(John Henry Parker, v. I, J.G.F. and J. Rivington:London, 1842)
[p. 703]
l. And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage,
unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2. Saying unto
them, "Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find
an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3.
And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of
them; and straightway he will send them." 4. And this was done, that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5. "Tell ye
the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting
upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass." 6. And the disciples went,
and did as Jesus commanded them, 7. And brought the ass, and the colt,
and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8. And a very
great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches
from the trees, and strewed them in the way. 9. And the multitudes that
went before, and that followed, cried, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David:
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest."
[p. 704]
Remig.: The Evangelist related above that the Lord departed from Galilee,
and began to go up to Jerusalem. Being now occupied with telling what He
did by the way, he proceeds in his purpose, saying, "And when they drew
nigh to Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage." Bethphage was a small village
of the priests, situated on the declivity of Mount Olivet, one mile distant
from Jerusalem. For the priests who ministered in the temple their apportioned
time, when their office of ministration was discharged, withdrew to this
village to abide; as also did they who were to take their place. Because
it was commanded by their Law that none should travel on the Sabbath more
than a mile.
Origen: Whence Bethphage is interpreted, The house of the Shoulder;
for the shoulder was the priest's portion in the Law. It follows, "Then
Jesus sent two of his disciples."
Pseudo-Chrys.: He said not to His disciples, Say, Thy Lord, or Your
Lord, hath need of them; that they may understand, that He is Lord alone,
not of the beasts only, but of all men; for even sinners are by the law
of nature His, though by their own will they are the Devil's.
Chrys.: And think not this a little thing which was now done, for who
was it that wrought with the owners of the beasts that they refused not,
but yielded them? By this also He instructs His disciples that He could
have restrained the Jews, but would not; and further teaches them that
they should grant whatever is asked of them; for if they who knew not Christ,
now granted this, much more it becomes His disciples to give unto all.
For that which is said, "But will straightway let them go,"
Pseudo-Chrys.: it is to be understood, that after He had entered into
Jerusalem, the beast was returned by Christ to its owner. Gloss., ap. Anselm:
Or, The owner of the beasts will straightway send them to be engaged for
Christ's service. Hereto is added the testimony of the Prophet, that it
may be shewn that the Lord fulfilled all things which were written of Him,
but that the Scribes and Pharisees, blinded by envy, would not understand
the things that they read; "All this was done, that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken by the Prophet;" to wit, Zacharias. [Zech. 9:9]
Pseudo-Chrys.: For the Prophet knowing the malice of the Jews, that
they would speak against Christ when He went up to the Temple, gave [p.
705] them this sign beforehand, whereby they might know their King, "Say
ye to the daughter of Sion."
Raban.: In history, Daughter of Sion is the name given to the city of
Jerusalem, which stands on mount Sion. But mystically, it is the Church
of the faithful pertaining to the Jerusalem which is above.
Pseudo-Chrys.: "Behold," is a word used in pointing out any thing; look,
that is, not with the bodily eye, but with the spiritual understanding,
at the works of His power. Also aforetimes He oft said, "Behold," that
He might shew that He of whom He spake before He was born was even then
thy King. When then ye shall see Him, say not, "We have no King but Caesar.
He cometh to thee," [John 19:15] if thou wilt apprehend Him, that He may
save thee; if thou wilt not apprehend Him, He cometh against thee; "Meek,"
so that He is not to be feared for His power, but loved for His meekness;
wherefore He sitteth not on a golden car, refulgent in costly purple, nor
is mounted on a mettled steed, rejoicing in strife and battle, but upon
a she-ass, that loves peace and quiet.
Aug., de Cons. Ev., ii, 66: In this quotation from the Prophet, there
is some variety in the different Gospels. Matthew quotes it as if the Prophet
had expressly mentioned the she-ass; but it is not so quoted by John [marg.
note: John 12:15], nor in the Church-copies of the translation in common
use. This seems to me to be accounted for by the account, that Matthew
wrote his Gospel in the Hebrew language. And it is clear that the translation
called the LXX, has some things different from what are found in the Hebrew,
by those who know that tongue, and who have rendered the same books out
of the Hebrew. If the reason of this discrepancy be asked, I consider nothing
more likely than that the LXX interpreted with the selfsame spirit with
which the original was written, which is confirmed by that wonderful agreement
among them of which we are told. By thus varying the expression, while
they did not depart from the meaning of that God whose words they were,
they convey to us the very same thing as we gather from this agreement,
with slight variety, among the Evangelists. This shews us that it is no
lie, when one relates any thing with such diversities in detail, as that
he does not depart from his intention with whom he ought to agree. To know
this is useful in morals in avoiding lies; and for faith itself, that [p.
