proposed by Fischer and Kunzelmann, and is to be preferred, above all for the reasons suggested in
SERMON 229J 307
Thomas, all the rest of you, who, after all, distinguishes you? Perhaps you'll say, "It's my faith." I rather think, if he didn't give it to you, you wouldn't have any. It's your faith that distinguishes you; but what have you got that you did not receive? But if you received it, why boast as though you had not received it? (1 Cor 4:7). There you are, it's grace; there you are, he rose again; there you are, he showed himself to the eyes of the apostles, while he did not see fit to show himself to the eyes of the Jews. There you are, he offers himself to eyes to see, he offers himself to hands to handle. Even that's not enough. Read; he reminds you of the scriptures. Even that's not enough; he opens your mind, so that you may understand what you read.
The Church among all nations also foretold in the scriptures
5. The head convinced them about himself. What about us? What about the body? The head is Christ, the body is the Church. The apostles could see the head, but couldn't see the Church that was to be. Attend closely: they could see the head, touch the head, embrace the head, talk with the head; they couldn't see the Church that was to be. So what about us? He ought somehow or other to have named and expressed the bride as well as the bridegroom in that marriage contract. But because he has already indicated the bridegroom and kept quiet about the bride, there's only half a wedding. Let the heavenly vows be com¬ pleted; the bridegroom has appeared, let the bride appear too; he present there and then, she still to come;11 he in the resurrection, she in the preaching; let him be seen, her believed.
How was he seen? See, that a spirit does not have bones and flesh, as you can see that I have (Lk 24:39). Then he opened their minds: it was necessary for the Christ to suffer, and to rise again on the third day (Lk 24:45-46). Now we can see the Lord, now we know the Lord, we can touch, hear, believe him; what about the Church?
For repentance and forgiveness of sins to be preached in his name. Where? How far? Don't let a strange woman creep out here from a comer,12 and substitute herself for your own true one. Where? How far?
Throughout all nations, with you beginning from Jerusalem (Lk 24:47). There you are, you've heard the Church defined. When the disciples heard this, they couldn't see the Church throughout all the nations; they saw one thing, believed another; saw the head, believed about the body. We can see the body; let us believe about the head.
NOTES
1. Poque thinks it was preached on Easter Monday, and dates it 400-410. This later date is proposed by Fischer and Kunzelmann, and is to be preferred, above all for the reasons suggested in notes 4 and 12 below.