St Matthew Chapter XII : Verses 22-37
Contents
- Matt. xii.22-37 Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
- Notes on the text
- Additional Notes: Sins against the Holy Spirit.
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| Jesus casts out a devil. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. |
Matt. xii. 22-37
22 Then was offered to him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, so that he spoke and saw.
Tunc oblatus est ei dæmonium habens, caecus, et mutus, et curavit eum ita ut loqueretur, et videret.
23 And all the multitudes were amazed, and said: Is not this the son of David?
Et stupebant omnes turbæ, et dicebant : Numquid hic est filius David?
24 But the Pharisees hearing it, said: This man casteth not out the devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
Pharisæi autem audientes, dixerunt : Hic non ejicit dæmones nisi in Beelzebub principe dæmoniorum.
25 And Jesus knowing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate: and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.
Jesus autem sciens cogitationes eorum, dixit eis : Omne regnum divisum contra se desolabitur : et omnis civitas vel domus divisa contra se, non stabit.
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself: how then shall his kingdom stand?
Et si Satanas Satanam ejicit, adversus se divisus est : quomodo ergo stabit regnum ejus?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
Et si ego in Beelzebub ejicio dæmones, filii vestri in quo ejiciunt? ideo ipsi judices vestri erunt.
28 But if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.
Si autem ego in Spiritu Dei ejicio dæmones, igitur pervenit in vos regnum Dei.
29 Or how can any one enter into the house of the strong, and rifle his goods, unless he first bind the strong? and then he will rifle his house.
Aut quomodo potest quisquam intrare in domum fortis, et vasa ejus diripere, nisi prius alligaverit fortem? et tunc domum illius diripiet.
30 He that is not with me, is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.
Qui non est mecum, contra me est; et qui non congregat mihi, spargit.
31 Therefore I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven.
Ideo dico vobis : Omne peccatum et blasphemia remittetur hominibus, Spiritus autem blasphemia non remittetur.
32 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.
Et quicumque dixerit verbum contra Filium hominis, remittetur ei : qui autem dixerit contra Spiritum Sanctum, non remittetur ei, neque in hoc sæculo, neque in futuro.
33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good: or make the tree evil, and its fruit evil. For by the fruit the tree is known.
Aut facite arborem bonam, et fructum ejus bonum : aut facite arborem malam, et fructum ejus malum : siquidem ex fructu arbor agnoscitur.
34 O generation of vipers, how can you speak good things, whereas you are evil? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Progenies viperarum, quomodo potestis bona loqui, cum sitis mali? ex abundantia enim cordis os loquitur.
35 A good man out of a good treasure bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of an evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Bonus homo de bono thesauro profert bona : et malus homo de malo thesauro profert mala.
36 But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall render an account for it in the day of judgment.
Dico autem vobis quoniam omne verbum otiosum, quod locuti fuerint homines, reddent rationem de eo in die judicii.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Ex verbis enim tuis justificaberis et ex verbis tuis condemnaberis.
Notes
Note. — This miracle, followed by the Pharisees’ accusation of blasphemy, apparently corresponds with the passages cited above from St Luke and Mark. St Matthew relates a similar cure in ch. ix. 32, and this is also followed by a charge of blasphemy against Christ. The Pharisees were in the habit of reiterating their charges against our Lord, e.g. the accusations of sedition, of breaches of the Mosaic Law, etc. The an¬ notations given below are based on the hypothesis that these three passages all refer to the same incidents.
22. Then was offered. From St Mark we gather that Jesus was in a house : And they come to a house, and the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread (St Mark iii. 20).
blind and dumb. “ The devil had shut up every entrance by which the demoniac might come to faith — his sight and his hearing ; yet Christ opened both ” (St Jn. Chrys.). The man’s dumbness and blindness were due to the devil that possessed him. Probably the man was deaf also, so that there seemed to be no avenue through which the exorcist could communicate with him. Jesus had effected the cure instantly, when all the rites employed by the Jewish exorcists would have failed signally, if indeed the Jews had attempted exorcism in such a complicated case.
23. were amazed. Lit. “ out of themselves.”
Is not this the son of David ? — i.e. the Messias. The multitude were beginning to believe in Christ.
24. the Pharisees, hearing it, said. Not only the Pharisees, but certain scribes who were come dovn from Jerusalem, said : He hath Beelzebub (St Mark iii. 22).
