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Translated by John Patrick.
Origen Resources OnLine & in Print
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128 Pages
Page 63
And the Pharisees, as lovers of money, in order that under pretext of the poor they might receive even that which would have been given to the parents of any one, gave such teaching. And the Gospel testifies to their love of money, saying, "But the Pharisees who were lovers of money heard these things and they scoffed at Him." [5416] If, then, any one of those who are called elders among us, or of those who are in any way rulers of the people, profess to give to the poor under the name of the commonweal, rather than to be of those who give to their kindred if they should chance to be in need of the necessaries of life, and those who give cannot do both, this man might with justice be called a brother of those Pharisees who made void the word of God through their own tradition, and were accused by the Saviour as hypocrites. And as a very powerful deterrent to any one from being anxious to take from the account of the poor, and from thinking that "the piety of others is a way of gain," [5417] we have not only these things, but also that which is recorded about the traitor Judas, who in appearance championed the cause of the poor, and said with indignation, "This ointment might have been sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor," [5418] but in reality "was a thief, and having the bag took away what was put therein." [5419] If, then, any one in our time who has the bag of the Church speaks likes Judas on behalf of the poor, but takes away what is put therein, let there be assigned to him the portion along with Judas who did these things; on account of which things eating like a gangrene into his soul, the devil cast it into his heart to betray the Saviour; and, when he had received the "fiery dart," [5420] with reference to this end, the devil afterwards himself entered into his soul and took full possession of him. And perhaps, when the Apostle says, "The love of money is a root of all evils," [5421] he says it because of Judas' love of money, which was a root of all the evils that were committed against Jesus.
[5416] Luke xvi. 14.
[5417] 1 Tim. vi. 5.
[5418] Mark xiv. 5; John xii. 5.
[5419] John xii. 6.
[5420] Eph. vi. 16.
[5421] 1 Tim. vi. 10.
Reference address : https://www.ellopos.net/Elpenor/greek-texts/fathers/origen/matthew-commentary.asp?pg=63
