Matthew 13 · The Lantern

On that day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the seaside.

When Jesus then is with the multitudes, he is not in his house, for the multitudes are outside of the house, and it is an act that springs from his love of humanity to leave the house and to go away to those who are not able to come to him.

(De Cons. Ev. ii. 41.) By the words, The same day, he sufficiently shows that these things either followed immediately upon what had gone before, or that many things could not have intervened; unless indeed 'day' here after the Scripture manner signifies a period.

Above the evangelical doctrine was set forth, and its adversaries were refuted; here he shows the power of the evangelical doctrine: first, in words; secondly, in deeds, in chapter 14. And regarding the first, he first sets down the circumstances of the doctrine; secondly, Christ's doctrine; thirdly, its effect.

And great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat, and sat, and all the multitude stood on the beach.

There is moreover a reason in the subject of His discourse why the Lord should sit in the ship, and the multitude stand on the shore. For He was about to speak in parables, and by this action signifies that they who were without the Church could have no understanding of the Divine Word.

Or, that He went into a ship and sat on the sea, signifies that Christ by faith should enter into the hearts of the Gentiles, and should gather together the Church in the sea, that is in the midst of the nations that spake against Him.

And great multitudes were gathered together to him. Here he sets down the hearers: for when the mind goes out to public teaching, then many can hear and profit; Sirach 51:31: draw near to me, you unlearned, and gather yourselves together into the house of discipline.

And he spoke to them many things in parables, saying, "Behold, a farmer went out to sow.

In the parable also of the withering of the word after the green blade had sprung up, He is drawing a picture with reference to the burning heat of persecutions.

For this reason Jesus speaks in parables, in order that through them he should show that he is the One who was prophesied. Concerning [him] David said, "I will open my mouth in parables," and again, "and there will be a man who shall hide his words, and he will be hidden as though carried away by the waves of the sea."

There follows the manner of teaching: and he spoke to them many things in parables. The reason is twofold. One is that by such parables sacred things are hidden from unbelievers, lest they blaspheme: for above it was said, give not that which is holy to dogs; therefore, because many were blaspheming, he wished to speak in parables.

And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them.

What then comes of this seed? Three parts perish, and one is saved. "And when He sowed, some seeds fell," He saith, "by the way side; and the fowls came and devoured them up." He said not, that He cast them, but that "they fell." A fourth part is saved; and not this all alike, but even here great is the difference.

But those things which He silently left to our understanding, should be shortly noticed. The wayside is the mind trodden and hardened by the continual passage of evil thoughts; the rock, the hardness of the self-willed mind; the good soil, the gentleness of the obedient mind, the sun, the heat of a raging persecution.

But let us see about the impediment to the seed. For it is impeded in three ways, because three things are required. For it is required that the memory be preserved. Hence Proverbs 6:21: bind them upon your heart continually. The second is that it be rooted by love; Psalm 118:140: your word is exceedingly refined by fire, and your servant has loved it.

And others fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth.

This parable Valentinus lays hold of to establish his heresy, bringing in three different natures; the spiritual, the natural or the animal, and the earthly. But there are here four named, one by the wayside, one stony, one thorny, and a fourth the good ground.

Those on rocky ground are they who hear but out of weakness do not resist trials and afflictions, but abandon their own salvation. By the rising sun understand temptations, which, like the sun, show men as they really are and reveal things which are hidden.

The second is hardness of heart; Job 41:15: his heart shall be as hard as a stone, and as firm as a smith's anvil. And this is opposed to charity, because it is the nature of love to liquefy; Song of Songs 5:6: my soul melted when my beloved spoke etc. For that is hard which is constricted in itself and confined within its own limits.

But when the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away.

Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them.

For who would ever have believed me if I had wished to interpret thorns as riches, especially since the former prick while the latter delight? And yet they are thorns, because they tear the mind with the prickings of their thoughts, and when they drag it all the way to sin, they cause it to bleed as if by an inflicted wound.

These are they who choke the word with worldly thoughts. For though a rich man thinks he is doing a good deed, yet the deed does not grow and flourish, hindered as it is by worldly cares.

