Above it was shown how the Pharisees and scribes were provoked by the glory of Christ, and also by his wisdom, by which he had confounded them; now he shows how they were provoked by the justice with which he rebuked them. And he does two things. First, he instructs certain ones; secondly, he reproves them, at but woe to you, scribes and Pharisees . Regarding the first, he does two things. First, he shows their dignity; secondly, he reveals their intention in the use of authority, at all their works they do to be seen by men . Regarding the first, he does three things. First, he commends their authority; secondly, he teaches the rendering of obedience with caution; thirdly, he assigns the reason. The second is at all things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do , etc.; the third is at for they say, and do not . He says, then, then Jesus spoke to the multitudes , etc. The continuation is as follows. The Lord had so confounded them that they neither dared to question him nor knew how to answer. But, as Chrysostom says, a discourse that reproves and does not instruct is useless; therefore he turned to the multitudes and to his disciples, to instruct them. Now it should be known that some hear him as disciples, and some as multitudes: as disciples, those who perceive the truth with their minds; John 8:31: if you continue in my word, you shall be my disciples indeed . As multitudes, those who cannot grasp the truth with their minds. Therefore he sometimes addresses his words to the multitudes, sometimes to the disciples, and sometimes to both; and in different ways: for to the disciples he speaks lofty things, as it says in John 15:15: all things whatsoever I have heard from my Father I have made known to you . But sometimes he sets forth parables to the multitudes, as was said above. To both, however, he speaks of what is necessary for salvation, and such are these words. The scribes and the Pharisees have sat on the chair of Moses . The chair properly belongs to teachers; and therefore those are said to sit upon the chair who are successors of Moses; Sirach 24:33: Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justice . Hence those who taught the law of Moses sat upon the chair of Moses. And in the law were contained certain things pertaining to faith, and certain things pertaining to good morals. The things pertaining to faith were those in which Christ was prefigured; hence he himself says, John 5:46: if you did believe Moses, you would perhaps believe me also . Likewise, there were contained moral precepts; Sirach 24:33: Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justice . But it should be noted that upon the chair sit both the scribes, and the Pharisees, and the disciples of Christ: the scribes, who consider only the letter; the Pharisees, who grasp something of its inner meaning; the disciples of Christ, who weigh all of it. And they are not called disciples of Moses, but of Christ; Luke 24:27: beginning from Moses and the prophets, he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things that were concerning him . Then he admonishes them to obedience with caution; and he does two things. First, he exhorts them to obey; secondly, to beware. All things whatsoever they shall say to you, observe , namely in the heart, and do , in deed; Deuteronomy 17:9: you shall come to the priests of the levitical race, and to the judge ; and afterward: and you shall do whatsoever they shall say ; and it follows: you shall follow their sentence . And the Apostle says: obey your prelates . And this is against the Manicheans, who said that the old law was not good. And it is clear that it is good, because the Lord commanded it to be observed. But someone can object: therefore we ought to observe the legal ceremonies, which is against the doctrine of the apostles, Acts 15:29. It should be known that the authority of the lawgiver is always to be maintained according to his intention; but the lawgiver says some things as always to be observed, and such things must always be observed; but he says other things that are like a shadow, as it says in Colossians 2:17: which are a shadow of things to come . Moral precepts, therefore, are commandments according to the intention of the lawgiver, to be observed always; but legal precepts only for a time, namely for the time before Christ. Hence before that time they ought to be observed, but not after: because whoever would observe them would do injury to Christ. And Augustine gives an example. If someone were to say, "I shall eat tomorrow," this utterance is a sign of this thing; and if, after he had eaten, he were to say the same thing, he would not speak rightly. So since these legal precepts were signs of Christ who was to come, after Christ came, whoever would observe them would not observe them rightly. Hence all things whatsoever they shall say to you , according to the intention of the lawgiver, do. But according to their works do ye not . Here he teaches caution. You should know that a prelate is placed in charge so as to teach not only by doctrine but also by his life. And we ought to be in agreement with him as regards what he teaches, because, as is said in Galatians 1:9, if anyone preach to you a gospel besides that which you have received, let him be anathema . Likewise, we ought to conform to him in life. For his life should be an example to us, as the life of Christ; hence 1 Corinthians 4:16: be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ . But these men were not at variance with the doctrine, but with the life; therefore their doctrine is to be attended to, but their life is to be avoided. For they say, and do not . Here he assigns the reason. And first he states the reason; secondly, he explains it, at for they bind heavy burdens , etc. You say, whatsoever they shall say to you, do , because they say: you ought to do good, but they do not ; and therefore you ought not to act according to their works, because you who teach not to steal, do steal; Psalm 49:16: but to the sinner God has said: why do you declare my justices, and take my covenant in your mouth? For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens , etc. For the Lord wishes to exaggerate their malice, because they say, and do not . If they simply said and did not do, this would still be tolerable; but this does not suffice them, because they add most grievous burdens to the precepts of God. And therefore their presumption is noted, because they bind other burdens upon the burdens imposed by God, because they make new observances, as it says in Mark 7:2, that they forbade eating bread unless the hands were frequently washed; against that passage in Isaiah 58:6: loose the bands of wickedness, undo the bundles that oppress . Likewise, their cruelty is noted, for they impose burdens, against that passage in 1 John 5:3: for the commandments of God are not heavy. For my yoke is sweet and my burden light , above at 11:30. Likewise, their indiscretion is noted, because if they imposed a heavy burden on a strong person, it would not be a great thing; but they impose insupportable burdens on the weak: for that cannot be carried which exceeds the strength of the one carrying it. In Acts 15:10: this is a burden which neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear . Likewise, their excessive severity is noted, because if they imposed a burden and gave indulgence, this would still be sufficient; but with a certain violence they command. They lay them on men's shoulders ; hence they exceed in speaking. Likewise, they exceed in not doing, because there are some men who do not wish to accomplish everything, yet they wish to accomplish something. Likewise, there are some who, even if they do not wish to do something difficult, yet wish to do something light. Likewise, there are some who, even though they do not act, yet have the will to act. But he who wishes none of these things exceeds in malice; hence he says, but with a finger of their own they will not move them ; hence they not only did not do them, but were unwilling even to move them with their finger , i.e., not even to begin them. Nor even to do light things, which are signified by a finger. Therefore you ought to do what they teach, but they are not to be followed as regards their works, because they do not even the least thing. Chrysostom says: such are those who speak great things and do small things; such are like tax collectors, who make others pay more than the taxes demand, but they themselves pay nothing. Let me not see you teaching great things but doing small things. Hence the Lord will spare you more if you incline to mercy than to severity. And all their works they do to be seen by men . Here he sets forth their intention; and he does two things. First, he reveals their intention; secondly, he warns the disciples to avoid them. And first he sets forth their intention; secondly, he explains it, at for they make their phylacteries broad , etc. What is the reason why they say and do not? Because they are incorrigible. Now the reason why a man is difficult to correct, or incorrigible, is that he seeks his own glory. Hence Chrysostom says: take vainglory away from the clergy, and without labor you will cut away all other vices. Hence he begins by saying: all their works they do to be seen by men ; John 12:43: they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God . Hence he says, all their works they do , because not only one thing, but all things, to be seen by men , against what is said above at 6:16: be not as the hypocrites. Be not therefore like to them . There follows the explanation: for they make their phylacteries broad , etc. And he does two things. First, he says what they do; secondly, what they seek, at and they love the first places at feasts , etc. What do they do? They do not do burdensome things, but certain things that are outwardly apparent, they do well; hence Bernard says: they bear garments of sanctity, and this is not burdensome, which they displayed in phylacteries and in fringes. For it says in Deuteronomy 6:8: you shall bind them on your hand, and before your eyes . On the hand, i.e., in the completion of a work, and before your eyes, i.e., in your consideration. Therefore, these men, desiring glory, so that they might appear to be zealous for the commandments of God, would write the commandments on a strip and place them before their eyes, and they called this phylacteries, and they made these broader so that they might be more seen by men; hence it says, they make their phylacteries broad . Likewise, regarding the fringes, it is read in Numbers 15:38 that the Lord commanded them to make fringes, because he willed that the Jewish people be distinguished from other peoples. And these men, to show themselves more religious, made the fringes larger and bound thorns to them, so that they might seem to prick themselves, in order to remind themselves that they were Jews. Therefore they exhibit only external things; above at 7:15: they come to you in the clothing of sheep . And what do they seek? To be seen by men . Now this glory is shown in three things: in primacy, in the reverence shown, and in the praise of the name; for whoever seeks glory seeks one of these, or all of them. But these men sought primacy in a sacred place and in a public place; hence regarding the public place he says, and they love the first places at feasts . For they wished to sit at the head of tables, against that passage in Luke 14:8: when you are invited to a wedding, sit down in the lowest place . And he says they love , because it is not authority that is reprehended, but the disordered appetite. For some are in the first place bodily, who nevertheless in their heart sit in the lowest place; and conversely, someone sits in the lowest place so that it might be said, "Look, he is humble," and so forth, but he is in the first place in his heart, because from this he seeks glory. Likewise, they seek primacy in a sacred place, namely in the church; hence he says, and the first chairs in the synagogues , against that passage in Sirach 7:4: seek not of man the pre-eminence, nor of the king the seat of honor . Likewise, they desire reverence; hence he says, and salutations in the marketplace , i.e., that they be greeted and honored by men, that the hood be removed before them, and that knees be bent before them; and they desire to be called by men, Rabbi , i.e., that they be praised as masters. Origen refers this to those who desire dignities in the churches: for there is a certain dignity of archdeacons, deacons, priests, and bishops. Deacons are appointed to preside over tables, Acts 6:2ff. Hence those who desire the first places at feasts desire the position of deacons. Likewise, the chair properly belongs to priests; therefore those who love the chairs love the position of priests. But those who ought to be masters are properly the bishops; hence those who wish to be called Rabbi love to be bishops. But be not you called Rabbi . In this part he forbids the imitation of glory; secondly, he invites to humility, at he that is the greatest among you shall be your servant . Now it should be noted that he who has primacy has the duty of instructing and governing; the first of these belongs properly to a master, the second to fathers. And therefore he first prohibits vainglory with respect to both; the second is at and call none your father upon earth . Regarding the first, he first sets forth the teaching; secondly, he assigns the reason. He says, then, but be not you called Rabbi ; against which is that passage in 1 Timothy 5:17: let the priests that rule well be esteemed worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine . It can be said, be not , i.e., do not seek it ambitiously. And he adds the reason: for one is your master , etc., namely God; Psalm 84:9: I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me . But what does he mean to say? It should be said that he is properly called a master who has his doctrine from himself, not one who disperses to others what he has received from another. And thus there is only one master, namely God, who properly has the doctrine; but by ministry many are masters. If you seek authority, you seek what belongs to God; but if you seek ministry, you seek what belongs to humility; hence it follows, he that is the greatest among you shall be your servant , i.e., he will consider himself a servant. Chrysostom says that just as there is one God by nature and many by participation, so also there is one master naturally and many ministerially. But how can a man know that he does not have doctrine from himself? It is clear, because if so, it would be in his power to give doctrine to whomever he wished, but he cannot; rather, this belongs to God alone, who illumines the heart from within. And there is a manifest example in health, because a physician heals by administering certain things externally; but nature principally heals, and the physician only provides certain aids; and the physician heals in the way nature does, namely by reducing to a mean. So it is with knowledge, because the principle is ours from nature, namely the intellect; the one who teaches provides certain helps for doctrine, as the physician does for health, but God alone operates in the intellect. Hence one is your master ; hence you ought not to be called masters. Likewise, he shows that they should not love the authority of a father: but you are all brothers , and he shows this from the equal condition. In the matter of teaching he made no difference in the quality of condition, but in paternity he adds the condition; hence he says, you are all brothers , because from me your father; Malachi 4:5: behold, I will send you Elias the prophet ; and afterward: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers . Likewise, you are my children through regeneration; 1 Peter 1:3: who has regenerated us unto a lively hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ . Hence one does not have authority over another. And it follows, and call none your father upon earth : because you are children of the heavenly Father, therefore you should not have a father on earth. He is properly said to have a father on earth who seeks his inheritance on earth; and he has a father in heaven who seeks his inheritance in heaven; 1 Peter 1:4: who has regenerated us unto an incorruptible inheritance, and undefiled, and that cannot fade, reserved in heaven . Why then are the superiors in monasteries called fathers? It should be said that it is with respect to authority; Ephesians 3:4: you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ , etc. For one is your father . Above at 6:9: our Father, who art in heaven . Likewise, neither be ye called masters, for one is your master: Christ . Hence Christ attributes mastership to himself, because Christ is the Word; and therefore it belongs to him to teach, because no one teaches except through the Word. Likewise, he is master with respect to his human nature, because he was sent to teach; John 1:18: no man has seen God at any time. The only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him . Likewise, ibid. 13:13: you call me master and Lord. He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant . After he has drawn them back from pride, he exhorts them to humility. And first he sets forth the exhortation; secondly, he assigns the reason. And this can be continued as follows. Chrysostom says: you ought not to be called fathers, nor masters; hence you should not seek these things ambitiously, but rather humility. Hence, he that is the greatest among you shall be your servant , i.e., he ought to show himself a servant. Hence 1 Corinthians 4:1: let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ . Or in another way: he had said, be not called Rabbi ; hence they might say to him: do you wish that there be no authority on earth? The Lord says: this I do not wish, but I wish that he who is the greatest among you be a servant , i.e., that he not consider himself as a superior, but as a servant; 2 Corinthians 4:5: ourselves your servants through Jesus . And this is what is said in Luke 22:27: which is greater, he that serves, or he that sits at table? etc. Then he assigns the reason: and whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted . Hence in the canticle of the Virgin, Luke 1:52: he has put down the mighty from their seat, and has exalted the humble .
