He that is the lesser among you all, he is the greater.

St Luke Chapter IX : Verses 44-48

Contents

• Luke ix. 44-48.  Douay-Rheims (Challoner) text & Latin text (Vulgate)
• Douay-Rheims 1582 text
• Annotations based on the Catena Aurea

Luke ix. 44-48.

Whosoever shall receive this child in my name, receiveth me.
J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

44 And all were astonished at the mighty power of God. But while all wondered at all the things he did, he said to his disciples: Lay you up in your hearts these words, for it shall come to pass, that the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.

Stupebant autem omnes in magnitudine Dei : omnibusque mirantibus in omnibus quæ faciebat, dixit ad discipulos suos : Ponite vos in cordibus vestris sermones istos : Filius enim hominis futurum est ut tradatur in manus hominum.

45 But they understood not this word; and it was hid from them, so that they perceived it not. And they were afraid to ask him concerning this word.

At illi ignorabant verbum istud, et erat velatum ante eos ut non sentirent illud : et timebant eum interrogare de hoc verbo.

46 And there entered a thought into them, which of them should be greater.

Intravit autem cogitatio in eos quis eorum major esset.

47 But Jesus seeing the thoughts of their heart, took a child and set him by him,

At Jesus videns cogitationes cordis illorum, apprehendit puerum, et statuit illum secus se,

48 And said to them: Whosoever shall receive this child in my name, receiveth me; and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me. For he that is the lesser among you all, he is the greater.

et ait illis : Quicumque susceperit puerum istum in nomine meo, me recipit : et quicumque me receperit, recipit eum qui me misit. Nam qui minor est inter vos omnes, hic major est.

Douay-Rheims : 1582 text

44. Lay you in your hartes these wordes, for it ſhal come to passe that the Sonne of man ſhal be deliuered into the hands of men.

45. But they did not know this word, and it was couered before them, they they perceiued it not. And they were afraid to aſke him of this word.
46. And there entred a cogitation into them, which of them ſhould be greater.
47. But IESVS ſeeing the cogitations of their hart, tooke a child and ſet him by him,
48. and said to them, whoſoeuer receiueth this childe in my name, receiueth me, and whoſoeuer receiueth me, receiueth him that ſent me. Foe he that is the leſſer among you al, he is the greater.

 

Annotations

    44.  And all were astonished at the mighty power of God.  Every thing that Jesus did claimed admiration from all men for a peculiar and divine light reflected upon each of His works, according to the Psalms, His glory is great in thy salvation: glory and great beauty shalt thou lay upon him. (Ps. xx. 6.) Although all indeed marvelled at those things which He did, He however addresses what follows, not to all, but to His disciples;  He had shewn His glory on the mount to His disciples, and after this delivered a man from an evil spirit, but it was necessary for Him to undergo His passion for our salvation. 

    Lay you up in your hearts these words, for it shall come to pass, that the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. Now His disciples might have been perplexed, saying, “Have we then been deceived in that we thought him to be God?” That they might know then what was to happen to Him, He bids them lay up in their minds as a certain deposit the mystery of His passion, saying, Let these sayings sink down in your hearts. By the word your, He distinguishes them from others. For the multitude were not to know that He was about to suffer, but were rather to be assured that the dead would rise again, destroying death, lest they should be offended. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. (non occ.)

    While all thus were wondering at the miracles, He foretels His passion. For miracles do not save, but the cross conveys the benefit. Hence he adds, For the Son of man shall he delivered into the hands of men. TITUS BOSTRENSIS. 

    the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.  But it is not clearly expressed by whom He is to be delivered, for one says, that He is to be delivered up by Judas, another by the devil; but Paul says, that God the Father delivered Him up for us all; (Rom. viii. 32.) but Judas, as he delivered Him up for money, did it traitorously, the Father for His mercies’ sake. ORIGEN. (in Matt. tom. 13.)

    45. But they understood not this word; and it was hid from them, so that they perceived it not. And they were afraid to ask him concerning this word. Now our Lord in condescension to their infirmities and governing them with a kind of economy, did not permit them to understand what was said of the cross; as it follows, But they understood not. THEOPHYLACT.

    This ignorance of the disciples proceeds not so much from slowness of understanding as from affection, for since they were yet carnal and ignorant of the mystery of the cross, they could not believe that He whom they thought to be really God would suffer death. And because they were often accustomed to hear Him speak by figure, they thought that He meant figuratively something else, by what He said of His betrayal. BEDE. 

Now some one perhaps will say, How were the disciples ignorant of the mystery of the cross, seeing that it was touched upon in several places by the shadows of the Law? But as Paul relates, But even until this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.. (2 Cor. iii.15.) It becomes then those who approach Christ, to say, Open thou my eyes: and I will consider the wondrous things of thy law.. (Ps. CXVIII.18.) CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. 

And they were afraid to ask him concerning this word. Mark also the reverence of the disciples in what follows, And they feared to ask him of that saying. For fear is the first step to reverence. THEOPHYLACT. 

    46. And there entered a thought into them, which of them should be greater.  The devil lays plots of various kinds for them that love the best way of life. And if indeed by carnal allurements he can gain possession of a man’s heart, He sharpens his love of pleasure; but if a man has escaped these snares, he excites in him a desire of glory, and this passion for vain-glory had seized some one of His apostles. Hence it is said, there entered a thought into them, which of them should be greater. For to have such thoughts, belongs to him who desires to be superior to the rest; but I think it improbable that all the disciples gave way to this weakness; and therefore suppose that the Evangelist, not to seem to lay the charge to any individual, expresses himself indefinitely, saying, that there arose a reasoning among them. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. (non occ.)

    47. But Jesus seeing the thoughts of their heart, took a child and set him by him. 48. And said to them: Whosoever shall receive this child in my name, receiveth me; and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me. For he that is the lesser among you all, he is the greater.  Hence when He said, Whoever shall receive that child, he adds, in my name; that in truth they may pursue with diligence and reason for Christ’s name that form of virtue which the child observes, with only nature for its guide. But because He also teaches that He is received in the child, and He Himself was born unto us a child; lest it should be thought that this was all which was seen, He subjoined, And whoever shall receive me, receiveth him that sent me; wishing verily to be believed, that as was the Father, such and so great was He. BEDE. 

Now He still more plainly conveys the meaning of the preceding words, saying, For he that is least among you all, the same shall be great; in which He speaks of the modest man who from honesty thinks nothing high of himself. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. 

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.