Table Of ContentNPNF1-06. St. Augustine: Sermon on the Mount;
Harmony of the Gospels; Homilies on the Gospels
i
Author(s): Schaff, Philip (1819-1893) (Editor)
Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library
Description: With over twenty volumes, the Nicene and Post-Nicene
Fathers is a momentous achievement. Originally gathered
by Philip Schaff, the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers is a
collection of writings by classical and medieval Christian
theologians.The purpose of such a collection is to make their
writings readily available.The entire work is divided into two
series.The first series focuses on two classical Christian
theologians--St. Augustine and St. John Chrysostom. St.
Augustine is one of the most influential and important Chris-
tian thinkers of all time. In addition to reprinting his most
popular two works--the Confessions and the City of
God--these volumes also contain other noteworthy and im-
portant works of St. Augustine, such as On the Holy Trinity,
Christian Doctrine, and others. St. John Chrysostom was an
eloquent speaker and well-loved Christian clergyman. St.
John took a more literal interpretation of Scripture, and much
of his work focused on practical aspects of Christianity, par-
ticularly what is now called social justice. He advocated for
the poor, and challenged abuses of authority.This volume
contains Augustine's exegesis of, and homilies on, the Gos-
pels.The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers is comprehensive
in scope, and provide keen translations of instructive and il-
luminating texts from some of the greatest theologians of the
Christian church.These spiritually enlightening texts have
aided Christians for over a thousand years, and remain in-
structive and fruitful even today!
Tim Perrine
CCEL Staff Writer
Subjects: Christianity
Early Christian Literature. Fathers of the Church, etc.
Contents
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Title Page. 1
Contents 2
Preface. 4
Introductory Essay. St. Augustin as an Exegete. 5
Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. 13
Title Page. 13
Explanation of the First Part of the Sermon Delivered by Our Lord on the Mount, 14
as Contained in the Fifth Chapter of Matthew.
Chapter I 15
Chapter II 19
Chapter III 22
Chapter IV 24
Chapter V 26
Chapter VI 28
Chapter VII 31
Chapter VIII 33
Chapter IX 34
Chapter X 38
Chapter XI 40
Chapter XII 44
Chapter XIII 47
Chapter XIV 49
Chapter XV 51
Chapter XVI 53
Chapter XVII 59
Chapter XVIII 63
Chapter XIX 65
Chapter XX 71
Chapter XXI 75
Chapter XXII 78
Chapter XXIII 82
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On the Latter Part of Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, Contained in the Sixth 85
and Seventh Chapters of Matthew.
Chapter I 86
Chapter II 89
Chapter III 93
Chapter IV 96
Chapter V 99
Chapter VI 101
Chapter VII 104
Chapter VIII 106
Chapter IX 108
Chapter X 113
Chapter XI 115
Chapter XII 117
Chapter XIII 120
Chapter XIV 122
Chapter XV 124
Chapter XVI 126
Chapter XVII 129
Chapter XVIII 133
Chapter XIX 136
Chapter XX 138
Chapter XXI 141
Chapter XXII 143
Chapter XXIII 145
Chapter XXIV 146
Chapter XXV 149
The Harmony of the Gospels. 153
Title Page. 153
Introductory Essay. 154
Translator’s Introductory Notice. 160
Book I 163
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On the Authority of the Gospels. 164
On the Order of the Evangelists, and the Principles on Which They Wrote. 166
Of the Fact that Matthew, Together with Mark, Had Specially in View the Kingly 168
Character of Christ, Whereas Luke Dealt with the Priestly.
Of the Fact that John Undertook the Exposition of Christ’s Divinity. 170
Concerning the Two Virtues, of Which John is Conversant with the 171
Contemplative, the Other Evangelists with the Active.
Of the Four Living Creatures in the Apocalypse, Which Have Been Taken by 173
Some in One Application, and by Others in Another, as Apt Figures of the Four
Evangelists.
A Statement of Augustin’s Reason for Undertaking This Work on the Harmony 175
of the Evangelists, and an Example of the Method in Which He Meets Those
Who Allege that Christ Wrote Nothing Himself, and that His Disciples Made
an Unwarranted Affirmation in Proclaiming Him to Be God.
Of the Question Why, If Christ is Believed to Have Been the Wisest of Men on 178
the Testimony of Common Narrative Report, He Should Not Be Believed to Be
God on the Testimony of the Superior Report of Preaching.
Of Certain Persons Who Pretend that Christ Wrote Books on the Arts of Magic. 180
Of Some Who are Mad Enough to Suppose that the Books Were Inscribed with 181
the Names of Peter and Paul.
In Opposition to Those Who Foolishly Imagine that Christ Converted the People 183
to Himself by Magical Arts.
Of the Fact that the God of the Jews, After the Subjugation of that People, Was 184
Still Not Accepted by the Romans, Because His Commandment Was that He
Alone Should Be Worshipped, and Images Destroyed.
Of the Question Why God Suffered the Jews to Be Reduced to Subjection. 186
Of the Fact that the God of the Hebrews, Although the People Were Conquered, 187
Proved Himself to Be Unconquered, by Overthrowing the Idols, and by Turning
All the Gentiles to His Own Service.
