One of the most characteristic features of St. Anthony's "Sermones Dominicales" is his use of the terms "concordare" and "concordantia" to refer to a harmony of Biblical passages. A detailed study of the work suggests that this usage was an original development by the Saint, which he arrived at in the course of composition. When we examine the Old Testament "concordances" in particular, we are led to ask on what principles Anthony selected them, and what was the basis of comparison. Examples from historical narrative, wisdom literature and prophetic writings are considered. In part, it looks as if Anthony's purpose was to counter the Cathar claim that the Hebrew Scripture, like the material world in general, was the work of the Evil One; but beside this polemical purpose, Antony found the method of concordance a powerful tool in developing his Biblical message for ordinary people, providing vivid and memorable images for the truths of faith and of morality.
