On teaching in parables

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

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.

OCR not available. Text taken from source text.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

The parable of the sower

St Matthew Chapter XIII : Verses 1-9

Contents

• Matt. xiii. 1-9.  Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
• Notes on the text

Matt. xiii. 1-9

The sower went forth to sow.  J-J Tissot. 

1 The same day Jesus going out of the house, sat by the sea side.
In illo die exiens Jesus de domo, sedebat secus mare.

2 And great multitudes were gathered unto him, so that he went up into a boat and sat: and all the multitude
stood on the shore.
Et congregatæ sunt ad eum turbae multæ, ita ut naviculam ascendens sederet : et omnis turba stabat in littore,

3 And he spoke to them many things in parables, saying: Behold the sower went forth to sow.
et locutus est eis multa in parabolis, dicens : Ecce exiit qui seminat, seminare.

4 And whilst he soweth some fell by the way side, and the birds of the air came and ate them up.
Et dum seminat, quædam ceciderunt secus viam, et venerunt volucres cæli, et comederunt ea.

5 And other some fell upon stony ground, where they had not much earth: and they sprung up immediately, because they had no deepness of earth.
Alia autem ceciderunt in petrosa, ubi non habebant terram multam : et continuo exorta sunt, quia non habebant altitudinem terræ :
6 And when the sun was up they were scorched: and because they had not root, they withered away.
sole autem orto aestuaverunt; et quia non habebant radicem, aruerunt.

7 And others fell among thorns: and the thorns grew up and choked them.
Alia autem ceciderunt in spinas : et creverunt spinae, et suffocaverunt ea.

8 And others fell upon good ground: and they brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.
Alia autem ceciderunt in terram bonam : et dabant fructum, aliud centesimum, aliud sexagesimum, aliud trigesimum.

9 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat.

Notes

    1. The same day, — i.e. on which the Pharisees had accused our Lord of casting out devils by Beelzebub.

    2. great multitudes. These numbers were the result of the continued gathering of the multitudes from every city.

Close to Tell Hum, the ancient seat of Capharnaum, there are numerous creeks and inlets, so that if our Lord pushed out a little from the shore, the multitude could hear distinctly in the clear lake air on either side. The people upon the land by the seashore would have found seats on the smooth basalt boulders that abound there.

    3. the sower went forth to sow. In Palestine, November is the time for sowing. As it was just at this season that Jesus was speaking, He may have actually seen a sower at work. The parable was well timed to touch His hearers.

    4. fell. The sowing was done by hand, or by means of a perforated sack, which an ox carried over the land that was to be sown.

    by the way side. A hard, well-trodden pathway that crossed an unenclosed field, hence the seed was trodden down (St Luke).

    “ The nature of the land in the plain would furnish an immediate illustration of the words. In the fields close to the shore may be seen the hard beaten paths into which no seed can penetrate ; the flights of innumerable birds ready to pick it up ; the rocks thinly covered with soil, and the stony ground ; the dense, tangled growth of weeds and thistles in neglected.corners ; and the rich, deep loam on which the harvests grew with unwonted luxuriance ” (Stanley).

    the birds of the air, etc. Larks, sparrows, pigeons, and crows were always to be seen on the watch for the seed. It was customary for the Jews to count one-third of the seed sown as the birds’ just share. On the same principle, they allowed the oxen employed in the harvest-field to eat freely of the gathered corn.

    5. fell upon stony ground (ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη), — i.e. rock covered only with a thin layer of soil, giving no deepness of earth.

    sprung up immediately. It would spring up immediately on account of 

OCR not available. Text taken from source document. 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

His mother and brethren seek Him

St Matthew Chapter XII : Verses 46-50

Contents

• Matt. xii. 46-50  Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
• Notes on the text

Matt. xii. 46-50

Who is my mother, and who are my brethren? J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

46 As he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him. 

Adhuc eo loquente ad turbas, ecce mater ejus et fratres stabant foras, quærentes loqui ei.

47 And one said unto him: Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking thee.

Dixit autem ei quidam : Ecce mater tua, et fratres tui foris stant quærentes te.

48 But he answering him that told him, said: Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?

At ipse respondens dicenti sibi, ait : Quæ est mater mea, et qui sunt fratres mei?

49 And stretching forth his hand towards his disciples, he said: Behold my mother and my brethren.

Et extendens manum in discipulos suos, dixit : Ecce mater mea, et fratres mei.

