Another reason is that everyone loves himself more than someone else. But a son is a certain part separated from the father, whereas the father is not part of the son. Therefore,...
Moreover it is natural for everyone to love what he has produced. But according to some there is a difference, because in some matters the son loves the father more; for the son's descent from the father is by nature, yet the son is by nature subject to the father; therefore, the father naturally loves the son, even a spiritual father, as it says in 1 Corinthians (4:14): "I do not write this to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children."
But sons are naturally subject to the father; therefore, they naturally honor the father and become more angry at an injury inflicted on their father than on themselves, and they desire their father's glory more than their own: "The glory of sons is their fathers" (Pr 17:6). Hence he who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me , because he is God who must be loved above all else: "I will not show partiality to any person or use flattery toward any man" (Jb 32:21). For God is goodness itself; therefore, he must be loved more. Therefore, he is not worthy of me who loves father or mother more than me. And he who loves son or daughter more than me... Why does a son love his father? Because whatever the son has is from the father, for he has nourishment and teaching from his father. And the son cannot give this to the father; but what the son receives from the father he receives in greater abundance from God. For he also teaches us, as it says in Job (35:11): "Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the air." He also feeds us, as is said of Jacob in Genesis. Again, he preserves us forever. And a man gets this more from God than a son from his father. Therefore, God must always be loved more: "I know that my redeemer lives, and at the last he will raise me from the earth, and I shall again be surrounded by my skin and in my flesh I will see God" (Jb 19:25).
10—2
Mt 10:38-42
38. And he that taketh not up his cross, and followeth me, is not worthy of me. 39. He that findeth his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for me, shall find it. 40. He that receiveth you, receiveth me: and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me. 41. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet: and he that receiveth a just man in the name of a just man, shall receive the reward of a just man. 42. And whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, amen I say to you he shall not lose his reward.
(38) And he who does not take his cross... It has been said that one who loves father..., but I say more: he that loves himself more than me is not worthy of me, because nothing can fill one's whole affection but God. Therefore, Deuteronomy (6:5): "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength." Hence he says, he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me . This tells us that one who is not prepared to suffer even death for the truth, and that worst of deaths, namely, the death of the cross, is not worthy of me . Indeed, he should even glory in the cross, as Paul: "Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Gal 6:14). In these words Christ foretells his own death: "Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example to follow in his footsteps" (1 Pt 2:21). It is also explained another way, namely, that one who afflicts his flesh takes the cross, as is said in Galatians (5:24): "Those who belong to Christ crucify their flesh with its vices and desires." Again, the cross is carried in the heart, when one grieves over sin, as the Apostle said: "Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire?" Finally, all this is not enough, unless one follows the Lord. Hence, and follows me . If you fast, if you sympathize with your neighbor, but not for my sake, you are not worthy of me . For it is a great thing to follow the Lord, as it says in Sirach (33:8): "It is a great glory to follow the Lord."
(39) But they could say: What shall we get from all this? So he shows them the punishment for those who do not obey; hence he says, He who finds his life [soul] shall lose it . Soul is taken for life. When one is in danger of losing his money, he says: I have lost my money; and if he is freed from danger, he says that he has found his money. In like manner if one is in bodily danger and is freed by some chance, he says that he has found his life. Therefore, one who finds his life and was in danger on my account and denies me to find his life, is not worthy of me. And he who loses his soul , i.e., life, i.e., if he exposes himself to death for my sake, will find it : "He that finds me shall find life and will draw salvation from the Lord" (Pr 8:35).
(40) He who receives you, receives me . Here he offers a remedy. You say that we should do all this. How are we going to live? Favor us. As the Pope gives his representatives the power to grant favors, so the Lord gives a reward to those who receive them. And he mentions three. He says, therefore, he who receives you, receives me , because they will have God, because you are my members, because member of a member. But they could say: there is nothing great in receiving a poor man or you. But on the other hand, he that receives me, receives him that sent me , because,as it says in John (5:23): "He that honors my Father, honors me." It is no small thing to have God as a gift, as it was imputed to the praise of Abraham (Heb 13:2).
(41) Furthermore, something else will follow, namely, the reward of a prophet. Hence he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward . There are two outstanding qualities in a prophet, namely, prophecy: "I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy" (Jl 3:28); and the gift of justice: "Whom god made our wisdom and justice" (1 Cor 1:30). He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet can be taken to mean he who receives a prophet in as much as he is a prophet, will receive the reward of a prophet . Or in another way: You say that we should receive the apostles, but some pseudo-apostles or pseudo-prophets will come. Therefore, he says: I am emphasizing not their reality but their name, because one who receives him in the name of a prophet, will have a reward. And which reward? The same as you would have if you received a true prophet. Furthermore, he makes no distinction about who he is, whether the one or the other. For he who receives a prophet, receives the reward of a prophet, because a prophet is thereby more inclined to do his work; for not only those who do, receive a reward, "but even those who consent to those doing it," as it says in Romans (1:32). Hence if you work together with a good one, you will receive a reward from that good one; if you minister the necessities of life, you receive a reward, because otherwise he could not fulfill his office. What follows is the same: He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man , or Elijah, I would be glad to receive him.
