Zacheus entertains Christ. The parable of the pounds. Christ rides upon an ass and weeps over Jerusalem.
In Ieriche he lodgeth in the house of Zachaus a Publicane, and against the murmuring Iewes openeth the reasons of his so doing, 11 He shevveth, that the last day should not be yet, 15 and whas then in the iudgement he vvil doe both to vs of his Church as vvel good as bad, 47 and also to the reprobate Ievves. 29 Being nevv come to the place of his Passion, he entreth (vveeping and foretelling the destruction of blinde Hierusalem) vvhich triumph as their Christ. 4• He shevveth his zeale for the house of God, and teacheth therein euery day. 47 The rulers would destroy him, but for feare of the people.
1And entering he walked through Jericho.Ed entrato in Gerico passava pel mezzo della città.AND entring in, he vvalked through Iericho.Et ingressus perambulabat Jericho. 2And behold, there was a man named Zacheus, who was the chief of the publicans: and he was rich.Quand'ecco un uomo per nome Zaccheo: il quale era capo de' pubblicani, ed ei pur facoltoso.And behold a man named Zachaeus: and this vvas a Prince of the Publicans, and he riche.Et ecce vir nomine Zachæus: et hic princeps erat publicanorum, et ipse dives: 3And he sought to see Jesus who he was: and he could not for the crowd, because he was low of stature.E bramava di conoscer di vista Gesù: e non poteva a causa della folla, perché era piccolo di statura.And he sought to see IESVS vvhat he vvas, and he could not for the multitude, because he vvas litle of stature.et quærebat videre Jesum, quis esset: et non poterat præ turba, quia statura pusillus erat. 4And running before, he climbed up into a sycamore tree, that he might see him: for he was to pass that way.E porse innanzi, e sali sopra una pianta di sicomoro a fine di vederlo: perché era per passare da quella parte.And running before, he vvent vp into a sycomore tree that he might see him: because he vvas to passe by it.Et præcurrens ascendit in arborem sycomorum ut videret eum: quia inde erat transiturus. 5And when Jesus was come to the place, looking up, he saw him and said to him: Zacheus, make haste and come down: for this day I must abide in thy house.E arrivato Gesù a quel luogo, alzati gli occhi lo vide, e gli disse: Zaccheo, presto cala giù: perché fa d'uopo, ch'io alberghi quest'oggi in casa tua.And vvhen he vvas come to the place, IESVS looking vp, savv him, and said to him, Zachaeus, come dovvne in hast: because this day I must abide in thy house.Et cum venisset ad locum, suspiciens Jesus vidit illum, et dixit ad eum: Zachæe, festinans descende: quia hodie in domo tua oportet me manere. 6And he made haste and came down and received him with joy.E quegli frettolosamente discese, e lo accolse allegramente.And he in hast came dovvne, and receiued him reioycing.Et festinans descendit, et excepit illum gaudens. 7And when all saw it, they murmured, saying, that he was gone to be a guest with a man that was a sinner.Veduto ciò, tutti mormoravano, dicendo, che era andato a posare in casa di un peccatore.And vvhen al savv it, they murmured, saying that he turned in, to a man that vvas a sinner.Et cum viderent omnes, murmurabant, dicentes quod ad hominem peccatorem divertisset.
8But Zacheus standing, said to the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have wronged any man of any thing, I restore him fourfold.Ma Zaccheo si presentò, e disse al Signore: Ecco che io, o Signore, do la metà de' miei beni a poveri: e se ad alcuno ho tolto qualche cosa, gli rendo il quadruplo.But Zachaeus standing, said to our Lord, Behold the halfe of my goods, Lord, I giue to the poore: and if I haue defrauded any man of any thing, I restore fourefold.Stans autem Zachæus, dixit ad Dominum: Ecce dimidium bonorum meorum, Domine, do pauperibus: et si quid aliquem defraudavi, reddo quadruplum. 9Jesus said to him: This day is salvation come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham.E Gesù gli disse: Oggi questa casa ha ottenuto salute: perché anche questo è figliuolo di Abramo.IESVS said to him, That this day saluation is made to this house: because that he also is the sonne of Abraham.Ait Jesus ad eum: Quia hodie salus domui huic facta est: eo quod et ipse filius sit Abrahæ. 10For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.Imperocché è venuto il figliuolo dell'uomo a cercare, e salvare que', che si erano perduti.For the Sonne of man is come to seeke and to saue that vvhich vvas lost.Venit enim Filius hominis quærere, et salvum facere quod perierat. 11As they were hearing these things, he added and spoke a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately be manifested.E stando quegli ad ascoltare tali cose, continuò, e disse una parabola sopra l'esser lui vicino a Gerusalemme: e sul credere, che essi facevano, che presto dovesse manifestarsi il regno di Dio.They hearing these things, he added and spake a parable, for that he was nigh to Hierusalem, and because they thought that forthvvith the kingdom of God should be manifested.Hæc illis audientibus adjiciens, dixit parabolam, eo quod esset prope Jerusalem: et quia existimarent quod confestim regnum Dei manifestaretur. 12He said therefore: a certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.Disse adunque: Un nobil uomo andò in lontano paese a prender possesso di un regno per poi ritornare.He said therfore, A certaine noble man vvent into a farre countrie to take to him self a kingdom, and to returne.Dixit ergo: Homo quidam nobilis abiit in regionem longinquam accipere sibi regnum, et reverti. 13And calling his ten servants, he gave them ten pounds and said to them: Trade till I come.E chiamati a se dieci de' suoi servidori, diede loro dieci mine, e disse loro: Impiegatele sino al mio ritorno.And calling his ten seruants, he gaue them ten poundes, and said to them, Occupie til I come.Vocatis autem decem servis suis, dedit eis decem mnas, et ait ad illos: Negotiamini dum venio.
14But his citizens hated him and they sent an embassage after him, saying: We will not have this man to reign over us.Ma i suoi concittadini gli volevano male: e gli spediron dietro ambasciadori, dicendo: Non vogliamo costui per nostro re.And his citizens hated him: and they sent a legacie after him, saying, Vve vvil not haue this man reigne ouer vs.Cives autem ejus oderant eum: et miserunt legationem post illum, dicentes: Nolumus hunc regnare super nos. 15And it came to pass that he returned, having received the kingdom: and he commanded his servants to be called, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading,E avvenne, che tornato egli dopo aver preso possesso del regno fece chiamare a sei servidori, ai quali aveva dato il denaro per sapere, che guadagno avesse fatto ciascuno.And it came to passe after he returned, hauing receiued his kingdom: and he commaunded his seruants to be called, to vvhom he gaue the money: that he might knovv how much euery mā had gained by occupying.Et factum est ut rediret accepto regno: et jussit vocari servos, quibus dedit pecuniam, ut sciret quantum quisque negotiatus esset. 16And the first came saying: Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.E venne il primo, e disse: Signore, la tua mina ne ha fruttate altre dieci.And the first came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gotten ten poundes.Venit autem primus dicens: Domine, mna tua decem mnas acquisivit. 17And he said to him: Well done, thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a little, thou shalt have power over ten cities.Ed ei gli disse: Buon per te, servitore fedele, perché se' stato fedele nel poco, sarai signore di dieci città.And he said to him, Vvel fare thee good seruant, because thou hast been faithful in a litle, thou shalt haue povver ouer ten cities.Et ait illi: Euge bone serve, quia in modico fuisti fidelis, eris potestatem habens super decem civitates. 18And the second came, saying: Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.E venne il secondo, e disse: Signore, la tua mina ne ha fruttate cinque.And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath made fiue poundes.Et alter venit, dicens: Domine, mna tua fecit quinque mnas. 19And he said to him: Be thou also over five cities.E (il padrone) disse anche a questo: Tu pure sarai signore di cinque città.And he said to him, And be thou ouer fiue cities.Et huic ait: Et tu esto super quinque civitates. 20And another came, saying: Lord, behold here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin.E venne un altro, e disse: Signore, eccoti la tua mina, che ho tenuta rivolta in un fazzoletto:And an other came, saying, Lord, loe here thy pound, vvhich I haue had laid vp in a napkin.Et alter venit, dicens: Domine, ecce mna tua, quam habui repositam in sudario:
21For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up what thou didst not lay down: and thou reapest that which thou didst not sow.Imperocché ho avuto apprensione di te, perché se' di naturale austero: togli quel, che non hai depositato, e mieti quel, che non hai seminato.for I feared thee, because thou art an austêre man: thou takest vp that thou didst not set dovvne, and thou reapest that vvhich thou didst not sovv.timui enim te, quia homo austerus es: tollis quod non posuisti, et metis quod non seminasti. 22He saith to him: Out of thy own mouth I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up what I laid not down and reaping that which I did not sow.Ma (il padrone) gli disse: Sa la tua propria confessione ti condanno, servo cattivo: sapevi, che io sono un uomo austero, che tolgo quel, che non ho depositato, e mieto quel, che non ho seminato:He saith to him, By thine ovvne mouth I iudge thee, naughtie seruant. Thou didst knovv that I am an austere man, taking vp that I set not dovvne, and reaping that vvhich I sovved not:Dicit ei: De ore tuo te judico, serve nequam. Sciebas quod ego homo austerus sum, tollens quod non posui, et metens quod non seminavi: 23And why then didst thou not give my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have exacted it with usury?E Perché non hai impiegato il mio denaro sopra una banca, che io al mio ritorno lo averi ritirato co' suoi frutti?and vvhy didst thou not giue my money to the banke, and I comming might certes vvith vsurie haue exacted it?et quare non dedisti pecuniam meam ad mensam, ut ego veniens cum usuris utique exegissem illam ? 24And he said to them that stood by: Take the pound away from him and give it to him that hath ten pounds.E disse agli astanti: Toglietegli la mina, e datela a colui, che ne ha dieci.And he said to them that stoode by, Take the pound avvay from him, and giue it to him that hath the ten poundes.Et astantibus dixit: Auferte ab illo mnam, et date illi qui decem mnas habet. 25And they said to him: Lord, he hath ten pounds.Signore, risposero, egli la dieci mine.And they said to him, Lord, he hath ten poundes.Et dixerunt ei: Domine, habet decem mnas. 26But I say to you that to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound: and from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken from him.E io vi dico, che sarà dato a chi ha, e sarà nell'abbondanza: a chi poi non ha, sarà levato anche quello che ha.But I say to you, that to euery one that hath shal be giuen: and from him that hath not, that also vvhich he hath shal be taken from him.Dico autem vobis, quia omni habenti dabitur, et abundabit: ab eo autem qui non habet, et quod habet auferetur ab eo.
27But as for those my enemies, who would not have me reign over them, bring them hither and kill them before me.Quanto poi a que' miei nemici, i quali non mi hanno volato per loro re, conduceteli qui, e uccidetegli alla mia presenza.But as for those mine enemies that vvould not haue me reigne ouer them, bring them hither: and kil them before me.Verumtamen inimicos meos illos, qui noluerunt me regnare super se, adducite huc: et interficite ante me. 28And having said these things, he went before, going up to Jerusalem.E dette tali cose, camminava innanzi agli altri verso Gerusalemme.And hauing said these things, he vvent before ascending to Hierusalem.Et his dictis, præcedebat ascendens Jerosolymam. 29And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethania, unto the mount called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples,E arrivato che fu vicino a Betfage, e a Betania, al monte detto degli ulivi, mandò due de' suoi discepoli,And it came to passe vvhen he vvas come nigh to Bethphagé and Bethania vnto the mount called Oliuet, he sent tvvo of his Disciples,Et factum est, cum appropinquasset ad Bethphage et Bethaniam, ad montem qui vocatur Oliveti, misit duos discipulos suos, 30Saying: Go into the town which is over against you, at your entering into which you shall find the colt of an ass tied, on which no man ever hath sitten: loose him and bring him hither.E disse loro: Andate nel villaggio, che sta dirimpetto: e in entrando troverete legato un asinello, che non è stato mai cavalcato da alcuno: scioglietelo, e menatemelo.saying, Goe into the tovvne vvhich is ouer against, into the vvhich as you enter, you shal finde the colt of an asse tied, on vvhich no man euer hath sitten: loose him, and bring him.dicens: Ite in castellum quod contra est: in quod introëuntes, invenietis pullum asinæ alligatum, cui nemo umquam hominum sedit: solvite illum, et adducite. 31And if any man shall ask you: Why do you loose him? You shall say thus unto him: Because the Lord hath need of his service.E se alcuno vi domanderà il perché lo sciogliete, gli direte: Perché il Signore ne ha bisogno.And if any man aske you, Vvhy loose you him? You shal say thus to him, because our Lord needeth his seruice.Et si quis vos interrogaverit: Quare solvitis ? sic dicetis ei: Quia Dominus operam ejus desiderat. 32And they that were sent went their way and found the colt standing, as he had said unto them.E quelli, che erano stati spediti, andarono, e trovarono l'asinello starsi nel modo, che egli aveva loro predetto.And they that vvere sent, vvent their vvaies, and found as he said to them, the colt standing.Abierunt autem qui missi erant: et invenerunt, sicut dixit illis, stantem pullum.
33And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said to them: Why loose you the colt?E mentre scioglievano l'asinello, i padroni disser loro: Perché lo sciogliete voi?And vvhen they loosed the colt, the ovvners thereof said to them, Vvhy loose you the colt?Solventibus autem illis pullum, dixerunt domini ejus ad illos: Quid solvitis pullum ? 34But they said: Because the Lord hath need of him.Ed essi lor dissero: Perché il Signore ne ha bisogno.But they said, because our Lord hath neede of him.At illi dixerunt: Quia Dominus eum necessarium habet. 35And they brought him to Jesus. And casting their garments on the colt, they set Jesus thereon.E lo menarono a Gesù. E distesi i loro mantelli sopra l'asinello, vi poser sopra Gesù.And they brought him to IESVS. And casting their garments vpon the colt, they set IESVS therevpon.Et duxerunt illum ad Jesum. Et jacentes vestimenta sua supra pullum, imposuerunt Jesum. 36And as he went, they spread their clothes underneath in the way.E seguitando egli il suo viaggio, la gente gli distendeva sotto le sue vesti per la strada.And as he vvent, they spred their garments vnderneath in the vvay.Eunte autem illo, substernebant vestimenta sua in via: 37And when he was now coming near the descent of Mount Olivet, the whole multitude of his disciples began with joy to praise God with a loud voice, for all the mighty works they had seen,Quando poi fu vicino alla scesa del monte Oliveto, tutta la turba de' discepoli cominciò lietamente a lodare Dio ad alta voce per tutti i prodigj, che veduti avevano,And vvhen he approched novv to the descent of mount-Oliuet, al the multitudes of them that descended', began vvith ioy to praise God vvith a loude voice, for al the miracles that they had seen,et cum appropinquaret jam ad descensum montis Oliveti, cœperunt omnes turbæ discipulorum gaudentes laudare Deum voce magna super omnibus, quas viderant, virtutibus, 38Saying: Blessed be the king who cometh in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory on high!Dicendo: Benedetto il Re, che viene nel nome del Signore, pace in cielo, e gloria nel più alto de' cieli.saying, Blessed is he that commeth king in the name of our Lord, peace in heauen, and glorie on high.dicentes: Benedictus, qui venit rex in nomine Domini: pax in cælo, et gloria in excelsis. 39And some of the Pharisees, from amongst the multitude, said to him: Master, rebuke thy disciples.E alcuni de' Farisei mescolati col popolo gli dissero: Maestro, sgrida i tuoi discepoli.And certaine Pharisees of the multitudes said to him, Maister, rebuke thy disciples.Et quidam pharisæorum de turbis dixerunt ad illum: Magister, increpa discipulos tuos.
40To whom he said: I say to you that if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out.Ma egli rispose loro: Vi dico, che se questi taceranno, grideranno le pietre.To vvhom he said, I say to you, That if these hold their peace, the stones shal crie.Quibus ipse ait: Dico vobis, quia si hi tacuerint, lapides clamabunt. 41And when he drew near, seeing the city, he wept over it, saying:E avvicinandosi alla città, rimirandola pianse sopra di lei, e disse:And as he drevv neere, seeing the citie, he vvept vpon it, saying,Et ut appropinquavit, videns civitatem flevit super illam, dicens: 42If thou also hadst known, and that in this thy day, the things that are to thy peace: but now they are hidden from thy eyes.O se conoscessi anche tu, e in questo giorno quello, che importa al tuo bene: ma ora questo è a' tuoi occhi celato.Because if thou also hadst knovven, and that in this thy day, the things that pertaine to thy peace: but novv they are hid from thine eies.Quia si cognovisses et tu, et quidem in hac die tua, quæ ad pacem tibi: nunc autem abscondita sunt ab oculis tuis. 43For the days shall come upon thee: and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compass thee round and straiten thee on every side,Conciossiachè verrà per te il tempo: quando i tuoi nemici ti circonderanno di trinciera: e ti serreranno all'intorno: e ti stringeranno per ogni parte:For the daies shal come vpon thee: and thy enemies shal compasse thee vvith a trenche, and inclose thee about, and straiten thee on euery side,Quia venient dies in te: et circumdabunt te inimici tui vallo, et circumdabunt te: et coangustabunt te undique: 44And beat thee flat to the ground, and thy children who are in thee. And they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone: because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation.E cacceranno per terra te, e i tuoi figliuoli con te, e non lasceranno in te pietra sopra pietra; perché non hai conosciuto il tempo della visita a te fatta.and beate thee flat to the ground, and thy children that are in thee, and they shal not leaue in thee a stone vpon a stone: because thou hast not knovven the time of thy visitation.et ad terram prosternent te, et filios tuos, qui in te sunt, et non relinquent in te lapidem super lapidem: eo quod non cognoveris tempus visitationis tuæ. 45And entering into the temple, he began to cast out them that sold therein and them that bought.Ed entrato nel tempio cominciò a scacciare coloro, che in esso vendevano, e comperavano,And entring into the temple, he began to cast out the sellers therein and the biers,Et ingressus in templum, cœpit ejicere vendentes in illo, et ementes,
46Saying to them: It is written: My house is the house of prayer. But you have made it a den of thieves.Dicendo loro: Sta scritto; La casa mia è casa di orazione; e voi l'avete cangiata in ispelonca di ladri.saying to them, It is vvritten, That my house is the house of praier. But you haue made it a denne of theeues.dicens illis: Scriptum est: Quia domus mea domus orationis est: vos autem fecistis illam speluncam latronum. 47And he was teaching daily in the temple. And the chief priests and the scribes and the rulers of the people sought to destroy him.E insegnava ogni giorno nel tempio. Ma i principi de' sacerdoti, e gli Scribi, e i caporioni del popolo cercavano di levarlo dal mondo:And he vvas teaching daily in the temple. And the cheefe Priests and the Scribes and the Princes of the people sought to destroy him:Et erat docens quotidie in templo. Principes autem sacerdotum, et scribæ, et princeps plebis quærebant illum perdere: 48And they found not what to do to him: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.Né sapevan, che farsi di lui. Conciossiaché tutto il popolo stava a bocca aperta ad udirlo.and they found not vvhat to doe to him. For al the people vvas suspense, hearing him.et non inveniebant quid facerent illi. Omnis enim populus suspensus erat, audiens illum.
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St. Ambrose
What sinner can despair when he sees the Saviour of mankind seeking to save him; when he beholds even a publican and a rich man, at the same time, who, as our Saviour informs us in another place, are so seldom truly converted, brought to the light of faith, and the grace of a true conversion! (St. Ambrose)
St. Cyril
Zacheus (who as a farmer of the customs, not a collector, as some falsely imagine) immediately hearkened to the interior voice of the Almighty, calling him to repentance; he made no delay, and therefore deserved immediately not only to see, but to eat, drink, and converse with Jesus. (St. Cyril)
Behold here the three steps of his conversion: 1. an ardent desire of seeing Jesus; 2. the honourable reception he gave him in his house; 3. the complete restitution of all ill-acquired property.
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Ven. Bede
Zacheus is here styled a son of Abraham; that is his spiritual son, a partaker of the promises made to Abraham concerning the Messias: not that he was actually born of his seed, but because he imitated his faith; and as Abraham at the voice of God, left the land and house of his father; so Zacheus renounced his goods and possessions, by giving them to the poor. (Ven. Bede)
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Witham
That the kingdom of God should immediately be manifested. The disciples were full of the expectation of the temporal kingdom of the Messias, though he had divers times told them he was to suffer and die on a cross. (Witham)
Calmet
Notwithstanding all that Jesus had said to them about his kingdom, his death, his consummation, and resurrection, they still believed that the kingdom of God was going to be manifested, and that Jesus, in this journey, would make himself be acknowledged king by the whole nation of the Jews. They could not lay aside the ideas they had formed of the personal and temporal reign of the Messias. Every thing which they could not reconcile with this standard, was completely impenetrable to them. It was a language they could not comprehend. (Calmet)
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Bible de Vence
This parable is an exact prophetic history of what happened to Archelaus Antipas, son of Herod the great, about thirty-six years afterwards. Judea being then tributary, he was obliged to go to Rome to receive his kingdom from the hands of the emperor Augustus. The Jews, who hated him for his cruelty, sent an embassy to the emperor, to accuse him of many crimes, and disappoint him in his hopes of gaining his crown. But Augustus confirmed it to him, and sent him back to reign in Judea, where he revenged himself on those who had opposed his pretensions. With regard to the instruction, which is meant to be conveyed by this parable; this nobleman is the Son of God, who came among the Jews to take possession of the kingdom, which was his due. But being rejected and treated unworthily, and even put to a disgraceful death on the cross, he will one day come again, armed with vengeance, and inflict the effects of his anger upon them. This was partly fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem, and will be completed at the general judgment. (Calmet) (Bible de Vence)
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Witham
Ten pieces of money, each of which was called a mna. To translate pounds, gives the English reader a false notion, the Roman coin called a mna not corresponding to our pound. (Witham)
A mna was 12.5 ounces, which, at five shillings per ounce, is £3 2s. 6d.
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Calmet
All the disciples of Christ have not the same degree of honour in this world, nor in the next; because all do not make an equal use of the graces they receive. Some are in the first rank, as apostles; then those, to whom the gift of prophecy has been committed; then doctors, etc. each exalted according to his merit. For there are many mansions, and many degrees of glory, in the house of the heavenly Father. (Calmet)
For there is one brightness of the sun, another of the moon, and another of the stars; for star differeth from star in brightness. (1 Corinthians 15:41.)
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Dionysius
It may here be asked, how the owners of the colt knew who the Lord was, of whom the disciples spoke? It may be answered, that perhaps they had already heard that Jesus of Nazareth, who the Jews thought was to be their temporal king, was coming about that time to Jerusalem, and that they saw from their dress, or other external marks, that they were the disciples of Jesus. (Dionysius)
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Calmet
The stones. This is a proverb, as if he had said: God has resolved to glorify me this day, in order to fulfil the prophecies. Nothing can hinder the execution of his decrees; if men were silent, he would make even the stones to speak. (Calmet)
Ven. Bede
At the crucifixion of our Redeemer, when his friends were silent through fear, the very stones and rocks spoke in his defence. Immediately after he expired, the earth was moved, the rocks split, and the monuments of the dead opened. (Ven. Bede)
St. Ambrose
Nor is it any wonder if, contrary to nature, the rocks bespeak the praises of the Lord, since he was even praised by a multitude, much more insensible than the rocks themselves, in crucifying him only a few days after, whom they now salute with Hosannahs of joy. (St. Ambrose)
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Calmet
He wept. St. Epiphanius tells us, that some of the orthodox of his time, offended at these words, omitted them in their copies, as if to shed tears, were a weakness unworthy of Christ: but this true reading of the evangelist is found in all copies, and received by all the faithful; and the liberty which those who changed them took, was too dangerous ever to be approved of by the Church. Neither do these tears argue in Jesus Christ any thing unworthy of his supreme majesty or wisdom. Our Saviour possessed all the human passions, but not the defects of them. The Stoics, who condemned the passions in their sages, laboured to make statues or automata of man, not philosophers. The true philosopher moderates and governs his passions; the Stoic labours to destroy them, but cannot effect his purpose. And when he labours to overcome one passion, he is forced to have recourse to another for help. (Calmet)
Dionysius
Our Saviour is said to have wept six times, during his life on earth: 1st, At his birth, according to many holy doctors; 2ndly, at his circumcision, according to St. Bernard and others; 3rdly, when he raised Lazarus to life, as is related in St. John 11.; 4thly, in his entry into Jerusalem, described in this place; 5thly, during his agony in the garden, just before his apprehension, when, as St. Luke remarks, (Chap. 22.) his sweat was as drops of blood trickling down upon the ground; and 6thly, during his passion, when he often wept, on account of his great distress of mind, occasioned principally by the knowledge he had of the grievousness of men's sins, and the bad use they would make of the redemption he was, through so many sufferings, procuring for them. (Dionysius)
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Witham
If thou also hadst known. It is a broken sentence, as it were in a transport of grief; and we may understand, thou wouldst also weep. Didst thou know, even at this day, that peace and reconciliation which God still offers to thee. (Witham)
Dionysius
What can be more tender than the apostrophe here made use of by our Saviour! Hadst thou but known, etc. that is, didst thou but know how severe a punishment is about to be inflicted upon thee, for the numberless transgressions of thy people, thou likewise wouldst weep; but, alas! hardened in iniquity, thou still rejoicest, ignorant of the punishment hanging over thy head. Just men have daily occasion to bewail, like our blessed Redeemer, the blindness of the wicked, unable to see, through their own perversity, the miserable state of their souls, and the imminent danger they are every moment exposed to, of losing themselves for ever. Of these, Solomon cries out; (Proverbs 2:13.) They leave the right way, and walk through dark ways. We ought to imitate this compassion of our blessed Redeemer; and, as he wept over the calamities of the unfortunate Jerusalem, though determined on his destruction; so we ought to bewail the sins not only of our friends, but likewise of our enemies, and daily offer up our prayers for their conversion. (Dionysius)
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Witham
And compass thee, etc. Christ's prophecy is a literal description of what happened to Jerusalem, under Titus. (Witham)
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All the people, as they heard him with so great attention. So Virgil said: --
Witham
pendetque iterum narrantis ab ore. (Witham)
The original Greek, exekremato autou akouon, shews how eagerly they catched the words that dropped from his sacred lips, all enraptured with the wisdom of his answers, and the commanding superiority of his doctrines. Seneca (Controv 9:1.) uses a similar turn of expression: Ex vultu discentis pendent omnium vultus. The chief priests and rulers were all apprehension lest the people, who followed Jesus with such avidity, and who had conceived such high sentiments of his character, might prevent the execution of their murderous designs.
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He gave them ten pounds.... In the original, what is here translated a pound, is in Latin, mina, in value of our coin, three pounds two shillings and sixpence.
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In the liturgy The Gospel vpō the Dedication of a Church.
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2. I restore fourefold.) Restitution. That vvhich vve giue of our ovvne, is almes and satisfaction for our sinnes: but that vvhich vve restore of il gotten goods by Extortion, Vsurie, Simonie, Bribrie, Theft, or othervvise, that is called here Restoring. And it is of duty and not of free almes, and must be rendred not to vvhom vve lift, but to the parties annoyed if it be possible, othervvise it must be bestovved vpon the poore, or other good vses, according to the aduise of our superiour & such as haue charge of our soules. But that he yelded fourefold, that vvas more then he vvas bound, Satisfaction. but very satisfactorie for his former sinnes also. And herevvith vve may note, that it is not the giuing of a peny, grote, or crovvne, of a riche mans superfluitie, that is so much recōmended to sinnes for redeeming their faultes: but this large bestovving vpon Christ, to sell al and giue it in almes, to giue the moytie of our goodes, to render foure times so much, for that vvhich is vvrongfully gotten, Lu. 21, 3. that extinguisheth sinnes. The poore vvidovves brasse peny vvas very grateful, because it vvas al or much of that she had: but the riche mans pound of his superfluitie, though it be good, yet is nothing so grateful.
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4. Went vp.) Not onely invvard deuotion of faith and charitie tovvards Christ, but external offices of seeing, External deuotion. folovving, touching, receiuing, harbouring him, are recommended to vs in this example: euen so our manifold exteriour deuotion tovvards his Sacraments, Saincts, and seruants, be grateful: specially the endeuour of good people not onely to be present at Masse or in the Church, but to be neere the B. Sacrament, and to see it vvith al reuerence and deuotion according to the order of the Church, much more to receiue it into the house of their body.
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Zachaeus.
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Concordance Mt, 18, 12.
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In the liturgy The Gospel for a confessor that is not a Bishop, and namely for S. Lewis the king of France, August. 25.
Concordance Mt. 25, 14.
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Marke here against the aduersaries, that the rewards of these two good seruants be diuers & vnaequal, according to the diuersitie or inequality of their gaines, that is, their merites. and yet one receiueth the peny (Mt. 20, 9.) as wel as the other, that is, heauen or life euerlasting.
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See annotatiōs Matth. 27, 29, &c.
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THE fifth part of the Gospel, Of the Holy weeke of his Passion in Hierusalem.
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Concordance Mt. 21, 1
Concordance Mr. 11, 1
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Concordance Io. 12, 15
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PALME SVNDAY.
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his disciples,
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This was fulfilled 40 yeres after the death of Christ by Titus & Vespasianus, vvhen besides incredible miseries of famine and other distressès, there perished eleuē hundred thousand, and were taken captiues 97000, the siege begīning in the very same feast & greatest solēnitie of Easter when they put Christ to death. Euseb. li. 1 hist. c. 6. 1. 8. Ioseph. li. 7 c. 17.
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Concordance Mt. 21, 12. Mr. 11, 15.
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MVNDAY
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Concordance Es. 56, 7
Concordance Ier. 7, 11
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… So Zacchæus stood, and said unto Jesus, My Lord, now half of my possessions I give to the poor, and what I have unjustly [23] taken from every man I give him fourfold. Jesus said unto him, Today is salvation [24] come to this house, because this man also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and save the thing that was lost.
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 40
… If a stranger fall at your feet, homeless and a foreigner, welcome in him Him who for your sake was a stranger, and that among His own, and who came to dwell in you by His grace, and who drew you towards the heavenly dwelling place. Be a Zaccheus,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 2.66
… After instancing these things, however, this evangelist again joins company with the others in the narrative relating to the ass on which Jesus sat.
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
[15, 16] And when Jesus entered and passed through Jericho,
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 66.12
… We have to unfasten things joined together, we have to sunder things firmly united. Zacchæus was rich while the apostles were poor. He restored fourfold all that he had taken and gave to the poor the half of his remaining substance. He welcomed Christ as his guest, and salvation came unto his house.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of Holy Virginity 36
… Let him hear this, laboring and laden, who is weighed down by his burthen, so as not to dare to lift up his eyes to heaven, that sinner beating his breast, and drawing near from afar. Let him hear, the centurion, not worthy that Thou shouldest enter under his roof. Let him hear, Zaccheus, chief of publicans, restoring fourfold the gains of damnable sins.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 63.3
3. But if ye have done so already, and have such money in your possession, and have filled your coffers thereby, and were heaping up treasure by these means: what ye have comes of evil, now then add not evil to it, and make to yourselves friends of the mammon of iniquity. Had Zacchaeus what he had from good sources?
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 129.1
1. The Psalm which we have sung is short: but as it is written in the Gospel of Zacchæus that he was “little of stature,”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
[15, 16] And when Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, there was a man named Zacchæus, [17] rich, and chief of the publicans.
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 39.5
… Let each one of us also speak so, as long as he is still uncleansed, and is a Centurion still, commanding many in wickedness, and serving in the army of Cæsar, the World-ruler of those who are being dragged down; “I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof.” But when he shall have looked upon Jesus, though he be little of stature like Zaccheus
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
[15, 16] And when Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, there was a man named Zacchæus, [17] rich, and chief of the publicans. And he desired to see Jesus who he was; and he was not able for the pressure of the crowd, because Zacchæus was little of stature. [18] [Arabic, p. 119]
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 108.12
… She noticed the place called Adomim or the Place of Blood, so-called because much blood was shed there in the frequent incursions of marauders. She beheld also the sycamore tree
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… And he desired to see Jesus who he was; and he was not able for the pressure of the crowd, because Zacchæus was little of stature. [18] [Arabic, p. 119] And he hastened, and went before Jesus, and went up into an unripe fig [19] tree to see Jesus: for he was to pass thus.
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.8.3
… Him, and was so overcome by [the love of] riches, as never to reach perfection)—this one it pleases them to place in the animal class;—the spiritual , again, when He said, “Let the dead bury their dead, but go thou and preach the kingdom of God,” and when He said to Zaccheus the publican, “Make haste, and come down, for to-day I must abide in thine house”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 30
… I mean, when he heard Christ saying, “To-day, I must abide in thy house,” the delight gave him wings, and he saith, “The half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 71.2
… he does not give the palm to one and disgrace another. His wish is that all his athletes may alike win garlands. My soul rejoices, yet the very greatness of my joy makes me feel sad. Like Ruth when I try to speak I burst into tears. Zacchæus, the convert of an hour, is accounted worthy to receive the Saviour as his guest.
Pseudo-Clement The Clementine Homilies 3.63
“But of those who are present, whom shall I choose but Zacchæus, to whom also the Lord went in
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… [18] [Arabic, p. 119] And he hastened, and went before Jesus, and went up into an unripe fig [19] tree to see Jesus: for he was to pass thus. And when Jesus came to that place, he saw him, and said unto him, Make haste, and come down, Zacchæus: [20] to-day I must be in thy house.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 54.4
… on the contrary, both are contending who shall most highly honour the sacrament fraught with blessing. There was no controversy between those two mentioned in the Gospel, Zacchæus and the Centurion; nor did either of them think himself better than the other, though, whereas the former received the Lord joyfully into his house,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 12.3
3. The Lord then sat down in the house of a certain proud Pharisee. He was in his house, as I have said, and was not in his heart. But into this centurion’s house He entered not, yet He possessed his heart. Zacchæus again received the Lord both in house and heart.
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… [18] [Arabic, p. 119] And he hastened, and went before Jesus, and went up into an unripe fig [19] tree to see Jesus: for he was to pass thus. And when Jesus came to that place, he saw him, and said unto him, Make haste, and come down, Zacchæus: [20] to-day I must be in thy house. And he hastened, and came down, and received [21] him joyfully.
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… for he was to pass thus. And when Jesus came to that place, he saw him, and said unto him, Make haste, and come down, Zacchæus: [20] to-day I must be in thy house. And he hastened, and came down, and received [21] him joyfully. And when they all saw, they murmured, and said, He hath gone in [22] and lodged with a man that is a sinner.
