The parable of the husbandmen. Of paying tribute to Caesar and of the resurrection of the dead.
To the Iewes he auoucheth his power by the vvitnes of Iohn vvho vvas a man sent of God. 9 and foretelleth in a parable their reprobation most vvorthy (vvith the vocation of the Gentiles in their place) 17 and consequently their irreparable damnation that shal ensue thereof. 20 He defeateth their snare about paying tribute to Caesar: 27 he ansvvereth also the inuention of the Sadduces against the Resurrection, 40 And so hauing put them al to silence, 41 he turneth and poseth them, because they imagined that Christ should be no more but a man: 45 bidding al to bevvare of the Scribes (authors of the Ievves schisme from him) being ambitious and hypocrites.
1And it came to pass that on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, with the ancients, met together,E avvenne, che in un di quei giorni, mentre egli insegnava al popolo nel tempio, ed evangelizzava, si radunarono i principi de' sacerdoti, e gli Scribi con i seniori.AND it came to passe: in one of the daies vvhen he vvas teaching the people in the temple and euangelizing, the cheefe Priests and the Scribes vvith the auncients assembled,Et factum est in una dierum, docente illo populum in templo, et evangelizante, convenerunt principes sacerdotum, et scribæ cum senioribus, 2And spoke to him, saying: Tell us, by what authority dost thou these things? Or, who is he that hath given thee this authority?E preser a dirgli: Spiegaci, con quale autorità fai tu queste cose: o chi sia, che ha dato a te tale autorità?and spake saying to him, Tel vs, in vvhat povver doest thou these things? or, vvho is he that hath giuen the this povver?et aiunt dicentes ad illum: Dic nobis in qua potestate hæc facis ? aut quis est qui dedit tibi hanc potestatem ? 3And Jesus answering, said to them: I will also ask you one thing. Answer me:Ma Gesù rispose, e disse loro: Vi farò ancor io una interrogazione. Rispondete a me:And IESVS ansvvering, said to them, I also vvil aske you one vvord. Ansvver me,Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ad illos: Interrogabo vos et ego unum verbum. Respondete mihi: 4The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?Il battesimo di Giovanni veniva egli dal cielo, o dagli uomini?The baptisme of Iohn was it from heauē, or of men?baptismus Joannis de cælo erat, an ex hominibus ? 5But they thought within themselves, saying: If we shall say, From heaven: he will say: Why then did you not believe in him?Ma essi ruminavano dentro di se, dicendo: Se diciamo, dal cielo, ei risponderà: Perché dunque non avete creduto a lui?But they thought within them selues, saying, That if vve say, From heauen: he vvil say, Vvhy then did you not beleeue him?At illi cogitabant intra se, dicentes: Quia si dixerimus: De cælo, dicet: Quare ergo non credidistis illi ? 6But if we say, of men: the whole people will stone us. For they are persuaded that John was a prophet.Se poi diremo, dagli uomini, il popolo tutto ci lapiderà: perché è persuaso, che Giovanni era profeta.But if vve say, Of men: the vvhole people vvil stone vs: for they are certaine that Iohn is a Prophet.Si autem dixerimus: Ex hominibus, plebs universa lapidabit nos: certi sunt enim Joannem prophetam esse.
7And they answered that they knew not whence it was.E risposer, che non sapevano, di dove fosse.And they ansvvered that they knevv not vvhence it vvas.Et responderunt se nescire unde esset. 8And Jesus said to them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.E Gesù disse loro: Nemmen io dico a voi, con quale autorità fo queste cose.And IESVS said to them, Neither doe I tel you in vvhat povver I doe these things.Et Jesus ait illis: Neque ego dico vobis in qua potestate hæc facio. 9And he began to speak to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard and let it out to husbandmen: and he was abroad for a long time.E principiò a dire al popolo questa parabola: Un uomo piantò una vigna, e la diede in affitto a vignaiuoli: ed egli stette per molto tempo in lontan paese.And he began to say to the people this parable, A certaine man planted a vineyard, & let it out to husbandmen: and he vvas from home a long time.Cœpit autem dicere ad plebem parabolam hanc: Homo plantavit vineam, et locavit eam colonis: et ipse peregre fuit multis temporibus. 10And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard. Who, beating him, sent him away empty.E a suo tempo mandò un servo a' vignaiuoli, perché gli desser de' frutti della vigna. Ma questi lo batterono, e lo rimandarono con le mani vuote.And in time he sent to the husbandmen a seruant, that they should giue him of the fruit of the vineyard. Vvho beating him, sent him avvay emptie.Et in tempore misit ad cultores servum, ut de fructu vineæ darent illi. Qui cæsum dimiserunt eum inanem. 11And again he sent another servant. But they beat him also and, treating him reproachfully, sent him away empty.E seguitò a mandare un altra servo. Ma quegli avendo battuto anche questo, e fattagli vergogna, lo rimandarono con le mani vote.And againe he sent an other seruant. But they beating him also and reprochfully abusing him, sent him avvay emptie.Et addidit alterum servum mittere. Illi autem hunc quoque cædentes, et afficientes contumelia, dimiserunt inanem. 12And again he sent the third: and they wounded him also and cast him out.E si rifece da capo a mandare il terzo: ed essi ferirono, e cacciaron via anche questo.And againe he sent the third: vvho vvounding him also, cast him out.Et addidit tertium mittere: qui et illum vulnerantes ejecerunt. 13Then the lord of the vineyard said: What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be, when they see him, they will reverence him.Disse allora il padrone della vigna: Che farò io? Manderò il mio figliuolo diletto: forse quando lo vedranno, gli porteranno rispetto.And the lord of the vineyard said, Vvhat shal I doe? I vvil send my beloued sonne: perhaps vvhen they shal see him, they vvil reuerence him.Dixit autem dominus vineæ: Quid faciam ? Mittam filium meum dilectum: forsitan, cum hunc viderint, verebuntur.
14Whom, when the husbandmen saw, they thought within themselves, saying: This is the heir. Let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.Ma i vignaiuoli veduto che l'ebbero, la discorsero tra di loro, e dissero: Questo è l'erede, ammazziamolo, perché nostra sia l'eredità.Vvhom vvhen the husbandmen savv, they thought vvithin them selues, saying, This is the heire, let vs kil him, that the heritage may be ours.Quem cum vidissent coloni, cogitaverunt intra se, dicentes: Hic est hæres, occidamus illum, ut nostra fiat hæreditas. 15So casting him out of the vineyard, they killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?E cacciatolo fuora della vigna, lo ammazzarono. Che farà adunque di costoro il padrone della vigna?And casting him forth out of the vineyard, they killed him. Vvhat therfore vvil the Lord of the vineyard doe to them?Et ejectum illum extra vineam, occiderunt. Quid ergo faciet illis dominus vineæ ? 16He will come and will destroy these husbandmen and will give the vineyard to others. Which they hearing, said to him: God forbid.Verrà, e sterminerà questi vignaiuoli, e darà la vigna ad altri. La qual cosa quegli avendo udita, dissero: Non sia mai questo.He vvil come, and vvil destroy these husbandmen, and vvil giue the vineyard to others. Vvhich they hearing, said to him, God forbid.veniet, et perdet colonos istos, et dabit vineam aliis. Quo audito, dixerunt illi: Absit. 17But he looking on them, said: What is this then that is written, The stone, which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?Egli però miratili fissamente disse: Che è adunque quel, che sta scritto: La pietra rigettata da coloro, che fabbricavano, è divenuta testata dell'angolo?But he beholding them said, Vvhat is this then that is vvritten, The stone vvhich the builders reiected, the same is become into the head of the corner?Ille autem aspiciens eos, ait: Quid est ergo hoc quod scriptum est: Lapidem quem reprobaverunt ædificantes, hic factus est in caput anguli ? 18Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be bruised: and upon whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.Chiunque cadrà sopra tal pietra, si fracasserà: e sopra cui ella cadrà, lo stritolerà.Euery one that falleth vpon this stone, shal be quashed: and vpon vvhom it shal fall, it shal breake him to pouder.Omnis qui ceciderit super illum lapidem, conquassabitur: super quem autem ceciderit, comminuet illum. 19And the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him the same hour: but they feared the people, for they knew that he spoke this parable to them.E i principi de' sacerdoti, e gli Scribi cercavano di mettergli le mani indosso in quel punto medesimo: ma ebber paura del popolo; imperocché compresero, che questa parabola l'aveva detta per loro.And the cheefe Priests and Scribes sought to lay handes vpon him that houre: and they feared the people, for they knevv that he spake this similitude to them.Et quærebant principes sacerdotum et scribæ mittere in illum manus illa hora, et timuerunt populum: cognoverunt enim quod ad ipsos dixerit similitudinem hanc.
20And being upon the watch, they sent spies, who should feign themselves just, that they might take hold of him in his words, that they might deliver him up to the authority and power of the governor.E stando in aguato, mandarono degli emissarj, i quali si fingessero uomini religiosi, per avvilupparlo in discorsi, a fin di metterlo nelle mani del principato, e della podestà, del preside.And watching, they sent spies which should feine them selues iust: that they might take him in his talke, and deliuer him to the principaltie and povver of the Praesident.Et observantes miserunt insidiatores, qui se justos simularent, ut caparent eum in sermone, ut traderent illum principatui, et potestati præsidis. 21And they asked him, saying: Master, we know that thou speakest and teachest rightly: and thou dost not respect any person, but teachest the way of God in truth.Costoro lo interrogarono e dissero: Maestro, noi sappiamo, che tu parli, e insegni dirittamente: e non hai rispetti umani; ma la via di Dio dimostri con verità:And they asked him, saying, Maister, vve knovv that thou speakest and teachest rightly: and thou doest not accept person, but teachest the vvay of God in truth.Et interrogaverunt eum, dicentes: Magister, scimus quia recte dicis et doces: et non accipis personam, sed viam Dei in veritate doces. 22Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or no?E egli lecito a noi di dare il tributo a Cesare, sì, o no?Is it lavvful for vs to giue tribute to Caesar, or no?Licet nobis tributum dare Cæsari, an non ? 23But he, considering their guile, said to them: Why tempt you me?Ma Gesù conoscendo la loro furberia, disse loro: Perché mi tentate voi?But considering their guile, he said to them, Vvhy tempr you me?Considerans autem dolum illorum, dixit ad eos: Quid me tentatis ? 24Shew me a penny. Whose image and inscription hath it? They answering, said to him: Caesar’s.Fatemi vedere un denaro. Di chi è l'immagine, e l'iscrizione, che questo porta?. Gli risposer: Di Cesare.Shevv me a penie. Vvhose image hath it and inscription? They ansvvering said, Caesars.ostendite mihi denarium. Cujus habet imaginem et inscriptionem ? Respondentes dixerunt ei: Cæsaris. 25And he said to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things, that are Caesar’s: and to God the things that are God’s.Ed ci disse loro: Rendete dunque a Cesare quel, che è di Cesare; e a Dio quel, che è di Dio.And he said to them, Render therfore the things that are Caesars, to to Caesar: and the things that are Gods, to God.Et ait illis: Reddite ergo quæ sunt Cæsaris, Cæsari: et quæ sunt Dei, Deo.
26And they could not reprehend his word before the people: and wondering at his answer, they held their peace.E non poterono intaccare le sue parole dinanzi al popolo: e ammirati della sua risposta si tacquero.And they could not reprehend his vvord before the people: and marueiling at his ansvver, they held their peace.Et non potuerunt verbum ejus reprehendere coram plebe: et mirati in responso ejus, tacuerunt. 27And there came to him some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is any resurrection: and they asked him,E si fecer innanzi alcuni de' Sadducei, i quali negano, che siavi risurrezione, e gli fecero un quesito,And there came certaine of the Sadducees, vvhich denie that there is a resurrection, and they asked him,Accesserunt autem quidam sadducæorum, qui negant esse resurrectionem, et interrogaverunt eum, 28Saying: Master, Moses wrote unto us: If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he leave no children, that his brother should take her to wife and raise up seed unto his brother.Dicendo: Maestro, ha lasciato a noi scritto Mosè, che ove venga a morire ad alcuno un fratello ammogliato, che sia senza figliuoli, il fratello sposi la moglie di lui, e dia discendenza al fratello.saying, Maister, Moyses gaue vs in vvriting, If a mans brother die hauing a vvife, and he haue no children, that his brother take her to vvife, and raise vp seede to his brother.dicentes: Magister, Moyses scripsit nobis: Si frater alicujus mortuus fuerit habens uxorem, et hic sine liberis fuerit, ut accipiat eam frater ejus uxorem, et suscitet semen fratri suo. 29There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife and died without children.Egli erano adunque sette fratelli: e il primo prese moglie, e morì senza figliuoli;There vvere therfore seuen brethren: and the first tooke a vvife, and died vvithout children.Septem ergo fratres erant: et primus accepit uxorem, et mortuus est sine filiis. 30And the next took her to wife: and he also died childless.E il secondo sposò la donna, e morì anch'egli senza figliuoli.And the next tooke her, and he died vvithout children.Et sequens accepit illam, et ipse mortuus est sine filio. 31And the third took her. And in like manner, all the seven: and they left no children and died.E il terzo la sposò. E il simil fecero tutti gli altri, e non lasciaron figliuoli, e morirono.And the third tooke her. In like maner also al the seuen, and they left no seed, and died.Et tertius accepit illam. Similiter et omnes septem, et non reliquerunt semen, et mortui sunt. 32Last of all the woman died also.Morì dopo di tutti anche la donna.Last of al the vvoman died also.Novissime omnium mortua est et mulier.
33In the resurrection therefore, whose wife of them shall she be? For all the seven had her to wife.Nella risurrezione adunque chi di essi avralla in moglie? Conciossiaché ella è stata moglie di tutti sette.In the resurrection therfore, vvhose vvife shal she be of them? sithens the seuen had her to vvife.In resurrectione ergo, cujus eorum erit uxor ? siquidem septem habuerunt eam uxorem. 34And Jesus said to them: The children of this world marry and are given in marriage:E Gesù disse loro: Tra i figliuoli di questo secolo vi è moglie, e marito:And IESVS said to them, The children of this vvorld marrie, and are giuen in mariage:Et ait illis Jesus: Filii hujus sæculi nubunt, et traduntur ad nuptias: 35But they that shall be accounted worthy of that world and of the resurrection from the dead shall neither be married nor take wives.Ma coloro, che saran giudicati degni di quell'altro secolo, e di risorger da morte, né si ammogliano, né si maritano:but they that shal be counted vvorthie of that vvorld and the resurrection from the dead, neither marrie, nor take vviues,illi vero qui digni habebuntur sæculo illo, et resurrectione ex mortuis, neque nubent, neque ducent uxores: 36Neither can they die any more for they are equal to the angels and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.Conciossiaché non potranno più morire: perché sono simili agli Angeli, e sono figliuoli di Dio, essendo figliuoli della risurrezione.neither can they die any more, for they are equal to Angels: and they are the sonnes of God, seeing they are the sonnes of the resurrectiō.neque enim ultra mori potuerunt: æquales enim angelis sunt, et filii sunt Dei, cum sint filii resurrectionis. 37Now that the dead rise again, Moses also shewed at the bush, when he called the Lord: The God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.Che poi siano per risuscitare i morti, dimostrollo anche Mosè presso al roveto, chiamando il Signore il Dio di Abramo, e il Dio di Isacco, e il Dio di Giacobbe.But that the dead rise againe, Moyses also shevved, beside the bush, as he calleth the Lord, The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob.Quia vero resurgant mortui, et Moyses ostendit secus rubum, sicut dicit Dominum, Deum Abraham, et Deum Isaac, et Deum Jacob. 38For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live to him.Or ei non è il Dio de' morti, ma de' vivi: imperocché per lui tutti sono vivi.For God is not of the dead, but of the liuing for al liue to him.Deus autem non est mortuorum, sed vivorum: omnes enim vivunt ei.
39And some of the scribes answering, said to him: Master, thou hast said well.E alcuni degli Scribi preser la parola, e gli dissero: Maestro, hai parlato bene.And certaine of the Scribes ansvvering, said to him, Maister, thou hast said vvel.Respondentes autem quidam scribarum, dixerunt ei: Magister, bene dixisti. 40And after that they durst not ask him any more questions.E nissuno più ardiva di interrogarlo.And further they durst not aske him any thing.Et amplius non audebant eum quidquam interrogare. 41But he said to them: How say they that Christ is the son of David?Ma egli disse loro: Come mai dicono, che il Cristo sia figliuolo di David?But he said to them, Hovv say they that Christ is the sonne of Dauid?Dixit autem ad illos: Quomodo dicunt Christum filium esse David ? 42And David himself saith in the book of Psalms: The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand,E lo stesso Davidde dice nel libro de' Salmi: il Signore ha detto al mio Signore: Siedi alla mia destra,and Dauid him self saith in the booke of psalmes, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit on my right hand,et ipse David dicit in libro Psalmorum: Dixit Dominus Domino meo: sede a dextris meis, 43Till I make thy enemies thy footstool.Sino a tanto che io metta i tuoi nemici quale sgabello a' tuoi piedi.til I put thine enemies, the foote stoole of thy feete?donec ponam inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum. 44David then calleth him Lord. And how is he his son?Davidde adunque lo chiama Signore: e come è egli suo figliuolo?Dauid then calleth him Lord: and hovv is he his sonne?David ergo Dominum illum vocat: et quomodo filius ejus est ? 45And in the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples:E a sentita di tutto il popolo disse a' suoi discepoli:And al the people hearing him, he said to his Disciples,Audiente autem omni populo, dixit discipulis suis: 46Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes and love salutations in the market place and the first chairs in the synagogues and the chief rooms at feasts:Guardatevi dagli Scribi, i quali vogliono camminare in lunghe vesti, e amano di essere salutati nel foro, e di avere le prime sedie nelle sinagoghe, e i primi posti ne' conviti:Bevvare of the Scribes, that vvil vvalke in robes, and loue salutations in the market-place, and the first chaires in the synagogs, and the cheefe roomes in feastes.Attendite a scribis, qui volunt ambulare in stolis, et amant salutationes in foro, et primas cathedras in synagogis, et primos discubitus in conviviis, 47Who devour the houses of widows, feigning long prayer. These shall receive greater damnation.I quali col pretesto di lunghe orazioni divoran le case delle vedove. Costoro incorreranno più rigorosa condanna.vvhich deuoure vvidovves houses: feining long praier. These shal receiue greater damnation.qui devorant domos viduarum, simulantes longam orationem: hi accipient damnationem majorem.
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Calmet
Authority? By what authority do you make yourself a teacher of the people, a censor of the priests, a reformer of the laws and customs? If Jesus Christ had not publicly given undeniable proofs of his mission, by his miracles, the Pharisees would have had a right to demand an answer to this question; but, after what had been done in their own sight, it was no longer excusable to oppose the preaching of the Son of God. (Calmet)
Our Saviour himself teaches, that if he had not proved the divinity of his mission by his doctrine and works, it had been no sin to disbelieve or reject him. (John 5:31.; John 5:36.; John 10:25.; John 10:37.; John 15:22-24.)
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Calmet
Jesus does not gratify them by a direct answer; they did not deserve it, because they only interrogated him through captious and improper motives. He only replies by casting on them the very difficulties with which they sought to entangle him. (Calmet)
Theophylactus
Our divine Redeemer proposes to the chief priests a question concerning St. John the Baptist, to shew them how inconsistent was their uniform opposition to the ways of God. Because, though they believed in what was preached by St. John, (at least outwardly, through fear of the Jews) yet they would not believe him, or his doctrines, to whom St. John had given testimony, "That he was the Lamb of God, that had come to take away the sins of the world." (Theophylactus)
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St. Ambrose
A long time. Not that God (who is here represented by the man that planted a vineyard) confines himself to any particular place, either distant or near; but he only seems to absent himself in order that when he comes to receive the fruit of the vineyard, he may punish the negligent more severely, and reward the diligent with greater liberality. Likewise God is more intimately present with the good, by continually showering down upon them his special graces; and less so with the wicked, by refusing them, on account of their indispositions, any of his favours. (St. Ambrose)
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Theophylactus
As this whole parable may be applied exactly to the Jews, to the prophets and Christ; so may this last part, with no less accuracy, be applied to our Saviour. The husbandmen, before they killed the lord's beloved son, first cast him out of the vineyard. So the Jews did not kill the Son of God immediately themselves: they first cast him out from themselves, into the hands of Pilate, a Gentile, and then procured his death. (Theophylactus)
Ven. Bede
Thus sinners likewise act, by casting Christ out of their hearts, and crucifying him by sin. (Ven. Bede)
To reconcile St. Matthew and St. Luke, we must observe, says St. Augustine that this parable was not only spoken to those who questioned his authority, but to the people themselves; as St. Luke tells us.
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Ven. Bede
Fall upon. That is, whosoever sins against God, yet believes, will be spared by God for a short time to repent, though he kills his own soul by mortal sin: but, upon whomsoever it shall fall, that is, he who denies Christ, and continues on hardened in his sin, upon him the fury of God shall fall, and he shall be utterly destroyed. It will grind him to powder, like the dust which the wind driveth from the face of the earth. (Psalm i.) (Ven. Bede)
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Ven. Bede
Lay hands on him. Thus they themselves proved him to be the Lord's beloved Son, as he had just described himself in the preceding parable. (Ven. Bede)
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Calmet
Of the governor, etc. Of the governor, Pilate, who in the name of the Romans, exercised absolute authority in the country: for the Jews had lost the power of life and death, which was put into the hands of their presidents. (Calmet)
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Theophylactus
If our divine Saviour had returned them for answer, that they ought to give tribute to Caesar, they would have accused him of being an enemy to the law; but if, on the contrary, he said it was not lawful, they would have accused him to Pilate as an enemy to the state. (Theophylactus)
St. Jerome
For there was then a great misunderstanding among the Jews: some, who wished to keep peace with the Romans, said that it was lawful; but the Pharisees denied it, and said: "The people of God ought to be exempt from such a tax. They were bound by the law to give tithes and first-fruits to God; therefore they ought not to be bound by human laws to give likewise tax to men who were heathens." (St. Jerome)
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Ven. Bede
We may here be astonished at the incredulity of the chiefs of the Jews, who, though they ought to have admired his wisdom, as something divine, and believed in him, are only surprised that he should have escaped their duplicity and snares. (Ven. Bede)
Theophylactus
Their pride must have been a good deal hurt, to have been thus publicly refuted and confused by the wisdom of our Saviour's answer. (Theophylactus)
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Witham
The children of resurrection; that is of the just, who shall rise to a happy resurrection: not but that the wicked shall also rise, but to their condemnation and greater misery. (Witham)
Calmet
Jesus Christ begins with stating the wide difference between the state of things in this mortal life and in that which is to come: that marriage necessary here, will be unnecessary hereafter. For, in this life, they are children of men, subject to death, and therefore under the necessity of continuing their race by generation; but in the next life, they shall be children of resurrection, living for eternity, never to die, and consequently sons of God, and immortal. Resurrection is a kind of regeneration to immortality. Hence St. Paul explains to our Saviour's rising again, these words of the 2nd Psalm: Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. (Calmet)
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Theophylactus
The Scribes, seeing the Sadducees thus silenced, seemed to side entirely with our Saviour saying: Master, thou hast said well. And, apprehensive of being exposed to a similar disgrace and discomfiture themselves, they were afraid to ask him any more questions. But this was only an apparent and false conformity; for they afterwards procured him to be put to death by the Romans. Thus mortal hatred or envy may indeed be smothered for a time, but can hardly ever be extinguished. (Theophylactus)
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St. Chrysostom
Christ indeed is both the Lord and Servant of David. He is Servant, according to the flesh, being a descendant of David; and he is Lord, according to the spirit, being Lord of all. (St. Chrysostom)
St. Cyril
We hear in our times of a new sect of Pharisees, who neither believe that Christ is the true Son of God, nor that he is God born of a pure virgin. To such we object this question: How is he the Son of David, and his Lord? Not by human, but by divine dominion. (St. Cyril)
He has two natures: the nature of man, according to which, David was his father; and the nature of God, according to which, he was Son of God, and Lord of David. Thus is the difficulty solved.
