St Matthew Chapter XXIV : Verses 37-51
Contents
- Matt. xxiv. 37-51. Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
- Notes on the text.
- Additional Notes: A thief in the night.
Matt. xxiv. 37-51
 |
| .... one shall be taken, and one shall be left. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. |
Sicut autem in diebus Noe, ita erit et adventus Filii hominis :
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,
sicut enim erant in diebus ante diluvium comedentes et bibentes, nubentes et nuptum tradentes, usque ad eum diem, quo intravit Noe in arcam,
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.
et non cognoverunt donec venit diluvium, et tulit omnes : ita erit et adventus Filii hominis.
40 Then two shall be in the field: one shall be taken, and one shall be left.
Tunc duo erunt in agro : unus assumetur, et unus relinquetur.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill: one shall be taken, and one shall be left.
Duæ molentes in mola : una assumetur, et una relinquetur.
42 Watch ye therefore, because ye know not what hour your Lord will come.
Vigilate ergo, quia nescitis qua hora Dominus vester venturus sit.
43 But know this 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.
Illud autem scitote, quoniam si sciret paterfamilias qua hora fur venturus esset, vigilaret utique, et non sineret perfodi domum suam.
44 Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come.
Ideo et vos estote parati : quia qua nescitis hora Filius hominis venturus est.
45 Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season.
Quis, putas, est fidelis servus, et prudens, quem constituit dominus suus super familiam suam ut det illis cibum in tempore?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing.
Beatus ille servus, quem cum venerit dominus ejus, invenerit sic facientem.
47 Amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods.
Amen dico vobis, quoniam super omnia bona sua constituet eum.
48 But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming:
Si autem dixerit malus servus ille in corde suo : Moram fecit dominus meus venire :
49 And shall begin to strike his fellow servants, and shall eat and drink with drunkards:
et cœperit percutere conservos suos, manducet autem et bibat cum ebriosis :
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day that he hopeth not, and at an hour that he knoweth not:
veniet dominus servi illius in die qua non sperat, et hora qua ignorat :
51 And shall separate him, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
et dividet eum, partemque ejus ponet cum hypocritis : illic erit fletus et stridor dentium.
Notes
37. days of Noe. As the Deluge found men unprepared for that terrible catastrophe, so will the inhabitants of the earth in the end of the world be totally unprepared.
38. eating and drinking. The words in the original seem to point to excessive indulgence in these things.
marrying and giving in marriage. The men married, the women were given in marriage (as in the present day in the East). In English we use the verb “ to marry ’’ either of a man or woman.
39. they knew not. Because they refused to believe the testimony of Noe.
till the flood came. A reference to the Deluge.
Cf. And all things wherein there is the breath of life on the earth died. And he destroyed all the substance that was upon the earth: from man even to beast, and the creeping things and fowls of the air: and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noe only remained, and they that were with him in the ark (Gen. vii. 22, 23).
In the third gospel we find here another allusion to the Old Testament history : Likewise as it came to pass in the days of Lot : They did eat and drink, they bought and sold, they planted and built. And in the day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Here Jesus gives us a vivid picture of social and civil relations suddenly destroyed for ever by avenging flames, whereas in the preceding verses He depicts family relations abruptly terminated by the Deluge. The ordeal at the last day, like that of the cities of the plain, will be by fire (see 2 Thes. ii. 6-10).
40. one shall be taken, etc. In this and the preceding verse, the dominant thought is the sudden and final severing of close ties. From these words we learn that the separation of the just from the wicked must, on the part of the former, be instantaneous and without regret. They must be ready to meet Christ, and absolutely detached from all worldly ties. Similar words are used with reference to the destruction of Jerusalem, which was typical of Christ’s second coming. Here there is no question of flight, as in verse 18.
Note. — “ As St Matthew refers to the coming of our Lord in the daytime, he instances classes of persons placed in circumstances suited to the day-time, such as labouring in the fields, and grinding at the mill. And as St Luke (xvii. 34) refers to the event as happening in the night-time, he instances circumstances suited to night, such as sleeping in bed, and working at the mill— the ordinary occupation of female slaves — (Exod. xi. 5) — at night-time as well as in the day ” (MacEvilly, p. 465).
41. Two women shall be grinding, etc. For domestic purposes, corn was often ground in the hand-mill. In southern Palestine there are no mill-streams.
42. Watch ye therefore. Vigilance is necessary because —
(а) We know not the time.
(b) Christ will come as a thief in the night.
(c) Only those who are watching will be prepared to meet Him.
All this applies in the case of each individual to the hour of death, for which the essential preparation consists in being in a state of grace.
St Luke adds here : Praying at all times, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come, and to stand before the son of man. The Christian must both pray and watch at all times, because vigilance alone is insufficient. We need the help of God, and this can only be obtained by fervent prayer.