23—2
Mt 23:13-33
13. But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men: for you yourselves do not enter in and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter. 14. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour the houses of widows, praying long prayers. For this you shall receive the greater judgment. 15. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you go round about the sea and the land to make one proselyte. And when he is made, you make him the child of hell twofold more than yourselves. 16. Woe to you, blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but he that shall swear by the gold of the temple is a debtor. 17. Ye foolish and blind: for whether is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? 18. And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it is a debtor. 19. Ye foolish and blind: for whether is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? 20. He therefore that sweareth by the altar sweareth by it and by all things that are upon it. 21. And whosoever shall swear by the temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth in it. 22. And he that sweareth by heaven sweareth by the throne of God and by him that sitteth thereon. 23. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you tithe mint and anise and cummin and have left the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and faith. These things you ought to have done and not to leave those undone. 24. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel. 25. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within you are full of rapine and uncleanness. 26. Thou blind Pharisee, first make clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside may become clean. 27. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful but within are full of dead men's bones and of all filthiness. 28. So you also outwardly indeed appear to men just: but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, that build the sepulchres of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the just, 30. And say: If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31. Wherefore you are witnesses against yourselves, that you are the sons of them that killed the prophets. 32. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33. You serpents, generation of vipers, how will you flee from the judgment of hell?
After he instructed the disciples and the multitudes about the caution they should have regarding the doctrine of the Jews, here he turns his discourse to the scribes, rebuking them. First, he rebukes them for the pretense of religion, when they were irreligious; secondly, for the pretense of purity, when they were impure; thirdly, for the pretense of piety, when they were impious. The second is at woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who make clean the outside of the cup , etc. The third is at woe to you who build the sepulchres of the prophets , etc. In those things that pertain to religion, certain things are owed by priests to the people, and certain things conversely. First, therefore, he sets forth their malice in those things that are owed by priests; secondly, in those things that are owed by the people, at woe to him that says: whosoever shall swear , etc. A priest owes something to one already converted, and something to one not yet converted. To one not yet converted, that he may convert him; to one converted, doctrine; Malachi 2:7: the lips of the priest teach wisdom . Likewise, he owes him prayers; Hebrews 5:1: for every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God . And they acted wickedly in both respects; hence he first rebukes them regarding the first; secondly, regarding the second, at woe to you who devour the houses of widows , etc. In all these rebukes he shows himself to be the Son of him who gave the old law. In Deuteronomy 26 and 28, curses are given to those who did not remain in the law, and afterwards blessings are given. But because he came to loose the curses of the law, therefore the blessings were given first above, where it was said, blessed are the poor, blessed are the meek , etc. But toward the end of his teaching he gives the curse. Therefore they reprove badly who reprove the old law because curses were contained in it, since just as in the old law, so also in the new. For just as in the law none were cursed except those who transgressed the law, so neither here; Proverbs 3:11: reject not the correction of the Lord . But what does it mean when he says, who shut the kingdom of heaven against men? The kingdom of heaven is called the beatitude of eternal life; above at 5:20: unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven . Likewise, sacred Scripture is called the kingdom; above at 21:43: the kingdom of God shall be taken from you , i.e., the understanding of sacred Scripture. To both kingdoms Christ is the door; John 10:9: I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and he shall go in and go out, and shall find pastures . What then is it to shut the kingdom, if not that they were shutting it by bad doctrine and a bad life? Only what is open can be shut. The teachings about Christ were open, but they were shutting them, because they were making them obscure. It says in Isaiah 35:5: the Lord himself will come and will save us. Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped . When the Lord was doing these miracles, this Scripture was open, but they were shutting it by saying, he casts out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils , Luke 11:15. Likewise, they were shutting it by a bad life, when by bad example they led others to sin; Psalm 1:1: blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence . He properly sits in the chair of pestilence who takes the office of teaching and corrupts the people by a bad life. Also by an unjust sentence a judge slays a man, yet he hurls the unjust sentence to no effect. For power was given for binding and loosing unto edification, not unto destruction. Hence it can be said to them, woe to you (...) because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men . Likewise, whoever impedes entrance into the kingdom, there is no doubt that he acts wickedly; hence it follows, for you yourselves do not enter in, nor do you suffer those that are going in to enter , i.e., to be converted. Hence Malachi 2:8: you have departed out of the way, and have caused many to stumble. Woe to you (...) who devour the houses of widows, praying long prayers . This is the second woe , in which the pretense regarding prayer is touched upon. And first he rebukes their voracity, when he says, who devour the houses of widows , because whatever they did, they twisted entirely to gluttony, so that what is said in 2 Maccabees 6:4 applied to them, that the whole temple was full of debauchery and feasting. The houses of widows , i.e., the resources of widows. But why the houses of widows rather than of others? The reason is that they aimed more at seducing women, because men are wiser and more discreet, and are not so quickly deceived. Likewise, women have a more ready inclination toward giving; 1 Timothy 2:10: but that which becomes women professing godliness through good works . Likewise, the houses of widows , because a woman who has a husband has him as her head and counselor, and therefore is not so easily deceived. Likewise, a married woman does not have control of her house, but a widow does; therefore she can give more than a married woman, and therefore they made more profit from them than from others, when it was rather the case that they should have been giving to them; hence that passage in Psalm 93:6 applies well to them: they have slain the widow and the stranger . And this in prayer. Praying long prayers , on account of the pretense of sanctity: and so they twisted prayer toward profit, and profit toward glory. Hence they could be reproved because they were gluttonous, because they were despoilers, and likewise because they pretended sanctity; and therefore it follows, and for this you shall receive the greater judgment , i.e., you sin more greatly. And why? Because if someone robs by the weapons of the devil, he sins; and if by the weapons of God, he sins doubly, because he sins against God and against his neighbor. Or greater , etc., because you receive from those to whom you ought to be giving. Or greater , as it says in Luke 12:47: the servant who knew the will of his lord and did not do it shall be beaten with many stripes. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who go round about the sea and the land to make one proselyte . And this is explained in two ways, as referring to the time after Christ, and to the time before Christ. If to the time after, then he speaks of things future and present. For he foresaw that the Jews would be scattered throughout the whole world, and that they would convert some to their law, and pervert from Christ whomever they could. And therefore it says, you go round about the sea and the land , etc. Proselytes are those who convert from the gentiles to their faith, or from Christians; and because he foresaw that they would convert some to their faith from among the Christians, therefore he says this. And he says one , because very few were converted. Therefore they entered into that curse found in Hosea 9:10: I found Israel like grapes in the desert. And when he is made , namely a Jew, you make him a child of hell twofold more than yourselves : because he is first a gentile and then a Jew, and then he has double sins, namely of gentilism and of the Jews, because as a Jew he becomes a partaker of the slaying of Christ; but if he was a Christian and afterward becomes a Jew, he becomes doubly worse, because he defiles the gift of the Holy Spirit which he had received in the sacraments. Likewise, he becomes a partaker of the sins of the Jews; John 8:44: you are of your father the devil . It can also be referred to the time before Christ, because before Christ they converted some to their faith. And this is clear, because everyone loves himself more than another; therefore if they were converting others for the salvation of souls, they ought to have cared more for their own salvation, but they did not care. But they did all this for profit, because they wanted the offerings to be increased; hence their doctrine was futile. And when he is made, you make him a child of hell twofold more than yourselves ; because first he was converted to Judaism and was scandalized, and so afterward he converted again. Hence 2 Peter 2:21: it had been better for them not to have known the way of justice than, after knowing it, to turn back . Also in another way. Before he was a Jew, he abstained from evils, at least for the praise of men, but afterward, he did not; hence Romans 2:14: for when the gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature those things that are of the law, these, having not the law, are a law to themselves . Hence they took example from the wicked. Woe to you, blind guides . In this he shows how they are pretenders of sanctity in those things that are owed to prelates. And first, regarding offerings; secondly, regarding tithes, at woe to you (...) who tithe mint , etc. See: first he sets forth their tradition; secondly, he argues against it with three reasons. The first part, where the tradition is set forth with the reason, has two parts. The second is at and whosoever shall swear by the altar , etc. They were drawing all religion toward profit, in order to induce men to make offerings. In the temple there was much gold placed: hence they said that if anyone swore by the temple, he owed nothing; but he who swore by the gold obligated himself to as much as the value of what he swore by. Likewise, the second tradition was that there was an altar and many things were offered upon the altar; hence they said that he who swore by the altar paid nothing, but he who swore by the offering obligated himself to the value of the offering. And why? So that they might profit from the penalties, and so that they might elevate the sanctity of the offering, and so that men might be incited to offer more. And first he sets forth the first part; secondly, the second. Regarding the first, he does two things. First, he proposes the tradition; secondly, the refutation, at you foolish and blind , etc. He says, then, woe to you, blind guides , etc. The same is said above at 15:14: they are blind and leaders of the blind ; Isaiah 56:10: his watchmen are all blind. Who say, whosoever shall swear by the temple of God, it is nothing , because it is impossible that this man should build another temple; but he that shall swear by the gold of the temple , i.e., by the gold, is a debtor , namely of that gold. Then he sets forth the refutation: you foolish and blind; for which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? It is evident that what is in the temple is holy by reason of the temple; hence he who steals anything in the temple commits sacrilege. Hence it is greater to swear by the temple than by the gold. Chrysostom says: this is against certain people who say that to swear by God is nothing. Hence those who swear by God believe they swear by nothing; but when they swear by the holy Gospels of God, they believe it to be a great thing. Hence it can be said to them: which is greater, God or the Gospel? It is evident that it is God. And this is true absolutely; it is otherwise when some circumstance is added which aggravates the sin. Because he who swears by the holy Gospels of God has sworn with a certain deliberation and solemnity, and therefore sins more gravely. Then he sets forth the second part of the tradition: and whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, is a debtor . Then he sets forth the refutation: ye blind, which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? For the gift is not sanctified except by the altar. He therefore that swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things that are upon it . Here he sets forth another reason. The temple contains the gold, and not conversely; similarly, the altar contains the gift, and not conversely. Hence he who swears by the temple swears by the gold that is in the temple; and he who swears by the altar, i.e., by the altar, swears by what is on it. Likewise, another reason follows: and whosoever shall swear by the temple, swears by it and by him that dwells in it . They said: he who swears by the temple swears by nothing. But he wishes to show that he who swears by the temple swears by God, because he does not swear by the temple except as sanctified, and it is not sanctified except by God. Therefore he who swears by the temple swears by God. Then another reason is set forth: and he that swears by heaven , i.e., by heaven, does not swear by it except because it is the throne of God, and because the power of God is manifested there; hence he that swears by heaven swears by the throne of God, and by him that sits thereon . Psalm 10:5: God is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven . And this is introduced there according to a likeness. But mystically, according to Origen, he makes mention of the temple, the gold, and the altar, in which the contemplative and glorious life is signified. By the gold the contemplative life is signified, by which is signified the subtle sense excogitated from Scripture itself: because however reasonable it may appear, it is nothing unless it is in the temple, i.e., unless it is confirmed in sacred Scripture. By the altar is signified the heart, in which there ought to be the fire of devotion; Leviticus 6:12: the fire on my altar shall not go out . By the offerings are signified the services and offerings, which, unless they proceed from a holy heart, or from a holy altar, cannot have value; above at 6:22: if your eye be single, your whole body shall be lightsome . By the throne the glorious life is signified: there God is, who surpasses all things. Or by the altar and the temple we understand Christ: for he calls himself a temple; John 2:19: destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up . Likewise, he is called an altar; Hebrews 13:10: we have an altar, whereof they have no power to eat who serve the tabernacle . Hence whatever good we do, unless it is sanctified in this temple, i.e., Christ, it is of no value; hence everything is contemptible unless it is referred to Christ. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who tithe mint and anise and cummin . Here he rebukes them regarding tithes; and he does three things. First, he sets forth their custom; secondly, he introduces the teaching; thirdly, he sets forth a certain likeness. The second is at these things you ought to have done ; the third is at blind guides, who strain out a gnat , etc. Hence he says, woe to you, scribes and Pharisees , and adds hypocrites , because the principal intention was pretense, who tithe mint, anise, and cummin . This can be understood either as "you give tithes" or "you who exact tithes"; hence very many were priests and Levites, to whom it pertained to exact the tithes that were owed them, as it says in Numbers 18:21 and Deuteronomy 14:22; therefore they were most diligent in exacting them, so that they exacted even down to the smallest things, such as cummin and anise. And have left the weightier things of the law: judgment, mercy, and faith . For certain things were owed to the priests for their own sake, as tithes, from which they were to live; but to certain things they were bound for God's sake, namely to exercise judgment and mercy; hence the Lord required these things of them, namely judgment and mercy; Psalm 100:1: mercy and judgment I will sing to you, O Lord . Likewise, he wills faith for his own glory. Hence those things to which they were bound for God's sake they did not care about; hence he says: and have left the weightier things of the law: judgment, mercy, and faith . But regarding tithes, to which they were bound for their own sake, they took good care, according to that passage in Philippians 2:21: all seek the things that are their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ's . Charity does the contrary, for it seeks not its own but the things that are Jesus Christ's , 1 Corinthians 13:5. Likewise, it can be said, woe to you, who give tithes , because you give from the least things, from mint and cummin and things of this sort, and this so that you may appear religious; but you do not care about interior things, because you love neither mercy, nor judgment, nor faith; above at 12:7: if you knew what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would never have condemned the innocent . Origen says that by mint and cummin, etc., certain things can be understood that pertain to the propriety of religion. Hence mercy, judgment, and faith are like foods, but the other least things are like seasoning. Hence just as they put more effort into the seasoning in preparing food than into the food itself, so also they put more effort into having knees bent before them than into the things that pertained to God. These things you ought to have done, and not to leave those undone . Because he had said, woe to you who tithe , someone could say that the Lord was forbidding the giving of tithes; therefore he says that, on the contrary, when he says, these things you ought to have done, and not to leave those undone ; as if to say: you do not sin in these things, but in omitting those to which you are more bound. Therefore these things you ought to have done , i.e., to exact tithes, and those things , namely judgment, justice, and faith, not to leave undone . But here there can be a question about tithes. The Lord seems to set forth the necessity of paying tithes; hence in the whole New Testament no mention is made so expressly as here. But is it held by precept of the law? No: because in the law certain things are contained that are moral, certain things ceremonial, and certain things judicial. Moral precepts are to be observed at all times and by all; ceremonial precepts by certain men and at certain times, as circumcision, and these were only figurative; likewise, certain judicial precepts, as if someone stole a sheep, he should repay fourfold. Therefore the question is raised about tithes, whether tithes are a moral precept. And it seems not, because moral precepts are of the natural law. But only that is of the natural law which natural reason recommends. But reason does not recommend giving a tenth more than a ninth or an eleventh, etc. Therefore it is not of the natural law. Likewise, if tithes are ceremonial, then those who pay them sin. To this, those who came before us said that some things are purely moral, some purely ceremonial, and some have something of the moral and something of the ceremonial. You shall not kill is purely moral. Similarly, the Lord your God you shall adore , etc. If you say: on the fourteenth day of the moon at evening you shall offer a lamb , this is purely ceremonial. But if it is said: remember to keep holy the sabbath day , it has something natural, or moral, and something ceremonial. Moral, namely what natural reason suggests, namely that one should have some time in which one is free, or in which one is free to pray to God. But that it be on the sabbath day, or on Sunday, etc., is judicial. Hence they say that the precept about tithes is partly ceremonial and partly moral. For they are for the sustenance of the poor and of those who devote themselves to the service of God, or to preaching: for he who serves the community, it is fitting that he live from the community, and this is of the natural law; but that it be the tenth part, this is ceremonial. But are they obligatory now? I say that the determination belongs to whatever ruler has the power of establishing law; hence it is within the power of the Church to establish the tenth, or the ninth, or the like. Hence they are obligatory, not because it is of the natural law, but from the constitution of the Church. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel . In this part he sets forth a likeness; hence he says, who strain out a gnat . He who strains swallows with difficulty. Hence he means to say that they put great care into the smallest things and little care into great things. Or by the gnat the smallest sins are understood, and by the camel, great sins; hence they make an issue of small sins; and this is what he says, but swallowing a camel. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, who make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish . Above, the Lord rebuked the Pharisees for the pretense they outwardly displayed, which they did not have in their hearts, but twisted toward profit; here, for the pretense of purity which they outwardly showed. And this, first, with respect to the appetite for temporal goods, or with respect to carnal sins; secondly, with respect to spiritual sins. And first he treats of the first; secondly, of the second, at woe to you (...) because you are like whitened sepulchres . Regarding the first, he does two things. First, he rebukes their pretense; secondly, he sets forth the sound doctrine, at you blind Pharisee , etc. He says, then, woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, who make clean the outside of the cup , etc. Note that this can be understood in two ways. In one way, that it is a proper expression; and he means to touch upon the custom of the Pharisees, who put great care into cleaning the exteriors, as is said above, that they observed the cleanliness of cups and vessels; hence woe to you , who put great care into cleaning vessels, but not hearts. Hence it follows, but within , i.e., in the heart, you are full of rapine and uncleanness . Jerome holds that it is a figurative expression; hence he holds that all the cleanliness that is shown outwardly is to be understood. Food is served in the dish, drink in the cup. But man is called a dish; and the food in which God delights are the good works that he does; John 4:34: my meat is to do the will of my Father . It is evident that the use of the cup and dish is not on the outer surface but the inner. He therefore who cleans the cup outwardly is he who prepares his body outwardly. But you are of this sort: within you are full of rapine and uncleanness . And he sets forth two things, rapine and uncleanness, because there are two kinds of sins: carnal sins, which are consummated in the delight of the flesh, such as gluttony and lust; and others which are consummated in the delight of the spirit, such as pride and avarice, because avarice with respect to its object holds itself with carnal sin; but with respect to its completion, because it is completed in the delight of the mind, namely in the desire for money, it holds itself with spiritual sin. Hence he reproves avarice when he says rapine . Now rapine properly refers to when what belongs to another is taken; so properly the avaricious man withholds what belongs to another: hence it is opposed to justice; Isaiah 3:14: the spoil of the poor is in your house . Likewise, full of uncleanness , with respect to gluttony and lust. The soul is rendered impure by passion, and no passion so depresses reason as gluttony and lust; Ephesians 5:3: let not fornication and uncleanness, or covetousness, be so much as named among you, as becomes saints . Then he brings them to sound doctrine: you blind Pharisee, first make clean the inside of the cup and of the dish . All exterior purity is from interior purity, as it says above at 6:22: if your eye be single, your whole body shall be lightsome , etc. Therefore he teaches that one should cleanse the heart, and so the whole will be clean. Hence he says, you blind Pharisee , etc. Wisdom 2:21: their own malice blinded them. Make clean the inside , because whatever is done outwardly, provided it is done from a good will, is entirely good; Proverbs 4:23: with all watchfulness keep your heart . Likewise, it can be explained of the word of a man: hence that which is interior can be understood as the understanding of sacred Scripture, Sirach 15:3: she fed him with the bread of life and understanding , in which wisdom is served. The bread of wisdom is the word of life. Hence some wish to adorn the word outwardly and do not care about the meaning. And these clean the outside. Woe to you, (...) because you are like whitened sepulchres . Here he rebukes them with respect to spiritual sins. And first he sets forth the likeness; secondly, he explains it. A sepulchre is where a dead body rests. The dead bodies of the saints are the temple of God, in which God dwells; 1 Corinthians 3:17: the temple of God is holy, which you are . The body is the dwelling of the soul, and the soul is the throne of God: so just as the body is the dwelling of the soul, so the soul is the dwelling of God; Psalm 10:5: God is in his holy temple , etc. But the body of a sinner is a sepulchre, because it contains a dead thing, since the soul dies through sin; therefore the wicked are called a sepulchre; Psalm 13:3: their throat is an open sepulchre . In a sepulchre there is a dead body within, but sometimes outwardly there is some image that seems to live in appearance; Apocalypse 3:1: you have the name of being alive, and you are dead . And therefore he says, which outwardly appear to men beautiful , on account of the beauty outwardly applied, but within are full of dead men's bones and of all filthiness , i.e., of all putrefaction and of all uncleanness. After this he explains: so you also outwardly indeed appear to men just , i.e., men judge you to be just, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity . He comprehends the carnal sins, avarice and gluttony, as was said above, under which vainglory is contained; John 12:43: they loved their own glory more than the glory of God . Likewise, under iniquity, all spiritual sins. Then when he says, woe to you, (...) who build the sepulchres of the prophets , he rebukes them for the pretense of piety, and he does two things. First, he sets forth their pretense; secondly, their cruelty, at wherefore you are witnesses against yourselves , etc. Likewise, they pretend in two ways, by deeds and by words. Hence he first rebukes them regarding their deeds; secondly, regarding their words. The second is at and you say: if we had been , etc. He says, then, woe to you who build the sepulchres of the prophets . But what is this? Were they doing wrong? Do we not do this well, who place the bodies of the saints in silver and gold caskets? Some say that they are not reproved for the deed but for the intention, because their intention was evil; for they did this so that the memory of the crime of their fathers might be brought back to men's remembrance: hence it was the custom that when something notable happened, something was made as a memorial of it. Hence they wanted the boldness of their parents, because they dared to kill the prophets, to be in the memory of all. But this exposition does not agree with the letter. Therefore it should be said otherwise, that they are not blamed for this, but because they did this only so as to show outward signs of piety, just as it is said above that they tithed mint and cummin. Likewise, they adorn the monuments of the just . They adorned the sepulchres, and yet had the intention of killing, on account of pretense. Similarly, Chrysostom says, it happens in our times that if someone does many good things, adorns sepulchres, has an open hand, and the like; if he builds in stone, and aims at vainglory, and does not walk in the ways of the Lord, it profits him nothing. Likewise, they showed piety by their words: and you say: if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their partners in the blood of the prophets . It is common that in the deeds of others all are severe judges: hence if we see someone sinning, we judge it a great sin, but we diminish our own sin; therefore these sons recognized the malice of their fathers, but not their own; above at 7:5: cast out first the beam from your own eye, and then you shall see to cast out the mote from your brother's eye . Then he sets forth their cruelty. And first, in general; secondly, in particular. And he sets forth the temporal punishment, at behold, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes . Regarding the first, he first describes the origin; secondly, the imitation of evil; thirdly, he threatens punishment. He says, wherefore you are witnesses against yourselves, that you are the sons of those who killed the prophets . But what evil was it for them, since it was not in their power? Therefore it seems that it ought not to be imputed to them. See: sometimes a son does not imitate the sins of his father, and sometimes he does imitate paternal malice. If he does not follow paternal malice, it is not imputed to him. Sometimes it happens that one has a good father and a bad mother, or conversely, and he follows the goodness of his father, or of his mother. But if both are wicked, it rarely happens that he does not imitate their malice. And the reason is that the children of the wicked become accustomed to evils from the beginning; and what they become accustomed to in youth they adhere to more strongly, and therefore they are more inclined to evil. Likewise, when evil parents see their children doing something evil, they do not correct them; for this reason their sin is aggravated, so that the sins of the parents redound to the children; Exodus 20:5: I am a jealous God, visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children . Therefore he says, you are the sons of those , who have their malice; Wisdom 3:12: their children are most wicked . Hence you are sons by imitation; and this is what follows: fill up then the measure of your fathers . This is not imperative, but declarative: fill up, i.e., you will fill up, as though a man were speaking, i.e., you will kill me; John 13:27: that which you do, do quickly . Or it can be permissive, i.e., you will not be prevented by me; i.e., at some time you wished to but I did not permit; hereafter I will not prevent you. Therefore fill up the measure of your fathers . But what does it mean when he says fill up? It should be seen that all things that come to pass come from the certain judgment of God. But in that judgment of God the punishment is not immediately exacted, until the guilt is totally accumulated and comes to a head: hence with respect to the judgment of God, their guilt was not yet filled up. Hence they killed the prophets, and the guilt is not yet filled up, but it will be completed in me. Therefore fill up the measure of your fathers . Isaiah 27:8: in measure against measure, when it shall be cast off, you shall judge it . Or fill up . The fathers sinned, but you fill up. Then one fills up when he arrives at as much as his fathers. Therefore your fathers killed the prophets, and you, fill up. Or it can be said that those sinned by killing servants, but these by killing the Son; hence they filled up the wickedness of their fathers. But the Lord willingly offered himself and did not oppose. Likewise, he does not reproach them for his own injury, but only for that of his own, because it belongs to a good shepherd to consider the injury of his own as his own. Then he adds concerning the punishment: you serpents, generation of vipers , etc. And it seems that he speaks fittingly about the guilt. A serpent is a venomous animal and kills by its venom: so they are called serpents because they killed the prophets. Of the viper it is also said that it dies in giving birth, for the offspring gnaws through the mother's innards: so since they themselves were wicked, they reviled their fathers. Hence, you who are such, how will you flee from the judgment of hell? According to the judgment of men you escape, but according to the judgment of God, how will you escape? Hence one must have a clean heart. Job 19:29: flee from the face of the sword .
