Another Sermon on Advent¹

Matthew 21:9

Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Prologue

These words are spoken by the crowds praising Christ. These crowds clung to Christ. And so, please God, let us ask the Lord at the beginning to make us cling to him, so that we may understand his teaching.

Sermon

Hosanna (Matt 21:9), et cetera. In these words we can consider three things to the praise of our Savior:

first, the task of our Savior;

second, the privilege of his origin;

third, the highest point of his power.

1. First, I say that the task of our Savior is mentioned where it says: hosanna. The proper task of the Savior is that he is a savior; indeed, for this he came into the world, to seek and save what was lost (Luke 19:10). Isaiah 45:15 reads: truly, you are a hidden God, God of Israel, Savior. And it is therefore that his name signifies salvation. Hence we read in Matthew 1:21: his name shall be called Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.¹ And this task of savior is mentioned because it says: hosanna, which is compounded from the corrupted and the pure. For “hosanna” is the same as “hosyanna,” which means: “save, I beseech.”² For they would have implored salvation from him in vain unless they had believed in him as savior.³

Well, note that the human race was in need of salvation for three reasons:

(1.1) first, because of the perversity of sin;

(1.2) second, because of the oppression by enemies;

(1.3) third, because of the rejection of the glory of the world.

1.1. First, I say: the human race was in need of salvation because of the perversity of sin. For when people who are ill are cured from their illness, they are called “saved.” Therefore, the Lord says: your faith has saved you (Matt 9:22).¹ Sin is a spiritual illness;² thus sinners are in need of salvation. The psalmist says: salvation is far away from sinners (Ps 119:155). For example, someone is sick to death; the doctor will say that the person who is ill is far from salvation.³ Anyone who is in the state of mortal sin⁴ is sick to death, and sinners cannot reach salvation by themselves.⁵ Therefore, salvation, that is, Jesus Christ (cf. Exod 15:2), has drawn near to them—he who became like us in all things (cf. Heb 2:17) emptied himself, taking on the form of a slave, was made in the likeness of the people, and through his condition was found a man (Phil 2:6–7), who accepted the human nature, and underwent suffering.⁶ The Apostle is teaching that we are to rejoice because of this, saying: rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again: rejoice, for the Lord is near (Phil 4:4), namely, in our nature and in our heart. And this is meant where it says in the Gospel: when Jesus had drawn near.⁷

See to whom Jesus is drawing near, three kinds of people:

(1.1.1) to those who make peace with him,

(1.1.2) to those who are devoted to God,

and (1.1.3) to those who are kind to their neighbors.

1.1.1. First, I say that he draws near to those who make peace with him. For God is the one who brings about peace (1 Cor 14:33); and where else should peace dwell than in peace? The Apostle writes to the Corinthians: have peace, and the God of peace and love will be with you (2 Cor 13:11). How should we have peace with God? By not acting against his precepts.¹ And with yourself? By not doing anything against your conscience.² And with your neighbor? By not insulting him and by serving justice; a work of justice is peace (Isa 32:17; cf. Bar 5:4).³

So serve peace, and you will obtain salvation. Thus we read in Isaiah 60:1: stand up, be radiant, Jerusalem, the city that is interpreted as the vision of peace (cf. Ps 122:6–8).¹ The prophet continues: salvation will take possession of your walls, and praise your gates (Isa 60:18). If you are in Jerusalem, you will have salvation. And this is indicated in the words: Jesus drew near to Jerusalem (Matt 21:1).

1.1.2. Second, Jesus, that is to say, salvation, has drawn near to those who are devoted to God (cf. Jas 4:8). It is a fact that the Lord is in his holy temple (Ps 11:4). The mind that is dedicated to the divine worship is a temple of God. So when our mind is dedicated to God, God dwells in it (cf. 1 Cor 3:16) and gives salvation to it. As the psalmist says: God is near to all who call upon him in truth. He fulfills the desire of all who fear him. He also hears their cry and he saves them (Ps 145:18–19). And this is pointed out because it says: he had come to Bethphage (Matt 21:1), which is interpreted as “jaw” or “house of the cheek”; it signifies the divine praise that comes forth from the devotion of the heart.¹

1.1.3. Third, Jesus, that is, salvation, draws near to those who are merciful. For birds gather with birds that are alike (cf. Sir 27:9). Now, God is merciful, since his acts of mercy are above all his works (Ps 145:9).¹ And when he sees someone like him, namely, someone merciful, he goes to him. So if you see someone who is in need, have at the least a kind affection towards him (cf. Luke 10:33). Thus we read in the Gospel: be merciful just as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:36).² And the Apostle says: he saves us according to his mercy (Titus 3:5). And this is signified because he went to the Mount of Olives (Matt 21:1), for an olive signifies mercy (cf. Ps 52:8).

