712 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XXII. abidewithHim in His temptationsto the everlastingking- Rom.6,5.dom. For ifwz havebeenplantedtogetherin thelikene»sof His death,we shallbealsointhelikenessofHis resurrection. Hence itfollows,And I givetoyou a kingdom,$c. AMBROSE. The kingdom of God isnot of thisworld. But itisnot equalitywith God, but likenessto Him, unto which man must aspire.For Christaloneisthe fullimage of God, on account of the unity of His Father'sgloryexpressedin Him. But the righteousman isafterthe image of God, iffor the sake of imitatingthe likenessof the Divineconversation, He through the knowledge of God despisestheworld. There forealsowe eatthe Body and Blood of Christ,that we may be partakersof eternallife.Whence itfollows,That ye may eat and drink at My tablein My kingdom. For the reward promised to us is not food and drink,but the communica tionof heavenlygraceand life. BEDE. Or the tableoffered to allsaintsrichlyto enjoy is the glory of a heavenlylife, wherewith they who hunger and thirstafterrighteousness Matt.5,6.shallbe filled,restingin the long-desiredenjoyment of the true God. THEOPHYL. He said thisnot as if they would have there bodily food,or as if His kingdom were to be Matt. a sensibleone. For theirlifethen shallbe the lifeof an- "U'k3e°'gels,as He beforetoldthe Sadducees. But Paul alsosays 20,36. thatthe kingdom of God isnot meat and drink. 1VI7. CYRIL. By means of the things of our present lifeHe describesspiritualthings. For they exercisea high privi lege with earthlykings,who sitat theirtable as guests. So then by man's estimationHe shews who shallbe rewarded by Him with the greatesthonours. BEDE. This then isthe Ps.118, exchange to the righthand of the Most High, thatthose 5' who now in lowlinessrejoiceto ministerto theirfellow-ser vants,shallthen at our Lord's tableon high be fedwith the banquet of everlastinglife,and they who here intempt ationsabidewith the Lord being unjustlyjudged,shallthen come with Him asjustjudges upon theirtempters. Hence it follows,And sit on thronesjudging the twelvetribesoj Israel. THEOPHYL. That is,the unbelieverscondemned out of the twelvetribes. AMBROSE. But the twelve thronesare not as itwere any resting-placesforthe bodilyposture,but because since Christjudges afterthe Divine likenessby