43. this know ye. Or it may be rendered by the indicative “ this ye know” (ἐκεῖνο δὲ γινώσκετε). Jesus now compares the interest and vigilance men display in safeguarding their goods, with the indifference they manifest as regards spiritual concerns.
the good man of the house, — i.e. the master of the house (ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης).
knew . ... he would certainly watch. In the Greek, the meaning is more clearly brought out, and shews that our Lord refers to a man who had been robbed, because he had neglected to watch — “ if he had known . he would have watched,” etc. (εἰ ᾔδει . . . . ἐγρηγόρησεν ἂν).
at what hour. Better, “ at what watch ” (ποίᾳ φυλακῇ). St Mark adds here, at even or at midnight, or at the cock crowing or in the morning.
the thief. Jesus represents the unexpectedness of His coming by the metaphor of a thief in the night. The same figure is found elsewhere : For yourselves know perfectly, that the day of the Lord shall so come as a thief in the night (1 Thes. v. 2). If then thou shalt not watch, I will come to thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know at what hour I will come to thee (Apoc. iii. 3).
to he broken open. Lit. “to be dug through ” (διορυχθῆναι).
44. Wherefore he you also ready. Again our Lord presses home to the disciples the lesson to be learned from His teaching, which is the same as in verse 42.
45. Who thinkest thou, etc. ? In St Luke xii. 41 we find this parabolic discourse given in answer to St Peter’s question. Cf. And Peter said to him : Lord, dost thou speak this parable to us, or likewise to all ?
The apostle was referring to Christ’s discourse concerning the return of the Lord from the wedding (see St Luke xii. 36-38).
faithful and wise. Two necessary qualities. The steward must serve his master faithfully, and fulfil his office wisely. Cf. Here now it is required among the dispensers, that a man he found faithful (1 Cor. iv. 2).
servant (δοῦλος). The parallel passage reads steward (οἰκονόμος). The word was generally used of a slave who was placed over his fellows, and who had charge of his master’s property.
In a sense, all men are God’s stewards, for all have an influence over their fellow-men, and each has to use wisely what God has committed to his charge — e.g. time, health, money, influence, natural gifts, and spiritual graces.
over his family. The Greek word (οἰκετείας) includes the charge of the servants and of the household duties.
meat in season. A reference to the Roman custom of distributing rations of wheat to the servants, either monthly or oftener. The usual allowance was two pounds per day.
47. he shall place him. These words shew that a special glory and reward is promised to those who have been faithful stewards of God’s Word. Cf. I dispose to you, as my Father hath disposed to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and may sit upon thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (St Luke, xxii. 29, 30). The supernatural rewards are clearly referred to here.
48. My lord is long a coming. That Christ’s second coming, though certain, was to be delayed, is suggested by various passages in Holy Scripture. Cf. And at midnight there was a cry made : Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him (infra, xxv. 6). The Lord, delayeth not his promise, as some imagine : hut dealeth patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish hut that all should return to penance. But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief (2 Pet. iii. 9. 10). Christ’s Advent “ does not come so quickly as impatience, nor yet as late as carelessness, supposes.”
49. And shall begin to strike, etc. The unfaithful steward —
1. ill-treats his fellow-servants,
2. neglects his duty,
3. indulges in sinful pleasures.
This line of conduct he intends to give up when he thinks his lord’s return is near.
50. he hopeth not. The sinner neither expects nor desires the coming of his Lord.
51. shall separate him. Lit. “cut in half” (διχοτομήσει). This evidently refers to the custom of Oriental despots, who often despatched an offender summarily by cleaving him in two with a sword, without any preliminary trial. In any case, certain punishment awaited the unfaithful servant.
with the hypocrites. Hypocrisy was a sin for which our Lord constantly reproved the Jews. St Luke, writing for Gentiles, uses the milder word unbelievers, that is, with the faithless servants who had neglected their duties.
In the parallel passage this discourse ends thus : And that servant who knew the will of his Lord, and prepared not himself, and did not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more (St Luke xii. 47, 48).
In these verses we are taught that the punishment will be proportioned to the offence. He who abuses abundant graces will be more severely punished than he who has received fewer. There is no such thing as absolute ignorance of God’s will (see Rom. i. 20)
Additional Notes
Under the metaphor of a thief in the night, Jesus here refers to the unexpected suddenness of His coming, either by death to each individual, or in His second Advent. Some commentators have interpreted the word “ thief ’’ as referring to the devil, who ever seeks to find an entrance into the soul of the Christian that he may rob him of sanctifying grace and other spiritual treasures. St Mark gives the watches in full ; “ Watch ye therefore, (for you know not when the Lord of the house cometh : at even, or at mid-night, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning) ” (xiii. 35). These watches are taken as corresponding to the different ages of man, viz. childhood, youth, manhood, and old age. In the first “ watch ” of life there is less need of preparation for death, because the child has little or no responsibility. In youth and manhood great vigilance is required, since the soul is then in the midst of the conflict of life. Old age brings with it the thought of death, and we know then that the Lord must come during this watch. On Ascension-day Jesus entered on His heavenly nuptials, and it is from heaven that He will return to earth to require an account of all His servants, “ He pronounces ‘ blessed ’ that servant whom, at His coming. He shall find persevering in the faithful and prudent discharge of the stewardship confided to him. He is ‘ blessed ’ because his Master will not only place him over his fellow-servants, but ‘ over all his goods,’ as if to share with him His own supreme power, dominion, and happiness, and make him a partner and associate, as Pharaoh did in regard to the faithful Joseph.These latter words convey the idea of the sovereign felicity and happiness of the saints, and their never-ending remuneration in glory. They point out the more abundant honour and glory which Christ will bestow on His faithful ministers, beyond the rest of the elect, when, returning to judge the world. He shall make them His assessors in judging the rest of mankind ” (MacEvilly, pp. 468-9).
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
No comments:
Post a Comment