Hence the human race is in need of salvation because of the perversity of sin.

1.2. Second, it is in need of salvation because of the oppression by enemies. It is a law in the world and with God that someone is a slave of someone or something else by whom he has been overpowered (2 Pet 2:19; cf. John 8:34).¹ The world was overpowered by the devil through sin, and the devil scourged his slave cruelly. So the world was in need of salvation, insofar as it seemed hardly possible that it could be saved. For we read in Isaiah 49:24: will booty be taken from the strong one, and will what has been seized by the powerful be saved?

Indeed, someone who has been taken prisoner will be taken away by a strong man, namely, when the stronger man overpowers him; he will disarm him (cf. Mark 3:27)¹ and what has been seized by the powerful² will be saved.³ And therefore Christ wanted to be called king, so that his authority would be designated by which he would set the world free. Hence it says: behold, your king comes (Zech 9:9, Matt 21:5).⁴ And the psalmist says: lift up your gates, you princes, et cetera, and he continues: and the king of glory will come in (Ps 24:7, 9).

Usually kings have their servants. Thus Christ had servants or messengers whom he sent to save the people. These servants are the apostles who received from the Lord the task of preaching and bringing salvation (cf. Mark 16:15–16). Hence it is said in Obadiah: the saviors will go up from Mount Zion.¹ These glorious apostles, who received the task of savior or salvation from Christ, are sent in twos (cf. Luke 10:1), by which it is signified that the whole choir of preachers ought to be led by two precepts: the love of God and of the neighbor (cf. Luke 10:27).² Or³ it points to the active and the contemplative life,⁴ which they ought to have, because they must draw by contemplation what they pour out by preaching, as Gregory says.⁵

See that in these messengers we can consider three characteristics:

(1.2.1) their courage,

(1.2.2) their power,

and (1.2.3) their justice.

1.2.1. First, I say that in the apostles we can admire their courage,¹ because, although they were poor and illiterate,² they had such a confidence that they invaded the whole world and conquered kingdoms by faith (Heb 11:33).³ We read in Job 39:21: he rejoices courageously; armed, he goes out to an encounter. This courage is also mentioned where it says: go into the fortress that is opposite to you (Matt 21:2).

The world and the worldly life were opposed to them.¹ Hence the Lord says: I have chosen you from the world; therefore, the world hates you (John 15:19b). If you were from the world, the world would love you as its own (John 15:19a). Do not be surprised if the world hates you (1 John 3:13; cf. John 15:18).

1.2.2. Second, their power must be admired, for although they were earthly people, the Lord gave them the power to cast out demons, to cure the sick, and to raise the dead (Matt 10:8, Mark 16:20, Luke 10:17, et alibi). He even gave them the power to forgive sins (John 20:23) and to absolve from punishments or sins, which is proper to God (Mark 2:7).¹ Hence the Lord said to Peter: whatever you bind on earth will also be bound in heaven, and what you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matt 16:19).² And this is indicated where it says: you will find a donkey tied and a colt with it. And he continues: untie them and bring them to me (Matt 21:2).

The tied donkey is the synagogue that was subdued under the law; the young animal that was not subdued is the people of the gentiles who until then had not received the law.¹ The Apostle says: all of us, Greeks and gentiles,² are brought under the power of sin (Rom 3:9). He also says: indeed, all have sinned and lack the glory of God (Rom 3:23). Or³ we must say that the donkey signifies the greater ones and the young animal the smaller ones, who all were subject to sin. As we read in Isaiah 1:6: from the sole of the foot to the top, there is no soundness in him.

1.2.3.¹ Third, we can admire in the apostles their justice. Justice is giving back to everyone what is his.² And the apostles were just, because they gave God back what was his, namely, glory. [Scripture] says: I will not give my glory to someone else (Isa 42:8). The apostles have converted the whole world. Did they subject them³ to themselves? Did they seek dominion or temporal profit? No, they sought nothing else than that they would be subjected to Christ. Hence they could say this: I will not hold dominion over you, nor will my son hold dominion among you, but the Lord will rule over you (Judg 8:23). The Apostle says: not seeking glory from the people (1 Thess 2:6). The apostles did not keep the colt for themselves, but they brought it to Christ and let him sit on it (Matt 21:7), to designate that the converted people is subject to Christ. Someone who converts someone else, and seeks to subject him to himself, is not a guardian, but a thief and a robber.⁴ How are people led to Christ? Certainly through faith, since it is necessary that someone who draws near to Christ believes (Heb 11:6). They are led to him through love and the observance of the precepts and counsels.⁵