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.12.5
… But that possessions distributed to the poor do annul former covetousness, Zaccheus made evident, when he said, “Behold, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one, I restore fourfold.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On Works and Alms 8
… For when Zacchæus said, “Behold, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have done any wrong to any man, I restore fourfold,” Jesus answered and said, “That salvation has this day come to this house, for that he also is a son of Abraham.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.2
… But give alms, and, behold, all things are pure unto you.” Also in the same place: “Behold, the half of my substance I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, that salvation has this day been wrought for this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.”
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 The Great Catechism 40
… They do not hear the cry of Zacchæus from him as well: “If I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore fourfold
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 1.30
145. It is no sign of a liberal spirit to extort from one what we give to another, or to gain money unjustly, and then to think it can be well spent, unless we act as Zacchæus
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Two Homilies on Eutropius 2.17
… what more full of grace when he heard the words “Verily I say unto thee to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise?” What was more graceless than the publican when he practised extortion? but what more full of grace when he declared his resolution.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 79
… For he did not run to his neighbors begging curtains, and seats, and chairs made of ivory, neither did he bring forth from his closets Laconian hangings; but he adorned it with an adorning suitable to Christ. What was this? “The half of my goods I will give,” he saith, “to the poor; and whomsoever I have robbed, I will restore fourfold.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Thessalonians 10
… how shall we put off our dishonest gains? For he that wishes to put off covetous gain, does not give a little out of a great deal, but many times more than he has robbed, and he ceases from robbing. Hear what Zacchæus says, “And for as many things as I have taken wrongfully, I restore fourfold.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 73
… What profits it to strip one man and clothe another? For we ought to begin the action with mercy, but this is inhumanity. If we give away everything that we have got from other people, it is no gain to us. And this Zacchæus shows, who on that occasion said, that he propitiated God by giving four times as much as he had taken. (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 38.12
… if any “one have taken away his goods,” let “him not ask for them again;” if he “have taken anything from any man, let him restore fourfold.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 5.5
… he was saved from his disease by entertaining the Physician. From what disease? The disease of avarice. For he was very rich, and the chief of the publicans. Mark the man made whole from the disease of avarice: “The half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man, I will restore him fourfold.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 50.13
… give a cup of cold water, cast two mites into the treasury. As much the widow doth buy with two mites, as Peter buyeth, by leaving the nets, as Zacchæus buyeth by giving half his goods.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 50.21
… let me revert to myself; in myself may I find immolation of praise: be Thy altar my conscience. We are without anxiety, we go not into Arabia in quest of frankincense: not any bags of covetous dealer do we sift: God requireth of us the sacrifice of praise. Zacchæus had the sacrifice of praise in his patrimony;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 76.6
… For if they had known of another life, there they would have laid up unto themselves the treasure which here was doomed to perish: like as Zacchæus, the chief of the Publicans, saw that good when he received the Lord Jesus in his house, and he saith, “The half of my goods I give to the poor, and if to any man I have done any wrong, fourfold I restore.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 112.3
… that the works of mercy are the seed of the future harvest, when he saith, “Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap;” and again, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly.” But what, brethren, is more mighty than that not only Zacchæus should buy the kingdom of Heaven by the half of his goods,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 122.10
… Do ye wish to see how powerful a thing love is?…If charity be destitute of means, so that it cannot find what to bestow upon the poor, let it love: let it give “one cup of cold water;” as much shall be laid to its account, as to Zaccheus who gave half his patrimony to the poor.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 126.8
… As what thou hadst would be nothing, if thou hadst not a good will; so do not despond, because thou hast not, if thou hast a good will. For what dost thou sow? Mercy. And what wilt thou reap? Peace. Said the Angels, Peace on earth unto rich men? No, but, “Peace on earth unto men of a good will.” Zacchæus had a strong will, Zacchæus had great charity.
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… And he hastened, and came down, and received [21] him joyfully. And when they all saw, they murmured, and said, He hath gone in [22] and lodged with a man that is a sinner. So Zacchæus stood, and said unto Jesus, My Lord, now half of my possessions I give to the poor, and what I have unjustly [23] taken from every man I give him fourfold.
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 62.4
… therefore they who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.” Whence in the Gospel we find that “children of Abraham are raised from stones, that is, are gathered from the Gentiles.” And when the Lord praised Zacchæus, He answered and said “This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham.”
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 39.5
… under my roof.” But when he shall have looked upon Jesus, though he be little of stature like Zaccheus of old, and climb up on the top of the sycamore tree by mortifying his members which are upon the earth, and having risen above the body of humiliation, then he shall receive the Word, and it shall be said to him, This day is salvation come to this house.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 88
… Thus, for instance, Ahab, though very impious, when he felt this, walked bending downwards, crushed and afflicted. On this account he clothed himself in sackcloth, and shed fountains of tears. ( 1 Kings xxi. 27 .) If we do this, and grieve as he did, we shall put off our faults as did Zacchæus, and we too shall obtain some pardon. (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 130.2
… “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” He, therefore, with whom it is possible to make even the rich enter into the kingdom of heaven, inspired you with that devout anxiety which makes you think it necessary to ask my counsel on the question how you ought to pray. For while He was yet on earth, He brought Zaccheus,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.40
… We have already quoted: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” To the same purport [the Lord] says, on entering the home of Zaccheus: “To-day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 63.3
… Read and see. He was the chief of the publicans, that is, he was one to whom the public taxes were paid in: by this he had his wealth. He had oppressed many, had taken from many, and so had heaped much together. Christ entered into his house, and salvation came upon his house; for so said the Lord Himself, “This day is salvation come to this house.”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… So Zacchæus stood, and said unto Jesus, My Lord, now half of my possessions I give to the poor, and what I have unjustly [23] taken from every man I give him fourfold. Jesus said unto him, Today is salvation [24] come to this house, because this man also is a son of Abraham.
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Resurrection of the Flesh 9
… although disordered, since “they that are whole need not the physician, but they that are sick;” although not honourable, since “we bestow more abundant honour upon the less honourable members;” although ruined, since He says, “I am come to save that which was lost;”
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Resurrection of the Flesh 34
To begin with the passage where He says that He is come to “ to seek and to save that which is lost.”
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 2.13
… Under stress of necessity, then, looking to the object contemplated by the plan of salvation, to the doctrines of the Fathers, and to the inspired Scriptures, I will endeavour to confute the impious falsehood which is being fabricated with regard to this matter. The Lord came “to seek and to save that which was lost
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus 2.6
… that we may not refuse to acknowledge Him to be also the Author of death, Whom we do not refuse to acknowledge as the Author of our race; and that, as through one death is ours, so should be also the resurrection; and that we should not refuse the misery, that we may attain to the gift. For, as we read, Christ “is come to save that which was lost,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 56
“For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 124.6
… ‘no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.’” And in another place: “we must carefully consider whether souls, when they have won salvation and have attained to the blessed life, may not cease to be souls. For as the Lord and Saviour came to seek and to save that which was lost
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 188.7
… In everything give thanks;” for you pray in order that you may have constantly and increasingly these gifts, you render thanks because you have them not of yourself. For who separates you from that mass of death and perdition derived from Adam? Is it not He “who came to seek and to save that which was lost?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 17.6
… But it is not as if He knew not where he was that God thus seeks Him a man, but, speaking through a man, He speaks as a man, and in this sense seeks us. For not only to God the Father, but also to His Only-begotten, who came to seek what was lost,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Marriage and Concupiscence 2.9
… What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” Now Christ shows, in this passage, that God is both the Creator of man, and the uniter in marriage of husband and wife; whereas the Manicheans deny both these propositions. To you, however, He says: “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Marriage and Concupiscence 2.42
… This vast perversion of the truth, so hostile to God’s great grace, which is given through our Lord Jesus Christ, who “came to seek and to save what was lost,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Marriage and Concupiscence 2.50
… nor is it in the books of Manichæus that we read how “the Son of man come to seek and to save that which was lost,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Marriage and Concupiscence 2.56
… He must have a reason for saving them, seeing that He came into the world, as the Apostle Paul says, “to save sinners;” He must have something in them to remit, who testifies that He shed His blood “for the remission of sins;” He must have good reason for seeking them out, who “came,” as He says, “to seek and to save that which was lost;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 39.1
… They believed at that time, and “they were the lost sheep of the house of Israel;” but because “the Son of Man had come to seek and to save that which was lost,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 65.4
… To be touched by whom, but the Physician? Surely, it will be said, they must be whole. To whom are the infants presented to be touched? To whom? To the Saviour. If to the Saviour, they are brought to be saved. To whom, but to Him “who came to seek and to save what was lost.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 53.10
… For faith in Christ is to believe in Him that justifieth the ungodly; to believe in the Mediator, without whose interposition we cannot be reconciled unto God; to believe in the Saviour, who came to seek and to save that which was lost;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 55.7
… Because so great is the beneficence of human humility, that even the Divine Majesty was pleased to commend it by His own example; for proud man would have perished eternally, had he not been found by the lowly God. For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 89.4
… For his discourse was not about infidels and believers to lead him to say so, but about Gentiles and Jews, both of whom, certainly, if they find not salvation in that Saviour who came to seek that which was lost,
John Cassian † AD 435 The Seven Books of John Cassian on the Incarnation of the Lord, Against Nestorius 4.7
… The Saviour then in the gospel says that “the Son of man is come to save what was lost.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 59
… the Holy Spirit to be what He is in the one essence of the Unchangeable Trinity, when the fullness of time had come which had been fore-ordained by an eternal purpose, and promised by the prophetic significance of words and deeds, became man not by conversion of His substance but by assumption of our nature, and “came to seek and to save that which was lost
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 54
… All the mockery and insults, all the persecution and pain which the madness of the wicked inflicted on the Lord , was not endured of necessity, but undertaken of free-will: “for the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which had perished
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 62
… But that evil heart, which was now given up to thievish frauds, and now busied with treacherous designs, had never entertained aught of the proofs of the Saviour’s mercy. Those wicked ears had heard the Lord’s words, when He said, “I came not to call the righteous but sinners ,” and “The Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… 121] ten shares. They said unto him, Our lord, he hath ten shares. He said unto them, I say unto you, Every one that hath shall be given unto; and [52] he that hath not, that which he hath also shall be taken from him. And those mine enemies who would not that I should reign over them, bring them, and slay them before me.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 62
… Whence then were they moved to this? They saw themselves honored above the rest, and expected from that they should obtain this request also. But what can it be they ask? Hear another evangelist plainly declaring this. For, “Because He was nigh,” it is said, “to Jerusalem, and because they thought the kingdom of God should immediately appear,”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
[36] And he spake a parable because he was nearing Jerusalem, and they supposed [37] that at that time the kingdom of God was about to appear.
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.39
… “Behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven,” etc. “And there was given unto Him the kingly power,” which (in the parable) “He went away into a far country to receive for Himself,” leaving money to His servants wherewithal to trade and get increase
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.12
… but, with regard to the question at what time the man—the king—in the parable wished to make a reckoning with his own servants, we will say that it seems that this takes place about the time of the judgment which had been proclaimed. And this is confirmed by two parables, one at the close of the Gospel before us, and one from the Gospel according to Luke.
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.13
… be called to him that he might know what they had gained by trading, and from a desire to demonstrate from this, and from the parable of the Talents, that the passage “he who wished to make a reckoning with his own servants” is to be referred to the consummation when now he is king, receiving the kingdom, on account of which, according to another parable,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.12
145. In divine fashion has He represented that parable of the rich man, who went to a far-off country to receive a kingdom, and to return,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 13.11
… I see him jealous, but let me see for whom he is jealous; whether for his absent friend or for his present self. Think that our Lord Jesus Christ has done this. He has committed His bride to the care of His friend; He has set out on a journey to a far country to receive a kingdom, as He says Himself in the Gospel,
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
[36] And he spake a parable because he was nearing Jerusalem, and they supposed [37] that at that time the kingdom of God was about to appear. He said unto them, A man, a son of a great race, went into a far country, to receive a kingdom, and [38] return.
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.7
… but whether these had been entrusted with them and had administered them badly as being inferior in ability to him who had been entrusted with a talent, or had received them, we have not learned; but that they owed so much, we seem to be taught from the parable. And there are found other ten servants who were each entrusted with a pound separately.
Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 1.6
… How else than that they so rejected Him before Pilate and said— This man shall not be King over us . And again in that parable that our Lord spake that a certain nobleman went to receive kingly power and to return and rule over them; and they sent after Him envoys saying:— This man shall not be King over us .
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 2.47
… He should ever be thinking of the ministry of preaching, considering with most intense fear how that the Lord , when about to depart to receive for Himself a kingdom, and giving talents to His servants, says, Trade ye till I come (
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 7.40
… and I implore Almighty God that He would aid your Blessedness with His protection, so as through your tongue to uproot every root of bitterness from the bosom of holy Church, lest it should germinate again to the hindrance of many, and through it many should be defiled. For having received your talent you think on the injunction, Trade till I come (
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… He said unto them, A man, a son of a great race, went into a far country, to receive a kingdom, and [38] return. And he called his ten servants, and gave them ten shares, and said unto [39] them, Trade till the time of my coming.
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 2.4.4
… And so also with regard to those citizens who, when the head of the household had set out to receive for himself a kingdom, sent messengers after him, saying, “We will not have this man to reign over us;”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.12
… And those who have received the ten talents are those who have been entrusted with the dispensation of the Word which has been committed unto them. And His citizens who did not wish Him to reign over them when He was a citizen in the world in respect of His incarnation,
Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 1.6
6. But I must proceed to my former statement that Christ is called the Stone in the Prophets. For in ancient times David said concerning Him:— The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the building . And how did the builders reject this Stone which is Christ?
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… He said unto them, A man, a son of a great race, went into a far country, to receive a kingdom, and [38] return. And he called his ten servants, and gave them ten shares, and said unto [39] them, Trade till the time of my coming. But the people of his city hated him, and [40] sent messengers after him, and said, We will not that this man reign over us.
Tertullian † AD 220 On Exhortation to Chastity 10
… You have ceased to be a debtor. Happy man! You have released your debtor; sustain the loss. What if you come to feel that what we have called a loss is a gain? For continence will be a mean whereby you will traffic in
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… But the people of his city hated him, and [40] sent messengers after him, and said, We will not that this man reign over us. And when he had received a kingdom, and returned, he said that the servants to whom he had given the money should be called unto him, that he might know what each [41] of them had traded.
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… And when he had received a kingdom, and returned, he said that the servants to whom he had given the money should be called unto him, that he might know what each [41] of them had traded. And the first came, and said, My lord, thy share hath gained [42] ten shares.
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 8.74
… And Christians are benefactors of their country more than others. For they train up citizens, and inculcate piety to the Supreme Being; and they promote those whose lives in the smallest cities have been good and worthy, to a divine and heavenly city, to whom it may be said, “Thou hast been faithful in the smallest city, come into a great one,”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.9
… when one has given diligence to be freed from him and owes nothing to any one, and already has made the pound ten pounds or five pounds, or doubled the five talents, or made the two four, he may obtain the due recompense, entering into the joy of his Lord, either being set over all His possessions, or hearing the word, “Have thou authority over ten cities,”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.12
… And, seeing what they had done, to him who had made the one pound ten pounds, rendering praise in the words, “Well done, thou good servant, because thou wast found faithful in a very little,”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.pref.11
… Oh that I may not be found unworthy of that which I have received! Let those things which are too great for me be assigned to better men. I demand them not! Yet mayest Thou say, O Lord: “I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.” Let the man that deserves it receive authority over ten cities.
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 1.13
… was perfectly aware of another detestable joy, of which we hear “the world shall rejoice,” and “woe unto you that laugh, for ye shall mourn.” In fact the kingdom of heaven must be taken in a threefold sense, either that the heavens shall reign, i.e., the saints over other things subdued, according to this text, “Be thou over five cities, and thou over ten;”
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 11.12
… that, when through such management thou shalt have given back safe to God those whom thou hast received from Him, thou mayest be counted worthy in the day of eternal retribution to hear Him say, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: because thou hast been faithful in a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter into the joy of thy Lord (
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… And the first came, and said, My lord, thy share hath gained [42] ten shares. The king said unto him, Thou good and faithful servant, who hast [43] been found faithful in a little, be thou set over ten districts.
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… And the first came, and said, My lord, thy share hath gained [42] ten shares. The king said unto him, Thou good and faithful servant, who hast [43] been found faithful in a little, be thou set over ten districts. And the second came, [44] and said, My lord, thy portion hath gained five portions.
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 2.11.2
… Then, again, agreeably to the form of things in this life, and according to the gradations of the dignities or ranks in this world, or the greatness of their powers, they think they are to be kings and princes, like those earthly monarchs who now exist; chiefly, as it appears, on account of that expression in the Gospel: “Have thou power over five cities.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.9
… him and owes nothing to any one, and already has made the pound ten pounds or five pounds, or doubled the five talents, or made the two four, he may obtain the due recompense, entering into the joy of his Lord, either being set over all His possessions, or hearing the word, “Have thou authority over ten cities,” or “Have thou authority over five cities.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.12
… And to another, who had multiplied the pound fivefold, he did not render the praise which he assigned to the first, nor did he specify the word “authority,” as in the case of the first, but said to him, “Be thou also over five cities.”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… The king said unto him, Thou good and faithful servant, who hast [43] been found faithful in a little, be thou set over ten districts. And the second came, [44] and said, My lord, thy portion hath gained five portions. And he said unto him [45] also, And thou shalt be set over five districts.
Tertullian † AD 220 The Prescription Against Heretics 26
… He had Himself commanded that, “whatsoever they had heard in darkness” and in secret, they should “declare in the light and on the house-tops.” He had Himself foreshown, by means of a parable, that they should not keep back in secret, fruitless of interest,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.pref.14
14. Let us then not keep the Lord’s money buried and hidden in the flesh; nor let us hide our one talent in a napkin;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Work on the Proceedings of Pelagius 11
… some He will set on His right hand, and after enumerating their good works, will award to them eternal life; and others on His left hand, whose barrenness in all good works He will expose, will He condemn to everlasting fire. In two other passages He deals with that wicked and slothful servant, who neglected to trade with His money,
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… And the second came, [44] and said, My lord, thy portion hath gained five portions. And he said unto him [45] also, And thou shalt be set over five districts. And another came, and said, My [46] lord, here is thy portion, which was with me laid by in a napkin:
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… And he said unto him [45] also, And thou shalt be set over five districts. And another came, and said, My [46] lord, here is thy portion, which was with me laid by in a napkin: I feared thee, because thou art a hard man, and takest what thou didst not leave, and seekest [47] what thou didst not give, and reapest what thou didst not sow.
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.12
… And to another, who had multiplied the pound fivefold, he did not render the praise which he assigned to the first, nor did he specify the word “authority,” as in the case of the first, but said to him, “Be thou also over five cities.” But to him who had tied up the pound in a napkin, he said, “Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 8
… But, that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, and take up thy bed, and go unto thy house.” Having wrought the invisible miracle, He confirmed it by the visible, the spiritual by the bodily cure. And why did He do thus? That it might be fulfilled, which is spoken, (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 75.8
… He alarmeth me, who doth not allow me to keep silence. He exacteth of me what He hath given. For He hath given it to be laid out, not to be kept up. And if I should keep it and hide it, He saith to me, “Thou wicked and slothful servant, wherefore gavest thou not My money to the exchangers, that at My coming I might require it with usury?”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… His lord said unto him, From thy mouth shall I judge thee, thou wicked and idle servant, who wast untrustworthy. Thou knewest that I am a hard man, and take what I did not [48] leave, and reap what I did not sow:
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 49
… For had you not taken the money, He would not have blamed you. But He would reasonably do so if upon taking it you dug and buried it,—in the words which God forbid that your piety should ever hear: ‘Thou oughtest to have given my money to the bankers, that when I came I might demand it of them
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.pref.7
… “Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I do not sow; and gather where I have not strawed; thou oughtest therefore to have put My money to the exchangers, that at My coming I might have received Mine Own,” or as it stands in another book: “And I,” it says, “at My coming might have received it with usury.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 On the Holy Martyr, S. Babylas 1
… In the meanwhile, the blessed Babylas has appeared, and has called me to himself, uttering no voice, but attracting our attention by the brightness of his countenance. Be ye not, therefore, displeased at the delay in my payment; at all events, the longer the time is, the more the interest will increase. For we will deposit this money with interest.
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 14.8
… and, whilst others make profits, only preserves what he has received. His angry lord shall rebuke him in a moment. “Thou wicked servant,” he will say, “wherefore gavest thou not my money into the bank that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… His lord said unto him, From thy mouth shall I judge thee, thou wicked and idle servant, who wast untrustworthy. Thou knewest that I am a hard man, and take what I did not [48] leave, and reap what I did not sow: why didst thou not put my money at usury, [49] and so I might come and seek it, with its gains?
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.12
… first, nor did he specify the word “authority,” as in the case of the first, but said to him, “Be thou also over five cities.” But to him who had tied up the pound in a napkin, he said, “Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant;” and he said to them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it unto him that hath the ten pounds.
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… Thou knewest that I am a hard man, and take what I did not [48] leave, and reap what I did not sow: why didst thou not put my money at usury, [49] and so I might come and seek it, with its gains? And he said unto those that were standing in front of him, Take from him the share, and give it to him that hath [50, 51] [Arabic, p. 121] ten shares.
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… why didst thou not put my money at usury, [49] and so I might come and seek it, with its gains? And he said unto those that were standing in front of him, Take from him the share, and give it to him that hath [50, 51] [Arabic, p. 121] ten shares. They said unto him, Our lord, he hath ten shares.
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.6.4
… For they declare that we simply receive grace for use, wherefore also it will again be taken away from us; but that they themselves have grace as their own special possession, which has descended from above by means of an unspeakable and indescribable conjunction; and on this account more will be given them.
Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 2.11.4
… so, in a measure, an outline and sketch may be traced on the tablets of our heart by the pencil of our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore perhaps is it said, “Unto every one that hath shall be given, and be added.”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 31
… And he said unto those that were standing in front of him, Take from him the share, and give it to him that hath [50, 51] [Arabic, p. 121] ten shares. They said unto him, Our lord, he hath ten shares. He said unto them, I say unto you, Every one that hath shall be given unto; and [52] he that hath not, that which he hath also shall be taken from him.
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.44.4
… xviii. 19 he added the words ὁ πατήρ , and in ver. 20 altered οἶδας , thou knowest , into the first person. He entirely omitted verses 31–33 , in which our blessed Saviour declares that the things foretold by the prophets concerning His sufferings, and death, and resurrection, should all be fulfilled. He expunged nineteen verses out of chap. xix., from the
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.13
… And let them also attend to this, “So therefore also shall My heavenly Father do unto you;” and to the same persons also might rather be said the things in the parable of the Ten Pounds that the Son of the good God said, “Howbeit these mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them,”
St Methodius † AD 311 Oration on the Palms 1
… for the seed of the disobedient is appointed to destruction.—Let no one neglect to meet the King, lest he be shut out from the Bridegroom’s chamber.—Let no one amongst us be found to receive Him with a sad countenance, lest he be condemned with those wicked citizens—the citizens, I mean, who refused to receive the Lord as King over them.
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.12
… For how did He receive for Himself a kingdom, Who was a King eternal? “The Son of Man therefore came to receive a kingdom and to return.” The Jews were unwilling to acknowledge Him, of whom He says: “They which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay them.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 5
… xxi. 41 ); again in the parable of the marriage feast, the King is said] to send His armies ( ib. xxii. 7 ): and the Son, when He says, “But those Mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before Me.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 3
… Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure.” ( Ps. ii. 4, 5 .) And again He Himself saith, “Those that would not that I should reign over them, bring hither before Me, and slay them.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 22.14
… or in not wishing to have Christ for a king, which is the sin of which Christ says, "Those that would not have me to reign over them, bring hither and slay before me;"
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Work on the Proceedings of Pelagius 11
… . . we have eaten and drunk in Thy presence,” and so forth, as the Scripture describes, “He will say unto them in answer, I know you not, . . . all ye workers of iniquity.” In another passage He reminds us that He will command “all which would not that He should reign over them to be brought to Him, and be slain in His presence.”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 39
… and when ye enter it, ye shall find an ass tied, and [22] a colt with him, which no man ever yet mounted: loose him, and bring them unto me. And if any man say unto you, Why loose ye them? say unto him thus, We [23] seek them for our Lord; and straightway send them hither. All this was, that what was said in the prophet might be fulfilled, which said,
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 39
[18, 19] [Arabic, p. 148] And when Jesus said that, he went out leisurely to go to Jerusalem.
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 10.15
… And on the morrow when they were come forth from Bethany He was hungry.” Then, after the affair of the withered fig tree, “They came to Jerusalem. And He went into the temple and began to cast out them that sold.” Luke narrates as follows:
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 39
… but after that Jesus was glorified, his disciples remembered that these things were written of him, and that this [26] they had done unto him. And when the two disciples went, they found as he had [27] said unto them, and they did as Jesus charged them. And when they loosed them, [28] their owners said unto them, Why loose ye them?
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 21.29
… Permit me to revel a while longer in my description: for I am going there, and it is not easy to bring back even my words from that ceremony. He rode upon a colt, almost, blame me not for folly, as my Jesus did upon that other colt,
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose sermon-against-auxentius-on-th.8
8. You heard what was read to-day: The Saviour ordered that the foal of an ass should be brought to Him by the apostles, and bade them say, if any one withstood them: “The Lord hath need of him.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose sermon-against-auxentius-on-th.19
19. But to whom shall I give it up? Today’s lesson from the Gospel ought to teach us what is asked for and by whom it is asked. You have heard read that when Christ
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 39
… They said unto them, We seek [29] them for our Lord. And they let them go . And they brought the ass and the colt, [30] and they placed on the colt their garments; and Jesus mounted it. And most of the multitudes spread their garments on the ground before him: and others cut branches [31] from the trees, and threw them in the way.
St Methodius † AD 311 Oration on the Palms 1
III. But while these things were doing, and the disciples were rejoicing and praising God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven, and glory in the highest;
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 39
… 149] the mount of Olives, all the disciples began to rejoice and to praise God with [32] a loud voice for all the powers which they had seen; and they said, Praise in the highest; Praise to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name [33] of the Lord; and blessed is the kingdom that cometh, that of our father David:
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 39
[34] And a great multitude, that which came to the feast, when they heard that Jesus [35] was coming to Jerusalem, took young palm branches, and went forth to meet him, and cried and said, Praise: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the [36] King of Israel.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 71.3
… They went before and followed after, and spread their garments, and cried with a loud voice, “Hosanna to the Son of David, Blessed is He That cometh in the Name of the Lord.” Then said the Pharisees unto Him, “Restrain the children, that they cry not out so unto Thee.” And He said, “If these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out.”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 39
… Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the [36] King of Israel. Certain therefore of the Pharisees from among the multitudes [37] said unto him, Our Master, rebuke thy disciples.
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 10.17
… for everything the Son of God has need of should be great and worthy of His goodness. And then the very great multitude strewing their garments in the way, while Jesus allows them to do so and does not rebuke them, as is clear from the words used in another passage,
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius martyrs-of-palestine.9.12
… and that as a rebuke to the relentless and unfeeling nature of men, stones and lifeless wood had wept for what had happened. I know well that this account may perhaps appear idle and fabulous to those who come after us, but not to those to whom the truth was confirmed at the time.
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose sermon-against-auxentius-on-th.19
… Today’s lesson from the Gospel ought to teach us what is asked for and by whom it is asked. You have heard read that when Christ sat upon the foal of an ass, the children cried aloud, and the Jews were vexed. At length they spoke to the Lord Jesus, bidding Him to silence them. He answered: “If these should hold their peace, the stones will cry out.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose sermon-against-auxentius-on-th.20
… They see boys singing of the glory of Christ, for it is written: “Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise.” They mock at their tender age, so full of faith, and say: “Behold, why do they cry out?” But Christ answers them: “If these should hold their peace, the stones will cry out,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 13
And how can this be reasonable? Why, these things, if we be silent “the stones will immediately cry out;”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 2
… and when the chief priests and Pharisees were offended at them that shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David” He did not merely not prevent them from shouting, but even sanctioned their acclamation, for, said He, “I tell you that if these should hold their peace the stones would immediately cry out.”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 39
… now that is [40] hidden from thine eyes. There shall come unto thee days when thine enemies [41] shall encompass thee, and straiten thee from every quarter, and shall get possession of thee, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
Tertullian † AD 220 An Answer to the Jews 13
… “On your account the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles:” for it is from them that the infamy (attached to that name) began, and (was propagated during) the interval from Tiberius to Vespasian. And because they had committed these crimes, and had failed to understand that Christ “was to be found” in “the time of their visitation,”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 10.15
… And He suffered not that any should carry a vessel through the temple; and He taught and said unto them, Is it not written that My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? But you have made it a den of robbers.” And Luke:
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 10.18
… What is said further will not, in the light of Matthew’s statements, present any difficulty; how “They come to Jerusalem, and entering into the temple He began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple,” or how
St Hilary of Poitiers † AD 367 De Trinitate or On the Trinity 10.55
55. Again, how great a mystery of word and act it is that Christ wept, that His eyes filled with tears from the anguish of His mind
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 39.1
1. “Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears: that I might weep,” not as Jeremiah says, “For the slain of my people,” nor as Jesus, for the miserable fate of Jerusalem,
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 46.5
5. The difficulty is strongly stated, and may well puzzle even those proficient in Scripture; but for all that, it admits of an easy solution. The Lord wept for the fall of Jerusalem,
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 122.1
The Saviour also wept over the city of Jerusalem because its inhabitants had not repented;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Of Holy Virginity 28
… But they are able every where, save when He walks in the grace of virginity. “Blessed are the poor in spirit;” imitate Him, Who, whereas “He was rich, was made poor for your sakes.” “Blessed are the meek;” imitate Him, Who said, “Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart.” “Blessed are they that mourn;” imitate Him, Who “wept over” Jerusalem.
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 39
[38, 39] And when he drew near, and saw the city, he wept over it, and said,
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.20.2
… Further, when, as He drew nigh to Jerusalem, He wept over it and said, “If thou hadst known, even thou, in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace, but they are hidden from thee,”
Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 3.7.4
… in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, in accordance with the prophecies of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who by divine power saw them beforehand as if they were already present, and wept and mourned according to the statement of the holy evangelists, who give the very words which he uttered, when, as if addressing Jerusalem herself, he said:
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 39
[38, 39] And when he drew near, and saw the city, he wept over it, and said, Would that thou hadst known the things that are for thy peace, in this thy day! now that is [40] hidden from thine eyes.
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 41
… Jesus answered and said [30] unto them, See ye these great buildings?
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 39
[38, 39] And when he drew near, and saw the city, he wept over it, and said, Would that thou hadst known the things that are for thy peace, in this thy day! now that is [40] hidden from thine eyes. There shall come unto thee days when thine enemies [41] shall encompass thee, and straiten thee from every quarter,
Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 21.18
… and Jesus besought of God, and He gave His brethren, His disciples, authority over Satan and his host. Daniel said concerning Jerusalem, that until the things determined, she should remain in desolation; and Jesus said concerning Jerusalem, There shall not be left in her stone upon stone, because she knew not the day of her greatness .
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 23
[2.] Another Evangelist writes, that as He cast them out, He said, Make not my Father’s house
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 156
Is it not clear which side you ought to support and which to oppose, if the Church of Alexandria, which has always been the “house of prayer,” is not now to be “a den of robbers
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 34
… The Jews said within themselves, Whither hath this man determined to go that we shall not be able to find him? can it be that he is determined to go to the regions of the nations, and teach [53] the heathen? What is this word that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, ye cannot come?
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 34
[46] And he was teaching every day in the temple. But the chief priests and scribes and the elders of the people sought to destroy him:
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St Ambrose † AD 397
Zacchæus in the sycamore, the blind man by the way side: upon the one our Lord waits to shew mercy, upon the other He confers the great glory of abiding in his house. The chief among the Publicans is here fitly introduced. For who will hereafter despair of himself, now that he attains to grace who gained his living by fraud. And he too moreover a rich man, that we may know that not all rich men are covetous.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
But Zacchæus made no delay in what he did, and so was accounted worthy of the favour of God, which gives sight to the blind, and calls them who are afar off.
Titus of Bostra † AD 378
The seed of salvation had begun to spring up in him, for he desired to see Jesus, having never seen Him. For if he had seen Him, he would long since have given up the Publican’s wicked life. No one that sees Jesus can remain any longer in wickedness. But there were two obstacles to his seeing Him. The multitude not so much of men as of his sins prevented him, for he was little of stature.
St Ambrose † AD 397
What means the Evangelist by describing his stature, and that of none other? It is perhaps because he was young in wickedness, or as yet weak in the faith. For he was not yet prostrate in sin who could climb up. He had not yet seen Christ.
Titus of Bostra † AD 378
But he discovered a good device; running before he climbed up into a sycamore, and saw Him whom he had long wished for, i. e. Jesus, passing by. Now Zacchæus desired no more than to see, but He who is able to do more than we ask for, granted to Him far above what he expected; as it follows, And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him. He saw the soul of the man striving earnestly to live a holy life, and converts him to godliness.
St Ambrose † AD 397
Uninvited he invites Himself to his house; as it follows, Zacchæus, make haste, and come down, & c. for He knew how richly He would reward his hospitality. And though He had not yet heard the word of invitation, He had already seen the will.
St Bede † AD 735
See here, the camel disencumbered of his hunch passes through the eye of a needle, that is, the rich man and the publican abandoning his love of riches, and loathing his dishonest gains, receives the blessing of his Lord’s company. It follows, And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
St Ambrose † AD 397
Let the rich learn that guilt attaches not to the goods themselves, but to those who know not how to use them. For riches, as they are hindrances to virtue in the unworthy, so are they means of advancing it in the good.
Pseudo-Chrysostom Hom. de cæc. et Zacc.
Observe the gracious kindness of the Saviour. The innocent associates with the guilty, the fountain of justice with covetousness, which is the source of injustice. Having entered the publican’s house, He suffers no stain from the mists of avarice, but disperses them by the bright beam of His righteousness. But those who deal with biting words and reproaches, try to cast a slur upon the things which were done by Him; for it follows, And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. But He, though accused of being a wine-bibber and a friend of publicans, regarded it not, so long as He could accomplish His end. As a physician sometimes can not save his patients from their diseases without the defilement of blood. And so it happened here, for the publican was converted, and lived a better life. Zacchæus stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any man, I restore him fourfold. Behold here is a marvel: without learning he obeys. And as the sun pouring its rays into a house enlightens it not by word, but by work, so the Saviour by the rays of righteousness put to flight the darkness of sin; for the light shineth in darkness. Now every thing united is strong, but divided, weak; therefore Zacchæus divides into two parts his substance. But we must be careful to observe, that his wealth was not made up from unjust gains, but from his patrimony, else how could he restore fourfold what he had unjustly extorted. He knew that the law ordered what was wrongly taken away to be restored fourfold, that if the law deterred not, a man’s losses might soften him. Zacchæus waits not for the judgment of the law, but makes himself his own judge.