706] we should not suppose that the truth is secured in sacred sounds,
as though God imparted to us not the matter only, but the words in which
the matter is conveyed. Rather the matter is in such sort conveyed in words,
that we ought not to want words at all, if it were possible that the matter
could be known by us without words, as God and His Angels know it. It follows,
"But the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought the
ass, and the colt." The other Evangelists say nothing of the ass. And if
Matthew had not mentioned the colt, as they do not mention the ass, the
reader ought not to have been surprised. How much less then should it move
him, when one has so mentioned the ass which the others have omitted, as
not to forget the colt which they have mentioned. For there is no discrepancy
where both circumstances may have occurred, though one only related one,
and another; how much less then where one mentions both, though another
mentions only one? It follows, "And they put on them their clothes, and
set him thereon."
Jerome: But it seems that the Lord could not in so short a distance
have sate upon both animals; seeing then that the history has either an
impossibility or a meanness, we are sent to higher things, that is, to
the figurative sense.
Remig.: Notwithstanding, it was possible that the Lord might have sate
upon both animals.
Chrys.: To me it seems that He was mounted upon the ass, not only because
of the mystery, but to give us a lesson of wisdom, teaching us therein
that it needs not to be mounted on horses, but that it is sufficient to
employ an ass, and be content with that which is necessary. But enquire
of the Jews, what King has entered Jerusalem mounted upon an ass? They
can name none other, but this one only.
Jerome: The multitudes that came out of Jericho, and followed the Saviour,
cast down their garments, and strewed the way with branches of trees; and
therefore it follows, "But the multitudes spread their garments in the
way;" that is, beneath the feet of the ass, that it should not stumble
against a stone, nor tread upon a thorn, nor fall into a ditch. "Others
cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way;" from the
fruit-trees, that is, with which mount Olivet was clothed. And when all
that could be done was done, they added also [p. 707] the tribute of the
tongue, as it follows, "And the multitudes that went before, and that followed,
cried, saying, Hosannna to the Son of David." I shall shortly examine what
is the meaning of this word, Hosanna. In the hundred and seventeenth Psalm,
which is clearly written of the Saviour's coming, we read this among other
things; "Save me now, O Lord, send now prosperity. Blessed art thou that
art to come in the name of the Lord." [Ps 118:25] For that which the LXX
give , "Save now, O Lord;" we read in the Hebrew, 'Anna, adonai osianna,'
which Symmachus renders more plainly, "I pray thee, O Lord, save, I pray
thee." Let none think that it is a word made up of two words, one Greek
and one Hebrew, for it is pure Hebrew.
Remig.: And it is confounded of one perfect and one imperfect word.
For 'Hosi' signifies 'save," 'anna' is an interjection used in entreating.
Jerome: For it signifies that the coming of Christ is the salvation
of the world, whence it follows, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name
of the Lord." Which same thing the Saviour in the Gospel confirms, "I am
come in my John Father's name." [John 5:43]
Remig.: Because, namely, in all His good actions, He sought not His
own but His Father's glory. Gloss., ap. Anselm: And the meaning is, "Blessed,"
that is, Glorious, "is He that cometh," that is, is incarnate; "in the
name of the Lord;" that is, of the Father, by glorifying Him. Again they
repeat, "Hosanna," that is, "Save, I pray thee," and define whither they
would be saved, in the highest, that is in the heavenly, not in the earthly
places.
Jerome: Or by that which is added, "Hosanna," that is, Salvation, "in
the highest," it is clearly shewn that the coming of Christ is not the
salvation of man only, but of the whole world, joining earthly things to
things heavenly.
Origen: Or when they say, "Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He
that cometh in the name of the Lord," it is the dispensation of Christ's
humanity that they set forth; but His restoration to the holy places when
they say, "Hosanna in the highest."