(39) Therefore, he adds, and whoever gives to one of these little ones , i.e., to believers, as it says below (25:40): "Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these, my least brethren, you did it to me"; as if to say: I do not car whether they were great or small. Someone could say: I am poor; I have nothing to give. So he adds, a cup of water . He does not say, "hot water" on account of a lack of word, so that he could not have an excuse. Hence he wants to say: the slightest thing you do will have its reward. And he confirms this, saying, Amen, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward ; Is (40:10): "Behold, the Lord comes..., and his reward is with him, and his recompense before him."
11—1
Mt 11:1-15
1. And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he passed from thence, to teach and to preach in their cities. 2. Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ: sending two of his disciples he said to him: 3. Art thou he that art to come, or look we for another? 4. And Jesus making answer said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. 5. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6. And blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me. 7. And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind? 8. But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings. 9. But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10. For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before my face, who shall prepare thy way before thee. 11. Amen I say to you, there hath not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is the lesser in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12. And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away. 13. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John: 14. And if you will receive it, he is Elias that is to come. 15. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
(1)After these words the Lord went on from there to teach and preach; and this for three reasons.
One reason was to show by example what he had taught: "Jesus began to do and to teach" (Acts 1:1).
Secondly, to show that even the wicked should be preached to: "I am a debtor to the wise and unwise" (Rom 1:14).
Thirdly, to give others the opportunity to preach: "If a revelation is made to another sitting by, let the first be silent" (1 Cor 14:30).
(2) Now when John heard in prison about the works of Christ . The teaching of Christ has been mentioned and confirmed; the preachers have been instructed. Now the rebellious are calmed: first, he sets John's disciples at rest; secondly, the scribes (c. 14).
In regard to the first he does three things: first, he quiets the doubters; secondly, he rebukes the crowds (v. 16); thirdly, he gives thanks for the apostles' faith (v. 25).
In regard to the first a question is asked; secondly, the answer (v. 4).
He says, therefore: When he heard in prison about the works of Christ . This was the occasion for sending them. The same is presented in Luke (5:18) but in a different order. He says, therefore, that he was in prison as above (c. 4). Then Jesus began to work miracles. And this was fitting, that the sun not appear, while clouds were present: "The law and the prophets until John" (Mt 11:13). The works , i.e., the miracles, of Christ, he sent two of his disciples to say to him . Some try to condemn John for this, because he wondered whether he was the Christ, and it is obvious that one in doubt about the faith is an unbeliever.
Ambrose on Luke says that this was not a question proceeding from unbelief but from piety; for he is not speaking about his coming into the world but of his coming to the Passion. Hence he wonders if he had come to suffer, as Peter said. "This will never happen to you" (Mt 16:22). On the other hand, Chrysostom says that John already knew from the beginning, when he said: "behold the Lamb of God" (Jn 1:28). It is clear, therefore, that he knew him to be a victim to be sacrificed. Hence he is commended here for being more than a prophet; but prophets knew future events. Gregory gives another reason, namely, that it is not a question about coming into the world or to the Passion but about descending into hell; because John was close to the time for going to hell, he wanted to be made certain. Are you he who is to come? But Chrysostom objects to this. For those who are in hell it is a state of punishment; hence it seems that he would have asked this without reason. But this is not contrary to Gregory, because he did not wish to announce conversion to the captives, but to the just, that they might rejoice. Another reason is that the Lord often puts questions, not because he was not sure, but to remove calumny, as in John (11:34) he asked about Lazarus: "Where have you placed him?" not because he did not know, but so those who showed him the tomb could not deny or calumniate. Therefore, it was the same with John. Because his disciples were suspicious of Christ, he sent them, not because he was in doubt, but in order that they not suspect but confess him. But why did he not send them before? Because he was always with them before and assured them; but since he wanted to depart from them, he wanted them to be made certain about Christ.
(3) He says, therefore, Are you he who is to come, or look we for another? It is true that our fathers awaited you, as it says in Exodus (c. 4).
(4) And Jesus answered them . Here Christ's answer is given. John and many disciples, as John says (c. 4). Therefore, there was a dispute among them, because they saw Christ's works and preferred him to John. But seeing John's abstinence, they prefer him to Christ. Hence, first he proposes the question; secondly, he commends John (v. 10).