(NOTE: The electronic text obtained from The Electronic Bible Society was
not completely corrected. EWTN has corrected all mistakes found.)


GREGORY THAUMATURGOS

ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW.(1)
(Dubious or spurious)

[Translated by the Rev. S.D.F. Salmond, M.A.]

(CHAPTER VI. 22, 23.)

"The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy
whole body shall be full of light. But it thine eye be evil, thy whole body
shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be
darkness, how great is that darkness!"

   THE single eye is the love unfeigned; for when the body is enlightened
by it, it sets forth through the medium of the outer members only things
which are perfectly correspondent with the inner thoughts. But the evil eye
is the pretended love, which is also called hypocrisy, by which the whole
body of the man is made darkness. We have to consider that deeds meet only
for darkness may be within the man, while through the outer members he may
produce words that seem to be of the light:(2) for there are those who are
in reality wolves, though they may be covered with sheep's clothing. Such
are they who wash only the outside of the cup and platter, and do not
understand that, unless the inside of these things is cleansed, the outside
itself cannot be made pure. Wherefore, in manifest confutation of such
persons, the Saviour says: "If the light that is in thee be darkness, how
great is that darkness!" That is to say, if the love which seems to thee to
be light is really a work meet for darkness, by reason of some hypocrisy
concealed in thee, what must be thy patent transgressions!


Taken from "The Early Church Fathers and Other Works" originally published
by Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. in English in Edinburgh, Scotland beginning in
1867. (ANF 6, Roberts and Donaldson). The digital version is by The
Electronic Bible Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.

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