Pseudo-Chrys.: "Hosanna," some interpret 'glory,' some 'redemption,"
and glory is His due, and redemption belongs to Him who has redeemed all
men. Hilary: The words of their song of praise, express His power of redemption;
in calling Him the Son of David, they acknowledge His hereditary title
to the kingdom, [p. 708]
Pseudo-Chrys.: Never before had the Lord employed the services of beasts,
nor surrounded Himself with the ornaments of green boughs, till now when
He is going up to Jerusalem to suffer. He moved them that beheld to do
that which they had before desired to do; so it was opportunity that was
now given them, not their purpose that was changed.
Jerome: Mystically; The Lord draws near to Jerusalem departing from
Jericho, and taking great multitudes with Him, because great and laden
with great wares, that is, the salvation of believers that has been entrusted
to Him, He seeks to enter the city of peace, the place of the beholding
of God. And He comes to Bethphage, that is, to The house of the jawbones;
He bare also the type of confession; and halted on Mount Olivet, where
is the light of knowledge, and the repose from toils and pains. By the
village over against the Apostles is denoted this world; for that was against
the Apostles, and was not willing to receive the light of their teaching.
Remig.: The Lord therefore sent His disciples from mount Olivet to the
village, when He guided the preachers forth from the primitive Church into
the world. He sent two, because there were two orders of preachers, as
the Apostle shews, saying, "He that wrought in Peter to the Apostleship
of circumcision, the same was mighty in me towards the Gentiles;" [Gal
2:8] or, because the precepts of charity are two; or, because there are
two testaments; or, because there is letter and spirit.
Jerome: Or, because there is theory and practice, that is, knowledge
and works. By the ass which had been under the yoke, and was broken, the
synagogue is understood. By the ass's colt wild and unbroken, the Gentile
people; for the Jewish nation is towards God the mother of the Gentiles.
Raban.: Whence Matthew, who wrote his Gospel to the Jews, is the only
one who mentions that the ass was brought to the Lord, to shew that this
same Hebrew nation, if it repent, need not despair of salvation.
Pseudo-Chrys.: Men are likened to animals, from some resemblance they
bear in their not recognising the Son of God. And this animal is unclean,
and beyond all other brutes incapable of reasoning, a stupid, helpless,
ignoble drudge. Such were men before the coming of Christ, unclean with
divers passions; unreasoning, that is, [p. 709] lacking the reason of the
Word; stupid, in their disregard of God; weak in soul; ignoble, because
forgetting their heavenly birth they became slaves of their passions, and
of the demons; drudges, because they toiled under the load of error laid
upon them by the daemons, or the Pharisees. The ass was tied, that is,
bound in the chain of diabolic error, so that it had not liberty to go
whither it would; for before we do any sin we have free will to follow,
or not, the will of the Devil; but if once by sinning we have bound ourselves
to do his works, we are no longer able to escape by our own strength, but,
like a vessel that has lost its rudder is tossed at the mercy of the storm,
so man, when by sin he has forfeited the aid of Divine grace, no longer
acts as he wills, but as the Devil wills. And if God, by the mighty arm
of His mercy, do not loose him, he will abide till death in the chain of
his sins. Therefore He saith to His disciples, "Loose them," that is, by
your teaching and miracles, for all the Jews and Gentiles were loosed by
the Apostles; "and bring them to me," that is, convert them to My glory.
Origen: Whence also, when He ascended into heaven, He gave command to
His disciples that they should loose sinners, for which also He gave them
the Holy Spirit. But being loosed, and making progress, and being nourished
by the Divinity of the Word, they are held worthy to be sent back to the
place whence they were taken, but no more to their former labours, but
to preach to them the Son of God, and this is what He signifies when He
says, "And straightway He will send them." Hilary: Or by the ass and the
colt is shewn the twofold calling from among the Gentiles. For the Samaritans
did serve after a certain fashion of obedience, and they are signified
by the ass; but the other Gentiles wild and unbroken are signified by the
colt. Therefore two are sent to loose them that are bound by the chains
of error; Samaria believed through Philip, and Cornelius as the first-fruits
of the Gentiles was brought by Peter to Christ.
