Christ enters into Jerusalem upon an ass. He curses the barren fig tree and drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple.
Being novv come to the place of his Passion, he entreth with triumph as their Christ. 12 He curseth that fruitlesse leafie tree. 15 He sheweth his Zeale for the house of God: for which the Rulers seeke his destruction. 24 He exhorteth his Disciples to stedfastnes of faith, and to forgiue their enemies. 27 He auoucheth his power by the witnes of Iohn who was a man sent of God.
1And when they were drawing near to Jerusalem and to Bethania, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth two of his disciples,E avvicinandosi a Gerusalemme, e alla Betania presso al monte delle ulive, mandò due de' suoi discepoli,AND vvhen they came nigh vnto Hierusalem and Bethania to Mount-oliuet, he sendeth tvvo of his Disciples,Et cum appropinquarent Jerosolymæ et Bethaniæ ad montem Olivarum, mittit duos ex discipulis suis, 2And saith to them: Go into the village that is over against you, and immediately at your coming in thither, you shall find a colt tied, upon which no man yet hath sat. Loose him and bring him.E disse loro: Andate nel villaggio, che vi sta dirimpetto, e al primo ingresso troverete legato un asinello non ancora domato: scioglietelo, e menatelo a me.and saith to them, Goe into the tovvne that is against you, and immediatly entring in thither, you shal finde a colt tied, vpon vvhich no man yet hath sitten: loose him, and bring him.et ait illis: Ite in castellum, quod contra vos est, et statim introëuntes illuc, invenietis pullum ligatum, super quem nemo adhuc hominum sedit: solvite illum, et adducite. 3And if any man shall say to you: What are you doing? Say ye that the Lord hath need of him. And immediately he will let him come hither.E se alcuno vi dirà: Che fate voi? Ditegli, che il Signore ne ha bisogno: e subito lo manderà qua.And if any man shal say to you, Vvhat doe you? say that he is needeful for our Lord: and incontinent he vvil send him hither.Et si quis vobis dixerit: Quid facitis ? dicite, quia Domino necessarius est: et continuo illum dimittet huc. 4And going their way, they found the colt tied before the gate without, in the meeting of two ways. And they loose him.E andarono, e trovarono l'asinello legato alla porta fuori in un bivio: e lo sciolsero.And going their vvaies, they found the colt tied before the gate vvithout in the meeting of tvvo vvaies: and they loose him.Et abeuntes invenerunt pullum ligatum ante januam foris in bivio: et solvunt eum. 5And some of them that stood there said to them: What do you loosing the colt?E alcuni de' circostanti disser loro: Che fate voi, che sciogliete l'asinello?And certaine of them that stoode there, said to them, Vvhat doe you loosing the colt?Et quidam de illic stantibus dicebant illis: Quid facitis solventes pullum ? 6Who said to them as Jesus had commanded them. And they let him go with them.Ed essi risposer loro, conforme aveva loro ordinato Gesù, e quelli lo lasciaron menar via.Vvho said to them as IESVS had commaunded them: and they did let him goe vvith them.Qui dixerunt eis sicut præceperat illis Jesus, et dimiserunt eis.
7And they brought the colt to Jesus. And they lay their garments on him: and he sat upon him.E condussero a Gesù l'asinello: sopra di cui misero le loro vesti, ed egli vi montò sopra.And they brought the colt to IESVS: and they lay their garments vpon him, and he sate vpon him.Et duxerunt pullum ad Jesum: et imponunt illi vestimenta sua, et sedit super eum. 8And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down boughs from the trees and strewed them in the way.E molti distendevano le loro vesti per la strada: altri troncavano rami dagli alberi, e gli spargevano per la strada.And many spred their garments in the vvay: and others did cut boughes from the trees, and stravved them in the vvay.Multi autem vestimenta sua straverunt in via: alii autem frondes cædebant de arboribus, et sternebant in via. 9And they that went before and they that followed cried, saying: Hosanna: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.E quelli, che andavan innanzi, e que', che venivano dietro, sciamavano, dicendo: Osanna:And they that vvent before and they that folovved, cried saying, Hosanna, blessed is be that commeth in the name of our Lord.Et qui præibant, et qui sequebantur, clamabant, dicentes: Hosanna: benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini: 10Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh: Hosanna in the highest.Benedetto colui, che viene nel nome del Signore: benedetto il regno, che viene, del padre nostro Davidde: Osanna nel più alto de' cieli.blessed is the kingdom of our father Dauid that commeth, Hosanna in the highest.benedictum quod venit regnum patris nostri David: hosanna in excelsis. 11And he entered into Jerusalem, into the temple: and having viewed all things round about, when now the eventide was come, he went out to Bethania with the twelve.Ed entrò in Gerusalemme, e nel tempio: e osservate intorno tutte le cose, l'ora essendo già tarda, se n'andò a Betania con i dodici.And he entred Hierusalem into the temple: and hauing vevved al things round about, vvhen novv the euening houre vvas come, he vvent forth into Bethania vvith the Tvvelue.Et introivit Jerosolymam in templum: et circumspectis omnibus, cum jam vespera esset hora, exiit in Bethaniam cum duodecim. 12And the next day when they came out from Bethania, he was hungry.E il dì seguente, usciti che furono di Betania, ebbe fame.And the next day vvhen they departed from Bethania, he vvas an hungred.Et alia die cum exirent a Bethania, esuriit. 13And when he had seen afar off a fig tree having leaves, he came, if perhaps he might find any thing on it. And when he was come to it, he found nothing but leaves. For it was not the time for figs.E veduto da lontano un fico, che aveva delle foglie, andò a vedere, se a sorte vi trovasse qualche cosa: e fattosi dappresso, non trovò se non foglie: imperocché non era il tempo de' fichi.And vvhen he had seen a farre of a figtree hauing leaues, he came if happily he could finde any thing on it. And vvhen he vvas come to it, he found nothing but leaues. for it vvas not the time of figges.Cumque vidisset a longe ficum habentem folia, venit si quid forte inveniret in ea: et cum venisset ad eam, nihil invenit præter folia: non enim erat tempus ficorum.
14And answering he said to it: May no man hereafter eat fruit of thee any more for ever! And his disciples heard it.E Gesù dissegli: Mai più in eterno non mangi alcuno delle tue frutta. E i discepoli l'udirono.And ansvvering he said to it, Novv no man eate fruite of the any more for euer. And his Disciples heard it.Et respondens dixit ei: Jam non amplius in æternum ex te fructum quisquam manducet. Et audiebant discipuli ejus. 15And they came to Jerusalem. And when he was entered into the temple, he began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple: and over threw the tables of the moneychangers and the chairs of them that sold doves.E arrivarono a Gerusalemme. Ed essendo egli entrato nel tempio, cominciò a discacciarne quei, che vendevan, e compravano nel tempio: e gettò per terra le tavole de' banchieri, e le seggiole delle persone, che vendevano le colombe.And they come to Hierusalem. And vvhen he vvas entred into the temple, he began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and the tables of the bankers, and the chaires of them that sold pigeons he ouerthrevv.Et veniunt in Jerosolymam. Et cum introisset in templum, cœpit ejicere vendentes et ementes in templo: et mensas numulariorum, et cathedras vendentium columbas evertit: 16And he suffered not that any man should carry a vessel through the temple.E non permetteva, che nissuno trasportasse arnesi pel tempio:and he suffred not that any man should carie a vessel through the temple:et non sinebat ut quisquam transferret vas per templum: 17And he taught, saying to them: Is it not written: My house shall be called the house of prayer to all nations, but you have made it a den of thieves.E gl'istruiva, dicendo loro: Non è egli scritto: La mia casa è casa di orazione per tutte le genti, ma voi l'avete cangiata in una spelonca di ladroni.and he taught, saying to them, Is it not vvritten, That my house shal be called the house of prayer to al nations? But you haue made it adenne of theeues.et docebat, dicens eis: Nonne scriptum est: Quia domus mea, domus orationis vocabitur omnibus gentibus ? vos autem fecistis eam speluncam latronum. 18Which when the chief priests and the scribes had heard, they sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because the whole multitude was in admiration at his doctrine.Lo che risaputosi dai principi de' sacerdoti, e dagli scribi, cercavano il modo di levarlo dal mondo; conciossiachè lo temevano, a motivo che tutto il popolo ammirava la sua dottrina.Vvhich vvhen the cheefe Priestes and the Scribes had heard, they sought hovv they might destroy him. for they vvere afraid of him, because the vvhole multitude vvas in admiration vpon his doctrine.Quo audito principes sacerdotum et scribæ, quærebant quomodo eum perderent: timebant enim eum, quoniam universa turba admirabatur super doctrina ejus.
19And when evening was come, he went forth out of the city.E fattosi sera, uscì dalla città.And vvhen euening vvas come, he vvent forth out of the citie.Et cum vespera facta esset, egrediebatur de civitate. 20And when they passed by in the morning they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.E la mattina nel passare videro il fico seccato fino alle barbe.And vvhen they passed by in the morning, they savv the figtree vvithered from the rootes.Et cum mane transirent, viderunt ficum aridam factam a radicibus. 21And Peter remembering, said to him: Rabbi, behold the fig tree which thou didst curse is withered away.E Pietro risovvenutosi, gli disse: Maestro, guarda, come il fico da te maledetto si è seccato.And Peter remēbring, said to him, Rabbi, behold the figtree that thou didst curse, is vvithered.Et recordatus Petrus, dixit ei: Rabbi, ecce ficus, cui maledixisti, aruit. 22And Jesus answering, saith to them: Have the faith of God.E Gesù rispose, e disse loro: Abbiate fede in Dio.And IESVS ansvvering saith to them, Haue faith of God.Et respondens Jesus ait illis: Habete fidem Dei. 23Amen I say to you that whosoever shall say to this mountain, Be thou removed and be cast into the sea, and shall not stagger in his heart, but believe that whatsoever he saith shall be done; it shall be done unto him.In verità vi dico, che chiunque dirà a questo monte: Levati, e gettati in mare: e non esiterà in cuor suo; ma avrà fede, che sia fatto, quanto ha detto gli sarà fatto.Amen I say to you, that vvhosoeuer shal say to this mountaine, Be taken vp and be cast into the sea, and shal not stagger in his hart, but beleeue that vvhatsoeuer he saith, shal be done: it shal be done vnto him.Amen dico vobis, quia quicumque dixerit huic monti: Tollere, et mittere in mare, et non hæsitaverit in corde suo, sed crediderit, quia quodcumque dixerit fiat, fiat ei. 24Therefore I say unto you, all things, whatsoever you ask when ye pray, believe that you shall receive: and they shall come unto you.Per questo vi dico: Qualunque cosa domandiate nell'orazione, abbiate fede di conseguirla, e l'otterrete.Therfore I say to you, al things vvhatsoeuer you aske, praying, beleeue that you shal receiue, and they shal come vnto you.Propterea dico vobis, omnia quæcumque orantes petitis, credite quia accipietis, et evenient vobis.
25And when you shall stand to pray, forgive, if you have aught against any man: that your Father also, who is in heaven, may forgive you your sins.E quando vi presenterete per orare, se avete qualche cosa contro di alcuno, perdonategli: affinchè il Padre vostro, che è nei cieli, perdoni anch'esso a voi i vostri peccati.And vvhen you shal stand to pray, forgiue if you haue ought against any man: that also your father which is in heauen, may forgiue you your sinnes:Et cum stabitis ad orandum, dimittite si quis habetis adversus aliquem: ut et Pater vester, qui in cælis est, dimittat vobis peccata vestra. 26But if you will not forgive, neither will your father that is in heaven forgive you your sins.Che se voi non perdonerete, nemmeno il vostro Padre, che è ne' Cieli, perdonerà a voi i vostri peccati.If so be that you vvil not forgiue, neither vvil your father that is in heauen, forgiue you your sinnes.Quod si vos non dimiseritis: nec Pater vester, qui in cælis est, dimittet vobis peccata vestra. 27And they come again to Jerusalem. And when he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests and the scribes and the ancients.E ritornaron di nuovo a Gerusalemme. E mentre egli andava attorno pel tempio, se gli accostarono i sommi sacerdoti, è gli Scribi, e i seniori:And they come againe to Hierusalem. And vvhen he vvalked in the temple, there come to him the cheefe Priestes and the Scribes and the Auncients,Et veniunt rursus Jerosolymam. Et cum ambularet in templo, accedunt ad eum summi sacerdotes, et scribæ, et seniores: 28And they say to him: By what authority dost thou these things? And who hath given thee this authority that thou shouldst do these things?E gli dissero: Con quale autorità fai tu queste cose. E chi ha dato a te tal balìa per far cose tali?and they say to him, In vvhat povver doest thou these things? and vvho hath giuen thee this povver, that thou shouldest doe these things?et dicunt ei: In qua potestate hæc facis ? et quis dedit tibi hanc potestatem ut ista facias ? 29And Jesus answering, said to them: I will also ask you one word. And answer you me: and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.Ma Gesù rispose, e disse loro: Domanderò anch'io a voi una cosa, e voi rispondetemi: e io vi dirò, con quale autorità faccia io queste cose.And IESVS ansvveering said to them, I also vvil aske you one vvord, and ansvver you me: and I vvil tel you in vvhat povver I doe these things.Jesus autem respondens, ait illis: Interrogabo vos et ego unum verbum, et respondete mihi: et dicam vobis in qua potestate hæc faciam.
30The baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men? Answer me.Il battesimo di Giovanni veniva dal cielo, o dagli uomini? Rispondetemi.The baptisme of Iohn vvas it from heauen, or from men? ansvver me.Baptismus Joannis, de cælo erat, an ex hominibus ? Respondete mihi. 31But they thought with themselves, saying: If we say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did you not believe him?Ma essi ruminavano dentro di se, e dicevano: Se diremo, dal cielo, egli dirà: Perché dunque non, avete creduto a lui.But they thought vvith them selues, saying, If vve say, From heauen: he vvil say, Vvhy then did you not beleeue him?At illi cogitabant secum, dicentes: Si dixerimus: De cælo, dicet: Quare non credidistis ei ? 32If we say, From men, we fear the people. For all men counted John that he was a prophet indeed.Se diremo, dagli uomini, abbiamo paura del popolo: conciossiachè tutti tenevano, che Giovanni fosse veramente profeta.If vve say, From men, they feared the people. for al accounted Iohn that he vvas in deede a Prophet.Si dixerimus: Ex hominibus, timemus populum: omnes enim habebant Joannem quia vere propheta esset. 33And they answering, say to Jesus: We know not. And Jesus answering, saith to them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.E risposero a Gesù: Nol sappiamo. E Gesù disse loro: Nemmeno io dico a voi, con quale autorità faccia io tali cose.And they ansvvering say to IESVS, Vve knovv not. And IESVS ansvvring saith to them, Neither do I tel you in vvhat povver I doe these things.Et respondentes dicunt Jesu: Nescimus. Et respondens Jesus ait illis: Neque ego dico vobis in qua potestate hæc faciam.
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about the year A.D. 33.
This place, doubtless, had its name from the great number of olive-trees that grow upon it. It lay a little out of Jerusalem, on the east side, about five furlongs from the city, according to Josephus; but he must be understood of the nearest part of it, since St. Luke makes the distance to be a sabbath-day's journey, that is eight furlongs, or a mile; unless we suppose he meant the summit of the hill, from which our Saviour ascended. (Acts 1:12.) Mr. Maundrell says: I and my companions going out of Jerusalem, at St. Stephen's gate and crossing the valley of Josaphat, began immediately to ascend the mountain; and being about two-thirds of the way up, we came to certain grottos, cut with intricate windings and caverns, under ground, which were called, the sepulchres of the prophets; that a little higher up, were twelve arched vaults under ground, standing side by side, and built in memory of the apostles, who are said to have compiled their creed in this spot. Sixty paces higher, we came to the place where Christ is said to have uttered his prophecy, concerning the final destruction of Jerusalem; and a little on the right hand, to another, where he is said to have dictated (a second time) the Lord's prayer to his disciples. A little higher, is the cave of a saint called Pelagia; a little lower, a pillar denoting the place where an angel gave the blessed Virgin three day's warning of her death; and, at the top of all, we saw the place of our blessed Lord's ascension. See Maundrell's Journey to Jerusalem.
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Haydock
This order of Jesus Christ shews his omniscience and supreme dominion. By the former, he informs his two disciples that in Bethphage they would find a colt tied; and by the latter, he assures them that the master, on learning that the Lord hath need of the colt, will immediately let him go. (Haydock)
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Ven. Bede
The martyrs strewed garments in the way by putting off the garments of the flesh, and thus preparing a way by their blood for the servants of God. Many strew their garments in the way, by subduing their bodies in fasting and abstinence, and thus affording good example to those that follow them. Those cut down branches from the trees, who in their instructions take their seeds from the discourses of the Fathers, and, by an unassuming and humble delivery, spread them in the way of God. (Ven. Bede)
Theophylactus
Let us strew the way of life, and cut branches from the trees, by imitating the example of the saints. For the saints are the trees, from which we cut down branches, when we imitate their virtues. (Theophylactus)
The just shall flourish like the palm-tree, (Psalm xci.) confirmed in their roots, and extensive in their fruit and flowers, being the sweet odour of Christ. (2 Corinthians 2:15.)
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St. Jerome
They that went before, were the prophets; and they that come after, are the apostles. (St. Jerome)
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Theophylactus
They call the kingdom of Christ the kingdom of David, because Christ was descended of the family of David. David is likewise interpreted, strong of hand; but who is strong of hand but the Lord, whose hand has wrought so many and such miracles? (Theophylactus)
Ven. Bede
How great is the similarity of this sentence with that delivered by the angel Gabriel, when he addressed the blessed Virgin Mary: "the Lord God will give to Him the seat of David, his father." (Ven. Bede)
St. Jerome
"In the highest." By this is meant, that the just shall be built upon the ruins of the angels; and, that the inhabitants of the earth shall obtain salvation. (St. Jerome)
The literal meaning is: blessed be the kingdom of our father, David, which he sees arrive in the person of his Son: Hosanna, glory and salvation to this Son so long expected, so ardently desired: peace and salvation, and glory be given to Him, by the great Lord and God, who dwelleth in the highest heaven. (St. Matthew 21:9; St. Luke 19:38.)
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Ven. Bede
In going into the temple, immediately on entering the city, he shews what religion recommends to us, viz. to enter first into a place of worship, if there is one, where we visit. (Ven. Bede)
Ven. Bede
Looking into the hearts of all, he could not, amongst those who contradicted the truth, find where to recline his head; therefore, he withdraws to his faithful servants, and takes up his abode with the children of obedience. (Ven. Bede)
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Witham
He came, if perhaps, etc. Christ knew there was no fruit upon it, and that it was not the season, or a season for figs. See Matthew 21:19, what instruction he designed to give his disciples by what he said and did to the fig-tree. (Witham)
Ven. Bede
Jesus Christ here curses the barren tree, on account of his disciples, who were present; for as he every where gave instances of his most beneficent will, it was proper he should also give them proofs of his justice and severity. Hence his principal motive for cursing the fig-tree was, not on account of any hunger he then experienced; for it is not probable that Christ should experience so great hunger, and at so early an hour, as these words seem to indicate. (Ven. Bede)
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Origen in Dionysius
The vessels here spoken of as not allowed to be carried through the temple, were not any belonging to the temple, but only such as were brought by those who were buying and selling. Origen asserts, that our Saviour's driving so many thousands out of the temple, poor and humble as he appeared, was a more astonishing miracle than even his giving sight to the blind. So divine an effulgency flashed from his eyes and whole countenance, as affected every beholder with astonishment and awful terror. (Origen in Dionysius)
Haydock
If Christ could not bear to see his Father's house profaned, even with those things which in another place were not unbecoming, how indignant must he be to see the temple of God defiled with blasphemous and heretical doctrines, and with that levity and inattention observed in thoughtless giddy Christians, who thus scandalize and pervert his devoted children. (Haydock)
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Ven. Bede
Not to the Jews only, but to all nations; not in Jerusalem only, but in every city of the known world. It is no longer a temple of bulls, goats, and rams, but a temple of prayer. (Ven. Bede)
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The Gloss
What effect this strong reproof of our Saviour had upon the Jewish priests, and other ministers of the temple, is related by the evangelist in the subsequent words: they sought how they might destroy him. Still they were obliged to protract their iniquitous designs for a short time, as the multitude were in admiration of his doctrines. (Gloss.)
It was on a Tuesday that Jesus Christ discussed various subjects in the temple, his mission, the duties we owe to society, the resurrection of the body, etc. etc.
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Ven. Bede
Ecclesiastical history informs us, that St. Gregory of Neo-Caesarea, surnamed Thaumaturgus (whose feast is kept Nov. 17.) performed this miracle, removing by his prayers a mountain that obstructed the building of a church. (Ven. Bede)
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Faith alone will not suffice for the remission of sins; we must moreover pardon every neighbour, and from our heart.
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"It was a reasonable demand," says Dr. Barrow, "which was made to our Saviour: tell us by what authority thou doest these things, and who hath given thee this authority. The reasonableness of it our Lord did often avow, declaring, that if by his doctrine and works he had not vouched the divinity of his authority, it had been no sin to disbelieve or reject him." (John 5:31, 36; 10:25, 37; and 15:22, 24.) Dr. Barrow on Supremacy, p. 49.
Rutter
This principle, which supposes in pastors the necessity of a lawful mission, was formerly, and may still be, triumphantly urged against Luther, Calvin, Tindal [Tyndale], Cranmer, and all the first pretended Reformers of the Catholic Church. For whence, said the Catholics, did these innovators derive their mission? Who sent them to preach? Who gave them authority to reform and alter the whole state of God's Church? Let them shew their commission for this purpose, either ordinary or extraordinary. Unless they can do this, we have nothing to do with usurpers and intruders. ... If it be pretended that they had extraordinary mission, immediately derived from God, why did they not shew their credentials, stamped with the broad seal of heaven; that is, why did they not by clear and evident miracles, such as Christ and his apostles wrought, attest their being thus extraordinarily commissioned for the extraordinary work of the Reformation? Without such proofs as these, no pretensions to an extraordinary mission, in opposition to the ordinary Church authority, can be admitted. Otherwise every fanatic or enthusiast, following his own caprice, may pretend to a call from heaven; and, upon this foolish plea, preach up his own dreams for the pure word of God, in contempt of all authority, whether of Church or State. If it be said that the missions of the first reformers were ordinary, and derived to them by the ministry of men, it behoves them to point out what men these were from whom they received this ordinary power. Were they Catholics or Protestants? Not Protestants, for they cannot name any such who commissioned them to preach; not Catholics, because the religion which Luther and his reforming brethren endeavoured to propagate, was a new religion, directly opposite to that of Catholics, and therefore could not be taught, in virtue of any commission from Catholics. And how can they preach unless they be sent? (Romans 10:15.) If it be urged that Luther had received his orders in the Catholic Church, it is easily answered that this could not authorize him to commence preacher and teacher of another religion, any more than the orders which Mr. Whiston and Mr. Wesley might receive in the Protestant church of England could authorize them to teach a doctrine anathematized by that Church. (Rutter)
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Ven. Bede
Neither do I tell you, etc. I do not tell you what I know, because you refuse to own what you know. We should observe, there are here two reasons for concealing the truth from inquirers: 1st, when he that inquireth after the truth is incapable of understanding it; 2d, when on account of some contempt of the truth, or some other evil indisposition, the person is not deserving of having the truth laid open to him. (Ven. Bede)
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Concordance Mt. 21, 1.
PALME-Sunday.
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Concordance Lu. 19, 20.
