Lecture 5
Lectio 5
Feast of the dedication
Encaenia
10:19 A dissension rose again among the Jews on account of these words. [n. 1428]
10:19 Dissensio iterum facta est inter Iudaeos propter sermones hos. [n. 1428]
10:20 And many of them said: he has a devil and is mad; why do you hear him? [n. 1429]
10:20 Dicebant autem multi ex ipsis: daemonium habet, et insanit; quid eum auditis? [n. 1429]
10:21 Others said: these are not the words of one who has a devil; is a devil able to open the eyes of the blind? [n. 1430]
10:21 Alii dicebant: haec verba non sunt daemonium habentis. Numquid daemonium potest caecorum oculos aperire? [n. 1430]
10:22 It was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem, and it was winter. [n. 1433]
10:22 Facta sunt autem encaenia in Ierosolymis, et hiems erat, [n. 1433]
10:23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. [n. 1436]
10:23 et ambulabat Iesus in templo in porticu Salomonis. [n. 1436]
10:24 The Jews therefore gathered around him and said to him: how long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. [n. 1438]
10:24 Circumdederunt ergo eum Iudaei. Et dicebant ei: quousque animam nostram tollis? Si tu es Christus, dic nobis palam. [n. 1438]
10:25 Jesus answered them: I speak to you, and you do not believe: the works that I do in the name of my Father give testimony about me. [n. 1440]
10:25 Respondit eis Iesus: loquor vobis, et non creditis. Opera quae ego facio in nomine Patris mei, haec testimonium perhibent de me. [n. 1440]
10:26 But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep. [n. 1444]
10:26 Sed vos non creditis, quia non estis ex ovibus meis. [n. 1444]
10:27 My sheep hear my voice; and I know them, and they follow me. [n. 1445]
10:27 Oves meae vocem meam audiunt, et ego cognosco eas, et sequuntur me, [n. 1445]
10:28 And I give them eternal life; they will never perish, and no man will pluck them out of my hand. [n. 1449]
10:28 et ego vitam aeternam do eis, et non peribunt in aeternum, et non rapiet eas quisquam de manu mea. [n. 1449]
10:29 That which my Father has given to me is greater than all, and no man is able to snatch them out of the hand of my Father. [n. 1450]
10:29 Pater meus quod dedit mihi, maius omnibus est; et nemo potest rapere de manu Patris mei. [n. 1450]
10:30 I and the Father are one. [n. 1450]
10:30 Ego et Pater unum sumus. [n. 1450]
1427. After showing that he has power to give life and showing his manner of doing so, our Lord here shows how this power to give life belongs to him.
1427. Postquam Dominus ostendit se habere virtutem vivificativam, et insinuavit vivificandi modum, hic ostendit secundum quid sibi vivificativa potestas conveniat, et
First, the Evangelist mentions the dispute which arose among the crowd on his point;
primo Evangelista ponit dissensionem exortam super hoc inter turbas ad se invicem;
second, he gives the discussion between the Jewish leaders and Christ, at it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem.
secundo ponit disceptationem principum Iudaeorum ad Christum, ibi facta sunt encaenia etc.
Concerning the first he does three things.
Circa primum tria facit.
First, he mentions the dispute within the crowd;
Primo ponit ipsam turbarum dissensionem;
second, he gives the opinion of one side;
secundo subdit unius partis dissentientium opinionem;
third, he states the reasonable position of the other side.
tertio infert sanam alterius partis assertionem.
1428. The dispute arose within the crowd which was listening to Christ because of what he said. The Evangelist says, a dissension rose again among the Jews on account of these words. Since some of them understood his words correctly, and others did not, they argued among themselves: I have not come to bring peace, but a sword (Matt 10:34), that is, the sword of Gospel teaching, which some believed and others deny. He pours contempt upon princes (Ps 107:40).