This man casteth not out, etc. In St Matthew’s account the accusation is given more emphatically than in the other gospels, in which they assert that Christ drove out devils by Beelzebub ; here they insist that He can only exorcise by diabolical agency. It is probable that the Scribes and Pharisees caught up the idea of Christ’s unbelieving friends, who had come to the house where Christ was to lay hold on him. For they said : He is become mad (St Mark iii. 21). The enemies of our Lord thus endeavoured to discredit Him in the eyes of the people. By attributing His miracles to diabolical agency, Christ’s enemies were guilty of a fearful blasphemy, since they made Him out to be Satan’s accomplice, thus attributing to the devil, what was effected by divine power.
the prince of the devils. These words presuppose an organized kingdom of evil, governed by a personal ruler.
In S Luke’s account we read further that others tempting, asked of him a sign from heaven. Jesus disregarded their request for a time, and having called them (i.e. His enemies) together, He proceeded to refute their accusation. Probably they were dispersed among the crowd in order to excite the people against our Lord. By spreading their blasphemy they hoped to cause a tumult.
25. Jesus knowing their thoughts. Not only He heard their accusations, which were either addressed to Him or uttered in His hearing, but He knew their object, namely, to discredit Him in the eyes of the people.
Every kingdom divided, etc. Notice that —
(а) St Luke gives one example— a divided kingdom.(b) St Mark gives two examples— kingdom and house.(c) St Matthew gives three— kingdom, house, city.
In every class of society, division leads to ruin.
26. And if Satan cast out Satan, etc. Our Lord brings out three points clearly : —
(a) It is incontestable that the devil would not join a league against his own kingdom, and, by exorcising, expel his own satellites.(b) The Pharisees taught, that devils could be expelled only by the power of God, and they were accustomed to exorcise.(c) The stronger must expel the weaker.
27. by whom do your children, etc. ? This is an “ argumentum ad hominem,” i.e. an argument which directly affects the person addressed. The disciples of the Pharisees are the children here spoken of. Some see in these words an allusion to the Jewish exorcists only. In speaking thus, Jesus does not actually assert that the Jews had the power of exorcising, but He simply appeals to the common belief and to the teaching of the Pharisees.
Our Lord’s argument may be thus summarized : — “ Since I invoke the one true God and exorcise in His Name, as do your children, how can you ascribe my exorcisms to magic without condemning yourselves ? But if you admit that I exorcise by the power of God, why do you not believe me, since you hold that the Messias will have power to expel Satan ?
28. But if I by the Spirit of God, etc. St Luke has, by the finger of God, i.e. by His power,
Cf. The magicians said to Pharao, This is the finger of God (Exod. viii. 19). In St Matthew we read, If I, by the Spirit of God, cast out devils, etc. Jesus had no need to employ the complex rites employed by Jewish exorcists.
is the kingdom of God come, etc., — i.e. the Messianic kingdom has been and is being preached to you. The Greek verb expresses the unexpectedness of the advent of the kingdom (ἔφθασεν).
29. the strong. Satan, the prince of devils.
his goods, — i.e. the mastery of the evil spirits and of the wicked, and for a time those things are in peace which he possesseth (St Luke), i.e. in security. They cannot escape from the devil’s dominion by their own power.
bind the strong. He who has power to bind the strong is Jesus, who disarms the devil, drives him out and rifles his house, that is, delivers man from Satan’s yoke. This is an illustration of what Jesus had recently done when He healed the blind and dumb man possessed of a devil.
St Paul’s words read like a commentary on the text : And you, when you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of the flesh, he hath quickened together with him ; forgiving you all offences, blotting out the hand-writing of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross, and despoiling the principalities and powers, he hath exposed them confidently in open shew, triumphing over them in himself (Colos, ii. 13-15).
his house. In St Luke we read his court. This represents the world, or Satan’s kingdom in the world. Cf. Now shall the prince of this world he cast out (St John xii. 31).