Remig.: But as it was then said to the Apostles, "If any man say ought
to you, say ye, The Lord hath need of them;" so now it is commanded to
the preachers, that though any opposition he made to them, they should
not slack to preach.
Jerome: The Apostles' clothes which are laid upon the beasts may be
understood either as the teaching of virtues, or discernment of Scriptures,
or [p. 710] verities of ecclesiastical dogmas, with which, unless the soul
be furnished and instructed, it deserves not to have the Lord take His
seat there.
Remig.: The Lord sitting upon the ass goes towards Jerusalem, because
presiding over the Holy Church, or the faithful soul, He both guides it
in this life, and after this life leads it to the view of the heavenly
country. But the Apostles and other teachers set their garments upon the
ass, when they gave to the Gentiles the glory which they had received from
Christ. The multitudes spread their garments in the way, when they of the
circumcision who believed, despised the glory which they had by the Law.
They cut down branches from the trees, because out of the Prophets they
had heard of the green "Branch" as an emblem of Christ. [marg. note: Isa
11:1, Jer 23:5] Or, the multitudes who spread their garments in the way,
are the martyrs who gave to martyrdom for Christ their bodies, which are
the clothing of their minds. Or, they are signified, who subdue their bodies
by abstinence. They who cut down the branches of the trees, are they who
seek out the sayings and examples of the holy fathers for their own or
their children's salvation.
Jerome: When He says, "The multitudes that went before and that followed,"
He shews that both people, those who before the Gospel, and those who after
the Gospel, believed on the Lord, praise Jesus with the harmonious voice
of confession.
Pseudo-Chrys.: Those prophesying spoke of Christ who was to come; these
speak in praise of the coming of Christ already fulfilled.
10. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved,
saying, Who is this? 11. And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet
of Nazareth of Galilee. 12. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and
cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the
tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13.
And said unto them, "It is written, My house shall be called the house
of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." 14. And the blind and
the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. [p. 711] 15. And
when the Chief Priests and Scribes saw the wonderful things that he did,
and the children crying in the temple, and saying, "Hosanna to the Son
of David;" they were sore displeased, 16. And said unto him, "Hearest thou
what these say?" And Jesus saith unto them, "Yea; have ye never read, Out
of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?"
Jerome: When Jesus entered with the multitudes, the whole city of Jerusalem
was moved, wondering at the crowds, and not knowing the power.
Pseudo-Chrys.: With good reason were they moved at sight of a thing
so to be wondered at. Man was praised as God, but it was the God that was
praised in the man. But, I suppose, that neither they who praised knew
what they praised, but the Spirit that suddenly inspired there poured forth
the words of truth.
Origen: Moreover, when Jesus entered the true Jerusalem, they cried
out, wondering at His heavenly virtues, and said, "Who is this King of
glory?" [Ps 24:8]
Jerome: While others were in doubt or enquiring, the worthless multitude
confessed Him; "But the people said, This is Jesus the Prophet from Nazareth
in Galilee." They begin with the lesser that they may come to the greater.
They hail Him as that Prophet whom Moses had said should come like to himself,
[marg. note: Deut 15:18] which is rightly written in Greek with the testimony
of the article, "From Nazareth of Galilee," [marg. note: ] for there He
had been brought up, that the flower of the field might be nourished with
the flower of all excellencies.
Raban.: But it is to be noted, that this entry of His into Jerusalem
was five days before the passover. For John relates, that six days before
the Passover He came to Bethany, [John 12:1] and on the morrow sitting
on the ass entered Jerusalem. In this observe the correspondence between
the Old and New Testaments, not only in things but in seasons. For on the
tenth day of the first month, the lamb that was to be sacrificed for the
passover was to be taken into the house, [marg. note: Ex 12:3] because
on the same day of the same month, that is, five days before the passover,
the Lord was to enter the city in which He was to suffer.
Pseudo-Chrys.: "And Jesus entered into the temple of God." This was
the part of a good Son to [p. 712] haste to His Father's house, and do
Him honour; so you then becoming an imitator of Christ as soon as you enter
into any city, first run to the Church. Further, it was the part of a good
physician, that having entered to heal the sick city, he should first apply
himself to the source of the sickness; for as every thing good cometh out
of the temple, so also doth every evil. For when the priesthood is sound,
the whole Church flourishes, but if it is corrupt, faith is impaired; and
as when you see a tree whose leaves are pale-coloured you know that it
is diseased at its root, so when you see an undisciplined people conclude
without hesitation that their priesthood is unsound.
