1119. He mentions that Jesus left the temple when he says, and Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. For our Lord made it his practice, when he was at Jerusalem on the festival days, to preach in the temple and to work miracles and signs during the day, and when evening came, he would return to Bethany, which was on the Mount of Olives as the guest of Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary. With this in mind, the Evangelist says that since Jesus had remained in the temple and preached on the last day of the great feast, in the evening, and Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, where Bethany was located. 1119. Recessus quidem, cum dicit Iesus autem perrexit in Montem oliveti. Nam Dominus hanc sibi consuetudinem fecerat ut per diem quando erat Ierosolymis in diebus festis, praedicaret in templo, signa et miracula faceret, et in sero revertebatur in Bethaniam, et apud sorores Lazari Mariam et Martham hospitabatur, quae erat in Monte oliveti. Secundum igitur hunc morem dicit, quod cum in novissimo magnae festivitatis die Iesus stetisset in templo, et praedicasset, de sero perrexit in Montem oliveti, ubi erat Bethania. And this is appropriate to a mystery: for as Augustine says, where was it appropriate for Christ to teach and show his mercy, if not on the Mount of Olives, the mount of anointing and of grace. The olive signifies mercy; so also in Greek, oleos is the same as mercy. And we are told that the Samaritan applied oil and wine, which correspond to mercy and the stringency of judgment (Luke 10:24). Again, oil is healing: wounds and bruises and swelling sores are not bandaged or dressed, or soothed with oil (Isa 1:6). It also signifies the medicine of spiritual grace which has been transmitted to us by Christ: God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows (Ps 44:8); and again, like the precious ointment on the head which ran down upon the beard (Ps 132:2). Et hoc convenit mysterio: nam, ut dicit Augustinus, ubi decebat Christum docere et suam misericordiam manifestare nisi in Monte oliveti, in Monte unctionis et chrismatis? Oliva autem misericordiam signat: unde et in Graeco oleos idem est quod misericordia. Lc. X, 34, dicitur de Samaritano, quod infudit oleum et vinum, secundum misericordiam et severitatem iudicii. Item oleum sanativum est; Is. I, 6: vulnus et livor et plaga tumens non est circumligata medicamine, neque fota oleo. Signatur etiam medicina spiritualis gratiae, quae ad nos derivata est. Ps. XLIV, 8: unxit te Deus, Deus tuus, oleo laetitiae prae consortibus tuis. Et alibi: sicut unguentum in capite quod descendit in barbam. 1120. Christ’s return to the temple is described as being early; thus he says, and early in the morning he came again into the temple. This signifies that he was about to impart knowledge and manifest his grace in his temple, that is, in his believers: we have received your mercy, O God, in the middle of your temple (Ps 47:10). 1120. Reditus autem ad locum ponitur tempestivus; unde dicit et iterum diluculo venit in templum. Per quod signatur quod cognitionem et manifestationem gratiae suae in templo suo, scilicet fidelibus suis, manifestaturus erat, Ps. XLVII, 10: suscepimus, Deus, misericordiam tuam in medio templi tui. The fact that he returned early in the morning signifies the rising light of new grace: his going forth is as sure as the dawn (Hos 6:3). Quod autem diluculo rediit, exortum lumen novae gratiae designat; Os. VI, 3: quasi diluculum praeparatus est egressus eius. 1121. Those who listened to his teaching were the sincere among the people; thus he says, all the people came to him: the assembly of the people will surround you (Ps 7:8). 1121. Auditor autem doctrinae est populus devotus; et ideo dicit et omnis populus venit ad eum; Ps. VII, 8: synagoga populorum circumdabit te. 1122. Their teacher is presented as seated, and sitting down, that is, going down to their level, so that his teaching would be more easily understood. His sitting down signifies the humility of his incarnation: you knew when I sat down, and when I rose (Ps 138:1). Because it was through the human nature that our Lord assumed that he became visible, we began to be instructed in the divine matters more easily. So he says, sitting down, he taught them, that is, the simple, and those who respected his teaching: he will teach his ways to the gentle, and will guide the mild in judgment (Ps 24:9); he will teach us his ways (Isa 2:3). 