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St. Chrysostom
How forcible are our divine Redeemer's reasonings, when he uses any text out of the prophets. When he performs the most stupendous miracles, his enemies generally have something to reply; when he cites a text of Scripture, they have nothing to say. All are silent. (St. Chrysostom)
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Calmet
The reproach he makes the Scribes in this place, is similar to what he had objected against the Pharisees. (St. Matthew 23:5.) Both these sects were filled with the same spirit of pride and vanity, which shewed itself in their dress, in their exterior, and in every part of their conduct. If our Saviour here attacks them upon their long trains, or other affected forms of their dress, he does not pronounce an absolute condemnation of things, which in themselves are indifferent, but of their abuse of them, making them serve only the purpose of vanity and affectation. (Calmet)
20:47
Theophylactus
These shall receive a greater condemnation, because they not only commit ordinary evil actions, but also make their prayers, and virtue itself, a cloak to their hypocrisy and vanity, and the cause of their greater depravity, famishing the widows whom themselves ought to compassionate and relieve. (Theophylactus)
Ven. Bede
Or, the greater honours and rewards they received for their wickedness, the greater punishment must they endure to expiate it. (Ven. Bede)
Jesus Christ seems in this place to allude to the avaricious practice of the Jews, draining the purses of widows by their stipulated long prayers for their departed husbands, (see Matthew 23:14.; Mark 12:40.) and thus abusing so holy a thing as prayer, merely to gratify their avarice.
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••. Shal be counted vvorthie.) This truth and speach that good men be vvorthy of heauen, is according to the Scriptures, To be worthie of heauē, or to deserue & merite it. and signifieth that mans vvorkes done by Christs grace do condignely or vvorthely deserue eternal ioy, as Sap. 3. God proued them, and found them vvorthy of him self. and Mat. 10. He that loueth his father more then me, is not vvorthy of me. and Colos. 1, That you may vvalke vvorthy of God. and most plainly Apoc. 3. They shal vvalke vvith me in vvhite, because they are vvorthy. as of Christ (c. 1) Thou art vvorthy o Lord to receiue glorie &c. And that, to be counted vvorthie, and to be vvorthie, 〈Greek〉. is here al one, The new Testamēt an. 1580. it is plaine, by the Greeke vvord, vvhich S. Paul vseth so, as the aduersaries ovvne English Testaments do testifie, reading thus Hebre. 10. Of hovv much sorer punishment shal he be vvorthie, vvhich &c. And it must needes signifie, because men for sinnes are not only counted, but are in deede vvorthie of punishment, as them selues do graunt. They do greatly therfore forget them selues, and are ignorant in the Scriptures, and knovv not the force nor the valure of the grace of God, which doth not onely make our labours grateful to God, but worthie of the reward which he hath prouided for such as loue him. See the Annot. 2 Thess. 1, 5.
•6. Equal to Angels.) Saincts of our kinde, The dignitie of Saincts. now in their soules, and after their resurrection in body and soule together, shal be in al things equal to Angels: and for degree of blisse, many Saincts of greater merite shal be aboue diuers Angels: as S. Iohn Baptist, the Apostles, and others, and our B. Lady aboue al the orders of holy spirits in dignitie and blisse, and no maruel, our nature by Christ being so highly exalted aboue al Angels.
Concordance Mr. 21, 23. Mr. 11, 27,
TVESDAY.
20:2
Concordance See Annot. Mat. c 21, 23.
20:9
Concordance Esa. 5, 1.
See the marginal annotations Marc. 〈◊〉.
Concordance Mt. 21, 33. Mr. 12, 1.
20:16
Concordance Ps. 117, 22.
20:20
Concordance Mt. 22, 15. Mr. 12, 13.
20:25
So duties must be done to Princes, that our duety to God be not neglected. See Annot. Mat. c. 22, 15.
20:27
Concordance Mt. 22, 23. Mr. 12, 18.
20:28
Concordance Deu, 25, 5.
20:35
The greeke 〈Greek〉 impotteth also this much, they that are made vvorthie, to wit, by the grace of God, and so they are in deede worthie, as also in the next chapter verse 36. & 2. Thess. 1. 5.
20:37
Concordance Exo. 3, 6.
20:41
Concordance Mt. 22, 44. Mr. 12, 36.
20:43
Concordance Ps. 109, 1.
20:46
Concordance Mt. 23, 6. Mr. 12, 38.
20:1
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
[26, 27] And they came again to Jerusalem.
20:2
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
[26, 27] And they came again to Jerusalem. And it came to pass, on one of the days, as Jesus was walking in the temple, and teaching the people, and preaching the [28] gospel ,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 78.2
… Tell us.” To whom He answered, “Do ye tell Me too, The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?” They heard, and held their peace. For they thought at once with themselves. “If we shall say, Of men: the people will stone us; for they hold John as a prophet. If we shall say, From heaven; He will say to us, Why then have ye not believed him?”
20:4
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.38
Christ knew “the baptism of John, whence it was.”
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Selections from the Letters of St. Ambrose sermon-against-auxentius-on-th.37
37. A sufficient answer, then, seems to have been given to their suggestion. Now I ask them, what the Saviour asked: “The baptism of John, was it from heaven or men?”
20:5
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.38
… O most excellent God; how different are his ways from the Creator’s! Knowing that men would rush down headlong over it, He placed them actually on the very precipice. For thus do men treat of the Creator respecting His law of the tree. But John’s baptism was “from heaven.” “Why, therefore,” asks Christ, “did ye not believe him?”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 11
How then doth Christ say, that they did not believe John?
20:6
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
… The baptism of John, from [31] what place is it? from heaven or of men? Tell me. And they reflected within themselves, [Arabic, p. 127] and said, If we shall say unto him, From heaven; he will say unto [32] us, For what reason did ye not believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; [33] we fear that the people will stone us, all of them.
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.38
… Suppose you refer these points to an excuse of the Creator, or to His comparison with Christ; then consider what would have happened if the Pharisees had replied to His question. Suppose their answer to have been, that John’s baptism was “of men,” they would have been immediately stoned to death.
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Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.38
… But, at any rate, when He actually met their refusal to say what they thought, with such reprisals as, “Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things,”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.44.4
… 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 end of ver. 27 to the beginning of ver. 47 . In chap. xx. he omitted ten verses, from the
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Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 8.21
… and until He shall have rebuked the evil and they are condemned, then He will send them to the torment. And as to them that sent messengers after the King, saying, This man shall not be king over us ,
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Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 5.22
… Now that the fire has devoured it and that it is laid waste, how shall it prove of service? The fire has devoured its two branches and its inward parts are wasted . For its two branches are the two kingdoms, and its inward part which is laid waste is Jerusalem. Many servants were sent to them by the Lord of the vineyard.
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
… And he sent again another; and they slew him. And he sent many other servants unto [46] them. And the husbandmen took his servants, and one they beat, and another they [47] stoned, and another they slew. So he sent again other servants more than the first; and [48] [Arabic, p. 128] they did likewise with them.
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 3.28
… However, since Christ’s enemies do not yield even to these considerations, I wish, though knowing that they have a heart harder than Pharaoh, to ask them again concerning this. In Paradise God asks, ‘Adam, where art Thou ’ and He inquires of Cain also, ‘Where is Abel thy brother
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.17
214. But in the Gospel of Luke also thou hast the same, for the Father says: “What shall I do? I will send My beloved Son; it may be that they will reverence Him.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 74
… I will go down therefore, and see whether their doings be according to their cry which cometh unto me, and if not, I will know.” And elsewhere He saith, “Whether they will hear, whether they will understand.” And in the gospel too, “It may be they will reverence my Son:”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 29
… “The God of this people chose our fathers: and the people”—See, he calls God Himself their God peculiarly, Who is the common God of men; and shows how great from the first were His benefits, just as Stephen does. This they do to teach them, that now also God has acted after the same custom, in sending His own Son; (
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
… and [48] [Arabic, p. 128] they did likewise with them. So the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will see him and be [49, 50] ashamed. So at last he sent unto them his beloved son that he had. But the husbandmen, when they saw the son, said amongst themselves, This is the heir. [51, 52]
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 2.70
… “What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. And He beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?”
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Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.44.4
… 47 . In chap. xx. he omitted ten verses, from the end of ver. 8 to the end of ver. 18 . He rejected also verses 37 and 38 , in which there is a reference to Moses. Marcion also erased of chap. xxi. the first eighteen verses, as well as verses 21 and 22 , on account of this clause, “that all things which are written may be fulfilled;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 2.76
… Thereafter he proceeds, as Mark does, to tell the story of the widow who cast the two mites into the treasury. And finally he appends the statement,
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
The same came to be at the head of the corner:
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 65
And Luke indeed saith, that He declared what these men should suffer; and they said, “God forbid;” and He added the testimony [of Scripture]. For “He beheld them, and said, What is it then that is written? The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; and every one that falleth upon it shall be broken.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 164
… a future event, that flood was a type both of baptism to believers and of destruction to unbelievers, as in that figure in which, not by a transaction but by words, two things are predicted concerning Christ, when He is represented in Scripture as a stone which was destined to be both to unbelievers a stone of stumbling, and to believers a foundation-stone.
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 4
… that He showed in His kingdom, which is the Church, with which He has filled the whole face of the earth. Because then it had not yet increased, they stumbled at Him as at a stone: and that happened in them which is written, “Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever that stone shall fall, it will grind them to powder.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 46.11
… For the stone was yet small: and small they deservedly despised it, and despising they stumbled, and stumbling they were broken; remains that they be ground to powder. For so was it said of the stone, “Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 74.8
… Before thee He was, O Israel. Thou wast bruised because thou didst stumble against Him lying down: that thou mayest not be ground to powder, observe Him coming from above. For thus it was foretold by the prophet: “Whoever shall stumble upon that stone shall be bruised, and upon whomsoever it shall have come, it shall grind him to powder.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 110.12
… I know not what Jew or what Galilean He may have been, who died, who was slain in such a manner! The stone is before thy feet, lying, so to speak, mean and humble: therefore by scorning thou dost stumble, by stumbling thou fallest, by falling thou art wounded.…“But on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”
20:20
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.19
… But suppose they sent Him the message for the purpose of tempting Him? Well, but the Scripture does not say so; and inasmuch as it is usual for it to indicate what is done in the way of temptation (“Behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted Him;” again, when inquiring about tribute, the Pharisees came to Him, tempting Him
20:25
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.38
… But, at any rate, when He actually met their refusal to say what they thought, with such reprisals as, “Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things,” He returned evil for evil! “Render unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.”
20:26
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 34
… But Jesus knew [5] their deceit, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the [6] penny of the tribute. So they brought unto him a penny. Jesus said unto them, To whom belongeth this image and inscription? They said unto him, To Cæsar. [7, 8] He said unto them, Give what is Cæsar’s to Cæsar, and what is God’s to God.
20:27
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.38
… The question therefore was, to which husband must she be reckoned to belong in the resurrection?
20:30
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 34
… And they asked him, and said unto him, Teacher, Moses said unto us, If a man die, not having children, let his brother take his wife, and raise up seed [11] for his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first took a wife, [12] and died without children;
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 34
… And they asked him, and said unto him, Teacher, Moses said unto us, If a man die, not having children, let his brother take his wife, and raise up seed [11] for his brother. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first took a wife, [12] and died without children; and the second took his wife, and died without children; [13]
20:33
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.38
… It was: “Whose wife should this woman be in that world after the resurrection?”
20:34
St Justin Martyr † AD 165 On the Resurrection, Fragments 3
… but being deprived of lawless desire, it suffers no harm. And at the same time He foretold that, in the future world, sexual intercourse should be done away with; as He says, “The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage; but the children of the world to come neither marry nor are given in marriage, but shall be like the angels in heaven.”
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 34
… And last of them all the woman died also. At the resurrection, then, which of these seven shall have this woman? for all of them took [16] her. Jesus answered and said unto them, Is it not for this that ye have erred, [17] because ye know not the scriptures, nor the power of God?
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.38
… And to it Christ was obliged to return a direct answer. He had nobody to fear; that it should seem advisable for Him either to evade their questions, or to make them the occasion of indirectly mooting a subject which He was not in the habit of teaching publicly at any other time. He therefore gave His answer, that “the children of this world marry.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.33
… for neither shall they begin to die: for they are equal to the angels of God, since they are the children of the resurrection. But, that the dead rise again, Moses intimates when he says in the bush, The Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 14.23
… And if this cannot be maintained without absurdity, we must rather believe that the number of the saints fit to complete this most blessed city would have been as great though no one had sinned, as it is now that the grace of God gathers its citizens out of the multitude of sinners, so long as the children of this world generate and are generated.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 15.20
… We reply, To the deluge, by which the whole stock of the earthly city was destroyed, but repaired by the sons of Noah. For the earthly city and community of men who live after the flesh will never fail until the end of this world, of which our Lord says, “The children of this world generate, and are generated.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 1.27
… for we cannot possibly say that we do not belong to “the world,” for the life of which Christ gave His flesh. Who indeed can doubt that in the term world all persons are indicated who enter the world by being born? For, as He says in another passage, “The children of this world beget and are begotten.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins, and on the Baptism of Infants 2.11
… His begetting children, therefore, shows that he still retains the old nature among the children of this world; it does not arise from the fact of his promotion to newness of life among the children of God. For “the children of this world beget and are begotten.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Marriage and Concupiscence 1.20
… because also those who generate, if they are already regenerate, beget children not as chil dren of God, but as still children of the world. “The children of this world,” says our Lord, “beget and are begotten.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 3.4
… Far be it from us to say that the holy fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and others of this kind, were children of the devil when they were begetting in marriage, and those believers who until now and still hereafter continue to beget. And yet we cannot contradict the Lord when He says, “The children of this world marry and give in marriage.”
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St Justin Martyr † AD 165 Dialogue with Trypho 81
… and that thereafter the general, and, in short, the eternal resurrection and judgment of all men would likewise take place. Just as our Lord also said, ‘They shall neither marry nor be given in marriage, but shall be equal to the angels, the children of the God of the resurrection.’
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 34
… And last of them all the woman died also. At the resurrection, then, which of these seven shall have this woman? for all of them took [16] her. Jesus answered and said unto them, Is it not for this that ye have erred, [17] because ye know not the scriptures, nor the power of God? And the sons of this [18] world take wives, and the women become the men’s;
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.38
… “But they whom God shall account worthy of the possession of that world and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; forasmuch as they cannot die any more, since they become equal to the angels, being made the children of God and of the resurrection.”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.39
… Ask of me, and I will give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance.” “And all that glory shall serve Him; His dominion shall be an everlasting one, which shall not be taken from Him, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed,” because in it “men shall not die, neither shall they marry, but be like the angels.”
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.44.4
… xx. he omitted ten verses, from the end of ver. 8 to the end of ver. 18 . He rejected also verses 37 and 38 , in which there is a reference to Moses. Marcion also erased of chap. xxi. the first eighteen verses, as well as verses 21 and 22 , on account of this clause, “that all things which are written may be fulfilled;” xx. 16 was left out by him, so also
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Epistles of Cyprian 80.1
… What more pleasant and sublime than now to kiss your lips, which with a glorious voice have confessed the Lord, to be looked upon even in presence by your eyes, which, despising the world, have become worthy
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On the Dress of Virgins 22
… It is the word of the Lord which says, “The children of this world beget and are begotten; but they who are counted worthy of that world, and of the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage: neither shall they die any more: for they are equal to the angels of God, being the children of the resurrection.”
St Pontius the Deacon † AD 300 The Life and Passion of Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr. By Pontius the Deacon 2
… Then—what is even greater—when he had learned from the reading of Scripture certain things not according to the condition of his novitiate, but in proportion to the earliness of his faith, he immediately laid hold of what he had discovered, for his own advantage in deserving well of God.
Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 22.13
… For our Lord said:— They that are worthy of that world, and of that resurrection from the abode of the dead, shall not take wives, nor shall (women) become wives to men; for they cannot die; but they are as the angels in heaven, and are the children of God .
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 On the Making of Man 17.2
… “for in the resurrection,” He says, “they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; neither can they die any more, for they are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection
St Jerome † AD 420 To Pammachius against John of Jerusalem 23
… For the bodies which, as the Apostle says, are sown in corruption, shall rise in incorruption; being sown in dishonour, they shall rise in glory. ‘It is sown an animal body, it shall rise a spiritual body’; and of them the Saviour said in his teaching:
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 15.17
… But Enos means man in so restricted a sense, that Hebrew linguists tell us it cannot be applied to woman: it is the equivalent of the “child of the resurrection,” when they neither marry nor are given in marriage.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Good of Widowhood 15
… For rebuking them, He saith, “Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they shall neither be married, nor marry wives; for they shall not begin to die, but shall be equal to the Angels of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 83.7
… Endor, where they perished, is explained, the Fountain of generation, but of the carnal generation namely, to which they were given up, and therefore perished, not heeding the regeneration which leadeth unto life, where they shall neither marry nor be given in marriage,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 145.3
… Scripture hath called us “sons of the Resurrection;” the Resurrection itself it hath called Regeneration. “In the regeneration,” it saith, “when the Son of Man shall be seated in His Majesty.” So also in another place; “For they shall not marry, nor be given in marriage, for they are the sons of the Resurrection.”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 34
… And the sons of this [18] world take wives, and the women become the men’s; but those that have become worthy of that world, and the resurrection from among the dead, do not take [19] [Arabic, p. 130] wives, and the women also do not become the men’s.
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 3.9
… And, really, if your god promises to men some time or other the true nature of angels
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Resurrection of the Flesh 36
… that it was, in fact, the resurrection of the two natures of man. Nor does it follow, (as they would have it,) that because Christ denied that men would marry, He therefore proved that they would not rise again. On the contrary, He called them “the children of the resurrection,”
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Resurrection of the Flesh 62
To this discussion, however, our Lord’s declaration puts an effectual end: “They shall be,” says He, “equal unto the angels.”
Tertullian † AD 220 To His Wife i.1
… not that you will on that score confer any benefit on me, except in that you will profit yourself. But to Christians, after their departure from the world, no restoration of marriage is promised in the day of the resurrection, translated as they will be into the condition and sanctity of angels.
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 4.29
… and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.” And we know that in this way the angels are superior to men; so that men, when made perfect, become like the angels. “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but the righteous are as the angels in heaven,” and also become “equal to the angels.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 11.14
… lovers of God, is said by Paul to be their god, so the prince of this world, in regard to whom the Saviour says, “Now has the prince of this world been judged,” though he is not God, is said to be the god of those who do not wish to receive the spirit of adoption, in order that they may become sons of that world, and sons of the resurrection from the dead,
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 An Exhortation to Theodore After His Fall 1
… Now if those powers, even when they did not disclose their essential nature pure and bare, but only in a very dim and shadowy way, nevertheless shone so brightly, what must naturally be their appearance, when set free from every veil? Now we ought to form some such image of the beauty of the soul. “For they shall be,” we read “equal unto the angels.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 67
… “For in the resurrection,” saith He, “they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels of God in Heaven.” But Luke saith, “As Sons of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 13.8
… I cannot measure my love, so that I may come to know how much there is yet wanting in me, ere my life run into Thy embracements, and not be turned away until it be hidden in the secret place of Thy Presence. This only I know, that woe is me except in Thee,—not only without, but even also within myself; and all plenty which is not my God is poverty to me.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 55.26
… for it shall only then be perfect when this mortal shall be swallowed up in life, and death swallowed up in victory; when the last enemy, death, shall be destroyed; when we shall be changed, and made like the angels: for “we shall all rise again, but we shall not all be changed.” Again, the Lord saith, “They shall be equal unto the angels.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 148.7
… If, however, a question arise on this point, and a doubt is expressed whether we shall not be superior to the angels, the mind of the Lord Himself is plain from the words which He uses in speaking of those who shall rise again to the kingdom: “They shall be equal unto the angels.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Enchiridion 29
… For this is the promise to the saints, that at the resurrection they shall be equal to the angels of God.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Enchiridion 63
… And this peace, as is said, passeth all understanding; but this, of course, means our understanding, not that of those who always behold the face of their Father. We now, however great may be our human understanding, know but in part, and see through a glass darkly. But when we shall be equal unto the angels of God
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Catechising of the Uninstructed 25
… God will be the whole enjoyment and satisfaction of that holy city, which lives in Him and of Him, in wisdom and beatitude. For as we hope and look for what has been promised by Him, we shall be made equal to the angels of God,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Catechising of the Uninstructed 27
… But all the faithful who are destined to reign with Christ shall rise with the same body in such wise that they may also be counted worthy to be changed into angelic incorruption; so that they may be made equal unto the angels of God, even as the Lord Himself has promised;
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 19
… For we have risen in this resurrection, if we have rightly believed; and we ourselves, who have already risen, are looking for another resurrection in the end. Moreover, both now are we risen to eternal life, if we perseveringly continue in the same faith; and then, too, we shall rise to eternal life, when we shall be made equal with the angels.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 107.2
… wherein its universal character is understood as including those two sons, the elder and the younger, along with all the holy angels, whose equals we shall be in the kingdom of Christ and of God:
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 110.7
… nor was it enough for them to become deserters from Him, but they must also become our deceivers. This, therefore, is the great goodness of which we are to be made the subjects by Him, who hath loved us even as He hath loved Christ, that, for His sake, whose members He wished us to be, we may be equal to the holy angels,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 63.4
4. Wisdom therefore must be thirsted after, righteousness must be thirsted after. With it we shall not be satisfied, with it we shall not be filled, save when this life shall have been ended, and we shall have come to that which God hath promised. For God hath promised equality with Angels:
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Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.44.4
… He expunged nineteen verses out of chap. xix., from the end of ver. 27 to the beginning of ver. 47 . In chap. xx. he omitted ten verses, from the end of ver. 8 to the end of ver. 18 . He rejected also
Tertullian † AD 220 On the Resurrection of the Flesh 36
… since, too, (in affirming it,) He reproached them as being both ignorant of the Scriptures—those, of course which had declared the resurrection—as well as incredulous of the power of God, though, of course, effectual to raise the dead, and lastly, since He immediately added the words, “Now, that the dead are raised,”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 34
… Nor is it possible that they should die; but they are like the angels, and are the children of [20] God, because they have become the children of the resurrection. For in the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read in the book of Moses, how from the bush God said unto him, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? [21]
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.44.4
… Marcion also erased of chap. xxi. the first eighteen verses, as well as verses 21 and 22 , on account of this clause, “that all things which are written may be fulfilled;” xx. 16 was left out by him, so also verses 35–37, 50, and 51 (and, adds Lardner, conjecturally, not herein following his authority Epiphanius, also
Novatian † AD 258 A Treatise of Novatian Concerning the Trinity 25
… So that, while from these considerations it is gathered that nothing but the human nature in Christ was put to death, it appears that the Word in Him was not drawn down into mortality. For if Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, who, it is admitted, were only men, are manifested to be alive—for all they,
Aphrahat † AD 346 Aphrahat: Select Demonstrations 22.2
… And observe that our Redeemer Jesus also, when He repeated this utterance to the Sadducees, when they were disputing with Him about the Resurrection of the dead, thus said:— God is not (God) of the dead, for all are alive unto Him.
