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Eusebius of Caesarea — commentary on Scripture

📅 September 1, 2026

1 Chronicles 16:15 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10.1

As it has been supposed by some that the book of Psalms merely consists of hymns to God and sacred songs and that we shall look in vain in it for predictions and prophecies of the future, let us realize distinctly that it contains many prophecies, far too many to be quoted now, and it must suffice for proof of what Isaiah to make use of two psalms ascribed to Asaph, written in the time of David. For Asaph was one of the temple musicians then, as is stated in the book of Chronicles, and was inspired by the divine Spirit to speak the psalms inscribed with his name.

1 Chronicles 17:11-13 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7.3

There is no doubt that Solomon was the son of David and his successor in the kingdom. And he first built the temple of God at Jerusalem, and perhaps the Jews understand him to be the subject of the prophecy. But we may fairly ask them whether the oracle applies to Solomon, which says, "And I will set up his throne for ever," and also where God swore with the affirmation of an oath by his holy one, "The throne of him that is foretold shall be as the sun and the days of heaven." For if the years of the reign of Solomon are reckoned, they will be found to be forty and no more. Even if the reigns of all his successors are added up, they do not altogether come to 500 years. And even if we suppose that their line continued down to the final attack on the Jewish nation by the Romans, how can they fulfill a prophecy which says, "Your throne shall remain for ever, and be as the sun and the days of heaven"? And the words, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son," how can they refer to Solomon? For his history tells us much about him that is foreign and opposed to the adoption of God. No. Hear the indictment against him: "And Solomon loved women, and took many strange wives, even the daughter of Pharaoh, Moabites, Ammonites, and Idumaeans, Syrians and Chatteans, and Amorites, from the nations of whom the Lord said to the children of Israel, that they should not go in to them."And in addition to this: "And his heart was not right with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father; and Solomon went after Astarte, the abomination of the Sidonians and after their king, the idol of the sons of Ammon. And Solomon did evil before the Lord." And again further on he adds, "And the Lord raised Satan against Solomon, Ader the Idumaean." Now who would venture to call God his father, who lay under such grievous charges, and to call himself the firstborn son of the God of the Universe? Or how could these sayings apply first to David, if you reflect. Therefore we require someone else, here revealed to arise from the seed of David. But there was no other born of him, as is recorded, save only our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ of God, who alone of the kings of David's line is called through the whole world the Son of David according to his earthly birth, and whose kingdom continues and will continue, lasting for endless time. It is attacked by many, but always by its divine superhuman power proves itself inspired and invincible as the prophecy foretold.

1 Chronicles 22:9 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.12

This [passage quoted, 1 Kings 8:26-27] is also found in the same words in Chronicles. God then promised David he would raise up a king from his body and would be his father, so that the offspring of the seed of David should be called the Son of God and should have his throne in an eternal kingdom. This was prophesied to David by Nathan in the Second Book of Kings. … The same is also said in Chronicles, and in the 88th [89th] Psalm. … And so Solomon, being unique in wisdom, understanding this oracle given to his father, and perceiving it to be no slight thing, but something beyond human nature, and more suitable to God than to himself, son of David though he was, and knowing who was meant by God by the Firstborn, and who was clearly foretold as the Son of God, was overjoyed at the message and prayed that the words of the prophecy might be confirmed and that he who was foretold might come, calling him Firstborn and Son of God.

1 Peter 1:1 — HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 3.1

Peter seems to have preached in Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia and Asia to the Jews of the dispersion, and afterwards, having come to Rome, he was crucified head downwards, for he himself had asked to suffer so.

1 Peter 1:24 — CATENA

This is the nature of all flesh, and the portrait of a man made from clay, I mean someone who loves his own body and lives according to the flesh. Like the grass of the field and like beautiful flowers he will soon wither and die.

1 Peter 2:24 — CATENA

He bore the blows and wounds in his body, he was beaten and scourged and thrashed, his head was bruised with a reed. But his wounds became our saviors, for "by his stripes we are healed." For who are we, but those who were once deceived and who did not recognize him, nor were we aware of who he was?

1 Peter 3:18-19 — Church History (Book I), Chapter 13, Section 19

But tomorrow assemble for me all your citizens, and I will preach in their presence and sow among them the word of God, concerning the coming of Jesus, how he was born; and concerning his mission, for what purpose he was sent by the Father; and concerning the power of his works, and the mysteries which he proclaimed in the world, and by what power he did these things; and concerning his new preaching, and his abasement and humiliation, and how he humbled himself, and died and debased his divinity and was crucified, and descended into Hades, and burst the bars which from eternity had not been broken, and raised the dead; for he descended alone, but rose with many, and thus ascended to his Father.

1 Peter 4:6 — Church History (Book I), Chapter 13, Section 19

1 Peter 5:13 — Church History (Book II), Chapter 15, Sections 1-2

And thus when the divine word had made its home among them, the power of Simon was quenched and immediately destroyed, together with the man himself. And so greatly did the splendor of piety illumine the minds of Peter's hearers that they were not satisfied with hearing once only, and were not content with the unwritten teaching of the divine Gospel, but with all sorts of entreaties they besought Mark, a follower of Peter, and the one whose Gospel is extant, that he would leave them a written monument of the doctrine which had been orally communicated to them. Nor did they cease until they had prevailed with the man, and had thus become the occasion of the written Gospel which bears the name of Mark. And they say that Peter when he had learned, through a revelation of the Spirit, of that which had been done, was pleased with the zeal of the men, and that the work obtained the sanction of his authority for the purpose of being used in the churches. Clement in the eighth book of his Hypotyposes gives this account, and with him agrees the bishop of Hierapolis named Papias. And Peter makes mention of Mark in his first epistle which they say that he wrote in Rome itself, as is indicated by him, when he calls the city, by a figure, Babylon, as he does in the following words: "The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son." [1 Peter 5:13]

1 Peter 5:13 — Church History (Book II), Chapter 15, Section 2

And Peter makes mention of Mark in his first epistle which they say that he wrote in Rome itself, as is indicated by him, when he calls the city, by a figure, Babylon, as he does in the following words: "The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son."

1 Samuel 2:10 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1.4.16

These words refer to the return of Christ or to the return of God to heaven. His teaching [will be] heard like thunder by all, and holy Scripture foretells his future judgment of all afterwards. And after this it is said that the Lord will give strength to our kings. And these would be the apostles of Christ, of whom it is written in Psalm 67: "The Lord will give a word to the preachers of the gospel with much power." Here, also, he mentions Christ by name, humanly known as our Savior, whose horn he says shall be exalted, meaning his invisible power and kingdom. For it is usual for Scripture to call a kingdom a "horn." It is found also in Psalm 88: "And in my name shall his horn be exalted."

1 Timothy 1:3 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.4

Paul's fellow workers and fellow soldiers, as he himself called them, numbered many thousands, the majority of whom he considered worthy of an everlasting memorial, for he has made his testimony to them enduring in his own letters. Moreover, Luke also, as he lists those known to him, makes mention of them by name. So Timothy is recorded as the first one called to oversee the church of Ephesus, just as Titus was for the churches in Crete.

1 Timothy 1:9 — The Proof of the Gospel 1.4

You see here that he distinguishes two covenants, the old and the new, and says that the new would not be like the old which was given to the fathers. For the old covenant was given as a law to the Jews, when they had fallen from the religion of their forefathers, and had embraced the manners and life of the Egyptians, and had declined to the errors of polytheism and the idolatrous superstitions of the Gentiles. It was intended to raise up the fallen, and to set on their feet those who were lying on their faces, by suitable teaching. "For the law, it is said, is not for the righteous, but for the unjust and disorderly, for the unrighteous and for sinners, and for those like them."

1 Timothy 6:20 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.32

Besides this, the same man [Hegesippus], when relating the events of these times, adds that until then the church had remained a pure and undefiled virgin, since those who attempted to corrupt the sound rule of the Savior's preaching, if any did exist, until then lurked somewhere in obscure darkness. But when the sacred band of the apostles had received an end of life in various ways, and the generation of those who were deemed worthy to hear the divine wisdom with their own ears had passed away, then the league of godless error took its beginnings because of the deceit of heretical teachers who, since none of the apostles still remained, attempted henceforth barefacedly to proclaim in opposition to the preaching of truth "the knowledge falsely so-called."

2 Chronicles 26:16-19 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.18

Uzziah is described as at first having been righteous, and then it is related that he was lifted up in mind and dared to offer sacrifice to God himself, and his face became leprous in consequence. But Josephus carefully studied the additional comments of the expounders as well, and a Hebrew of the Hebrews as he was, hear his description of the events of those times. He tells: "Though the priests urged Uzziah to go out of the temple and not to break the law of God, he angrily threatened them with death unless they held their peace. And meanwhile an earthquake shook the earth, and a bright light shone through a breach in the temple and struck the king's face, so that at once it became leprous. And before the city at the place called Eroga, the western half of the Mount was split asunder and rolling four stadia stopped at the eastern mountain, so as to block up the royal approach and gardens." This I take from the work of Josephus on Jewish antiquities. And I found in the beginning of the prophet Amos the statement that he began to prophecy "in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, two years before the earthquake." What earthquake he does not clearly say. But I think the same prophet further on suggests this earthquake when he says, "I saw the Lord standing on the altar. And he said, Strike the altar, and the doors shall be shaken, and strike the heads of all, and the remnant I will slay with the sword."Here I understand a prediction of the earthquake, and of the destruction of the ancient solemnities of the Jewish race and of the worship practiced by them in Jerusalem, the ruin that should overtake them after the coming of our Savior, when, since they rejected the Christ of God, the true High Priest, leprosy infected their souls, as in the days of Uzziah, when the Lord himself standing on the altar gave leave to him that struck, saying, "Strike the altar."

2 Corinthians 2:14 — Ecclesiastical History 6.41

A whole band of soldiers, Ammon and Zeno and Ptolemy and Ingenuus, and with them an old man Theophilus, had taken their stand before the tribunal. When a certain man was being tried as a Christian and was inclined toward denying the faith, they, standing by, gnashed their teeth, and made signs with their faces, and stretched out their hands and gestured with their bodies. When the attention of all was directed toward them, before any could otherwise seize them, they rushed up first to the bench, saying that they were Christians, so that the governor and his assessors became fearful. Those who were being tried appeared most courageous in the face of what they were about to suffer, while their judges were afraid. And these paraded from the court and rejoiced in their testimony, as God "led them in triumph gloriously."

2 Corinthians 5:21 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4.17

And he, since he understood at once his Father's divine counsel, and because he discerned better than any other why he was forsaken by the Father, humbled himself even more. He embraced death for us with all willingness and "became a curse for us," holy and all-blessed though he was.… "He that knew no sin, became sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in him." Yet more—to wash away our sins he was crucified, suffering what we who were sinful should have suffered, as our sacrifice and ransom, so that we may well say with the prophet, he bears our sins and is pained for us, and he was wounded for our sins and bruised for our iniquities, so that by his stripes we might be healed, for the Lord has given him for our sins. So, as delivered up by the Father, as bruised, as bearing our sins, he was led as a sheep to the slaughter.

2 Peter 3:5 — CATENA

"In the beginning you, O Lord, laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands," said the psalmist. If you did not know from the beginning, O Lord, who laid the foundation of the earth, and if the heavens were not the work of your hands, it would be impossible for them to be changed or to be transformed into anything else. If they had not been created, they would have to remain incomplete forever. But since you were their maker, you can do whatever you want to with them. They are made of destructible matter and did not exist at all until you made them by your will and power. There is only one that is eternal and can never be removed and that is you, the only maker of everything that exists.

2 Timothy 4:6 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2.22

He did not add next something like "he will deliver me out of the mouth of the lion," for he saw in the spirit that his death was all but at hand. So he adds to his words, "And I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion." He says: "The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom," indicating his speedy martyrdom, which he foretells even more clearly in the same writing, when he says, "For I am even now ready to be sacrificed, and the time of my dissolution is at hand."

2 Timothy 4:17 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2.22

Story has it that the apostle, after defending himself, was again sent upon the ministry of preaching and coming a second time to the same city met death by martyrdom under Nero. While he was being held in prison, he composed the second epistle to Timothy, at the same time indicating that his first defense had taken place and that martyrdom was at hand.

Acts 1:8 — Unknown work

you shall be witnesses for me: that is, of His death and resurrection.

Acts 1:23 — Church History (Book III), Chapter 39, Sections 8-10

But it is fitting to subjoin to the words of Papias which have been quoted, other passages from his works in which he relates some other wonderful events which he claims to have received from tradition. That Philip the apostle dwelt at Hierapolis with his daughters has been already stated. But it must be noted here that Papias, their contemporary, says that he heard a wonderful tale from the daughters of Philip. For he relates that in his time one rose from the dead. And he tells another wonderful story of Justus, surnamed Barsabbas: that he drank a deadly poison, and yet, by the grace of the Lord, suffered no harm. The Book of Acts records that the holy apostles after the ascension of the Saviour, put forward this Justus, together with Matthias, and prayed that one might be chosen in place of the traitor Judas, to fill up their number. The account is as follows: "And they put forward two, Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias; and they prayed and said." [Acts 1:23]

Acts 2:24 — Church History (Book I), Chapter 13, Section 19

Acts 3:6 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.5

And who would not be astonished at their indifference to money, certified by their not turning from but welcoming a Master who forbade the possession of gold and silver, whose law did not even allow the acquisition of a second coat? Why, anyone only hearing such a law might reject it as too heavy, but these men are shown to have carried out the words in fact.

Acts 8:20 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2.14

Immediately, the above-mentioned sorcerer, as if struck in the eyes of his mind by a divine and marvelous flash when formerly in Judea he had been detected for his evil deeds by the apostle Peter, set out on a very long journey overseas from east to west and went off in flight, thinking that only in this way could he live according to his wish. And when he came to the city of the Romans, the power that obsessed him cooperated with him greatly, and in short time he was so successful in his undertakings that he was honored as a god by the erection of a statue by those in this city. However, his affairs did not prosper for long. Close on him in the same reign of Claudius, the all-good and kindly providence of the universe guided Peter, the great and mighty one of the apostles, because of his virtue the spokesman for all the others to Rome, as if against a great corrupter of life. And he, like a noble general of God, clad in divine armor, conveys the costly merchandise of the light from the east to those in the west, preaching the light itself and the Word that saves souls, the proclamation of the kingdom of heaven.

Acts 19:19 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.6

It shows what our Savior's disciples were; it shows the extraordinary influence of their words when they addressed their audience, that people so touched the depths of their souls, caught hold of and pierced the individual conscience, that men no longer hid anything away in concealment but brought forth their forbidden things to light and themselves completed the indictment of themselves and their own former wickedness. It shows what their pupils were like, how pure and honorable in disposition, determined that nothing evil in them should lurk below the surface, and how boldly they prided themselves on their change from the worse to the better. Yes, they who gave their magic books to the flames and voted for their complete destruction left no one in any doubt that they would never again have anything to do with sorcery, and from that day forth they were pure from the slightest suspicion of it.

Acts 21:9 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.31.2-5

In this epistle [to Victor, the bishop of Rome] he [Polycrates] mentions him [John] together with the apostle Philip and his daughters in the following words: "For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the last day, at the coming of the Lord, when he shall come with glory from heaven and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who sleeps in Hierapolis, and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and moreover John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and being a priest wore the sacerdotal plate. He also sleeps at Ephesus." So much concerning their death. And in the Dialogue of Caius which we mentioned a little above, Proclus … speaks thus concerning the death of Philip and his daughters: "After him there were four prophetesses, the daughters of Philip, at Hierapolis in Asia. Their tomb is there and the tomb of their father." Such is his statement. But Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, mentions the daughters of Philip, who were at that time at Caesarea in Judea with their father and were honored with the gift of prophecy.

Acts 21:9 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.39.9

That Philip the apostle dwelt at Hierapolis with his daughters has been already stated. But it must be noted here that Papias, their contemporary, says that he heard a wonderful tale from the daughters of Philip. For he relates that in his time one rose from the dead.

Acts 27:1 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2.23.1-3

But after Paul, in consequence of his appeal to Caesar, had been sent to Rome by Festus, the Jews, being frustrated in their hope of entrapping him by the snares that they had laid for him, turned against James, the brother of the Lord, to whom the episcopal seat at Jerusalem had been entrusted by the apostles. The following daring measures were undertaken by them against him. Leading him into their midst they demanded of him that he should renounce faith in Christ in the presence of all the people. But, contrary to the opinion of all, with a clear voice and with greater boldness than they had anticipated, [James] spoke out before the whole multitude and confessed that our Savior and Lord Jesus is the Son of God. But they were unable to bear longer the testimony of the man who, on account of the excellence of ascetic virtue and of piety that he exhibited in his life, was esteemed by all as the most just of people, and consequently they killed him. Opportunity for this deed of violence was furnished by the prevailing anarchy, which was caused by the fact that Festus had died just at this time in Judea and that the province was thus without a governor and head. The manner of James' death has been already indicated by the above-quoted words of Clement, who records that he was thrown from the pinnacle of the temple and was beaten to death with a club.

Acts 28:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 1.63

"And they shall be scattered on the merchant ships of foreigners and together plunder the sea." For they, in their wanderings among the nations, had to make use of the passage through the sea, just as though they were flying on it, they made a swift course through the sea so that they might proclaim the gospel to most nations in a short time. Sometimes they went by foot, sometimes through the sea, but instead of employing Jewish ship captains, they hired those who had received the message of Christ. At the same time, they plundered the sea, that is the islands, through which they passed and made known to their inhabitants the salvific teaching. So you may understand this passage, here is one example. The apostle Paul, being one of those whom this passage prophesies, took a course through the sea on his way to Rome, and when he was shipwrecked on the island called Malta he worked a miracle of great astonishment to the inhabitants, and by healing the physically ill, he so amazed the onlookers that he plundered many and drew them to the salvific teaching.

Acts 28:31 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2.22.1-8

And Luke, who wrote the Acts of the Apostles, brought his history to a close at this point, after stating that Paul spent two whole years at Rome as a prisoner at large and preached the word of God without restraint. Thus after he had made his defense it is said that the apostle was sent again upon the ministry of preaching and that upon coming to the same city a second time he suffered martyrdom. In this imprisonment [Paul] wrote his second epistle to Timothy, in which he mentions his first defense and his impending death. But hear his testimony on these matters. "At my first answer," he says, "no one stood with me, but all forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully known and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion." He plainly indicates in these words that on the former occasion, in order that the preaching might be fulfilled by him, he was rescued from the mouth of the lion, referring, in this expression, to Nero, as is probable on account of the latter's cruelty. He did not therefore afterward add the similar statement, "He will rescue me from the mouth of the lion"; for he saw in the Spirit that his end would not be long delayed. Wherefore he adds to the words "and he delivered me from the mouth of the lion" this sentence, "The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me to his heavenly kingdom," indicating his speedy martyrdom; which he also foretells still more clearly in the same epistle, when he writes, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand." In his second epistle to Timothy, moreover, he indicates that Luke was with him when he wrote that at his first defense not even Luke was there. So it is probable that Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles at that time, continuing his history down to the period when he was with Paul. But these things have been adduced by us to show that Paul's martyrdom did not take place at the time of that Roman sojourn that Luke records. It is probable indeed that as Nero was more disposed to mildness in the beginning, Paul's defense of his doctrine was more easily received; but that when he [Nero] had advanced to the commission of lawless deeds of daring, he made the apostles as well as others the subjects of his attacks.

Colossians 2:16 — The Proof of the Gospel (Book IV), Chapter 16

And this has the support of the inspired apostle, who says when treating of the law of Moses: "Who serve under the example and shadow of heavenly things." And again: "For the law having a shadow of good things to come." And again: "Let no man, therefore, judge you in meat or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come." For if the enactments relating to the difference of foods, and the holy days and the Sabbath, like shadowy things, preserved a copy of other things, that were mystically true, you will say not without reason that the High Priest also represented the symbol of another High Priest, and that he was called Christ, as the pattern of that other, the only real Christ: and so far was he from being the real one, that the real Christ hears from the Supreme God: "Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet." And: "Be thou ruler in the midst of thine enemies." And: "The Lord sware, and will not repent. Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." By which He was revealed clearly as eternal Priest, existing as Offspring and Son of God before the Morning Star and before the whole creation. And the Christ of Moses, like one who has acted the character in a drama for a short time, retires as one reckoned among mortals, and hands on the reality to the only true and real.

Daniel 2:31 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 15:1

And it was fitting that the king, who prized the substances deemed precious among people, gold, and silver, and brass and iron, should identify these substances as the kingdoms that held sovereignty at different times in the life of humankind; but that the prophet should describe these same kingdoms under the likeness of beasts, in accordance with the manner of their rule. And again, the king—who was puffed up, so it appears, in his own conceit and prided himself on the power of his ancestors—is shown the vicissitude to which affairs are subject and the end destined for all the kingdoms of the earth. This is done in order to teach him humility and understand that there is nothing lasting among people but only that which is appointed the end of all things—the kingdom of God.

Daniel 7:13-14 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1:2

For instance, Daniel the prophet, under the influence of the divine Spirit, seeing his kingdom at the end of time, was inspired thus to describe the divine vision in language fitted to human comprehension.… It is clear that these words can refer to no one else than to our Savior, the Word who was in the beginning with God, and who was called the Son of man because of his final appearance in the flesh. Daniel 9:24-27 — St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, CHAPTER NINE (as quoted by Jerome, AD 420) It does not seem to me that the seventy weeks have been divided up without purpose, in that seven is mentioned first, and then sixty-two, and then a last week is added, which in turn is itself divided into two parts. For it is written: 'Thou shalt know and understand that from the issuing of the word (command) that the petition be granted and Jerusalem be built until Christ the Prince there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks.' And after the rest which he relates in the intervening section, he states at the end: 'He shall confirm a testimony (covenant) with many during one week.' It is clear that the angel did not detail these things in his reply to no purpose or apart from the inspiration of God. This observation seems to require some cautious and careful reasoning, so that the reader may pay diligent attention and inquire into the cause for this division (variant: vision). But if we must express our own opinion, in conformity with the rest of the interpretation which concerns this present context, in the angel's statement: 'From the issuing of the word that the petition be granted and that Jerusalem be built, until the time of Christ the Prince,' we are only to think of other princes who had charge of the Jewish people subsequent to this prophecy and subsequent to the return from Babylon. That is to say, we are to think of the <i>arkhiereis</i> and pontiffs to whom the Scripture attaches the title of christs, by reason of the fact that they have been anointed. The first of these was Jesus the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and then the rest who had that office up until the time of the advent of our Lord and Savior. And it is these who are intended by the prophet's prediction when it states: 'From the issuing of the word that the petition be granted and Jerusalem be built even unto Christ the Prince there shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks.' That is to say, the purpose is that seven weeks be counted off, and then afterward sixty-two weeks, which come to a total of four hundred and eighty-three years after the time of Cyrus. And lest we appear to be putting forth a mere conjecture too rashly and without testing the truth of our statements, let us reckon up those who bore office as christs over the people from the time of Jeshua, the son of Jehozadak, until the advent of the Lord; that is to say, those who were anointed for the high priesthood. First, then, as we have already stated, subsequent to Daniel's prophecy, which occurred in the reign of Cyrus, and subsequent to the return of the people from Babylon, Jeshua the son of Jehozadak was the high priest, and together with Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, they laid the foundations of the temple. And because the undertaking was hindered by the Samaritans and the other surrounding nations, seven weeks of years elapsed (that is to say, forty-nine years), during which the work on the temple remained unfinished. These weeks are separated by the prophecy from the remaining sixty-two weeks. And lastly, the Jews also followed this view when they said to the Lord in the Gospel-narrative: 'This temple was built over a period of forty-six years, and shalt thou raise it up in three days' (John 2:20). For this was the number of years which elapsed between the first year of Cyrus, who granted to those Jews who so desired the permission to return to their fatherland, and the sixth year of King Darius, in whose reign the entire work upon the temple was finished. Furthermore Josephus added on three more years, during which the <i>periboloi</i> (precincts) and certain other construction left undone were brought to completion; and when these are added to the forty-six years, they come out to forty-nine years, or seven weeks of years. And the remaining sixty-two weeks are computed from the seventh year of Darius. At that time Jeshua the son of Jehozadak, and Zerubbabel (who had already reached his majority) were in charge of the people, and it was in their time that Haggai and Zecha…

Deuteronomy 5:3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1.6

See how distinctly he alludes to this [Mosaic] covenant when he says God did not give the same covenant to their fathers [Abraham and Noah]. For if he had said that absolutely no covenant was given to their fathers it would have been a false statement. For Holy Scripture testifies that a covenant of some kind was given both to Abraham and Noah. And so Moses adds that one "not the same" was given to their fathers. This points to that other greater and glorious covenant, by which all of these were shown forth as friends of God.

Ephesians 4:8-9 — Church History (Book I), Chapter 13, Section 19

Exodus 3:2 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.11.238

And when an angel appears to Moses, Holy Scripture also makes it plain, saying, "The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush." But when it refers to the actual being who replies, it calls him God and Lord and no longer an angel. It is equally clear in its distinction between the angel and the Lord in the account of what happened at the Red Sea.

Exodus 3:14 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4.1

Everything that has ever existed or now exists derives its being from the One, the only existent and preexistent being, who also said, "I am the existent." … As the only being and the eternal being, he is himself the cause of existence to all those to whom he has imparted existence from himself by his will and his power and gives existence to all things and their powers and forms, richly and ungrudgingly from himself.

Exodus 6:3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.13.240

It will naturally be asked how he that is beyond the universe, himself the only almighty God, appeared to the fathers. And the answer will be found if we realize the accuracy of Holy Scripture. For the Septuagint rendering, "I was seen of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, being their God," Aquila says, "And I was seen by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as a sufficient God," clearly showing that the almighty God himself, who is one, was not seen in his own person and that he did not give answers to the fathers, as he did to Moses by an angel, or a fire or a bush, but "as a sufficient God." Thus the Father was seen by the fathers through the Son, according to his saying in the Gospels, "He that has seen me has seen the Father." For the knowledge of the Father was revealed in him and by him. But in cases when he appeared to save men, he was seen in the human form of the Son, giving an earnest before the time to the godly of that salvation which should come through him to all men. But when he was going to be the avenger and chastiser of the wicked Egyptians, he appeared no longer as a sufficient God but as an angel ministering punishment, and in form of fire and flame, ready at once to devour them like wild and thorny undergrowth. So they say that the bush darkly refers to the wild, savage and cruel character of the Egyptians and the fire to the avenging power of the chastisement that overtook them.

Exodus 19:9 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.14.241

The people then beheld the pillar of cloud, and it spoke to Moses. But who was the speaker? Obviously the pillar of cloud, which before appeared to the fathers in a corporeal form. And I have already shown that this was not directly and visibly the almighty God as such but the One whom we name as the Word of God, the Christ who was seen for the sake of the multitude of Moses and the people in a pillar of cloud, because it was not possible for them to see him like their fathers in human shape. For surely it was reserved for the perfect to be able to see beforehand his future incarnate appearance among men. And since it was impossible then for the whole people to bear it, he was seen now in fire in order to inspire fear and wonder, and now in a cloud, as it were in a shadowy and veiled form ruling them, as he was also seen by Moses for their sake.

Exodus 20:7 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.16.243

Here too the Lord himself teaches in the passage before us about another Lord. For he says, "I am the Lord thy God," and adds, "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." The second Lord is here mystically instructing his servant about the Father, that is to say, the God of the universe. And you could find many other similar instances occurring in Holy Scripture, in which God speaks as if in a second voice about another. The Lord himself speaks as if about another.

Ezekiel 11:22 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:18

It is possible for us to see this literally fulfilled in another way even today, since believers in Christ all congregate from all parts of the world, not as of old time because of the glory of Jerusalem or that they may worship in the ancient temple at Jerusalem; but they rest there that they may learn both about the city being taken and devastated as the prophets foretold and that they may worship at the Mount of Olives opposite to the city, whither the glory of the Lord migrated when it left the former city.

Ezekiel 20:36 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3.60*

Here is a clear witness that but few will come under God's staff and that this will be when the rest of Israel has fallen away from the promises. I have proved that the divine prophecies did not foretell good things to all the members of the Jewish race universally and indiscriminately whatever happened, to the evil and unholy and those who were the reverse, but to few of them and those easily numbered, in fact to those of them who believed in our Lord and Savior or those justified before his coming. I, therefore, consider that I have shown sufficiently that the divine promises were fulfilled not indiscriminately to all the Jews and that the oracles of the prophets are not more applicable to them than to those of the Gentiles who have received the Christ of God.

Ezra 6:7 — The Church History of Eusebius, Book 5

And this was nothing wonderful for God to do, who, in the captivity of the people under Nebuchadnezzar, when the Scriptures had been destroyed, and the Jews had returned to their own country after seventy years, afterwards, in the time of Artaxerxes, king of the Persians, inspired Ezra the priest, of the tribe of Levi, to relate all the words of the former prophets, and to restore to the people the legislation of Moses. [quoting Irenaeus] Such are the words of Irenaeus.

Galatians 1:19 — Church History (Book II), Chapter 1, Sections 2-4

Then James, whom the ancients surnamed the Just on account of the excellence of his virtue, is recorded to have been the first to be made bishop of the church of Jerusalem. This James was called the brother of the Lord because he was known as a son of Joseph, and Joseph was supposed to be the father of Christ, because the Virgin, being betrothed to him, "was found with child by the Holy Ghost before they came together," as the account of the holy Gospels shows. But Clement in the sixth book of his Hypotyposes writes thus: "For they say that Peter and James and John after the ascension of our Saviour, as if also preferred by our Lord, strove not after honor, but chose James the Just bishop of Jerusalem." But the same writer, in the seventh book of the same work, relates also the following things concerning him: "The Lord after his resurrection imparted knowledge to James the Just and to John and Peter, and they imparted it to the rest of the apostles, and the rest of the apostles to the seventy, of whom Barnabas was one. But there were two Jameses: one called the Just, who was thrown from the pinnacle of the temple and was beaten to death with a club by a fuller, and another who was beheaded." Paul also makes mention of the same James the Just, where he writes, "Other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother."

Genesis 6:1-4 — Preparation for the Gospel, BOOK V, CHAPTER IV

But when they did nothing of this kind, but tried to make supplication to the evil daemons by a foul and licentious life and unseemly words, and by feeding on raw flesh, and rending victims asunder, and by human sacrifices, how was it even possible that doing such deeds, and pursuing practices pleasing to the wicked, they should be received as friends by the Supreme God, or by the divine Powers subject to Him, or by any good beings at all? But in fact it is manifest to all that he who practises the things that are dear to the wicked can never be a friend of the good. So then it was not to gods, nor yet to good daemons, but only to the wicked, that those of whom I have spoken paid worship. And this argument is still further confirmed by Plutarch, in the passage where he says that the mythical narratives told as concerning gods are certain tales about daemons, and the deeds of Giants and Titans celebrated in song among the Greeks are also stories about daemons, intended to suggest a new phase of thought. Of this kind then perhaps were the statements in the Sacred Scripture concerning the giants before the flood, and those concerning their progenitors, of whom it is said, 'And when the angels of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair, they took unto them wives of all that they chose,' and of these were born 'the giants the men of renown which were of old.' For one might say that these daemons are those giants, and that their spirits have been deified by the subsequent generations of men, and that their battles, and their quarrels among themselves, and their wars are the subjects of these legends that are told as of gods.

Genesis 6:9 — Preparation for the Gospel, BOOK VII, CHAPTER VIII

Again after these a third appeared: Noah who has received testimony as 'a righteous man in his generation.' And the following will be proofs of his righteousness. A great foulness and darkness of indescribable wickedness had overtaken the whole human race, and the giants talked of by every mouth were carrying on with ungodly and impious efforts their wars with God which are still so celebrated: and already the fathers of this their brood, whether they had sprung from some condition mightier than man's nature, or in whatever way endowed, are said to have begun the teaching of curious arts among men, and to have introduced devices of witchcraft and other mischievous sorcery into their life, so that the whole human race had fallen under one sentence of judgement with God.

