Incomplete Commentary on Matthew (Opus imperfectum), Volumes 1 & 2
Overview
In the translator’s introduction to this volume, James Kellerman relates the following story: As Thomas Aquinas was approaching Paris, a fellow traveler pointed out the lovely buildings gracing that city. Aquinas was impressed, to be sure, but he sighed and stated that he would rather have the complete Incomplete Commentary on Matthew than to be mayor of Paris itself. Thomas’s affection for the work attests its great popularity during the Middle Ages, despite its significant missing parts—everything beyond the end of Matthew 25, with further gaps of Matthew 8:11–10:15 and 13:14–18:35. Despite the gaps what remains is quite lengthy, so much so that we offer the work in two volumes, comprising fifty-four homilies. While the early-fifth-century author displays a few Arian propensities in a handful of passages, for the most part the commentary is moral in nature and therefore orthodox and generic. The unknown author, who for several centuries was thought to be John Chrysostom, follows the allegorizing method of the Alexandrians, but not by overlooking the literal meaning. His passion, above all, is to set forth the meaning of Matthew’s Gospel for his readers. Here for the first time this ancient work is made available in English, ably translated by James A. Kellerman and edited by Thomas C. Oden.
Top Highlights
“The good soil is those who refrain from evil riches and do good deeds as much as they can, and their fruit is thirtyfold. But if they despise all their good deeds and approach to serve God, they have a sixtyfold fruit. But if also an infirmity of the body afflicts them and they endure it faithfully, they have a hundredfold fruit and are good soil. For also Job before his testing had a thirtyfold harvest as he lived righteously in his wealth; after the loss of his wealth and children, he had a sixtyfold harvest; but after the plague on his body, he had a hundredfold harvest.” (Page 246)
“But if they not only did not enjoy the honors of their apostolate for humility’s sake but also suffered various afflictions for humankind’s salvation and Christ’s glory, it is clear that they did not desire the honor of an apostle but merely the task of the toil and labor of being an apostle.” (Page 78)
“Christ knocks at the door of a Christian either by speaking through the divine Scriptures or by leading good thoughts into his heart. He who welcomes them opens the door to Christ, but whoever drives them away closes the door to him. Therefore he orders the soul to enter the inner mind when it prays so that it does not think about anything except what it is praying for and to whom it is praying. He orders the soul to close the door of its fleshly senses so that it might shut out all carnal thoughts and worries. But if when praying you think about carnal matters, you have not entered into the inner mind, nor have you closed the door of the senses, and so your soul, speaking silently with extraneous thoughts, destroys the time of prayer.” (Page 120)
- Title: Incomplete Commentary on Matthew (Opus imperfectum), Volumes 1 & 2
- Author: Thomas C. Oden
- Series: Ancient Christian Texts
- Volume: 1 & 2
- Publisher: IVP Academic
- Print Publication Date: 2010
- Logos Release Date: 2017
- Era: era:nicene
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Bible. N.T. Matthew › Commentaries; Bible. N.T. Matthew › Sermons; Sermons, Latin › Translations into English
- ISBNs: 9780830867257, 9780830829019, 9780830829026, 0830867252, 0830829016, 0830829024
- Resource ID: LLS:ACT61MT
- Resource Type: Bible Commentary
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T19:05:25Z