Take a look at this: if someone says something, tell him that the Lord needs it (Matt 21:3).¹ Bede comments on this that erring teachers hinder the apostles in leading the colt to Christ.²

But who are the ones who hinder in our time? For instance, those who say that people should not be led to Christ in religious life unless they have been instructed in the precepts.¹ In a gloss on Psalm 131:2: as a weaning child on his mother’s lap, we read: many overthrow this order, which is from the easier things to the higher, like the heretics and the schismatics; they want to be separated from the mother’s milk before their time, and die thereupon.² Yet if one of them still holds that he keeps this order, he binds himself to a curse, as if he said: may it be done unto me as unto someone who reclines on his mother’s lap and, not yet well grown, is not given any milk.

The gloss continues: I have not only been humble among other people, since I learned in a humble way, but I was also humble in respect to the knowledge itself; I was first fed with the milk that the Word had become flesh (John 1:14), whereas later on I grew on the angels’ food, which is: in the beginning the Word was with God (John 1:1).¹

Yet do easier things always come before more difficult ones? I say they do not. The abstinence of virginity is more difficult than abstinence in marriage; should therefore the abstinence in marriage precede the abstinence of virginity? Definitely not. But I say that in the state in which we are¹ we must proceed from easier to more difficult things. Should someone who wants to proceed to the perfection of a state first go towards an easier state?² He does not have to. But who [rightly] overthrow this order? Those who conceive through the spirit and have finished with the flesh³ (cf. Gal 3:3).

Some say that preachers who prefer to convert rich people rather than the poor and make distinctions between people in this way must be refuted. I say that if they do this in order to become rich, they act in an evil way. But can converting rich people come to pass with a good inclination? Yes. Thus Augustine says in Confessions: the ones with authority who are well known to many, lead many to salvation and are an example for many to follow. Therefore, the holy men rejoice more in them.¹ Someone who converts a poor person does well, but someone who converts a rich person well known to many does better, because others are edified.²

But is this making a distinction between people? No. Hence Augustine says: it should not be that in your tent rich persons would be received before the poor.¹ Thus it can be that someone does this with a good inclination, says also Augustine: concerning these things that can be done with a good and a bad inclination, they ought to be interpreted with the benefit of the doubt.²

So does this mean for you that you should interpret it negatively?¹ If people who think so had lived in the time of Christ, they would have refuted Christ, because he invited himself to the house of the rich Zacchaeus; he converted him who was a high person among the tax collectors, whereas there were still many poor people there (cf. Luke 19:2–10). Such people would have said: you go to him so as to be filled with meat and drink.²

Others say: those who live well in the world are more praiseworthy than those in religious life.¹ They give an example and say that a soldier who keeps guard well over a dilapidated castle for a king is more praiseworthy than a soldier who keeps guard over a strong castle. You are deceived; you think that serving God would be in exterior acts only and not in interior acts of virtue. Yet the principal acts are the interior virtues, like wisdom and prudence.² When someone preserves chastity in religious life, that is the stronger castle. You will say that the one who shuns occasions for sinning³ has lesser chastity and prudence? This is certainly not true, because the Apostle says: everyone who trains for a match abstains from all things (1 Cor 9:25).⁴

Someone who places the treasure of a king in a dilapidated castle, even though he would be very eager to watch over it, still would not be as praiseworthy as someone who would watch over it in a strong castle, because he should be rebuked for his negligence. But if it almost cannot be in another way, then the one who watches over it in a dilapidated castle should be praised more. We have the example of St. Agnes, who preserved her chastity in prostitution.¹ Must, therefore, people leave the monastery to preserve their chastity and will they be more praiseworthy? Certainly not, but if there is a necessity for you to leave because you must be in the world, and if you preserve your chastity there, it will be more praiseworthy.

I am amazed about some things: once it was said that it was an evil that heresies were preached in Lombardy, but nowadays they are preached in this very house!¹ There are two counsels given by Christ: that of chastity and the one of poverty. About chastity the Lord says: let him who can grasp it grasp it (Matt 19:12). And the Apostle says: I do not have a precept about the virgins, but I give a counsel as someone who pursues mercy (1 Cor 7:25). And about poverty the Lord says: someone who wants to be perfect should come and sell everything he possesses and follow me (Matt 19:21).