Genesis 11:1-9 — Preparation for the Gospel, BOOK IX, CHAPTER XIV

AGAIN, whereas Moses wrote an account of the building of the tower, and how from one language men passed into the confusion of many dialects, the author just before mentioned, in his work entitled Of Assyrian History, bears the like testimony, speaking as follows: [ABYDENUS] 'But there are some who say that the men who first arose out of the earth, being puffed up by their strength and great stature, and proudly thinking that they were better than the gods, raised a huge tower, where Babylon now stands: and when they were already nearer to heaven, the winds came to the help of the gods, and overthrew their structure upon them, the ruins of which were called Babylon. And being up to that time of one tongue, they received from the gods a confused language; and afterwards war arose between Cronos and Titan. [JOSEPHUS] 'And the place in which they built the tower is now called Babylon, because of the confusion of what at first was clear in their language. For the Hebrews call confusion "Babel." '

Genesis 18:1 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.2.7-8

Thus the Lord God is said to have appeared as a common man to Abraham while he was seated by the oak of Mamre. But [Abraham] immediately fell down, although he saw a man with his eyes, and worshiped him as God, besought him as Lord and confessed that he was not ignorant as to who he was, using these very words, "O Lord, judge of all the earth, will you not judge righteously?" For if it should be unreasonable to suppose that the unbegotten and immutable substance of God the Almighty was changed into the form of man and, in turn, that the eyes of the beholders were deceived by the phantasm of something created and that such things were falsely invented by Scripture, who else could be proclaimed God and the Lord who judges all the earth and judges righteously, appearing in the shape of a man—if it be not proper to call him the first cause of all things—than his preexistent Word alone?

Habakkuk 2:2-3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:18

He is blessed who is named by another prophet, "He that comes," in the passage, "Yet a little while, and he that comes will come and will not tarry," who also came in the name of the Lord God his Father. And he is the Lord God that appeared for us. For he insists that he has come in the name of his Father when he says to the Jews, "I have come in my Father's name, and you receive me not. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him." He, then, who appeared for us—the Lord God, the blessed, who comes in the name of the Lord—was also the stone that those of old built up on the foundation of the Mosaic teaching, which they set aside and which, though set aside by them, has become the head of the corner of the church of the Gentiles. The oracle says it is wonderful, not to all that look on it but only to the eyes of the prophets, when it says, "And it is wonderful in our eyes."

Haggai 2:2 — Ecclesiastical History 10:4

O friends and priests of God, you are clothed with holy robe and heavenly crown of glory, the inspired unction and the priestly raiment of the Holy Spirit. To you, of youthful pride of God's holy temple, honored by God with wisdom that is aged but revealed in choice deeds and works of a flourishing valor that is youthful, God himself, who encompasses the whole world, has given the distinguished honor of building his house on earth and of restoring it for Christ, his only-begotten and his firstborn word, and for his holy and sacred bride. One indeed might wish to call you a new Bezalel, the builder of a divine tabernacle, or a King Solomon, king of a new and far better Jerusalem, or even a new Zerubbabel, who bestowed far greater glory or even a new Zerubbabel on the temple of God.

Hebrews 1:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.18

Holy Scripture teaches that God was seen by Israel dimly, meaning the Word of God. In the book of Numbers Moses prays, saying, "Since you are the Lord of this people who is seen by them face to face." … And it is said in Exodus, "Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel." …From the text, "No one has ever seen God," perhaps it might be thought that the above quotations contradict the Savior's words, implying that the invisible is visible. But if they are understood … as the Word of God, who was seen by the fathers "in many ways and various ways," no contradiction is involved. The God of Israel here seen is shown to be the same being who was seen by Israel, when he wrestled with the one who first changed his name from Jacob to Israel, saying, "You have striven with God." And when also Jacob, appreciating God's divine power, called the place of the struggle the Sight of God, saying, "I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved" … this was no other than the Word of God.

Hebrews 1:8-9 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.3

It was not only those that were honored with the high priesthood and anointed for the sake of the symbol with prepared oil who were given tribute among the Hebrews with the name Christ. The kings too, at the bidding of God, were made Christs in a certain symbolism by the prophets who anointed them, inasmuch as they also bore in themselves the types of the royal and sovereign power of the only true Christ, the divine Logos who reigns over all. We have also received the tradition that some of the prophets themselves had by anointing already become Christs in type, seeing that they all refer to the true Christ—the divine and heavenly Logos, of the world the only high priest, of all creation the only king, of the prophets the only archprophet of the Father. The proof of this is that no one of those symbolically anointed of old, whether priests or kings or prophets, obtained such power of the divine virtue as our Savior and Lord, Jesus, the only real Christ, has exhibited. None indeed of them, though renowned in rank and honor for so many generations among their own people, ever gave the name of Christian to their subjects from the symbolic application to themselves of the name of Christ. The honor of worship was not paid to any of them by their subjects, nor did they hold them in such affection after their death as to be ready to die for him whom they honored.For none of the men of those days was there such disturbance of all the nations throughout all the world, since the power of the symbol was incapable of producing such an effect among them as the presence of the reality manifested by our Savior; for he received from none the symbol and types of the high priesthood. Nor did he trace his physical descent from the race of priests; nor was he promoted to a kingdom by the armed force of men; nor did he become a prophet in the same way as those of old; nor did he hold any rank at all or precedence among the Jews. Yet with all these he had been adorned, not in symbols, but in actual reality by the Father. Though he did not obtain the honors of which we have spoken before, he is called Christ more than any of them, and inasmuch as he is himself the only true Christ of God, he filled the whole world with Christians—his truly revered and sacred name. He no longer gave to his initiates types or images but the uncovered virtues themselves and the heavenly life in the actual doctrines of truth, and he has received the chrism—not that which is prepared materially, but the divine anointing itself with the spirit of God, by sharing in the unbegotten divinity of the Father. Again, Isaiah teaches this very point, for in one place he exclaims as if from Christ himself, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind." And not only Isaiah but also David speaks with reference to him and says, "Your divine throne endures for ever and ever. Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity; you love righteousness and hate wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows." In this the text calls him God in the first verse, and in the second honors him with the royal scepter, and then goes on, after royal and divine power, to present him in the third place as having become Christ, anointed not with oil made of material substances but with the divine "oil of gladness." And in addition to this he indicates his peculiar distinction and superiority to those who in the past had been more materially anointed as types. And in another place too the same David explains his position as follows: "The Lord says to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.' " And "before the day-star I begot you from the womb. The Lord swore and will not repent, You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." Now this Melchizedek is introduced in the sacred books as priest…

Hebrews 2:14 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4.12

Now the laws of love summoned him even as far as death and the dead themselves, so that he might summon the souls of those who were long dead. And so, because he cared for the salvation of all for ages past, and in order that "he might destroy him who has the power of death," as Scripture teaches, here again he underwent the dis-pensation in his mingled natures. As a man, he left his body to the usual burial, while as God he departed from it. For he cried with a loud cry and said to the Father, "I commend my spirit," and departed from the body free, in no way waiting for death, who was lagging as if in fear to come to him. Nay, rather, he pursued death from behind and drove him on, trodden under his feet and fleeing, until he burst the eternal gates of his dark realms, making a road of return back again to life for the dead there bound with the bonds of death. Even his own body was raised up, and many bodies of the sleeping saints arose and came together with him into the holy and real city of heaven, as rightly is said by the holy words. …The Savior of the universe, our Lord, the Christ of God, called victor, is represented in the prophetic predictions as reviling death and releasing the souls that are bound there, by whom he raises the hymn of victory. And he says these words: "From the hand of Hades I will save them, and from death I will ransom their souls. O Death where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?" "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law."

Hebrews 7:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.3

An ancient priest of the Mosaic order could only be selected from the tribe of Levi. It was obligatory without exception that he should be of the family descending from Aaron and do service to God in outward worship with the sacrifices and blood of irrational animals. But he that is named Melchizedek, which in Greek is translated "king of righteousness," who was king of Salem, which would mean "king of peace," without father, without mother, without line of descent, not having, according to the account, "beginning of years or end of life," had no characteristics shared by the Aaronic priesthood. For he was not chosen by humans, he was not anointed with prepared oil, he was not of the tribe of those who had not yet been born; and, strangest of all, he was not even circumcised in his flesh, and yet he blesses Abraham, as if he were far better than he. He did not act as priest to the Most High God with sacrifices and libations, nor did he minister at the temple in Jerusalem. How could he? It did not yet exist. And he was such, of course, because there was going to be no similarity between our Savior Christ and Aaron, for he was neither to be designated priest after a period when he was not priest, nor was he to become priest, but be it. For we should notice carefully in the words, "You are a priest forever," he does not say, "You shall be what you were not before," any more than, "You were that before which you are not now"—but by him who said, "I am who I am," it is said, "You are, and remain, a priest forever." …And the fulfillment of the oracle is truly wondrous to one who recognizes how our Savior Jesus, the Christ of God, now performs through his ministers even today sacrifices after the manner of Melchizedek's. For just as he, who was priest of the Gentiles, is not represented as offering outward sacrifices but as blessing Abraham only with wine and bread, so in exactly the same way our Lord and Savior himself first, and then all his priests among all nations, perform the spiritual sacrifice according to the customs of the church and with wine and bread darkly express the mysteries of his body and saving blood. This by the Holy Spirit Melchizedek foresaw and used the figures of what was to come, as the Scripture of Moses witnesses, when it says, "And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abraham." And thus it followed that to him only was the addition of an oath, "The Lord God has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.' " The psalm too, continuing, even shows in veiled phrase the passion of [Christ], saying, "He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head." And another psalm shows "the brook" to mean the time of temptations: "Our soul has passed through the brook; yes, our soul has passed through the deep waters." He drinks, then, in the brook, that cup of which he darkly spoke at the time of his passion, when he said, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me." And also, "If this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done."6 It was, then, by drinking this cup that he lifted up his head, as the apostle says, for when he was "obedient unto death, even death on a cross, therefore," he says, "God has highly exalted him," raising him from the dead and setting him at his right hand, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name which is named, not only in this world but in that which is to come. And he has put all things in subjection under his feet, according to the promise made to him, which he expresses through the psalmist, saying, "Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.… Rule in the midst of your foes."8 It is plain to all that today the power of our Savior and the word of his teaching rule over all them that have believed in him, in the midst of his enemies and foes.

Hebrews 7:4 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4.15

So far, then, we have learned that they who are called "Christs" in the highest sense of the term are anointed by God, not by people, and anointed with the Holy Spirit, not with a prepared unguent.It is now time to see how the teaching of the Hebrews shows that the true Christ of God possesses a divine nature higher than humanity. Hear, therefore, David again, where he says that he knows an eternal priest of God and calls him his own Lord and confesses that he shares the throne of God Most High in the one hundred ninth psalm. … And note that David in this passage, being king of the whole Hebrew race and, in addition to his kingdom, adorned with the Holy Spirit, recognized that the being of whom he speaks, who was revealed to him in the Spirit, was so great and surpassingly glorious, that he called him his own Lord. He said, "The Lord said to my Lord," for he knows him as eternal high priest, priest of the Most High God, and throned beside almighty God and his offspring. Now it was impossible for Jewish priests to be consecrated to the service of God without anointing, which is why it was usual to call them Christs. The Christ, then, mentioned in the psalm will also be a priest, for how could he have been witnessed to as priest unless he had previously been anointed? It is also said that he is made a priest forever. Now this would transcend human nature, for it is not in humanity to last forever, since our race is mortal and frail. Therefore, the priest of God described in this passage, who by the confirmation of an oath received a perpetual and limitless priesthood from God, was greater than human. "For the Lord has sworn," he said, "and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest after the order of Melchizedek.' " … The object of the psalmist's prophecy, therefore, is presented distinctly as an eternal priest and Son of the Most High God, begotten by the Most High God and sharing the throne of his kingdom.… Thus I think I have clearly proved that the essential Christ was not man, but Son of God, honored with a seat on the right hand of his Father's Godhead, far greater not only than human and mortal nature, but greater also than every spiritual existence among things begotten.

Hebrews 8:5 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.3

It is now time to show that the very name of Jesus, and especially that of Christ, had already been honored by the ancient God-loving prophets. Moses himself, having been the first to make known the name of Christ as being especially revered and glorious, having handed down the types and symbols of heavenly things and the mysterious images according to the oracle which said to him, "See that you make everything according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain," and having consecrated a man high priest of God insofar as it was at all possible, calls this man Christ. That is, to this dignity of the high priesthood, which surpassed all preeminence among humans, he attaches for additional honor and glory the name of Christ. Thus, then, he indeed knew Christ as a being divine. And the same Moses by divine inspiration foresaw the name Jesus very clearly and again also endowed this with special privilege. The name of Jesus, which had never been uttered among people before it was made known to Moses, Moses applied first to this one alone, whom he knew, again as a type and a symbol, would receive the rule over all after his death. His successor … had never before used the title Jesus but had been called by another name, Hoshea, which his parents had bestowed upon him. He himself [the successor] proclaims Jesus, as a privilege of honor far greater than a royal crown, giving him the name because Jesus, the son of Nun, himself bore a remembrance to our Savior, who alone, after Moses and the completion of the symbolic worship transmitted by him, received the rule of the true and pure religion. And in this way Moses bestowed the name of our Savior Jesus Christ as a mark of the greatest honor upon the two men who in his time surpassed all the rest of the people in virtue and glory—the high priest and him who would rule after him.

Hebrews 10:37-38 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.14

And here it is clearly foretold that that one will come whom prophecy says will come. Who could this be but he who is referred to in the words, "Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord, the Lord God also has shone upon us"? With which also Zechariah agrees, when he says, "Behold a man, the Dawn is his name, and he shall rise from below." The same prophet too, noting the time, adds, "At eventide it shall be light. If he delays, wait for him." Instead of this, Aquila reads, "If he tarry expect him, for he that comes will come and will not tarry." And the epistle to the Hebrews has this in mind.… But note how clearly the epistle arranges what was obscure in the prophetic writing, because of the inversion of the clauses. For the prophecy says, "He that comes will come and will not tarry," and then adds, "If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him." Without what follows, this addition would seem absurd. For how could it be said of the just that God takes no pleasure in him? But the placing side by side of the divided clauses by a change in the arrangement of them preserves the sense. For after "Yet a little while, and the coming one shall come and shall not tarry," it adds next, "but my righteous one shall live by faith." Then what was first in the prophecy it places second, "and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."For as Scripture has already once foretold through the prophecy that the light promised to all nations by Christ's coming "shall rise late and in the evening, and shall not deceive" (for so Aquila interprets instead of "come to nothing"), it next exhorts to patience, because the coming of the subject of the prophecy is to be late and in the evening, as seen in the words, "If he tarry await him, or if he delay expect him, for he that comes will come and will not tarry." Thus he encourages the hearer to trust the prediction, saying that he that trusts it, shown by his very faith to be just, shall live the life according to God. On the other hand, he that does not trust, drawing back through lack of boldness, and putting no faith in the words "My soul has no pleasure in him." So, then, if we follow this course and place the first clause last and the last first, we shall preserve the sense of the passage, putting "The just shall live by faith" after "For he that comes will come and will not tarry," by transposing the clauses and adding to this, "If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him." And Aquila agrees with this interpretation, saying, "If he delay, expect him, for he that comes will come and will not tarry. Lo, if he be sluggish, my soul is not true in him, and the just shall live by faith."

Hebrews 12:22 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.24

Zion and Jerusalem that have the good news told them the apostle knew to be heavenly, when he said, "But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother," and, "You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels." Zion might also mean the church established by Christ in every part of the world, and Jerusalem the holy constitution that, once established of old time among the ancient Jews alone, was driven into the wilderness by their impiety and then again was restored far better than before through the coming of our Savior. Therefore the prophecy says, "Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem."Nor would you be wrong in calling Zion the soul of every holy and godly person, so far as it is lifted above this life, having its city in heaven, seeing the things beyond the world. For it means "a watchtower." And insofar as such a person remains calm and free from passion, you could call that one Jerusalem—for Jerusalem means "vision of peace."

Hebrews 13:4 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1.9

According to the laws of the new covenant, the producing of children is certainly not forbidden, but the provisions are similar to those followed by the ancient men of God. "Now a bishop," says the Scripture, "must be the husband of one wife." Yet it is fitting that those in the priesthood and occupied in the service of God should abstain after ordination from the intercourse of marriage. To all who have not undertaken this wondrous priesthood, Scripture almost completely gives way, when it says, "Let marriage be held in honor, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the immoral and adulterous."

Isaiah 1:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 3:18-23

A "vision," he says, not ordinary or perceptible with physical eyes, but a prophetic vision of things to come in far distant times; for just as one sees in a great tablet the invasion of enemies, ravagings of countryside, sieges of cities and enslavements of people, represented with the brilliance of color, the same way he seems to see a dream, but not a vision in sleep, when the divine spirit enlightens the soul.

Isaiah 1:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 4:1-3

[The heading] indicated the ages of the kings, since there was a different state of affairs among the Jews, and events were to transpire in the distant future which never entered the mind or suspicion of the people of that time. Furthermore, it needs to be noted that the whole book, which only seems to be a single composition, was actually spoken over long periods of time, since there was need of extensive and precise understanding to discern the future, to determine the meaning of the events of the time and to suit the prophecy for the events that occurred in each reign. For the age of these kings covered fifty years in all, during which the things contained in this whole book were spoken.

Isaiah 1:30 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

In the beginning of his whole book, the prophet saw the "vision against Judah and against Jerusalem." After listing all the many transgressions of the Jewish people and warning them about the complete destruction of Jerusalem, he brought to an end the spiritual sayings concerning them.

Isaiah 2:2 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:13

One can take the time to learn in what manner the prophecies of the call of the Gentiles should be understood and that they were fulfilled only after the coming of our Savior. The beginning of the prophecy is consistent with the reality that the Lord descended not only for the salvation of the Jewish race but also for that of all people, in announcing to all peoples and all the inhabitants of the earth, "Hear, all peoples, and let the earth and all in it listen."

Isaiah 2:3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1:4

What can this law proceeding from Zion, which is different from what was made law by Moses in the desert at Mount Sinai, be but the word of the gospel through our Savior Jesus Christ which proceeds from Zion through all the nations? For clearly it was in Jerusalem and Mount Zion, where our Savior and Lord lived and taught, that the law of the new covenant originated and from which it proceeded to all people.

Isaiah 3:9-10 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

Immediately following, the prophet himself explains why he called them rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrah: "Your hands are full of blood." Again a little later he says, "They have proclaimed their sin as Sodom and made it manifest. Woe to their souls, because they have taken evil counsel with themselves, saying, 'We will bind the just one, for he is a burden to us.' " Since he overtly speaks of blood and a plot against a just man, there is nothing else this could be than the plot against our Savior Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 5:25 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 5:25

"Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people." He wanted them to be a people of his own and to be called as such, but this is not what they wanted. Because of this he gives a sign of approaching war and of a multitude of the slain that would fill the mountains with dead corpses. The whole country would become full of their dead. All this would happen to them at the hands of the enemy invaders. The enemies did not do this on their own; rather, God himself brought them about, drawing and leading their enemies to the siege of the accused Israelites.

Isaiah 6:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:16

The prophet had seen Christ and the glory of Christ in the vision in which he said, "I saw the Lord of hosts sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up," and what follows.

Isaiah 6:2 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 6:2

Some think there are two seraphim, but I, based on the idea expounded by the sacred Scripture, which says, "the seraphim stood round about him," think there are many, and they are bodyguards, as it were, like a crown from all sides, surrounding his throne with light and enlivened by him.

Isaiah 6:11 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

See here that the rest of the earth is desolate, and those who remain on the earth alone are said to multiply. These must be the disciples of the Savior, going forth from the Hebrews to all people. Like a seed left behind they have brought forth much fruit, which are the churches of the Gentiles in every dwelling place. In addition, when he says that only those who remain from the falling away of the Jews will multiply, he also says that the Jews themselves are desolate. For he says of them, "Their land shall be left desolate." And this was said to them before by the same prophet, saying, "Your land is completely desolate, your cities burned with fire, before you strangers will devour your country."When was this fulfilled other than in the time of our Savior? Before they dared to do evil things to him, their land was not desolate, their cities not burned with fire, and strangers did not devour their country. Our Savior and Lord predicted what was to happen to them through that prophetic announcement, saying, "Your house is left to you desolate." It was not long from the prediction of that moment that the Romans laid siege to them and brought them to desolation. The prophetic word gives the reason for the desolation by showing the cause of their fall, making the understanding of it clear. When they heard our Savior teaching among them but would not listen with the ear of the mind and did not understand who he was, seeing him with their eyes and not with the eyes of their spirit, "they hardened their heart, closed the eyes of their mind, and made their ears heavy." As the prophecy says, their cities would become desolate such that no one would live in them because of this. In addition, their land would become desolate, and only a few would remain, being kept like fruitful seed who would proceed to all people and multiply on the earth.

Isaiah 7:9 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7:1

It is essential to notice that the statement means that those who read it do not only need understanding but also faith; and not only faith but also understanding. Those of the circumcision who do not believe in the Christ of God, though even now they hear these words, do not have understanding of the subject of this prophecy because they do not hear with the mind. The only reason for their lack of understanding is their lack of faith, as the prophecy clearly reveals both about them and to them.

Isaiah 7:14 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 1:44.56-105

House of David, from this time on when you encounter your enemies, call upon the one who is named Immanuel. The meaning of the title, which is "God with us," reveals the power of the Word. Believe this sign, be courageous, and do not call upon the gods of Damascus. Do not enlist those who have no assistance to offer. Rather, call upon Immanuel, the God who will "be with" people at the appropriate time. Take heart with confidence, trusting in the power of the title.… If the prophet had said, "They will call his name Immanuel," he would have been speaking only of a future time. This would have caused doubt for some, because when the Savior was born of the virgin his name was not Immanuel but Jesus, as the angel had instructed Joseph, saying, "Do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." If the prophecy was "they will call his name Immanuel," then how would the Savior had fulfilled it, when his name was Jesus and not Immanuel? But this is not how it was written, because not everyone would call him by this title. The prophetic word says accurately, "You shall call." … Some scribes, because they did not understand this, wrote, "they will call" rather than "you shall call" in the Gospel of Matthew, even though the prophecy does not read this way. The Hebrew word translated in the passage is "you shall call," as is used by all the translations. Some translators translate the word for "virgin" as "young woman." There is no reason to think that the virgin was not also a young woman; in fact it is likely that the virgin who conceived the Savior was not fully grown but a young maiden.

Isaiah 8:6 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7:1

Obviously the only way to preserve the understanding of this passage is to explain its spiritual meaning. By the softly proceeding water of Siloam it means the gospel teaching of the word of salvation, because Siloam means "sent with a message." This would be God the Word, who was sent by the Father, of whom Moses says, "A ruler will not fail from Judah, nor a prince from his loins, until the one for whom it is stored up comes, and he is the expectation of the nations." For rather than "for whom it is stored up" the Hebrew has "Siloam." The same word, Siloam, is used the same way in this passage for Isaiah, that is to say, "the one who is sent."

Isaiah 10:13 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:9

These are the words of God's antagonist, boasting in the strength of his wickedness, as he threatens to steal and obliterate the divisions of the nations delivered by the Most High to the angels. And loudly [he] cries that he will spoil the earth, and shake the whole human race, and change them from their former good order.

Isaiah 10:34 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 8:4

In this instance the birth of Christ from the seed of Jesse and David is joined with the destruction of Lebanon and the call of the Gentiles.

Isaiah 10:34 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

In this instance Lebanon means Jerusalem … which the Word warns will fall with all of the men of greatness and glory.

Isaiah 11:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7:3

It is prophesied that one will come forth of the seed of Jesse, that is to say, of David, many years after the death of both David and Solomon.

Isaiah 11:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

This shows in an obvious way that the birth of Christ would be from the root of Jesse, who was the father of David. This points toward the birth which the Gentiles would follow, having been prophetically announced by way of signs.

Isaiah 11:5 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 11:7

"Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and truth the girdle of his loins." As a king has a belt made of gold and precious stones, so in a prophetic manner, he speaks about the belt made of righteousness and truth. By the belt we may also understand the divinity of the Word, because he is righteousness, according to the apostle: "He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption." He is also the truth, according to Evangelist: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life." The Word being the righteousness and the truth that comes from the root of Jesse, his waist [belt] points out to his attribute as king and warrior as the Word who conquers the invisible powers and hosts.

Isaiah 11:6 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3:2

[Isaiah] continues prophetically to show the transformation of all different races of humanity, barbarian and Greek … through the teaching of Christ.… The irrational animals and wild beasts in the passage represent the Gentiles, who are naturally like animals. One who comes from the seed of Jesse will rule over the Gentiles. This is the genealogy of our Savior and Lord, in whom the Gentiles now believe and hope.

Isaiah 13:14 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

In this way the word [Scripture] clearly shows the few who will be saved in the day of the ruin of those who are evil. Therefore, one cannot expect that all those who are uncircumcised and all of the Jewish nation, without exception, will receive the promises of God.

Isaiah 14:12 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:9

The Word clearly demonstrates many things in this passage: the lunacy of that spirit, his fall from what was good to what was bad, and the result of his fall. Having pronounced many terrible threats against humanity he realized that they had the possibility of falling into evil by virtue of their own free will. Therefore he turned them from a good state to a bad one, leading the many souls by the lure of desire to every fashion of evil. There was no device he did not attempt. With the myths of the gods and impure stories he tempted his victims with the things they loved and the things that gave them pleasure.… Soon, according to the blessed apostle, they no longer pondered the works of God that still illumined the heavens.

Isaiah 16:5 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 16:1-5

According to Aquila, "his throne will be established in mercy," or according to Theodotion, "the throne will be established with mercy." Who will establish the throne? Or how is Christ born from the posterity of David? The throne will be established by the Moabites, according to the text; and Christ who is born from the tent (tabernacle) of David will sit upon the throne. By "the tent of David" the prophet means the church of God. David himself is called christ because from his posterity Christ is born according to flesh. Therefore, the tent (tabernacle) of David is the church, and the throne belongs to the head of the church. It refers to the humanity of Christ. Therefore, one should contemplate on the mystery of Christ revealed in the prophecy only in the Holy Spirit; and in such a cautious contemplation curiosity and speculation must be tamed.

Isaiah 17:4-8 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

By this it is clearly promised that the glory of Israel and all her riches will be taken away, and only a few, who like the few berries on an olive branch can be counted easily, will be left. These are the ones who believe in the Lord. Just after this there is a prophecy of the entire human race turning away from the error of idolatry and recognizing the God of Israel.

Isaiah 19:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:2

I suppose that the reason why it is foretold that the Lord would come to Egypt is this: The Egyptians are said to have been the first to practice the errors of polytheism.… And Holy Scripture witnesses that they were the enemies of God's people from the very beginning, for it is written that their ancient king confessed that he did not know the Lord, when he said, "I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go." So, then, it is because Scripture wishes to show the great marvel of the divine power of Christ that it foretells his going to Egypt, in predicting that the Egyptians will undergo an extraordinary conversion, when it goes on to say, "And the Egyptians shall know the Lord, who before knew him not, and shall pray to the Lord," and so on.… Here it is predicted of Egypt and its people that they will not acknowledge idols any more but will acknowledge the Lord revealed by the Jewish prophets. Now if we cannot see this actually fulfilled before our eyes, we must not say that the Lord's coming to Egypt has taken place. But if beyond all need of argument the truth is shown by facts and reveals clearly to the most unobservant the Egyptians rescued from hereditary superstition, and followers of the God of the prophets who foretold that this would take place, serving him only and greeting every form of death for their duty to him, to what else can we attribute it but to the Lord coming to Egypt, as the prophecy before us predicted?

Isaiah 19:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:20

This prophecy says that the one who is begotten after the God and Lord of all things, meaning the Word of God, will come into Egypt, and not undercover or invisibly or without a body but riding on a light cloud, or better "on thick light." This is the meaning of the Hebrew word. Let the Hebrew children tell us when after the time of Isaiah the Lord visited Egypt, and which Lord it was. The God over all is one. Let them tell us how he is said to ride on "thick light" and to come to any particular place on the earth. Let them interpret "thick light" and explain why the Lord is not said to visit Egypt without it. Let them also say when the prophecy that the Egyptian idols made with hands would be shaken and Egyptians would fight Egyptians by the coming of the Lord is to have been fulfilled.

Isaiah 19:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 8:5

Now one can consider that the prophecy has not been fulfilled if the following are true: if the Egyptians in our own time cannot be seen to have abandoned the gods of their fathers and calling on the God of the prophets; throughout every town and city in the country of Egypt there are not altars built to the God that previously only the Hebrews acknowledged; the idols have not been shaken.… How can we deny that the prophecies of ages past have been fulfilled? They promised beforehand that the Lord would not come to Egypt in an incorporeal manner but on a light cloud, or better "on a thick light," which is the meaning of the Hebrew word. This figuratively speaks of his incarnation. The prophecy continues by calling him a human being who is the Savior, saying, "And he shall send to them a man who is a savior." The Hebrew here is, "And he shall send to them a savior who will save them." This clear demonstration leads me to conclude that there is no doubt of the time of the promise of the appearing of the Lord.

Isaiah 21:10 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

Notice how in this passage he does not call those of the circumcision to hear the un-speakable words, but only those whom he calls "forsaken and tortured." These were those of the time of the apostles who regretted and lamented the evil of humanity.

Isaiah 22:17-23 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 148:6-20

For all these things will work for your destruction [i.e., Shebna's], since you have been deposed and rejected from the high priesthood, of which you showed yourself unworthy, God being a just judge who gives to each according to his worth. On you, then, he will bring these things; but on the other, Eliakim, whom he has assessed as his good servant and slave, he will invest with your robe and will honor by placing on him the crown of the high priesthood, whose ministry you had hitherto been entrusted with. For he is a man worthy of it. And since he has been promoted by God, unlike you he will not be proud and boastful. He will hold the place of a father toward all those who are going to be governed by him. Therefore, as to one who is soothing and gentle, [God] will give the glory of David, the most just and gentle king, in order to rule the people with great authority, so that none will gainsay his deeds. He will be rooted, established and placed securely at his ministry, so that no glorious member of the people shall contend or contrive envy, nor shall jealousy ever come into being on his account, but they shall "trust in him as in a father."

Isaiah 23:18 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 152:23-153:2

To seek out the exact form of the reading, I gave my attention to the translation of Aquila, which says, "And it will happen that its commerce and wages are consecrated to the Lord." Thus the Hebrew has, precisely, "commerce and wages" without the articles, not, according to the Septuagint, "the commerce and the wages," by which it appears to mean all the commerce and all the wages. According to Aquila, "Its commerce and wages are consecrated to the Lord." Not its whole commerce or its whole wages, but a part of the commerce and a part of the wages are consecrated to the Lord. And this is what has been fulfilled in our day. For the church of God is established in the city of Tyre, as indeed in the rest of the nations, and many of the wages in it and what is stored up for business are offered to the church and consecrated to the Lord. The things that people bring, they offer in piety, not for themselves in order to enjoy the gifts offered to God but "for those who dwell before the Lord." (Namely, [these gifts are] for those who serve at the altar, "for the Lord had enjoined that those who preach the gospel should live by the gospel" and "those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings.")

Isaiah 24:6 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

After he rebukes those of the circumcision who have trespassed the law of the covenant of God and warns them with what he has written, he prophesies that only a small number of them will be saved. These few are those whom the apostle calls "the remnant according to the election of grace."

Isaiah 24:15 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 7:19

"Therefore, the glory of the Lord is in the islands of the sea." That pertains obviously to the church, which is located in the midst of the godless nations as if an island in the sea. It is in that island that the glory of the Lord shines.

Isaiah 25:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1:10

The "wonders" of Isaiah were the promises to the Gentiles, and not to Israel, of anointing with sweet-smelling oil and myrrh. They naturally received the name of Christian from this anointing. In addition he promises the "wine of joy" to the Gentiles, using a shadow to allude to the sacrament of the new covenant of Christ, which is now openly celebrated among the Gentiles.

Isaiah 25:8 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:12

Now the laws of love summoned him even as far as death and the dead themselves, so that he might summon the souls of those who were long time dead. And so because he cared for the salvation of all for ages past and that "he might bring to nothing him that has the power of death," as Scripture teaches, here again he underwent the dispensation in his mingled natures: as man, he left his body to the usual burial, while as God he departed from it. For he cried with a loud cry, and said to the Father, "I commend my spirit," and departed from the body free, in no way waiting for death, who was lagging as it were in fear to come to him. No, rather, he pursued him from behind and drove him on, trodden under his feet and fleeing, and he burst the eternal gates of his dark realms and made a road of return back again to life for the dead there bound with the bonds of death. Thus too, his own body was raised up, and many bodies of the sleeping saints arose and came together with him into the holy and real city of heaven, as rightly is said by the holy words: "Death has prevailed and swallowed people up; but again the Lord God has taken away every tear from every face." And the Savior of the universe, our Lord, the Christ of God, called Victor, is represented in the prophetic predictions as reviling death and releasing the souls that are bound there, by whom he raises the hymn of victory.

