SERMO 51
On the Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew and Luke
In the Generations of the Lord
The proposed question is taken up for discussion on the birthday of Christ.
May He who stirred up your love fulfill its expectation. For even though what we are to say to you, we presume to be not ours, but God’s; still, we speak all the more because, as the Apostle humbly says: We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. Therefore, we do not doubt that you remember our promise. We made the promise in Him, through whom we now fulfill it. For even when we promised, we asked from Him, and when we render, we receive from Him.
Your love recalls that we postponed the question that we proposed to be solved in the morning of the Lord's Nativity, because many who were with us, even those to whom the word of God is usually burdensome, were celebrating the solemnity due to that day. But now I believe no one is present except those who desire to listen. Therefore, we do not speak to deaf hearts, nor to disdainful minds. But your expectation is a prayer for me. Something else has been added, because even the days of gift-giving have passed many by, for whose salvation we strive as much as we urge you, brothers, to strive; and for those who are not yet attentive to the spectacles of the truth, but are given to the spectacles of the flesh, pray to God with an attentive mind. For I know, and certainly I know, that there are now among your number those who have today despised; but they break away from what they are accustomed to. For people are changed, both for the better and for the worse. Through daily experiences of this kind, we alternately rejoice and grieve; we rejoice with those corrected, we grieve for the depraved. And therefore the Lord did not say that he who has begun will be saved, but: He who endures to the end, He said, will be saved.
The spectacles of the pagans are frivolous and carnal; but those of the Christians are spiritual.
But what more admirable could the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is also the son of man because he deigned to be that as well, grant to us; what more magnificent than not only to gather spectators of frivolous shows to His fold, but also some of those who are usually watched there? For He hunted not only lovers of hunters but also the hunters themselves for salvation: because He too was watched. Listen how. He said it, He foretold it before He was watched, and announced what would happen as if it had already been done with prophetic eloquence, saying in the Psalm: "They pierced my hands and my feet, they numbered all my bones." Behold how He was watched, so that His bones were numbered. And He speaks more openly about the spectacle itself: "They looked and stared at me." He was watched to be mocked, watched by those who would not even favor Him in that spectacle, but rage against Him: just as He let His martyrs be watched first, with the Apostle saying: "We have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men." But two kinds of people watch such spectacles; one of the carnal, the other of the spiritual. Carnal people watch, thinking those martyrs who were subjected to beasts, who were beheaded, who were burned by fires, to be miserable, detesting and abhorring them. But others, like the holy angels, watch, not paying attention to the manglings of bodies, but marveling at the integrity of faith. A great spectacle is presented to the eyes of the heart by a whole mind, even with the body torn apart. You eagerly watch these things with the eyes of your heart when they are read in church. For if you were watching nothing, you would hear nothing. Therefore, you see that today you did not despise spectacles but chose them. So may God be present, granting that you sweetly recount your spectacles to your friends whom you lament today have run to the amphitheater and were unwilling to come to the church: so that those things which they have loved to their disgrace may begin to become worthless to them; and they may love God with you, of whom no lover can be ashamed, because they love Him who cannot be conquered. They may love Christ with you, who, even when He seemed to be defeated, conquered the world. For indeed, He conquered the world as we see, brothers: He subjected all powers, He subjugated kings, not with a proud army, but with a mocked cross; not by fierce iron, but by hanging on wood; by suffering physically, acting spiritually. His body was raised on the cross: He was subjecting minds to the cross. Finally, what gemstone is more precious in the diadem than the cross of Christ on the foreheads of rulers? Loving Him, you are never ashamed. For how many return conquered from the amphitheater, defeated for those whom they frenzy over? They would be more conquered if they conquered. For they would be subjected to vain joy, subjected to the exultation of perverse desire: for in this very thing by which they run there, they are conquered. For how many do you think, brothers, hesitated today whether to go here or there? And those who, in that hesitation, considering Christ, ran to the church, conquered not just any man, but the devil himself, the worst hunter of the whole world. But those who in that hesitation chose rather to run to the amphitheater were certainly conquered by him whom these conquered. But they conquered in Him who said: "Rejoice, because I have conquered the world." For the Emperor allowed Himself to be tempted, so that He might teach the soldier to fight.
Christ wished to be born of a virgin. Through a woman came the poison, through a woman came the salvation.
