St Matthew Chapter XIII : Verses 10-17
Contents
- Matt. xiii. 10-17. Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
- Notes on the text
Matt. xiii. 10-17
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| The sower went forth to sow. J-J Tissot. |
10 And his disciples came and said to him: Why speakest thou to them in parables?
Et accedentes discipuli dixerunt ei : Quare in parabolis loqueris eis?
11 Who answered and said to them: Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven: but to them it is not given.
Qui respondens, ait illis : Quia vobis datum est nosse mysteria regni cælorum : illis autem non est datum.
12 For he that hath, to him shall be given, and he shall abound: but he that hath not, from him shall be taken away that also which he hath.
Qui enim habet, dabitur ei, et abundabit : qui autem non habet, et quod habet auferetur ab eo.
13 Therefore do I speak to them in parables: because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Ideo in parabolis loquor eis : quia videntes non vident, et audientes non audiunt, neque intelligunt.
14 And the prophecy of Isaias is fulfilled in them, who saith: By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive.
Et adimpletur in eis prophetia Isaiæ, dicentis : Auditu audietis, et non intelligetis : et videntes videbitis, et non videbitis.
15 For the heart of this people is grown gross, and with their ears they have been dull of hearing, and their eyes they have shut: lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
Incrassatum est enim cor populi hujus, et auribus graviter audierunt, et oculos suos clauserunt : nequando videant oculis, et auribus audiant, et corde intelligant, et convertantur, et sanem eos.
16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.
Vestri autem beati oculi quia vident, et aures vestrae quia audiunt.
17 For, amen, I say to you, many prophets and just men have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things that you hear and have not heard them.
Amen quippe dico vobis, quia multi prophetæ et justi cupierunt videre quae videtis, et non viderunt : et audire quæ auditis, et non audierunt.
Notes
10. his disciples . . . . to him. The Twelve came to Him when he was alone (St Mark). Consequently St Matthew anticipates in placing this incident here. It should probably follow verse 35. Since the disciples speak of parables, it is clear that Jesus had propounded more than one.
Why speakest thou, etc. ? Hitherto our Lord had only occasionally employed parables to illustrate some truth which He had previously explained. Now He taught the people by a series of parables, without any preliminary truth having been laid down. In the earlier part of His ministry He had preached specially on the necessity of penance as a preparation for the coming of the kingdom of heaven. St Matthew alone gives this question ; the other Synoptists state that the apostles asked our Lord to explain the parable to them. Cf. His disciples asked him what this parable might be (St Luke). Jesus answered both questions.
to them. St Mark has to those without (τοῖς ἕξω). To the disciples, our Lord spoke in plain language.
11. it is given. The power to understand spiritual truths is a gratuitous gift of God. This truth is frequently inculcated in the Scriptures.
to know the mysteries, etc., — i.e. to understand the teaching of Christ concerning the establishment on earth of the Messianic kingdom, and to have faith in Christ as the Messias. The eager questions of the disciples shewed their earnestness and good disposition.
to them it is not given. As the Jews had refused to accept our Lord, and rejected the testimony of His miracles, they were unworthy to receive the gift of spiritual insight into His teaching. Pearls are not to be cast before swine.
12. For he that hath, etc. This was evidently a proverbial expression. We find the same thought developed in the parables of the Talents and of the Pounds. (See infra, xxv. 29, and St Luke xix. 26.)
This truth applies to intellectual and material things as well as to spiritual graces. The rich man by investments increases his fortune, the learned man easily acquires more knowledge, and the Christian, who profits by the graces conferred on him, receives more abundant spiritual gifts.
which he hath, — i.e. he who does not profit by what he has received shall be deprived of it. So in ch. xxv. 29 that which is not utilized is spoken of as that which he seemeth to have, and in St Luke we read, that also which he thinketh he hath shall he taken away (viii. 18). “ God not so much takes it away, but He counts such unworthy of His gifts ” (St John Chrys.). The moral depravity of the Jews is symbolized by blindness and deafness.
13. seeing they see not, etc. “ That is, they see with their eyes My miracles, the most sure proofs of what I say, and they hear with their ears, and they will neither see nor believe. In punishment, then, of their unbelief, Christ speaks to them darkly, because while they would not understand what was said to them clearly and plainly, they deserved that Christ should so speak to them, that even if they wished they could not understand’’ (Maldonatus, p. 425). God punishes men by the very thing which has led them into sin (“ Per quae quis peccaverit, per hæc et punietur”).
14. the prophecy of Isaias, etc. The passage is a quotation from the Septuagint version. (See Is. vi. 9.)
is fulfilled. Lit. “is being fulfilled” (ἀναπληροῦται).
15. the heart of this people, etc. The heart was formerly regarded as the seat of intellect.
dull of hearing, — i.e. “heard dully or heavily” (βαρέως ἤκουσαν).
I should heal. God would certainly “ heal ” them, if only they turned towards (ἐπιστρέψωσιν) Him.
Note, the order of the words is reversed. In the first part of verse 15 we have heart — ears — eyes. In the second part the order is eyes— ears— heart. This inversion brings out a psychological truth, viz. that when the sinner turns away from God, it is the heart which is first corrupted, and this interior depravity affects and deadens the ears and eyes. When man turns to God, the eyes and ears are the channels through which the truth penetrates to the heart.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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