Isaiah 28:16 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1:7

Who can the cornerstone be other than the one who is the living and precious stone supporting two structures with his teaching making them one? He established the building of Moses, which was to remain until his day, and then he joined on to one side our building of the gospel. This is why he is called the cornerstone.

Isaiah 29:11 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 8:2

For our Lord Jesus Christ did not come as it were to seal up the visions of the prophets. He rather opened and explained those that were of old obscure and sealed, tearing away so to say the seals impressed on them, and taught his disciples the meaning of the Holy Scriptures. Hence he says, "Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed, and he has opened the seals that were set on the book," in John's Apocalypse. What are these seals but the obscurities of the prophets? Isaiah knew them well and definitely says too: "And these words shall be as the words of the sealed book." The Christ of God did not come then to shut up the vision and the prophet but rather to open them and bring them to the light.

Isaiah 35:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:6

This, too, was fulfilled, was clearly fulfilled, by our Savior's miraculous works after John's preaching. Notice therefore how he bears good tidings to the desert, not generally or to any desert but to one particular desert by the bank of the Jordan. This was because John lived there and baptized there, as Scripture says, "John was in the desert baptizing." … I think the desert here is a symbol of that which of old was void of all God's good things, I mean the church of the Gentiles. And the river by the desert that cleanses all that are bathed therein is a figure of some cleansing spiritual power, of which the Scriptures speak, saying, "The movements of the river make glad the city of God." And this means the ever-flowing stream of the Holy Spirit welling from above and watering the city of God, which is the name for life according to God. This river of God, then, has reached even to the desert, that is the Gentile church, and even now supplies it with the living water that it bears.

Isaiah 35:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:21

Here also the coming of God for salvation, bringing many blessings, is precisely foretold. The prophet says that there will be a cure for the deaf, sight for the blind, yes, even healing for the lame and tongue-tied, and this was fulfilled only at the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ, by whom the eyes of the blind were opened, and the deaf regained their hearing. Why need I say, how many palsied and deaf and lame also received physical cure by the hands of his disciples? And how many others, afflicted with various diseases and maladies, received of him healing and salvation, according to the inspired prediction of prophecy and according to the unimpeachable testimony of the holy Gospels? And the prophecy here disguises under the name of "desert" the church of the Gentiles, which for long years deserted of God is being evangelized by those of whom we are speaking, and it says that besides other blessings the glory of Lebanon will be given to the desert. Now it is customary to call Jerusalem Lebanon allegorically, as I will show, when I have time, by proofs from holy Scripture. This prophecy before us, therefore, teaches that by God's presence with men the glory of Lebanon will be given to that which is called "desert," that is to say, the church of the Gentiles.

Isaiah 35:2 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:6

I believe the passage, "And my people shall see the glory of the Lord, and the majesty of God," refers to the presence of our Savior at the baptism, because it was there that the glory of the Savior was seen.

Isaiah 35:3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:13

Now we have this prophecy fulfilled in the Gospels, partly, when they brought to our Lord and Savior a paralytic lying on a bed, who he made whole with a word; and partly, when many that were blind and possessed with demons, yes, laboring under various diseases and weaknesses, were released from their sufferings by his saving power. Nor should we forget how even now throughout the whole world multitudes bound by all forms of evil, full of ignorance of Almighty God in their souls, are healed and cured miraculously and beyond all argument by the medicine of his teaching. Except that now we call him God as we should, as one who can work thus, as I have already shown in the evidence of his divinity. Yes, surely it is right now to acknowledge him to be God, since he has given proof of power divine and truly inspired.For it was specifically God's work to give strength to the paralyzed, to give life to the dead, to supply health to the sick, to open the eyes of the blind, to restore the lame and to make the tongue-tied speak plainly, all of which things were done by our Savior Jesus Christ, because he was God. And they have been witnessed to by many throughout all the world that preach him—whose evidence unvarnished and truthful is confirmed by trial of torture, and by persistence even to death, which they have shown forth before kings and rulers and all nations, witnessing to the truth of what they preach.

Isaiah 39:1-2 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 39:1

Now, when the Babylonians heard about Hezekiah's healing from the sickness, they sent ambassadors to him, and not without reason. Indeed, on the day when the sun went backward, one extra hour was added to the duration of the day, which did not elude the Babylonians, who were skilled in their observation of the stars. And as they venerated the sun as divine, they perceived that it was turned back by a superior power. Therefore they were eager to investigate the cause of the phenomenon. Thus driven by curiosity, they learned that the God of the Hebrew people was great and that he was the Creator of the world. When Hezekiah was healed, through which also the miracle of the sun took place, they perceived what happened and strongly desired the friendship of Hezekiah as a man loved by God. That is the story of the Jewish teacher.However, I grasped that all of the following events happened the same year: the attack of the Assyrians against the Jewish people, the defeat of the Assyrians by the angel of God, Sennacherib's escape, the revolt of his subjects and the death of the son who succeeded him, which is not mentioned in this text. It is likely that the rumor about all those events reached the Babylonian king, who showed friendship toward Hezekiah and sent him gifts, an ambassador and letters.

Isaiah 40:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:15

God did not approve of Hezekiah's proposal. The fact that he mentioned only himself in his prayer and not the people was blameworthy. That is why the prophet says in what follows, "Comfort my people, says the Lord."

Isaiah 40:6 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:16

This is the nature of all flesh and of the human who bears the image of the earthly; I mean the body-lover who lives according to the flesh. In like manner the grass of the earth and the beautiful flowers rise up and bloom for a short time, but soon they wither through their unstable nature.… The voice in the desert prophesying about God the Word is John teaching about Christ, as only from then on will it stand forever, and it guards those who stand with it and run with it as those who are becoming models of its salvation.

Isaiah 40:16-17 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:18

He teaches, therefore, that all of this service through blood and sacrifice is no longer appropriate for God. Neither someone offering all the four-footed creatures of the earth nor all of Lebanon and all the matter produced in it as sacrifices would be worthy before God. "All the nations are as nothing, and are reckoned as nothing." What kind of clinging to idolatrous straying did God not know about?

Isaiah 41:2 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:19

For it was a work of righteousness not only for the Jews but also for the other nations to be called to the knowledge of God. So who is raising up this righteousness from the dawn of the light? Who is calling all to follow him? Who is the one offering this to all the peoples so as to shock the kings of the nations and to confound the foremost among them? God resists and tames those who attack this work, sweeping away the fighters with a word of righteousness, as they are conquered by the righteousness of God. It also serves to win over those who follow this word. He makes a rough way for the feet of the enemies of righteousness. He makes smooth a path for the feet of those who walk in peace.

Isaiah 41:6 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:19

You, Jacob, now ponder such things, the Savior of everything did not privilege you over the salvation of other human beings but chose the things that suited you, while to the rest of the nations he announced an exchange, summoning them all to knowledge of him.… He calls "islands" the churches from all the nations, since those partially submerged under the evil of life are like those islands in the sea.…For it is not only those who are called who come to salvation, but also those nearby according to the laws of neighbor love (philanthropy). So they say these things to those worshiping God nearby, who would like to be their brothers and friends yet who are still "out of place." There was a time when our own craftsman prevailed, beating out idols, and the smith struck with a hammer his gods. But now we know that they are nothing and recognize the illusion of our forefathers.

Isaiah 41:8-9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:20

Since the seed of Abraham is spread over all the earth, he speaks about this.… In the same way Paul the apostle shows the Jews, "first it was necessary that the word be proclaimed to you, but since you turn away, we are going to the Gentiles." Isaiah addresses those among them, therefore, who would obey the calling and the Gospel word that is handed on: "You whom I took from the ends of the earth and called from its farthest corners." Many from the Jews, during the apostolic times, handed on the word of Christ, not only to the land of Judah but also to the rest of the nations. For the seed of Abraham rises quickly, until the time when God remembers the election of the apostolic chorus, and he says to them, "you are my son," or, according to the other interpretations, "you are my servant; I have chosen you and not abandoned you." Probably the divine apostle equates the servant with himself, made present as one worthy of the honor of being a servant of the Savior, since also from the first the word proclaimed this, saying, "great to you are those called 'my servant.' "

Isaiah 41:10 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:20

He adds that he is to strengthen and sustain those undergoing afflictions at the hands of those [who oppose God] with the vision of the goal that awaits them. He encourages with good news of God speaking to you without deceit: "I am the Lord and God, and I strengthen your right arm," and I say to you, "Do not fear, I will help you." In the Septuagint, "I will help you, do not fear, you worm Jacob," does not appear. This one who was after the former people called "chosen" is now called worm through its worm-like subjection to the cities of the unbelieving nations and all of their polytheistic errors. In addition, what is perfect and special in the apostolic preaching will destroy and remove the demonic energies from the depth of human thinking. Indeed, the Savior called himself a worm, saying "I am a worm and no man," a disgrace among people and an object of their contempt. Since there were only a few who were the Savior's disciples, there being twelve apostles, therefore the Septuagint says, "Israel, the very few."

Isaiah 41:27 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:21

I want you to know, God is saying, I have intended from the beginning of everything to give authority to my church over all things, and the authority of my kingdom I shall give to my Zion. And I shall stir up my Jerusalem, preparing it as the road on which are all those who labor in it towards the thrice-blessed goal—to the God over all and his heavenly kingdom.

Isaiah 42:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:22

Although this very great person is not the one who was in the mind of those hearing the prophecy the first time, he is not here called "Jacob" or "Israel" or "the seed of Abraham," so clearly the Christ of God is meant here, just as the Evangelist paid witness: "I have set my Spirit on him, and he will execute judgment on the nations." And after many things have taken place in the nations, which were not made fit to be counted in the apostolic chorus, the nations will hope in him. But in Isaiah's prophecy the names of Jacob and Israel are missing. Who else could this be, the one called servant of God and his chosen one? Therefore it continues, "My soul delights in him." For only he is the chosen one of God, and the so-called soul of God was delighting in him. In a manner similar to referring to the feet, hands, fingers and eyes of God, Scriptures make use of the term "soul" in relation to God.… He is "chosen," not in the same way as the apostles, since it is to him alone that it is said, "whom my soul esteems," but also "the Spirit of God was dwelling in him alone." "For in him the fullness of the deity dwelled bodily." For the Spirit is given to the one coming forth "from the root of Jesse," the unique Word of God, whom the apostle revealed saying, "The Lord is the Spirit." For he alone, pouring out the Spirit of inheritance, worked all things outwardly concerning the worldwide judgment on the nations, so that all would be prepared for the coming of God's verdict.

Isaiah 42:3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:15

He does not say, "Jacob my son and Israel my beloved," but simply "Behold my son and my beloved." Hence, the names of Jacob and Israel are marked with an obelisk in the Septuagint, as if the prophecy were not in the Hebrew. And it is silently omitted by the other translators, as it is not found in the Hebrew.… Therefore, the prophecy does not apply either actually or figuratively to the Jews but only to the Christ of God, to whom clear evidence and the results bear witness. For Christ alone prophesied the future judgment to the Gentiles, quietly sojourning in human life and setting judgment on the earth. And not only did he not break the bruised reed, but so to say he bound it up, setting up and strengthening the weak and the bruised in heart. And just as Christ did not neglect the sick and the corrupt, who needed his medicine, or bruise the repentant with harsh judgment, so he did not quench those who continued in evil and were smoking under the fire of passion by preventing their following their own choice; nor did he punish any of them before the time, reserving the time of their due chastisement for the general judgment.

Isaiah 42:4 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:22

With truth and boldness to all, he proclaims the judgment of God, which has not ceased to operate. Rather, God's judgment is like light shining through the resurrection of the dead, which the prophetic word announced, saying, "He will give light and not be crushed." For those who planned Christ's death tried to crush him and extinguish him. For it is the nature of all mortal species to be crushed by death. But it did not crush him. Christ was the only person of all time who was shown to be stronger than death.

Isaiah 42:5 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:22

The name by which he will be praised as the Lord and God of all, [Isaiah] says, "I will give to no other" but to you alone, whom I shall grant to be light to the nations. Hence, in the promise the Christ of God is called Lord and God by all the nations, the Father having granted him alone that glory. Next comes "nor will I give my powers to the carved images," or, according to Aquila, "my worship to carved images," or, with Symmachus, "my praise to carved images." … According to this, Christ alone is called God since to him alone and to no other has God, who is above all things, given his glory and power.

Isaiah 42:9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:22

"Behold, the first things," he says, "came to pass. But I proclaim new things, and before they arise, I will cause these things to be heard by you." Just as he says "the first things" would be fulfilled through my works, as I promised Abraham concerning his "seed," so indeed I acted. I fulfilled also those things foretold by Moses and the rest of the prophets; "now I promise to everyone what was proclaimed before" and to make them come to light through the prophecies, for "I caused these things to be heard by you."

Isaiah 42:19-21 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:23

He reports how they became the blind and dull by saying, "They see many things but do not observe." These things were previously communicated [in Isaiah]: "Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand. Make the mind of this people dull." … You see that all these things he says about the people, he means concerning those of the circumcision. But "the Lord was pleased, for his righteousness' sake, to magnify his praise." And they surrendered to those who made war on their souls and became "a people who have been torn in pieces, plundered and trapped in a secret room" of their souls, "and in their own homes as well." For these very reasons those who plotted with these thoughts that they hid from Christ were themselves caught in a "trap from which they could not be delivered," there being no "rescuer" and none to say, "Release them."

Isaiah 42:24 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:23

Since God had been addressing people who could not hear him, he now speaks of them as helpless and weak.… For the outcome of the matter was no longer an issue but would be accomplished very soon.… He sent on them the fury of his anger, and battle overtook them. Those who were already wearied by war once more took it on themselves so as to hold on to Jerusalem and their rule over it. But war was unleashed on them, and not only in an external sense but also in that which afflicted their souls.

Isaiah 43:7 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:24

If it is necessary for some to be marked by name, then I will make it clear to them all that they are now "those who have been called by my name." From where else did the name of Christians come than from the name of Christ? For it was he who foretold such a thing through the prophet.

Isaiah 43:8-9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:24

If they seemed to have the eyes of the soul and a human mind, they were still nonetheless blind to the deceit of idolatry. But what then happened to them provides the basis for Isaiah's message. For the former blind and deaf were gathered together into the church of God even as the rulers of the nations opposed the people of God. The prophet is amazed and tries to make sense of the prophecy that he is speaking, and so he calls out, saying, "Who can announce these things?"

Isaiah 43:16 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:25

Although these things were done to the Babylonians and Chaldeans, prophetically speaking, the future things that are "not yet" shall be as if already accomplished. God has completed these by himself, comparing the present events with those that happened earlier: I showed my divinity to those in Egypt and led my people through the Red Sea. I made a way "in the mighty water" and a dry path through that same sea when I threw the chariots of Pharaoh and his forces into the sea to the bed prepared for them, sinking down to the abyss and no longer able to rise. They were like those of old who were bent like a snuffed wick in a burning flame. I worked such things among the ancients, who in turn passed on the memory of those wonders to those of old who followed. But for the present I command them no longer to be amazed at those deeds, neither those done in Babylon nor those in Egypt.

Isaiah 43:22-24 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:25

For there was no mention at all of such things required from you in the laws of the new covenant that I established through my servant whom I chose. But you did not offer these things to me. If it had been necessary to say such things, you still probably would have done something contrary. "In your sins is your preference" or as the other interpreters put it, "in your sins and in your unrighteous acts you called on me."

Isaiah 44:9-10 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:26

Isaiah sees that in the ensuing time a very great number of people will arise who all "will be ashamed" and who will cease from their continual error. They will be ashamed and hide their faces. If they persist in their error, however, they will be given over to destruction at the time of judgment. But this word is also for those of us now in the present.

Isaiah 44:15 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:26

What do you think of them, and what is the nature of those who make gods from inanimate statues? For it is easy to see in the latter that they are works of artisans, prepared by axes and drills and such tools, the invention of skillful and industrious people, who through a need of food have found an instrument of leisurely falsehood. What do you think of the nature of God and about whether God needs our sacrifices and whether God is weak, as if according to Symmachus he is hungry and weak and feeble and cannot even drink water. The statement that God cannot drink water implies that he desperately needs liquid, while in fact God shares in no such thing, as though he were a dumb creature.

Isaiah 45:7 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:27

"From my works they will learn; for when I needed to inflict pain on my people for their repentance and discipline, I gave them up to warfare as if handing them over to darkness and wrath on account of their wickedness." Once they have turned and received help, [God] will deem it right to restore them, and it follows that the light of peace and of all good things will rise on them, but in my judgment also the things of wrath. So learn this lesson from me. As I am the creator of light and the leader of peace, likewise am I of dark things and those things considered painful. The evil things have been reckoned to the many whose creator inflicts evil on them. He does so whenever his righteous judgment appoints such, according to the various ways they deserve evil as judgment on their sins.

Isaiah 45:13 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5:4

[The Septuagint reads], "You are God, and we knew it not." The words "we knew it not," spoken in the person of those of old who did not know him, occur only in the Septuagint. The Hebrew is different and is rendered by Aquila, "God then is strong and hidden, God that saves Israel," and by Theodotion, "Therefore a strong secret God preserves Israel." It is remarkable how [Isaiah] calls Christ a hidden God and gives the reason clearly as to why he calls him God alone among the ones begotten after the First and Unbegotten, namely, the dwelling of the Father in him.…According to this, then, the true and only God must be One and alone owning the name in full right. The Second, by sharing in the being of the true God, is thought worthy to share his name, not being God in himself or existing apart from the Father, but altogether being, living and existing as God, through the presence of the Father in him. [He is] one in being with the Father, and constituted God from him and through him, holding his being as well as his divinity not from himself but from the Father.

Isaiah 45:22 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:29

Or as Symmachus puts it: "Run to me and be saved, all the extremities of the earth." You see how he proclaims the catholic gospel to all the nations.

Isaiah 45:23 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:29

The coming of our Savior Jesus Christ fulfilled the goal of this prophecy, after which, in his church, all people, who have been brought together from throughout the world, have been taught to bend their knee to God in prayer.

Isaiah 46:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:30

The prophecy has described those things concerning the conversion of the nations and those concerning the elect of the seed of the sons of Israel, and it now turns once more to address the Jews and intends the complete destruction of idolatry … (following Symmachus, "their idols have become the prey of animals," that is, cast aside into total destitution). According to the literal sense, this has been fulfilled among us by these very deeds, while according to a spiritual understanding it concerns the heavy and burdensome and diabolic load of deceitful idolatry that used to lie on the souls of people.

Isaiah 46:3 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:31

After your apostasies I will still continue to call you to repentance, since you are my creation. I created you; therefore I sustain you. I promise I will make atonement for your sins, if you change.

Isaiah 46:6 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:31

And despite my exhortation you delayed in expelling such blasphemy and ungodliness, daring to compare me with those who lack being and in no way have my divinity. You esteemed me as equal to soulless wood that you shaped. You added gold and silver from contributions and made a statue from human hands, and you were not ashamed to worship it. These idols were not able to walk, let alone move, but they needed to be carried on your shoulders or dragged around by others. They are unable to hear prayers or to save.

Isaiah 46:11 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:31

Who other can this be than his Christ, who, it says, has been called from a distant land, that is, from the innermost part of Hades? All the things I have announced before him, I will bring into action through him.

Isaiah 47:5 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:32

These words are spoken by the Lord, our redeemer and the one who has freed us from a life of hard labor.… Or as Symmachus puts it, "You will no longer be called queenly. For I was angry with my people and harmed my inheritance." And I, for reasons of the right discipline, handed my people into your hands, as part of my taming them, but you showed fellow sufferers no kindness by treating them excessively harshly.

Isaiah 47:9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:32

And what follows describes very clearly the arrogance of the kingdom of the Chaldeans and the foolishness of their royal people, in such a way that they ascribed to themselves immortal power and an indestructible rule. However, suddenly you will experience a loss of men and the destruction of your children—that is, men to rule among you, and children meaning those to be ruled. These things will come at once upon you and reveal you abandoned and childless. This will affect you not only through these things proclaimed but also through the extent of sorceries and incantations.

Isaiah 47:10 — PREPARATION FOR THE GOSPEL 6:11

And since Isaiah could not find one man to address, he spoke to the daughter of the Chaldeans, promising these things especially: The astrologers of heaven maintained and supported you, announcing to you what was coming to you from heaven. For in this way we are taught that what the Lord wishes to give to each nation cannot be known by the lovers of learning.… But to us each word is gathered into two principal ones, first to the human customs of every city and to their good "daimons," and second to oppose any sorcerers and deceivers and cheats, destroying and turning from the truth into the deceitfulness of human beings.

Isaiah 47:15 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:32

It is known from the writing of Daniel in what manner certain wizards and diviners and potion makers were eminent among those Chaldeans living in Babylon. And they were highly regarded by the king since the kingdom was ordered by them. They did not only dabble with potions and incantations, but through the knowledge of mathematical theorems they thought to understand the heavens, predicting the movement of the stars, their effects on human destiny and their power on the present according to the season, so as to learn to distinguish the things to come. But no mighty person is able to know the future from pondering on these things. Rather, the reward of fire will be received by those who pay too much attention to them.

Isaiah 48:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:33

He calls them the house of Jacob as not being worthy of the name of their forefather. Rather, "those called by the name Israel" are not really Israel, and those bearing that name are not called such here. And he adds, "and coming forth from the water of Judah." For they had nothing of the worthiness of the patriarchal soul, although they were descended from his fluid and bodily seed. For they were children only in the physical and carnal sense and not true children of the soul. But "Judah through the water" means the "kingly race" from David's line that in the days of the prophets remained in Jerusalem. They were those who, being not truly worthy of these names, used "Jacob" and "Israel" and "Judah" falsely; for they were those who praised the name of the Lord and made mention of the God of Israel with only their lips and mouth.… For they did "not" take their oaths "in truth" if they were [at the same time] consulting oracles. But they even thought they were being loyal to the city which was dedicated to God when, in fact, they were resisting God and performing this hypocrisy.

Isaiah 48:3 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:33

It is not in human nature to know things that are to come. I am the God who foretells them even now and who did so throughout former times. In addition, the predictions that previously came through the mouths of my other prophets as declarative of many things to come were reported by and complied with by those prophesying, to whom the events seemed to fit the words of the other prophets.

Isaiah 48:4-8 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:33

These words would not be of any help to you if you had not been already warned. Nevertheless, dwelling in my loving-kindness, I still bear witness and distinguish you from those assembled in Babylon and the Chaldeans about to attack you. Open your eyes! As you see the foretold destruction taking hold when the warriors come from Babylon, you will know with understanding that God has told you these things would happen and you can call on his help when the predicted end strikes. These things are available to you from my words.

Isaiah 48:8 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:33

In Symmachus's translation: "And you, though faithless to the covenant, were called from the womb," so that not through you but through my merciful love I foretold and showed to you the things that would come to destroy your enemies, hurrying to save you in every engagement with them.

Isaiah 49:10 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:35

"The merciful One will encourage them, and he will lead them by springs of water." For the springs of Israel and of salvation are plentiful. The springs of Israel are those of the Old Covenant, and the springs of salvation are those of the New.

Isaiah 49:11-12 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:35

According to one interpretation, this refers to the lowly and Jewish people. According to another, this is the entire gathering of souls that make up the godly spiritual commonwealth. According to a still further interpretation, this is the angelic order about which the apostle says, "She is the free Jerusalem of above that is our mother," and "you have come to Zion, the mountain and city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." The present word is addressed to the godly communion that formerly comprised the Jews. But they were brought down and suffered a fall, forfeiting their place to the church of the Gentiles.

Isaiah 51:9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:39

According to the Hebrew, it is not Jerusalem but the arm of the Lord that has to put on strength. This relates to what we spoke about above [v. 5], about the nations hoping in "my arm." For we have said that the divinity of the Word is signified here, since he urges the people not to fear the rebuke of human beings or to be affected by their filth, and in the same way here it is right to see in the person of the people a prayer being sent to the "arm of the Lord" to rouse himself and overcome the enemies of his people. For we confess we are nothing unless you rise up and overcome on our behalf.

Isaiah 52:5 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:40

For he said, "I found nothing here among them," as was made clear in the earlier passage, "Why did I come, and there was no one? Why did I call, and there was none to hear?" However, earlier they were violently led away as captives, first by the Egyptians and then by the Assyrians, and were given over on account of their sins. But now they have been taken away for nothing, "as a gazelle caught in a net," by hunters of souls who trap them with nets of wickedness.

Isaiah 52:7 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:24

Zion and Jerusalem, that here have the good news told them, the apostle knew to be heavenly, when he said, "But the Jerusalem that is above (that is, our mother) is free," and, "You have drawn near to Mount Zion and the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels." Zion might also mean the church established by Christ in every part of the world, and Jerusalem the godly citizenship (politeuma) that, once established long ago among the ancient Jews alone, was driven out to the wilderness by their impiety and then again was restored far better than before through the coming of our Savior. Therefore, the prophecy says, "Let the waste places of Jerusalem break forth into joy together, for the Lord has pitied it and saved Jerusalem."Nor would you be wrong in calling Zion the soul of every holy and godly person, so far as it is lifted up above this life, having its citizenry in heaven and seeing things far beyond the world. For it means "a watchtower." And insofar as such a person remains calm and free from passion, you could call him Jerusalem—for Jerusalem means "vision of peace."

Isaiah 52:7 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3:1

Here [Isaiah] says very particularly that it is the feet of those who publish the good news of Christ that are beautiful. For how could they not be beautiful, which in so small, so short a time have run over the whole earth and filled every place with the holy teaching about the Savior of the world?

Isaiah 53:4 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:42

We did not reckon him to be much or wonder who he was then. He was, however, the Savior of our souls, the healer and purifier of all sin. Therefore it continues, "He bore our sins … though we reckoned him struck down by God and humiliated," as Aquila has it.… We like babes had this opinion of him while he suffered these things for us, so as to save us from all disgrace … he was wounded and became a curse for us … he became a peace offering … who was through all his life a sin offering in word and deed.

Isaiah 53:5 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 10:4

Alone did he assume the penalties of our wicked deeds, not when we were half dead but even when already altogether foul and stinking in tombs and graves.

Isaiah 54:11 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:43

We should understand all these things of which Isaiah speaks as worthy and precious souls, with whom God commits himself to build the heavenly citizenry. He compares them with sapphire on the grounds of its likeness to the color of heaven. Their intercourse is heavenly and angelic, as Paul teaches, saying, "Our citizenship is in heaven." In Ezekiel the place under the throne of God is said to be like sapphire.… And the parapets of this new Jerusalem would be of jasper or, in Symmachus's translation, karchēdonion, a special, shining stone. This means those who belong to the church, whom in a spiritual manner strengthen their faith and are like the battlements of the heavenly citizenry, destroy "every obstacle raised against the knowledge of God" and refute any false opinion contrary to the truth. Since parapets are designed to resist the enemy, those who in the church are equipped with wisdom may be rightly called "parapets." Alongside these others is a comparison drawn with crystals, with which he foretells that the gates of the city will be built and denotes the clarity and purity of sure faith of those who believed the foundational and elementary doctrine. Isaiah also declares that the wall of the new city of God will be made from special stone. Such are they who through their prayers surround and confirm, just like an enclosure, the city's edifice and its great, precious and worthy building.

Isaiah 54:14 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:43

I promised to you by grace beforehand—if you no longer struggle with these promises—that no fear of attack by war would touch you. Therefore rejoice in my commandments, for if you do so, these kinds of fears will not affect you—unless you do not guard the commandments and fall into the fear of human reproach. And so, I testify to you and say, "You will be far from oppression, and you will not fear. Terror shall not come near you." Rather, you will remain close to me and will act in a godly way according to the following words of Isaiah: "the proselytes will come to you." But they will not come apart from my will, for it says they also will come "through me."

Isaiah 55:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:44

Aquila translates "like wine and milk" so as to say not only water but also wine and milk are promised to the thirsty. "Water" is clearly the gospel message that flows from the spring of the Savior, but "wine and milk" hymn the mystery of the rebirth in Christ.… One should be mindful of the fact that according to the old covenant mystical milk is given to those reborn in Christ along with the body and blood of the new covenant. It is said to be kept even now as a custom in some churches, if not in a bodily at least in a spiritual way, in that the mystical blood is provided for those deemed worthy of the new life in Christ in the form of wine and milk. If with the Septuagint we read "and suet"—the fat and richness and nourishment of the spiritual food that is in Christ is here praised, just as our Savior revealed, saying, "Unless you eat my flesh and drink of my blood, you shall not have life in you." So just as in Isaiah his body is called "suet" and as the blood is called wine, we understand the suet to mean his incarnate economy and the wine to mean the mystery of his passion.

Isaiah 55:8 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:44

He speaks these words clearly to the believers in the gospel that he delivered to the godless and lawless ones who were turning to him from the nations, presenting the word that was there in the beginning and is now coming down from the Father above like rain and snow in its descent to human beings, inasmuch as he makes their souls watered and fruit-bearing.… It is as though these words come out of Christ's own mouth, so that there is no need to think of the spoken word reexpressed among us, since here is a physical mouthpiece for God.

Isaiah 56:9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:45

We have often seen the mass of the other nations called "the woodlands." These are the beasts of God's calling worthy to be called up due to their fear. Aquila has instead, "all the beasts," "all his living beings," and then, the second time, "all his living things." Do they belong to someone or to God? For he does not call them simply "beasts" but "his." Isaiah made mention of the nations of other tribes and the forest of beasts, and he saw in the Spirit that these would obey the call; yet so many of the Jews were persistent in unbelief.

Isaiah 60:9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:50

It is possible to contemplate the fulfillment of the divine word when one sees, in consequence of the conversion of the nations, such souls dedicating themselves to the message of godliness and being diligently busy in the ministry of the altar of God. It is then especially on account of the conversion of such souls and their salvation that the church of God receives glory.

Isaiah 60:16 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:50

Instead of "salvation," the Hebrew reading has "Jesus" in its marks and letters, by which our Savior is written there. This is the origin of the power of the name of our Savior Jesus, which serves as a partition or strong wall to those worthy of these things. Such is seen now in part, but with the new age it will come into being with the perfection of presence.… See how the message stops us from a more physical understanding and from falling into the obvious, literal Jewish understanding. For it calls the gates of this new Jerusalem hymn singing and praising. Thus we are instructed that the entries of the revered citizenship is to consist of those who enter singing hymns and praising God.

Isaiah 61:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:51

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me." Clearly this happened to those who thought that the Christ of God was neither a mere man nor an unfleshed and unembodied Word who did not take on a mortal nature. Instead they say he is both God and human, God in that he is the only-begotten God who was in the bosom of the Father, and man … from the seed of David according to the flesh. Thus, God the Word, who through the prophecy has been called Lord, speaks out this prophecy that is preeminent among other promises: "I am the Lord, and in the right time I will draw them together." … Taking the chrism in the Holy Spirit, he, chosen from among all, appears as the only-begotten Christ of God. And the verse "he has sent me to proclaim good news to the poor," he fulfilled in that time when he "was preaching the kingdom of heaven" and explaining the beatitudes to the disciples by saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God." … And for those nations then imprisoned in their souls by the invisible and spiritual powers he preached release to his newly encouraged disciples.… Therefore, he preached release to the prisoners and to those suffering from blindness who were those enslaved by the error of polytheism, and he creates a year that is acceptable, through which he made all time his own year. And from the passing years of humanity he provides days of created light for those close to him. He never kept hidden the age that is to come after the perfecting of the present. For that age will be a time much on the Lord's mind, being an age and day of requiting. For he will grant a change of fortune or a year of favor to those struggling in the present life.

Isaiah 61:10 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:52

After these promises that the Son of God has made concerning his first advent, it is extremely fitting that the word here addresses the church of God as receiving good and blessed things in those in whom he labored. As if receiving the appropriate items to wear, she takes the fullness of those being saved and like a bride she is said to consist of one fine and fair body and to have clothed around her the beauty of her groom. She is a monument of light, flashing forth a body of divine resurrection that is called the body of the Savior. For it is no longer a body of death, as Paul confirms: "Who will save me from this body of death?" For this is salvation, to put a cloak of salvation on one's soul and a tunic of righteousness. For each one by his deeds that are done according to righteousness puts on his own fine apparel.… For she who is the bride of the Word receives seeds from him and returns splendid and fresh fruit.