Theophylact † 1107
If we examine more closely, we shall see that nothing was left of his own property. For having given half of his goods to the poor, out of the remainder he restored fourfold to those whom he had injured. He not only promised this, but did it. For he says not, “I will give the half, and I will restore fourfold, but, I give, and I restore. To such Christ announces salvation; Jesus saith unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, signifying that Zacchæus had attained to salvation, meaning by the house the inhabitant thereof. And it follows, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For He would not have given the name of a son of Abraham to a lifeless building.
St Bede † AD 735
Zacchæus is called the son of Abraham, not because he was born of Abraham’s seed, but because he imitates his faith, that as Abraham left his country and his father’s house, so he abandoned all his goods in giving them to the poor. And He well says, “He also,” to declare that not only those who had lived justly, but those who are raised up from a life of injustice, belong to the sons of promise.
Theophylact † 1107
He said not that he “was” a son of Abraham, but that he now is. For before when he was the chief among the publicans, and bore no likeness to the righteous Abraham, he was not his son. But because some murmured that he tarried with a man who was a sinner, he adds in order to restrain them, For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost.
Pseudo-Chrysostom ubi sup.
Why do ye accuse me if I bring sinners to righteousness? So far am I from hating them, that for their sakes I came. For I came to heal, not to judge, therefore am I the constant guest of those that are sick, and I suffer their noisomeness that I may supply remedies. But some one may ask, how does Paul bid us, If we have a brother that is a fornicator or covetous man, with such not even to take food; (1 Cor. 5:11.) whereas Christ was the guest of publicans? They were not as yet so far advanced as to be brethren, and besides, St. Paul bids us avoid our brethren only when they persist in evil, but these were converted.
St Bede † AD 735
Mystically, Zacchæus, which is by interpretation “justified,” signifies the Gentile believers, who were depressed and brought very low by their worldly occupations, but sanctified by God. And he was desirous to see our Saviour entering Jericho, inasmuch as he sought to share in that faith which Christ brought into the world.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
The crowd is the tumultuous state of an ignorant multitude, which cannot see the lofty top of wisdom. Zacchæus therefore, while he was in the crowd, saw not Christ, but having advanced beyond the vulgar ignorance, was thought worthy to entertain Him, whom he desired to look upon.
St Bede † AD 735
Or the crowd, that is, the general habit of vice, which rebuked the blind man crying out, lest he should seek the light, also impedes Zacchæus looking up, that he might not see Jesus; that as by crying out the more the blind man overcame the crowd, so the man weak in the faith by forsaking earthly things, and climbing the tree of the Cross, surmounts the opposing multitude. The sycamore, which is a tree resembling the mulberry in foliage, but exceeding it in height, whence by the Latins it is called “lofty,” is called the “foolish fig-tree;” and so the Cross of our Lord sustains believers, as the fig-tree figs, and is mocked by unbelievers as foolishness. This tree Zacchæus, who was little in stature, climbed up, that he might be raised together with Christ; for every one who is humble, and conscious of his own weakness, cries out, God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Gal. 6:14.)
St Ambrose † AD 397
He has well added, that our Lord was to pass that way, either where the sycamore-tree was, or where he was who was about to believe, that so He might preserve the mystery, and sow the seeds of grace. For He had so come as that through the Jews He came to the Gentiles. He sees then Zacchæus above, for already the excellence of his faith shone forth amidst the fruits of good works, and the loftiness of the fruitful tree; but Zacchæus stands out above the tree, as one who is above the law.
St Bede † AD 735
The Lord as He journeyed came to the place where Zacchæus had climbed the sycamore, for having sent His preachers throughout the world in whom He Himself spoke and went, He comes to the Gentile people, who were already raised up on high through faith in His Passion, and whom when He looked up He saw, for He chose them through grace. Now our Lord once abode in the house of the chief of the Pharisees, but when He did works such as none but God could do, they railed at Him. Wherefore hating their deeds He departed, saying, Your house shall be left unto you desolate; (Matt. 23:38.) but now He must needs stay at the house of the weak Zacchæus, that is, by the grace of the new law brightly shining, He must take rest in the hearts of the lowly nations. But that Zacchæus is bid to come down from the sycamore tree, and prepare an abode for Christ, this is what the Apostle says, Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. (2 Cor. 5:16.) And again elsewhere, For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. (2 Cor. 13:4.) It is plain that the Jews always hated the salvation of the Gentiles; but salvation, which formerly filled the houses of the Jews, has this day shone upon the Gentiles, forasmuch as this people also by believing on God is a son of Abraham.
Theophylact † 1107
It is easy to turn this to a moral use. For whoever surpasses many in wickedness is small in spiritual growth, and cannot see Jesus for the crowd. For disturbed by passion and worldly things, he beholds not Jesus walking, that is, working in us, not recognising His operation. But he climbs up to the top of a sycamore-tree, in that he rises above the sweetness of pleasure, which is signified by a fig, and subduing it, and so becoming more exalted, he sees and is seen by Christ.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 Mor. 27. c. 46.
Or because the sycamore is from its name called the foolish fig, the little Zacchæus gets up into the sycamore and sees the Lord, for they who humbly choose the foolish things of this world are those who contemplate most closely the wisdom of God. For what is more foolish in this world than not to seek for what is lost, to give our possessions to robbers, to return not injury for injury? However, by this wise foolishness, the wisdom of God is seen, not yet really as it is, but by the light of contemplation.
Theophylact † 1107
The Lord said to him, Make haste and come down, that is, “Thou hast ascended by penitence to a place too high for thee, come down by humility, lest thy exaltation cause thee to slip. I must abide in the house of a humble man. We have two kinds of goods in us, bodily, and spiritual; the just man gives up all his bodily goods to the poor, but he forsakes not his spiritual goods, but if he has extorted any thing from any one, he restores to him fourfold; signifying thereby that if a man by repentance walks in the opposite path to his former perverseness, he by the manifold practice of virtue heals all his old offences, and so merits salvation, and is called the son of Abraham, because he went out from his own kindred, that is, from his ancient wickedness.
The Latin text
Ambrosius
Zachaeus in sicomoro, caecus in via: quorum alterum dominus miseraturus expectat, alterum suae mansionis claritate nobilitat; de quo dicitur et ingressus Iesus perambulabat Iericho: et ecce vir nomine Zachaeus: et hic erat princeps publicanorum, et ipse dives. Et bene princeps inducitur publicanorum: quis enim de se desperet, quando iste pervenit ad gratiam, cui census ex fraude? Et ipse quidem dives, ut scias omnes divites avaros
Cyrillus
Sed Zachaeus in his moram non traxit; sed factus est dignus propitiatione Dei, qui caecos illuminat, et longinquos vocat
Titus
Pullulaverat autem in eo semen salutis, quia cupiebat Iesum videre; unde sequitur et quaerebat videre Iesum quis esset, utpote qui numquam eum viderat: quia si vidisset, dudum iam recessisset a nequitia publicana. Si quis enim Iesum videt, non potest nequitiis immorari. Duo autem erant impedimenta huic visioni: nam retardabat eum populus, non tam virorum quam peccatorum; erat autem parvus statura; unde sequitur et non poterat prae turba, quia statura pusillus erat
Ambrosius
Quid sibi vult quod nullius alterius staturam quam huius expressit? Vide ne forte malitia pusillus, aut adhuc pusillus fide: nondum enim pronus erat cum ascenderet, nondum viderat Christum
Titus
Sed ille bonum adinvenit ingenium: nam praecurrens in arborem sicomorum ascendit, et transeuntem Iesum desideratum videbat; unde sequitur et praecurrens, ascendit in arborem sicomorum, ut videret illum, quia inde erat transiturus. Hic ergo solam visionem desideravit; sed qui novit plus facere quam quaerimus, dedit ei supra id quod expectabat; unde sequitur et cum venisset ad locum, suspiciens Iesus vidit illum
Cyrillus
Vidit quidem hominis animam promptissime nitentem ad sancte vivendum, et eum ad pietatem convertit
Ambrosius
Apud eum se non invitatus invitat; unde sequitur et dixit ad eum: Zachaee, festinans descende, quia hodie in domo tua oportet me manere: sciebat enim uberem hospitii sui esse mercedem; sed tamen etsi non vocem, invitantis audierat affectum
Beda
Ecce autem camelus, deposita ibi sarcina, per foramen acus transit: hoc est, dives et publicanus, relicto amore divitiarum, contempto censu fraudum, benedictionem dominicae susceptionis accipit. Sequitur et festinans descendit, et excepit illum gaudens
Ambrosius
Discant divites non in facultatibus crimen haberi, sed in his qui uti nesciunt facultatibus: nam divitiae sicut impedimenta sunt improbis, ita bonis sunt adiumenta virtutis
Chrysostomus
Sed considera nimiam salvatoris bonitatem. Insons cum sontibus conversatur; fons iustitiae cum avaritia, quae est materia pravitatis: ingressus domum publicani, nullam ex avaritiae nebula iniuriam patitur, sed fulgore iustitiae avaritiam delet. Sed mordaces et criminationis amatores invehi tentant in his quae ab eo fiebant; sequitur enim et cum viderent omnes, murmurabant, dicentes quod ad hominem peccatorem divertisset. Ipse vero incusatus ut epulo et publicanorum amicus, spernebat haec, ut consummaret propositum: quia et medicus nisi patiatur saniem aegrotorum, non liberat a morbo; quod et tunc contigit, quoniam conversus est publicanus, et factus est melior. Sequitur stans autem Zachaeus, dixit ad Iesum: ecce dimidium bonorum meorum, domine, do pauperibus; et si quid aliquem defraudavi, reddo quadruplum. Audi mirabile. Nondum didicit, et obedit; et sicut sol per radios infusus in domum non illustrat verbo, sed opere; ita salvator radiis iustitiae, nequitiae fugavit caliginem: nam lux in tenebris lucet. Quodlibet autem unitum est validum, divisum autem debile; et ideo bipartit substantiam. Est autem diligentius attendendum, quod opes Zachaei non solum erant iniustae, sed etiam ex patrimonio fuerunt congregatae; alioquin quomodo poterat extorta inique restituere in quadruplum? Sciebat enim legem iubentem restituere in quadruplum male ablata, ut si lex non terreat, damna mitigent. Non ergo expectat Zachaeus legis censuram, ipse sibi iudex effectus
Theophylactus
Sed si subtilius indagare velimus, nihil de propriis restabat facultatibus. Data enim medietate bonorum pauperibus, ex residuo reddebat laesis in quadruplo. Nec solum hoc promittebat, sed faciebat: non enim ait: dabo medietatem et restituam quadruplum, sed do et reddo. At Christus illi salutem annuntiat: sequitur enim ait Iesus ad eum, quia hodie salus huic domui facta est; ipsum Zachaeum significans assecutum fuisse salutem, per domum habitatorem significans; sequitur enim eo quod et ipse filius sit Abrahae: non enim vocasset Abrahae filium inanimatam fabricam
Beda
Filius autem Abrahae Zachaeus dicitur, non quia de eius stirpe genitus, sed quia eius est fidem imitatus: ut sicut ille terram domumque paternam deseruit, ita iste bona sua partiendo pauperibus relinqueret. Pulchre autem dicit et ipse, ut non solum eos qui iuste vixerant, sed et eos qui ab iniustitia resipiscunt, ad filios promissionis pertinere declaret
Theophylactus
Non autem dixit quod filius erat Abrahae, sed quoniam nunc est: nam prius quando erat publicanorum princeps, nullam similitudinem habens ad Abraham iustum, non erat Abrahae filius. Sed quia murmurabant quidam eo quod moraretur cum viro peccatore, ad compescendos illos, subdit venit enim filius hominis quaerere et salvum facere quod perierat
Chrysostomus
Quasi dicat: quid me criminamini, si rectifico peccatores? Tam enim procul est a me odium peccatorum quod eorum causa advenerim: nam medicus veni, non iudex; ob hoc conviva fio languentium, patiorque foetorem, ut praestem remedia. Quaeret autem aliquis: quomodo Paulus iubet, si quis frater fuerit procax aut avarus, cum huiusmodi nec cibum esse sumendum? Christus autem erat publicanorum conviva. Sed nondum provecti erant isti ut fierent fratres. Sed et tunc vitare praecepit Paulus fratres, cum perstant in malo; hi vero erant mutati
Beda
Mystice autem Zachaeus, qui interpretatur iustificatus, credentem ex gentibus populum significat, qui per occupationem temporalium depressus erat et minimus, sed a Deo sanctificatus; qui intrantem Iericho salvatorem videre voluit, dum fidem quam mundo attulit, participare quaesivit
Cyrillus
Turba autem est imperitae confusio multitudinis, quae verticem nequivit videre sapientiae. Ergo Zachaeus quamdiu in turba est, non vidit Christum; sed plebeiam transgressus inscitiam, meruit quem desiderabat aspicere
Beda
Vel turba, idest vitiorum consuetudo quae caecum clamantem increpabat, etiam hunc suspicientem tardat; sed sicut amplius clamando caecus turbam vicit, ita pusillus terrena relinquendo, et arborem crucis ascendendo, turbam obstantem transcendit. Sicomorus namque, quae est arbor foliis moro similis, sed altitudine praestans, unde et a Latinis celsa nuncupatur, ficus fatua dicitur: et eadem dominica crux credentes alit ut ficus, ab incredulis irridetur ut fatua. Quam arborem pusillus statura Zachaeus, ut coexaltari possit, ascendit, cum quilibet humilis et propriae conscius infirmitatis clamat: mihi absit gloriari, nisi in cruce domini nostri Iesu Christi
Ambrosius
Pulchre autem addidit, quia illa parte erat transiturus dominus, vel ubi sicomorus, vel ubi crediturus, ut mysterium servaret, et gratiam seminaret: sic enim venerat ut per Iudaeos veniret ad gentes. Vidit itaque Zachaeum sursum; iam enim sublimitas fidei inter fructus bonorum operum, inter fecundae altitudinem arboris eminebat. Zachaeus autem supra arborem est, quia est supra legem
Beda
Perambulans autem dominus venit ad locum ubi Zachaeus sicomorum ascenderat: quia missis per mundum praedicatoribus, in quibus ipse loquebatur et ibat, venit ad populum nationum, qui passionis eius fide iam sublimis erat; quem suscipiens vidit, quia per gratiam elegit. Manebat autem aliquando dominus in domo principis Pharisaeorum; sed eum opera digna Deo facientem lingua venenata carpebant: unde eorum perosus facinora discessit dicens: relinquetur domus vestra deserta. Hodie autem in domo pusilli Zachaei oportet illum manere, idest novae legis gratia coruscante in humilium nationum corde quiescere. Quod autem descendere de sicomoro, et sic mansionem in domo parare iubetur, hoc est quod ait apostolus: etsi cognovimus secundum carnem Christum, sed iam nunc non novimus (...). Etsi enim mortuus est ex infirmitate, sed vivit ex virtute Dei. Manifestum est autem Iudaeos gentium semper odisse salutem; sed salus, quae olim Iudaeorum domos implebat, hodie populum nationum illuxit, eo quod et ipse populus filius sit Abrahae, credendo in Deum
Theophylactus
Sed et facile est hoc ad moralem utilitatem retorquere. Quisquis enim in malitia pluribus praeest, parvus est statura spirituali, et non potest videre Iesum prae turba: nam perplexus a passionibus et saecularibus rebus non aspicit Iesum ambulantem, idest in nobis operantem, nullum opus eius cognoscens. Ascendit autem super sicomorum, idest voluptatis dulcedinem, quae significatur per ficum, deprimens eam; et sic sublimior factus, videt, et videtur a Christo
Gregorius Moralium
Vel quia sicomorus ficus fatua dicitur, pusillus Zachaeus sicomorum subiit, et dominum vidit: quia qui mundi stultitiam humiliter eligunt, ipsi Dei sapientiam subtiliter contemplantur. Quid enim in hoc mundo stultius quam amissa non quaerere, possessa rapientibus relaxare, nullam pro acceptis iniuriis iniuriam reddere? Per hanc autem sapientem stultitiam, et si nondum solide ut est, iam tamen per contemplationis lumen Dei sapientia videtur
Theophylactus
Dicit autem ei dominus festinans descende; hoc est, ascendisti per poenitentiam ad altiorem locum, descende per humilitatem, ne te supplantet elatio: oportet enim me in humilis domo manere. Geminis autem bonis in nobis existentibus, corporalibus scilicet et spiritualibus, cuncta corporalia derelinquit iustus pauperibus, sed spiritualia non deserit bona, sed si quid exegit ab aliquo, reddit quadruplum: significans per hoc quod si quis per poenitentiam pergit in contrario tramite priscae pravitatis, per multiplices virtutes sanat omnia pristina delicta; ac sic promeretur salutem, vocaturque filius Abrahae, eo quod a propria cognatione exierit, scilicet ab antiqua nequitia
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Eusebius † AD 339
There were some who thought that our Saviour’s kingdom would commence at His first coming, and they were expecting it shortly to appear when He was preparing to go up to Jerusalem; so astonished were they by the divine miracles which He did. He therefore informs them, that He should not receive the kingdom from His Father until He had left mankind to go to His Father.
Theophylact † 1107
The Lord points out the vanity of their imaginations, for the senses cannot embrace the kingdom of God; He also plainly shews to them, that as God He knew their thoughts, putting to them the following parable, A certain nobleman, &c.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
This parable is intended to set before us the mysteries of Christ from the first to the last. For God was made man, who was the Word from the beginning; and though He became a servant, yet was He noble because of His unspeakable birth from the Father.
St Basil the Great † AD 379 in Esai. c. 13. 13.
Noble, not only in respect of His Godhead, but of His manhood, being sprung from the seed of David according to the flesh. He went into a far country, separated not so much by distance of place as by actual condition. For God Himself is nigh to every one of us, when our good works bind us to Him. And He is afar off, as often as by cleaving to destruction, we remove ourselves away from Him. To this earthly country then He came at a distance from God, that He might receive the kingdom of the Gentiles, according to the Psalm, Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. (Ps. 2:8.)
St Augustine † AD 430 de Qu. Ev. lib. ii. qu. 40.
Or the far country is the Gentile Church, extending to the uttermost parts of the earth. For He went that the fulness of the Gentiles might come in; He will return that all Israel may be saved.
Eusebius † AD 339
Or by His setting out into a far country, He denotes His own ascension from earth to heaven. But when He adds, To receive for himself a kingdom, and to return; He points out His second appearance, when He shall come as a King and in great glory. He first of all calls Himself a man, because of His nativity in the flesh, then noble; not yet a King, because as yet at His first appearance He exercised no kingly power. It is also well said to obtain for Himself a kingdom, according to Daniel, Behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and a kingdom was given to him. (Dan. 7:13.)
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
For ascending up to heaven, He sits on the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Heb. 1:3.) But being ascended, He hath dispensed to those that believe on Him different divine graces, as unto the servants were committed their Lord’s goods, that gaining something they might bring him token of their service. As it follows, And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407
Holy Scripture is accustomed to use the number ten as a sign of perfection, for if any one wishes to count beyond it, he has again to begin from unity, having in ten as it were arrived at a goal. And so in the giving of the talents, the one who reaches the goal of divine obedience is said to have received ten pounds.
St Augustine † AD 430 ut sup.
Or by the ten pounds he signifies the law, because of the ten commandments, and by the ten servants, those to whom while under the law grace was preached. For so we must interpret the ten pounds given them for trading, seeing that they understood the law, when its veil was removed, to belong to the Gospel.
St Bede † AD 735
A pound which the Greeks call μνᾶ is equal in weight to a hundred drachmas, and every word of Scripture, as suggesting to us the perfection of the heavenly life, shines as it were with the greatness of the hundredth number.
Eusebius † AD 339
By those then who receive the pounds, He means His disciples, giving a pound to each, since He entrusts to all an equal stewardship; He bade them put it out to use, as it follows, Occupy till I come. Now there was no other employment but to preach the doctrine of His kingdom to those who would hear it. But there is one and the same doctrine for all, one faith, one baptism. And therefore is one pound given to each.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
But greatly indeed do these differ from those who denied the kingdom of God, of whom it is added, But his citizens hated him. And this it is for which Christ upbraided the Jews, when He said, But now have they both seen and hated me and my Father. (John 15:24.) But they rejected His kingdom, saying to Pilate, We have no king but Cæsar. (John 19:15.)
Eusebius † AD 339
By citizens He signifies the Jews, who were sprung from the same lineage according to the flesh, and with whom He joined in the customs of the law.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Quæst. Ev. ut sup.
And they sent a message after Him, because after His resurrection also, they persecuted His Apostles, and refused the preaching of the Gospel.
Eusebius † AD 339
After our Saviour had instructed them in the things belonging to His first coming, He proceeds to set forth His second coming with majesty and great glory, saying, And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Hom. 39. in 1. ad Cor.
Holy Scripture notes two kingdoms of God, one indeed by creation, since by right of creation He is King over all men; the other by justification, since He reigns over the just, of their own will made subject to Him. And this is the kingdom which He is here said to have received.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Quæst. Ev. ut sup.
He also returns after having received His kingdom, because in all glory will He come who appeared lowly to them to whom He said, My kingdom is not of this world. (John 18:36.)
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
But when Christ returns, having taken unto Himself His kingdom, the ministers of the word will receive their deserved praises and delight in heavenly rewards, because they multiplied their talent by acquiring more talents, as it is added, Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound has gained ten pounds.
St Bede † AD 735
The first servant is the order of teachers sent to the circumcision, who received one pound to put out to use, inasmuch as it was ordered to preach one faith. But this one pound gained ten pounds, because by its teaching it united to itself the people who were subject to the law. It follows, And he said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, &c. The servant is faithful in a very little who does not adulterate the word of God. For all the gifts we receive now are but small in comparison of what we shall have.
A Greek expositor Evagrius.
Because he receives the reward of his own good works, he is said to be set over ten cities. And some conceiving unworthily of these promises imagine that they themselves are preferred to magistracies and chief places in the earthly Jerusalem, which is built with precious stones, because they have had their conversation honest in Christ; so little do they purge their soul of all hankering after power and authority among men.
St Ambrose † AD 397
But the ten cities are the souls over whom he is rightly placed who has deposited in the minds of men his Lord’s money and the holy words, which are tried as silver is tried in the fire. For as Jerusalem is said to be built as a city, (Ps. 121:3.) so are peace-making souls. And as angels have rule, so have they who have acquired the life of angels. It follows, And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound has gained five pounds.
St Bede † AD 735
That servant is the assembly of those who were sent to preach the Gospel to the uncircumcision, whose pound, that is the faith of the Gospel, gained five pounds, because it converted to the grace of Evangelical faith, the nations before enslaved to the five senses of the body. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities; that is, be exalted to shine through the faith and conversation of those souls which thou hast enlightened.
St Ambrose † AD 397
Or perhaps differently; he who gained five pounds has all the moral virtues, for there are five senses of the body. He who gained ten has so much more, that is to say, the mysteries of the law as well as the moral virtues. The ten pounds may also here be taken to mean the ten words, that is, the teaching of the law; the five pounds, the ordering of discipline. But the scribe must be perfect in all things. And rightly, since He is speaking of the Jews, are there two only who bring their pounds multiplied, not indeed by a gainful interest of money, but a profitable stewardship of the Gospel. For there is one kind of usury in money lent on interest, another in heavenly teaching.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407
For in earthly wealth it does not belong to one man to be made rich without another being made poor, but in spiritual riches, without his making another rich also. For in earthly matters participation lessens, in spiritual it increases wealth.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Quæst. Evan. lib. ii. qu. 46.
Or else; That one of those who well employed their money gained ten pounds, another five, signifies that they acquired them for the flock of God, by whom the law was now understood through grace, either because of the ten commandments of the law, or because he, through whom the law was given, wrote five books; and to this belong the ten and five cities over which He appoints them to preside. For the manifold meanings or interpretations which spring up concerning some individual precept or book, when reduced and brought together in one, make as it were a city of living eternal reasons. Hence a city is not a multitude of living creatures, but of reasonable beings bound together by the fellowship of one law. The servants then who bring an account of that which they had received, and are praised for having gained more, represent those giving in their account who have well employed what they had received, to increase their Lord’s riches by those who believe on Him, while they who are unwilling to do this are signified by that servant who kept his pound laid up in a napkin; of whom it follows, And the third came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin, &c. For there are some who flatter themselves with this delusion, saying, It is enough for each individual to answer concerning himself, what need then of others to preach and minister, in order that every one should be compelled also to give an account of himself, seeing that in the Lord’s sight even they are without excuse to whom the law was not given, and who were not asleep at the time of the preaching of the Gospel, for they might have known the Creator through the creature; and then it follows, For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man, &c. For this is, as it were, to reap when he did not sow, that is, to hold those guilty of ungodliness to whom this word of the law or the Gospel was not preached, and avoiding as it were this peril of judgment, with slothful toil they rest from the ministration of the word. And this it is to tie up in a napkin what they had received.
Theophylact † 1107
For with a napkin the face of the dead is covered; well then is this idler said to have wrapped up his pound in a napkin, because leaving it dead and unprofitable he neitheir touched nor increased it.
St Bede † AD 735
Or to tie up money in a napkin is to hide the gifts we have received under the indolence of a sluggish body. But that which he thought to have used as an excuse is turned to his own blame, as it follows, He says unto him, Out of thy own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. He is called a wicked servant, as being slothful in business, and proud in questioning his Lord’s judgment. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: wherefore then gavest thou not my money into the bank? As though he said, If thou knewest me to be a hard man, and a seeker of what is not mine own, why did not the thought of this strike thee with terror, that thou mightest be sure that I would require mine own with strictness? But money or silver is the preaching of the Gospel and the word of God, for the words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in the fire. (Ps. 12:6.) And this word of the Lord ought to be given to the bank, that is, put into hearts meet and ready to receive it.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Quæst. Ev. ubi sup.
Or the bank into which the money was to be given, we take to be the very profession of religion which is publicly put forth as a means necessary to salvation.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407
In the payment of earthly riches the debtors are obliged only to strictness. Whatever they receive, so much must they return, nothing more is required of them. But with regard to the words of God, we are not only bound diligently to keep, but we are commanded to increase; and hence it follows, that at my coming I might have required the same with usury.
St Bede † AD 735
For they who by faith receive the riches of the word from a teacher, must by their works pay it back with usury, or be earnestly desirous to know something more than what they have as yet learnt from the mouth of their preachers.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
It is the work of teachers to engraft in their hearers’ minds wholesome and profitable words, but of divine power to win the hearers to obedience, and render their understanding fruitful. Now this servant, so far from being commended or thought worthy of honour, was condemned as slothful, as it follows, And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give to him that hath ten pounds.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Quæst. Ev. l. ii. qu. 46.
Signifying thereby that both he will lose the gift of God, who having, hath not, that is, useth it not, and that he will have it increased, who having, hath, that is, rightly useth it.
St Bede † AD 735
The mystical meaning I suppose is this, that at the coming in of the Gentiles all Israel shall be saved, (Rom. 11:26.) and that then the abundant grace of the Spirit will be poured out upon the teachers.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Hom. 43. in Act.
He says then to them that stood by, Take from him the pound, because it is not the part of a wise man to punish, but he needs some one else as the minister of the judge in executing punishment. For even God does not Himself inflict punishment, but through the ministry of His angels.
St Ambrose † AD 397
Nothing is said of the other servants, who like wasteful debtors lost all that they had received. By those two servants who gained by trading, are signified that small number, who in two companies were sent as dressers of the vineyard; by the remainder all the Jews. It follows, And they said unto him, Lord, he has ten pounds. And lest this should seem unjust, it is added, For to every one that hath, it shall be given.
Theophylact † 1107
For seeing that he gained ten, by multiplying his pound tenfold, it is plain that by having more to multiply, he would be an occasion of greater gain to his Lord. But from the slothful and idle, who stirs not himself to increase what he has received, shall be taken away even that which he possesses, that there may be no gap in the Lord’s account when it is given to others and multiplied. But this is not to be applied only to the words of God and teaching, but also to the moral virtues; for in respect of these also, God sends us His gracious gifts, endowing one man with fasting, another with prayer, another with mildness or humility; but all these so long as we watch strictly over ourselves we shall multiply, but if we grow cold we shall extinguish. He adds of His adversaries, But those mine enemies who would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before me.
St Augustine † AD 430 ubi sup.
Whereby He describes the ungodliness of the Jews who refused to be converted to Him.
Theophylact † 1107
Whom he will deliver to death, casting them into the outer fire. But even in this world they were most miserably slain by the Roman army.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407
These things are of force against the Marcionists. For Christ also says, Bring hither my enemies, and slay them before me. (Mat. 21:41). Whereas they say Christ indeed is good, but the God of the Old Testament evil. Now it is plain that both the Father and the Son do the same things. For the Father sends His army to the vineyard, and the Son causes His enemies to be slain before Him.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Hom. 78. in Matt. Mat. 25.
This parable as it is related in Luke is different from that given in Matthew concerning the talents. For in the former indeed out of one and the same principal there were different sums produced, seeing that from the profits of one pound received, one servant brought five, another ten pounds. But with Matthew it is very different. For he who received two pounds, thereto added two more. He who received five, gained as much again. So the rewards given are unlike also.