Concordance Io. 12, 15
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Al these voluntary dueties were grateful to our Sauiour, and so be the like done to him in the B. Sacrament.
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Concordance Ps. 117, 26.
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MVNDAY.
Concordance Mt. 21, 19.
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Concordance Mt. 21, 12.
Concordance Lu. 19, 45.
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16. Vessel through the temple.] Profaning of Gods Church. He could not abide to see the Temple of God profaned, no nor suffred those things to be done in it, which otherwise were not vnlawful but honest, if they had been done in dewe place. How much lesse can he abide the profaning of Churches now with Heretical seruice and preaching of heresie and blasphemie?
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17. D•nne of theeues.] If the Temple was then a denne of theeues, because of profane and secular merchandise: how much more now, when the house appointed for the Holy Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Bodie of Christ, is made a denne for the Ministers of Caluins bread?
Concordance Esa. 56, 7.
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Concordance Ier. 7, 11
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Concordance Mt. 21, 20.
TVESDAY.
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In the liturgy The Gospel for S. Gregorius Thaumaturgus Nouemb. 17. And in a Votiue Masse for any necessitie.
Faith of God is to beleeue that he is able, and that he wil doe it if it be expedient, and no impediment on our part.
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God neuer forgiueth sinnes to him that pardoneth not his enemies frō his hart. Whereby it is euident that more is required then only faith.
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Concordance Mt. 21, 23.
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Concordance Lu. 20, 2.
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Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 10.15
… Hosanna in the highest.” After this comes, “And when He had entered into Jerusalem the whole city was stirred,” which we cited above. Then we have Mark’s account:
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 13.18
… At the time of the sin, they clothed themselves with fig-leaves; for this cause Jesus also made the fig-tree the last of His signs. For when about to go to His passion, He curses the fig-tree, not every fig-tree, but that one alone, for the sake of the figure; saying, No more let any man eat fruit of thee
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 2.66
… Hosanna in the highest.” Mark also records this occurrence, and inserts it in the same order.
11:2
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 10.18
… And there will also be a multitude from the Gentiles with peace at the Saviour’s coming to Jerusalem, when He rules over the waters that He may bruise the head of the dragon on the water, and we shall tread upon the waves of the sea and to the mouths of all the rivers on the earth. Mark, however, writing about the foal,
11:3
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 63
… And if any man say aught unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he sendeth them. And this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Zechariah the prophet, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 24
… ix. 2 .) “Peace, be still.” ( Mark iv. 39 .) “Take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.” ( Matt. ix. 6 .) “Thou foul spirit, I say unto thee, come out of him.” ( Mark ix. 25 ; not verbally quoted.) “Be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” ( Matt. xv. 28 .) “If any one say (aught) unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of him.” (
11:6
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 39
… And when the two disciples went, they found as he had [27] said unto them, and they did as Jesus charged them. And when they loosed them, [28] their owners said unto them, Why loose ye them? They said unto them, We seek [29] them for our Lord.
11:10
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 39
… And when he neared his descent from [Arabic, p. 149] the mount of Olives, all the disciples began to rejoice and to praise God with [32] a loud voice for all the powers which they had seen; and they said, Praise in the highest; Praise to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name [33] of the Lord;
11:11
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 2.68
… Then the said Mark subjoins the statement that He came into Jerusalem, and that, on going into the temple, He cast out those who sold and bought there, as if that incident took place not on the first day specified, but on a different day.
11:12
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 32
[22] [Arabic, p. 123] And when eventide was come, he left all the people, and went outside the [23] city to Bethany, he and his twelve, and he remained there. And all the people, because they knew the place, came to him, and he received them; and them that [24] had need of healing he healed.
11:13
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 32
… And all the people, because they knew the place, came to him, and he received them; and them that [24] had need of healing he healed. And on the morning of the next day, when he returned [25] to the city from Bethany, he hungered.
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 John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 64
“Now in the morning as He returned into the city, He was an hungered.” How is He an hungered in the morning? When He permits the flesh, then it shows its feeling. “And when He saw a fig tree in the way, He came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only.” Another evangelist saith, “The time of figs was not yet;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 27.7
… but nevertheless these very things which were done by the Lord had some further signification, being (if we may so say) a sort of visible and significative words. And this is especially plain, in that place where He sought fruit on the tree out of season, and because He found none, dried up the tree by His curse.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 39.3
… for the tree as being without sense and reason could not be to blame. But to this is added, that as we read it in the narrative of the other Evangelist who expressly mentions this, “it was not the time for that fruit.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 48.3
… whereas others both wondered at the miracles, and attained to the meaning of them. Such ought we to be in the school of Christ. For he who says that Christ only worked miracles, for the miracles’ sake, may say too that He was ignorant that it was not the time for fruit, when He sought figs upon the fig-tree.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 35.15
15. Again, if we have understood the sackcloth, how understand we the fasting? Wished Christ to eat, when He sought fruit on the tree,
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 10.39
For, as to what you have said about the fig-tree, Augustine speaks aptly in the same sense; for, when the evangelist subjoined, For the time of figs was not yet (
11:14
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 32
… And on the morning of the next day, when he returned [25] to the city from Bethany, he hungered. And he saw a fig tree at a distance on the beaten highway, having on it leaves. And he came unto it, expecting to find something on it; and when he came, he found nothing on it but the leaves—it was not [26] the season of figs—
11:15
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 32
… because their deeds [46] were evil. Whosoever doeth evil deeds hateth the light, and cometh not to the [47] light, lest his deeds be reproved. But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be known, that they have been done in God.
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
… They said unto him, The first. Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, The publicans and harlots go before you into [39] the kingdom of God. John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and harlots believed him; and ye, not even when ye saw, did ye repent at last, that ye might believe in him.
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 10.18
… The disciples then bring the foal to Jesus naked, and put their own dress on it, so that the Lord may sit on the disciples’ garments which are on it, at His ease. What is said further will not, in the light of Matthew’s statements, present any difficulty; how
11:16
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 32
… and he was teaching, and saying unto them, Is it not written, My house is a house of prayer for all peoples? and ye have made it a den [4] for robbers. And he said unto those that sold the doves, Take this hence, and [5] make not my Father’s house a house of merchandise.
11:19
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 32
… And he saw a fig tree at a distance on the beaten highway, having on it leaves. And he came unto it, expecting to find something on it; and when he came, he found nothing on it but the leaves—it was not [26] the season of figs— and he said unto it, Henceforward for ever let no man eat fruit of thee. And his disciples heard.
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
… and afterwards thou shalt eat and drink also. [13] Doth that servant haply, who did what he was bid, receive his praise? I think [14] not. So ye also, when ye have done all that ye were bid, say, We are idle servants; what it was our duty to do, we have done.
11:20
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
[1] [Arabic, p. 125] And when evening came, Jesus went forth outside of the city, he and his [2] disciples.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Harmony of the Gospels 2.68
… Accordingly, it is in connection with this second day that he tells us how Jesus went out of the city, when even was come, and how, when they passed by in the morning, the disciples saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots, and how Peter, calling to remembrance, said unto Him, “Master, behold the fig-tree which Thou cursedst is withered away.”
11:21
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
[1] [Arabic, p. 125] And when evening came, Jesus went forth outside of the city, he and his [2] disciples. And as they passed in the morning, the disciples saw that fig tree [3] withered away from its root. And they passed by, and said, How did the fig tree dry [4] up immediately?
11:22
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
… And as they passed in the morning, the disciples saw that fig tree [3] withered away from its root. And they passed by, and said, How did the fig tree dry [4] up immediately? And Simon remembered, and said unto him, My Master, behold, [5] that fig tree which thou didst curse hath dried up.
11:23
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
… And they passed by, and said, How did the fig tree dry [4] up immediately? And Simon remembered, and said unto him, My Master, behold, [5] that fig tree which thou didst curse hath dried up. And Jesus answered and said [6] unto them, Let there be in you the faith of God.
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 204.1
… And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burnt and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” Not that each of the points enumerated could be performed without love, but that the Holy One wishes, as He Himself has said, to attribute to the commandment super-eminent excellency by the figure of hyperbole.
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 5.11
… to another faith, by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing . This faith then which is given of grace from the Spirit is not merely doctrinal, but also worketh things above man’s power. For whosoever hath this faith, shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove
11:24
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
… 126] receive, and ye shall have. And when ye stand to pray, forgive what is in your heart against any man; and your Father which is in heaven will [17] forgive you also your wrong-doings. But if ye forgive not men their wrong-doings, neither will your Father forgive you also your wrong-doings.
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 14.25
… Who then is he that asketh, but he who has obeyed Jesus when He says, “If ye stand praying, believe that ye receive, and ye shall receive”?
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews 3.43
… “If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say to this mountain, Pass over from here to that place, and it shall pass over; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Also according to Mark: “All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye shall receive them, and they shall be yours.”
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 9.32
… For so far will one be heard and obtain an answer, as he believes that he is regarded by God, and that God can grant it. For this saying of our Lord cannot be retracted: “Whatsoever ye ask when ye pray, believe that you shall receive, and they shall come to you.”
11:25
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
[15] For this reason I say unto you, Whatever ye pray and ask, believe that ye [16] [Arabic, p. 126] receive, and ye shall have.
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On the Unity of the Church 13
13. Thus, also, when He gave the law of prayer, He added, saying, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On the Lord's Prayer 23
… And these things Christ still more urgently sets forth in His precepts with yet greater power of His rebuke. “When ye stand praying,” says He, “forgive if ye have aught against any, that your Father which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive you your trespasses.”
St Theonas of Alexandria † AD 300 The Epistle of Theonas, Bishop of Alexandria, to Lucianus, the Chief Chamberlain 9
And do thou, my dearest Lucianus, since thou art wise, bear with good-will the unwise; and they too may perchance become wise. Do no one an injury at any time, and provoke no one to anger. If an injury is done to you, look to Jesus Christ; and even as ye desire that He may remit your transgressions, do ye also forgive them theirs;
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 20
… Nothing so delights God. Again will I repeat what I have often said: and I repeat it, because I do exceedingly desire it: as Christ also did the same, when discoursing concerning forgiveness: “When ye pray, forgive if ye have aught against any man:” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 8
… Let no one approach God in enmity, or in an unamiable temper, or with “doubting.” What is “without doubting”? Let us hear. It implies that we should have no misgiving but that we shall be heard. For it is said, “whatever ye ask believing ye shall receive.” ( Matt. xxi. 22 .) And again, “when ye stand praying forgive, if ye have aught against any one.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 9
Next not being angry with any one, not bearing malice; the forgiving all their trespasses. For, it is said, “Man retaineth wrath against man, and yet seeketh healing from the Lord.” ( Ecclus. xxviii. 3 .) “Forgive that ye may be forgiven.” (
11:26
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
[15] For this reason I say unto you, Whatever ye pray and ask, believe that ye [16] [Arabic, p. 126] receive, and ye shall have. And when ye stand to pray, forgive what is in your heart against any man; and your Father which is in heaven will [17] forgive you also your wrong-doings.
11:28
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 , that the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came upon him, and said unto him, Tell us:
11:29
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 , that the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came upon him, and said unto him, Tell us: By what power doest thou this? and who gave thee this [29] power to do that?
11:30
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
… By what power doest thou this? and who gave thee this [29] power to do that? And Jesus said unto them, I also will ask you one word, and if [30] ye tell me, I also shall tell you by what power I do that. The baptism of John, from [31] what place is it? from heaven or of men?
11:33
Tatian † AD 180 The Diatessaron 33
… 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. And all of them were holding [34] to John, that he was a true prophet.
11:1
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 ubi sup.
Now that the Lord had given sufficient proof of His virtue, and the cross was at hand, even at the door, He did those things which were about to excite them against Him with a greater openness; therefore although He had so often gone up to Jerusalem, He never however had done so in such a conspicuous manner as now.
Theophylact † 1107
That thus, if they were willing, they might recognise His glory, and by the prophecies, which were fulfilled concerning Him, know that He is very God; and that if they would not, they might receive a greater judgment, for not having believed so many wonderful miracles. Describing therefore this illustrious entrance, the Evangelist says, And when they came nigh unto Jerusalem, and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples.
St Bede † AD 735 in Marc. 3, 41
Bethany is a little village or town by the side of mount Olivet, where Lazarus was raised from the dead. But in what way He sent His disciples and for what purpose is shewn in these words, And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you.
Theophylact † 1107
Now consider how many things the Lord foretold to His disciples, that they should find a colt; wherefore it goes on, And as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat, loose him, and bring him; and that they should be impeded in taking it, wherefore there follows, And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye, The Lord hath need of him; and that on saying this, they should be allowed to take him; wherefore there follows, And straightway he will send him hither; and as the Lord had said, so it was fulfilled. Thus it goes on: And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without, in a place where two ways meet; and they loose him.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Con. Ev. ii. 66
Matthew says, an ass and a colt, the rest however do not mention the ass. Where then both may be the case, there is no disagreement, though one Evangelist mentions one thing, and a second mentions another; how much less should a question be raised, when one mentions one, and another mentions that same one and another. It goes on: And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded, and they let them take it, that is, the colt.
Theophylact † 1107
But they would not have allowed this, if the Divine power had not been upon them, to compel them, especially, as they were country people and farmers, and yet allowed them to take away the colt. It goes on: And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
Pseudo-Chrysostom Cat. in Marc. Oxon.
Not indeed that He was compelled by necessity to ride on a colt from the mount of Olives to Jerusalem, for He had gone over Judæa and all Galilee on foot, but this action of His is typical. It goes on: And many spread their garments in the way: that is, under the feet of the colt; and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. 1This, however, was rather done to honour Him, and as a Sacrament, than of necessity. It goes on: And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 2For the multitude, until it was corrupted, knew what was its duty, for which reason each honoured Jesus according to his own strength. Wherefore they praised Him, and took up the hymns of the Levites, saying, Hosanna, which according to some is the same as save me, but according to others means a hymn. I however suppose the former to be more probable, for there is in the 117th Psalm, (Ps. 118:25) Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord, which in the Hebrew is Hosanna.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
But Hosanna is a Hebrew word, made out of two, one imperfect the other perfect. For save, or preserve, is in their language, hosy; but anna is a supplicatory interjection, as in Latin heu is an exclamation of grief.
Pseudo-Jerome
They cry out Hosanna, that is save us, that men might be saved by Him who was blessed, and was a conqueror and came in the name of the Lord, that is, of His Father, since the Father is so called because of the Son, and the Son, because of the Father.
Pseudo-Chrysostom Cat. in Marc. Oxon.
Thus then they give glory to God, saying, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. They also bless the kingdom of Christ, saying, Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, which cometh.
Theophylact † 1107
But they called the kingdom of Christ, that of David, both because Christ was descended from the seed of David, and because David means a man of a strong hand. For whose hand is stronger than the Lord’s, by which so many and so great miracles were wrought.
Pseudo-Chrysostom Cat. in Marc. Oxon.
Wherefore also the prophets so often call Christ by the name of David, on account of the descent according to the flesh of Christ from David.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Now we read in the Gospel of John that He fled into a mountain, lest they should make him their king. Now, however, when He comes to Jerusalem to suffer, He does not shun those who call Him king, that He might openly teach them that He was King over an empire not temporal and earthly, but everlasting in the heavens, and that the path to this kingdom was through contempt of death. Observe also the agreement of the multitude with the saying of Gabriel, The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; (Luke 1:32) that is, that He Himself may call by word and deed to a heavenly kingdom the nation to which David once furnished the government of a temporal rule.
Pseudo-Chrysostom Cat. in Marc. Oxon.
And further, they give glory to God, when they add Hosanna in the highest, that is, praise and glory be to the God of all, Who is in the highest.
Pseudo-Jerome
Or Hosanna, that is, save in the highest as well as in the lowest, that is, that the just be built on the ruin of Angels, and also that both those on the earth and those under the earth should be saved. In a mystical sense, also, the Lord approaches Jerusalem, which is ‘the vision of peace,’ in which happiness remains fixed and unmoved, being, as the Apostle says, the mother of all believers. (Gal. 4:26)
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Bethany again means the house of obedience, because by teaching many before His Passion, he made for Himself a house of obedience; and it is said to be placed on the mount of Olives, because He cherishes His Church with the unction of spiritual gifts, and with the light of piety and knowledge. But He sent His disciples to a hold1, which was over against them, that is, He appointed doctors to penetrate into the ignorant parts of the whole world, into, as it were, the walls of the hold placed against them.
Pseudo-Jerome
The disciples of Christ are called two by two, and sent two by two, since charity implies more than one, as it is written, Woe to him that is alone. (Eccl. 4:10) Two persons lead the Israelites out of Egypt: two bring down the bunch of grapes from the Holy Land, that men in authority might ever join together activity and knowledge, and bring forward two commandments from the Two Tables, and be washed from two fountains, and carry the ark of the Lord on two poles, and know the Lord between the two Cherubim, and sing to Him with both mind and spirit.
Theophylact † 1107
The colt, however, was not necessary to Him, but He sent for it to shew that He would transfer Himself to the Gentiles.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
For the colt of the ass, wanton and unshackled, denotes the people of the nations, on whom no man had yet sat, because no wise doctor had, by teaching them the things of salvation, put upon them the bridle of correction, to oblige them to restrain their tongues from evil, or to compel them into the narrow path of life.
Pseudo-Jerome
But they found the colt tied by the door without, because the Gentile people were bound by the chain of their sins before the door of faith, that is, without the Church.
St Ambrose † AD 397 in Luc. 9, 6
Or else, they found it bound before the door, because whosoever is not in Christ is without, in the way; but he who is in Christ, is not without. He has added in the way, or in a place where two ways meet, where there is no certain possession for any man, nor stall, nor food, nor stable; miserable is his service, whose rights are unfixed; for he who has not the one Master, has many. Strangers bind him that they may possess him, Christ looses him in order to keep him, for He knows that gifts are stronger ties than bonds.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Or else, fitly did the colt stand in a place where two ways meet, because the Gentile people did not hold on in any certain road of life and faith, but followed in its error many doubtful paths of various sects.
Pseudo-Jerome
Or, in a place where two roads meet, that is, in the freedom of will, hesitating between life and death.
Theophylact † 1107
Or else, in a place where two roads meet, that is, in this life, but it was loosed by the disciples, through faith and baptism.
Pseudo-Jerome
But some said, What do ye? as if they would say, Who can remit sins?
Theophylact † 1107
Or else, those who prevent them are the devils, who were weaker than the Apostles.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Or else, the masters of error, who resisted the teachers, when they came to save the Gentiles; but after that the power of the faith of the Lord appeared to believers, the faithful people were freed from the cavils of the adversaries, and were brought to the Lord, whom they bore in their hearts. But by the garments of the Apostles, which they put upon it, we may understand the teaching of virtues, or the interpretation of the Scriptures, or the various doctrines of the Church, by which they clothe the hearts of men, once naked and cold and fit them to become the seats of Christ.
Pseudo-Jerome
Or else, they put upon it their garments, that is, they bring to them the first robe of immortality by the Sacrament of Baptism. And Jesus sat upon it, that is, began to reign in them, so that sin should not reign in their wanton flesh, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Again, many spread their garments in the way, under the feet of the foal of the ass. What are feet, but those who carry, and the least esteemed, whom the Apostle has set to judge? (v. 1 Cor. 6:4.) And these too, though they are not the back on which the Lord sat, yet are instructed by John with the soldiers.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Or else, many strew their garments in the way, because the holy martyrs put off from themselves the garment of their own flesh, and prepare a way for the more simple servants of God with their own blood. Many also strew their garments in the way, because they tame their bodies with abstinence, that they may prepare a way for God to the mount, or may give good examples to those who follow them. And they cut down branches from the trees, who in the teaching of the truth cull the sentences of the Fathers from their words, and by their lowly preaching scatter them in the path of God, when He comes into the soul of the hearer.
Theophylact † 1107
Let us also strew the way of our life with branches which we cut from the trees, that is, imitate the saints, for these are holy trees, from which, he who imitates their virtues cuts down branches.
Pseudo-Jerome
For the righteous shall flourish as a palm tree, straitened in their roots, but spreading out wide with flowers and fruits; for they are a good odour unto Christ, and strew the way of the commandments of God with their good report. Those who went before are the prophets, and those who followed are the Apostles.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
And because all the elect, whether those who were able to become such in Judæa, or those who now are such in the Church, believed and now believe on the Mediator between God and man, both those who go before and those who follow cried out Hosanna.
Theophylact † 1107
But both those of our deeds which go before and those which follow after must be done to the glory of God; for some in their past life make a good beginning, but their following life does not correspond with their former, neither does it end to the glory of God.
The Latin text
Chrysostomus in Matth
Postquam dominus suae virtutis sufficientem experientiam dederat, et crux instabat in ianuis, omnia iam cum maiori agit claritate, quae adversarios inflammatura erant; et ideo quamvis multoties prius ascenderit Hierosolymam, numquam tamen cum tanta excellentia sicut modo
Theophylactus
Ut si velint, valeant gloriam eius agnoscere, et per prophetias de eo completas scirent quod est verus Deus; si vero noluerint, maius fieret eis iudicium, quia tot claris miraculis non crediderunt. Huius igitur adventus claritatem Evangelista describens, dicit et cum appropinquaret Ierosolymae et Bethaniae ad montem olivarum, mittit duos ex discipulis suis
Beda
Bethania villula est, sive civitas in latere montis oliveti, ubi Lazarus est suscitatus a mortuis. Quomodo autem discipulos miserit et ad quid, ostendit subdens et ait illis: ite in castellum quod est contra vos
Theophylactus
Considera vero quanta dominus discipulis praedixerit, scilicet quod invenirent pullum; unde sequitur et statim introeuntes illic invenietis pullum ligatum, super quem nemo adhuc hominum sedit; solvite illum et adducite; et quod impedirentur ab accipiendo; unde sequitur et si quis vobis dixerit: quid facitis? Dicite quia domino necessarius est; et quod hoc dicto permitterentur accipere; unde sequitur et continuo illum dimittet huc. Et sicut dominus praedixerat, ita impletur; unde sequitur et abeuntes invenerunt pullum ligatum ante ianuam foris in bivio, et solvunt eum
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Matthaeus asinam dicit et pullum, ceteri autem de asina tacent; ubi ergo utrumque factum potest intelligi, nulla repugnantia est, nec si alius unum, alius alium commemoraret; quanto minus moveri oportet, si alius unum, alius utrumque commemoret? Sequitur et quidam de illic stantibus dicebant illis: quid facitis solventes pullum? Qui dixerunt eis sicut praeceperat illis Iesus, et dimiserunt eis, scilicet pullum
Theophylactus
Non autem hoc permitterent, nisi divina virtus eis incumberet, cogens illos; praesertim quia rurales existentes et coloni permiserunt pullum auferre. Sequitur et duxerunt pullum ad Iesum et imponunt illi vestimenta sua; et sedit super eum
Chrysostomus in Matth
Non quidem quod ex necessitate a monte oliveti usque Ierusalem super pullum ire dominum oportebat, cum Iudaeam et omnem Galilaeam pedes perambulaverat; sed signum erat quod fiebat. Sequitur multi autem vestimenta sua straverunt in via. Magis autem ad ornatum et ad sacramentum pertinet quam ad necessitatem. Sequitur et qui praeibant et qui sequebantur clamabant dicentes: hosanna, benedictus qui venit in nomine domini. Multitudo enim donec corrupta non fuit, cognovit quod congruum erat: propter quod honorificavit Iesum unusquisque secundum propriam virtutem: unde laudantes ipsum, hymnum leviticum assumpserunt, dicentes hosanna, quod secundum quosdam idem est quod salvum me fac; secundum vero quosdam idem quod hymnus. Aestimo autem primum esse verius, nam in Psalmo 117, 25 habetur: o domine, salvum me fac, quod in Hebraico scriptum est hosanna
Beda
Est autem hosanna verbum Hebraicum compositum ex duobus, corrupto et integro; salva namque sive salvifica apud eos dicitur hosy; at vero Anna interiectio est deprecantis, quomodo apud Latinos est dolentis heu
Hieronymus
Hosanna igitur, idest salvifica, dicunt, ut homines salventur ab eo benedicto, vincente et veniente in nomine domini, idest patris sui; quoniam filius de patre nomen suscepit, et pater de filio
Chrysostomus
Sic ergo dant Deo gloriam, dicentes benedictus qui venit in nomine domini. Benedicunt etiam regnum Christi, dicentes benedictum quod venit regnum patris nostri David
Theophylactus
Regnum autem David regnum Christi dicebant, et quia de semine David Christus descenderat, simulque quia David interpretatur manu fortis; quis enim fuit manu fortis nisi dominus, cuius manus tot et talia miracula operata est?
