42. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgement with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon: and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here . The queen, He says, came from a great distance, despite her tender womanhood, to hear about trees and woods and certain things of nature. But though I came to you, speaking of ineffable things, you have not accepted Me.
43-45. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. He shows that they have been brought to utter perdition by not accepting Him. For just as those who have been delivered from demons suffer worse things if they become lazy and careless, so it is that your generation was possessed of a demon when it worshipped the idols. But this demon was cast out by means of the prophets. Then I Myself came, wishing to cleanse you further. But since you rejected Me, and, indeed, are eager to slay Me, as your sin is worse, so will your punishment be worse, and your last captivity will be more grievous than the former. You, O reader, must also understand this, that the unclean spirit is cast out by baptism and goes forth among waterless and unbaptized souls; but it does not find rest in them. Rest for demons is to harass with evil deeds those who are baptized, for they already possess those who are unbaptized. Therefore the demon returns with seven other spirits to the one who is baptized. For just as there are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, so, on the contrary, there are seven spirits of evil. When the demon re-enters the one who is baptized, the disaster is worse. For, previously, there was hope of being cleansed through baptism. But now there is no hope of a second baptism, unless it be by the baptism of repentance, which is exceedingly toilsome.
46. While He yet talked to the people, behold, His mother and His brethren stood without, desiring to speak with Him . Subject to a certain human foible, His mother wanted to show that she had authority over her child, for she did not yet comprehend His greatness. This is why, while He was still speaking, she wished to summon Him to herself, seeking to draw attention to her son�s obedience to her. What does Christ do? He knew her intentions; hear what He says:
47-50. Then one said unto Him, Behold, Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee. But He answered and said unto him that told him, Who is My mother? and who are My brethren? And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of My Father Who is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother . He did not say this to offend His mother, but to correct this vainglorious and human thought of hers. For He did not say, "She is not My mother," but "Unless she does the will of God, that she bore Me is of no benefit to her." He does not deny the relationship by birth, but He adds to it the relationship by virtue. For no unworthy person derives benefit from a relationship by birth. When He had corrected the sickness of vainglory, He once again obeyed His mother who was calling Him. For the evangelist says:
1-2. The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto Him so that He went into a boat, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore . He sat in the boat so that He could face all His listeners, and so that all could hear. Then as a fisherman He casts His net from the sea toward those on land.
3. And He spake many things unto them in parables, saying . To the simple and sincere multitudes on the mountain He spoke without parables. But as the deceitful Pharisees are here, He speaks in parables so that those who do not understand can ask and learn. Moreover it is not right to lay bare the teachings before those who are unworthy. For it is not right to cast pearls before swine. First He tells a parable which makes the listener more attentive. Listen: Behold, a sower went forth to sow his seed. He calls Himself the sower, and His word, the seed. He went forth, but not from a place, for He was in all places. But He drew near to us, taking on human flesh, and thus it is said, "He went forth," that is, from the bosom of the Father. He went forth to us because we were not able to come to Him. And what did He go forth to do? To scorch the earth because of the tangle of thorns? To punish? No, but rather to sow. He said "his seed" because the prophets also sowed; but He sowed, not their seed, but God�s. He being God, sowed His own seed. He was not made wise by divine grace � far from it! He Himself was the Wisdom of God.
4-6. And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the winged creatures of the sky came and devoured them up: some fell upon rocky ground, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth: and when the sun rose, they were scorched: and because they had no root, they withered away . Those by the way side are they who are lazy and indolent, who do not accept the word. For their minds are a pathway that is trodden and hard, and not in the least bit tilled. The word is snatched from them by the birds of the sky, that is, the spirits of the air, who are the demons. 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. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 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.
8. But other seed fell upon good ground, and brought forth fruit, one a hundredfold, another sixtyfold, and another thirtyfold. Three quarters of the seed perished and only a quarter was saved. For few are they who are saved. At the end He speaks of the good ground, thus giving us hope of repentance. For although a man be rocky ground, or by the way side, or among the thorns, yet it is possible for him to become good ground. Nor do all who accept the word bear fruit equally: but "one a hundredfold," perhaps he who has attained perfect non-possessiveness and extreme asceticism; "another sixtyfold," perhaps the monk dwelling in a monastic community, and he, too, yields fruitfully; "and another thirtyfold," he who has chosen honorable marriage and diligently practices the virtues as much as he is able. See the goodness of God, how He accepts everyone: those who achieve great things, those who achieve moderate things, and those who achieve small things.