The Latin text
Eusebius
Aestimabant quidam in primo salvatoris adventu regnum eius venire; et hoc putabant mox tunc fieri cum ascensurus erat Hierosolymam: adeo obstupefecerant eos miracula divina quae fecerat. Et ideo instruit eos non prius se recipere regnum a patre, quam ab hominibus iret ad patrem; et ideo dicitur haec illis audientibus, adiciens dixit parabolam, eo quod esset prope Ierusalem, et quia aestimarent quod confestim regnum Dei manifestaretur
Theophylactus
Sed dominus ostendit eis quod vana quaedam aestimarent: non enim est sensibile regnum Dei. Ostendit etiam quod quasi Deus novit cogitationes eorum, proponens eis subsequentem parabolam; unde sequitur dixit ergo: homo quidam nobilis abiit in regionem longinquam accipere sibi regnum, et reverti
Cyrillus
Describit autem sensus huius parabolae mysteria Christi a primo usque ad ultimum. Homo enim factus est Deus verbum existens: et quamvis servus factus sit, est tamen nobilis secundum ineffabilem ortum a patre
Basilius
Non solum secundum genus humanum, ex semine David secundum carnem exortus. Abiit autem in regionem longinquam, non tam locali distantia separatam quam rerum conditione: ipse enim Deus prope est unicuique nostrum, cum nostra bona opera nos ei astringunt; et distat quoties nos haerendo perditioni elongamur ab eo. Ad hanc igitur terrenam regionem accessit longinquam a Deo, ut gentium regnum acciperet, secundum illud: postula a me, et dabo tibi gentes hereditatem tuam
Augustinus de quaest. Evang
Vel regio longinqua Ecclesia gentium est, usque ad fines terrae: abiit enim ut plenitudo gentium intraret; revertetur ut omnis Israel salvus fiat
Eusebius
Vel per hoc quod profectus est ad regionem longinquam, ascensum proprium a terra in caelos designat; cum vero subdit accipere sibi regnum, et redire, secundam sui apparitionem gloriosam et regiam ostendit. Et primo quidem hominem se vocat propter nativitatem in carne, deinde nobilem; nondum autem se regem appellat, quia nondum in prima apparitione regia fungebatur maiestate. Sed et bene dicitur obtinere sibi regnum; nam dante sibi patre illud obtinuit, secundum illud: ecce filius hominis veniebat in nubibus, et datum est ei regnum
Cyrillus
Ascendens enim ad caelos, sedet ad dexteram maiestatis in excelsis; ascendens autem dispensavit credentibus in eum divinorum charismatum differentiam, sicut servis committuntur dominicae facultates, ut aliquid lucrantes, famulatus sui ferant praeconia; unde sequitur vocatis autem decem servis suis, dedit illis decem mnas. Consuevit sacra Scriptura in signum perfectionis uti numero denario: quem si quis numerando excedere velit, ab unitate iterum inchoabit, quasi denario perducto ad metam: et ideo in dispensatione talentorum eum qui metam attingit divini officii, decem ait mnas recepisse
Augustinus
Vel per decem mnas legem significat propter Decalogum; per decem autem servos, hos quibus sub illa positis gratia praedicata est. Sic enim intelligendum est eis datas mnas ad usum, cum intellexerunt, legem remoto velamine ad Evangelium pertinere
Beda
Mina namque, quam Graeci mnam, vocant, centum drachmis appenditur: et omnis Scripturae sermo, quia vitae caelestis perfectionem suggerit, quasi numeri centenarii pondere fulgescit
Eusebius
Significat ergo per eos qui mnas recipiunt, suos discipulos, quibus mnas exhibens singulis, parem cunctis dispensationem committens negotiari iussit. Sequitur et ait ad illos: negotiamini dum venio. Nullum autem aliud negotium erat nisi dogma regni sui intentis mortalibus praedicandum per suos discipulos. Idem autem est omnium documentum eademque fides, unum Baptisma; et ob hoc mna una singulis datur
Cyrillus
Multa autem est horum differentia ad illos qui inficiati sunt regnum Dei; de quibus subditur cives autem eius oderant illum, et miserunt legationem post illum, dicentes: nolumus hunc regnare super nos. Hoc est quod Christus improperavit Iudaeis dicens: nunc vero viderunt et oderunt me et patrem. Renuerunt autem regnum eius, dicentes Pilato: non habemus regem nisi Caesarem
Eusebius
Per hoc enim quod dicit cives eius, Iudaeos significat ortos ex eadem progenie secundum carnem, et quoniam ritu legis cum illis pariter utebatur
Augustinus de quaest. Evang
Miserunt autem legationem post eum, quia etiam post resurrectionem eius immiserunt persecutiones apostolis, et praedicationem Evangelii respuerunt
Eusebius
Postquam autem salvator haec docuit pertinentia ad primum eius adventum, consequenter gloriosum et regium eius reditum ostendit, dicens et factum est ut rediret accepto regno, et iussit vocari servos, quibus dedit pecuniam, ut sciret quantum quisque negotiatus esset
Chrysostomus
Duo regna Dei novit sacra Scriptura: alterum quidem ex creatione, secundum quod est rex omnium creationis iure: alterum autem ex approbatione, secundum quod iustis dominatur, propria sponte ei subiectis; et hoc regnum hic dicitur accepisse
Augustinus de quaest. Evang
Redit etiam accepto regno, quia in manifestissima claritate venturus est qui eis humilis apparuit, cum diceret: regnum meum non est de hoc mundo
Cyrillus
Redeunte autem Christo, sumpto regno, merebuntur praeconia, et delectabuntur verbi ministri in supernis honoribus, quia multiplicaverunt talentum pluribus acquisitis; unde subditur venit autem primus dicens: domine, mna tua decem mnas acquisivit
Beda
Primus servus ordo doctorum est in circumcisione missorum; qui unam mnam negotiaturus accepit, quia unam fidem praedicare iussus est; sed haec mna decem mnas acquisivit, quia populum sub lege constitutum sibimet docendo sociavit. Sequitur et ait illi: euge, serve bone: quia in modico fuisti fidelis, eris potestatem habens super decem civitates. In modico servus est fidelis, quia non adulterat verbum Dei. Quidquid enim in praesenti percipimus donorum, in comparatione futurorum paucum est
Graecus
Sed quia mercedem propriorum bonorum accipit, decem dicitur civitatibus praeesse. De his promissis quidam infime coniectantes existimant se praeturis et praefecturis donari in terrena Ierusalem reparata lapidibus pretiosis, si honeste in Christo fuerint conversati, ambitum potestatis et praelationis ab anima minime deponentes
Ambrosius
Sed civitates decem sunt animae, quibus iure praeponitur qui pecuniam domini et eloquia casta probata sicut argentum mentibus hominum feneraverit: nam sicut Ierusalem dicitur aedificata ut civitas, ita sunt animae pacificae; et sicut Angeli praesunt, ita hi qui vitam meruerunt Angelorum. Sequitur et alter venit dicens: domine, mna tua fecit quinque mnas
Beda
Servus ille coetus est eorum qui praeputio evangelizare missi sunt, cuius mna, idest evangelica fides, quinque mnas fecit: quia gentes corporis sensibus antea mancipatas ad fidei evangelicae gratiam convertit. Sequitur et huic ait: et tu esto super quinque civitates; hoc est, ex earum quas imbueras animarum fide et conversatione sublimis fulgeas
Ambrosius
Vel aliter fortasse. Iste qui quinque mnas acquisivit, moralia habet, quia quinque sunt corporis sensus; ille qui decem, duplicia; idest mystica legis, et moralia probitatis. Possumus et hic decem mnas decem verba intelligere, idest legis doctrinam; quinque mnas magisteria disciplinae; sed legisperitum in omnibus volo esse perfectum. Bene autem quia de Iudaeis dicit, duo soli multiplicatam pecuniam deferunt, non utique aeris, sed disputationis usuris
Chrysostomus
Alia est enim pecunia fenoris, alia doctrinae caelestis usura. In terrenis enim opibus non evenit unum fieri divitem, nisi alter depauperetur; sed in spiritualibus non evenit quemquam ditari, nisi faciat et alium locupletem: in corporeis enim participatio minuit, sed in spiritualibus auget
Augustinus de quaest. Evang
Vel aliter. Quod unus eorum qui bene usi sunt, decem acquisivit, et alter quinque, significat eos esse acquisitos in gregem domini, a quibus iam lex per gratiam intellecta est, sive propter decem legis praecepta, sive quia ille per quem lex lata est, quinque libros conscripsit. Ad hoc pertinent decem et quinque civitates, quibus eos praeponit: multiplicatio enim intelligentiae in ipsa varietate, quae de unoquoque praecepto vel de unoquolibet libro pullulat, ad unum reducta, quasi civitatem facit viventium rationum aeternarum: est enim civitas, non quorumlibet animantium, sed rationalium multitudo, legis unius societate devincta. Quod ergo servi reddentes rationem ex eo quod acceperant, laudantur qui lucrati sunt, significat eos bonam reddere rationem qui bene usi sunt eo quod acceperunt ad augendas divitias domini per eos qui credunt in eum. Quod qui facere nolunt, in illo signati sunt qui mnam suam in sudario servavit; de quo sequitur et tertius venit dicens: domine, ecce mna tua quam habui repositam in sudario. Sunt enim homines hac sibi perversitate blandientes, ut dicant: sufficit ut de se unusquisque rationem reddat; quid opus est aliis praedicare et ministrare ut etiam rationem de ipsis quisque reddere cogatur? Cum apud dominum etiam illi sint inexcusabiles quibus lex data non est, neque etiam qui audito Evangelio non obediverunt: quia per creaturam poterant cognoscere creatorem; unde sequitur timui enim te, quia homo austerus es: tollis quod non posuisti, et metis quod non seminasti. Hoc est enim quasi metere ubi non seminavit, idest eos impietatis reos tenere, quibus verbum aut legis, aut Evangelii ministratum non est. Hoc autem veluti iudicii periculum devitantes pigro labore a verbi ministratione conquiescunt: et hoc est quasi in sudario ligare quod acceperunt
Theophylactus
Sudario enim mortuorum facies velatur: merito ergo hic piger dicitur mnam in sudario involvisse, quia eam mortificans, et otiosam dimittens, non tractavit nec auxit
Beda
Vel pecuniam in sudario ligare, est percepta dona sub otio lenti corporis abscondere. Quod autem putaverat se per excusationem dixisse, in culpam propriam vertitur; unde sequitur dicit ei: de ore tuo te iudico, serve nequam. Servus nequam vocatur quasi piger ad exercendum negotium, et superbus ad accusandum domini iudicium. Sciebas quod austerus homo ego sum, tollens quod non posui, et metens quod non seminavi; et quare non dedisti pecuniam meam ad mensam? Quasi dicat: si durum me esse noveras, et aliena sectari; quare non tibi haec cogitatio incussit timorem, ut scires me mea diligentius quaesiturum? Pecunia autem vel argentum praedicatio Evangelii est, et sermo divinus, quia eloquia domini eloquia casta, argentum igne examinatum, qui sermo domini dari debuit ad mensam, hoc est promptis paratisque cordibus intimari
Augustinus
Vel mensa ad quam danda erat pecunia, professionem ipsam religionis accipimus, quae tamquam publice proponitur ad usum necessarium saluti
Chrysostomus
In sensibilibus autem divitiis debitores solius observationis obnoxii sunt; quantum enim recipiunt, tantum eos reddere necesse est, et nihil plus ab eis quaeritur. In divinis autem eloquiis non solum ad custodiam obligamur, sed etiam multiplicare monemur; unde sequitur et ego veniens cum usuris utique exegissem illam
Beda
Qui enim verbi pecuniam a doctore percipit credendo, necesse est ut eam cum usuris solvat operando; vel ut ex eo quod audivit, etiam alia studeat intelligere, quae necdum ex praedicatoris ore didicit
Cyrillus
Doctorum enim est inserere auditoribus salutarem et proficuum sermonem; opus autem divinae virtutis est attrahere obedientes ad audientiam, et fertilem eorum reddere intellectum. Non est autem hic servus laudatus, neque honorem promeruit; sed potius tamquam iners est condemnatus; unde sequitur et adstantibus dixit: auferte ab eo mnam, et date illi qui decem mnas habet
Augustinus
Per quod significatur et illum posse amittere munus Dei qui habens non habet, idest eo non utitur; et eo augeri qui habens habet, idest bene utitur
Beda
Mystice autem hoc, ut reor, indicat, intrante plenitudine gentium, omnem Israel salvum futurum, et tunc abundantiam gratiae spiritualis, quam modo nos tepide exercemus, illius populi doctoribus esse conferendam
Chrysostomus
Ideo autem dicit adstantibus auferte ei mnam, quia non est prudentis animi punire; sed alio quodam, scilicet ministro, eget ad puniendum officio iudicis; nam et Deus non ipsemet poenas irrogat, sed mediantibus Angelis
Ambrosius
De aliis servis siletur, qui quasi prodigi debitores quod acceperant perdiderunt. In duobus servis illis qui lucrati sunt, pauci signati sunt qui per duas vices ad cultores vineae sunt destinati, in reliquis omnes Iudaei. Sequitur et dixerunt illi: domine, habet decem mnas. Et ne hoc iniustum videretur, subdit dico autem vobis, quia omni habenti dabitur
Theophylactus
Quia cum decem auxerit decuplando, palam est quod et plura decuplans pluris lucri fiet occasio domino. A deside vero et otioso, qui non satagit augere quod acceperat, ipsum quoque quod possidet auferetur; unde sequitur ab eo autem qui non habet, et quod habet auferetur ab eo: ne vacet census dominicus; cum posset dari aliis, et multiplicari. Haec autem non solum ad sermonem et doctrinam referenda sunt, sed etiam ad morales virtutes: quoniam et in his dat nobis Deus sua charismata, hunc dotans ieiunio, illum oratione, alium mansuetudine vel humilitate: quibus si invigilaverimus, multiplicabimus ea; si vero tepeamus, extinguemus. Deinde de adversariis subdit verumtamen inimicos meos, illos qui noluerunt me regnare super se, adducite, et interficite ante me
Augustinus
Per quod designat impietatem Iudaeorum, quia ad eum noluerunt converti
Theophylactus
Quos tradidit morti, mittens eos in ignem exteriorem; sed et in hoc mundo mactati sunt flebiliter ab exercitu Romanorum
Chrysostomus
Haec contra Marcionistas competunt; nam et Christus dicit adducite hostes meos, et occidite coram me: cum tamen illi bonum dicant Christum, Deum vero veteris testamenti malum. Patet autem quod pater et filius eadem facit: nam pater ad vineam destinat exercitum; filius autem hostes coram se trucidari facit. Haec autem quae in Luca scribitur parabola alia est ab ea quae in Matthaeo narratur de talentis: nam hic quidem ex uno capitali accepto, varii fuere proventus: quia ex una mna accepta, hic quinque talenta, ille obtulit decem; sed apud Matthaeum contrarium: nam qui duo accepit, duo superaddidit: et qui quinque, tantumdem; unde et praemiis donantur imparibus
19:28
Titus of Bostra † AD 378
Because the Lord had said, The kingdom of heaven is at hand, they that saw Him going up to Jerusalem thought that He was going then to commence the kingdom of God. When then the parable was finished in which He reproved the error above mentioned, and shewed plainly that He had not yet vanquished that death which was plotting against him, he proceeded forth to His passion, going up to Jerusalem.
St Bede † AD 735
Proving at the same time that the parable had been pronounced concerning the end of that city which was about both to slay Him, and to perish itself by the scourge of the enemy. It follows, And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage, &c. Bethphage was a small village belonging to the priests on Mount Olivet. Bethany was also a little town or hamlet on the side of the same mountain, about fifteen stades from Jerusalem.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Hom. 66. in Matt.
At the beginning of His ministry our Lord shewed Himself indifferent to the Jews, but when He had given sufficient token of His power, He transacts every thing with the highest authority. Many are the miracles which then took place. He foretold to them, ye shall find an unbroken colt. He foretels also that no one should hinder them, but as soon as they heard it, should hold their peace.
Titus of Bostra † AD 378
Here it was evident that there would be a divine summons. For no one can resist God calling for what is His own. But the disciples when ordered to fetch the colt refused not the office as a slight one, but went to bring him.
St Basil the Great † AD 379
So likewise should we set about even the lowest works with the greatest zeal and affection, knowing that whatever is done with God before our eyes is not slight, but meet for the kingdom of heaven.
Titus of Bostra † AD 378
They who had tied the ass are struck dumb, because of the greatness of His mighty power, and are unable to resist the words of the Saviour; for “the Lord” is a name of majesty, and as a King was He about to come in the sight of all the people.
St Augustine † AD 430 de con. Ev. lib. ii. cap. 66.
Nor matters it that Matthew speaks of an ass and its foal, while the others say nothing of the ass; for when both may be conceived, there is no variance even though one relate one thing, and another another, much less where one relates one thing, another both.
The Gloss non occ.
The disciples waited upon Christ not only in bringing the colt of another, but also with their own garments, some of which they placed upon the ass, others they strewed in the way.
St Bede † AD 735
According to the other Evangelists, not the disciples only, but very many also out of the crowds scattered their garments in the way.
St Ambrose † AD 397
Mystically, our Lord came to Mount Olivet, that he might plant new olive trees on the heights of virtue. And perhaps the mountain itself is Christ, for who else could bear such fruit of olives abounding in the fulness of the Spirit?
St Bede † AD 735
Rightly are the towns described as placed on Mount Olivet, that is, on the Lord Himself, who rekindles the unction of spiritual graces with the light of knowledge and piety.
Origen † AD 253
Bethany is interpreted, the house of obedience, but Bethphage the house of cheek bones, being a place belonging to the priests, for cheek bones in the sacrifices were the right of the priests, as it is commanded in the law. To that place then where obedience is, and where the priests have the possession, our Saviour sends His disciples to loose the ass’s colt.
St Ambrose † AD 397
For they were in the village, and the colt was tied with its mother, nor could it be loosed except by the command of the Lord. The apostle’s hand looses it. Such was the act, such the life, such the grace. Be such, that thou mayest be able to loose those that are bound. In the ass indeed Matthew represented the mother of error, but in the colt Luke has described the general character of the Gentile people. And rightly, whereon yet never man sat, for none before Christ called the nations of the Gentiles into the Church. But this people was tied and bound by the chains of iniquity, being subject to an unjust master, the servant of error, and could not claim to itself authority whom not nature but crime had made guilty. Since the Lord is spoken of, one master is recognised. O wretched bondage under a doubtful mastery! For he has many masters who has not one. Others bind that they may possess, Christ looses that he may keep, for He knew that gifts are more powerful than chains.
Origen † AD 253
There were then many masters of this colt, before that the Saviour had need of him. But as soon as He began to be the master, there ceased to be any other. For no one can serve God and mammon. (Matt. 6:24.) When we are the servants of wickedness we are subject to many vices and passions, but the Lord has need of the colt, because He would have us loosed from the chain of our sins.
Origen † AD 253 sup. Joan. tom. ii.
Now I think this place is not without reason said to be a small village. For as if it were a village without any further name, in comparison of the whole earth the whole heavenly country is despised.
St Ambrose † AD 397
Nor is it for nothing that two disciples are directed thither; Peter to Cornelius, Paul to the rest. And therefore He did not mark out the persons, but determined the number. Still should any one require the persons, he may believe it to be spoken of Philip, whom the Holy Spirit sent to Gaza, when he baptized the eunuch of Queen Candace. (Acts 8:38.)
Theophylact † 1107
Or the two sent imply this, that the Prophets and Apostles make up the two steps to the bringing in of the Gentiles, and their subjection to Christ. But they bring the colt from a certain village, that it may be known to us that this people was rude and unlearned.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
Those men who were directed, when they were loosing the colt, did not use their own words, but spoke as Jesus had told them, that you may know that not by their own words, but the word of God, not in their own name but in Christ’s, they implanted the faith among the Gentile nations; and by the command of God the hostile powers ceased, which claimed to themselves the obedience of the Gentiles.
Origen † AD 253 in Luc. 37.
The disciples next place their garments upon the ass, and cause the Saviour to sit thereon, inasmuch as they take upon themselves the word of God, and make it to rest upon the souls of their hearers. They divest themselves of their garments, and strew them in the way, for the clothing of the Apostles is their good works. And truly does the ass loosened by the disciples and carrying Jesus, walk upon the garments of the Apostles, when it imitates their doctrine. Which of us is so blessed, that Jesus should rest upon him?
St Ambrose † AD 397
For it pleased not the Lord of the world to be borne upon the ass’s back, save that in a hidden mystery by a more inward sitting, the mystical Ruler might take His seat in the secret depths of men’s souls, guiding the footsteps of the mind, bridling the wantonness of the heart. His word is a rein, His word is a goad.
The Latin text
Titus
Quia dominus dixerat: appropinquavit regnum Dei, videntes illum in Ierusalem ascendentem, putabant ideo ascendere ut regnum Dei inchoaret. Consummata ergo parabola, in qua errorem praedictum correxit, et ostenso quod nondum insidiantem sibi mortem devicerat, procedebat ad passionem, ascendens Hierosolymam; unde dicitur et his dictis, praecedebat ascendens Ierusalem
Beda
Ostendens etiam de eiusdem civitatis eventu parabolam fuisse praemissam, quae et ipsum erat occisura, et hostili clade peritura. Sequitur et factum est, cum appropinquasset ad Bethphage et Bethaniam, ad montem qui vocatur oliveti, misit duos discipulos suos. Bethphage erat locus sacerdotum in monte oliveti; Bethania quoque civitas, sive villula, ex latere montis eiusdem, quasi stadiis quindecim a Ierusalem
Chrysostomus
Et quidem in exordiis indifferenter se dominus ingerebat Iudaeis; sed ubi sufficienter edidit suae potestatis experimentum, auctoritate multa singula quaeque pertractat. Multa igitur fiunt miracula. Praedixit quoniam invenietis pullum indomitum; et hoc est quod subditur dicens: ite in castellum quod contra vos est; quod introeuntes invenietis pullum asinae alligatum, cui nemo unquam hominum sedit. Praedicit etiam quod nemo prohibebit, sed cum audierint, silebunt; unde sequitur solvite illum, et adducite. Si quis vos interrogaverit: quare solvitis? Sic dicetis ei: quia dominus operam eius desiderat
Titus
In hoc autem divinam fore vocationem patuit: non enim potest aliquis resistere Deo quae sua sunt evocanti. Discipuli autem iussi ducere pullum, non refutaverunt hoc officium ut parvum, sed abierunt ut adducerent eum; unde sequitur abierunt autem qui iussi erant, et invenerunt, sicut dixit, pullum stantem
Basilius
Sic quoque docet nos et infima opera plurimo cum affectu et studio aggredi, scientes quod quicquid intuitu Dei fit, non est parvum, sed dignum in regno caelorum
Titus
Obmutescunt autem ob excellentiam fortis virtutis, nequeuntes resistere salvatoris eloquiis, qui ligaverunt asinum; sequitur enim solventibus autem illis, dixerunt domini eius ad illos: quid solvitis pullum? At illi dixerunt: quia dominus eum necessarium habet. Maiestativum enim nomen est dominus: rex enim erat venturus in conspectu multitudinis
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Nec moveat quod Matthaeus asinam et pullum dicit, ceteri autem de asina tacent: ubi enim utrumque factum potest intelligi, nulla repugnantia est, nec si alius alia commemoraret; quanto minus ubi alius unum, et alius utrumque?
Glossa
Nec solum discipuli obsecuti sunt Christo in pullo alieno, sed etiam in propriis vestimentis, quae partim asino imposuerunt, partim sternebant in via; unde sequitur et duxerunt illum ad Iesum, et iacientes vestimenta sua supra pullum, imposuerunt Iesum. Exeunte autem illo, substernebant vestimenta sua in via
Beda
Iuxta alios Evangelistas, non discipuli tantum, sed etiam plurimi de turba vestimenta sternebant in via
Ambrosius in Lucam
Mystice autem dominus venit ad montem oliveti, ut novellas oleas in sublimi veritate plantaret; et fortasse ipse mons Christus est: quis enim alius tales fructus ferret olearum spiritu sancto fecundarum?
Beda
Pulchre autem civitates positae in monte oliveti referuntur, hoc est in ipso domino, qui unctionem spiritualium charismatum scientiae pietatisque luce refovet
Origenes
Bethania autem interpretatur domus obedientiae; Bethphage vero domus maxillarum, sacerdotalis quidam locus: maxillae enim sacerdotibus dabantur, sicut in lege praecipitur: illuc vero ubi obedientia, et ubi locus sacerdotibus mancipatur, mittit salvator discipulos suos, ut solvant asinae pullum
Ambrosius
In castello enim erant, et erat ligatus pullus cum asina, nec poterat solvi nisi iussu domini. Solvit eum manus apostolica. Talis actus, talis vita, talis gratia. Esto talis, ut ligatos possis solvere. In asina quidem Matthaeus Evangelista quasi matrem figuravit erroris; hic autem in pullo generalitatem populi gentilis expressit. Et bene in quo nemo sedit, quia nullus ante quam Christus nationum populos vocavit ad Ecclesiam. Alligatus autem perfidiae vinculis tenebatur, iniquo addictus domino erroris famulatu; sed dominatum vindicare sibi non poterat, quem dominum fecerat non natura, sed culpa; et ideo cum dominus dicitur, unus agnoscitur. Misera servitus cui vagum ius est: plures enim habet dominos qui unum non habet. Alieni alligant ut possideant; iste solvit, ut teneat: vehementiora enim dona novit esse quam vincula
Origenes
Multi ergo erant domini huius pulli, antequam salvator eum haberet necessarium; postquam vero ille coepit esse dominus, plures esse domini cessaverunt: nemo enim potest Deo servire et mammonae. Quando malitiae servimus, multis sumus passionibus vitiisque subiecti. Necessarium autem habet dominus pullum, quia cupit nos solvi vinculis peccatorum
Origenes super Ioannem
Ego autem opinor non frustra castellum esse hunc locum, ubi stabat asina ligata et pullus: quasi castellum enim respectu totius orbis caelestis tota terra despicitur absque adiectione alterius nominis nuncupatum
Ambrosius
Nec illud est otiosum quod duo discipuli diriguntur, Petrus ad Cornelium, Paulus ad reliquos: et ideo non personas destinavit, sed numerus definivit. Tamen si quis est qui personas exigat, potest aestimare de Philippo, quem spiritus sanctus misit in Gazam, quando Candacis reginae baptizavit eunuchum
Theophylactus
Vel duo missi hoc innuunt, quod ad introductionem gentilis populi et subiectionem eius ad Christum, duos faciunt gradus prophetae et apostoli. Ducunt autem eum a quodam castello, ut innotescat nobis quod hic populus rusticanus erat et indoctus
Ambrosius
Illi ergo directi cum solverent pullum, non suis verbis sunt usi, sed dixerunt sicut dixerat illis Iesus; ut agnoscas quod non suo sermone, sed verbo Dei, nec proprio, sed Christi nomine fidem populis infudere gentilibus: atque adversariae potestates, quae sibi nationum obsequia vindicabant, mandato cessere divino
Origenes in Lucam
Deinde mittunt discipuli vestes suas super asinam, et sedere faciunt salvatorem, dum assumunt sermonem Dei, et imponunt eum super animas audientium. Vestibus exuuntur, et substernunt eas in via: quia vestimenta apostolorum, opera eorum bona sunt. Et revera solutus a discipulis asinus, et portans Iesum incedit super vestimenta apostolorum, quando doctrinam eorum imitatur et vitam. Quis nostrum ita beatus est ut sedeat super illum Iesus?
Ambrosius
Non enim mundi dominum gestari super dorsum asinae delectavit: sed ut latente mysterio in secretis animarum interiore consessu, mysticus rector insideret, regens mentis vestigia, lasciviam carnis infrenans, sermo eius habena est, stimulus est
19:37
Origen † AD 253
As long as our Lord was in the mount His Apostles only were with Him, but when He began to be near the descent, then there came to Him a multitude of the people.
Theophylact † 1107
He calls by the name of disciples not only the twelve, or the seventy-two, but all who followed Christ, whether for the sake of the miracles, or from a certain charm in His teaching, and to them may be added the children, as the other Evangelists relate. Hence it follows, For all the mighty works which they had seen.
St Bede † AD 735
They beheld indeed many of our Lord’s miracles, but marvelled most at the resurrection of Lazarus. For as John says, For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle. For it must be observed that this was not the first time of our Lord’s coming to Jerusalem, but He came often before, as John relates.
St Ambrose † AD 397
The multitude then acknowledging God, proclaims Him King, repeats the prophecy, and declares that the expected Son of David according to the flesh had come, saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord.
St Bede † AD 735
That is, in the name of God the Father, although it might be taken “in His own name,” since He Himself is the Lord. But His own words are better guides to the meaning when He says, I am come in my Father’s name. For Christ is the Master of humility. Christ is not called King as one who exacts tribute, or arms His forces with the sword, or visibly crushes His enemies, but because He rules men’s minds, and brings them believing, hoping, and loving into the kingdom of heaven. For Ho was willing to be King of Israel, to shew His compassion, not to increase His power. But because Christ appeared in the flesh, as the redemption and light of the whole world, well do both the heaven and earth, each in their turn, chaunt His praises. When He is born into the world, the heavenly hosts sing; when He is about to return to heaven, men send back their note of praise. As it follows, Peace in heaven.
Theophylact † 1107
That is, the ancient warfare, wherein we were at enmity against God, has ceased. And glory in the highest, inasmuch as Angels are glorifying God for such a reconciliation. For this very thing, that God visibly walks in the land of His enemies, shews that He has peace with us. But the Pharisees when they heard that the crowd called Him King, and praised Him as God, murmured, imputing the name of King to sedition, the name of God to blasphemy. And some of the Pharisees said, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
St Bede † AD 735
O the strange folly of the envious; they scruple not to call Him Master, because they knew He taught the truth, but His disciples, as though themselves were better taught, they deem worthy of rebuke.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
But the Lord forbade not them that glorified Him as God, but rather forbade those that blamed them, so bearing witness to Himself concerning the glory of the Godhead. Hence it follows, He answered and said unto them, I tell you, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
Theophylact † 1107
As if He said, Not without cause do men praise me thus, but being constrained by the mighty works which they have seen.
St Bede † AD 735
And so at the crucifixion of our Lord, when His kinsfolk were silent from fear, the stones and rocks sang forth, while after that He gave up the ghost, the earth was moved, and the rocks were rent, and the graves opened.
St Ambrose † AD 397
Nor is it wonderful that the stones against their nature should chaunt forth the praises of the Lord, whom His murderers, harder than the rocks, proclaim aloud, that is, the multitude, in a little while about to crucify their God, denying Him in their hearts, whom with their mouths they confess. Or perhaps it is said, because, when the Jews were struck silent after the Lord’s Passion, the living stones, as Peter calls them, (1 Pet. 2:5.) were about to cry out.
Origen † AD 253
When we also are silent, (that is, when the love of many waxeth cold,) the stones cry out, for God can from stones raise up children to Abraham.
St Ambrose † AD 397
Rightly we read that the crowds praising God met Him at the descent of the mountain, that they might signify that the works of the heavenly mystery had come to them from heaven.
St Bede † AD 735
Again, when our Lord descends from the mount of Olives, the multitude descend also, because since the Author of mercy has suffered humiliation, it is necessary that all those who need His mercy should follow His footsteps.
The Latin text
Origenes in Lucam
Quamdiu in monte fuit dominus, cum solis apostolis morabatur; quando autem vicinus coepit esse descensui, tunc occurrit ei turba populorum; unde dicitur et cum iam appropinquarent ad descensum montis oliveti, coeperunt omnes turbae descendentium discipulorum gaudentes laudare Deum voce magna
Theophylactus
Discipulos vocat non solum duodecim, aut septuaginta, sed omnes qui Christum sequebantur, seu causa miraculorum, seu ad aliquam delectationem doctrinae; quibus ingeri pueri potuerunt, ut narrant alii Evangelistae; unde sequitur super omnibus quas viderant virtutibus
Beda
Multas quidem virtutes domini viderant, sed maxime Lazari resurrectionem stupebant: nam, ut Ioannes ait: propterea obviam venit ei turba, quia audierunt eum fecisse hoc signum. Notandum enim est, non tunc primum salvatorem Ierusalem adiisse, sed multoties antea, sicut Ioannes commemorat
Ambrosius
Turba igitur agnoscens Deum, regem appellat, prophetiam repetit, expectatum quoque secundum carnem David filium venisse declarat; unde sequitur dicentes: benedictus qui venit rex in nomine domini
Beda
Idest in nomine Dei patris, quamvis possit intelligi et in nomine suo, quia et ipse dominus est. Sed melius verba eius nostrum dirigunt intellectum, quibus ait: ego veni in nomine patris mei; humilitatis enim magister est Christus. Non autem rex Christus dicitur ad exigendum tributum, vel ferro exercitum armandum, hostesque visibiliter debellandos: sed quod mentes regat, et in regnum caelorum credentes perducat: quod enim rex esse voluit Israel, miserationis indicium est, non potestatis augmentum. Verum quia Christus in carne totius mundi propitiatio illuxit, pulchre sibi invicem in laude eius caelestia simul et terrena concinunt: eo enim nascente, caelestium agmina cantant; eodem autem caelis se reddituro, mortales vicem laudis rependunt: unde sequitur pax in caelo
Theophylactus
Hoc est, bellum antiquum, quo Deo adversabamur, evanuit. Et gloria in excelsis, laudantibus scilicet Angelis Deum in tali reconciliatione; nam hoc ipsum quod Deus visibiliter ambulat in territorio inimicorum suorum, significat ipsum nobiscum habere concordiam. Sed Pharisaei hoc audientes murmurabant, eo quod turba eum regem vocabat, et laudabat ut Deum; referentes nomen regis ad seditionem, nomen vero domini ad blasphemiam; unde sequitur et quidam Pharisaeorum de turbis dixerunt ad illum: magister, increpa discipulos tuos
Beda
Mira invidorum dementia; quem magistrum appellandum non dubitant, quia vera docentem noverant, huius discipulos, quasi melius edocti, redarguendos aestimant
Cyrillus
Sed dominus non compescuit laudantes eum ut Deum, sed magis reprehensores compescens, attestatur sibi super gloria deitatis; unde sequitur quibus ipse ait: dico vobis, quia si hi tacuerint, lapides clamabunt
Theophylactus
Quasi dicat: non sine causa homines me taliter laudant, sed commoniti virtutibus quas viderunt
Beda
Crucifixo etiam domino, notis eius tacentibus prae timore, lapides et saxa canebant, dum postquam emisit spiritum, terra mota est, et petrae scissae sunt, et monumenta aperta sunt
Ambrosius
Neque etiam mirum est si laudes domini contra naturam suam saxa respondeant, quem scopulis duriores praedicant peremptores, scilicet turba post exiguum crucifixura Deum, negans affectibus quem vocibus confitetur: aut fortasse, quia obmutescentibus Iudaeis post domini passionem, vivi erant secundum Petrum lapides clamaturi
Origenes in Lucam
Quando etiam nos tacemus, idest refrigescit caritas multorum, lapides clamant: potest enim Deus suscitare de lapidibus filios Abrahae. Pulchre autem turbas laudantes Deum ad descensionem montis occurrisse legimus, ut operatorem mysterii spiritualis significarent sibi venisse de caelo
Beda
Descendente etiam domino de monte olivarum, turbae descendunt: quia humiliato misericordiae auctore, necesse est eos qui misericordia indigent, eius vestigia imitari
19:41
Origen † AD 253
All the blessings which Jesus pronounced in His Gospel He confirms by His own example, as having declared, Blessed are the meek; He afterwards sanctions it by saying, Learn of me, for I am meek; and because He had said, Blessed are they that weep, He Himself also wept over the city.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
For Christ had compassion upon the Jews, who wills that all men should be saved. Which had not been plain to us, were it not revealed by a certain mark of His humanity. For tears poured forth are the tokens of sorrow.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 Hom. 39. in Ev.
The merciful Redeemer wept then over the fall of the false city, which that city itself knew not was about to come upon it. As it is added, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou (we may here understand) wouldest weep. Thou who now rejoicest, for thou knowest not what is at hand. It follows, at least in this thy day. For when she gave herself up to carnal pleasures, she had the things which in her day might be her peace. But why she had present goods for her peace, is explained by what follows, But now they are hidden from thy eyes. For if the eyes of her heart had not been hidden from the future evils which were hanging over her, she would not have been joyful in the prosperity of the present. Therefore He shortly added the punishment which was near at hand, saying, For the days shall come upon thee.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
If thou hadst known, even thou. The Jews were not worthy to receive the divinely inspired Scriptures, which relate the mystery of Christ. For as often as Moses is read, a veil overshadows their heart that they should not see what has been accomplished in Christ, who being the truth puts to flight the shadow. And because they regarded not the truth, they rendered themselves unworthy of the salvation which flows from Christ.
Eusebius † AD 339
He here declares that His coming was to bring peace to the whole world. For unto this He came, that He should preach both to them that were near, and those that were afar off. But as they did not wish to receive the peace that was announced to them, it was hid from them. And therefore the siege which was shortly to come upon them He most expressly foretells, adding, For the days shall come upon thee, &c.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ut sup.
By these words the Roman leaders are pointed out. For that overthrow of Jerusalem is described, which was made by the Roman emperors Vespasian and Titus.
Eusebius † AD 339
But how these things were fulfilled we may gather from what is delivered to us by Josephus, who though he was a Jew, related each event as it toot place, in exact accordance with Christ’s prophecies.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604
This too which is added, namely, They shall not leave in thee one stone upon another, is now witnessed in the altered situation of the same city, which is now built in that place where Christ was crucified without the gate, whereas the former Jerusalem, as it is called, was rooted up from the very foundation. And the crime for which this punishment of overthrow was inflicted is added, Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
Theophylact † 1107
That is, of my coming. For I came to visit and to save thee, which if thou hadst known and believed on Me, thou mightest have been reconciled to the Romans, and exempted from all danger, as did those who believed on Christ.
Origen † AD 253
I do not deny then that the former Jerusalem was destroyed because of the wickedness of its inhabitants, but I ask whether the weeping might not perhaps concern this your spiritual Jerusalem. For if a man has sinned after receiving the mysteries of truth, he will be wept over. Moreover, no Gentile is wept over, but he only who was of Jerusalem, and has ceased to be.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ut sup.
For our Redeemer does not cease to weep through His elect whenever he perceives any to have departed from a good life to follow evil ways. Who if they had known their own damnation, hanging over them, would together with the elect shed tears over themselves. But the corrupt soul here has its day, rejoicing in the passing time; to whom things present are its peace, seeing that it takes delight in that which is temporal. It shuns the foresight of the future which may disturb its present mirth; and hence it follows, But now are they hid from thine eyes.
Origen † AD 253
But our Jerusalem is also wept over, because after sin enemies surround it, (that is, wicked spirits,) and cast a trench round it to besiege it, and leave not a stone behind; especially when a man after long continency, after years of chastity, is overcome, and enticed by the blandishments of the flesh, has lost his fortitude and his modesty, and has committed fornication, they will not leave on him one stone upon another, according to Ezekiel, His former righteousness I will not remember. (Ezek 18:24.)
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 Hom. 39. in Ev.