Chrysostomus
Unde et multoties prophetae David Christum nuncupant, propter originem Christi ex David secundum carnem
Beda
Legimus autem in Evangelio Ioannis, quia ne facerent eum regem, in montem fugit. Nunc autem ubi passurus Hierosolymam venit, non refugit eos qui se regem nuncupant, ut aperte doceret quia non temporalis et terreni, sed aeterni in caelis rex esset imperii, atque ad regnum per contemptum mortis perveniret. Notandum autem quanta sit consonantia turbae cum voce Gabrielis, qui ait: dabit illi dominus Deus sedem David patris sui, ut scilicet gentem cui David quondam temporalis regni gubernacula praebuit, hanc ipse verbis et factis ad regnum caeleste vocaret
Chrysostomus
Et ulterius dant gloriam Deo cum subdunt hosanna in excelsis, idest, hymnus et gloria sit universorum Deo, qui est in excelsis
Hieronymus
Vel hosanna, idest salvifica, in excelsis et imis; idest, ut iusti aedificentur in ruinam Angelorum, et terreni et subterranei etiam salventur. Mystice autem appropinquat dominus Hierosolymae, quae est visio pacis: in qua manet fixa immobilisque felicitas, quae, secundum apostolum, est omnium credentium
Beda
Bethania autem domus obedientiae dicitur: quia multos ante passionem suam docendo, domum sibi obedientiae effecit: et in monte oliveti posita esse dicitur: quia Ecclesiam unctione spiritualium charismatum et scientiae pietatisque luce refovet. Misit autem discipulos in castellum quod contra eos erat; hoc est doctores qui indocta orbis loca quasi contra positi castelli moenia evangelizando penetrarent, destinavit
Hieronymus
Bini vocantur, et bini mittuntur discipuli Christi: quoniam caritas non consistit cum uno, ut dicitur Eccl.: vae soli. Duo educunt Hebraeos de Aegypto, duo deportant botrum de terra sancta, ut semper praepositi iungant opus et scientiam, et duo mandata de duabus tabulis proferant, et duobus fontibus abluantur, et de duobus vectibus arcam domini portent, et inter duos Cherubim Deum cognoscant, spiritu et mente psallentes
Theophylactus
Non autem erat ei necessarius pullus; sed eum quaesivit ostendens quod debebat se ad gentilem populum transferre
Beda
Pullus enim asinae lascivus et liber populum nationum significat, super quem nemo adhuc hominum sedit: quia nemo rationabilium doctorum frenum correctionis, quo vel linguam cohibere a malo vel in arctam vitae viam ire cogeretur, utilia suadendo contulerat. Invenerunt autem pullum ligatum ante ianuam foris, quia populus gentilis ligatus erat vinculis peccatorum suorum ante ianuam fidei, idest, extra Ecclesiam
Ambrosius super Lucam
Vel invenerunt eum ligatum ante ianuam: quia extra Christum quicumque est, foris est in via; qui autem in Christo est, foris non est. In transitu, sive in bivio addidit, ubi nullius certa possessio, non praesepe, non alimenta, non stabulum. Misera servitus cui vagum ius est: plures enim dominos habet qui unum non habet. Alieni alligant ut possideant, iste solvit ut teneat: vehementiora enim dona novit esse quam vincula
Beda
Vel recte in bivio stabat, quia non viam certam vitae fideique tenebat, sed plures dubiosque sectarum calles sequebatur erroneus
Hieronymus
Vel in bivio, idest in libertate arbitrii, dubitans inter vitam et mortem
Theophylactus
Vel in bivio, idest in vita hac. Solutus est autem a discipulis per Baptismum et fidem
Hieronymus
Quidam autem dicebant: quid facitis? Ac si dicerent: quis potest dimittere peccata?
Theophylactus
Vel prohibentes sunt Daemones, quibus fuerunt apostoli fortiores
Beda
Vel magistri errorum, qui venientibus ad salutem gentium doctoribus obsistebant; at postquam fidei dominicae potestas apparuit credentibus, adversariorum querelis liber credentium populus ad dominum, quem corde portaret, adducebatur. Vestimenta autem apostolorum quae illi imponunt, vel doctrina virtutum, vel discretio Scripturarum, vel ecclesiasticorum dogmatum varietates intelligi possunt; quibus illi corda hominum, ante nuda et frigida, quae Christo sessore digna fiant operiunt
Hieronymus
Vel imponunt vestimenta sua, idest, stolam primam immortalitatis per Baptismi sacramenta afferunt. Sedit autem Iesus super eum, idest in eis regnare coepit, ut non regnet peccatum in lasciva carne, sed iustitia et pax et gaudium in spiritu sancto. Multi autem straverunt vestimenta sua in via, sub pedibus pulli asinae. Qui sunt pedes, nisi extremi qui portant, quos ad iudicandum constituit apostolus? Qui et ipsi, etsi non sunt dorsum in quo sedit dominus, tamen cum militibus a Ioanne instruuntur
Beda
Vel multi vestimenta sua in via sternunt, quia sancti martyres propriae se carnis amictu exuentes, simplicioribus Dei famulis viam suo sanguine parant. Multi etiam vestimenta sua in via sternunt, quia corpora sua per abstinentiam domant, ut Dei iter ad montem parent, vel exempla bona sequentibus praebeant. Frondes autem vel ramos de arboribus caedunt qui in doctrina veritatis semina patrum de eorum eloquio capiunt, et haec in via Dei ad auditoris animum venientis, humili praedicatione submittunt
Theophylactus
Sternamus et nos viam vitae nostrae, caedentes ramos de arboribus, idest sanctos imitantes: nam arbores sancti sunt, de quibus ille ramos caedit qui virtutem imitatur eorum
Hieronymus
Iusti enim ut palma florebunt, angusti radicibus, lati in floribus et fructibus, quoniam bonus odor Christi sunt. Sternunt viam mandatorum Dei bona fama. Qui praeibant, prophetae sunt; et qui sequebantur, apostoli
Beda
Et quia omnes electi, sive qui in Iudaea esse poterant, sive qui nunc in Ecclesia existunt, in mediatorem Dei et hominum crediderunt et credunt; qui praeeunt, et qui sequuntur hosanna clamabant
Theophylactus
Sed et qui praeeunt et qui sequuntur nostrorum actuum ad laudem sunt Dei: quidam enim in praeterita vita bonum fecerunt initium; sequens vero non est ut prior, neque in laudem Dei finita
11:11
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
As the time of His Passion approached, the Lord wished to approach to the place of His Passion, in order to intimate that He underwent death of His own accord: wherefore it is said, And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple. And by His going to the temple on first entering the city, He shews us beforehand a form of religion, which we are to follow, that if by chance we enter a place, where there is a house of prayer, we should first turn aside to it. We should also understand from this, that such was the poverty of the Lord, and so far was He from flattering man, that in so large a city, He found no one to be His host, no abiding place, but lived in a small country place with Lazarus and his sisters; for Bethany is a hamlet of the Jews. Wherefore there follows: And when he had looked round about upon all things, (that is, to see whether any one would take Him in,) and now the eventide was come, he went out into Bethany with the twelve. Nor did He do this once only, but during all the five days, from the time that He came to Jerusalem, to the day of His Passion, He used always to do the same thing; during the day He taught in the temple, but at night, He went out and dwelt in the mount of Olives. It goes on, And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 in Matt. Hom. 67
How is it that He was hungry in the morning, as Matthew says, if it were not that by an economy He permitted it to His flesh? There follows, And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon. Now it is evident that this expresses a conjecture of the disciples, who thought that it was for this reason that Christ came to the fig tree, and that it was cursed, because He found no fruit upon it. For it goes on: And when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. He therefore curses the fig tree for His disciples sake, that they might have faith in Him. For He every where distributed blessings, and punished no one, yet at the same time, it was right to give them a proof of His chastising power, that they might learn that He could even cause the persecuting Jews to wither away; He was however unwilling to give this proof on men, wherefore He shewed them on a plant a sign of His power of punishing. This proves that He came to the fig tree principally for this reason, and not on account of His hunger, for who is so silly as to suppose that in the morning He felt so greatly the pains of hunger, or what prevented the Lord from eating before He left Bethany? Nor can it be said that the sight of the figs excited His appetite to hunger, for it was not the season of figs; and if He were hungry, why did He not seek food elsewhere, rather than from a fig-tree which could not yield fruit before its time? What punishment also did a fig tree deserve for not having fruit before its time? From all this then we may infer, that He wished to shew His power, that their minds might not be broken by His Passion.
Theophylact † 1107
Wishing to shew His disciples that if He chose He could in a moment exterminate those who were about to crucify Him. In a mystical sense, however, the Lord entered into the temple, but came out of it again, to shew that He left it desolate, and open to the spoiler.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Farther, He looks round about upon the hearts of all, and when in those who opposed the truth, He found no place to lay His head, He retires to the faithful, and takes up His abode with those who obey Him. For Bethany means the house of obedience.
Pseudo-Jerome
He went in the morning to the Jews, and visits us in the eventide of the world.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Just in the same way as He speaks parables, so also His deeds are parables; therefore He comes hungry to seek fruit off the fig tree, and though He knew the time of figs was not yet, He condemns it to perpetual barrenness, that He might shew that the Jewish people could not be saved through the leaves, that is, the words of righteousness which it had, without fruit, that is, good works, but should be cut down and cast into the fire. Hungering therefore, that is, desiring the salvation of mankind, He saw the fig tree, which is, the Jewish people, having leaves, or, the words of the Law and the Prophets, and He sought upon it the fruit of good works, by teaching them, by rebuking them, by working miracles, and He found it not, and therefore condemned it. Do thou too, unless thou wouldest be condemned by Christ in the judgment, beware of being a barren tree, but rather offer to Christ the fruit of piety which He requires.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 non occ.
We may also say, in another sense, that the Lord sought for fruit on the fig tree before its time, and not finding it, cursed it, because all who fulfil the commandments of the Law, are said to bear fruit in their own time, as, for instance, that commandment, Thou shalt not commit adultery; but he who not only abstains from adultery but remains a virgin, which is a greater thing, excels them in virtue. But the Lord exacts from the perfect not only the observance of virtue, but also that they bear fruit over and above the commandments.
The Latin text
Beda
Appropinquante tempore passionis, appropinquare voluit dominus loco passionis, ut per hoc intimaret quia sua sponte mortem subiret; unde dicitur et introivit Hierosolymam in templum. Quod autem ingressus civitatem primo templum adiit, formam nobis religionis quam sequamur praemonstrat, ut cum forte quemlibet locum in quo sit domus orationis intramus, primo ad hanc divertamus. Hoc quoque intelligendum est quod tantae dominus fuerit paupertatis, et ita nulli sit adulatus, ut in urbe maxima nullum hospitem, nullam invenerit mansionem; sed in agerulo parvulo apud Lazarum sororesque eius habitaret: eorum quippe vicus Bethania est; unde sequitur et circumspectis omnibus, si quis eum hospitio susciperet, cum iam vespera esset hora, exiit in Bethaniam cum duodecim. Non hoc semel fecit; sed per omnes quinque dies, ex quo Hierosolymam ascenderat usque ad tempus passionis hoc ipsum semper agere solebat, ut per diem in templo doceret, nocte vero exiens moraretur in monte oliveti. Sequitur et alia die, cum exiret a Bethania esuriit
Chrysostomus in Matth
Qualiter autem mane esuriebat, ut Matthaeus dicit, nisi quia dispensative hoc carni suae concessit? Sequitur cumque vidisset a longe ficum habentem folia, venit, si quid forte inveniret in ea. Manifestum est autem, quod hoc secundum suspicionem discipulorum dicitur, qui aestimabant propter hoc Christum ad ficulneam accessisse; et propter hoc ficulneam ipsam maledictam esse, quod in ea fructum non invenit: nam sequitur et cum venisset ad eam, nihil invenit praeter folia: non enim erat tempus ficorum. Et respondens dixit ei: iam non amplius in aeternum quisquam ex te fructum manducet. Maledicit ergo ficulneam propter discipulos, ut confidant. Quia enim ubique beneficia tribuebat, nullumque puniebat, oportebat autem eius punitivae virtutis demonstrationem praebere, ut discerent quia posset etiam Iudaeos persequentes siccare; noluit hoc demonstrare in hominibus: unde in planta suae punitivae virtutis praebuit signum: unde ostenditur quod principaliter propter hoc ad ficulneam venit, non propter esuriem. Quis enim tam inscius est ut putet quod matutino tempore tali stimularetur esurie? Aut quid est quod impediret eum comedere antequam domum exiret? Neque potest dici quod visio fructus excitavit in esurie appetitum: non enim erat ficorum tempus. Sed si esuriebat, cur de alio comedere non quaerebat, sed de ficu fructus ante tempus tribuere non valente? Qua etiam poena erat dignam ficum fructum non habere ante tempus? Ideoque ex his sufficienter syllogizari potest, quod propriam volebat demonstrare virtutem, ut non frangerentur animis in eius passione
Theophylactus
Volens ostendere discipulis quod, si vellet, hos qui crucifixuri erant ipsum, in momento posset exterminare. Mystice autem dominus introivit in templum, sed rursus exivit, ostendens quod ipsum relinqueret desertum et in rapinam
Beda
Circumspicit autem omnia corda; et cum in contradicentibus veritati non inveniat ubi caput reclinet, secedit ad fideles, et in eis qui obediunt, mansionem fecit: Bethania namque domus obedientiae dicitur
Hieronymus
Mane autem ad Iudaeos venit, atque nos in vespera mundi visitat
Beda
Sicut autem parabolas loquitur, ita et operatur; ideo esuriens in ficu fructum quaerit, cuius nondum tempus esse novit, et tamen eam perpetua sterilitate damnavit, ut ostenderet plebem Iudaeorum propter folia, idest verba iustitiae, quae habebat sine fructu, idest bono opere, non posse salvari, sed scindi, et in ignem mitti. Esuriens ergo, idest salutem humani generis desiderans, vidit ficum, idest Iudaeum, habentem folia, idest eloquia legis et prophetarum, et quaesivit in ea fructum boni operis, docendo, corripiendo, miracula faciendo; et non invenit, et ideo damnavit. Tu quoque, si non vis damnari a Christo in iudicio, arbor sterilis esse caveto; sed potius pauperi Christo fructum pietatis quo indiget, offer
Chrysostomus
Est autem et aliter dicere, quod dominus ante tempus fructum quaesivit in ficu, et non inveniens maledixit; quia omnes qui mandata legis adimplent, isti suo tempore fructificare dicuntur; sicut est illud mandatum: non moechaberis; qui autem non solum non moechatur, sed permanet virgo, quod est magis, virtutibus excedit. Dominus autem a perfectis non solum exigit ut virtutes observent, sed supra mandata fructificent
11:15
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
What the Lord had done in figure, when He cursed the barren fig tree, He now shews more openly, by casting out the wicked from the temple. For the fig tree was not in fault, in not having fruit before its time, but the priests were blameable; wherefore it is said, And they come to Jerusalem; and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple. Nevertheless, it is probable that He found them buying and selling in the temple things which were necessary for its ministry. If then the Lord forbids men to carry on in the temple worldly matters, which they might freely do any where else, how much more do they deserve a greater portion of the anger of Heaven, who carry on in the temple consecrated to Him those things, which are unlawful wherever they may be done. It goes on: and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers.
Theophylact † 1107
He calls moneychangers, changers of a particular sort of money, for the word means a small brass coin. There follows, and the seats of them that sold doves.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Because the Holy Spirit appeared over the Lord in the shape of a dove, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are fitly pointed out under the name of doves. The Dove therefore is sold, when the laying on of hands by which the Holy Spirit is received is sold for a price. Again, He overturns the seats of them who sell doves, because they who sell spiritual grace, are deprived of their priesthood, either before men, or in the eyes of God.
Theophylact † 1107
But if a man by sinning gives up to the devil the grace and purity of baptism, he has sold his Dove, and for this reason is cast out of the temple. There follows, And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
He speaks of those vessels which were carried there for the purpose of merchandise. But God forbid that it should be taken to mean, that the Lord cast out of the temple, or forbade men to bring into it, the vessels consecrated to God; for here He shews a type of the judgment to come, for He thrusts away the wicked from the Church, and restrains them by His everlasting word from ever again coming in to trouble the Church. Furthermore, sorrow, sent into the heart from above, takes away from the souls of the faithful those sins which were in them, and Divine grace assists them so that they should never again commit them. It goes on: And he taught, saying unto them, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer. (Isa. 56:7)
Pseudo-Jerome
According to Isaiah: But ye have made it a den of thieves, (Jer. 7:11) according to Jeremiah.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
He says, to all nations, not to the Jewish nation alone, nor in the city of Jerusalem alone, but over the whole world; and he does not say a house of bulls, goats, and rams, but of prayer.
Theophylact † 1107
Further, He calls the temple, a den of thieves, on account of the money gained there; for thieves always troop together for gain. Since then they sold those animals which were offered in sacrifice for the sake of gain, He called them thieves.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
For they were in the temple for this purpose, either that they might persecute with corporal pains those who did not bring gifts, or spiritually kill those who did. The mind and conscience of the faithful is also the temple and the house of God, but if it puts forth perverse thoughts, to the hurt of any one, it may be said that thieves haunt it as a den; therefore the mind of the faithful becomes the den of a thief, when leaving the simplicity of holiness, it plans that which may hurt others.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Con. Evan. lib. ii. 67
John, however, relates this in a very different order, wherefore it is manifest that not once only, but twice, this was done by the Lord, and that the first time was related by John, this last, by all the other three.
Theophylact † 1107
Which also turns to the greater condemnation of the Jews, because though the Lord did this so many times, nevertheless they did not correct their conduct.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Con. Evan. lib. ii. 68
In this again Mark does not keep the same order as Matthew; because however Matthew connects the facts together by this sentence, And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany, (Matt. 21:17) returning from whence in the morning, according to his relation, Christ cursed the tree, therefore it is supposed with greater probability that he rather has kept to the order of time, as to the ejection from the temple of the buyers and sellers. Mark therefore passed over what was done the first day when He entered into the temple, and on remembering it inserted it, when he had said that He found nothing on the fig tree but leaves, which was done on the second day, as both testify.
The Gloss non occ.
But the Evangelist shews what effect the correction of the Lord had on the ministers of the temple, when he adds: And the Scribes and Chief Priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him; according to that saying of Amos: They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. (Amos 5:10) From this wicked design, however, they were kept back for a time solely by fear. Wherefore it is added, For they feared him, because all the people were astonished at his doctrine. For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes and Pharisees, as is said elsewhere.
The Latin text
Beda
Quod maledicendo ficum infructuosam per figuram dominus fecit, hoc idem mox apertius ostendit eiciendo improbos de templo. Ficus enim non peccavit, si ante tempus fructum non habuit; sed sacerdotes; unde dicitur et veniunt Hierosolymam; et cum introisset in templum, coepit eicere vendentes et ementes in templo. Et quidem credendum est, quod ea tantum vendi vel emi repererit in templo quae ad ministerium templi necessaria essent. Si ergo ea quae alibi libere geri poterant, dominus in domo sua temporalia negotia geri non patitur, quanto magis ea quae nunquam fieri licet, plus caelestis irae merentur, si in aedibus Deo sacratis aguntur? Sequitur et mensas nummulariorum
Theophylactus
Nummularios vocat campsores nummorum: nummus enim genus aeris minuti est. Sequitur et cathedras vendentium columbas evertit
Beda
Quia spiritus sanctus in columba super dominum apparuit, recte per columbas spiritus sancti charismata designantur. Columba igitur venditur, quando manus impositio, per quam spiritus sanctus recipitur, ad pretium praebetur. Cathedras autem vendentium columbas evertit: quia qui spiritualem gratiam venumdant, vel ante homines vel ante Dei oculos sacerdotio privantur
Theophylactus
Sed et si quis Baptismatis gratiam et puritatem tradiderit Daemoni per peccatum, suam columbam vendidit; et propter hoc foras de templo eicitur. Sequitur et non sinebat ut quisquam transferret vas per templum
Beda
De vasis illis dicit quae mercandi gratia inferebantur. Ceterum absit ut vasa Deo dicata dominus eiceret de templo, vel intro ferre prohiberet in templum: ubi futuri examinis praetendit exemplum; quia de Ecclesia repellit reprobos, et ne ultra ad interturbandam Ecclesiam intrent, aeterno eos verbere compescit. Sed et peccata quae cordibus fidelium inerant, divinitus immissa compunctio tollit; et ne ultra repetantur, divina in eis gratia adiuvat. Sequitur et docebat eos dicens: nonne scriptum est, quia domus mea domus orationis vocabitur cunctis gentibus?
Hieronymus
Iuxta Isaiam. Vos autem fecistis speluncam latronum, iuxta Ieremiam
Beda
Omnibus, inquit gentibus, non uni genti Iudaeae, nec in uno Hierosolymae urbis loco, sed in toto orbe terrarum; et nequaquam taurorum et hircorum et arietum, sed orationis
Theophylactus
Speluncam autem latronum templum nominat propter lucrum: genus namque latronum ad lucrum se congregat. Quia ergo illa animalia quae ad sacrificium oblata erant, causa lucri vendebant, latrones ipsos dixit. Ad hoc enim in templo erant, vel ut non dantes corporaliter persequerentur, vel dantes spiritualiter necarent. Templum etiam et domus Dei mens est et conscientia fidelium, quae si in laesione proximi perversas cogitationes profert, quasi in spelunca latrones resident. Ergo mens fidelium spelunca latronis fit quando relicta simplicitate sanctitatis, illud conatur agere quo valeat proximis nocere
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Ioannes autem longe diverso ordine hoc narrat; unde manifestum est non semel, sed iterum hoc esse a domino factum; sed illud primum commemoratum a Ioanne, hoc ultimum a ceteris tribus
Theophylactus
Quod etiam est in maiorem redargutionem Iudaeorum: quia cum dominus hoc toties fecerit, ipsi minime se correxerunt
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
In hoc etiam Marcus non eumdem ordinem tenet cum Matthaeo, sed quia Matthaeus ita connectit: et relictis illis, abiit foras extra civitatem in Bethaniam; unde mane revertentem in civitatem, arbori maledixisse commemorat; probabilius creditur ipse potius tenuisse ordinem temporis de vendentibus et ementibus eiectis de templo. Praetermisit ergo Marcus quod prima die factum est, cum intravit in templum, et recordatum interposuit, cum dixisset quod non invenit aliquid in ficulnea praeter folia; quod secundo die factum est, sicut ambo testantur
Glossa
Quem autem effectum correctio domini in ministris templi habuerit, ostendit Evangelista cum subdit quo audito principes sacerdotum et Scribae quaerebant quomodo eum perderent: secundum illud Amos: odio habuerunt corripientem in porta et loquentem perfecte abominati sunt. Ab hoc autem tam iniquo proposito ad tempus solo timore retrahebantur: unde subditur timebant enim eum quoniam universa turba admirabatur super doctrina eius. Erat enim docens eos sicut potestatem habens, et non sicut Scribae eorum et Pharisaei, ut alibi dicitur
11:19
Pseudo-Jerome
The Lord, leaving darkness behind Him in the hearts of the Jews, went out, as the sun, from that city to another which is well-disposed and obedient. And this is what is meant, when it is said, And when even was come, he went out of the city. But the sun sets in one place, rises in another, for the light, taken from the Scribes, shines in the Apostles; wherefore He returns into the city; on which account there is added, And in the morning, as they passed by, (that is, going into the city,) they saw the fig tree dried up from the root.
