Blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.

St Luke Chapter XI : Verses 27-36

Contents

• Luke xi. Verses 27-36.  Douay-Rheims (Challoner) text & Latin text (Vulgate)
• Douay-Rheims 1582 text
• Annotations based on the Great Commentary

Luke xi. Verses 27-36.

The Queen of Sheba visits Solomon. J-J Tissot. Jewish Museum, New York.

27 And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck.

Factum est autem, cum hæc diceret : extollens vocem quaedam mulier de turba dixit illi : Beatus venter qui te portavit, et ubera quæ suxisti.

28 But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.

At ille dixit : Quinimmo beati, qui audiunt verbum Dei et custodiunt illud.

29 And the multitudes running together, he began to say: This generation is a wicked generation: it asketh a sign, and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

Turbis autem concurrentibus cœpit dicere : Generatio haec, generatio nequam est : signum quærit, et signum non dabitur ei, nisi signum Jonae prophetæ.

30 For as Jonas was a sign to the Ninivites; so shall the Son of man also be to this generation.

Nam sicut fuit Jonas signum Ninivitis, ita erit et Filius hominis generationi isti.

31 The queen of the south shall rise in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold more than Solomon here.

Regina austri surget in judicio cum viris generationis hujus, et condemnabit illos : quia venit a finibus terrae audire sapientiam Salomonis : et ecce plus quam Salomon hic.

32 The men of Ninive shall rise in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas; and behold more than Jonas here.

Viri Ninivitæ surgent in judicio cum generatione hac, et condemnabunt illam : quia poenitentiam egerunt ad prædicationem Jonae, et ecce plus quam Jonas hic.

33 No man lighteth a candle, and putteth it in a hidden place, nor under a bushel; but upon a candlestick, that they that come in, may see the light.

Nemo lucernam accendit, et in abscondito ponit, neque sub modio : sed supra candelabrum, ut qui ingrediuntur, lumen videant.

34 The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body will be lightsome: but if it be evil, thy body also will be darksome.

Lucerna corporis tui est oculus tuus. Si oculus tuus fuerit simplex, totum corpus tuum lucidum erit : si autem nequam fuerit, etiam corpus tuum tenebrosum erit.

35 Take heed therefore, that the light which is in thee, be not darkness.

Vide ergo ne lumen quod in te est, tenebræ sint.

36 If then thy whole body be lightsome, having no part of darkness; the whole shall be lightsome; and as a bright lamp, shall enlighten thee.

Si ergo corpus tuum totum lucidum fuerit, non habens aliquam partem tenebrarum, erit lucidum totum, et sicut lucerna fulgoris illuminabit te

Douay-Rheims : 1582 text

27. And it came to paſſe, when he ſaid theſe things, a certaine woman lifting vp her voice out of the multitude ſaid to him: Bleſſed is the wombe that bare thee, and the paps that thou didſt ſucke.

28. But he ſaid: Yea rather, bleſſed are they that heare the word of God, and keepe it.

29. And the multitudes running together, he began to ſay: This Generation, is a wicked Generation it aſketh a ſigne, and a ſigne ſhal not be giuen it but the ſigne of Ionas the Prophet.
30. For as Ionas was a ſigne to the Niniuites; so ſhal the Sonne of man alſo be to this Generation.
31. The Queene of the South ſhal rise in the iudgement with the men of this Generation, and ſhal condemne them: because she came from the endes of the earth to heare the wisedom of Salomon. And behold, more then Salomon here.
32. The men of Niniuee ſhal riſe in the iudgement with this Generation, and ſhal condemne it, because they did pennance at the preaching of Ionas. And behold, more then Ionas here.
33. No man lighteth a candle, and putteth it in ſecret, neither vnder a buſhel: but vpon a candleſticke, that they that goe in may ſee the light.
34. The candle of thy body is thine eye. If thine eye be ſimple, thy whole body ſhal be lightsome: but if it be naught, thy body also ſhal be darkeſome.
35. See therfore that the light which is in thee, be not darkeneſſe.

36. If then thy whole body be lightſome, hauing no part of darkeneſſe: it ſhal be lightſome wholy, and as a bright candel it ſhal lighten thee.

 

Annotations

    27. And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck, i.e. Thou art so holy and so blessed, O Christ, that because of thee thy mother must be also blessed. Although she was ignorant of the mystery, this woman was moved by the Holy Spirit to declare that Christ was born of a virgin mother. Some suppose that the woman here mentioned was S. Martha or her handmaid S. Marcella. However, had it been Martha, in all probability S. Luke would have said so, since he so frequently in the chapter preceding makes mention of her name.

    But Marcella is said to have incurred the enmity of the Scribes because she thus openly spoke in praise of Christ, and to have been by them condemned to death a little after the crucifixion, and there is a tradition that, together with Martha, Mary Magdalene, and Lazarus, she was exposed in an open boat without sails or oars, but that it with its living freight was by the providence of God brought safe to shore at Marseilles.

