, and gloom, and darkness, and storm, or rather not even to approach but to see and hear these things from afar, were ordered for three days beforehand to abstain from their wives and to wash their garments, and were in trembling and fear, both they and Moses with them, much more ought we, who are about to hear such words, and not to stand far from a smoking mountain but to enter heaven itself, to show a greater philosophy: not washing garments, but cleansing the robe of the soul and freeing ourselves from all mixture with worldly things. For you will see no gloom, nor smoke, nor storm, but the King himself seated on the throne of that unspeakable glory, angels and archangels standing beside him, and the peoples of the saints with those countless myriads. For such is the city of God, having the church of the firstborn, the spirits of the righteous, the festal gathering of the angels, the blood of sprinkling, by which all things were joined together, and heaven received the things of earth, and earth the things of heaven, and the peace long desired by angels and saints has come. In it stands the bright and glorious trophy of the cross, the spoils of Christ, the first fruits of our nature, the booty of our King; all these we shall learn exactly from the Gospels. If you follow with fitting quietness, we shall be able to lead you around everywhere and show you where death lies impaled, where sin hangs, where the many and marvelous offerings from this war and this battle are. You will see the tyrant bound here, and the multitude of captives following, and the citadel from which that foul demon overran everything in time past. You will see the robber's lairs and caves, broken open now and laid bare; for the King came even there. But do not grow weary, beloved. For if someone were describing a war of this world, with trophies and victories, you would not have had your fill; you would not have put food or drink before that story. And if that narrative is desirable, much more this one. For consider how great a thing it is to hear how God arose from heaven and from the royal thrones and leapt down to earth and to Hades itself, and stood in the battle line; and how the devil set himself in array against him, or rather not against God unveiled, but against God hidden in human nature. And what is truly wonderful, you will see death undone by death, and curse wiped out by curse, and the devil's tyranny destroyed by the very means through which he had prevailed. Let us rouse ourselves, then, and not sleep; for see, I see the gates opening for us. But let us enter with all good order and trembling, stepping at once upon the threshold itself.

What is this threshold? “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” What are you saying? You promised to speak of the only-begotten Son of God, and you mention David, a man born after countless generations, and say that he is both his father and his ancestor? Wait, and do not seek to learn everything at once, but gently and little by little. For you are still standing at the threshold, by the very gateway; why then do you hurry to the inner sanctuary? You have not yet looked well at everything outside. For I am not yet telling you of that generation; or rather, not even of the later one, for it is beyond speaking and beyond telling. The prophet Isaiah said this to you before me; for when he proclaimed his passion and his great care for the world, and was amazed at who he was and what he became and where he came down, he cried out loud and clear, saying: “Who shall declare his generation?”

Our discourse now, then, is not about that generation, but about this one below, which took place on earth, with countless witnesses. And this one too we shall describe as far as is possible for us to speak, having received the grace of the Spirit. For not even this can be set forth with complete clarity, since it too is most awesome. Do not think, then, that you are hearing small things when you hear of this birth; but raise up your mind and tremble at once on hearing that God came to earth. For this was so wonderful and unexpected that the angels formed a choir over it and offered praise on behalf of the world, and the prophets long before were amazed at this, that he “was seen on earth and lived among men.” For it is truly astonishing to hear that God, the unspeakable, the inexpressible, the incomprehensible, the equal of the Father, came through a virgin's womb, consented to be born of a woman, and to have David and Abraham as forebears. And why do I say David and Abraham? What is more awesome still, those women whom we mentioned just now. When you hear these things, rise up and suspect nothing lowly; but for this very reason above all marvel, that being Son of the God who has no beginning, and genuine Son, he consented to be called also son of David, to make you a son of God; he consented to have a slave as his father, to make the Master a father to you, the slave.