Theophylact † 1107
The greatness of the miracle appears in the drying up so juicy and green a tree. But though Matthew says that the fig tree was at once dried up, and that the disciples on seeing it wondered, there is no reason for perplexity, though Mark now says, that the disciples saw the fig tree dried up on the morrow; for what Matthew says must be understood to mean that they did not see it at once, but on the next day.
St Augustine † AD 430 de Con. Evan. ii. 68
The meaning is not that it dried up at the time, when they saw it, but immediately after the word of the Lord; for they saw it, not beginning to dry up, but completely dried up; and they thus understood that it had withered immediately after our Lord spoke.
Pseudo-Jerome
Now the fig tree withered from the roots is the synagogue withered from Cain, and the rest, from whom all the blood from Abel up to Zechariah is required.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Further, the fig tree was dried up from the roots to shew that the nation was impious not only for a time and in part, and was to be smitten for ever, not merely to be afflicted by the attacks of nations from without and then to be freed, as had often been done; or else it was dried up from the roots, to shew that it was stripped not only of the external favour of man, but altogether of the favour of heaven within it; for it lost both its life in heaven, and its country on earth.
Pseudo-Jerome
Peter perceives the dry root, which is cut off, and has been replaced by the beautiful and fruitful olive, called by the Lord; wherefore it goes on: And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 non occ.
The wonder of the disciples was the consequence of imperfect faith, for this was no great thing for God to do; since then they did not clearly know His power, their ignorance made them break out into wonder; and therefore it is added, And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, &c. That is; Thou shalt not only be able to dry up a tree, but also to change a mountain by thy command and order.
Theophylact † 1107
Consider the Divine mercy, how it confers on us, if we approach Him in faith, the power of miracles, which He Himself possesses by nature, so that we should be able even to change mountains.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
The Gentiles, who have attacked the Church, are in the habit of objecting to us, that we have never had full faith in God, for we have never been able to change mountains. 1It could, however, be done, if necessity called for it, as once we read that it was done by the prayers of the blessed Father Gregory of Neocæsarea, Bishop of Pontus, by which a mountain left as much space of ground for the inhabitants of a city as they wanted.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 non occ.
Or else, as He did not dry up the fig tree for its own sake, but for a sign that Jerusalem should come to destruction, in order to shew His power, in the same way we must also understand the promise concerning the mountain, though a removal of this sort is not impossible with God.
Pseudo-Jerome
Christ then who is the mountain, which grew from the stone, cut out without hands, is taken up and cast into the sea, when the Apostles with justice say, Let us turn ourselves to other nations, since ye judged yourselves unworthy of hearing the word of God. (Acts 13:46)
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
Or else, because the devil is often on account of his pride called by the name of a mountain, this mountain, at the command of those who are strong in the faith, is taken up from the earth and cast into the sea, whenever, at the preaching of the word of God by the holy doctors, the unclean spirit is expelled from the hearts of those who are fore-ordained to life, and is allowed to exert the tyranny of his power over the troubled and embittered souls of the faithless. At which time, he rages the more fiercely, the more he grieves at being turned away from hurting the faithful. It goes on: Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Theophylact † 1107
For whosoever sincerely believes evidently lifts up his heart to God, and is joined to Him, and his burning heart feels sure that he has received what he asked for, which he who has experienced will understand; and those persons appear to me to experience this, who attend to the measure and the manner of their prayers. For this reason the Lord says, Ye shall receive whatsoever ye ask in faith; for he who believes that he is altogether in the hands of God, and interceding with tears, feels that he as it were has hold of the feet of the Lord in prayer, he shall receive what he has rightly asked for. Again, would you in another way receive what you ask for? Forgive your brother, if he has in any way sinned against you; this is also what is added: And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Pseudo-Jerome
Mark has, as he is wont, expressed seven verses of the Lord’s prayer in one prayer. But what can he, whose sins are all forgiven, require more, save that he may persevere in what has been granted unto him.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
But we must observe that there is a difference in those who pray; he who has perfect faith, which worketh by love, can by his prayer or even his command remove spiritual mountains, as Paul did with Elymas the sorcerer. But let those who are unable to mount up to such a height1 of perfection pray that their sins should be forgiven them, and they shall obtain what they pray for, provided that they themselves first forgive those who have sinned against them. If however they disdain to do this, not only shall they be unable to perform miracles by their prayers, but they shall not even be able to obtain pardon for their sins, which is implied in what follows; But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
The Latin text
Hieronymus
Relinquens dominus post se tenebras in Iudaeorum cordibus, ut sol egrediebatur de civitate ad aliam quae est benevola et obediens: et hoc significatur cum dicitur et cum vespera esset facta, egrediebatur de civitate. Sed occidit sol, et oritur sol: lux enim ablata a Scribis, lucet in apostolis, unde in civitatem revertitur; propter quod subditur et cum mane transirent, scilicet in civitatem euntes, viderunt ficum aridam factam a radicibus
Theophylactus
Quod miraculum magnum videtur in hoc quod tam humidam et viridem arborem siccaverit. Quamvis autem Matthaeus dicat ficulneam continuo arefactam, et quod videntes discipuli admirati sunt, non admireris si nunc a Marco audis ficum in crastinum arefactam vidisse discipulos: nam sic intelligendum est hoc quod dicitur a Matthaeo, scilicet quod non statim viderunt, sed in crastinum
Augustinus de Cons. Evang
Intelligitur autem non tunc aruisse quando viderunt, sed continuo quando maledicta est: neque enim arescentem, sed penitus arefactam viderunt; ac sic eam continuo in verbo domini aruisse intellexerunt
Hieronymus
Ficus autem arida a radicibus, synagoga est a Cain et a ceteris, a quibus omnis sanguis ab Abel usque ad Zachariam requiritur
Beda
A radicibus autem arefacta est ficus, ut ostenderetur gens impia non ad tempus vel ex parte corripienda externorum incursibus, et per poenitentiam liberanda, sicut saepe factum est; sed aeterna damnatione ferienda. Vel arefacta est a radicibus, ut ostendatur non solum humano extrinsecus, sed divino intus favore funditus destituenda: nam et vitam perdit in caelis, et patriam in terris
Hieronymus
Petrus autem agnoscit aridam et abscissam radicem, cui succedit oliva fructifera, pulchra vocata a domino; unde sequitur et recordatus Petrus dixit ei: Rabbi, ecce ficus cui maledixisti, aruit
Chrysostomus
Quod autem Petrus et alii discipuli mirati sunt, non erat perfectae fidei: non enim magnum erat hoc Deo. Quia ergo non manifeste noverant eius virtutem, eorum ignorantia fecit eos in admirationem prorumpere; et ideo subditur et respondens Iesus ait illis: habete fidem Dei. Amen dico vobis, quia qui dixerit huic monti, etc. quasi dicat: non solum lignum siccare poteritis, sed et montem iussu ac praecepto transmutare
Theophylactus
Mirare autem divinam misericordiam, qualiter nobis appropinquantibus ad eum per fidem, miraculorum virtutem condonat, quam ipse possidet per naturam, intantum ut etiam montes transmutare possimus
Beda
Solent autem gentiles qui contra Ecclesiam maledicta scripsere, improperare nostris, quia non habuerunt plenam fidem Dei, qui numquam montes transferre potuerunt. Quibus respondendum est, non omnia scripta esse quae in Ecclesia sunt gesta; sicut et de factis ipsius Christi Scriptura testatur. Fieri autem potuit, si necessitas id fieri poposcisset; quomodo factum legimus precibus beati patris Gregorii Neocaesareae Ponti antistitis, viri meritis et virtutibus eximii, ut mons in terra tantum loco cederet, quantum incolae civitatis opus habebant
Chrysostomus
Vel aliter. Sicut ficum non propter se siccavit, sed in signum Ierusalem ad arefactionem perventurae, et ad demonstrationem virtutis suae; sic intelligendum est et de promissione quae est circa montem; quamvis huiusmodi transmutatio non sit impossibilis secundum Dei virtutem
Hieronymus
Christus igitur qui est mons crescens de lapide abscisso sine manibus, tollitur et mittitur in mare, quando apostoli dicunt digne: transferamur ad gentes alteras, quia vos indignos iudicastis audiendi verbum Dei
Beda
Vel quia montis nomine Diabolus significatur propter superbiam, mons ad praeceptum eorum qui fortes sunt in fide, tollitur de terra et in mare proicitur, cum praedicantibus verbum Dei doctoribus sanctis, immundus spiritus ab eorum corde repellitur, qui ad vitam sunt praeordinati et in turbulentis amarisque infidelium mentibus vesaniam suae tyrannidis exercere permittitur: in quos tanto acrius desaevit, quanto amplius se dolet a laesione priorum fuisse depulsum. Sequitur propterea dico vobis: omnia quae orantes petitis, credite quia accipietis et evenient vobis
Theophylactus
Qui enim ex affectu credit, manifestum est quod in Deum erigit cor suum, et illi coniungitur, et certificatur cor eius calefactum, quasi suam petitionem iam consecutum: quod quidem intelligibile est ei qui passus est hoc. Et mihi quidem videtur illos hoc pati qui mensuram et modum attendunt: propter hoc dominus dicit, quod omnia accipietis quaecumque fide petieritis. Qui enim credit se totum disponi a Deo, cum lacrymis intercedens, et quasi domini pedes in oratione tenere se cogitans, quae iuste postulat consequetur. Vis autem et aliter quae petis accipere? Dimitte, si quid contra te peccaverit frater tuus; et hoc est quod subditur et cum stabitis ad orandum, dimittite, si quid habetis adversus aliquem, ut et pater vester qui in caelis est dimittat vobis peccata vestra
Hieronymus
Septem versus orationis dominicae Marcus suo more in una oratione comprehendit. Is autem cui dimissa sunt omnia peccata, quid amplius rogabit nisi ut perseveret in eo quod obtinuit?
Beda
Notanda est autem distinctio deprecantium: qui perfectam habet fidem, quae per dilectionem operatur, ille orando vel etiam iubendo potest transferre montes spirituales, quomodo fecit Paulus de Elyma mago; qui vero tantae vestigium perfectionis necdum conscendere queunt, postulent sibi peccata dimitti, et impetrabunt, si tamen in se peccantibus aliis primo ipsi dimittant. Sin autem hoc facere contemnunt, non solum orando virtutes facere, sed nec suorum possunt veniam consequi peccatorum; et hoc est quod subditur quod si vos non dimiseritis, nec pater vester qui in caelis est dimittet vobis peccata vestra
11:27
Theophylact † 1107
They were angry with the Lord, for having cast out of the temple those who had made it a place of merchandize, and therefore they come up to Him, to question and tempt Him. Wherefore it is said: And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the Chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the elders, and say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee authority to do these things? As if they had said, Who art thou that doest these things? Dost thou make thyself a doctor, and ordain thyself Chief Priest?
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
And indeed, when they say, By what authority doest thou these things, they doubt its being the power of God, and wish it to be understood that what He did was the devil’s work. When they add also, Who gave thee this authority, they evidently deny that He is the Son of God, since they believe that He works miracles, not by His own but by another’s power.
Theophylact † 1107
Further, they said this, thinking to bring Him to judgment, so that if He said, by mine own power, they might lay hold upon Him; but if He said, by the power of another, they might make the people leave Him, for they believed Him to be God. But the Lord asks them concerning John, not without a reason, nor in a sophistical way, but because John had borne witness of Him. Wherefore there follows: And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
The Lord might indeed have confuted the cavils of his tempters by a direct answer, but prudently puts them a question, that they might be condemned either by their silence or their speaking, which is evident from what is added, And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? As if He had said, He whom you confess to have had his prophecy from heaven bore testimony of Me, and ye have heard from him, by what authority I do these things. It goes on: But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people. They saw then that whatever they answered, they should fall into a snare; fearing to be stoned, they feared still more the confession of the truth. Wherefore it goes on: And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell.
Pseudo-Jerome
They envied the Lamp, and were in the dark, wherefore it is said, I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed; his enemies will I clothe with shame. (Ps. 132:17, 18) There follows: And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
St Bede † AD 735 ubi sup.
As if He had said, I will not tell you what I know, since ye will not confess what ye know. Further, we must observe that knowledge is hidden from those who seek it, principally for two reasons, namely, when he who seeks for it either has not sufficient capacity to understand what he seeks for, or when through contempt for the truth, or some other reason, he is unworthy of having that for which he seeks opened to him.
The Latin text
Theophylactus
Quia dominus de templo eiecerat eos qui templum quasi tabernam rerum venalium faciebant, irati fuerant: ideo accedunt ut interrogent et tentent; unde dicitur et veniunt rursus Hierosolymam. Et cum ambularet in templo, accedunt ad eum summi sacerdotes et Scribae et seniores, et dicunt ei: in qua potestate haec facis? Et quis dedit tibi hanc potestatem ut ista facias? Quasi dicant: quis es tu qui talia facis? Numquid doctorem te constituis et te ordinas principem sacerdotum?
Beda
Et quidem quando dicunt in qua potestate haec facis? De Dei dubitant potestate et subintelligi volunt Diaboli esse quod facit; addentes quoque quis dedit tibi hanc potestatem? Manifestissime Dei filium negant, quem putant non suis sed alienis viribus signa facere
Theophylactus
Haec autem dicebant, credentes ipsum in iudicationem reducere; ut si diceret: in potestate mea, ipsum tenerent; si autem diceret: in potestate alterius, ab eo discedere populum procurarent, qui ipsum Deum esse credebant. Dominus vero illos interrogat de Ioanne, non frustra, neque sophistice, sed quia de eo Ioannes perhibuerat testimonium; unde sequitur ille autem respondens ait illis: interrogabo vos et ego
Beda
Poterat quidem dominus, aperta responsione, tentatorum calumnias confutare; sed prudenter interrogat, ut suo vel silentio vel sententia condemnentur: quod apparet ex eo quod subditur at illi cogitabant secum, dicentes: si dixerimus: de caelo, dicet nobis: quare ergo non creditis ei? Quasi dicat: quem confitemini de caelo habuisse prophetiam, mihi testimonium perhibuit, et ab illo audistis in qua ista facio potestate. Sequitur si dixerimus: ex hominibus. Viderunt ergo, quodlibet horum respondissent, in laqueum se casuros, timentes lapidationem, sed magis timentes veritatis confessionem; unde sequitur et respondentes dicunt Iesu: nescimus
Hieronymus
De lucerna invidi obscurantur; unde dicitur: paravi lucernam Christo meo; inimicos eius induam confusione. Sequitur respondens Iesus, ait illis: neque ego dico vobis in qua potestate haec faciam
Beda
Quasi dicat: non vobis dico quod scio, quia non vultis fateri quod scitis. Notandum autem, quod duas ob causas maxime scientia veritatis est occultanda quaerentibus; scilicet cum is qui quaerit aut minus capax est ad intelligendum quod quaerit; aut contemptu veritatis, aut aliquo alio indignus est cui debeat aperiri quod quaerit
11:1
11:10
Ver. 10. Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh. It means, blessed by the benediction and goodness of God, i.e., "let it be happy, propitious, flourishing, firm, and abounding in all good things, this kingdom of our father David, which is the kingdom of Israel that kingdom which was most ample and flourishing under David and Solomon his son, and which fell to pieces at the Babylonian captivity, and subsequently. Now does that kingdom come. It returns, and is restored by this our Messiah, the Son of David, who shall restore it to its pristine glory and beauty, yea, who shall make it far more strong and flourishing." Ver. 16. And He suffered not that any man should carry a vessel through the temple. Vessel, utensil, instrument, or furniture, for profane uses, such as basket, pot, ewer, or burden. Through the temple, i.e., through the outermost court of the temple, which was the court of the Gentiles, where the Gentiles might tarry and pray. For to those who wished to pass from the sheep-market, called Bethesda, or by corruption Bethsaida, to the upper city, or Solomon's palace, the nearest way was through this porch or court of Solomon's. For otherwise they would have to traverse the whole exterior boundary of this court. It was not surprising, therefore, that servants and children, who were carrying any burden, should take the nearer way through this court. But Christ forbade their doing so, both by His word and the gestures which He made with His hand, and compelled them to go back. What, then, would He have done with respect to the Holy Place itself? What with respect to our churches? (See Vilalpandus, tom. 2, in Ezek 50: 3, c. Ezek 50: 9.) Ver. 22. Have faith, i.e., full and perfect faith.
11:1
Nolat TÀeoph. : « saepe etiam alias venit in lerusalem, sed nunquam cum tanta maiestate quanta. nunc; prius quidem delitescebat propter invidiam illorum, nunc autem quia passionis tempus aderat quod ipse sibi praefinierat clarior venit, ut si velint gloriam eius intelligant et ex prophetiis quae in ipso impletae erant agnoscant eum quod etiam tam claris miraculis non crediderint » (sim Vict.). Christum sabbato Bethaniae commoratum esse et inde die sequenti profectum sollemnem suum in urbem ingressum habuisse die decimo mensis nisan quo die agni paschales seligi solebant, vide ad Matth. 21,1 (Comment. II p. 198 seq.). Deilla in Bethania commoratione solus narrat S. loannes 19,1 seq.; synoptici solum itineris a [ericho in urbem mentionem faciunt 11,1 e/ cum appropinquarent Lerosolymae et Bethaniae ad montem olivarum εἰς leo. καὶ εἰς DwÜ. πρὸς τὸ ὅρος quem textum ita explica : cum appropinquarent Ierusalem versus et quidem ad Bethaniam qui vicus est ad montem olivarum; itineris terminum primo loco positum cernis, altero qui medius est. [demque clarius habetur in eo textu quem codices graeci plerique praebent : εἰς "Ip. , εἰς Batoxyz καὶ Bz8.; qui loquendi modus illustratur et declaratur Luc. 19,28 : praecedebat ascendens lerosolymam, et factum est cum appropinquasset ad Bethphage et Bethaniam. et Luc. 19,29. — Ceterum de etymologica nominum ratione recole quac dixi in Comment. Matth. II p. 200. Cum itaque Christus venisset Bethphage (Matth. 21,1), muztut duos ex discipulis suis, quos miserit frustra aliqui quaerunt; missos esse Petrum et loannem aliqui ex Luc. 22,8 coniectant; sed ex eo quod illi ad cóenam paschalem parandam missi sunt, non sequitur etiam missos esse ad pullum adducendum ;
11:2
v. 2 et ait rs : ite in castellum quod contra vos est, alii Bethphage intelligunt, alii Bethaniam (IVe/ss); sed cum Christus teste loanne a Bethania iter in urbem aggressus sit, Bethania nullo pacto intelligi potest. Etiam dubitari potest possitne Bethphage ad quem vicum iam venerint nunc dici κώμη, ἡ κατέναντι ὑμῶν; et. statim. introeuntes. illuc invenietis pullum. ligatum , πῶλος apud LXX Gen. 32,16 et 49,11 et Iud. 10,4 et 12,14 dicitur de pullo asinae. Cum apud profanos scriptores πῶλος etiam de pullo equino dicatur putarunt aliqui Marcum eam vocem consulto selegisse omissa mentione asinae (Matth. 21,2) « ne Romanorum aures offenderentur » ( Wetstein; sim: Schanz); id quod admitti potest! dummodo non dicatur apud Marcum Iesum pullo equino vectum ingressum esse in urbem; nam praeter Gen. et Iud. etiam in ipsa de eo ingressu prophetia Zach. 9,9 apud LXX legitur πῶλος; quare Marcus et Lucas merito ea voce uli poterant; super quem nemo adhuc hominum sedit; nam ad usus sacros adhiberi solebant iumenta quae nondum iugum portaverant; cf. Num. 19,2. Deut. 21,3. 1 Reg. 6,7; etiam Graecis et μοmanis animalia quae nondum usibus humanis mancipata erant, sacra habebantur (locos lege v. g. apud Wetstein). Et profecto si ad quaedam sacrificia eiusmodi victimae lege requirebantur quae nulli usui profano inservierant, regis Messiae dignitatem quoque decebat ut iumentum sibi eligeret tale quale ipsa lege et existimatione hominum quam maxime aptum esse videbatur ut rei sacrae inserviret; solvite tllum et adducite; rex enim pacis qui ipse est mitiset humilis, etiam in liora triumphi sui indolem regni sui a fastu et tyrannide regnorum terrestrium alienissimam prae se ferre vult; vide Zach. 9,9 (Comment. in Proph. min. II p. 319 seq.). Et simul praeoccupat etsolvit difficultatem quaeanimos discipulorum fortasse iam tetigerat dum eos iuberet solvere et adducere pullum
11:3
v. 3 et si quis vobis dixerit : quid facitis? dicite, quia Domino necessarius est; et continuo 1llum. dimittet huc; ultimam sententiam aliqui ita accipiunt ut ab ipsis discipulis sit dicenda ei qui eos interrogat : quid facitis; scil. Dominum statim iterum pullum esse restituturum simul atque eo usus fuerit (ita iam Ew. ad Matth. 21,1, Vollmar, Keil, Weiss). At merito plerique ea verba a Iesu addi explicant ut significet hominem illum sine ulla mora esse permissurum ut pullum solvant et abducant. Nam quod illi volunt Dominum promittere se statim pullum iterum missurum esse ad herum, quasi hac sponsione hero facilius persuaderetur ut pullum abduci sineret, satis est ieiunum ac putidum. Urgent illi dici tempore praesenti ἀποστέλλει et addi πάλιν; sed tempus praesens nequit obiici, quia in utraque explicatione necessario ita accipi debet, ut res futura modo loquendi vivido repraesentetur ; immo in explicatione adversariorum tempus illud magis remotum est quam in nostra; ergo tempus praesens nequit obstare. Neque obstat πάλιν in textu graeco. Dicitur enim ratione habita prioris cius oppositionis qua eos propulsare et impedire volebat; cf. Matth. 1,7. 2 Cor. 10,7 et similiter Luc. 6,43, et adhibetur notione vicissim, e contrario. Dominus hoc loco modo eximio suam demonstrat cognilionem rerum absentium et futurarum. Bene notant Vict. Theoph. : vide quot sint hic miracula quae eis hoc loco dixerit, eos viculum ingressos statim inventuros esse pullum eumque alligatum; eos iri interpellatum at Domini mentione facta sine ulla inora fore ut pullum possint abducere. Uti Dominus praedixit singula eveniunt
11:4
v. 4 et abeuntes invenerunt pullum ligatum ante ianuam foris in bivio ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀμφύδοηυ in compito, in via illa quae domum ambit; nota quam distincte singula ἃ Marco describantur, quae cum ad testem rei et spectatorem fere referenda esse videantur, inde haud improbabiliter concluseris Petrum unum fuisse ex duobus illis quos Christus misit; quae conclusio saltem magis suaderi potest quam illa quae quandoque ex Luc. 22,8 deducitur; δέ solvunt eum ; non rogant herum, non inquirunt ab iis qui circumstant cuius sit; verum accurate agunt, ut Iesus eos v. 2 agere iusserat. Qui eos vident haud cunctanter solventes pullum, non sine admiratione de modo agendi insolito eos interpellant
11:5
v. 5 quid fucitis solventes pullum?