50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father, that is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Quicumque enim fecerit voluntatem Patris mei, qui in caelis est, ipse meus frater, et soror, et mater est.

Notes

    46. his mother and his brethren. Perhaps they wished to invite Him to rest or to take food. By “brethren” the Evangelist indicates James (afterwards Bishop of Jerusalem), Joseph, Simon, and Jude. They were not, of course, own brothers to our Lord, since the Blessed Virgin had no other son than Jesus. This is an article of faith, therefore the brethren in question were His cousins, the sons of Mary, wife of Cleophas (also called Alphæus). and this Mary, wife of Cleophas, appears to have been our Lady’s first cousin, since a tradition exists that, our Lady was an only child.

    According to a Jewish custom, cousins were styled brethren. Thus Abraham, speaking to Lot, says we are brethren (Gen. xiii. 8), and Laban calls his nephew Jacob, my brother (Gen. xxix. 15). Had Jesus had brethren according to the flesh He would not, when dying, have committed His Holy Mother to the charge of St John. Some Greek writers have put forward the opinion that these “brethren ” were children of St Joseph by a previous marriage, and thus they were our Lord’s step-brothers, but the universal opinion of the Latin Church is that St Joseph was espoused only to our Blessed Lady,

    stood without. They could not enter the house, as the crowds thronged our Lord.

    48. Who is my mother, etc. ? Our Lord does not deny, slight, or offend His Mother by these words ; and by His answer he shews —

    (1) That He practised what He Himself exacted from His disciples, viz. renunciation of home and kindred.

    (2) That God is to be preferred before all.

    (3) That spiritual ties are higher and holier than earthly ties. Cf. St Luke ii. 48, 49.

    50. whosoever shall do the will, etc. Those who do the will of God and strive to bring others to His knowledge are recognized by Jesus as brother, sister, and mother, and this privilege is open to all. From this point of view, how dear was Mary to her divine Son, since her motto ever was, Be it done unto me according to thy word. The enumeration of the different kinds of earthly relationship shew that in spiritual relationship there is no distinction of sex (St Mark xii. 25 ; Gal. iii. 28).

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Christ rebukes those who ask for a sign

St Matthew Chapter XII : Verses 38-45

Contents

• Matt. xii. 38-45  Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
• Notes on the text
• Additional Notes: Sins against the Holy Spirit.

Jesus casts out a devil. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

Matt. xii. 38-45

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying: Master we would see a sign from thee.

Tunc responderunt ei quidam de scribis et pharisæis, dicentes : Magister, volumus a te signum videre.

39 Who answering said to them: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

Qui respondens ait illis : Generatio mala et adultera signum quærit : et signum non dabitur ei, nisi signum Jonæ prophetæ.

40 For as Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights: so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

Sicut enim fuit Jonas in ventre ceti tribus diebus, et tribus noctibus, sic erit Filius hominis in corde terræ tribus diebus et tribus noctibus.

41 The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas. And behold a greater than Jonas here.

Viri Ninivitæ surgent in judicio cum generatione ista, et condemnabunt eam : quia pœnitentiam egerunt in prædicatione Jonæ. Et ecce plus quam Jonas hic.

42 The queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon here.

Regina austri surget in judicio cum generatione ista, et condemnabit eam : quia venit a finibus terræ audire sapientiam Salomonis, et ecce plus quam Salomon hic.

43 And when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest, and findeth none.

Cum autem immundus spiritus exierit ab homine, ambulat per loca arida, quærens requiem, et non invenit.

44 Then he saith: I will return into my house from whence I came out. And coming he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

Tunc dicit : Revertar in domum meam, unde exivi. Et veniens invenit eam vacantem, scopis mundatam, et ornatam.

45 Then he goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is made worse than the first. So shall it be also to this wicked generation.

Tunc vadit, et assumit septem alios spiritus secum nequiores se, et intrantes habitant ibi : et fiunt novissima hominis illius pejora prioribus. Sic erit et generationi huic pessimæ.

