And one of the rulers asked Him, "Good Teacher! What must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? no one is good but God alone; Thou knowest the commandments: Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, but thou shalt honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these things I have kept from my youth. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "There is one more thing that you lack: all that you have, sell and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me." And when he heard this, he was grieved, because he was very rich. This man, in the opinion of some, was some kind of evil cunning and sought to catch Jesus in words. But it is more probable that he was a lover of money, since Christ also rebuked him as such. And the Evangelist Mark says that someone ran up and fell on his knees, asked Jesus, and looking at him, Jesus loved him (Mark 10:17, 21). And so, this man was covetous. He comes to Jesus with a desire to learn about eternal life. Perhaps in this case, too, he was guided by a passion for acquisition. For no one desires a long life so much as a covetous man. So he thought that Jesus would show him the way by which he would live forever, own possessions, and thus enjoy. But when the Lord said that the means to attain eternal life is non-acquisitiveness, he, as if reproaching himself for the question and Jesus for the answer, departed. For he needed eternal life, because he had riches for many years. And when he has to renounce his possessions and live, apparently, in poverty, then what is his need of eternal life? - He comes to the Lord as simply a man and a teacher. Therefore, the Lord, in order to show that one should not come to Him as a mere man, said: "No one is good but God alone." Thou," he said, "called Me 'good,' to what else hast Thou added, 'teacher'? It seems that you take Me for one of many. If so, then I am not good: for among men no one is actually good; only God is good. Therefore, if you want to call Me good, call Me good as God, and do not come to Me as just a man. But if you consider Me to be one of the ordinary people, then do not call Me good. For God alone is truly good, the source of goodness and the beginning of self-goodness. And we people, if we are good, are not in ourselves, but by participation in His goodness, we have a kindness that is mixed and capable of bowing down to evil. - "Thou knowest the commandments: Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness," and so on. The law forbids first that into which we fall more conveniently, and then that into which few and infrequently fall: for example, adultery, because it is fire from the outside and from within, murder, because anger is a great beast; and stealing is less important, and it is not often possible to fall into perjury. Therefore the first crimes are forbidden beforehand, since we easily fall into them, although in other respects they are more grievous. And these, that is, theft and perjury, are placed by the Law in the second place, since they are not often committed and are less important. Following these transgressions, the Law set sin against the parents. For although this sin is grievous, it does not happen often, since it is not often and not many, but rarely and few such beast-like people as to dare to insult their parents. - When the young man said that he had kept all this from his youth, the Lord offered him the top of all, non-acquisitiveness. Look, the Laws prescribe a truly Christian way of life. "Whatever you have," he said, "sell it." For if anything remains, then you are the slave of it. And "distribute" not to rich relatives, but to "beggars". In my opinion, the word "distribute" also expresses the idea that it is necessary to squander one's possessions with reason, and not haphazardly. Inasmuch as a person must have all the other virtues in his non-acquisitiveness, the Lord said: "And follow Me," that is, in all other respects be My disciple, always follow Me, and not so that today you follow and tomorrow you will not. - As a covetous ruler, the Lord promised treasure in heaven, but he did not heed, for he was a slave to his treasures, and therefore he was grieved when he heard that the Lord inspired him with the deprivation of property, while for this purpose he desired eternal life, so that with a great abundance of wealth he would live forever. The sorrow of the ruler shows that he was a well-intentioned man, and not an evil cunning. For none of the Pharisees ever grieved, but rather they became hardened. It is not unknown to me that the great luminary of the universe, Chrysostom, accepted that this youth desired true eternal life and loved it, but was possessed by a strong passion, love of money, but the thought now proposed that he desired eternal life as a covetous man is not inappropriate.