Therefore, in order for our Lord Jesus Christ to accomplish this, by being born of a woman, He indeed became the son of man. But if He had not been born of the Virgin Mary, what would have been lacking? Someone might say: He wanted to become a man: He would be a man, yet not born of a woman: for the first man whom He created was not made from a woman. To this, see what response is given. You say, why did He choose to be born from a woman. The answer to you is: Rather, why should He avoid being born from a woman? Suppose I cannot show why He chose to be born from a woman: you show why He ought to avoid being born from a woman. But it has already been said, because if He avoided a woman's womb, it would be as if He indicated that He could have been stained by it. However, the more immaculate He was by His own substance, the less He should fear the womb of the flesh, as if He could be stained by it: but being born of a woman, He ought to show us something of great sacrament. Indeed, brothers, we admit that if the Lord wanted to become a man in such a way that He was not born from a woman, it was certainly easy for His Majesty. For just as He could be born from a woman without a man, so could He be born without a woman. But He showed us this, so that in no sex of human creation should there be despair about Himself. For the human sex is male and female. If, therefore, being a man, which He indeed ought to have been, He was not born of a woman; women would despair about themselves, remembering their first sin, because the first man was deceived by a woman; and they would think they had no hope in Christ at all. Therefore He came to prefer the male sex by being born of a woman to console the female sex, as if to speak and say: "So that you may know that it is not the creature of God that is evil, but perverse pleasure that corrupts it, in the beginning when I made man, I made them male and female. I do not condemn the creature which I made. Behold, I was born a man, behold, I was born of a woman. Therefore I do not condemn the creature which I made; but the sins, which I did not make. Let each sex see its honor, and let each confess its iniquity, and let each hope for salvation. By deceiving, poison was offered to man through a woman: by repairing, salvation is offered to man through a woman. Let a woman compensate for the sin of the man deceived through her, by giving birth to Christ. Hence, also, women first announced the resurrection of God to the Apostles. A woman announced death to her husband in paradise: and women announced salvation to men in the Church. The Apostles were to announce the resurrection of Christ to the nations: women announced it to the Apostles. Therefore, let no one reproach Christ born of a woman, of whom the Savior could not be stained, and whom the Creator ought to commend."
The faith of the Gospel received throughout the whole world.
But, they say, how are we to believe that Christ was born of a woman? I answer: From the Gospel which has been preached and is being preached to the whole world. But the blind, attempting to blind others, try to introduce doubt into what has already been believed by all nations, and, not seeing what should be seen, they attempt to overturn what should be believed. They reply and say: Do not press us with the authority of the world; let us consider Scripture itself. Do not act in a popular way: the deceived multitude favors you. First, I reply here: Does the deceived multitude favor me? This multitude was once a small number. Where did this multitude come from, which in such growths was foretold long ago? It did not appear to grow, that which was not foreseen. I do not say, It was a few: there was one Abraham. Consider, brothers, there was one Abraham throughout the whole world at that time, throughout the whole world among all men, among all nations, to whom it was said: In your seed all nations will be blessed. What one believed in his singularity was manifested to many from the multitude of his seed. Then it was not seen, and it was believed; now it is seen, and it is opposed: and what was then said to one and believed by one; now it is opposed by a few, since it is shown among many. He who made his disciples fishers of men, included within his nets all kinds of authority. If belief is to be given to the multitude, what is more abundant than the Church spread throughout the whole world? If belief is to be given to the rich, let them see how many rich it has taken: if to the poor, let them see the thousands of poor: if to the noble, almost all nobility is now within: if to kings, let them see all subjects of Christ: if to the more eloquent, learned, or prudent, let them see how many orators, how many skilled, how many philosophers of this world have been ensnared by those fishermen, so that they might be drawn to salvation from the depths; considering him who, descending to heal the great evil of the human soul, that is, pride, by the example of his humility, chose the weak things of the world to confound the strong; and chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; not those who truly are, but those who seem to be: and chose the ignoble things of this world and the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are.
It is believed that there is no disagreement in the Gospels, as long as they are understood properly.
Say whatever you wish, they say, we have found that where you read that Christ was born, the Gospels contradict each other, and that it is impossible for both to be true, which are in discord. For when I show, he says, the discord, I rightly disprove the faith; but you who accept the faith, show the agreement. What discord, I pray, will you demonstrate? An evident one, he says, which no one can contradict. How securely you listen, because you are faithful. Attend, dearest ones, and see how beneficially the Apostle advises, saying: As therefore you have received Christ Jesus our Lord, walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and confirmed in the faith. For with the same simple and certain faith, we must firmly remain in him, so that he may reveal to the faithful what is hidden in him: because as the same apostle says: In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. These are not hidden to deny, but to excite the desire for the hidden things. This is the utility of the secret. Honor in what you do not yet understand; and honor all the more, the more veils you see. For the more honorable a person is, the more veils hang in his house. The veils create the honor of the secret: but to those who honor, the veils are lifted. To those mocking the veils, they are driven away from the vicinity of the veils. Therefore, because we have passed on to Christ, the veil is removed.
Pious faith in the Scriptures. Augustine, not bringing a pious mind to the divine Scriptures sometimes, is deceived.