Notes

Note. — The parallel passage to this paragraph found in St Luke xi. 29-32 agrees very closely, with three exceptions : —

1. There is no explicit reference to Jonas having been swallowed by the whale, but only to his preaching.

2. The order is inverted, and the “ queen of the south ” is mentioned before the “ Ninivites.”

3. The parallel passages to verses 43-45 are placed by St Luke (xi, 24-26) before the second request for a sign.

    38. some of the scribes. From St Luke we gather that these were not those who had accused Christ of blasphemy. Cf. But some of them said : He casteth out devils by Beelzebub the ‘prince of devils. And others tempting, asked of him a sign from heaven (xi. 15, 16).

    Master, we would see a sign, etc. The scribes now renew their question (see St Luke xi. 16). This was a repetition of the temptation in the desert, when the devil endeavoured to persuade Christ to work a miracle to please him. With some who asked for a sign, the motive may have been merely curiosity.

    39. An evil and adulterous generation. Christ addressed these words to the multitudes running together (St Luke) in hopes of seeing some miraculous manifestation of His power in the heavens. The relation between the Jewish nation and Jehovah was often spoken of by the prophets as that of a wife to her husband. The nation was adulterous, i.e. unfaithful to God, because they refused to accept the testimony of the many miracles of Christ as a proof that He was the Messias, and asked for a special sign.

    a sign shall not be given. Christ’s miracles fulfilled the predictions of the prophets. To these, Jesus had referred the disciples of St John the Baptist when they came to Him asking : Art thou he that art to come ? (St Matt. xi. 3).

    the sign of Jonas the prophet. Jonas was a sign in two ways : —

    1. by his preaching.

    2. by his miraculous escape.

    The prophet Jonas was sent to the heathen city of Ninive, the capital of the Assyrian empire, in order to warn the inhabitants that, unless they repented, their city should be destroyed. The prophet, fearing that his message would not be believed, took ship to Tharsis. As a punishment for his disobedience a great storm arose, and the sailors, believing Jonas to have brought this evil upon them, cast him overboard. Jonas was then swallowed by “a large fish,” and after three days he was cast safely on “the dry land.” The disobedient prophet then went and preached to the Ninivites, who repented in sackcloth and ashes, so that God spared their city (see Jonas ii. and iii.).

    40. so shall the Son of man, etc. Jesus here promises a sign, not from heaven, hut from the heart of the earth. By coming forth alive from the tomb after three days, Jesus would prove His Divinity.

    In the words heart of the earth, some of the Fathers see a reference to Hades or Limbo. Jonas, cast out by the whale, went to preach to a Gentile nation ; Jesus, when He arose from the grave, sent His apostles to convert the world. The numbers of Jews and Gentiles converted after His death and Resurrection, shew that the promised “ sign ” was at last accepted as a proof of His divine mission (see Acts ii. 41, iv. 4, vi. 1, 7, xvi. 5, etc.).

    41. The men of Ninive. There is a triple contrast in these verses between—

    (a) the queen of Saba : — the unbelieving Jews.

    (b) an inhabitant of the ends of the earth ; — the inhabitants of Palestine.

    (c) Solomon : — the Son of man.

    shall rise in judgment. Either to bear witness against or to accuse Israel. Jesus holds up Gentiles here as examples to the Jews, as He had done on other occasions, e.g. —

    (а) In the synagogue at Nazareth (St Luke iv.), when he referred to the widow of Sarephta and to Naaman the Syrian.

    (b) When He said. It shall he more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, etc.

    (c) In the parable of the good Samaritan.

    they did penance. Yet Jonas only preached. He worked no miracles.

    42. the queen of the south. A reference to the queen of Saba. The queen of Saba having heard of the fame of Solomon in the name of the Lord, came to try him with hard questions (3 Kings x. 1). Solomon answered all her questions, and the queen confessed that his wisdom and works exceeded even his reputation for learning and greatness.

    Saba is a province of Arabia Felix, the modern Yemen, south-east of Palestine. Josephus states that she was a queen of Ethiopia, and that she was “ named after Saba, a town of Meral, an island in the Nile, whose queens were afterwards called Candace, The kings of Abyssinia count her among their ancestors.”

    from the ends of the earth, — i.e. from a great distance: — from the southern limit of the known world. Cf. I will give thee . ... the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession (Ps. ii. 8).

    greater than Solomon. Note the following words of Christ : —

    (a) there is here a greater than the temple.

    (b) behold a greater than Jonas here.

    (c) behold a greater than Solomon here.

