XXVI. v. 4. 392 The Centurion, by instinct, owned Christ as God. HOMIL. he did not so much as say, speak the word, but what was far 4, 5. more, "be willing only," which is what the Prophet saith 'Ps.115, concerning the Father, He hath done whatsoever He pleased. 3. But he also was commended. For when He said, Offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them, He means nothing else but, "thou shalt be an accuser of them, in that thou didst believe." And besides, it was not the same for one that was a Jew to believe, and for one from without that nation. For that the centurion was not a Jew is evident, both from his being a centurion, and from its being said, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And it was a very great thing for a man who was out of the list of the Jewish people to admit so great a thought. For he did no less than imagine to himself, as it seems to me, the armies in Heaven; or that the diseases and death, and every thing else, were so subject to HIM, as his soldiers to himself. v. 9. Wherefore he said likewise, For I also am a man set under authority; that is, Thou art God, and I man; I under authority, but Thou not under authority. If I therefore, being a man, and under authority, can do so much; far more He, both as God, and as not under authority. Thus with the strongest expression He desires to convince Him, that he saith this, as one giving not a similar example, but one far exceeding. For if I, (said he,) being equal in honour to them whom I command, and under authority, yet by reason of the trifling superiority of my rank am able to do such great things; and no man contradicts me, but what I command, that is done, though the injunctions be various, for I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh:) much more wilt Thou Thyself be able. And some actually read the place in this way, For if I, being a Man, and having inserted a stop, they add, having soldiers under authority under me. But mark thou, I pray thee, how he signified that Christ is able both to overcome even death as a slave, and to command it as its Master. For in saying, Come, and he cometh, and Go, and he goeth; he expresses this: "If Thou shouldest command his end not to come upon him, it will not come." Seest thou how believing he was? For that which was The Greatness of his Reward. 393 VIII. afterwards to be manifest to all, here is one who already hath MATT. made it evident; that He hath power both of death and of life, 13. and leadeth down to the gates of hell, and bringeth up again'. 11 Sam. Nor was he speaking of soldiers only, but also of slaves; 26. which related to a more entire obedience. [5.] But nevertheless, though having such great faith, he still accounted himself to be unworthy. Christ however, signifying that he was worthy to have Him enter into his house, did much greater things, marvelling at him, and proclaiming him, and giving more than he had asked. For he came indeed seeking for his servant health of body, but went away, having received a kingdom. Seest thou how the saying had been already fulfilled, Seek ye the kingdom of heaven, and all these things shall be added unto you2. For, because he? Matt. evinced great faith, and lowliness of mind, He both gave him 6, 33. heaven, and added unto him health. And not by this alone did He honour him, but also by signifying upon whose casting out he is brought in. For now from this time forth He proceeds to make known to all, that salvation is by faith, not by works of the Law. And this is why not to Jews only, but to Gentiles also the gift so given shall be proffered, and to the latter rather than to the former. For" think not," saith He," by any means, that so it hath come to pass in regard of this man alone; nay, so it shall be in regard of the whole world. And this He said, prophesying of the Gentiles, and suggesting to them good hopes. For in fact there were some following Him from Galilee of the Gentiles. And this He said, on the one hand, not letting the Gentiles despair, on the other, putting down the proud spirits of the Jews. But that His saying might not affront the hearers, nor afford them any handle; He neither brings forward prominently what He hath to say of the Gentiles, but upon occasion taken from the centurion; nor doth He use nakedly the term, Gentiles: not saying, "many of the Gentiles," but, many from east and west: which was the language of one v. 11. pointing out the Gentiles, but did not so much affront the hearers, because His meaning was under a shadow. Neither in this way only doth He soften the apparent Teorтйva, "disagree with, be nauseous to." 394 Miracles and Prophecy confirm each other. HOMIL. novelty of His doctrine, but also by speaking of Abraham's XXVI. bosom instead of the kingdom. For neither was that term familiar to them: moreover, the introduction of Abraham 5, 6. would be a sharper sting to them. Wherefore John also spake nothing at first concerning Hell, but, what was most Matr. apt to grieve them, He saith, 1Think not to say, we are 3, 9. children of Abraham. He is providing for another point also; not to seem in any sense opposed to the ancient polity. For he that admires the Patriarchs, and speaks of their bosom as an inheritance of blessings, doth much more than sufficiently remove also this suspicion. Let no man therefore suppose that the threat is one only, for both the punishment of the one and the joy of the other is double of the one, not only that they fell away, but that they fell away from their own; of the other, not only that they attained, but that they attained what they had no expectation of: and there is a third together with these, that the one received what pertained to the other. And he calls them children of the kingdom, for whom the kingdom had been prepared: which also more than all was apt to gall them; in that having pointed to them as being in their bosom by