Isaiah 62:3 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:52

For the crown is really all those of Christ who, being set right through him, receive the diadem of the kingdom—those who sustained the struggle because of him, the holy martyrs whom the Father hand-picked to circle the crown for his son along with the royal "diadem" of honor, which is filled with the great number of those who have been saved by him.

Isaiah 62:6-7 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:52

Instead of "there is none like you, until he sets Jerusalem right and makes it a shining example on the earth," Symmachus has, "do not be silent and do not let him be silent until he prepares and makes Jerusalem to sing on the earth." … For with the prophetic choir asking such questions, the Holy Spirit is encouraging them and exhorting them to continue in those prayers on behalf of those mentioned. So he says, "Don't be silent and give no silence, that is, to the Lord who promises these things, until he has prepared and makes Jerusalem to sing on the earth." He provides for the intercession made by the powers of all the people, that it should not be quiet or ever fall silent, but with shouts and unrestrained cries rouse him. The people's intercession should never give God peace.

Isaiah 62:8 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:52

He promises those crying out and who give unceasing praise to the Lord, "While you are still speaking, behold, I am here." … Now to those who will be worthy of the new age and involved in the things the Lord promises, he will no longer give their fruit to their enemies, but they will profit from these themselves. For they are correcting their lives in the direction of virtue and in godly manner are pursuing righteousness and enjoying their own harvest.

Isaiah 63:19 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:54

And you did this on account of our turning away from you. For we are now a desert untended by your careful attention. We are now like we were in the beginning. For there was a time when we had neither prophet nor priest not king nor any of your gifts of grace—in like manner we have now come back to the desert. Such were we in Egypt frittering away time before Moses took us out of there. Neither did we have your name to adorn us when we were not called your people, and we did not have a share in your inheritance. And now we have arrived at a similar point. It is right to refer these words to the season after the arrival of our Savior, by whom all those things will in the end be put behind them, through what was dared by our Savior for them.

Isaiah 64:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:54

This power is present to you, that of which we did not hear from all time, nor were we able to say (which would be bearing false witness) that someone else was such a God, in the way that our eyes have now seen the effects in such works. We have neither seen God nor divine deeds except from you—to those waiting to see, you provide vision and understanding, which coming from outside ourselves is set in place.… "For no one can see God," and "no one can see my face and live." But it seems that the Christ of God is praised through these things, he who talked with Moses in the desert and was made visible to all people through his glory appearing to all, about which was said, "we have beheld his glory."

Isaiah 65:15 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1:4

But even if we are clearly something new, and this truly recent name of Christians has only recently been known among all the nations, our life and manner of conduct in accordance with the very teachings of our religion have not been recently fashioned by us, but, as it were, from the first creation of humanity have been established by the natural concepts of the God-favored people of old.… And by deeds more manifest than words is Abraham's manner of religion shown to be practiced at present among Christians alone.

Judges 1:1-2 — THE PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 8.1

And in the Book of Joshua, son of Nave, when the land of promise was divided by lot among the other tribes, the tribe of Judah took its own portion of the land without casting lots, and first of all. And, moreover, "After the death of Joshua the children of Israel inquired of the Lord, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanite, leading our fighting against him? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up. Behold, I have given the land into his hands." These words, then, make it clear that God ordained the tribe of Judah to be the head of all Israel, and the account goes on: "And Judah went up, and the Lord delivered the Canaanite and Perizzite into his hand." And also: "And the children of Judah fought against Jerusalem and took it, and the sons of Judah came down from fighting against the Canaanite." And again: "And Judah went up with Symeon, his brother." And then: "And the Lord was with Judah, and gave him the Mount as his portion." And after this: "And the sons of Joseph went up, they also who were in Bethel, and Judah with them." And in the Book of Judges, when different men at different times were at the head of the people, though individually the Judges were of different tribes, yet speaking generally the tribe of Judah was head of the whole people, and much more so in the times of David and his successors, who belonged to the tribe of Judah, and continued to rule until the Babylonian Captivity, after which the leader of those who returned from Babylon to their own land was Zerubbabel, the son of Salathiel, of the tribe of Judah, who also built the Temple. Hence, too, the Book of Chronicles, when giving the genealogies of the twelve tribes of Israel, begins with Judah. And you will see it follows from this that, in the days that succeeded, the same tribe had the headship, although different individuals had temporary leadership, whose tribes it is impossible to decide with accuracy, because there is no sacred book handed down to give the history of the period from then to the time of our Saviour.

Jeremiah 1:6 — PREPARATION FOR THE GOSPEL 12:9

The Hebrew Scripture introduces Moses at first as declining the leadership of the people by what he said to God who conversed with him: "I beg you, O Lord, appoint someone else who is able, whom you will send." Afterwards it portrays Saul as hiding himself to avoid assuming the kingdom and the prophet Jeremiah as humbly declining his mission.

Jeremiah 2:21-22 — PREPARATION FOR THE GOSPEL 13:3

So also God is introduced by the prophet as saying to the person who had become evil by his own choice, "Yet I had planted you a fruitful vine. How have you turned back into a wild vine?" Anywhere it is said that evils happen to the wicked from God, it must be understood as an accidental coincidence of name. This name is given to the chastisements that God in his goodness is said to send not for the hurt of those who are chastised but for their benefit and profit, in the same way that a physician might be thought to apply bad things in his painful and bitter remedies to save the sick.

John 1:1 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.2.2-3

Who beside the Father could clearly understand the Light that was before the world, the intellectual and essential Wisdom that existed before the ages, the living Word that was in the beginning with the Father and that was God, the first and only begotten of God that was before every creature and creation visible and invisible, the commander-in-chief of the rational and immortal host of heaven, the messenger of the great counsel, the executor of the Father's unspoken will, the creator, with the Father, of all things, the second cause of the universe after the Father, the true and only begotten Son of God, the Lord and God and King of all created things, the one who has received dominion and power, with divinity itself, and with might and honor from the Father.

John 1:18 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.18.3

From the text "No one has seen God at any time," perhaps it might be thought that the above quotation contradicts the Savior's words, as implying that the invisible is visible. But if they are understood, like our former quotations, of the Word of God, who was seen by the fathers "in many and various ways," no contradiction is involved.

John 1:29 — PROOF OF THE GOSPELS 1.10.15-17

The sacrifice was the Christ of God, foretold in ancient times as coming to human beings, to be sacrificed like a sheep for the whole human race. As Isaiah the prophet says of him: "As a sheep he was led to slaughter, and as a lamb before her shearers he did not open his mouth." And he adds, "He bears our sins and is pained for us; yet we accounted him to be in trouble, and in suffering, and our sins, and he was made sick on account of our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.… And the Lord has given him up for our iniquities.… For he himself did not sin, nor was guile found in his mouth." Jeremiah, another Hebrew prophet, speaks similarly in the person of Christ: "I was led as a lamb to the slaughter."John the Baptist sets the seal on their predictions at the appearance of our Savior. For beholding him, and pointing him out to those present as the one foretold by the prophets, he cried, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."

John 2:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9.8.8

Consider whether this first miracle of our Savior that took place in Cana of Galilee, where he changed water into wine, is not foretold in the beginning of this prophecy where it says, "Drink this first. Act quickly, land of Zebulun and Naphtali, Galilee of the Gentiles." And this miracle was a sign of the mystic wine—that wine of the faith of the new covenant that is transformed from bodily joy to a joy of mind and spirit.

John 2:12-13 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

(Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. iii. c. 24) When copies of the three Gospels had come to the Evangelist John, he is reported, while he confirmed their fidelity and correctness, to have at the same time noticed some omissions, especially at the opening of our Lord's ministry. Certain it is that the first three Gospels seem only to contain the events of the year in which John the Baptist was imprisoned, and put to death. And therefore John, it is said, was asked to write down those acts of our Saviour's before the apprehension of the Baptist, which the former Evangelists had passed over. Any one then, by attending, will find that the Gospels do not disagree, but that John is relating the events of a different date, from that which the others refer to.

John 3:24 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.24.8-12

For it is evident that the three Evangelists recorded only the deeds done by the Savior for one year after the imprisonment of John the Baptist and indicated this in the beginning of their account.… They say, therefore, that the apostle John, being asked to do it for this reason, gave in his Gospel an account of the period that had been omitted by the earlier Evangelists and of the deeds done by the Savior during that period; that is, of those that were done before the imprisonment of the Baptist. And this is indicated by him, they say, in the following words: "This was the beginning of the miracles that Jesus did"; and again when he refers to the Baptist, in the midst of the deeds of Jesus, as still baptizing in Aenon near Salim.… "For John was not yet cast into prison." John accordingly, in his Gospel, records the deeds of Christ that were performed before the Baptist was cast into prison, but the other three Evangelists mention the events that happened after that time.

John 4:10 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10.7.7-8

And in them too the rest of the prophecy was fulfilled, when on the day of our Savior's coming living water came forth from Jerusalem. The fruitful living word of Jerusalem, yes, from Jerusalem itself, and was spread over all the earth, even to the utmost bounds of the world. The Lord and Savior himself speaks of this water to the Samaritan woman.… And he goes on to teach what advantage would accrue to everyone who tastes of the living spiritual spring. Those that drink of it, denying the many evil demons who ruled them of old, will confess their one Lord and King, and that the Lord, who once was known only to the Hebrews, will become King of all nations that believe in him from all the earth, and that his name will be one, encircling all the earth and the wilderness. And who is not struck at seeing this fulfilled? For the Christian name, derived from the name of Christ (and Christ was indeed the Lord) has encircled every place and city and land and the very nations that dwell in the wilderness and at the ends of the earth, as the prophecy foretold.

John 4:10 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.18.48-49

And in that day it says, "Living water shall come forth out of Jerusalem." This is that spiritual, sweet, life-giving and saving drink of the teaching of Christ. He speaks of it in the Gospel according to John, when instructing the Samaritan woman.… What was this drink, then, that came forth from Jerusalem? For it was there that its gospel went forth and its heralds filled the world. This is what is meant by the words "The living water shall go forth to the first sea and the last sea," by which is meant the bounds of the whole world. That which is toward the eastern ocean is called "the first sea," that toward the west is meant by "the last sea," which, indeed, the living water of the saving gospel teaching has filled. He also taught about this when he said, "Whosoever shall drink of the water, which I shall give him, shall never thirst."

John 5:43 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.8.2-3

Holy Scripture records that this prophecy was fulfilled when our Lord and Savior Christ entered Jerusalem.… And the words "blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord" explain the words that follow: "The Lord is God and has appeared to us." It was, then, one and the same Lord God who appeared to them, that is to say, the Word of God. It is he who is therefore blessed, because he came among people in the name of the Lord his Father who sent him. It was therefore to reprove the Jews who disbelieved in him that he said, "I came in the name of my Father, and you received me not. But if one comes in his own name, him will you receive." So the Holy Spirit suitably addressed the opening verses of the psalm not to the Jewish people but to all the nations.

John 6:33 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7.2.43-44

He would be born nowhere else but in the place at Bethlehem, near Jerusalem, in the spot that is even now pointed out. For no one is witnessed to by all the inhabitants as having been born there—in accordance with the Gospel story, no one remarkable or famous among all people, except Jesus Christ. Bethlehem is translated "House of Bread," bearing the name of him who came forth from it, our Savior, the true Word of God, and nourisher of spiritual souls, which he himself shows by saying, "I am the Bread that came down from heaven."

John 8:1-11 — Church History (Book III), Chapter 39, Section 16

And he [Papias] relates another story of a woman, who was accused of many sins before the Lord, which is contained in the Gospel according to the Hebrews. These things we have thought it necessary to observe in addition to what has been already stated.

John 12:13 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9.18

As, therefore, hosanna is said in the psalm we are considering, which is translated "Save us now," and the Hebrew has "Lord, save us," and the words "blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord" are taken from the same psalm, and these words can only refer to the Christ of God, we naturally apply the rest of the prediction to him as well.

John 12:15 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9.17

Zechariah gave this prophecy after the return from Babylon toward the conclusion of prophecy. But there is no record of a Jewish king since that time, such as the prophecy predicts, except our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in whom this prediction was fulfilled.… But what was his riding on a donkey meant to show but the lowly and humble manner that marked his first coming?

John 12:37 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7.1

Here he expressly foretells the opposition of the Jews to him and how they will see him and not understand who he is. He foretells how they will hear him speaking and teaching them but will be quite unable to grasp who it is that speaks with them or the new teaching he offers them. And John the Evangelist witnesses to the fulfillment of these words referring to our Savior where he says, "Though he had done so many signs before them, yet they believed not on him, that Isaiah the prophet's words might be fulfilled which he spoke, 'Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?' Therefore they were not able to believe, because again Isaiah said, 'He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they should not see with their eyes, and understand with their heart and be converted, and I should heal them.' Isaiah said these things when he saw his glory and bore witness of him." Thus the Evangelist most certainly referred the theophany in Isaiah to Christ and to the Jews who did not receive the Lord that was seen by the prophet, according to the prediction about him.

John 12:41 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7.1

In approaching the account of his coming to humanity, the prophecy before us tells first of his divine kingdom, in which it says that the prophet saw him sitting on a throne high and exalted. This is that throne that is mentioned in the psalm of the Beloved. … John the Evangelist supports my interpretation of this passage, when he quotes the words of Isaiah, where it is said, "For this people's heart has become fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes," referring them to Christ, saying, "This is what Isaiah said when he saw his glory and bore witness of him." The prophet then seeing our Savior sitting on his Father's throne in the divine and glorious kingdom, and moved by the Holy Spirit and being about to describe next his coming among humanity and his birth of a Virgin, foretells that his knowledge and praise would be over all the earth.

John 16:33 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.5

When the Master gave them gloomy prophecies, if they paid attention to the things he said to them … they demonstrated the strength and depth of their nature, since it is evident they had no fear of disciplining the body, nor did they run after pleasure. And their master too, as one who himself would not soothe them by deceit, was like them in renouncing his property. And so, when he prophesied about the future in such an open and honest way, he convinced them to choose his way of life. These were prophecies of what would happen to them for his name's sake that told how they would be brought before rulers and kings and undergo all sorts of punishments, not for any wrong they had done due to any reasonable charge, but solely for this: his name's sake. And we who see it now fulfilled ought to be struck by the prediction. For the confession of the name of Jesus always inflames the minds of rulers. And even though one who confesses Christ has done no evil, they still punish him with every kind of contempt "for his name's sake," as the worst of evildoers. But if someone else swears away the name and denies that he is one of Christ's disciples, he is let off scot-free, even if he has been convicted of many crimes.

John 18:13-14 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.10.2-7

The divine Scripture says that he completed the entire time of his teaching while Annas and Caiaphas were high priest, showing that the entire time of his teaching was included within the years of their administration. Since he began in the high priesthood of Annas and continued until the reign of Caiaphas, the entire intervening time does not amount to four years. For, since the regulations of the law of that time were already being destroyed, somehow, there was a relaxation of the rule by which the duties of the service of God were for life and by hereditary descent, and different men at different times were entrusted with the high priesthood by the Roman governors and continued in this office for no more than one year. Josephus relates that four high priests intervened in succession from Annas to Caiaphas, speaking as follows in the same text of the Antiquities: "Valerius Gratus put an end to the priesthood of Annas and appointed Ishmael the son of Phabi as high priest, and after a short time he removed this one and named as high priest Eliezer, the son of Annas the high priest. And after a year had passed he removed this one also and passed over the high priesthood to Simon, the son of Kamithus. But no more than a year passed with him in office when Josephus, known also as Caiaphas, became his successor." So, the entire period of our Savior's teaching is shown to be not even a complete period of four years, since four high priests from Annas to the appointment of Caiaphas fulfilled an annual service over a period of four years. The Gospel, therefore, has rightly indicated Caiaphas as the high priest of the year in which the events of the Savior's passion were fulfilled, and from this we also can see that the time of Christ's ministry does not disagree with the foregoing investigation.

John 18:18 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.18

See how clearly this description of the day of our Savior's passion, a day in which "there shall be no light," was fulfilled, since "from the sixth hour to the ninth hour there was darkness over all the earth." And also the "frost and cold," since according to Luke: "They led Jesus to the palace of the high priest. And Peter followed afar off. And while they kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, he sat down," according to Mark, with the others to warm himself. And John, too, especially mentions the cold, saying, "The servants and the ministers stood, having made a fire of coals, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves." And this day, he says, was known to the Lord and was not night. It was not day, because, as has been said already, "there shall be no light." This was fulfilled when "from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour." Nor was it night, because "at eventide it shall be light" was added, which also was fulfilled when the day regained its natural light after the ninth hour.

John 18:36 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.20.3-4

And when they were asked about Christ and his kingdom, of what nature it was, and where and when it would appear, they answered that it was neither of the world, nor earthly, but heavenly and angelic, and would appear at the end of the world when he would come in glory to judge the living and the dead and to give to every one according to his works.

John 18:37 — TO STEPHANUS 15.4

The throne of the kingdom conferred on Jesus is nothing mortal or temporal. Rather, it truly extended throughout the whole world like light shining as the moon established forever, enlightening understanding souls through his divine and heavenly teaching.

John 18:37 — COMMENTARY ON PSALM 88 [89].39-46

His kingdom and throne were not human. They were not of this world. Therefore he said before Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world." And when he was asked by him if he were a king, Jesus answered, "For this also I have been born." So if he has been born for this, he will remain for this … for the kingdom of this world is not able to endure forever, nor is it endless as if extended indefinitely.

John 19:25 — Church History (Book III), Chapter 32, Sections 1-6

1. It is reported that after the age of Nero and Domitian, under the emperor whose times we are now recording, a persecution was stirred up against us in certain cities in consequence of a popular uprising. In this persecution we have understood that Symeon, the son of Clopas, who, as we have shown, was the second bishop of the church of Jerusalem, suffered martyrdom. Hegesippus, whose words we have already quoted in various places, is a witness to this fact also. Speaking of certain heretics he adds that Symeon was accused by them at this time; and since it was clear that he was a Christian, he was tortured in various ways for many days, and astonished even the judge himself and his attendants in the highest degree, and finally he suffered a death similar to that of our Lord. But there is nothing like hearing the historian himself, who writes as follows: "Certain of these heretics brought accusation against Symeon, the son of Clopas, on the ground that he was a descendant of David and a Christian; and thus he suffered martyrdom, at the age of one hundred and twenty years, while Trajan was emperor and Atticus governor." And the same writer says that his accusers also, when search was made for the descendants of David, were arrested as belonging to that family. And it might be reasonably assumed that Symeon was one of those that saw and heard the Lord, judging from the length of his life, and from the fact that the Gospel makes mention of Mary, the wife of Clopas, who was the father of Symeon, as has been already shown. The same historian says that there were also others, descended from one of the so-called brothers of the Saviour, whose name was Judas, who, after they had borne testimony before Domitian, as has been already recorded, in behalf of faith in Christ, lived until the same reign. He writes as follows: "They came, therefore, and took the lead of every church as witnesses and as relatives of the Lord. And profound peace being established in every church, they remained until the reign of the Emperor Trajan, and until the above-mentioned Symeon, son of Clopas, an uncle of the Lord, was informed against by the heretics, and was himself in like manner accused for the same cause before the governor Atticus. And after being tortured for many days he suffered martyrdom, and all, including even the proconsul, marveled that, at the age of one hundred and twenty years, he could endure so much. And orders were given that he should be crucified."

John 19:25 — Church History (Book III), Chapter 11, Sections 1-2

After the martyrdom of James and the conquest of Jerusalem which immediately followed, it is said that those of the apostles and disciples of the Lord that were still living came together from all directions with those that were related to the Lord according to the flesh (for the majority of them also were still alive) to take counsel as to who was worthy to succeed James. They all with one consent pronounced Symeon, the son of Clopas, of whom the Gospel also makes mention; to be worthy of the episcopal throne of that parish. He was a cousin, as they say, of the Saviour. For Hegesippus records that Clopas was a brother of Joseph.

John 19:30 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4.12.3

He cried out with a loud voice to the Father, "I commend my spirit" and freely departed from the body. He did not wait for death, which was lagging behind as it were in fear to come to him. Instead, he pursued it from behind and drove it on and trampled it under his feet as it was fleeing. He burst the eternal gates of death's dark realms and made a road of return back again to life for the dead bound there with the bonds of death.

John 20:2 — TO MARINUS, SUPPLEMENT 3

Question: How is it that in John the disciples hearing Mary, and then coming to the sepulcher, believed. But in Luke it is said that "their words appeared in their sight as an idle tale and they did not believe?Answer: Mary, in John, told what she had seen to the chief apostles Peter and John alone, as declaring some secret. And they again, unknown to the other disciples, ran to the sepulcher, saw and believed. And there was nothing strange in the chief apostles having seen and believed while the rest to whom the women reported, not having received with their own eyes, did not believe them. Indeed, when the Savior appeared to the assembled disciples themselves, according to John, those who saw him rejoiced. But Thomas, since he was not with them and did not see, was not persuaded. But if he disbelieved the apostles, one would scarcely blame the rest because, not having as yet beheld him, they disbelieved the women. The Scripture shows much examination and carefulness on the part of the disciples, not readily assenting to their words but at first suspending judgment until they recognized the truth fully and clearly.

John 20:3-4 — TO MARINUS, SUPPLEMENT 2

Peter and John seem to come to the sepulcher in broad daylight (an opportune time). By not coming during the night and in darkness, no one can suspect them of what the chief priests falsely accused them, that is, that they came by night and stole him. Therefore the men did not come by night or while it was still dark but while it was broad daylight. But if the Gospel says that the disciples were gathered together for fear of the Jews, someone may object, "How then did those who were shut up visit the sepulcher in broad daylight?" We respond that it was natural that those who were living in the city in the midst of the Jews would be closed in, gathered together in one house. But those who came to the tomb, since they were outside the city, were far from fear of the Jews since they were going to a place deserted and empty of people. But perhaps it may also be the case that Peter and John, being above the fear of the other disciples, ventured more boldly to go out from the house while the others were too scared. In other matters it was recorded that they were considered worthy of more honor than the other apostles.

John 20:5-7 — TO MARINUS, SUPPLEMENT 2

The cloths lying within seem to me at once to furnish also a proof that the body had not been taken away by people, as Mary supposed. For no one taking away the body would leave the linens, nor would the thief ever have stayed until he had undone the linens and so be caught. And at the same time they establish the resurrection of the body from the dead. For God, who transforms the bodies of our humiliation so as to be conformed to the body of Christ's glory, changed the body as an organ of the power that dwelt in it, changing it into something more divine. But he left the linen cloths as superfluous and foreign to the nature of the body.

John 21:18-19 — Church History (Book III), Chapter 1

Peter appears to have preached in Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia to the Jews of the dispersion. And at last, having come to Rome, he was crucified head-downwards; for he had requested that he might suffer in this way.

John 21:19 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2.25.5-8

[Nero] publicly announced himself as the first among God's chief enemies and so was led on to the slaughter of the apostles. It is, therefore, recorded that Paul was beheaded in Rome itself and that Peter likewise was crucified under Nero. This account of Peter and Paul is substantiated by the fact that their names are preserved in the cemeteries of that place even to the present day. It is confirmed likewise by Caius, a member of the church, who arose under Zephyrinus, bishop of Rome. He, in a published disputation with Proclus, the leader of the Phrygian heresy, speaks as follows concerning the places where the sacred corpses of the aforesaid apostles are laid: "But I can show the trophies of the apostles. For if you will go to the Vatican or to the Ostian way, you will find the trophies of those who laid the foundations of this church." And that they both suffered martyrdom at the same time is stated by Dionysius, bishop of Corinth, in his epistle to the Romans in the following words: "You have thus by such an admonition bound together the planting of Peter and of Paul at Rome and Corinth. For both of them planted and likewise taught us in our Corinth. And they taught together in the same way in Italy and suffered martyrdom at the same time." I have quoted these things in order that the truth of the history might be still more confirmed.

John 21:20 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.31.3

For in Asia also great luminaries have fallen asleep who will rise again on the last day of the advent of the Lord, when he shall come with glory from heaven and shall search out all the saints.… And this is also where John is, who leaned on the bosom of the Lord, who was a priest wearing the miter, a martyr and a teacher, and he sleeps at Ephesus.

John 21:24 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 6.25.9-10

John, who reclined on the bosom of Jesus, has left us one Gospel, although he confessed that he might have written so many that the world could not contain them. And he wrote also the Apocalypse, but he was commanded to keep silence and not to write the words of the seven thunders. He has left also an epistle of very few lines; perhaps also a second and third. But not all consider them genuine, and together they do not contain one hundred lines.

Joshua 5:13-14 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.2

Joshua, the successor of Moses, calls the leader of the heavenly angels and archangels and of the supernal powers and as if he were the power and wisdom of the Father, entrusted with the second rank of sovereignty and rule over all, "prince of the host of the Lord," although he saw him only in the form and shape of a man. At any rate, it is written: "And it came to pass, when Joshua was in the field of the city of Jericho, he lifted up his eyes, and saw a man standing over against him, holding a drawn sword, and he went to him and said: 'Are you one of ours, or of our adversaries?' And he said to him, 'I am prince of the host of the Lord and I have now come.' And Joshua fell on his face to the ground and said to him, 'What does my Lord command to his servant?' And the prince of the Lord said to Joshua, 'Loose your shoe from off your feet, for the place on which you stand is a holy place.' " Here, too, you will perceive from the identity of words that this is no other than he who also spoke to Moses.

Joshua 5:14 — The Proof of the Gospel (Book V), Chapter 19

The same words, you will remember, were said by the same Lord to Moses at the beginning of the vision of the Bush, for Scripture says: "And when the Lord saw that he drew nigh to see, He called him from the midst of the Bush, saying, Moses, Moses, come not near here; loose thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." So, then, the command that was given shews that the God Who answered on both occasions was one and the same. Though here He prophesies through the Chief and Captain of His power, and to Moses by the vision of the angel. And of the heavenly armies, celestial powers and invisible spirits, holy angels and archangels ministering to God the King of kings and the Lord of lords (as Daniel says: "Thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him"), what other could be highest of all but the Word of God, His Firstborn Wisdom, His Divine Offspring? Rightly, then, He is here called Chief Captain of the Power of the Lord, as also elsewhere "Angel of Great Counsel," "Throned with the Father," "Eternal and Great High Priest." And it has been proved that the same Being is both Lord and God, and Christ anointed by the Father with the oil of gladness. Thus, appearing to Abraham by the oak in human form, He reveals Himself in a calm and peaceful guise, foreshowing by it His future Coming to save mankind; He appeared to Jacob, as to an athlete and a champion destined to wrestle with enemies, in the form of a man, and to Moses and the people in the form of cloud and fire, and led them, shewing Himself terrible and shadowy. And as Joshua, the successor of Moses, was about to fight against the former possessors of Palestine his enemies, foreign and most ungodly races, He rightly appears to him with a sword drawn and pointed against the enemy, shewing by the vision that He Himself is about to attack the ungodly with an unseen sword and with divine power, the fellow-soldier and the fellow-combatant of His people. Wherefore He gives Himself the name of Chief and Captain of the Lord to suit the occasion.

Jude 1:1 — HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 3.32

Hegesippus says that other descendants of one of the so-called brothers of the Lord, Jude by name, lived until the reign of Trajan [98-117], after giving testimony of their faith in Christ in the time of Domitian [81-96].

Jude 1:1 — HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 3.19

When Domitian ordered that those of the race of David be slain, an ancient story holds that some of the heretics accused the grandchildren of Jude (the brother of the Savior, according to the flesh), on the ground that they really were of the family of David and were related to Christ himself. Hegesippus makes this quite clear.

Lamentations 2:1-2 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 8:1.6-8:2.1

No envy hindered the progress of these affairs that advanced gradually and grew and increased day by day. Nor could any evil demon slander them or hinder them through human counsels, so long as the divine and heavenly hand watched over and guarded his people as worthy.But on account of the abundant freedom, we fell into laxity and sloth. We envied and reviled each other and were almost, as it were, taking up arms against one another. Rulers assailed rulers with words like spears, and people forming parties against people and monstrous hypocrisy and dissimulation rising to the greatest height of wickedness, the divine judgment with forbearance, as is its pleasure, while the multitudes yet continued to assemble, gently and moderately harassed the episcopacy. This persecution began with the brothers in the army. But as if without sensibility, we were not eager to make the Deity favorable and propitious; and some, like atheists, thought that our affairs were unheeded and ungoverned; and thus we added one wickedness to another. And those esteemed our shepherds, casting aside the bond of piety, were excited to conflicts with one another and did nothing else than heap up fights and threats and jealousy and enmity and hatred toward each other, like tyrants eagerly endeavoring to assert their power. Then, truly, according to the word of Jeremiah, "The Lord in his wrath darkened the daughter of Zion, and cast down the glory of Israel from heaven to earth and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger. The Lord also overwhelmed all the beautiful things of Israel and threw down all his strongholds." And according to what was foretold in the Psalms, "He has made void the covenant of his servant, and profaned his sanctuary to the earth—in the destruction of the churches—and has thrown down all his strongholds and has made his fortresses cowardice. All that pass by have plundered the multitude of the people; and he has also become a reproach to his neighbors. For he has exalted the right hand of his enemies, and has turned back the help of his sword and has not taken his part in the war. But he has deprived him of purification and has cast his throne to the ground. He has shortened the days of his time, and besides all, has poured out shame on him." All these things were fulfilled in us when we saw with our own eyes the houses of prayer thrown down to the very foundations. We saw the divine and sacred Scriptures committed to the flames in the midst of the marketplaces and the shepherds of the churches basely hidden here and there, and some of them were captured ignominiously and mocked by their enemies. When also, according to another prophetic word, "Contempt was poured out on rulers, and he caused them to wander in an untrodden and pathless way."

Luke 1:1 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

(Eccl. Hist. iii. 4.) St. Luke at the commencement of his Gospel has told us the reason of his writing, which was, that many others had rashly taken upon themselves to give accounts of those things of which he had a more certain knowledge. And this is his meaning when he says, Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of things.

Luke 1:2 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

(sup.) Luke is a sure witness, because he obtained his knowledge of the truth either from St. Paul's instructions, or the instructions and traditions of the other Apostles, who were themselves eyewitnesses from the beginning.

Luke 1:38 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

(vel Geometer.) Not only having obtained what he wished, but wondering at her virgin beauty, and the ripeness of her virtue.

Luke 2:1-2 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.5

It was the forty second year of the reign of Augustus and twenty-eight years after the oppression of Egypt and the death of Antony and Cleopatra when Jesus was born in Bethlehem according to the prophecies concerning him. Flavius Josephus mentions this census in the time of Quirinius, adding another account about the sect of Galileans that arose at about the same time. Luke, among our writers, mentions this sect in Acts, saying, "After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census and drew some people after him. He also perished, and all who followed him were scattered."

Luke 3:19-20 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

(non occ.) He is called the tetrarch, to distinguish him from the other Herod, in whose reign Christ was born, and who was king, but this Herod was tetrarch. Now his wife was the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia, but he had sacrilegiously married his brother Philip's wife, though she had offspring by his brother. For those only were allowed to do this whose brothers died without issue. For this the Baptist had censured Herod. First indeed he heard him attentively, for he knew that his words were weighty and full of consolation, but the desire of Herodias compelled him to despise the words of John, and he then thrust him into prison. And so it follows, And he added this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

Luke 3:19-20 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.24

Luke too, before beginning the acts of Jesus, makes a similar observation, saying that Herod added one more offense to his other crimes by shutting up John in jail.

Luke 3:23 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Let us then more carefully explain the meaning of the words themselves. For if when Matthew affirmed Joseph to be the son of Jacob, Luke had in like manner affirmed that Joseph was the son of Eli, there would be some dispute. But seeing the case is that Matthew gives his opinion, Luke repeats the common opinion of many, not his own, saying, as was supposed, I do not think that there is any room for doubt. For since there were among the Jews different opinions of the genealogy of Christ, and yet all traced Him up to David because to him the promises were made, while many affirmed that Christ would come through Solomon and the other kings, some shunned this opinion because of the many crimes related of their kings, and because Jeremiah said of Jechonias that "a man should not rise of his seed to sit on the throne of David." (Jer. 22:30.) This last view Luke takes, though conscious that Matthew gives the real truth of the genealogy. This is the first reason. The next is a deeper one. For Matthew when he began to write of the things before the conception of Mary and the birth of Jesus in the flesh, very fitly as in a history commences with the ancestry in the flesh, and descending from thence deduces His generation from those who went before. For when the Word of God became flesh, He descended. But Luke hastens forward to the regeneration which takes place in baptism, and then gives another succession of families, and rising up from the lowest to the highest, keeps out of sight those sinners of whom Matthew makes mention, (because that he who is born again in God is separated from his guilty parents, being made the son of God,) and relates those who have led a virtuous life in the sight of God. For thus it was said to Abraham, Thou shalt set out to thy fathers, (Gen. 15:15.) not fathers in the flesh, but in God, on account of their likeness in virtue. To him therefore fore who is born in God he ascribes parents who are according to God on account of this resemblance in character.