    Blessed is the womb that bore thee. For it was the abiding place of the Son of God. Hence Methodius says of the Blessed Virgin: 

“Thou didst conceive Him who comprehended all things. Thou didst bear Him in thy womb by whose word all things are sustained. For she is the chariot of the true Solomon, of whom it is written, ‘King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love.’ ” Cant. iii. 9.

    Hence Gregory of Nicomedia calls her “the glorious throne and royal chariot on which the Incarnate Word was carried when He visited the earth. And S. Bernard says, Ignatius, in the many letters which he wrote to the Blessed Virgin, addresses her as “Christofera,” which is indeed a noble title conveying with it infinite honour; for to be the servant of Christ is to be a ruler and prince, and to bear Him is to be ennobled, not burdened. And the same writer, commenting on Rev. xii, goes on to say, 

“How great favour hast thou found in the sight of God, how very nigh hast thou been brought to Him! He abides in thee, and thou in Him. Thou didst provide Him a garment, and in turn thou are clothed upon by Him. He received of thee the garment of the flesh; He clothed thee with the glory of His majesty. Thou didst clothe the sun with a cloudy covering, and thou thyself art encircled with its splendours.”

    Rightly therefore may we sing of the mother of our Lord:

 “ Thou art the glory of Jerusalem, thou art the joy of Israel, thou art the honour of our people:,” Judith xv. 10.

    Hear also the testimony of the fathers. Gregory Nazianzen, in his tragedy, “The Suffering Christ” writes:—

“O queen, O mistress and blessing of the human race! be ever propitious to us mortal men: and be my safeguard wherever I may dwell.” 

    And S. Cyril (Contra Nestorium) says, 

“All praise to thee, holy mother of God, for thou art this world’s pearl, an ever shining light, the crown of virgins, and the sceptre of the faith;” 

    and S. Chrysostom: 

“Hail, mother, the throne, the grace, the glory and the support of our Holy Church!”

    And again, S. Ephrem salutes her as

 “the hope of the Fathers, the glory of the Prophets, the praise of the Apostles, the honour of the Martyrs, the joy of the Saints, and the light of the Patriarchs of old.”

    28. But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it. Christ does not say that His mother is not blessed, as Calvin would have us believe, but only that they are more blessed who hear the word of God and keep it, i.e. fulfil its precepts.  Because to be the mother of God is a grace and free gift of God, but external, and therefore not of necessity acting upon the soul, but to hear and keep the word is an internal grace, finding acceptance in the sight of God. Again, to be the mother of God does not absolutely ensure everlasting happiness, but to keep God’s word up to death has the sure promise of eternal life. And further, to be the mother of God is, of necessity, the blessing of one virgin only, but to hear and keep the word of God, a privilege common to all believers.

    Christ therefore would encourage the woman who had addressed Him. Thou callest My mother blessed, and sorrowest that so great a privilege has not fallen to thy lot, but I offer thee a better and more lasting blessing, if thou wilt hear My word, and keep My commandments. For My mother was blessed more because she acknowledged My divinity than because she conceived Me in her womb, nay more, because, had she not recognised the purpose of God and been obedient unto His word, she would have been accounted unworthy to have become the mother of His Son; and so S. Augustine says, 

“The near relationship of mother would not have profited Mary had she not conceived Christ in her heart as well as in her womb. For she was more blessed in her faith than in her conception.”

    34. The light of thy body is thy eye. Figuratively the eye represents reason, intellect, especially good intention—for what the eye is to the body, such is reason or good intention to the mind.

If thy eye be single, thy whole body will be lightsome: i.e. illumined by a single, a clear and unclouded eye.

    36. If then thy whole body be lightsome, having no part of darkness; the whole shall be lightsome; and as a bright lamp, shall enlighten thee. Not the body, but the whole man and all his faculties and powers. Maldonatus. But Toletus gives a different rendering: “If the eye, which is the principal and most noble part of the body, is full of light, then by means of it the whole body will be enlightened.”

[The following notes reflect the Great Commentary on St Matthew Chapter xii, adapted to the verse numbers in St Luke's Gospel.]