1428. Dissensio autem orta est inter turbas quae Christum audierant, ex sermonibus eius: et hoc est quod dicit dissensio itaque facta est inter Iudaeos propter sermones hos. Dum enim quidam ex eis sermones ipsos recte intelligebant, quidam non recte, dissentiebant ad invicem; Matth. X, 34: non veni pacem mittere, sed gladium, scilicet Evangelicae doctrinae, cui alii credunt, alii contradicunt; Ps. CVI, 40: effusa est contentio super principes.
1429. The opinion of one party to the argument was false. About this he says, many of them said. He says, many, because as we read: the number of fools is infinite (Eccl 1:15). They said: he has a devil and is mad, for it is the habit of the foolish to always give an evil interpretation to matters about which they are in doubt; whereas the opposite should be done. Thus they revile whatever they do not know, as we read in the letter of Jude. And so because they were incapable of understanding our Lord’s words, for the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it (John 1:5), they blasphemed, saying, he has a devil and is mad. And they try to turn others away from him, saying why do you hear him?
1429. Opinio autem alterius partis dissentientium est falsa: et quantum ad hoc dicit dicebant autem multi ex ipsis. Dicit autem multi, quia, ut dicitur Eccle. I, 15: stultorum infinitus est numerus. Dicebant, inquam, daemonium habet, et insanit. Consuetudo namque stultorum est ut dubia semper interpretentur in malum, cum tamen contrarium debeat fieri. Unde contingit quod quaecumque ignorant, blasphemant, ut dicitur in canonica Iudae. Quia ergo verba Domini intelligere non valebant, quia lux in tenebris lucet, et tenebrae eam non comprehenderunt, ideo blasphemant dicentes daemonium habet, et insanit. Et nituntur alios ab eo avertere, dicentes: quid eum auditis?
These blasphemers accuse Christ of two things. First, that he has a demon. As if to say: he is not speaking due to the Holy Spirit, but from a wicked spirit. Something similar is found about Paul: he seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities (Acts 17:18). Now the fact is that a person who has his own and familiar demon is always spiritually mad, but not always mad in a bodily way. But some can be possessed by a demon, and these are always mad even in a bodily way. Thus it was said of Christ he has become mad (Mark 3:21). Second, to show that Christ has a demon in this way, they say, and is mad. Your great learning is turning you mad (Acts 26:24). Yet their blasphemy is not surprising, because they are sensual and, as we read: the sensual person does not perceive those things that pertain to the Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:14).
Blasphemantes autem, duo Christo imponunt. Primo, quod daemonium habet; quasi dicant: non ex Spiritu Sancto, sed ex spiritu maligno loquitur. Simile dicitur Act. XVII, 18, de Paulo: novorum daemoniorum annuntiator est. Contingit autem aliquem habere daemonium privatum et familiarem; et talis licet semper insaniat spiritualiter, non tamen semper insanit corporaliter; aliquem vero arreptum a daemone esse: et iste semper insanit etiam corporaliter. Unde Mc. III, 21, dicebant: quoniam in furorem versus est. Secundo, ut ostendat quod Christus sic habeat daemonium, dicunt et insanit. Act. XXVI, v. 24: multae litterae ad insaniam te adducunt. Nec mirum si blasphemant, quia animales sunt, et, ut dicitur I Cor. II, 14, animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt Spiritus Dei.
1430. This opinion is refuted by the statements of the other side, and this is in two ways. First, by the profundity of Christ’s words. Thus he says, others, that is, those who rightly understood, said: these are not the words of one who has a devil. This was like saying: it is clear from what he is saying that he is not mad, because his words are orderly and profound: Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6:69). And Paul says, I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking the sober truth (Acts 26:25).
1430. Sententia autem et assertio alterius partis improbat praemissam opinionem dupliciter. Primo ex pondere verborum; unde dicit alii, qui scilicet recte sapiebant, dicebant: haec verba non sunt daemonium habentis, quasi dicant: ex eis videtur quod non insanit, cum sint ordinata et ponderosa; supra VI, 69: Domine, ad quem ibimus? Verba vitae aeternae habes. Unde Paulus dicit Act. c. XXVI, 16: non insanio, optime Feste, sed verba veritatis et sobrietatis loquor.