Luke 4:18-21 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.1.88C-89A

Our Savior, after reading this prophecy through in the synagogue one day to a multitude of Jews, shut the book and said, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." He began his own teaching from that point. He began to preach the gospel to the poor, putting in the forefront of his blessings: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Yes, he proclaimed forgiveness to those who were hampered by evil spirits and bound for a long time like slaves by demons. He invited all to be free and to escape from the bonds of sin, when he said, "Come to me, all you that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you."9To the blind he gave sight, giving the power of seeing to those whose bodily vision was destroyed. He showered those in ancient times who were blind in their minds to the truth with the vision of the light of true religion. The prophecy before us shows it to be essential that Christ himself should be the originator and leader of the gospel activity. The same prophet foretells that after him his own disciples should be ministers of the same system: "How beautiful are the feet of them that bring good tidings of good things, and of those that bring good tidings of peace." Here he says very particularly that it is the feet of those who publish the good news of Christ that are beautiful. For how could they not be beautiful, which in so small, so short a time have run over the whole earth and filled every place with the holy teaching about the Savior of the world?

Luke 6:13 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.10

But our Lord and Savior, not very long after the beginning of his preaching, called the twelve apostles and to them alone of all his disciples he gave the name of apostles as a special honor. Later he proclaimed seventy others, and them also he sent out two by two in advance of himself into every place and city where he himself was to come.

Luke 6:14 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

The two next are James and John, as it follows, James and John, both indeed sons of Zebedee, who were also fishermen. After them he mentions Philip and Bartholomew. John says Philip was of Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. Bartholomew was a simple man, devoid of all worldly knowledge and guile.

Luke 6:15 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But Matthew was called from those who used to collect taxes; concerning whom he adds Matthew and Thomas.

Luke 6:15 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.5.120

If you listen to Luke, you will not hear him calling Matthew a publican nor subordinating him to Thomas, for he knows him to be the greater, and puts him first and Thomas second. Mark has done the same.… So Luke honored Matthew, according to what they delivered, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word.

Luke 6:20 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But when the celestial kingdom is considered in the many gradations of its blessings, the first step in the scale belongs to those who by divine instinct embrace poverty. Such did He make those who first became His disciples; therefore He says in their person, For yours is the kingdom of heaven, as pointedly addressing Himself to those present, upon whom also He lifted up His eyes.

Luke 6:23 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

He then fortifies His disciples against the attacks of their adversaries, which they were about to suffer as they preached through the whole world; adding, For in like manner did their fathers to the prophets.

Luke 7:2-3 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Although that centurion was strong in battle, and the prefect of the Roman soldiers, yet because his particular attendant lay sick at his house, considering what wonderful things the Saviour had done in healing the sick, and judging that these miracles were performed by no human power, he sends to Him, as unto God, not looking to the visible instrument by which He had intercourse with men; as it follows, And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him, &c.

Luke 7:4-6 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

And the elders of the Jews indeed demand favours for a small sum spent in the service of the synagogue, but the Lord not for this, but a higher reason, manifested Himself, wishing in truth to beget a belief in all men by His own power, as it follows, Then Jesus went with them.

Luke 7:29 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Because also they believed, they justified God, for He appeared just to them in all that He did.

Luke 7:30 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But the disobedient conduct of the Pharisees in not receiving John, accorded not with the words of the prophet, That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest. (Ps. 51:4.) Hence it follows, But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God, &c.

Luke 8:5 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Now Christ most fitly puts forth His first parable to the multitude not only of those who then stood by, but of those also who were to come after them, inducing them to listen to His words, saying, A sower went out to sow his seed.

Luke 8:7 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

There are also some who through covetousness, the desire of pleasure and worldly cares, which indeed Christ calls thorns, suffer the seed which has been sown in them to be choked.

Luke 8:10 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But our Lord told them the reason why He spake to the multitudes in parables, as follows, And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of God.

Luke 8:12 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Now He says, that there are three reasons why men destroy the seed implanted in their hearts. For some destroy the seed that is hid in them by lightly giving heed to those that wish to deceive, of whom He adds, Those by the way side are they that hear: then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts.

Luke 8:12-14 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Now these things were foretold by our Saviour according to His foreknowledge, and that their case is so, experience testifies. For in no wise do men fall away from the truth of divine worship, but according to some of the causes before mentioned by Him.

Luke 8:13 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But some there are who having not received the word in any depth of heart, are soon overcome when adversity assails them, of whom it is added, They on the rock are they which when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

Luke 8:14 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But some choke the seed which has been deposited in them with riches and vain delights, as if with choking thorns, of whom it is added, And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches of this life, &c.

Luke 8:16 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

As if He said, As a lantern is lighted that it should give light, not that it should be covered under a bushel or a bed, so also the secrets of the kingdom of heaven when uttered in parables, although hid from those who are strangers to the faith, will not however to all men appear obscure.

Luke 8:17 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Hence he adds, For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest, neither any thing hid that shall not be known, and come abroad. As if He said, Though many things are spoken in parables, that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand, because of their unbelief, yet the whole matter shall be revealed.

Luke 8:43-44 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

(Eccles. Hist. l. vii. c. 18.) Now they say that the woman set up in Paneas (Cæsarea Philippi, whence she came) a noble triumphal monument of the mercy vouchsafed to her by the Saviour. For there stood upon a lofty pedestal near the entrance to her house a brasen statue of a woman on bended knees, and with her hands joined as if in prayer; opposite to which was erected another statue like to a man, made of the same material, clothed in a stole, (διπλοῑς.a) and holding forth his hand to the woman. At his feet upon the base itself a strange kind of plant was growing, which reaching to the hem of the brasen stole, was said to be the cure of all diseases. And they said that this statue represents Christ. It was destroyed by Maximinus.

Luke 9:1-2 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.10

The Lord and Savior, not very long after the beginning of his preaching, called the twelve apostles. He gave the name of apostles to them alone of all his disciples as a special honor. Later he proclaimed seventy others and sent them also out two by two in advance of himself into every place and city where he himself was to come.

Luke 9:1 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

And that through them the whole race of mankind may be sought out, He not only gives them power to drive away evil spirits, but to cure all kind of diseases at His command; as it follows, And to cure diseases.

Luke 9:3 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Wishing then that they should be free from the desire of wealth and the anxieties of life, He gave this injunction. He took it as a proof of their faith and courage, that when it was commanded them to lead a life of extreme poverty, they would not escape from what was ordered. For it was fitting that they should make a kind of bargain, receiving these saving virtues to recompense them for obedience to commands. And when He was making them soldiers of God, He girds them for battle against their enemies, by telling them to embrace poverty. For no soldier of God entangles himself in the affairs of a secular life. (2 Tim. 2:4.)

Luke 9:6 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But when the Lord had girded His disciples as soldiers of God with divine virtue and wise admonitions, sending them to the Jews as teachers and physicians, they afterwards went forth, as it follows, And they departed, and went through the towns preaching the gospel, and healing every where.

Luke 9:28 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Our Lord, when He made known to His disciples the great mystery of His second coming, that it might not seem that they were to believe in His words only, proceeds to works, manifesting to them, through the eyes of their faith, the image of His kingdom; as it follows, And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.

Luke 10:1-2 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.12.1-3

The names of the apostles of the Savior are clear to everyone from the Gospels, but no list of the seventy disciples is in circulation anywhere. Some have said, to be sure, that Barnabas was one of them, and the Acts of the Apostles and Paul writing to the Galatians have made special mention of him. They say Sosthenes was of these as well. Together with Paul, he wrote to the Corinthians. Tradition also holds that Matthias, who was listed among the apostles in place of Judas, and Joseph Justus, who was honored with him at the same casting of lots, were considered worthy of the same calling among the seventy. They say that Thaddaeus was also one of them, about whom I shall presently relate a story which has come down to us. On observation, you would find that the disciples of the Savior appear to have been more than the seventy. Paul says that after the resurrection from the dead Cephas saw him first, then the Twelve. After these saw him, he was seen by more than five hundred brothers all at once, some of whom he says had fallen asleep, although the majority were still alive at the time that this account was being composed by him.

Luke 10:10-12 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

For in the city of Sodom Angels were not without entertainment, but Lot was found worthy to receive them into his house. (Gen. 19.) If then at the coming of the disciples into a city there shall not be found one to receive them, will not that city be worse than Sodom? These words persuaded them to attempt boldly the rule of poverty. For there could not be a city or village without some inhabitants acceptable to God. For Sodom could not exist without a Lot found in it, at whose departure the whole was suddenly destroyed.

Luke 12:8 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But what will be more glorious than to have the only-begotten Word of God Himself to bear witness in our behalf at the divine judgment, and by His own love to draw forth as a recompense for confession, a declaration upon that soul to whom He bears witness, For not as abiding without him to whom He bears witness, but as dwelling in him and filling him with light, He will give His testimony.

Luke 12:9 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But having confirmed them with good hope by so great promises, He again rouses them by more alarming threats, saying, But he that denieth me before men, shall be denied before the Angels of God. He rightly declares this threatening, in order that none should refuse to confess Him by reason of the punishment, which is to be denied by the Son of God, to be disowned by Wisdom, to fall away from life, to be deprived of light, and to lose every blessing; but all these things to suffer before God the Father who is in heaven, and the Angels of God.

Luke 12:24 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

By the ravens also he signifies something else, for the birds which pick up seeds have a ready source of food, but those that feed on flesh as the ravens do have more difficulty in getting it. Yet birds of this kind suffer from no lack of food, because the providence of God extends every where; but he brings to the same purpose also a third argument, saying, And which of you by taking thought can add to his stature?

Luke 12:25-26 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

If no one has by his own skill contrived a bodily stature for himself, but can not add even the shortest delay to the prefixed limit of his time of life, why should we be vainly anxious about the necessaries of life?

Luke 12:27 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But if a man wishes to be adorned with precious raiment, let him observe closely how even down to the flowers which spring from the earth God extends His manifold wisdom, adorning them with divers colours, so adapting to the delicate membranes of the flowers dyes far superior to gold and purple, that under no luxurious king, not even Solomon himself, who was renowned among the ancients for his riches as for his wisdom and pleasures, has so exquisite a work been devised; and hence it follows, But I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Luke 12:34 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

For every man naturally dwells upon that which is the object of his desire, and thither he directs all his thoughts, where he supposes his whole interest to rest. If any one then has his whole mind and affections, which he calls the heart, set on things of this present life, he lives in earthly things. But if he has given his mind to heavenly things, there will his mind be; so that he seems with his body only to live with men, but with his mind to have already reached the heavenly mansion.

Luke 13:21 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Or else, by the leaven our Lord means the Holy Spirit, the Sower proceeding (as it were) from the seed, which is the word of God. But the three measures of meal, signify the knowledge of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, which the woman, that is, Divine wisdom, and the Holy Spirit, impart.

Luke 13:30 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

For the Fathers above mentioned, before the times of the Law, forsaking the sins of many gods to follow the Gospel way, received the knowledge of the most high God; to whom many of the Gentiles were conformed through a similar manner of life, but their children suffered estrangement from the Gospel rules; and herein it follows, And behold they are last which shall be first, and they are first which shall be last.

Luke 14:15 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Our Lord had just before taught us to prepare our feasts for those who cannot repay, seeing that we shall have our reward at the resurrection of the just. Some one then, supposing the resurrection of the just to be one and the same with the kingdom of God, commends the above-mentioned recompense; for it follows, When one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

Luke 16:16 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Now the ancient prophets knew the preaching of the kingdom of heaven, but none of them had expressly announced it to the Jewish people, because the Jews having a childish understanding were unequal to the preaching of what is infinite. But John first openly preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, as well as also the remission of sins by the laver of regeneration. Hence it follows, Since that time the kingdom of heaven is preached, and every one presseth into it. A great struggle befals men in their ascent to heaven. For that men clothed with mortal flesh should be able to subdue pleasure and every unlawful appetite, desiring to imitate the life of angels, must be compassed with violence. But who that looking upon those who labour earnestly in the service of God, and almost put to death their flesh, will not in reality confess that they do violence to the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 17:23 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

As if he said, If at the coming of Antichrist, his fame shall be spread abroad, as though Christ had appeared, go not out, nor follow him. For it cannot be that He who was once seen on earth, shall any more dwell in the corners of the earth. It will therefore be he of whom we speak, not the true Christ.

Luke 17:24 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

For this is the clear sign of the second coming of our Saviour, that suddenly the lustre of His coming shall fill the whole world; and so it follows, For as the lightning that lighteneth, &c. For He will not appear walking upon the earth, as any common man, but will illuminate our whole universe, manifesting to all men the radiance of His divinity.

Luke 17:29 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Having used the example of the deluge, that no one might expect a future deluge by water, our Lord cites, secondly, the example of Lot, to show the manner of the destruction of the wicked, namely, that the wrath of God would descend upon them by fire from heaven.

Luke 17:30 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

He does not say that fire came down from heaven upon the wicked Sodomites before that Lot went out from them, just as the deluge did not swallow up the inhabitants of the earth before that Noah entered the ark; for as long as Noah and Lot dwelt with the wicked, God suspended His anger that they might not perish together with the sinners, but when He would destroy those, He withdrew the righteous. So also at the end of the world, the consummation shall not come before all the just are separated from the wicked.

Luke 17:31-32 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

He hereby implies that a persecution will come from the son of perdition upon Christ's faithful. By that day then He means the time previous to the end of the world, in which let not him who is flying return, nor care to lose his goods, lest he imitate Lot's wife, who when she fled out of the city of Sodom, turning back, died, and became a pillar of salt.

Luke 17:37 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Or by the eagles feeding on the dead animals, he has here described the rulers of the world, and those who shall at that time persecute the saints of God, in whose power are left all those who are unworthy of being taken up, who are called the body or carcase. Or by the eagles are meant the avenging powers which shall fly about to torment the wicked.

Luke 19:11 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

There were some who thought that our Saviour's kingdom would commence at His first coming, and they were expecting it shortly to appear when He was preparing to go up to Jerusalem; so astonished were they by the divine miracles which He did. He therefore informs them, that He should not receive the kingdom from His Father until He had left mankind to go to His Father.

Luke 19:12 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Or by His setting out into a far country, He denotes His own ascension from earth to heaven. But when He adds, To receive for himself a kingdom, and to return; He points out His second appearance, when He shall come as a King and in great glory. He first of all calls Himself a man, because of His nativity in the flesh, then noble; not yet a King, because as yet at His first appearance He exercised no kingly power. It is also well said to obtain for Himself a kingdom, according to Daniel, Behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and a kingdom was given to him. (Dan. 7:13.)

Luke 19:13 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

By those then who receive the pounds, He means His disciples, giving a pound to each, since He entrusts to all an equal stewardship; He bade them put it out to use, as it follows, Occupy till I come. Now there was no other employment but to preach the doctrine of His kingdom to those who would hear it. But there is one and the same doctrine for all, one faith, one baptism. And therefore is one pound given to each.

Luke 19:14 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

By citizens He signifies the Jews, who were sprung from the same lineage according to the flesh, and with whom He joined in the customs of the law.

Luke 19:15 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

After our Saviour had instructed them in the things belonging to His first coming, He proceeds to set forth His second coming with majesty and great glory, saying, And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom.

Luke 19:41-44 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.7

These things took place in this way in the second year of the reign of Vespasian in agreement with the prophetic pronouncements of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. By divine power, he foresaw these events as if already present and wept over them and mourned, according to the writings of the holy Evangelists. They add his own words, when on one occasion he spoke as if to Jerusalem itself. "Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! Now they are hid from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies will cast up a bank about you and surround you, and hem you in on every side, and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your visitation." On another occasion, as if concerning the people, he said, "There will be great distress in the land and wrath on this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captives into all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the nations be fulfilled." Again he says, "When you shall see Jerusalem encircled by an army, then know that its desolation is near." If one should compare the words of our Savior with the other narratives of the historian, how could he help but marvel and confess the truly divine and supernaturally wonderful foreknowledge and prophecy of our Savior?

Luke 19:42 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

He here declares that His coming was to bring peace to the whole world. For unto this He came, that He should preach both to them that were near, and those that were afar off. But as they did not wish to receive the peace that was announced to them, it was hid from them.

Luke 19:43-44 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

And therefore the siege which was shortly to come upon them He most expressly foretells, adding, For the days shall come upon thee, &c. But how these things were fulfilled we may gather from what is delivered to us by Josephus, who though he was a Jew, related each event as it toot place, in exact accordance with Christ's prophecies.

Luke 20:1-2 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But the rulers who should have been struck with wonder at one who taught such heavenly doctrines, and have been convinced by His words and deeds that this was the same Christ whom the Prophets had foretold, came to hinder Him, so helping onward the destruction of the people. For it follows, And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? &c. As if he said; By the law of Moses, those only who are sprung from the blood of Levi have authority to teach, and power over the sacred buildings. But Thou who art of the line of Judah usurpest the offices assigned to us. Whereas, O Pharisee, if thou hadst known the Scriptures, thou wouldest have called to mind that this is the Priest after the order of Melchisedec, who offers to God them that believe on Him by that worship which is above the law. Why then art thou troubled. He cast out of the sacred house things which seemed necessary for the sacrifices of the law, because He calls us by faith to the true righteousness.

Luke 20:4-5 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

His question concerning John the Baptist is not from whence was he sprung, but whence received he his law of baptism But they feared not to shun the truth. For God sent John as a voice, crying, Prepare ye the way of the Lord. But they dreaded to speak the truth, lest it should be said, Why did ye not believe? and they scruple to blame the forerunner, not from fear of God, but of the people; as it follows, And they reasoned within themselves, saying, If we shall say, From, heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not.

Luke 20:9 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

The rulers of the Jewish people being now assembled together in the temple, Christ put forth a parable, foretelling by a figure the things they were about to do to Him, and the rejection that was in store for them. But the parable which Esaias gives denounces the vineyard, whereas our Saviour's parable is not directed against the vineyard, but the cultivators of it; of whom it is added, And he let it out to husbandmen, that is, to the elders of the people, and the chief priests, and the doctors, and all the nobles.

Luke 20:17 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Christ is called a stone on account of His earthly body, cut out without hands, (Dan. 2:34.) as in the vision of Daniel, because of His birth of the Virgin. But the stone is neither of silver nor gold, because He is not any glorious King, but a man lowly and despised, wherefore the builders rejected Him.

Luke 21:5-6 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

How beautiful was every thing relating to the structure of the temple, history informs us, and there are yet preserved remains of it, enough to instruct us in what was once the character of the buildings. But our Lord proclaimed to those that were wondering at the building of the temple, that there should not be left in it one stone upon another. For it was meet that that place, because of the presumption of its worshippers, should suffer every kind of desolation.

Luke 21:20 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

By the desolation of Jerusalem, He means that it was never again to be set up, or its legal rites to be reestablished, so that no one should expect, after the coming siege and desolation, any restoration to take place, as there was in the time of the Persian king, Antiochus the Great, and Pompey.

Luke 21:21 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Now our Lord, foreseeing that there would be a famine in the city, warned His disciples in the siege that was coming, not to betake themselves to the city as a place of refuge, and under God's protection, but rather to depart from thence, and flee to the mountains.

Luke 21:24 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

For so in truth it was, that when the Romans came and were taking the city, many multitudes of the Jewish people perished in the mouth of the sword; as it follows, And they shall fall by the edge of the sword. But still more were cut off by famine. And these things happened at first indeed under Titus and Vespasian, but after them in the time of Hadrian the Roman general, when the land of their birth was forbidden to the Jews. Hence it follows, And they shall be led away captive into all nations. For the Jews filled the whole land, reaching even to the ends of the earth, and when their land was inhabited by strangers, they alone could not enter it; as it follows, And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

Luke 21:25-26 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

What things shall befall the world after the darkening of the orbs of light, and whence shall arise the straitening of nations, He next explains as follows, And on the earth distress of nations, by reason of the confusion of the roaring of the sea. Wherein He seems to teach, that the beginning of the universal change will be owing to the failing of the watery substance. For this being first absorbed or congealed, so that no longer is heard the roaring of the sea, nor do the waves reach the shore because of the exceeding drought, the other parts of the world, ceasing to obtain the usual vapour which came forth from the watery matter, shall undergo a revolution. Accordingly since the appearance of Christ must put down the prodigies which resist God, namely, those of Antichrist, the beginnings of wrath shall take their rise from droughts, such as that neither storm nor roaring of the sea be any more heard. And this event shall be succeeded by the distress of the men who survive; as it follows, Men's hearts being dried up for fear, and looking after those things which shall come upon the whole world. But the things that shall then come upon the world He proceeds to declare, adding, For the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Luke 21:25 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

For at that time when the end of this perishing life shall be accomplished, and, as the Apostle says, The fashion of this world passeth away, (1 Cor. 7:13.) then shall succeed a new world, in which instead of sensible light, Christ Himself shall shine as a sunbeam, and as the King of the new world, and so mighty and glorious will be His light, that the sun which now dazzles so brightly, and the moon and all the stars, shall be hidden by the coming of a far greater light.

Luke 21:26 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Or the powers of heaven are those which preside over the sensible parts of the universe, which indeed shall then be shaken that they may attain to a better state. For they shall be discharged from the ministry with which they serve God toward the sensible bodies in their perishing condition.

Luke 21:27 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

When also the Son of God shall come in glory, and shall crush the proud empire of the son of sin, the angels of heaven attending Him, the doors of heaven which have been shut from the foundation of the world shall be opened, that the things that are on high may be witnessed.

Luke 21:28 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Or else, To those that have passed through the body and bodily things, shall be present spiritual and heavenly bodies: that is, they will have no more to pass the kingdom of the world, and then to those that are worthy shall be given the promises of salvation. For having received the promises of God which we look for, we who before were crooked shall be made upright, and we shall lift up our heads who were before bent low; because the redemption which we hoped for is at hand; that namely for which the whole creation waiteth. He speaks these things to His disciples, not as to those who would continue in this life to the end of the world, but as if uniting in one body of believers in Christ both themselves and us and our posterity, even to the end of the world.

Luke 21:29-31 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

For as in this life, when winter dies away, and spring succeeds, the sun sending forth its warm rays cherishes and quickens the seeds hid in the ground, just laying aside their first form, and the young plants sprout forth, having put on different shades of green; so also the glorious coming of the Only-begotten of God, illuminating the new world with His quickening rays, shall bring forth into light from more excellent bodies than before the seeds that have long been hidden in the whole world, i. e. those who sleep in the dust of the earth. And having vanquished death, He shall reign from henceforth the life of the new world.

Luke 21:32 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Or by generation He means the new generation of His holy Church, showing that the generation of the faithful would last up to that time, when it would see all things, and embrace with its eyes the fulfilment of our Saviour's words.

Luke 21:34-36 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

He taught them therefore to take heed unto the things we have just before mentioned, lest they fall into the indolence resulting therefrom. Hence it follows, Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass.

Luke 22:7 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But should any one say, "If on the first day of unleavened bread the disciples of our Saviour prepare the Passover, on that day then should we also celebrate the Passover;" we answer, that this was not an admonition, but a history of the fact. It is what took place at the time of the saving Passion; but it is one thing to relate past events, another to sanction and leave them an ordinance to posterity. Moreover, the Saviour did not keep His Passover with the Jews at the time that they sacrificed the lamb. For they did this on the Preparation, when our Lord suffered. Therefore they entered not into the hall of Pilate, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover. (John 18:28.) For from the time that they conspired against the truth, they drove far from them the Word of truth. Nor on the first day of unleavened bread, on which the Passover ought to be sacrificed, did they eat their accustomed Passover, for they were intent upon something else, but on the day after, which was the second of unleavened bread. But our Lord on the first day of unleavened bread, that is, on the fifth day of the week, kept the Passover with His disciples.

Luke 22:15 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Or else; When our Lord was celebrating the new Passover, He fitly said, With desire have I desired this Passover, that is, the new mystery of the New Testament which He gave to His disciples, and which many prophets and righteous men desired before Him. He then also Himself thirsting for the common salvation, delivered this mystery, to suffice for the whole world. But the Passover was ordained by Moses to be celebrated in one place, that is, in Jerusalem. Therefore it was not adapted for the whole world, and so was not desired.

Luke 23:33 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But if, on the contrary, after His intercourse with men, He suddenly disappeared, flying away to avoid death, He might be likened by man to a phantom. And just as if any one wished to exhibit some incombustible vessel, which triumphed over the nature of fire, he would put it into the flame, and then directly draw it out from the flame unharmed; so the Word of God, wishing to show that the instrument which He used for the salvation of men was superior to death, exposed His mortal body to death to manifest His nature, then after a little rescued it from death by the force of His divine power. This is indeed the first cause of Christ's death. But the second is the manifestation of the divine power of Christ inhabiting a body. For seeing that men of old deified those who were destined to a like end with themselves, and whom they called Heroes and Gods, He taught that He alone of the dead must be acknowledged the true God, who having vanquished death is adorned with the rewards of victory, having trodden death under His feet. The third reason is, that a victim must be slain for the whole race of mankind, which being offered, the whole power of the evil spirits was destroyed, and every error put to silence. There is also another cause of the healthgiving death, that the disciples with secret faith might behold the resurrection after death. Whereunto they were taught to lift up their own hopes, that despising death they might embark cheerfully in the conflict with error.

Luke 24:2 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

The Instrument of the Word lay dead, but a great stone enclosed the sepulchre, as if death had led Him captive. But three days had not yet elapsed, when life again puts itself forth after a sufficient proof of death, as it follows, And they found the stone rolled away.

Luke 24:4 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

The messengers of the health-bearing resurrection and their shining garments stand for tokens of pleasantness and rejoicing. For Moses preparing plagues against the Egyptians, perceived an angel in the flame of fire. But not such were those who appeared to the women at the sepulchre, but calm and joyful as became them to be seen in the kingdom and joy of the Lord. And as at the Passion the sun was darkened, holding forth signs of sorrow and woe to the crucifiers of our Lord, so the angels, heralds of life and resurrection, marked by their white garments the character of the health-bearing feast day.

Luke 24:12 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

For he alone believed the women saying that they had seen Angels; and as he was of more ardent feelings than the rest, he anxiously put himself foremost, looking every where for the Lord; as it follows, And stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves.

Luke 24:17-18 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.32

After Nero and Domitian … persecution was raised against us sporadically among the cities as a result of insurrection among the people. In this persecution we have learned that Simon [Symeon], the son of Clopas, whom we have shown to have been the second bishop of the church at Jerusalem, gave up his life by martyrdom. The witness of this is Hegisippus, whom we have already quoted. When relating about certain heretics, he goes on to show that Symeon was accused by them at this time and was tortured in many ways for a great many days because he was clearly a Christian. He astonished to the highest degree both the judge himself and those with him, and won for himself an end similar to the passion of the Lord.

Luke 24:36 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

For the two Evangelists, that is, Luke and John, write that He appeared to the eleven alone in Jerusalem, but those two disciples told not only the eleven, but all the disciples and brethren, that both the angel and the Saviour had commanded them to hasten to Galilee; of whom also Paul made mention, saying, Afterwards he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at once. (1 Cor. 15:6.) But the truer explanation is, that at first indeed while they remained in secret at Jerusalem, He appeared once or twice for their comfort, but that in Galilee not in the assembly, or once or twice, but with great power, He made a manifestation of Himself, showing Himself living to them after His Passion with many signs, as Luke testifies in the Acts. (Acts 1:3.)

Luke 24:47 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

For it was said, Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. (Ps. 2:8.) But it was necessary that those who were converted from the Gentiles should be purged from a certain stain and defilement through His virtue, being as it were corrupted by the evil of the worship of devils, and as lately converted from an abominable and unchaste life. And therefore He says that it behoves that first repentance should be preached, but next, remission of sins, to all nations. For to those who first showed repentance for their sins, by His saving grace He granted pardon of their transgression, for whom also He endured death.

Luke 24:48 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But if those things which Christ foretold are already receiving their accomplishment, and His word is perceived by a seeing faith to be living and effectual throughout the whole world; it is time for men not to be unbelieving towards Him who uttered that word. For it is necessary that He should live a divine life, whose living works are shown to be agreeable to His words; and these indeed have been fulfilled by the ministry of the Apostles. Hence He adds, But ye are witnesses of these things, &c. that is, of My death and resurrection.

Matthew 1:16 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

(Hist. Eccles. 1.7.) For Matthan and Melchi at different periods had each a son by one and the same wife Jesca. Matthan, who traced through Solomon, first had her, and died leaving one son, Jacob by name. As the Law forbade not a widow, either dismissed from her husband, or after the death of her husband, to be married to another, so Melchi, who traced through Matthan, being of the same tribe but of another race, took this widow to his wife, and begat Heli his son. Thus shall we find Jacob and Heli, though of a different race, yet by the same mother, to have been brethren. One of whom, namely Jacob, after Heli his brother was deceased without issue, married his wife, and begat on her the third, Joseph, by nature indeed and reason his own son; whereupon also it is written, And Jacob begat Joseph. But by the Law, he was the son of Heli; for Jacob, being his brother, raised up seed to him. Thus the genealogy, both as recited by Matthew, and by Luke, stands right and true; Matthew saying, And Jacob begot Joseph; Luke saying, Which was the son, as it was supposed, (for he adds this withal,) of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, which was the son of Melchi. Nor could he have more significantly or properly expressed that way of generation according to the Law, which was made by a certain adoption that had respect to the dead, carefully leaving out the word begetting throughout even to the end. (ubi sup.) Neither does this lack good authority; nor has it been suddenly devised by us for this purpose. For the kinsmen of our Saviour according to the flesh, either out of desire to show forth this their so great nobility of stock, or simply for the truth's sake, have delivered it unto us.

Matthew 2:2 — Unknown work

CONCERNING THE STAR; SHOWING HOW AND THROUGH WHAT THE MAGI RECOGNIZED THE STAR, AND THAT JOSEPH DID NOT TAKE MARY AS HIS WIFE.: I WILL write and inform thee, our dear brother, concerning the righteous of old, and concerning the handing down of the histories of their deeds ; and how, and through what, the Magi recognized the Star, and came and worshipped our Lord with their offerings ; partly from the Holy Scriptures, and partly as we have found in the true chronicles, which were written and composed by men of old in various cities. The ancient scribes testify, that everything which was written by the care of Jason in five large books, from the year 88 of the kingdom of the Greeks till the year 177 (B.C. 223----134), they themselves abridged hastily in two books, from the year 137 (B.C. 174), omitting also the things that were done within the space of fifty years. But as regards other things, with the care that they took, they entered into the repository of the archives of their fathers, where were written and deposited the acts of the remaining histories of the Prophets, which were not written in the books of the Prophets ; and they found in the chronicles, that the Tabernacle of Witness which Moses made, and the Ark which he constructed, and the Altar of Propitiation which he consecrated,----these the Prophet Jeremiah took, and concealed them in a cave of the mountain on which Moses used to pray. And they also found in these chronicles, that the fire which Moses received from Heaven, and with which the priests used to minister, till the time they went |152 down to Babylon, ---- it too was found to have been buried and concealed by Jeremiah the Prophet in a pit which was in watery ground; and after seventy years it was discovered; and with it the captive priests used to minister on the altar, until the appearance of our Lord. And many other things, which the scribe Aristobulus and his colleagues had written in the book of records, and in the epistles of the kings of the house of David and Hezekiah and Josiah and their companions, were written and deposited (there). And when they had found them, they collected them, and wrote them out in the volumes of their books. And through the care of these ancient writers, when they saw that the Jews went to the city of Tyre to praise Herakles, a hero of the Greeks, ---- this too they put into writing; and that Andronicus used treachery towards Onias, the high priest and a famous man, and slew him at Daphne, which lies by Antioch, without any crime, ----not even this did they neglect. And it was found in the true chronicles of the Persians, which were written and deposited there from ancient generations, that Jerusalem was a warlike city from its (earliest) days, and did not make much account of kings, and great fortresses were in the midst of it. And when Sihon, the king of the Amorites, was slain, Moses said : "Now is fulfilled that which was spoken in the ancient proverbs : 'A fire shall go out of Heshbon, and a flame from the city of Sihou, and shall devour the city of Moab, and all the worshippers of the altars of Arnon.'" And when Moses heard that this was written in the books of the Amorites, he too added and put it into his book. And when King Saul persecuted David, David recited to him some of the ancient proverbs, and said: '"From the wicked proceedeth wickedness, but verily my hand shall not be upon thee ;' and because of this my hand is not upon thee, but the hand of the Lord hath power over thee." And when the people went up from Babylon, and there was a great strife concerning their going up, king Darius commanded, and the books of the records and acts of the preceding kings were called for ; and there was found among their chronicles a roll, in which was written : "I truly, Cyrus, king |153 of Persia, have commanded that the people of the Hebrews should go up from Babylon to Jerusalem, along with the vessels of the service of the house of the Lord." And when king Dariu…

Matthew 2:19-20 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

(Eccles. Hist. i. 8.) For the sacrilege which Herod had committed against the Saviour, and his wicked slaughter of the infants of the same age, the Divine vengeance hastened his end; and his body, as Josephus relates, was attacked by a strange disease; so that the prophets declared that they were not human ailments, but visitations of Divine vengeance. Filled with mad fury, he gives command to seize and imprison the heads and nobles out of all parts of Judæa; ordering that as soon as ever he should breathe his last, they should be all put to death, that so Judæa though unwillingly might mourn at his decease. Just before he died he murdered his son Antipater, (besides two boys put to death before, Alexander and Aristobulus.) Such was the end of Herod, noticed in those words of the Evangelist, when Herod was dead, and such the punishment inflicted.

