Search a Bible verse · Source library · Sources and text rights
Homily 72
Complete historical editorial footnotes. These notes retain the original edition’s wording; individual note authors are unspecified.
English translation and editorial credits: Sir George Prevost, M. B. Riddle.
Read the original source · Text reuse terms
This passage has afforded grounds for a conjecture as to the date of the Homily, but the language is too general to prove anything; see Montfaucon’s Preface.
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 72, editorial note cite_note-11 · Original source
And it comes upon me now even to weep, when I hear of the first seats, and the greetings, and consider how many ills were hence engendered to the churches of God, which it is not necessary to publish to you now; nay rather as many as are aged men do not even need to learn these things from us.
Or, “courts.” [στρατοπδοι; in earlier Greek “camps,” but in Byzantine Greek applied to the suite of the Emperor.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 72, editorial note cite_note-19 · Original source
Not however that therefore we have from this an excuse, in that we are proud when living in the midst of men. For surely Abraham, when amidst Canaanites, said, “I am but dust and ashes;”and David, when in the midst of camps,“I am a worm, and no man;”and the apostle, in the midst of the world, “I am not meet to be called an apostle.” What comfort shall we have then; what plea, when even, having such great examples, we do not practise moderation? For even as they are worthy of countless crowns, having been the first that went the way of virtue, even so are we deserving of countless punishments, who not even after those that are departed, and are set before us in books, no nor even after these that are living, and held in admiration through their deeds, are drawn on to the like emulation.
Deut. vi. 8; so LXX. A.V. “as frontlets between.”
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 72, editorial note cite_note-7 · Original source
And what are these phylacteries, and these borders? Since they were continually forgetting God’s benefits, He commanded His marvellous works to be inscribed on little tablets, and that these should be suspended from their hands (wherefore also He said, “They shall be immoveable in thine eyes”),which they called phylacteries; as many of our women now wear Gospels hung from their necks. And in order that by another thing again they may be reminded, like as many often do, binding round their finger with a piece of linen or a thread, as being likely to forget, this God enjoined them as children to do, “to sew a ribbon of blue on their garments, upon the fringe that hung round their feet, that they might look at it, and remember the commandments;”and they were called “borders.”
Numb. xv. 38, 39. [The passage is freely given from the LXX.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 72, editorial note cite_note-8 · Original source
And what are these phylacteries, and these borders? Since they were continually forgetting God’s benefits, He commanded His marvellous works to be inscribed on little tablets, and that these should be suspended from their hands (wherefore also He said, “They shall be immoveable in thine eyes”),which they called phylacteries; as many of our women now wear Gospels hung from their necks. And in order that by another thing again they may be reminded, like as many often do, binding round their finger with a piece of linen or a thread, as being likely to forget, this God enjoined them as children to do, “to sew a ribbon of blue on their garments, upon the fringe that hung round their feet, that they might look at it, and remember the commandments;”and they were called “borders.”
[R.V., “the chief place.”]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 72, editorial note cite_note-9 · Original source
For, “they love,” He saith, “the uppermost roomsat feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi.” For these things, although one may think them small, yet are they a cause of great evils. These things have overthrown both cities and churches.
[With the oldest New Testament mss. the word “Rabbi” is not repeated.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 72, editorial note cite_note-10 · Original source
For, “they love,” He saith, “the uppermost roomsat feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi.” For these things, although one may think them small, yet are they a cause of great evils. These things have overthrown both cities and churches.