31. However, according to Luke, he said 'the second first' instead of 'the first second' on the Sabbath, for it is written, 'the second first' in the sense that what excels should be preferred. It is called 'second' because it preceded the first according to the Law, in which the punishment was also prescribed (Exodus 31:14) for anyone who works. It is called 'first' because that Sabbath, which was the first, was abolished according to the Law, and this first was made which is established as second. For although it is permitted to work on the Sabbath, and there is no punishment for the one who works; the Sabbath is nevertheless from the Law which has been dissolved, and its name did not remain; but nevertheless it was first in order, this first in duty; and not therefore any less because it is second; for even Adam was first, and not to be compared with the second Adam: For the first Adam became a living soul, the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. . . . And the first man was of the earth, made of clay; the second man is from heaven, heavenly (I Cor. XV, 45 and 47). Indeed, the second is preferred over the first; for the former is the cause of death, while the latter is the cause of life. Thus, the second Sabbath is called as such; second according to number, first according to the grace of operation; for it is better to have a Sabbath with impunity than with prescribed punishment. The First Law, according to the Gospel; yet, fear is inferior to grace. Or perhaps, the first is here in the predestination of counsel, and the second in the sanction of decree.
32. (Verse 3.) But the Lord also demonstrates in the Law a type of the future in this place, and he rebukes the defenders of the Law for not knowing what the Law is, citing the example of David, when he and his companions were hungry, entering into the house of God and taking the bread of the Presence and eating it, and giving it to those who were with him (1 Samuel 21:1 et seq.). A great and truly prophetic example, by which solid usefulness is presented to us to be followed, not empty things of the Law. Then because David, fleeing with his companions from the face of King Saul, was prefigured here in the Law as Christ, who would hide as the ruler of the world with the apostles.
33. However, how did that observer of the Law and defender of the bread both eat and give to those who were with him, whom it was not permitted to eat except only for the priests, unless he was showing through that figure that the priestly food would come into use for the people? Whether because we all must imitate the priestly life: or because all the children of the Church are priests; for we are anointed into the holy priesthood, offering ourselves as spiritual sacrifices to God.
Therefore, I have already read that the teachings of Christ overflow, not abolishing the Law, but fulfilling it, for he does not abolish the Sabbath. For if the Sabbath was made for the sake of humanity, and the well-being of humanity required that a hungry person who had been deprived of the fruits of the earth for a long time should avoid fasting for an old hunger, then certainly the Law is not abolished, but fulfilled. Therefore, how is it that the Lord is accused of a crime for which a servant is not held responsible?
35. But what is more evident in this story, which runs throughout? David entered the house of Achimelech the priest: but not with the intention of danger of death, he refuses the host, nor does the holy soul of the priest avoid the exile (I Reg. XXI, 1). Such is the grace of hospitality, that we willingly transfer foreign dangers onto ourselves.
36. But this in moral history, in the mystery of prophecy, is true, that priests excluded David, who was truly religious in the hospitality of his mind, from the destiny of future death. And not only is Christ taught to find the hospitality in the house of every prophet, but also, in a figure, to take the spoils and weapons of spiritual wickedness; for he who receives Christ as a guest disarms the formidable Goliath with his own weapons.
37. What is clearer than this, that in the house of Achimelech David asks for five loaves of bread, and takes one (cf. 1 Samuel 21:3-6): indicating by this type that now not five books, but the body of Christ, is prepared as food for the faithful; so that Christ might assume a body, lest any of the faithful should hunger? Nor is Doeg the figure lacking, who was the keeper of the mules (cf. 1 Samuel 21:7); because no one else except the keeper of an unfruitful flock of Judah could fulfill the type of a betrayer.
Now that which Saul persecuted Achimelech's entire household, except for Abiathar the high priest, when he sought David's reception (1 Samuel 22:20), shows us by prophecy that no one can harm the true high priest, who is Christ alone.
39. (Verse 7.) From here the Lord Jesus goes on to other things. For he who had determined to save the whole man, ran through each member, so that he might truly say: You are angry with me, who have made the whole man sound on the Sabbath. (John 7:23). Therefore, in this place, that hand which Adam stretched out, and plucked the forbidden fruit from the tree (Genesis 3:6), was irrigated with the juices of good deeds, so that what had withered because of sin might be healed by good works. In which Christ rebukes the Jews who violated the precepts of the Law with evil interpretations, thinking that even good works should be avoided on the Sabbath, when the Law prefigured the form of things to come: in which surely the Sabbath will be a rest for evil deeds, not good ones. For although worldly works may rest, it is not idle to rest in the praise of good works for God.
40. (Verse 10.) So you have heard the words of the Lord saying: 'Extend your hand.' This is a common and general medicine. And you, who think that you have a healthy hand, beware of greed, beware of sacrilege. Extend it frequently, extend it to that poor person who pleads to you: extend it to help your neighbor, to provide assistance to widows, to rescue those who suffer from unjust injury that you see. Extend it to God for your sins. In this way the hand is extended, in this way it is healed. Just as Jeroboam's hand contracted when he sacrificed to idols, and again when he prayed to God, it extended (3 Kings 13:4 and 6).