Jesus, seeing that he was grieved, said, "How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into the kingdom of God! for it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. And they that heard these things said, Who then can be saved? But He said, "What is impossible for men is possible with God." And Peter said; behold, we have left everything and followed Thee. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, there is none that hath left house, or parents, or brothers, or sisters, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God, and hath received much more in this time, and in the age to come, eternal life. After the rich man, having heard about the renunciation of wealth, was grieved, the Lord explains in a miraculous likeness how difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God. He did not say that it was impossible for them (the rich) to enter, but it was difficult. For it is not impossible for such to be saved. By distributing wealth, they can receive heavenly blessings. But it is not easy to do the former, because wealth binds more tightly than glue, and it is difficult for him who has it to give it up. Below the Lord explains how this is impossible. It is more convenient, he says, for a camel to pass through coal ears than for a rich man to be saved. It is absolutely impossible for a camel to pass through the ears of a needle, whether you understand by a camel the animal itself, or some kind of thick rope of a ship. But if it is more convenient for a camel to fit into the eye of a needle than for a rich man to be saved, and the former is impossible, then it is even more impossible for a rich man to be saved. What should be said? First of all, it is really impossible for a rich person to be saved. Do not tell me, perhaps, that so-and-so, being rich, gave away what he had, and was saved. For he was saved, not in riches, but when he became poor, or saved as a steward, but not as a rich man. And the steward is one thing, the rich man is another. The rich man saves wealth for himself, and the steward is entrusted with wealth for others. Wherefore he to whom thou referral, if he was saved, he was saved, not by riches, but, as we have said, either by renouncing all that he had, or by disposing of his possessions well, as steward. Then note that it is impossible for the rich to be saved, but for the one who has wealth, it is difficult. The Lord seems to say this: whoever is possessed of wealth, who is in bondage and subjection to it, will not be saved; but whoever has wealth and holds it in his power, and is not himself under his power, it is difficult for him to be saved because of human weakness. For it is impossible not to abuse what we have. Since, as long as we have wealth, the devil tries to ensnare us, so that we use it contrary to the rules and the law of housekeeping, and it is difficult to escape his snares. Therefore, poverty is a good deed, and it is almost insophisticated. "And they that heard these things said, Who then can be saved? But He said; what is impossible for men is possible for God." Whoever has a human way of thinking, that is, is carried away by the things of the world and is addicted to earthly things, it is impossible for him, as it is said, to be saved, but for God it is possible; that is, when whoever has God as his counselor and takes God's justifications and commandments about poverty as his teacher, and calls upon Him for help, it will be possible for him to be saved. For our business is to desire good, and to do this work of God. And in other words: if we, having risen above all human cowardice regarding wealth, wish even to win friends for ourselves with unrighteous wealth, then we will be saved and will be escorted by them to eternal abodes. For it is better that we renounce everything, or if we do not renounce everything, at least make the poor partakers, and then the impossible will be made possible. Although it is impossible to be saved without renouncing everything, it is possible to be saved by God's love for mankind even if a few parts are devoted to real benefit. - At the same time, Peter asks: "Behold, we have left everything" and asks not only for himself, but for the consolation of all the poor. In order that not only the rich may have good hopes of receiving much, as those who have given up much, and the poor may not have hope, as those who have given up little and therefore deserve a small reward, for this reason Peter asks and hears in answer that both in the present and in the next age everyone will receive a reward, whoever despises his possessions for God's sake, even if they be small. Do not consider that it is small, but that this small thing contained in itself all the means of man's life, and that, as you hoped for many and great things, so he hoped to sustain his life with these few and little. Not to mention the fact that he who has little has a great attachment to it. This can be seen in the fathers. Having one child, they show greater affection for him than when they have more children. In the same way, the poor, having one house and one field, love them more than you love many. If it is not so, and both have equal affection, then renunciation is equally worthy. Therefore, even in the present age, they receive a much greater reward, just as these apostles themselves. For each of them, having left the hut, now has splendid churches, fields, parishes, many wives bound to them by fervor and faith, and in general everything else. And in the age to come they will receive not a multitude of such fields and bodily rewards, but eternal life.

And he called away his twelve disciples, and said unto them, Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all that is written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be fulfilled: for they shall deliver him up to the Gentiles, and shall mock him, and shall insult him, and spit upon him, and shall smite him, and kill him: and on the third day he shall rise again. But they did not understand any of this; These words were hidden to them, and they did not understand what was said. The Lord foretells His disciples about His sufferings for two purposes. First, to show that He will not be crucified against His will, nor as a mere man who does not know His death, but that He knows of it first, and will endure it voluntarily. For if He did not wish to suffer, He would have avoided it as a foreseeer. For against one's will to fall into the hands of others is characteristic of those who do not know about it in advance. Secondly, to persuade them to easily endure future circumstances, as previously known to them, and which did not happen to them suddenly. If, O Lord, in Thee the things foretold long ago by the prophets shall be fulfilled, why dost Thou ascend to Jerusalem? For the very purpose that I may accomplish salvation. So, He goes voluntarily. However, for this reason He spoke, and the disciples did not understand anything at that time. For these words were hidden to them, especially the words about the Resurrection. And they did not understand other words, for example, that they would deliver Him up to the Gentiles; but the words about the resurrection were absolutely not understood, because they were not in use. And not all the Judaizers even believed in a universal resurrection, as is seen in the Sadducees (Matt. 22:23). Perhaps you will say: if the disciples did not understand, then why did the Lord finally speak to them about this in advance? What is the use for their consolation during the sufferings of the Cross, when they did not understand what was said? For this, it was of no small benefit when they later remembered that exactly what they did not understand when the Lord predicted to them came to pass. This is evident from many things, especially from the words of John: "His disciples at first did not understand this; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that thus was written of Him" (John 12:16; 14:29). And the Comforter, reminding them of everything, gave them the most reliable testimony about Christ. And how the burial took place for three days is sufficiently said in the commentary on the other Evangelists (see Matt, ch. 12).

