St. Ambrose shows by instances that the places in which
those words were spoken help to the understanding of the words of the
Lord; he shows that Christ uttered the passage quoted from St. John in
Solomon’s porch, by which is signified the mind of a wise man,
for he says that Christ would not have uttered this saying in the heart
of a foolish or contentious man. He goes on to say that Christ is
stoned by those who believe not these words, and as the keys of heaven
were given to Peter for his confession of them, so Iscariot, because he
believed not the same, perished evilly. He takes this opportunity
to inveigh against the Jews who bought the Son of God and sold
Joseph. He explains the price paid for each mystically; and
having in the same manner expounded the murmuring of the traitor
concerning Magdalene’s ointment, he adds that Christ is bought in
one way by heretics in another way by Catholics, and that those in vain
take to themselves the name of Christians who sever the Spirit from the
Father.