His offer and promise, after all He puts them out. [6.] Then, because what He had said was mere affirmation, He confirms it by the miracle; as indeed He shews the miracles in their turn, by the subsequent accomplishment of the prediction. He accordingly, who disbelieves the health which the servant then received, let him from the prophecy, which hath this day come to pass, believe that other also. For so that prophecy again, even before the event, was made manifest to all by the sign which then took place. To this end, you see, having first uttered that prediction, then and not before He raised up the sick of the palsy; that He might make the future credible by the present, and the less by the greater. Since for virtuous men to enjoy His good things, and for the contrary sort to undergo His penalties, were nothing improbable, but a reasonable event, and according to the tenor of laws: but to brace up the feeble, and to raise the dead, was something beyond nature. But nevertheless, unto this great and marvellous work the What Dispensation the Centurion's Case illustrated. 395 VIII. centurion too contributed no little; which thing, we see, MATT. Christ also declared, saying, Go thy way, and as thou hast 13. believed, so be it done unto thee. Seest thou how the health of the servant proclaimed aloud both Christ's power, and the faith of the centurion, and also became a pledge of the future? Or rather it was all a proclamation of Christ's power. For not only did He quite heal the servant's body, but the soul also of the centurion He did Himself bring over unto the faith by His miracles. And do thou look not to this only, that the one believed, and the other was healed, but marvel how quickly also. For this too the Evangelist declared, saying, And his servant was healed in the self-same hour: even as of the leper also he said, he was straightway cleansed. For not by healing, but by doing so both in a wonderful manner and in a moment of time, did He display His power. Neither in this way only doth He profit us, but also by his constant practice, in the manifestation of His miracles, of opening incidentally His discourses about His kingdom, and of drawing all men towards it. For those even whom He was threatening to cast out, He threatened not in order to cast them out, but in order that through such fear, He might draw them into it by His words. And if not even hereby were they profited, theirs is the whole blame, as also of all who are in the like distemper. For not at all among Jews only may one see this taking place, but also among them that have believed. For Judas too was a child of the kingdom, and it was said to him with the disciples, Ye shall sit on twelve thrones1; yet he became1 Matt. a child of hell; whereas the Ethiopian, barbarian as he was, and of them from the east and west, shall enjoy the crowns with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. This takes place among us also now. For many, saith He, that are first shall be last, and the last first. And this He saith, that? ibid. v. neither the one may grow languid, as unable to return; nor the others be confident, as standing fast. This John also declared before from the beginning, when he said, God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham3.3 Matt. Thus, since it was so to come to pass, it is proclaimed long before; that no one may be confounded at the strangeness of the event. But he indeed speaks of it as a possible thing, 19, 28. 30. 3, 9. 396 Sin proved corrigible, against the Manichæans. HOMIL. (for he was first;) Christ on the other hand as what will 6—8. surely be, affording the proof of it from His works. XXVI. 10, 12. 8, 4. [7.] Let us not then be confident, who stand, but let us say 11 Cor. to ourselves, 'Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall; neither let us who are fallen despair, but let us say 2 Jer. to ourselves," He that falleth, doth he not arise? For many even who have mounted to the very summit of Heaven, and have shewn forth all austerity, and had made their abode in the deserts, nor saw any woman so much as in a dream; having become a little remiss, have been tripped up, and have come unto the very gulf of wickedness. While others again from thence have gone up to Heaven, and from the stage and orchestra have passed over unto the discipline of Angels, and have displayed so great virtue, as to drive away devils, and to work many other such miracles. And of these examples both the Scriptures are full, and our life is also full. Even whoremongers and effeminate persons stop the mouths of the Manichæans, who say that wickedness is immoveable, enrolling themselves on the Devil's side, and weakening the hands of them that would wish to be in earnest, and overturning all our life. For they who inculcate these things, not only injure men as to the future, but here also turn all things upside down, for their own part at least. Because when will any regard virtue, from among those that are living in wickedness, so long as he accounts his return that way, and His change for the better, a thing impossible? For if now, when both laws exist, and penalties are threatened, and there is common opinion to recall the ordinary sort, and hell is looked for, and a kingdom promised, and wrong things reproached, and the good praised; hardly do any choose the labours that are to be undergone for virtue's sake: shouldest thou take away all these things, what is there to hinder ruin and corruption universal? Knowing therefore the Devil's craft, and that as well the lawgivers of the Gentiles as the oracles of God, and the reasonings of nature, and the common opinion of all men, yea Barbarians, and Scythians, and Thracians, and generally all, are directly opposed both to these, and to such as strive to enact the doctrines of fate: let us be sober, beloved, and bidding farewell to all those, let us travel along the |