And others fell among thorns. Now thorns are anxieties, angers, quarrels, and things of this kind; Jeremiah 4:3: do not sow upon thorns; Proverbs 24:30: I passed by the field of the slothful man; and there follows: and thorns had covered its surface. And the thorns grew up and choked them.

Still others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.

He who has ears, let him hear."

Then the disciples came, and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?"

We have good cause to admire the disciples, how, longing as they do to learn, they know when they ought to ask. For they do it not before all: and this Matthew shows by saying, "And they came." And, as to this assertion not being conjecture, Mark hath expressed it more distinctly, by saying, that "they came to Him privately." This then His brethren and His mother should also ha…

The disciples found great obscurity in the words spoken by Christ, and being solicitous of the common people came to Him and asked the question. And He said, "It is given unto you to know the mysteries," that is, since you have willingness and zeal to learn, it is given to you. But to those who do not have zeal, it is not given. For it is he that asks who receives.

And the disciples came etc. Above, the parable was set down; here its reason is assigned: and regarding this, two things are set down here. First, the question of the disciples is set down; secondly, the response, at who answering etc. He says therefore, the disciples came and said to him. A literal question arises: since he was in the boat, how then did they approach him?

And he answered them, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.

What man, then, of sound mind can possibly suppose that they were ignorant of anything, whom the Lord ordained to be masters (or teachers), keeping them, as He did, inseparable (from Himself) in their attendance, in their discipleship, in their society, to whom, "when they were alone, He used to expound" all things which were obscure, telling them that "to them it was given to…

To you, I say, who adhere to Me, and believe in Me. By the mystery of the kingdom of heaven, He intends the Gospel doctrine. To them, that is, to them that are without, and who would not believe on Him, the Scribes namely and Pharisees, and to the rest who continue in unbelief, it is not given.

Likewise, here it should be considered that what pertains to the salvation of men should always be done. Hence the response follows: who answering said to them. And first the ordinance of God is set down; secondly, a certain reason is assigned.

For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever does not have, from him will be taken away even that which he has.

Now, if from the very first "the natural man, not receiving the things of the Spirit of God," has deemed God's law to be foolishness, and has therefore neglected to observe it; and as a further consequence, by his not having faith, "even that which he seemeth to have hath been taken from him" -such as the grace of paradise and the friendship of God, by means of which he might h…

In people who are teachable and well disposed for receiving the divine words the Holy Spirit will make his abode, increasing in them his gifts. But in those who have acquired only a tiny spark of light and have been negligent even with that, even the little that they formerly had becomes utterly quenched and is taken from them.

For to him who has, it shall be given, and he shall abound. For there is something that a man has, to whom it is given. And what is that? It should be said that four things are preparatory for something to be given. The first is desire. Hence if you wish to have knowledge, desire anticipates, as is found in Wisdom 6:21: the desire of wisdom brings to the everlasting kingdom.

Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing, they do not hear, neither do they understand.

"Therefore," saith He, "speak I to them in parables; because they seeing see not." "It were meet then," one may say, "to have opened their eyes, if they see not." Nay, if the blindness were natural, it were meet to open them; but because it was a voluntary and self-chosen blindness, therefore He said not simply, "They see not," but, "seeing, they see not;" so that the blindness…

And it should be noted, that not only what He spake, but also what He did, were parables, that is, signs of things spiritual, which He clearly shows when He says, That seeing they may not see; but words are heard and not seen.

Therefore I speak to them in parables etc. Here he applies this to the matter at hand; and he does two things. First, he applies it with regard to the Jews; secondly, with regard to the apostles, at but blessed are your eyes etc. And first he does two things.

And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, 'By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive:

After this, lest any one should suppose His words to be a mere accusation, and lest men should say, Being our enemy He is bringing these charges and calumnies against us; He introduces the prophet also, pronouncing the same judgment as Himself.

Do you see what the prophecy (Is. 6:9-10) is saying? You do not understand, not because I created your heart fat and dull, but because it has grown fat, although it is obvious that before it was fine and subtle. For something which grows fat was first thin. And when their heart had grown fat, then they closed their eyes.