23—3
Mt 23:34-39
34. Therefore behold I send to you prophets and wise men and scribes: and some of them you will put to death and crucify: and some you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city. 35. That upon you may come all the just blood that hath been shed upon the earth, from the blood of Abel the just, even unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias, whom you killed between the temple and the altar. 36. Amen I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation. 37. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered together thy children, as the hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldst not? 38. Behold, your house shall be left to you, desolate. 39. For I say to you, you shall not see me henceforth till you say: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Behold I. In this part he sets forth their cruelty and adds the temporal punishment. And first he does the first; secondly, he adds the punishment. And first he sets forth the benefit; secondly, the guilt; thirdly, the magnitude of the punishment. Hence he says, behold, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes , etc. And this can be referred to what immediately follows, or to all that follows. If to all, then it has a plainer sense. Thus I say that you are about to fill up the measure, and that you are serpents, etc. Hence I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes, and some of them you will put to death , because you are such as are accustomed to killing. Or in another way, so that it refers to the whole. The Lord wills that judgment be not only just, but that it appear just, so that others may take example. Hence if someone has a good resolution, the Lord rewards him for his good resolution, and then gives him the will to exercise a good work; so conversely, when someone has an evil resolution and is full of evil will, according to what is said in Hosea 2:6: I will hedge up your way with thorns , he excites the wrath of God, and from the wrath of God it comes about that his malice is made manifest. Therefore I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and you will kill them . And he says behold , because it is at hand, for he sent the apostles; hence Acts 1:8: and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth . But note that in saying I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes , he signifies the diverse gifts of the Holy Spirit. To one is given the gift of wisdom, to another the gift of tongues , etc. 1 Corinthians 12:10. The apostles had all these gifts. They had the gift of prophecy in foretelling the future; Joel 2:28: I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy . Likewise, the gift of wisdom, because they knew all things; Luke 21:15: I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to resist and gainsay . Likewise, they were scribes, because they had understanding of Scripture; Luke 24:45: he opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures . And why does he predict this? So that the disciples, thinking about what they had heard, might bear it more easily. Likewise, to convict them of malice, because just as their fathers killed the prophets, so they would kill the apostles; hence some of them you will put to death , as it says in Acts 12:2, because Herod killed James the brother of John with the sword, seeing that it pleased the Jews . Others were crucified; hence and you will crucify . For this was the most shameful death; therefore by this death they killed Christ, according to that passage in Wisdom 2:20: let us condemn him to a most shameful death. And you will scourge . Acts 5:40 says that having beaten them, they charged them that they should not speak at all in the name of Jesus. And you will persecute . This is manifest in how they persecuted Paul. And above at 10:23: when they shall persecute you in one city, flee into another . Then the punishment is set forth, which, because it seemed severe, he therefore confirms: amen I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation . He says, that upon you may come all the just blood, from the blood of Abel the just, even unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias . Who this Abel is, is well known, because he was killed by his brother Cain. But who this Zacharias was is not established. It is read that there were three men named Zacharias. One was the son of Barachias, who was the eleventh among the prophets. But it cannot be understood of this one, because there was not yet an altar. Another was the father of John, and whose son he was is not found; but Chrysostom says that he was killed on account of Christ, because in the temple there was a place for virgins, and when the Virgin Mary was sitting in the place of virgins, the Jews wished to expel her from the place; Zacharias prevented this by defending her, and on account of this he was killed. Another is called the son of Joiada, whom Joash killed in the court of the temple, and therefore between the temple and the altar ; hence the place agrees, but the name differs. Yet Jerome says that Barachias is interpreted "blessed of the Lord," and designates the holiness of his father Joiada the priest. And he says that he himself saw the Gospel of the Nazarenes, and there it was contained, the son of Joiada . But why he begins with this Zacharias can be a question of the literal sense. The reason, however, seems to be that although the preceding things were more frequent, these nevertheless were found in Scripture. Or in another way, that Abel was a shepherd and Joiada a priest; therefore by these two are signified the laity and the clergy. Hence all punishment for the slaying of men will come upon you. Or in another way, because some are active and some contemplative; hence both are signified by these two. But amen I say to you, that all these things shall come upon this generation . But how can it be that all these things come upon this generation? Is one punished for another? Ezekiel 18:20: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father . How then upon this generation? Jerome solves this by saying that it is customary in Scripture that the whole generation of the good is taken as one generation, of which Psalm 111:2 says: the generation of the righteous shall be blessed . Of the generation of the wicked, above at 12:39: an evil generation seeks a sign . Chrysostom says thus: some sin, but God does not immediately punish; hence in Psalm 7:12: does he become angry every day? But some, when they sin, are never corrected, but change for the worse; 2 Timothy 3:13: but evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse ; and then the Lord waits until their malice is fulfilled. Hence these, in whom malice will be fulfilled, bear the weight of the whole as regards temporal punishment, yet as regards eternal punishment each bears his own. Hence it will be so great that it will seem as though they suffer for all; hence in Exodus 32:34 it says that this sin is to be reserved until the day of vengeance. Just as there was a fullness of goods for those who believe in Christ, so there was a fullness of evils for those who killed Christ; therefore he says, all these things shall come upon this generation . But what is this punishment? The destruction of the city of Jerusalem. And since he intends to speak of the destruction of the city, he turns to address the city, saying, Jerusalem, Jerusalem . And first he sets forth the offense; secondly, he recalls the benefits; thirdly, he announces the punishment. The second is at how often would I have gathered together your children (...) and you would not? The third is at behold, your house shall be left to you desolate . He says, then, Jerusalem, Jerusalem ; and this doubling designates the feeling of one who pities; hence it says in Luke 19:41 that seeing the city, he wept over it. You that kill the prophets ; Acts 7:52: which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And he says, you that kill , not "you that killed," because they were still persevering in malice. This is that Jerusalem of which it says in Ezekiel 5:6: this is Jerusalem, I have set her in the midst of the nations, and the countries round about her, and she has despised my judgments . They could excuse themselves: we had no one to tell us; therefore he says, and you stone those who are sent to you ; hence I sent prophets and many helps, and you did not recognize them. How often would I have gathered together your children, as the hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not? In this is designated the perpetuity of his divinity, according to what he himself says, John 8:58: before Abraham was made, I am . Hence Christ himself sent prophets, patriarchs, and angels. Whenever he sent them, he wished to gather , etc. Those are gathered who are converted to the Lord, because in him sinners are united; those are scattered who are separated from unity. Hence, I would have gathered, as the hen gathers her chickens under her wings . It is said that there is no animal so compassionate toward its chicks as the hen. The hen defends them from the hawk and exposes her life for them and gathers them under her wings. So Christ has compassion on us: surely he has borne our infirmities , Isaiah 53:4. Likewise, he exposed himself to the hawk, i.e., the devil; Deuteronomy 31:27: while I am yet living, and going in with you, you have always been rebellious against the Lord . But there is an objection. The Lord willed, and they were unwilling; therefore their evil will prevailed over the will of God. Hence it should be said: as often as I willed, I acted, but against your will; I acted when I acted; hence your will prevented me from acting. Or the fact that he sent prophets was a sign that he willed to gather, and you would not . Then the punishment follows: behold, your house shall be left to you desolate . The whole people was honored on account of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem on account of the temple; therefore it says, your house shall be left , i.e., the temple, or the dwelling; Psalm 68:26: let their habitation be made desolate . Or a house is said to be desolate when it lacks its proper inhabitant; Psalm 10:5: the Lord is in his holy temple . Hence he is said to leave through habitation; therefore you shall not see me henceforth , etc., because I was with you by the power of divinity, and afterward I was corporally, but I shall depart from you. But now your house shall be left to you desolate, and you shall not see me henceforth , neither corporally, namely after the passion, nor spiritually. But is this true, that none of the Jews saw him, since many were converted to him? Therefore he says, till you say: blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord , because when you confess, then you will see through faith. Or in another way, he designates in a hidden way the second coming: they saw him in the body, but they did not have this vision until the second coming, in which you will be able to say, and will recognize that I am he who is blessed, who comes in the name of the Lord .
24—1
Mt 24:1-14
1. And Jesus being come out of the temple, went away. And his disciples came to shew him the buildings of the temple. 2. And he answering, said to them: Do you see all these things? Amen I say to you, there shall not be left here a stone upon a stone that shall not be destroyed. 3. And when he was sitting on mount Olivet, the disciples came to him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the consummation of the world? 4. And Jesus answering, said to them: Take heed that no man seduce you. 5. For many will come in my name saying, I am Christ. And they will seduce many. 6. And you shall hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that ye be not troubled. For these things must come to pass: but the end is not yet. 7. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And there shall be pestilences and famines and earthquakes in places. 8. Now all these are the beginnings of sorrows. 9. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall put you to death: and you shall be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 10. And then shall many be scandalized and shall betray one another and shall hate one another. 11. And many false prophets shall rise and shall seduce many. 12. And because iniquity hath abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold. 13. But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved. 14. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world, for a testimony to all nations: and then shall the consummation come.
Above, the manifold provocation of the Jews was presented; now the preparation through the instruction of Christ's disciples is given. They are instructed about dangers. And first the questioning of the disciples is presented; secondly, Christ's response, at and Jesus answering, said to them . In regard to the first, two things. First, the occasion for the questioning is presented; secondly, the questioning itself, at and when he was sitting on mount Olivet , etc. The occasion was twofold. The foretelling of the destruction of the temple, which foretelling he made both by deed and by word, because he went out of the temple. Above, in the preceding chapter: Behold, your house shall be left to you desolate ; and this he showed, because he went out; hence, because he went out bodily, he showed that he was going out spiritually; John 8:59: But Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple . When a sinner does not wish to be corrected, the Lord goes out from him; Lamentations 1:6: All her beauty is departed from the daughter of Zion . Then the questioning is presented, at and the disciples came to him privately, saying ; secondly, the response, at and he answering , etc. So he was going away . But then the disciples came to show him the buildings of the temple , so that he might see how beautiful the house was, how splendid; hence in another place, namely Mark 13:1, it says: See what manner of stones and what buildings . But Origen asks: had he not been there before, and did he not know well? He answers that they were not asking in order to instruct him, nor as though he did not know, but so that he might find a remedy for the destruction. In the same way a Christian is the temple of God, as is stated in Philippians 2; and the disciples are intercessors, lest this temple be destroyed. Then the Lord responds: do these things seem great to you? Isaiah 23:9: The Lord of hosts hath designed it, to pull down the pride of all glory , etc. Hence he adds, Amen I say to you, there shall not be left here a stone upon a stone . Is this true? In the time of Chrysostom it had not yet entirely come to pass, but it was expected that it would come. Or it can be said that he means only that it would be destroyed. Or it should be said that, just as by God's providence the temple was at one time restored, so by God's providence, when the confirmation of the new law began, the temple was destroyed, lest sacrifices be offered in the temple. Hence, if it had not been destroyed, many who had become Christians would perform the ceremonies and would return to the temple; hence it was done by divine dispensation that it was destroyed. And this is found in Luke 21:6, where it says of the temple: The days will come in which there shall not be left a stone upon a stone that shall not be thrown down . So it also happens that someone who is built up by good virtues, if he falls through some mortal sin and is negligent and not watchful, totally falls and is destroyed; Psalm 136:7: Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof . Hence he means to say that not only the temple, but also the things pertaining to it, which were a shadow, as Hebrews 10:1 states: The law having a shadow of the good things to come . Having presented the occasion, the questioning is given. And we should note that he went out and went to the Mount of Olives, which signifies the Church, in which fruitful olive trees are planted; Psalm 51:10: I am like a fruitful olive tree . And