After a few days, he turned himself from that commentary to expounding the Epistle inscribed to the Ephesians, as he testifies in the preface. In this work, he seems to have been so pleased with himself that he once wished his own faith, which was marked by rivals for his favor toward Origen, to be judged by it. Finally, he explained the one inscribed to Titus in a short commentary a little later. He designates the time at the eleventh verse of the first chapter, where he says: A few months ago I dictated three volumes in the explanation of the Epistle to the Galatians. Now, from the whole series of these expositions, we conclude that they all pertain to the same year, of which a few months had also passed, once the calculation of each has been subtracted. As to which year this properly was, you may easily understand from the place it holds in the Catalogue, where they are placed immediately before the Questions on Genesis, and you may confirm this all the more by the testimony you have in chapter 5 of the Epistle to the Ephesians, where at that very time he professes his intention to labor on the work of Hebrew Questions. Therefore, if we have correctly established in its own place that the Hebrew Questions on Genesis pertain to the year 388, and these are to be attributed to the preceding year 387, there will be no doubt.

The volume is completed by an Appendix, which contains the Breviary on the Psalter and other Treatises on the Psalms falsely ascribed to Jerome, about which we have spoken abundantly in the specific Admonition prefixed to them. It now remains only for one thing: since it is not the least praise of the Hieronymian name that "he pleased the princes," you should know that this edition of ours owes much to the most illustrious pontiff of this our Church, Joannes Bragadenus John Bragadino, who both received it long ago with the utmost kindness and fostered it with the protection of his humanity; finally, he also caused hope to be raised for its publication. I do not say this so much with the intention that I wish a public monument of his favor to exist more lasting than bronze, as that the learned world might pray for all favorable things for his most generous will toward letters, and hope for greater increments of knowledge and piety day by day.

(a) In the appendix of our edition, the Commentary on Job holds the first place, which we moved to that location due to reasons exposed in the beginning of that commentary itself. EDIT.

S. EUSEBIUS HIERONYMUS

PRESBYTER OF STRIDON

COMMENTARIES

ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

TO EUSEBIUS

FOUR BOOKS.

PROLOGUE.

1-2

That there were many who wrote the Gospels, Luke the evangelist also testifies, saying: Forasmuch as

^1 Six manuscript codices provided help for reviewing this Commentary on Matthew. One of very large format, but of good quality, from the Library of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem of the City; three Vatican-Palatine [codices] marked with the numbers 176, 177, and 181, from which the first two are distinguished by age and emendation. Likewise, another Palatine under number 5, which we consulted only for troubled passages. Finally, one Vatican [codex], formerly of the Queen of the Swedes, number 40, which we found to be especially good.

many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which

A note regarding the manuscript sources: Six manuscript codices were utilized for this edition of the Commentary on Matthew. These include a large format manuscript from the Biblioteca di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, three Vatican-Palatine codices (176, 177, and 181), an additional Palatine codex (No. 5), and a Vatican manuscript (formerly belonging to the Queen of Sweden, No. 40).