Consequently, the authority of the prophet Isaiah is introduced. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who says: by hearing you shall hear and shall not understand etc., which is written in Isaiah 6:9; but there it is stated imperatively, here predictively. There: hear, you who hear, and do not understand; and see the vision, and do not know it.

for this people's heart has grown callous, and their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and should turn again; and I would heal them.'

Faith perceives the mysteries of the kingdom. A person will make progress in those things he has been immersed in and will abound with an increase in that progress. But in those things he has not been immersed in, even that which he has shall be taken away from him. In other words, he suffers the loss of the law from the loss of his faith.

(Quæst. in Matt. q. 14.) Otherwise; They have shut their eyes lest they should see with their eyes, that is, themselves were the cause that God shut their eyes. For another Evangelist says, We hath blinded their eyes. But is this to the end that they should never see?

There follows the reason: for the heart of this people is grown fat etc. For since he had made mention of hearing, and to understand properly belongs to the mind, therefore the heart of this people, i.e., their mind, is grown fat, i.e., blinded. Why? Because just as purity is required for bodily vision, so also for spiritual vision.

"But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.

For in proof that our sin belongs not to nature, nor to necessity and compulsion, hear what He saith to the apostles, "But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear;" not meaning this kind of sight nor hearing, but that of the mind.

Even the physical eyes and ears of the apostles are blessed. But even more so are their spiritual eyes and ears worthy of blessedness, because they recognized the Christ. He esteems them more highly than the prophets because the prophets saw the Christ only spiritually, while the apostles saw Him both spiritually and physically.

But blessed are your eyes that see, and your ears that hear etc. Above, the Lord showed the misery of the Jews who seeing did not see; here he shows the blessedness of the apostles who saw and heard. And first he shows the blessedness; secondly, he shows the sign, at amen I say to you etc. He says, therefore, that seeing they do not see, but your eyes are blessed.

For truly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and did not see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.

Now in the last days, when the fulness of the time of liberty had arrived, the Word Himself did by Himself "wash away the filth of the daughters of Zion," when He washed the disciples' feet with His own hands.

(Verse 17, 18.) Truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear. Therefore, listen to the parable of the sower. It seems that this passage is contrary to what is said elsewhere: Abraham desired to see my day, and he saw it, and rejoiced (John 8:56).

Then he sets down the sign: amen I say to you etc. Augustine says: blessed is he who has everything he wishes. Hence blessed are those to whom all things have been given which the ancients wished for, namely, the prophets and the just. For every just man is a king; hence Proverbs 20:8 says: the king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil.

"Hear, then, the parable of the farmer.

"Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower," saith He; and He speaks what we before mentioned, of carelessness and attention, of cowardice and fortitude, of wealth and voluntary poverty; pointing out the hurt from the one, and the benefit from the other.

He urges us to understand what is spoken by those who teach, lest we too be like those who are "by the way side." For it may be said, since Christ is the way, those who are outside of Christ are by the way side. For they are not in the way, but outside of the way.

Hear you therefore the parable of the sower etc. Here the exposition is set down. And first he concludes that they were worthy; secondly, he expounds. He says therefore, hear you therefore etc., because you are worthy to hear, and not only to hear, but to hear through me; Proverbs 1:5: the wise man hearing will be wiser.

When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside.

And what was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it;

Not all the Gospel writers use the same terms in reporting this parable. Matthew wrote of "the evil one," Mark of "Satan," and Luke of "the devil." The phrases "by the wayside" and "in the path" are not quite the same thing.

Take care that rocky ground does not receive the seed and send forth the fruit of good work without the roots of perseverance. For many are pleased by what they hear and propose beginnings of good work; but as soon as they begin to be wearied by adversities, they abandon what they have begun.

The second effect is to carry it through to action; hence James 1:22: be doers of the word and not hearers only. Now this effect is impeded by prosperity and by adversity. Concerning him who is impeded by adversity, he says: and he who was sown upon rocky ground etc.

yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

And what was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

"The deceitfulness of riches chokes," and so does the speech of heretics. The rich are liars, contrasted with "the poor, righteous person," who is poor in speech and knowledge but righteous in life.

It should be noted that the Lord, in His explanation, says that cares, pleasures, and riches choke the word. For they choke it because by their importunate thoughts they strangle the throat of the mind; and since they do not allow good desire to enter the heart, they kill, as it were, the passage of the breath of life.