And when He came to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the wayside, begging alms, and when he heard that the people were passing by him, he asked, What is this? He was told that Jesus of Nazareth was coming. Then he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David! have mercy on me. Those who walked ahead silenced him; but he cried out even louder: Son of David! have mercy on me. Jesus stopped, and commanded him to be brought to him: and when he came to him, he asked him, "What do you want from me?" He said: Lord! so that I can see. Jesus said to him, "See! Your faith has saved you. And immediately he received his sight and followed Him, glorifying God; and all the people, seeing this, gave praise to God. During the journey, the Lord performs a miracle on the blind man, so that His passage would not be a teaching useless for us and for the disciples of Christ, so that we would be useful in everything, always and everywhere, and we would have nothing idle. The blind man believed that He (Jesus) was the expected Christ (for, probably, being brought up among the Jews, he knew that Christ was of the seed of David), and he cried out with a loud voice: "Son of David! have mercy on me." And with the words "have mercy on me" he expressed that he had some kind of divine concept of Him, and did not consider Him to be just a man. Perhaps consider the persistence of his confession, how, in spite of the fact that many hushed him, he did not remain silent, but shouted even louder; Therefore Jesus also calls him to Himself, as truly worthy to draw near to Him, and asks him, "What do you want from Me?" heals blindness. For envy can slander in such an insane way. Therefore the Lord asked, and when He revealed that he wished to see, He gave him insight. Look also at the lack of pride. "Thy faith," he says, "hath saved thee," because thou hast come to believe that I am the Christ of David, who is being preached, and hast expressed such fervor that thou hast not been silent, in spite of the prohibition. From this we learn that when we ask in faith, it does not happen that we ask for it, but the Lord gives us something else, but precisely the same. But if we ask this and receive something else, then it is a clear sign that we are not asking for good things and not with faith. "Ask," it is said, "and ye do not receive, because ye ask not for good" (James 4:3). Note also the authorities: "See." Which of the prophets healed in this way, that is, with such authority? Hence the voice that proceeded from the true Light (John 1:9) became a light for the sick. Notice also the gratitude of the healed one. For he followed Jesus, glorifying God and disposing others to glorify Him.

Chapter Nineteen

Then Jesus entered Jericho and passed through it. And behold, a man named Zacchaeus, the chief of the publicans, and a rich man, sought to see Jesus who he was, but could not follow the people, because he was small in stature, and running ahead, he climbed up on a fig tree to see him, because he had to pass by it. When Jesus came to this place, he looked at him and said to him, "Zacchaeus! come down quickly, for today I must be in your house. And he came down hastily and received Him with joy. And all, seeing this, began to murmur, and said that He had come to a sinful man; And Zacchaeus, standing up, said to the Lord, Lord! I will give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have wronged anyone in any way, I will repay fourfold. Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is the son of Abraham, for the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost." The Lord steals the strongest vessels from the devil and destroys his cities. For see how He not only made the publicans His disciples, but also the eldest among the publicans, Zacchaeus, into salvation. And that the publican is a low creature, and that the eldest among the publicans, as a ruler in malice, is even more vile, no one doubts. For the publicans acquire the means of subsistence only from the tears of the poor. However, this eldest among the publicans is not despised, but shows hospitality and receives salvation as a reward. For when he desired to see Jesus, and for this purpose he climbed up on a fig tree, the Lord saw him before he himself saw Him. Thus, God everywhere precedes us, as soon as He sees our readiness. When Jesus saw him, he commanded him to get down quickly, since he was to be in his house. Zacchaeus did not hesitate, for one should not shrink away when Christ commands something, but he took tears and received them with joy, although many murmured. Let us see what fruits it bears on the occasion of Christ's visitation. "Half of my possessions, O Lord," he says, "I will give to the poor." Do you see the hotness? He began to sow without mercy and gave away not something small, but everything that was in life. For even that which he withheld, he withheld in order to be able to give to the offended. By this he also teaches us that it is of no use if a man, having unrighteous riches, has mercy on others, and leaves those who are offended unattended. See how he acts in this case as well. If he has offended someone in any way, he returns four times, thereby compensating for the loss caused to the offended. For true mercy not only restores the loss, but also with an addition, according to the Law. For the Law compelled him who stole to pay four times (Exodus 22:1). Even if we examine it exactly, we will see that he has absolutely nothing left of his estate. For he gives half of his possessions to the poor, and he has only half left. Of this remaining half, he again returns four times to those whom he has offended. Therefore, if the life of this elder of tax collectors consisted of iniquities, and he returns four times for everything that he has gained through unrighteousness, then see how he has lost everything. In this respect he turns out to be a wise man above the Law, a disciple of the Gospel, since he loved his neighbor more than himself, and this is not only in the promise, but in reality. For he did not say, "I will give half, I will return fourfold," but, "Behold, I give," "I return." He knows Solomon's admonition: "Do not say, 'Go and come again, and tomorrow I will give' (Prov. 3, 28). - Christ preaches salvation to him. Now," he says, "you give, now you have salvation. For by the words "this