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Decease of His Brother Satyrus 2.95
95. The patriarchs also live, for God could not be called the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, except the dead were living; for He is not the God of the dead but of the living.
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 108.1
… We do not grieve that we have lost this perfect woman; rather we thank God that we have had her, nay that we have her still. For “all live unto” God,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 78.10
… For there followeth, “in the land of Egypt, in the plain of Thanis” ( ver. 12 ): where it is said that God showed to them wonderful things before their fathers. Were they perchance present in spirit? For of the same the Lord saith in the Gospel, “for all do live to Him.”
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Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 34
[22, 23] And when the multitudes heard, they were wondering at his teaching.
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.38
… They, indeed, who had caught the very force of His voice, and pronunciation, and expression, discovered no other sense than what had reference to the matter of the question. Accordingly, the Scribes exclaimed, “Master, Thou hast well said.”
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Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.38
… Now, He did not reject the attestation of those who had assumed His answer to bear this meaning. If, however, the Scribes thought Christ was David’s Son, whereas (David) himself calls Him Lord,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 2.74
… Luke, again, only omits mention of the person who asked the Lord which was the first commandment in the law, and, after passing over that incident in silence, observes the same order once more as the others, narrating just as these, do this question which the Lord put to the Jews concerning Christ, as to how He was David’s son.
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St Augustine † AD 430 de con. Ev. l. ii. c. 69.
Having related the casting out of those that bought and sold in the temple, Luke omits Christ’s going to Bethany and His return again to the city, and the circumstances of the fig-tree, and the answer which was made to the astonished disciples, concerning the power of faith. And having omitted all these, as he does not, like Mark, pursue the events of each day in order, he commences with these words, And it came to pass, that on one of those days; by which we may understand that day on which Matthew and Mark related that event to have taken place.
Eusebius † AD 339
But the rulers who should have been struck with wonder at one who taught such heavenly doctrines, and have been convinced by His words and deeds that this was the same Christ whom the Prophets had foretold, came to hinder Him, so helping onward the destruction of the people. For it follows, And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? &c. As if he said; By the law of Moses, those only who are sprung from the blood of Levi have authority to teach, and power over the sacred buildings. But Thou who art of the line of Judah usurpest the offices assigned to us. Whereas, O Pharisee, if thou hadst known the Scriptures, thou wouldest have called to mind that this is the Priest after the order of Melchisedec, who offers to God them that believe on Him by that worship which is above the law. Why then art thou troubled. He cast out of the sacred house things which seemed necessary for the sacrifices of the law, because He calls us by faith to the true righteousness.
St Bede † AD 735
Or when they say, By what authority doest thou these things? they doubt concerning the power of God, and wish it to be understood that of the devil He doeth this. Adding moreover, And who is he that gave thee this authority? Most plainly do they deny the Son of God when they think that not by His own power but another’s He doeth miracles. Now our Lord by a simple answer might have refuted such a calumny; but He wisely asks a question, that by their silence or their words they might condemn themselves. And he answered and said unto them, I also will ask, &c.
Theophylact † 1107
For that He might shew that they had always rebelled against the Holy Spirit, and that besides Isaiah, whom they remembered not, they had refused to believe John whom they had lately seen; He now in his turn puts the question to them, proving that if so great a Prophet as John who was accounted greatest among them had been disbelieved when he testified of Him, they would in no wise believe Him, answering by what authority He did this.
Eusebius † AD 339
His question concerning John the Baptist is not from whence was he sprung, but whence received he his law of baptism But they feared not to shun the truth. For God sent John as a voice, crying, Prepare ye the way of the Lord. But they dreaded to speak the truth, lest it should be said, Why did ye not believe? and they scruple to blame the forerunner, not from fear of God, but of the people; as it follows, And they reasoned within themselves, saying, If we shall say, From, heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not.
St Bede † AD 735
As if He should say, He whom yon confess had his gift of prophecy from heaven, and gave testimony to Me. And ye heard from him by what power I should do these things. It follows, But if we shall say, Of men; the whole people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet. Therefore perceived they in whatever way they should answer they would fall into a trap, fearing the stoning, but much more the confession of the truth. And then it follows, And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was. Because they will not confess that which they knew, they were baffled, and the Lord would not tell them what He knew; as it follows, And Jesus said unto them, Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. For there are two reasons especially why we should conceal the truth from those that ask; for example, when the questioner is incapable of understanding what he asks, or when from hatred or contempt he is unworthy to have his questions answered.
The Latin text
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Cum memorasset Lucas eiectos de templo ementes et vendentes, praetermisit quod exibat in Bethaniam et regrediebatur in civitatem, et quod de ficulnea factum est, et quod mirantibus discipulis de fidei virtute responsum est. Atque his praetermissis, non quasi ex ordine dies prosequens, sicut Marcus intulit, dicens et factum est in una dierum, docente illo populum in templo, et evangelizante, convenerunt principes sacerdotum et Scribae cum senioribus. Quod dicit factum in una dierum, ea dies intelligitur in qua id gestum Matthaeus et Marcus retulerunt
Eusebius
Cum autem principes mirari deberent docentem caelestia dogmata, et cognoscere per dicta et facta hunc esse Christum quem prophetae praecinerant, incumbentes subversioni populi, Christum prohibebant; sequitur enim et aiunt dicentes ad illum: dic nobis, in qua potestate haec facis? Aut quis est qui dedit tibi hanc potestatem?
Cyrillus
Quasi dicat: secundum legem Mosaicam solis exorcistis ex levitico sanguine data est auctoritas docendi, necnon sacrorum atriorum potestas: at tu ortus ex Iuda commissos nobis fasces usurpas. Sed si novisses, o Pharisaee, Scripturas, recoleres quod hic est sacerdos, qui secundum ordinem Melchisedech offert Deo in se credentes per cultum qui legem transcendit. Quid igitur anxiaris, eiectis ab atriis sacris quae opportuna videbantur legalibus victimis, eo vocante ad veram iustificationem per fidem?
Beda
Vel quando dicunt in qua potestate haec facis? De Dei dubitant potestate, et subintelligi volunt Diaboli esse quod facit. Addentes quoque aut quis est qui dedit tibi hanc potestatem? Manifestissime Dei filium negant, quem putant non suis, sed alienis viribus signa facere. Poterat autem dominus aperta responsione tentatorum calumniam confutare; sed prudenter interrogat, ut suo silentio vel sententia condemnentur; sequitur enim respondens autem dixit ad illos: interrogabo et ego vos unum verbum; respondete mihi: Baptismus Ioannis de caelo erat, an ex hominibus?
Theophylactus
Ut enim ostenderet eos semper fuisse spiritui sancto rebelles, et nedum Isaiae, cuius non erat memoria, sed nuper viso Ioanni credere noluerunt, ob hoc versa vice opponit eis hanc quaestionem, ostendens quod si tanto prophetae Ioanni, qui apud eos maior videbatur, minime crediderunt, perhibenti testimonium eius, qualiter ei crederent respondenti qua auctoritate hoc faceret?
Eusebius
Quaerit autem de Ioanne Baptista, non unde erat oriundus, sed unde legem suscepisset Baptismatis
Cyrillus
Sed illi fugere veritatem non horruerunt. Deus enim misit Ioannem sicut vocem clamantem: parate viam domino. Timuerunt autem dicere veritatem, ne diceretur eis: cur non credidistis? Et cavent reprehendere praecursorem, non metu divino, sed populi; unde sequitur at illi cogitabant intra se dicentes: quia si dixerimus: de caelo, dicet: quare ergo ei non credidistis?
Beda
Quasi dicat: quem confitemini de caelo habuisse prophetiam, mihi testimonium perhibuit; et ab illo audistis in qua potestate haec faciam; sequitur enim si autem dixerimus: ex hominibus, plebs universa lapidabit nos: certi sunt enim Ioannem prophetam esse. Viderunt ergo, quomodolibet respondissent, in laqueum se casuros, timentes lapidationem, sed magis veritatis confessionem; unde sequitur et responderunt se nescire unde esset. Quia ergo nolunt fateri hoc quod sciunt, repulsi sunt ut eis dominus non diceret quod sciebat; unde sequitur et ait illis Iesus: neque ego dico vobis in qua potestate haec facio. Ob duas enim causas maxime scientia veritatis est occultanda quaerentibus: cum scilicet is qui quaerit minus capax est ad intelligendum ea quae quaerit; aut odio vel contemptu veritatis indignus est cui debeat aperiri quod quaerit
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Eusebius † AD 339
The rulers of the Jewish people being now assembled together in the temple, Christ put forth a parable, foretelling by a figure the things they were about to do to Him, and the rejection that was in store for them.
St Augustine † AD 430 de con. Ev. l. ii. c. 70.
Matthew has omitted for brevity’s sake what Luke has not, namely, that the parable was spoken not to the rulers only who asked concerning His authority, but also to the people.
St Ambrose † AD 397
Now many derive different meanings from the name vineyard, but Esaias clearly relates the vineyard of the Lord of Sabaoth to be the house of Israel. (Isa. 5.) This vineyard who else but God planted?
St Bede † AD 735
The man then who plants the vineyard is the same who, according to another parable, hired labourers into his vineyard.
Eusebius † AD 339
But the parable which Esaias gives denounces the vineyard, whereas our Saviour’s parable is not directed against the vineyard, but the cultivators of it; of whom it is added, And he let it out to husbandmen, that is, to the elders of the people, and the chief priests, and the doctors, and all the nobles.
Theophylact † 1107
Or each one of the people is the vineyard, each likewise is the husbandman, for every one of us takes care of himself. Having committed then the vineyard to the husbandmen, he went away, that is, he left them to the guidance of their own judgment. Hence it follows, And went into a far country for a long time.
St Ambrose † AD 397
Not that our Lord journeys from place to place, seeing that He is ever present in every place, but that He is more present to those who love Him, while He removes Himself from those who regard Him not. But He was absent for a long time, lest His coming to require His fruit might seem too early. For the more indulgent it is, it renders obstinacy the less excusable.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
Or God took Himself away from the vineyard for the course of many years, for since the time that He was seen to descend in the likeness of fire upon Mount Sinai, He no longer vouchsafed to them His visible presence; though no change took place, in which He sent not His prophets and righteous men to give warning thereof; as it follows, And at the time of the vintage he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard. (Exod. 19.)
Theophylact † 1107
He says of the fruit of the vineyard, because not the whole fruit, but part only, He wished to receive. For what does God gain from us, but His own knowledge, which is also our profit.
St Bede † AD 735
But it is rightly written fruit, not increase. For there was no increase in this vineyard. The first servant sent was Moses, who for forty years sought of the husbandmen the fruit of the law which he had given, but he was wroth against them, for they provoked his spirit. Hence it follows, But they beat him, and sent him away empty.
St Ambrose † AD 397
And it came to pass that He ordained many others, whom the Jews sent back to him disgraced and empty, for they could reap nothing from them; as it follows, And again he sent another servant.
St Bede † AD 735
By the other servant is meant David, who was sent after the commandment of the law, that he by the music of his psalmody might stir up the husbandmen to the exercise of good works. But they on the contrary declared, What portion have we in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. (1 Sam. 20:1.). Hence it follows, And they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. (1 Kings 12:16.) But He does not stop here, for it follows, And again he sent a third: whereby we must understand the company of prophets who constantly visited the people with their testimony. But which of the Prophets did they not persecute; as it follows, And they wounded him also, and cast him out. Now these three successions of servants, our Lord elsewhere shews to comprehend under a figure all the teachers under the law, when He says, For all those things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the Psalms, concerning me.
Theophylact † 1107
After the prophets then had suffered all these things, the Son is delegated; for it follows, Then said the Lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? That the Lord of the vineyard speaks doubtingly, arises not from ignorance, for what is there that the Lord knows not? but He is said to hesitate, that the free will of man may be preserved.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
The Lord of the vineyard also ponders what He should do, not that He is in need of ministers, but that having thoroughly tried every device of human aid, yet His people being in no wise healed, He may add something greater; as He goes on to say, I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.
Theophylact † 1107
Now He said this, not as ignorant that they would treat Him worse than they did the prophets, but because the Son ought to be reverenced by them. But if they should still be rebellious and slay Him, this would crown their iniquity. Lest therefore any should say that the Divine Presence has necessarily been the cause of their disobedience, He uses purposely this doubtful mode of speech.
St Ambrose † AD 397
When then the only-begotten Son was sent to them, the unbelieving Jews, wishing to be rid of the Heir, put Him to death by crucifying Him, and rejected Him by denying Him. Christ is the Heir and the Testator likewise. The Heir, because He survives His own death; and of the testament which He Himself bequeathed, He reaps as it were the hereditary profits in our advances.
St Bede † AD 735
But our Lord most clearly proves that the Jewish rulers crucified the Son of God not from ignorance but for envy. For they knew it was He to whom it was said, I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. (Ps. 2:8.) And they cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. (Heb. 13:12.) Because Jesus, that He might sanctify the people by His blood, suffered without the gate.
Theophylact † 1107
Since we have already assumed the people, not Jerusalem, to be the vineyard, it may perhaps be more properly said that the people indeed slew Him without the vineyard; that is, our Lord suffered without the hands of the people, because in truth the people did not with their own hands inflict death upon Him, but delivered Him up to Pilate and the Gentiles. But some by the vineyard have understood the Scripture, which not believing they slew the Lord. And so without the vineyard, that is, without Scripture, our Lord is said to have suffered.
St Bede † AD 735
Or was He cast out of the vineyard and slain, because He was first driven out of the hearts of the unbelievers, and then fastened to the cross?
St John Chrysostom † AD 407
Now it was not accidentally but part of the purpose of the divine dispensation that Christ came after the prophets. For God does not pursue all things at once, but accommodates Himself to mankind through His great mercy; for if they despised His Son coming after His servants, much less would they have heard Him before. For they who listened not to the inferior commands, how would they have heard the greater?
St Ambrose † AD 397
He rightly puts a question to them, that they may condemn themselves by their own words, as it follows, What then will the Lord of the vineyard do to them?
St Basil the Great † AD 379
And this happens as it were to men who are condemned, having nothing to answer to the plain evidence of justice. But it is the property of Divine mercy not to inflict punishment in secret, but to foretell it with threatenings, that so it might recall men to repentance; and thus it follows here, He shall come and destroy those husbandmen.
St Ambrose † AD 397
He says, the Lord of the vineyard will come, because in the Son is present also the Father’s majesty; or because in the last times He will be more graciously present by His Spirit in the hearts of men.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
The Jewish rulers were shut out then, because they resisted their Lord’s will, and made the vineyard barren which was entrusted to them. But the cultivation of the vineyard was given to the Priests of the New Testament, upon which the Scribes and Pharisees, as soon as they perceived the force of the parable, refuse to permit it, saying as follows, God forbid. They did not however escape any whit the more, because of their obstinacy and disobedience to the faith of Christ.
Theophylact † 1107
Now Matthew seems to relate the parable differently; that when our Saviour asked indeed, What will he do then to the husbandmen? the Jews answered, he will miserably destroy them. But there is no difference between the two circumstances. The Jews at first pronounced that opinion, then perceiving the point of the parable said, God forbid, as Luke here relates.
St Augustine † AD 430 de con. Ev. lib. iv. cap. 70.
Or else, in the multitude of which we are speaking there were those who craftily asked our Lord by what authority He acted; there were those also who not craftily, but faithfully, cried aloud, Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord. And so there would be some who would say, He will miserably destroy those husbandmen, and let out his vineyard to others. Which are rightly said to have been the words of our Lord Himself, either on account of their truth, or because of the unity of the members with the head; while there would be others also who would say to those who made this answer, God forbid, inasmuch as they understood the parable was spoken against themselves. It follows, And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?
St Bede † AD 735
As if He said, How shall the prophecy be fulfilled, except that Christ, being rejected and slain by you, is to be preached to the Gentiles, who will believe on Him, that as the corner stone He may thus from both nations build up one temple to Himself?
Eusebius † AD 339
Christ is called a stone on account of His earthly body, cut out without hands, (Dan. 2:34.) as in the vision of Daniel, because of His birth of the Virgin. But the stone is neither of silver nor gold, because He is not any glorious King, but a man lowly and despised, wherefore the builders rejected Him.
Theophylact † 1107
For the rulers of the people rejected Him, when they said, This man is not of God. (John 9:16.) But He was so useful and so precious, that He was placed as the head stone of the corner.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
But holy Scripture compares to a corner the meeting together of the two nations, the Jew and the Gentile, into one faith. (1 Pet. 2:7. Eph. 2:20.) For the Saviour has compacted both peoples into one new man, reconciling them in one body to the Father. Of saving help then is that stone to the corner made by it, but to the Jews who resist this spiritual union, it bringeth destruction.
Theophylact † 1107
He mentions two condemnations or destructions of them, one indeed of their souls, which they suffered being offended in Christ. And He touches this when He says, Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be shaken to pieces. But the other of their captivity and extermination, which the Stone that was despised by them brought upon them. And He points to this when He says, But upon whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder, or winnow him. For so were the Jews winnowed through the whole world, as the straw from the threshing floor. And mark the order of things; for first comes the wickedness committed against Him, then follows the just vengeance of God.
St Bede † AD 735
Or else, He who is a sinner, yet believes on Christ, falls indeed upon the stone and is shaken, for he is preserved by penitence unto salvation. But upon whomsoever it shall fall, that is, upon whom the stone itself has come down because he denied it, it shall grind him to powder, so that not even a broken piece of a vessel shall be left, in which may be drunk a little water. Or, He means by those who fall upon Him, such as only despise Him, and therefore do not yet utterly perish, but are shaken violently so that they cannot walk upright. But upon whom it falls, upon them shall He come in judgment with everlasting punishment, therefore shall it grind them to powder, that they may be as the dust which the wind scatters from the face of the earth. (Ps. 1:4.)
St Ambrose † AD 397
The vineyard is also our type. For the husbandman is the Almighty Father, the vine is Christ, but we are the branches. (John 15:5.) Rightly are the people of Christ called a vine, either because it carries on its front the sign of the cross, or because its fruits are gathered in the latter time of the year, or because to all men, as to the equal rows of vines, poor as well as rich, servants as well as masters, there is an equal allotment in the Church without distinction of persons. And as the vine is married to the trees, so is the body to the soul. Loving this vineyard, the husbandman is wont to dig it and prune it, lest it grow too luxuriant in the shade of its foliage, and check by unfruitful boastfulness of words the ripening of its natural character. Here must be the vintage of the whole world, for here is the vineyard of the whole world.
St Bede † AD 735 in Marc. 12.
Or understanding it morally; to every one of the faithful is let out a vineyard to cultivate, in that the mystery of baptism is entrusted to him to work out. One servant is sent, a second and a third, when the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets are read. But the servant who is sent is said to be treated despitefully or beaten, when the word heard is despised or blasphemed. The heir who is sent that man kills as far as he can, who by sin tramples under foot the Son of God. (Heb. 6:6.) The wicked husbandman being destroyed, the vineyard is given to another, when with the gift of grace, which the proud man spurned, the humble are enriched.
The Latin text
Eusebius
Congregatis in unum principibus populi Iudaeorum in ipso templo, ea quae contra ipsum facturi erant, et superventurum eis exterminium figurate per parabolam protulit; dicitur enim coepit autem dicere ad plebem parabolam hanc. Homo plantavit vineam
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Tacuit Matthaeus brevitatis causa quod Lucas non tacet, parabolam istam non ad solos principes dictam, qui de potestate interrogaverunt, sed etiam ad plebem
Ambrosius
Plerique autem varie significationes de vineae appellatione derivant; sed evidenter Isaias vineam domini Sabaoth domum Israel esse memorat. Hanc vineam quis alius nisi Deus condidit?
Beda
Homo ergo qui plantavit vineam ipse est, qui iuxta aliam parabolam conduxit operarios in vineam suam
Eusebius
Sed parabola quam Isaias dicit, vineam reprehendit; salvatoris vero parabola non est contra vineam dicta, sed de cultoribus vineae, de quibus subditur et locavit eam colonis, idest senioribus populi, et principibus sacerdotum, et doctoribus, et optimatibus cunctis
Theophylactus
Vel quilibet de populo est vinea, idem est etiam cultor: quilibet enim nostrum seipsum colit. Hac igitur vinea commissa cultoribus, abiit: idest, dimisit illos progredi suo arbitrio; unde sequitur et ipse peregre fuit multis temporibus
Ambrosius
Non quia ex loco ad locum profectus est dominus, qui ubique semper praesens est; sed quia praesentior est diligentibus, negligentibus abest. Multis autem temporibus abfuit, ne praepropera videretur exactio: nam quo indulgentior liberalitas eo inexcusabilior pervicacia
Cyrillus
Vel Deus absentavit se a vinea plurium annorum curriculis: quia postquam visus est in specie ignis descendisse in montem Sina, non amplius visibiliter praebuit eis suam praesentiam. Nulla tamen interpolatio contigit qua non mitteret Deus prophetas et iustos commonentes; unde sequitur et in tempore vindemiae, ille misit ad cultores servum, ut de fructu vineae darent illi
Theophylactus
Dicit autem de fructu vineae, quia non totum fructum, sed aliquid de fructu volebat accipere. Nam quid lucratur Deus a nobis nisi suam notitiam, quae etiam est nostra utilitas?
Beda
Bene autem fructum posuit, non proventum: nullus enim huius vineae proventus inventus est. Servus ergo primus missus est Moyses, qui per quadraginta annos fructum aliquem legis quam dederat, a cultoribus requirebat; sed vexatus est propter eos, quia exacerbaverunt spiritum eius; unde sequitur qui caesum dimiserunt eum inanem
Ambrosius
Factum est autem ut plures alios destinaret, quos Iudaei inhonoros et inanes sibi, de quibus nihil potuerunt proficere, dimiserunt; unde sequitur et addidit alterum servum mittere
Beda
Servus alter David significatur, qui missus est, ut post edicta legalia cultores vineae psalmodiae modulamine ad exercitium boni operis excitaret; sed et contra hunc dixerunt: quae nobis pars in David, aut quae haereditas in filio Isai? Unde sequitur illi autem hunc caedentes et afficientes contumelia, dimiserunt inanem. Sed nec sic destitit; sequitur enim et addidit tertium mittere: per quem prophetarum chorum intellige, qui continuis attestationibus populum convenerunt. Sed quem prophetarum non sunt persecuti? Unde sequitur qui et illum vulnerantes eiecerunt. His autem tribus servorum gradibus omnium sub lege doctorum figuram posse comprehendi, dominus alibi manifestat, dicens: quoniam necesse est impleri omnia quae sunt in lege Moysi et prophetis et Psalmis de me
Theophylactus
Prophetis igitur talia mala passis, filius destinatur; sequitur enim dixit autem dominus vineae: quid faciam?