And he who was sown among thorns etc. Here the impediment to bearing fruit well is set down, which sometimes comes from prosperity and sometimes from adversity; hence he says, and he who was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word of God. These thorns are the cares of this world; for just as thorns prick and do not allow a man to rest, so neither do these cares.

And what was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who truly bears fruit, and brings forth, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty."

Daniel, knowing that the intelligent are the light of the world and that the multitudes of the righteous differ in glory, seems to have said this, "And the intelligent shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and from among the multitudes of the righteous as the stars for ever and ever." And in the passage, "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, a…

And it should be known, that in these three sorts of bad soil are comprehended all who can hear the word of God, and yet have not strength to bring it forth unto salvation. The Gentiles are excepted, who were not worthy even to hear it. It follows, That which is sown on the good ground.

But he who was sown upon good ground etc. Having expounded the threefold disposition toward evil, he adds the disposition toward good, which he distinguishes by three effects, because first he hears, then further, and understands, and then he bears fruit and yields, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold. Let it be expounded as above.

He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,

Consider now, if in addition to what we have already recounted, you can otherwise take the good seed to be the children of the kingdom, because whatever good things are sown in the human soul, these are the offspring of the kingdom of God. They have been sown by God the Word who was in the beginning with God. Wholesome words about anything are children of the kingdom.

Here He calls the Son of God Himself the kingdom of heaven; for He saith, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that sowed good seed in his field.

Above he set down a parable in which the impediment to the evangelical doctrine from an extrinsic cause was shown; here another parable is set down, in which the impediment to hearing the doctrine that is from an intrinsic cause is set down, because in this parable those things are drawn to us by which minds are accustomed to be preoccupied.

but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away.

So that you need not be afraid to ascribe to him the mastery and dominion over that second, later, and deteriorated nature (of which we have been speaking), when you read of him as "the sewer of tares, and the nocturnal spoiler of the crop of corn.

Understand that the men who are asleep are the leaders of the Churches. Do not welcome servants of the household of the father except for the angels, who daily see the Father's face (Matt. XVIII). But the devil is called the enemy of man because he stopped being God. And it is written of him in the ninth psalm: Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail (Psalm IX, 20).

But while men were asleep etc. Having treated the origin of good, here he treats of the origin of evil. And first the occasion of the evil inflicted is set down; secondly, the manner. And first a twofold occasion is set down: one on the part of the guardians, the second on the part of the sower.

But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then the tares appeared also.

The Lord points out that our foe the devil sows the weeds of his wickedness and malice to choke the seed of God in us. Thus he says, "But while men were asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away." The Lord indicates that the devil sows weeds among sleeping people—that is, among those who through negligence are overcome by their infidelity as in a kind…

And not by this only, but by what follows likewise, He depicts exactly all their acting. For, "When the blade was sprung up," saith He, "and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also;" which kind of thing these men also do.

Consequently, the progress of good and evil is treated. And when the blade was sprung up. And that you may understand, three things are considered. First, the manifestation of the good from the evil is set down; secondly, the zeal of the good against the evil; thirdly, tolerance.

So the servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where did these tares come from?'

But wherefore doth He bring in the servants, telling what hath been done? That He may pronounce it wrong to slay them. And He calls him "an enemy," because of his harm done to men. For although the despite is against us, in its origin it sprang from his enmity, not to us, but to God. Whence it is manifest, that God loves us more than we love ourselves.

They came to the Lord not with the body, but with the heart and desire of the soul; and from Him they gather that this was done by the craft of the Devil, whence it follows, And he saith unto them, An enemy hath done this.

And the servants of the master of the house came etc. Here the zeal of the good against the evil is set down. And first they inquire about the origin of the evil; secondly, they are moved by zeal for the extirpation of the evil, at and the servants said etc. He says, and they came etc. First, let us see who these servants are.

"And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and gather them up?'

Therefore, as I have said above, we must apply our faith to what has been explained by the Lord. And those things which have been left unspoken and neglected by our understanding must be briefly touched upon. Understand that the men who are asleep are the leaders of the Churches.