11:6
v. 6 qui dixerunt eis sicut. praeceperat. illis Iesus, et dimiserunt eis, ἀφῆχαν αὐτούς eos, sinebant eos solvere et abducere pullum. Cum singula evenirent prout Dominus praedixerat, discipuli sane magna cum Domini reverenlia et admiratione reversi sunt;
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v. 7 e£ duxerunt pullum ad Iesum; « nec moveat quod Matthaeus asinam dicit et pullum, ceteri autem dec asina tacent...: ubi ergo utrumque factum potest intelligi, nulla repugnantia est, nec si alius aliud et aliud alius commemoret, quanto minus ubi alius unum, alius utrumque » (S. Aug. de cons. ev. 2,66. 197)? Ceterum vide quae ad Zach. 9,9 (Comment. in Proph. min. II p. 321 seq.) et ad Matth. 21,7 dicta sunt. Quo autem Dominus commodius et honorificentius sederet (lans.) super pullum, ?mponunt illi vestimenta sua, pallia scil. vel amictum extimum; e£ sedit super eum. Exemplum discipulorum turbae sequuntur et magno honore ac reverentia Christo pompam parant triumphalem. Cernuntur subito quodam instinctu et afflatu impulsae ad maximam honoris significationem Christo exhibendam; in quo studio adeo repenüno et ardenti deprehendes quanta potentia fesus valeat in animos. Vult enim semel cum festivitate quadam illam ingredi urbem cui potissimum vaticinia messiana data sunt et adversariis suis qui non alium Messiam exoptant nisi gloriosum aliquid suae maiestatis ostendere; et ecce, repentina animorum incitatione plurimae turbae ad sollemnem cultum et venerationem qualis Messiam decet conspirant. Ergo Iesus nutu voluntatis suae animos populi regit ac pro lubitu inflectit;
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v. 8 mulli autem vestimenta sua. straverunt in via, εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν in viam; imitantur enim et superant apostolorum devotionem (/ans.); honore regio viam calcandam praeparant, quod fuit, ut Cai. dicit, valde mirabile; nunquam Davidi triumphanti aut Salomoni talis honor exhibitus est, et tanto mirabilius quod ex improviso factum est Deo instigante turbam ad hoc. Porro in publicis ac sollemnibus gaudiis ramos virides gestare solebant; ita 1 Mach. 13,51 mundata arce a contaminationibus intraverunt in eam cum laude et ramis palmarum et hymnis et canticis; pariter 2 Mach. 10,7 cum laetitia celebrabant purificationem templi thyrsos et ramos virides et palmas praeferentes ei qui prosperavit mundari locum suum. Quare in hac quoque sollemnitate et laetitia alii quidem acceperunt ramos palmarum (loan. 12,13), a/& autem frondes caedebant de arboribus et sternebant in via δτιθάδας κόψαντες ἐχ τῶν ἀγρῶν i. e. ramos et frondes ex agris et campis exciderunt; στιδὰς proprie est stragulum e foliis, arundinibus, mollibus virgultis factum; ceterum vide lect. var.; hic vero cvi£z92; de ramis et virgultis intellige quibus utique tamquam stragulo usi sunt, et eum in usum ramos exciderant. Uti decet triumphatorem, Iesus in media iubilantium et exsultantium turba progreditur
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v. 9 et qui praeibant et qui sequebantur clamabant dicentes :. Hosanna, v. 10 benedictus qui venit in. nomine Domini; verba deprompta sunt ex Ps. 117,925. 26 ; acclamatio est exsultantium el adprecatio salutis ; hosanna, codices vulg. ferunt osanna, uti quoque in it. habetur quae pronuntiatio ad formam refertur aramaicam et certe genuina est, quia tempore Christi pro hebr. x3 aà»*v33 apud populum modus aramaicus substituebatur, quod idem cernitur in verbis lamma sabacthani (15,34). Notio est : salvum fac, quaeso! ergo fausta acclamatio, qua exoptant ut ei cui fit acclamatio salus et prosperitas 8 Deo obtingat. Quod itaque iam olim vates regi Messiae laetabundus acclamavit : prospere procede (Ps. 44,5), eodem modo populus eum salutat et celebrat gaudio perfusus, quia Messias festiva pompa ad sanctam urbem accedit; unde benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini, cum saepius dicatur benedicere in nomine Domini (Deut. 21,5. 2 Reg. 6.18) videtur ita quoque hic iungi posse : benedictus (sit) in nomine Domini ὁ ἐρχόμενος i. e. sit benedictus per Deum qui sua manifestatione et praesentia (nomine) se potentem exhibeat (cf. de notione nominis Dei ad Matth. 18,5 et 21,9; Comment. lI p. 110. 206); ea scil. significatione qua dicitur Ps. 53,& in nomine tuo salvum me fac et Ps. 19,9; 43,6; 88,25; 193, 8 : adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini et Is. 30,27 etc. ; proinde Deus pro sua potentia, fidelitate in promissis servandis quibus sese nobis revelavit, ei benefaciat. Sed plerique iungunt zn nomine Domini cum qui venit ὁ ἐοχόμενος, qui venit nomine et auctoritate Dei, a Deo missus, per quem scil. Deus se et auctoritatem suam et voluntatem manifestat. . Et quod apud Matthaeum in βίο David profitentur, se scil. Messiam salutare, idem declaratur hic verbis : benedictum quod venit regnum Messiae filii David; in Messia enim impletur promissio illa throni et regni aeterni Davidi data; quare Messias appellatur germen David, rex David et David simpliciter (cf. 2 Reg. 7,16. Ps. 88,30. ler. 23,5; 33,15. Ez. 35,93. Os. 3,5) et quantopere haec notio atque exspectatio tempore Christi propagata fuerit, vide in Comment. Matth. I p. 10. 11. Dicunt itaque benedictum i. e. Deus benedicat, secundet, prosperet regnum Messiae regis nostri; Aosanna in ercelsis salutem concede in coelo, in sublimi tua habitatione et sede, unde descendat ad eum quem fausta acclamatione salutamus; salutem et prosperitatem coelitus dandam et quasi e coelorum altissimo culmine descendentem, proinde eximiam ac singularem, efflagitant. cf. Antiq. 3,10. 4 et 13,13. 3). Hisce consona sunt quae in tractatu mischnico de tabernaculis praescribuntur. [Insuper ibi additur si canitur hosanna fasciculos illos esse agitandos et vibrandos, et singulis diebus illius festi tabernaculorum eos circumdare sollemni pompa altare et canere hosanna (cf. Surenhusius 11 p. 970. 2974; Ugolini Thes. 18,410. 460; 28,1219; 30,1237). Quare apud rabbinos ipsum festum tabernaculorum appellatur hosanna, et hosanna rabba, hosanna magnum vocatur septimus eius festi dies et preces per illos dies fundendae nomine hosannoth desiguantur eodemque etiam fasciculi illi, quia in eorum circumgestatione et commotione acclamabant hosanna (cf. Burtorf, Lexicon chald. p. 992). Ipsa natura comparatum est, ut coronis, floribus, laetis acclamationibus homines animorum exsultationem prodant et exprimant. Accedit autem quod aptissime ad gaudium de ingressu Messiae demonstrandum assumunt ritus ex festo tabernaculorum. Eo enim festo iubentur laetari, quia Dominus iis benedixerit (Deut. 16,14 seq. Lev. 23,41), iubentur memores esse omnium beneficiorum quae in egressu ex Acgypto et in commoratione ac peregrinatione per desertum a Domino acceperant. Cum itaque in adventu Messiae maxima Dei benedictio et summum contineatur beneficium, ad quod reliqua omnia in vetere foedere spectabant et suo modo populum praeparabant, maxime conveniens erat et certe non sine Dei nutu factum est, ut Messiam ca laetitiae significatione salutarent qua festum tabernaculorum eo tempore celebrare solebant. Atque merito turbae acceperunt ramos palmarum (Ioan. 12,13); palma est enim symbolum victoriae et triumphi; turba illa magna quam vidit loannes et quam dinumerare nemo poterat, ex omnibus gentibus et tribubus et populis et linguis, erant stantes ante thronum et palmae in manibus eorum; hi venerunt de tribulatione magna (Apoc. 7,9. 14). Cbristus autem in co est ut certamen ineat et principem huius mundi eiiciat et triumphum agat de peccato et morte. Unde merito tamquam victor ac triumphator modo sollemni deducitur. — Insuper uti eo die agnus paschalis eligebatur et ornabatur, ita Christus, verus ille Agnus Dei qui tollit peccatum mundi, non sine pompa et ornatu urbem illam ingreditur, in qua pro inundi salute immolandus erat, ut suo sanguine nos a servitute redimeret. Quale futurum sit regnum David, Iesus ostendit dum in templum quasi in arcem suam regiam ascendit
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v. 11 e£ zutroivit Ierusalem in templum ; cf. Mal. 3,1; templum erat symbolum et pignus praesentiae Dei et inhabitationis in populo; haec autein praesentia et inhabitatio ad culmen adducitur in Verbo quod caro factum est et habitavit in nobis (Ioan. 1,15), et circumspectis omnihirs, « tamquam dominus illius habitaculi cireumspicit omnia quae in teinplo erant et tunc quidem siluit dans tempus correctionis hiis qui ipsum despiciebant ; postmodum vero cum rediissel austerius eos punivit. tamquam | incorrigibiles » (Euth.); similiter Schanz, Fd. ; opinatur Schegg Christum ex ordine perlustrasse templi spatia, ubi tamquam infans oblatus sit, ut puer duodecim annorum docuerit, ubi a diabolo tentatus sit, ubi saepius docuerit etc. atque singula discipulis in memoriam revocasse magisque explanasse etc. At περιδλεψάμενος non tot in se concludit significationes. Alii, uti Schenkel, ex voce colligunt Iesum quia omnia curiose inspiciat tum demum prima vice in templum esse ingressum ; quam arbitrarie et frivole hoc statuatur elucet ex Ioan. 2,15; 5,15; 7,15. 98; 8,2 seq. 10,93; 18,90 et Matth. 93,37 ; cum iam vespera esset hora exul in Bethaniam cum duodecim ; inde erat profectus Ioan. 12.12 ; ibi habitabant amici Iesu, Lazarus eiusque sorores. Cur non in urbe pernoctat? censet Ca:. quia nullus in civitate eum invitaverit; Fil. quia propter inimicos multos, potentes, furore et rabie incensos haud tutum fuerit in urbe commorari. Sed « quotidie eram apud vos in templo docens et non me tenuistis » (15,49). Existimat Beda eum ad fideles secessisse in Bethaniam , quia apud contradicentes et resistentes veritati noluerit caput reclinare; « hoc quoque intelligendum est quod tantae Dominus fuerit paupertatis et ita nulli sit adulatus, ut in urbe maxima nullum hospitem, nullam invenerit mansionem, sed in agro parvulo apud Lazarum sororesque eius habitaret ». Et [ans. putat ob metum pharisaeorum neminem ausum esse Iesum invitare, Lamy Iesum se clam subduxisse, ubi lateret pharisaeos quos ingressus commovisset. Quare etiam aliqui de ingratitudine et mutabilitate populi mirantur qui nunc iam Iesum deserat; ipsum autem redire Bethaniam quasi in typum futurorum, quod scil. relicta ob ingratitudinem synagoga transmigraturus sit ad gentes (flans. Lap.). Cum Iesus semel hospitio exceptus essel in Bethania, illud retinuisse videtur, ut suo exemplo quoque comprobaret quod docuerat apostolos et discipulos : nolite transire de domo in domum ; in eadem domo manete etc. (Luc. 10,7. Matth. 10,11).
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v. 19 et alia die cum exirent a Bethania esuritt ; opinatur Vict. haec scribi solum ex quadam coniectura discipulorum; cum enim viderent Christum accedere ad ficum et audirent eius verba, eos conclusisse Christum accedere ut quaereret fructum quia esuriret ; scribi enim alias quoque opiniones discipulorum. Similiter videtur A/5. negare esuriem Christi, cum solum de esurie explicet qua Christus salutem Iudaeorum desideret. Aliis placuit esuriem non fuisse naturalem, sed voluntate et sponte accersitam (Ma/d. lans. Lap.) ut per eam haberet occasionem maledicendi ficulneae; vel sese solum ita gessisse ac si esuriret (Euth. Lamy); immo Vict. censet neminem fore adeo imbecilli ingenii ut putet matutino tempore eum tali stimulatum esse fame, et quaerit quid eum impedire potuisset ne domum relinqueret postquam comedisset? Sed profecto non est, cur a simplice et nativa verborum notione recedamus ; « esuriit in veritate , utpote tantae sobrietatis ut etiam mane esuriret » ait Ca:. et similiter alii ex hac esurie colligunt Christum modica coenula usum esse;
Iam explicatur quid Christus circumspectis omnibus (v. 11) sibi faciendum esse decreverit. Et primo quidem iudicium quod in perversam et infidelem synagogam devolvendum est symbolo declarat. Quemadmodum enim prophetae interdum verbis, interdum factis prophetaverunt, sic Christus quandoque sermonibus quandoque operibus aliquid praesignavit ( Dion.);
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v. 13 cumque vidisset a longe ficum habentem folia , venit si quid forte inveniret in ea εἰ ἄρα si igitur, an igitur quid inveniret, itaque ex eo quod arbor iam eo anni tempore foliis esset vestita ficus quoque polliceri videbatur. Sed quales? ea in re alia ab aliis statuuntur. Censent aliqui potuisse exspectari ficus praecoces cum arbor loco aprico sita iam fructus maturos! gignere potuerit; alii id negant et solum ficus serotinas quae scil. anno praecedente ortae sint et solum hieme transacta ad maturitatem adducantur (cf. Schegs, Schanz, Fil. Keil, Ed. ll p. 374) in arbore reperiri potuisse affirmant. Quidquid est, omnes consentire debent luxurie foliorum promitti fructum. Sed cum venisset ad eam , nihil invenit praeter folia; cum, uti Plinius dicit (ἢ. n. 16,59), fico serius folium nascatur quam pomum, si non ficus ab ultimo anno, saltem adesse debeb ant ficus immaturae; quia itaque nihil reperiebatur nisi folia, arbor erat plane sterilis, quae tamen in frondem praemature luxurians magnam fertilitatis speciem prae se ferebat. Quod sequitur non enim erat tempus ficorum, multi ita explicant ut ratio afferatur, cur non invenerit nisi folia; sed designatione temporis solum significari potest alias arbores nondum maturasse fructus, cum tamen haec foliis vestita speciem fertilitatis prae se ferret; vel cur non adfuerint ficus praecoces eaeque maturae, neque tamen cur nihil invenerit nisi folia. Porro si sententia haec refertur solum ad με invenit , mirum videtur cur Iesus accesserit ad arborem quaerens fructum, cum tamen non esset tempus ficorum, et magis etiam mirum cur tandem arbori maledixerit, quae si non erat tempus ficorum etiam non potuit habere fructum. Inde occasio capta est explicandi discipulos ex accessu Christi ad arborem conclusisse eius esuriem et desiderium inveniendi fructum. Alii putabant additum esse hoc ab evangelista , utipsa temporis ratione admoneremur statim haec facta esse a Christo in mysterio, cum evidens esset eum non ignorasse id quod omnes sciebant et proinde etiam eum non accessisse ut fructum quaereret, sed totam actionem esse mere symbolicam (cf. (αἱ. Ians.). Alii id referunt ad totam sententiam antecedentem , ita quidem ut declaretur cur Christus cernens arborem habentem folia a via declinans ad eam accesserit; cum enim non esset tempus ficorum et arbor illa nihilominus prae aliis iam plurimum frondesceret, supponere quemque iure potuisse reperiri fructus; quare afferri rationem cur Iesus more hominum externe agens ad eam adierit (cf. Schegg, Schanz, Fil.; uti iam accepit rem LzgAtfoot ad Matth. 91,19). llisce verbis ingenia interpretum plurimum exercebantur. Quare explica- Liones sat multae prolatae sunt : illo anno paucas fuisse ficus, « neque enim eral tempestas illa ficubus abundans » (Hammond, Clericus, Novum Test. Francof. 1714 p. 150), ideoque nullam prorsus ficum nec maturam nec immaturam repertam esse; vel locum non fuisse aptum; vel interrogatione posita : nonne enim tempus erat ficuum? vel alia lectione adoptata : οὗ γὰρ ἦν, χαιοὺς συχῶν, ubi enim fuit, ἢ. e. iuxta lerusalem et ad montem oliveti, tempus erat ficuum vel tempestivae ac maturae erant ficus (cf. 5vnopsis critic. IV p. 798); vel nondum erat messis ficorum; alii verba haec delere volebant ; alii esse glossam absurdam etc. cf. Weiss. Cum itaque arbor spem quam foliis suis promittebat falleret, Iesus
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v. 44 respondens dixit ei : tam non amplus in aeternum ez te fructum quisquam manducet; qui loquendi modus et ad rem et ad symbolum tum aptus est, si merito exspectari potuit ac debuit ficus repertum iri. Repraesentatur enim ea arboreipsa synagoga vel populus Israel ; arbor lis cernitur instructa quibus spem fructuum excitat atque de populo Israel quam maxime valet : quid est quod debui ultra facere vineae meae et non feci ei (Is. 5,4)? Arbor nihil habet nisi folia ; populus habet legem , habet caerimonias, habet cultum, habet observantias et mandata hominum (Ps. Hier.) quibus sepes legis constituebatur ; ergo ea externe cernuntur quae subsidia sunt et adiumenta virtutum ; at Iesus apud plerosque nullum fructum religionis, pietatis, iustitiae reperit. Uti in parabola de ficu Luc. 13,6-9 populus depingitur et cura Iesu de eius salute qua ille abutitur, ita in re a Christo hoc loco gesta adumbratur idem populus sua culpa sterilis bonis operibus et contumax et adumbratur iusta poena ei debita : auferetur ab eo regnum et dabitur genti facienti fructum. Ex qua significatione etiam colligi debet quid illud non erat tempus ficorum designare nequeat. Si enim ratio afferretur cur nihil fructus in ea reperiret, dicendum esset quod habet S. Paulinus nolanus in epistola ad Desiderium (ep. 43, alias 35; M. 61,384) : « sine causa videtur arbor accepisse maledictum quae culpa sterilitatis carebat, si adhuc per anni tempus alienum fructus non habebat paratos, non infecunda de vitio, sed immatura de tempore ». Neque sufficit cum eodem dicere, ut nihilominus maledictum explicetur : « numquid de arboribüs cura est Deo? propter nos utiquescriptum est, in quibus escam suam Deus semper vult invenire ». Verum quia propter nos vel proprie propter populuin Israel et synagogam actum est, necessarium est ut pro arboris natura in ipsa arbore sit vitium et quodammodo culpa. [ta quippe res gesta fit parabola apta ad populi'culpam et sortem exhibendam. Cum S. Chrysostomus (hom. in Matth. 67 ; M. 58,633), Vict. negent Christum esuriisse et ad arborem accessisse ut fructum quaereret, in arbore hac illustrari dicunt potentiam Christi ad poenas si voluerit infligendas, ut scil. discerent apostoli, ipsum potuisse affligere et uno momento perdere adversarios suos si voluisset; semper enim eousque Christum miracula fecisse ad beneficia praestanda ; nunc autem etiam ultricem suam potentiam voluisse manifestare eiusque exhibere exemplum non quidem in homine, sed in re inanimata, in arbore (cf. Theoph.). Quamvis verum sit hanc potestatem ultricem hic ostendi, tamen ea explicatio nequit sufficere, quia et negliguntur ea quae in v. 12 et 13 dicuntur et nexus cum subsequenti narratione omittitur. Additur porro et audiebant discipuli eius, ut doctrina discipulis tradenda significetur; cf. v. 20 seq. In ista Christi esurie facile patet symbolice significari desiderium salutis populi sui, sicut eo quod fructum quaerit, illud in se exprimit quod legitur apud prophetam : praecoquas ficus desideravit anima mea (Mich. 7,1). Benc notat Beda : « quod maledicendo ficum infructuosam per figuram fecit Dominus, hoc idem mox apertius ostendit eiiciendo improbos e templo »
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v. 15 et ventunt Ierosolymam; et cum introisset in templum , εἰς τὸ ἱερόν, uti ex sequentibus patet, intelligendum est atrium exterius, τὸ πρῶτον ἱερόν, τὸ ἔξωθεν ἱερόν (losephus), in quod gentilibus quoque introire licebat. Ibi itaque emporium constitui solebat, in quo vendebantur ea quae ad sacrificia offerenda necessaria erant, vinum, sal, oleum, pecora, boves, columbae; et cum unusquisque [sraelita singulis annis dimidium siclum pro templo persolvere deberet, ctiam aderant qui lucro accepto nummum sacrum pro alterius generis pecunia darent; tributum enim Deo solvendum erat non alia pecunia quam hemisiclo; coepit eiicere vendentes et ementes in templo, ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, in atrio exteriore, e£ mensas nummulariorum , τῶν χολλυθιστῶν; cf. χόλλυξος, collybus, nummus pro permutatione datus; igitur mensas eorum qui pecunias commutabant cum lucro quod lucrum etiam apud talmudistas j:251p appellabatur (cf. Buztorf, Lexicon chald. p. 2032) et cathedras vendentium columbas evertit; columbae quippe in variis sacrificiis requirebantur v. g. puerperarum, leprosorum, nasiraeorum ; quandoque ob pauperiem pro aliis victimis licebat offerre columbas; cf. Lev. 1,15; 5,7; 129,8; 15,22; 15,14. 29. Num. 6,10;
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v. 16 e( non sinebat ut quusquam transferret vas per templum , ne scil. in viae compendium atrium templi veluti transitus.adhiberetur. Id a solo Marco refertur Christum prohibuisse. Etiam Josephus scribit : ne vas quidem aliquod portari licet in templum (c. Ap. 2,7); rabbini quoque praescribunt : ne quis eat in montem domus (atrium gentium) cum baculo suo et calceis suis, crumena sua et pulvere in pedibus; non per illud faciat viam suam transitionis nec faciat locum sputationis etc. (cf. LigAtfoot ad ἢ. 1.). Quae sunt commenta talmudistarum quibus maxima in reverentia templum habitum esse inepte fingunt. Quanta vero profanatione locum sacrum violaverint sacerdotes, luculenter evangelistae tradunt et Iesus iustissima indignatione ostendit. Templo a profanatione purgato