Second, this opinion is refuted by the greatness of the miracle. Thus they say, is a devil able to open the eyes of the blind? This means: was not this one of the greatest of miracles? They were correct in believing that it could be performed only by the power of God: unless this man were of God, he could not do anything (John 9:33).
Secundo ex magnitudine miraculi; unde dicit numquid daemonium potest oculos caecorum aperire? Quasi dicat: non erat enim hoc miraculum maximum? Et ideo recte credebant, quod non nisi Dei virtute fieri posset; supra IX, 33: si non esset hic a Deo, non poterat facere quidquam.
1431. It should be noted that there are certain miracles which can be performed by the power of demons and angels, and there are others which in no way can be accomplished by their power. Those things which are above the order of nature no creature whatever can perform by its own power, since the creature itself is subject to the laws of nature. God alone, who is above nature, can act above the order of nature. Whenever, therefore, another creature acts, it is apparent that he remains under the order of nature.
1431. Sciendum est autem, quod quaedam miracula sunt quae possunt fieri virtute daemonum et angelorum; quaedam vero sunt quae nullo modo eorum virtute fieri possunt. Ea enim quae sunt supra ordinem naturae, nulla creatura, quaecumque sit, sua virtute potest facere, cum etiam ipsa subiaceat legibus naturae. Deus autem solus, qui est supra naturam, operari potest supra naturae ordinem. Quidquid ergo aliqua creatura operatur, oportet quod sistat infra naturae ordinem.
Therefore, whatever things can be performed within the order of nature, an angel, either good or wicked, is able to do, when it is permitted. Thus, by using the seeds which in natural things are ordered to the generation of certain animals, they are able to effect the generation of these animals, as Pharaoh’s magicians did (Exod 7:11). Again, they can produce changes affecting the nature of a thing; thus, they can heal the sick who could be helped by the power of nature.
Ex quo patet quod omne illud quod potest fieri secundum ordinem naturae, potest angelus et bonus et malus, quando sibi permittitur. Sicut secundum semina, quae sunt in rebus naturalibus ad generationem aliquorum animalium ordinata, possunt illorum animalium generationem operari; sicut fecerunt magi Pharaonis, Ex. VII, 11. Et similiter alterare naturam alicuius possunt: unde possent sanare infirmos, quibus beneficio naturae subveniri posset.
But things that absolutely transcend the order of nature can be performed by God alone, or by good angels and saintly men through God’s power, which they obtain through prayer. Such would be the conferring of sight on the blind and the raising of the dead; for the power of nature cannot extend to the restoring of sight or to the raising of the dead. Consequently, a demon cannot open the eyes of a blind man or raise the dead, because this is done by God alone, and by the saints through the power of God.
Illa autem quae simpliciter naturae ordinem transcendunt, non possunt fieri nisi a Deo, seu a bonis angelis et sanctis hominibus virtute Dei, quam orando impetrant. Tale autem est illuminatio caeci et resuscitatio mortuorum: non enim naturae virtus se extendere potest ad oculorum restitutionem et mortuorum resuscitationem. Et ideo daemonium non potest caecorum oculos aperire, et mortuos suscitare: quia hoc est solius Dei et sanctorum virtute Dei.
1432. Here we see the dispute which the Jewish leaders initiated with Christ.
1432. Hic ponitur dissensio quae mota est a principibus Iudaeorum ad Christum, et
First, the Evangelist gives the question asked by the Jews;
primo Evangelista proponit Iudaeorum interrogationem;
second, Christ’s answer, at Jesus answered them: I speak to you;
secundo subdit Christi responsionem, ibi respondit eis Iesus: loquor vobis,
and third, the effect of this answer, at the Jews then took up stones to stone him (John 10:31).
tertio infert responsionis effectum, ibi sustulerunt lapides Iudaei.
Concerning the first he does two things:
Circa primum duo facit.
first, he describes the circumstances of the questioning;
Primo describit circumstantias interrogationis;
second, he gives the question itself, at and said to him: how long will you hold us in suspense?
secundo ponit ipsam interrogationem, ibi dixerunt ei: usquequo animam nostram tollis?