ACC ~ Matthew 1 v6

HOW DAVID PREFIGURED CHRIST AND THE CHURCH

ANONYMOUS: “Jesse brought forth David the king,” for God is in the generation of the just, and the generation of the righteous shall be blessed. What can we say concerning David, whose role in Scripture is that of king? Passing over all else, we can at least say this: David prefigured Christ. David is interpreted as “able of hand” or “beloved,” just as Christ was. He was strong in battle and powerful and beloved by his country. In his acts, in mercy and in his gentleness, he was prophetically anticipating Christ. But how does this apply to his unjust abuses, as distinguished from his just actions? Even in his worst sin lay the mystery of Christ and the church. David, taking delight on his high roof, saw the very beautiful Bathsheba bathing, desired her and beckoned her, though she was married to a Hittite man. There is a prefiguring even here, though it may seem unlikely. Christ, while in his high heaven and still joyful in his divinity, saw in advance the very attractive church of his people displeasing him with sordid behavior and weakening in good works, when it was still the devil’s bride. He laid eyes on her, loved her and drew her to himself. [1] INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 1. [2]

[1] Here the author of the Opus imperfectum stretches credibility in pressing to find analogies between David and Christ, as well as Bathsheba and the church.

[2] PG 56:620.

SOLOMON’S BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE PREFIGURES CHRIST

ANONYMOUS: “David brought forth Solomon.” Solomon is interpreted as “peaceful.” He is called “peaceful” because he provided a peaceful kingdom for all the people in the territory who were peace-loving and taxpaying so he might build a temple to God, using also the ministry of the people. In this way Solomon was a figure of our peace-loving Christ, who, for all people fleeing to him in faith and paying the spiritual taxes of good works, provided a peaceful kingdom, built with living stones—not only Jews but also Gentiles—so that he might build a living temple to the living God. INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY 1. [1]

[1] PG 56:621.

GOD UNASHAMED OF STOOPING TO SAVE SINNERS

SEVERUS: The Evangelist exposes and derides the passions of our race, its dishonors and ailments, to which the Word of God descended in his mercy. He descended to glorify them and raise them up by his charity. It in no way reflects badly upon the physician that he stoops to the level of those who are sick. Matthew could have written, “David became the father of Solomon by Bathsheba” (the name of the woman involved). In deriding, so to speak, adultery itself, he rather stated clearly, “And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah.” He thus showed that Christ, who descended from such a degenerate race by generation, “took up our infirmities and bore the burden of our ills,” [1] as one of the prophets said. CATHEDRAL SERMONS, HOMILY 94. [2]

[1] Is 53:4; Mt 8:17.

[2] PO 25:55.