Bede

If a man gives all the substance of his house, etc. This sentence does not require an explanation of words, as both the apostles themselves at the beginning and countless believers afterward have sufficiently proved its truth by their examples, when for the love of the truth they seemed to leave everything they possessed in this world, and appeared to lose nothing to themselves, so long as they would receive true goods in heaven. Which the Lord clearly indicated in the Gospel with two consecutive parables: "The kingdom of heaven," He says, "is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man, having found, hides, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field" (Matthew XIII). "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking goodly pearls; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it" (Matthew XIII). Hence the excellent preacher said most excellently, "For the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him" (Philippians III). But if it read, as some manuscripts have, "He will despise him," a very different sense is generated, that which the Apostle commends when he says, "If I give away all I have to the poor, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing" (I Corinthians XIII). Therefore, if a man gives all the substance of his house to the poor out of love, that is, for the sake of love, it is as if he gave nothing, and he will be despised by the judge who sees his heart empty of love. Although this seems contrary to the previous sense, it nonetheless demonstrates how high and necessary the virtue of love is; and both proceed to signify that we always carry love in our work simply like a seal.

Our little sister, etc. And this is addressed by the Lord to the Synagogue, admiring the faith or reception of the Church of the Gentiles; with great dispensation, calling her their sister, that is, both His and the Synagogue’s, so that the same Synagogue may recollect that the presence of its Creator was made through grace, and that it may rejoice more and more for the addition of the genuine society in grace. The sister, however, of the Lord the Savior is the entire Church gathered from both peoples, and each holy soul, not only because of the assumption of the same nature by which He also became human, but also by the grant of grace, by which He gave to those who believe in Him the power to become children of God, so that He who was the only Son of God by nature became the firstborn among many brothers by grace. Hence there is that most sweet saying of His to Mary: "Go to my brothers and say to them, I ascend to my Father and your Father; to my God, and your God" (John 20). Therefore, when He says, "Our little sister is immature and has no breasts," He designates the early times of the nascent Church of the Gentiles, when it was still small in the number of believing peoples, and less capable of preaching the word of God. Read the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles, which extends from the eighteenth year of Tiberius Caesar to the fourth year of Nero, and you will find that during the preaching of the apostles, many crowds from the Gentiles believed; yet you will not find that they preached during that entire time of about thirty years. For the Church of the Gentiles was still small and was not yet sufficient to generate or nourish through doctrine the sons of Christ. Therefore, the Lord admonishes the Synagogue, using fraternal charity, to rejoice in auspicious salvation, and to offer aid to its immaturity so that it can grow. To which He also adds:

What shall we do for our sister, etc.? The Lord speaks to the Church; He speaks to every chosen soul, when He admonishes it for eternal salvation, either through the hidden illumination of His Spirit or the open voice of preachers, in which address divine mercy considers the measure of our capabilities and grants its gifts according to the capacity of human understanding. So He says: "What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is to be spoken to?" As if He openly says: "Indeed, the Church of the Gentiles is small in number, and not yet sufficient to undertake the ministry of the word." What, then, does it seem to you, O Synagogue, should be done with regard to the care of her, that is, our sister, at the time when I begin to address her through my apostles and their successors? Should we entrust her, still as a little child, with the small secrets of heaven? Or should we already render her greater by growth so that, progressing well, she may be capable of perfect virtues? To her, silent and rather listening to what He Himself would want, He immediately reveals what it is proper to do, thus adding:

If she is a wall, let us build on it, etc. It is customary for the Lord Himself often to be designated in Sacred Scripture by the name of a wall or door. For He is rightly called a wall because He fortifies His Church on all sides, lest it be plundered by enemies; a door rightly, because it is only through Him that we enter either the fellowship of the Church or the ramparts of the eternal kingdom. For He says of Himself, I am the door of the sheep; if anyone enters by me, he will be saved (John 10). And again, No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14). The prophet, foretelling future gifts to the Church, says of Him: A wall and a rampart will be set within it (Isaiah 26). The wall indeed is He Himself appearing in the flesh; the rampart, however, is the revelation of prophecy, which by predicting Him to be incarnate from the world's beginning, greatly aided the structure of the Church. But He who, by appearing in the flesh, deigned to make the Church His sister, also granted her the participation of His name, so that she might also be called a wall and door: a wall indeed in those who, endowed with greater knowledge and power of the Spirit, are strong enough to fortify and defend the minds of the faithful from the incursions of error by resisting the weapons of iniquity; a door in those who, though less trained to repel the sophisms of heretics or pagans, are nevertheless wholesomely imbued with the simplicity of the Catholic faith, would open the entrance of the kingdom to those who wished by preaching, and lead them through the mystery of second regeneration into the courts of the heavenly life: just as He did not refrain from bestowing other names of virtues that undoubtedly specially pertain to Him to the more perfect members of His Bride. For instance, You are the light of the world (Matthew 10), and again, Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves (Luke 10); although He Himself is the true light that enlightens everyone coming into this world (John 1). He is the immaculate and uncontaminated Lamb who took away the sin of the world. Therefore, if she is a wall, He says, our sister, let us build upon her silver bulwarks; as if He were openly saying, If the Church of the Gentiles is suitable in some of its members, having men apt to teach, either naturally clever or instructed by philosophical training, we should not by any means deprive them of the ministry of teaching truth, but rather assist them by giving them the sacred pages of Scriptures, so that they may more strongly and easily guard the weak from the traps either of deceiving doctrine or corrupting example. For indeed silver bulwarks are the sacred words of divine eloquence, about which it is said above, Your neck is like the tower of David, built with bulwarks, and about which in the psalm: The words of the Lord are pure words, silver tried in a furnace, proved in the earth (Psalm 12). If she is a door, let us panel her with cedar boards; if there are those in her who know how to imbue the little ones with the word of simple doctrine, and lead them into the inner parts of holy conversation, let us propose to them the unfading examples of former just ones, by which they may more effectively fulfill the office entrusted to them: for it is often said that the virtues of the chosen are signified by cedars. Indeed, the figure of the boards expresses the width of their hearts in which they receive the memory of heavenly words; about which the prophet says, I run the way of Your commandments, for You have enlarged my heart (Psalm 119). It was fitting that the Apostle desired his listeners to be adorned with these boards, when he said: Our mouth is open to you, O Corinthians, our heart is enlarged. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections; but having the same recompense, I speak as to my children, you also be enlarged (2 Corinthians 6). Wherefore Solomon also admonishes the lover of wisdom, saying; Write her on the tablets of your heart (Proverbs 7). Hearing these counsels or promises of her Redeemer concerning her, the Church did not wait for the Synagogue's assent or answer to whom He was speaking, but immediately sprang up and responded to Him with a devoted voice:

I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers, etc. I am rightly called a wall, because I am built of living stones, because I am united by the glue of charity, because I am placed upon an immovable foundation, and because I cannot be overthrown by any battering ram of a heretic. The firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His." But there are also among us those who, endowed with greater grace, transcend the general life of the faithful by the special height of their virtues as much as a tower surpasses a wall, and who nourish the little ones and those still weak in faith with the milk of simpler exhortation, as though with breasts, and who repel all the darts of the perverse with their excellent power of speech, like a firm tower: all of which I could not have by my own freedom of will, but I received before Him, as one finding peace, by His gracious gift, that is, from the time He deigned to grant me the gift of His peace through the word of reconciliation. For neither by my own effort was I able to come before Him, from whom I had greatly departed, nor to recover the peace I had lost; but I most gratefully accepted the peace offered freely by Him. From the time He generously granted me this gift, I immediately grew in the virtues, and I profess that I am rightly compared to a wall, and that my breasts are like the towers, since I steadfastly repel hostile forces from harming that city, and I strive to raise new peoples for it always: because I could not have done this except through the gift of the peace granted by Him, I am pleased to speak further of the power of His peace.