from there he instructs the disciples. He had said the temple was to be destroyed; therefore they ask three things. The first about the temple; the second about his coming; the third about the end of the world. Hence they say, Tell us, when shall these things be , namely, the completion of your threat; and about your coming: and what shall be the sign of your coming ; likewise about the end of the world: and of the consummation of the world . In Luke, only one question is touched, namely, about the destruction of Jerusalem, because they did not believe it would be destroyed except after the second coming; hence they said, Acts 1:6: Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? In Mark 13:3, it says that only Peter, John, James, and Andrew were sent; because these were called first and had more confidence in approaching him. In this we have an example that those who adhere to God longer in contemplation are more familiar with God; Deuteronomy 33:3: And they that approach to his feet shall receive of his doctrine . These disciples asked about his coming, and this is twofold. The last coming, which is for judgment; and this will be at the consummation of the world. About this you have Acts 1:11: As you have seen him going up to heaven, so he shall come . The other is a coming that strengthens the minds of men, to whom he comes spiritually. Below: they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds , i.e., in preachers, because through preachers God comes into the minds of men. Hence it is doubtful to what this should be referred. Nevertheless, Augustine says that the whole should be referred to the spiritual coming. But some say it refers to the second coming. Others, however, explain it as referring to the destruction of Jerusalem and the last coming. First, therefore, he responds as to the destruction; secondly, as to the second coming, at for as lightning comes out of the east . In regard to the first, two things. First, he foretells those things which are antecedent to the destruction; secondly, the destruction itself, at when therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation , etc. These preliminaries were both on the part of outsiders and of those who were contained within the Church. First, therefore, on the part of outsiders; secondly, on the part of those within the Church, at and many false prophets shall rise and shall seduce many . In regard to the first, two things. First, he presents spiritual dangers; secondly, bodily dangers, at for you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars . He says, therefore: so you ask about the consummation, yet first you should be concerned for yourselves, that you not be deceived; therefore he says, take heed that no man seduce you . Ephesians 5:15: See therefore, brethren, how you walk cautiously. Many will come in my name, saying: I am Christ . Someone comes as sent by Christ; so the disciples came. But others are said to come in the name of Christ who say they are Christ, usurping for themselves a name that is not given to another; Philippians 2:9: He hath given him a name which is above all names . Hence many deceivers will come, who will come of themselves; but Christ did not come of himself, but from God; hence John 7:28: I am not come of myself . Although this is said specifically of the Antichrist, it can nevertheless be said of many others. Hence, because they did not adhere to the truth, they were given over to errors. And this happened in the case of Simon Magus, who wrote books and called himself the book of God, the great God, all things of God, and he seduced many. For it belongs to the foolish to be seduced, who are divided in errors, because the number of fools is infinite (Ecclesiastes 1:15). Hence truth gathers together, but error divides; and this is the danger. This can also be referred to the second coming, for these things will happen around the day of judgment. For you shall hear of wars , etc. Here, first, he sets forth the dangers; secondly, he gives comfort. He says, therefore: so it was said, take heed that no man seduce you, (...) for you shall hear of wars , etc. And this happened immediately after the Passion. For immediately the most wicked tyrants were sent into Judea by the emperor, who burdened them marvelously, so that they could scarcely endure. Hence, you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars , because in wars rumors count for much; hence it often happens that a few defeat many; Jeremiah 8:16: The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan; all the land was moved at the sound of the neighing of his warriors . And see. Some might believe that the end of the world was coming immediately; hence it is said that the tribulation was so great that they believed the end of the world had come; therefore he says, see that you be not troubled. For these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet , as though the destruction of Jerusalem were meant, because its destruction did not come until fifty years after the Passion. But someone might say: you say that we will hear of wars, but there have always been wars. He responds: you have never seen such things. For nation shall rise against nation , namely, the Roman nation against the Jewish nation, and kingdom , namely, the Roman kingdom against the Jewish kingdom. And there shall be pestilences , etc. Someone might say: these wars happen by chance and not from God's vengeance. But that they come from God's vengeance is evident, because not only will these evils be inflicted by men, but by God, because there shall be pestilences , which come from the corruption of the air, and famines, and earthquakes in places . And all these things happened before the destruction of Jerusalem. Someone might say: all these things happened by chance and were not indicative of sorrow. On the contrary. Hence he says, now all these are the beginnings of sorrows . Isaiah 13:8: They shall be in pain as women that are in labor . So Chrysostom explains it. But insofar as it is referred to the consummation of the world, Origen explains it thus. We should consider the world as one man, because when it tends toward death, the vital powers begin to weaken. So in showing the universal change, the Lord will send some particular change, so that they will not have any strength, and then there will be pestilences, because the air that serves us in two ways will be corrupted. Likewise the earth, which serves us for food because it produces herbs and grain from which food comes, will be weakened, so that there will be famine in the land. Likewise the earth supports us, and against this the earth will be disturbed; hence there will be earthquakes. The first two are universal, but the last will be particular, because it will be in places. And why will it not happen universally throughout the whole world? So that men, seeing it, may return to their hearts and be converted. Likewise it happens that famine arises from a scarcity of things, and then on account of the famine nation rises against nation; and this could happen near the end of the world. It can also be, however, that sometimes nation rises against nation not on account of scarcity, but on account of vainglory. Sometimes it happens on account of the injustices of men. Sometimes God has mercy and restrains the evil angels through the good angels, as Ezekiel 13:5: You have not gone up to face the enemy, nor have you set up a wall for the house of Israel, to stand in battle in the day of the Lord . Hence the world stands through the prayer of the good. And then, namely at the end of the world, the charity of many shall grow cold , and then there will be many evils, because then the good angels will release the demons, who have power to harm the land and the sea; therefore, because they have power over the land and the sea, they will disturb the whole earth. And that they can do this is found in Job 1:7ff. Jerome says that this can be said of the coming of the Lord by which he comes daily in the Church. For insofar as heretics impede the goods of the Church, then spiritual pestilences occur, and famine , namely, a want of good teaching, Amos 5 (alias 7), and earthquakes , i.e., men who are solid will be shaken. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted . Then he sets forth certain things that were to come in the Church. In the Church there were to be both prosperous things and adverse. And first he sets forth the adverse; secondly, the prosperous, at and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world . He announces the adverse in two ways: from those outside and from those inside. Deuteronomy 32:25: Without, the sword shall lay them waste, and within, terror . And he touches on three dangers: tribulation, killing, and hatred. They might say: it is true that the world will suffer these things, but what does that have to do with us? On the contrary, he says. And therefore he says, you ; as if to say, you will not be immune, but you will be afflicted, literally; 2 Corinthians 6:4: In tribulations, in necessities , etc. Likewise, they shall put you to death , as was evident when they killed Stephen and James; hence Psalm 43:22 says: We are counted as sheep for the slaughter . Likewise, you shall be hated by all nations , i.e., by the Jews. Or by all, who were spread throughout the whole world; above, 5:10: Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake . And he gives a consolation, because though all suffer, you will suffer these things for my name's sake . Jeremiah 45:4: Behold, those whom I have built, I destroy , and after: and do you seek great things for yourself? Origen says that this should be referred to the second coming, because there will be such a universal persecution that all the wicked will persecute the good; and on account of this he says then . For it was customary that when evils occurred, they would say it was on account of the sin of the Christians. Hence they rose up against them; hence, then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted. And then shall many be scandalized . Here he sets forth the dangers from those within. For there is a threefold scandal that you will suffer: namely, that of the weak, mutual injury, and debility. Hence he says, then shall many be scandalized ; because even the very perfect will be scandalized; hence above, 18:7: It must needs be that scandals come . Hence even the elect are troubled when they see scandals; hence Paul was saying, 2 Corinthians 11:29: Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire? And they shall betray one another . From this the tribulation is evident. Above, 10:21: And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death , etc. And not only bodily, but also spiritually, because some are the source of error; and from this it will follow that they shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise and shall seduce many . Such are those who seduce many in the Church; 2 Peter 2:1: There were also false prophets among the people . Likewise, 1 John 2:18: Many antichrists have arisen. They went out from us, but they were not of us . Hence these evils will happen: brothers will corrupt, and they will seduce many . Likewise, a third thing, because they will not only do this but will also corrupt, and so they will fail: because iniquity shall abound, the charity of many shall grow cold . Apocalypse 2:4: But I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first charity . It can be said to grow cold, because when they see others abandoning charity, they too grow cold, although it does not entirely perish; and in many, but not in all, because it was always fervent in the apostles; Romans 8:35: Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or persecution, or the sword? Hence it will be so in many, but not in all, because he that shall persevere to the end , namely, of the present life, he shall be saved . The same is found above, 10:22. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world . Above, the Lord foretold the adverse things that would come in the Church; now he foretells the prosperous, because the apostles, who were born from the Jews, were zealous for their own flesh; Romans 9:2: I have great sadness and continual sorrow in my heart ; therefore, for their consolation, because many more were to be called to the faith, he says: this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world . For he himself, beginning his preaching, said: Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand . But this shall be preached in the whole world : for the new law is not determined to one people, as the old law was. Mark 16:15: Preach the gospel to every creature . And Chrysostom says that this was fulfilled before the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, and he proves this through the Apostle in Romans 10:18, where the Apostle says: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth . Therefore the evangelical teaching seemed to have been spread throughout the whole world. Likewise through another authority found in Colossians 1:6: The preaching of the gospel bears fruit . And this is not surprising, because one apostle, namely Paul, expanded it so much that he reached Rome and Spain; hence what is found in Isaiah 57:9 was fulfilled: Thou hast sent thy messengers far off . And therefore Chrysostom says that in this the power of Christ is to be admired, that within the space of forty years his teaching grew so much that it filled the whole world; hence he rightly says, and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world . But will everyone believe? No; some will believe and some will not. And the fact that some will believe will be as a testimony against those who do not believe, as Jerome says. For a testimony to all nations ; Romans 1:5: We have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith in all nations, so that they are without excuse. And then , namely, when all nations believe, the consummation shall come , i.e., the destruction of Jerusalem; and about this can be understood what is said in Ezekiel 7:3: The end is come upon thee, and I will send my fury upon thee . For he worked signs, he spread the gospel, and they did not wish to believe; therefore what is said in Malachi 1:10 happened to them: I will not receive a gift of your hand . Augustine holds that this should not be referred to the consummation of Jerusalem, but of the world; hence he says, it shall be preached , namely, before the end of the world, for a testimony to all nations , because not all will believe; and then the consummation shall come , i.e., the end of the world. And this is one sign: that as long as the preaching of the gospel has not been spread throughout the whole world, the end will not come. But it had not yet come, as Augustine says, to certain barbarians in Africa. And he responds to the text, Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth (Psalm 18:5), that it used the past tense for the future. And to what is written in Colossians 1:6, he says that it was not yet bearing fruit fully, but was already beginning to do so. And it can be distinguished thus: the diffusion of the gospel can be understood in two ways. Either as to fame only, and in this way it was completed before the destruction of the city; for although some had not received it, nevertheless there was no nation to which the fame had not reached. But if the diffusion is understood with its effect, then it is true what Augustine says, that it had not yet come to all nations.
24—2
Mt 24:15-22
15. When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he that readeth let him understand. 16. Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains: 17. And he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18. And he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat. 19. And woe to them that are with child and that give suck in those days. 20. But pray that your flight be not in the winter or on the sabbath. 21. For there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be. 22. And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened.