1122. Doctor autem introducitur sedens, unde dicit et sedens, idest condescendens, ut eius doctrina facilius caperetur. Sessio enim humilitatem incarnationis significat; Ps. CXXXVIII, 1: tu cognovisti sessionem meam et resurrectionem meam. Quia per susceptam humanitatem visibilis apparens, coeperunt de divinis facilius edoceri; et ideo dicit, quod sedens docebat eos, idest simplices, et sermonem eius admirantes; Ps. XXIV, 9: docebit mites vias suas, et diriget mansuetos in iudicio; Is. II, 3: docebit nos vias suas. 1123. Then, at and the scribes and Pharisees brought to him a woman caught in adultery, our Lord wards off his opponents. 1123. Consequenter cum dicit adducunt autem Scribae et Pharisaei mulierem in adulterio deprehensam, repellit adversarios, et First, we see him tested, so that he can then be accused; and primo ponitur calumniae tentatio; second, he checks his accusers, at but Jesus, bending down, wrote with his finger on the ground. secundo calumniantium repulsio, ibi Iesus autem inclinans se deorsum, digito scribebat in terra. As to the first, the Evangelist does three things: Circa primum tria facit. first, he mentions the occasion for the test; Primo ponitur tentationis occasio; second, he describes the test itself, at and said to him: Master, this woman was just now caught in adultery; secundo describitur ipsa tentatio, ibi dixerunt ei: Magister, haec mulier modo deprehensa est in adulterio; and third, the purpose of those who were testing our Lord, at and they said this tempting him. tertio tentatorum intentio, ibi haec autem dicebant tentantes eum. 1124. The occasion for the test is a woman’s adultery. And so first, her accusers detail the crime; and also exhibit the sinner. 1124. Occasio autem tentationis ponitur adulterium a muliere perpetratum: et ideo primo aggravant culpam; secundo praesentant personam peccantem. As to the first, the Evangelist says, then the scribes and Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. As Augustine says, three things were noteworthy about Christ: his truth, his gentleness, and his justice. Indeed, it was predicted about him: Go forth and reign, because of truth, gentleness, and justice (Ps 44:5). For he set forth the truth as a teacher; and the Pharisees and scribes noticed this while he was teaching: if I say the truth to you, why do you not believe me? (John 8:46). Since they could find nothing false in his words or his teachings, they had ceased their accusations on that score. Dicit ergo quantum ad primum adducunt autem Scribae et Pharisaei mulierem in adulterio deprehensam. Ut enim Augustinus dicit, tria in Christo praeeminebant: scilicet veritas, mansuetudo et iustitia. De ipso quippe fuerat praedictum: procede, et regna, propter veritatem et mansuetudinem et iustitiam. Nam veritatem attulit ut doctor, et hanc perceperant Pharisaei et Scribae dum doceret. Infra eodem: si veritatem dico vobis, quare non creditis mihi? Nullum enim falsum in verbis et doctrina eius deprehendere poterant; et ideo calumniari de hoc cessaverant. He showed his gentleness as a liberator or savior; and they saw this when he could not be provoked against his enemies and persecutors: when he was reviled, he did not revile (1 Pet 2:23). Thus: learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart (Matt 11:29). Thus they did not accuse him on this point. Mansuetudinem vero attulit ut liberator; et hanc cognoverunt dum adversus inimicos et persecutores non commoveretur; I Petr. II, v. 23: cum malediceretur, non maledicebat. Unde dicebat, Mt. XI, 29: discite a me, quia mitis sum, et humilis corde. Et ideo de hoc etiam non calumniabantur. And he exercised justice as its advocate; he did this because it was not yet known among the Jews, especially in legal proceedings. It was on this point that they wanted to test him, to see if he would abandon justice for the sake of mercy. So they present him with a known crime, deserving denunciation, adultery: every woman who is a harlot will be walked on like dung on the road (Sir 9:10). Then they present the sinner in person to further influence him: and they set her in the midst. This woman will be brought into the assembly, and among the sons of God (Sir 23:24). Iustitiam autem attulit ut cognitor, et hoc quia nondum nota erat Iudaeis, maxime in iudiciis: ideo in ea scandalum posuerunt, volentes scire utrum a iustitia propter misericordiam recederet. Et ideo proponunt ei crimen notum et confusione dignum, scilicet adulterium; Eccli. IX, 10: omnis mulier fornicaria quasi stercus in via conculcabitur. Consequenter personam peccantem repraesentant, ut magis commoveant. Unde et statuerunt eam in medio; Eccli. XXIII, 34: hic in medio adducetur, et inter filios Dei etc. 1125. The Evangelist, at and said to him: Master, this woman was just now caught in adultery, shows them proceeding with their test. 1125. Consequenter cum dicit et dixerunt ei: Magister, haec mulier modo deprehensa est in adulterio, prosequuntur ipsam tentationem, et First, they point out the woman’s fault; primo manifestant culpam; second, they state the justice of the case according to the law; secundo allegant legis iustitiam; third, they ask him for his verdict. tertio exquirunt sententiam. 