Beda
Quod dominus vineae dubitative loquitur, non de ignorantia venit: quid enim nesciat Deus pater? Sed ambigere dicitur, ut libera voluntas hominis servetur
Cyrillus
Deliberat etiam secum dominus vineae quid agat, non quasi carens ministris, sed quia pertentato quolibet ingenio salutis humanae, populo vero nequaquam adiuto, aliud maius adiungit; unde consequenter dicit mittam filium meum dilectum: forsitan cum hunc viderint, verebuntur
Theophylactus
Dixit autem hoc, non tamquam ignorans quod peius eum essent tractaturi quam prophetas: sed quia oportebat filium eis fieri reverendum. Quod si contumaces fuerint occidendo, hoc cumulat eorum crimen. Ne ergo dicerent aliqui divinam praescientiam necessario fuisse inobedientiae causam, ideo sic figurat sermonem
Ambrosius
Filium igitur unigenitum sibi missum perfidi Iudaei, quasi heredem removere cupientes, occiderunt crucifigendo, et eiecerunt negando; unde sequitur quem cum vidissent coloni, cogitaverunt intra se dicentes: hic est heres: occidamus eum, ut nostra fiat hereditas. Heres Christus est, idemque testator; heres, quia morti propriae supervivit, et testamentorum quae ipse contulit tamquam hereditaria in nostris profectibus emolumenta consequitur
Beda
Manifestissime autem dominus probat, Iudaeorum principes non per ignorantiam, sed per invidentiam crucifixisse filium Dei. Intellexerunt enim hunc esse cui dictum est: dabo tibi gentes haereditatem tuam; sequitur enim et eiectum extra vineam occiderunt; quia Iesus, ut sanctificaret per suum sanguinem populum, extra portam passus est
Theophylactus
Sed quia superius populum, non Ierusalem, loco vineae sumpsimus; forsan magis proprie dici potest, quod occidit quidem eum populus extra vineam; idest, extra populi manus passus est dominus, quia scilicet populus ei non propriis manibus necem intulit, sed tradens hunc Pilato et gentibus. Quidam autem per vineam Scripturam intellexerunt, cui non credentes, dominum necaverunt: unde extra vineam, idest extra Scripturam, dicitur dominus passus
Beda
Sive eiectus extra vineam et occisus est, quia prius est ab infidelium corde repulsus, ac deinde cruci addictus est
Chrysostomus
Dispensationis autem, non negligentiae est post prophetas Christum venisse: non enim Deus omnia repente prosequitur, sed condescendit propter sui pietatem: quia si post servos venientem filium contempserunt, multo magis nec antea eum audirent: qui enim non audiebant minora praecepta, quomodo audivissent maiora?
Ambrosius
Pulchre autem interrogat, ut sua se ipsi damnent sententia; sequitur enim quid ergo faciet illis dominus vineae?
Basilius
Hoc autem fit, quasi his qui damnantur nihil habentibus opponere evidentiae iuris. Proprium autem est divinae miserationis non infligere poenas silentio, sed praedicere minis, revocando eos ad poenitentiam; unde et hic sequitur veniet, et perdet colonos istos, et dabit vineam aliis
Ambrosius
Venturum dominum dicit vineae, quod in filio adsit etiam paterna maiestas; vel quod ultimis temporibus praesentior humanis aspiret affectibus
Cyrillus
Exclusi sunt igitur Iudaeorum primates, quasi dominicae voluntati repugnantes, et sterilem reddentes vineam sibi commissam; est autem datus cultus vineae sacerdotibus novi testamenti. Cum autem virtutem aenigmatis senserunt, recusant illud pati; unde sequitur quo audito, dixerunt illi: absit. Nec tamen evaserunt ob sui pertinaciam et inobedientiam erga fidem Christi
Theophylactus
Aliter autem videtur Matthaeus dicere, dominum scilicet quaesivisse: quid faciet illis cultoribus dominus vineae? Iudaeos vero respondisse: malos male perdet. Non est autem repugnantia: nam utrumque factum est: primo enim ipsi promulgaverunt illam sententiam; postea sentientes quo tendebat parabola, dixerunt absit, ut Lucas hic narrat
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Vel aliter. In illa de qua loquimur turba erant qui dolose dominum interrogaverant, in qua potestate faceret; erant etiam qui non dolose, sed fideliter acclamaverunt: benedictus qui venit in nomine domini, ac per hoc erant qui dicerent perdet illos, et vineam suam dabit aliis: quae vox recte etiam ipsius domini fuisse intelligitur, sive propter veritatem, sive propter membrorum eius cum suo capite unitatem. Erant etiam qui talia respondentibus dicerent absit: quia intelligebant in seipsos hanc parabolam dictam; sequitur enim ille autem aspiciens eos ait: quid est ergo quod scriptum est: lapidem quem reprobaverunt aedificantes, hic factus est in caput anguli?
Beda
Quasi dicat: quomodo implebitur haec prophetia, nisi quia Christus a vobis reprobatus et occisus, credituris est gentibus praedicandus, ut quasi lapis angularis ex utroque populo unum sibi templum aedificet?
Eusebius
Lapis autem dicitur Christus propter terrestre corpus, abscissus sine manibus: secundum visionem Danielis propter ortum ex virgine. Lapis autem non argenteus aut aureus, quia non rex aliquis gloriosus, sed homo humilis et abiectus; propter quod aedificantes eum reprobaverunt
Theophylactus
Reprobaverunt enim eum principes populi, cum dixerunt: hic a Deo non est. Ille vero tam utilis fuit, tam electus, ut in capite anguli poneretur
Cyrillus
Angulo vero comparat sacra Scriptura concursum utriusque populi, Israelitici scilicet et gentilis, in unam fidem: compegit enim salvator utrumque populum in unum novum hominem, concilians eos in uno corpore patri. Salubris ergo est lapis angulo facto ab eo; detrimentum autem infert Iudaeis impugnantibus hunc spiritualem concursum
Theophylactus
Duas autem condemnationes commemorat: unam quidem animarum suarum, quam passi sunt scandalizati in Christo; et hoc tangit cum dicit omnis qui ceciderit super illum lapidem, conquassabitur; aliam vero captivitatis et exterminii, quam intulit eis lapis ab ipsis contemptus; et hoc tangit cum subdit supra quem autem ipse ceciderit, comminuet illum, vel ventilabit eum: sic enim ventilati sunt Iudaei a Iudaea per universum orbem, ut ab area paleae. Et attende ordinem: nam praeambulum est scelus in eum commissum, sequitur autem iusta Dei vindicta
Beda
Vel aliter. Qui peccator est, et tamen illi credit, cadit quidem super lapidem et conquassatur, reservatur enim per poenitentiam ad salutem; supra quem vero ille ceciderit, hoc est, cui lapis ipse irruerit, quia ipsum negavit, comminuet eum, ut nec testa quidem remaneat, in qua hauriatur aquae pusillum. Sive de his dicit quod cadunt super eum, qui illum modo contemnunt; ideo nondum penitus intereunt, sed conquassantur, ut non recti ambulent: super quos autem cadit, veniet illis desuper in iudicio cum poena perditionis; ideo comminuet eos, ut sint tamquam pulvis, quem proicit ventus a facie terrae
Ambrosius
Vinea etiam typus noster est: agricola quippe omnipotens pater, vitis Christus; at vero nos palmites. Recte vinea Christi populus nominatur: vel quod crucis in fronte praetexat indicium; vel quod fructus ex postrema anni legatur aetate; vel quod omnibus, ut ordinibus vinearum, ita pauperibus atque divitibus, servis et dominis in Ecclesia aequa dimensio, nulla discretio sit; et ut vitis maritatur arboribus, ita corpus animae. Hanc vineam diligens agricola fodere et tondere consuevit, ne luxuriet umbra foliorum, verborumque infructuosa iactantia maturitatem indolis naturalis impediat. Decet totius orbis hic esse vindemiam, ubi totius orbis est vinea
Beda
Vel morali intellectu cuique fidelium vinea quam excolat locatur, dum mysterium Baptismi quod exerceat sibi committitur. Mittitur servus unus, alter, tertius, cum lex, psalmodia et prophetia legitur. Sed missus servus contumeliis affectus vel caesus dicitur, cum sermo auditus contemnitur vel blasphematur. Missum heredem quantum in se est occidit qui filium Dei peccando conculcat. Perdito malo cultore, vinea datur alteri, cum dono gratiae, quod superbus sprevit, humilis ditatur
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St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
It became indeed the rulers of the Jews, perceiving that the parable was spoken of them, to depart from evil, having been thus as it were warned concerning the future. But little mindful of this, they rather gather a fresh occasion for their crimes. The commandment of the Law restrained them not, which says, The innocent and righteous men thou shalt not slay, (Exod. 23:7.) but the fear of the people checked their wicked purpose. For they set the fear of man before the reverence of God. The reason of this purpose is given, for they perceived that he spoke this parable against them.
St Bede † AD 735
And so by seeking to slay Him, they proved the truth of what He had said in the parable. For He Himself is the Heir, whose unjust death He said was to be punished. They are the wicked husbandmen who sought to kill the Son of God. This also is daily committed in the Church when any one, only in name a brother, is ashamed or afraid, because of the many good men with whom he lives, to break into that unity of the Church’s faith and peace which he abhors. And because the chief priests sought to lay hold of our Lord but could not by themselves, they tried to accomplish it by the hands of the governor; as it follows, And they watched him, &c.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
For they seemed to be trifling, yet were in earnest, forgetful of God, who says, Who is this that hideth his counsel from me? (Job 42:3.) For they come to Christ the Saviour of all, as though He were a common man, as it follows, that they might take him in his speech.
Theophylact † 1107
They laid snares for our Lord, but got their own feet entangled in them. Listen to their cunning, And they asked Him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly.
St Bede † AD 735
This smooth and artful question was to entice the answerer to say that he fears God rather than Cæsar, for it follows, Neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly. This they say, to entice Him to tell them that they ought not to pay tribute, in order that the servants of the guard, (who according to the other Evangelists are said to have been present,) might immediately upon hearing it seize Him as the leader of a sedition against the Romans. And so they proceed to ask, Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not? For there was a great division among the people, some saying that for the sake of security and quiet, seeing that the Romans fought for all, they ought to pay tribute; while the Pharisees, on the contrary, declared, that the people of God who gave tithes and first fruits, ought not to be subject to the law of man.
Theophylact † 1107
Therefore it was intended, in case He said they ought to give tribute to Cæsar, that He should be accused by the people, as placing the nation under the yoke of slavery, but if He forbade them to pay the tax, that they should denounce Him as a stirrer up of divisions to the governor. But He escapes their snares, as it follows, Perceiving their craftiness, he said unto them, Why tempt ye me? Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription has it?
St Ambrose † AD 397
Our Lord here teaches us, how cautious we ought to be in our answers to heretics or Jews; as He has said elsewhere, Be ye wise as serpents (Mat. 10:16).
St Bede † AD 735
Let those who impute the question of our Saviour to ignorance, learn from this place that Jesus was well able to know whose image was on the money; but He asks the question, that He might give a fitting answer to their words; for it follows, They answered and said, Cæsar’s. We must not suppose Augustus is thereby meant, but Tiberius, for all the Roman kings were called Cæsar, from the first Caius Cæsar. But from their answer our Lord easily solves the question, for it follows, And he said unto them, Render unto Cæsar the things which be Cœsar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.
Titus of Bostra † AD 378
As if He said, With your words ye tempt me, obey me in works. Ye have indeed Cæsar’s image, ye have undertaken his offices, to him therefore give tribute, to God fear. For God requireth not money, but faith.
St Bede † AD 735
Render also to God the things which be God’s, that is to say, tithes, first fruits, offerings, and sacrifices.
Theophylact † 1107
And observe that He said not, give, but return. For it is a debt. Thy prince protects thee from enemies, renders thy life tranquil. Surely then thou art bound to pay him tribute. Nay, this very piece of money which thou bringest thou hast from him. Return then to the king the king’s money. God also has given thee understanding and reason, make then a return of these to Him, that thou mayest not be compared to the beasts, but in all things mayest walk wisely.
St Ambrose † AD 397
Be unwilling then, if thou wouldest not offend Cæsar, to possess worldly goods. And thou rightly teachest, first to render the things which be Cæsar’s. For no one can be the Lord’s unless he has first renounced the world. Oh most galling chain! To promise to God, and pay not. Far greater is the contract of faith than that of money.
Origen † AD 253
Now this place contains a mystery. For there are two images in man, one which he received from God, as it is written, Let us make man in our own image: (Gen. 1:26.) another from the enemy, which he has contracted through disobedience and sin, allured and won by the enticing baits of the prince of this world. For as the penny has the image of the emperor of the world, so he who does the works of the power of darkness, bears the image of Him whose works he doth. He says then, Render unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar’s, that is, cast away the earthly image, that ye may be able, by putting on the heavenly image, to render unto God the things which be God’s, namely, to love God. Which things Moses says God requires of us. (Deut. 10:12.) But God makes this demand of us, not because He has need that we should give Him any thing, but that, when we have given, He might grant us this very same gift for our salvation.
St Bede † AD 735
Now they who ought rather to have believed such great wisdom, marvelled that in all their cunning they had found no opportunity of catching Him. As it follows, And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.
Theophylact † 1107
This was their main object, to rebuke Him before the people, which they were unable to do because of the wonderful wisdom of His answer.
The Latin text
Cyrillus
Decebat quidem principes Iudaeorum, intelligentes quod de ipsis parabola diceretur, a malo sic discedere, quasi de futuris instructos; sed hoc non considerantes, occasionem suorum colligunt criminum; unde dicitur et quaerebant principes sacerdotum et Scribae mittere in illum manus in illa hora. Nec refrenavit eos legis praeceptum, quod dicit: innocentem et iustum non occides; sed compescuit eorum nefandum propositum plebis timor; sequitur enim et timuerunt populum. Praeferunt enim divinae reverentiae humanum timorem. Quae autem huius propositi fuerit occasio, subditur cognoverunt enim quod ad ipsos dixerit similitudinem istam
Beda
Et ita quaerendo ipsum occidere, docebant vera esse quae in parabola dixerat. Ipse enim est heres, cuius iniustam necem dicebant esse vindicandam; illi nequam coloni, qui Dei filium quaerebant occidere. Hoc etiam quotidie geritur in Ecclesia, cum quilibet solo nomine frater, eam quam non diligit ecclesiasticae fidei ac pacis unitatem, propter bonorum multitudinem, vel erubescit, vel timet impugnare. Et quia principes quaerebant dominum comprehendere, quod per se non poterant, praesidis manibus efficere tentabant; unde sequitur et observantes miserunt insidiatores, qui se iustos simularent
Cyrillus
Videbantur enim esse leves; erant autem graves, obliti Dei dicentis: quis hic qui mihi abscondit consilium? Adeunt enim Christum omnium salvatorem quasi hominem communem; unde sequitur ut caperent eum in sermone, et traderent eum principatui, et potestati praesidis
Theophylactus
Paraverunt autem domino laqueos; illaqueati sunt tamen in eis pedes eorum. Audi namque astutiam. Et interrogaverunt illum dicentes: magister, scimus quia recte dicis et doces
Beda
Blanda et fraudulenta interrogatio illuc provocat respondentem ut magis Deum quam Caesarem timeat; sequitur enim et non accipis personam hominis, sed in veritate viam Dei doces. Et hoc dicunt ad hoc ut dicat non debere tributa solvi, ut statim audientes ministri praesidis, qui, iuxta alios Evangelistas, affuisse leguntur, seditionis eum contra Romanos auctorem teneant; unde consequenter quaerunt: licet nobis dare tributum Caesari, an non? Erat enim in populo magna seditio, dicentibus aliis, pro securitate, qua Romani pro omnibus militabant, debere tributa persolvi; Pharisaeis contra dicentibus non debere populum Dei, qui decimas et primitias daret, humanis legibus subiacere
Theophylactus
Intendebant ergo, quod si diceret oportere dari censum Caesari, criminaretur a populo quasi servituti subiciens gentem; si vero prohiberet censum reddere, eum repraesentarent ut schismaticum praesidi. Ipse vero laqueos eorum effugit; sequitur enim considerans autem dolum eorum, dixit ad eos: quid me tentatis? Ostendite mihi denarium. Cuius habet imaginem et superscriptionem?
Ambrosius
Docet hoc loco dominus circumspectos nos in respondendo adversus haereticos vel Iudaeos esse debere; sicut alibi dixit: estote astuti sicut serpentes
Beda
Qui autem putant interrogationem salvatoris ignorantiam esse, discant ex praesenti loco, quod potuerit scire Iesus cuius imago esset in nummo; sed interrogat, ut ad sermonem eorum competenter respondeat; sequitur enim respondentes dixerunt: Caesaris. Non putemus Caesarem Augustum, sed Tiberium significari. Omnes enim Romani reges a primo Caio Caesare, Caesares appellati sunt. Ex eorum autem responsione convenienter dominus quaestionem solvit; sequitur enim et ait illis: reddite ergo quae sunt Caesaris Caesari, et quae sunt Dei Deo
Titus
Quasi dicat: verbis tentatis, operibus obedite: subiistis Caesaris servitutem, suscepistis quae eius sunt: date ergo illi censum, Deo timorem: non enim exigit Deus denarium, sed fidem
Beda
Reddite etiam Deo quae Dei sunt, decimas scilicet, primitias, oblationes et victimas
Theophylactus
Et attende quod non dixit: date, sed reddite; debitum enim est: tuetur enim te princeps tuus ab hostibus, vitam tuam reddit tranquillam; pro his ergo teneris ei in censu. Sed et hoc ipsum quod offers, numisma scilicet, ab eo habes. Reddes ergo numisma regium regi. Deus etiam tibi tradidit intellectum et rationem: restituas hoc ei non comparatus bestiis, sed in omnibus rationabiliter procedens
Ambrosius
Tu ergo si vis non esse obnoxius Caesari, noli habere quae mundi sunt. Et bene prius quae Caesaris sunt reddenda decernit: neque enim potest quis esse domini, nisi prius renuntiaverit mundo. Quam gravia vincula promittere Deo et non solvere. Maior est contractus fidei quam pecuniae
Origenes
Habet autem locus iste aliquid mystici. Duae enim sunt imagines in homine: una quam accepit a Deo, altera inimici. Sicut enim denarius habet imaginem imperatorum mundi: sic qui facit opera tenebrarum, portat imaginem eius cuius habet opera. Dicit ergo reddite quae sunt Caesaris Caesari, hoc est, abicite terrenam imaginem, ut possitis, vobis imaginem caelestem imponentes, reddere quae Dei sunt Deo, ut scilicet Deum diligamus, etc. quae, ut Moyses dicit, Deus requirit a nobis. Postulat autem a nobis Deus, non quia necessarium habet ut ei aliquid tribuamus; sed ut postquam ei dederimus, hoc ipsum nobis tribuat in salutem
Beda
Qui autem credere debuerant, ad tantam sapientiam mirati sunt, quod calliditas eorum insidiandi non invenisset locum; unde sequitur et non potuerunt verbum eius reprehendere coram plebe, et mirati in responso eius tacuerunt
Theophylactus
Hoc enim erat quod praecipue intendebant, increpare eum coram populo; quod obtinere nequiverunt propter sapientissimam eius responsionem
20:27
St Bede † AD 735
There were two heresies among the Jews, one of the Pharisees, who boasted in the righteousness of their traditions, and hence they were called by the people, “separated;” the other of the Sadducees, whose name signified “righteous,” claiming to themselves that which they were not. When the former went away, the latter came to tempt Him.
Origen † AD 253
The heresy of the Sadducees not only denies the resurrection of the dead, but also believes the soul to die with the body. Watching then to entrap our Saviour in His words, they proposed a question just at the time when they observed Him teaching His disciples concerning the resurrection; as it follows, And they asked him, saying, Master, Moses wrote to us, If a brother, &c.
St Ambrose † AD 397
According to the letter of the law, a woman is compelled to marry, however unwilling, in order that a brother may raise up seed to his brother who is dead. The letter therefore killeth, but the Spirit is the master of charity.
Theophylact † 1107
Now the Sadducees resting upon a weak foundation, did not believe in the doctrine of the resurrection. For imagining the future life in the resurrection to be carnal, they were justly misled, and hence reviling the doctrine of the resurrection as a thing impossible they invent the story, There were seven brothers, &c.
St Bede † AD 735 ut sup.
They devise this story in order to convict those of folly, who assert the resurrection of the dead. Hence they object a base fable, that they may deny the truth of the resurrection.
St Ambrose † AD 397
Mystically, this woman is the synagogue, which had seven husbands, as it is said to the Samaritan, Thou hadst five husbands, (John 4:18.) because the Samaritan follows only the five books of Moses, the synagogue for the most part seven. And from none of them has she received the seed of an hereditary offspring, and so can have no part with her husbands in the resurrection, because she perverts the spiritual meaning of the precept into a carnal. For not any carnal brother is pointed at, who should raise seed to his deceased brother, but that brother who from the dead people of the Jews should claim unto himself for wife the wisdom of the divine worship, and from it should raise up seed in the Apostles, who being left as it were unformed in the womb of the synagogue, have according to the election of grace been thought worthy to be preserved by the admixture of a new seed.
St Bede † AD 735
Or these seven brothers answer to the reprobate, who throughout the whole life of the world, which revolves in seven days, are fruitless in good works, and these being carried away by death one after another, at length the course of the evil world, as the barren woman, itself also passes away.
Theophylact † 1107
But our Lord shews that in the resurrection there will be no fleshly conversation, thereby overthrowing their doctrine together with its slender foundation; as it follows, And Jesus said unto them, The children of this world marry, &c.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Quæst. Ev. l. ii. cap. 49.
For marriages are for the sake of children, children for succession, succession because of death. Where then there is no death, there are no marriages; and hence it follows, But they which shall be accounted worthy, &c.
St Bede † AD 735
Which must not be taken as if only they who are worthy were either to rise again or be without marriage, but all sinners also shall rise again, and abide without marriage in that new world. But our Lord wished to mention only the elect, that He might incite the minds of His hearers to search into the glory of the resurrection.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Quæst. Ev. ubi sup.
As our discourse is made up and completed by departing and succeeding syllables, so also men themselves whose faculty discourse is, by departure and succession make up and complete the order of this world, which is built up with the mere temporal beauty of things. But in the future life, seeing that the Word which we shall enjoy is formed by no departure and succession of syllables, but all things which it has it has everlastingly and at once, so those who partake of it, to whom it alone will be life, shall neither depart by death, nor succeed by birth, even as it now is with the angels; as it follows, For they are equal to the angels.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
For as the multitude of the angels is indeed very great, yet they are not propagated by generation, but have their being from creation, so also to those who rise again, there is no more necessity for marriage; as it follows, And are the children of God.
Theophylact † 1107
As if He said, Because it is God who worketh in the resurrection, rightly are they called the sons of God, who are regenerated by the resurrection. For there is nothing carnal seen in the regeneration of them that rise again, there is neither coming together, nor the womb, nor birth.
St Bede † AD 735
Or they are equal to the angels, and the children of God, because made new by the glory of the resurrection, with no fear of death, with no spot of corruption, with no quality of an earthly condition, they rejoice in the perpetual beholding of God’s presence.
Origen † AD 253
But because the Lord says in Matthew, which is here omitted, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, (Mat. 22:29.) I ask the question, where is it so written, They shall neither marry, nor be given in marriage? for as I conceive there is no such thing to be found either in the Old or New Testament, but the whole of their error had crept in from the reading of the Scriptures without understanding; for it is said in Esaias, My elect shall not have children for a curse. (Isai. 65:23.) Whence they suppose that the like will happen in the resurrection. But Paul interpreting all these blessings as spiritual, knowing them not to be carnal, says to the Ephesians, Ye have blessed us in all spiritual blessings. (Eph. 1:3.)
Theophylact † 1107
Or to the reason above given the Lord added the testimony of Scripture, Now that the dead are raised, Moses also shewed at the bush, (Exod. 3:6.) as the Lord saith, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. As if he said, If the patriarchs have once returned to nothing so as not to live with God in the hope of a resurrection, He would not have said, I am, but, I was, for we are accustomed to speak of things dead and gone thus, I was the Lord or Master of such a thing; but now that He said, I am, He shews that He is the God and Lord of the living. This is what follows, But he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. For though they have departed from life, yet live they with Him in the hope of a resurrection.
St Bede † AD 735
Or He says this, that after having proved that the souls abide alter death, (which the Sadducees denied,) He might next introduce the resurrection also of the bodies, which together with the souls have done good or evil. But that is a true life which the just live unto God, even though they are dead in the body. Now to prove the truth of the resurrection, He might have brought much more obvious examples from the Prophets, but the Sadducees received only the five books of Moses, rejecting the oracles of the Prophets.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 de Anna, Serm. 4.