Do you see at once from the opening what the Gospels are like? If you doubt about what concerns you, believe it from what concerns him. For it is much harder, as far as human reasoning goes, for God to become man than for man to be called a son of God. When, then, you hear that the Son of God is son of David and of Abraham, no longer doubt that you too, the son of Adam, will be a son of God. For he would not have humbled himself so far idly and to no purpose, if he were not going to exalt us. He was born according to the flesh, that you might be born according to the Spirit; he was born of a woman, that you might cease to be only a woman's son. That is why the birth was twofold, both like ours and surpassing ours. For to be born of a woman was common with us; but to be born “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,” or of man, but of the Holy Spirit, proclaimed beforehand the birth that surpasses us and is to come, which he was going to give us from the Spirit. And all the rest was of the same kind. For the washing too was such: it had something of the old and something of the new. To be baptized by the prophet showed the old; the descent of the Spirit sketched the new. And as someone standing in the space between two parties set apart from each other, stretching out both hands and taking hold on either side, would join them, so he too did, joining the old covenant to the new, the divine nature to the human, his things to ours.

Do you see the lightning of the city, with what brightness it has shone on you from the opening? How at once it has shown you the King in your own form, as though in a camp? For there too the king does not always appear with his own dignity, but often lays aside the purple and the diadem and puts on the dress of a soldier. But there he does so lest, being recognized, he draw the enemy upon himself; here it is the opposite, lest, being recognized, he cause the enemy to flee from the encounter with him, and throw all his own into confusion; for he was eager to save, not to terrify. That is why at once he called him by this name, calling him Jesus. For this name Jesus is not Greek, but in the language of the Hebrews he is so called, Jesus, which interpreted into the Greek tongue is Savior: Savior, from his saving his people.

Do you see how he has given the hearer wings, speaking in familiar terms and through them disclosing to us things beyond all hope? For both these names were well known among the Jews. Since what was to happen was marvelous, the types in the names also ran on ahead, so that all the disturbance of novelty might be removed beforehand. For Jesus is the name of the one who after Moses brought the people into the land of promise. You have seen the type: look at the reality. He brought them into the land of promise, this one into heaven and the good things in heaven; he after Moses died, this one after the law ceased; he as a leader of the people, this one as King. But lest, hearing “Jesus,” you be misled by the identity of name, he added, “of Jesus Christ, the son of David.” But the other was not of David, but of another tribe.

But why does he call it a book of the generation of Jesus Christ, although it does not contain only the birth, but the whole dispensation? Because this is the sum of the whole dispensation, and it becomes the beginning and root of all our good things. So as Moses calls it the book of heaven and earth, although he discoursed not only of heaven and earth but also of everything between, so this one too named the book from the sum of the achievements. For what is full of amazement and beyond all hope and expectation is that God became man; and once this has happened, all that follows comes in reason and sequence.

But why did he not say “son of Abraham” and then “son of David”? Not, as some think, because he wished to go from below upward; for then he would have done what Luke does; but as it is he does the opposite. Why then did he mention David? The man was on everyone's lips, both because of his fame and because of the time; for he had not died long before, as Abraham had. And although God made promises to both, the one, being old, was passed over in silence, while the other, being recent and new, was carried about by all. At least they themselves say: “Does not the Christ come from the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” And no one called him son of Abraham, but all called him son of David; for both because of the time, as I said already, and because of the kingship, this man was more in everyone's memory. So too all the kings whom they honored after him they called by his name, both they and God. For Ezekiel and other prophets also say that David will come to them and rise up, speaking not of the one who had died but of those who emulate his virtue. And to Hezekiah he says, “I will defend this city for my own sake and for the sake of David my servant.” And to Solomon he said that for David's sake he did not tear the kingdom apart in his lifetime. For great was the glory of the man, both with God and with men. That is why he makes his beginning at once from the better known, and then runs back to the father, thinking it superfluous, as far as the Jews were concerned, to carry the account higher. For these were the men most admired: the one as prophet and king, the other as patriarch and prophet.

“And how is it clear that he is of David?” someone says. “For if he was not born of a man but of a woman only, and the virgin's genealogy is not given, how shall we know that he was a descendant of David?” For there are two questions: why the mother's genealogy is not given, and why Joseph, who contributed nothing to the birth, is mentioned by them; for the one seems superfluous and the other lacking. Which, then, must we speak of first? How the virgin is of David. How then shall we know that she is of David? Hear God telling Gabriel to go to “a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house and family of David.” What then do you want plainer than this, when you hear that the virgin was of the house and family of David? From this