1126. They point out the woman’s fault when they say this woman was just now caught in adultery. They detail her fault in three ways, calculated to deflect Christ from his gentle manner. First, they mention the freshness of her fault, saying just now; for an old fault does not affect us so much, because the person might have made amends. 1126. Culpam quidem manifestant cum dicunt haec mulier modo deprehensa est in adulterio: quam quidem culpam exaggerant ex tribus, quae Christum commovere deberent a sua mansuetudine. Et primo ex culpae novitate; unde dicunt modo: nam quando est antiqua, non tantum movet, quia forte praecessit correctio. Second, they note its certainty, saying, caught, so that she could not excuse herself. This is characteristic of women: she wipes her mouth and says: I have done no evil (Prov 30:20). Secundo ex eius evidentia; unde dicunt deprehensa est, ita quod non possit se excusare, quod est consuetudinis mulierum, secundum illud Prov. XXX, 20: tergit os suum, dicens: non sum operata malum. Third, they point out that her fault is great, in adultery, which is a serious crime and the cause of many evils. Every woman who is adulterous will sin (Sir 9), and first of all against the law of her God. Tertio ex culpae enormitate; unde dicunt in adulterio, quod est grave facinus et malorum multorum causa; Eccli. IX: omnis mulier quae adulteratur peccabit, primo quidem in lege Dei sui. 1127. They appeal to the justice contained in the law when they remark, in the law, that is, in Leviticus (Lev 20:10) and in Deuteronomy (Deut 22:21), Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. 1127. Legis iustitiam allegant cum dicunt: in lege autem, scilicet Lev. et Deut. XXII, Moyses mandavit huiusmodi lapidare. 1128. They ask Jesus for his verdict when they say, but what do you say? Their question is a trap, for they are saying in effect: if he decides that she should be let go, he will not be acting according to justice, yet he cannot condemn her because he came to seek and to save those who are lost: for God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him (John 3:17). Now the law could not command anything unjust. Thus, Jesus does not say, let her go, lest he seem to be acting in violation of the law. 1128. Sententiam autem exquirunt cum subdunt: tu ergo quid dicis? Calumniosa est interrogatio; quasi dicant: si eam dimitti censuerit iustitiam non tenebit. Sed, absit ut qui venerat quaerere et salvum facere quod perierat, eam condemnaret; supra III, 17: non enim misit Deus Filium suum in mundum ut iudicet mundum, sed ut salvetur mundus per ipsum. Lex etiam quod iniustum erat iubere non poterat. Et ideo non dicit absolvatur ne contra legem facere videretur. 1129. The Evangelist reveals the malicious intention behind those who were questioning Jesus when he says, they said this tempting him, that they might accuse him. For they thought that Christ would say that she should be let go, so as not to be acting contrary to his gentle manner; and then they would accuse him of acting in violation of the law: let us not test Christ as they did (1 Cor 10:9). 1129. Et ideo consequenter subditur perversa tentantium intentio, cum dicit haec autem dicebant tentantes eum. Credebant enim, quod Christus ne mansuetudinem perderet, eam dimitti debere dicturus esset; et sic accusarent eum tamquam legis praevaricatorem. I Cor. X, 9: neque tentaveritis Christum, sicut illi tentaverunt. 1130. Then, at but Jesus, bending down, wrote with his finger on the ground, Jesus checks his enemies by his wisdom. The Pharisees were testing him on two points: his justice and his mercy. But Jesus preserved both in his answer. 1130. Consequenter cum dicit Iesus autem inclinans se deorsum, digito scribebat in terra, repellit adversarios sua sapientia. Nam Pharisaei de duobus eum tentabant: scilicet de iustitia et de misericordia. Et utrumque in respondendo servavit, et ideo First, the Evangelist shows how Jesus kept to what was just; and primo ostendit quomodo servavit; second, that he did not abandon mercy, at he lifted himself up and said to them. secundo quod non recessit a misericordia, ibi erigens autem se Iesus dixit ei etc. As to the first, he does two things: Circa primum duo facit. first, he mentions the sentence in accordance with justice; Primo proponit sententiam iustitiae; second the effect of this sentence, at but hearing this, they left one by one. secundo subditur effectus sententiae, ibi audientes autem haec, unus post unum exibant. About the first he does three things: Circa primum tria facit. first, we see Jesus writing his sentence; Primo describit sententiam; then pronouncing it; and secundo pronuntiat eam;