St Matthew Chapter XIII : Verses 36-43
Contents
- Matt. xiii. 36-43. Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
- Notes on the text.
Matt. xiii. 36-43
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| From the Last Judgement. Fra Angelico. 1432-1435. Museo nazionale di San Marco, Florence. |
Tunc, dimissis turbis, venit in domum : et accesserunt ad eum discipuli ejus, dicentes : Edissere nobis parabolam zizaniorum agri.
37 Who made answer and said to them: He that soweth the good seed, is the Son of man.
Qui respondens ait illis : Qui seminat bonum semen, est Filius hominis.
38 And the field, is the world. And the good seed are the children of the kingdom. And the cockle, are the children of the wicked one.
Ager autem est mundus. Bonum vero semen, hi sunt filii regnum. Zizania autem, filii sunt nequam.
39 And the enemy that sowed them, is the devil. But the harvest is the end of the world. And the reapers are the angels.
Inimicus autem, qui seminavit ea, est diabolus. Messis vero, consummatio sæculi est. Messores autem, angeli sunt.
40 Even as cockle therefore is gathered up, and burnt with fire: so shall it be at the end of the world.
Sicut ergo colliguntur zizania, et igni comburuntur : sic erit in consummatione sæculi.
41 The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals, and them that work iniquity.
Mittet Filius hominis angelos suos, et colligent de regno ejus omnia scandala, et eos qui faciunt iniquitatem :
42 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
et mittent eos in caminum ignis. Ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium.
43 Then shall the just shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Tunc justi fulgebunt sicut sol in regno Patris eorum. Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat.
Notes
36. he came into the house, (εἰς τὴν ⸀οἰκίαν.) The one mentioned in verse 1, probably Peter’s house.
Expound to us, etc. St Luke and St Mark give a similar request in connection with the parable of the Sower. The apostles found this parable more difficult to grasp than those of the “ Mustard Seed ” and “ the Leaven.” This was due to their false conceptions concerning the Messianic kingdom, from which they imagined that all evils would be banished.
37. Who made answer, etc. Jesus was always ready to instruct His apostles, and we frequently find Him explaining things to them privately.
Explanation of the Parable.
The Sower. Jesus Christ and His ministers.
The Field. The world.
The Good Seed. The disciples of Christ.
The Cockle. Those who live in sin.
The Enemy. The devil and his agents.
The Harvest. The end of the world.
The Reapers. The angels.
The Fire. Hell.
The Barn. Heaven.
Lessons inculcated by this Parable.
(a) Good and evil are mingled in this world, and it is not always easy to distinguish the one from the other.
(b) It is useless to attempt to separate them. This will only be effected at the day of judgment by the angels of God.
Note that while our Lord states the coexistence of good and evil, He does not explain why He allows this to be so.
37. He that soweth, etc. He sows it Himself, and also by His disciples, to whom the truths of faith are confided. Cf. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all, in these days hath spoken to us by his Son (Heb. i. 1, 2). In his own limited sphere, every Catholic should sow the good seed.
38. the children, etc. Better, “the sons” (οἱ υἱοὶ), as in the explanation of the Sower, the recipients are identified with the seed.
the children of the wicked one. Here, too, “ the sons ” of the wicked one. Cf. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do (St John viii. 44). Not only those who reject Christ are sons of the evil one, but those Christians who abuse the graces which they receive.
39. the reapers are the Angels. This is frequently laid down in Holy Scripture. Cf. And another angel came out from the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat upon the cloud ; Thrust in thy sickle, and reap, because the hour is come to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe (Apoc. xiv. 15). See also infra, xxiv. 31 ; 1 Thess. iv. 15).
40. at the end of the world. Lit. “ in the consummation of the world ” (ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ ⸀αἰῶνος), when all things shall be perfected. In St Matt. vii. 23, xxv. 41, we have descriptions of the judgment.
41. his Angels .... his kingdom. Jesus here proclaims His Divinity, since He is the Lord of the angels and of the heavenly kingdom.
all scandals. These are due to the workers of iniquity and when they are cast forth, scandals will cease to exist.
42. weeping and gnashing of teeth. These words describe the anguish which will be the result of intense physical suffering, of remorse, and of despair.
43. Then shall the just shine. After the resurrection. Brightness is one of the qualities of a glorified body. (The other qualities are impassibility, subtlety, and agility.)
The brightness of the glorified bodies is bestowed (among other reasons) as a special reward for—
(а) Wisdom. But they that are learned shall shine as the brightness of the firmament {Dan. xii. 3).
(b) Zeal. and they that instruct many to justice, as stars for all eternity (Ibid.).
(c) Patience under physical torments and afflictions. See Wisdom iii. 1-7 The just shall shine .... like sparks among the reeds,
etc. (because they suffered torments).
We are also told that all glorified bodies will not enjoy the same degree of glory. (See 1 Cor. xv. 40-44.)
as the sun. This comparison with the greatest source of light brings out the ineffable happiness and bliss of the elect in the home of their Father.
in the kingdom of their Father. “ This expresses, on the one hand, that the just are the children of God, and therefore dwell in the Father’s house ; and, on the other, that Christ shall have surrendered His kingdom before that period, into the hands of his Father ” (Maas, St Matt., p. 160). Cf. Afterwards the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father, when he shall have brought to nought all principality, and power, and virtue (1 Cor. xv. 24).
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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