Jerome: "And he cast out all them that sold and bought." It should be
known that in obedience to the Law, in the Temple of the Lord venerated
throughout the whole world, and resorted to by Jews out of every quarter,
innumerable victims were sacrificed, especially on festival days, bulls,
rams, goats; the poor offering young pigeons and turtle-doves, that they
might not omit all sacrifice. But it would happen that those who came from
a distance would have no victim. The Priests therefore contrived a plan
for making a gain out of the people, selling to such as had no victim the
animals which they had need of for sacrifice, and themselves receiving
them back again as soon as sold. But this fraudulent practice was often
defeated by the poverty of the visitors, who lacking means had neither
victims, nor whence to purchase them. They therefore appointed bankers
who might lend to them under a bond. But because the Law forbade usury,
and money lent without interest was profitless, besides sometimes a loss
of the principal, they bethought themselves of another scheme; instead
of bankers they appointed 'collybistae,' a word for which the Latin has
no equivalent. [ed. note: " St. Jerome here gives a different sense of
the word, from what is commonly received among ancient writers. Hesychius,
as far as I know, is the only one who agrees with him, and he interprets
"collyba", sweetmeats. At the same time Hesychius himself makes its proper
sense to be "a kind of coin, with an ox stamped on the brass." Pollux and
Suidas and others agree with this interpretation, so far as to make the
word stand for a small coin. Hence Collybists were those who gave change
in small coin. Origen too, to whom St. Jerome is indebted for a great part
of his exposition, understands by Collybists those who change good coin
for bad, to the injury of those who employ them." Vallars, in loc.] Sweetmeats
and other trifling presents they called 'collyba,' such, for example, as
parched pulse, raisins, and apples of divers sorts. As then they could
not take [p. 713] usury, they accepted the value in kind, taking things
that are bought with money, as if this was not what Ezekiel preached of,
saying, "Ye shall not receive usury nor increase." [Ezek 18:17] This kind
of traffic, or cheating rather, the Lord seeing in His Father's house,
and moved thereat with spiritual zeal, cast out of the Temple this great
multitude of men.
Origen: For in that they ought neither to sell nor to buy, but to give
their time to prayer, being assembled in a house of prayer, whence it follows,
"And he saith unto them, It is written, My shall be called a house of prayer."
[Isa 56:7] Aug., Regula ad Serv. Dei., 3: Let no one therefore do ought
in the oratory, but that for which it was made and whence it got its name.
It follows, "But ye have made it a den of thieves."
Jerome: For he is indeed a thief, and turns the temple of God into a
den of thieves, who makes a gain of his religion. Among all the miracles
wrought by our Lord, this seems to me the most wonderful, that one man,
and He at that time mean to such a degree that He was afterwards crucified,
and while the Scribes and Pharisees were exasperated against Him seeing
their gains thus cut off, was able by the blows of one scourge to cast
out so great a multitude. Surely a flame and starry ray darted from his
eyes, and the majesty of the Godhead was radiant in his countenance.
Aug., de Cons. Ev., ii, 68: It is manifest that the Lord did this thing
not once but twice; the first time is told by John, this second occasion
by the other three.
Chrys., Hom., lxvii: Which aggravates the fault of the Jews, who after
He had done the same thing twice, yet persisted in their hardness.
Origen: Mystically; The Temple of God is the Church of Christ, wherein
are many, who live not, as they ought, spiritually, but after the flesh;
and that house of prayer which is built of living stones they make by their
actions to be a den of thieves. But if we must express more closely the
three kinds of men cast out of the Temple, we may say thus. Whosoever among
a Christian people spend their time in nothing else but buying and selling,
continuing but little in prayers or in other right actions, these are the
buyers and sellers in the Temple of God. Deacons who do not lay out well
the funds of their Churches, but grow rich out of the poor man's portion,
these are the money-changers whose tables Christ overturns. But that the
deacons preside over the tables of Church money, we learn from the Acts
of the Apostles. [marg. note: Acts 6:2] Bishops who commit [p. 714] Churches
to those they ought not, are they that sell the doves, that is, the grace
of the Holy Spirit, whose seats Christ overturns.