As the saints claim as their own the common Lord of the world, not as derogating from His dominion, but testifying their affection after the manner of lovers, who do not brook to love with many, but desire to express a certain peculiar and especial attachment; so likewise does God call Himself especially the God of these, not thereby narrowing but enlarging His dominion; for it is not so much the multitude of His subjects that manifests His power, as the virtue of His servants. Therefore He does not so delight in the name of the God of heaven and earth, as in that of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now among men servants are thus denominated by their masters; for we say, ‘The steward of such a man,’ but on the contrary God is called the God of Abraham.
Theophylact † 1107
But when the Sadducees were silenced, the Scribes commend Jesus, for they were opposed to them, saying to Him, Master, thou hast well said.
St Bede † AD 735
And since they had been defeated in argument, they ask Him no further questions, but seize Him, and deliver Him up to the Roman power. From which we may learn, that the poison of envy may indeed be subdued, but it is a hard thing to keep it at rest.
The Latin text
Beda
Duae erant haereses in Iudaeis: una Pharisaeorum, qui traditionum et observationum iustitiam praeferebant: unde et divisi vocabantur a populo; altera Sadducaeorum, qui interpretantur iusti, vindicantes sibi quod non erant. Illis ergo abeuntibus, hi ad tentandum accedunt; unde dicitur accesserunt autem quidam Sadducaeorum qui negant esse resurrectionem
Origenes
Sadducaeorum haeresis non solum resurrectionem mortuorum negat, sed etiam putat animam interire cum corpore. Hi ergo verbis salvatoris insidiantes, eo tempore quaestionem proposuerunt quo eum viderunt de resurrectione docere discipulos; unde sequitur et interrogaverunt eum, dicentes: magister, scripsit nobis Moyses, si frater alicuius mortuus fuerit habens uxorem, et hic sine filiis fuerit, ut accipiat eam frater eius in uxorem, et suscitet semen fratri suo
Ambrosius
Secundum legis litteram, nubere cogitur etiam invita, ut defuncti semen excitet frater; spiritus autem magister est castitatis
Theophylactus
Sadducaei autem fragile fundamentum substituentes, non credebant resurrectionis sermonem. Opinantes enim carnalem esse futuram vitam, in resurrectione merito fallebantur; et ideo tamquam impossibile calumniantes dogma resurrectionis, fingunt hanc narrationem, dicentes septem ergo fratres erant: et primus accepit uxorem, et mortuus est sine filiis; et sequens accepit illam, et mortuus est sine filio; et tertius accepit illam; et similiter omnes septem, et non reliquerunt semen, et mortui sunt. Novissime autem omnium mortua est et mulier
Beda
Hanc fabulam confingunt, quae deliramenti arguat eos qui resurrectionem asserunt mortuorum. Turpitudinem ergo fabulae opponunt, ut resurrectionis denegent veritatem; unde subditur in resurrectione ergo cuius eorum erit uxor? Siquidem habuerunt septem eam uxorem
Ambrosius
Mystice haec mulier synagoga est, quae septem viros habuit, sicut dicitur Samaritanae: quinque viros habuisti, quia Samaritana tantum quinque libros Moysi, synagoga septem sequitur principaliter, et de nullo propter perfidiam suam hereditariae posteritatis semen accepit; et ideo partem cum viris suis in resurrectione habere non potuit, quia spirituale praeceptum secundum sensum carnis invertit: non enim frater carnalis aliquis denuntiatus est, qui semen fratris suscitaret defuncti, sed ille qui de mortuo populo Iudaeorum, sapientiam sibi divini cultus ascisceret in uxorem, atque ex ea semen in apostolis suscitaret, qui quasi defunctorum reliquiae Iudaeorum, informes adhuc in synagogae utero derelicti, secundum electionem gratiae reservari novi seminis admixtione meruerunt
Beda
Sive septem hi fratres reprobis congruunt, qui per totam huius saeculi vitam, quae septem diebus volvitur, a bonis operibus steriles existunt: quibus viritim morte praereptis, ad ultimum et ipsa mundana conversatio quasi uxor infecunda transibit
Theophylactus
Dominus autem ostendens in resurrectione non esse futuram conversationem carnalem, eorum dogma evulsit simul cum fragili fundamento; unde sequitur et ait illis Iesus: filii huius saeculi nubunt et traduntur ad nuptias
Augustinus de quaest. Evang
Quia connubia propter filios, filii propter successionem, successio propter mortem. Ubi ergo mors non est, neque connubia; unde sequitur illi vero qui digni habebuntur saeculo illo et resurrectione ex mortuis, neque nubent, neque ducent uxores; neque enim ultra mori poterunt
Beda
Quod non ita intelligendum est quasi soli digni vel resurrecturi, vel sine nuptiis futuri sint; sed omnes etiam peccatores resurrecturi, et absque nuptiis sunt in saeculo illo mansuri. Dominus autem ut ad resurrectionis gloriam inquirendam animos incitaret, de electis tantum voluit facere sermonem
Augustinus de quaest. Evang
Sicut autem nunc sermo noster decedentibus et succedentibus syllabis peragitur atque perficitur, ita et ipsi homines, quorum sermo est, decedendo et succedendo peragunt atque perficiunt ordinem huius saeculi, qui temporali rerum pulchritudine contexitur. In illa autem vita, quoniam verbum Dei, quo fruemur, nulla decessione atque successione syllabarum completur, sed omnia quae habet, semper manendo, simul habet; ita participes eius, quibus ipsum solum erit vita, neque moriendo decedent, neque nascendo succedent; sicut nunc est in Angelis; unde sequitur aequales enim Angelis sunt
Cyrillus
Sicut enim multitudo Angelorum plurima quidem est, non autem propagata per generationem, sed ex creatione consistens; ita et his qui resurgunt non est opus ulterius nuptiis; unde sequitur et filii Dei sunt, cum sint filii resurrectionis
Theophylactus
Quasi dicat: quia Deus est qui operatur in resurrectione, merito dicuntur Dei filii qui per resurrectionem regenerantur: non enim aliquid carnale in resurgentium generatione conspicitur, non coitus, non matrix, non partus
Beda
Vel aequales Angelis, et filii sunt Dei: quia gloria resurrectionis innovati, sine ullo mortis metu, sine ulla labe corruptionis, sine ullo terreni status actu, perpetua Dei visione fruuntur
Origenes
Sed quia dominus in Matthaeo dicit quod hic praetermittitur: erratis nescientes Scripturas, propono Scripturam, ubi scriptum sit: neque nubent, neque nubentur. Quantum enim ego aestimo, neque in veteri, neque in novo testamento quicquam tale reperitur. Sed omnis eorum error de Scripturae lectione, quam non intelligunt, subrepsit; dicitur enim in Isaia: electi mei bibent; et putant haec et similia futura esse in resurrectione. Paulus autem omnes has benedictiones spiritaliter interpretans, et sciens non esse carnales dicit: benedixisti nos in omni benedictione spirituali
Theophylactus
Vel dominus rationi suprapositae Scripturae testimonium addit, subdens quia vero resurgant mortui, et Moyses ostendit secus rubum, sicut dicit dominum Deum Abraham et Deum Isaac et Deum Iacob; quasi dicat: si semel redierunt in nihilum patriarchae, ne viverent apud Deum, in spe resurrectionis non dixisset: ego sum, sed: fueram; consuevimus enim de rebus corruptis et praeteritis dicere: eram dominus illius rei. Nunc vero quoniam dixit: ego sum, ostendit quod viventium est Deus et dominus; et hoc est quod subditur Deus autem non est mortuorum, sed vivorum: omnes enim vivunt ei: quamvis enim exanimes sunt, vivunt tamen apud Deum in spe resurgendi
Beda
Vel hoc dicit, ut cum probaverit animas permanere post mortem, quod Sadducaei negabant, consequens introduceretur et corporum resurrectio, quae cum animabus bona malave gesserunt. Est autem vera vita qua iusti Deo vivunt, etiam quando corpore moriuntur. Ad comprobandam autem resurrectionis veritatem, multo manifestioribus exemplis ex prophetis uti valuit, sed Sadducaei quinque tantum libros Moysi recipiebant, prophetarum vaticinia respuentes
Chrysostomus
Sicut autem sancti communem orbis dominum sibi appropriant, non derogantes eius dominio, sed proprium affectum pandentes, secundum morem amantium, qui non patiuntur cum multis diligere, sed volunt praecipuam et specialem quamdam dilectionem exprimere; sic et Deus specialiter se horum Deum dicebat, non coarctando suum dominium, sed ampliando. Non enim sic multitudo subditorum sicut virtus famulantium pandit eius dominium; unde non sic gaudet dici Deus caeli et terrae, sicut cum dicitur Deus Abraham, Deus Isaac et Deus Iacob. Et apud mortales quidem a dominis denominantur famuli; dicimus enim: villicus talis ducis; e contrario autem Deus dicitur Abrahae
Theophylactus
Confutatis autem Sadducaeis, favent Iesu Scribae tamquam Sadducaeorum oppositi; unde sequitur respondentes autem quidam Scribarum dixerunt: magister, bene dixisti
Beda
Et quia in sermonibus confutati sunt, ultra non interrogant; unde sequitur et amplius non audebant eum quidquam interrogare: sed comprehensum Romanae tradunt potestati; ex quo intelligimus venena invidiae posse quidem superari, sed difficile conquiescere
20:41
Theophylact † 1107
Although our Lord was shortly about to enter on His Passion, He proclaims His own Godhead, and that too neither incautiously nor boastfully, but with modesty. For He puts a question to them, and having thrown them into perplexity, leaves them to reason out the conclusion; as it follows, And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David’s son?
St Ambrose † AD 397
They are not blamed here because they acknowledge Him to be David’s Son, for the blind man for so doing was thought worthy to be healed. (Luke 18:42.) And the children saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, (Matt. 21:9.) rendered to God the glory of the highest praise; but they are blamed because they believe Him not to be the Son of God. Hence it is added, And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord. (Ps. 110:1.) Both the Father is Lord and the Son is Lord, but there are not two Lords, but one Lord, for the Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the Father. He Himself sits at the right hand of the Father, for He is coequal with the Father, inferior to none; for it follows, Sit thou at my right hand. He is not honoured by sitting at the right hand, nor is He degraded by being sent. Degrees of dignity are not sought for, where is the fulness of divinity.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Symbolo. ad Catech. l. ii. c. 7.
By the sitting we must not conceive a posture of the human limbs, as if the Father sat on the left and the Son on: the right, but the right hand itself we must interpret to be the power which that Man received who was taken up into Himself by God, that He should come to judge, who at first came to be judged.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
Or, that He sits on the Father’s right hand proves His heavenly glory. For whose throne is equal, their Majesty is equal. But sitting when it is said of God signifies a universal kingdom and power. Therefore He sitteth at the right hand of the Father, because the Word proceeding from the substance of the Father, being made flesh, putteth not off His divine glory.
Theophylact † 1107
He manifests then that He is not opposed to the Father, but agrees with Him, since the Father resists the Son’s enemies, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
St Ambrose † AD 397
We must believe then that Christ is both God and man, and that His enemies are made subject to Him by the Father, not through the weakness of His power, but through the unity of their nature, since in the one the other works. For the Son also subjects enemies to the Father, in that He glorifies the Father upon earth. (John 17:6.)
Theophylact † 1107
Therefore He asks the question, and having excited their doubts, leaves them to deduce the consequence; as it follows, David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?
St John Chrysostom † AD 407
David in truth was both the Father and the servant of Christ, the former indeed according to the flesh, the latter in the Spirit.
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
We then likewise in answer to the new Pharisees, who neither confess the Son of the holy Virgin to be the true Son of God, nor to be God, but divide one son into two, put the like objections: How then is the Son of David David’s Lord, and that not by human lordship, but divine?
The Latin text
Theophylactus
Quamvis dominus ad passionem erat iturus in brevi, praedicat propriam deitatem: nec hoc tamen incaute aut arroganter; sed modeste quaerit; unde dicitur dixit autem ad illos: quomodo dicunt Christum filium David esse?
Ambrosius in Lucam
Non reprehenduntur hoc loco quia David filium confitentur, quia caecus ille, David filium confitendo, meruit sanitatem; et pueri dicentes: hosanna filio David, praecelsae praedicationis gloriam Deo deferebant; sed reprehenduntur, quia non credunt filium Dei; unde subditur et ipse David dicit in libro Psalmorum: dixit dominus domino meo. Et pater dominus, et filius dominus; sed non duo domini, sed unus est dominus: quia pater in filio, et filius in patre: ipse ad dexteram patris sedet, quia patri consors, nulli secundus est; sequitur enim sede a dextris meis. Nec praefertur qui ad dexteram sedet, nec iniuriam patitur qui admittitur: gradus non quaeritur dignitatis, ubi plenitudo est divinitatis
Augustinus de symbolo
Sessione autem ista non accipiamus humanis membris positum, tamquam pater sedeat in sinistra et filius sedeat ad dexteram; sed ipsam dexteram intelligamus potestatem quam accepit ille homo susceptus a Deo, ut veniat iudicaturus qui primo venerat iudicandus
Cyrillus
Vel quod sedet ad dexteram patris, supernam eius gloriam probat: nam quorum est thronus aequalis, et maiestas. Sessio vero in Deo significat regnum, et omnium potestatem. Sedet ergo a dextris Dei patris, quia verbum ex paterna substantia prodiens, factum caro, divinam non exuit dignitatem
Theophylactus
Manifestat ergo quod adversarius patris non est, sed secum concordat; cum pater repugnet adversariis eius; sequitur enim donec ponam inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum
Ambrosius
Ergo et Deum Christum, et hominem esse credamus; cui a patre subiciuntur inimici, non per infirmitatem potestatis suae, sed per unitatem naturae, quia in altero alter operatur: nam et filius subicit inimicos patri, quia patrem clarificat super terram
Theophylactus
Quaerit ergo ipse, et mota dubitatione sinit illos colligere quid sequatur; unde subdit David ergo dominum illum vocat, et quomodo filius eius est?
Chrysostomus
David quidem pater Christi et servus; hoc quidem secundum carnem, illud secundum spiritum
Cyrillus
Et nos ergo novis Pharisaeis, qui nec verum Dei filium, neque Deum esse fatentur natum ex sacra virgine, sed dividunt unum filium in duos, talem obicimus quaestionem: quo pacto filius David dominus eius est, et non humano dominio, sed divino?
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Hom. 19. in Joann.
Now nothing is more powerful than to argue from the Prophets. For this is even of more weight than miracles themselves. For when Christ worked miracles, He was often gainsayed. But when He cited the Prophets, men were at once silent, because they had nothing to say. But when they were silent, He warns against them; as it is said, Then in the audience of all the people he said to his disciples.
Theophylact † 1107
For as He was sending them to teach the world, He rightly warns them not to imitate the pride of the Pharisees. Beware of the Scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, that is, to go forth into public, dressed in fine clothes, which was one of the sins remarked in the rich man. (Luke 16:19.)
St Cyril of Alexandria † AD 444
The passions of the Scribes were the love of vainglory and the love of gain. That the disciples should avoid these hateful crimes, He gives them this warning, and adds, And love greetings in the markets.
Theophylact † 1107
Which is the way of those who court and hunt after a good reputation, or they do it for the sake of collecting money. It follows, And the chief seats in synagogues.
St Bede † AD 735
He does not forbid those to sit first in the synagogue, or at the feast, to whom this dignity belongs by right, but He tells them to beware of those who love this unduly; denouncing not the distinction, but the love of it. Though the other also would not be free from blame, when the same men who wish to take part in the disputes in the market, desire also to be called masters in the synagogue. For two reasons we are bid to beware of those who seek after vain-glory, either lest we be led away by their pretences, supposing those things to be good which they do, or be inflamed with jealousy, desiring in vain to be praised for the good deeds which they pretend to. But they seek not only for praise from men, but money; for it follows, Who devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers. For pretending to be righteous and of great merit before God, they do not fail to receive large sums of money from the sick and those whose consciences are disturbed with their sins, as though they would be their protectors in the judgment.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407
Thrusting themselves also into the possessions of widows, they grind down their poverty, not content to eat as it may be afforded them, but greedily devouring; using prayer also to an evil end, they thus expose themselves to a heavier condemnation; as it follows, These shall receive the greater damnation.
Theophylact † 1107
Because they not only do what is evil, but make a pretence of prayer, so making virtue an excuse for their sin. They also impoverish widows whom they were bound to pity, by their presence driving them to great expenses.
St Bede † AD 735
Or because they seek from men praise and money, they are punished with the greater damnation.
The Latin text
Chrysostomus
Nihil autem est fortius quam ex prophetis disputare: hoc enim est et ipsis rebus validius: nam Christo faciente miracula contradicebant multoties; cum vero allegavit prophetiam, tacuerunt, quia non habebant quid dicerent. Eis autem tacentibus, contra eos invehitur; unde dicitur audiente autem omni populo, dixit discipulis suis
Theophylactus
Quia enim eos orbis doctores mittebat, merito monet non esse eis imitandam Pharisaeorum ambitionem; unde sequitur attendite a Scribis, qui volunt ambulare in stolis
Beda
Idest, cultioribus vestimentis induti ad publicum procedere; in quo inter cetera dives peccasse describitur
Cyrillus
Passiones autem erant Scribarum, amor gloriae inanis et lucri. Ut igitur tam pessima crimina evitarent discipuli, commonet eos subdens et amant salutationes in foro
Theophylactus
Quod est blandientium, et venantium opinionem famae; vel agunt hoc causa congregandae pecuniae; sequitur enim et primas cathedras in synagogis et primos discubitus in conviviis
Beda
Non primos sedere, vel discumbere vetat eos quibus hoc officii ordine competit, sed eos qui hoc indebite amant, docet esse cavendos, animum, non gradum redarguens; quamvis et hoc culpa non careat, si iidem in foro litibus velint interesse qui in synagoga magistri desiderant appellari. Duplici autem ratione a vanae gloriae cupidis attendere iubemur: ne vel eorum simulatione ducamur, aestimantes bona esse quae faciunt; vel aemulatione inflammemur, frustra gaudentes in bonis laudari quae simulant. Non solum autem laudes ab hominibus, sed et pecunias quaerunt; sequitur enim qui devorant domos viduarum, simulantes longam orationem. Iustos enim et magni meriti apud Deum se simulantes, ab infirmis et peccatorum suorum conscientia turbatis, quasi patroni pro eis in iudicio futuri, pecunias accipere non dubitant
Chrysostomus
Ingurgitantes etiam se viduarum bonis, paupertatem atterunt, non qualitercumque comedentes, sed devorantes, et ad pravitatem oratione utentes; quod graviori poenae facit eos obnoxios; unde sequitur hi accipient maiorem damnationem
Theophylactus
Quia non solum mala faciunt, sed orationes praetendunt, et virtutem faciunt pravitatis excusationem. Viduas etiam depauperant, quarum oportebat misereri, dum ob sui praesentiam eas cogunt exponere
Beda
Vel quia laudes ab hominibus et pecunias quaerunt, maiori damnatione plectuntur
20:36
Ver. 36. They are equal unto the angels. So the Arabic, Syriac, Egyptian, Persian, and Ethiopic; equal in celibacy, immortality, glory. As therefore the angels do not marry nor generate, so neither do the Blessed, because, being immortal per se, and glorious, they will remain for ever. For generation is desired in this life, because of death; as a mortal father might, as it were, survive and endure in the son whom he leaves alive. So S. Cyril: "As the angels are not of generation, so they who rise again will have no need of marriage." S. Chrysostom on Matt. xxiii: "Wives are married that the diminution, which is by death, may be supplied by birth. But death will not be there, and, in consequence, neither marriages, nor wives, nor generation."
And are, &c. "They are called the children of God," says Theophylact, "as being born again through the Resurrection, not only through grace, but also through glory, that they may thus resemble God most closely, as is taught by S. John, 1 Ep. iii. 2. Then as sons they shall enter into the inheritance of God the Father." "They are called the sons of the Resurrection," says Theophylact, "because they appear to be as it were born to a new, happy, and divine life." 2. They will be the sons of the Resurrection, that is, worthy of the Resurrection, for the word "son" when it is added in Hebrew to the genitive of reward or punishment, means one subject to, one who deserves, or who is destined to, such a punishment or reward. Thus men are called the sons of Death and Gehenna, that is, men subject to death and hell; and the sons of the kingdom and the Resurrection, that is, they who are worthy of the kingdom of heaven, and of the Resurrection of the blessed. Ver. 40. And after that they durst not ask Him any question at all. That is the Sadducees, for the Pharisees asked Him afterwards which was the greatest commandment, as we find from Mat 22:35.
20:1
v. 1 et factum est in una dierum; cf. 5,17; 8, 22: ex Marc. 11,20 haec gesta sunt die post eiectionem vendentium e templo, ergo feria tertia, si sollemnem in urbem ingressum prima die hebdomadis factum esse mecum existimaveris; vide quae dixiin Comment. Matth. II p. 198 seq., docente allo populum in templo et evangelizante i. e. dum nuntium de regno Dei praedicaret, convenerunt principes sacerdotum et scribae cum senioribus cf. 19,47, ex omni ordine scil. quo synedrium constabat; communi itaque totius synedrii consilio et auctoritate mittuntur
Ex iis quae hebdomada passionis Iesus in templo gessit, Lucas aliqua -refert; ea fere quae apud Marcum quoque leguntur 11,27; plura nobis retulit Matthaeus 21,23 seq. Et talia tangit quibus perversitas principum illustratur, proin interitus ille de quo modo plorans vaticinatus erat, pro malitia eorum futurus magis declaratur et regnum Dei ad gentes esse transferendum demonstratur. Ita suo modo Lucas eandem solvit quaestionem quam apostolus in sua ad Romanos epistola cap. 9 seq. pertractat;
20:2
v. 2 e¢ azunt dicentes ad tllum.: dic nobis, in qua potestate haec facis aut quis dedit tibi hane potestatem? Gaseous repetita iam produnt iram et indignationem; — fiaec non censendi erunt dicere de sola [esu docendi in templo consuetudine; nam cum Jesus iam ex tribus annis doceret, sane mirum esset si tum demum eum de potestate docendi interrogarent; adde quod alioquin viris probis ac peritis licuit in synagogis lectione ex s. litteris facta ad populum loqui (cf. Act. 13,15 et quae notavi ad 4,16). Quare quaestio potius referenda erit ad ea quae antea a Christo gesta et permissa erant in sollemni ingressu, in acclamatione turbarum, in profanatione templi vindicanda (cf. Theoph. et quae dixi ad Matth. 94, 23 et ad Marc. 11,28). _« Contra tergiversantes oportet ex datis procedere » (S. Bon.),nam, ut Add, ait, aliquando solutio interrogationis dependet ab alia quaestione quam oportet prius interrogare et ita est in proposito; quare « prudenter interrogat ut suo vel silentio vel sententia condemnentur » (Beda)
20:3
v. 3 respondens autem Iesus dixit ad illos : interrogabo vos et ego unum verbum, a quo solutio totius dependet vestrae interrogationis (Ald.) ; respondete mihi :
20:4
v. 4 baptismus Toannis de coelo erat an ex hominibus? id effert quod ipsi in loanne potissimum investigandum esse existimarant : quid ergo baptizas (loan. 1,25); « provocatio ad Ioannem tacitam continebat Christi manifestationem ; hic idem testimonium praebuerat, unde Servator potestatem accepisset igitur ex Ioannis testimonio perspicuum erat, quanam potestate haec faceret » (Hus.). Ea autem quaestione ad erie rediguntur v. 5 a/ Wh cogitabant intra se dicentes cuveheyicavzo vationes collegerunt inter se dicentes; inter se, secreto consultant : quia si dixerimus : de coelo, dicet : quare ergo non credidistis illi? qui scil. de me quis essem clare edixit;
20:6
v. 6 si autem dixerimus : ex hominibus, plebs universa lapidabit nos; certi sunt enim Toannem prophetam esse; lapidare poena erat quam blasphemantibus infligere solebant; cf. Ioan. 10,34. Act. 7,58; « viderunt ergo quodlibet horum respondissent, in laqueum se casuros, timentes lapidationem, sed magis timentes veritatis confeseum effert modum quo plebs indignationem de re sacra violata prodere solebat; cf. Act. 14,5. 18. Unde ignavi simul et mendaces
20:7
v. 7 responderunt se nescire unde esset; praeclaros sane doctores ac duces populi, quorum pro munere maxime interesse debuit rectene populus sentiret necne. Quanta fuerit apud populum Ioannis auctoritas, Losephus quoque testatur (Antiq. 18,5. 2);
20:8
v. 8 et Iesus ait illis : neque ego dico vobisin qua potestate haec facto, od3éi. e. etiam ego non dico vobis etc., quo modo indicat eos quidem scire, nolle autem dicere; respondet secundum illud : responde stulto iuxta stultitiam suam, ne sibi sapiens esse videatur (Prov. 26,5; Schegg, Fil.). Plura vide ad Matth. Mare. 1. c. Principes et duces populi spreverunt itaque testimonium Ioannis, spreverunt tot Iesu documenta de sua legatione divina; immo definito consilio iam statuerunt eum perdere. Ad haec igitur reciderunt tot Dei instituta, tot, ut ita dicem, conatus! Quod ut Christus illustret parabolam proponit, quae totam gentis historiam breviter comprehendit (S. Cyr.) et quae utut brevis est, multa tamen et magna nos vae legis, vocandas gentes, abiiciendos Iudaeos (Theoph.)