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v. 17 «docebat dicens eis, docebat et dicebat, uti graece habetur, i. e. cum doceret inter alia ctiam haec proferebat : nonne scriptum est : quia domus mea domus orationis vocabitur omnibus gentibus? cf. Is. 56,7 ; vocabitur i. e. erit et esse debet locus cultus divini, ex quo verus cultus l'ei omnibus gentibus innotcscat et afferatur. Verba apud Isaiam iam spectant tempus messianum (vide meum Comment. II p. 366). Ex qua conditione crimen sacerdotum qui illi profanationi favent augetur, «quia cum ipsi esse debeant custodes cultus divini, istum cultum et apud ludaeos et apud alienigenas in contemptum verti sinunt; longe itaque absunt ab eo ut sua pietate et reverentia templi alienigenas quoque ad cultum fei alliciant. Haec verba omnibus gentibus solus Marcus ex vaticinio attulit; apte quidem et ad crimen illud efferendum et propter fideles ex gentibus. Sunt qui putent ea a Marco relata esse, quia in atrio gentium in quo alienigenae adorabant illa profanatio perpetrabatur (ΕἾ. Weiss); vos autem fecistis eam speluncam latronum; eodem vituperio Deus iam per leremiam (7,11) Iudaeos insectatus est; latrones Christus vocat mercatores, nummularios, qui fraude et avaritia lucrum iniustum quaerunt (Vict. Theoph.) vel, ut A/b. dicit, bursis insidiabantur simplicium. Et quia eiusmodi latrocinia in loco sacro exercent et cultum et adorationem Dei sacrilege turbant, impediunt et eo tumultu pios quoque alienigenas arcent iisque gravia praebent scandala, merito dicuntur templum convertisse in speluncam latronum. Verbisistis ex leremia depromptis Iesus etiam comminationem illam in memoriam revocat atque instaurat, qua ibidem praedicitur fore, ut propter profanationem templi templum ipsum a Domino abiiciatur; sequitur enim apud prophetam : ite ad locum meum in Silo, ubi habitavit nomen meum a principio et videte quae fecerim ei propter malitiam populi mei Israel, et nunc quia fecistis omnia opera haec... faciam domui huie, sicut feci Silo et proiiciam vos ἃ facie mea (1,12-15). Mihi inter omnia signa quae fecit, inquit S. Hier. ad Matth. 21,15, hoc videtur mirabilius esse quod unus homo... scribis et pharisaeis contra se saevientibus et videntibus lucra sua destrui potuerit ad unius flagelli verbera tantam eiicere multitudinem. Verum sacerdotes uti alia miracula despiciebant, ita quo magis maiestas et auctoritas Iesu eminebat eo maiore furore et insania replebantur
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v. 18 quo audito scil. quid in templo fecisset ulciscens profanationem quam ipsi lucri causa fovebant principes sacerdotum et scribae quaerebant quomodo. eum perderent; modum inquirebant ; iam enim deliberaverant perdere eum (Cai.); tale enim consilium ceperunt post resuscitationem Lazari Ioan. 11,57-53; et ratio redditur eadem : &/imebant enim eum quoniam universa turba admirabatur (vchementer scil. ἐξεπλύσσετο, obstupescebat) super doctrina eius; cf. loan. 11,58 si dimittimus eum sic, omnes credent in eum; vident itaque se iri deiectum ab auctoritate. quare Iesum e medio tollere apud eos constitutum est. Verum simul apparct quam impotentes sint, quia hora nondum venerat qua Iesus voluit ponere animam ; nemo tollit eam a me. sed ego pono eam a meipso (Ioan. 10, 18). Quare Iesus , uti olim cum cives nazarethani eum de supercilio montis praecipitare vellent, transiens per medium illorum ibat (Luc. &,99. 30), ita nunc
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v. 19 cum vespera facta esset, egrediebatur de civitate; exqua narratione clarum est Iesum templi profanationem non esse ultum ipso die sollemnis sui in urbem ingressus, uti ex Matth. 21.12 videri posset, verum die subsequente. Altero die iterum tendit in urbem ;
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v. 90 e/ cum mane transirent , viderunt. ficum aridam factam a radicibus; arbor scil. quam heri viderant luxurie foliorum frondescentem iam adstat omnibus foliis spoliata, ramis siccis, a radicibus usque ad cacumen arefacta. Non dissonat Marcus a Matthaeo dicente ficum aruisse statim cum Christus verba proferret; arefactio utique statim subsecuta est, sed visam eam fuisse Marcus dicit mane sequente; cum enim non statim deciderent folia, non statim apparuit arbor arida radicitus (cf. Cai. Ians.). Et videntes discipuli mirati sunt dicentes : quomodo continuo aruit (Matth. 21,20) et tum
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v. 21 recordatus Petrus dixit ei : rabbi ecce ficus cui maledixist aruit ; non inquirunt quid haec res sibi velit; solum admirantur quam efficacia fuerint verba Christi ; « siccavi lignum viride et frondere feci lignum aridum; ego Dominus locutus sum et feci » (Ez. 17,94; Vict. Theoph.). Quare Christus quoque de significatione arboris sterilis et arefactae nihil dicit; fortasse etiam propterea, quia discipuli necdum eius capaces erant (lans.), sed solum ex eorum admiratione captat opportunitatem ostendendi et commendandi vim et efficaciam orationis firmissima in Deum fiducia factae
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v. 99. δέ respondens Iesus ait illis : habete fidem Dei , fidem in Deum; haec fides, uti ex sequentibus patet, est firmissima persuasio de Dei potentia et benignitate et fidelitate, ex qua persuasione summa illa in oratione fiducia enascitur; quare aliqui hoc loco statim fidem interpretantur fiduciam (cf. Jans.). Hac fide omnia impedimenta superari sollemni assertione Iesus profitetur
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v. 23 amen dico vobis, quia quicumque dixerit huic mont : tollere et mittere in mare; locutione proverbiali maximum quodvis obstaculum et impedimentum mons appellatur; ita iam Zach. &,7 atque eam locutionem satis frequentem etiam a rabbinis usurpari vide ad Matth. 21,91; et non haesitaverit in corde suo sed crediderit quia quodcumque dixerit fiat, fiet ei; cf. lac. 1,6 postulet autem in fide nihil haesitans ; qui enim haesitat similis est fluctui maris qui a vento movetur et circeumfertur; non ergo aestimet homo ille quod accipiat aliquid a Domino. Et quanta sit vis fidei firmae ad impetrandum iterata assertione effert
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v. 2& propterea dico vobis : omnia quaecumque orantes petitis , credite quia. acctptetis et evenzent vobis; ὅτε ἔλάθετε quia accepistis (vide lect. var.); videtur designari fidei firmitas qua quis confidit in decreto Dei iam exauditam esse orationem ; haec fides qua omnis haesitatio excluditur donum Dei est peculiare; quod donum si conceditur eo ipso manifestum est Deum petitioni accedere. Pariter evidens est istud donum Deum non largiri nisi pro re quae vere sit ad Dei gloriam et bonum eius qui petit, et petendum esse eo modo iisque conditionibus quibus opusessc ut Deo accepta esse possit oratioex aliis normis innotescat. Ceterum uti reliqua Dei dona, ita haec quoque fides qua impetratio apud Deum in tuto collocatur efflagitanda est oratione ferventi atque perseverante et dicendum cum illo patre : Domine, adiuva incredulitatem meam (9,23). Ex iis quae requiruntur ut oratio Deo evadat accepta unum adhuc singulari ratione monet
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v. 95 et cum stabitis ad orandum , monent Iudaeos plerumque stetisse dum orarent (cf. Matth. 6,5 et 1 Reg. 1,26; 3 Reg. 8,92. Luc. 18,11. 13), sed etiam orabant genibus in terram fixis 3 Reg. 8,54. 29 Par. 6,13. Esdr. 9,5. Dan. 6,10. Act. 9,40, uti ipse Iesus oravit in horto Luc. 22,41, vel etiam corpore in terram prostrato Gen. 24,96, Neh. 8,6, Iudith 9,1, prout Christus quoque precatus est Matth. 26,39. Saepius adhibetur στῆναι etc. in significatione non tam standi sed potius τοῦ esse v. g. 1 Cor. 7,37, Eph. 6,14, Col. 4,12 etc.; quare mihi videtur idem hoc loco pro στήχειν verbo cognato esse assumendum neque vim ponendam in s/abitis neque id pluribus discutiendum; d;- mittite si quid habetis adversus aliquem , ut et Pater vester qui in coelis est dimittat vobis peccata vestra; cur ex omnibus quae ad bonam orationem requiruntur id unum peculiari modo inculcet Christus, ratio erit eadem qua motus ex omnibus petitionibus orationis dominicae quam vocamus unam illam pluribus explicuit in qua dicimus : sicut et nos dimittimus Matth. 6,14. 15; ostendit scil. hanc animi dispositionem uti omnino est necessaria, ita homini esse satis difficilem, verum sibi et Patri coelesti valde acceptam, ita quidem ut contrarius affectus quam maxime obstet veniae a Deo impetrandae (cf. Comment. Matth. I p. 271);
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v. 26 quodsi vos non dimiseritis, nec Pater vester qui τῆι coelis est dimittet vobis peccata vestra; vide lect. var.; qua sententia et monitione additur pondus gravissimum, ut omni conatu etiam levissimam vindictae cupiditatem iramque in fratres ex animis removeamus. sed simul acceptas iniurias condonent quo et ipsis Deus dimittat peccata, quippe quae causa esse possint cur is precantium votis aunucre merito ac iure recuset (Patr. similiter 4/5. Fil).
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v. 11. 15) Derosolymam; et cum ambularet in templo , Matth. 21,23 et Luc 20,1 refertur Christum populum docuisse; quare περιπατεῖν ambulare aliqui ita concipiunt ut variis in. parlibus atrii exterioris. docuerit (4/6. Cai. Fil.) et aegros sanaverit (δὰ); Schegg in hac ambulatione per atrium exprimi censet Iesu potentiam et dominium in templum, alii eum obambulasse putant ne principibus synagogae occasionem daret sese interpellandi ( Heiss), dum alii malunt in περιπατεῖν solum depingi eum commoratum esse in templo (Schanz). Cum atrium exterius contineret varias partes et porticus, prior sententia vidctur esse sequenda, quia aliunde scimus eum illa occasione docuisse; proinde per diem docuit neque tamen semper in eodem loco, sed ubicumque per magnum atrium turmam hominum reperit; accedunt td cum summi sacerdotes et scribae οἱ seniores, nominantur omnes tres ordines quibus synedrium, summus magistratus, componebatur, ul appareat eos qui accesserint ἃ sygedrio esse missos et deputatos et ideo eos non privata sed publica summi magistratus auctoritate inquirere et agere;
P'rofecti a ficu v. 27 venzunt iterum (cf.
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v. 28 e£ dicunt ei : in qua potestate haec facis eL (vel) quis tibi dedit hanc. potestatem. ut ista facias? in quaestione repetita bene depingitur eorum ira et excandescentia et animi impatientia; Aaec certe referunt ad expulsionem ementium et vendentium (Theoph. Euth. Schanz, Fil. etc.) et etiam ad sollemnem in urbem ingressum, quo totum populum ad se tanto fastu honorandum commovisse videri poterat (Caz. [ans.). Aliis placet eos interrogasse de potestate docendi (Lamy, Patr.); sed cum Iesus iam per amplius tres annos docuisset, posset videri eo minus probabilitatis hanc opinionem habere, quia docere in synagoga nullatenus ad unum hominum genus pertinebat, verum fieri poterat ab unoquoque qui satis peritus esset (cf. Act. 13,15; Schürer, Geschichte des jüd. Volkes II p. 381); sed attendere oportet, Christum ita docuisse ut in vitia ducum inveheretur, ut consuetudines malas prohiberet. Pertinebat porro ad synedrium, ut Lamy notat, veros falsosque prophetas discernere; sic per legatos quaesierant a loanne praecursore cur baptizaret. Verum de Iesu iam tot iis praesto erant ex miraculis patratis testimonia divina, ut si mente sincera fuissent, iam dudum cognovissent, qua potestate ageret. [am ante duos annos illis dixerat Iesus : opera quae dedit mihi Pater ut perficiam ea, ipsa opera quae ego facio testimonium perhibent de me quia Pater misit me (Ioan. 5,36). Quare evidens est eos non interrogare, ut discant sed ut ex responsione occasionem captent eum perdendi, sicuti in festo Encaeniorum cum Patrem et se unum esse professus esset, eum lapidare volebant propter blasphemiam (Ioan. 10,30. 33). Nam certe exspectabant Iesum ad Dei ut Patris sui auctoritatem esse provocaturum. Verum hanc corum spem struendi insidias Iesus egregie eludit eosque ad incitas cum magna eorum confusione redigit sapientia admirabili
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v. 29 Jesus autem respondens ait illis : interrogabo et ego vos unum verbum , a cuius responsione totius solutio dependet quaestionis, ut A/5. bene rem declarat, οὐ respondete mihi et dicam vobis i. e. et si vos ea de re mihi responderitis, sed imperativo posito sermo maius habet pondus, quia non solum conditio quaedam enuntiatur, verum ctiam monentur ut illam conditionem perficiant (cf. lac. 5,7. Eph. ὅ,14) ἐπ qua potestate haec faciam ; e& talis quaestio qua solutio contineatur erat de auctoritate et missione baptistae, in quam ipsi inquisierant. loannes enim luculentissima de Iesu quis esset testimonia ediderat et, suo baptismo populum praepararat ad eum suscipiendum qui in Spiritu et igne baptizaturus esset; quare
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v. 30 baptismus Ioannis de coelo erat an ex hominibus? respondete mihi! en urget malignos illos, ut respondeant. « De Ioanne interrogat non sine causa neque sophistarum more vicissim illos capiens, sed quia Ioannes de ipso testificatus erat, idcirco de illo malevolos interrogat, ut cum receperint Ioannem a Deo esse cogantur et testimonium loannis quod de Christo dederat accipere » (Theoph. sim. Vict.). Interrogat quoque, ait A/Ó., ut ex respousione illorum solutionem quaestionis contra malignantes concludat ; ille enim optimus modus respondendi et concludendi contra malignantes quando ex suis propriis verbis et responsis arguuntur. Capti suis ipsorum insidiis inter se deliberant quomodo possint evadere
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v. 31 at illi cogitabant secum διελογίζοντο deliberabant, ratiocinabantur inter se; proinde recedentes a Iesu inter se consilia agitabant, dicentes : si dixerimus : de coelo, dicet : quare ergo non credidistis ei? qui scil. toties tam praeclara et perspicua testimonia de Iesu reddebat; quare iam plane inutile fuit quaerere qua potestate ageret;
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v. 32 s! dixerimus : ex hominibus, timemus populum; graece potius ita : at dicamus (explica coniunctivum deliberationis) : ex hominibus? et lege totum hoc per interrogationem; tum ipse evangelista subdit, cur id quoque iis valde inconveniens visum sit : timebant turbam τὸν /Xov, non sine contemptu dicunt; omnes enim habebant Ioannem quia vere propheta esset εἶχον perspectum habebant, vel uti Euth. εἶχον explicat ἐπεπληροφόρηντο certi erant, iis plane persuasum erat, 'loxvrr» ὄντως explica per traiectionem ; unde interpretaberis εἶχον ὅτι 'loxvvz; ὑντῶς προφήτης ^v; sed illa traiectione notio nominis traiecti maiore effertur pondere. Qua deliberatione proceres insignem suam pervicaciam et perversitatem luce clarius produnt. Nihil eorum interest quid sit verum; ostendunt se nosse missionem Ioannis esse a Deo; at veritati cognitae resistunt quia Iesum omni modo esse repudiandum apud se statuerant. Neque audent aperte negare divinam Ioannis missionem , quamvis hac negatione efficacissime (ad speciem saltem) auctoritatem Iesu potuissent impugnare et sibi ipsis ius vindicare in eum, utpote nulla lezitima missione munitum , animadvertendi. Quod ne facerent timore et iznavia retinentur. Qua in re denuo maxime contemptibiles se pracbent. Nam aut recte censebat populus de loanne aut perperam. Si perperam, ducum populi et doctorum erat populum ab errore revocare οἱ omni fortitudine contra errorem perniciosum pugnare, minime autem ut auram popularem captent agere more canum mutorum qui non valeant latrare (Is. 56,10). Ad incitas redacti ad effugium et mendacium miserrimum recurrunt
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v. 33 et respondentes dicunt Iesu : nescimus; Iesus sua responsione indicat ipsis se eorum malitiam ac vafritiem habere perspectam : neque ego dico vobis in qua potestate haec factam ; bene notant Christum dicere : neque cgo dico; « ex quo ostendit et illos scire sed respondere nolle etse nosse et ideo non dicere quiailli quodsciunt taceant » (S. Hier.) et Vict. : « non dixit : nescio, sed : non dico, quo significat : noluistis verum dicere, quare neque a me accipietis responsum » similiter Theoph. Bed. Ians. Schanz. « Porro ut in Christo liic observandum est quam prudenter sapientes comprehenderit in astutia eorum, ut hinc discamus in sapientia et caute respondere insidiatoribus et clavum clavo pellere, ita in interrogatoribus Christi observandum quam nihil iis fuerit curae ut verum responderent, sed quod ipsis esset commodum: si commodum illis fuisset dicere baptismum loannis fuisse e coelo, incunctanter dixissent, similiter dicturi illum fuisse ex hominibus, nisi et hoc illis fuisset incommodum. Quia igitur neutrum commode dicere poterant, ad id quod solum supererat confugiunt ignorantiam praetendentes, putantes se hac ratione commode elabi » (/ans.). lta utique agunt illi qui caritatem veritatis non receperunt et quos propterea perituros esse apostolus docet (2 Thess. 2,10). Cum iis autem agit Christus, ut Ps. Hier. notat, secundum illud Ps. 17,27.
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Dans la perspective de Me., Jésus est parti de Jéricho et approche de Jérusalem. Jérusalem est le terme du voyage ; l'endroit plus précis où l'on va arriver est spécifié par une autre prépos. εἰς, comme au v. 11. Bethphagé est d’abord nommé comme un nom plus connu, puis Béthanie. Le texte ne prouve pas que Béthanie soit plus près de Jérusalem que Bethphagé. On peut très bien admettre un ordre inverse, une fois Jérusalem marquée comme but, pour revenir au point où l'on est arrivé; l'ordre réel depuis Jéricho est Béthanie, puis Bethphagé. Bethphagé est omis par Or. (sur Mt.), D, ἀπο. lat. et og. Mais l'autorité des autres témoins doit l'emporter. Les latins auraïent-ils suivi Origène? Le nom de Bethphagé est la transcription de l’aram. ND n°1 (ou 123) avec une terminaison en & au lieu de in (DaLuan, Gram., 2€ éd., 191), de l’hébr, "32 « figue non mûre », plur. ΛΞ; un seul y, d’après Dalman, à cause du grec φαγεῖν, Mais la forme ΝΞ n'indique-t-elle pas déjà que le redoublement a été remplacé par l'allongement de la voyelle précédente? Cet endroit était un village, 122, et non un simple lieu-dit, d’après la Tosephta (Weïlañ τ, 5). Neubauer {Géographie du Talmud, 147 ss.) a cité des textes qui prouvent que Bethphagé était très rapproché de Jérusalem. Béthanie ἃ été transcrite par le syrsén. etc. ΝῺ ΠΣ; on avait préféré l'étymol. nan na (Dalman, Schmiedel, Swete), mais Dalman (Gram., 2e éd., 419) revient justement à 79%3ÿ n°2 pour le nom hébreu. Le mont des Oliviers, d’après l'immense majorité des témoins, comme Zach. χιν, & : τὸ ὄρος τῶν ἐλαιῶν (ef. II Regn. xv, 30); comme Mt. Χχι, 1; xx1v, 33 xxvi, 80; Jo. vi, 1; et comme Mc. même xm, 8; χιν, 26. Swete écrit ici τὸ ὄρος τὸ ᾿λαιών d'après B et &, r. Ce nom que saint Luc a employé plus probablement x1x, 29; xx1, 37; Act. 1, 12, et qui se trouve aussi dans Josèphe (Ans. VIT, 1x, 2 : ἀναδαίνοντος αὐτοῦ διὰ τοῦ ᾿Ελαιῶνος ὄρους), a persévéré sur place puisque Ætheria (ancienne Silvia) nomme la montagne ÆEleon. De Luc la forme a pu pénétrer en cet endroit dans Bet 4, r. Le mont des Oliviers est bien connu; il s'élève à l’est de Jérusalem, à environ 800 mètres de hauteur, dominant l'esplanade du Haram de 70 mètres environ, Me., qui a mis εἰς pour les lieux habités, dit ici πρός pour déterminer la place de Bethphagé et de Béthanie en même temps que le mouvement d'arrivée. L'emplacement de Béthanie doit être cherché près de el-‘Azariyelh {mais non à cet endroit même qui est le Lazarion, ou tombeau de Lazare), probablement sur une croupe de la montagne qui domine ce tombeau et où l’on voit d'anciennes citernes. Béthanie était à 15 stades de Jérusalem (Jo. χι, 18). D'après les textes rabbiniques, Bethphagé devait être plus près, peut-être où est aujourd'hui le village d’et-Tor. En suivant l’ancienne route de Jéricho, Jésus avait à sa gauche Béthanic et en face de lui, au sommet de la montagne, Bethphagé. Ce chemin, plus raide, était aussi plus court. Saint Jérôme distingue Bethfage in monte oliveii, et Bethania in latere montis oliveti (Lac. Onomast. 108). Les étym. de saint Jérôme pour Béthanie, domus adflictionis eius vel domus obedientiae, se rattachent à la vraie racine. Pour Bethphagé, domus oris vallium vel domus bucae ou domus mazillarum, il a songé à l'aram. N3E, « mâchoire » {syrum est, non hebraeum); le thème « bouche de la vallée » (l'endroit où l’on débouche?) n’était pas mal trouvé, mais la forme plurielle en ὁ oblige à l’étym. indiquée plus haut. Jésus envoie deux de ses disciples; cf. x1v, 43. On ἃ vu (vi, 7) qu'ils étaient rangés par paires.
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Le village en face doit être Bethphagé, plutôt que Béthanie qui est désormais dépassée (cf. ΜΙ. xx1, 1); cela serait encore plus clair si le texte primitif de Me. n'a pas nommé Bethphagé. L'intention de Me. est de mettre en relief la connaissance surnaturelle du Sauveur. 11 ne manque pas d'änons attachés près des maisons, mais les disciples en trouveront un précisément quand ils entreront, οἱ ce sera un tout jeune ânon sur lequel personne ne sera monté. Πῶλος s'entendait chez les Grecs d'un jeune cheval: chez les Juifs d'un ânon, la monture ordinaire; cf. Gen. xxxu, 15; xuix, 11; Jud. x, 4; χα, 14: Zach. 1x, 9 (traduisant 9%). Un animal qui n'a pas servi n'a pas été profané; il est plus apte à être employé dans les sacra (Num. xix, 2; Dt. xx, 3:1 Regn. vi, 7; οἵ. Ovine, Métam. nt, 14; Horn. ÆEpod. 1x, 22; Vinc. Georg. τν, 540). λύσατε... φέρετε. LC premier impér. à l'aoriste, action passée antécédente; le second au présent, action continue.
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Τί dans le sens (classique) de pourquoi, ou plus simplement τί ἐστιν & (Blass, 180, ποῖα). On croit entendre les propriétaires étonnés du sans-pêne de ces étrangers. La leçon de Le. διὰ τί λύετε a pénétré dans de nombreux témoins de Mec. (D, quelques minuse, anc. latt. arm. Or.). Dans cette circonstance solennelle, Jésus se fait appeler « le Seigneur », ce qui est certes plus que ὁ διδάσκαλος, « le Rabbi ». Cependant il ne prétend pas user d'un droit souverain; c'est un service qu'il demande, et il s'engage à rendre l'âne, Euthymius : καὶ μετὰ τὴν χρείαν ἀντιστρέφει αὐτοὺς πρὸς τοὺς χυρίους αὐτῶν (sur Matth.). C'est le seul sens possible de Μο., à moins de supprimer πάλιν, ce’ qu'ont fait nombre de mss. et de verss., mais πάλιν est appuyé par NBCD. Knab. (οἵ. Schanz) juge Jejunum et putidum ce trait charmant de naturel. Πάλιν ne peut guère signifier que le propriétaire change d'avis; mais en tout cas il faudrait pour cela qu'il fût placé aussitôt après καί, Les paroles : « Le Seigneur en ἃ besoin » marquent un dessein de Jésus de donner à son entrée un caractère particulier.