(ubi sup) And when the servants of God knew that it was the Devil who had contrived this fraud, whereby when he found that he had no power in open warfare against a Master of such great name, he had introduced his fallacies under cover of that name itself, the desire might readily arise in them to remove such men from out of human affairs if opportunity should be given them; bu…

The Lord answers, and he said to them: an enemy has done this. And note that this is not from the original creation, but is what exists in men from the devil; Wisdom 2:24: by the envy of the devil, death came into the world. The devil is called a man on account of his falling away from divinity; Psalm 9:20: arise, O Lord, let not man be strengthened.

"But he said, 'No, lest perhaps while you gather up the tares, you root up the wheat with them.

What then doth the Master? He forbids them, saying, "Lest haply ye root up the wheat with them." And this He said, to hinder wars from arising, and blood and slaughter. For it is not right to put a heretic to death, since an implacable war would be brought into the world.

(Quaest. in Matt. q. 12.) Wherein He renders them more patient and tranquil. For this He says, because good men while yet weak, have need in some things of being mixed up with bad, either that they may be proved by their means, or that by comparison with them they may be greatly stimulated and drawn to a better course.

And he said to them. Note, this is the third point, namely, the tolerance of the wicked; concerning this, Ecclesiastes 8:11 says: for because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evils without any fear.

Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, "First, gather up the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

But again shall it be rooted up, if the Lord will, even now; but if not now, in the day when all bundles of tares shall be gathered together, and along with every other stumbling-block shall be burnt up with unquenchable fire.

In that He says that the bundles of tares are to be cast into the fire, and the wheat gathered into barns, it is clear that heretics also and hypocrites are to be consumed in the fires of hell, while the saints who are here represented by the wheat are received into the barns, that is into heavenly mansions.

But will they always be spared? No, but until a time; hence he says, let both grow until the harvest etc. A similar statement is found in Apocalypse 22:11: he that hurts, let him hurt still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still. Let both grow until the harvest. Against this statement it is objected that Isaiah 1:16 says: take away the evil of your thoughts etc.

He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field;

The word which proclaims the kingdom of heaven is sharp and pungent as mustard, and represses bile, that is, anger, and checks inflammation, that is, pride; and from this word the soul's true health and eternal soundness flow.

(Quaest. in Ev. i. 11.) A grain of mustard seed may allude to the warmth of faith, or to its property as antidote to poison. It follows; Which a man took and sowed in his field. (ubi sup.) Dogmas are the decisions of sects, the points, that is, that they have determined.

Through two parables he shows the progress of the evangelical teaching. But because someone might say: if it is so, that it is impeded in such a way that some seed falls by the wayside, some on rocky ground, etc., it seems that it cannot make progress; therefore he adds parabolically about its progress, namely, that it progressed on account of two things.

which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches."

Now, in place of the herb, the preaching of the prophets was given to ailing Israel. But the birds of the air dwell in the branches of the tree that rises high above the ground. We see the apostles as branches stretched out by the power of Christ and overshadowing the world.

(Verse 32) The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches. It should not be a burden to the reader if we present all the parables.

Then follows its greatness. And first its greatness is set forth; secondly it is confirmed, at but when it is grown, i.e., when it has sprouted, it is greater than all herbs, because the evangelical teaching bore more fruit than the teaching of the law, since the teaching of the law bore fruit only among the Jews; hence it was said in Ps 147:20: he has not done in like manner t…

He spoke another parable to them. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, until it was all leavened."

Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he did not speak to them,

Or otherwise; The Lord compares Himself to leaven; for leaven is produced from meal, and communicates the power that it has received to a heap of its own kind.

The Greek word 'Parable,' is rendered in Latin 'Similitude,' by which truth is explained; and an image or representation of the reality is set forth. From which reading Porphyry took an objection to the believers; Such was your Evangelist's ignorance, that he imputed to Isaiah what is indeed found in the Psalms.

All these things Jesus spoke in parables, etc. Having set forth the diverse parables to the crowds, here he confirms, or approves, by the authority of the prophet. And it is divided into three parts; because first the custom of Christ regarding parabolic teaching is set forth; secondly, the authority is adduced; thirdly, the exposition of the foregoing is given.