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v. 9 coepit autem dicere ad plebem parabolam hance, ad plebem, ut intellecta perversitate ducum ne se ab iis seduci sinat; verum principes quoque audisse parabolam elucet ex v. 19, quare ad eos parabolam dici merito alii indicant (vide ad Marc. 12,1 et Matth. 21,33) : homo plantavit vineam; quomodo eam instruxerit, vide Is. 5,2; e¢ locawit eam colonis; vinea Domini domus Israel est (Is. 5,7), populus Dei quem Deus sibi in peculium (Ex. 19,5) elegit et sanctis institutis, legibus, doctrinis instituit; qui populum docere et regere debebant, sunt coloni quibus vinea illa erat commissa; e¢ ipse peregre fuct multis tenporrbus; peregre abiit, « abire dicitur a vinea, ut vinitoribus lberum operandi arbitrium derelinquat » (Bed. sim. S. Bon. Theoph.); diu -abfuit, quod Lucas solus commemorat, fortasse ut longum antiqui foederis tempus indicetur, quo vinea Domini colonis erit tradita;
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v. 10 et in tempore, quo scil. fructus percipiendi erant; ef. Ley. 19,23 seq., misit ad cultores servum, ut de fructu vineae darent tlli, qui caesum dimiserunt eum inanem; mittit herus utens longanimitate alterum -servum; illi autem augent iniuriam; ad verbera adiungunt opprobria
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v. 11 et addidit alterum servum mittere; tlli autem hune quoque caedentes et afficientes contumelia Libeeirint inanem,; et quo magis herus postulat quae iuris sunt, eo magis illi insolescunt; tertium servum vulnerantes eiecerunt v. 12; non destitit Deus populo suo mittere monitores , prophetas, per quos eum erudiebat, a vitiis et idololatria revocabat, ad pietatem instituebat (cf. Os. 6,5. Am. 2,11. ler. 7,13; 11,7; 23,5 ete.); verum quam male accepti sint, libri sacri abunde testantur (cf. 3 Reg. 18,13; 22,27. 4 Reg. 6,34; 9,7. 2 Par. 36,16. ler. 2,30; 11,19; 26,11 etc.) idemque Christus eis exprobrat Matth. 23,35 patres vestri (Act. 7,52)? Sunt qui per tres illos servos intelligant Moysen, David (vel potestatem regiam — at reges plerique impii erant!) et cuneum prophetarum (Bed. Bon. Alb.). Tres autem missos esse ait Cai. quia ternarius numerus perfectionis est adeoque eo perfectus numerus prophetarum describitur. Similiter in parabola mnarum exempla statuuntur in tribus 19,16-21. Magna herus utitur clementia in rebelles
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v. 13 dixit autem dominus vineae : guid factam? secum deliberat de remedio efficaci eos revocandi ad meliorem frugem; adeo exoptat ut iis parcere possit ; mzétam filium meum dilectum; forsitan, cum hune viderint, verebuntur, isws (cvvéy B) i. e. uti sperare est, filium reverebuntur; non tam duwohl, hoffentlich , Grimm s. v.). Uti olim Deus locutus est : faciamus hominem (Gen. 4,26), ita eum Lucas quasi loquentem nobis proponit : faciamus redemptionem generis humani! Sic enim Deus dilexit mundum, ut Filium suum unigenitum daret (loan. 3,16). Notatu dignum est avanyqzes dilectus apud LXX etiam adhiberi pro hebr. 7m) wnicus cf. Gen. 22,2. 16; ler. 6,26 et Hesychius quoque vocem explicat poyorvevh (of. Sehleulnir Ip. 15). In applicatione ad Deum explicant /orsitan dici, ut significetur praescientia Dei non tolli arbitrii libertatem, sed eam ad utrumque vertibilem notari (S. Bon, Alb. Theoph.); v. 1% Lass cum vidissent colont cogitaverunt intra se dicentes Xehoyitevte multa signa facit? si dimittimus eum sic, omnes ccredent in eum et venient Romani et tollent nostrum eeu: et gentem » (loan. 11547: 48; .S. Bon. qui addit id ab eis dici, ut hereditatem habitam conservarent);
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v. 45 et edectum illum extra vineam JecaenaN ES 1. e. tradiderunt Filium gentibus ad crucifigendum; ita eum extra vineam i. e. ex populo Dei eiecerunt ; immo conspiraverant iam antea, ut si quis eum confiteretur esse Christum extra synagogam fieret (Ioan. 9 722); quare multo magis eum ipsum exclusum et eiectum volebant; cf. Hebr: 13,12. Et nune ostendam vobis quid ego faciam vineae meae (Is. 5,5); quid ergo facret illes dominus vineae?
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v. 16 veniet et perdet colonos astos et dabit vineam alts ; regnum Dei transferetur ad gentes Matth. 24,43; quo audito dixerunt ili : absit; intellexerunt quo tendat parabola; vineam enim significare regnum Dei iam patet ex Deut. 32, 32. Is. 5,2 seq. ler. 2,241. Ps. 79,9 seq. ; quare quis sit dominus vineae et quis sit filius eius, scil. Messias etiam facile perspiciunt. Unde cum aliqua indignatione reiiciunt quod dictum est occisum iri filium etc. ; cum tanta asseveratione loquantur y.
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17 ¢/e autem aspiciens eos ut facere solet qui aliis contradicentibus suam asserit denuo sententiam vultu et oculis quasi addens pondus at : guid est ergo hoc quod scriptum est i. e. sinon est quod dico, quorsum demum spectat quod scriptum est (Luc.)? parabola non aliud enuntiat quam quod prophetice est praedictum; quomodo ergo in dubium vocari potest? dapidem quem reprobaverunt aedificantes, hic factus est in caput angult? qui in parabola coloni appellantur, hic vocantur aedificantes, quippe qui domum Dei aedificare debebant veram illam ac spiritualem quae in piis cultoribus Dei consistit; sed quales sint aedificantes (cf. Ez, 13, 11) describitur : : lapidem praecipuum ac fundamentalem reiiciunt et deprompta sunt ex Ps. 117,22; cf. Is. 28,16. Eph. 2,20. 1 Petr. 2,4-8; atque Messiam vocari lapidem pretiosum ac fundamentalem domus Dei eo propius adiacet, quia iam Iahve eo quod vetus foedus datum est ab eo appellatur petra Israel (1»¥ cf. Deut. 32,37. Ps. 18,3. 32. 47 hebr. Is. 30,29), quia ipse fidelissimus ac potentissimus promissa servat, domum Israel fulcit et sustentat, cui ea tamquam fundamento inconcusso innititur. Factus-est Iesus lapis angularis, dum omnes populos in una Dei Ecclesia collectos servat (vide ad Matth. Mare. I. c.). Iam uti v. 14 parabolae probavit oraculo, ita v. 16 quoque declarat in
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v. 18 omnis gui ceciderit super illum lapidem, qui offendit ad eum ace quicumque scandalizatur Messiae humilitate et doctrina, quicumque ex €0 ruinae seu peccati causam accepit, Dae RN a ‘hi sunt qui Christum persequuntur, praedicatum non recipiunt vel receptum nihil damni infertur; ita non Christo, sed sibi quam maxime nocet qui Christum odio habet; super quem autem ceciderit comminuet alum huxwiest proprie ventilabit, disperget, quam notionem si retinueris dicendum erit transiri ab imagine ad rem designatam, ad Messiam iudicem, cuius ventilabrum in manu eius et permundabit aream suam notio conterendi, comminuendi et dissipandi comminuta. Lapis dicitur cadere super eos in quos ultio divina et iudicium devolvitur;
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v. 19 e¢ quaerebant principes sacerdotum et scribae mittere in illum manus illa hora et timuerunt populum ; cognoverunt enim quod ad ipsos dixerit similitudinem hanc; « sic veritas odium peperit » (S. Bon.) ; cognoverunt scil. sacerdotes et scribae; ita plerique (cf. S. Cyr. Bed. Bon. Theoph. Schegg, Schanz, Fil. Keil, Sp.); alii quandoque referunt vocem ad plebem (Meyer, Weiss), ita ut ratio reddatur cur populum timeant, quia populus perspexerit contra duces dici parabolam. Verum satius est afferri rationem cur voluerint Christum statim apprehendere, quod ne facerent timore populi iterum retinentur; populum autem timebant, quia Iesum maxime admirabantur et sicut prophetam eum habebant (Matth. 21,46 et Luc. 19,48) , vix propterea quia intellexerunt aliqua dici contra principes.
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v. 20 et observantes insidiose nuserunt insidiatores qui se tustos simularent; fraudulenter subornant discipulos quosdam pharisaeorum (Matth. 22, 16. Marc. 12,13) qui simularent se accedere ad interrogandum motos religione et tenera conscientia, ne scil. quidquam admitterent contra Deum et dignitatem populi electi; simulant itaque se esse viros pietati deditos qui vellent ab ipso discere quid iustum esset et Dei voluntati consentaneum (Luc.), wt caperent eum in sermone, ut traderent illum i. e. eo consilio illos subornarunt (qui eum in sermone caperent) ut traderent illum princepaiu: <7 &oy% generatim, et additur magis determinate et potestati praesidis, procuratoris romani, Pilati. Inde elucet synedristas exspectasse fore ut Iesus qui regnum Dei appropinquasse continuo annuntiet negaret tributum esse alienigenis solvendum. Id saltem praeprimis optabant, ut eum possent tamquam hominem rebellem per procuratorem romanum perdere. Sed cum simul submiserint Herodianos (Matth. Mare. 1. c.), non minus provide quam astute etiam alteram responsionem forte dari posse considerarunt esse tributum solvendum Romanis; si hoc, poterant Ilesum traducere ut inimicum dominationis Herodis (vide quae dixi in Comment. Matth. II p. 254 et Mare. p. 315) et ei apud populum quoque invidiam creare. Consulto itaque eam seligunt quaestionem qua sive negetur sive affirmetur necessario se posse Iesum capere sperabant; cf. ad v. 26. Quam pie et religiose adeant hypocritae illi Iesum, verbis abundanter testantur
doywy, pariter it pler : ut apprchenderent (repre. e, caperent a) sermones (verba e) eius; 1 dub magistratui. In v. 21 D 60. ovdevog, nullius personam Aug. Inv. 23elr nequitiam , a quorum visa nequitia, d iniquitatem; non add zt ws metontets NBL pl Apud synedristas constitutum est Dominum perdere. Verum quominus ipsi manus in eum iniiciant timore populi prohibentur; « ideo quod per se non poterant, praesidis manibus efficere tentabant, ut velut ipsi a morte eius viderentur immunes » (Bed. Bon.);
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v. 21 ef interrogaverunt ewm dicentes : magister, scimus quia recte dicts et doces et non accipis personam, partium studio tu non duceris, ita ut pro favore aut odio a veritate recedas neque in sermone privato neque in publico docendi munere, sed viam Dei qaam viam Deus hominibus ineundam praeseribit, mandata et normas Dei, 2n veritate doces; tali captatione benevolentiae praetiem, calliditatem, dixit ad eos . dentes dixerunt : emphasi primo loco ponitur, az 20,27. | IpocehOdvteg dé Laddovxatwv, of pa etvar, Avddoxade , A€yovtss exyptbtwv adtov, 28. Adyovres, Mwvoyg Eypabev futv, adv tivog adehode arolldvn gywy yuvatxa, xar odtog &texvog Fj, Wa Adby 6 Bekpdg adtod . ? ) roe e \ Si? liquerunt semen, et mortui sunt. 32. | 92- %otee0v xal H yuvi, anébavev. i tlyog avtiy Novissime omnium mortua est et mulier. | 7 yeva ovv éyv TH avactdéest, eam uxorem. 34. Kat ctrev adtots 6 “Incods, Of vfol 34. Et ait illis Iesus : Filii huius | 793 aléyos tovtoy yanotsw zat yauloxov- Saeculi nubunt, et traduntur ad nup- | ry,- 35. of 38 nartakOévtee tod. atéivoe tlas. 35. Mili vero, qui digni habe- | z,.tyoy TUYEtV, RAL THs Avactdoews tH ex eee saeculo illo et resurrectione ex vexpisy, odes youediory Bie yautoxovtat” * mortuis, neque nubent, neque ducent 36. od88 yk anoavety %er Sbvavrar’ non est mortuorum, sed vivorum; omnes | 24% Sdytwv xdytes yap abt Chow. enim vivunt ei. 39. Respondentes autem | 39. "AnoxerOévtes 82 tives thY ypauquidam scribarum, dixerunt ei : Ma- | patiwy stray, Arddonahs, xahiic sinas. gister, bene dixisti. 40. Et amplius non | 40. oduétt yag étédkuwv encpwrgv abzov audebant eum quidquam interrogare. ,ovdéy. ad septimum omnes. In v. 32 vatepov zat (sine zavtwv) 8 BDL mu minuse ci cop syr (cu, sch). In v. 33 7 Yvvy ovv ev avast. BL Ti WH. Inv. 34 add D (post atwvog t.) yevywvtat zat yevvwory; sim generantur et generant fPiq gat eg ken; generant et generantur acel Cypr; sim syr (cu); nubuntur ar, nascuntur et generant r; Yapouyrat D. In v. 35 a saeculum illum attingere ; in illo saeculo obtinere resurrectionem r; codd longe pler vulg nubunt, ducunt, uti graece. In v. 36 D (pro duvavtat) wedouaty, sine filiis; v. 31 et etiam tertius sumpsit eam, et ita septem hi sumpserunt eam et, mortui sunt, cum non relinquerent filios et mortua est etiam uxor ; v._34 nascuntur et generant, ducunt uxores et uxores sunt viris; v. 35 non sunt uxores viris; v. 36 aequales enim sunt cum angelis tamquam filii resurrectionis; v. 37 et Moyses indicavit quando locutus est Deus cum eo ex rubo et dixit Dominus Deus Abra-' ham etc.). ; Sadducaeorum doctrina fuit animas simul cum corpore interire (Josephus, Antig. 18,1. 4), unde negabant esse resurrectionem (Act. 23, 8), negabant, ut Josephus alio loco dicit, animas permanere et esse supplicia vel praemia post mortem (Bell. iud. 2,8. 1%). Hoc uno loco in evangelio eorum mentionem facit Lucas, ut ostendatur quomodo omnes Iudaeorum ordines, etsi inter se de summa rerum et religiosarum et civilium discordes erant (pharisaei, sadducaei, herodiani), -tamen conspiratione quadam concordes exstiterint in odio Jesu et insidiis ei struendis. Et sadducaei quidem eius tamquam doctoris auctoritatem et existimationem apud plebem subruere conabantur
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v. 27 accesserunt autem quidam sadducaeorum qui negant esse resurreclionem et interrogaverunt eum
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v. 28 dicentes : magister, Moyses scri-— psit nobis : sv frater alicuius mortuus fuertt habens uxorem et hic sine liberis fuertt, ut acciprat eam frater eius uxorem et suscetet semen frairi suo; sensus fideliter refertur ex Deut. 25,5. Omnino probabile est quod Alb. Fab. Schegg censent sadducaeos tali exemplo quod Christo opponunt iam saepius contra pharisaeos usos esse. Exemplum confictum esse ut in risum traheretur resurrectionis doctrina neque re vere gesta inniti, iam S. Cyr. Theoph. existimant,
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v. 29 septem ergo fratres erant etc. lege illa leviratus singuli eam duxerant et nemo ex ea prolem conceperat; unde
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v. 33 zn resurrectione ergo cuius eorum ertt uxor? siquidem septem habuerunt eam uxorem; singuli eam habebant legitime, ex praescripto legis; ergo omnibus est ~ aequale ius ad eam recipiendam et si uni attribuitur, eadem ratione debet et ceteris. Cum itaque neque uni possit attribui sine iniuria ceterorum, neque omnibus simul (quae esset res turpissima, absurdissima, ipsa natura, lege mosaica quam maxime interdicta) , concludebant non esse resurrectionem vel tali exemplo tamquam difficultate inextricabili suam firmabant sententiam. Dominus autem fundamentum eorum statim concutit (Theoph.) ostendens quid intersit inter rationem vitae praesentis et futurae;
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v. 34 etait illis Iesus : fildi huius saeculi nubunt et traduntur ad nuptias i. e, qui hisce in terris degunt; pro tempore vitae terrestris utique dictum est generi humano : crescite et multiplicamini (Cai. Scheqg); unde hoc saeculum dicitur generatim de vita in terra degenda et filii huius saeculi sunt qui cum ipsi in vitam mortalem nati sint alios quoque in vitam mortalem gignunt. Verum alia est conditio vitae post hoe saeculum;
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v. 35 lz vero qui digni habebuntur saeculo illo, saeculo futuro, coelesti, et resurrectione ex mortuis neque nubent neque hoe sufficiebat ad quaestionem propositam. elucidandam: similiter omnium resurrectionem asserit Christus loan. 5,28. 29. Cur autem ibi iam non sit opus coniugii, rationes affert in|
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v. 36 neque enim ultra mort poterunt ; « quia. connubia propter filios, filii propter successionem, successio propter mortem; ubi ergo mors non est, neque connubia » (Bed. sim. S. Bon. Theoph.). In hac terra debet genus humanum propagari, donec ad eam pervenerit multitudinem quam Deus voluerit; in resurrectione itaque resurgent omnes qui unquam vixerant, numero sufficienti et omnino qualem Deus humano generi praefinivit. Quia iam omnes sunt immortales, non est opus conservatione humanae speciei per nuptias (Lwc.). Et cur iam sint immortales et a conditione vitae terrestris plane remoti docet : aeqguales enim angelis sunt, angeli creati erant \immortales, eo numero quo Deus vult; proinde nulla opus est conservafione speciei, nulla propagatione; quare angeli ab omni eiusmodi actu vel desiderio sunt plane immunes. Eandemimmunitatem induunt homines restirrectione facta, cum sint immortales et eo quem Deus statuit numero. Erunt angelis aequales « in spiritualitatis lumine, in -ritate » (A/b.). Insuper et filit sunt Dei, cum sint fildi resurrectionis ; sunt scil. resuscitati ad novam vitam; filios resurrectionis distinguit e regione a filiis huius saeculi; uti hiindolem huius saeculi prae se ferunt in corpore labili et mortali, ita filii resurrectionis indolem novae illius vitae exprimunt in corpore immortali; resurrectio itaque generatio est ad vitam spiritualem (Caz.), resurrectio genus est novae generationis in immortalitatem (Cal/m.), quare bene filiz, quia ex resurrectione denuo quasi nascuntur ad novam et beatam vitam (Lap.) et (quod est filiorum) eius status et conditionis naturam habent. lam uti tales etiam sensu quodam excellentissimo dicuntur /filé: Dec, nam resurrectionis sola Dei omnipotentia auctor est; quare a Deo educuntur et quasi generantur in vitam immortalem (cf. Theoph. Luc.), ibi demum apparet quid paternitas divina efficiat in ipsis; sumus quidem iam filii Dei, ut 1 Ioan. 3,2 dicitur, at nondum apparuit quid erimus; sed cum apparuerit similes ei erimus, quoniam videbimus eum sicuti est (Alé.). Tum enim consortium illud divinae naturae quo filii Dei constituimur :
omni suo effectu et splendore in beatis exsistet, cum Deus in visione beata ipsum se et suam beatitatem cum iis communicet; sunt enim asciti, ut Caz. bene ait, in Deiformitatem, elevantur ad divinam similitudinem divini ordinis. Uti tales autem praeprimis frui debent beata immortalitate. Ita igitur sublimi modo probatum est illud : neque ultra mori poterunt. Eo quod apud Lucam legimus eos iam non posse mori, eos esse filios Dei utpote filios resurrectionis, argumentatio est uberior, clarior, sublimior quam apud alios duos. Iam ulterius ostenditur .etiam Moysen qui legem leviratus dederit — doctrinam de resurrectione indicasse; quare hac sola observatione iam corruit absurdum illud quod sadducaei ex illa lege concludunt contra resurrectionem; v.37 guia vero resurgant mortui, et Moyses ostendit secus rubum ént s%¢ Baz0v ubi scil. de rubo narratur (Ex. 3,6), .eo enim modo veteres locos librorum sacrorum allegare solebant ; cf. Rom. 11,2 in Elia (i. e. 3 Reg. 19,10. 18); vide plura in Comment. Mare. p. 321; secut dicit Dominum Deum Abraham et Deum Isaac et Deum Tacob,
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v. 38 Deus autem non est mortuorum sed vivorum,; quae argumentatio eo magis ferit sadducaeos, si forte iactabant Deum non esse Deum mortuorum i. e. eorum qui iam non exsistant, sed Deum in Scripturis solum exhiberi gerentem curam vivorum et regentem homines viventes. Cum apud Iudaeos sententia resurrectionis intime iuncta esset cum sententia de animae immortalitate, ita ut una quaedam veluti sententia conficeretur (cf. 2 Mach. 7,9. 14; 12,43. 44) et -sadducaei ideo negarent resurrectionem quia animam interire affirmabant, argumentatio iam ex hoc capite constaret tamquam argu- HEARERS eorum opinioni et captui accommodatum. Sed valet quoque — quia Deus se dicit Deum Abraham; Abraham autem non dicit solam animam; Deus itaque se profitetur remuneratorem (inter alia) Abraham, ergo hominis, ergo illius qui anima et corpore constat, qui uti in corpore exsistens Deo servivit, ita eodem modo in corpore exsistens Deum habere debebit henge asst: Similiter ait Beda : « ut cum probaverit animas permanere post mortem, consequenter introduceretur et corporum resurrectio, quae cum animabus bona malave gesserunt »; omnes enim vivunt ec; hominibus quidem mortui sunt, at Domino vivunt; respectu eius vivunt (Lwc.). Deus enim creavit ut essent omnia (eig + iva.) hominem autem creavit éx’ aebxocta, invidia vero diaboli mors intravit in mundum (Sap. 1,14; 2,23. 24); quare ex prima Dei institutione quam in perpetuum fraude diaboli frustrari non sinit iam consequitur resurrectio, Alii _quandoque provocant ad animae quoque humanae naturam quae coniunctionem cum corpore appetat; unde ex animae post-mortem corporis permanentia conve- niens esse ut aliquando iterum corpori societur (cf. Alb. ). Vide Comment. Matth. If p. 260 seq. | ; Ipsi legis doctores non possunt non admirari Christi responsum
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v. 39 respondentes autem quidam scribarum dixerunt ei : " magister, bene dixisti; cum itaque omnes insidias se verbo capiendi sapientissime phaeret et ipsos insidiatores pudore confunderet, vy.
