Ecce Rex tuus Behold Your King Comes Sermo in prima Dominica Adventus Sermon on the First Sunday of Advent Sermo in prima Dominica Adventus Domini fratris Thomae de Aquino. Sermon of friar Thomas Aquinas for the first Sunday of the Advent of the Lord. Mathaei. XXI. Matthew 21:5 Ecce rex tuus venit tibi mansuetus. Behold, your king comes to you, meek. Prothema Prologue Multa sunt mirabilia divinorum operum, Psalmista: mirabilia opera tua, sed nullum opus Dei est ita mirabile sicut adventus Christi in carnem. Et est ratio quia in aliis Dei operibus Deus impressit suam similitudinem creaturae, sed in opere Incarnationis impressit Deus seipsum et univit se naturae humanae in unitate personae; vel univit naturam humanam sibi. Et ideo cum alia Dei opera non sint perfecte scrutabilia, illud opus, scilicet Incarnationis, est omnino sine ratione. Unde Iob: qui facis magna et mirabilia et discrutabilia absque numero; Many are the wonders of the divine works, as the Psalmist says: wonderful are your works (Ps 137 [138]:14). Yet no work of God is as marvelous as the coming of Christ into the flesh, because, while in his other works God imprinted his likeness on the creature, in the work of the Incarnation he impressed his very self, and united himself to human nature through a unity of person (or united our nature to himself). And hence, while the other works of God are imperfectly knowable, this work (namely, the Incarnation), is entirely without reason. Job 5:9: you do great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number. unum opus est quod videre non possum: si venerit ad me non videbo eum. Et in Malachia: ecce venit Dominus exercituum et quis poterit cogitare diem adventus eius?, quasi dicat: illud excedit cognitionem humanam. Sed Apostolus docet quis poterit cogitare diem adventus eius dicens: non sumus sufficientes cogitare aliquid ex nobis quasi ex nobis, sed omnis sufficientia nostra ex Deo est. Igitur in principio rogabimus Dominum ut ipse det mihi aliquid dicere etc. There is one work that I cannot see: if he should come to me, I would not see him (Job 9:11). And in Malachi: behold, the lord of hosts comes, and who can know the day of his coming? (Mal 3:1–2) As though to say: it exceeds the knowledge of man. But the Apostle teaches who would be able to know the day of his coming, saying: not that we are sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves: but all our sufficiency is from God (2 Cor 3:5). Therefore, in the beginning we will ask the Lord that he himself should give me something to say, etc. Sermo Sermon Ecce rex tuus etc. Verba ista sumuntur ex Evangelio quod hodie apud nos legitur et sunt sumpta de Zacharia, licet aliquantulum sub aliis verbis ibi recitentur. In verbis autem istis manifeste praenuntiatur nobis Christi adventus; et ne super ambiguo procedamus, scire debetis quod quadruplex legitur Christi adventus. Behold, your king comes, meek (Matt 21:5). These words are taken from the Gospel which we read today, and are taken from Zechariah 9:9, although there it is said in slightly different words. In these words, Christ’s coming is clearly prophesied to us. And lest we proceed on the basis of an ambiguity, you should know that Christ’s coming is read in four ways. Primus est quo venit in carnem; First is that by which he comes into the flesh. secundus eius adventus est quo venit in mentem; His second coming is that by which he comes into the soul. tertius Christi adventus est quo venit in morte iustorum; The third coming of Christ is that by which he comes in the death of the just. sed quartus Christi adventus est quo venit ad iudicandum. And the fourth coming of Christ is that by which he comes to judge. 