Of the Fact that the Pagans, When Constrained to Laud Christ, Have Launched 189
Their Insults Against His Disciples.
Of the Fact That, on the Subject of the Destruction of Idols, the Apostles Taught 190
Nothing Different from What Was Taught by Christ or by the Prophets.
In Opposition to the Romans Who Rejected the God of Israel Alone. 191
Of the Fact that the God of the Hebrews is Not Received by the Romans, Because 192
His Will is that He Alone Should Be Worshipped.
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The Proof that This God is the True God. 193
Of the Fact that Nothing is Discovered to Have Been Predicted by the Prophets 194
of the Pagans in Opposition to the God of the Hebrews.
An Argument for the Exclusive Worship of This God, Who, While He Prohibits 195
Other Deities from Being Worshipped, is Not Himself Interdicted by Other
Divinities from Being Worshipped.
Of the Opinion Entertained by the Gentiles Regarding Our God. 196
Of the Follies Which the Pagans Have Indulged in Regarding Jupiter and Saturn. 197
Of the Fact that Those Persons Who Reject the God of Israel, in Consequence 203
Fail to Worship All the Gods; And, on the Other Hand, that Those Who Worship
Other Gods, Fail to Worship Him.
Of the Fact that the False Gods Do Not Forbid Others to Be Worshipped Along 204
with Themselves. That the God of Israel is the True God, is Proved by His Works,
Both in Prophecy and in Fulfilment.
Of the Fact that Idolatry Has Been Subverted by the Name of Christ, and by the 206
Faith of Christians According to the Prophecies.
An Argument Urging It Upon the Remnant of Idolaters that They Should at 208
Length Become Servants of This True God, Who Everywhere is Subverting
Idols.
Of the Predicted Rejection of Idols. 209
Of the Question Why the Heathen Should Refuse to Worship the God of Israel; 211
Even Although They Deem Him to Be Only the Presiding Divinity of the
Elements?
Of the Fact That, as the Prophecies Have Been Fulfilled, the God of Israel Has 212
Now Been Made Known Everywhere.
The Fulfilment of the Prophecies Concerning Christ. 214
A Statement in Vindication of the Doctrine of the Apostles as Opposed to 217
Idolatry, in the Words of the Prophecies.
A Statement in Opposition to Those Who Make the Complaint that the Bliss 219
of Human Life Has Been Impaired by the Entrance of Christian Times.
Epilogue to the Preceding. 221
Of the Fact that the Mystery of a Mediator Was Made Known to Those Who 222
Lived in Ancient Times by the Agency of Prophecy, as It is Now Declared to
Us in the Gospel.
Book II 224
The Prologue. 225
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A Statement of the Reason Why the Enumeration of the Ancestors of Christ is 226
Carried Down to Joseph, While Christ Was Not Born of that Man’s Seed, But
of the Virgin Mary.
An Explanation of the Sense in Which Christ is the Son of David, Although He 228
Was Not Begotten in the Way of Ordinary Generation by Joseph the Son of
David.
A Statement of the Reason Why Matthew Enumerates One Succession of 229
Ancestors for Christ, and Luke Another.
Of the Reason Why Forty Generations (Not Including Christ Himself) are Found 232
in Matthew, Although He Divides Them into Three Successions of Fourteen
Each.
A Statement of the Manner in Which Luke’s Procedure is Proved to Be in 237
Harmony with Matthew’s in Those Matters Concerning the Conception and
the Infancy or Boyhood of Christ, Which are Omitted by the One and Recorded
by the Other.
On the Position Given to the Preaching of John the Baptist in All the Four 247
Evangelists.
Of the Two Herods. 250
An Explanation of the Statement Made by Matthew, to the Effect that Joseph 251
Was Afraid to Go with the Infant Christ into Jerusalem on Account of Archelaus,
and Yet Was Not Afraid to Go into Galilee, Where Herod, that Prince’s Brother,
Was Tetrarch.
An Explanation of the Circumstance that Matthew States that Joseph’s Reason 252
for Going into Galilee with the Child Christ Was His Fear of Archelaus, Who
Was Reigning at that Time in Jerusalem in Place of His Father, While Luke Tells
Us that the Reason for Going into Galilee Was the Fact that Their City Nazareth
Was There.
A Statement of the Reason Why Luke Tells Us that ‘His Parents Went to 253
Jerusalem Every Year at the Feast of the Passover’ Along with the Boy; While
Matthew Intimates that Their Dread of Archelaus Made Them Afraid to Go
There on Their Return from Egypt.
An Examination of the Question as to How It Was Possible for Them to Go 254
Up, According to Luke’s Statement, with Him to Jerusalem to the Temple, When
the Days of the Purification of the Mother of Christ Were Accomplished, in
Order to Perform the Usual Rites, If It is Correctly Recorded by Matthew, that
Herod Had Already Learned from the Wise Men that the Child Was Born in
Whose Stead, When He Sought for Him, He Slew So Many Children.