Jerome: But, according to the plain sense, the doves were not in seats,
but in cages; unless indeed the sellers of the doves were sitting in seats;
but that were absurd, for the seat denotes the dignity of the teacher,
which is brought down to nothing when it is mixed with covetousness. Mark
also, that through the avarice of the Priests, the altars of God are called
tables of money-changers. What we have spoken of Churches let each man
understand of himself, for the Apostle says, "Ye are the temple of God."
[2 Cor 6:16] Let there not be therefore in the abode of your breast the
spirit of bargaining, nor the desire of gifts, lest Jesus, entering in
anger and sternness, should purify His temple not without scourging, that
from a den of thieves He should make it a house of prayers.
Origen: Or, in His second coming He shall cast forth and overturn those
whom He shall find unworthy in God's temple.
Pseudo-Chrys.: For this reason also He overturns the tables of the money-changers,
to signify that in the temple of God ought to be no coin save spiritual,
such as bears the image of God, not an earthly image. He overturns the
seats of those that sold doves, saying by that deed, What make in My temple
so many doves for sale, since that one Dove descended of free gift upon
the temple of My Body? What the multitude had proclaimed by their shouts,
the Lord shews in deeds. Whence it follows, "And the blind and the lame
came to him in the temple, and he healed them."
Origen: For in the temple of God, that is in the Church, all have not
eyesight, nor do all walk uprightly, but only they who understand that
there is need of Christ and of none other to heal them; they coming to
the Word of God are healed.
Remig.: That they are healed in the Temple signifies, that men cannot
be healed but in the Church, to which is given the power of binding and
loosing.
Jerome: For had He not overthrown the tables of the money-changers and
the seats of them that sold doves, the blind and the lame would not have
deserved that their wonted sight and power of motion should be restored
to them in the temple.
Chrys.: But not even thus were the Chief Priests convinced, but at His
miracles and the shouts of the children they had indignation.
Jerome: For, not daring to lay hands on Him, the [p. 715] Priests defame
his works, and the testimony of the children who cried, "Hosanna to the
Son of David, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord," as though
this might be said to none but to the Son of God only. Let then Bishops
and all holy men take heed how they suffer these things to be said to them,
if this is charged as a fault in Him who is truly Lord to whom this was
said, because the faith of the believers was not yet confirmed.
Pseudo-Chrys.: For as a pillar a little out of the perpendicular, if
more weight be laid upon it, is driven to lean still more to one side;
so also the heart of man when once turned aside, is only stirred the more
with jealousy by seeing or hearing deeds of some righteous man. In this
way the Priests were stirred up against Christ, and said, "Hearest thou
what these say?"
Jerome: But the answer of Christ was cautious. He spake not what the
Scribes would fain have heard, The children do well that they bear witness
to me; nor on the other hand, They do what is wrong, they are but children,
you ought to be indulgent to their tender years. But He brings a quotation
from the eighth Psalm, [Ps 8:2] that though the Lord were silent, the testimony
of Scripture might defend the words of the children, as it follows, "But
Jesus said unto them, Yea, have ye never read, &c."
Pseudo-Chrys.: As though He had said, Be it so, it is My fault that
these cry thus. But is it My fault that so many thousand years before the
Prophet foretold that so it should be? But babes and sucklings cannot know
or praise any one. Therefore they are called babes, not in age, but in
guilelessness of heart; sucklings, because they cried out being moved by
their joy at the wonderful things they beheld, as by the sweetness of milk.
Miraculous works are called milk, because the beholding of miracles is
no toil, but rather excites wonder, and gently invites to the faith. Bread
is the doctrine of perfect righteousness, which none can receive but they
who have their senses exercised about spiritual things.
Chrys.: This was at once a type of the Gentiles, and no small comfort
to the Apostles; for that they might not be perplexed, contriving how having
no education for the purpose they should preach the Gospel, these children
going before them did away that fear; for He who made these to sing His
praises, shall give speech to those. This [p.716] miracle also shews that
Christ was the Framer of nature; seeing the children spoke things full
of meaning, and agreeing with the Prophets, whereas the men uttered things
meaningless, and full of frenzy.