Or else; The evil spirits lay siege to the soul, as it goes forth from the body, for being seized with the love of the flesh, they caress it with delusive pleasures. They surround it with a trench, because bringing all its wickedness which it has committed before the eyes of its mind, they close confine it to the company of its own damnation, that being caught in the very extremity of life, it may see by what enemies it is blockaded, yet be unable to find any way of escape, because it can no longer do good works, since those which it might once have done it despised. On every side also they inclose the soul when its iniquities rise up before it, not only in deed but also in word and thought, that she who before in many ways greatly enlarged herself in wickedness, should now at the end be straitened every way in judgment. Then indeed the soul by the very condition of its guilt is laid prostrate on the ground, while its flesh which it believed to be its life is bid to return to dust. Then its children fall in death, when all unlawful thoughts which only proceed from it, are in the last punishment of life scattered abroad. These may also be signified by the stones. For the corrupt mind when to a corrupt thought it adds one more corrupt, places one stone upon another. But when the soul is led to its doom, the whole structure of its thoughts is rent asunder. But the wicked soul God ceases not to visit with His teaching, sometimes with the scourge and sometimes with a miracle; that the truth which it knew not it may hear, and though still despising it, may return pricked to the heart in sorrow, or overcome with mercies may be ashamed at the evil which it has done. But because it knows not the time of its visitation, at the end of life it is given over to its enemies, that with them it may be joined together in the bond of everlasting damnation.
The Latin text
Origenes in Lucam
Omnes beatitudines quas locutus est Iesus in Evangelio suo, firmat exemplo; sicut quod dixerat: beati mites, probat dicens: discite a me quia mitis sum; et quia dixerat: beati flentes, ipse quoque flevit super civitatem; unde dicitur et ut appropinquavit, videns civitatem, flevit super illam
Cyrillus
Miserebatur enim eorum Christus, qui omnes homines vult salvari: quod nobis non patuisset, nisi per aliquod humanum fieret evidens: effusae enim lacrymae sunt signa tristitiae
Gregorius in Evang
Flevit igitur pius redemptor ruinam perfidae civitatis, quam ipsa civitas sibi non cognoscebat esse venturam; unde subditur dicens: quia si cognovisses et tu: subaudi: fleres, quae modo, quia nescis quod imminet, exultas; unde subditur et quidem in hac die tua, quae ad pacem tibi. Cum enim carnis se voluptatibus daret in die sua, quae ad pacem ei esse poterant habebat. Cur vero bona praesentia ad pacem habuerit, manifestatur cum subditur nunc autem abscondita sunt ab oculis tuis. Si enim a cordis eius oculis mala quae imminerent, abscondita non essent, laeta in praesentibus prosperis non fuisset; unde mox eius poena, quae imminebat, adiuncta est, cum sequitur quia venient dies in te
Cyrillus
Vel aliter. Quia si cognovisses et tu: non enim erant digni percipere divinitus inspiratas Scripturas, quae narrant Christi mysterium: quoties enim legitur Moyses, velamen obnubilat cor eorum. Et quia non sunt intuiti veritatem, indignos se fecerunt salute, quae manat a Christo; unde sequitur et quidem in hac die tua quae ad pacem tibi
Eusebius
Ubi notat, suum adventum ad pacem totius mundi factum fuisse; venit enim ad hoc ut pacem praedicaret propinquis et longinquis. Sed quia annuntiatam sibi pacem recipere noluerunt, hoc eos latebat; unde subditur nunc autem abscondita sunt ab oculis tuis. Et ideo obsidionem, quae in brevi erat ei superventura, expressissime praenuntiat subdens quia venient dies in te, et circumdabunt te inimici tui vallo
Gregorius
Ubi Romani principes denuntiantur. Illa enim Hierosolymorum subversio describitur quae a Vespasiano et Tito Romanis principibus facta est; unde subditur et circumdabunt te, et coangustabunt te undique, et ad terram prosternent te, et filios tuos qui in te sunt
Eusebius
Quomodo autem haec completa sint, ex his quae tradita sunt a Iosepho, colligere possumus, qui cum esset Iudaeus, singula quoque gesta narravit consona his quae sunt a Christo praedicta
Gregorius
Hoc quoque quod additur: et non relinquent in te lapidem super lapidem, et ipsa iam eiusdem civitatis transmigratio testatur: quia dum nunc in eo loco constructa est ubi extra portam dominus fuerat crucifixus, prior illa, ut dicitur, Ierusalem funditus est eversa. Cui ex qua culpa eversionis poena fuerit illata, subiungitur eo quod non cognoveris tempus visitationis tuae
Theophylactus
Idest, mei adventus: veni enim visurus et salvaturus te. Quod si cognosceres, et in me crederes, esses pacata Romanis, et ex omnibus exempta periculis; sicut omnes qui crediderunt in Christum evaserunt
Origenes in Lucam
Non nego igitur et illam Ierusalem propter habitatorum scelera fuisse destructam; sed quaero ne forte ad hanc Ierusalem fletus iste pertineat. Si enim post mysteria veritatis aliquis peccaverit, plangetur: nemo enim gentilis fletur, sed ille qui fuit de Ierusalem, et esse cessavit
Gregorius in Evang
Redemptor enim noster per electos suos plangere non cessat, cum quosdam ex bona vita ad mores reprobos pervenisse considerat; qui si damnationem suam quae eis imminet, agnovissent, semetipsos cum lacrymis electorum plangerent. Suam autem diem hic habet anima perversa, quae transitorio gaudet in tempore; cui ea quae adsunt, ad pacem sunt, dum ex rebus temporalibus laetatur. Haec praevidere futura refugit, quae praesentem laetitiam perturbent; unde dicitur nunc autem abscondita sunt ab oculis tuis
Origenes
Fletur autem et nostra Ierusalem, quod post peccata circumdant eam inimici, idest spiritus nequam, et immittunt in circuitu eius vallum, ut obsideant eam, et lapidem super lapidem non relinquant; maxime si post multam continentiam, si post aliquot annos castitatis victus quis fuerit, et blandimentis carnis illectus, patientiam pudicitiamque amiserit, si fuerit fornicatus; lapidem super lapidem non relinquent in eo, secundum illud: non recordabor primarum iustitiarum eius
Gregorius
Vel aliter. Maligni spiritus animam a corpore exeuntem obsident, quam in carnis amore positam deceptoriis delectationibus fovent; qui vallo circumdant, quia ante mentis eius oculos reductis iniquitatibus quas perpetravit, hanc societate suae damnationis coarctant, ut in ipsa extremitate vitae deprehensa, a quibus hostibus circumclusa sit videat, et tamen evadendi aditum invenire non possit: quia operari iam non licet bona, quae cum licuit agere contempsit. Undique etiam animam coangustant, quando ei non solum operis, verum etiam locutionis atque cogitationis iniquitates replicant: ut quae prius se per multa dilatavit in scelere, in extremum de omnibus angustetur in retributione. Tunc autem anima per conditionem reatus sui ad terram consternitur, cum caro, quam vitam suam credidit, redire ad pulverem urgetur. Tunc in morte filii illius cadunt, cum cogitationes illicitae, quae modo ex illa prodeunt, in extrema ultione dissipantur: quae etiam cogitationes per lapides significari valent: perversa enim mens, cum perversae cogitationi perversiorem adicit, quasi lapidem supra lapidem ponit; sed cum ad ultionem suam anima ducitur, omnis cogitationum constructio dissipatur. Pravam autem animam Deus assidue visitat praecepto, aliquando flagello, aliquando autem miraculo, ut vera quae nesciebat audiat; et ea contemnens, aut dolore compuncta redeat, aut beneficiis devicta, malum quod fecit erubescat. Sed quia visitationis suae tempus non cognoscit, in extremo vitae traditur suis inimicis
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St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ut sup.
When He had related the evils that were to come upon the city, He straightway entered the temple, that He might cast out them that bought and sold in it. Shewing that the destruction of the people arose chiefly from the guilt of the priests.
St Ambrose † AD 397
For God wishes not His temple to be a house of traffic, but the dwelling-place of holiness, nor does He fix the priestly service in a saleable performance of religion, but in a free and willing obedience.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
Now there were in the temple a number of sellers who sold animals, by the custom of the law, for the sacrificial victims, but the time was now come for the shadows to pass away, and the truth of Christ to shine forth. Therefore Christ, who together with the Father was worshipped in the temple, commanded the customs of the law to be reformed, but the temple to become a house of prayer; as it is added, My house, &c.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604
For they who sat in the temple to receive money would doubtless sometimes make exaction to the injury of those who gave them none.
Theophylact † 1107
The same thing our Lord did also at the beginning of His preaching, as John relates; and now He did it a second time, because the crime of the Jews was much increased by their not having been chastened by the former warning.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Qu. Ev. lib. ii. qu. 48.
Now mystically, you must understand by the temple Christ Himself, as man in His human nature, or with His body united to Him, that is, the Church. But inasmuch as He is the Head of the Church, it was said, Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days. (John 2:19.) Inasmuch as the Church is joined to Him, is the temple so interpreted, of which He seems to have spoken in the same place, Take these away from hence; signifying that there would be those in the Church who would rather be pursuing their own interest, or find a shelter therein to conceal their wickedness, than follow after the love of Christ, and by confession of their sins receiving pardon be restored.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 Hom. 39. ut sup.
But our Redeemer does not withdraw His word of preaching even from the unworthy and ungrateful. Accordingly after having by the ejection of the corrupt maintained the strictness of discipline, He now pours forth the gifts of grace. For it follows, And he was teaching daily in the temple.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
Now from what Christ had said and done it was meet that men should worship Him as God, but far from doing this, they sought to slay Him; as it follows, But the chief priests and scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him.
St Bede † AD 735
Either because He daily taught in the temple, or because He had cast the thieves therefrom, or that coming thereto as King and Lord, He was greeted with the honour of a heavenly hymn of praise.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
But the people held Christ in far higher estimation than the Scribes and Pharisees, and chiefs of the Jews, who not receiving the faith of Christ themselves, rebuked others. Hence it follows, And they could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentire to hear him.
St Bede † AD 735
This may be taken in two ways; either that fearing a tumult of the people they knew not what they should do with Jesus, whom they had settled to destroy; or they sought to destroy Him because they perceived their own authority set aside, and multitudes flocking to hear Him.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ut sup.
Mystically, such as the temple of God is in a city, such is the life of the religious in a faithful people. And there are frequently some who take upon themselves the religious habit, and while they are receiving the privilege of Holy Orders, are sinking the sacred office of religion into a bargain of worldly traffic. For the sellers in the temple are those who give at a certain price that which is the rightful possession of others. For to sell justice is to observe it on condition of receiving a reward. But the buyers in the temple are those, who whilst unwilling to discharge what is just to their neighbour, and disdaining to do what they are in duty bound to, by paying a price to their patrons, purchase sin.
Origen † AD 253
If any then sells, let him be cast out, and especially if he sells doves. For of those things which have been revealed and committed to me by the Holy Spirit, I either sell for money to the people, or do not teach without hire, what else do I but sell a dove, that is, the Holy Spirit?
St Ambrose † AD 397
Therefore our Lord teaches generally that all worldly bargains should be far removed from the temple of God; but spiritually He drove away the money-changers, who seek gain from the Lord’s money, that is, the divine Scripture, lest they should discern good and evil.
St Gregory the Great † AD 604 ut sup.
And these make the house of God a den of thieves, because when corrupt men hold religious offices, they slay with the sword of their wickedness their neighbours, whom they ought to raise to life by the intercession of their prayers. The temple also is the soul of the faithful, which if it put forth corrupt thoughts to the injury of a neighbour, then is it become as it were a lurking place of thieves. But when the soul of the faithful is wisely instructed to shun evil, truth teaches daily in the temple.
The Latin text
Gregorius in Evang
Qui narraverat mala ventura, protinus templum ingressus est, ut de illo vendentes et ementes eiceret, ostendens quod ruina populi maxime ex culpa sacerdotum fuit; unde dicitur et ingressus in templum, coepit eicere vendentes in illo et ementes
Ambrosius
Deus enim templum suum non mercatoris vult esse diversorium, sed domicilium sanctitatis; nec vendibili religionis officio, sed obsequio gratuito usum ministerii sacerdotalis informat
Cyrillus
Erat autem in templo multitudo mercatorum, qui vendebant animalia ritu legis mactanda in hostiis. Sed iam aderat tempus desinendi umbram, refulgendi vero Christi veritatem: ob hoc Christus, qui cum patre simul colebatur in templo, iussit ritus corrigi legis, fieri vero templum orationis domum; unde subditur dicens illis: scriptum est, quia domus mea domus orationis est; vos autem fecistis eam speluncam latronum
Gregorius
Qui enim ad accipienda munera in templo residebant, quia quibusdam non dantibus laesiones exquirerent, dubium non erat
Theophylactus
Hoc etiam dominus fecit in principio praedicationis suae, ut narrat Ioannes; et nunc iterum illud fecit: quod ad maius crimen Iudaeorum redundat, qui non fuerunt ex priori admonitione castigati
Augustinus de quaest. Evang
Mystice autem templum ipsum hominem Christum intelligas, vel etiam adiuncto corpore eius quod est Ecclesia. Secundum autem id quod est caput Ecclesiae, dictum est: solvite templum hoc, et in triduo suscitabo illud; secundum id vero quod est adiuncta Ecclesia, intelligitur templum de quo videtur dixisse: auferte ista hinc. Significavit enim futuros in Ecclesia qui sua negotia potius agerent, vel receptacula ibi haberent ad occultanda scelera sua, quam ut caritatem Christi sequerentur, et peccatorum confessione, accepta venia, corrigerentur
Gregorius in Evang
Redemptor vero noster praedicationis verba nec indignis, nec ingratis subtrahit; unde postquam rigorem disciplinae eiciendo perversos tenuit, donum his gratiae ostendit; nam subditur et erat docens quotidie in templo
Cyrillus
Decebat autem ex his quae Christus dixerat et fecerat, eum adorare ut Deum; sed ipsi nequaquam hoc facientes quaerebant eum occidere; sequitur enim principes autem sacerdotum et Scribae et principes plebis quaerebant illum perdere
Beda
Vel quia quotidie docebat in templo, vel quia latrones eiecerat de templo, vel quia veniens illuc quasi rex et dominus a credentium turba laudem hymni caelestis accepit
Cyrillus
Sed populus graviorem aestimationem accepit de Christo quam Scribae, et Pharisaei, et principes Iudaeorum, qui fidem Christi non acceptantes, alios increpabant; unde sequitur et non inveniebant quid facerent illi; omnis enim populus suspensus erat audiens illum
Beda
Quod duobus modis intelligi potest: quia vel timentes populi tumultum, non inveniebant quid facerent de Iesu, quem perdere disposuerant; vel ideo Iesum perdere quaerebant, quia, suo magisterio neglecto, plures ad eum audiendum confluere cernebant
Gregorius
Mystice autem sicut templum Dei in civitate est, ita in plebe fideli vita religiosorum. Et saepe nonnulli religionis habitum sumunt, et dum sacrorum ordinum locum percipiunt, sanctae religionis officium in commercium terrenae negotiationis trahunt. Vendentes quippe in templo sunt qui hoc quod quibusdam iure competit, ad praemium largiuntur; iustitiam enim vendere est, hanc pro praemii acceptione servare. Ementes vero in templo sunt qui dum hoc persolvere proximo quod iustum est nolunt, dumque rem iure debitam facere contemnunt, dato patronis praemio emunt peccatum
Origenes in Lucam
Si quis ergo vendit, eicietur; et praecipue si vendit columbas. Si enim ea quae mihi a spiritu sancto sunt revelata et credita, aut in vulgus pretio vendidero, aut absque mercede non docuero; quid aliud facio nisi columbam, idest spiritum sanctum, vendo?
Ambrosius
Generaliter itaque dominus docet saeculares a Dei templo abesse debere contractus. Spiritualiter autem nummularios repulit, qui de pecunia domini, idest Scriptura divina, lucrum quaerunt, nec bona malaque discernunt
Gregorius
Qui domum Dei speluncam latronum faciunt, quia dum perversi homines locum religionis tenent, ibi malitiae suae gladiis occidunt ubi vivificare proximos orationis suae intercessione debuerunt. Templum quoque est ipsa mens fidelium; quae si in laesione proximi perversas cogitationes profert, quasi in spelunca latrones resident; cum autem mentem fidelium ad cavenda mala subtiliter erudit, quotidie veritas in templo docet
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19:2
Ver. 2. And behold, there was a man named Zacchæus, which was the chief among the publicans. Christ gave sight to the blind man near Jericho; soon after, in Jericho itself, He converted Zacchæus, for no place, no road, no moment of time was idle to Christ, but all were made notable by divine mercies, benefits, and miracles, that He might teach us to do the same. "Zacchmus." This name is as it were an omen of his future righteousness and purification, for Zacchæus in Hebrew is the same as just, pure, clear. The chiefs of the publicans had many publicans, that is collectors of the taxes, under them. These taxes the Romans and Tiberius had imposed on the Jews against their will. Hence the publicans were hated by the Jews and accounted infamous, being called Parisim, that is, robbers. The chief was called Gabba; whence the word Gabella, the publicans being called Gabbaim. Angelus Caninus on Hebrew words in New Testament.
And he was rich. The chiefs of the publicans were not appointed unless they were rich, that they might advance money to the Roman ruler when he wanted it, and supply, in a great degree, the deficiencies of the publicans under him. S. Luke adds this to show better the grace of Christ and the virtue of Zacchæus, since he left his great wealth for the calling and love of Christ, and distributed it among the poor.
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Ver. 3. And he sought to see. He took pains to see Jesus in person as he had heard of His reputation, from the fame of His virtues and miracles. For we wish to see great men and to know them in person. But Zacchæus, beside his natural wish, was impelled by one above nature, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He desired to see Jesus that he might be absolved of his sins by Him, and be justified and made holy. "He wished," says S. Chrysostom in his Homily on Zacchaeus, "to know by sight one whom he had known before in imagination, to see the face of Him whom he had seen before in mind, to look upon Him as present whom he had never seen do any works; that the love of Christ which he had conceived in his heart might be gratified to the full by the sight of his eyes."
Ver. 3. And he could not. But he was exalted in mind. Many of the heroes and saints were men of small stature, as I have shown in Zec 4:0 and Ecclus. 11:3, on the words, "The bee is small among flying things, but her fruit is the chief of sweetest things." It is in minimis that the supreme majesty of God, His glory, strength, and greatness, most clearly shine forth. "The crowd," says S. Cyril, "is the confusion of a multitude, which we must climb above, if we wish to see Christ."
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Ver. 4. And he ran. Mystically, the sycamore is the cross of Christ and His doctrine, which to the Gentiles and men of this world is mere folly, but to Zacchæus and the faithful is the wisdom of God, and the power of God. 1 Cor. i. 24. S. Gregory, lib. xxvii. Moral.: in fine, "Let us leave the wisdom that is hurtful, that we may gain that which is to our profit, &c. The dwarf Zacchæus submitted himself to the sycamore tree and saw the Lord; for they who choose humbly the folly of the world, these wisely contemplate the wisdom of God. A multitude hinders our slowness to see God, for the tumults of worldly cares so press upon the infirmity of the human mind that it cannot contemplate the light of truth. We are wise to ascend the sycamore if we retain in our minds, with forethought, that foolishness which is received from God." Theophylact speaks as follows: "We climb the fig-tree; that is, we ascend above the allurements of pleasure, which is signified by the fig-tree we mount up by Penitence, but we come down through Humility."
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Ver. 5. And when Jesus came to the place. Christ compensates the zeal of Zacchæus to see Him by His full Exhibition and Presence. Christ inspired Zacchæus with this ardour that He might perfect him by entering his house. Christ indeed went thither that He might arouse this feeling, and by it be received by Zacchæus as his guest, and bring blessing and salvation to his whole house. For, although the Saviour of the world, He came to sanctify sinners. "Jesus had not heard the voice of Zacchæus inviting him," said S. Ambrose, "but He had seen his feeling." Christ therefore not only offered Himself to be seen by Zacchæus, who wished to see Him, but He also gave Himself to be possessed by him, and therefore chose to remain in his house, rather than in the house of any one else. Moraliter. Let us learn to desire Christ and His inner conversation and grace, for Christ will soon offer Himself to us, and fulfil our desire, and as much as is that desire will be His conversation; for Wisdom, that is Christ, will meet him who fears and longs for God. "As a mother shall she meet him, with the bread of understanding shall she feed him, and give him the water of wisdom to drink." Ecclus. 15:2-3. And Ecclus 24:19-20., "Come unto me, all ye that be desirous of me, and fill yourselves with my fruits. For my memorial is sweeter than honey," and Joh 7:37-38. Zacchæus, then, saw Christ with the eyes and sight of his body, and still more with those of his mind, by which Christ enlightened his soul to discern that he was the Saviour who would forgive the sins of those who repent, and give them salvation, that is, righteousness, grace, and glory. The countenance of Jesus therefore is not fruitless, and of no effect, but efficacious and operative. For by this alone He attracts men to His love, changes them, and brings them to salvation. Hence, says S. Cyril, "Jesus saw the mind of Zacchæus striving very earnestly after a holy life."
For to-day I must abide at thy house. "Zacchæus," says Titus, wished only for the sight of Jesus, but He who knows how to do more than we ask, gave him what was beyond his expectation; for Christ of His great bounty exceeds the prayers and powers of the petitioners." "Christ promised," says S. Chrysostom in his homily on Zacchæus, "that He would come to his house, whose soul and its desires He already possessed."
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Ver. 6. And He made haste, and came down see the prompt obedience of Zacchæus, which deserved salvation and received Him gladly. Zacchæus received Christ into his house, and Christ in return bestowed on him salvation. "Zacchæus rejoiced," says Euthymius, "because he had not only seen Christ, according to his wish, but because he had also been called by Him, and had received Him as his guest, a thing he had never hoped for."
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Ver. 7. And when they saw it, they all murmured. ("All" the Pharisees, and the Jews their parasites, who hated the publicans.) They murmured, saying that he was gone, &c. The publicans were held by the Jews to be impious, unjust, wicked, and they often were such. Some think that "sinner" here means that Zacchæus was a Gentile and idolater. Such is the opinion of Tertullian, SS. Cyprian, Ambrose, Bede, and from them Maldonatus. And that Zacchæus speaks of a restitution of things exacted so unjustly, which was of a natural law, and not ordered by Moses. S. Chrysostom, in his sermon on Zacchæus, says, "He was a son of Abraham by faith, not by birth; by merit, not by descent; by devotion, not by race." But the contrary is equally probable, perhaps more so, namely, that Zacchæus was a Jew, not a Gentile. 1. Because, ver. 9, he is called a son of Abraham. 2. Because Christ only conversed with Jews, for He was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Hence He is called by S. Paul "minister of the circumcision," Rom 15:8Rom 15:3. Because Zacchæus is a Hebrew name. 4. Because the Jews would not have been silent on the matter but would have brought it against Jesus that he held communion with the Gentiles when the Messiah was promised to the Jews alone. Ver. 8. And Zacchæus stood, and said unto the Lord. We cannot, doubt that Christ as soon as He entered the house of Zacchæus began, according to His custom, to teach and exhort both Zacchæus himself and those of his household, to faith and repentance, and, if they repented, to promise them grace, righteousness, and salvation. He would also urge upon them contempt of riches and the world, and the acceptance of poverty and evangelical perfection, by following Him and giving their goods to the poor, that they might receive treasure in heaven, and a hundredfold in this life. S. Luke, for the sake of brevity, says nothing of this; but from what follows, and from what he had frequently said before, especially Luk 18:22, of the custom of Christ to teach and preach, He leaves it to be understood. For by these words of Christ Zacchæus was plainly converted to faith, repentance, poverty, and contempt of riches and the world. He said,
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Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I gave to the poor. He therefore did not keep one half for himself, but gave back to others what they had been unjustly defrauded of. For he adds, "If I have wronged any man of any thing, I restore him fourfold." "I give," "I restore," that is, I am resolved from this time, and firmly determine to give and restore according to Thy doctrine and exhortation. On account of this efficacious resolution of the penitent Zacchæus, Christ added as a reward, "This day is salvation come to this house." So S. Ambrose, Bede, Euthymius, Tertullian in his fourth book against Marcion, Fulgentius in his epistle to Galla. It is a Hebraism, similar to that of Pharaoh, Exod. v. 10: "I give you not straw," that is, I decree and command that straw is not given to you. Matt. xxvi. 18: "I will keep the Passover at thy house," that is, I will, I determine to keep it. S. Cyprian, however, in his tract On Works and Almsgiving, has explained the words "give" and "restore," by the perfect tense: "I have given, I have restored," as if Zacchæus had been converted previously by other discourses of Christ which he had heard.
And if I have, &c. The Greek is ε̉συκοφάντησα, that is, accused falsely of fraud, calumny, or any other like offence. Zacchæus owns to the crime of defrauding, but in a slight degree: for when, for the sum defrauded he restored fourfold out of his own half of his property, it follows that he gained only an eighth part of his wealth by fraud; so that, if he had eight thousand gold pieces, only one thousand was gained thus, the other seven being his own, either by inheritance, or some other just manner. Observe the sudden and miraculous conversion of Zacchæus, through the grace of Christ, so that he not only repented at once, but also resolved to put away all the wealth to which he had previously clung, for he set apart half for the poor and half for restitution. Thus he instantly embraced the precept of evangelical poverty, that he might forsake all things, and, as a poor man, follow the work of his hands. "Hear a wonderful thing," says S. Chrysostom, in his Homily on Zacchæus, "He had not yet learnt, and he obeyed. The Saviour by the rays of His righteousness, put to flight the darkness of Zacchæus' wickedness." And Bede, "Behold, the camel has laid down his burden, and passed through the eye of the needle that is, he gave up the love of riches, and received the blessing of the Lord's adoption. This is the folly which is wisdom, and which the publican chose from the sycamore as the fruit of life; restoring what he had seized, giving up his own, despising things seen." And Theophylact, "Behold his alacrity; he began to sow not sparingly, nor did he give a few things but his whole life." And S. Bernard (Serm. x, on Festival of all Saints), addressing his own Religious: "Zacchæus, whose praise is in the Gospel, gave the half of his goods to the poor, but I see here many Zacchæuses, who have left themselves nothing of all their property. Who shall write a gospel of these Zacchæuses, nay, of these Peters who shall say in faith, 'Lord, behold, we have left all things and followed Thee?' But it is written in the everlasting gospel; it is written and signed in the book of life, 'Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.'" "I restore," that is, I determine and firmly resolve to restore; nor can we doubt that he acted at once upon this resolve, and carried it out into actual practice.
Fourfold. It was not by the law of nature, nor by that of Moses, that Zacchæus bound himself to restore fourfold; as both only oblige him to restore the original sum. He resolved to perform this great and superabundant act of restitution and justice of his fervent charity and repentance. This is in conformity with the law of Exodus xxii. 1, which orders that a man who has stolen a sheep, should be condemned by the judge to restore fourfold. Zacchæus said this, not from boasting and ostentation, but partly from the fervour with which he had been inspired by Christ and the Holy Ghost, partly to refute the calumny of the scribes, who objected to Christ, that He associated with a sinner. For he shows that he was now no longer a sinner, but repentant and just nay, more just than the just and holy. In trope, S. Chrysostom (Hom. lxxviii) teaches us that we must adorn the house of our souls with almsgiving and righteousness, like Zacchæus, if we desire to receive Christ as a guest.
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Ver. 9. And Jesus said unto him. In answer to his words, but so that he might, appear to direct His face and voice not so much to him, as to the disciples and the multitude who stood by. There is a like enallage in Rom 10:2; Psa 3:3, and elsewhere.
This day is salvation come to this house. "Condemnation," says Euthymius, "which used to inhabit there, from its avarice having been turned out." The Arabic has "This day is salvation come to the dwellers in this house." "To this house." From this it appears that when Zacchæus believed and was converted, all his household followed his example, and believed in Christ, repented, and were justified and sanctified. Moreover, Zacchæus after his conversion, and the Resurrection and Ascension, became an attendant of S. Peter, and was ordained by him Bishop of Cæsarea in Palestine. S. Clim. Recognitions, lib. i. 3.
Forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. Because he followed the faith, righteousness, and holiness of Abraham. For by suffering, says Bede, he left his goods to the poor, as Abraham left his country and his father's house. It is said "he also," to show that not only the just but those also who repent of injustice, pertain to the sons of promise. So Tertullian (Bk. iv. against Marcion), Cyprian, and others cited above. S. Chrysostom, in his Homily on Zacchæus, vol. ii.: "Zacchæus made an offering of all he had, reserving part of his patrimony for the restitution of what he had gained by fraud. Abraham offered his son to the Lord, Zacchæus his substance. Abraham gave his heir, Zacchæus his inheritance. Abraham displayed his only pledge for an offering, Zacchæus sacrificed the substance of his property. Thus Zacchæus is rightly termed the son of Abraham, for he followed the course of his father's glory. Again, Zacchæus was a son of Abraham, because he was a Jew, and a descendant of Abraham. As if Christ, when the Pharisees murmured at His consorting with Zacchæus, a publican, had answered them, "You have no cause to murmur, for Zacchæus is an Israelite, and in his ancestor and father Abraham he has the closest right to the Messiah and salvation. Thus he has no right to be neglected by Me, who am that Messiah, because he is a publican; but because he is a penitent, he ought to receive my adoption and blessing." Bede, in allegory and trope, thus applies each part of this history to the faithful and holy: "Zacchæus, that is, pure and justified, signifies a faithful people of the Gentiles who, when depressed by temporal occupations, and of no account, wished to see Christ enter Jericho; that is to share in the faith which Christ brought to the world. The multitude is the habit of vices, which, when it opposed him, he overthrew by relinquishing earthly things, and ascending the tree of the cross. The sycamore is a tall tree, and hence it is called lofty, and the foolish fig, σύκη μώζα. It is indeed derided by the unbelieving as a foolish cross, but it sustains the believer as a fig. The man of small stature climbs it, when the humble cries out, 'far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of Christ.' The Lord therefore comes, that is, through His preachers, to the people of the nations. He sees, that is He chooses, through grace. He remains in the house of the dwarf Zacchæus, that is, He rests in the hearts of humble nations. Zacchæus descends from the sycamore, for although we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet we do not know Him now. Although He died through infirmity, yet He is alive now from the power of God." The Church rightly reads this gospel of Zacchæus at the consecration of churches. Firstly, because Christ says in it, "This day is salvation come to this house" words that are rightly applied to the churches when they are consecrated. For the dedication is, as it were, the salvation of the church. The church is consecrated to the salvation of many who are to be justified in it by preaching, prayer, contrition, confession, and absolution. Again, Christ says, "To-day I must abide in thy house." In like manner Christ abides in a consecrated church, through the venerable sacrifice and sacrament of the Eucharist. For by consecration a church is made the abode and home of Christ. Thirdly, the material is a type of the spiritual Church, that is, of the faithful soul, in which Christ more especially desires to abide, for He wished to dwell in the soul, even more than in the house of Zacchæus, according to the words, "Your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you. Glorify God therefore in your body." 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.
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Ver. 10. For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save. It is not wonderful that Christ converted and saved Zacchæus, and publicans and sinners, for, to this He had been sent by the Father, and to this He Himself had come into the world. As, then, the skill of the physician is shown in healing inveterate, hopeless, and desperate diseases, so the supreme virtue of Christ, the Arch-physician, shone out in curing those diseases of the soul, which by nature are incurable, like avarice in publicans. Thus He drew Zacchæus, the publican, not only to despise avarice and all wealth, but to embrace evangelical poverty. In the same way He called the publican and made him an Apostle. The history of Peter the Publican or Telonarius, who gave up all his wealth, and caused himself to be sold for a slave, and the money to be given to the poor, is a further case in point.
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Ver. 11. And as they heard these things. Christ had made frequent mention of His kingdom, and had promised it to His followers. The Apostles hoped, therefore, that it would be brought to pass now, as He was going to Jerusalem, and that they as His friends would share in it, and reign with Him among the first. The fame and glory of Christ, which had shone forth with so much brightness and brilliance from His recent miracles, and especially, the stupendous conversion of Zacchæus, increased this hope, from which, as Jesus was entering Jerusalem a little after, the Apostles set Him upon an ass, and cried to the same multitude, as if He were the Messiah and the King, about to be inaugurated in Jerusalem, "Blessed is the kingdom of our father David which cometh" "Blessed be the King who cometh in the name of the Lord." Ver. 38. Christ, therefore, to disabuse them of this opinion, spoke the following parable, by which He signified that He must first be put to death by the Jews, and rule by faith throughout the whole world. Ver. 12. He said therefore, A certain nobleman. Syriac, "The son of a great stock." This nobleman is Christ in His human nature. For as S. Basil says in the Catena, Christ is noble not only in His Godhead, but also in His human nature, for He is of the seed of David, according to that which Daniel saw and heard. "He gave to Him power, and honour, and a kingdom." Eusebius adds, on this, "He does not call Himself a king as yet, because in His first coming He did not discharge the duties of a king." For although this kingdom was due to Christ from the beginning, because of His Hypostatical Union with the Word, yet He willed to merit it only by His passion and death on the Cross, and not to enter upon the possession of it till after His resurrection, according to the words in chap. xxiv. 26. Christ therefore went into a far country when, on the fortieth day from His death and resurrection, He went up into heaven, where He entered upon His kingdom, that He might thus be the King of the whole world; and rule alike upon earth and in heaven. So Theophylact, Titus, Euthymius, and others. Christ therefore shall return from heaven to earth on the day of judgment, firstly, to show His kingdom visibly to all men; secondly, to take final judgment, as well on His elect as on the reprobate, and those who are unbelieving and disobedient; thirdly, to bring His elect into His heavenly kingdom, and make them partakers of His glory, as the Angels on His ascension declared to the Apostles, Acts i. II. Christ shall then return, that He may unite the kingdom of earth to the kingdom of heaven, and show Himself the Lord of earth and heaven, and remove His faithful from earth to His kingdom in heaven.
