good things out of the evil treasure of their heart, but that they were able to speak good
things out of the treasure of Moses’ seat.
4. So then those words of the Lord will not disturb you, when He says, “Every tree is
known by his own fruit. Do men gather grapes of thorns, and figs of thistles?”2536 The
Scribes and Pharisees of the Jews therefore were thorns and thistles, and notwithstanding,
“what they say do, but do ye not after their works.” So then the grape is gathered from thorns,
and the fig from thistles, as He has given thee to understand according to the method I have
just laid down. For so sometimes in the vineyard’s thorny hedge, the vines get entangled,
and clusters of grapes hang from the brambles. Thou hadst no sooner heard the name of
thorns, than thou wert on the point of disregarding the grape. But seek for the root of the
thorns, and thou wilt see where to find it. Follow too the root of the hanging cluster, and
thou wilt see where to find it. So understand that the one refers to the Pharisee’s heart, the
other to Moses’ seat.
5. But why were they such as they were? “Because,” says St. Paul, “the vail is upon their
heart. And they do not see that the old things are passed away, and all things are become
new.”2537 Hence it is that they were such, and all others who even now are like them. Why
are they old things? Because they have been a long while published. Why new? Because they
relate to the kingdom of God. How the vail then is taken away, the Apostle himself tells us.
“But when thou shalt turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.”2538 So then the Jew
who does not turn to the Lord, does not carry on his mind’s eye to the end. Just as at that
time the children of Israel in this figure did not carry on the gaze of their eyes “to the end,”2539
that is, to the face of Moses. For the shining face of Moses contained a figure of the truth;
the vail was interposed because the children of Israel could not yet behold the glory of his
countenance. “Which figure is done away.”2540 For so said the Apostle; “which is done
away.” Why done away? Because when the emperor comes, the images of him are taken
away. The image is looked upon, when the emperor is not present; but where he is, whose
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image it is, there the image is removed. There were then images borne before Him, before
that our Emperor the Lord Jesus Christ came. When the images were taken away, the glory
of the Emperor’s presence is seen. Therefore, “When any one turneth to the Lord, the vail
is taken away.” For the voice of Moses sounded through the vail, but the face of Moses was
not seen. And so now the voice of Christ sounds to the Jews by the voice of the old Scriptures:
they hear their voice, but they see not the face of Him that speaketh. Would they then that
2536 Luke vi. 44; Matt. vii. 16.
2537 2 Cor. iii. 15, v. 17.
2538 2 Cor. iii. 16.
2539 2 Cor. iii. 13. εἰς τὸ τέλος.
2540 τοῦ καταργουμένου. Quod evacuatur.
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On the words of the Gospel, Matt. xiii. 52, ‘Therefore every scribe who…