house" undoubtedly indicates Zacchaeus, who receives salvation. By the house is meant Zacchaeus, because the Lord would not have called the soulless building the son of Abraham, but obviously called it the animate owner of the house. He called him "the son of Abraham," perhaps because he believed and was justified by faith, or perhaps because he generously despised wealth and loved the poor like this patriarch. Note: The Lord called Zacchaeus the son of Abraham now that He saw in him a similarity in his way of life. He did not say, "For this son of Abraham also was," but now "is." For formerly, being an elder of publicans and a tax collector, and having no resemblance to the righteous man, he was not his son. And since some murmured that the Lord went to the house of a sinful man, in order to stop their mouths, He says: "The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost." This is the literal meaning. "But it is convenient to explain it in another way, in favor of morality. Everyone who is older than many in wickedness is small in stature, for flesh and spirit are opposite to each other, and therefore cannot see Jesus behind the people; that is, confused by passions and worldly affairs, he cannot see Jesus acting, moving, and walking. For such a person does not feel any action befitting a Christian. And the walk of Jesus means that Christ is at work in us. Such a person, who has never seen Jesus walking and has not experienced any action befitting Christ, often comes to consciousness out of repentance and climbs the fig tree, that is, he despises and tramples on all pleasure and pleasantness, which are signified by the fig tree, and thus, having risen above himself and considering the ascent in the heart, he is seen by Jesus, and sees Him himself. Then the Lord said to him: "Come down quickly," that is, through repentance you have come to a higher life, but go down through humility, so that arrogance will not deceive you. Humble yourself quickly, for if you humble yourself, then I need to be in your house. "It is necessary for me," he says, "to be in the house of the humble. For "on whom will I look: on him who is humble and contrite in spirit, and on him who trembles at My word" (Isaiah 66:2). Such a person gives half of his possessions to the poor, that is, to demons. Our possessions are of two kinds, that is, bodily and mental. The righteous man yields all bodily things to demons, truly poor and devoid of all good, but he does not renounce spiritual possessions. As is known, the Lord also says of Job: "Only save his soul" (Job 2:6). If such a person has offended someone in any way, he pays four times. This hints that everyone who, through repentance, passes over to the path contrary to the former malice, heals all previous sins with the four virtues and thus receives salvation. He is called "the son of Abraham" because, like Abraham, he came out of his land and from the kinship of his former wickedness, dwelt outside his father's house, that is, outside himself, and denied himself (for he was the house of his father the devil (John 8:44), and thus, having become outside himself and alienated, he receives salvation.

And when they heard this, he added a parable: for he was near Jerusalem, and they thought that the kingdom of God was soon to be revealed. Therefore he said, "A certain man of high birth went to a far country, to obtain for himself a kingdom and to return; And he called ten of his servants, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, Use them until I return. But the citizens hated him and sent an embassy after him, saying, "We do not want him to reign over us." It seems to me that these people, hearing about the Kingdom of God, understood this feeling of God's alleged favor for the liberation of the Jewish people, and therefore they assumed that Jesus, ascending to Jerusalem, would accept this kingdom. But the Lord, in order to show them that they reason unreasonably, for His Kingdom is not sensual, and at the same time to express that He knows their thoughts as God, He tells a real parable, depicting Himself in the person of a man of high birth. For although He was made man, He did not depart from the height and nobility of the Godhead. Having performed the Mystery of the Economy in the flesh, he again went to a distant country, that is, in order to sit down with the flesh according to mankind "at the right hand of the throne of majesty in heaven" (Heb. 8:1). For as God He always sat with the Father, and as a man He sat down when He ascended, waiting until the enemies were laid under His feet (Heb. 10:12-13). And this will be at the end of the world, when all, even those who do not will, will submit to Him, believing that "the Lord Jesus Christ is to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:11). His "citizens" are the Jews, who hate Him. "And they saw," He says, "and hated Me and My Father" (John 15:24). They did not want Him to reign over them. Therefore, denying His kingdom, they said to Pilate: "We have no king," and again, "Do not write, King of the Jews" (John 19:15, 21). Yet Zechariah cries: "Rejoice with joy, O daughter of Zion: behold, thy King cometh unto thee, the righteous and the saver" (Zech. 9:9); and Isaiah: "Behold, the King shall reign in righteousness" (32:1); and David: "I have anointed My King over Zion" (Psalm 2:6). The Jews hated the Lord, and He gave His servants ten minutes. It is said that there are "ten" of them, because of the perfection of the church primacy. For the order in the Church has a perfect constitution of primates, and there was no need for them, neither more nor less. For example, we see in the Church the following three actions: purification, enlightenment, and accomplishment, the three degrees between which these actions are divided. Deacons purify by catechesis and teaching, presbyters enlighten by baptism, bishops ordain and perform sacred degrees, that is, ordain. Do you see that the degrees are commensurate with the actions, and the degrees of the primates are no more, no less? It is to these servants that the Lord distributes ten "minas," that is, gifts that are given to each for the benefit of each (1 Cor. 12:7). For everyone to whom the primacy has been entrusted, even if he is unworthy, has a gift from the anointing itself, and this is truly the great Mystery of God's love for mankind and the Economy of God.