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the beginning of the world. "

At times our Savior spoke the Word to the apostles by means of mysterious sayings. For prophecy says of him: "He will open his mouth in parables, and will declare things kept secret from the foundation of the world." … The efficacy of the Word itself, being strong and powerful, gradually draws into itself secretly and invisibly everyone who receives it.

(Verse 35) So that what was said through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying: I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world. This testimony is taken from the seventy-seventh psalm (Verse 2).

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying: I will open my mouth in parables. In two ways the Lord spoke to the human race. First, in the prophets; secondly, in himself; Isa 52:6: behold, I who spoke, behold I am here.

Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares in the field."

Now, having discoursed sufficiently to the multitudes in parables, he sends them away and goes to his own house, where his disciples come to him. His disciples did not go with those he sent away. As many as are more genuine hearers of Jesus first follow him, then having inquired about his house, are permitted to see it.

Figuratively; Having sent away the multitude of unquiet Jews, He enters the Church of the Gentiles, and there expounds to believers heavenly sacraments, whence it follows, And his disciples came to him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.

Then having sent away the multitudes, he came into the house. Here one of the foregoing parables is expounded. And first the place is described; secondly, the question of the disciples; thirdly, the exposition. He says therefore then having sent away the multitudes, he came into the house.

And he answered them, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,

"And He answered," so it is said, "and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, the good seed, these are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that soweth them is the devil; and the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are angels.

The Lord styles Himself the Son of Man, that in that title He might set an example of humility; or perhaps because it was to come to pass that certain heretics would deny Him to be really man; or that through belief in His Humanity we might ascend to knowledge of His Divinity.

He answered and said. Here is set forth the exposition of the parable of the weeds. And first as to the first sowing; secondly, as to the oversowing; thirdly, as to both. And first he explains what the sower is, what the field, what the seed. He that sows the good seed is the Son of man.

and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the Kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one,

and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

For this is part of the wiles of the Devil, to be ever mixing up truth with error. The harvest is the end of the world. In another place He says, speaking of the Samaritans, Lift up your eyes, and consider the fields that they are already white for the harvest; (John 4:35.) and again, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few, (Luke 10:2.) in which words He speaks o…

By the harvest is denoted the day of judgment, in which the good are to be separated from the evil; which will be done by the ministry of Angels, as it is said below, that the Son of Man shall come to judgment with His Angels. As then the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world.

Then he says who the sower is, saying and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, who introduced sin; Wis 2:24: by the envy of the devil, death came into the world. Then the distinction is treated, and he does three things: first, the time is set forth; secondly, the ministers; thirdly, the distinction. He sets forth the time: and the harvest is the consummation of the world.

As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of the age.

The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity,

Or we may understand it of the kingdom of the heavenly Church; and then there will be held out here a two-fold punishment; first that they fall from glory as that is said, And they shall gather out of his kingdom all offences, to the end, that no offences should be seen in His kingdom; and then that they are burned. And they shall cast them into a furnace of fire.

The kingdom of God, dearest brothers, is not always called the coming kingdom in sacred Scripture, but sometimes the present Church is so called. Hence it is written: "The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of scandal." In that kingdom, indeed, there will be no scandals, where certainly the reprobate are not admitted.

The Son of man shall send his angels (these words show him to be both man and God) and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals. He refers this to sins which are committed against one's neighbor. But what follows, and those who work iniquity, refers to other sins.

and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.

Now a man who comes to the field, whether to the Scriptures or to the Christ who is formed both from things manifest and from things hidden, finds the hidden treasure of wisdom whether in Christ or in the Scriptures. For, going round to visit the field and searching the Scriptures and seeking to understand the Christ, he finds the treasure in it.

(Quæst. in Ev. i. 13.) Or, He speaks of the two testaments in the Church, which, when any hath attained to a partial understanding of, he perceives how great things lie hid there, and goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that; that is, by despising temporal things he purchases to himself peace, that he may be rich in the knowledge of God.

Above, the Lord showed parabolically both the impediment and the progress of the evangelical teaching; now he shows its dignity through certain parables, which he explained to the disciples. Its dignity is shown with regard to three things: with regard to its abundance, with regard to its beauty, and with regard to its universality.