0.1. Primus dico adventus Christi est in carnem et non est intelligendum quod venerit in carnem mutando locum quia dicitur in Isaia: coelum et terram ego impleo. Quomodo ergo venit in carnem? Dico quod venit in carnem descendens de coelo, non dereliquendo coelum sed assumendo naturam humanam. Unde in Iohanne: in propria venit. Et quomodo? Dico quod erat in mundo sed venit in mundo quando Verbum caro factum est. First, I say that the coming of Christ is into the flesh. And it is not to be understood as though he came into the flesh by changing place, because he says in Jeremiah: I fill heaven and earth (Jer 23:24). In what way, then, did he come into the flesh? I say that he came into the flesh descending from heaven, not by leaving heaven behind, but by assuming human nature. Thus John says: he came unto his own (John 1:11). And how? I say that he was in the world, but he came in the world when the word became flesh (John 1:14). 0.2. Et videte quod iste adventus inducit alium Christi adventum qui est in mentem. Nihil prodesset nobis quod Christus venisset in carnem nisi cum hoc venisset in mentem, scilicet nos sanctificando; unde in Iohanne: si quis diligit me, sermonem meum servabit et Pater meus diliget eum et ad eum veniemus et mansionem apud eum faciemus. And see how this coming leads to the other coming of Christ, which is into the soul. It would have profited us nothing if Christ had come into the flesh, unless he had also entered into the soul, that is, by sanctifying us. Hence John says: if anyone love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him (John 14:23). 0.3. In primo adventu venit solum Filius; in secundo vero adventu venit Filius cum Patre ad inhabitandum animam. Per istum adventum qui est per gratiam iustificantem, anima liberatur a culpa, non ab omni poena quia consequitur gratiam sed nondum consequitur gloriam. In the first coming, the Son comes alone, but in the second, the Son comes with the Father to live within the soul. This coming, which is through justifying grace, frees the soul from fault, though not from all punishment, because it receives grace, although it does not yet receive glory. Et propter hoc necessarius est tertius Christi adventus in quo venit in morte sanctorum, scilicet quando ipsos recipit ad se ipsum; unde in Iohanne: si abiero, in passione, et paravero vobis locum, tollendo obstaculum, iterum veniam ad vos, scilicet in morte, et tollam vos ad meipsum, scilicet in gloria; ut ubi ego sum, illic et vos sitis. Item in Iohanne dicit: ego veni ut vitam habeant, scilicet praesentiam meam in animabus, et abundantius habeant, scilicet per gloriae participationem. And because of this the third coming of Christ is necessary, in which he comes in the death of the saints, when he receives these souls unto himself. Hence John says: if I should go, to the Passion, and prepare a place for you, by removing the obstacle, I shall come to you again, namely, in death, and I shall take you to myself, namely, in glory, that where I am, you also may be (John 14:3). And again he says: I came that they may have life, namely, my presence in your souls, and have it in abundance (John 10:10), namely, through participating in glory. 0.4. Quartus Christi adventus erit ad iudicandum, scilicet quando Dominus veniet ad iudicium, et tunc gloria sanctorum redundabit usque ad corpus et resurgent mortui; unde in Iohanne: venit hora et nunc est quando omnes qui sunt in monumentis audient vocem Filii Dei et procedent qui bona egerunt in resurrectionem vitae. The fourth coming of Christ will be to judge, namely, when the Lord will come as Judge, and then the glory of the saints will overflow even into the body, and the dead will rise again. Hence John says: the hour is coming, and now is, when all who are in the tomb will hear the voice of the son of God and those who did well will enter into the resurrection of life (John 5:25). Et propter istos quatuor Christi adventus celebrat forte Ecclesia quatuor Dominica de Christi adventu. In ista autem Dominica celebrat de primo Christi adventu et possumus in verbis propositis quatuor videre: And perhaps it is because of these four comings that the Church celebrates Christ’s coming over the four Sundays of Advent. It celebrates the first coming of Christ on this Sunday: and we can see four things in the words set down above. primo adventus Christi demonstrationem, ibi: ecce; First, the coming of Christ is shown at: behold; secundo venientis conditionem, ibi: rex tuus; second, the condition of the one coming, at: your king; tertio venientis utilitatem: venit