And when he returned, having received the kingdom, he commanded to call to him the servants to whom he had given silver, in order to find out who had acquired what. The first came and said, "Lord! And he said to him, "Well done, good servant! because you have been faithful in small things, take over the government of ten cities. The second came and said, "Lord! thy mine brought five pounds, and said also to this one, And thou shalt be over five cities. A third came and said, "Lord! This is your mina, which I kept wrapped in a handkerchief, for I feared you, because you are a cruel man: you take what you did not put in, and reap what you did not sow. The lord said to him, "With your mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant!" Thou knowest that I am a cruel man, that I take what I did not lay in, and reap what I did not sow; Why did you not give my money into circulation, so that when I came I would receive it with profit? And he said to those who were standing by, "Take a pound from him, and give it to him who has ten pounds." he has ten minas: I tell you that to everyone who has it will be given, but from him who does not have it will be taken away even that which he has. And those of my enemies, who would not have me reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. Having said this, He went on, going up to Jerusalem. "When Christ, noble both in humanity (for the Lord came from a royal family) and in Divinity, returns at His second coming, when He appears with the Apostles as the King, coming in the glory of the Father, and when every knee bows before Him, then He will certainly demand an account from the servants who have received gifts. It is revealed that one benefited many and multiplied the gift tenfold; the other also benefited, but to a smaller number; and the third was decidedly of no use to anyone, but spent the time of his activity in idleness. Therefore he who has multiplied what he has received tenfold is placed over ten cities, that is, he receives power over ten cities, and consequently is rewarded many times over. The one who follows him receives a corresponding reward. And the one who did not bring any profit is condemned. Let us see what he says: "Sir! here is your mine," take it; "I kept it, wrapped in a handkerchief." A cloth was placed on the head of the Lord who had died (John 20:7), and the face of Lazarus in the tomb was bound with a handkerchief (John 11:44). Therefore this negligent man rightly says that he wrapped the gift in a handkerchief. For having made it dead and inactive, he made no use of it, and did not bring profit. "For I was afraid of thee," he says, "therefore what thou takest that thou hast not put in." Many respond with this pretext. Not wishing to be useful to anyone, they say: where God has not sown giftedness and ability, there do not seek the harvest. He did not create such and such a person gifted and capable of learning: what then should I demand of me the benefit of him? That is why the Lord also says: "Teach and give My money to the workers, that is, to all people appointed for profit." For every man has been appointed by God as a merchant in order to make turns in the great working world of this world. And "so that when I come, I would receive it with a profit," that is, I would demand it back with a profit. We must do our work, and God will judge those who do not want to take advantage of what follows. The gift is taken away and given to the good worker. Although he has, it is useful for him to get more for himself. "To him who has it shall be given," that is, he who has made rich means through good turnovers will be given more. For if he has increased a little tenfold, then, obviously, by increasing ten times more, he will bring still greater profit to the master. And from the negligent and lazy, and not trying to multiply what he has received, he will take it so that the master's possessions do not lie in vain, when they can be given to another and increased many times over. We understand this not only about the word and the teaching, but also about the moral virtues. For even in them God has given us gifts, to one fasting, to another almsgiving, to another meekness, to another humility. And if we watch, we will multiply these gifts; but if we are careless and die voluntarily, then later we will lay the blame on God, as we usually say: "What shall I do? if so-and-so is holy, it is because God is pleased with him, and he is holy; but it does not please me, and I am not holy; and that was Peter, another Paul. A mad man! The very mina (given to you) makes you Peter and Paul. Do according to your ability, and offer something to Him who gave it, if not as much as Peter and Paul did: for they have received a pound each, and you have received a pound. And then, not in the least moved to do good, you accuse God! Therefore, when we turn out to be unworthy of gifts, we are deprived of them. "And my enemies," he says, "those who would not have me reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me," that is, the Jews, whom he will give up to destruction, sending them into everlasting fire. Yes, the unfortunate ones here, that is, in this world, they were beaten by the Roman troops, and are still being preserved and will be kept for slaughter there.