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On réserve souvent près des portes une pierre trouée ou un anneau enchässé dans la bâtisse pour attacher les bêtes de somme : elles sont naturellement dans le chemin; ἄμφοδον signifie un « quartier » (papyrus) ou simplement une « rue »; c'est le sens ici; le bivium de la Κρ. est trop précis, et ne doit point servir de point de départ à des recherches topographiques. Ni Mt. ni Le. n’attachent d'importance à ces détails. Il faut noter l’obéissance des disciples, qui s'exposent à des soupçons et à de mauvais traitements sur la parole du Maître.
11:5
Ceux qui protestent peuvent être les propriétaires, comme Lc. l'a conclu très légitimement. Mais le témoin oculaire, duquel Mc. tient les faits, a retenu l'aspect extérieur de la scène sans se préoccuper de la question de droit. Tout le monde se connaît dans un village, et les gens sont plus ou moins solidaires les uns des autres. Chacun savait que les disciples n’avaient aucun droit sur l'ânon. Le premier venu pouvait leur demander compte. Entre temps le propriétaire vient ou ne vient pas, mais il se forme une opinion; on laisse faire. Le service demandé n'était pas grand, et on savait à qui redemander l'ânon. Le plus probable est cependant que le propriétaire est venu, qu'il connaissait Jésus, du moins par ouï-dire, et qu'il consentit volontiers à s'associer à son projet.
11:7
Le petit âne n'ayant jamais été monté n'avait donc pas de bât, et peutêtre le propriétaire n'en avait pas encore un pour lui. En pareil cas on se contente souvent d'une couverture. Les disciples la remplacent en mettant leurs manteaux sur l'âne, et Jésus prend place. Même lorsque l'animal ἃ un bât, celui qui le prête à un homme distingué se fait toujours un honneur de mettre son manteau sur le bât, souvent très dur, pour que le siège soit plus confortable.
11:8
Étendre les manteaux par terre est un honneur extraordinaire ; CF. IV Regn. 1x, 13. PLur. Caton d'Utique, xn : ὁποτιθέντων τὰ ἱμάτια τοῖς ποσὶν ἢ βαδίζοι. Mc. a mis l'accus. εἰς τὴν ὁδόν (Mt. et Le. ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ) non pour indiquer qu'on jetait les manteaux sur la route, mais parce qu'on préparait ainsi la route. — Στιδάδες est plutôt un lit de feuilles ou d'herbes que des branches d'arbres, mais comprend aussi des brindilles; les champs peuvent être des champs d'oliviers aussi bien que des champs de céréales. Près de la ville la végétation des jardins était plus luxuriante. Sur tout cela ef. Jud. v, 10 du moïns comme il est compris dans LacnanGe, Juges, et les passages arabes cités par Wellh., Agh. VI, 164, 26; Ben Athir III, 426, 20 etc.
11:9
D’après Jo. χιι, 12, on est venu de Jérusalem à la rencontre de Jésus, le cortège se composant désormais de deux groupes. Mais le texte de Mc. ne fait pas allusion à ce fait. Comme toujours en pareil cas, les jeunes gens prennent la tête, les femmes et les vieillards suivent, les disciples étant sans doute rangés auprès du Maître. Tout le monde crie Hosanna! Ce mot a été entendu comme l'araméen NSYWN, « sauve-nous ». Dans le cas présent, ce serait possible, mais « sauve-nous dans les cieux » {v. 10) est déjà étonnant, il faudrait : « Sauve-nous du haut des cieux ». D'ailleurs Mt. a écrit Ὡσαννὰ τῷ υἱῷ Δαυείδ; dans ce cas, Hosanna est une acclamation. La tradition rabbinique l'entend ainsi quand elle nomme 336477 NOM (Vaig. rabba xxxvu) le septième jour de la fête des Tabernacles. C'était donc une expression consacrée : elle est tirée du Ps. exvin, 25, ΝᾺ ΠΝ A, « Sauve-nous donc », en suivant la forme plus courte Ywn (Ps. Lxxxvi, 2); cf. DaLman, Gram., 2e éd., 249. εὐλογημένος... est encore emprunté à ce Psaume exvir, 26 (LXX) : εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. C'est un psaume de procession, soit qu'on y accueille au Temple des soldats triomphants (leur chant aux vv. 10 à 18 d'après Duhm), soit qu'il s'agisse seulement de la fête des Tabernacles. D’après le texte hébreu, il faut plutôt traduire : « béni soit de lahvé celui qui vient mais l'acclamation : « celui qui vient au nom du Seigneur » est beaucoup plus glorieuse. 11 vient pour faire l'œuvre de Dieu.
11:10
Cette œuvre est nettement messianique οἱ l'expression conforme à l'attente des Juifs; cf. la prière Chemoné-‘esré (Le Messianisme.., p. 339), d’après la recension palestinienne, n° 14, « le règne de la maison de David Le type populaire des espérances messianiques était le rétablissement de la royauté de David; « notre père » insiste sur la note israélite. L'acclamation monte jusqu'au ciel, comme pour remercier Dieu d'inaugurer la délivrance, et lui demander son secours. Tà ὕψιστα — nav dans les LXX (Job xvi, 19; ΧΧΧΙ, 2; Cf. Ps. Lxx, 19; cxLvint, 1).
11:11
Jésus va droit au Temple; εἰς τὸ ἱερόν marque l'endroit de Jérusalem où il fait son entrée. Du mont des Oliviers, le Temple se présentait tout d'abord. On peut conjecturer que Jésus est entré par la porte orientale. Dans la terminologie très précise de Josèphe, le Hiéron est toute l’enccinte, tandis que le Naos est le sanctuaire où seuls les prêtres pouvaient entrer (sur le sens de ἱερόν dans le fragment d'Oxyrhynchus, cf. RB. 1908, p. 538 ss.). Du coup d'œil que jette Jésus, Holtz. conclut qu'il n'était jamais venu au Temple, mais Loïisy dit beaucoup plus justement : « Marc ne présente pas le Sauveur comme un provincial qui aurait vu pour la première fois la ville sainte et le Temple de Dieu; il veut seulement préparer la scène du lendemain » (11, 268}. Jésus est entré comme Messie, et il est décidé à en jouer le rôle. Mais comme il est tard, il remet au lendemain et va prendre son repos à Béthanie. Mc. ne dit pas expressément, mais laisse soupçonner qu'il y avait des amis. Si donc il est allé ce jour-là à Jérusalem, c’est pour faire acte de Messie, aux yeux de taus. Toutefois il se garde bien d'entretenir l'agitation populaire; il se retire dans une solitude relative, Quelle était l'intention de Jésus dans toute cette scène? Ceux qui diminuent les intentions messianiques de Jésus pour n’en faire qu'un prophète et un sage, dans le dessein de le grandir au-dessus des préjugés de son temps, ou bien supposent que la couleur messianique a été donnée après coup à un incident sans importance, ou bien que Jésus n'est pas responsable d'une manifestation qui a éclaté sans son aveu. Il n'a pas protesté, c'est tout ce que l'on peut dire (WeZZh.). Mais alors on ne comprend plus rien à ce qui suit. Aussi Holtz. et Loisy sont persuadés que Jésus s'est rendu à Jérusalem en Messie, déterminé à faire tomber tous les voiles, et à provoquer la crise. On ne peut cependant pas le comparer à cet agitateur qui amena 30.000 hommes au mont des Oliviers pour s'emparer de Jérusalem (Jos. Bell. 11, xim, 5 et Ant. XX, vin, 6; Le Messianisme... 22 ss.), Jésus vient avec une humble troupe, composée de personnes timides; la foule se disperse aussi vite qu'elle s’est rassemblée : aucune cohésion, aucun mot d'ordre; seulement un moment d'enthousiasme. Aussi aucun critique sérieux n’attribue à Jésus le dessein d'établir son pouvoir par un coup de main. « Il se rendait à Jérusalem, dit Loisy, pour la manifestation du règne de Dieu » (IT, 258). Soit, pourvu qu’on ne l’accuse pas d’avoir tenté Dieu par un miracle, ce qui serait derechef l’assimiler en quelque façon aux charlatans dont parle Josèphe. Pourquoi donc Lui, toujours si soucieux d'éviter les mouvements révolutionnaires, et de ne pas se prêter aux chimères de restauration nationale, a-t-il voulu entrer à Jérusalem comme Messie ? La seule solution qui soit digne de Lui, c’est qu'il venait chercher la mort, acceptée d'avance pour racheter les hommes. C'est ce que Mc. a fait entendre si clairement par la triple annonce des souffrances; c’est que « la mort était aux portes » { Victor). Jésus était vraiment le Messie Jérusalem dans le Temple; et après avoir tout considéré, comme il était déjà tard, il sortit [et se rendit} à Béthanie avec les Douze. 12 Et le lendemain, comme ils sortaient de Béthanie, il eut faim. t Et voyant de loin un figuier qui avait des feuilles, il vint pour voir si par hasard il y trouverait quelque chose; et étant venu attendu. N'étant pas tel que le peuple le révait, il avait attendu pour se manifester le moment où il ne risquait plus de l’entraîner dans une folle entreprise, aux portes de Jérusalem, sous les yeux de l’autorité romaine. Mais c'était son devoir de se présenter comme Messie, afin que les Juifs ne pussent alléguer qu’ils ne pouvaient reconnaître comme tel celui qui avait refusé ce titre. Jésus choisit une entrée messianique incontestable, puisqu'elle réalise un des textes messianiques les plus clairs (Zach. 1x, 9), mais en même temps la plus modeste. On a souvent fort exagéré la magnificence du triomphe de Jésus, prétendant que pour les Orientaux l'âne est un noble animal etc. En réalité les rabbins étaient embarrassés d'expliquer comment le Messie pouvait se contenter de l'humble équipage décrit par Zacharie. Ce devait être l'attitude du Messie, si les Israélites n'étaient pas dignes de le voir venir sur les nuées du ciel (Le Messianisme.…. p. 227). Jésus a donc su concilier ce qu'il devait à sa mission et ce qu'il devait à son caractère. Il ἃ permis qu'on l'acclamät, il a même provoqué en quelque sorte ces acclamations en prenant l'allure décrite par un prophète. Mais cette simplicité, sur laquelle le prophète avait insisté. devait faire comprendre qu'il ne venait pas pour établir un royaume temporel, et n'était pas de nature à provoquer inutilement la vigilance des Romains.
11:12
Le lendemain, tandis que Mt. οἱ Le. placent la purification du Temple aussitôt après l'entrée triomphale. Ayant résolu de se manifester comme Messie, Jésus en remplit les fonctions. L'ordre de Me. qui distingue plus nettement est sans doute préférable. « Par où l’on voit, une fois de plus, qu'il ne faut pas chercher dans ces récits synoptiques une exactitude que leur origine traditionnelle ne comportait aucunement » (Mar Le Cauus, La Vie de N.-S. Jésus-Christ, 6 éd., t. ΠῚ, p. 50, n.1). On dirait que l'incident se passe aussitôt après la sortie de Béthanie. Comment Jésus a-t-il faim, et pourquoi n'a-t-il pas rompu 10 jeûne avant de se mettre en route? Saint Chrysostome estime que cette faim ἴα! plutôt manifestée extérieurement que réellement exigeante: Jésus se conduisit comme un homme qui a faim. J'aimerais mieux dire que la faim, réelle, a été le point de départ de la parabole en action.
11:13
εἰ ἄρα, si forte, avec un doute très séricux sur la possibilité, ou plutôt il y a impossibilité morale dans les circonstances données; cf. Actes vit, 22 et P. Petrie IL 18 (19), 9, me s. av. J.-C. : εἰ δ᾽ ἄρα μὴ épais ὃν δυνατόν (Expos., sept. 1908, 274). Jésus pouvait, en effet, trouver des feuilles à la fin de mars, ou au début d'avril, surtout sur le versant oriental du mont des Oliviers, où [ἃ végétation est souvent de quinze jours en avance sur celle de Jérusalem, parce qu'il est exposé aux siroccos de printemps et protégé contre Le vent d'ouest. Maïs ce n'était pas le temps des figues, comme Mc. le dit expressément. Les exégètes ont fait des efforts désespérés pour établir que Jésus pouvait trouver des figues ; les uns sont pour les figues primeurs ou figues-fleurs, les autres sont pour des figues d'été qui auraient passé l'hiver sur l'arbre. Mais il est tout à fait sans exemple dans le pays que les figues demeurent sur les arbres pendant tout l'hiver. Quant aux figues-fleurs, elles apparaissent avant les feuilles — j'en ai vu à Jérusalem dès le 20 février, — mais elles ne sont mûres qu'en juin. Il arrive même ordinairement qu'elles tombent toutes, de sorte que, après quelques jours, le figuier n'a plus que des feuilles. Tout ce que dit l'évangéliste, tel qu'il le raconte, est donc parfaitement vraisemblable. Ce qui serait tout à fait invraisemblable, comme l'ont noté les Pères orientaux, connaissant les faits, c'est que Jésus ait sérieusement cherché des figues. Victor : πεινῶν δὲ πῶς οὐχ ἑτέρωθεν ἐζήτει τροφήν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τῆς συχῆς, ἣν οὐ δυνατὸν ἦν ἔχειν πρὸ τοῦ καιροῦ τὸν καρπόν, δήλου πᾶσιν ὄντος σαφῶς; Et Msr Le Camus : « Prétendre que, d’après les évangélistes, Jésus a réellement voulu manger des figues sur un figuier à Pâques, c'est admettre qu'ils lui ont prêté la plus extravagante des fantaisies » (loc. laud., p. 52, n. 1). On a objecté (Expos. Times, juin 1910) que les Orientaux mangent les fruits verts. Cela est vrai des raisins qu'ils dévorent quand la grappe est à peine développée, et des amandes qu'ils mangent avec l'écorce, à cause du fond acidulé de ces fruits ; mais la figue verte est absolument immangeable. I] faut donc conclure avec Victor, Le Camus, avec Knab., etc. que Jésus faisait une action symbolique. C'est le propre de ces actions d'avoir quelque chose d'étrange, qui excite la curiosité, qui fait aussitôt soupçonner un mystère. Knab. a seulement tort de vouloir que l'arbre soit en quelque façon dans son tort, question que Chrys. traite de sotte : μηδὲ Aéye’ πῶς οὖν δικαίως ἐξηράνθη À συκῆ, εἰ καιρὸς οὐχ ἦν; τοῦτο γὰρ ἐσχάτης ληρωδίας λέγειν (ὑπ΄ Μ|ι., P. G. LNIIT, 688). Chrys. pense que les disciples se sont imaginé que Jésus avait faim et qu'il avait maudit le figuier parce qu'il ne lui avait pas fourni de fruits, et que l’évangéliste ἃ reproduit ce qu'avaient pensé les apôtres, qui n'avaient encore que des conceptions assez imparfaites : “Ὅθεν δῆλον, ὅτι τῆς ὑπονοίας τῶν μαθητῶν ἣν τοῦτο, ἀτελέστερον ἔτι διαχειμένων. Καὶ γὰρ τὰς ὑπονοίας τῶν μαθητῶν πολλαχοῦ γράφουσιν οἱ εὐαγγελισταί, Ὥσπερ οὖν τοῦτο (que Jésus avait faim et s’approchait pour manger) τῆς ὑπονοίας αὐτῶν ἦν, οὕτω καὶ τὸ νομίζειν διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὴν κατηρᾶσθαι, διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν χαρπόν (loc. laud.). Les disciples pouvaient très bien s’imaginer que, les temps messianiques étant commencés, les arbres pourraient produire des fruits en tout temps, surtout pour le Messie. Ils ont donc pu tout d'abord croire l'action symbolique de Jésus inspirée par un besoin réel et une espérance sérieuse de le satisfaire. L'événement, transmis de bouche en bouche, aurait pris ainsi une certaine couleur conservée par l'évangéliste; sa réflexion : « car ce n'était pas le temps des figues » mettaitles choses au point, et montrait assez que l'action était symbolique. Mc. ne pouvait estimer que le Sauveur fût moins bien instruit que lui de ce point. On reviendra à la fin de l'épisode sur cette opinion de saint Chrysostome.
11:14
ἀποχριθείς n’est pas la réponse à l'invitation du figuier par ses branches {Swete) mais un hébraïsme caractérisé (FIN … VAE L'optatif φάγοι est plus que le subj. avec οὐ μηκέτι (Mt.) qui annonce seulement ce qui arrivera. Ce n'est pas précisément une malédiction (opposez Gen. πὶ, 17), mais cela y touche (Heb. νι, 7 s.); c'est l'expression d'une volonté formelle. Les disciples entendent, réflexion qui prépare ce qui sera dit au v. 20.
11:15
On dirait que cette fois Jésus est entré d'abord à Jérusalem, puis dans le Temple. La scène qui se présenta à ses regards est celle qui se passe aujourd'hui encore à la Mecque où les pèlerins sont outrageusement exploités par Îles gens du pays qui leur vendent le mouton du sacrifice. C'est cette exploitation que Jésus paraît avoir surtout condamnée, et aussi le caractère profane qu’elle donnait au Temple. Au lieu d’être impressionné par la majesté du lieu, d’être ému par le sentiment de la présence divine, le pèlerin tombait au milieu d’une cohue bruyante, parmi des vendeurs qui ne songeaient qu'à vendre trop cher et des acheteurs qui se défendaient avec acharnement. La maison de Dieu, que les parvis avaient pour but d'isoler du monde profane, n'était plus que le centre d’un bazar oriental. Ce qu'on vendait, c'étaient les objets nécessaires aux saerifices, les victimes, bœufs et brebis qui devaient avoir certaines qualités, le sel, le vin, l'huile. Les prêtres, loin de condamner ce commerce, y voyaient un gage de la prospérité du culte, et sans doute une source de profits. Le long du parvis des Gentils, on avait installé des boutiques (ΤΠ), disposées apparemment comme celles du forum romain. Au contraire les changeurs étaient assis en plein air. Aujourd’hui encore on les voit derrière leur petite table remplie de pièces de monnaie, protégée par une vitre en guise de couvercle. Chaque israélite devait payer un demi-sicle à Iahvé (Ex. xxx, 12 ss.). On devait acquitter cette taxe exactement, selon le sicle du sanctuaire. Ceux qui n'avaient que des monnaies grecques et romaines devaient done les changer. On leur prenait un petit change, nommé χόλλυδος (D25p), du nom d’une petite pièce de monnaie (Anisropn. Pax, 1200 : Schoz.-Aris. Pax, 1176), d'où le nom de κολλυθιστής « changeur » (Lysias, cité par Pollux, να, 33; cf. Phrynich., éd. Ruth., p. 499). Les colombes étaient requises pour plusieurs sacrifices (Lev. xn, 8: cf. Le. 1, 228.; Lev. χιν, 24; xv, 14. 29); c'était l'offrande du pauvre. Les vendeurs se tenaient eux aussi en plein air, assis sur des chaises, un peu partout, ce qui augmentait la confusion,
11:16
Mc. a conservé seul un trait caractéristique très vécu (Loisy dit que le v. 46 paraît secondaire); on traversait le temple avec des charges, soit d'est en ouest, soit du nord au sud, pour s'épargner un circuit. Ce n'était plus l’enceinte sacrée, dont tous les cultes sémitiques et même égyptiens et grecs respectaient le mystère, ce n'était plus qu'un lieu de passage. Swete cite Jos. Contre Appion τι, 8 (et non pas 7) : denique nec vas aliquod portari licet in templum, mais Josèphe fait ici allusion au nombre restreint des objets sacrés qui pouvaient pénétrer dans le temple, car il continue : sed erant in eo solummodo posita altare, mensa, turibulum, candelabrum. Mais la Michna (δ. Berak. 54) a conservé la défense de faire de la montagne du temple un chemin Paccourci (NNTIDP, compendiaria sc. via). Ou cette défense n'a été portée qu'après coup, ou elle était demeurée lettre morte.
11:17
A Jérusalem et dans le Temple, Jésus se plut à justifier sa conduite par l'Écriture. 11] cite Is. Lvr, 7, littéralement : χληθήσεται est un hébraïsme des LXX pour ἔσται que 1.0. a écrit. Isaïe avait annoncé que les prosélytes viendraient prier au temple, et cela dans la perspective du judaïsme. On comprend que Me. ait reproduit la phrase telle quelle, parce qu'elle ne spécifiait pas que ces Gentils dussent accepter la loi juive, mais on comprend aussi que Le. et Mt. aient supprimé τοῖς ἔθνεσιν qui n’est pas nécessaire à la pensée. L'accent est uniquement sur ce fait que la maison de Dieu est une maison de prière. L'opposition est que les Juifs en ont fait une caverne de brigands. Les termes sont empruntés à Jérémie (vu, 11) : ph σπήλαιον λῃστῶν ὁ οἶχός μου; Le reproche n'était donc pas nouveau. A l’époque d'Hérode, les cavernes étaient le refuge des brigands. Un de ses exploits avait été de délogcr ceux d'Arbèles (Jos. Ant. XIV, xv, 4 : λῃστῶν τινῶν ἐν σπηλαίοις χατοιχούντων). Pour ne pas dépouilier les pèlerins de vive force, les trafiquants du Temple ne valaient guère mieux. Swete note que le parfait πεποιήκατε est plus exact que le prés. ποιεῖτε (Mt.) ou l'aor. ἐποιήσατε (Lc.). Voilà donc ce que vous avez fait de la maison de Dieu!
11:18
La façon dont Jésus traite ceux qui profanaient le temple atteint ceux qui en avaient l'administration, les grands prêtres, c'est-à-dire les principaux des grandes familles sacerdotales. Pour la première fois, Mc. les met en opposition avec Jésus. Les scribes, qui auraient dû voir ce zèle avec sympathie, se joignent aux prêtres à cause de leurs vieilles querelles avec Jésus (ur, 6. 16; im, 22; vu, 4. δ). Le verbe #xovaav s'applique probablement surtout aux prêtres. Les scribes devaient être répandus dans le temple parmi le peuple; mais les grands prêtres, ne surveillant que de très haut, ont dû être avertis par la rumeur publique. L’entente se forme aussitôt entre les deux groupes, très souvent en opposition les uns avec les autres, puisque les prêtres étaient en général sadducéens, les scribes pharisiens. Le logion d'Oxyrhynchos sur la pureté ἃ mis en scène un grand prêtre pharisien (οἵ, RB.1908,538 ss.). Les grands prêtres avaient la police du Temple. Ils pouvaient intervenir, mais 118. craignent de se heurter à la résistance du peuple. Cependant des visées politiques n'apparaissent nullement dans l'attitude de Jésus. Tout en se laissant saluer Messie, il est demeuré le docteur des voies de Dieu. C'est sa doctrine qui frappe la foule d’étonnement comme au premier jour (1, 22); les dispositions de la masse ne sont point changées.