9. He who hath ears to hear, let him hear. He shows that those who have spiritual ears must understand these things in a spiritual sense. For many have ears but do not use them for hearing. This is why He added, "He who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
10-12. And the disciples came, and said unto Him, Why speakest Thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have in abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even what he hath. 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. Ask, therefore, He says, and it will be given to you. See here how the Lord told the parable and only the disciples, who asked, received. So we can truly say that to him who has zeal, knowledge is given and in abundance. But from him who does not have zeal and a worthy mind, even that which he imagines he has will be taken away. That is to say, if he has even the slightest spark of good, he extinguishes it if he does not blow on it with the Spirit and spiritual deeds, and kindle it.
13. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand . Take heed. Here the problem is solved of those who say that some are evil by nature, or by God�s intent. For they argue that Christ Himself said, "It is given unto you to know the mysteries, but to the Jews it is not given." But we say, with God, to those who speak such things, that God makes everyone by nature to understand what is necessary. For God "enlighten-eth every man that cometh into the world" (Jn. 1:9). But it is our own will and inclination that casts us into darkness. This is made clear even here. For Christ says that although they see by nature, that is, they were created by God to understand, they by their own choice do not see. And hearing, that is, by nature created by God to hear and to understand, they by their own choice do not hear, nor do they understand. Tell me, did they not see the miracles of Christ? Yes, they did, but they made themselves blind and condemned Him. So this is the meaning of "seeing they see not." Then He brings forward the prophet as further witness to His argument.
14-15. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: for this people�s heart has grown fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should turn back , and I should heal them . 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. He did not say that God closed their eyes, but they did, of their own choice. They did this, He says, so that they would not turn back and be healed by Me. For they chose evil and went to great lengths to remain unhealed and unrepentant.
16-17. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. 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 also because the prophets were not deemed worthy of such great mysteries and knowledge as were the apostles. In two ways, then, the apostles surpass the prophets: that they saw Christ bodily and that they were initiated into a deeper, more spiritual, understanding of the divine mysteries. Then He explains the parable to the disciples, saying:
18-19. Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the way side . 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.
20-21. As for that which was sown on rocky ground, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, and dureth but for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth and falleth. He speaks of tribulation because there are many who, when they are hard-pressed by their parents, or by some misfortunes, immediately blaspheme. And of persecution, on account of those who fall into the hands of tyrants.
22. As for that which was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. He did not say this world chokes, but the care of this world. Nor did He say wealth chokes, but the deceit of wealth. For wealth, when it is distributed, does not choke the word, but instead makes it grow. The thorns are cares and pleasures, for they kindle the flame both of desire and of gehenna. And just as the thorn is sharp and pierces the body and is removed with difficulty, so also with pleasure, once it takes hold of the soul, it enters it and is eradicated only with difficulty.
23. As for that which was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, one a hundredfold, another sixty, and another thirty . The forms of virtue vary, and those who progress in virtue vary. Do you see the order in the parable? We must first hear and understand it so that we may not be like those who are by the way side. Then we must hold steadfastly to what we have heard, and, finally, we must not be lovers of money. For what benefit is it to me to hear and retain the word, only to be choked by the love of money?
24-30. Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them ir bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. In the previous parable He spoke of the fourth part of the seed which fell on the good soil, while in this parable He shows that the enemy does not allow even that part which fell on good soil to remain incorrupted, because we sleep and grow indolent. The field, then, is the world, or, each one�s soul. The sower is Christ. The good seed is good people, or, good thoughts. The tares are heresies, or, evil thoughts. The one who sows them is the devil. The men who were sleeping are those who by their indolence give entry to heretics and evil thoughts. The servants are the angels, who are indignant that there are heresies or any wickedness in the soul, and wish to seize and cut off from this life the heretics and those who think evil thoughts. But God does not allow the heretics to be destroyed by wars, lest the righteous suffer and be destroyed along with them. Likewise, neither does God wish to cut down a man on account of his evil thoughts, lest the wheat be destroyed along with them. If, for example, Matthew had been cut down while he was a tare, the wheat of the word which was later to spring up from him would have been cut down with him. Similarly with Paul and the thief. While they were tares they were not cut down, but were permitted to live so that later their virtue might grow. Therefore He says to the angels, At the end of the world you will gather the tares, namely, the heretics. But how? Into bundles, that is, binding them hand and foot. For at that time a man will no longer be able to do anything, but all his power to act will be bound. The wheat, namely, the saints, will be gathered by the angelic reapers into heavenly granaries. So it is with the evil thoughts which Paul had when he persecuted: they were burnt in the fire which Christ came to light upon the earth, while the wheat, that is the good thoughts, was gathered into the granaries of the Church.