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40 ef _amplius non audebant ewm quidquam interrogare; cf. ad Math, 22, 46. Mare. 12,34. Si legitur et amplius vel cum aliis odxé: 8é (vide lect. yar.), sensus est obvius et facilis; difficilior nexus in lectione odxéct yap evadit; sed potest dici laudem illorum et approbationem sapientiae Christi eo quoque confirmari, quia iam non audebant eum captiosis quaestionibus adire; ita aunee pant palam eius sapientiam. Aliter Schanz, voluisse eos sua laude efficere ut dissimularent se esse victos et confusos. Sed cum non scribae, sed sadducaei interrogationem posuerint, hi responsione confusi sunt, non scribae.
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v. 44 dixit autem ad illos, sc. ad scribas v. 39; non eos solos ibi adfuisse, sed pharisaeos quoque et populum, re ipsa patet et ex Matth. 22,44 et Marc. 12,35 habetur; guomodo dicunt, cum scribas alloquatur dicunt melius explicari potest cum Luc. impersonaliter (on dit, man sagt), ita ut opinio plane communis significetur, Christum filium esse David? cur autem interroget ea de re, indicatur lectione adzb¢ yp etc. ipse enim David;
recumbere. In v. 47 D PR al pauc xposevyouevor; c ff? il fingentes longam or. devorant panes viduarum; de qrs oceasione longa orantes. In v. 2 a duos quadrantes; D addo eotty xodpavtn¢, d duo minus quod est codrantes. In v. 3 paupercula c ff il mar dub ept (marg) ger rush. In v. 4 t~ 6wpx sine addit NBLX aliq minuse Ti W H cop syr (sin, cu, hr); a de exiguitate sua, er de inopia sua, d de minimo suo; sin a omnem facultatem, d substantiam. In codd aliq add, praesertim in minuse et evangelst tavta Acywv epwvet” 0 eywy wta axovety axovetw, item add ev hier qui habet aures ad audiendum audiat (sin v. 47 causa (specie) longarum orationum v. 2 mu- Omnes tres synoptici Christi sermones in templo ita concludunt, ut ipse interroget de Messia filio David et a scribis et pharisaeis cavendum esse doceat eorum scelera perstringens. Marcus et Lucas addunt narrationem de vidua paupercula, qua studium lucri scribarum condemnatur. Interrogatione illa cui illi quid reponant non habent iterum els offert doctrinam veritatis, dummodo vellent eam ab ipso petere. Monitis ut. caveant a scribis et pharisaeis ultimum quasi conatum edit ut populum retrahat a ruina quam isti duces ei parant. In laude viduae pauperis contra fastum et pompam denuo manifestat indolem sul regni et normam verae virtutis. Regnum Messiae non esse regnum temporale, ita ut Messias thronum David erigat et more davidico hostes expugnet, uti scribae et pharisaei exspectabant, Iesus sua quaestione iis insinuare vult. In illa enim notione nullo modo declarari potest, cur Messias dicatur dominus David; unde ex eis quaerit, ut habeant quo suas de Messia notiones emendent
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v. 42 et ipse David meis v.43 donee ponam inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum; thronus Dei symbolum est maiestatis, dominationis, gloriae divinae ; qui itaque illi a dexteris assidet, i. e. qui thronum suum habet loco Maxime honorifico apud Dei thronum, ille eo ipso exhibetur assumptus ut sit particeps maiestatis, dominationis, gloriae divinae. Porro in. reliquo psalmo, cum dicatur v. ¢. sacerdos, alia exprimuntur quibus notio Messiae describatur alia quam Iudaei fovebant (vide quae dixi ad Matth.
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1. ¢.); v. 4&4 David ergo dominum illum vocat; et quomodo jitius evus est? Psalmum hunc 109 sensu messiano esse intellectum a priscis Iudaeis certum est; plura eius acceptionis testimonia affert Ed. Ip. 724 et Weber, System der altsynagogalen palaest. Theologie p- 342. Propter Christianos autem eos etiam ad alias explicationes confugisse, discimus ex lustino, Tertulliano, Hieronymo (vide Comment. Matth. II p. 272). Verum Christi tempore sensum messianum esse agnitum et originem davidicam psalmi non a solis Iudaeis, sed ab ipso affirmarr Christo, ex loquendi et arguendi ratione est evidens. Opinatur Wiinsche p. 484 pharisaeos quidem probabiliter et evangelistam certo putasse Messiam fore ex posteris David ; Ilesum autem qui haberi vellet Messias debuisse illam sententiam oppugnare. Profecto mirum est quod hic in modo loquendi Iesu deprehendat eius rei negationem quae explicite affirmatur toties quoties Iesus salutatur filius David, qui nunquam eam appellationem repudiat (cf. Matth. 9,27; 12,23; 15,22; 20,30 seq. 21,9. 15. Mare. 10,47. Luc 18,38). Porro Iesum revera ortum habuisse ex posteritate dayidica aliis quoque testimoniis confirmatur etsi evangelistarum Matthaei et Lucae de eius origine narrationem omittendam esse plane immerito quis contenderet. Nam Paulus apostolus eum esse ex semine David indubitanter affirmat (Rom. 1,3. 2 Tim. 2,8); in Apocalypsi quoque (quem librum moderni critici iam an. 68-70 p. Ch. compositum esse volunt) origo davidica Jesu clarissime enuntiatur cf. 22,46 et 3,7; 5,5. Idem affirmatur Act. 2,30. Insuper propinqui [esu in Palaestina usque ad finem primi saeculi in dignitate ecclesiastica erant constituti: ita Simon filius Cleophae, cognatus Iesu, ex stirpe erat Davidis (cf. quae Hegesippus refert apud Eusebium, h. e. 3,19. 20. 32 et vide quae dixi in Comment. Matth. II p. 572). Christum autem debere esse ex stirpe davidica, haec sententia orta est non ex Ps. 109, verum ex multis aliis s. librorum locis v. g. 2 Reg. 7,16: Is. 11,1. ler. Quaestioni a Christo propositae non poterant respondere (Matth. 22, scere yerum. Tacent, ne forte si interrogarent (ut ait S. Cyr.), « salutaris ipsis emicaret sermo; neque enim cognoscere volebant veritatem ». Iesum quippe odio habent et quamvis summam eius sapientiam etiam inviti admirari debuissent, tamen ab eo edoceri repudiant fastidiose. Unde quales sint denuo produnt. Quare Iesus merito docendi munus publicum ita concludit ut denuo plebi consulens vitia ducum severe castiget-et eorum superbiam, avaritiam , hypocrisin palam exponat: Pluribus id refert Matthaeus ratione habita eorum quibus scri550 — Luc. 20,45-47. bit; breviter Marcus et Lucas id innuunt, cam pro suis sufficiat indicasse perversitatem ducum de qua populus sit aperte edoctus; unde si illorum ductu et consiliis in perniciem ruunt, etiam palam ‘constat populum frustra monitum sua culpa Sibi roinam ascivisse ;
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v. 45 audiente autem omni populo dixtt discipulis suis :v.
20:46
46 attendite a scribis qui volunt ambulare in stolis, id amant et libenter faciunt; ozo vestis est longior quo utebantur viri nobiles; apparatus quidam fastu plenus in vestimentis designatur qua suam ostentent dignitatem et aliorum in se convertant oculos; quam ambitionem Matthaeus pro Iudaeis more gentis describit : dilatant phylacteria et magnificant fimbrias (23,5), Marcus vero (12,38) et Lucas pro suis lectoribus modo generali magisque alienigenis obvio designant; alia quibus ambitio et appetitus immoderatus honoris declaratur hisce habentur : amant salutationes tn foro et primas cathedras in synagogis et primos discubitus in conviviis ef. 11,43; publice multis inspectantibus salutari cum magna reverentia in deliciis habent et studiose quaerunt ; in coetu religioso et profano , ubique primas sedes et honores praecipuos sibi deferri quasi suo iure appetunt. ‘ Superbiae turpem iungunt avaritiam
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v. 47 quz devorant domos viduarum i. e. opes, facultates; illud effertur genus avaritiae quod simul maxime est crudele et in legis doctoribus eo magis abominabile quia spoliant viduas quae lege summopere cyrimmes ana omnium curae et misericordiae (cf. Ex. 22,22-24), ita ut iniuriae ipsis illatae gravi vindicta puniantur (Is. 10,1. 2. Ez. 22,7. Eccli. 35,17-19). Et tertio demum sese exhibent hypocritas magnam simulantes in Deum pletatem xa mocgdcer paxpx moosevyovra: secundum quam lectionem quae in codicibus graecis longe communissima est haec hypocrisis diversionem latinam transiit (omissa quoque particula xa!) szmlantes longam orationem, declaratur, uti apud Marcum 12,40, illos specie pietatis viduis imponere ! quo facilius et citius earum opibus potiantur; vide ad Mare. 1. c.; hypocrisin quam orationibus ostendunt Iesus etiam — reprehendit Matth. 6,5; ht accipient damnationem maiorem, xeerecdtepov xolya iudicium abundantius i. e. severius, gravius, quia legis cognitione praediti tam turpiter contra legem peccant et qui debebant. esse aliorum ad veram pietatem duces et ipsi sunt impii et suis exemplis et doctrinis alios corrumpunt. Avaritiae scribarum contraria ponitur liberalitas summa viduae pauperis, divitum fastui et pompae templi laus paupertatis Deo acceptae; 21, 1 respiciens avabhévas, cum oculos attolleret, vidit eos gui mittehani munera sua in gazophylacium, divites, vide ad Mare. 12,41; secundum talmudistas tredecim arulae positae erant in atrio mulierum ad pecuniam oblatam recipiendam;
20:1
Selon son peu de goùt pour le détail minutieux, Le. dira une fois pour toutes {xx1, 37) que Jésus passait les nuits au mont des Oliviers. Pour le moment il se dispense de marquer les allées et venues. Maïs au lieu de dire simplement comme Mc. que Jésus se promenait dans le Temple, il tient à noter qu'il enseignait le peuple et annonçait la bonne nouvelle, afin de marquer son désir d'employer jusqu'au dernier moment pour faire du bien au peuple. Cette attitude bienveillante contraste avec celle de ses adversaires, qui ne s'inquiètent pas de savoir s'il prêche bien ou mal, mais qui trouvent mauvais qu'il prenne ua tel ascendant sans leur permission. En effet ceux qui entrent en scène sont les trois groupes du Sanhédrin, représentés par quelques-uns des leurs. — L'enseignement est aussi dans Mt. (v. 23) en plus de Mc., mais cette addition est trop naturelle pour qu'on doive conclure à une influence de Mt. sur Le. ou réciproquement. — ἐν μιᾷ τῶν ἡμερῶν, style de Le., cf. v, 17; vin, 22.
ἀρχιερεῖς (H V) οἱ non τερεις (TS). .
20:2
« Originairement », dit Loisy (tr, 292) « la question des prêtres se rattache à l'expulsion des vendeurs. L'histoire du figuier desséché ἃ détruit ce rapport que Luce n'a pas su rétablir ». Cependant même dans Me. (xt, 18) l'irrilation des prêtres pour l'expulsion des vendeurs est suivie d'une remarque sur l’ascendant dé Jésus par son enseignement. L'expulsion des vendeurs pouvait n'être qu'un acte de zèle isolé, sans grande conséquence, offensant pour les prêtres, mais non pour l'aristocratie laïque du Sanhtdrin, et que plus d’un Pharisien eût approuvée. Il semble que les modernes ont quelque peu exagéré le caractère messianique de cet acte, et si les synopliques n'y rattachent pas la question des sanhédrites, ne serait-ce pas un indice que sa vraie place est au début du ministère, où l’a placé Jo. 11, 43? Cette question porte sur toute l'attitude de Jésus, sur son enseignement et sur l'autorité qu'il ἃ prise. Elle va du général au particulier : l'autorité est-elle divine, ou humaine, pour ne pas dire diabolique? et quelle personne l’a conférée? Au lieu de deux questions directes comme dans Me. (et Mt.), Le. coordonne une interrogation indirecte à l’interrogation, qui commence à à τίς, et qui met plus en vedette que Me. la personne du mandant (τίς ἐστιν ὁ δούς au lieu de τίς σοι ἔδωκεν Me.).
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Réponse plus noble, mais moins naturelle que dans Mc., où Jésus st de répondre si les autres parlent les premiers.
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Omission (avec Mt.) de « répondez-moi », qui est bien du ton de la conversation.
20:5
συλλογίζομαι (au lieu de διαλογίζομαι) insiste davantage sur la conséquence logique pesée d'avance.
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La phrase de Mc. était interrompue; Le. la complète en forme de conclusion du raisonnement attribué aux Sanhédrites. Rien de plus caractéristique que ce verset sur deux manières d'écrire. ΜΕ, tient en quelque sorte le milieu. — καταλιθάζω + dans la Bible.
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Style indirect avec un infinitif assez sdgisd (en ajoutant πόθεν), plus synthétique, mais moins expressif que : « nous ne savons pas » (Mc. Mt.).
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Le passé εἶπεν au lieu de présent λέγει familier à Mec.
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Le. ajoute πρὸς τὸν λαόν, ce qui comme toujours signifie que Jésus s'adresse au peuple, non pas qu’il va parler du peuple. Son intention était sans doute de l'instruire et de le détromper. Ces mots à eux seuls ne prouvent donc pas que l’apologue soit dit de toute la nation. Néanmoins ils suggèrent que ce que Jésus va dire regarde tout le monde. La vigne est le domaine dans lequel s’est exercée la bonté de Dieu, confié à Israël dans son intérêt, puisqu'il en recueillait les avantages, mais à la charge de faire à Dieu sa part. Le. ne dit que le nécessaire : la vigne plantée’ et confiée à des vignerons, le départ du maître. Ila donc pensé que si les détails de Mec. avaient un intérêt pittoresque, ils n'avaient point de portée allégorique. — χρόνους ἱκανούς est de son style; cf. xxur, 8; vi, 27; Act. vin, 41 etc. L'accord 465 trois sur ἐξέδετο (+ N. T.) est remarquable; d’ailleurs la signification « donner à ferme » est classique (Hérod. Xén. Platon). La parabole n’est pas une pure allégorie, car Dieu ne s'était pas éloigné d'Israël; mais ce trait était nécessaire pour poser la situation des envois.
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Comme dans Me., en serrant un peu le style : les vignerons ne sont nommés qu’une fois, et il était superflu de dire qu’on avait mis la main sur le serviteur puisqu'on l'avait battu. δώσουσιν au lieu de λάδῃ, pour mettre en jeu la libre correspondance des vignerons; — le futur après ἵνα, contre l'usage classique ; cf, σιν, 10, mais ici le sens final de {va est plus accusé. Les serviteurs sont les différents prophètes au cours des âges. Ils n’ont pas été envoyés à la hiérarchie, mais à tout Israël. C’est donc bien Israël qui est représenté par les vignerons. ., | .
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καὶ προσέθετο, hébraïsme; cf. τπ, 20 οἱ Introd., p. ax. Le serviteur est encore battu, mais de plus insulté. La gradation va plus lentement que dans Me., où le second serviteur est déjà blessé.
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Réservant la mort pour le fils, Le. ajoute pour le troisième seulement des blessures; de plus ἐξέθαλον est plus fort que ἐξαπέστειλαν. Dans Mec. le troisième serviteur est tué, d’autres encore sont tués ou battus, ce qui se rapproche plus de l’histoire, et donne plus à la parabole le cachet de l’allégorie. Et cependant la rédaction de Lc. avec sa gradation parfaite paraît moins om — pourquoi Jésus n’aurait-il pas employé l’allégorie ?
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Luc augmente la part du discours direct et le transforme € en une délibération. τί ποιήσω (xtr, 17; xvi, 3) est très caractéristique de son style. — ἴσως exprime un doute. L'usage de l'A. T. (Gen. 1x, 5; xvut, 21) pouvait autoriser Le. à préter à Dieu cette délibération et ce doute en figure ; cependant tout se comprend mieux si le discours fait partie de la parabole sans souligner l’allégorie. Aussi a-t-il eu soin de répéter : « le maitre de La vigne ». — L'omission de ἔσχατον s'explique par celle des autres nombreux serviteurs dans Me.; on regretterait encore plus ἕνα, le fils unique, en contraste avec tous les autres, si M. Burkitt n'avait prouvé (Journ. of. theol. st. xx (1919) p. 339 ss.) que ἀγαπητός signifie dans ce cas fils unique, ou peu s'en faut, l'unique objet de l'affection ui la satisfit.
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ἰδόντες (aussi dans Mt.), peut-être pour accentuer l'apparition du Fils de Dieu (Holtz.), cependant Le. emploie volontiers cette tournure, même quand elle n'est pas dans Me., vin, 47; xvin, 45; xxu, 49; c'est donc plutôt une locution spontanée. διαλογίζομαι avec πρὸς ἀλλήλους comme dans Me. vin, 16, rend bien le πρὸς ἑαυτούς de Mc. σι, 31, ce qui est plus naturel que ἐν ἑαυτοῖς de Mt. car il y a évidemment complot. Le trait semble purement parabolique, car les Juifs se croyaient légitimes propriétaires de la vigne. Il a cependant une valeur allégorique s’il est appliqué aux sanhédrites. Ils voyaient dans Jésus un rival de leur influence, un prétendant messianique qui prêchait une doctrine nouvelle annonçant un règne de Dieu qui ne serait pas le leur. Ils veulent maintenir leur possession. Mais ils ne regardaient pas Jésus comme le Fils; ες n’est donc pas poussée jusqu'au bout.
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Tuer le fils sur place et le jeter ensuite He de la vigne (Mc.) est se naturel que de le jeter dehors avant de le tuer (Le. οἱ ΜΙ.)}, du moins quand il s’agit d’un complot, et d'un meurtre qu'on avait intérêt à dissimuler. Le cas de Naboth (allégué par PL) est tout différent, puisqu'il comporte une exécution de justice : ἐξήγαγον αὐτὸν ἔξω τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἐλιθοδόλησαν αὐτὸν λίθοις, καὶ ἀπέθανεν (Π| Regn. xx (xx), 43). Al est possible que cette réminiscence ait inspiré l'ordre suivi par Le., il est plus probable que cet ordre vient de ce que Jésus ἃ été mis à mort hors de Jérusalem (Héb. x, 42), quoique la vigne ne représente pas proprement Jérusalem (Chrys. Euth. Jér. 1° loco). D'après Origène (sur Mt. xx1, 39), « hors de la vigne », veut dire qu'en lé condamnant à mort ils l'ont déclaré étranger; pensée ingénieuse, pourvu qu’on ne la traduise pas par une distinction entre la condamnation, et l'exécution abandonnée aux gentils (Knab.); car la part des Juifs dans le meurtre serait atténuée, contrairement à l'intention de la parabole. La seconde explication de Jérôme ut suscipientibus se gentibus, alüs vinea locuretur devance l'application et s'entendrait aussi bien du texte de Mc. Nous avons donc ici un cas probable où les faits ont contribué à transformer l'expression primitive, mais on voit dans quelle faible mesure.
20:16
Comme dans Me., le Sauveur lui-même tire la conséquence, tandis que dans Mt. ce sont les auditeurs, probablement parce que la question ἃ paru exiger une réponse. Cependant Le. leur fait une part {qui lui est propre) en leur attribuant un μὴ γένοιτο qui amène très heureusement la réplique de Jésus, confirmant sa parabole par un texte. Dans le N. T. μὴ γένοιτο ne se trouve que ὁ dans 5. Paul, surtout dans l’épître aux Romains, pour prévenir une conséquence fâcheuse ou mal tirée. Iei c'est une exclamation de crainte, qui reconnait à l'orateur une certaïne autorité. Les auditeurs en écartant l'image du châtiment n'ont pas pour cela rejeté l’idée du crime. — D'après le thème de Le. (v. 9), ceux qui parlent ici sont ceux auxquels le discours était adressé, c’est-à-dire des voix sorties du peuple. Ils ont donc compris que toute la nation était en cause. Et en effet les autres menaces de Jésus aux villes de Galilée et à Jérusalem ne s'adressent pas seulement à la hiérarchie, mais à {out le peuple, associé à ses fautes. Si la vigne était Israël, et que les sanhédrites dussent être seuls frappés, qui seront les nouveaux vignerons? Ce ne sont as les Romains qui ne donneraient pas les fruits au maître, comme ce devait bien être son intention, exprimée clairement par Mt. Mais ce ne sont pas non plus les Apôtres, car Jésus ne dit nulle part qu'il leur donnera ceux dont ils doivent être en même temps les serviteurs et les chefs (xxur, 25). Le verbe δώσει qualifie la vigne comme un don de Dieu, ce que Mt. a expliqué très clairement par le maitre de la vigne? 161} viendra et il fera périr ces vignerons, et h donnera la vigne à d'autres. » Ce qu'ayant entendu ils dirent Dieu ne plaise! » ‘Mais lui fixant le regard sur eux dit: « »- La pierre qu'ont rejetée ceux qui Fin est devenue le faîte de l'angle? règne de Dieu; les nouveaux vignerons seront un nouvel ἔθνος (Mt. xxr, 43),
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Le regard de Jésus est propre à 1,6. ; ce n'est point un regard irrité (Mc. π, #) de l’obstination des sanhédrites, mais plutôt un regard bienveillant qui invite la foule à réfléchir (Jai. citant Mt. xix, 26; Mec. x, 21 ; Le. xxn, 64). La citation du ps. cxvir, 22 (comme dans Me. et Mt.), affirme simplement la dignité de Jésus comme pierre d'angle, d'après Dhorme (ΒΒ. 1920, p. 488) du sommet de l'angle. La comparaison change pour exprimer le même sens. La vigne donnée à d'autres, c'est une nouvelle économie du règne de Dieu sur la terre. La pierre rejetée par les macons et devenue pierre d'angle, c'est le Messie, c’est Jésus rejeté par les sanhédrites, fondement ou couronnement d'un édifice nouveau. Mais ces mots ne répondaient pas suffisamment à la parole d’effroi de la foule : « qu’il n'en soit pas ainsi »! Le. qui a été seul à la reproduire ajoute des menaces plus claires. Les versets 17 et 18 forment done un tout. Pour ne pas les séparer par une idée intermédiaire qui rendrait moins saisissante l'opposition entre les deux rôles de la pierre, Le. omet la suite de la citation du ps. qui est dans Mc. et dans Mt.
