The Sermon on the Mount (cont'd) : Charity & Encouragements to Prayer.

St Matthew Chapter VII : Verses 1-12

Contents

• Matt. vii. 1-12 (Douay-Rheims text) & Latin text (Vulgate).  Charity in judging others. Encouragements to Prayer.
• Notes on text

Matt. vii. 1-12

He taught them. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

1 Judge not, that you may not be judged,

Nolite judicare, ut non judicemini.

2 For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.

In quo enim judicio judicaveritis, judicabimini : et in qua mensura mensi fueritis, remetietur vobis.

3 And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye?

Quid autem vides festucam in oculo fratris tui, et trabem in oculo tuo non vides?

4 Or how sayest thou to thy brother: Let me cast the mote out of thy eye; and behold a beam is in thy own eye?

aut quomodo dicis fratris tuo : Sine ejiciam festucam de oculo tuo, et ecce trabs est in oculo tuo?

5 Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam in thy own eye, and then shalt thou see to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Hypocrita, ejice primum trabem de oculo tuo, et tunc videbis ejicere festucam de oculo fratris tui.

6 Give not that which is holy to dogs; neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turning upon you, they tear you.

Nolite dare sanctum canibus : neque mittatis margaritas vestras ante porcos, ne forte conculcent eas pedibus suis, et conversi dirumpant vos.

7 Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.

Petite, et dabitur vobis : quærite, et invenietis : pulsate, et aperietur vobis.

8 For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

Omnis enim qui petit, accipit : et qui quærit, invenit : et pulsanti aperietur.

9 Or what man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone?

Aut quis est ex vobis homo, quem si petierit filius suus panem, numquid lapidem porriget ei?

10 Or if he shall ask him a fish, will he reach him a serpent?

aut si piscem petierit, numquid serpentem porriget ei?

11 If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will your Father who is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him?

Si ergo vos, cum sitis mali, nostis bona data dare filiis vestris : quanto magis Pater vester, qui in cælis est, dabit bona petentibus se?

12 All things therefore whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them. For this is the law and the prophets.

Omnia ergo quæcumque vultis ut faciant vobis homines, et vos facite illis. Hæc est enim lex, et prophetæ.

Notes

    1, 2. Judge not, etc. In these two verses we have a precept, and one of the motives, namely, self-interest, which should lead us to observe it.

    In order to obey the negative precept, judge not, we must avoid —

    (a) Judging others without necessity.

    (b) Judging others without sufficient data (e.g. a man’s intentions).

    (с) Judging others in a Pharisaical spirit.

    (d) Revealing, without necessity, our unfavourable judgment.

    with what measure, etc. These words summarize the teaching of the verses 1 and 2. A similar proverb is found in the Talmud, but, as Farrar remarks, “ it must be remembered that the earliest parts of the Talmud were not committed to writing till more than two centuries after Christ, and long before that time His sayings may have been ‘ in the air,’ i.e. they may have passed unconsciously into the store of the national wisdom, even among His enemies ” (Farrar’s St Luke, p. 141).

    3. the mote.  κάρφος, a small dry chip or twig ; not a speck of dust, such as we see floating in a sunbeam.

beam. A main beam (δοκός), hence a large one. The Jews had a proverb in which they contrasted the beam with the mote. Christ teaches us to be consistent in our conduct, and not to reproach others with lesser faults, when we ourselves are guilty of greater.

    Note. — In our English translation the verb “seest” occurs twice in verse 3 and once in verse 5, but in the Greek text three different verbs are used, which give greater force to our Lord’s words. Note the gradation : —

    verse 3. seest thou the mote ? — from βλέπω “ to see.”

    verse 3. seest (lit. “ considerest ”) not the beam; — from κατανοέω, “to observe very carefully.”

    verse 5. then shalt thou see; — from διαβλέπω, “ to see through,” hence to “ see clearlv.”

    The Latin “ vides” does not bring out the meaning so fully.

    6. that which is holy. This is an allusion to the flesh of the victims which were offered on the Altar of Holocausts, and which were spoken of as “the holy thing” (τό ἅγιον).

    No unclean person (i.e. legally defiled) might eat of it, or even touch it, still less could it be given to the dogs. These animals were held in great contempt by the Jews. Dogs were the only scavengers in the East ; they devoured the most disgusting offal, and often attacked passers-by.

    Note. — Verse 6 is peculiar to St Matthew.

    neither cast ye, etc. The rabbis had a similar proverb : — “ Cast not pearls before swine, and deliver not up wisdom to one who is ignorant of its excellence” (Ne projiciatis margaritas coram porcis, et ne tradatis sapientiam ei qui ignorat præstantiam ejus).

    pearls. The Jews greatly esteemed pearls, and used them as ornaments. Cf. Adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety, not with plaited hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly attire (1 Tim. ii. 9).

    The pearl is referred to twice in this gospel, here and in ch. xiii. 45, 46, where the knowledge of the Gospel is spoken of under the figure of a pearl.

    lest perhaps they trample, etc. Pearls somewhat resemble pulse, and the swine, finding they had been deceived, might in anger trample on the pearls. By “ dogs,” St Augustine understands those who attack the faith (impugnatores veritatis); by “swine,” those who hold it in contempt. Both dogs and swine were considered “ unclean ” animals (see Lev. xi. 1-7), and Jews were strictly forbidden to keep the latter.

    7. Ask, and it shall he given. This is a formal promise that persevering prayer will be heard, provided the object of our petitions be for our greater good. If we pray for what is injurious, then God hears our prayer by refusing it, and granting us something that is better. Cf. You ask, and receive not : because you ask amiss : that you may consume it on your concupiscence (St James iv. 3).

    This passage has its parallel in all the gospels (see St Mark xi. 24 ; St Luke xi. 9 ; St John xvi. 23). The three commands, ask, seek, knock, indicate three different degrees of fervour in prayer. The use of the present imperative in the original text, indicates a continual asking, seeking, and knocking.

    9. shall ask bread. Bread, dried fish, and hard-boiled eggs were common articles of food in Palestine.

will he reach him? Lit. "will he hand over to him" ( μὴ . . . ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ).

    10. a serpent. There is a Greek proverb "an egg for a scorpion." In St Luke we find the word "scorpion" instead of "serpent."

    11. If you then being evil. Men are evil, in that all have sinned in Adam : and further, they are inclined to evil and are often guilty of actual sins.

    12. whatsoever you would, etc. This has been called the golden rule, and it is the perfection of charity. The law and the prophets alike teach men to love God, and to manifest this love in their dealings with their neighbours.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.