Matthew 4:12 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

(H. E. iii. 24.) It is related that John preached the Gospel almost up to the close of his life without setting forth any thing in writing, and at length came to write for this reason. The three first written Gospels having come to his knowledge, he confirmed the truth of their history by his own testimony; but there were yet some things wanting, especially an account of what the Lord had done at the first beginning of His preaching. And it is true that the other three Gospels seem to contain only those things which were done in that year in which John the Baptist was put into prison, or executed. For Matthew, after the temptation, proceeds immediately, Hearing that John was delivered up; and Mark in like manner. Luke again, even before relating one of Christ's actions, tells that Herod had shut up John in prison. The Apostle John then was requested to put into writing what the preceding Evangelists had left out before the imprisonment of John; hence he says in his Gospel, this beginning of miracles did Jesus.

Matthew 4:17 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Mark 1:1 — Church History (Book II), Chapter 15, Sections 1-2

And thus when the divine word had made its home among them, the power of Simon was quenched and immediately destroyed, together with the man himself. And so greatly did the splendor of piety illumine the minds of Peter's hearers that they were not satisfied with hearing once only, and were not content with the unwritten teaching of the divine Gospel, but with all sorts of entreaties they besought Mark, a follower of Peter, and the one whose Gospel is extant, that he would leave them a written monument of the doctrine which had been orally communicated to them. Nor did they cease until they had prevailed with the man, and had thus become the occasion of the written Gospel which bears the name of Mark. And they say that Peter — when he had learned, through a revelation of the Spirit, of that which had been done — was pleased with the zeal of the men, and that the work obtained the sanction of his authority for the purpose of being used in the churches. Clement in the eighth book of his Hypotyposes gives this account, and with him agrees the bishop of Hierapolis named Papias. And Peter makes mention of Mark in his first epistle which they say that he wrote in Rome itself, as is indicated by him, when he calls the city, by a figure, Babylon, as he does in the following words: "The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, salutes you; and so does Marcus my son." [1 Peter 5:13]

Mark 1:2 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9.5

He emerged from the desert clothed in a strange garment, refusing all ordinary social intercourse. He did not even share their common food. For it is written that from childhood John was in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel. Indeed, his clothing was made of camel's hair! His food locusts and wild honey! … It is understandable that they should have been alarmed when they saw a man with the hair of a Nazarite of God, and a divine face, suddenly appearing from the lonely wilderness dressed in bizarre clothing, who after preaching to them, he disappeared again into the wilderness, without eating or drinking or mingling with the people? Must they not have suspected that he was a little more than human? For how could a human being go without food? And so they understood him to be a divine messenger, the very angel foretold by the prophet.

Mark 1:16 — The Proof of the Gospel, Book 3

And you yourself may realize the divine elements of this power, if you reflect on the nature and grandeur of a Being who could associate with Himself poor men of the lowly fisherman's class, and use them as agents in carrying through a work that transcends all reason. For having conceived the intention, which no one ever before had done, of spreading His own laws and a new teaching among all nations, and of revealing Himself as the teacher of the religion of One Almighty God to all the races of men, He thought good to use the most rustic and common men as ministers of His own design, because maybe He had in mind to do the most unlikely things. For how could men unable even to open their mouths be able to teach, even if they were appointed teachers to only one person, far less to a multitude of men? How should they instruct the people, who were themselves without any education? But this was surely the manifestation of the divine will and of the divine power working in them. For when He called them, the first thing He said to them was: "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." And when He had thus acquired them as His followers, He breathed into them His divine power, He filled them with strength and bravery, and like a true Word of God and as God Himself, the doer of such great wonders, He made them hunters of rational and thinking souls, adding power to His words: "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men," and sent them forth fitted already to be workers and teachers of holiness to all the nations, declaring them heralds of His own teaching.

Mark 1:17 — The Proof of the Gospel, Book 3

But this was surely the manifestation of the divine will and of the divine power working in them. For when He called them, the first thing He said to them was: "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." And when He had thus acquired them as His followers, He breathed into them His divine power, He filled them with strength and bravery, and like a true Word of God and as God Himself, the doer of such great wonders, He made them hunters of rational and thinking souls, adding power to His words: "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men," and sent them forth fitted already to be workers and teachers of holiness to all the nations, declaring them heralds of His own teaching. And who would not be amazed and naturally inclined to disbelieve a thing so extraordinary, for none of those who have ever won fame among men—no king, no legislator, no philosopher, no Greek, no barbarian—are recorded to have ever conceived such a design, or dreamed of anything at all resembling it? For each one of them has been satisfied, if he could establish his own system over his own land only, and if he were able to enforce desirable laws within the limits of his own race. Whereas He, who conceived nothing human or mortal, see how truly He speaks with the voice of God, saying in these very words to those disciples of His, the poorest of the poor: "Go forth, and make disciples of all the nations." "But how," the disciples might reasonably have answered the Master, "can we do it? How, pray, can we preach to Romans? How can we argue with Egyptians? We are men bred up to use the Syrian tongue only, what language shall we speak to Greeks? How shall we persuade Persians, Armenians, Chaldrearis, Scythians, Indians, and other barbarous nations to give up their ancestral gods, and worship the Creator of all? What sufficiency of speech have we to trust to in attempting such work as this? And what hope of success can we have if we dare to proclaim laws directly opposed to the laws about their own gods that have been established for ages among all nations? By what power shall we ever survive our daring attempt?" But while the disciples of Jesus were most likely either saying thus, or thinking thus, the Master solved their difficulties, by the addition of one phrase, saying they should triumph "In MY NAME." For He did not bid them simply and indefinitely make disciples of all nations, but with the necessary addition of "In my Name." And the power of His Name being so great, that the apostle says: "God has given him a name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth," He shewed the virtue of the power in His Name concealed from the crowd when He said to His disciples: "Go, and make disciples of all nations in my Name." He also most accurately forecasts the future when He says: "For this gospel must first be preached to all the world, for a witness to all nations."

Mark 2:14 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.5

The Apostle Matthew, if you consider his former life, did not leave a holy occupation, but came from those consumed with tax-gathering and overreaching one another.

Mark 3:17 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 23

Thunder here refers to the preaching of the gospel. For as a heavenly shout occurs like a voice of thunder, surpassing all human power, in the same way also the preaching of the gospel, which is a heavenly happening, does not consist of human strength. The gospel did not fill the world by human planning, but by divine power.

Mark 6:17 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.11

Not long after this, John the Baptist was beheaded by the younger Herod, as stated in the Gospels. Josephus also records the same fact, mentioning Herodias by name, and stating that, although she was the wife of his brother, Herod made her his own wife after divorcing his former lawful wife, the daughter of Aretas, king of Petra, and separating Herodias from her husband while he was still alive. It was on her account also that he killed John, and waged war with Aretas, because of the disgrace inflicted on the daughter of the latter. Josephus wrote that in this war, when they came to battle, Herod's entire army was destroyed, and that he suffered this calamity on account of his crime against John.

Mark 14:72 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.5

Mark writes these things, and through him Peter bears witness, for the whole of Mark is said to be a record of Peter's teaching. Note how scrupulously the disciples refused to record those things that might have given the impression of their fame. Note how they handed down in writing numerous charges against themselves to unforgetting ages, and accusations of sins, which no one in later years would ever have known about unless hearing it from their own voice. By thus honestly reporting their own faults, it is reasonable to view them as relatively void of false speaking and egoism. This habit gives plain and clear proof of their truth-loving disposition. As for such critics who imagine they invented and lied, and try to slander them as deceivers, should they not to be regarded as absurd? Aren't they thereby being convicted as friends of envy and malice, and foes of truth itself? For have they not taken those who have exhibited in their own words good proof of their integrity, and their straightforward and sincere character, and suggested that they are rascals and clever sophists who invent what never took place, and ascribe gratuitously to their own master what he never did? This is why I think it has been rightly said that "One must put complete confidence in the disciples of Jesus, or none at all." And if we are to distrust them, we must also distrust all writers on the same principle, any who at any time have compiled, either in Greece or anywhere, lives and histories and records of persons of their own times, celebrating their noble achievements. Otherwise we would be considering it reasonable to believe others, and to disbelieve the evangelists only. And this would be clearly invidious. How could it be that these supposed liars would falsify the account of his death? What would be their motive in writing down deeds he never did? They candidly report his betrayal by one of his disciples, explicit accusations by dubious witnesses, insults and blows to his face, the scourging of his back, the crown of acanthus set on his head in a demeaning way, and finally his carrying of his own cross, and his being nailed to it! They report his hands and feet being pierced, his being given vinegar to drink, struck on the cheek with a reed, and reviled by those who looked upon him. Were these things and all else like them in the Gospels simply invented out of whole cloth by the disciples? Highly unlikely. Or must we doubt only the more glorious and lofty parts of the narrative? How could they do so and doubt these candid reports of ignominious actions? How could they reasonably support such an unreasonable conclusion—that the same witnesses spoke the truth and at the same time lied. That would be to predict contraries about the same people at the same time. How then are we to disprove their assertions? If it was their aim to deceive, and to adorn their master with false words, they would never have written these demeaning accounts of his pain and agony and that he was disturbed in spirit, that they themselves forsook him and fled, or that Peter the apostle and disciple who was chief of the apostles denied him three times, unless they had an extraordinarily high standard of truth-telling.

Mark 15:24 — The Proof of the Gospel, Book 10

Wonder not if this was said of and fulfilled by the Passion of our Saviour, for even now He is a reproach among all men who have not yet received faith in Him! For what is more shameful or worse than any reproach than to be crucified? Yea, He is an outcast of the people of the Jews, for even to-day that whole race loves to mock Him, to set Him at naught, and to spit on Him: wherefore the apostle rightly says: "We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Gentiles foolishness."

Mark 15:33 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10.7

Note how clearly was fulfilled the prophecy of our Savior's passion. It was to be a day in which "there shall be no light." "From the sixth hour to the ninth hour there was darkness over all the earth." … This was also fulfilled figuratively by his priestly persecutors, for among them came darkness, cold and ice, following upon their indignities to the anointed One. Their understanding also was darkened, so that the light of the gospel did not shine in their hearts, and their love to God grew cold. Then in the evening the light of the knowledge of the Christ arose, so that they who sat in darkness and the shadow of death saw a great light.

Numbers 13:16 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.3

And the same [Moses] by divine inspiration foresaw the name Jesus very clearly and again also endowed this with special privilege. The name of Jesus, which had never been uttered among men before it was made known to Moses, Moses applied first to this one alone. He knew that Joshua, again as a type and a symbol, would receive the rule over all after Moses' death. His successor, at any rate, had never before used the title Jesus. He had been called by another name, Auses, which his parents had bestowed upon him. Moses himself proclaims Jesus, as a privilege of honor far greater than a royal crown, giving him the name because Jesus, the son of Nave, himself bore a resemblance to our Savior, who alone, after Moses and the completion of the symbolic worship transmitted by him, received the rule of true and pure religion.

Numbers 24:8 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 8.3

The oracle in the previously quoted prophecy, in saying that the Lord would come into Egypt, foretold the journey of our Lord Jesus Christ when he went into Egypt with his parents. Here we have the prophecy of his return from Egypt in its natural order, when he came back with his parents into the land of Israel, in the words "God led him out of Egypt." For our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Christ of God, was the only one of the seed of Israel and of the Jewish race who has rule over many nations, so that it is indisputable that he is the fulfillment of the prophecy which says, literally, "that a man will come from the Jewish race and rule over many nations." If he is not, let him who will suggest some other famous man among the Hebrews who has ruled over many nations. But this he cannot do, for such a man never existed. But with regard to our Savior, truth itself will shout and cry aloud, even if we say nothing. This shows plainly that his divine power has ruled, through the human he took of the seed of Israel according to the flesh, and even now will rule many nations.

Numbers 24:17 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9.1

We are told that Balaam's successors moved by this (for the prediction was preserved most likely among them)4 when they noticed in the heavens a strange star besides the usual ones, fixed above the head, so to say, and vertically above Judea, hastened to arrive at Palestine, to inquire about the king announced by the star's appearance.

Numbers 36:6 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.7

Now, since the genealogy of Joseph is so traced, Mary also appears virtually to have been of the same tribe as he, since, according to the law of Moses, intermarriages between different tribes were not permitted. For it was commanded to join in marriage with one of the same family and of the same people, so that the inheritance of the race might not be changed from tribe to tribe.

Philippians 2:6 — ON THE THEOLOGY OF THE CHURCH 1.2

[Paul] acknowledged Christ and no other to be the Son of God. The flesh that Christ assumed was called "the form of a slave" and "son of man." But as to that birth which, unknown to all, was from the Father and before all ages, he was Son of God.

Philippians 2:7 — DEMONSTRATION OF THE GOSPEL 10.1.22

Read the record of his compassion. It pleased him, being the Word of God, to "take the form of a slave." So he willed to be joined to our common human condition. He took to himself the toils of the members who suffer. He made our human maladies his own. He suffered and toiled on our behalf. This is in accord with his great love of humankind.

Philippians 2:9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2.(53).63.5-6

That [saving sacrifice] which no human or angelic or divine power had yet endured he accepted for the sake of our salvation. Therefore upon him alone the Father has bestowed the name that is above every name, committing to him the judgment of all.

Proverbs 8:22 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5:1

The divine and perfect essence existing before things begotten, the rational and firstborn image of the unbegotten nature, the true and only-begotten Son of the God of the universe, being one with many names, and one called God by many titles, is honored in this passage under the style and name of wisdom, and we have learned to call him Word of God, light, life, truth, and, to crown all, "Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." Now, therefore, in the passage before us, he passes through the words of the wise Solomon, speaking of himself as the living wisdom of God and self-existent, saying, "I, wisdom, have dwelt with counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding," and that which follows. He also adds, as one who has undertaken the government and providence of the universe: "By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes become great." Then saying that he will record the things of ages past, he goes on to say, "The Lord created me as the beginning of his ways for his works, he established me before time was." By which he teaches both that he himself is begotten, and not the same as the unbegotten, one called into being before all ages, set forth as a kind of foundation for all begotten things. And it is probable that the divine apostle started from this when he said of him: "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature, for all things were created in him, of things in heaven and things in earth." For he is called "firstborn of every creature," in accordance with the words "The Lord created me as the beginning of his road to his works." And he would naturally be considered the image of God, as being that which was begotten of the nature of the unbegotten. And, therefore, the passage before us agrees when it says, "Before the mountains were established, and before all the hills, he begets me."Hence we call him only-begotten Son, and the firstborn Word of God, who is the same as this wisdom.

Psalms 1:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 1:1

The first are the people who are saturated with well-known false reasoning, wicked people who grasp nothing firmly and with stability; they are swayed through their own will with no testing of their oppressive thought. The second are people who time after time fall into sin after the understanding of truth. The third group includes morally corrupt people who labor in no measure of grief, but they will thoroughly fill others with corrupt doctrine, either by their thinking, or by their behavior or by both. These are people who are grounded in evil, while the second group continues in sin and the first walks the way of error. The one who is called blessed is freed and delivered from all of these.

Psalms 1:1 — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 1:1

Our Savior, who made many blessed, offers happiness in abundance. He is the first of them who rightly are called blessed. The first psalm, therefore, must refer to him inasmuch as he is the husband of his bride the church. Which, it seems, the Hebrew word for "man" indicates when it is written with the article added.

Psalms 2:1-2 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 2:2

The leaders of the nations throughout the whole world and the kings of the earth who have held dominion at various times have all been drawn into this impious alliance together, holding on to whatever insult or for whatever reason, or having suffered whatever offense, so that they devise treacheries, they enter into the wicked counsel against the Lord of the universe and God the King and against his anointed one.

Psalms 3:4 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 3:5

The preceding psalm calls to mind this mountain when it says, "I have installed my king on mount Zion, my holy mountain." Christ was the one he was speaking of, and now David bears witness that he must be heard plainly by Christ from his holy mountain. Further, he says who is going to hear him except the Lord who has been installed as king upon Zion his holy mountain? Through this statement he [David], now alone, believed that he would be forgiven, that his glory would return and that his head would be lifted up.

Psalms 3:5 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 3:6

As in the previous psalm so here the future is prophesied.… "I lie down, and I sleep" is spoken prophetically, namely, I will lie down, I will sleep, I will rise up, because you, Oh Lord, are my sustainer, my glory and the lifter of my head.… For "sleep" indicates death, concerning which the future is prophesied for us. It refers to the time of the life of the Savior, which when it was finished, prophecy came to an end; when, namely, the Son of man Christ descended even to hell and the Savior was clearly shown to the captives who were awaiting destruction; so as in the time of his resurrection from death many bodies of the saints who had been sleeping will live again with him, in whom was the likeness of the spirit of David.

Psalms 3:6 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 3:7

He predicts that there are going to be many thousands of adversaries who will wish to hinder the resurrection of the saints because they are jealous of their salvation: which ones I will regard as nothing, he said. I have trusted my defender, the victor over death, who, after the bronze gates were torn down and the iron bolts thoroughly broken, opened the gates of death that had been closed for ages, and with those people known to him, from which number was David, he prepared for the resurrection life.

Psalms 3:7 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 3:8

When he foresees his deliverance after death, he has faith that he has been saved by grace and that kindness has been granted. He is certain that this faith of some in the resurrection of the Savior is able to come to him, and consequently he prays that the resurrection of the Lord be hastened so that through it he himself will experience salvation.… Now, he says, you have broken the teeth of sinners; that is, their conversations and blasphemous words hurled against me you have stripped away.

Psalms 4:2 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 4:3

David seems to be speaking here of those who, when being tested and put through various trials, would rather do anything than find refuge in God. Why is it necessary, he asks, to be disturbed and upset at the conditions of the times? What makes you hand yourselves over to vanity, you heavy-hearted people? Why do you seek lies and leave the truth behind? Rather than being informed by these things, know that the Lord God is the one who watches and controls everything, the one who never ever deserts his own righteous ones but always does miraculous things for them. You yourselves, as the upright, know that the Lord is going to be near to you and me whenever you will call out to him.

Psalms 4:8 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 4:9-10

Even if grief, calamities, temptations, disasters are not lacking to me in this present life, nevertheless there is a future time for me in which I will depart from the body and sleep in peace.

Psalms 5:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 5:1-5

The person "who inherits" (as in the title of the psalm) is consecrated by prayers and by service to God as the first fruits of his daily deeds. Moreover, it is a token of his innocence to go forth from his chamber cleansed by his pure prayers and to be able to say to God, "Early in the morning I will wait on you, and I will look up."

Psalms 5:9 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 5:10-11

Vain is the heart of the philosophers of alien ideas, about whom it is said, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain"; from their throats they spew out death-bearing dogmas as they teach the Word of God is not alive, and they bring forth lies and words of death.

Psalms 5:11 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 5:12

It is the goal of good people to receive the inheritance promised to them, to follow the Lord, to have him living within as a companion, in accordance with those things that were promised, saying, "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."

Psalms 6:2 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 6:2-4

Every fault arises from weakness because the spirit is always inclined to a wicked disposition, on account of which it flees to the Savior and Healer, namely, the Son of God. For when one comes to the word and reason of God, he gives up his unreasonable actions; as wisdom frees the spirit from foolishness, justice from injustice, truth from lying.

Psalms 7:7 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 7:7-8

"A great crowd of people will surround you" when you [Lord Jesus] root out your enemies, when the lie of the demons is destroyed, when the assembly of the elect is established and when it becomes the one who calls the nations. Then you, placed in the midst of it as if in a chorus, will bring a hymn to that church worthy of your Father, and so by you, O Lord, it is spoken: "I will tell your name to my brothers; I will praise you in the midst of the church." David prophesies all these things through the Holy Spirit, indicating a theophany of the Savior, things that are not to be passed over as for himself alone but for every race of humankind.

Psalms 7:11 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 7:10, 11

God alone is the just Judge, he alone is the one who sees hearts. He gives to each one according to his works. Truly, "man looks at the outward appearance," but the Lord is a judge of thoughts and the feelings of the spirit. There is no judgment hidden from him.

Psalms 7:16 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 7:15-17

These words seem to me to have been fulfilled literally in Ahithophel. At the time of the uprising of Cush, he was a man harboring envy, branded by disgrace, falling out as the watchman, who used his skill to be able to see ahead and predict future events that the affairs of Absalom would fail. Before he himself could be substituted by the men of David, he removed himself, and, withdrawing from the household, he hanged himself with a noose. While he gathered the seeds of evil in his thinking and devised against David whatever he had conceived in his thoughts, he brought forth the same seeds for his own destruction.… These words express the general opinion that as anyone plans evil in his spirit against his neighbor and wishes to harm others and builds a pit for their ruin, he does these things against himself, and his trouble will return on his own head. Each one will cause his own sentence on the day of judgment by his own deeds and will receive the fruits of his own labors.

Psalms 7:17 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 7:18

He has built traps for no one. He has dug a pit for no one. He has despised iniquity. Knowing the future destruction of the wicked at judgment, he said, "I will give thanks to the Lord according to his righteousness," my righteous works having been brought forth at the tribunal; and "I will sing to the name of the Lord most high," bound by the hope that I am going to be received into the choir of those who are going to follow after salvation through him, through his merit.

Psalms 8:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 8:4-5

You are mindful of man, and you have concern for him because you did not make him as if he were a small and worthless animal, but he is worthy of so much honor that he is celebrated with hymns from the mouths of infants and sucklings.

Psalms 8:6 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 8:6

When it is says, "You have set him over the works of your hand," clearly the word reveals that he is set over the heavens, a man established by the God of the universe. How and when are these future things unless when the kingdom of heaven is received as an inheritance according to the promises made and according to the word of the apostle: "The heir of God and the coheirs of Christ"? So in this age, let the earthly creatures as oxen, cattle, beasts of burden, birds and fish, be subject to humankind. To humankind is reserved the life common to angels in the heavenly city of God, when people are received into the kingdom of heaven and appointed over the works of the hands of God, and they will be the rulers and protectors of all things of the heavens, the moon and stars and everything of the heavens above. The letter to the Hebrews considering this word treats the statement for the future age: "All things you have placed under his feet." For after the lower course of this life, whenever that new age comes in which the kingdom of heaven is awaited and following the glorious appearance of our Savior all things will be subjected, according to that witness that has been made by the promise from the Father to him: "Sit on my right, until I place your enemies a footstool under your feet."

Psalms 9:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 9:3-4

These things, he said, I will assuredly do "when my enemies are turned back." But who is such an enemy unless it is death, the enemy of life about which it is said, "You knew the enemy death will be destroyed." Destruction will be Death's end when he is turned back. But "back" where, unless the return into the pristine condition when he did not exist? "For God did not make death, but through the envy of the devil, death entered into the world." When, therefore, as death is turned back, it will no longer be, then all the rest of the enemies will be enfeebled and the enemies of your Word will be destroyed before your face.

Psalms 9:9 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 9:10, 11

The righteous who now seek you know that you are not going to abandon them in the time of judgment. Let them hope strongly in you, having patience in everything awaiting the prepared retribution.

Psalms 9:14 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3:2.101

David, … prophesying in the person of Christ, says somewhere of his resurrection after death: … "You who lift me up from the gates of death, that I may tell all your praises." I consider that not even the most obtuse can look these things in the face [and disregard them].

Psalms 9:15 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 9:16-17

Whenever they desire to wipe out and abolish the race of the faithful, they themselves are lured into their own calamity; and in the very snares they have concealed for the people of God they are caught, and "their foot will fall."

Psalms 9:18 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 9:18-19

In this life the wicked are raised up, in no sense comprehending their own wicked wrongdoing. But there will be a time of the judgment of God in which the crime that they have admitted will be overturned [in hades, when they are about to receive punishments; LXX]. Every person of God, however humbled in this life, whenever poor in spirit and however much he is trampled by the wicked so that it seems that God denies him by his forgetfulness, through it all is never rejected. "For the poor shall not be forgotten forever," and the patience that he brings to this life and his calm spirit will not follow the end without fruit.

Psalms 9:20 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 9:20, 21

He urges God by his tolerance and the strength of his mercy and patience that he grant a time of trials of long duration to the people harassing him. Before he had prayed that the nations be judged in the sight of God; now he asks that a lawgiver be appointed for the nations before the future judgment, so that they might learn they are people and not brute animals, for the law was hardly given to brutish animals. This law is not from Moses, who once had carried it from the midst of people; it is not about the law given to the Jews alone, nor does he wish that another law be awaited, as the law of the New Testament stretches over the whole earth. Indeed, Christ is the Lawgiver, and the Gospel message applies to the nations.

Psalms 10:6 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 10:27-31

So bold is the person who does not look on God or recognize his judgment that he does not consider within himself his own audacious wicked deeds, believing that he will rejoice forever in his prosperity. His mouth swells up with blasphemies and irreverence. At length, the arrogant one blares out with fierce confidence countless blasphemies and curses, asserting that there is no God, nor does he look down on us, nor will he judge.

Psalms 10:12 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 10:33-35

Through these words he asks that whenever the forbearance and kindness of God are being set in motion, and he is stirred to judgment against the wicked, in which judgment the uplifted hand of God, he will judge each one. With the figure of the lifted hand he indicates the power of divine judgment that seems to rest on and humble one until he sets in place justice against the wicked. When, however, he begins to exercise his power, giving to each one according to his merit, then he is said to be exalted. Wherefore you will not be forgetful of your poor who are poor in spirit, knowing that everything is under your hand and it is granted that none flee beyond it.… Do not yourselves seek revenge, O beloved, but give space to your wrath. "Vengeance is from me, I will repay, says the Lord."

Psalms 10:17 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 10:38-39

The Lord has heard the desires of the poor.… They have suffered misfortune and endured affliction in this life, but he who is king of the ages and judge will vindicate them "lest people boast on the earth."

Psalms 11:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 11:4-6

That which you have framed they have pulled down. Those were the seeds of the best ideas grafted by nature, which God impresses on each person, placing within their spirit the knowledge that is called natural.

Psalms 11:4 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 11:4-6

He alone is judge of all, and the only true judge. What has the Lord done against the wicked who have drawn up a battle line against him, who rise up against the righteous? In his own temple, standing in the house of the heavens and sitting immovable on his royal throne, he overlooks nothing of the earthly creation with his gaze, and when he looks at the poor, he gives them the grace of his eyes. Those eyes are understood to be the merciful rewards of his gaze, through which he looks on the poor with generosity. His eyelids are the providence by which he judges, by which he discerns, by which he thoroughly searches deeds. Now since all stand in his judgment, it is said, "The Lord tries the just and unjust."

Psalms 12:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 12:2-3

There is no righteous one left anywhere, he said, who can become the author of my deliverance. Truly I lack a Savior, and since there is none, you yourself, Lord, be my Savior.

Psalms 12:6 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 12:7

In the same manner silver is purified by fire after it is drawn through the flame two or three times, nor is that enough, but again and again being purged thoroughly by the furnace, never will it have any false or foreign material, so also the words of the Lord genuinely spoken are full of truth, as pure and undefiled, including no falsehood.

Psalms 13:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 13:3-5

The face of God, full of light, is a certain power looking to confer gifts, by which each partaker will be enlightened, as if they were enjoying the rays of the sun. But if one has turned away, his spirit lives in the shadows without light; because the eyes within, namely, the thoughts of the mind, can see nothing. When one persists in sin, more and more shadows come, because deep within him the face of God remains turned away.

Psalms 13:4 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 13:1-4

As we sin, the adversary becomes haughty and domineering over us, and we are pressed down by our sin; this is really the nature of sin, to cast down and to oppress the spirit.

Psalms 14:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 14:1

Some have denied that there is a divine spirit altogether. They have openly professed that God is not the ruler of everything, that his name is nothing but empty and that he is of no substance. Others worship gods who do not exist, denying him who is God alone. Some suggest that indeed there is a God in name, but they contend that he does not oversee earthly matters or look on human affairs. In summary, therefore, all these people have come together into the single position of atheism (godlessness), believing that there is no God. Since they are not bold enough to announce this openly, they persuade themselves in their hearts, being foolish and senseless in the matter of truth, that God does not exist. (A natural understanding about God and the innate seeds of the instinct drive all of them to confess a recognition of God; they are not so bold to deny this fact with their lips, so they pretend to recognize him not as the only God but as an innumerable plurality.) … Their godless position is brought to light from their works (as indeed a tree is judged by its fruit), with their villainy and a way of living like it. They have poisoned their own spirit, betraying it to their bodies with whatever corruption, and as men act in madness with men and through whatever other monstrous and abominable acts, they defile their own selves. In this way it was shown that even if they mustered ten thousand gods, even if they blared out with their lips and confessed God governs all things, in their hearts, and really in their minds, there is not the least recognition of God. Such, therefore, was the life of these people before the advent of our Savior.

Psalms 14:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 14:3

It was right to show openly the magnitude of the disease that lingered with sinister purpose for all people before the advent of the Savior: as it was manifested to all, his sojourn on earth became straightforwardly necessary. As all have sinned, all lacked the glory of God, and now they are all justified by his grace.

Psalms 14:6 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 14:6

These words that are now put forth can be understood in my opinion in light of the Jews trying to upset the plan of the Savior, because they thought that he was lacking power. They did not consider carefully the treasure of his divinity. So they always contradicted his teaching, and the power of his miracles they misrepresented as not from divine power but as having been worked through some other source.

Psalms 17:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 17:1

We speak fully and clearly when we use words taken from divine Scripture.… The righteous person alone cleanses his tongue, lips and the voice itself from using more common words, as one acquainted with that verse: "You will give an account of every careless word on the day of judgment." The ears of God do not hear words offered from lying lips, but they receive any word offered from a cleansed tongue accustomed to meditating on divine words.

Psalms 17:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 17:3

Who can with confidence say, "I am pure from sins"? Christ alone is truly and properly able to say these words.… When gold is tested by fire, it remains pure and shining. According to Isaiah, out of all people since the beginning of the age, Christ alone "did not sin, nor was there any deceit found in his mouth."

Psalms 17:13 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 17:13, 14

That sword will be the "word of God living and more active than any double edged sword," here in the place of a straight sword, which is entrusted to my spirit for driving out the enemies.

Psalms 18:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:1

David has consecrated this hymn of triumph on the occasion of his victory over his enemies and opponents to the Author of all victories. David is called a victor, that is, "he is made a victor," because he achieved victories.… The psalm is inscribed "for the end" chiefly because it is proclaimed in the last years of his life and after all his deeds that were accomplished in history; or because it announces the prophecy of things that are going to happen in the future age; or, third, because the reader is told about those things that happened in the last part of this hymn, at the end of which is the call of the Gentiles and a prophecy about Christ.