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Ver. 13. And he called, &c. That you may increase my gain and your own. "Ten," that is all his servants, for he gave to each man a mna as appears from what follows. Christ would have us continually traffic with the "mnas," that is His talents, gifts, graces, which He has given us, that we may assiduously increase our gain of works and merits. He forbids us therefore to be idle; so that our whole life ought not to be one of ease, but of continual trading in spiritual gain, which, says S. Gregory to Dominicus (lib. 1 Ep.39), "we truly carry on, if by our lives and words we bring profit to the souls of our neighbours; if by preaching the joys of heaven we strengthen the feeble in the love of things heavenly; if we bow down the bold and haughty by inflexibly proclaiming the punishments of Gehenna: if we spare no man for Truth's sake: if, given up to heavenly friendships, we fear no human enmity." He adds, "But I fear the burthen of my weakness for this work. I see Him when He has received His kingdom, returning and bringing me to account, and with what heart shall I endure His presence, to whom, in return for the work I have undertaken, I bring no gain of souls, or almost none?" This he says. As much more humble, so much greater. Ver. 14. But his citizens hated him, and sent. The Syriac, "The sons of his state:" The scribes and Jews, that is, hated Jesus, because He taxed them with their vices, and they sent an embassage after Him, saying, "we will not have this man (Jesus, who was poor, of small account, and the son of a carpenter) to rule over us." This was fulfilled after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven when they sent Saul to Damascus to take all who believed in Christ, and root out His faith, name, and kingdom. The same took place when the same men shut up S. Peter and the Apostles in prison, and scourged them, and when they stoned S. Stephen, and slew S. James, and persecuted the rest of the Christians, and still persecute them. Ver. 15. And it came to pass. The Syriac and Arabic, "And when He had received the kingdom and returned." "This part of the parable," says Euthymius, "is about the second advent, when He shall return with great power and glory, and sit upon the throne of His glory, for He shall then take account and render to every man according to his work." So S. Augustine, Theophylact, Bede, and others. I have explained the rest, Mat 24:19.
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Ver. 16. Thy pound hath, &c. As one seed of wheat sown in a field, by its power sucks up juice from the earth, and converts it into itself, and produces ten, nay, thirty and sixty seeds and grains of wheat. The Arabic has, "Thy mna has gained ten." He did not say, "I have gained," but, "thy mna," because, granted that the freedom and co-operation of our wills concur to a good work, still, the whole working is of divine grace, and not of our will, for the work only has it from our will that it is free; but it has it from grace, that it is supernatural, pleasing to God, and meritorious. Hence S. Paul, 1Co 15:10. Ver. 17. And he said unto him, Well. That is, for one mna thou shalt receive a thousand and a thousand, nay the government of one Province or Decapolis, ten cities or more. That is, for a little labour and care on earth thou shalt receive great, nay, the very greatest, ineffable rewards in heaven, and shalt especially precede those on whom thou hast expended the gifts of God on earth, and whom thou hast converted to Christ or hast moved to His faith and goodness. S. Ambrose gives the reason: "As the angels are preferred to be first, so are they also who have merited the life of angels." And Bede more concisely: "Be it so that thou receivest power over ten cities, that is, thou shalt have more abundant happiness and honour in the heavens, and shalt be glorified above, for all and by all to whom thou hast been a fellow-worker in their salvation. For even after the judgment there will an order of dignity, and fitting mutual honour among the blessed." Hence the words of the Apostle, 1 Thess. ii 19.
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Ver. 18. And the second came, saying. Here is shown the use of free will, and how much is effected by its strenuous co-operation with grace. For the first servant by this means gained ten mnas from one, but this one, by less diligence and labour from one, gained only five.
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Ver. 19. And he said, &c. "According to the measure of each one's diligence," says Euthymius, "are honour and reward measured out to him."
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Ver. 20. And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound "I give it back to thee, whole, but without gain or increase." "To tie up money in a napkin," says Bede, "is to hide our gifts under the idleness of a lifeless torpor."
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Ver. 27. But those mine enemies (the Jews, His citizens, who would not have Him to reign over them) bring them hither to my Tribunal, in the valley of Jehosaphat and Jerusalem and kill them before Me." In the Greek, "Kill them before my face." Our Lord alludes to those victorious kings who slew and destroyed their conquered rebels. By this destruction Christ signifies the extreme judgment of the Jews and His other enemies, and their own condemnation to eternal death in Gehenna, and that a living and vital death, where they will be perpetually tormented by death-dealing flames, and yet will never die. Our Lord alludes to Titus, who slaughtered the conquered Jews. He describes precisely to the letter the condemnation of the Jews, and the Gehenna which He has appointed for them when He shall return from heaven to judge and condemn them and the reprobate.
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Ver. 28. And when He had thus spoken, He went. From Jericho and the house of Zacchæus, going up to Jerusalem, that He might here begin to fulfil His own words as to His Passion, Cross, Death, consequent Resurrection, Kingdom, Glory, and judgment. He preceded the Apostles in this journey, which they abhorred, as their Leader and Captain, to show them that He could go cheerfully and bravely to death, nay even as if He were about to provoke death to a conflict: for He was about, through death, to go to a far distant country, namely to heaven, to possess a celestial and eternal kingdom.
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Ver. 37. To praise God with aloud voice (saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, Mat 21:9) for all the mighty works they had seen. Chiefly the resurrection to life of Lazarus, for it was because of this that the multitude came to meet Him. John xii. 18. So Bede.
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Ver. 38. Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord. That is, our King, the Messiah or Christ, who was sent by God to save us and give us His blessing.
Peace in heaven. That through Christ we may have peace with God and the angels, who are offended at our sins, and therefore glory on high, to Him who dwells in the heavens. "He is called the King," says Bede, "not to exact tribute or to arm a host, and visibly destroy His enemies, but because He rules our souls and leads us up into heaven." "Because," he adds, "Christ shone forth in the flesh as the Propitiation of the whole world. Rightly therefore the Heavenly Host, that is the angels who sang at His birth and men who praised Him, when He was about to return to heaven, unite one with another in His praises." Theophylact: "It is shown that the former war, in which we opposed God, has vanished away, and that God is praised by the angels in such a Reconciliation. The same fact, also, that God walks in our land shows that He is in unity with us."
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Ver. 41. And when He, &c. To show the bowels of His love to it. How dear to Him was the salvation of the Jews, for to this had He been sent by the Father as the Messiah and Saviour. He wept therefore among all the joys of His triumph, and amidst the happy declamations of those who congratulated Him and shouted Hosanna, that He might temper their joy, by a mixture as it were of gall. He wept as well over the blindness, obduracy, and ingratitude of the people of Jerusalem, because they would not receive Him as their Messiah and Saviour, as for the vengeance of God towards them and the destruction of their nation by Titus; and because He saw His own labours and, sufferings for them frustrated and rendered of no effect. These three causes wrung tears from Christ, from the vehemence of His grief. So S. Cyril, Bede, Theophylact and others. In trope, Origen says, "Christ fulfilled all the beatitudes in His own Person. He said, 'Blessed are they that mourn,' and He therefore wept."
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Ver. 42. If thou hadst known. "As I know," says S. Gregory (hom. 39), Bede and others. Because I am come to thee as thy Messiah, for thy salvation, to save thee, and bring thee everlasting blessing, according to the words of Zech. ix. If thou hadst known what is for thy good, salvation, and happiness, namely, penitence and faith in Me, which I have taught thee these three years past, thou wouldst weep, as I do, for thy past blindness and obstinacy. Euthymius supplies, "Thou wouldst in no wise perish." Others say, "Thou wouldst bear thyself otherwise; listen to Me, and believe in Me." The Syriac has, "If thou hadst known the things that are for thy peace and salvation in this thy day." The Arabic. "If thou hadst known, even thou, and in this thy day, how much peace there was for thee in it." Peace, in Hebrew, means prosperity, safety, happiness, every good, both of body and soul. It is an aposopiopesis, showing the profound passion of grief and indignation in Christ, for He upbraids the ungrateful city with its unbelief, obstinacy, and ingratitude. This feeling in Christ was so strong that it choked His voice, and compelled Him to be silent, as by aposopiopesis. "For those who weep," says Euthymius, "break off their words abruptly, from the strength of their feelings." There is again great passion "pathos," in the words; "Even thou, O daughter of Zion, by Me so beloved, so honoured, so enriched: for thee have I come from heaven to earth, for thee was I born at Bethlehem, for thee have I lived thirty-four years in continued labour, suffering, poverty. For three years have I taught and preached in thy towns and villages; I have healed thy lepers, thy sick, thy possessed; I have restored thy dead to life. Thou, therefore, daughter of Jerusalem, why dost thou not return the love of one who so loves thee, but scornest and destroyest Him as an enemy? It will come, it will come shortly, that great day of the Lord, in which thou will too late confess thy unbelief and lament thy blindness. This is thy day, in which thou vainly exultest in thy wealth, thy luxury, thy pomps. But My day shall come, yea, the day of the Lord, in which He will most grievously punish thee, and utterly root thee out, and in which thou shalt pour forth the inconsolable and never ceasing tears of most bitter anguish." Similar is the passion of Christ to the traitor Judas. Psa 5:13. In trope, S. Gregory in his 39th Homily says, "The perverse soul, which delights in the passing day, here meets its day. The soul, that is, to which present things are peace, because, while it takes pleasure in temporal prosperity: while it is elevated by honour while it is dissolved in the pleasures of sense, while it is terrified by no thoughts of a punishment to come, it has peace in its day, although in one to come it will meet with heavy condemnation. For it will be afflicted when the righteous rejoice, and all that was lately for its peace will be turned into the bitterness of contention. For it will begin to be at strife with itself, and to question itself, as to why it had not feared the condemnation to come, and had shut the eyes of its soul to the prospect of the evils to come.
But now they are hid from Divine eyes. Because (de Industria) thou wouldst not know, says Titus. And Eusebius, in the Catena, "Christ makes known His coming for the peace of the world, and when they would not receive that peace, it was hidden from them." The Incarnation of Christ, His preaching, His passion, His resurrection, were hidden from the Jews. Equally so their own perfidy, blindness, ingratitude, and therefore their punishment and destruction by Titus. "For," says S. Gregory, "if we saw the evils that are impending, we should not rejoice in present prosperity." Again, in figure, "The perverse soul, while it loses itself in the enjoyments of the present life, what does it but walk with closed eyes into the fire?" Hence it is well written, In the day of good things be not unmindful of the evil. And S. Paul, "Let those that rejoice be as those that rejoice not." For if there is any joy in the present time, it should be so felt, as that the bitterness of the future judgment should never be absent from the thoughts, for while the reverent mind is pierced by fear of the final punishment, in proportion to its present rejoicing will the wrath hereafter be tempered. Ver.43. For the days shall come. The Greek reads, "Thy enemies shall cast up a bank about thee and compass thee round." The Arabic, "The days shall come in which thine enemies shall throw down thy standards, and shall surround thee." How truly Christ foretold this appears from Josephus, who in Bk. vi. Chap. 37, of his "Wars of the Jews," says that Titus and the Romans erected three mounds round Jerusalem, and, in the space of only three days, surrounded the whole city with a wall of 39 stadia, so that there should be neither exit nor passage for any one. Christ alludes to Isa 29:1-2, "Woe to Ariel," &c. For Jerusalem, which before was strong and unconquered, was, as it were, Ariel that is, the Lion of God, now deserted by me, and given over to destruction by the Romans, and to become, as it were, the ram of justice, and the sacrifice of divine vengeance. So Eusebius, S. Cyril and Theodoret on Isaiah xxix. I.
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And keep thee in on every side. To such a pitch of famine, and to such straits shalt thou be reduced that mothers shall devour even their own children. Josephus, "Wars of the Jews " chap. xiv. and following.
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Ver. 44. And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another. That is, shall destroy thee utterly; spoken in hyperbole, for the Romans were not so laborious or so idle, as to leave no stone upon another. S. Greg., hom. xxxix. The migration from the city is testified to, for it is now built on the spot where the Lord was crucified outside the gate. The former Jerusalem is utterly destroyed; for Mount Calvary is now in the middle of the new city.
Because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation. "The time of this visitation," says Titus, "is that of Christ's coming down from heaven." "In figure all these things," says S. Gregory hom. 39, "happen to the soul that has lived as a slave to the flesh. For then the devils surround it on all sides, tempt it, hedge it in, and carry it off to hell. Then all that erection of stones, that is, their thoughts, is overthrown, because they did not know the time of their visitation, when God by His preachers, His confessors, His masters, and His internal inspirations, warned them to amend their lives and take thought for their salvation." Greg., Dial. Bk. iv chaps. 30, 38, 46, 52, and following, gives the dreadful example of Chrysaorius Theodore, King Theodoric, and others.
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19,1. Et ingressus perambulabat Iericho.. v. 1 et ingressus perambulabat Tericho, evheyszo scil. lente dum per urbem iter faceret evenit quod narratur (Schanz, Weiss); alii tamen extra urbem id evenisse censent (Schegg), quia in angustis urbis vils non esset arbori locus. Solet sycomorus crescere ad altitudinem 40-50 pedum et caput arboris ramis fere recta extensis non raro habet diametrum 40 passuum (cf. Rzehm, Handwoerterb. d. bibl. Alt. 963);
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2. Et ecce vir nomine Zachaeus; 19,1. Kel elocdOmv Sifoyeto tHy ‘le- > PK ety’ 2. zat (dod advyo dvouete zxdodpely, | t \ > ~ f 2 \ > +> > x TOV Insoty Tig COTLV, Z~AL OVA YWOvVYATO aro A ° \ ve r \ “UL KxvToe TAOVGaLOs 3. xat Tod Syov, Str tH HAtmla ptnpos Fv. 4. zat § en, moodeapiny ets to Eunpoaley avébn ent cuxomopéav, Yva ton adtdv: Ott éxetvng Huedrev Srépyeodar. 5. xat ag FAOev ext tov. témov, dvabhébag “Inoots etxev xpd¢ adtév, Zaxyate, onevous, xarx6nOt" orpepov yee év tH olzp cov Get pe petvat. 6. xal anevoag naté6y, xl Oredsgato adtov yatowv. 7. zal iWdvteg navies Oreydyyvtov, Aeyovtes, Str nape duaptwhé dvaot elo7jrlev narahboar. 8. Lrabete 6 Zanyatos etnev Haec de Zachaeo a solo Luca narrantur. Clare hic demonstratur Christi gratia et clementia qua peccatores quaerit ut eos salvet v. 10; quare haec narratio gentilibus quoque admonitioni et solatio esse debebat. Simul illustratur quod antea Christus dixerat Soe Unde « quae impossibilia sunt apud homines possibilia sunt apud Deum ; ecce namque camelus deposita gibbi sarcina per foramen acus ein hoc est, dives et publicanus relicto onere divitiarum, contempto sensu fraudium angustam portam arctamque viam quae ad vitam ducit ascendit » (sim. S. Bon.); v. 2 et ecce vir nomine Zachaeus, nomen non inusitatum ef. Esdr. 2,9. Neh. 7,14 121; significare videtur idem atque Innocentius, et hie princeps erat publicanorum, zeprzhovne; aliis itaque portitoribus praeerat; fortasse totius regionis vel urbis vectigalia conduxerat quae alii ab ipso instituti portitores colligerent ct ad ipsum deferrent. lericho urbs celebris erat tum aliis tum opobalsamo unguento praestantissimo (Josephus, Antiq. 14,4. 1; 15,4. 2); unde commercium frequens adeoque multa vectigalia. ‘Quare ad ea conducenda non erat aptus nisi vir dives, qui quod pacto stabilitum erat si forte vectigalia deficerent solvere equiti romano, mancipi vectigalium totius provinciae, ex suo poterat; unde e¢ ipse dives; prout nomine indica- tur et in y. 9 clare dicitur, Zachaeus erat genere Iudaeus (uti recte iam sentiunt Ewth. Alb. Cai. Luc. Ipr. Ians. Lap. Sylv. Calm. et recentiores) !. | _ Mic ergo talis vir quem et vitae genus et fortunae indulgentia impellere poterat ad contemptum humilis Iesu (Ians.)
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v. 3 guaerebat videre Jesum quis esset, « quia salutis semen iam in eo ‘germinabat » (S. Cyr.); naturale utique est hominibus de facie nosse cupere eos quos fama magnos praedicat ac singulares et certe rumor de Jesu miraculis sparserat admiranda; at in Zachaeo ad desiderium naturale accessit divinus impulsus, ut esset ei prima ad salutem praeparatio quod cognoscendi Iesu desiderio tenetur (Luc. Lap.); quaerebat i. e. conabatur, satagebat; ef non poterat prae turba qua Iesus circumseptus erat, quia statura pusillus erat; unde non sine.lepida quadam simplicitate et industria huic defectui medetur
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v. 4 e¢ praccurrens cic sb Symoocbey scil. 2n partem urbis seu regionis quae erat adhuc ante Iesum ascendit m arborem sycomorum ut videret eum, guia inde erat transiturus ; Iesus autem qui illud desiderium in eius animo excitaverat pium illum conatum quem fortasse nonnemo cum risu excipiebat largissime re- _ muneratur
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v. 5 ef cum venisset ad locum suspiciens Tesus vidit illum; num admonitus ab aliquibus qui Zachaeum in ramis latentem viderant elusque nomen Jesu suggerunt? ita aliqui protestantes (cf. Wess) ; alii in medio relinquunt, num: tali modo vel ex se scientia altiore rem cognoverit (Bisp. Keil); at certe dicendum est Iesum totam rem ex se cognovisse; ipse enim sciebat quid in homine esset (Ioan. 2,25) et id iam ipsonarrandi modo indicatur : progreditur Iesus, sed eo loco subito _ sursum aspicit; nihil de aliorum admonitione vel verbis. Dein verba _quibus eum alloquitur respondent desiderio Zachaei idque quod ipse ausus erat sperare longe superant; num etiam dicent istud viri desiderium Tesu esse a turba suggestum ? nonne ex v. 7 potius concludendum, quo erant in publicanos animo eos nullatenus fuisse monituros Iesum de praefecto publicanorum, etsi eum vidissent et scivissent quod ile cuperet? Quare ad unam Jesu scientiam hoc est referendum (cf. S. Cyr. Lue. Lamy, Schegg, Fil.). « Et vidit Dominus ipsum Zachaeum; visus est et vidit; sed nisi visus. esset non videret; quos enim praedestinavit, illos et vocavit » (S. Aug. serm. 174,%; M. 38,942); e¢ dixit ad eum : Zachaee, tamquam notum compellat proprio nomine quem nunquam viderat, quae res haud dubie plurimum movit Zachaei animum (Lwc.) eique magnum attulit eaudium (ef. cat. Cr.); festinans descende quia hodie in domo tua oportet me manere; « volebas videre transeuntem ; hodie me apud te invenies habitantem » (S. Awg. serm. 113,3) et quod festinare iubet, ad magnitudinem pertinet beneficii, ut Ma/d. ait; nam bis dat qui cito dat, ter qui beneficium non petenti, non speranti offert, quater qui eum exhortatur quasi eius agens causam, ut diligens sit in accipiendo (Ma/d.). Dicit autem oportet, quasi non solum vellet, sed suo amore plane cogeretur, « oportet, ut caritati meae satisfaciam ; oportet propter te, ut opem tibi acquiram » (A/é.). Christus enim munificentia supplicum preces excedit et vota (Lap.);
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v. 6 et festinans descendit et excepit illum gaudens « non solum quod eum vidisset, ut optaverat, sed quod etiam ab illo vocatus esset quodque ipsum suscepisset, quod nunquam fore speraverat » (Ewth.). Sed qui modo patrantem miracula admirati laudem Deo dixerant, nunc de eodem indignantur et inter se conqueruntur y.
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7 ef cum viderent omnes murmurabant dicentes quod ad hominem peccatorem divertisset; portitores vel publicani habebantur peccatores (cf. Matth. 9,14. Luc. 15,1); iam is qui inter eos maiore dignitate eminebat, iis praefectus nonne maior quoque peccator cen-~ sendus erit? Habes hic indolem plebis mobilem spernentis Iesum si Verum quam praeclarus fructus ex Iesu clementia exortus sit, docemur
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v. 8 stans autem Zachaeus cum reverentia coram Domino, quasi servus coram hero, dixztad Dominum : eece dimidium bonorum meorum, Domine, do pauperibus, iam exsequitur illud Christi : facite vobis amicos de mammona (16,9) et quod dives ille princeps, invitatus a Iesu, praestare noluit, Zachaeus incipit facere non invitatus; ef si aliquem -defraudavi reddo quadruplum; amplissime itaque omnem iniuriam vel fraudem compensare vult; plus se facturum spondet quam - lege exigitur; fraude enim peracta et damno illato post sententiam iudicum duplum erat restituendum (Ex. 22,10); ex iure romano poterat pro furto manifesto (si fur in ipso scelere furandi deprehendebatur) quadruplum imponi i. e. quadrupli actio constituta est. Quod dicit <i tivdg th éounogdvenex, explicant aliqui dici ab eo mitiore sui ipsius accusationis modo pro é, 7 (Bisp. Weiss); at eum nolle aperte fateri pecca-— tum, incredibile est. Tantam enim ostendit animi promptitudinem statim dimidium bonorum devovens pauperibus ; insuper Iesus affirmat ' salutem factam esse domui eius, ita ut aliqua dissimulatio et tergiversatio qua peccata nollet fateri in eius animo assumi nequeat. Alii e contra contendunt nullius fraudis sibi fuisse conscium (Schegg, Fil..), Luc. 19,8-9. SLT id quod alii negant, quia alias ei non in mentem venisset. eius rei mentionem facere (cf. Schanz). Dicendum erit tum quidem certae alicuius fraudis vel iniustae extorsionis pecuniarum (cf. cuxcgayzsiy) certam memoriam eum non habuisse, at facile sibi persuasisse in tot negotiis et exactionibus vectigalium fen omnino potuisse, ut cuiquam inferretur iniuria. Ad talem animum verba apta sunt. Neque dici potest cum Luc. eum ita loqui ut ostendat se non esse tantum eulpabilem quantum ferret hominum opinio; de sui enim excusatione et purgatione non agit. Ex ea autem voce patet Zachaeum fuisse virum in munere suo probum qui sciens non admitteret fraudem et . iniustitiam, saltem prout ipse normam iustitiae intelligebat. Quare puto ab hac narratione recedere qui in Zachaeum invehantur : multos presserat, multis abstulerat (S. Aug. serm. 113,3); eiusnomen notum — erat et vulgatum propter infamiam rapacitatis (S. Bon.); iste et inique acquisivit opes et avare retinuit (A/6.), immo Theoph. neminem dubitare ait quin goyizsAwvas sit etiam zy RONG LOO 5 similiter Ipr.;. verum rectius Caz. dicit ex verbis eius « apparere quod non ex male acquisitis erat dives, asserendo enim se dimidium bonorum propriorum daturum eleemosynaliter et sub dubio ponendo fraudem quam etiam in quadruplo restituit, manifestat se non ex male partis divitem esse ». Quare perperam etiam aliqui censent eum putasse ut fraudes quadruplo compensaret opus esse altera dimidia bonorum parte eumque se ita plane omnibus exspoliasse (cf. Theoph. Luc. Lap.). Quod autem dicit, do, reddo, firmum ac fixum animi propositum enuntiat; « obtemperavit quippe Salomoni monenti : ne dicas : postea revertere et cras dabo » (Prov. 3,28;S. Cyr.). Christiapud pharisaeum -hospitium pharisaeis occasio erat insidiarum quas Iesu ponebant (44,1); aliter Zachaeus quem illi despiciebant hac Christi praesentia ‘usus est (cf. Beda); unde
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v. 9 ait Iesus ad eum xpes adzdv; cum Tesus in subsequenti eum non alloqui videatur, explicant aliqui de ¢o, id quod a notione vocis non est alienum (cf. Schanz); plerique tamen retinent ad eum; et certe prior pars potest dici ad eum : guia hodie salus domut huic facta est; Christus itaque suam gratiam et salutem messianam domui eius, ipsi et toti familiae, attualit; quae sequuntur contra murmurantes diriguntur ; proin ita enuntiata esse probabile est, ut Iesus se ad illos converteret quasi rationem reddens cur merito suo adventu etiam hance domum salute donaverit : eo quod et ipse jilius sit Abrahae et proinde iure quodam ex Dei foedere orto illi est offerenda salus messiana. Profitetur enim Christus se esse missum ad oves quae perierant domus Israel (Matth. 15,24) et apostolus quoque ludaeo primum esse evangelium praedicandum affirmat (Rom. 1,16). Cur itaque indignantur? Abrahae filium Iesus salute aout: « oportuit Iudaeos gratulari Zachaeo praeter spem salvato, quia et ipse de filiis erat Rbrshae quibus per Christum redemptionem Deus per s. prophetas promiserat » (S. Cyr.). Et qui de se superbe iactant ; filii Abraham sumus, cur non eandem filiationem in alio agnoscunt ac reverentur? Intelligitur itaque filius Abraham iure nativitatis; nam, ut Caz. bene dicit, affertur enim origo Zachaei pro confutatione murmurantium quod, apud virum peccatorem hospitatus esset (cf. S. Cyr. Luc. Bisp. Schegg, Schanz); quod alii saepius exponunt : filius Abrahae fidei et iustitiae imitatione (Theoph. Bon. Alb. Ipr. Lap. Lamy, Calm.), potius alium requireret dicendi modum : factus est filius Abraham. Et cur ad peccatores divertat rationem reddit amplissimam et solatio pro omnibus plenissimam
19:10
v. 10 venzt enim Filius hominis quaerere et salvum facere quod perierat; cf. Matth. 18,11; hoc suae missionis munus et officium esse sollemniter declarat; « pius sane magister qui murmurantibus turbis sua mysteria non dedignatur exponere, adeo scil. peccatorum poenitentiam non esse respuendam, ut ipse Dei Filius ob
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-abiit in regioneni longinquam accipere brocted aug 6 Géxa SovbAous Okxa pac, xa strev mods abtovde may | parevoncbar év & Uoyount. 14. of 8: zodttat adtod gulcovy adbtov, xar dnéotethav Y Od 20? Hua. 15. Kat éyéveto 2v ta tnavedOety adtov AaSdvte Basthelay , ate tobs Soboug ToUTOVs jolg Sededuer Td a mecs6clav dricw adtod, Adyovtes, N 3s bed THY wot etrev — ouvnOFj vat dpyverov, tya yvot th Stexonyuatedoavto. Aéywv, Kevote , 17. 16. mapsyéveto 6? 6 xpddtos, | pv& cov Ska noosypydcato pvais, Evys, év ghaylota motos eyévou, ix > » ~ AOL strev adte, to01 2Eouctay Zywy endven déxa mOAcwv, érolnaey révte jnvais. elev 6s xat tovtw, TOAcwv. 20. tepog HAGev éywv, pve cov, iy styov anoxet= peyqy ais yd OE 4 y () b) aI x by be e\ €, Ott GvOpwro¢g avatnpos Etalpetg 6 , Kucre, > PLA Ev covdaolw. 2ooboduny > y fy t ay > y adx EOnxacg, zat OeptGerg © odx Loretoac. 22. éyer adti, Ex tod. otéduatds cov zptvw oe, movnoe GodAc. Adare Str eyo war Oeol€wv © obx Eoretox; 23. zat 5’ vw - X r aS ‘ t 0% edwx%g [Lov TO doyboroy emt tHY Tod meCav; xayo éX0mv aby téxzw dy adto Erpaka. 24. xat tots mapeotiioty etnev, "Apate am” adtod tay pvav, zal déte tH tas Béxx pvag Eyovtt. 25. uxt ctnav adro, Kopte, yst Séxa vas. 26. Adyw butv, 6tr mavett tH Eyovt, Gobsaetat: ~ A Vv bs bal uv , tod. ph Fyovtog, zat O Eyer doyoetan, 27. mhay tobe eyOp0d¢ pou exctvovg, todg uh Oedtoavtds pe Bacthedoar éx” adtobs, Zydyets Mos, “ar xatacodEate adtobe tu~ VAY Ss A Aa OER O BESO E Gane add a potestatem habens. In v. 2 6. 1). Nolebant itaque Archelaum super se regnare, idque legatione post eum ad Imperatorem missa significabant. Quare sunt qui censeant Christum in parabola ad rem illam aperte alludere illumque eventum eum ob oculos habuisse et ad eum conformasse parabolam yel potius ex eo occasionem parabolae cepisse. Idque eo magis esse putandum, quia Archelaus in urbe lericho magnificum palatium exstruxisset et campum ab urbe septemtrionalem palmetis totum consevisset in quem ex vico Neara aquam divertisset (Antiq. 17,43. 1). Unde ipsa urbe memoriam eius esse revocatam (cf. Calm. Meyer, Weiss, Sp.). Alii tamen negant parabolam posse referri ad Archelaum (Schegg, Schanz, Keil). Et profecto legatio illa ante annos multos, mox post Herodis mortem erat missa; proinde omnino assumi debet plerosque vel omnes qui Iesum loquentem audiunt nihil de ea scire. Insuper quod praecipuum est, Archelaus erat pessimus filiorum Herodis et crudelitatis et tyrannidis accusabatur (Antiq. 17,13. 2); apts merito eius dominationem aversabantur; vide quoque ad Matth. 2,22. Quare quis sibi persuadere poterit Iesum cum de se suoque regno isancerne voluisse se suamque conditionem quasi cum Archelao conferre homine plane impio quem ludaei merito detestabantur? Et cum contra Archelaum illa legatio iure esset missa, nonne si eam auditoribus in memoriam revocaret, potius eorum animis cogitationem iniicere videretur in parabola quoque iure mitti legationem? Praeterea memoria Archelai, si apud auditores esset excitata, non potuisset non maxime obscurare ipsam parabolae appeal eras rationem exigit a servis et inimicos qui se regem habere noluerint trucidari iubet;
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v. 15 et factum est ut rediret accepto regno que negotiatus esset; inquiritur de industria et studio et labore lucrotur et meritorum praemiorumque diversitas et pigritiae desidiaeque poena;
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v. 16 venit autem primus dicens : domine, mna tua decem mnas acquisivit; « dominum suum recognoseit, bona commissa domino attribuit, lucrum excrescens bonis domini concedit et non sibi usurpavit » (A/b.); dicit mna tua acquisivit, non ego, totum scil. tribuens’ domini subsidio et modeste de suo labore et industria tacens - (ef. Car. Ians. Luc. Lap.) , uti apostolus quoque dicit : gratia Dei sum quod sum (1 Cor. 15,40);
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v. 17 e¢ ait illi : euge ; bone serve, edyz praeclare , optime! laetatur et delectatur herus propter servi tantam industriam eumque laudibus ornat et praemium addit vere magnificum quod summam illam quam longissime excedit , guia in modico fuisti fidelis, erts potestatem habens super decem civitates; mos exprimitur regum orientalium qui servos honos remunerari solebant vel urbium
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vent dicens : domine, mna tua fecit quingue mnas; non est scil. omni-. bus idem ingenii vigor artisve ingenium neque eadem semper cuivis offertur lucri faciendi opportunitas; neque is est dominus qui idem ab omnibus praestari posse vel debere existimet:
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v. 19 ef huwic ait : et tu esto super quinque civitates; minus quidem attulit; nihilominus praemio donatur lucrum quod fecit plurimum superante. Quem alii odio habebant, is se ostendit plane benignissimum. Verum non omnes seryi in heri utilitatem laborant; sunt inter eos quoque pigri et qui ab omni opere abhorrent
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v. 20 e¢ alter venit dicens : domine, ecce mna tua quam habui repositam in sudario; non dissipavit bona heri neque iis ad luxuriam abusus est; verum donis Dei non uti iam est abuti; suam excusat desidiam, sed male, in herum quippe opprobria coniicere non veretur;
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v. 24 témuz enim te quia homo austerus es + tollis quod non posutsti et metis quod non seminastv; ei exprobrat tamquam duritiei et avaritiae signum quod ex aliorum labore et industria velit ditescere; unde dicit eum tollere quod non ipse posuerit 1. e. alienum sibi vindicare lucrum et fructum laboris aliorum; metere quod ipse sua industria non seminarit. Id seryo illi videbatur indignum et domini iniqua exigentis indicium. Quare ait se timuisse ; incertas scil. esse commercii ac negotiationis vicissitudines; potuisse accidere, ut pecuniam infortunio quodam perderet vel ea infelici quodam negotio inito periret; unde tutius esse putavit eam seeure ac tuto in sudario colligatam servare adeoque omnem curam ac sollicitudinem declinare et pro labore negotia- - tionis ac periculo indulgere suavi quieti. Verum aliter dominus iudieat :
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v. 22 dicit ei: de ore tuo te iudico, serve nequam,; ita merito vocatur, « quia et pigerac deses est ad negotium exercendum et procax ac superbus ad accusandum domini iudicium » (Bed. Alb.); ex iis ipsis enim quae dixit longe aliter debuit concludere; unde proprio iudicio quod tulit condemnatur: screbas quod ego homo austerus sum tollens ete.