    32. The men of Ninive shall rise in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it. That is to say the Ninevites, who, with their king Sardanapalus, had thrown themselves into wickedness, and given themselves up entirely to the lusts of the flesh, when they heard Jonah thundering against them, and threatening them with destruction, believed him, and did penance. They therefore, in the day of judgment, shall accuse and condemn the Scribes and the Jews who would not believe Christ, their God and Lord, working so many miracles. They shall condemn them, I say, not so much in word as by their deeds, namely, by the example of their faith and repentance. It does not follow from hence that the Ninevites were saved; for shortly afterwards they returned to their sins like a dog to his vomit.

    and behold more than Jonas here. For Jonah was a prophet and a servant: Christ is Messiah and the Lord. Jonah, remaining alive in the fish, alive came forth: Christ rose again from death and the grave, and restored to life, came forth. Jonah preached unwillingly: Christ of His own accord. Jonah was a foreigner among the Ninevites: Christ was of the same race as the Jews. Jonah threatened the destruction of Nineveh: Christ promised the kingdom of Heaven. Jonah did no miracle: Christ did very many. All the prophets prophesied of Christ: none of Jonah. Jonah cried aloud, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown:” Christ cried by His Apostles, “Yet forty years and Jerusalem shall be destroyed by Titus.” Euseb. of Emissa (Hom. 2. de Pasch.), and S. Aug. (Epist. 49:6), have collected further analogies between Jonah and Christ.

    31. The queen of the south shall rise in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold more than Solomon here. Aegypt. The Southern Queen. Persian, Queen of Thema (Theman with the Hebrews and Orientals signifies the south). Ethiopic, Queen Aseb. The name, therefore, of this queen appears to have been Aseb, and to have been taken from the name of her kingdom, Saba, Sabæa. This is the opinion of some. But I maintain that Aseb is Ethiopic for the south, as Ethiopians at Rome have assured me. This is the Queen of Sheba, which is south of Judea (1 Kin x). Sheba, or Saba, is a country, and has two meanings. One Sheba was in the neighbouring Arabia; the other in remote Ethiopia, the capital of which was afterwards called by Cambyses Meroë, after the name of his sister. This queen is thought by many to have come from the Ethiopian, rather than the Arabian Sheba: because the Ethiopian Sheba was furthest off, and because Josephus calls her Queen of Ethiopia and Egypt. Wherefore afterwards the knowledge of scripture, and of the true God of the Hebrews, remained among the Ethiopians. From among them there came to Jerusalem, to worship God, a eunuch of Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians. (Acts viii) Pliny (lib. 6, c. 29) says, that queens reigned over the Ethiopians, and bore the general name of Candace. Indeed, the Emperor of the Ethiopians, or Abyssinians calls himself the Son of Solomon. For the Ethiopian tradition is that their queen was married to Solomon, by whom she had a son, from whom the Abyssinian kings, who are now called Prete-Tannes, are descended. Pineda, however, refutes this tradition. The Abyssinians add that this queen Aseb reigned in Tigris, which is the largest province of Abyssinia, and that her son was called Menile, or like, because he was very like his father Solomon. Thus Euthymius, Jansen, Maldonatus, Toletus, Barrad, and others, think this queen came from Ethiopia; but others, with more probability, think she came from Saba, which is in Arabia Felix, where are the Homeritæ, in whose country spices and gold as well as camels are abundant. Again, she is said to have come from the uttermost parts of the earth; for Arabia Sabaea is distant from Jerusalem 606 leagues. It is, moreover, the furthest land in the direction of the Mare Indicum, or Arabian Gulf, for there the land ends, and the sea begins. Hence it is often called in scripture, a land very far off, as Jer. 6, Isaiah 43 and elsewhere. Whence Nicephorus (l. 8, c. 35) says, Arabia Felix is Sabaea, and its boundaries extend to the ocean. Thus SS. Jerome, Cyril, Theodorus, Salmeron and others, whom Pineda quotes and follows.

    To hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold a greater than Solomon is here. Christ speaks of Himself in the third person out of modesty. This comparison between the Jews and the Queen of Sheba has much emphasis, which is well brought out by Franc. Lucas. 

“The woman,” he says, “was a Gentile, not brought up in God’s discipline, but immersed in the business of a great empire; yet she was attracted by the fame of Solomon’s wisdom, and undertook a most difficult journey from the remotest parts of the earth to Jerusalem, that she might make trial of his wisdom. This wisdom she wondered at above measure, and received Solomon’s counsel, although he only discoursed concerning earthly things. But the Jews, the scholars of the Divine Law, would not receive Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, the only teacher of the mysteries of eternal salvation, which had been hid from ages and generations, when He offered Himself to them, and asked and invited them to come to Him. Yea, they altogether rejected Him, although He gave them the most wonderful sign of the Resurrection. How much, therefore, did the Queen of Sheba excel the Jews! and with what justice and with what power, will she, in the Day of Judgment, rebuke them to their face for their obstinate ingratitude, unbelief, and disobedience to Christ!” 

    The same reasoning will apply to the Ninevites. Therefore let priests, religious and others, who are abundantly supplied with God’s grace, take heed that they use it rightly and diligently; for otherwise, the more they have received, the more severely will they be punished. Yea, in the Day of Judgment, laymen will triumph over them, even as Heathens and Turks will upbraid bad Christians, because if they had had their graces, they would have lived far more holily and religiously.

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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.