And when he drew near to Bethpage and Bethany, to the mountain called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples, saying, "Go ye to the opposite village; when you enter it, you will find a young donkey tied up, on which no man has ever sat down; when you have untied him, bring him in; And if anyone asks you, Why do you loose it? say to him thus: the Lord has need of him. And when they were untying the colt, the owners said to them, "Why do you untie the colt?" They answered, "The Lord needs him." And they brought him to Jesus, and threw their garments over the colt of an ass, and put Jesus on it. And as He rode, they spread their garments along the way. And when He approached the descent from the Mount of Olives, all the multitude of disciples began in joy to praise God with a loud voice for all the miracles that they had seen, saying, "Blessed is the King who cometh in the name of the Lord!" Peace in heaven and glory in the highest! And certain Pharisees from among the people said to Him, "Teacher! rebuke Thy disciples. But he answered and said to them, "I tell you, if they are silent, the stones will cry out." The Lord sits on the colt for two purposes at one and the same time: first, to fulfill the prophecy that says: "Behold, thy King is coming, all upon the foal" (Zech. 9:9); and secondly, to let us know figuratively that He will subdue to Himself a new, uncleansed, and unbridled nation of the Gentiles. Judging by the distance of the journey, the Lord, without a doubt, did not need a foal. For, having walked all over Galilee and Judea, how did He have need of a colt on the way from Bethany to Jerusalem, where the distance, as everyone knows, is insignificant? So He does it, as I said, with a mysterious meaning. The colt was tied and had many owners, but the sent, that is, the "apostles", are untied. This has the following meaning: Bethany, according to the interpretation, means "house of obedience", and Bethpage means "house of jaws", a place befitting priests. For the priests were given jaws, as prescribed in the Law (Deuteronomy 18:3). The jaws denote the teacher's word, which is rubbed and refined by the spiritual jaws. Thus, where is the house of the teacher's word and obedience to this word, the disciples of the Lord are sent there and release people who are bound by sinful snares and many worldly cares, and from slaves of many masters and gods they make them worshippers of one Lord Jesus and one God the Father. And where there is no house of obedience, not a teacher's word is accepted, nothing of the kind happens, and the colt is not untied. There are "two" of those sent. This means that two orders, the prophets and the apostles, serve to bring the Gentiles to Christ and obey Him. A colt is brought from a certain "village" (village), so that we may know that the pagan people were in great simplicity and ignorance. For he never obeyed either the teaching of Moses or the prophetic, but he was an untrained colt. If, as another Evangelist said (Matt. 21:15), the children also cried out: "Hosanna to the Son of David," then they can also mean the same new people who, believing in Jesus, Who was manifested in the flesh of the seed of David, sent up glory to God, according to what is written: "The generation to come shall praise the Lord" (Psalm 101:19). The spreading of garments, it seems, means that those who are worthy to sing the praises of Jesus, putting off the old man, lay and subject him to Jesus, so that when he steps on him, He sanctifies him, and so that the flesh does not rebel against the spirit, so that they themselves can say: "Submit to the Lord, and trust in Him" (Psalm 36:7). - Saying that the whole multitude of the disciples praised God, Luke calls "disciples" all the followers of Jesus in general, not only twelve and not seventy, but all the people who, either in need of miracles, or at times carried away by teaching, followed Jesus. Naturally, children were also noticed, as the other Evangelists report (Matt. 21:15). Moved by God, children confess Jesus as King coming "in the name of the Lord," that is, God, and say, "peace in heaven." Otherwise: the former enmity that we had with God has ceased. For there was no King-God on earth. And now, when God is coming on earth, there is truly peace in heaven, and therefore "glory in the highest," since the angels also glorify the unanimity and reconciliation that the King and God who rides on an ass have granted us. For the very fact that the true God appears on earth and walks in our country, the land of His enemies, shows that there is reconciliation between Him and us. - The Pharisees murmured that the people called Jesus King and praised Him as God; for (in their opinion) the solemn assumption of the name of King to Him was a sign of indignation and blasphemy against the Lord. But Jesus said, "If they be silent, the stones will cry out." Or: People do not say this to please Me, but pronounce this doxology because they are persuaded to do so, and impelled by all the signs and powers which they have seen.