    Solomon represented the manifestation of divine wisdom in the Old Testament, Jonas the divine power. In Jesus these two attributes are united and manifested with a plenitude hitherto unknown. If, therefore, Jesus Christ is greater than either Solomon or Jonas, how great is the sin of Israel, who refuses to hear and believe Him, when even pagans have listened to and obeyed the voice of God, though He revealed Himself to them so imperfectly. .

    43. is gone out of a man. This is a lesson to the Jews as a nation. They had given way to idolatry, and as a punishment were exiled to Babylon. On their repentance, God restored them to His favour, and now they were rejecting the Messias, and preparing for themselves a greater judgment. The parable also applies to the individual soul that relapses into sin.

    dry places. The deserts were believed to be the abode of evil spirits.

    44. swept. Void of God’s grace, an abode well-pleasing to the devil.

    “The meaning is, that he finds it no longer filled with the Holy Ghost and sanctifying grace, though it is still ‘swept,’ or free from grosser crimes, and ‘garnished,’ or ornamented with the gifts which remain even after relapse into sin.”

    According to Maldonatus, these gifts are —

    (a) the experience of God’s mercy. 

    (b) the memory of the pleasure felt in the divine service.

    (c) an intimate knowledge of the mysteries of religion.

    (d) a very deep sense of the malice of sin.

    At all this the devil rejoices, because, although intended for man’s good, these gifts, when disregarded, will serve to bring about the relapsing sinner’s greater condemnation (Ryan, vol. i. pp. 275-6).

    45. seven. The number “seven” is used for “many.” He brings other spirits to help in the work of destruction and to inhabit the soul permanently. St Mary Magdalene had been possessed by seven devils. St Luke omits the primary application of the parable : So shall it he also to this wicked generation (St Matt.). The demon of idolatry had been exorcised, but he had returned as “ the worship of the letter,” and with it, the demons of covetousness, hypocrisy, spiritual pride, uncharitableness, faithlessness, formalism, and fanaticism.”

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Jesus casts out a dumb devil and refutes the Pharisees

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.

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, and 

final 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.

The Pharisees plot against Jesus

St Matthew Chapter XII : Verses 14-21

Contents

• Matt. xii.14-21  Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
• Notes on the text

Matt. xii. 14-21

The Pharisees plot to destroy Christ. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

14 And the Pharisees going out made a consultation against him, how they might destroy him.

Exeuntes autem pharisæi, consilium faciebant adversus eum, quomodo perderent eum.

15 But Jesus knowing it, retired from thence: and many followed him, and he healed them all.Jesus autem sciens recessit inde : et secuti sunt eum multi, et curavit eos omnes :

16 And he charged them that they should not make him known.

et præcepit eis ne manifestum eum facerent.

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the prophet, saying:

Ut adimpleretur quod dictum est per Isaiam prophetam, dicentem :

18 Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul hath been well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

Ecce puer meus, quem elegi, dilectus meus, in quo bene complacuit animæ meæ. Ponam spiritum meum super eum, et judicium gentibus nuntiabit.

19 He shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

Non contendet, neque clamabit, neque audiet aliquis in plateis vocem ejus :

20 The bruised reed he shall not break: and smoking flax he shall not extinguish: till he send forth judgment unto victory.

arundinem quassatam non confringet, et linum fumigans non extinguet, donec ejiciat ad victoriam judicium :

21 And in his name the Gentiles shall hope.

et in nomine ejus gentes sperabunt.

Notes

Note. — This is the first plot of the Pharisees which St Matthew records.

    14. the Pharisees going out. They departed, filled with madness, and on the way talked one with another.

    made a consultation. The Scribes and Pharisees consulted with the Herodians (St Mark), for as they were in Galilee, and could do nothing without the co-operation of Herod, they deemed it advisable to consult his partisans immediately (St Mark).

    how they might destroy him. From this moment they had one fixed purpose ; the means alone remained uncertain.

    15. But Jesus, knowing it. By His omniscience, for evidently His enemies, at this time, did not openly proclaim their evil intentions.

    he healed them all, — i.e. as many as had evils (St Mark).

    retired from thence. Jesus practised what He had counselled the disciples (see supra, x. 23). From St Mark we learn that Jesus retired with his disciples to the sea (iii. 7), i.e. of Galilee.

    many followed him. From Galilee and Judea and other parts. (See Annot. on iv. 25.) Even from Tyre and Sidon, multitudes came who had heard the things which he did (St Mark).

    healed them all. This is one of those occasions when Jesus worked numerous miracles at one time.