it is clear that Joseph too was from there. For there was a law that forbade marrying from elsewhere than from the same tribe. And the patriarch Jacob foretold that he would arise from the tribe of Judah, saying: “A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a leader from his loins, until he comes for whom it is laid up, and he is the expectation of the nations.” This prophecy shows that he came from the tribe of Judah; but that he was also of the family of David, it does not yet show. “Was there, then, in the tribe of Judah only one family, that of David? Were there not many others too? And it might happen that one was of Judah but not of the family of David.” But lest you say this, the evangelist removed this suspicion of yours by saying that he was of the house and family of David. And if you wish to learn this from elsewhere too, we shall not lack other proofs. For not only was it unlawful to marry from another tribe, but not even from another family, that is, kindred. So whether we apply “of the house and family of David” to the virgin, what was said stands; or to Joseph, this too is established through him. For if he was of the house and family of David, he would not have taken his wife from elsewhere than from where he himself was. “What then if he broke the law?” someone says. That is why he testified beforehand that Joseph was righteous, so that you would not say this, but, learning his virtue, would know also that he would not have broken the law. For he who was so humane and free from passion that, even when suspicion pressed him, he would not undertake to punish the virgin, how would he have broken the law for pleasure? He who showed a philosophy above the law (for to put her away, and to put her away secretly, belonged to one who showed a philosophy above the law), how would he have done anything against the law, and that when no cause compelled him?

That the virgin was of the family of David, then, is clear from this. But why he did not give her genealogy but Joseph's, we must say. Why then? It was not the custom among the Jews to give the genealogy of women. So that he might keep the custom and not seem to falsify it from the opening, and yet make the maiden known to us, he kept silent about her ancestors and gave Joseph's genealogy. For if he had done this for the virgin, he would have seemed to innovate; if he had kept silent about Joseph, we would not have known the virgin's ancestors. So that we might learn who Mary was and from where, and the rule of the laws might remain unshaken, he gave the genealogy of her betrothed and showed that he was of the house of David. For when this is proved, that too is proved with it, that the virgin was from there as well, because this righteous man, as I said before, would not have allowed himself to take a wife from elsewhere. There is also another, more mystical reason one could give why the virgin's ancestors were passed over in silence, which it is not timely to reveal now, because much has been said.

Therefore let us stop the discussion of the questions here, and for the present hold fast what has been revealed to us: why he mentioned David first; why he called the book a book of generation; why he said “of Jesus Christ”; how the birth is common and not common; from where Mary was shown to be of David; and why Joseph's genealogy was given while her ancestors were passed over. For if you keep these things, you will make us more eager for what is to come; but if you spit them out and cast them from your soul, we too shall be more reluctant about the rest. For no farmer would choose to tend land that has destroyed the earlier seed. So I urge you to turn these things over. For from caring about such things a great and saving good comes to the soul. For by attending to these things we shall be able to please God, and our mouths will be pure of insults, foul talk, and abuse, as they practice spiritual words; we shall be fearsome to demons, arming our tongue with such words; we shall draw God's grace more upon us, and it will make our eye more clear-sighted. For he set eyes and mouth and hearing in us for this reason, that all our members might serve him; that we might speak his words, do his works, sing him continual hymns, offer up thanksgivings, and by these cleanse our conscience. For as a body that enjoys pure air will be healthier, so a soul nourished on such studies will be more wise.

Do you not see that the eyes of the body too, when they spend time in smoke, are always weeping, but when in clear air, in a meadow, by springs and gardens, they become sharper and healthier? Such too is the eye of the soul. If it feeds in the meadow of spiritual oracles, it will be pure and clear and sharp-sighted; but if it goes off into the smoke of worldly affairs, it will weep and lament countless times, both now and then. For human affairs are like smoke. That is why someone said, “My days have failed like smoke.” But he was referring to their shortness and insubstantiality; I would say the words should be taken not only so, but also of their turmoil. For nothing so pains and clouds the eye of the soul as the crowd of worldly cares and the swarm of desires; for these are the fuel of this smoke. And as fire, when it takes hold of wet and soaked material, kindles much smoke, so this violent and fiery desire, when it takes hold of a soul that is wet and slack, itself produces much smoke. That is why there is need of the dew of the Spirit and of that breeze, to quench the fire, disperse the smoke, and give wings to our thought. For it is not possible, it is not possible, for one weighed down by so many evils to fly up to heaven; we must be content if, being lightly girded, we can cut through this road; or rather, not even so is it possible, unless we receive the wing of the Spirit. If then we need a light mind and spiritual grace to go up to that height, when we have none of these, but drag along everything contrary, a satanic weight, how shall we be able to fly up, dragged down by so great a weight? For if someone tried to weigh our words as on just scales, among ten thousand talents of worldly words he would scarcely find a hundred denarii of spiritual words, or rather not even ten obols. Is it not then a shame and the height of absurdity that, having a servant, we use him mostly for necessary things, but, possessing a mouth, we do not treat this member of ours even as we treat a servant, but on the contrary use it for useless and superfluous things? And would that it were only for superfluous things! But as it is, for things contrary and harmful, and of no use to us. For if what we uttered were useful to us, what was said would certainly be pleasing to God too. But as it is, whatever the devil suggests we utter: now laughing, now joking; now cursing and insulting, now swearing, lying, and perjuring; now grumbling, now babbling and chattering more than old women, bringing everything into the open that has nothing to do with us.