In the early Church there were Jovinian and Vigilantius. Jovinian has said that abstinence within marriage must be considered equal to virginity; this is what he preached. Vigilantius preached that the state of the rich who give alms must be considered equal to poverty,¹ which is at odds with what Jerome says: it is good to expend your means for the poor with stewardship, but it is better to give your means at once with the intention of following Christ, suffering want with Christ.² Against all these things we have what the Lord says: if someone might say anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs these things (Matt 21:3).

1.3. Furthermore, the human race was in need of salvation, so that it would reject worldly glory. Well, you should know now that someone who looks for salvation where it is not (cf. Ps 146:3, Acts 4:12), is very much in need of it. Some look for salvation in the things of the world, whereas there is no salvation in those. The psalmist says: a king is not saved by a great strength, nor will a warrior be saved in the greatness of his strength (Ps 33:16). So in order to show that this is not the proper way of salvation, the Lord showed us another way of salvation: the way of humility.¹ As the psalmist says: he will save the humble in spirit (Ps 34:18).

He showed this humility when he rode on the donkey (Matt 21:7);¹ he showed complete humility by willing to carry the cross-beam of the cross (cf. Heb 12:2). As the Apostle says: he humbled himself (Phil 2:8), et cetera. But for what did he will humility but for teaching us humility? (Cf. Phil 2:5, 1 Pet 2:21) Hence he says in Matthew 11:29: learn from me that I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Hence he wanted to maintain humility in order to teach us to humble ourselves.

Now see that a human being ought to humble himself in three ways:

(1.3.1) he ought to humble his mind,

(1.3.2) his body,

and (1.3.3) his affection.

1.3.1. I say, to begin with, he ought to humble his mind. We recognize a proud man by his mind: him who is puffed up by his carnal mind, as it is said in Colossians 2:18. Against them the Apostle says in Romans 12:16: associate with humble people, do not be the prudent among yourselves. And in Proverbs 3:5 we read: have confidence in God with all your heart, so that you do not lean on your own prudence.

Let us follow the life and the deeds of great people. The crowds that followed Christ have shown a sign of this humility. Christ has shown humility because he rode on a donkey; the crowds have shown a sign of this humility when they cut off the branches of trees and laid them down on the way (cf. Matt 21:8). For Gregory says that cutting branches is accepting the authorities and examples of the saints and placing them on the way of one’s moral life. Therefore a man first ought to humble his mind.¹

1.3.2. Second, he ought to humble his body by fasting and vigils. The psalmist says: I humbled my soul in fasting (Ps 35:13). If someone had a slave and he gave him delicate food to eat in the beginning instead of in the end (cf. Luke 17:7–8), he would find him haughty. So it is with our body. Because of this we should humble our body with fasting and vigils. The crowds offer an image of this humility by spreading out their garments on the road (cf. Matt 21:8), which stands for throwing the body to the ground. In Revelation 3:4 it says: I have a few names in Sardis who did not defile their garments.

1.3.3. Third, a man ought to weaken his affection in such a way that he gives it completely over to God (cf. Phil 3:10). When you love something that is yours which you do not link to God, you are not perfectly humble. It is said in Judith 8:17: let us humble our souls and serve him with a contrite and humble spirit (cf. Luke 16:13). See that the crowds humbled their affection in this way: that they yearned¹ for salvation from Christ, saying: hosanna, et cetera.

These things are sufficient about the task of the Savior.

2. Let us take a look at his origin. You should know that in the Old Testament salvation was promised in two ways: first, by someone who would be born from the stem of David, where it says: in those days I will save Judah and I will raise for David a just shoot (Jer 23:5). And elsewhere salvation is promised to them in the coming of the Lord, as it says in Isaiah 35:4: the Lord himself will come, and he will save you. Thus the crowds smartly connected these two: that he who will be from the seed of David will save us and that the Lord will save us in his coming.

(2.1) As they were calling him Son of David (Matt 21:9), they called to mind his humanity;

(2.2) they called to mind his divinity as they were saying: blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord (Matt 21:9).¹

2.1. See that David bears the image of Christ in three respects:¹

(2.1.1) first, as for the royal sovereignty;

(2.1.2) second, as for the victory of wars;

(2.1.3) third, as for grace.

2.1.1. As for the royal sovereignty, David bears the image of Christ. Know that David was the first accepted king of God in Israel (cf. 1 Sam 16); and concerning Christ it is said: the Lord will give him the throne of David, his father (Luke 1:32).

