Matthew 4:17
In some copies “repent” (Matthew 4:17) is not present. If the Savior says the same things as John, one God sent them both. Perhaps John, as one preparing a people made ready for God, first says “repent,” while Jesus, receiving what was already prepared and no longer needing repentance, does not say “repent.”
He is not heralding against the law and the prophets. John having finished the old, he begins to herald the new, himself becoming its beginning. That is why “he began” is not written of John — for John was an end. One heralds in the desert, the other among the people.
The kingdom of the heavens is not in a place but in a disposition, for it is within us (Luke 17:21). See also: John heralds a kingdom of heavens that is near, while Christ is the king who will hand it over to God and Father.
Greek
Ἔν τισι τὸ μετανοεῖτε οὐ κεῖται. εἰ δὲ τὰ αὐτὰ ὁ σωτὴρ Ἰω άννῃ λέγει, εἷς ὁ πέμψας ἀμφοτέρους θεός. καὶ τάχα Ἰωάννης μὲν ὡς "ἑτοιμάζων" θεῷ "κατεσκευασμένον" πρῶτος λέγει μετανοεῖτε, Ἰη σοῦς δὲ ἡτοιμασμένα παραλαβὼν μηκέτι δεόμενα μετανοίας οὐ λέγει μετανοεῖτε. οὐκ ἀντικηρύσσων δὲ νόμῳ καὶ προφήταις, πληρώσαντι δὲ Ἰωάννῃ τὴν παλαιὰν κηρύσσειν ἤρξατο τὴν νέαν, αὐτὸς ἀρχὴ γενό μενος αὐτῆς. διὸ ἐπὶ Ἰωάννου οὐ γέγραπται τὸ ἤρξατο· πέρας γὰρ ἦν. καὶ ὅτι ὁ μὲν ἐν ἐρήμῳ κηρύσσει, ὁ δὲ ἐν λαῷ. ἡ δὲ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν οὐκ ἐν τόπῳ ἐστίν, ἐν δὲ διαθέσει· "ἐντὸς" γὰρ "ἡμῶν ἐστιν". ὅρα δὲ εἰ Ἰωάννης μὲν κηρύσσει ἐγγίζουσαν βασιλείαν οὐρανῶν, βασι λεὺς Χριστὸς ἣν παραδώσει "τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρί".
About this text
Catena fragments on Matthew (CPG 5206). Contents follow Matthew chapter and verse. Edition fragment numbers stay in About this text and under each passage.
English follows the named copy-text (Aegean/khazarzar Migne PG 72 extract). Other prints were checked as noted; no silent merge of recensions.
Witnesses
- Copy-text Migne PG 72 Commentarii in Matthaeum (Aegean Digital Patrologia / khazarzar) (Greek · CPG 5206 catena fragments (290 parsed heads))
- Checked print matia.gr mirror of same Aegean extract (Greek · Byte-identical PDF; integrity check only)
- Checked print Internet Archive PG 72 volume OCR (bim … 1859_72) (Greek (OCR damaged) · Locus confirmation only; not used as reading text)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.