For which of you standing here, tell me, if asked, could recite a single psalm, or any other part of the divine Scriptures? There is no one. And this is not the only terrible thing, but that, while you are so slack toward spiritual things, toward satanic things you are hotter than fire. For if someone wished to examine you on devilish songs and lewd, effeminate melodies, he would find many who know them exactly and recite them with great pleasure. But what is the defense for these charges? “I am not one of the monks,” someone says, “but I have a wife and children and look after a household.” This is what has ruined everything, that you think the reading of the divine Scriptures belongs to them alone, when you need it much more than they. For those who move about in the midst of things and are wounded every day, these above all need remedies. So that, worse than not reading, is thinking the thing superfluous; for these are the words of a satanic training. Do you not hear Paul saying that “all these things were written for our admonition”? And you, if you must take up a Gospel book, would not choose to do it with unwashed hands; yet you do not think the things lying within are very necessary. That is why everything has been turned upside down. For if you wish to learn how great is the gain from the Scriptures, examine yourself: what you become when you hear psalms, and what when you hear a satanic song; how you are disposed while spending time in church, and how while sitting in the theater; and you will see how great the difference is between this soul and that, although it is one. That is why Paul said, “Bad company corrupts good morals.” That is why we need continual incantations from the Spirit. For this is the thing in which we surpass the irrational creatures, since in other respects we are even much inferior to them. This is the food of the soul, this its adornment, this its safety; just as not to hear is famine and ruin: “For I will give them,” he says, “not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord.” What then could be more wretched, when what God threatens by way of punishment, you of your own accord draw down as an evil upon your own head, bringing a cruel famine upon your soul and making it weaker than all? For by words the soul is naturally both corrupted and saved. For this leads it into anger, and this same thing calms it again; a shameful word kindles it to desire, and a word full of dignity leads it to chastity. And if a word, simply as such, has so much power, how is it, tell me, that you despise the Scriptures? For if an exhortation can do so much, much more when the exhortations are with the Spirit. For more than fire a word sounding from the divine Scriptures softens the hardened soul and makes it fit for all good things. So Paul too, taking the Corinthians when they were puffed up and inflamed, calmed them and made them more reasonable. For they were proud of the very things for which they should have been ashamed and have hidden their faces. But when they had received the letter, hear their change, to which the teacher himself bore witness, saying: “For this very thing, that you were grieved in a godly way, what earnestness it produced in you, what defense, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what vindication!” So we set servants, children, wives, and friends in order, and make enemies friends. So too the great men, the friends of God, became better. For David after his sin, when he had the benefit of words, then came to that most beautiful repentance; and the apostles too became what they became in this way, and drew the whole world to them.

“And what is the gain,” someone says, “when one hears and does not do what is said?” Not small will be the gain even from hearing. For he will condemn himself and groan, and will come at some time to doing what is said. But one who does not even know that he has sinned, when will he leave off offending? When will he condemn himself? Let us not, then, despise the hearing of the divine Scriptures. For this belongs to a satanic mind, which does not let us see the treasure, lest we gain the wealth. That is why it says that hearing the divine laws is nothing, so that it may not see the doing come to us from the hearing. Knowing, then, this wicked art of his, let us wall ourselves in on every side, so that, fenced with these weapons, we may ourselves remain impregnable and strike his head, and so, crowned with the bright tokens of victory, may obtain the good things to come, by the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might to the ages of ages. Amen.