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Ce verset n'est pas-une citation textuelle de l’Écriture, mais c'est bien l'enseignement de l'Écriture, résultant de deux textes combinés, tous deux relatifs à celte pierre mystérieuse qui figurait Dieu ou son règne. Dans Isaïe {σπι, 44, cf. Jer. vi, 21), Dieu qui peut être un sanctuaire pour Israël peut être ) aussi pour lui une pierre d’achoppement ou une roche de scandale, sur laquelle on tombe; dans Daniel (nr, 34-44), la pierre qui est le règne de Dieu λεπτυνεῖ (brise en morceaux) καὶ λικμήσει πάσας τὰς βασιλείας (Théodotion, mais de quand date Aa traduction dite de Théodotion pour Daniel?). Ce sont bien les deux mêmes idées qui sont ici groupées. Les sanhédrites, entraînant le peuple, tombent sur la pierre en rejetant Jésus; il est la pierre d’achoppement sur laquelle ils se brisent, perdant leur privilège de peuple de Dieu; et au jour du châtiment la pierre tombera sur eux. L'image de pierre d'angle est donc remplacée ici par da vision de Daniel. — λιχμᾶν dans l'A. T. signifie vanner {de λικμός, van), faire emporter par le vent; d'où probablement le sens de réduire en poussière, action préalable à ta dispersion; ce doit être le sens ici; cf. le papyrus BU 146 cité par Deissmann (Neue Bibelstudien, p. 52), pour le sens de fouler. — Ce verset a été sans doute ajouté à Mt. (xx, 44) d’après Ec. Dans ce cas il serait propre à Le. On peut se demander si c'est une explication, d’ailleurs parfaitement dans l'esprit du texte, qu'il aurait ajoutée, ou une parole de Jésus 24, οἱ δὲ εἰπαν (Η T et V --- ον) et non ἀποχριθεντες δὲ εἰπὸν (8). rapportée telle quelle. Son soin à bien s'informer et à ne pas s'écarter facilement de Mc. doit faire pencher pour la seconde opinion. Quant à dire ce v. tiré d’un apocryphe, c'est une suggestion étrange de Jülicher. Car lequel des apocryphes juifs connus approche — même de loin — de cette sévérité pour le peuple juif? C'est précisément par ces prédictions sévères que Jésus se distingue des apocalypses juives. Et quant aux apocryphes chrétiens, il faudrait citer quelque chose d’approchant. Pourquoi Jésus — ou à tout le moins Luce — n'aurait-il pas trouvé cette combinaison secripturaire, et pourquoi faire honneur à un apocryphe d'un texte qui se trouve dans la grande tradition de l’Église?
20:19
Comme dans Mc.; mais Le. nomme expressément les scribes et les prêtres, ce qu'il était nécessaire de spécifier, puisque Jésus avait parlé au peuple. Il ajoute qu'ils auraient voulu s'emparer de Jésus sur l'heure, dans l'emportement de leur colère, pour ne pas répéter vaguement xx, 47; d'ailleurs la parabole était vraiment très menaçante spécialement pour les sanhédrites.
20:20
Ayant nommé au v. précédent les scribes et les grands prêtres, Le. les suppose ici comme sujets de παρατηρήσαντες. Dans ΣΙΝ, 1, ce verbe signifie « observer quelqu'un ». Mais ici il est pris absolument. Les chefs se tiennent à leur poste d'observation. Field cite Jos. Bell. 11, xvu, 3 τῇ δὲ τρίτῃ νυχτὶ παρατηρήσαντες, οὃς μὲν ἀφυλάχτους, oÙs δὲ κοιμωμένους, πάντας ἀπέσφαξαν. Mais ils envoient des émissaires pour atteindre leur but sans se découvrir eux-mêmes. Me. est plus gauche, car le sujet de ἀποστέλλουσι est un peu éloigné (xt, 27), mais il nomme comme émissaires les Pharisiens et les Hérodiens. Luc, peu soucieux de notes historiques précises, ne nomme jamais ces derniers. Il remplace la notation de Mc. par une indication psychologique. Les ἐκκάθετοι (appostés, terme classique) sont des gens qui posent pour une justice légale scrupuleuse (cf. xvint, 9) et qui par conséquent sont, ou plutôt feignent d'être anxieux sur la licéité du tribut. L'expression savoureuse de Mc. ἀγρεύσωσιν λόγῳ est convenablement expliquée. Dans ἐπιλάθωνται αὐτοῦ λογοῦ, le mot αὐτοῦ dépend de ἐπιλάθωνται, et λόγου explique le comment (PL.). — τῇ ἀρχῇ καὶ τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ne s’explique bien ni par xu, 41, ni para combinaison des deux mots dans 5. Paul, car dans ces cas les deux mots s'entendent de pouvoirs appartenant à des personnes distinctes, tandis qu'ici ce sont deux modalités, l'autorité officiellement manifestée, et l’autorité exercée, en la personne du même chef, ici le gouverneur. ἡγεμών est un terme vague (ΧΧΙ, 12), qui cependant s’appliquait au procurateur de Judée (Mt. xxvir, 2; Act. xxnt, 24. 26 etc.), faute d’une traduction plus précise, car ἐπίτροπος n’eût pas convenu pour un rang aussi élevé.
20:21
Dans Mc. (et dans Mt.) le compliment sur la véracité de Jésus « qui ne se soucie de personne », parce qu’il ne tient pas compte des situations, ἃ vraiment l'accent de paroles prononcées par de maîtres-fourbes. Luc a sacrifié beaucoup de ce naturel artificieux pour éviter de coordonner les trois points par de simples xat. C'est peut-être aussi pour éviter de parler deux fois de la vérité qu'il a mis ὀρθῶς λέγεις au lieu de ἀληθὴς εἶ, mais en revanche l'enseignement parait deux fois, encadrant où λαμθάνεις πρόσωπον hébraïsme plus caractérisé que les termes de Mc. et de Mt., mais très usité dans la Bible grecque; cf. de plus Gal. u, 6, « tenir compte de la situation de quelqu'un ». Le sens serait plus clair si πρόσωπον était suivi de δυνάστου comme dans Eceli. tv, 27 καὶ μὴ λάδηῃς πρόσωπον δυνάστου ἕως τοῦ θανάτου ἀγώνισαι περὶ τῆς ἀληθείας, avec un contexte semblable, car la crainte d’un puissant est souvent ce qui empêche de dire la vérité. Cela dit avec tous les commentateurs, on peut se demander si dans ce contexte l'expression n’est pas purement grecque dans le sens de prendre un masque et de jouer un rôle, cf. Epictète, 1, χχιχ, 57 : τοῦτό μοι τὸ πρόσωπον ἀνάλαδε, et Ench. xxxvir : ἐὰν ὑπὲρ δύναμιν ἀναλάδης τι πρόσωπον. Luc aurait rendu par à le ἀληθὴς “εἶ de Mc., tout en gardant le mot de πρόσωπον.
20:22
Le grec φόρος au lieu de xävsos (Me. ML.) qui est un mot latin, et dans le même sens vague d'impôt, de contribution. 5
20:23
xatavoiw, employé quatre fois par Le., une seule fois par Mt. vu, 3, jamais par Me. — πανουργία est plus voisin de ὑπόκρισις (Me.) que de πονηρία (Mt.), car ce mot désigne la fourberie plutôt que la méchanceté.
20:24
Le. simplifie, sans se préoccuper de noter si les interrogateurs avaient ou ÉYANGILE SELON SAINT LUC. Ε © 33 ᾿37.. λεγοντες (Η} ou avrueyovrec (T S V). non sur eux des deniers impériaux. Ces personnages devaient s’en faire scrupule; dans Mc.et Mt., il'fæut qu'ils &illent en ‘chercher un. 1 25) τοίνυν domne à 18 réponse le caractère d'an argwment; Mt. l'a noté moins
20:26
‘La courte conclusion de Mc. «est diveloppée; mais est-ce parce que da réponse de Jésus était spécialement bien vue de l’auteur ‘des Attes, sympathique aux Romains (Holtz.)? En tout cas ‘elle -est ainsi mise plus-en relief, Luc marque expressément que ke but des émissaires tel qu'il était indiqué au v. ‘20 ‘a échoué αὐτοῦ et δήνατος gonit avec ἐπιλαδέσθαι uns la même relation qu'au v. 20 αὐτοῦ et λόγου. =— ἐναντιόν propre à Luc (Le. et Act.) dans le N. Τὶ Le silence scelle l'admwvivation; le ‘triomphe ‘de Jésus est complet. Sur une récente ‘objection ‘de M. Juster contre TMhistoricité des faits, of. RB. 1918 p. 266.
20:27
Δέγοντες et ἐπηρώτησαν (avec Mt.) sont des tournures plus grecques que celles de Mc. mais très naturelles et qu'en peut croire spontanées. Si ἀντιλέγοντες était authentique, il signifierait : « Qui soutiennent contre les autres », “qui ont comme opinion particulière. Cette ‘lecon est très séduisante, précisément parce qu'elle est propre à Luc, mais elle ‘est besucoup moins bien représentée par les présence du peuple, et saisis d'admiration pour sa réponse ils Lu dèrent le silence. 51 Quelques-uns des Sadducéens, ἕω.» disent qu Ἢ n° y ἃ pas de
20:28
Comme Me., Mt. est plus concis et même trop concis. — ätexvos deux fois dans cette péricope + N. T.
20:29
Le. a conservé l'expression légale de σπέρμα au v. précédent; il l’évitera désormais. Sa phrase est très bien construite avec un participe coordonné.
20:30
Le verset est réduit à : καὶ ὁ δεύτερος, car on doit omettre l'addition du texte recu. Luc ἃ donc bloqué le second et le troisitine (comme Mt.), mais il a conservé de Mec. ἔλαθεν αὐτήν et ὡσαύτως.
20:32
ὕστερον comme Mt. au lieu de ἔσχατον (Mc.), mais en omettant πάντων, qui est à tout le moins inutile après cet adverbe.
20:33
Comme Mec. en omettant ὅταν ἀναστῶσιν qui pouvait paraître superflu.
20:34
Le. omet la réflexion sur les Écritures et la vertu de Dieu d'autant plus aisément que l'Écriture sera citée à la fin. Il reste deux propositions dans Mc. pas de mariage après la résurrection; ils seront dans le Ciel comme des anges. Luc explique ὯΝ abord que ὁ 'est une différence avec le siècle présent, où existe l'usage du mariage. .
20:35
Il n'en est point ainsi dans l’autre siècle, qui est celui de la résurrection, et où l’on entre comme dans un monde meilleur, seulement si l’on enest jugé digne. Par opposition à οὗτος, l’autre siècle est dit ἐκεῖνος + N. T.
20:36
La raison en est que les ressuscités ne peuvent plus mourir; ils n’ont donc pas besoin de se recruter pour être remplacés par d'autres. On serait tenté le mettre un point après δύνανται (Larfeld). Dans ce cas les deux propositions qui suivent ne seraient pas destinées à prouver la précédente; le sens ne serait pas : ils ne peuvent mourir, parce qu'ils sont égaux aux anges; mais, l’immortalité étant affirmée, Le. exprimerait le sort des ressuscités. Il faut convenir que γάρ après ἰσάγγελοι ne serait pas pris en rigueur, mais comme le début d’une explication de toute la situation antécédente. Si on met un point en haut ou une virgule après δύνανται, il faut du moins reconnaitre que la seconde incise καὶ υἱοί εἰσιν θεοῦ ne saurait être une seconde preuve de l’immortalité, mais ajoute une idée nouvelle. En somme, quoi qu'il en soit de la ponctuation, Luc a voulu expliquer ὡς ἄγγελοι (Mc. Mt.). Nous avons dit (Comm. de Me.) que cette ressemblance n'est pas une identité de nature, mais une association à la même vie divine. C’est précisément ce que Le. ἃ voulu dire. Au lieu de « comme des anges » sur lequel on pouvait ergoter puisque les ressuscités ont des corps, il écrit « semblables aux anges », spécialement pour l'immortalité, qui rendait la procréation inutile. Mais il ajoute une raison positive. Étant fils de la résurrection, ils sont fils de Dieu, c'est-à-dire vivant d'une vie nouvelle et glorieuse, élevée au-dessus des préoccupations du mariage. — ἰσάγγελοι est peut-être un mot formé par Luc. Il se trouve et aussi la même pensée dans Hiéraclès, néoplatonicien du v° 8. qui explique un vers pythagoricien dans ce sens : « Cette parole nous engage à honorer les hommes qui sont rangés (par leur sagesse) parmi les générations divines, τοὺς ἰσοδαίμονας καὶ ἰσαγγέλους χαὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἥρωσιν ὁμοίους (Fragm. phil. graec. I, 425 éd. Didol), où je n'hésiterais pas à voir une émulation de la philosophie. — υἱοὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως, lournure hébraïque, mais qui pouvait s’acclimater en grec (Deissuanx, Bibelstudien, 165 s.), suggérée ici par le parallélisme avec υἱοὶ θεοῦ, On comprend que le syrsin. se soit débarrassé par l'omission des mots difficiles : καὶ viol εἰσιν θεοῦ, mais que Wellh. et Klost. approuvent l'omission, que Blass change le texte!
20:37
Pour μηνύω le sens d’énoncer obscurément serait trop recherché; celui de révéler peut-être excessif. On s’en tient donc au sens normal d'indiquer, donner à entendre. Au lieu de faire parler Dieu (Mc. Mt.), Le. emploie le style indirect, et comme Moïse est le sujet de ἐμήνυσεν, on doit entendre ἐπὶ τῆς βάτου comme dans Mc. d'une section de l’Écriture, car c’est Dieu et non Moïse qui ἃ parlé du buisson. Luc aurait-il employé cette locution, étrange pour ses lecteurs, s'il ne l'avait trouvée dans Mc? Le changement du genre importe peu; βάτος est plus ordinairement féminin.
20:38
Dieu n'aurait pas dit qu’il était le Dieu des patriarches, s'ils n'étaient plus vivants. La raison (comme dans Mc.), c'est qu'il est le Dieu des vivants, non de ce qui serait hors d'état d’avoir une relation avec lui. Les patriarches ne sont plus sur la terre parmi les vivants: cependant Dieu ne dit pas : J'ai été leur Dieu, mais 11 dit être (encore) leur Dieu. C'est donc qu'ils existent. A cette raison Le. ajoute πάντες γὰρ αὐτῷ ζῶσιν, que plusieurs (Loisy, PL, Holtz. etc.) entendent des justes : tous ceux qui sont dans la même situation que les patriarches. Mais outre que πάντες serait ainsi plus qu'atténué, alors qu'il est en tête de la phrase, nous aurions ici moins une explication qu'une application assez L obscure à un groupe indéterminé de personnes. Il faut donc prendre πάντες et γάρ pour ce qu'ils valent; Cajetan : Hoc est quantumeunque homines sint mortui nobis, et sint mortui corpore, omnes tamen vivunt secundum animam, non nobis nec cadaveribus, sed ei, deo scilicet qui spiritus est. Ac si apertius dixisset quod omnes homines mortui vivunt secundum spiritum : et propterea Deus qui spiritus est, dicitur deus eorum, non mortuorum sed vivorum. La proposition est donc générale, comme dans Act. xvir, 28, quoique le datif commodi αὐτῷ soit plus complètement vrai des justes; — αὐτῷ ne doit donc pas se traduire « pour sa gloire », qu'il s'agisse de la r‘surrection des justes ou de celle des méchants (Schanz). Il n’est point question directement ici de la résurrection ni des justes, ni des méchants, mais des hommes qui vivent en attendant le moment fixé pour la résurrection. D’après Loisy (après Holtz.) l'addition de Le. « paraît empruntée au quatrième livre des Macchabées. On y lit vu, 19 : Of (om. Ν) πιστεύοντες, ὅτι θεῷ οὐχ ἀποθνήσχουσιν, ὥσπερ γὰρ (oude N) οἱ πατριάρχαι ἡμῶν ᾿Αὐραάμ, Ἰσαάχ, Ἰακώδ (και 1σ. καὶ [ακ, Ν), αλλὰ ζῶσιν τῷ θεῷ (om. τω N). D'après Grimm, ce texte ne se {rouve que dans A et δὶ et, comme on voit, sous deux formes un peu différentes; ce commentateur incline à le regarder comme interpolé. On y lit encore xvr, 25: ἔτι δὲ xat ταῦτα ἰδόντες (ou plutôt εἰδοτες d'après le ms. V) ὅτι διὰ τὸν θεὸν ἀποθανόντες ζῶσιν τῷ θεῷ ὥσπερ ᾿Αδραὰμ. καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰαχώβ, χαὶ πάντες οἱ πατριάρχαι. D’après ce second texte, sûrement authentique {et probablement la source du premier) celui qui affronte la mort pour Dieu vit pour lui, comme vivent les patriarches. C'est bien la même foi que dans les synoptiques à la vie des patriarches, mais ce n’est pas la preuve de cette vie d'après Moïse. L'expression ζῆν τῷ θεῷ ἃ pu être empruntée par Le. à Rom. νι, 10; Gal. τι, 19 aussi bien qu'à IV Macch. xvi, 35; c'est plutôt une expression qui venait à la pensée comme une conséquence des doctrines juive et chrétienne. 39 5.) Luc ayant résolu de ne pas parler ici du premier commandement (c'. x, 25) conclut le récit des entreprises des scribes. Il note avec Mc. xn, 28 la bonne impression faite par cette réponse sur quelques-uns des Seribes (Me. sur un scribe), et avec Me. x, 34, que les scribes n'osaient plus l’interroger. Le premier de ces deux traits ne se trouve pas dans Mt. C'est un des cas où la dépendance et la liberté de Le. par rapport à Mc. sont le plus sensibles. — La réponse de Jésus devait plaire aux Scribes, car elle s'accordait avec leur &6. αὐτοῦ p. μαθηταῖς (S V) plutôt que ow. {FT H). foi, et avec leur méthode de prouver les vérités de [οἱ par l'argumentation exégétique. Ce qui est difficile à entendre, c'est le γάρ du v. 40, mais δέ ne serait guère plus aisé, puisqu'il n'y ἃ pas opposition entre les deux versets, et γάρ doune en somme un sens excellent (contre Godet, Hahn). Les scribes qui sont plutôt Pharisiens (contre Schanz) voient dans la défaite des Sadducéens une nouvelle preuve du risque qu'an courait à attaquér Jésus. N'osant plus l'interroger, ils preanent en conséquence le parti de le louer. S'ils avaient eu encore l'intention de lui tendre des pièges, ils ne se seraient pas décidés à cette démarche, mais ils aiment mieux finir en lui donnant raison contre les Sadducéens que de demeurer sur leur silence du v. 26 qui sentait trop La coufusion.
20:42
αὐτὸς γὰρ (T Η V) où και αυτος (8); — ο α. χυριὸς (T 5 V) plutôt que om. (H). 44, νιὸς αὐτου (5. V) plutôt que αὐτοῦ ve (T. H).
Le livre des psaumes (au lieu de dans PEsprit-Saint, Me.) est. un renseignement utile aux gentils.
20:43
ὑποπόδιον avec les LXX, au lieu de ὑποχάτω (Mc. Mt.). 4%) οὖν met l'argumentation en forme. πῶς (avec Mt.) est plus coulant que
20:45
L'auditoire est tout le peuple, comme dans Mc., mais l’enseignement est adressé spécialement aux disciples, apparemment dans un sens très large.
20:46
Exactement comme dans Mc., sauf l'insertion de φιλούντων qui rend là phrase plus coulante. Dans χι, 43, Le. dit ἀγαπᾶτε qui s'applique au goùt pour les premiers sièges dans les synagogues et les salutations dans les places, à propos des Pharisiens. Δ Comme Me., sauf que les participes mass des peu ce qui coupe mieux la phrase. ᾿ που . ἧς παντες (Η) plutôt que ἀπαντες (T 5. V); — om. του θεου p. δωρα (T H) et non add. {S V); — ravra (H) et non anavra (T S V). xx, 1-4. L'OBOLE DE LA VEUVE (Mc. xir, 41-44). Comme Mec., à la même place dans le contexte et dans les mêmes termes pour tout ce qui est caractéristique, mais la rédaction est beaucoup plus concise; la scène est simplement ce qu'a vu Jésus, avec une série monotone d'aoristes, tandis que dans Mc. elle se déroule sous nos yeux selon les variations dans les temps des verbes.
20:1
Sanhedrin (Συνέδριον « Assembly »)
From the New Testament and from Flavius Josephus it emerges that the members of the s. were grouped in three classes: high priests, scribes and elders (Mt. 27:41; Mk. 11:27; 14:43, 33; 15:1; Lk. 20:1; etc.), even if at times for brevity or for particular reasons two of them are named, or only one. Generically such persons were called "senators" (βουλευταί) or "chiefs" (ἀρχοντες). …
20:13
… Firstborn were the object of the greatest affection (cf. Gen. 22:2, 12, 16; Ios. 6:26; II Reg. 3:27; Zach. 12:10). God therefore calls Israel "his firstborn" (Ex. 4:22 ff.; Eccli. 36:14; cf. Ier. 31:9). And "beloved son" (Lk. 20:13: ἀγαπητός) is equivalent to only son (Mc. 12:6: cf. M.-J. …
20:21
Already in the Old Testament favoritism is found condemned several times (Deut. 16:19; Prov. 24:23) and in the New Testament it is said that God abhors undue preferences (Lk. 20:21; Acts 6:34; Rom. 2:11; Gal. 2:6), and by this the Apostles meant to condemn both the claim to privileges on the part of the Jews and the disparity that the pagans intended to maintain …
20:22
… of the country was entrusted to tetrarchs and Judea was placed under the government of a Roman procurator (v. PALESTINA, I). Rome is not named in the Gospels, but they speak repeatedly of her emperors (Lk. 2:1; 3:1; Mt. 22:17-21; Mk. 12:14-17; Lk. 20:22-25; 23:3; Jn. 19:12, 15; etc.) and of their representatives: the legate of Syria (Lk. 2:2), the procurator of Judea Pilate (Lk. 3:1; etc.). …
20:24
… A d. was presented to him (Mt. 22:19 ff.; Mk. 12:15 ff.; Lk. 20:24), and the Master pointed out the presence of the imperial image and the inscription on it. It was regarded as the daily wage of a laborer (Mt. 20:2, 10). Angelo Penna
20:26
The famous texts of Revelation: "Reddite Caesari, quae sunt Caesaris" (Lk. 20:26) and "Cui tributum, tributum, cui vectigal, vectigal" (Rom. 13:1-7) positively confirm this natural right. …
20:27
The levirate was still in use at the time of Jesus (Mt. 22:23-27; Mk. 12:18-23; Lk. 20:27-32). In the Miṣnāh, the treatise Jēbhāmāth deals with the levirate. …
… They admitted "neither the resurrection (cf. Mk. 12, 28; Lk. 20, 27), nor angel, nor spirits" (Acts 23, 8) apart from God. According to Flavius Josephus they also denied "the survival of the soul, as well as punishment and rewards down there in Hades" (Bell. …
20:35
III. PROPERTIES AND DOCTRINE OF THE RISEN BODIES. - The bodies of those who will rise again will enjoy natural and preternatural prerogatives, called proprietates: a) immortality (a preternatural prerogative), explicitly asserted in 1 Cor. 15:53; Lk. 20:35; Rev. 21:4; also for the bodies of the damned; b) integrity (a natural prerogative), which implies the restoration of the members (cf. Denz-U, 207), the distinction of the sexes (cf. …
20:36
… individual entity) "sons of God." For God is indeed "the God of peace" (Rom. 15:33; 16:20; I Cor. 14:33; II Cor. 13:11; etc.), and he who is a "son of peace" (Lk. 10:6) resembles him and belongs to him. The elect will be, in the age to come, "sons of God" (Lk. 20:36); already now they enjoy divine sonship because the ἀγάπη of God is in their hearts (Rom. 5:2b, 5; 8:14; I Jn. 3:1; 4:8, 16), and after the teaching of Jesus, εἰρήνη without ἀγάπη …
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.