Some bring forth their slanders and say: Is Matthew certainly an evangelist? We answer, yes, with a pious mouth, a devoted heart, doubting in no way at all: we clearly answer, Matthew is indeed an Evangelist. Do you believe him, they ask? Who would not respond, I believe? How has it resounded so piously from your murmur? Yes, brothers, if you believe securely, there is no reason for you to be ashamed. I speak to you, sometimes deceived, when as a boy, I first approached the divine Scriptures with more sharpness for disputing than with piety for seeking: I myself was closing the door of my Lord against me with perverse behavior: when I ought to be knocking so it would be opened; I was adding to close it. For in my pride, I dared to seek what cannot be found unless one is humble. How much more blessed are you now! How securely you learn, how safe you are, whoever you are, still little ones in the nest of faith, and you receive spiritual food! But I, wretched as I am, when I thought myself fit to fly, left the nest; and I fell before I could fly. But the merciful Lord lifted me, so that I would not be trampled and die, and placed me back in the nest. For these things disturbed me, which now securely in the name of the Lord I both propose and explain to you.
How Christ is Abraham and David.
As I was saying, this is how they malign: "Matthew," they say, "is an evangelist, and you believe him?" Clearly, we necessarily believe the one whom we acknowledge as an evangelist. Look at the genealogies of Christ that Matthew has set forth: "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." How is he the son of David? How is he the son of Abraham? For unless through the succession of lineage, it cannot be shown. Indeed, it is known that when the Lord was born of the Virgin Mary, neither Abraham nor David was alive among men. And you say he is the son of David, and the same you say is the son of Abraham? It is as if we say to Matthew, "Then prove what you say. For I expect the succession of the lineage of Christ." "Abraham begat Isaac, Isaac begat Jacob, Jacob begat Judah and his brothers, Judah begat Phares and Zarah of Thamar, Phares begat Esrom, Esrom begat Aram, Aram begat Aminadab, Aminadab begat Naasson, Naasson begat Salmon, Salmon begat Booz of Rahab, Booz begat Obed of Ruth, Obed begat Jesse, Jesse begat David the king." Now observe how from David it comes to Christ, who is said to be the son of Abraham and the son of David. "David begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias, Solomon begat Roboam, Roboam begat Abia, Abia begat Asa, Asa begat Josaphat, Josaphat begat Joram, Joram begat Ozias, Ozias begat Joatham, Joatham begat Achaz, Achaz begat Ezekias, Ezekias begat Manasses, Manasses begat Amon, Amon begat Josias, Josias begat Jechonias and his brothers, in the exile to Babylon. And after the exile to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel, Salathiel begat Zorobabel, Zorobabel begat Abiud, Abiud begat Eliakim, Eliakim begat Azor, Azor begat Sadoc, Sadoc begat Achim, Achim begat Eliud, Eliud begat Eleazar, Eleazar begat Matthan, Matthan begat Jacob, Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ." Thus, through the order and succession of their parents and ancestors, Christ is found to be the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Generations from Abraham to Christ.
To this matter faithfully recounted, they bring forth this first calumny, because the same Matthew follows and says: "All the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ, fourteen generations." Then he added to narrate how Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, appending and saying: "Now the birth of Christ was thus." For indeed he enumerated the order of the parents to explain why Christ is called the son of David, the son of Abraham.
The conception of Christ by the Holy Spirit.
But how he was born and appeared among men must now be told; and the narration itself is in order, by which we believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was not only born of the eternal God, co-eternal with him who begot before all times, before all creation, by whom all things were made; but also now born of the Holy Spirit from the virgin Mary, which we equally confess. For you remember and know (I speak to my Catholic brothers) that this is our faith, that we profess and confess this. For this faith, thousands of martyrs have been killed throughout the entire world.
"Justice" Joseph sincere, not feigned.
For those who wish to ridicule this matter that follows, seeking to undermine faith in the evangelical books, they might show us as those who believed rashly in what is said: "When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and unwilling to disgrace her, decided to divorce her quietly. Because he knew that the child was not his own, he consequently thought her to be an adulteress. As the Scripture says, since he was righteous and did not want to expose her, that is, to make it public, for many manuscripts have this; he decided to divorce her quietly. The husband is indeed troubled, but the righteous man does not act harshly. Such great justice is attributed to this man that he neither wanted to keep an adulteress nor dared to punish her publicly. He decided, it says, to divorce her quietly: because not only did he not want to punish her, but neither did he want to expose her. Observe the pure justice. He did not wish to spare her because he desired to keep her. Many, out of carnal love, spare adulterous wives, wishing to keep them as adulteresses to enjoy them through carnal desire. But this righteous man does not want to keep her: therefore he does not love her carnally. Yet he does not want to punish her: therefore he spares her mercifully. What kind of righteous man is this? He neither keeps an adulteress nor seems to spare her out of lustful love: and yet he neither punishes nor exposes her. Deservedly, he was clearly chosen as a witness to the virginity of his wife. Thus, he who was disturbed by human weakness was made firm by divine authority.
What does the name Jesus mean.