Concerning the Words Ascribed to John by All the Four Evangelists Respectively. 256
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Of the Baptism of Jesus. 262
Of the Words or the Voice that Came from Heaven Upon Him When He Had 263
Been Baptized.
An Explanation of the Circumstance That, According to the Evangelist John, 265
John the Baptist Says, ‘I Knew Him Not;’ While, According to the Others, It is
Found that He Did Already Know Him.
Of the Temptation of Jesus. 266
Of the Calling of the Apostles as They Were Fishing. 267
Of the Date of His Departure into Galilee. 272
Of the Lengthened Sermon Which, According to Matthew, He Delivered on 273
the Mount.
An Explanation of the Circumstance that Matthew Tells Us How the Centurion 277
Came to Jesus on Behalf of His Servant, While Luke’s Statement is that the
Centurion Despatched Friends to Him.
Of the Order in Which the Narrative Concerning Peter’s Mother-In-Law is 280
Introduced.
Of the Order of the Incidents Which are Recorded After This Section and of 282
the Question Whether Matthew, Mark, and Luke are Consistent with Each
Other in These.
Of the Person Who Said to the Lord, ‘I Will Follow Thee Whithersoever Thou 284
Goest;’ And of the Other Things Connected Therewith, and of the Order in
Which They are Recorded by Matthew and Luke.
Of the Lord’s Crossing the Lake on that Occasion on Which He Slept in the 285
Vessel, and of the Casting Out of Those Devils Whom He Suffered to Go into
the Swine; And of the Consistency of the Accounts Given by Matthew, Mark,
and Luke of All that Was Done and Said on These Occasions.
Of the Man Sick of the Palsy to Whom the Lord Said, ‘Thy Sins are Forgiven 288
Thee,’ And ‘Take Up Thy Bed;’ And in Especial, of the Question Whether
Matthew and Mark are Consistent with Each Other in Their Notice of the Place
Where This Incident Took Place, in So Far as Matthew Says It Happened ‘In
His Own City,’ While Mark Says It Was in Capharnaum.
Of the Calling of Matthew, and of the Question Whether Matthew’s Own 291
Account is in Harmony with Those of Mark and Luke When They Speak of
Levi the Son of Alphaeus.
Of the Feast at Which It Was Objected at Once that Christ Ate with Sinners, 292
and that His Disciples Did Not Fast; Of the Circumstance that the Evangelists
Seem to Give Different Accounts of the Parties by Whom These Objections
viii
Were Alleged; And of the Question Whether Matthew and Mark and Luke are
Also in Harmony with Each Other in the Reports Given of the Words of These
Persons, and of the Replies Returned by the Lord.
Of the Raising of the Daughter of the Ruler of the Synagogue, and of the Woman 296
Who Touched the Hem of His Garment; Of the Question, Also, as to Whether
the Order in Which These Incidents are Narrated Exhibits Any Contradiction
in Any of the Writers by Whom They are Reported; And in Particular, of the
Words in Which the Ruler of the Synagogue Addressed His Request to the Lord.
Of the Two Blind Men and the Dumb Demoniac Whose Stories are Related 300
Only by Matthew.
Of the Section Where It is Recorded, that Being Moved with Compassion for 301
the Multitudes, He Sent His Disciples, Giving Them Power to Work Cures, and
Charged Them with Many Instructions, Directing Them How to Live; And of
the Question Concerning the Proof of Matthew’s Harmony Here with Mark
and Luke, Especially on the Subject of the Staff, Which Matthew Says the Lord
Told Them They Were Not to Carry, While According to Mark It is the Only
Thing They Were to Carry; And Also of the Wearing of the Shoes and Coats.
Of the Account Given by Matthew and Luke of the Occasion When John the 308
Baptist Was in Prison, and Despatched His Disciples on a Mission to the Lord.
Of the Occasion on Which He Upbraided the Cities Because They Repented 309
Not, Which Incident is Recorded by Luke as Well as by Matthew; And of the
Question Regarding Matthew’s Harmony with Luke in the Matter of the Order.
Of the Occasion on Which He Calls Them to Take His Yoke and Burden Upon 310
Them, and of the Question as to the Absence of Any Discrepancy Between
Matthew and Luke in the Order of Narration.
Of the Passage in Which It is Said that the Disciples Plucked the Ears of Corn 311
and Ate Them; And of the Question as to How Matthew, Mark, and Luke are
in Harmony with Each Other with Respect to the Order of Narration There.
Of the Man with the Withered Hand, Who Was Restored on the Sabbath-Day; 312
And of the Question as to How Matthew’s Narrative of This Incident Can Be
Harmonized with Those of Mark and Luke, Either in the Matter of the Order
of Events, or in the Report of the Words Spoken by the Lord and by the Jews.
Of Another Question Which Demands Our Consideration, Namely, Whether, 314
in Passing from the Account of the Man Whose Withered Hand Was Restored,
These Three Evangelists Proceed to Their Next Subjects in Such a Way as to
Create No Contradictions in Regard to the Order of Their Narrations.
Of the Consistency of the Accounts Given by Matthew and Luke Regarding the 315
Dumb and Blind Man Who Was Possessed with a Devil.
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