ticular pains to afford them convincing proof that Christ is of the seed of David; and therefore he commences with [an account of] His genealogy.
XXX.[1]
"The axe unto the root,"[2] he says, urging us to the knowledge of the truth, and purifying us by means of fear, as well as preparing [us] to bring forth fruit in due season.
XXXI.
Observe[3] that, by means of the grain of mustard seed in the parable, the heavenly doctrine is denoted which is sown like seed in the world, as in a field, [seed] which has an inherent force, fiery and powerful. For the Judge of the whole world is thus proclaimed, who, having been hidden in the heart of the earth in a tomb for three days, and having become a great tree, has stretched forth His branches to the ends of the earth. Sprouting out from Him, the twelve apostles, having become fair and fruitful boughs, were made a shelter for the nations as for the fowls of heaven, under which boughs, all having taken refuge, as birds flocking to a nest, have been made partakers of that wholesome and celestial food which is derived from them.
XXXII.[4]
Josephus says, that when Moses had been brought up in the royal palaces, he was chosen as general against the Ethiopians; and having proved victorious, obtained in marriage the daughter of that king, since indeed, out of her affection for him, she delivered the city up to him.[5]
- ↑ From the same Catena. Compare book v. chap. xvii. 4.
- ↑ Matt. iii. 10.
- ↑ First edited in Latin by Corderius, afterwards in Greek by Grabe, and also by Dr Cramer in his Catena on St. Luke.
- ↑ Massuet's Fragment xxxii. is here passed over; it is found in book iii. chap. xviii. 7.
- ↑ See Josephus' Antiquities, book ii. chap. x., where we read that this kind's daughter was called Tharbis. Immediately upon the sur-