Having already presented the destruction, in this part he sets forth the coming of the consummation; and he presents certain preliminaries. And first he sets forth the prophecy; secondly, the admonition, at then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains ; thirdly, the reason for the admonition, at for there shall be then great tribulation . So he said, the consummation shall come, when therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation , etc. What is it that he calls the abomination? It can be said that the abomination refers to the Roman army, and they are called abominations of desolation because they were desolators of the land. Or by abominations, idols: and this can be said of a twofold idol. It is recorded that Pilate introduced the eagle into the temple, which was the standard of the Romans, which the Jews called an abomination. Hence, when you shall see the idol placed in the holy place, then you can recognize the fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel about the destruction of Jerusalem. Or it can be said that Jerusalem was destroyed twice. First by Titus and Vespasian, and then the temple was burned, and then some were still permitted to remain. Afterward some rebelled again, and then Hadrian, who succeeded Trajan, destroyed it utterly and gave a law that no Jew should henceforth dwell there, and he called the city by his own name; likewise he placed an idol in the sacred place. Hence, that idol which Hadrian placed can be called the abomination; hence, when you shall see this, etc. About this destruction, much is found in Lamentations 2. He that readeth, let him understand . And why does he say this? Because in that prophecy of Daniel many things are said about the Passion of Christ. For these are words to be carefully observed; hence it says there: Christ shall be slain, (...) and there shall be in the temple the abomination of desolation, and unto the consummation and to the end the desolation shall continue . Hence he who sees, let him understand that such things have come to pass. Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains . He sets forth a useful admonition. And first he presents it; secondly, he excludes impediments to flight. For some impediments are avoidable, and some unavoidable. He says, then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains . Then, namely, in the time of Vespasian. At that time a certain man named Agrippa ruled in the mountains, and he obeyed the Romans and did not rebel against them; hence, while other peoples were at war, he and his people were at peace. Hence, by God's providence the faithful who were in Judea were admonished to withdraw and go to the kingdom of this Agrippa, and so they did; hence, then they that are in Judea , namely, the faithful, let them flee to the mountains ; Zechariah 2:6: Flee from the land of the north , etc. Then he removes the impediments to flight. And because some impediments are avoidable and some are not, therefore he first sets forth the avoidable dangers; secondly, the unavoidable, at and woe to them that are with child , etc. Those that are avoidable are the concerns of earthly affairs; and some of these occur in the city, and some outside; therefore he presents both. The second is at and he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat . He says, therefore, and he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take anything out of his house ; i.e., whoever dwells in the city, even if he is in his house, let him not turn back to take anything, etc. Likewise, he that is in the field, let him not go back , to his house, to take his coat , namely, whatever things are necessary, because all that a man has he will give for his life. And why does he say this? Because when the feast of Passover was approaching, many gathered in Jerusalem; knowing this, Titus besieged the city while they were thus assembled. Hence he means to say: this evil will come so quickly that no one will be able to protect himself. Then he presents the unavoidable impediments. And because there were some impediments that were unavoidable by human power and absolutely, and some that, although unavoidable by human power, were avoidable by the power of God, therefore first about the first; secondly about the second, at pray , etc. That which, when present, can in no way be avoided is the burden of children. For although one might be told: save your life, he could say: how can I leave my child? Therefore he explains this: woe to them that are with child and that give suck , because such women could not flee, for neither should they be told to procure an abortion, nor those nursing to kill their children; and so what is said in Luke 23:29 is fulfilled: Blessed are the breasts that have not given suck . Likewise, there are other impediments where man cannot provide a remedy except through God. For some time is unsuitable either by nature or by law: by nature, as wintertime, because then a man is impeded from fleeing on account of the harshness of the weather. Likewise by law, as if it should happen on the sabbath, because God commanded that they should not go beyond one mile. And because this is not in our power but in God's, therefore, pray that your flight be not in the winter or on the sabbath , because in such matters one must have recourse to God alone. Hence Hosea 6:1: Come, and let us return to the Lord, for he hath taken us and he will heal us. Pray that it be not in winter , because it impedes flight naturally on account of the difficulty of the road; nor on the sabbath , because it impedes according to the law of God. Likewise note that he says on the sabbath , by which he signifies that on a feast day they were duly slain. Hence, the necessity for fleeing? From the magnitude of the tribulation. Hence, first he sets forth the tribulation and its magnitude; secondly, he sets forth the cause, at and unless those days had been shortened , etc. He says, therefore, for there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world . And this can be sufficiently perceived by one who reads the history of Josephus: that many died of hunger. Likewise, there were seditions in the city, so that they killed one another; hence, when Titus, who was most merciful, wished to spare them, they themselves refused. Likewise, there were brigands among them who killed many. And a certain woman ate her own son. Hence there was such tribulation as had never been seen. And Luke 21:23-24 says this: There shall be tribulation, and they shall fall by the edge of the sword . But will it be greater in the time of the Antichrist? Yes; but it will not be among the Jews. And Chrysostom asks on account of what sin this happened, because not even the punishment of the Sodomites was so great; hence there would not have been a greater punishment unless the sin was greater. And because they might say that these things happened to them on account of the sins of the Christians, he therefore says that this was not the case; hence, unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved . Augustine says that some have explained this as meaning that the days were then made shorter, as in the time of Joshua a day was made longer. But against this Psalm 118:91 says: By thy ordinance the days continue ; therefore it can be said in two ways. First, that the days of tribulation were shortened in number. Hence, if that time had lasted longer, all would have been killed, because none would have remained. And why? Because the Romans dominated throughout the whole world, and the Jews were already scattered throughout the whole world; therefore, if that time had lasted, they would have been killed everywhere. Or the days are said to be shortened when the evils are made brief. And why are they shortened? For the sake of the elect : not that the word of God had failed. For many of that people had been converted and were praying for the people that a remnant might be left; Isaiah 1:9: Unless the Lord had left us seed, we would have been as Sodom , etc. Then Chrysostom presents two considerations for why this is said: because there were some disciples there, and also John still lived beyond that time. Therefore he says that John did not mention this in his Gospel, because he wrote after it had taken place; hence he would have spoken of past events. But Matthew and Luke, who wrote before, mentioned it, because at that time it was still future. Therefore he says that it was a manifest miracle that, while the Romans were attacking the Jews and almost the whole Jewish nation was undergoing destruction, so few Jews could go throughout the whole world to convert almost the entire world; and this was the marvelous power of Christ. Hilary explains that these words are referred to the end of the world. When you shall see this abomination , he names the Antichrist. 2 Thessalonians 2:2: Be not terrified, neither by spirit nor by word, as if the day of the Lord were at hand; let no man deceive you by any means. And then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains ; because the Jews will fail, hence they will flee the land of the Jews and will be converted to the mountains of Christianity. And he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take anything out of his house . He means to say that the perfect should not be moved from their perfection. Hence he touches on the contemplative life, which is signified by the housetop; hence such persons should not withdraw from their contemplation. Likewise, he that is in the field touches on the active life. Such persons should not return to their former way of life, but should remain in their purpose. And what is meant by those who are with child? Men burdened with sins. Those who are nursing are imperfect men. Hence he means to say: woe to men burdened with sins and not confirmed in virtue. According to Augustine, those with child are those who conceive to do evil; those nursing are those who already carry out the deed. And what does he say about winter and the sabbath ? By winter is signified sadness, by the sabbath joy. Hence, let it not happen in winter through a sorrow that overwhelms, or on the sabbath through a joy that exalts the soul. Or by the sabbath, idleness from good works; by winter, the cooling of charity. And unless those days had been shortened ; because it will last only a short time, and if it were to last longer, no flesh should be saved , i.e., no one who is carnal. Likewise, these things can be referred to the coming of Christ through the Church; and so Origen says that just as the word of the gospel was spread abroad when Christ himself came, so false teaching will be spread abroad when the Antichrist comes; and just as Christ had his prophets, so also will the Antichrist. Then let those who are in the city flee to the mountains, of perfect justice. Those with child are said to be those who are still pursuing the word of salvation; those nursing, those who have already accomplished something. Pray, therefore , that they be not impeded through slothfulness and torpor. For there shall be then great tribulation , because there will be a perversion of Christian teaching through false doctrine. And unless those days had been shortened , namely, by the teaching of doctrine, through additions of true teaching, no flesh should be saved , i.e., all would be converted to false doctrine.
24—3
Mt 24:23-41
23. Then if any man shall say to you, Lo here is Christ, or there: do not believe him. 24. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. 25. Behold I have told it to you, beforehand. 26. If therefore they shall say to you, Behold he is in the desert: go ye not out. Behold he is in the closets: believe it not. 27. For as lightning cometh out of the east and appeareth even into the west: so shall also the cowling of the Son of man be. 28. Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together. 29. And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be moved. 31. And he shall send his angels with a trumpet and a great voice: and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them. 32. And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh. 33. So you also, when you shall see all these things, know ye that it is nigh, even at the doors. 34. Amen I say to you that this generation shall not pass till all these things be done. 35. Heaven and earth shall pass: but my words shall not pass. 36. But of that day and hour no one knoweth: no, not the angels of heaven, but the Father alone. 37. And as in the days of Noe, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38. For, as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, even till that day in which Noe entered into the ark: 39. And they knew not till the flood came and took them all away: so also shall the coming of the Son of man be. 40. Then two shall be in the field. One shall be taken and one shall be left. 41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill. One shall be taken and one shall be left.
After the Lord answered the disciples' question about the destruction of the city, here he begins to answer those things that pertain to the second coming. Now this coming is the coming for judgment; therefore it is divided, because first he sets forth the signs and manner of his coming; secondly, he treats of the judgment, below at 25:1, the kingdom of heaven shall be like ten virgins . Regarding the first he does two things. First, he sets forth the signs preceding the coming of Christ; secondly, he treats of the coming itself, at and they shall see the Son of man etc. Regarding the first there are two parts, because two things will precede: first, on the part of men and the elect; secondly, on the part of the elements, at and immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened etc. Regarding the first he does two things. First, he sets forth a certain warning; secondly, the reason for this warning, at for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets . He says therefore, then if any man shall say to you: lo, here is Christ etc. It should be noted that the word then does not indicate a determinate time, but a vague time, because this did not happen immediately after the destruction of Jerusalem, but is expected to happen in the end. Something similar is found above in chapter 2, where it says that the Lord dwelt in Nazareth, whence he is called a Nazarene, and there follows: then came John the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea ; not that he came at that time, because there were perhaps twenty years between the two events; hence it is taken as a vague time. So also here. For it will happen that many deceivers will come, and will say that the Antichrist is God. Then if any man shall say to you: lo, here is Christ, or there, do not believe him . 2 Thessalonians 2:2: be not terrified, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by epistle, as sent from us, as if the day of the Lord were at hand . Then when he says, for there shall arise false Christs and false prophets , he assigns the reason for the warning. And first he sets forth the reason from necessity; secondly, from the falsity of their teaching, at for as lightning comes out of the east etc. Regarding the first he does three things. First, he introduces the deceivers; secondly, the vehemence of the deception; thirdly, the warning. He says therefore: you say that some will claim to be Christ; but will there be others? Yes, for there shall arise false Christs , i.e., those who will say they are christs, and this happened before the destruction of Jerusalem; 1 John 2:18: but you have heard that Antichrist comes, and many antichrists have arisen. And false prophets . For just as Christ had true prophets, who foretold him, so the Antichrist will have false ones; and this is what is said in 1 John 4:1: many false prophets have gone out into the world . But will they perform miracles and wonders? Hence, they shall show great signs and wonders ; 2 Thessalonians 2:9: whose coming is according to the working of Satan ; Apocalypse 16:13: and I saw from the mouth of the dragon, and from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits go forth like frogs . But here there is a question: can demons work miracles? It must be said that they cannot, if miracle is taken in the proper sense, because a miracle properly speaking is not something done outside the order of some particular cause, but something done outside the order of all creation, and this is done by the power of God alone. But it is indeed possible that a higher creature is not contained within the order of a lower creature; hence something is done by the power of higher beings that is not done by the power of the elements. So among men, someone produces by art something that seems marvelous to others. So it is with demons, because they are of a more subtle intelligence; therefore, just as certain artisans do things that seem marvelous to others, so also demons do certain things naturally that seem marvelous to us. But how will this happen? It was the opinion of Avicenna that corporeal nature obeys the mere will of an intelligence, so that a body is changed at the apprehension of an intelligence. But Augustine sets this aside, because corporeal nature does not obey the mere will of any creature, but of God alone. Therefore it must be said that in natural things there are powers determined to produce certain things, such as frogs and the like; demons know these powers better than anyone else. And Augustine proves this, because the fire that descended upon the sheep of Job was natural. For a demon can excite and gather bodies so as to produce such miracles. But those miracles that do not proceed from the power of any natural thing, these they cannot do, namely, to raise the dead. Hence they do not perform such things except in illusions, as Simon Magus made a head move. Hence those things that are not done by the power of nature, they cannot do; thus they shall show great signs , i.e., signs that men consider great. But what will be the effect? So as to deceive, if possible, even the elect . And Origen says that this statement is made by way of exaggeration, because any man in this life, considered in himself, can be deceived; yet, considered in relation to God's election, that the elect should be deceived is impossible. Therefore, speaking in an aggravated way, he says that so great will be the force that unless they were preserved by divine predestination, they would be deceived. Or it can be said that they are not truly elect, but elect according to appearance; 1 Timothy 1:19: which some rejecting have made shipwreck concerning the faith ; Isaiah 19:14: the Lord has mingled a spirit of giddiness in the midst thereof, and they have caused Egypt to err . Behold I have told it to you beforehand , because, according to Gregory, darts that are foreseen wound less; Amos 3:7: the Lord God will do nothing without revealing his secret . Hence, if they shall say to you: behold, he is in the desert, go not out . Having set forth the necessity in general, he now sets it forth more specifically: if they shall say to you, behold, he is in the desert etc. It should be noted that true teaching is done in public; above 10:27: that which I tell you in the dark, speak in the light ; but false teaching always seeks corners; Proverbs 1:20: wisdom cries aloud in the streets . Hence truth is light, and seeks to be seen in the light; but if it is a perverse doctrine, it seeks hidden places. Proverbs 9:14: wisdom sits in the doorways , and there follows, stolen waters are sweeter . Hence the desert is a hidden place, because it lacks people, or because it is enclosed; therefore, if they shall say to you, behold, he is in the desert, go not out . And what does he mean? These unfaithful men and heretics, while they are in the society or congregation of the faithful, cannot deceive; but they strive to have people separated from the society, and then they deceive. And this is what he means: if they shall say to you, behold, he is in the desert, go not out . Do not allow yourselves to be separated from good society and congregation. Likewise, if in the inner chambers , because they always seek a secret place, nor do they dare to speak their teaching in public; hence John 18:20: I have spoken openly to the world . Do not believe it, for he who is quick to believe is light of heart , Sirach 19:4. According to Jerome this can be referred to the time before the destruction; but it is better to refer it to the end. Likewise, it can be understood of deception practiced in the Church. False christs give a document of falsehood, and it is called one document, because all are united in one thing; and every falsehood has its own prophets. Hence they say: here is Christ, or there ; Ezekiel 13:6: they persevered in confirming their word ; and sometimes they try to confirm it by apocryphal scriptures, sometimes by hidden senses of Scripture. When by apocryphal writings, they say he is in the desert; when by hidden senses, they say he is in the inner chambers. Or according to Augustine, true teaching has two characteristics: it is the same in every place and is to be proclaimed publicly, and heresy falls short of both; hence one says here is Christ , i.e., in this land and not in another. Likewise, because their teaching is not public, they say he is in the inner chambers ; hence, do not believe it . For as lightning comes out of the east etc. Here he assigns another reason, because they speak falsely who say that Christ will come in secret; rather, he will come manifestly. And he gives two reasons. One from the manifestation of Christ, another from the gathering of the saints. He says, do not believe that he will not come manifestly: for as lightning comes out of the east, and appears even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be ; Psalm 49:3: God shall come manifestly . But will he come like lightning, which is seen here one moment and then toward the east the next? Therefore do not understand it as though he will be manifest only in one direction, but in all directions. If we wish to refer this to its mystical meaning, the lightning is the coming of truth. Do not therefore seek hidden teaching, because truth is manifested throughout the whole world. Or the east signifies the beginning, and the west the end. Hence the truth of teaching always has harmony from beginning to end; for true teaching accepts all of Scripture. Some do not accept the Old Testament, some do not accept the prophets, and thus they could not be confirmed by other Scriptures; but true teaching from the beginning of the Church's birth until the end will have confirmation; hence it is said below at the end (28:20): behold, I am with you all days even to the consummation of the world . Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together . For someone might say: they say here is Christ, or there ; how shall we know when he comes? But he shows that there will be no need to search, because his coming will be manifest, since others also will be gathered together. And it will be like what happened when someone asked his lord, who was keeping his counsel very secret about moving camp, and said: when will you move camp? And the lord said: will you not hear the trumpet? Why do you ask? So it is said here: you say that he will be here or there; I know that where the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together . Note that in the Hebrew there is the word anathe , which means cadaver; hence he wished to signify the passion of Christ, because Christ will come showing the signs of his passion. And he speaks by way of similitude, where the body is etc. 1 Thessalonians 4:16: we shall be taken up in the clouds to meet Christ . But some are eagles, some are vultures and crows. But he does not say vultures or crows, but eagles , by which the saints are signified. Isaiah 40:31: they shall take wings as eagles, they shall fly and not grow weary . Thus, as Jerome says, wherever the memorial of Christ's passion is celebrated, holy men ought to gather together through the continual remembrance of his passion. Hebrews 10:32: remember the former days, in which, being illuminated, you endured a great conflict of sufferings . And because these things will not only be manifest through tribulations, therefore he says: and immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened etc. And here he treats of signs taken from other things that are above us. And first he sets forth the signs; secondly, the effects. The second is at and then shall all tribes of the earth mourn . In those things that are above us he shows a threefold order: the heavenly bodies, the angels, Christ. Ephesians 1:21: he set him above all power and principality etc. Therefore regarding the first he says, and immediately after the tribulation of those days , namely, when the Antichrist will come. Immediately , because not long after, since for many it would be a danger; and this is against those who set forth a fable about a thousand years. The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light . And what is this? This statement has both a literal and a mystical sense. Insofar as it refers to the last coming, it has a literal sense; insofar as it refers to another coming, a mystical sense. But it seems to be objected that he says the sun shall be darkened , because it is said in Isaiah 30:26: and the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold . Hence to see this clearly you must distinguish three times: the time before the coming, the time of the coming, and after the coming. Before the coming of Christ these disturbances will occur, of which it is said here, and Joel 2:31: the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes . At the coming of Christ they will not be changed in substance, but by comparison, because so great will be the brightness of Christ and the saints that their brightness will not even appear; Isaiah 24:23: the moon shall blush and the sun shall be confounded . But after the day of judgment the brightness of the moon and stars will be increased. And then what is said in Isaiah 30:26 will be true, namely, that the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days . But it seems false that the stars will fall from heaven, because one star is larger than the whole earth. Rabanus solves this by the text of Mark 13:25, that the stars shall be falling , i.e., diminished in light.