(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12) And it came to pass in those days, he went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in the prayers of God.
Not everyone who prays, ascends the mountain (for there is a prayer that leads to sin), but rather the one who prays well, progressing from earthly things to higher things, ascends the top of the court. But the one who is preoccupied with the riches of the world or with honor does not ascend the mountain: the one who desires the rights of another's property does not ascend the mountain. He ascends who seeks God, he ascends who asks for the help of the Lord in his journey. All the great, all the sublime, ascend the mountain; for not to everyone does the prophet say: Ascend to the high mountain, you who proclaim Zion: lift up your voice with strength, you who proclaim Jerusalem (Isaiah XL, 9). You shall ascend this mountain not with many physical steps, but with higher deeds. Follow Christ, so that you yourself may become a mountain: For mountains surround it (Psalm CXXIV, 2). Search in the Gospel, you will find only the disciples ascending the mountain with the Lord.
42. Therefore the Lord prays not so that he may be obeyed, but so that he may obtain for me; for even though the Father has put everything in the power of the Son, nevertheless the Son thinks that he should pray to the Father for us, in order to fill the form of a human being; because he is our advocate. Do not open your ears to deceitful thoughts, so that you may think that the Son prays as if he were weak, so that he may obtain that which he cannot fulfill as the author of power. The master of obedience teaches us by the example of his precepts. We have an Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1). If He is an Advocate, He must intercede for my sins. Therefore, He pleads not as weak, but as pious. Do you want to know that He can do everything He wants? He is both an Advocate and a Judge. In the former, He carries out the duty of mercy, in the latter, the authority of power.
43. And he was, he says, spending the night in prayer to God. A vision is given to you, a form is prescribed that you should strive to imitate. For what should you do for your own salvation, when Christ spends the night in prayer for you? What is it fitting for you to do, when you want to undertake some duty of piety; when Christ, who is going to send the apostles, first prayed, and prayed alone? And nowhere else, if I am not mistaken, is he found to have prayed with the apostles: everywhere he pleads alone. For the plans of God do not embrace human desires, nor can anyone share in Christ's inner thoughts. Do you want to know if he prayed for me, not for himself?
(Vers. 13.)
(Ver. 13.) He called, he said, his disciples, and he chose twelve of them:
44. Those whom He destined as sowers of the faith to propagate the aid of salvation throughout the world, He chose not any wise men, not any rich men, not any noble men, but fishermen and tax collectors, whom He directed; lest it appear that He drew anyone to His grace by human wisdom, by riches, or by the authority of power and nobility, so that the reason for truth might prevail, not for the sake of dispute.
45. (Verse 16.) Therefore, Judas was chosen not out of imprudence, but out of providence. How great is the truth, which not even the adversary's minister can weaken! How great is the morality of the Lord, who preferred his judgment to be in danger among us rather than his affection! For he had taken on the frailty of man, and therefore he did not refuse these parts of human weakness. He wanted to be deserted, he wanted to be betrayed, he wanted to be handed over by his apostle, so that you, deserted by your partner, betrayed by your partner, may moderately bear your judgment of having erred, and your kindness being lost.
(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17) And he went down, he said, with them, and stood in a level place.
46. Pay attention to everything carefully, how both with the apostles he goes up and comes down to the crowds. For how can the crowd see Christ unless he is humble? He does not go up to lofty places, he does not ascend to the heights. Finally, where he comes down, he finds the weak; for the weak cannot be in high places. Likewise, Matthew also teaches (Matthew 8:1) that the sick are healed in lower places; for each one is healed first, so that gradually, as virtues advance, he could ascend the mountain. And therefore it heals each individual in lower things, that is, it calls back from desire, it averts the harm of blindness. It descends to our wounds, so that by some kind of use and abundance of itself, it makes us capable of heavenly nature. And indeed it healed these, but it left them in lower things.
But seeing the crowds, as you have read, he went up the mountain. And when he had sat down, his disciples came to him (Matt. 5:1). For he was about to proclaim the good news and ready to dispense the blessings from the treasury of divinity, he begins to become more sublime. And although he stood in humility here, he still lifted his eyes high. For even when he raised Lazarus, he groaned in spirit (John 11:33); and likewise he lifted up his head when he forgave the sins of the adulterous woman (John 8:10). For what is it to lift up the eyes, except to open the inner light?
48. Finally, the holy Matthew says: 'He opened his mouth' (Matt. 5:2), namely, he revealed the treasures of wisdom and knowledge of God, hidden in the innermost sanctuary of his temple. He opened his mouth: therefore you too open your mouth, but first implore that it be opened. For if Paul implores help in the opening of his mouth, much more is it fitting for you to implore. He also shows you the key of knowledge, by which you ought to open your mouth, saying through the Prophet: 'Open your mouth for the word of God' (Prov. 31:9). The word of God is the key of your mouth: the key of knowledge is the key of your mouth, by which the chains of silence are loosened, and the locks of ignorance are opened.
(Vers. 20, 21, 22.)