The Massacre of the Innocents (Matthew 2:16–18)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

---

St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 9 (on Matthew 2:16–18) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110/npnf110.iii.IX.html

On Herod's rage, vented upon the children that had done no wrong:

For driven wild by this anger, and envy, as by some demon, he takes account of nothing, but rages even against nature herself, and his anger against the wise men who had mocked him he vents upon the children that had done no wrong.

On where the guilt of the slaughter truly lay:

That Christ was not the cause of their slaughter, but the king's cruelty; as indeed neither was Peter to those others, but the madness of Herod.

On the mystery of God's permitting their death, and the recompense of rewards laid up for them:

Didst thou not hear me say, that though there were no sins, there is a recompense of rewards hereafter for them that suffer ill here? Wherein then were the young children hurt in being slain for such a cause, and borne away speedily into that waveless harbor?

On the fulfilment of Jeremiah, that God both knew and foretold it:

Thus having filled the hearer with horror by relating these things ... he comforts him again, by saying, Not from God's wanting power to prevent it did all this take place, nor from any ignorance of His, but when He both knew it, and foretold it, and that loudly by His prophet.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Sermons on the Holy Innocents (on Matthew 2:16–18) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.ii.html

On the innocents as an army arrayed for Christ (Serm. 220):

And while he thus persecutes Christ, he furnished an army (or martyrs) clothed in white robes of the same age as the Lord.

On their crown, and that they did not perish but passed to a higher bliss (Serm. 373):

O blessed infants! He only will doubt of your crown in this your passion for Christ, who doubts that the baptism of Christ has a benefit for infants. He who at His birth had Angels to proclaim Him, the heavens to testify, and Magi to worship Him, could surely have prevented that these should not have died for Him, had He not known that they died not in that death, but rather lived in higher bliss.

St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 2:16–18) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.ii.html

On why Rachel, mother of Benjamin, weeps for the children of Judah:

Rachel's son was Benjamin, in which tribe Bethlehem is not situated. How then does Rachel weep for the children of Judah as if they were her own? ... She was buried near Bethlehem in Ephrata, and was regarded as the mother, because her body was there entertained.

On the two senses in which she "would not be comforted":

This may be understood in two ways; either she thought them dead for all eternity, so that no consolation could comfort her; or, she desired not to receive any comfort for those who she knew had gone into life eternal.

St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 2:16–18) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.ii.html

On the children who "were not," yet by martyrdom were advanced to eternal life:

It could not be that they "were not" who seemed now dead, but by glorious martyrdom they were advanced to eternal life; and consolation is for those who have suffered loss, not for those who have reaped a gain.

On Rachel as a type of the Church, barren now at length made fruitful:

Rachel affords a type of the Church long barren now at length fruitful. She is heard weeping for her children, not because she mourned them dead, but because they were slaughtered by those whom she would have retained as her first-born sons.

St. Bede the Venerable (c. 673–735)

Homilies on the Gospels (on Matthew 2:16–18) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.ii.html

On the death of the children figuring the precious death of all Christ's martyrs:

In this death of the children the precious death of all Christ's martyrs is figured; that they were infants signifies, that by the merit of humility alone can we come to the glory of martyrdom; ... that they were slain while Christ escaped, signifies that the bodies of the martyrs may be destroyed by the wicked, but that Christ cannot be taken from them.