But from what could this diminution arise? The light of any luminary is diminished from two causes: either in itself, or on account of something interposed, as when a cloud is interposed, or when the moon is eclipsed, its light is diminished. Hence Origen says this can be understood in two ways. First, that what will be interposed is the fire that will precede Christ and consume all things up to the middle of the air, namely, as high as the waters of the flood rose, and much smoke will follow this fire, so that the luminaries of heaven will be darkened. Or it can be said that some held these bodies to be corruptible; and just as the elementary bodies will be changed, so also these. Concerning these three things there is one text, Apocalypse 6:12: the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as blood, and the stars from heaven fell . The stars shall fall from heaven . Stars seem to fall from heaven when they are deprived of their light. So therefore there will be a change in the heavenly bodies. Likewise in the angels; hence he says, and the powers of heaven shall be moved , i.e., the powers that minister to God. And Augustine says that all bodies are administered by the spirit of life; hence they are said to be moved in their effect, because at the coming of the Lord the motion of heaven will cease. Hence those powers are said to be moved when those things that pertain to their office are changed into another state. Or the angels will be moved not by a movement of fear but of admiration, because they will admire the power of Christ. Or they will be moved with a movement of joy over the glorification of the saints. Of this can be taken what is said in Job 26:11, that the pillars of heaven tremble and are amazed at his movement . And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven . Here is set forth the sign of the Son of man existing above the angels. The sign of the Son, i.e., the sign of the victory of Christ; because when the whole world will be renewed, it will be signified that he obtained victory over all things through his passion, which is not apparent now. Or the sign of the cross will appear, to show that all this glory is through his passion. Likewise, it will be signified that he acquired all judicial power through his passion. Job 36:29: if he shall spread his clouds like a tent etc. And there follows: for by these he judges peoples . Likewise, it will appear to confound the wicked who refused to follow Christ. Likewise, the sign of the cross will be brighter than the sun. But what will the effect be? Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn , seeing such great power of Christ, which they despised, and such great wisdom, which they did not obey, and such great brightness of the saints; hence they will say what is said in Wisdom 5:3: these are they whom we once held in derision and as a parable of reproach. We fools esteemed their life madness and their end without honor. Behold how they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints . Likewise, the tribes of heaven, i.e., those who bore the image of heaven; Isaiah 40:18: to whom then will you liken God, or what image will you set up for him? They will impute to themselves that they suffer such things; Apocalypse 1:7: every eye shall see him, and they also that pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth shall bewail themselves because of him . And Zechariah 12:10: they shall look upon me whom they pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only son, and they shall grieve over him as one grieves at the death of a firstborn . This is the literal exposition. But if it is referred to the second coming, then it is expounded only mystically. Origen says: by the sun the devil is signified, by the moon the Antichrist. Of these it is said in Job 31:27: if I beheld the sun when it shone, and the moon advancing in brightness, and my heart rejoiced in secret . I beheld, i.e., I approved the sun, i.e., those things that seem to have brightness and holiness and power; then they will appear. 1 Corinthians 4:5: he will bring to light the things hidden in darkness and will make manifest the counsels of hearts . Hence all teaching, all brightness will then appear, because the image of Christ will appear in all. Or by the sun the Church is signified; hence the Church on account of tribulations will seem not to shine. And why does he say after the tribulation ? Origen answers: both after and at the same time. Likewise, stars , i.e., those who afterward seemed to shine. The powers of heaven , i.e., the saints, will be moved. And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven etc. Above the Lord foretold what would happen before the second coming; here, however, he foretells the coming itself. And regarding this he does three things. First, he sets forth his coming; secondly, the certainty of the coming; thirdly, the uncertainty of the hour or day. The second is at from the fig tree learn a parable ; the third at but of that day and hour no one knows . Regarding the first he does two things. First, he sets forth the coming, or the appearance of the Son of man; secondly, the gathering of the saints to him, at and he shall send his angels etc. And note that where he mentioned the coming, he set forth two things, namely, that the coming would be manifest and that the saints would be gathered together; hence he said, and as lightning (...) so shall also the coming of the Son of man be . And this pertains to the manifestation. Likewise, he said: where the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together . And these two things he wishes to explain more fully. And how will he come? They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven . And who will see? All men, for he will come to judge. For he has a human nature and a divine nature. According to his divine nature he will not be seen except by the pure of heart, etc., according to what is said above at 5:8: blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God ; but according to his human nature even the wicked will see him; Luke 3:6: all flesh shall see the salvation of our God . Therefore they shall see the Son of man , because the Son of man and the Son of God are the same; but they will not see him as the Son of God, but as the Son of man; John 5:27: he gave him power to do judgment, because he is the Son of man . But there can be a question whether both the good and the wicked will see him in his glorious form; and it must be said that they will. And the reason is given in Isaiah 26:10, where the Lord, disputing with the prophet, says: he shall not see the glory of the Lord . And the prophet answers: Lord, let your hand be exalted, that they may not see . To which the Lord answered: and let them be confounded . Hence the good will see him unto joy, the wicked unto torment and sorrow. For when someone fears being punished, the more the power of the judge appears against him, the more he is afflicted; so the more glorious Christ appears, the more the wicked will be tormented. And this is signified when it says, coming in the clouds of heaven . And this corresponds to what he had said above, that as lightning (...) so shall also the coming of the Son of man be . In lightning there are two things, splendor and terror. Splendor represents a certain joy, but terror comes from the sound, and a cloud brings refreshment; Isaiah 18:4: and it shall be like a cloud of dew in the day of harvest , which is then pleasant. Likewise, a cloud has darkness, and when it is thick, it is terrible on account of the lightning and rain that come from the clouds; and this corresponds to the terror of the wicked; Psalm 96:2: clouds and darkness are round about him . Likewise, it is fitting that he come in clouds to designate the divinity of Christ, because the majesty of God appeared in a cloud, Exodus 16:10; hence it is said in 3 Kings 8:12: the Lord said that he would dwell in a cloud ; therefore he will come in clouds. Likewise, it is fitting to show his humanity, because, as is recorded in Acts 1:9: while they looked on, he was raised up, and a cloud received him out of their sight, and they heard the angels saying: in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven, so shall he come . Therefore, to show that he is the same one who was taken up in a cloud, he will appear in a cloud. It is also fitting to signify glorification. For when he was transfigured, a bright cloud appeared, and then there was one; but then there will be many, because then he appeared only to three, but then he will appear to many more; Apocalypse 1:7: behold, he comes with the clouds, and every eye shall see him . And what will these clouds be? They will be nothing other than certain splendors overflowing from the body of Christ and the other saints. Origen says that they will be angels assuming ministry not only intelligibly but truly. For in the first coming he came humbly; Zechariah 9:9: behold your king comes to you meek . But afterward he will come in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty . For in the first coming there were two things: he had weakness and ignominy. Weakness, because the Apostle says, 2 Corinthians 13:4: he was crucified through weakness . Ignominy, according to what is found in Isaiah 52:14: so shall his appearance be without glory among men, and his form among the sons of men . Consequently, corresponding to these two things, he says two things. Corresponding to the weakness, he sets forth power; hence of this it is said: all power is given to me in heaven and on earth , and this was given to him by generation, inasmuch as he is the Son of God. But he merited it inasmuch as he is man; and this will be manifested when all the angels and all the elements will minister to him. Likewise, against the ignominy, he says he will come in majesty, as judge of the living and the dead. Then he will come and he shall send his angels with a trumpet and a great voice . Here he treats of the gathering of the saints; and he sets forth three things. First, the ministers; secondly, those gathered; thirdly, from where they are gathered. The ministers are the angels, as is found in Psalm 102:21: his ministers who do his will . But he says, with a great voice and a trumpet . In the resurrection a threefold power will operate. First, the divine power; secondarily, the power of Christ's humanity, because his resurrection is the cause of our resurrection, as the Apostle says in 1 Corinthians 15:22: as in Adam all have died, so also in Christ all shall be made alive . Likewise, the angelic power will operate there for certain preparatory things, namely, for gathering the dust. And he touches on these three things. The angelic power, when he says, he shall send his angels ; the power of God, when he says, with a trumpet ; the power of his humanity in that he says, and with a great voice . Of this it is said in John 5:25: all who hear the voice of the Son of God shall live . And that voice must be great, because he shall give to his voice the voice of power , Psalm 67:34. By the trumpet the divinity is well signified, because the voice of a trumpet is greater than the human voice; Apocalypse 11:12: and they heard a great voice from heaven saying to them, come up hither . And shortly after: and the seventh angel sounded the trumpet, and there were great voices in heaven . And note that the trumpet is quite fitting, because in Numbers 10:2 the Lord commanded Moses to make two trumpets; and they sounded the trumpets for assembly, for feasts, for battle, and for the moving of the camp. And so it will be at the judgment; because there will be an assembly, i.e., a gathering of all the saints, because the wicked shall not rise in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the just , Psalm 1:5. Likewise, there will then be an everlasting feast. Likewise, there will be battle against the wicked, as is found in Zechariah 14:14: but Judah also shall fight against Jerusalem . Likewise, there will be a moving of the camp, because the saints will be transferred to the life of the saints; Zechariah 2:11: and many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day . Likewise, some are now gathered, but not all; but then all will be gathered; below 25:32: all nations shall be gathered before him . Here only the elect are gathered, because they alone are gathered to reign with him; Psalm 49:5: gather together his saints to him . Hence he says, and they shall gather together his elect . But from where will they be gathered? From the four winds of heaven, from the heights of heaven to the ends thereof . The winds of heaven are distinguished by the four parts of the world. From the east comes the subsolanus; from the west the favonius; from the north the boreas; from the south the auster; and all other winds are contained under these. Hence from the four winds of heaven , i.e., from all parts of the world. There follows, from the heights of heaven to the ends thereof . This can be expounded in two ways. Origen says thus: they shall be gathered . Someone might say that this gathering is only of the living and not of the dead; which he removes by showing that the dead also will be gathered; therefore he says, from the heights of heaven etc. You know that the saints ascend into the heavens, and some are lower, some higher, because according to the measure of merits will be the measure of reward. Hence this is what Augustine says, that from the four winds refers to the bodies, and from the heights of heaven refers to the souls. Remigius says thus, and it is in the Gloss: I shall gather etc. Someone might believe that the gathering is only from the extremities of the earth; but what about the middle of the earth? Hence to the ends thereof . And he means that the gathering will be not only from the extremities of the earth, but from heaven, i.e., from the middle of the world. From the fig tree learn a parable . Here he teaches about the certainty of his coming. He had said great things, and to some incredible things; now he certifies them in three ways. First, by a similitude; secondly, by an assertion; thirdly, by a reason. The second is at amen I say to you etc.; the third at heaven and earth etc. He says therefore, from the fig tree learn a parable . Chrysostom says: when God wishes to show something, he always introduces a natural similitude. Trees in winter have life, yet secretly; hence they do not produce leaves or fruit; but at the beginning of spring they begin to bud, and then life appears. So also the saints now do not appear, as is found in Colossians 3:3: you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God ; but then the life of the saints will appear, namely, of those who will not be deceived in the time of the Antichrist. Then summer will come, i.e., the eternal reward; Psalm 125:6: going they went and wept, casting their seeds ; and there follows, but coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves . Hence he says, from the fig tree learn a parable . By the fig tree the synagogue is signified, of which it is found in Luke 13:6: a certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard . When the branch thereof is now tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh . And this can be expounded thus: the tender branch is the Antichrist, whose power will last but a short time, and as leaves cling closely to it, then his power will be made manifest. Or