11:19
Il semble bien que Jésus préfère ne pas rester sous la main de ses ennemis. La phrase est générale; Me. dit une fois pour toutes ce qui se passait chaque soir. Ὅταν gouvernait le subj., étant composé de ὅτε et de ἄν, mais dans la langue courante il arrivait qu'on perdit de vue cette nuance; cf. Me. mr, 11; xt, 25. Moulton {Prol., 188) cite P. Par. 26 {ut 5. av. J.-C.) ὅταν ἔδημεν κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς εἰς vo
11:20
Probablement les feuilles n'étaient pas seulement flétrics, mais complètement desséchées, ce qui prouvait que le tronc lui-même n'avait plus de sève. On peut comparer pour l'expression le perséa d'Oxyrhynchus qui fut trouvé : ἄχαρπον οὖσαν πολλῶν ἐτῶν διόλου ξηραντῖσαν καὶ μὴ δύνασθαι ἐντεῦθεϊν xap-| ποὺς ἀποδιδόναι (OP. 58. 9 5., en 816 ap.J.-C.). Dans Mt. le desséchement est instantané, et les disciples s’en aperçoivent aussitôt. Il ne sert donc de rien d'alléguer avec Mer Le Camus (Ænab. et tous les harmonisants à l'excès) que « la mort, instantanée à l’intérieur, ne fut visible au dehors que quelques heures après » (loc. laud., 51, n. 2 s.). C'était encore le cas de dire que les évangélistes pouvaient présenter le même fait avec une physionomie un peu différente. C’est bien l'opinion de Victor qui juge que Me. ἃ écrit ἀκχριθέστερον et que Mt. παρέδραμε τὸ ἀκριβὲς τοῦ xætpoÿ.
11:21
Picrre prend la parole (dans Mt. les disciples); sa mémoire est à tout le moins plus vive que celle des autres, son imagination plus frappée; les paroles de Jésus lui paraissent une véritable malédiction: ἐξήρανται, le parfait, parce que l’état dure encore (Mt. l’aoriste). L'épisode du figuier étant ici terminé, il faut examiner les objections auxquelles il a donné lieu. M. Loisy les a présentées avec beaucoup de force. Tout l'épisode lui paraît invraisemblable et dépourvu de réalité historique. Jésus n’a pu chercher des figues dans un temps où il ne pouvait y en avoir. Il ne pouvait donc pas non plus être déçu. Il ne devait pas davantage punir le figuier. Ce serait un miracle « tel que Jésus n'en a jamais fait, puisque le prodige en question n’est pas un acte de bienfaisance, et qu’il est en lui-même dépourvu de raison ». Dans Mt. surtout ce serait un « miracle violent », un « signe comme les Juifs en demandaient ». Puisque rien de tel ne s’est passé, comment les évangélistes Mc. et Mt. en sont-ils venus à rédiger l'épisode comme réel? Il existait quelque chose de semblable dans la tradition, la parabole du figuier (Le. xur, 6-9). Elle était très facile à tourner en allégorie. « La visite du propriétaire au figuier devenait le séjour de Jésus à Jérusalem. De là à raconter la visite au figuier comme un incident réel. il n'y avait qu’un pas, et ce pas a été franchi » (II, 286). — On ne peut nier qu'une parabole puisse, dans une tradition quelconque, se transformer en un récit de fait. Cependant ici ce ne peut être le cas pour deux raisons : d'abord à cause de l'intervention précise de Pierre, de qui Mc. tenait sans doute son récit, ensuite parce que l'épisode ne contient pas la moindre allusion à la parabole-allégorie du figuier. Il est là pour lui-même, non comme terme, mais comme point de départ d'un symbole. Aussi M. Loisy est-il contraint de dire que le pas franchi a été dépassé. Ce n’est plus une « interprétation allégorique, mais une application morale du fait brutalement compris, qui est suggérée dans Marc et dans Matthieu » (11, 286). Donc, conclurons-nous, c’est le fait tout nu que contenait la tradition, non point une allégorie qu'on aurait confondue avec un fait. Il est vrai que la plupart des commentateurs voient dans 16 figuier une image de Jérusalem. Mais saint Jérôme qui développe longuement ce sens a soin de le distinguer (donc comme sens spirituel) du sens littéral Juxta litieram autem Dominus passurus in populis, et bajulaturus scandalum Crucis, debuit discipulorum animos signi anticipatione firmare. Potuit ergo Salvator eadem virtute etiam inimicos siccare suos, nisi eorum per pænitentiam expectasset salutem (P. L. XXVI, 153). C’est l'opinion de Chrys., de Victor, qu’on peut donc dire traditionnelle. L'action du Sauveur est une parabole en action. Dès lors, on doit se souvenir de la nature de la parabole; il n’y a pas lieu de chercher directement qui représente le figuier, quelle est la faute de l'arbre, etc. Jésus cherche des fruits sur un arbre qui n'a que des feuilles; l'arbre est desséché. Cela veut dire : Quiconque n'offrira pas au Sauveur les fruits qu’il lui demande sera sévèrement puni. Dans la situation, on devait naturellement songer au peuple juif. La parabole en action se prolonge par le desséchement du figuier. Ce n’est pas un miracle de bienfaisance Non pas certes! et il n'est pas comme les autres. Saint Chrys. avait déjà noté que c’est le seul où Jésus, toujours charitable et doux, montre qu'il a aussi le pouvoir de punir, et, ne voulant pas l'exercer sur des hommes, il l'exerce sur un arbre. Et pourquoi n'aurait-il pas manifesté sa toutepuissance dans l’ordre du châtiment, en la tempérant de tant de bonté, puisque c'était encore une invitation au repentir? Chrys., Jérôme, Victor, ont pensé que cette leçon était très à propos, pour que les disciples comprissent bien que Jésus allait à la mort librement, sans user de son pouvoir pour écraser ses ennemis. On ne saurait dire si Me. a pensé aussi à cela. Quant à nommer une parabole en action « une sorte de comédie » (Loisy, Il, 285), c’est méconnaître le caractère de ces scènes dont la Bible offre plusieurs exemples (Is. xx, 15s.; Jer. x, 1 55.; χιχ, 1. 2. 10; xxvir, 2 55.; ΕΖ. 1v, 1 ss.; x, 3 ss.; I Reg. xxir, 10 ss.). L'épisode du figuier est donc une scène réelle, en ce sens que Jésus a cherché des fruits et desséché le figuier; mais son intention n'était pas de satisfaire sa faim; dès le début il entendait donner une lecon à ses disciples. Elle n'eût pas été saisissante s’il ne s'était comporté sérieusement comme un homme qui a faim, et c'est sous cette forme que Me. présente les faits. On peut penser d'ailleurs avec Victor que la faim était réelle, tout s'harmonisant dans le Sauveur avec la dispensation de son enseignement. Récemment M. E. Schwartz a supposé {Zeitschrift f. neut. Wiss. 1904, 80 ss.) que cet épisode était un cas de pur folk-lore; il y aurait eu près de Jérusalem un figuier desséché ; on expliquait que Jésus l'avait maudit, mais qu'il reverdirait lors de la parousie. Cette explication est en soi peu vraisemblable, parce qu'un figuier desséché est une chose trop ordinaire pour donner naissance à une légende. De plus, dans ce cas, le peuple aurait sûrement donné tort au figuier, tandis que Mc. a noté expressément que ce n'était pas le temps des figues.
11:22
Jésus évite de tirer du triste sort du figuier aucune conclusion sur celui qui menace Jérusalem (à l'opposé de ce qui se passera xn, 10); c'est que le desséchement n'est pas une parabole-allégorie, mais une preuve de son pouvoir. Pour une fois il lui a plu de faire un miracle qui ne fût pas directement de bienfaisance, mais qui pût servir à ses disciples d’utile leçon. La πίστις θεοῦ est la foi en Dieu, en sa puissance, en sa sagesse et en sa bonté. Cette courte phrase explique d'avance que le miracle demandé ne peut être opéré que par Lui, et conformément à la perfection infinic de sa nature. Celui qui le demande prend son recours en Dieu, évidemment pour quelque chose d'utile et de raisonnable.
11:23
La parole est solennelle; cf. mr, 28; vi, 125 1x, 1, 41; x, 15. 29. Loisy ἃ voulu transporter cet enseignement en Galilée, comme plus naturel au bord du lac de Tibériade. Mais Jésus ἃ devant lui le mont des Oliviers, très escarpé à l'est, dominant, quoique de loin, la mer Morte qui paraït à l'horizon : « Cette montagne » est donc ici le mont des Oliviers. D'ailleurs la locution a quelque chose de proverbial, et le Sauveur ἃ prétendu viser moins un cas concret, qu'un cas typique, si bien que Le. ἃ remplacé la montagne par un sycomore (Le. xvur, 6). Une montagne est un obstacle (Zach. 1v, 7); le rabbin qui savait trancher toutes les difficultés était un « déracineur de montagnes » (DY17 ὙΡῚΨ, de Rabba, ὁ. 1710». 143); nous disons encore familiérement « un tranche-montagne » d'un homme qui sait résoudre une question pratique difficile. On a très souvent reproché aux chrétiens de ne pas avoir accompli ce miracle en les défiant de mettre en mouvement des masses beaucoup moins considérables. À quoi Victor a répondu avec à-propos que le Seigneur ne promet pas le don de faire des miracles inutiles, et que sans une utilité on ne remuerait pas plus un fétu qu'une montagne par la puissance de Dieu. On a souvent cité comme un miracle de ce genre celui qu'opéra saint Grégoire le Thaumaturge en obtenant qu'une montagne s'écartàt assez pour laisser la place suffisante à une église qu'il voulait bâtir. Saint Paul fait allusion à la parole de Jésus (1 Cor. xuII, 2) καὶ ἐὰν ἔχω πᾶσαν τὴν πίστιν ὥστε ὄρη σεθιστάναι. Le verbe διαχρίνεσθα: signifie « décider ». Dans le N. T. et jusqu’à présent dans le N. T. seul, il a le sens d'être incertain (Act. x, 20; Rom. 1v, 20; χιν, 28; Jac. 1, 6 [bis]; τί, 4), ce qui s'oppose directement à la foi. Peut-être l'idée intermédiaire est-elle décider par ses propres moyens, examiner pour décider, être embarrassé pour décider, hésiter. C'est évidemment l'état normal quand on se trouve en présence d'une impossibilité; ou plutôt, on n'hésite même pas, on n'essaye pas de provoquer un miracle. La foi nécessaire pour cela n’est pas, semble-t-il, Ia foi ordinaire, mais la conviction que dans le moment présent Dieu accordera le miracle, ce qui suppose une grâce surnaturelle spéciale.
11:24
Même chez les classiques, προσεύχομαι suppose qu'on s'adresse à la divinité; au contraire αἰτεῖσθαι est une demande soit à Dieu, soit aux hommes. La tournure de Mc. est sémitique, et bien rendue pour le sens par Mt. : ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσητε ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ. On doit croire qu'on est déjà exaucé, ἐλάδετε, terme très fort, mais qui marque bien l'assurance de la foi : on a reçu déjà ce que Dieu est décidé à donner; il n’y a plus qu’à attendre l'exécution, ἔσται duiv. Cette fois la pensée est tout à fait générale. D'un acte de foi particulier, Jésus passe à l'efficacité souveraine de la prière. Les termes sont les mêmes relativement à l'exaudition, Jésus nous enseigne que qui prie avec foi, la foi en Dieu, obtient tout ce qu'il demande; il demande selon Dieu.
11:25
ὅταν avec le présent, comme v. 19 (d'après Blass, 223, ὅταν pour ἐάν); le subj. a été restitué par de nombreux mss., même B. On priait debout (cf. I Reg. vin, 14. 22; Neh.1x, 43 Ps. cxxxiv, 2; Jer. xvur, 20; Mt. νι, 5), du moins dans les circonstances ordinaires. Les chrétiens aiment à prier à genoux, posture plus humble, que les anciens employaient pour supplier plus instamment (1 Reg. vin, 54; Esd. 1x, 5; Dan. vi, 10; Mt. xxvi, 39; Act. vir, 60; xx, 36: xx, 5; Eph. τα, 14). Le Sauveur a fait allusion à l'usage normal, sans prescrire une règle (Swete). Me. n’a pas reproduit le Pater, mais du moins la formule du Père dans les cieux à propos de la prière. La prière est ainsi encadrée entre la foi, v. 22, et la charité. Une des raisons les plus urgentes de prier c'est de demander à Dieu le pardon de nos fautes (Dan. 1x, 4; Το)». nt, 3; Baruch ni, 2, etc.) ; il faut auparavant pardonner aux autres. On ne peut nicr que cette instruction si fondamentale sur la prière, animée par la foi et la charité, aurait pu être donnée dans une autre circonstance. Sans parler de Le. qui ἃ omis l'épisode du figuier desséché, Mt. ἃ déjà parlé une première fois du miracle de la montagne, xvn, 20, et il ne parle du pardon à propos de la prière que vi, 14 5.
11:26
Ce verset dela Vy. est omis par KBLSAW, qques minuscules, 4, 7, syrsin. arm, I] à pénétré dans un grand nombre de mss. et de verss. d'après Mt. vr, 15.
11:27
Tout en instruisant ses disciples sur la prière, Jésus arrive à Jérusalem avec eux. C'est la troisième visite au Temple, mais la seconde en entrant par Jérusalem (πάλιν), le troisième jour depuis l'arrivée de Jéricho. — Jésus se promenait dans le Temple, c'est-à-dire dans les portiques; le plus vraisemblable est qu'il enseignait selon sa coutume. Ceux qui viennent à lui sont des représentants des trois groupements composant le sanhédrin (vu, 81). Ici les grands prêtres sont naturellement en tête, puisqu'ils ont l'administration du Temple. Ils ont eu le temps de se consulter avec les serihes (χι, 18), et ils ont pris avec eux quelques personnes haut placées pour agir avec plus d'autorité. C’est toute La nation qui est représentée,
11:28
La question est motivée par la scène de la veille. Jésus à agi comme s'il était responsable du bon ordre dans le Temple, el le juge de ce qui était convenable au culte de Dieu. C'est le sens de ταῦτα, qui ne peut signifier ni sa promenade, ni même son enseignement, mais un acte d'autorité, comme le prouve la question posée; on ne peut pas dire non plus que ce soit toute la carrière de Jésus; la solution eût exigé une longue enquête, et comporté une longue apologie. Les adversaires de Jésus s'en tiennent à un fait précis, à un acte extraordinaire qu'un simple particulierîne pouvait se permettre. 115. croient donc avoir la partie belle et obliger Jésus à se déclarer. Qu'ils aient vu ou non dans l'acte de Jésus une démonstration messianique, ils ne se placent pas sur ce terrain. Ils lui demandent très exactement : d'où lui vient l'autorité qu'il exerce? I1 ne pourra répondre que c'est d'eux-mêmes. Et s'il ne veut pas prendre la responsabilité entière de ce qu'il a fait, qu'il désigne son mandant, Est-il auteur principal ou simple complice? C'est comme le début d'un interrogatoire normal; cf. Act. 1v, 7 : ἐν xolx δυνάμει ἢ ἐν ποίῳ ὀνόματι;
11:29
L'autorité était légitime; la question, en apparence du moins, dictée par le souci de l’ordre public. Jésus ne refuse pas de répondre. S'il répond par une question, comme précédemment (x, 3), ce n'est pas un manque d'égards envers la plus haute autorité nationale. C'était une habitude des rabbins dans leurs discussions (Wünscue, Neuc Beiträge, 247), un procédé destiné à préparer la solution en indiquant la voie à suivre. Le chemin qui conduisait à reconnaître la mission divine de Jésus passait par Jean. Ἕνα, non pas « une » question pour « deux » que vous me posez, ni simplement « une question », comme en français, pour τινὰ {cf. v, 22), maïs « une seule question ». Mon dessein n'est pas de vous arrêter longtemps sur des préambules, dites-moi seulement cela. χαὶ ἀποχρίθητέ μοι, καὶ ἐρῶ est d’alluré sémitique remplacé par Mt. : ὃν ἐὰν εἴπητέ μοι, κἀγὼ... ἐρῶ.
11:30
Pas d'article devant οὐρανοῦ ni devant ἀνθρώπων, car il ne s'agit pas d'objets individuels, mais de deux catégories opposées : origine céleste, origine humaine (Blass, 149). Ici le « ciel » est pour « Dieu », selon l'usage juif du temps. Le baptême résumait toute la prédication de Jean, baptême de pénitence, préparant le règne de Dieu. Π] y avait là un fait public, plus facile à constater qu'un hommage positif rendu à Jésus par Jean.
11:31
Les adversaires de Jésus ne paraissent pas songer à répondre selon leur conscience. S'ils avaient répondu : « du ciel », Jésus leur aurait dit sans doute : « moi aussi je tiens ma mission du ciel ». Ils ne voient dans cette contre-interrogation qu'un piège, et ils envisagent seulement les conséquences de leur réponse, par rapport à eux-mêmes. En dialecticiens rompus aux arguties, ils cherchent à prévoir la réplique, avant de donner la réponse. Comme ils n'ont eu d'autre intention que de surprendre leur adversaire, ils lui supposent le même dessein. On croirait volontiers que les scribes ont été, du moins à partir de ce moment, les inspirateurs du groupe. πρὸς ἑαυτούς équivaut à ἐν ἑαντοῖς, comme dans Mt., mais n'exclut pas une brève délibération à demi-voix (1x, 10; χα, 7). Il était notoire que la classe dirigeante avait été peu docile à la prédication de Jean. On ne pouvait nier ce point ni faire volte-face en ce moment.
11:32
ἀλλά — NSN1 (Wellh.); ef. Zntr. « mais si nous disions plutôt? » εἴπωμεν, subj. délibératif. La question demeure suspendue. Les sanhédrites ne s'avouent pas entre eux qu'ils craignent le peuple : respondet Marcus suo nomine, idque elegantissime fecisse videtur, quoniam haud facile quisquam sibi ipse aperte timorem adscribere consuesit (Rinck, cité par Schanz, lequel préfère dire que Mc. abrège comme à son ordinaire [!]}. Cette tournure, très expressive, mais un peu abrupte, ἃ été adoucie par Mt. et Le. La Ve. Clém. ἃ timemus, mais W.-W. timeant. εἶχον... ὅτι est un latinisme d'après Blass (286), habere, « tenir »; ὄντως avant ὅτι d'après B CG etc.; donc le peuple croyait réellement, d'après Swete; cependant, même ainsi placé, ce mot ne peut guère s'appliquer qu’à la qualité de Jean, qui était « vraiment » prophète. ἣν, l'impf. équivaut au plus-que-parfait; Jean a agi comme prophète avant qu’on ait pu le constater (Blass, 196).
11:33
La réponse évasive n'était guère plus prudente. Jésus eût pu dire « comment se fait-il que vous ne sachiez pas ? » mais il s’en tient à la position qu'il ἃ prise, montrant bien que son interrogation n'avait rien d'agressif. Wellh. est le seul à noter qu'en réalité Jésus a donné une réponse positive, mais, cela s'entend, seulement pour les âmes droites et bien disposées. Jean, d'après le peuple, avait une mission divine, et cependant cette mission n'avait pas été avouée par l'autorité qui s’obstinait à la méconnaître, même après son martyre. C'était insinuer que Jésus, lui aussi, avait sa mission du ciel, et que les disciples ne devaient pas s'arrêter devant une opposition partiale et aveugle. Sur la haute opinion que les Juifs avaient de Jean, cf. Jos. Ant. XVIH, v, 2.
11:1
Bethphage (Hebrew Beth = "House"; Paggim = "Unripe Figs")
BETHPHAGE (Hebrew Beth = "House"; Paggim = "Unripe Figs"). - Village to which Jesus sent two of his disciples to fetch the donkey on which he made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Mt. 21:1; Mk. 11:1; Lk. 19:29). In the two Talmuds it is considered a suburb of Jerusalem.
It is sacred to Christians for the memories of Jesus, who several times, coming from Jericho, crossed it to descend into the city (Mt. 21:3; Mk. 11:1; Lk. 19:29), rested at Bethany in the hospitable house of Lazarus, and through Bethphage (v.) on the eastern slope of the mount
… psalm), by the prayer « Deus, quem diligere », by the reading of Ex. 15:27 and 16:1-7, by the responsory Collegium (Jo. 11:47; 49, 50, 53) or In monte Oliveti (Mt. 26:39 and 41), by the Gospel Cum appropinquasset (ibid. 21:1-9; in ancient times also Mc. 11:1 ff. or Jo. 12:12 ff.). …
11:7
The messianic expectation also emerges from various attitudes taken toward J. by the disciples of the Baptist, by the people, and by the leaders of Judaism (cf. Mt. 11:2-3; 12:23; 17:10; Mk. 11:7-10; 14:61; Jn. 4:25; 6:14, etc.). …
11:9
OSANNA. - A Hebrew acclamation that entered the liturgy following its use in the New Testament (Mt. 21, 9. 15; Mk. 11, 9; Jn. 12, 13).
11:10
David (Heb. Dāwīdh "Beloved, Dear")
… The act of faith in the messiahship of Jesus (born of Davidic stock; cf. Mt. 1:1) was expressed in the cry: "Son of David!" (Mk. 10:48; 11:10).
11:11
From there He set out for his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and returned there the same evening (Lk. 19:29; Mk. 11:11; Mt. 21:17), and then on the evenings of the following days before the Passion. …
… On the following day (ibid. 12), J. enters Jerusalem in triumph, and in the evening returns to Bethany (Mk. 11:11). On Monday, returning to Jerusalem, he curses the fig tree, drives the sellers from the Temple, and in the evening again leaves the city (Mk. 11:12-19). On Tuesday he is again in …
LAZARUS OF BETHANY. - Brother of Martha (v.) and of Mary, friend and table companion of Jesus (Jn 11:5, 36; Mt 21:17; Mk 11:11) and raised by him. The resurrection of L. is narrated with many details in Jn 11.
11:12
… On the following day (ibid. 12), J. enters Jerusalem in triumph, and in the evening returns to Bethany (Mk. 11:11). On Monday, returning to Jerusalem, he curses the fig tree, drives the sellers from the Temple, and in the evening again leaves the city (Mk. 11:12-19). On Tuesday he is again in Jerusalem, in the Temple (ibid. 11:27), where he disputes with the chief priests, scribes and elders. …
… The evangelical precept proposes "to be perfect as the Father who is in heaven" (Mk. 10:2; Mk. 5:48); and the fullness of perfection is love, charity (cf. Sum. Theol., 2a-2ae, q. 184, a. 1, ad 2). But Jesus Christ himself, by his words (Mk. 19:21; 11:12) and by his example (ibid. 8:20; Lk. 9:58), demonstrated that the Father in heaven can be loved in different ways and by different paths. …
11:21
Primacy of Saint Peter and of the Roman Pontiff
Peter himself was conscious of his position, since it is generally he who speaks on behalf of all (Mt. 14:28; 15:15; 16:16-22; 17:4; 18:21; 19:27; 26:33; Mk. 8:29; 10:28; 11:21; 14:29; Lk. 8:45; 9:20; 9:33; 12:41; 18:28; 22:31; Jn. 6:68; 13:6-10, 36). Peter's particular position cannot be attributed to his seniority (there is no reason to believe him the …
11:25
… end (Rom. 5:12; 7:7; 8:3); παράβασις or ἀνομία or παρενημία, that is, transgression of the law, which man is bound to observe (2 Pt. 2:16; Rom. 4:15; 1 Jn. 3:4); παράπταμα, that is, the state of one who has fallen from his dignity or moral perfection (Mk. 11:25-26).
11:27
… in the evening returns to Bethany (Mk. 11:11). On Monday, returning to Jerusalem, he curses the fig tree, drives the sellers from the Temple, and in the evening again leaves the city (Mk. 11:12-19). On Tuesday he is again in Jerusalem, in the Temple (ibid. 11:27), where he disputes with the chief priests, scribes and elders. …
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) …
11:30
… To the Jews, in fact, who asked him: "Why do you baptize, if you are not the Christ nor a prophet?" he answers: "He who sent me to baptize in water," etc. (Jn. 1:33), and Jesus publicly confirms this divine origin (Mk. 11:30). 2. The baptism of the precursor has the wholly particular purpose of messianic preparation: "After me will come one who is greater than I, and I did not know him; but precisely …
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.