tibi; third, the purpose of the coming: comes to you; quarto veniendi modum, ibi: mansuetus. fourth, the mode of the coming, at: meek. 1. Primo dico: possumus videre adventus Christi demonstrationem, ibi: ecce. Et notandum quod per 'ecce' quatuor solemus intelligere: First, I say that we can see that the coming of Christ is shown at: behold. We must note that we normally understand four things by 'behold'. primo rei certificationem: de rebus quae nobis constant dicimus: 'ecce'; First, showing a thing to be certain: we say 'behold' of things which are evident to us. secundo intelligimus per 'ecce' temporis determinationem; Second, we understand through 'behold' a determination of time; tertio rei manifestationem third, the manifestation of a thing; et quarto hominum confortationem. and fourth, men’s comfort. 1.1. Primo dico: per 'ecce' solemus intelligere rei certificationem: quando aliquis vult aliquid certificare dicit 'ecce'. Unde in Genesi dicit Dominus: ecce statuam pactum meum vobiscum et cum semine vestro post vos; arcum meum ponam inter me et vos, scilicet in signum pacis. Per arcum istum significatur Dei Filius, quia sicut arcus generatur ex reverberatione solis ad nubem aquosam, sic Christus generatus est ex verbo Dei et ex natura humana quae est sicut nubes; et sicut anima et caro unus est homo, ita Deus et homo unus est Christus; et de Christo dicitur quod ascendit super nubem levem, id est super <humanam> naturam sibi eam uniendo; First, I say that through 'behold' we normally mean to make a thing certain. When anyone wants to make a thing certain, he says, behold. Hence the Lord says in Genesis: behold, I will establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you. I shall set my bow between me and you (Gen 9:9, 13), namely, as a sign of peace. This bow signifies the Son of God, for, as the bow is generated from the reflection of the sun on the watery clouds, so is Christ generated from the Word of God and human nature, which is like the clouds. And as the soul and body are one man, so God and man are the one Christ; and it is said of Christ that he ascended on a light cloud (cf. Acts 1:9), that is, on human nature, by uniting it to himself. et venit nobis Christus in signum pacis et fuit necessarium quod ita fieret quia modo sunt aliqui qui dubitant de secundo Christi adventu. Unde Apostolus: in novissimis quidem temporibus venient illusores, discedentes a fide, iuxta proprias concupiscentias ambulantes et dicentes: ubi est nunc promissio et adventus eius? Dicunt enim tales quod anima non erit post corpus; et propter hoc ad certificationem adventus Christi dicit Propheta: ecce. Et in Abacuc: apparebit Dominus in finem et non mentietur; et Isaias: Dominus exercituum veniet. And Christ came to us as a sign of peace, and it was necessary that he should become such because of how some doubt Christ’s second coming. Hence the Apostle says: in the last days there shall come deceitful scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, “where is his promise or his coming?” (2 Pet 3:3-4). Such men will say that the soul will not endure after the body, and because of this, to show the certainty of Christ’s coming, the prophet says: behold. And it says in Habakkuk 2:3: the Lord will appear in the end, and will not lie. And Isaiah says: the Lord of hosts will come (Isa 3:14). 1.2. Secundo per 'ecce' solemus intelligere temporis determinationem. In adventu Christi ad iudicium non est nobis tempus determinatum; unde Iob: nescio quamdiu subsistam et quando tollet me factor meus; et in Luca: regnum Dei non veniet cum <observatione>. Et quare non fuit in isto adventu tempus nobis determinatum? Forte quia Dominus voluit nos esse semper vigilantes; sed in adventu Christi in carnem fuit nobis tempus determinatum; unde Isaias: ecce dies venient et suscitabo David germen iustum et regnabit et sapiens erit. The second thing we usually understand through ‘behold’ is a determined time. In the coming of Christ to judge, we do not have a determined time; hence Job says: I know not how long I shall continue, and when my Maker may take me away (Job 32:22). And in Luke: the kingdom of God will not come with observation (Luke 17:20). Why was there not a time determined for us for that coming? Perhaps because the Lord wished us to be always watchful. But for the coming of Christ into the flesh we had a determined time; hence Isaiah says: behold, the days shall come, and I shall raise up to David a just seed, and he shall reign and be wise (Jer 23:5). 