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v. 23 et quare non dedisti pecuniam meam ad mensam? cum seil. voluntatem domini sciret capiendi lucrum ex servorum industria, id saltem debuit facere quod sine ullo servi periculo sed cum utilitate pro hero fieri potuit, pecuniam scil. tradere nummulariis seu feneratoribus, wt ego i. e. et ego vendens cum usurts utique exegissem illam; proin aliquid lucri attulisset pecunia; v. 2% e¢ astantibus dixit - auferte ab illo mnam et date illi qui decem mnas habet; vy. 25 et dixerunt et > domine, habet decem mnas; habet iam honorem sufficientem (Huth.); dicunt hoc admirantes domini liberalitatem qui servum fidelem denuo remuneratur. Est enim experientia quoque comprobatum et pariter valet in modo agendi Dei
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v. 26 dico autem vobis : guia omni habenti dabitur et abundabit, qui dives est habet unde augeat divitias et qui Dei donis bene utitur maiora et plura pro Dei liberalitate accipere solet; ab eo autem qui non habet et quod habet auferetur ab eo; pauper vero facile quoque amittit minimum illud quod habet, et in re spirituali qui Dei dona et gratias non sedulo adhibet cum iis cooperando, merito iis plane destituitur; ceterum vide . ad Matth. 25,29. Qua sententia generalinon tam parabola quam doctrina parabolae illustratur. Demum vae illis qui dominationem eius repudiarunt :
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v. 27 verumtamen, inimicos meos illos qui noluerunt me regnare super se, adducite re et interficite ante me, xaraceasace vox est irati et pontaiehtist iugulate, trucidate. Quo tendat parabola, satis eat peas Homo ille nobili genere ortus est Christus qui ut Filius Dei originem habet ab aeterno nobilissimam et ut homo conceptus de Spiritu sancto et natus ex Virgine et descendens ex stirpe davidica ortum habet multipliciter nobilem. Abit in regionem longinquam accipere sibi regnum, i. e. in coelum{solus Beda explicat de ecclesia ex gentibus colligenda); nam oportebat eum pati et sic intrare in gloriam suam (Caz.); sedens ad dexteram Patris regnat; inde suo tempore reversurus ut iudicet vivos et mortuos. Uti in decem virginibus (Matth. 25,1), ita in decem servis universitas fidelium designatur; neque enim ratio ulla apparet, cur cum aliquibus soli apostoli intelligantur et mna solum de munere apostolico explicetur. Bene dicuntur vocat « tripliciter per internam Spiritus inspirationem, per exteriorem admonitionem, per officii iniunctionem » (A/b.). Mna autem quae cuique committitur ad negotiationem designat gratias Dei quae cuique dantur ut salutem suam operetur eo in officio lem Iudaei sunt, ex quibus Christus est secundum carnem (Rom. 9,5) qui itaque praecipuo iure cives eius vocantur, inter quos natus et educatus fuit. Quantopere eum odio haberent luculentur ostendebant in vita eius mortali, dum eum et persequerentur et demum traderent Pilato ad crucifigendum. Clamantes : tolle, crucifige; non habemus regem nisi Caesarem, palam declarabant : nolumus hune regnare. | Idem declarabant postquam abiit in coelum, dum apostolos et Christifideles persequerentur, expellerent, trucidarent. Sed applicatio ad alios quoque inimicos et persecutores Christi et Ecclesiae facile consequitur. Redit autem Christus ad rationem capiendam de uniuscuiusque negotiatione, de usu gratiarum, de gestione muneris. Reditus iste maxime proprius et sollemnis est alter Christi adventus ad iudicium intra tempus unius generationis, cum ratio exigatur tempore reditus ab iisdem servis. Verum evidens est vi ac notione parabolae aliter rem non potuisse significari, nisi ut ille reversus ab iisdem rationem negotiationis postularet. De tempore reditus in ipsa parabola id unum significatur quod ex profectione in regionem longinguam consequitur. Sed cum non omnes victuri sint usque ad alterum Christi adventum, merito dicitur Christus venire ad unumquemque, quando morte dona; quare bene dicit servus : mna tua acquisivit etc.; tota enim gloria ad Deum est referenda et animo grato oportet agnoscere nos ex solis nostris viribus nihil posse efficere quod valeat ad praemium supernaturale. ~ | In ipsis verbis v. 17 exprimitur laetitia Christi de profectu electorum _(Caz.) ; dona Dei hisce in terris nobis collata dici possunt modicum ratione habita donorum vitae futurae coelestis. Eodem modo cum pro decem mnis dentur decem civitates, praemium coeleste, pondus illud supereminens gloriae (2 Cor. 4,17) comparatione rerum sensibilium significatur. Regnabunt enim electi cum Christo quippe qui sunt eius coheredes. Diversitas quoque meritorum designatur; fieri enim potest, Quantum autem quisque negotiatus sit, dimetiendum est ex studio et industria, 74 pétow tH¢ Exdotov snovdyc, ut ait Huth., vel ut apostolus dicit xa<x zdv Woy xdncv unusquisque recipiet mercedem; neque enim secundum munera varia neque secundum fructum qui in prospero successu cernitur negotiatio illa diitdicabitur, sed secundum laborem quem quisque impenderit. Ex v. 20, cum de tribus servis solum mentio fiat, perperam infert Wezss in prima parabolae forma tres servos esse designatos, non decem. Sed bene iam Euth. notat : « sed quare de solis tribus servis dixit relictis ceteris? quia ex his facile est etiam de -aliis coniectare; quotquot enim negotiati sunt, conformes ad lucrum susceperunt honores; quotquot vero otiosum et inutile habebant donum, similia cum praedicto passi sunt ». Sufficienter enim in tribus hisee exemplis omnes fidelium ordines describuntur, eorum scil. qui varietate meritorum instructi sistentur divino tribunali et eorum maxime taediosa, si in parabola omnes decem servi inducerentur rationem reddentes? Doctrina parabolae in tribus apte traditur. Pecuniam in sudario ligare, ait Beda, est percepta dona sub otio lenti torporis abscondere; sudarium otium, segnitiem, inutilitatem significat (ef. Huth.). Mle designatur qui munere sibi credito non fungitur neque cum gratiis sibi datis cooperatur. In verbis Christi indicatur _quoque fieri posse ut ab eo qui donis Dei non utatur haec dona aufe- 526 : Luc. 19,12-27. pantur, ut demum careat evatiis, qui diu eis abusus est. Qui vero gratiis bene utitur, accipiet uberiores. In y. 27 adumbratur sors Iudaeorum infideliam. Cum ex modo loquendi sacrorum librorum Deus dicatur venire, descendére, egredi, quando de singulari quodam effectu divinae rerum gubernationis sermo inducitur (cf. Gen. 11,5; 18,10; Ps. 49,3. Is.3,44; 30,27. Mich. 1,3; vide quae dixi in Comment. Proph. min. II p. 73), Christus vero aliquo sensu dici potest venisse iudex in destructione urbis et templi; idque eo magis quia iudicium illud in bant eo quod Christum nolebant regnare super se. Perierunt enim teste Tosepho (Bell. iud. 6,9. 3) totius obsidionis tempore undecies centena hominum millia; captivorum autem numerus qui totius belli tempore capti sunt erat ad nonaginta septem millia. — In hac autem ruina facile cernitur interitum adumbrari omnium qui Christum nolint regnare super se; nam Christo dictum est : sede a dextris meis, donec ponam inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum, atque de eo valet : omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius (ef. 1 Cor. 15,25. Hebr. 2,8). Aliquam intercedere similitudinem inter hanc parabolam et eam apud Matth. 25,14-30 de talentis statim deprehenditur. Unde quaerunt sintne parabola, sed diverso modo ab utroque evangelista relata aut traditione accepta. Unam esse parabolam a Christo propositam approbat Mald..ad omnino statuendum est duas esse parabolas a Christo diverso tempore propositas. Nam quamvis aliqua adsit similitudo, tamen occasio, locus, tempus, argumentum parabolae plane sunt diversa. Apud Matth. adiungitur, ut admonitio ad vigilandum fulciatur et declaretur, uti in v. 44 clare assignatur : sicut enim etc. cum praecedat : vigilate itaque etc.; porro proponitur in urbe post sollemnem in urbem ingressum. Apud Lucam occasio est : quia existimarent confestim regnum Dei iri manifestatum; proponitur in lericho ante ingressum in urbem. Apud Matth. soli discipuli audiunt parabolam; non ita hic; ibi tradit homo peregre proficiscens bona sua, tribus servis distribuens otto talenta, uni quinque, duo alteri, tertio committit servis, sed partem exiguam, decem mnas;non tribus, sed decem de odio civium, de legatione missa et demum de occisione inimicorum dicuntur, huic parabolae propria sunt neque, quidquam eiusmodi in altera mnas; apud Matth. qui quinque talenta acceperat lucratus est alia quinque, qui lilo: alia duo. Praemium quoque aliter onlniGatit ape Matth. : intra in Baadiuni domini tui; apud Lucam decem, quinque urbes servis fidelibus tribuuntur. Apud Math, servus piger eiicitur in tenebras exteriores; de qua poena apud Lucam tacetur. — In tanta autem diversitate asserere yel ab evangelista ipso vel a traditione unam Iesu parabolam forma adeo dissimili fuisse exhibitam certe repugnat fidelitati illi, qua verba Christi et res gestas ab evangelistis ad nos esse transmissa omnino assumi debet. Neque ulla est ratio cur ob aliquam similitudinem una solum parabola statuatur. Nam Christum saepius docuisse similia quis negaverit? Quare duae parabolae agnoscendae sunt cum Hus. (cat. Cord.) Jans. Sylv. Salmeron, Bisp. Schanz, Keil, Sp. ete.
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Enarratur Christi passio et resurrectio. Cum autem pascha nostrum immolatus sit Christus, haec pars apte inchoatur a sollemni in urbem ingressu, die scil. 10 nisan, quo die unusquisque agnum per familias et domos suas tollere iubebatur eumque servare usque ad diem 14 (Ex. 12,3; vide Comment. Matth, II p. 198). Unde in hac parte tria apte distinguuntur : ea quae passionem immediate praecedunt vel quae a die prima hebdomadis usque ad feriam. quintam vespere gesta sunt, ipsa passio ab agonia in horto usque ad sepulturam, resurrectio et manifestatio Iesu vivi ad discipulos..
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gatum, cui nemo unquam hominum sedit; solvite illum, et adducite. 31. 5 ‘ wat Adaavtes abtov dydyets. 31. zal sav Tis Dyas gowre, Atati Adete; obtws eostte ic4 Cal ~ Ott 6 zdetog adrod ypelav Eyer. 32. ancd- Qovteg Ge of drestakuévor edgav xaOdrg etmev avtois’ 33. Avodvtwy GE adt&yv Toy mOdAoy, etxav of xdorot adrod mpdg adtods, Tl Avete tov xaAov; 34. of 68 cixav, “O Aes > ~ yr vv \ vv nuptog avtov yoelay eyet. 3D. zat nyayov 7 r Trp lbavtes aviv tk tudtia ext tov n@Aov, éne6l6acay aie. 4 4 >) ~ \ avtoyv mpog tov “Incotv. zat x >) ~ ~ tov “Insotv. 36. xopevopévov 6& adtod, , ; 2 As Oncotpubyvvoy tx tudta Exutiv ev tH a "EyyGovtos 8& adtod fon mpoe tH xa~ ta6dost tov sous tHv éhatay, 7ekavto Grav to TAOog Hv palytiy yatoovtes aivety tov Ocbv gwvi peyahn mepl né&vtwy Gy tov duvducwy, 38. Agyovtes Eddoyyuévoc 6 Bey Os 6 Basthedg év dvduare Kuptov" év odpavas etorivy, nat Sdka éy Obtator, 39. zal tives tiv Daptcatwy ard tod dyhov cinav npos adtév, Atdaoxahe, palytats cov. 40. Kat dnonoels ctxev, Adyw buty, (6tt) gv. odror Stonyjowary, of AtMor xodEovew. 41. Kat we Hyytsev; lov thy xddev, exAavoev ex’ adtyy Adywv, 42. Gtr ef Eyveog ev tH Augoa nar GD TH T005 etoryyy , vov € zpv6n ano d00adudiv cov: 43. &tr HEousy pat ext. ot, xat aepr6ahotaw of 270¢0t ytourd Got, xat meptxuxAddcovety se} zat ouvétovaiv ce navtobev, 44. xar Gaotovaly oe xal tke téxva cov ev aol, 1 00% dorcovcty Aiov ext Aldov ev aot: vO? dy od% Eyvws tov xatgov tig emtoxoniic 45. Kat closhOmv tg to tepdv, otaro exOdAhety tobe mwAodvtac, 46, Aéywv -ad- Tote, Déyoantat, war Eatat 6 ofxdg jrov otneg mpocevy ys, Sucte 68 adbtov éxoujoate onyAatoy Anatiby. . 47, Kat iy Seay to x00? ydoay ay doy tents x0d of Ypopmarets 2C7jtouy adtov drohgaar, war ot modstoL TOU swatv, 6 Aadg yap Gnag eexpgusto adtod In v. 30 a asinam cum pullum; BD L zat dvoavtes; dub adducite mihi. nv. 31 d € pendebat audiens; ben audientes (sin v. 28 et his dictis exiit inde et cum ascenderet Ter. venit ad Bethphage et Bethaniam; v. 30 adducite eum huc; v. 33.34 et cum viderant; v. 39 dicebant ei aliqui ex populo e medio turbae : magister praeclare , increpa discipulos tuos ne clament; v. 40 amen dico vobis; v. 42 pacem tuam; v. 43
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v. 36 eunte autem illo substernebant scil. alii qui Iesum comitabantur ; Matth. 21,8 plurima turba, Marc. 11,8 multi, ves¢imenia sua in via; cf. 4 Reg. 9,13; alii ramorum quoque ac frondium mentionem faciunt; hoe omisso accuratius narratur, ubi sollemnes et festivas acclamationes tollere coeperint v, 37 e¢ cum appropinquaretiam ad descensum montis Olivet’, ubi scil. aspectus urbis templique iam itinerantibus offerebatur, coeperunt omnes turbae discipulorum, eorum qui tum discipulorum instar Dominum comitabantur gaudentes laudare Deum voce magna super omnibus quas viderant virtutibus; vide quantopere Christus solo voluntatis nutu valeat in animos (cf. Comment. Mare. _ p. 293). Uti antea a caeco salutatus est filius David i. e. Messias, ita turbae eum Messiam proclamant;
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v. 38 dicentes : benedictus qui venit rex in nomine Domini; plerique iungunt : venit in nomine Domini, quod ipsa collocatione suaderi videtur; at cum benedicere in nomine Domini David et Messiam eum salatant’ regem, vel: bencienen atiod venit regnum patris nostri David (Marc. 411,10); in conferta multitudine atque in longiore illa ad urbem templumque profectione alios alia acclamasse et res ipsa et narratio trium suadet; pax in coelo et gloria in excelsis ; pax in coelo explicari potest ut hosanna in excelsis : salutem concede in coelo, unde scil. ad nos descendat; vide ad Mare. 11, 10; pacem, bona messiana, reconciliationem cum Deo, In coelo esse deen et deereta hominibusque reposita laetantes acclamant; quare gloria quoque quam maxima Deo sit in excelsis, in sublimi coelorum sede. Pax in coelo, ait S. Cyr. quia Deus iam non est nobis adversus; diremptum est antiquum bellum et idcirco gloria in altissimis angelis glorificantibus in unione et conciliatione tali quam nobis rex largitur (Theoph. ). Quod itaque nascente Domino angeli cantabant, idem iam ‘Verum pharisaeorum invidia hanc Christi gloriam ferre non potest
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v. 39 e¢ guidam pharisaeorum de turbis dixerunt ad illum : magister increpa discipulos tuos; obiurga, compesce adulantes tibi; huiusmodi applausum non debes ferre; innuere volunt ne permittat se salutari Messiam. Quare denuo suam manifestant perversitatem , qua apud se statuerunt Iesum etsi venit in triumpho non agnoscere Messiam. Quod tempore encaeniorum postulaverant : si tu es Christus, dic nobis palam (Joan. 10,24), iam clarissime eis respondet
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v. 40 guibus ipse ait : dico vobis, quia st hi tacuerint lapides clamabunt hoe scil. tempus esse Messiam; quare omnino fieri debet usque adeo, ut lapides potius sitatem; cf. Hab. 2,141. Proinde morosis illis et se esse regem Messiam idque iam omnino palam debere proclamari graviter et sollemniter annuntiat. At hie quoque dicere potuit, quod tempore encaeniorum eis dixit : loguor vobis et non creditis (Ioan. 10,25). Hisce pharisaeorum yocibus quasi praeludio quodam significatur obstinatio et contumacia principum ac ducum populi et quae necessario consequi debet eorum pernicies. Quare iam excitatur dolor Iesu de tanta perversitate et de necessario supplicio;
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v. 44 ef ut appropinguavit videns cwitatem, ex monte Oliveti aspectus patet in urbem et templum Biccndictias et tota urbis magnitudo et magnificentia templi aspicientibus offertur, flevtt super illam %xdavczy non solum lacrimas fudit (id quod est daxevew) sed elata voce flevit, ploravit , quae est vocis notio propria ad significandum quo‘que magnum animi affectum (cf. Schmedt, Synonymik I p. 471); « vide, pharisaee, quam caram habeat Jesus eiusmodi gloriam; inter tot honores flet; non magnifacit honores qui fletum non continet compassionis » (Caz.). Inter gaudia et acclamationes turbarum ei maxime cordi est salus civitatis ingratae quam nihilominus visceribus misericordiae complectitur. Plorat itaque intimo compassionis affectu lacrimis istis et lamentatione pandens sensus et dolorem amantissimi cordis sui, quod frustra laboraverit pro urbe hac quae tantis beneficiis a Deo erat cumulata, sed quae pro sua obdurata caecitate exitium praecelegit. Hunc Iesu ploratum Lucas nobis narrat, utpote comes apostoli cui etiam tristitia magna erat et continuus dolor cordis pro frastrenue ministerio fungitur, si quo modo ad aemulandum provocet eos et salvos faciat aliquos ex illis (Rom. 9,2 et 11,13. 14). Iesus autem ploratu maximum pondus addit verbis : dicens v. 42 quia sv cognovisses et tr va. 6, sicut scil. cognoverunt alii, ut apostoli, discipuli, et guzdem in hac die tua, ubi testimonium adeo manifestum et splendidum redditur de Iesu dignitate, guae ad pacem tibi salutisque auctorem; fides in eum et susceptio eius praedicationis (Lheoph. Euth. Luc.) urbem eximeret ab exitio et summam ei afferret felicitatem; « exclamatio est deprompta ex intimo corde tanta affectione ut dolor vocem praecludat; scimus enim eos quibus ardent vehementes affectus, non nisi dimidia ex parte sensus effari » (Lwc.); nam affectus vehementia interrumpit orationem; « consueverunt enim plorantes verba prae affectus magnitudine abrumpere » (Euth.); unde Euth. sapplendum censet : non perires; at cum plerisque exclamationem qua desiderium et optatum exprimatur intelligere satius erit; rnc autem abscondita sunt ab oculis tuts, voluntarie enim noluisti cognoprobum sensum (Rom. 1,28); unde excaecatio poena est peccatorum quibus gratiae Dei repudiabantur quae excaecatio describitur Ioan. 12,37 ct Rom. 11,7. Et hance excaecationem non iri ablatum Iesus scit et praedicit dolens in te ent oé adversum te, super te et circumdabunt te inimici tuo vallo, cingent te et coangustabunt te undique ; aliqui vaticinium ex eventu hic poni asserebant, cum obsidio adeo accurate exponatur; alii existimant Lucam utpote rei militaris romanae haud ignarum ea quae in prophe| Luc. 19,43-46. 333 _ tia ratione quadam generali dicta essent accuratius per singula declarasse (cf. Schanz). Sed utrumque gratuito asseritur. Nam quae dicuntur, in omni obsidione a Romanis fieri solebant; unde SE bellum et oppugnatio a Christo praevidebatur, singula nee iam per se consequuntur, quae in oppugnatione accidebant. Ea autem hic quoque modo valde generali proponi, patet si inspexeris quae habentur apud Joseph 176) e056. 2: 5,9..2:°5,12. 4; 6,1: 4-3; 6,2, 7: 6,8. 1. &
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terram et filios tuos in medio tuo; v. 43-47 non omnia servata sunt). Qua in narratione magna cum Marco deprehenditur similitudo ; aliqua tamen brevius referuntur (ef. v. 31. 34. 36. 45), aliqua explicatius neque desunt quae Lucae propria sunt (cf. 37. 38. 39-44. 47); v. 28 e¢ his dictis praecedebat ascendens Ierosolymam tnogsbeto Sumposbey ef. Marc. 10,32 incedebat agmen ducens discipulorum, ante eos praecedebat, ipso itinerandi modo declarans quam prompto animo passioni suae obviam iret (cf. 18,31); v. 29 et factwm est cum appropinquasset ad Bethphage et Bethaniam, vide quae dixi ad Mare. 11,1, ad montem. qui vocatur Oliveti! misit duos discipulos suos, unum eorum Petrum fuisse redditur probahbile ex Marc. 11,4 (cf. Comment. p. 292), v. 30 dicens : tte in castellum quod contra est x6uqy pagum, vicum, in quod introeuntes invenietis (2v 4m quo ben dub eg ept ger ox harl) pullum asinae alligatum xéhov , quae vox de pullis variorum animalium dicitur; vide ad Mare. 11,2; intelligi asinae pulluin elucet ex Matth. 21,1 et ex usu vocis apud LXX et etiam ex more Iudaeorum communi, cw: “nemo unquam.hominum sedit; primitiae Domino consecrandae sunt; unde conveniebat, ut Christus talem sibi adduci iuberet pullum, cuius primum servitium Domino praestaretur; cf. Num. 19,2. Deut. 21,3. 1 Reg. 6,7 et 2 Reg. 6,3 arca Domini imponitur plaustro novo ; solvite illum et adducite; rerum quoque absentium se habere notitiam. significat; v. 34 et si quis vos interrogaverit : quare solvitis? sic dicetis ei: quia Dominus operam eius desiderat yeziay %yz. opus habet (uti versum est Matth. 24,3) ; v. 32 ablerunt autem qui missi erant et mvenerunt sicut dixit ills (stantem pullum); v. 33 solventibus autem ills pullum dixerunt domini eius (xsevr, modus loquendi non est adeo insolitus uti aliquibus videtur; cf. Matth. 20,8; 21,40. Marc. 12,9. Lue. 20,15) ad allos : quid solvitis pullum? v. 3% at ih dixerunt : quia Dominus eum necessartum habet; dicunt ad verbum quod Dominus jusserat, scil. yoctay 4ye.; sed interpreti placuit variare (uti Mare. 11,3 etiam aliter.vertit : Domino necessarius est). Notat Schanz a Luca -omissum esse quod Marcus praebet : et continuo illum dimittet, quia Lucas in enarranda passione non ut Marcus efferat praescientiam Christi. Sed praescientia satis iam declaratur hic quoque in v. 30 et 31. Oraculi mentionem faciunt Matth. 21,4 et Ioan. 12,14 quod tamen oraculum eo tempore discipuli nondum cognoverunt; unde quod agunt referri oportet ad impulsum quem Christus secreto eorum animis impressit, quem impulsum turbis quoque tribuit volens ut ingressus in urbem triumphalis sibi paretur; v. 35 ef duxerunt illum ad Iesum : tum faciunt quod iussi non erant sed quod eos interius docet Christus, et iactantes vestimenta sua supra pullum imposuerunt Iesum,; intellige © vestes superiores, pallia, uti iyacoy opponitur 7 yitdyv. Matth. 5,40. Luc. 6,29 (Act. 9,392). Alia quoque honoris significatio ei praestatur v. 44 et ad terram prosternent te et filios twos i. e. incolas urbis; urbs quippe tamquam mater considerari solet etiam apud prophetas; 23giovcwy urbem solo aequabunt et incolas in terram allident; dicitur quippe verbumr et de hominibus prosternendis (cf. LXX Os. 10,14 et 14,1. Nah. 3,10. Ps. 136,9) et de urbe diruenda (Is. 3,26; cf. Ez. 31,12), que in te sunt, et non relinquent in te lapidem super lapidem; « postquam vero neque quos occiderent neque quod raperent habebat exertempus visitationis tuwae, quo scil. urbi et populo praedicatione loannis baptistae, praedicatione et miraculis Christi et apostolorum gratiae adeo frequentes offerebantur; reyera in visceribus misericordiae Dei visitabat eam Oriens ex alto, visitavit eam Deus misso salutis nuntio et auctore (Luc.); declaratur. benignissima Salvatoris cura, quam ei impendit doctrina, miraculis, minis (cat. Cr.); cf. 13,34. Matth. 23,37 Omittit ee quid eo die ingressus in templum egerit (cf. Mare. gestum est
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v. 45 et ingressus in templum coepit eticere vendentes in illo et ementes ea scil. quibus ad varia sacrificia opus erat ; vide ad Matth. mea domus orationis est; vide ad Is. 56,7; vos autem fecistrs wllam speluncam latronum, vituperium iam ab leremia 7,11 prolatum i in eos coniicit: nam in eco uahone illa exercenda, uti erant avari lucrique pepiiwenat ita a fedudde, oppressione, rapina non abstinebant et locum orationis tumultu et concertatione implentes quam maxime proeorum religio ac pietas conciderit, cum qui eius custodes ac vindices esse debebant ea in atrio templi peragi sinerent et fortasse iuberent. Quare Christus se eum praestat quem propheta annuntiavit : veniet ad templum suum; ipse quasi ignis conflans, et purgabit filios Levi et colabit eos (Mal. 3,1-3). Alia vide ad Matth. 1. c. Demum summatim nobis describitur quomodo et duces populi et populus per eos dies se habuerint. Quod in sollemni ingressu iam tum cernitur; cf. loan. 12,19 : videtis quia nihil proficimus? ecce mundus totus post eum abiit!
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v. 47 et erat docens quotidie in templo ; prinperdere; proinde omnes qui auctoritate sacra, laude doctrinae et scienmachinabantur,
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v. 48 e¢ non inveniebant quid facerent il; nam, ut Mare. 11,18 dicitur, timore retinebantur, quia populus magno studio et admiratione Iesu adhaerebat; idem hic indicatur : omnis enim populus se raptus prae attentione atque aviditate, dum audiret illum docentem; tanta erat docentis et vis et gratia; metuebant igitur ut populus a quo tanti fiebat permitteret, si conarentur autipsum aggredi aut quid mali ipsi inferre » (Lwc.). Nondum hora eius venerat, nondum volebat ab iis apprehendi; unde nihil in eum poterant; nemo tollit ani-
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Dans les termes il n'y a rien de plus que de la curiosité, mais une curiosité mise en éveil par le bruit des miracles. Zachée voulait savoir comment était un homme qui avait la réputation de Jésus.
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I suffisait d'un peu d'avance pour grimper sur les branches basses d’un: sycomore. Aucune raison de ne pas reconnaitre cette espèce dans les beaux arbres au feuillage sombre qu'on voit encore à Séricho. Dans un pareil ébranlement du populaire, Zachée ne compromeltait pas sa dignité. On devait plutôt applaudir la dextérité du petit homme. Un grand n’eût pas grimpé si vite. Néanmoins Zachée y avait mis de la bonne volonté. Sans doute il ÿ en avait dans Ja foule ou à l'écart qui trouvaient mauvais qu’on se res pour si peu. — ἐχείνης, sous-ent. ὁδοῦ, -
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Sans doute Jésus aurait pu entendre parler d Zachée, demander son nom etc., (PE), mais le sens paraît bien être que le Maitre a connu par sa science à lui le nom de l'hôte que son Père lui destine (δεῖ cf. 1v, #3). Zachée doit descendre bien vite, pour le recevuir L. jour même ; HE aura le temps de le
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Luc aime πᾶς, mais ne αν pas ici sans intention. Cette fois ce ne sont pas comme précédemment (v, 30; xv, 2) les Pharisiens qui murmurent; c’est la foule, et le détail a-son intérêt. Ce n'est pas par un sentiment de jalousie puisque ceux de la foule ne pouvaient avoir tant de prétention; on trouve mauvais qu’au lieu de descendre chez une personne de piété et de doctrine, Jésus demande l'hospitalité à un pécheur, puisque c’est un terme presque synonyme de celui de publicain (ef. encore vis, 34). — παρά dépend de καταλῦσαι non de εἰσῆλθεν.
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ἡμίσια (Η) Où ἡμίσεια (ΤΊ ou muron (5. V).
σταθείς ne suppose pas qu'après de longs entretiens Zachée, convaincu, se lève comme pour un toast solennel. Il est simplement debout parce qu'il recoit le Christ entrant chez lui, et il ne veut pas lui laisser la pensée pénible qu'il est. À auprès d'un homme sans probité. Ge qu'il a peut-être été, il ne veut plus l'être. Il y a plus, connaissant par la voix publique la doctrine du Sauveur sur les richesses, ou s'y conformant d'instinet par un mouvement intérieur, il fait un nouvel usage de sa fortune. Lui prêter qu'il a l'habitude déjà de donner la moitié de ses biens aux pauvres (God.), serait transformer le publicain en Pharisien. C'est désormais, et par suite de la démarche de Jésus, que son cœur touché de reconnaissance et de repentir accomplit ce sacrifice. Cette première part n'est nullement présentée comme une restitution, c'est la part des pauvres, un sage emploi des biens de ce monde (xv1, 9). Zachéc n'a même pas la conscience certaine d’avoir fait tort (comme Ῥί. le déduit de l'indicatif ésuxopévtnsæ), mais d'après le v. 10 on ne peut le tenir pour très scrupuleux. S'il n'est pas tout à fait sûr, c'est qu'il n’y prenait pas garde et ne se souciait pas trop de l'origine de ses bénéfices. Désormais tout est changé. Le métier de publicain amenait une foule d'estimations plus ou moins dures et injusles, mais il pouvait aussi 50 glisser des torts sérieux et contrôlables. Ce sont ceux-là que Zachée s'engage à ‘réparer, et qu'il traite comme des furta”manifesta, punis par la loi romaine de l'amende du quadruple. Mème pénalité chez les Hébreux dans un cas spécial du bétail (Ex. xx, ὁ ou xx, 37; cf. IT Sam. χα, 6, en grec le septuple). Dans d'autres cas on prévoyait seulement l'addition du cinquième (Lev. νι, 5; Num. v, 6.7). — Zachée fait donc les choses largement. — ἡμίσεια où ἡμίσια est une forme hellénistique au lieu de ἡμίσεα, contracté en ἡμίση. Au contraire l'emploi du plur. à cause du génitif suivant est classique; ef. τῶν νήσων τὰς ἡμίσεας (Hér. H, x, 4) etc.
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Le discours de Jésus s'adresse à tous les assistants; πρός αὐτόν est donc à entendre comme dans Me. χη, 12. Ce n'est pas tout à fait « parlant à son sujet Σ ήμερο τηρία τῷ οἴχῳ τούτῳ ἐγένετο, χαθότι nat αὐτὸς υἱὸς Asus Σάμερον σωτηρία τῷ οἴχῳ τούτῳ ἐγένετο, χαθότι χαὶ αὐτὸς υἱὸς ᾿Αβραχῃ ἔστιν 10 ἦλθεν γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ζητῆσαι rat σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός. puisque Zachée est là, ni comme d'ordinaire : « lui adressant la parole » ; c'est plutôt l'indication d'un geste : Jésus dit en le regardant. — ὅτι n'est que l'indication du discours direct : il y est question non pas seulement de Zachée, mais de toute sa maison qui entre par sa décision dans une nouvelle voice, celle du salut, ou de la vie éternelle, promise aux pieux enfants d'Abraham. — xafôrt (propre à Luc), « puisque » ou mieux « d'autant que », mais non pas tout à fait « en tant que ». Malgré sa condition méprisée par les Pharisiens, et sans qu'il soit obligé de l'abandonner du moment qu'il l’exerce en toute justice, Zachée est lui aussi un fils d'Abräham. Ce verset, d’où l’on a déduit son origine païenne, prouve donc au contraire son origine juive (Schanz). Jésus ne sort pas ici de l'horizon israëlite. Ce n'est qu’en allégorisant qu'on obticndrait ici le sens de Rom. ἵν, 1-24; Gal. τη, 9.
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Jésus en effet n'appuie pas son dire sur le principe qu'il est venu pour sauver tous les hommes, mais sur ce qu'il est venu pour sauver ec qui ctait perdu. C’est la mise en action des paraboles du ch. xv. Zachée, même s'il ne quitte pas son office était désormais un fidèle du Seigneur. Les Clémentines en font un compagnon de saint Pierre qui l'aurait €labli évèque de Césarée (Hom. πὶ, 63; Recogn. μι, 66), où il aurait eu pour successeur Cornelius, d'après les Constitulions apostoliques (vi, 46). D'après Clément d'Alexandrie (Strom. iv, 6, 579 P.) quelques-uns le nommaient Matthias. La France lui a rendu un culte spécial à Rocamadour (Lot); voir les Acta Sanctorum au 23 août. : ο Je
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Le. suppose que selon la mode orientale plusieurs personnes sont entrées avec Jésus, notamment ses compagnons ordinaires, et c'est pourquoi il parle de αὐτῶν. On est encore dans la maison de Zachée, Les paroles de Jésus élaient de nature à confirmer les espérances qui étaient dans l'air; dans cetie atmosphère surchauffée elles pouvaient être mal comprises. Le génitif absolu ἀχουόντῶν αὐτῶν indique donc plus que la circonstance du temps; c'est une des raisons d'ajouter la parabole pour mettre les choses au point. — προσθείς avec un verbe est une tournure soil araméenne, soit hébraïque; ef. Gen. xxxvir, 5, et de nombreux cas de προστιθέναι ayec λαλῆσαι Gen. xvur, 29 etc., et dans Luc luimême xx, 14.12; Act. χα, 3 (cf. Inérod., p. cix). — Depuis longlemps on se préoccupait de l'avènement du règne de Dieu (xvir, 20). Comme on savait que Jésus montait à Jérusalem, on croyait qu'il allait se produire soudainement (παραχρῆμα, terme de Le.) et à la façon d'une révélation, comme il est dit dans l'Assumptio Mosis (x, 1). Les disciples n'auraient qu’à être investis de cette gloire. Or il fallait les préparer à autre chose. La pointe de la parabole est tournée contre l'enthousiasme apocalyptique (Jül. Holtz.) ; elle n'explique pas le retard de la parousie, mais montre que Jésus qui est présent, doit d'abord partir. Elle ne répond done pas aux illusions ou aux besoins de la communauté chrétienne sous Néron, mais à l'attente des disciples à Jéricho avant l'événement décisif de Jérusalem. N
19:12
L'hypothèse posée ici était vraisemblable alors. Hérode le Grand était allé à Rome en l'an 40 av. J.-C. comme simple prince, et avait obtenu d'Oclaye, d'Antoine et du sénat le titre de roi de Judée (Jos. Ant. XIV, χιν, 4-5). Maitre de Jérusalem, il avait procédé à de nombreuses exécutions (Ant. XV, τ, 2). Son fils Archélaüs était, d'après son testament, son successeur avec 16 titre de roi; mais il fallait l'obtenir d'Auguste; il se rendit donc à Rome (en l'an 4. ἂν. J.-C.). Il y fut rejoint par Antipas qui poursuivait le même but, et par des Juifs qui venaient demander à l’empereur de rejeter ses prétentions (Anf. XVIL, 1x, 3-4; Bell. 11, τι, 1-3). Enfin Philippe, le troisième fils d'Hérode, survint aussi pour soutenir Archélaüs contre une nouvelle ambassade du peuple juif (Ant. XVI, ΧΙ, 1). Le cas d'Archélaüs est donc tout à fait le cas de la parabole. Loisy dit très bien : « ἢ} est malaisé de voir l'intérèt que le rédacteur du troisième Évangile. pouvait trouver dans ces allusions à un état de choses entièrement disparu » (π, 469). 11 faudrait supposer qu'il les a empruntées à un historien pour les prêler à Jésus. Mais Jésus lui-même n'avait que faire de la personne - d’Archélaüs. IL avait besoin d'une supposition historique que les temps rendaient vraisemblable, qui avait même été une réalité. Cet exemple, on le comprendrait aisément, devait s'entendre de sa personne. S'il avait droit au titre de roi, il fallait d'abord qu'il s’en allât pour en recevoir l'investiture ; le terme du voyage est éloigné, il faudra du temps.