it can be expounded in a good sense. By the branch is meant the strength and fortitude of the saints. When the Church begins to come to its end, the power of Christ and the saints who will sustain it will appear; Song of Songs 2:13: the fig tree has put forth her green figs . So you also, when you shall see all these things ; i.e., when you shall see the preceding signs coming to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors . Just as something is said to be near when it is at the doors; James 5:4: behold the hire of the laborers who have reaped your fields, which by fraud has been kept back by you, cries, and the cry of them has entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth . Note that Augustine emphasizes the word all , when he says: when you shall see all these things etc. Above he had said that the Lord is near; but what does this mean? For the Lord is always near. Therefore he says: if we wish, let us say that none of this pertains to the end of the world, but to the coming of Christ through the Church; hence what was said, they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds , i.e., in preachers, with great power , since the Lord gives the word to those who preach with great power; and then he will come with majesty , since they give him reverence. Yet according to the exposition of others, we can refer it to the end of the world, and say otherwise. According to Augustine's exposition, he gives us to understand something that is near, i.e., that there are certain signs that it is near; hence what was said, they shall see etc., is referred to all the things said above, namely, to the signs, lightning, and earthquakes. He has made it manifest therefore by a similitude; now he makes it manifest by an assertion, namely, with an oath, saying, amen I say to you , i.e., it is infallibly true, that this generation shall not pass away until all these things be done . Origen says: as if what you will hear were at hand. For someone might believe that these things were said about the destruction of Jerusalem, and since they were fulfilled at the destruction, because many survived until that time, hence this generation shall not pass away , i.e., the men now living, until all these things be done . But it would be a great stretch to refer everything said to the destruction of Jerusalem; therefore it must be said otherwise, that all the faithful are one generation; Psalm 23:6: this is the generation of those who seek the Lord ; and he had premised that the earth is the Lord's . Hence he means, this generation shall not pass away , i.e., the faith of the Church will not cease until the end of the world, against some who said that it would last only until a certain time. The Lord refutes this, saying below at the end (28:20): behold, I am with you all days even to the consummation of the world . And then he sets forth the reason: heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away ; as if to say: it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for my words to pass away; Isaiah 40:8: but my word endures forever . And Psalm 32:6: by the word of the Lord the heavens were established . Hence the word is the cause of heaven, and a cause is always more powerful than its effect, therefore etc. And it is not said that heaven and earth will pass away in the sense that they will cease to exist, but that they will pass into another state; Apocalypse 21:1: I saw a new heaven and a new earth . According to Origen, the good are signified by heaven, the wicked by the earth; Isaiah 1:2: hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth . Both will pass, the good into eternal life, the wicked into eternal fire. And that the word of God is said not to pass away does not mean that it will not pass away according to the substance of the word, but according to what it signifies; hence this, as Origen says, has something special, because the word of the Lord will not pass away. But the words of Moses and others pass away; hence the words of Moses are signs of the present Church. But the words of Christ foretell the state of eternal life. Hence the words of Moses pass away, i.e., what Moses promised passes away; but what Christ promised does not, because he promised future glory, which does not pass away. Likewise, the word of Christ insofar as it concerns earthly and temporal things passes away. But of that day and hour no one knows . In this part he determines the uncertainty of the time. And regarding this he does two things. First, he sets forth the uncertainty of the time; secondly, he urges vigilance by a similitude; thirdly, he shows the future outcome. The second is at as in the days of Noah etc.; the third at then two shall be in the field . He says, they shall see the Son of man . You say this indeterminately; tell us determinately if it is true. But of that day and hour no one knows, not the angels of heaven . What he says about the angels of heaven is clear, and it presents no great difficulty, because there is natural knowledge in them, and this does not extend except to those things that happen according to the course of nature; but the judgment will not happen except according to the will of God. Likewise, there is another knowledge, the knowledge of glory, and in this they know only as much as the Lord wills to reveal, and this he has kept to himself; Malachi 3:2: behold, the Lord shall come, and who shall be able to know his coming? 1 Thessalonians 5:2: the day of the Lord shall so come as a thief in the night . But there is a question here, according to Jerome, because Mark 13:26 says: nor even the Son of man ; from which Arius seems to confirm his heresy, because if the Father knows what the Son does not know, then the Father is greater than the Son. Therefore it can be said that the Son knows, and that the day of judgment is determined according to a certain plan, and whatever is determined by God is determined by his eternal Word; therefore it is impossible that the Word should not know. But why is he said not to know? Augustine and Jerome say that it is a customary manner of speaking to say that someone does not know something when he does not make it known; just as it is said in Genesis 22:12: now I know that you fear God , i.e., I have made it known. Therefore the Son is said not to know because he does not make it known. In another way, Origen says that Christ and the Church are like head and body, because just as head and body are like one person, so Christ and the Church. But Christ sometimes takes the form of the Church, as in Psalm 21:2: O God, my God, look upon me . Hence what is said, that Christ does not know, is understood to mean that the Church does not know; hence the Lord says in Acts 1:7: it is not for you to know the times or moments etc. Note that Augustine says that the Lord wished to show by certain signs that the coming of the judgment cannot be known determinately, because he does not determine any particular time. The proof says that it cannot be known, because as it is with the ages of man, so it is with the ages of the world. Hence just as the last age of man does not have a fixed term but sometimes extends more than the others, so also it must be said of the last part of the world, that it does not have a fixed term and could last longer than all the other parts. But as in the days of Noah, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be . Above the Lord set forth the uncertainty of the hour of his coming; now he adds a similitude. And first he sets it forth; secondly, he expounds it, at for as in the days before the flood etc. Moreover, he sets forth a fitting similitude, because while speaking of the end of the world, he rested on the end of the world. He therefore sets forth another similitude. For we read of a twofold destruction. One by water; 2 Peter 2:5: and spared not the original world, but preserved Noah, the eighth person, the preacher of justice, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly . Hence it is said quite fittingly, because the first destruction was for cutting off carnal sins; hence it is said in Genesis 6:2: the sons of God seeing the daughters of men, that they were fair, took to themselves wives of all whom they chose . Therefore, against the ardor of this concupiscence the destruction had to be by water. But at the end of the world there will be sin, because charity will grow cold, as was said above; therefore fire will fittingly be the punishment. Hence he says, as in the time of Noah , namely, that the end was uncertain, as is found in Genesis 6:13: the end of all flesh is come before me . Hence just as those who clung to Noah were saved, so at the coming of the Son of man, those who will cling to Christ the Son will be saved. Secondly, he expounds this similitude regarding the uncertainty: for as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking etc. In these words he seems to touch upon two things: namely, despair about the future coming, and its cause. Now the cause why a man does not hope for the future coming is that he is absorbed in the cares of the flesh, since he walks according to its concupiscences; James 5:5: you have feasted upon earth and in your luxuries you have nourished your hearts . Therefore they will devote themselves to debauchery, which has two parts, namely, in reveling and drunkenness, in debauchery and wantonness , Romans 13:13. Regarding the first he says, eating and drinking : not that eating and drinking is a sin, but to place one's end therein is a sin. Regarding the second he says, marrying and giving in marriage etc. And there follows, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away , namely, those who did not cling to Noah, who was a figure of Christ. So shall also the coming of the Son of man be . But it is said in Luke 21:26: men withering away for fear . And above in this same chapter it says that the sun shall be darkened . How then will men be secure enough to eat and indulge in luxury? There is a twofold answer. Jerome says that it is true that around the times of the Antichrist there will be many tribulations, and this for the testing of the elect; and afterward they will be restored to tranquility, and in that tranquility the wicked will devote themselves to pleasure. Hence Luke speaks according to the state of tribulation, but Matthew according to the time that will immediately precede the coming of God. Likewise in another way, because some are good, some wicked. And universally the Church will suffer tribulation, and the good will be punished by the wicked; hence it is said above at 10:22: you shall be hated by all men for my name's sake . Hence those who will suffer will be the good; but those who will carry out these tribulations will be the wicked. Therefore what is said here, eating and drinking etc., is understood regarding the wicked; but what is said in Luke, men withering away for fear , is understood regarding the good. Or thus: since it frequently happens that the good are corrected through tribulation but the wicked are not, therefore the wicked will wither away, but the good will not. Then two shall be in the field: one shall be taken, and one shall be left . In this part he sets forth the outcome of this uncertainty. And what will it be? It will happen that men engaged in the same occupation, one will be taken and the other left. And this can be expounded, according to Chrysostom, as meaning nothing other than that in every condition of men and every occupation some will be reprobate and some elect: those who are good will be taken; those who are wicked will be left. How? As was said above at 13:41, because angels will come and take up the good, namely, to Christ. Likewise, some live in luxury, and some exercise certain occupations. Likewise, among laborers some occupations pertain to men, some to women; the labor of men is properly in the fields. Then two shall be in one field , literally, namely, laboring; one shall be taken , as one of the elect, and the other shall be left , as one of the reprobate. Likewise, two women shall be grinding at the mill: one shall be taken, and one shall be left . This is the occupation of women. It used to be that women did the grinding, and he speaks according to the custom of the land where there is no water; and now grinding is done with horses or with men, but then it was the work of women; Isaiah 47:2: take a millstone and grind meal . Hence two shall be grinding, i.e., exercising their occupation. And then, one shall be taken , expounded as above. Likewise, two shall be in one bed: one shall be taken, and one shall be left . Chrysostom says that the rich do not labor but rest; therefore they are represented by those who lie in bed; and of these, one shall be taken and the other left. This can also be expounded allegorically, and this is the exposition of Hilary. By the field the world is signified, as was said above. By the two men, the people of the faithful and the unfaithful. Of these, one shall be taken, namely, the people of the faithful; the other shall be left, namely, the unfaithful. Likewise, the old law is signified by the mill, which is heavy and burdensome; Acts 15:10: this is a burden which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear etc. And of those who accept the old law, some accept Christ and some do not. All those are said to grind at the mill who accept the old law; and those indeed are taken who accept the old law together with the new; but those who do not are left. Likewise, those who accept Christ are like those lying in bed, because by the bed is signified the memory of the passion; and of such, some are taken and some are left: for some conform themselves to the passion through good works, and some do not. It can be expounded in another way, so that it refers to three states of the faithful; because there are three kinds of men: some contemplative, some prelates, some active. No state is so secure that some will not be condemned in it. The state of contemplation is signified by the bed. Of this it says in Song of Songs 1:15: our bed is flourishing ; and yet some in this state are condemned. The state of the active is signified by those grinding at the mill, because they bear a burden, and they are anxious; Luke 10:41: Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things . Hence they are wrapped up in worldly affairs; and therefore among them some are condemned. By the field, into which men go out to labor, are signified the prelates; Song of Songs 7:11: come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field . And among such, some are taken and some are left.
24—4
Mt 24:42-51
42. Watch ye therefore, because you know not what hour your Lord will come. 43. But this know ye, that, if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch and would not suffer his house to be broken open. 44. Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come. 45. Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season? 46. Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing. 47. Amen I say to you: he shall place him over all his goods. 48. But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming: 49. And shall begin to strike his fellow servants and shall eat and drink with drunkards: 50. The lord of that servant shall come in a day that he hopeth not and at an hour that he knoweth not: 51. And shall separate him and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.