1.3. Tertio per 'ecce' solemus intelligere rei manifestationem. Quidam adventus Dei ad nos est occultus, scilicet adventus quo venit in mentem, et iste non potest sciri per certificationem; unde Iob: si venerit ad me non videbo eum et si abierit non intelligam; sed in adventu isto qui est in carnem Christus manifestus et visibilis venit, unde Isaias: propter hoc intelliget populus meus nomen meum quia ego qui loquebar ecce adsum. Et Iohannes digito eum demonstravit ut praesentem, dicens: ecce agnus Dei. Zacharias vero demonstravit eum per ecce ut futurum. The third thing we normally understand by ‘behold’ is the manifestation of a thing. A certain coming of God to us is hidden, namely, the coming in which he enters into the soul, and cannot be known through showing it to be certain. Hence Job says: if he come to me, I shall not see him, and if he depart, I shall not understand (Job 9:11). But in this coming, which is into the flesh, Christ comes manifest and visible; hence Isaiah says: therefore my people shall understand my name, because I am myself who spoke; behold, I am here (Isa 52:6). And John points him out, saying as though in the present: behold, the Lamb of God (John 1:36). But Zechariah showed him through behold in reference to the future. 1.4. Quarto per 'ecce' solemus intelligere hominum confortationem et hoc in duobus. Si homo patitur molestias ab inimicis suis et inimici eius subiuguntur ei, 'ecce' dicit; unde in Threnis: aperuerunt inimici mei os suum, en venit dies quam desideravi. Similiter quando homo consequitur aliquid boni quod diu desideravit 'ecce' dicit; unde Psalmista: ecce quam bonum et quam iocundum habitare fratres in unum. Et ista duo consecuti sumus in adventu Christi quia liberatus est homo de insultibus daemonum et gaudet de spe adepta; unde Isaias: dicite: pusillanimis confortamini, nolite timere; ecce Deus vester ultionem adducet de inimicis vestris, ipse veniet et salvabit vos. Fourth, by ‘behold’ we normally understand men’s comfort; and this in two ways. If a man suffers annoyance from his enemies, and his enemies submit to him, he says, 'behold.' Thus Lamentations 2:16 says: my enemies have opened their mouth, and behold, the day comes which I have longed for. Similarly, when a man obtains some good which he has long desired, he says ‘behold’. As the Psalmist says: behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live in unity (Ps 132 [131]:1). We obtained these two in the coming of Christ because man is freed from the insults of the devil and rejoices in hope obtained. As Isaiah says: say to the fainthearted, “take courage, and fear not: behold, your God will bring the revenge of recompense over your enemies; God himself will come and will save you” (Isa 35:4). 2. Videamus modo de conditione advenientis. Adventus personae requiritur, expectatur vel praenuntiatur cum solemnitate propter personae magnitudinem si est rex vel legatus domini papae, vel propter amicitiam et affinitatem; et iste qui venit est rex et propinquus noster et amicus. Propter hoc cum solemnitate ipsum expectare debemus. Now, let us consider the condition of the one coming. A person’s coming requires that he be expected or announced with solemnity because of the person’s greatness, if he is a king or papal legate, or because of friendship and affinity: and this one who comes is a king, our close relation, and a friend. Scitis quod rex importat auctoritatem dominii sed non quicumque habet auctoritatem dominii dicitur rex, Because of this, we must await him with solemnity. You know that a king orders the authority of dominion, yet not just anyone who has authority of dominion is called a king, but four things are required for someone to be called a king; if any one is absent, he is not called a king.