And when he drew near to the city, he looked at it, and wept over it, and said, Oh, that thou also wouldst know in this thy day that it is for thy peace. But these things are now hidden from thy eyes, for the days shall come upon thee, when thy enemies shall entrench thee, and surround thee, and press thee on every side, and destroy thee, and slay thy children in thee, and shall not leave in thee one stone upon another, because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation. The Lord, as a lover of mankind, weeps for the city; for He did not wish the destruction of its inhabitants because of the audacious act against Him. Thus, by weeping, He reveals a compassionate heart. And that He pitied them, not only before the crucifixion, but also after the crucifixion, longed for their conversion, is evident from the fact that He delivered them up to the Romans after so many years, for thirty-five years had passed. Surely He delayed punishment in no other way than by a strong desire for their conversion. Thus He weeps over the insensibility of Jerusalem, and says, "Oh, that thou also, in this day of thee, may know that which is for thy peace." That is, O that thou wouldst know at least now that which is for thy benefit and leads to peace and tranquillity, namely, that it is necessary to believe in Me and to depart from evil designs against Me! And now it is hidden from your eyes that unbearable calamities will come upon you because of your rejection of Me, and that you will suffer this and that because you did not understand the time of your "visitation," that is, My appearance, when I came to visit you and save you. Therefore it was for you to know what was for your welfare, that is, to believe in me, and you would be safe from the Romans and free from all damage. For all those who believed in Christ remained free from captivity, so that if all had believed, no one would have fallen into captivity. And having entered into the temple, he began to drive out those who were selling in it and those who were buying, saying to them, It is written, My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves. And he taught every day in church. And the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, sought to destroy him, and found not what to do with him; for all the people listened unceasingly to Him.

Chapter Twenty

And they answered: we do not know from where. Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things." The Lord, who entered Jerusalem with glory, in proof of His authority does what He cleanses His Father's house from merchants. He did this also at the beginning of the sermon, as the Evangelist John says (2:13-18). And now he is doing the same thing again, for the second time. This serves to accuse the Jews more that they were not chaste from His first open admonition, but continued to trade in the temple and called Him an adversary of God, while He reveres the Father and God to such an extent that He cleanses His house from merchants. In rebuke of them, He also cites the words of Isaiah: "My house shall be called a house of prayer" (56:7). And they madly ask Him, "By what authority dost Thou do this?" Yet they could understand that since He quoted the words of the prophet as a testimony that the house of God is a house of prayer, and not a marketplace and a den of thieves (for covetousness and hucksterism are proper to robbers), what need is there at least to ask Him by what authority He does this, when it can be directly concluded? why does God command thus through the prophet? And they ask, "By what authority do you do this?" The law, they say, has given the government of the temple to those who are descended from Levi: how then do you, who are not descended from the tribe of Levi, do this and steal the sacred rights? But, O Jews, remember the words of David: "Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek" (Psalm 109:4). Melchizedek is called a priest. And Melchizedek was not a priest either by the Law, or by descent from the tribe of Levi. For what is to be done, when he was so many years before Levi? Then, why do you demand of Christ the order of the law? God is not subject to laws. When necessary, He commanded that the priests should be from the tribe of Levi, and now He is abolishing that law and pre-selecting the Melchizedek priesthood. For this reason, He also drives out those who sell sacrificial animals, such as sheep and doves, on the one hand, in order to preserve the splendor and decency of the temple, and on the other hand, in order to show that one should no longer believe in the propitiation of God with animal sacrifices. Thus, it was easy for the Lord to answer them, "Thus it is said," and to say that so commands the prophet, or rather, God. However, in order to convict them of their constant resistance to the Holy Spirit and of the fact that they did not want to believe not only in the ancient prophet Isaiah, perhaps even forgotten, but also in the recently appeared, almost immaterial and bodiless John, for this purpose, in response to their question, for his part, he gives them a real question, worthy of wonder. With this question He stops their mouths, and shows us that if they did not believe such a prophet as John, who in their opinion was greater than Him, when he testified about Him, then how would they have believed His answer to the authority by which He does this? For whatever He said, they could at least interpret it and ridicule it, just as they despised the words of John, who was with them in great glory.

