Catena Fidei

Search

Search arguments, verses, authorities and passages

Saint Augustine in His Study (detail), Sandro Botticelli

Catena Aurea on Matthew 13:24–30: Augustine of Hippo

Sandro Botticelli, Saint Augustine in His Study (detail), c. 1480 · Ognissanti, Florence · Public domainSandro Botticelli, Saint Augustine in His Study (detail), c. 1480, Ognissanti, Florence

CommentAugustine of HippoPublic domainMatthew 13:24–30

Or otherwise; When a man begins to be spiritual, discerning between things, then he begins to see errors; for he judges concerning whatsoever he hears or reads, whether it departs from the rule of truth; but until he is perfected in the same spiritual things, he might be disturbed at so many false heresies having existed under the Christian name, whence it follows, “And the servants of the householder coming to him said unto him, Didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares?

Are these servants then the same as those whom He afterwards calls reapers? Because in His exposition of the parable, He expounds the reapers to be the Angels, and none would dare to say that the Angels were ignorant who had sowed tares, we should the rather understand that the faithful are here intended by the servants.

And no wonder if they are also signified by the good seed; for the same thing admits of different likenesses according to its different significations; as speaking of Himself He says that He is the door, He is the shepherd.

Reproduced in full. Translation: Oxford 1841 (Newman), public domain (Public domain).

Also cites: Quaest in Matt., q. 12

Read the full text

Connections

Part of · 1

Comments on · 7

Around this entry

Open the whole map
  • Passages
  • Documents
  • Old Testament verses
  • New Testament verses
  • Authorities
  • Favorites
  • prefigures → fulfilled
  • taught → disciple · succeeded →

Hover to trace, click to select, double-click to open.