31-32. Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field. It is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown it is the greatest among plants, and becometh a tree, so that the winged creatures of the sky come and lodge in the branches thereof . The grain of mustard seed is both the preaching and the apostles. For though they appeared to be few, they encompassed the whole earth, with the result that the birds of the air, that is, those with frivolous and feathery knowledge of the things above, could find rest in them. You, too, O reader, must be as a grain of mustard seed, small in appearance (for it is not right to make a show of virtue) but hot, zealous, pungent, and reproving. Thus you will become greater than the shrubs, that is, greater than those who are weak and imperfect, by yourself being perfect, so that even the winged creatures of heaven, that is, the angels, will take their rest in you who are living the angelic life. For they, too, rejoice in the righteous.
33. Another parable spake He unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of flour, till the whole was leavened . He calls the apostles leaven as well as a grain of mustard seed. For just as the leaven, although it is small, transforms to itself all the flour, so you will transform the whole world, though you are few. Some understand the leaven to be the preaching; the three measures are the three faculties of the soul � the abilities to reason, to be stirred into action, and to desire � and the woman is the soul which hides the preaching within all three of its faculties, so that it is all mixed together, leavened, and sanctified. So every part of us must be leavened and transformed into that which is more Godlike. For He says, "till it was all leavened."
34-35. All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake He not unto them: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. He brings forward as witness the prophet who had proclaimed beforehand that Jesus would teach in parables (Ps. 77:2) , lest you think that Christ had invented some new form of teaching. But do not understand the prophecy in terms of cause and effect, but rather from the outcome of the event. For Christ did not teach in this manner in order to fulfill the prophecy, but rather, because He taught in parables, the word of the prophet is found in the outcome to have been fulfilled in Him. "Without a parable spake He not unto them" on this occasion only, for indeed He did not always speak to them in parables. The Lord uttered those things which were hidden since the foundation of the world. For He Himself revealed to us the mysteries of the heavens.
36. Then Jesus left the multitude, and went into the house. He left the multitude at that time because they were not benefiting from His teaching. For He was speaking in parables so that they would question Him. But they were not concerned with this, neither did they ask to learn anything, so it was reasonable that He should leave them. And His disciples came unto Him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field . They only asked about this parable as the others seemed clearer to them. Tares are anything that grow among wheat and are harmful to it, such as weeds and the like.
37-42. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the evil one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be at the end of this world. The Son of Man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that cause temptation, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth . What needed to be said has been said above. We said that He is speaking here of the heresies which are permitted to exist until the end of the world. For if we were to slay the heretics and cut them down, there would be uprisings and pitched battles, and perhaps many of the faithful would be destroyed in the uprisings. But even Paul and the thief had tares before they believed, but they were not cut down at that time, for the sake of the wheat that would spring up in them, for they later bore fruit for God. But the tares were consumed by the fire and heat of the Spirit.
43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Since the sun appears brighter to us than all the stars, He compares the radiance of the righteous to the sun. For they will shine more resplendently than the sun. Since, perhaps, Christ is the Sun of Righteousness, so the righteous will shine as Christ Himself, for they, too, will be gods.
44. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field . The field is the world, the treasure is the preaching and knowledge of Christ. It is hidden in the world. For as St. Paul says, We preach a wisdom that is hidden (I Cor. 2:7) . He who seeks knowledge of God, finds it. And all that he has, be it pagan doctrines, wicked practices, or money, he immediately throws away and buys the field, that is, the world. For he who has knowledge of Christ has the world as his own possession. For having nothing he possesses everything, and has the elements as his servants and commands them, as did Joshua and Moses.