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Homily 52
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.
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[“hypocrites” is omitted; so R.V., “ye know how to discern the face of the heavens; but ye cannot discern the signs of the times.” The last clause is not a question.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-41 · Original source
3. “And the Pharisees and Sadducees came anddesired Him to show them a sign from Heaven. But He saith, When it is evening, ye say, Fair weather, for the sky is red; and in the morning, Foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowering. Ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye not the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And He left them, and departed.”
[See above, note 10. Were the sentence a question, it would imply an affirmative answer, but it is plainly implied that they could not discern the signs of the times.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-45 · Original source
What then saith He to all this? “Ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” See His meekness and moderation. For
[Some mss. insert φιλοτιμα κα, “from ambition and want of faith.” It is με. So R.V. margin, “that I the Son of Man am,” as in the parallel passages.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-58 · Original source
See how much good His reproof wrought. For it both led them away from the Jewish observances, and when they were remiss, made them more heedful, and delivered them from want of faith;
[The A.V. is ungrammatical; “whom” is simply a transfer of the Greek accusative (with the infinitive in the passage) into the English finite clause.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-59 · Original source
And wherefore did He not ask them at once their own opinion, but that of the people? In order that when they had told the people’s opinion, and then were asked, “But whomsay ye that I am?” by the manner of His inquiry they might be led up to a sublimer notion, and not fall into the same low view as the multitude. Accordingly He asks them not at all in the beginning of His preaching, but when He had done many miracles, and had discoursed with them of many and high doctrines, and had afforded so many clear proofs of His Godhead, and of His unanimity with the Father, then He puts this question to them.
[Chrysostom reads κα γ δ, probably from verse 18, as none of our authorities have this fuller form.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-77 · Original source
Then He mentions also another honor. “And I alsowill give thee the keys of the heavens.” But what is this, “And I also will give thee?” “As the Father hath given thee to know me, so will I also give thee.”
[The singular is retained here by the translator, though the Greek form is the same, τν ορανν.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-84 · Original source
But see, throughout all, His authority: “I say unto thee, Thou art Peter; I will build the Church; I will give thee the keys of Heaven.”
See S. Cyril, Catech. xiii. 41. Oxf. Trans. and the note there: see also especially hereafter on S. Matth. xxiv. 30, Hom. LXXVI.
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-101 · Original source
Be not ashamed then of so great a blessing, lest Christ be ashamed of thee, when He comes with His glory, and the sign appears before Him, shining beyond the very sunbeam. For indeed the cross cometh then, uttering a voice by its appearance, and pleading with the whole world for our Lord, and signifying that no part hath failed of what pertained to Him.
Is. lviii. 9, lxv. 24. [The citation is from the former passage; but “I will say” from the latter is substituted for “he will say.” So in the last part of the longer citation below.—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-108 · Original source
For were He distant from us in place, thou mightest well doubt, but if He is present everywhere, to him that strives and is in earnest He is near. Wherefore also the prophet said, “I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me;” and God Himself again, “I am a God nigh at hand, and not a God afar off.” Then as our sins separate us from Him, so do our righteousnesses draw us nigh unto Him. “For while thou art yet speaking,” it is said, “I will say, Here I am.” What father would ever be thus obedient to his offspring? What mother is there, so ready, and continually standing, if haply her children call her? There is not one, no father, no mother: but God stands continually waiting, if any of his servants should perchance call Him; and never, when we have called as we ought, hath He refused to hear. Therefore He saith, “While thou art yet speaking,” I do not wait for thee to finish, and I straightway hearken.
[το οκεοι, “thy kinsmen,” taken from Isa. lviii. 7., LXX., last clause (see above.)—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-110 · Original source
But what is there at all even hard in these sayings? For neither did He say, “Pass over the mountain, go across the sea, dig through so many acres of land, abide without food, wrap thyself in sackcloth;” but, “Impart to the poor,impart of thy bread, cancel the contracts unjustly made.”
[R.V., “for even the dogs,” etc.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-16 · Original source
“Why, the dogs also,”saith she, “eat of the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
[R.V., “that which remained over of the broken pieces.”]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-33 · Original source
For, “they did all eat,” so it is said, “and were filled, and they took up of the broken meat that was left,seven baskets full. And they that did eat were four thousand men, besides women and children.”
[“tempting him” is omitted.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-40 · Original source
3. “And the Pharisees and Sadducees came anddesired Him to show them a sign from Heaven. But He saith, When it is evening, ye say, Fair weather, for the sky is red; and in the morning, Foul weather today, for the sky is red and lowering. Ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye not the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And He left them, and departed.”
Ps. lxxii. 6. [LXX.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-49 · Original source
Heard ye not the prophet, saying, “He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall His voice be heard without?”and another again, “He shall come down as rain upon a fleece of wool?”
i.e. His Incarnation.
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-60 · Original source
And signifying how earnestly He desires His Economyto be confessed, He saith, “The Son of Man;” thereby denoting His Godhead, which He doth also in many other places. For He saith, “No man hath ascended up to Heaven, but the Son of Man, which is in Heaven.” And again, “But when ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up, where He was before.”
i.e., the woman of Canaan.
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-89 · Original source
that time.” What time? When He had fixed the doctrine in them; when He had brought in the beginning of the Gentiles.
S. Greg. Nyss. Life of S. Greg. Thaum. Works, t. iii. p. 573. Paris, 1638.
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-102 · Original source
This sign, both in the days of our forefathers and now, hath opened doors that were shut up;this hath quenched poisonous drugs;this hath taken away the power of hemlock; this hath healed bites of venomous beasts. For if it opened the gates of hell, and threw wide the archways of Heaven, and made a new entrance into Paradise, and cut away the nerves of the devil; what marvel, if it prevailed over poisonous drugs, and venomous beasts, and all other such things.
Sim. Metaphr. Life of St. John, p. 47, etc. Oxon. 1597.
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-103 · Original source
This sign, both in the days of our forefathers and now, hath opened doors that were shut up;this hath quenched poisonous drugs;this hath taken away the power of hemlock; this hath healed bites of venomous beasts. For if it opened the gates of hell, and threw wide the archways of Heaven, and made a new entrance into Paradise, and cut away the nerves of the devil; what marvel, if it prevailed over poisonous drugs, and venomous beasts, and all other such things.
Is. lviii. 6–9. [LXX., see note above.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-109 · Original source
9. Let us call Him therefore, as it is His will to be called. But what is this His will? “Loose,” saith He, “every band of iniquity, unloose the twisted knots of oppressive covenants, tear in pieces every unjust contract. Break thy bread to the hungry, and bring in the poor that are cast out to thy house. If thou seest one naked, cover him, and them that belong to thy seed thou shalt not overlook. Then shall thy light break forth in the morning, and thine healings shall spring forth speedily, and thy righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall cover thee. Then thou shalt call upon me, and I will give ear unto thee; whilst thou art yet speaking, I will say, Lo! here I am.”
[πρωμον, explained below. Our versions render “as the morning.”—R.]
Editorial footnote · Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52, editorial note cite_note-111 · Original source
“Then,” saith He, “shall thy light break forth in the morning.” Doth not this gift appear to thee as some one thing? But it is not one; nay, for it hath many things in it, both prizes, and crowns, and other rewards. And, if ye are minded, let us take it to pieces and show all its wealth, as it shall be possible for us to show it; only do not ye grow weary.