    16. he charged them. See supra, viii. 4, ix. 30, for a like prohibition.

that they should not make him known. Our Lord desired to moderate the enthusiasm of the multitudes that sought to touch him (St Luke vi. 19), in order not to further exasperate the Pharisees, and to be free to pursue His ministry in Galilee.

    17. That it might he fulfilled, etc. The rabbis took the passage as referring to the Messias. By His prudence, compassion, and humility, Jesus proved Himself to be the Messias, as portrayed by Isaias,

    which was spoken, etc. St Matthew neither quotes literally from the Hebrew Scriptures nor the Septuagint, but he gives a free translation of the sense of the passage, as St Jerome remarks, “ sensum potius quam verba interpretans”— interpreting the sense rather than the actual words.

    18. my servant, — i.e. the Messias. The Greek word (παῖς) may mean “ child ” or “ servant,” but there is no ambiguity in the Hebrew word “ abedi ” (servant), which is found in the Old Testament.

    my beloved in whom my soul, etc. Three times in the course of our Lord’s life on earth, this truth was proclaimed from heaven.

    I will put my Spirit upon him. The Holy Ghost descended openly on our Lord at His Baptism. All the gifts of the Holy Spirit were bestowed on Christ. Cf. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and of godliness (Is. xi. 2).

    shew jugment, etc. He shall make known the Gospel.

    to the gentiles. The Gospel was to be preached to all nations, and not reserved exclusively for the Jews.

    19. He shall not contend, etc. Jesus performed His ministry with humility and clemency.

    20. The bruised reed etc. A word-picture of weakness, and in the “smoking flax” we have superadded the idea of something offensive, which requires to be promptly extinguished. Yet Christ spares sinners, in spite of their weakness and worthlessness, Christians, in their degree, should imitate our Lord’s methods of dealing with sinners.

    “He who stretches not out his hand to the sinner, and bears not the burden of his brother, breaks the bruised reed ; he who despises the spark of faith in the little ones, extinguishes the smoking flax” (St Jerome).

    till he send forth judgment unto victory. Christ, by His gentleness and humility, will ultimately establish His reign on earth. This will only he fully realized after the last judgment, and then His justice in condemning His enemies will be manifested to the whole world.

    21. in his name. The Hebrew text gives “ in his law,” but the sense is the same, for those who earnestly desire “ his law ” certainly hope in Him.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Healing the man with the withered hand

St Matthew Chapter XII : Verses 9-13

Contents

• Matt. xii. 9-13 Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
• Notes on the text
• Additional notes. The Sabbath.

Matt. xii. 9-13

Stretch forth thy hand. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

9 And when he had passed from thence, he came into their synagogues.

Et cum inde transisset, venit in synagogam eorum.

10 And behold there was a man who had a withered hand, and they asked him, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

Et ecce homo manum habens aridam, et interrogabant eum, dicentes : Si licet sabbatis curare? ut accusarent eum.

11  But he said to them: What man shall there be among you, that hath one sheep: and if the same fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not take hold on it and lift it up?

Ipse autem dixit illis : Quis erit ex vobis homo, qui habeat ovem unam, et si ceciderit haec sabbatis in foveam, nonne tenebit et levabit eam?

 12  How much better is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do a good deed on the sabbath days.

Quanto magis melior est homo ove? itaque licet sabbatis benefacere.

13 Then he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand; and he stretched it forth, and it was restored to health even as the other.

Tunc ait homini : Extende manum tuam. Et extendit, et restituta est sanitati sicut altera.

Notes

N.B. — All the Synoptists place this miracle after the incident of the disciples plucking the corn.

    9. when he had 'passed from thence. From the place where the last incident occurred. This miracle was worked on another Sabbath, not on the same day that the disciples plucked the ears of corn.

    into their synagogues. There He taught the people (St Luke).

10. a withered hand. The right hand (St Luke) was dried up. Such a disease was beyond medical skill.

    they asked him, — i.e. the Scribes and Pharisees. Cf. And the scribes and Pharisees watched if he would heal on the sabbath : that they might find an accusation against him (St Luke vi. 7).