19:13
Tandis que dans Mt. l'homme avant de s'absenter confie toute sa fortune à ses {rois serviteurs selon leur capacité, et donc d'assez fortes sommes, dans Le. l'homme noble qui ἃ sans doute de très nombreux esclaves, en prend dix, surtout pour éprouver leurs dispositions, et confie à chacun une somme égale, peu considérable, suffisante cependant pour exercer leur activité. Chacun des deux thèmes a sa vraisemblance. Peut-être le chiffre de trois est-il primitif, comme le disent les critiques, d'autant que Le. ne fait paraitre que trois serviteurs. Mais il a pensé sûrement que trois échantillons suffisaient comme deux pour léconome infidèle (xvr, 5 ss.). Le chiffre de dix convenait mieux pour un noble qui préparait des fonctionnaires pour sa royauté future; douze eût rappelé trop exactement les Apôtres (Jül.). La mine attique valait cent drachmes, done moins de cent francs. L'ordre d'en tirer parti est formel, qu'il s'agisse du commerce ou de la banque. — ἐν ᾧ « pendant que », et ἔρχομαι dans le sens de revenir, comme dans Mt. xxv, 19; Jo. χχι, 22.23. La concision est extrême; d'où la leçon facilitante ἕως.
19:14
Trait qui rappelle l'histoire d'Archélaüs. Le futur roi avait pour adversaires ses compatriotes. De même les Juifs haïssaient Jésus et devaient continuer leurs manœuvres contre lui, même après son départ. C’est comme l'ivraie semée dans le champ (Mt. xx, 25). Les πολῖται représentent donc les Juifs, mais l’allégorie ne doit pas être serrée de plus près; comment les Juifs auraientils envoyé une ambassade à Dieu pour empêcher le règne de Jésus? Nous ne savons pas encore ce qu'ont fait les serviteurs. Luc préfère ne le dire qu’une fois.
19:15
Archélaüs n'était revenu qu'avec le titre d'ethuarque, qu'il ne porta même pas dix ans. Ici le prince revient après avoir recu la royauté, et la reddition des comptes ne va pas sans une certaine solennilé. — La tournure καὶ ἐγένετο... καὶ εἶπεν cest hébraïsanie, non araméenne (cf. Introd., p. xcvui). Il y ἃ des serviteurs outre ceux auxquels l'argent ἃ été confié. Le roi ne s'inquiète pas pour son capital; il veut savoir comment ils se sont arrangés : διαπραγματεύεσθαι (+ dans N. T.) indique moins le résultat obtenu que l'effort déployé (Den. Hal.
19:16
προοηργασατο (T H) ou προσειργασατο (S V).
Les serviteurs s'expriment très modestement; au lieu de ἐκέρδησα (Mt.), les deux premiers ne parlent pas de leur travail; c’est la mine qui s'est mullipliée comme d'elle-même.
19:17
Le roi donne une récompense royale. Dans Mi. c'est même une récompense divine, car la joie du Seigneur doit être la vie éternelle. Mais c'est donc que la réalité remplace ici le thème parabolique, qui n’a pas dù faire défaut à l'original. Luc qu'on accuse d'avoir tant inventé a conservé précisément ce thème. Des villes à gouverner au lieu d'un peu d'argent à administrer, nous restons dans la parabole, avec une récompense assez somptueuse pour préparer l’application eschatologique : le bon serviteur régnera avec son maître. 48 5.) La somme confiée était la même pour tous; la différence dans le produit — la moitié — suppose donc une compétence ou une activité moindre; la charge à remplir dans le royaume sera de moitié moins importante. Nous demeurons très exactement dans l’affabulation parabolique, ce qu'on ne saurait dire de Mt.; il envisage déjà la récompense éternelle, la même en substance pour Au contraire, dans 26-26, tout est comme dans Mt. pour le fond, sauf que son talent, grosse somme, a été caché dans la terre. La ressemblance est plus étroite avec Mt. xxv, 24-29 parce qu'il s’est tenu sur le terrain de da parabole, l'application ne venant qu'au v. 30, tandis que la récompense des bons serviteurs était déjà de l’ordre surnaturel. C’est une indication précieuse pour le procédé de Mt. Il ἃ conservé moins fidèlement que Luc le thème parabolique pour aller immédiatement au sens eschatologique qu'il propose encore ouvertement au v. 30. Est-il donc étonnant qu'il ait négligé les détails de la parabole qui lui paraissaient inutiles pour son but?
19:18
πραγματεύσασθϑε (T 5 V) et non πραγματευσασθαι (Η).
19:20
ὁ ἕτερος se comprendrait plus aisément s’il n'y avait que lrois serviteurs. Pourtant on ne peut supposer qu'un écrivain comme Lc. ait oublié qu'il avait parlé de dix. Mais dans une parabole les destinées individuelles importent moins que Les situations; or il n’y en avait que trois en vue : extrème diligence, diliyence moyenne, inertie. Tout l'intérêt est ici dans la défense de cette inertie, présentée de la même manière dans Mt. et dans Le., et convaincue d'inconséyuence de la même facon. L'homme croit n'avoir rien à se reprocher. C'est toujours « ta mine », mais combien l'accent diffère! Elle était mise en réserve (ἀπόκειμαι, sens classique) ἐν σουδαρίῳ, transcription du latin sudarium. Qui n'a vu en Palestine les paysans dénouer mystérieusement un coin de leur manche ou de leur turban pour en extraire une pièce d’or?
19:21
Les reproches du serviteur sont injustes. 1] prétend qu'on ne pouvait prendre trop de précautions avec un caractère aussi exigeant (αὐστηρός, à l'origine « sec »), comme si le roi était de ces personnes qui feraient suer de l’argent à des pierres. Or toute la conduite du maître indiquait plutôt la confiance et la libéralité. Le serviteur n'est donc pas de bonne foi, il cherche une excuse à sa paresse. D'après l'attitude des deux premiers qui ne réclamaient rien, le profit devait revenir tout entier au maître, sauf à lui à se montrer généreux. Le dernier serviteur n'attend rien de son maitre, et ne veut pas s'exposer à ses reproches en cas de non-réussite. Dans l’antiquité l'argent était regardé comme une source de profit presque infaillible. À Babylone un commis qui n'avait pas fait de bénéfice était tenu de payer le double de l'argent qu'il avait reçu (cf. ΗΒ. \ 1918, 594).
19:22
La mauvaise crainte du serviteur est retournée contre lui (cf. Job. xv, 6). S'il ne voulait pas travailler par dévouement, du moins devait-il prendre garde à l'examen rigoureux présagé par le caractère qu'il imputait à son maître. Je lis χρίνω au présent (W-H) et non χρινῶ au futur (S). 89 Ἰζαὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤγγισεν εἰς Βηθφαγὴ χαὶ Βηθανίαν πρὸς τὸ ὅρος τὸ
19:23
Il y avait la ressource de la banque, aussi sûre que le mouchoir. Aujourd’hui, en dépit de tant de cracs financiers, le dépôt en banque avec intérûts est le moins qu'on puisse faire avec quelque souci de ne pas laisser l'argent oiïsif. L'intérêt était regardé comme une sorte de croît, téxos, quoique déjà Aristote eût insisté sur la nature stérile du métal. Le vieux droit babylonien regardait déjà le prêteur comme un associé qui prenait sa part des bénéfices que l'argent esi toujours censé produire (ef. ΕΒ. 1918, 593, citant Cuo, Les nouveaux fragments du Code de Hammourabi sur le prét à intérêt et les sociétés). — ἐλθών, encore dans le sens de « revenir », protase irréelle, avec l’apodose ἂν... ἔπραξα... ce dernier mot (cf. 1, 13) au sens (classique) d'exiger le (paiement). à 2%) Qu'il y ait des assistants, cela est en parfaite harmonie avec le caractère royal du Maitre, toujours entouré de gardes prêts à accomplir ses volontés; Mt. ne le dit même pas. — D'après le v. 16, le premier serviteur devait avoir onze mines (Holts.) et non dix; mais on ne lient compte que de celles qu'il a reçues en récompense — 66 que nous apprenons ici.
19:25
Étonnement du public, qui souligne la libéralité du Roi.
19:26
Sur cette sentence, cf. Le. vur, 18, d'après Mc. 1v, 25. Elle s'entend très bien ici. Le Roi est toujours porté à donner davantage à ceux qui le servent bien ; les premiers bienfaits en attirent d'autres. Celui qui ne sait pas employer ce qu'il a, on peut dire qu'il n'a rien; il deviendra toujours plus pauvre. On lui enlève ce qu'il n’a pas su faire fructifier; c’est son seul châtiment.
19:27
Les adversaires déclarés sont traités plus durement. En monarque oriental, le Roi procède à l’exéculion séance tenante. Luc n'ajoute pas un mot qui puisse orienter la parabole vers une application elle l’est dès le début (v. 11), mais elle est conçue strictement comme un thème parabolique, sans aucun mélange des traits réels avec les figures. Ce sont deux situations qui sont comparées, et si l'on comprend aussitôt que le Roi figure le Christ, ce n’est pas cependant qu'il le représente directement. Les circonstances permettaient d'envisager la parabole comme une histoire qui avait en elle. même sa vraisemblance. Les adversaires ressemblent aux Juifs, les scrvileurs #Et après avoir dit ces Joie il marchait en avant, ΠΝ ὰ Jérusalem. 2E lorsqu'il fut arrivé as de nb: et de Béthanie, au aux disciples. La solution générale est clairé : le règne de Dieu n’est pas imminent. Plutôt que de songer à s'y installer, il faut plutôt mettre à profit le temps pour y être admis plus tard, pour y régner avec le Christ. La grande place faite au paresseux est bien dans l'esprit de la parabole telle que l'expose Lue : ce paresseux est le type de ceux qui attendent bouche bée, au lieu de se mettre courageusement au travail pour Jésus; l'esprit de crainte et de défiance n'est ‘pas celui des disciples. Il résulte aussi de tout cela qu’on ne participera au règne de Dieu qu'après un jugement sur les œuvres. On peut maintenant choisir entre les deux hypothèses proposées au début ou bien Lc. ἃ composé une parabole historique irréprochable, dirigée contre une opinion fausse et périlleuse qui exista sûrement autour du Sauveur, avec un tact très fin de la situation; — ou bien cette parabole faisant partie de la tradition évangélique, Mt. en a retenu seulement l’enseignement fondamental, dégagé des notes de la situation historique. La seconde hypothèse répond seule à la manière générale de Luc et à la façon spéciale dont Mt. a traité la parabole, là où nous pouvons apprécier son procédé.
19:28
À prendre le texte très à la lettre, Jésus n'aurait pas même passé la nuit chez Zachée. De toute façon le séjour à Jéricho ἃ été court. Luc semble avoir surtout voulu montrer l'importance du discours précédent pour éclairer les faits qui allaient suivre. Jésus marche en avant; c’est un trait de Mc. x, 32, mais qui ἃ perdu dans Lc. sa physionomie et sa portée spéciale; il ne parle pas de la crainte.des disciples. A peine au sortir de Jéricho, l’ancienne route monte; elle est presque escarpée.
19:29
βηθανιαν (T S V) plutôt que βηθανιὰ (H).
Le. accouple ici Bethphagé et Béthanie comme Mc. (Me. n'a 406 Beth- 48. o &. βασιλεὺς (H Τὴ) ou om. (8 V). phagé), indice de dépendance, d'autant que la désignation topographique n'en est pas éclaircie, au contraire. Nous continuons à croire que Jésus, escaladant le mont des Oliviers par l'ancienne route qui passait par la dépression située erire l'hospice Victoria-Augusta et le village d'et-Tor, laissait Béthanie assez loin sur la gauche, si bien que le village de Bethphagé, quoique plus près de Jérusalem, au village d’et-Toer, devait être nommé le premier. Au lieu de τὸ ὄρος τῶν ἐχαιῶν, « le nront des Oliviers », Le. éerit τὸ ὄρος τὸ καλούμενον ἐλαιων, à lire ou bien ἐλαιών, « le mont dit Olivet », ou bien ἐλατῶν « le mont dit des oliviers ἢ est certain que la terminaison ὧν désignait en grec des lieux plantés de tels ou tels arbres, et ἐλαιών s'est trouvé dans les papyrus avec ce sens d’oliveraie, lieu planté d'oliviers (BU 87, 5; 50, 6 etc. Drisswann, Neue Bibelstudien, 36-40). Josèphe a dit : ἀναθαίνοντος δ᾽ αὐτοῦ διὰ τοῦ ᾿Ελαιῶνος ὄρους (Ant. VIII, 1x, 2), el Lx. de même Act. 1, 12 ἀπὸ ὅρους τοῦ καλουμένου ᾿Ελανῶνος, Ce nom est demeuré dans l'usage de Jérusalem (VinceNr et Aser,, Jérusalem, τι, 383) spécialement comme celui d'une basilique. On écrira ici ἐλαιῶν (avec H) plutôt que Ἐλαιών (S), à cause du v. 37, d'autant que le nom à l’accusatif eût dù être ᾿Ελαιῶνα. Josèphe a de même les deux usages : ef. Jos. Bell. V, τι, 3 στρατοπεδεύσασθαι χατὰ τὸ ἐλαιῶν χαλούμενον ὄρος. = l'aor ἀπέστϑιλεν au lieu du présent de Mc. est un changement normal.
19:30
λεγων (H) plutôt que εἰπὼν (T S V).
Comme Me., avec de légères retouches, toutes plausibles : λέγων au dieu de καὶ λέγει, λύσαντες au lieu de λύσατε ral, πώποτε plus élégant que οὕπω après οὐδείς, ἀγάγετε plus natürel que ξέρετε pour un mon. .
19:31
Comme Mec., sans le dernier trait qui a été diversement interprété.
19:32
Ὡς. ἃ négligé le détail pittoresque de l'âänon attaché près d’une porte au mont nommé des Oliviers, il envoya deux deses disciples, “disant « Allez au village qui est en face; quand vous y serez entrés, vous trouverez un 4non attaché, sur lequel aucun homme ne s’est jamais assis; détachez-le et amenez-le. 3Et si quelqu'un vous demande « Pourquoi [le] détachez-vous? » — vous direz de la sorte : « Le Ρ̓ Seigneur en a besoin. » Ceux qui étaient envoyés partirent et trouvèrent les choses comme il leur avait dit. #*Comme ils détachaient l'ânon, ses maitres leur dirent : « Pourquoi détachez-vous l’ânon? » #Ils dirent : « Le Seigneur en a besoin. » Et ils l’amenèrent à Jésus, et jetant leurs manteaux sur l’ânon, ils firent monter Jésus ; %et comme il 8 ‘avançait les gens étendaient leurs manteaux sur ἢ, chemin. εἰ 7 Et tomme il ds déjà de la descente du mont des dehors sur la rue; l’essentiel était de noter que le Seigneur avait eu la convaissance surnaturelle des circonstances.
19:33
Les gens présents de Mc. deviennent les maîtres de l'ânon ; normalement c'est aux maîtres à en disposer. Une seconde fois Le. évite le vague ποιεῖτε xt, 8. δ).
19:34
Le. ne craint pas de répéter la parole significative du Sauvour ! ë Gélinisci exerce son droit.
19:35
Dans Le. seul l'unité du sujet est conservée en évilant une copule par l'emploi du participe. ἐπιῤειδάζω est de son style, x, 34; Act. χχπὶ, 24.
19:36
εαυτων (H V) ou αντων (T S).
Point de branchages pour joncher la route, mais des vêtements es sur le chemin, par d’autres que par les disciples.
19:37
Dans la démonstration toute spontanée de Me., Le. introduit ici comme une pause, qui permet de donner aux paroles de la foule le caractère d’un cantique pour rendre gloire à Dieu. Cette pause laissera aux Pharisiens le temps d'intervenir, et fixera aussi la situation de la Lamentation sur Jérusalem. — Ἐγγίζοντος s'entend prebabiement de Jérusalem, et cette proximité est expliquée : on touche à la descente du mont des Oliviers; πρός avec le datif, parce que c’est le point d'arrivée qui est marqué, non le mouvement; ἤδη se rapporte à ce point; on y est déjà. Par opposition aux Pharisiens qui vont paraitre, ceux qui figurent ici sont tous des disciples; ils ont été entraînés par les miracles de Jésus, ils y ont vu l’action de Dieu, et 115 lui en rapportent la gloire à haute voix. — aiveiv Luc =! dans le N. T. sauf Apoc. xx, 5 et Rom. xv, 11 (citation).
19:38
ὁ βασιλεύς, au lieu du hé de David {Me.) ) dent la teinte messianique était trop spéciale. Au lieu de deux fois hosanna (Mc.), Le. écrit en parallélisme εἰρήνη et δόξα, ἐν οὐρανῷ et ἐν ὑψίστοις, non pas dans le sens d’un double vœu que la paix soit faite au ciel, qu’il soit rendu gloire à Dieu, mais plutôt comme un résultat déjà acquis dont l’arrivée du Roi de la part de Dieu est le gage, selon l'esprit du cantique des anges (x, 14). Ators la gloire venait d'en haut et la paix sur 18 terre. Ici ce sont les hommes qui voient dans l'avènement de Jésus le signe que la paix est décrétée dans le ciel, et ils font remonter la gloire dans les hauteurs.
19:39
L'opposition des Pharisiens devait se produire. L'expression est conforme à leur caractère sournois. Ils font appel au bon sens de Jésus pour éviter un mauvais pas (cf. x, 34). C'est à lui, qui court les risques, à arrêter l'enthousiasme des siens. Luc est seul à noter ce trait, parfaitement en harmonie avec la parabole des mines (v. 44). Au fond les Pharisiens ne veulent pas du règne de Jésus. Mt. ἃ retenu un épisode semblable ϑει, 15-16), mais il le place plus tard, dans le temple.
19:40
σιωπησουσιν (T H V) el non σιωπήησωσιν (8).
L'expression est probablement cars rond; cf. ἥδ... ut, 11 λίθος ἐκ τοίχου βοήσεται. Cette fois encore, Jésus ne veut pas entrer dans le jeu des Pharisiens. Ge n’est pas qu'il attende la royauté du peuple; il va la quérir ailleurs. Lui du moins n’a pas oublié le dessein de Dieu. Mais si l'enthousiasme populaire est prématuré — comme ce qui suit [6 prouve encore, — du moins il a éclaté pour de justes raïsons, à la suite des miracles, et comme une manifestation de reconnaissance et d'espérance. C'était bien le moins que tant de bienfaits aboutissent à ce modeste triomphe. La nature eût plutôt suppléé à la méconnaissance des hommes. Mais l'opposition était toujours là, et il lui serait donné de prévaloir pour un temps, sauf à entraîner la nation à la ruine. — Le fut. ind. après ἐάν, cf. Act. vin, 34; il existe quelques exemples hellénistiques (Rademacher P. 163); σιωπήσωσιν (S) est une correction d’après l’usage classique. 41-44, LAMENTATION SUR JÉRUSALEM. Jésus sait à quoi s’en tenir sur les sentiments de la grande cité. Elle suivra ses guides ordinaires qui sont ses adversaires à lui. Ainsi l'enthousiasme des disciples viendra se briser contre l’obstination du peuple aveuglé. Le Sauveur en est attristé jusqu'aux larmes, car il prévoit la ruine de la cité de David. Rien de plus touchant que cette tristesse et ces pleurs dans la joie générale, rien qui montre mieux en lui l’envoyé de la miséricorde, rapportant tous ses actes aux desseins de son Père, sans être un seul instant détourné de sa mission, ni séduit par des espérances flatteuses. Tout cela n’est d’après M. Loisy qu’une invention de Luc : « L'hypothèse d’une tradition ou d’une source écrite antérieure à Luc paraît superflue » (1, 273). La preuve? « La description du sort qui attend Jérusalem est en partie imitée d’Isaïe et de Marc, mais avec une précision de trait qui provient assurément de ce que Lue a écrit après l'an 70 » (u, 272). Étrange état d'esprit! Si Luc ἃ écrit d’après les faits, qu'avait-il besoin de recourir à Isaïe, et si Isaïe décrit déjà le siège, comment prouve-t-on que la description de Le. a été faite d'après l'événement? Tant d'érudition était-elle nécessaire pour écrire ces lignes pénétrées de bonté et de mélancolie? Le pressentiment d’un grand cœur suffirait à les expliquer; ne peut-on les attribuer à Jésus sur la foi de l’évangéliste? Assurément il n'y aurait aucun inconvénient à reconnaître dans les termes la nuance précise du fait accompli si elle était clairement reconnaissable, mais nous verrons qu'il n'en est
19:41
Après quelques pas sur la descente du mont des Oliviers, Jésus aperçoit la ville. Aujourd'hui encore le spectacle est d'une beauté incomparable. Alors le Temple, à peine achevé, resplendissait dans l'éclat de ses pierres blanches, “ entouré d'une ceinture d'édifices et de maisons plus humbles, faisant ombre aux flancs des collines comme les blocs d’une carrière. Jésus pleure sur la ville, telle qu’elle est, rebelle à sa tendresse, et parce qu’elle sera châtiée.
19:42
Il n’y ἃ pas précisément aposiopesis, phrase interrompue par l'émotion, et dont on peut suppléer ce qui manque. εἰ ἔγνως est plutôt l'expression d'un regret : Que n’as-tu connu! La connaissance eût dû être préparée dans le passé, pour avoir ses fruits en ce jour, car il serait encore temps. — χαὶ σύ indique une comparaison, avec les disciples, qui eux comprennent, plutôt qu'avec les villes de Galilée vouées elles aussi à la ruine pour n'avoir pas compris : le sens serait « toi du moins », et il eût fallu écrire xai γε συ (Æusébe). — τὰ πρὸς εἰρήνην (cf. χιν, 32), les propositions de réconciliation qui venaient de Dieu, et qui auraient amené la paix. Mais Jérusalem était aveuglée. Le passif ἐκρύδη (sujet τὰ πρὸς eip.) doit en dernière analyse s'expliquer par un dessein divin (Jo. χει, 38), mais on ne saurait oublier le v. 37, si rapproché. Les disciples ont vu des miracles qui n’ont point été ignorés de Jérusalem, et ils ont loué Dieu. Si Jérusalem n’a pas compris, c'est qu'elle n'a pas voulu voir (cf. Dt. xxxrr, 28 8.). 48. euprauoy (T S V) et non nupiouov (H).
19:43
Une nouvelle phrase commence avec ὅτι, qui se rapporte au regret exprimé par Jésus, et qui est une véritable lamentation sur Jérusalem : on va voir pourquoi! — Le premier xal est presque synonyme de ὅτε (Holtz.). L'image est celle d’un siège qui procède par létablissement d'un reltranchement, entourant toute la ville de façon continue. Cf. Es. xxix, 3 : καὶ χυχλώσω ὡς Δαυείδ ἐπὶ σέ, καὶ βαλῶ περὶ où χάρακα καὶ θήσω περὶ σὲ πύργους, C’est le thème du siège, dans l’antiqu'ité, et on peut dire de tous les temps : Sennachérib : « Je l’enfermai dans Jérusalem, sa ville royale, comme un oiseau en cage. Je bâtis contre lui des tours et quiconque sortait par la grand'porte de sa ville, je le châtiais » (Cyl. de Taylor, nr, 20 ss.). Lue né parle pas de tours, mais seulement du retranchement (χάραξ) au moyen de palissades qui était le type de la fortification romaine. En Palestine on se servait de murs en pierres sèches, comme on le voit encore à Sebbé, l’ancienne Masada, prise après la ruine de Jérusalem (Jos. Bell. VIE, var, 3 ss.) à laquelle la description de Le. conviendrait parfaitement (RB. 1894 p. 263 ss.). .
19:44
Deux traits. — ἐδαφίζειν, de ἔδαφος, signifie d'après les uns « raser jusqu’au sol », mais Field objecte que dans ce cas on dit ἰσόπεδον ποιῆσαι (IE Macch. 1x, 14), χατάγειν ἕως ἐδάφους (Is. xavi, 5), εἰς ἔδαφος καθαιρεῖν (Thuc. Polyb.), els ἔδαρος κατα-- θάλλειν (Plut.). Tandis que dans Ps. ὄχχχνι, 9, ἐδαφιεῦ τὰ νήπιά σου πρὸς τὴν πέτραν 16 56η8 est : « écraser sur la pierre » (cf. Os. χιν, 4 ; Nah. πι, 10; IV Regn. vu, 13). C'est le sens ici, à cause de τὰ τέχνα. Dans les deux façons, c'est un trait courant dans la littérature sur le sac des villes. Peut-on dire sérieusement qu'il est écrit ici ex eventu? — Le second trait est de ne pas laisser pierre sur pierre. On prétend qu'il est emprunté à ce que Mc. dit du Temple (xur, 2). À propos de ce texte, M. Lois ἃ écrit que « 16 temple a été brûlé, non démoli, en sorte que la métaphore des pierres renversées se trouve matériellement inexacie » (u, 395); mais ici Mc. ἃ été retouché ex eventu (x, 272)! Ne vaudrait-il pas mieux dire que Le., peut-être sans s’en douter, emploie pour toute la ville La même expression que Mc. pour le Temple, parce qu'elle exprime une ruine complète (cf. Zach. v, 4; II Regn. xvnr, 13; Mich. 1, 6)? — ἐπισχοπή, visite de Dieu, qui peut être une visite de justice (Sap. xiv, 11), mais qui est le plus souvent une visite de grâce (Gen. 1, 24; Ex. m1, 16 etc.). Tout le temps de la mission du Sauveur était la visite de Dieu, si souvent annoncée par les prophètes.
19:45
Le verset est textuellement dans Mc., qui y ajoute des détails très naturels. Luc ne retient que les vendeurs, peut-être parce qu'on ne pouvait qualifier les acheteurs de voleurs, de sorte que l’acle de Jésus, si énergique d'après Me. et surtout d’après Jo., n'apparait guère que comme le thème d'une importante lecon religieuse.
19:46
Même texte dans Me., emprunté à Is. Lvr, 7, la tournure hébraïque κληθήσεται étant remplacée par ἔσται. Plummer s'étonne que Le ait omis πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθνετιν, et en conclut qu'il n'avait pas Me. sous les yeux. Mais Lc. pouvait-il s'exposer à laisser croire à ses lecteurs que le Temple devait encore être un lieu de priére pour toutes les nations?
19:48
παρεμθαλουσιν (T H S.V) plutôt que περιδαλουσιν.
Tous ceux-là cherchaient et ne trouvaient pas; phrase bien balancée. Leur embarras — et non plus leur crainte — venait de ce que le peuple ὁ λαός et _non pas seulement la foule (Mc.), tout entier (ἅπας style de Le.), était suspendu aux lèvres du Maitre. On ne pouvait donc rien faire sans provoquer un esclandre. — ἐξεκρέμετο de ἐκχρέμομαι; la lecon ἐξεκρέματο est probablement une correction d’après le normal ἐκχρέμαμαι. — La tournure est élégante, ἐχκρέμομαι est employé par les classiques au figuré; ἀκούων, pendant qu'il parlait, comme en latin, pendet ab ore. — αὐτοῦ dépend de ἐξεχρέμετο, cf. Eur. Élect. 950. 1 Kai ἐγένετο ἐν μιᾷ τῶν ἡμερῶν διδάσχοντος αὐτοῦ τὸν λαὸν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ XX-XXI. — DERNIERS ENSEIGNEMENTS DE JÉSUS. Toute la vie de Jésus est maintenant orientée vers le Temple. Il ne fait pas de miracles. Mais tout son enseignement montre qu'il a une claire vue de l'avemir, du sort qui l’attend, du châtiment qui atteindra le Temple et le peuple. Sa personne est plus haute que les Juifs ne concevaient le Messie, fils de David. On sent à quel point il domine le cours des choses et, acceptant la mort, il prépare ses disciples à continuer son œuvre. L'enseignement se compose surtout de discussions avec les adversaires appliqués à le perdre (xx, 1-44) et du discours eschatologique (xx1, 1-36); entre les deux, et comme une transition, se placent l'avertissement sur les Pharisiens (xx, 45-47) et le denier de la veuve (xxt, 1-4). Dans ces deux chapitres, Le. touche les mêmes points que Mec. et dans le même ordre, sauf qu'il omet Me. χα, 28-34 (Mt. xxu, 34-40), sur le grand commandement, dont il a déjà parlé avant la parabole du bon Samaritain (x, 25- 28). Dans Mt. l'ordre est le même, mais il y a plusieurs autres péricopes; Le. n'a en commun avec lui en plus de Mc. que le verset xx1, 18 — Mt. xx1, 44, qui n’est sûrement pas authentique dans Mt. Comme toujours Le. expose plus brièvement, sans le laisser aller de la conversation, et sans certaines circonstances qui ne vont pas au but; les pensées n’en sont que plus en relicf et mieux ordonnées, avec quelques notes qui ne permettent pas au lecteur de méconnaitre la situation.
19:1
… The moral life is not an intangible patrimony, a conquest made once and for all; it is built up at every moment, and good will, love toward God (Lk. 7:47; 19:1) obtains for us the forgiveness of sins and the possibility of beginning anew. …
… banquet, whoever does not wear the wedding garment will be cast "in tenebras exteriores" (Mt. 22, 1-14); the foolish virgins will remain outside the door (Mt. 25, 1-13); the slothful servant will be driven from the master's house (Mt. 25, 14, 30; Lk. 19, 1-28).
Jericho (Hebrew Yērīkō, Arabic Eriha)
… Jesus too passed through it several times; on his last journey he performed there the healing of the two blind men and accepted the invitation of Zacchaeus (Mt. 20, 29; Lk. 19, 1-5).
… Despite the murmuring of the crowd, Jesus accepted the hospitality of Z., who declared that he would give half of his goods to the poor and, in case he had defrauded anyone, would restore fourfold (Luke 19:1-10), surpassing in generosity what the Mosaic law required (Lev. 6:6; Num. 5:7).
19:2
of p." (Lk. 19, 2), who could have obtained the lease of the taxes in the district of Jericho, where commerce was quite flourishing. …
… However, Zacchaeus restores fourfold what he had unjustly taken (Lk. 19:2 ff.).
19:9
… not of one people alone, but of all humanity, whose salvation it announced: the serpent prefigures the salvation of all believers (Jn. 3, 14-15); the patriarchs will receive the pagans at their banquet (Mt. 8, 11). Zacchaeus too is a son of Abraham (Lk. 19, 9). The salvation that J. offers is for all (J.-B. …
19:10
… In the New Testament the reference to the redemption of man as the end of the Incarnation of the Word is frequent: «Non enim misit Deus filium suum in mundum, ut iudicet mundum, sed ut salvetur mundus per ipsum» (Io. 3, 17: cf. Lc. 19, 10; Mt. 9, 13; Gal. 4, 4; I Tim. 1, 15). Likewise the Fathers: Irenaeus (Adv. haer., V, 14, 1): «Si enim non haberet caro salvari, neququam Verbum Dei caro factum esset». …
… 1:26), with Christianity, which is a great announcement and message of salvation (Luke 2:11; Rom. 8:3; Col. 1:13-14; Heb. 1:1-3; John 1:29, 36). Jesus came as Savior (Matt. 1:21; Luke 2:25, 30), and presented himself as such (Matt. 15:24; Mark 2:17; Luke 19:10; cf. Matt. 18:12-23; Luke 15:1-8). This is the very substance of his mission: to heal, to save the lost sheep, to give his life for the world. …
19:12
… poor, to the persecuted, to those who "count for nothing" in society (Mt. 5:3). From God men have been entrusted, as a gift, with their natural qualities and their external goods, which they must make fruitful (the parable of the talents, ibid., 25:14; Lk. 19:12) with a view to obtaining the one thing that matters: the salvation of the soul, eternal life (the parable of the hidden treasure and the precious pearl, Mt. 13:44). Eternal life, …
19:13
Mina (Heb. Mâneh; Gr. Μνᾶ; Lat. Mina or Mna)
In Hellenistic times the Attic talent used in Palestine (1 Macc. 11:18) seems to be divided into 60 m. or 6000 drachmas (ibid. 14:24; 15:18; Lk. 19:13-25) and therefore the value of the m. is 10 drachmas. …
19:16
… 1) eternal life, the principal object; 2) the increase of glory, inasmuch as the Lord will give to each according to his works and according to his labor: he who has gained ten minas will be placed over ten cities, he who has gained five, over five (Lk. 19:16 ff.). …
19:21
… In the present state of man's corrupted nature, poverty of counsel belongs to perfection, as a means to the end. This is attested by the Lord (Lk. 19:21): «If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give it to the poor...; then come and follow me». Poverty is a better means than wealth for attaining perfection. …
19:29
From there He set out for his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and returned there the same evening (Lk. 19:29; Mk. 11:11; Mt. 21:17), and then on the evenings of the following days before the Passion. …
Bethphage (Hebrew Beth = "House"; Paggim = "Unripe Figs")
BETHPHAGE (Hebrew Beth = "House"; Paggim = "Unripe Figs"). - Village to which Jesus sent two of his disciples to fetch the donkey on which he made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Mt. 21:1; Mk. 11:1; Lk. 19:29). In the two Talmuds it is considered a suburb of Jerusalem.
It is sacred to Christians for the memories of Jesus, who several times, coming from Jericho, crossed it to descend into the city (Mt. 21:3; Mk. 11:1; Lk. 19:29), rested at Bethany in the hospitable house of Lazarus, and through Bethphage (v.) on the eastern slope of the mount
19:37
… On the western descent he was acclaimed by the crowd (Lk. 19:37), wept over the city (ibid. 19:41) and at the foot of the mount, in the garden of Gethsemane (v.), prayed, agonized and was betrayed by Judas.
19:41
… On the western descent he was acclaimed by the crowd (Lk. 19:37), wept over the city (ibid. 19:41) and at the foot of the mount, in the garden of Gethsemane (v.), prayed, agonized and was betrayed by Judas.
19:42
… Among these manifestations there stands out without doubt that against the deicidal city (Mt. 10:23; 26:63f.); the destruction of the Temple and of the cult, sign of the end of the era of the Old Testament and fulfillment of Jesus' prophecies (Lk. 13:34ff.; 19:42ff.). It also marked the end of the fierce Jewish persecution against the Church (Hebr. 13:7; 10:32ff.; Act. 4:1-31; 5:17ff.; 6:11ff.; 7:54-8:3; 12:1-4; etc.). …
19:44
… times in St. Paul: Acts 2:20; I Pt. 3:10, 12; Apoc. 16:14), "manifestation" (ἐπιφάνεια: 5 times in the pastoral epistles), "revelation" (ἀποκάλυψις: I Cor. 1:7; II Thess. 1:7; I Pt. 1:7, 13; 4:13). It is also called "visitation" (ἐπισκοπή: Lk. 19:44; cf. 1:68, 78; 7:16; I Pt. 2:12 [cf. 5:6]) according to the prophetic expression (pēquddāh: Is. 10:3; Hos. 9:7; Num. 16:29 is "the death that is the lot of all").
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Rheims 1582), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.