He entrusted it to the keepers, etc. For the keepers of the Church are the prophets, the keepers are the apostles, the keepers are the successors of the prophets and apostles, who in different ages of the world were given to its governance by divine command; the keepers are the heavenly host of the military, who at all times during the passing of the age take care for the state of the Church, lest it be disturbed by the inbreaking of the wicked, whether men or spirits. But the man brings a thousand silver coins for the fruit of this vineyard, because whoever makes progress in acquiring the heavenly kingdom forsakes all that is of the world: for the fruit of labors done temporarily for the Lord is the reception of the eternal rest and kingdom with the Lord. Concerning which He Himself said, "I have appointed you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain" (John XV); that is, that you should work and receive wages, and that wage itself should never be ended. Scripture is accustomed to call a man of perfect virtue vir (man): for indeed vir takes its name from virtue, since undoubtedly a vir, that is, a soul elevated by the grace of virtue, brings a thousand silver coins for the fruit of this vineyard when he forsakes all his temporal possessions so as to be worthy to receive eternal goods. By the term silver coins, it designates any kind of money that should be forsaken. By the number a thousand, which is perfect and complete, the entirety is usually designated, and therefore by the thousand silver coins which a man is said to bring for the fruit of this vineyard, the entirety of what the perfect forsake for the Lord is indicated; which, even if sometimes small in valuation, is certainly judged to be great and abundant in the estimation of Him who considers not the sum of the given money, but the conscience of the giving man. This is the same sentiment which above is set forth in other words, "If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, he will utterly be contemned": indeed, here the thousand silver coins are set for all the substance of the house which is to be forsaken; but love, which, the other charismata ceasing, embraces us perpetually in the heavenly fatherland, is itself the fruit of the vineyard by which the blessed will then be satiated, who now in the same vineyard are laboring and are hungry and thirsty for righteousness. Then follows the voice of the One at peace, as it teaches how much care He has for His vineyard, namely the Church, what He conserves eternally for those who forsake their own for Him, what special reward He intends to give to the keepers of the same vineyard, that is, the teachers.

Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-Hamon; he leased the vineyard to keepers; everyone was to bring a thousand pieces of silver for its fruit. My own vineyard is before me. You, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those who keep its fruit two hundred. Speaking of this, the Church, or the Synagogue, which he saw to be emulated by her or, to say more gently, marveling at her conversion to the Lord, or indeed to her maidens, whom she was accustomed to call daughters of Jerusalem by this song. The Peaceful one, however, whom she names, is her spouse and beloved, the Father of the future age, the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9), whose figure Solomon presented both in the peaceful state of his kingdom and in his name itself. In whose peace the vineyard existed, because by His grace the Catholic Church was established throughout the world. It is mentioned in many passages of Scripture, but most clearly in the Gospel parable where it is written: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was a householder who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard," etc. (Matthew 20); where by the laborers of the first, third, sixth, ninth, and eleventh hour it is clearly expressed that the one and the same Church of Christ, throughout the entirety of this age, which is signified by one day's duration, is tirelessly cultivated by the labor of spiritual teachers. Likewise, there was a vineyard for the peaceful one in it, that is, in that peace about which He had foretold that it would be made in His presence, as if finding peace; because whoever neglects to have peace does not belong to the Church of Christ, even if he seems to confess Christ and obey His commands. For in peace is His place established. And the Apostle says, "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see God" (Hebrews XII); The society of this peace is set before us by the very sight and form of a most beautiful vineyard, which, to use the words of blessed Ambrose, "first plants a living root for the imitation of our life; then, because it is of a flexible and fragile nature, it clings with tendrils, like certain arms, to whatever it grasps, and with these raises and lifts itself." The people of the Church are like this, who are planted with a root of faith and restrained by the shoot of humility, and lest they be turned away by the storms of the world and driven by tempest, they embrace those around them with tendrils and circles, as if with the arms of charity, and rest in their union. This vineyard is cultivated when we are relieved from the burden of worldly concerns. For nothing burdens the mind more than such anxiety and desire, whether for money or power. A cultivated vineyard is supported so that it may be elevated when our affection is raised by the example of the saints, and does not lie low and despised, but each mind lifts itself to higher things, daring to say: "Our conversation is in heaven" (Philippians III). This vineyard has peoples, because the holy Church is gathered not from one Jewish nation, but from the peoples of all nations. The Church of the Gentiles was especially added for this reason, to teach that it could belong to this vineyard, and that Judea should not glory in the exclusivity of the divine knowledge given to it; for the Psalmist says, "Praise the Lord, all you nations" (Psalm CXVI). And Moses himself foretold, "Rejoice, O nations, with His people" (Romans XV). Since the Lord greatly cares for this vineyard so that it may be kept undefiled, and there is great necessity for men to participate in it, it is rightly added:

My vineyard is before me, etc. "Truly," he says, "you have been proven worthy because I have entrusted my vineyard to guardians, who would cultivate it with their words and examples alike. But you should know that I have entrusted its care to the same guardians in such a way that I, nonetheless, incessantly observe what is happening in it, with what spirit, with what industry each person works in it; I watch how many covert attacks, how many open conflicts it endures from adversaries. And what more? Behold, I am with it all days until the end of the world. But when this will have appeared, then I will render fitting rewards to everyone who works in my vineyard, or for my vineyard, or against my vineyard. For those who have dispensed all that they had or could have acquired in the world for its fruit, that is, for the hope of the heavenly inheritance, have given to the poor, will certainly attain the realization of their hope; indeed, they will receive greater gifts in the heavens than they could have hoped for, since neither eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him. But those who were guardians of the same vineyard by preaching or by shining through higher deeds will be given a double reward above other just ones. Thus, it is said to Daniel through the angel, 'And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever' (Dan. XII). And this is also what here those who contemn transient goods for the sake of eternal perception, who, due to the unanimity of hope, are deemed by the title of a single man. 'A thousand,' he says, 'are yours, O peaceful ones,' and immediately he explained what greater reward is reserved for those who maintain the state of the Church with greater industry by adding: 'And two hundred for those who keep its fruits.' For a thousand and a hundred each being a perfect number, are rightly understood to be set for the perfection and fullness of eternal retribution. Indeed, two hundred, that is, a doubled hundred, designates greater rewards for perfect doctors; of which the Apostle speaks, even of those to be begun in this life: 'Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine' (I Tim. V). Therefore, he says, 'a thousand of yours are peaceful; a thousand of yours are silver, which you have brought for the fruit, peaceful in receiving my vineyard with me,' that is, preserved in their full number. Nor is it in any way for you to fear that you might lose any of the good works you have done through forgetfulness or through the ignorance of the just judge." For I come to consider the deeds and thoughts of men, that I may gather them with all nations and tongues, and render to each according to their own body, as they have done. Likewise, because peacemakers are called such from their habit of making peace, just as those are called peaceful who uphold the laws of peace, peacemakers are the saints of silver who contribute through truth, for they open the path to the vision of eternal peace, which is customary to be expressed by the name of the heavenly city and mother of us all, the new Jerusalem. And two hundred to those who guard its fruits; it is understood, Silver peacemakers, that the full sentence be: Your silver peacemakers are a thousand, and two hundred silver peacemakers to those who guard its fruits; for those who undergo double labor in the present, both by living soberly, justly, and piously, and by ensuring the fruits of the church do not fail and are not seized by enemies, protecting them through their preaching, surely attain double rewards in the future. Therefore, the same distributor of gifts soon encourages his church, or any soul devoted to good deeds, to persist as much as they can in preaching the word of truth. Dwelling, he says, in the gardens of a friend, listen, make me hear your voice. As if to say openly: Since our conversation, which has extended far, now needs to be concluded, what do I ask of you most, what do I request? Hear: Nothing is sweeter to me than for you to dwell in the gardens, that is, to place your residence in the cultivation of spiritual fruits. And do not set up a hut there, as if to leave shortly, with makeshift work; but with a fixed and unwavering mind, await my coming. For you know that I am accustomed to often descend to my garden, to the bed of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies, that is, to see, help, and reward the pursuits of good works. Then I require a gift from you, that you make me hear your voice by preaching, as much as you can, my commandments of law and promises of reward. For whenever you do these things, remember that I always listen to you, who am always present to your prayers. Also, our friends listen, namely the angels, whom I have given you as helpers against the daily battles of evil spirits, and the spirits of just men, whom, having taken from your congregation, I have already gathered to the vision of my glory, to which you will all come someday. For both are friends to you, both observe your deeds and words. They greatly rejoice when they see you acting bravely for the attainment of the blessedness they enjoy; they exult whenever some of your faithful enter there; and they hasten to welcome them with their arms. Having said these things, immediately the Church replied:

Flee, my beloved, etc. This phrase can rightly be understood both concerning the triumph of the Lord's ascension and concerning those things which occur daily in the Church. For the beloved flees after speaking to the bridegroom and his sister, because, having completed the dispensation of our Redemption, he returned to the heavens. He is likened to a roebuck and to a young stag upon the mountains of spices, because he most frequently appears through the grace of compunction in the hearts of his faithful, who are mountains of spices, because, despising lowly desires, they are held by the love of heavenly things, and purged of the stench of vices, they are filled with the special fragrance of virtues, saying with the Apostle, “But our conversation is in heaven” (Philippians III); and, “We are a sweet savor of Christ” (II Corinthians II). And indeed it is fitting that at the end of this sacred song, mention is made of his ascension and the ensuing grace, because a little earlier, the joys of his incarnation had been desired by the bride, saying, “Who would give you to me, my brother, sucking the breasts of my mother?" The fruit of his passion had also been brought forth, with him saying, “I raised you up under the apple tree.” And again, “For love is strong as death.” Therefore, flee, my beloved, she says, and be like a roebuck or a young stag upon the mountains of spices: as if to say openly, “Since appearing in the flesh, you have deigned to confer upon me the precepts and gifts of heavenly life which I always desired, now, the task of the holy dispensation having been completed, return now to the heights, to the bosom of the Father; yet, I beseech you, do not entirely withdraw from me the light of your frequent visitation; but just as a roebuck or a young stag, which, though they are untamed animals, not accustomed to human access, yet are often seen on the mountains, so I ask you to remember to act with me, such that although you remain in the heavens bodily and do not return to human dwellings, you nevertheless provide me with the frequent aid of your divine presence. For in this way alone can I accomplish that great command which you gave me as a final farewell, that I always inhabit the gardens of virtues, always make my voice of confession and preaching heard to you. Moreover, this sentence can also, as we have said, be not inappropriately understood concerning the daily state of the holy Church. For the beloved indeed flees from the bride inhabiting the gardens whom he was addressing, when to a mind intent on good actions, either the grace of virtues, which he used to bestow, is temporarily withdrawn, or he submits it to the storms of temptations for testing, so that she is rightly compelled to say, “How long, O Lord, will you forget me? Forever? How long will you turn your face away from me?” etc., until the end of the psalm (Psalm XII). He is compared to a roebuck and a young stag on the mountains of spices; when again, as he himself judges it opportune, he places himself in the light of his protection, either lifting the peril of besetting temptations or restoring customary gifts of virtues which seemed to have been withdrawn. For, to pass over greater and more substantial charismata, as an example, healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, a sure knowledge of secrets, a bright contemplation of heavenly joys and other such things, which even in the most exceptional members of the Church can hardly always be present. For it is evident concerning our smallness, because we can by no means always persist in the sweetness of prayers in the same and indistinguishable way, to shed tears either for the awareness of our guilt or for the desire of the heavenly homeland, to sympathize with a suffering neighbor, to resist pressing temptations; so that sometimes, much striving, we cannot use these goods, and at other times, even with less effort, we achieve abundance of them. What is to be made of this, unless because now the beloved flees, now he revisits our mind, with pious provision for each (somehow), so that we might grow in the progress of virtues through the grace bestowed and learn to guard humility through the virtue removed? He withdraws the desired effect of virtue for a time, so that it may be held more tightly when restored; he returns what was withdrawn, so that the mind, exercised by frequent renewal, may stretch more fervently toward heavenly things. Therefore, what he says, "Flee, my beloved," he speaks not by desiring; who would want to drive away from his presence someone he loves? but rather with his will burning, mindful indeed of his custom, whereby often leaving in the midst of discourse, he moved aside and withdrew, so that he could be found only by diligent and long search; mindful also of his condition, because he cannot see him continuously in this time or place of pilgrimage. What then did he add? "Become like a roe or a young stag on the mountains of spices"; he follows by desiring and supplicating much, knowing that this is the greatest happiness in the present life for him, that since he cannot endure continuous vision, at least he may be consoled by frequent visitation. Which certainly this happiness is granted only to those who, by the contempt of earthly things and desire for heavenly joys, are deemed worthy to be called spiritual mountains of spices.

He commanded them, among other things, to pray as follows: “And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” Or [it may be that] he calls his disciples “evil” because in comparison with the divine goodness, every creature is judged to be evil, as the Lord says, “No one is good except God alone.” It is only by participation in the divine goodness that a rational creature is recognized as being capable of becoming good. Hence the Lord also bears witness by a benevolent promise that your heavenly Father will “give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” This is to the point that those who of themselves are evil can become good through receiving the gift of the Spirit. He pledged that his good Spirit would be given by the Father to those asking for him, because whether we desire to secure faith, hope and charity, or any other heavenly goods at all, they are not bestowed upon us otherwise than by the gift of the Holy Spirit. So it is that the same spirit, in Isaiah, is named the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety, the spirit of the fear of the Lord; and in another place, the spirit of love and peace, [and] the spirit of grace and prayer. Undoubtedly whatever good we truly have, whatever we do well, this we receive from the lavishness of the same Spirit. When a prophet who understood this was seeking purity of heart, saying, “Create a pure heart in me, O Lord,” he immediately added, “Renew an upright spirit in my inmost parts.” If the upright spirit of the Lord does not fill our innermost being, we have no pure heart where he may abide. When in his eager longing for and advance in good for his work he had said, “Lord, I have had recourse to you, teach me to do your will,” he at once showed in what way he had to secure this when he went on, “Let your good spirit lead me into the right way.”