And he began to speak this parable to the people: "A certain man planted a vineyard, and gave it to the tenants, and went away a long time; and in due time he sent a servant to the tenants to give him fruit from the vineyard; but the tenants, having nailed him, sent him away empty-handed. And he sent another servant; but they killed him and cursed him, and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent a third; but they wounded him and drove him out. Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps, when they see him, they will be ashamed. But when the tenants saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, "This is the heir; Come, let us kill him, and his inheritance shall be ours. And they brought him out of the vineyard and killed him. What will the lord of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants, and give the vineyard to others. This parable is brief, but it teaches us many great things, namely, that God had and proved a special providence for the Jews, that they have long been inclined to murder, that there is one God of the Old and New Testaments, that the Gentiles will be brought in, and the Jews rejected. The vineyard is the very church of the Jews, the husbandmen, the scribes and the Pharisees, these foremost people and the stewards of the people. Or: each in himself is a vineyard and a husbandman, for each of us cultivates himself. The lover of mankind, having given this vineyard to the laborers, "departed," that is, left them to act according to their own will. He sends various "slaves," that is, prophets, in order to have at least a small profit; for he desired, it is said, "fruits," and not all the fruits. What fruit does God have from us, if not His knowledge? And it is our gain; yet He makes our salvation and our benefit His own. Evil workers offended those who were sent, beat them, and sent them away empty-handed, that is, they came to such ingratitude that they not only turned away from good and did not give any good fruit, but also committed evil, which deserves a greater punishment. After the prophets have suffered such a terrible evil, the Son is sent. "Perhaps," he says, "they will be ashamed" of My Son. He says "they will be ashamed" not because he does not know the future, namely, that they will do much worse to Him than to the prophets, but because it had to be so, namely, that they should have been ashamed of Him. But if they were so shameless that they killed Him, then this serves to accuse them more, because even after God had said that it was good to be ashamed of the Son, they put down a contrary sentence. Such a figure of speech is found in many places of Scripture, for example: "Perhaps they will hear" (Jeremiah 26:3); "Will they hear" (Ezekiel 2:5; 3:11)? In these passages God does not speak in this way out of ignorance of the future, but uses such a way of expression, so that no one should say that God's foreknowledge was the necessary cause of disobedience. They "killed" the Son, "bringing him out of the vineyard." It is convenient to say: get out of Jerusalem; for Christ suffered "outside the gates" (Heb. 13:12). But since above we understood the people by the vineyard, and not Jerusalem, it is almost closer to the point to say that the people, although they killed Him, did not inflict death on Him with their own hands, but by handing Him over to Pilate and the Gentiles. Thus, the Lord suffered outside the vineyard, that is, not at the hands of the people, for He was not allowed to kill anyone, so He died at the hands of the soldiers. Some understood the vineyard to be the Scriptures. Thus, the Lord suffered outside the Scriptures, that is, He was killed by those who did not believe Moses. For if they had believed Moses and turned in the Scriptures, examining them, they would not have killed the Lord of the Scriptures. - Having said this, he adds the sentence that he has to pronounce on them, namely, that he will "give the vineyard to others," that is, to others he will give that grace to be called My people. See, those who say that the vineyard signifies the Scriptures seem to guess the meaning more closely, as it appears from this. For the Scriptures taken from the Jews have been handed down to us. And some bold people will perhaps say that the vineyard is all that is spiritual, whether it is contained in the Scriptures and the laws, or in the deeds and histories, of which the Jews have lost everything, and we enjoy it.

And those who heard it said, Let it not be! But he looked at them, and said, What is the meaning of this writing, that the stone which the builders rejected became the head of the corner? Whoever falls on that stone will be broken, and whoever it falls on will be crushed. And at that time the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on Him, but they were afraid of the people, for they understood that He had spoken this parable about them. As you hear, the Evangelist Luke says that the Lord said these words: "The lord of the vineyard will destroy the ungrateful tenants and give the vineyard to others," and that the Pharisees, hearing this, said: "Let it not be!" And the Evangelist Matthew says differently, namely: the Lord asked, what will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants? And the Jews answered and said, "He will put the evildoers to death, and give the vineyard to others" (Matt. 21). Isn't this a contradiction? Far from it. For it is probable that both things happened: first they themselves pronounced the sentence, as the Evangelist Matthew relates; and then, guessing to whom the parable referred, namely, that it was said to them, they again said what the Evangelist Luke now relates, namely: "Let it not be!" What about Christ? He also cites another testimony from the Psalms of David (117:22), calling Himself a stone, and the teachers themselves building, just as the prophet Ezekiel says: "And when he builds a wall, they smear it with mud" (Ezekiel 13:10), that is, speaking to please and cover up the shortcomings of the people, and therefore, as it were, anointing with mud the damage to the people, as if it were some wall. How did they "reject" this stone? When they said: "This man is not of God" (John 9:16). - The Lord speaks here of a twofold perdition. One is the destruction of their souls, which they suffered because they were offended. For everyone who falls on this stone will be broken. The other is destruction from captivity, which this stone brought upon them because of its humiliation from them. For whomsoever it is said to fall, it will crush him. The Jews are crushed and scattered like chaff from one threshing floor - Palestine - to the whole world. Notice, then, that first they fell on this stone, that is, they were offended, and then the stone fell on them and punished them. For first I commit sin, and then a righteous punishment from God befalls me. But the Jews rejected this stone. And he was so good and chosen that he was placed at the head of the corner, and put together and joined two walls, that is, the old and the new. Though they ought to have listened to Isaiah, saying, "Honour him holy, and he is your fear, and he is your trembling. And He shall be a sanctification, and a stumbling block, and a rock of offense" (Isaiah 8:13-14). But even then, when they understood that the Lord was speaking this parable against them, they plotted against Him and would have laid hands on Him, if they had not been afraid of the people. And the Law says: "Thou shalt not put to death the innocent and the righteous" (Exodus 23:7); but they do not listen to Him, but fear the wrath of men, and, avoiding the visible laying on of hands, they set other snares against Him.