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls,

Now among the words of all kinds that profess to announce truth, and among those who report them, he seeks pearls. Think of the prophets as, so to speak, the pearls that receive the dew of heaven and become pregnant with the word of truth from heaven. They are goodly pearls that, according to the phrase here set forth, the merchant seeks.

(Quæst. in Matt. q. 13.) Or, A man seeking goodly pearls has found one pearl of great price; that is, he who is seeking good men with whom he may live profitably, finds one alone, Christ Jesus, without sin; or, seeking precepts of life, by aid of which he may dwell righteously among men, finds love of his neighbour, in which one rule, the Apostle says, (Rom.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant man, etc. Here the beauty, or the preciousness, is shown. The kingdom is like. This parable is explained in many ways. Chrysostom and Jerome explain it of the evangelical teaching. There are many false teachings. These are not pearls.

and having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

A pearl, and that pellucid and of purest ray, is Jesus, whom of the lightning flash of Divinity the Virgin bore. For as the pearl, produced in flesh and the oyster-shell and moisture, appears to be a body moist and transparent, full of light and spirit; so also God the Word, incarnate, is intellectual light, sending His rays, through a body luminous and moist.

(Verse 45, 46.) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. Upon finding one exceedingly precious pearl, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. In other words, the same thing as was said above. The good pearls that the merchant seeks are the Law and the Prophets.

He went and sold, i.e., he abandoned all the teachings both of the prophets and of the philosophers for this one. Prov 25:12: as an earring of gold and a bright pearl, so is he who reproves a wise man and an obedient ear, etc. Gregory says this is the heavenly glory, because a good is naturally desirable, and a man always wants to exchange a lesser good for a greater good.

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind,

And this net has been cast into the waves of the sea. The waves toss about persons in every part of the world as they swim in the bitter affairs of life. Before the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ, this net was not wholly filled.

When that Fisherman who hath cast His net into the sea of the world, and hath filled it with fish, both great and small, which are the races and families of mankind, and the nations and tribes of the children of flesh, of divers tongues and innumerable kinds, shall appear He will strike and bring up His net to the sea shore, even as He Himself hath said, and He will gather toge…

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea, etc. Here another parable is set forth. Secondly, the exposition is given, not as to the whole, but as to a part, at so shall it be at the consummation of the world. And in this two things are done. First, the universality of this teaching is set forth; secondly, the distinction, at when it was filled, etc.

which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down, and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away.

So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come forth, and separate the wicked from among the righteous,

The calling that is through Christ is to be extended throughout the whole world. The net of gospel preaching seeks to gather together people out of every nation. People who are expert in catching fish and are mariners by trade let down their net making no discrimination, but whatever has been caught up in the meshes, wholly and entirely, is hauled by them to shore.

Hence the Lord also explains this same comparison briefly when he adds: So it will be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from among the righteous, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This, dearest brothers, is to be feared rather than expounded.

So shall it be at the consummation of the world. Here he explains the parable. And it should be noted that he explains only as to the wicked. But then the question arises, why he explains about the wicked rather than the good. It must be said that he had made mention of the net, by which, when fish are caught, the bad are cast out and live; but the good are killed and eaten.

and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth."

And those who attended to the net that was cast into the sea are Jesus Christ, the master of the net, and "the angels who came and ministered to him." It is not until the net is filled full that they will draw it up from the sea and carry it to the shore beyond the sea—namely, to things beyond this life—but not until the "fullness of the Gentiles" has been drawn into it.

Every deed, be it good or evil, is called the food of the soul. And the soul, too, has teeth, but they are spiritual in nature. Then the corrupted soul will gnash its teeth, that is, grind together its now impotent faculties of action, because it practiced such things.

There follows the punishment of sense: and shall cast them into the furnace of fire. This is explained as above. But there is a question why the Lord repeated this, because it seems to be the same as the parable of the weeds.

"Have you understood all these things?" They answered him, "Yes, Lord."

And one is a scribe "as a disciple to the kingdom of heaven" in the simpler sense, when one comes from Judaism and receives the teaching of Jesus Christ as defined by the church. But one is a scribe in a deeper sense when having received elementary knowledge through the letter of the Scriptures one ascends to things spiritual, which are called the kingdom of heaven.