    Verses 10 and 12. St Matthew alone gives the three details following : —

    (a) The Pharisees ask him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sahbath days ? that they might accuse him.

    (b) Jesus justifies the miracle He is about to work by referring to a sheep that falls into a pit on the Sabbath and is lifted out,

    (c) He asserts the general principle : — it is lawful to do a good deed on the Sabbath-day.

    Is it lawful, etc.? His enemies wished to have a formal reply to their question, but here, as on other occasions, Jesus answers by a counter-question (e.g. the tribute to Caesar).

    11. What man shall there be, etc. ? This illustration is peculiar to the first gospel in this context, but in St Luke xiv. 5 we find a similar one. Jesus appeals to their interests ; to their manner of acting when personal property was at stake,

    fall into a pit. If the Pharisees, with labour and effort, would release a sheep from a pit (or well), how much more should they, if possible, deliver a suffering fellow-creature from a painful disease ; especially when, as in this case, the healing of the afflicted man involved no menial work.

    Palestine abounds in unprotected cisterns, wells, and pits, for in a country where water was scarce, such means of collecting it were necessary.

    will he not take hold, etc. ? “ The words appeal to the common action and natural impulse of men, but the casuistry of the Pharisees had, as a matter of fact, given a different answer. Food might be let down to the ox or ass, but no effort to pull him out was to be made till the Sabbath rest was over” (Ellicott, Comm, on St. Luke, p. 310).

    12. How much better is a man than a sheep ? Human life is always above animal life. The same truth is taught in x. 31.

    Therefore it is lawful. Jesus answers their question by giving a broad line of conduct, applicable to other questions than those of healing or saving life — good deeds honour the Sabbath, and are lawful.

    Note. — Not to deliver a person from suffering, when we can, is equivalent to inflicting the suffering. Sins of omission may be as grievous as sins of commission. There is doubtless an allusion to their evil intentions. While they blame Jesus for curing a sick man on the Sabbath, they have no scruple about compassing the death of the innocent.

OCR not available. Text reproduced from source document.

    To have answered that it was right to heal on the Sabbath would have justified our Lord’s merciful deed. To have denied the right would have contradicted their own traditions, which allowed medical aid to be given on the Sabbath when life was at stake (periculum vitæ pellit sabbatum), but. they only admitted this in the case of a Jew.

    Stretch forth thy hand. That all might see the withered hand and bear witness to the miracle.

    it was restored to health. Jesus cured the man without any exterior signs or words, and thus gave His accusers no ground for bringing a legal accusation against Him, since the miracle was performed by a volition which could not desecrate the Sabbath

Additional Notes

The Sabbath. 

12. Therefore it is lawful to do a good deed on the sabbath-days. The teaching of Jesus, “the Lord of the Sabbath,” is clearly laid down, and these laws are embodied in the commandments of the Church. The law of necessity justifies a breach of the letter of the Law, hence necessary servile works may be performed on the Sabbath. Again, since Jesus prefers mercy to sacrifice, it is allowed to do good on the Sabbath. He Himself, on seven different occasions performed miracles on the Sabbath-day. The observance of the Sabbath, or seventh day of rest, was commanded by God when “he rested on the seventh day from all the work which he had done” (Gen. ii. 2). After the captivity in Egypt, it was again commanded to be observed as a memorial of the deliverance of the Israelites : — “ Remember that thou also didst serve in Egypt, and the Lord thy God brought thee out from thence with a strong hand and a stretched-out arm. Therefore hath he commanded thee that thou shouldst observe the sabbath-day.”

    It was also considered a perpetual sign of ‘ ‘ an everlasting covenant ” xxxi. 16,17). Stoning to death was the penalty of breaking the Sabbath, but this was no longer in the power of the Sanhedrin to inflict, since the Jews were tributary to the Romans. All Christians keep the first day of the week holy instead of the seventh, calling it ‘‘ the Lord’s day” (Apoc. i. 10). This change was effected by the apostles themselves, in memory —

    (1) of our Lord’s Resurrection.

    (2) of the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost.

    (3) to shew that since the Jews were no longer the chosen people of God, the Sabbath, as the sign of a covenant, was no longer necessary.

Notice that Catholics and non-Catholics alike keep the first day of the week holy in virtue of the apostolic tradition, hence the Scriptures are not the only rule of faith. Though the day is changed, the law of keeping holy one day in seven holds good.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.