Psalms 18:2 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:2, 3

Christ is the rock. When David built his own house on the rock, he was like the wise man. … In such a way, he is made superior to all his enemies. He becomes faithful, not by hope or by training but by the help of God, established in all types of defenses and in the horn of salvation.

Psalms 18:6 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:5-7

Stirred by the onrush of injustices and surrounded by the rest of the evils which are recounted above, when he realizes that he is beset by danger, he flees to the gate of his deliverance. He says, therefore, "In my distress I called on the Lord, and to my God I cried." Thereby he teaches that one wanders least from the path when he is full of such faith, for "hope does not disappoint."

Psalms 18:7 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:8

When the Son of God journeyed on the earth in the time of his incarnation, whoever worshiped the natural elements of this earth were shaken and trembled, and everywhere his reputation became familiar to the ears of Greeks and barbarians; and truly those things he called the foundations of the mountains have trembled and quaked.… The mountains were all the lofty thoughts that were directed against the knowledge of God, namely, certain adversarial powers that through the long span of the ages had led all who dwelled on the earth into error and the worship of multiple gods. "The foundations of the mountains," that is, loftier plans and thoughts, when they had realized the strength of the Lord, "were disturbed and shaken because he is angry with them."

Psalms 18:10 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:11-13

Secretly and with mysterious reckoning he represents his incarnation through [images of] darkness and thick clouds. At last he returns to the same place from whence he had set forth: and he ascends into the heavens with the cherubim and flies, although he had not descended with those cherubim, without the cherubim he himself bowed the heavens and descended. On his return it is said, "And he mounted on cherubs, and he flew," with the body he had assumed.

Psalms 18:12 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:14

He came down and then ascended with the cherubim after he thundered in the heaven.… Against the Egyptian sorcerers the Lord who flies on the cherubim sends forth hailstones and coals of fire. I think, also, that those vengeful acts against skillful wicked powers are called hailstones and coals of fire. Those acts, therefore, appointed for punishment and revenge and directed in the secret way of the will of God against the demons who had brought the superstition of multiple gods, were driving away all those demons. Therefore, all their oracles cease, their prophecies are denied, their temples are deserted, their sacred objects are robbed by invisible and hidden forces, as the Lord does all these things after his ascension into the heavens.

Psalms 18:19 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:20-21

"He will deliver me because he has pleasure in me"; indeed, it was not that I had repented, or had been convicted concerning my sin or had a prophet sent to me, but it was because he took pleasure to deliver me. And I know and I am absolutely persuaded that in the day of his judgment of the righteous no mention will be made of my sin and the crimes that I committed in the day of my misery.

Psalms 18:28 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:29, 30

"I will bring forth a horn to David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed." The lamp is prepared for Christ, having arisen from the seed of David, for who other could it be than the offspring who has come forth from the succession of David according to the flesh; in what way does Christ who came into the womb of David become the ray of his own excellence and the light shining brightly for all people? Why in the aforesaid words does David speak prophetically: "Because you will light my lamp, Lord"? He says, "You yourself, Lord, who are the true light, having been united with the lamp coming forth from me in a certain mysterious way, are going to light that very lamp. Even the shadows with which I was once covered you will scatter entirely so that their memory does not enter my mind.

Psalms 18:29 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:29-30

Truly I have known that I am going to cross over that heavenly wall built by your strength and power; and then situated in a safe place, I will receive salvation from you. Or, in this way: I, whom they try to close out by surrounding me in order to stop me, will cross and leap over all the fortifications of the enemies, both fence and wall.

Psalms 18:30 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:31-32

What, moreover, do those oracles tried in the fire of the Lord teach? That he himself is the protector of all the ones hoping in him and that there is no God except our Lord, and there is none strong except our God; and rightly is it said that he is the protector of all hoping in him since none is able to be found who is able to stand against such and so great a protector.

Psalms 18:32 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:33-34

He builds me up with his own strength and weapons, and he affirms by his grace my mortal and human strength; just like one having his limbs undergirded by his own strength, I will stand against my enemies. But as it is said above, "My God, his way is perfect," so also wishing me to be likened to his own image, he has made my way blameless by teaching, admonitions and discipline of whatever type he wishes, and he has refined and perfected my way or settled life.

Psalms 18:33 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:33-34

The same deer is swift in course as are also the righteous of God who look heavenward, not earthward, who seek the sublime; and this from a single love of the celestial kingdom. David ascribes his likeness to that of the righteous, strengthened by the grace of God, when he adds "and setting me on high places." Although there are others who try to draw us into the valleys of iniquity and lead us away, our God, like an overseer of our struggles, when he has determined that we are good runners, stirs us to suitable excellence, and his grace fulfills that very thing. Not in our excellence are we established in our high places; but truly by its very nature the celestial is the abode for the soul; and those high places are not foreign but are peculiar to us.

Psalms 18:36 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:37

"You have made room for my steps under me," the steps, namely, by which I cross from iniquity to moral excellence, from things perceived by my senses to those perceived by my mind, from the present to the future age, the steps that from the beginning seemed arduous and narrow to me because I was walking in a crooked way; but having progressed beyond them, I took notice of the widened places. For one who advances with every step and attains the end, having been drawn to the wide space, will not feel that narrowness, labor and grief that he had known in his advance.… He who follows Jesus follows hard his footsteps because he progresses on the worn and oft traveled way from Jesus Christ.

Psalms 18:37 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:38

This is done for me through your grace, so that my feet are not ensnared nor am I cut off by the nets of my enemies or by the offenses that they had cast.

Psalms 18:43 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:44-46

He truly sees with his mind's eye that all the peoples throughout the whole world of the human race, whether barbarians or Greek, or of whatever accent or language, carry David respectfully in their memory, and they all speak his name with honor, who lift up his words through all the churches of Christ; and does anyone not assert the truth in these very words, if he attentively considers the people gathered from the nations, known by no sign to David, as they perform their duties of service with Davidic hymns and canticles, and as they hear the song repeated and recite it, receiving the psalms entrusted by him that were written from the long ages back.

Psalms 18:48 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:50-51

Just as David after the advent of our Savior is able to be presented just as if he were alive and living among people, and he sings praises to the God of the universe among all the peoples through his own writings, canticles and hymns, so also he who has come from his seed, to whom these words refer that we now explain, with like reasoning when he overcomes the ones lying in wait for him, he may rightly say, "You will exalt me above the ones rising against me." And he leaves them behind, and he shares his own truth and grace to all peoples; even now he himself, being present everywhere on the earth and in the midst of them resting their hope in him, is made known through his church.

Psalms 19:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18[19]: 2

This verse serves as a lesson on how the great work of God is declared. People who have been blinded in the eyes of their minds have expelled from the natural order the hidden and invisible divine essence, which is incorporeal and uncreated, and cannot be touched in any way or recognized with carnal eyes. With a godless and wicked mouth they say that there is no God, that nothing excellent of a corporeal nature exists beyond its temporary appearance, and that the whole universe came together in a certain momentary and accidental coalescence and gathering of parts that previously existed by chance and without purpose. Thus, it was necessary in the present work by means of a psalm that the writer should prove through plain demonstration God's omniscience and creative power. The nature of mortals is insignificant and fragile, the thoughts of people, foolish, and our reasoning uncertain. Therefore, we are no match for declaring the divine glory. For these worthy words and reflections about God cannot be proclaimed with human voices or with tongues or lips of flesh. If one who has the facility of a strong mind could hear that powerful and most worthy teaching that comes from the heavens, he would direct his mind and mount up to attend to those things, embracing them completely in himself, celebrating his Creator and the Maker of the universe with hymns and songs. For those heavens above us and those elements present in the firmament attest to a nature capable of being understood by and realized through the senses. They ascribe glory to God, not through any human language but through their adornment, by their very creation, through their ordered movement they teach his immeasurable majesty.… Whoever, therefore, thinks that such beauty and magnitude adorned itself or that the heavens created themselves, and then ascribes their harmonious and ordered motions to some process devoid of any divine power, is foolish and wicked. Therefore, those of sound mind confess that the part is a unified whole, and not only do they hear the cry of the heavens but also the proclamation from that very work together announcing glory to God, their Maker and Creator.

Psalms 19:2 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 19:3

The days and the nights teach those people who desire to be taught what ineffable wisdom, what incomprehensible power God has, who has measured out the intervals of time for them. If there were no one who would determine the space and the intervals for the seasons, but they existed in a thoughtless and unconsidered way by chance, it would happen that the days would not be ordered in equal spaces through the ages and there would be a confusion of things, and likewise the times of the nights would pass by chance or happenstance. Even the state of related matters would be disordered because of thoughtless chance, and confusion would follow the confused matter; but … reason rules the right order, and wisdom administers harmony and order. There are mutual changes and alterations; for the days, as the nights yield, are longer, and then the nights claim their space, rightfully due and given mutually, having been increased by winter and season. These things, I say, are not only voiced, but as they announce the knowledge of God to people they declare that most wise order of all things constituted by God. So the voices of the days and nights, by their very work being done, call out to them who are able to hear as their teaching reaches all ears. And the universe that is inhabited by people is replete with songs of this type and like choruses.

Psalms 19:6 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2:3

By heavenly power and co-operation, like a sun ray, the saving Word quickly illumined the whole earth. Straightway, in accordance with the divine Scripture, the voice of its inspired Evangelists and apostles "went forth to the whole earth and their words to the end of the world." And then in all the cities and villages, churches were quickly established, filled with multitudes of people, like a teeming threshing floor, and all those souls, bound through hereditary succession and original error by the ancient disease of idolatrous superstition, on being set free as it were from terrible masters and finding release from most difficult bondage by the power of Christ through both the teaching of his disciples and their wonderful works, rejected all demoniacal polytheism and confessed that there was one God alone, the Creator of all things, and this One they honored with the rites of true piety through inspired and rational worship that was implanted by our Savior in the life of people.

Psalms 20:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:16.5

This entire psalm voices a prayer as spoken by holy people to the person of Christ. For since for our sakes and on our behalf he received insult when he became man, we are taught to join our prayers with his as he prays and supplicates the Father on our behalf, as one who repels both visible and invisible attacks against us.

Psalms 20:8 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 20:8-10

They say these things will happen in the time of the advent of that Savior. Then all the powers of the adversaries and those hidden and secret enemies of God who have turned their backs on the Savior will be laid low. All who receive that Savior will rise from the first fall. Therefore, Simeon says, "Behold, this child is destined to cause the rising and falling of many," namely, the ruin of his enemies and adversaries and the resurrection of those who, having fallen once, have been rescued by him.

Psalms 21:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 21:2

I think that these words had been prophesied by those who had spoken long before David. Since David had learned from the lofty oracles that those words were looking not only at the strength of his own salvation but also that which was going to come forth from his seed, concerning which he said he would rejoice and praise with enthusiasm. Having been assured of those things and the enemies having been thoroughly subjugated with mighty power, to you, God, the author of the victory, he grants the prize of his victory. And he rejoices and praises as he is snatched from the snares of the enemies, nor does he rejoice so much in his own deliverance as in that salvation sent from you. As he seeks your deliverance with lofty vows from his own lips, he will entreat you often for the advent of his deliverance; his prayer frequently uttered, he never fails in hope, nor will his request be in vain.

Psalms 21:2 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 21:3-7

Having prophesied the promises made earlier to David, he then explains the reason why these things are going to happen. For what is that reason unless hope in God in which the one who has received mercy does not falter and in that very hope granted by God most high he does not waver from a firm and steady foundation?

Psalms 21:10 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 21:11

But the seed of the godless and the fruit of the wicked are their words, teachings and unrighteous writings, which they have disseminated through people after they are forgotten. God, being good, scatters each one and destroys them from the midst so that neither the fruit nor the seed of the wicked remains.

Psalms 22:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.495-96

It is to impel us to ask why the Father forsook him, that he says, "Why have you forsaken me?" The answer is, to ransom the whole human race, buying them with him precious blood from their former slavery to their invisible tyrants, the unclean demons and the rulers and spirits of evil. And the Father forsook him for another reason, namely, that the love of Christ himself for people might be set forth. For no one had power over his life, but he gave it willingly for people, as he teaches us himself in the words, "No one takes my life from me: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again."

Psalms 22:2 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.496

He is surely showing his surprise here that the Father does not hear him; he regards it as something strange and unusual. But the Father reserved his hearing until the fit time that he should be heard. That time was the hour of dawn, of the resurrection from the dead, when to him it could be more justly said than to any, "In a time accepted I heard you, and in a day of salvation I succored you. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

Psalms 22:6 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.499

Wonder not if this was said of and fulfilled by the passion of the Savior, for even now he is a reproach among all people who have not yet received faith in him!

Psalms 22:11 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.501

It is surely the very climax of affliction to have no helper. For Christ went for the salvation of the souls in hades that had so long awaited his arrival. He went down to shatter the gates of brass, and to break the iron bonds and to let them go free that before were prisoners in hades, which was indeed done, when many bodies of the saints that slept arose and entered with him into the true holy city of God.

Psalms 22:16 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.505-6

The dogs that surrounded him and the council of the wicked were the rulers of the Jews, the scribes and high priests and the Pharisees, who spurred on the whole multitude to demand his blood against themselves and against their own children. Isaiah clearly calls them dogs when he says, "You are all foolish dogs, unable to bark." For when it was their duty, even if they could not acquire the character of shepherds, to protect like good sheepdogs their master's spiritual flock and the sheep of the house of Israel, and to warn by barking, and to fawn on their master and recognize him, and to guard the flock entrusted to them with all vigilance and to bark if necessary at enemies outside the fold, they preferred like senseless dogs, yes, like mad dogs, to drive the sheep wild by barking, so that the words aptly describe them that say, "Many dogs have surrounded me; the council of the wicked has hemmed me in." And all who even now conduct themselves like them in reviling and barking at the Christ of God in the same way may be reckoned their kin; yes, they who like those impious soldiers crucify the Son of God and put him to shame have a character very like theirs. Yes, all who today insult the body of Christ, that is, the church, and attempt to destroy the hands and feet and very bones are of their number.

Psalms 22:18 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.506

They divide his garments among them and cast lots on his vesture, when each individual tears and destroys the glory of his Word, I mean the words of the holy Scriptures, now this way, now that, and when they take up opinions about him from misleading schools of thought such as godless heretics invent.

Psalms 22:22 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.508

He says that he will tell the name of his Father first to the apostles, who he calls his brothers. And after them, with swift progress, he promises that he will teach the hymn of his Father to the church founded in his name throughout all the world. It is just as if some supreme teacher of philosophy should give a course of instruction in the midst of his pupils for them to hear and understand, that he in the midst of the church says, "I will hymn your praise," that the church, learning and hearing his words, might in fit manner sing back the praises, no longer of the demons but of the one almighty God, by him that preached him.

Psalms 22:28 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.510

In these words he very aptly proclaims the glorious works after his resurrection, which are fulfilled in the calling of people from all nations and by the election of people from the ends of the earth, the results of which being visible to all eyes afford evidence of the truth of the words of the psalm. And we, too, are the poor, who like beggars in the things of God, the word of salvation nourishes with spiritual bread, the life-giving food of the soul, and affords eternal life.

Psalms 23:5 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1:10.39

In place of the ancient sacrifices and whole burnt offerings the incarnate presence of Christ … was offered. And this very thing he proclaims to his church as a great mystery expressed with prophetic voice.… As we have received a memorial of this offering that we celebrate on a table by means of symbols of his body and saving blood according to the laws of the new covenant, we are taught again by the prophet David to say, "You have prepared a table before me." … Here plainly the mystic chrism and the holy sacrifices of Christ's table are meant, by which we are taught to offer to almighty God through our great High Priest all through our life the celebration of our sacrifices, bloodless, reasonable and well-pleasing to him.

Psalms 24:8 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7:1.311-12

Lord of Sabaoth is translated "Lord of powers." And he is the captain of the powers of the Lord, whom also the divine powers salute as Lord of Sabaoth in Psalm 24, foretelling his return from earth to heaven.… In the Hebrew he is here again called Lord of Sabaoth. And since he is the King of glory, and by his sojourn here the whole earth would be filled with his glory, both in the psalm and in the prophecy the fulfillment is rightly placed in the present: in the prophecy in the words, "The whole earth is full of his glory," in the psalm at the beginning where it says, "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and all that dwell therein."

Psalms 28:8 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:16.185

This teaches us that all the wonders of Christ written in the holy Scriptures, done for our salvation, whether teachings or writings, or the mysteries of his resurrection now referred to, were all done by the will and power of the Father defending his own Christ as with a shield in all his marvelous and saving words and works.

Psalms 45:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:15.180

It seems right for me to add what I am accustomed to quote in every question that is debated about his Godhead, that reverent saying: "Who shall declare his generation?" … For such expressions are connected with mental imagery alone and are accordingly subject to the laws of metaphor. And so the words "My heart has produced a good word" may be explained as referring to the constitution and coming into being of the primal Word, since it would not be right to suppose any heart, save one that we can understand to be spiritual, to exist in the case of the supreme God.

Psalms 45:7 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5:2.217

This ointment mentioned was nothing common or earthly, nothing resembling that ordained by the Mosaic law, fashioned of corruptible matter, with which it was the custom to anoint Hebrew priests and kings.

Psalms 50:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:3.261-62

Here the divine prediction clearly prophesies that God will come manifestly, meaning none other but the Word of God. And it shows the reason of his coming, again emphasizing the calling of all nations of the world. For it says, "he has called the earth from the rising of the sun to the setting"; and it teaches that the rejection of the outward worship according to the Mosaic law will follow hard after his manifestation and the calling of the Gentiles, a worship that actually ceased after the manifestation of the Word of God to all people. For from that day to this all people throughout all the world have been called, and all the nations of the east and west. And the former worship has ceased and been abolished, all people being called to worship according to the new covenant of the preaching of the gospel, and not according to the law of Moses. We might also apply these prophecies to our Savior's second and glorious coming.

Psalms 52:1 — Commentary on the Psalms, On Psalm 51 (52)

The 33rd Psalm was spoken by David when he "changed his countenance before Abimelech, and he sent him away, and he left." The current Psalm would be the one following that Psalm in historical sequence. For the Scripture says in Kingdoms, "And one of the servants of Saul was there that day." And this indicates the time at which David came into the house of Abimelech and ate the "loaves of offering," receiving them from the high priest. For at the very same point in time, Doeg the Syrian, the tender of Saul's mules, came to Saul and said, "I have seen the son of Jesse having come to Nob, to Abimelech the son of Ahitub, the priest, and all the sons of his father; and he inquired on his behalf through God, and he gave him provisions. And the king sent someone to call Abimelech the priest, and all the sons of his father, the priests of the Lord in Nob, and they all came before the king," at which point, on Saul's order, this same Doeg put to death the priests of the Lord—"305 men who bore the ephod, and he smote the city of Nob with the edge of the sword, including men and women, infants and babies, and calves and donkeys and sheep." So when David learned that this had been done in this way, he uttered the words before us, which contain neither an ode, nor a hymn, nor anything else of that sort. For how, in the face of the disaster that happened to so many priests, could he have sung odes of theirs and psalms? Hence, nothing of the kind is written as epigraph, but it was only said "to the end" and "of understanding": ["To the end,"] since the final elements of his words recount the good things, when he says, "But I am like a fruitful olive tree," etc.; and ["of understanding," since discerning] the meaning of the words put forth here requires the understanding that comes from God. Now then, when he was with Abimelech and tasted the priestly nourishment, he changed his "taste"—or his "ways," according to the interpretation of the others—and raised blessings and thanksgivings to God, saying: "I will bless the Lord at all times; the praise of him is always in my mouth," etc. But now, when he had learned of the actions of Doeg the slanderer—how he had destroyed so many priests, doing a diabolical deed—he marshalled the words of the present passage as though against him...

Psalms 52:2 — Commentary on the Psalms: Ps. 51 (52)

The material we have before us was spoken much earlier in time than the history pertaining to the 50th Psalm. For [the history of Doeg] took place, and [the words] were spoken, while Saul was still alive, and before David's kingship. Many long years later, after the death of Saul, and at the end of his own kingship, David made the confession contained in the 50th Psalm, which he placed before [the 51st] because of its connection to the 49th Psalm, as I have already shown. Those Psalms, 20 in number, from 51 to 70, with epigraphs "of David," took their subject-matter from a different point of origin: indeed, they appear to have been spoken while Saul was still alive, before David reigned. For the one before us now was spoken while Saul was still alive, "when Doeg the Idumaean came and reported to Saul…'David came to the house of Abimelech.'" But the 53rd Psalm too was spoken "when the Ziphites came and told Saul, 'Look--is not David hidden with us?'" Also, the 55th Psalm has this epigraph: "When the Philistines seized him in Gath"—and this period too precedes David's kingship, while Saul still survived alive. And the 56th Psalm gives the epigraph: "Of David, when he was running away from Saul into the cave." In the same way also, the 58th Psalm says [in the epigraph], "When Saul sent, and guarded his house, in order to kill him." The 59th Psalm, however, even though it was spoken after the death of Saul, when David was now king, still preceded the actions relating to Uriah. This is indicated by the heading, which shows the time period involved by saying, "When he set on fire Mesopotamia of Syria, and Syria Soba, and Joab returned and smote the Ravine of Salt—twelve thousand." And this chronologically precedes the confession expressed in the 50th Psalm. Furthermore, the 62nd Psalm was spoken by David "when he was in the desert of Idumaea," while Saul was still living. Consider how more or less the majority of the second part of the book of the Psalms of David (apart from the 50th) include those which were spoken by him before the period of his actions pertaining to Uriah. The first part of the same book, however, from the first Psalm to the 40th, [seemed to] contradict that order; for that part included those dating after the confession of the 50th Psalm. The third Psalm, then, was spoken by David "when he was running away from Absalom his son." And he was fleeing from his son after the events connected to Uriah. But also in the sixth Psalm, he was mourning for the same actions, saying, "I grew tired in my groaning; I shall wash my bed every night—with my tears I shall moisten my mattress." And the seventh Psalm, spoken "for the words of Cush the son of Iamin," would belong to the same time period. Moreover, also the 17th Psalm has been proved to have been spoken at the end of David's life. But also the 37th Psalm, with the epigraph "for remembrance," having the same train of thought as the sixth, begins with the same words, saying, "Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger, and do not correct me in your wrath." And going forward, he makes the same confession as that in the 50th Psalm, besides other passages, also when he says, "For my transgressions have gone over my head…My wounds stank and decayed before my foolishness." And if you bring together [these indications] for yourself, you will discover that the majority of the Psalms in the first part were spoken after the time period of the history relating to Uriah, whereas those following the 50th Psalm precede [David's] actions regarding Uriah chronologically. Why in the world, then, were the first ones in chronological sequence not put in first place—and instead, those which were spoken first, while Saul was still living, are in the second part of the Psalms—and those which are chronologically last are in the first part? I think they have this arrangement so that the discourse would not move from the better to the worse; for the phrase, "to the end, l…

Psalms 52:5 — Commentary on the Psalms: Ps. 51 (52)

And he will scrape you away from the tent, and will uproot you from the land of the living forever—so that the righteous, when they see it, will be afraid and will mock him, saying, "Look! a man who did not set God before himself as his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his wealth, and empowered himself in his own disaster!" And this was said as though to Doeg, who was a Syrian by descent, but lived in the midst of Israel—and, I suppose, perhaps even entered the tabernacle of God along with the multitude, pretending to be pious. But it was also said to everyone who is powerful in wickedness, who uses his tongue instead of a sword for the destruction of souls: the "farmer of souls" would pluck him out just like some bitter and destructive root, even if he seems for some brief time to have been planted in the tabernacle of God and in his Church. Such a person, after being plucked out and cast away far from the tabernacle of the holy, will lie as a pitiable spectacle for the benefit and chastening of those who see him—they will take in with their eyes the severe judgment of God against such a person and will make every effort and guard themselves against falling into a similar situation. Later, when they recall with their memory the former boasting of the one who was powerful in wickedness, his grandeur and arrogance, but also see the humiliation and destruction that pursued him after that, they will consider him a laughing-stock, considering how he has fallen so low from such a height. And they will accept the judgment of God, confessing that it is righteous. Then, they will also go through the reasons why the impious one has suffered these things and justify God's judgment. For he ought not to have been haughty-minded over riches, nor to have been exalted over the vanity of the present life, but to have made God alone his hope and help, and not to have wavered in this hope. But he abandoned the good anchor of his own soul, and by hanging his hopes on vain wealth he made himself a joke, incurring nothing more than laughter for his vain and thoughtless boastfulness.

Psalms 52:7 — Commentary on the Psalms, On Psalm 51 (52)

And this was said as though to Doeg, who was a Syrian by descent, but lived in the midst of Israel—and, I suppose, perhaps even entered the tabernacle of God along with the multitude, pretending to be pious. But it was also said to everyone who is powerful in wickedness, who uses his tongue instead of a sword for the destruction of souls: the "farmer of souls" would pluck him out just like some bitter and destructive root, even if he seems for some brief time to have been planted in the tabernacle of God and in his Church. Such a person, after being plucked out and cast away far from the tabernacle of the holy, will lie as a pitiable spectacle for the benefit and chastening of those who see him—they will take in with their eyes the severe judgment of God against such a person and will make every effort and guard themselves against falling into a similar situation. Later, when they recall with their memory the former boasting of the one who was powerful in wickedness, his grandeur and arrogance, but also see the humiliation and destruction that pursued him after that, they will consider him a laughing-stock, considering how he has fallen so low from such a height. And they will accept the judgment of God, confessing that it is righteous. Then, they will also go through the reasons why the impious one has suffered these things and justify God's judgment. For he ought not to have been haughty-minded over riches, nor to have been exalted over the vanity of the present life, but to have made God alone his hope and help, and not to have wavered in this hope. But he abandoned the good anchor of his own soul, and by hanging his hopes on vain wealth he made himself a joke, incurring nothing more than laughter for his vain and thoughtless boastfulness.

Psalms 52:8 — Commentary on the Psalms, On Psalm 51 (52)

From what I have said already, we have learned what sort of end the one who is powerful in wickedness will obtain. But as for me, says David, since I have been taught this by the Holy Spirit, I would never be exalted over abundance of wealth, nor over the vanity of mortal life. For "vanity of vanities, all is vanity." But also, as I flee from the path of the one who is powerful in wickedness, I would not sharpen my tongue and my words for the destruction of others, but rather for the benefit of souls and the service of the words of salvation. And in my other actions too, I would become so flourishing and fruitful that my soul would be compared with an ever-flourishing and richly fruitful plant that has been planted in the house of God. For this reason, I say: "But I am like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God"—or, according to Symmachus' translation: "But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God." For I did not turn away at all from the house of God; rather, after being planted inside it, as it were in God's own garden, and while enjoying the streams of the spring in the house of God, I became richly fruitful and ever-flourishing, in accordance with the pattern of the planted olive tree that has been received among the ever-flourishing [plants]. But observe that when David said this, he was not in Jerusalem, which the Jewish people considered to be the house of God—for it had not yet been built; and neither was he in the tabernacle built by Moses, which did still exist at that time among the Jews. For when he was fleeing from Saul, he passed his time among others—and yet he did indeed know that he had been planted in the house of God, since he understood the "house of God" to be the pious way of life. And because he was fruitful—not bearing bitter fruits but sweet fruits full of compassion, he was rightly compared to a fruitful olive tree: the pattern signifying mercy towards one's neighbors and compassion toward all. Therefore, since he was overflowing with this sort of good things, he logically added, "I have put my hope in the mercy of God forever, even forever and ever." Now, he pointed out that the end of the one who is powerful in wickedness is uprooting and destruction. For it was necessary for the root that bears bitter fruit to be †------ off† by the wise farmer of the universe. But David, like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, put his hope in the mercy of God for ever, even forever and ever, procuring for himself immortality and eternal life on the basis of his good hope, from which he will never fall away. For according to the Apostle, "hope does not put us to shame."

Psalms 52:9 — Commentary on the Psalms, On Psalm 51 (52)

Now, he pointed out that the end of the one who is powerful in wickedness is uprooting and destruction. For it was necessary for the root that bears bitter fruit to be †------ off† by the wise farmer of the universe. But David, like a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, put his hope in the mercy of God for ever, even forever and ever, procuring for himself immortality and eternal life on the basis of his good hope, from which he will never fall away. For according to the Apostle, "hope does not put us to shame." Then, having sketched out good hopes for himself as it were on the basis of good fruits, he attributes the responsibility [for all this] to the provider of all good things, saying: "I shall praise you forever, because you did [this]." For (he says) I did not make myself like a fruitful olive tree, but rather, you did. For grace comes from you. And so I will never cease from the knowledge of your grace, and from praising you; having once put my hope in the mercy of God, "I shall patiently await his name." For once the foundation of good hope has been established, we need patience. Therefore, he says, "I shall patiently await your name, because it is beneficial before your holy ones"—or, according to Symmachus' translation: "…because your name is good in front of your holy ones." Knowing, therefore, that it is good, and productive of good—not for those who are powerful in wickedness nor for those who are to be cast out from among the living, but to the holy ones, he quite rightly said, "I shall patiently await your name," being hopeful that I will never fall out of your mercy. In this way, I have put my hope in him forever, even for ever and ever.

Psalms 68:24-27 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:9

I think that here none but the apostles can be meant by the rulers of Naphtali. For thence our Lord and Savior called them according to the quotation from Matthew. The Scripture is prophesying the coming of the Word of God to human beings and his incarnate sojourn here, when it says, "Your goings [solemn processions], O God, have been seen," and that which follows. And the prophets of old were like heralds of his epiphany and arrived before him with proclamation and chant, with music of psaltery and choir and all kinds of spiritual instruments, in the midst of maidens playing on timbrels. For the inspired prophets going in every way into the midst of the Jewish synagogues heralded the coming of the Christ, and by the Holy Spirit they addressed the apostles of our Savior, saying, "Praise the Lord God in the congregations from the fountains of Israel." And the "fountains of Israel" must be the words delivered to Israel. "For they [the inspired prophets] first trusted the oracles of God," whence it will be necessary for us to draw and water the churches of Christ. By "maidens playing on timbrels" he suggested the souls that lived in the past by the more external law of Moses, calling them "maidens" because of their youth and imperfectly developed minds and "timbrel players" because of their devotion to external worship.

Psalms 72:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7:3

As this psalm is addressed to Solomon, the first verse of the psalm must be referred to him, and all the rest to the son of Solomon, not Rehoboam, who was king of Israel after him, but him that was of his seed according to the flesh, the Christ of God; for all who are acquainted with the holy Scriptures will agree that it is impossible to connect what is said in this psalm with Solomon or his successors, because of what they reveal about Christ. No, how is it possible to apply to Solomon, or his son Rehoboam, the burden of the whole psalm?—for instance, "He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth." And "He shall remain as long as the sun, and before the moon for ever," and other similar statements. Yet the words at the beginning of the psalm are at once seen to apply to Solomon, which say, "O God, you will give judgment to the king," And the addition, "And your justice to the king's son," to the Son of Solomon, not his first-born who succeeded him in the kingdom (for he only ruled the Jewish nation seventeen years, being a wicked king), nor any of the successors of Rehoboam, but only to one of the seed of David, who could thus be called the son both of David and Solomon. And this is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For his kingdom and its throne will stand as long as the sun. And he alone of people, as the Word of God, existed before the moon and the creation of the world, and he alone came down like dew from heaven on all the earth; and it was said in our quotation a little above, that he had risen on all people and that his justice would remain even until the consummation of life, which is called the removal of the moon. And our Savior's power is supreme from the eastern sea to the west, beginning its activity at the river, which is either the sacrament of baptism, or from Jordan, where he first appeared to benefit humankind. From that time his kingdom has spread and extended through the whole world.

Psalms 72:7 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7:2

And the oracle in the Psalms, which says about Christ, "There shall rise in his days justice and peace," is in agreement with this. And I think that is why he is called "Prince of Peace" in the prophecy that I quoted before this. And I would ask you to notice that the prophet we are considering says at the outset that the Lord will come from heaven and that the subject of the prophecy will only pasture his flock after his birth at Bethlehem. And the Evangelist, whose words I have cited, furnishes the evidence that this was the case with regard to our Lord and Savior.