Hence it is also added: Have you understood all these things? They say to him: Yes, Lord.

Have you understood all these things? They say to him: yes. After the Lord completed the parabolic teaching, both as to the crowds and as to the disciples, here he determines the effect; and first in the disciples; secondly, in the crowds, at and it came to pass, etc. The effect in the disciples was understanding: hence three things are set forth.

And he said to them, "Therefore, every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things."

And it will not, then, be, in the eyes of the apostle, the differentiating principle-distinguishing (as he is doing) "things new and old" -which will be ridiculous; but (in this case too) it will be your own unfairness, while you taunt us with the form of antiquity all the while you are laying against us the charge of novelty.

And now the voice of Christ speaks to the Jews through the voice of the old Scriptures. They hear the voice of those Scriptures but do not see the face of the One who speaks. Do they want the veil to be lifted? Let them come to the Lord. Thus the old things are not taken away but are hidden in a storeroom.

Therefore every scribe instructed, etc. Here he shows the office that was incumbent upon them, as those already examined. And this conclusion can follow from the foregoing in two ways. First, by referring back to what was said about the treasure. The sense can therefore be that the Lord wishes to explain this: you say that you understand.

And it happened that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there.

We must therefore inquire whether by the expression "his own country" is meant Nazareth or Bethlehem. It might have been Nazareth, because of the saying "he shall be called a Nazarene." Or it might have been Bethlehem, since he was born there.

(De Cons. Ev. ii. 42.) From the foregoing discourse consisting of these parables, He passes to what follows without any very evident connection between them.

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, etc. Here the effect in the crowds is set forth: a twofold effect, namely, of wonder and of scandal. And first the place is described; secondly, the wonder; thirdly, the disapproval. He says therefore: it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there.

And coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom, and these mighty works?

As the case stood, however, it was actually the ordinary condition of His terrene flesh which made all things else about Him wonderful, as when they said, "Whence hath this man this wisdom and these mighty works? " Thus spake even they who despised His outward form.

The synagogues could not be his. A malicious and disbelieving crowd gathered there. A people full of hate rather than love came together. A group of ill-disposed and ill-mannered people assembled. "He began to teach in their synagogues, so that they were astonished." They were astonished because of indignation and not because of grace.

And coming into his own country. His country is sometimes called Nazareth, where he was brought up, and there he worked few miracles; sometimes Bethlehem, where he was born; sometimes Capharnaum, because he worked miracles there. And he taught them in their synagogues, etc. There follows the wonder. And first the wonder is set forth; secondly, its effect is identified.

Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers, Jacob and Joses and Simon and Judas?

And the priest said to Joseph, You have been chosen by lot to take into your keeping the virgin of the Lord. But Joseph refused, saying: I have children, and I am an old man, and she is a young girl. I am afraid lest I become a laughing-stock to the sons of Israel.

How then, one may say, are James and the others called His brethren? In the same kind of way as Joseph himself was supposed to be husband of Mary. For many were the veils provided, that the birth, being such as it was, might be for a time screened. Wherefore even John so called them, saying, "For neither did His brethren believe in Him."

I believe that He [Jesus] was made man, joining the human nature with the divine in one person; being conceived by the singular operation of the Holy Ghost, and born of the blessed Virgin Mary, who, as well after as before she brought Him forth, continued a pure and unspotted virgin.

And are not all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all of these things?"

And they were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house."

We must inquire whether the expression has the same force when applied universally to every prophet. Does it mean that every one of the prophets was dishonored only in his own country? Or does it mean that every one who was dishonored was dishonored in his country? Or does it mean that because of the expression being singular, these things were said about only one?

For it is almost natural for citizens to be jealous towards one another; for they do not look to the present works of the man, but remember the frailties of his childhood; as if they themselves had not passed through the very same stages of age to their maturity.

But it should be noted that wonder sometimes has its proper effect, namely, the glorification of God, as above at 3:5, but sometimes it has the effect of scandal: hence he says, and they were scandalized in him. But what is the reason that wonder sometimes brings forth glory, sometimes scandal?

And he did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Matthew13