2.1.2. Second, David bears the image of Christ as for the victory of wars, because he was victorious in war. Hence it says in Psalm 144:1: blessed is the Lord my God, who schools my hands for the battle and my fingers for war. And [Christ] was especially victorious because he completely conquered the powers of the air¹ and led the defeated out of the lake in which there is no water (Zech 9:11).

2.1.3. Third, David bears the image of Christ as for grace. Thus says the Lord about David: I have found a man after my heart (1 Sam 13:14, Ps 89:21);¹ whereas the Lord says about Christ: this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.² Moreover, we find that David had love, whence it says: I made peace with those who hated peace when I spoke to them; they pursued me without reason (Ps 119:7 [Vg]). Furthermore: if I have given what is due to those who repaid me with evil things (Ps 7:5). Hence he was mild, in accordance with this: remember, Lord, David and all his mildness (Ps 132:1). He had humility as well. Hence he said: Lord, my heart is not proud (Ps 131:1). Also Christ was mild and humble. Thus he said to his disciples in Matthew 11:29: learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart. So, by calling to mind the humility of Christ, the crowds said: to the Son of David.

2.2. Next, as for the recognition of his divinity, it says: blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Well, see that Christ comes in the name of the Lord in a threefold manner:

2.2.1. First, in the truth of the divine name.¹ For when a generation is perfect, what is generated receives the nature and the name of the one who generates.² So, because the generation of Christ was perfect, therefore Christ received the nature of the divinity from the Father as well as the name. Hence the Apostle says: he has given him a name that is above every name (Phil 2:9), the name of the divinity, that is. So, he comes first in the truth of the divine name.

2.2.2. Second, he comes in the strength of the divine name. Hence we read in Proverbs 18:10: a very strong tower is the name of the Lord; the just runs to him and will be exalted. In natural things the strength of a cause does not have an effect unless it is applied (cf. John 15:4); in this way, everything that the saints have done is entirely done in the strength of the name of the Lord (cf. Isa 26:12, Phil 2:13).

2.2.3. Furthermore, he comes, third, in the manifestation of the divine name. Therefore he says: Father, I have manifested your name to the people (John 17:6).

Now the task of the Savior and his origin are clear.

3. Let us look at the highest point of his power, because it says hosanna, meaning “save,” in the highest (Mark 11:10).¹ Some who are in hell are saved; the psalmist says: the Lord will save people and beasts of burden (Ps 36:6; cf. Jonah 3:8), so that people are saved and undamaged. Salvation in the highest is salvation in God. Thus we read in Hosea 1:7: I will save them in their God, that is, in the participation in divine glory. Also, elsewhere this is said <. . .>.² Such people say: hosanna in the highest, meaning: “I implore, Lord; let your salvation be in the highest.”

But behold: although there is one God, it says in the highest, plural. The reason is that he¹ willed to distinguish the distinctions of the Persons, so that we might consider which things are attributed to the Persons. Thus Hilary says that eternity is attributed to the Father; appearance, or beauty, to the Image; and use, or delight, to the Gift.² To the Father, who is the beginning, eternity is attributed; to the Son, who is called Image (cf. Col 1:15), beauty is attributed; to the Holy Spirit, who is the Gift, use or enjoyment is attributed.

Hence¹ our salvation consists

(3.1) in the stability of eternity,

(3.2) in the beauty of the light,

and (3.3) in the enjoyment of delight.

3.1. First, I say that our salvation consists in the stability of eternity.¹ A ship is saved when it is on its way to a stable harbor (cf. Ps 107:30); in the same way a human being is not saved during his life on earth, but in the heavenly homeland. Hence Isaiah 45:17 says: Israel is saved in the Lord through an eternal salvation. Errors perish and cease to be when people get to know the truth.

3.2. Second, it consists in the beauty of the divine light. People in this world are in a certain way saved, as the psalmist says: show us your face, and we will be saved (Ps 80:3, 7, 19). Yet then they will be saved in a perfect way, as the psalmist indicates, at the sight of the face in which every good finds its existence, according to that saying in Exodus 33:19: I will show you every good.¹

3.3. Third, [our salvation consists] in the enjoyment of the divine delight, as the psalmist says: your houses will be drenched with abundance (Ps 36:8a).

A man who is drunk is beside himself; in the same way the saints in the heavenly homeland will be; and from the stream of your pleasure you will give them drink (Ps 36:8b), namely, when they will say: my heart has exulted in being saved¹ (1 Sam 2:1, Luke 1:47).²

We will ask the Lord, et cetera.