Complete Works, Vol. XX

ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, I-1.

Your God. Wisdom 4:1: O how beautiful is the chaste generation with clarity! Psalm 22:6: This is the generation of those who seek him, namely the Lord, etc.

"Of the generation," passive in Christ, and active in us. But according to this, once the term is posited, it must be used equivocally. However, it must be said that by the force of the relationship that exists between the nominative and the oblique case, the material cause and the passive generation are noted. But from the very meaning of the name, which is the generation of Jesus Christ, the efficient cause of our generation is noted. Isaiah 46:3 and 4: Hear me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel: you who are carried by me from my womb, who are borne by my belly. Even to your old age, I am the same, and even to your gray hairs I will carry you, etc. Therefore, the Vicar of Christ says, Galatians 4:19: My little children, of whom I am in labor again, until Christ be formed in you.

Namely, the Savior, not the destroyer. For just as Adam, falling from the imitation of the divine image and likeness, later begot in the image of the sinner, and not in the image of God (and this book is described in Genesis 5 1): so in the restoration from the image of the sinner, through the generation of "Jesus," we who are saved are restored to the imitation of the image and likeness of God. Colossians 3:9 and 10: Stripping yourselves of the old man with his deeds, and putting on the new, him who is renewed unto knowledge, according to the image of him that created him. 1 Corinthians 15:47 and following: The first man, namely Adam, is of the earth, earthly: the second man, namely Christ, is from heaven, heavenly. Such as the earthly is, such also are the earthly: and such as the heavenly is, such also are the heavenly. Therefore, as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of the heavenly. And it is said a little before, in the same place, verse 22: As in Adam all die,

1 Genesis 5:1 and following: This is the book of the generation of Adam, etc.

so also in Christ all shall be made alive. Now, Jesus is a name spoken of nature, not because it does not sound of action, but because that action does not befit Christ except according to the divine nature: because from that comes the value of the price of salvation, and from that the virtue of saving, and from that the effect of salvation; in it, salvation itself exists. Below, 1:21: He shall save his people from their sins. Habakkuk 3:18: But I will rejoice in the Lord: and I will exult in God my Jesus. Sirach 46:1 and 2: Valiant in war was Jesus son of Nave original: "Jesus Nave," traditionally Joshua, successor to Moses in the prophets, who was great according to his name, greatest for the salvation of the elect of God, to overcome the insurgent enemies, that he might obtain the inheritance of Israel. Acts 4:12: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved.

Namely, the Anointed. Isaiah 61:1: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me. The Father, however, is the anointer; the anointing is the divinity of the Holy Spirit; and the anointed is the humanity. Psalm 44:8: Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness 2. Song of Solomon 1:2: Thy name is as oil poured out. Acts 10:38: Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. Therefore, John of Damascus says that "Jesus" signifies God made human, and "Christ" signifies man deified, as if the divinity and humanity were meeting one another. And he calls the movement of God into man "Jesus," but he calls the movement of man into God "Christ." Song of Solomon 1:1: Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth. For the mouth of God is the Word, which speaks him: the kiss is the union of the Word with man. Therefore, Christ is called a name of office, because by the consecrating anointing, the office of King and Priest is conferred.

2 Compare to Hebrews 1:9.