Psalms 96:1-3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:5

In Psalm 95 [LXX] the coming of the Lord to humankind is again foretold, and that a new song, by which is meant the new covenant, will be sung by the whole earth at his coming, not by the Jewish race; and that the good news will no longer be for Israel but for all the nations, since it says that the Lord who is to come will be their King. Who could this be but God the Word, who, intending to judge the world in righteousness and the human race in truth, considers all people in the world equally worthy of his call, and consequently of the salvation of God?

Psalms 96:7-8 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

And if they say that they were chosen to act as priests and to offer worship to God, it can be shown that the Word promised that he would give to the Gentiles an equal share in his service, when he said, "Render to the Lord, O you kindreds of the nations, render to the Lord glory and honor: bring sacrifices and come into his courts." To which the oracle in Isaiah may be conjoined: "There shall be an altar to the Lord in the land of Egypt … and the Egyptians will know the Lord. And they shall sacrifice, and say prayers to the Lord and make offering." And in this you will understand that it is prophesied that an altar will be built to the Lord away from Jerusalem in Egypt and that the Egyptians will there offer sacrifice, say prayers and give gifts to the Lord. Yes, and not only in Egypt, but in the true Jerusalem itself, whatever it is thought to be, all the nations, including the Egyptians indeed, the most superstitious of them all, are invited to keep the feast of tabernacles, as a feast of the heart.

Psalms 98:1-2 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 10:1

Along with my prayers I now add book 10 to the Church History and dedicate it to you, my most consecrated Paulinus, and blazon you as the seal of the whole work. It is appropriate that in a perfect number I shall here provide a completed account in celebration of the restoration of the churches, in obedience to the divine Spirit who urges us:

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things;

His right and his holy arm have wrought salvation for him. The Lord has made known his salvation: His righteousness he has revealed in the sight of the heathen. Accordingly, let me now sing the new song, since after those grim and horrifying scenes and narratives, I was now privileged to see and to celebrate what many righteous people and martyrs of God before me desired to see but did not see and to hear but did not hear. But they hurried on to far better things in the heavens, caught up into a paradise of divine bliss, while I, admitting that even the present circumstances are more than I deserve, have been totally astonished at the magnitude of grace he has conferred and offer him my total awe and worship, confirming the truth of the prophecies that declare:

Come and behold the works of the Lord,

What wonders he has wrought on the earth, Making wars to cease to the ends of the world. He will break the bow and shatter the spear, And the shields he will burn with fire. Rejoicing that all this has been clearly fulfilled, let me proceed with my narrative.

Psalms 98:9 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:6

It is prophesied here that the coming of the Lord will be the cause of great benefits to the nations, which have been proved to have actually accrued to them, through the manifestation of our Savior. For of a truth from then and not before the new song of the new covenant has been sung among all people, and his wonders have been known and heard by all people through the written Gospels. And salvation also, by the resurrection of the Lord from the dead, has been revealed to all nations, and the true righteousness, by which it has been clearly proved that God is not the God of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles. "Since there is one God," in the words of the holy apostle, "who will judge the circumcised from their faith, and the uncircumcised through faith." And the words "for he, comes to judge the earth," might refer also to his second coming."

Psalms 105:4-5 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:15

In Psalm 104 [LXX], David, when referring to the stories of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the very men who were his godly ancestors, who lived before Moses' day, calls them Christs, only because they all received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And when he tells how they were hospitably received by foreigners, and how they learned that God was their Savior when plots were devised against them, following Moses' account, he names them prophets also and Christs, before Moses had been born and before he had laid down the rule that such men should be anointed with oil.

Psalms 107:20 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:7

This clearly proclaims the good news of the descent of God the Word from heaven … and of the result of his coming. For it says, "He sent his Word and healed them." And we say distinctly that the Word of God was he who was sent as the Savior of all humankind, whom we are taught by the holy Scriptures to consider divine. And it sadly suggests that he even came down to die for the sake of those who had died before him. By revealing the redemption of those who would be saved by him, it gives the reason of his coming. For he saved without assistance from any one of those who had gone before him even to the gates of death; he healed and rescued them from their destruction. He did this simply by breaking what are called the gates of death and crushing the bars of iron. And then the prophecy proceeds to predict the state of desolation of those who rejected him when he came. For it says, "He turned rivers into a wilderness and rivers of waters into thirst, a fruitful land into a salty waste for the wickedness of them that dwell therein." You will understand this if you think of Jerusalem of old, the famous city of the Jewish race, its glory and its fruitfulness, devoid now of its saintly citizens and pious people. For after the coming of Christ it became, as the prophet truly says, without fruit or water and quite deserted, "a salty waste for the wickedness of them that dwell therein."35To this is added very much in the prophetic manner a veiled prediction of the change of the longtime desert and thirsty land, referring either to the individual soul or to the turning of the Gentile church to holiness and of its fertility in divine words. This is clearly predicted in a veiled way when it says, "He made the desert into pools of water," and that which follows. But to understand this, one must have wisdom from God; according to the admonition at the end of the psalm, which says, "Who is wise, and he will keep this?" and that which follows.

Psalms 107:20 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1:2

For, if it would be unreasonable to suppose that the unbegotten and immutable substance of God the Almighty was changed into the form of man and, in turn, that the eyes of the beholders were deceived by the illusion of something created and that such things were falsely invented by the Scripture, who else could be proclaimed God and the Lord who judges all the earth and passes sentence, appearing in the shape of a man—if it is not proper to call him the first cause of all things—than his preexistent word alone?" And concerning him it was also said in the Psalms: "He sent his word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions." Of him Moses speaks very clearly, calling him a second Lord after the Father, when he says, "The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord." The divine Scripture also calls him God, when he again appeared to Jacob in the form of a man, saying to Jacob: "Your name shall not be called Jacob, but your name shall be Israel, because you have been strong with God," when also he called the name of the place "the Vision of God," saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and my soul has been saved."

Psalms 110:3-4 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:16

And what follows in the psalm would agree with him alone, where it says, "The Lord said to me, You are my Son. Today have I begotten you. Ask of me, and I will give you the heathen for your inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for your possession." For surely only in him has this part of the prophecy received an indubitable fulfillment, since the voice of his disciples has gone forth into all the earth and their words to the ends of the world. And the passage distinctly names Christ, saying as in his own person, that he is the Son of God, when it says, "The Lord said to me, You are my Son. Today I have begotten you." With which you may compare the words in the Proverbs, also spoken in his own person: "Before the mountains were established, before all the hills he brings me forth." And also the address by the Father to him in Psalm 109 [LXX]: "I begat you from my womb before the morning star." Understand then how the holy Scriptures prophesy that one and the same being, Christ by name, who is also Son of God, is to be plotted against by people, to receive the nations for his inheritance and to rule over the ends of the earth, showing his dispensation among people by two proofs: the one being the attacks on him and the other the subjection of the nations to him.

Psalms 118:22-23 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1:7

[Christ] ordained that the former law should stand till he came, and he was revealed as the originator of the second law of the new covenant preached to all nations, as being responsible for the law and influence of the two religions, I mean Judaism and Christianity. And it is wonderful that divine prophecy should accord:"Behold, I lay in Zion a stone, choice, a cornerstone; precious, and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed." Who could be the cornerstone but he, the living and precious stone who supports by his teaching two buildings and makes them one? For he set up the Mosaic building, which was to last till his day, and then fitted on to one side of it our building of the gospel. Hence he [Christ] is called the cornerstone. And it is said in the Psalms: "The stone that the builders refused, the same is become the head of the corner. This is of the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes." This oracle too indubitably indicates the Jewish conspiracy against the subject of the prophecy, how he has been set at naught by the builders of the old wall, meaning the scribes and Pharisees, the high priests and all the rulers of the Jews. And it prophesied that though he should be despised and cast out he would become the head of the corner, regarding him as the originator of a new covenant, according to the preceding proofs.

Psalms 144:5 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:9

I consider this to be connected with my present subject. For in his wonder at the knowledge of God the Word coming to people, the psalmist is astonished beyond measure at the love by which he descends from his divinity, and lessens his natural majesty and reckons the human race worthy of bearing him. So here he prays, saying, "Lord, bow the heavens and descend." While in the seventeenth psalm [LXX] it is written, "And he bowed the heavens and descended, and it was dark under his feet. And he rode on cherubim and flew, he flew on the wings of the winds," wherein there is a prophecy of his ascension from earth to heaven. And when there is a fit opportunity I will show that we must understand the descent and ascension of God the Word not as of one moving locally, but in the metaphorical sense that Scripture intends in the use of such conventional terms.

Psalms 146:3-4 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 9:11

To these were added the sons of Maximin, with whom he had already shared imperial honors and whose features he had displayed publicly in portraits. Those who previously had boasted that they were related to the tyrant and tried to lord it over others endured the same sufferings and disgrace, for they did not accept correction or understand the precept in the sacred books:Put not your trust in princes, In the sons of men who cannot save. His breath shall depart and he shall return to his earth. In that day all his thoughts shall perish. When the impious were thus removed, the rule that belonged to them was preserved secure and undisputed for Constantine and Licinius alone. They had made it their priority to purge the world of hostility to God, and, acknowledging the blessings he had conferred on them, they showed their love of virtue and of God, their devotion and gratitude to the Deity, through their edict in behalf of the Christians.

Psalms 147:15 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:10

"He that sends his word on earth, until his word runs swiftly." He that sends is evidently distinct from him that is sent. You have then, here, both the Sender, the almighty God, and also the Word that was sent, who having many names is called by the holy oracles now Wisdom, now Word, now God, and also Lord. And as you know how in a very short time the word of his teaching has filled the whole world, I am sure you will wonder at the fulfillment of the prophecy, "Till his word runs swiftly."

Revelation 1:5 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 5.2.2-3

They did not proclaim themselves witnesses, nor did they allow us to address them by this name. If any one of us, in letter or conversation, spoke of them as witnesses, they rebuked him sharply. For they conceded cheerfully the appellation of "Witness" to Christ "the faithful and true Witness," "firstborn of the dead," and prince of the life of God. They reminded us of the witnesses who had already departed, and said, "They are already witnesses whom Christ has deemed worthy to be taken up in their confession, having sealed their testimony by their departure. But we are lowly and humble confessors."

Revelation 20:4-6 — Church History (Book III), Chapter 39, Sections 12-13

To these belong his [Papias] statement that there will be a period of some thousand years after the resurrection of the dead, and that the kingdom of Christ will be set up in material form on this very earth. I suppose he got these ideas through a misunderstanding of the apostolic accounts, not perceiving that the things said by them were spoken mystically in figures. For he appears to have been of very limited understanding, as one can see from his discourses. But it was due to him that so many of the Church Fathers after him adopted a like opinion, urging in their own support the antiquity of the man; as for instance Irenæus and any one else that may have proclaimed similar views.

Revelation 22:11 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 5.1.55-58

The blessed Blandina … rejoiced in her death as though she had been invited to a bridal banquet instead of being a victim of the beasts. After the scourges, the animals and the hot griddle, she was at last tossed into a net and exposed to a bull. After being tossed a good deal by the animal, she no longer perceived what was happening because of the hope and possession of all she believed in and because of her intimacy with Christ. Thus she too was offered in sacrifice.… But not even this was enough to satisfy their madness and their viciousness toward the Christians. For these wild and barbarous people once stirred up by the wild beast were difficult to satisfy, and their wickedness found another special form in what they did to the bodies of the dead. The [pagans] were not humiliated by their defeat, because they lacked human comprehension; rather, it enflamed their bestial anger, so that both the governor and the populace showed toward us the same undeserved hatred, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: "Let the wicked be wicked and the righteous perform righteousness."

Romans 5:12 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7.1

Since the apostle said: "By man death entered into the world," it was surely essential that the victory over death should be achieved by man as well, and the body of death be shown to be the body of life, and the reign of sin that before ruled in the mortal body be destroyed so that it should no longer serve sin but righteousness.

Romans 8:3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1.7

Because God has done what the law could not do, we reject Jewish customs on the ground that they were not meant for us and that it is impossible to accommodate them to the needs of the Gentiles, while we gladly accept that the Jewish prophecies contain predictions about ourselves.

Romans 11:5 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2.3

The remnant of the Jews has proclaimed the sign of the Lord to all the Gentiles and has joined to God in one people, drawn to him, the souls of the Gentiles which are brought out of destruction to the knowledge of the Lord.

SIR 8:10 — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 2:56

Saul chased David, who in fact carried out these words, "When they persecute you in this city, flee into another." He fled in order not to irritate his enemy with his presence and to become for him a reason to spill blood. In fact, David grasped the saying, "Do not incite the arm of a sinner," better than anyone. This is why he withdrew and moved away, although he was loved by all the people and had many who shared his pains and his sorrow and who would have been able to receive him and hide him in their homes. But, in order not to become a cause of danger to others, he fled into the desert and preferred to live in caves. It seems to me that the holy apostle also alludes to him when he says, "They wandered in deserts, in the mountains, in dens and in caves of the earth."

SIR 18:13 — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 5:118

"Salvation is far from sinners, since they have not sought your decrees. Many are your mercies, Lord. Give me life according to your judgment." It is said, "The compassion of a person is toward his neighbor: but the mercy of God is on all flesh." As much as one might appear extremely just when compared with human beings, before God's severe judgment he has need of mercy. Even the very fact that he seems just is due to the mercy of God, since who has ever done anything worthy of eternal blessedness and the kingdom of heaven without God's help?

SIR 26:3 — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 5:127

"Your wife like a fruitful vine." This is given to him who, though still imperfect, fears the Lord, but it does not hold for one who loves him with all his soul, all his heart and all his strength. For him, there are "those things that eye has not seen," etc. To one who fears the Lord is given a consort of whom it is said, "A good wife is good fate" and "A strong woman, who can find her?" She is more precious than the most costly stones. An evil consort is wrath that comes from God.

Song of Songs 1:3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:16

And as we are examining his name, the seal of all we have said may be found in the oracle of Solomon the wisest of the wise, where he says in the Song of Songs: "Your name is as ointment poured forth." Solomon, being supplied with divine wisdom, and thought worthy of more mystical revelations about Christ and his church, and speaking of him as heavenly bridegroom and her as bride, speaks as if to [Christ] and says, "Your name, O Bridegroom, is ointment," and not simply ointment, but "ointment poured forth." And what name could be more suggestive of ointment poured forth than the name of Christ? For there could be no Christ, and no name of Christ, unless ointment had been poured forth. And in what has gone before I have shown of what nature the ointment was with which Christ was anointed.

WIS 2:24 — Quote found in Glossa Ordinaria, Venice edition

What is it to apostatize, if not to depart from God? And indeed, because one is separated from God, one is joined to the Devil. But can anyone who is envious be without a demon, as Scripture says, "but by the envy of the Devil death entered into the world, and those who belong to his side put him to the test," Catholic Scripture likewise testifies. For if the prophet says, "You have been deceived by the spirit of fornication."

Zechariah 14:2 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3.50, 53

And we can see this with our own eyes. For though many have afflicted the word of Christ and are even now contending with it, yet it is lifted above them and become stronger than them all. Yes, truly, the hand of Christ is raised against all that afflicted him, and all his enemies who from time to time rise up against his church are said to be "utterly destroyed." The fulfillment of this also agrees with the passages quoted on the destruction of the whole Jewish race, which came on them after the coming of Christ. For Zechariah writes this prophecy after the return from Babylon, foretelling the final siege of the people by the Romans, through which the whole Jewish race was to become subject to their enemies. He says that only the remnant of the people shall be saved, exactly describing the apostles of our Savior.

Article

Eusebius of Caesarea — commentary on Scripture

📅 September 1, 2026

1 Chronicles 16:15 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10.1

1 Chronicles 17:11-13 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7.3

1 Chronicles 22:9 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.12

1 Peter 1:1 — HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 3.1

1 Peter 1:24 — CATENA

1 Peter 2:24 — CATENA

1 Peter 3:18-19 — Church History (Book I), Chapter 13, Section 19

1 Peter 4:6 — Church History (Book I), Chapter 13, Section 19

1 Peter 5:13 — Church History (Book II), Chapter 15, Sections 1-2

1 Peter 5:13 — Church History (Book II), Chapter 15, Section 2

1 Samuel 2:10 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1.4.16

1 Timothy 1:3 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.4

1 Timothy 1:9 — The Proof of the Gospel 1.4

1 Timothy 6:20 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.32

2 Chronicles 26:16-19 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.18

2 Corinthians 2:14 — Ecclesiastical History 6.41

2 Corinthians 5:21 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4.17

2 Peter 3:5 — CATENA

2 Timothy 4:6 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2.22

2 Timothy 4:17 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2.22

Acts 1:8 — Unknown work

you shall be witnesses for me: that is, of His death and resurrection.

Acts 1:23 — Church History (Book III), Chapter 39, Sections 8-10

Acts 2:24 — Church History (Book I), Chapter 13, Section 19

Acts 3:6 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.5

Acts 8:20 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2.14

Acts 19:19 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.6

Acts 21:9 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.31.2-5

Acts 21:9 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.39.9

Acts 27:1 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2.23.1-3

Acts 28:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 1.63

Acts 28:31 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2.22.1-8

Colossians 2:16 — The Proof of the Gospel (Book IV), Chapter 16

Daniel 2:31 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 15:1

Daniel 7:13-14 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1:2

Deuteronomy 5:3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1.6

Ephesians 4:8-9 — Church History (Book I), Chapter 13, Section 19

Exodus 3:2 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.11.238

Exodus 3:14 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4.1

Exodus 6:3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.13.240

Exodus 19:9 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.14.241

Exodus 20:7 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.16.243

Ezekiel 11:22 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:18

Ezekiel 20:36 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3.60*

Ezra 6:7 — The Church History of Eusebius, Book 5

Galatians 1:19 — Church History (Book II), Chapter 1, Sections 2-4

Genesis 6:1-4 — Preparation for the Gospel, BOOK V, CHAPTER IV

Genesis 6:9 — Preparation for the Gospel, BOOK VII, CHAPTER VIII

Genesis 11:1-9 — Preparation for the Gospel, BOOK IX, CHAPTER XIV

Genesis 18:1 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.2.7-8

Habakkuk 2:2-3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:18

Haggai 2:2 — Ecclesiastical History 10:4

Hebrews 1:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.18

Hebrews 1:8-9 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.3

Hebrews 2:14 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4.12

Hebrews 7:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.3

Hebrews 7:4 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4.15

Hebrews 8:5 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.3

Hebrews 10:37-38 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.14

Hebrews 12:22 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.24

Hebrews 13:4 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1.9

Isaiah 1:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 3:18-23

Isaiah 1:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 4:1-3

Isaiah 1:30 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

Isaiah 2:2 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:13

Isaiah 2:3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1:4

Isaiah 3:9-10 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

Isaiah 5:25 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 5:25

Isaiah 6:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:16

The prophet had seen Christ and the glory of Christ in the vision in which he said, "I saw the Lord of hosts sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up," and what follows.

Isaiah 6:2 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 6:2

Isaiah 6:11 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

Isaiah 7:9 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7:1

Isaiah 7:14 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 1:44.56-105

Isaiah 8:6 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7:1

Isaiah 10:13 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:9

Isaiah 10:34 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 8:4

In this instance the birth of Christ from the seed of Jesse and David is joined with the destruction of Lebanon and the call of the Gentiles.

Isaiah 10:34 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

In this instance Lebanon means Jerusalem … which the Word warns will fall with all of the men of greatness and glory.

Isaiah 11:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7:3

It is prophesied that one will come forth of the seed of Jesse, that is to say, of David, many years after the death of both David and Solomon.

Isaiah 11:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

Isaiah 11:5 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 11:7

Isaiah 11:6 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3:2

Isaiah 13:14 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

Isaiah 14:12 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:9

Isaiah 16:5 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 16:1-5

Isaiah 17:4-8 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

Isaiah 19:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:2

Isaiah 19:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:20

Isaiah 19:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 8:5

Isaiah 21:10 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

Isaiah 22:17-23 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 148:6-20

Isaiah 23:18 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 152:23-153:2

Isaiah 24:6 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 2:3

Isaiah 24:15 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 7:19

Isaiah 25:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1:10

Isaiah 25:8 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:12

Isaiah 28:16 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 1:7

Isaiah 29:11 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 8:2

Isaiah 35:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:6

Isaiah 35:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:21

Isaiah 35:2 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:6

Isaiah 35:3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:13

Isaiah 39:1-2 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 39:1

Isaiah 40:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:15

Isaiah 40:6 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:16

Isaiah 40:16-17 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:18

Isaiah 41:2 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:19

Isaiah 41:6 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:19

Isaiah 41:8-9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:20

Isaiah 41:10 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:20

Isaiah 41:27 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:21

Isaiah 42:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:22

Isaiah 42:3 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9:15

Isaiah 42:4 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:22

Isaiah 42:5 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:22

Isaiah 42:9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:22

Isaiah 42:19-21 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:23

Isaiah 42:24 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:23

Isaiah 43:7 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:24

Isaiah 43:8-9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:24

Isaiah 43:16 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:25

Isaiah 43:22-24 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:25

Isaiah 44:9-10 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:26

Isaiah 44:15 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:26

Isaiah 45:7 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:27

Isaiah 45:13 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5:4

Isaiah 45:22 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:29

Or as Symmachus puts it: "Run to me and be saved, all the extremities of the earth." You see how he proclaims the catholic gospel to all the nations.

Isaiah 45:23 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:29

Isaiah 46:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:30

Isaiah 46:3 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:31

After your apostasies I will still continue to call you to repentance, since you are my creation. I created you; therefore I sustain you. I promise I will make atonement for your sins, if you change.

Isaiah 46:6 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:31

Isaiah 46:11 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:31

Isaiah 47:5 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:32

Isaiah 47:9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:32

Isaiah 47:10 — PREPARATION FOR THE GOSPEL 6:11

Isaiah 47:15 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:32

Isaiah 48:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:33

Isaiah 48:3 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:33

Isaiah 48:4-8 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:33

Isaiah 48:8 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:33

Isaiah 49:10 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:35

Isaiah 49:11-12 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:35

Isaiah 51:9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:39

Isaiah 52:5 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:40

Isaiah 52:7 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6:24

Isaiah 52:7 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3:1

Isaiah 53:4 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:42

Isaiah 53:5 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 10:4

Alone did he assume the penalties of our wicked deeds, not when we were half dead but even when already altogether foul and stinking in tombs and graves.

Isaiah 54:11 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:43

Isaiah 54:14 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:43

Isaiah 55:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:44

Isaiah 55:8 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:44

Isaiah 56:9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:45

Isaiah 60:9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:50

Isaiah 60:16 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:50

Isaiah 61:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:51

Isaiah 61:10 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:52

Isaiah 62:3 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:52

Isaiah 62:6-7 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:52

Isaiah 62:8 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:52

Isaiah 63:19 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:54

Isaiah 64:1 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2:54

Isaiah 65:15 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1:4

Judges 1:1-2 — THE PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 8.1

Jeremiah 1:6 — PREPARATION FOR THE GOSPEL 12:9

Jeremiah 2:21-22 — PREPARATION FOR THE GOSPEL 13:3

John 1:1 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.2.2-3

John 1:18 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.18.3

John 1:29 — PROOF OF THE GOSPELS 1.10.15-17

John 2:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9.8.8

John 2:12-13 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

John 3:24 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.24.8-12

John 4:10 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10.7.7-8

John 4:10 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.18.48-49

John 5:43 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.8.2-3

John 6:33 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7.2.43-44

John 8:1-11 — Church History (Book III), Chapter 39, Section 16

John 12:13 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9.18

John 12:15 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9.17

John 12:37 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7.1

John 12:41 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 7.1

John 16:33 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.5

John 18:13-14 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.10.2-7

John 18:18 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 6.18

John 18:36 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.20.3-4

John 18:37 — TO STEPHANUS 15.4

John 18:37 — COMMENTARY ON PSALM 88 [89].39-46

John 19:25 — Church History (Book III), Chapter 32, Sections 1-6

John 19:25 — Church History (Book III), Chapter 11, Sections 1-2

John 19:30 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4.12.3

John 20:2 — TO MARINUS, SUPPLEMENT 3

John 20:3-4 — TO MARINUS, SUPPLEMENT 2

John 20:5-7 — TO MARINUS, SUPPLEMENT 2

John 21:18-19 — Church History (Book III), Chapter 1

John 21:19 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2.25.5-8

John 21:20 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.31.3

John 21:24 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 6.25.9-10

Joshua 5:13-14 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.2

Joshua 5:14 — The Proof of the Gospel (Book V), Chapter 19

Jude 1:1 — HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 3.32

Jude 1:1 — HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 3.19

Lamentations 2:1-2 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 8:1.6-8:2.1

Luke 1:1 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 1:2 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 1:38 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

(vel Geometer.) Not only having obtained what he wished, but wondering at her virgin beauty, and the ripeness of her virtue.

Luke 2:1-2 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.5

Luke 3:19-20 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 3:19-20 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.24

Luke too, before beginning the acts of Jesus, makes a similar observation, saying that Herod added one more offense to his other crimes by shutting up John in jail.

Luke 3:23 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 4:18-21 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.1.88C-89A

Luke 6:13 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.10

Luke 6:14 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 6:15 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But Matthew was called from those who used to collect taxes; concerning whom he adds Matthew and Thomas.

Luke 6:15 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.5.120

Luke 6:20 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 6:23 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 7:2-3 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 7:4-6 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 7:29 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Because also they believed, they justified God, for He appeared just to them in all that He did.

Luke 7:30 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 8:5 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 8:7 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

There are also some who through covetousness, the desire of pleasure and worldly cares, which indeed Christ calls thorns, suffer the seed which has been sown in them to be choked.

Luke 8:10 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

But our Lord told them the reason why He spake to the multitudes in parables, as follows, And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of God.

Luke 8:12 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 8:12-14 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 8:13 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 8:14 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 8:16 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 8:17 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 8:43-44 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 9:1-2 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.10

Luke 9:1 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 9:3 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 9:6 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 9:28 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 10:1-2 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.12.1-3

Luke 10:10-12 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 12:8 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 12:9 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 12:24 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 12:25-26 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 12:27 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 12:34 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 13:21 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 13:30 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 14:15 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 16:16 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 17:23 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 17:24 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 17:29 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 17:30 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 17:31-32 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 17:37 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 19:11 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 19:12 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 19:13 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 19:14 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

By citizens He signifies the Jews, who were sprung from the same lineage according to the flesh, and with whom He joined in the customs of the law.

Luke 19:15 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 19:41-44 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.7

Luke 19:42 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 19:43-44 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 20:1-2 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 20:4-5 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 20:9 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 20:17 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 21:5-6 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 21:20 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 21:21 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 21:24 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 21:25-26 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 21:25 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 21:26 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 21:27 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 21:28 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 21:29-31 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 21:32 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 21:34-36 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 22:7 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 22:15 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 23:33 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 24:2 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 24:4 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 24:12 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 24:17-18 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.32

Luke 24:36 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 24:47 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Luke 24:48 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Matthew 1:16 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Matthew 2:2 — Unknown work

Matthew 2:19-20 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Matthew 4:12 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Matthew 4:17 — Catena Aurea by Aquinas (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)

Mark 1:1 — Church History (Book II), Chapter 15, Sections 1-2

And thus when the divine word had made its home among them, the power of Simon was quenched and immediately destroyed, together with the man himself. And so greatly did the splendor of piety illumine the minds of Peter's hearers that they were not satisfied with hearing once only, and were not content with the unwritten teaching of the divine Gospel, but with all sorts of entreaties they besought Mark, a follower of Peter, and the one whose Gospel is extant, that he would leave them a written monument of the doctrine which had been orally communicated to them. Nor did they cease until they had prevailed with the man, and had thus become the occasion of the written Gospel which bears the name of Mark. And they say that Peter — when he had learned, through a revelation of the Spirit, of that which had been done — was pleased with the zeal of the men, and that the work obtained the sanction of his authority for the purpose of being used in the churches. Clement in the eighth book of his Hypotyposes gives this account, and with him agrees the bishop of Hierapolis named Papias. And Peter makes mention of Mark in his first epistle which they say that he wrote in Rome itself, as is indicated by him, when he calls the city, by a figure, Babylon, as he does in the following words: "The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, salutes you; and so does Marcus my son." [1 Peter 5:13]

Mark 1:2 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9.5

Mark 1:16 — The Proof of the Gospel, Book 3

Mark 1:17 — The Proof of the Gospel, Book 3

Mark 2:14 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.5

The Apostle Matthew, if you consider his former life, did not leave a holy occupation, but came from those consumed with tax-gathering and overreaching one another.

Mark 3:17 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 23

Mark 6:17 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.11

Mark 14:72 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.5

Mark 15:24 — The Proof of the Gospel, Book 10

Mark 15:33 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10.7

Numbers 13:16 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.3

Numbers 24:8 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 8.3

Numbers 24:17 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 9.1

Numbers 36:6 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1.7

Philippians 2:6 — ON THE THEOLOGY OF THE CHURCH 1.2

Philippians 2:7 — DEMONSTRATION OF THE GOSPEL 10.1.22

Philippians 2:9 — COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 2.(53).63.5-6

Proverbs 8:22 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5:1

Psalms 1:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 1:1

Psalms 1:1 — COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 1:1

Psalms 2:1-2 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 2:2

Psalms 3:4 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 3:5

Psalms 3:5 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 3:6

Psalms 3:6 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 3:7

Psalms 3:7 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 3:8

Psalms 4:2 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 4:3

Psalms 4:8 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 4:9-10

Even if grief, calamities, temptations, disasters are not lacking to me in this present life, nevertheless there is a future time for me in which I will depart from the body and sleep in peace.

Psalms 5:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 5:1-5

Psalms 5:9 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 5:10-11

Psalms 5:11 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 5:12

Psalms 6:2 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 6:2-4

Psalms 7:7 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 7:7-8

Psalms 7:11 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 7:10, 11

Psalms 7:16 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 7:15-17

Psalms 7:17 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 7:18

Psalms 8:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 8:4-5

Psalms 8:6 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 8:6

Psalms 9:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 9:3-4

Psalms 9:9 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 9:10, 11

The righteous who now seek you know that you are not going to abandon them in the time of judgment. Let them hope strongly in you, having patience in everything awaiting the prepared retribution.

Psalms 9:14 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3:2.101

Psalms 9:15 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 9:16-17

Psalms 9:18 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 9:18-19

Psalms 9:20 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 9:20, 21

Psalms 10:6 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 10:27-31

Psalms 10:12 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 10:33-35

Psalms 10:17 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 10:38-39

Psalms 11:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 11:4-6

Psalms 11:4 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 11:4-6

Psalms 12:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 12:2-3

There is no righteous one left anywhere, he said, who can become the author of my deliverance. Truly I lack a Savior, and since there is none, you yourself, Lord, be my Savior.

Psalms 12:6 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 12:7

Psalms 13:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 13:3-5

Psalms 13:4 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 13:1-4

As we sin, the adversary becomes haughty and domineering over us, and we are pressed down by our sin; this is really the nature of sin, to cast down and to oppress the spirit.

Psalms 14:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 14:1

Psalms 14:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 14:3

Psalms 14:6 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 14:6

Psalms 17:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 17:1

Psalms 17:3 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 17:3

Psalms 17:13 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 17:13, 14

That sword will be the "word of God living and more active than any double edged sword," here in the place of a straight sword, which is entrusted to my spirit for driving out the enemies.

Psalms 18:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:1

Psalms 18:2 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:2, 3

Psalms 18:6 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:5-7

Psalms 18:7 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:8

Psalms 18:10 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:11-13

Psalms 18:12 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:14

Psalms 18:19 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:20-21

Psalms 18:28 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:29, 30

Psalms 18:29 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:29-30

Psalms 18:30 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:31-32

Psalms 18:32 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:33-34

Psalms 18:33 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:33-34

Psalms 18:36 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:37

Psalms 18:37 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:38

This is done for me through your grace, so that my feet are not ensnared nor am I cut off by the nets of my enemies or by the offenses that they had cast.

Psalms 18:43 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:44-46

Psalms 18:48 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18:50-51

Psalms 19:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 18[19]: 2

Psalms 19:2 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 19:3

Psalms 19:6 — ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 2:3

Psalms 20:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 4:16.5

Psalms 20:8 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 20:8-10

Psalms 21:1 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 21:2

Psalms 21:2 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 21:3-7

Psalms 21:10 — COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 21:11

Psalms 22:1 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.495-96

Psalms 22:2 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.496

Psalms 22:6 — PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 10:8.499

Wonder not if this was said of and fulfilled by the passion of the Savior, for even now he is a reproach among all people who have not yet received faith in him!