30. He that is not with me, etc. Jesus here speaks of those who wilfully close their eyes and refuse to receive Him as the Messias. Such cannot remain neutral : either they help or hinder the progress of truth. On the other hand, those who hold aloof, because they are ignorant of the truth, are not so great an obstacle to the progress of the Gospel. In this case, neutrality is not opposition,
31. Therefore I say to you. Here follows a solemn warning against the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost.
all sins shall he forgiven, — i.e. by means of perfect contrition alone, or through sacramental confession and attrition together. It is an article of faith that no sinner having sincere contrition is ever rejected by our God, who is infinitely merciful.
the blasphemy of the Spirit. “ He who speaks against the Spirit, speaks at the same time against the Father and the Son ; still, the insult is said to be especially against the Holy Ghost, because certain effects of benignity and goodness are, by appropriation, ascribed to Him — although, like all operations ‘ ab extra,’ common to Him with the two other Persons of the Adorable Trinity — such as the works here calumniously spoken of, ‘ in spiritu Dei, ejicio dæmonia ’ ” (MacEvilly, St Matt., p. 232).
shall not he forgiven. This sin, which cannot have forgiveness, is unpardonable probably because those guilty of it do not seek forgiveness, since the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is most likely the sin of final impenitence, or at least leads to it. This, being a mortal sin, cannot be forgiven in the world to come. In St Mark we read : shall never have forgiveness, but shall be guilty of an everlasting sin.
32. a word against the Son of man. This is generally interpreted as referring to words said against our Lord as Man, e.g. accusing Him of being a glutton, a wine-drinker, a friend of publicans, etc.
it shall be forgiven him. Provided always that the sinner repents. Sins are often extenuated by ignorance, and the absence of malice.
the world to come. From these words, which are peculiar to the first gospel, we gather that some sins (i.e. venial sins) can be forgiven in the next world. We have here an indirect proof of the existence of purgatory.
33. by the fruit the tree is known. Several commentators explain this passage thus : “ The tree testifies of itself by its fruit (Hil.) : since, then, your fruit, the ‘ blasphemy of the Spirit,’ is so evil, what must not be your wickedness ? The providence of God is therefore justified in not granting you those peculiar graces that would prove efficacious unto the remission of your sins. The wickedness of the Pharisees is still more emphasized by their evil origin (cf. St Matt. iii. 17), and by the fact that their words shew only part of their wickedness, since they are, as it were, an overflow of the abundance of their heart, or a small coin of the treasure stowed away in their soul” (Maas, S.J., St Matt., p. 149).
34. generation of vipers. St John the Baptist had employed the same simile (supra, iii. 7), which points out that the venom of the viper, i.e. their malice, was concealed by their profession of piety. There is also an allusion to their being of the seed of the old serpent, the devil. Cf. You are of your father the devil, arid the desires of your father you will do (St John viii. 44).
out of the abundance, etc. Lit. “out of the overflow” (τοῦ περισσεύματος).
36. every idle word. By “ idle word ” we must understand one which is profitable neither to the speaker nor the listener (“ Quod sine utilitata loquentis dicitur aut audientis.” — St Jerome).
“ It is most generally thought to be an argument a minore ad majus, as if Christ had said: If for even the least idle word you must answer, how much more shall you give account in the day of judgment for the blasphemy in saying that I cast out devils by Beelzebub (Maldonatus, St Matt., p. 408).
37. For by thy words, etc. This passage is not to be taken as if our words alone would justify or condemn us, for we shall be either justified or condemned by many other things besides these ; but that their words alone will suffice to justify many or condemn many, etc., who have spoken well or ill” (Ibid.)
Additional Notes
Sins against the Holy Spirit.
31. Shall not he forgiven. St Augustine gives six sins “against the Holy Spirit,” viz.
presumption,despair,envy of another’s spiritual good,resisting the known truth,obstinacy in sin, andfinal impenitence.
The Evangelist specially notes that the sin which “ shall never have forgiveness ” consists in resisting the known truth, and deliberately ascribing to diabolical agency what is effected by the power of God. Though God could forgive any sin, however grievous, yet, generally speaking, those who commit the sin of wilful apostasy from the known truth are rarely forgiven, because such sin hardens the heart and blinds the intellect, so that the sinner does not consent to receive the necessary graces of salvation which are denied to none.
St John the Evangelist evidently refers to this sin when he writes — “ He that knoweth his brother to sin a sin which is not to death, let him ask, and life shall be given to him, who sinneth not to death. There is a sin unto death : for that I say not that any man ask” (1 St John v. 16).
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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