Lecture 1
Lectio 1
John the Baptist’s disciples
Discipuli Ioannis Baptistae
11:1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he passed from there, to teach and preach in their cities. [n. 898]
11:1 Et factum est, cum consummasset Iesus praecipiens duodecim discipulis suis, transiit inde ut doceret et praedicaret in civitatibus eorum. [n. 898]
11:2 Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ: sending two of his disciples he said to him: [n. 898]
11:2 Ioannes autem cum audisset in vinculis opera Christi, mittens duos de discipulis suis, [n. 898]
11:3 are you he who is to come, or should we look for another? [n. 901]
11:3 ait illi: tu es qui venturus es, an alium expectamus? [n. 901]
11:4 And Jesus, responding, said to them: go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. [n. 904]
11:4 Et respondens Iesus ait illis: euntes renuntiate Ioanni quae auditis, et videtis. [n. 904]
11:5 The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the Gospel preached to them. [n. 905]
11:5 Caeci vident, claudi ambulant, leprosi mundantur, surdi audiunt, mortui resurgunt, pauperes evangelizantur, [n. 905]
11:6 And blessed is he who will not be scandalized in me. [n. 905]
11:6 et beatus est qui non fuerit scandalizatus in me. [n. 905]
11:7 And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: what did you go out into the desert to see? A reed shaken with the wind? [n. 907]
11:7 Illis autem abeuntibus, coepit Iesus dicere ad turbas de Ioanne: quid existis in desertum videre? Arundinem vento agitatam? [n. 907]
11:8 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold they who are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings. [n. 909]
11:8 Sed quid existis videre? Hominem mollibus vestitum? Ecce, qui mollibus vestiuntur, in domibus regum sunt. [n. 909]
11:9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes I tell you, and more than a prophet. [n. 912]
11:9 Sed quid existis videre? Prophetam? Etiam dico vobis, et plus quam prophetam. [n. 912]
11:10 For this is he of whom it is written: behold I send my angel before your face, who will prepare your way before you. [n. 913]
11:10 Hic enim est de quo scriptum est: ecce ego mitto angelum meum ante faciem tuam, qui praeparabit viam tuam ante te. [n. 913]
11:11 Amen I say to you, there has not risen among those who are born of women anyone greater than John the Baptist: yet he who is the lesser in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. [n. 915]
11:11 Amen dico vobis, non surrexit inter natos mulierum maior Ioanne Baptista. Qui autem minor est in regno caelorum, maior est illo. [n. 915]
11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent bear it away. [n. 920]
11:12 A diebus autem Ioannis Baptistae usque nunc, regnum caelorum vim patitur, et violenti rapiunt illud. [n. 920]
11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John: [n. 923]
11:13 Omnes enim prophetae et lex usque ad Ioannem prophetaverunt, [n. 923]
11:14 and if you will receive it, he is Elias that is to come. [n. 925]
11:14 et si vultis recipere, ipse est Elias, qui venturus est. [n. 925]
11:15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear. [n. 925]
11:15 Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat. [n. 925]
898. Having said these things, the Lord passed from there, to teach and preach; and this for three reasons. One reason is so that he might show by example what he had said by word; Jesus began to do and to teach (Acts 1:1). Likewise, that he might show that even the impious are to hear preaching. Hence, to the wise and to the unwise, I am a debtor (Rom 1:14). Likewise, that he might give place to others for preaching, as is found, but if any thing be revealed to another sitting, let the first hold his peace (1 Cor 14:30).
898. His dictis, transiit Dominus ut doceret et praedicaret; et hoc propter tria. Una ratio est, ut quod verbo dixerat, monstraret exemplo; Act. I, 1: coepit Iesus facere et docere. Item, ut ostenderet quod etiam impiis est praedicandum. Unde ad Rom. I, v. 14: sapientibus et insipientibus debitor sum. Item, ut aliis daret locum praedicandi, ut habetur I Cor. XIV, 30: quod si aliquid fuerit revelatum sedenti, prior taceat.
Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ. Christ’s teaching is set forth, and confirmed, and the preachers are instructed; here rebels are silenced. And
Ioannes autem cum audisset in vinculis opera Christi. Posita est doctrina Christi, et confirmata, et instructi sunt praedicatores; hic confutantur rebelles. Et
first, he silences John’s disciples;
primo confutat discipulos Ioannis;
second, the scribes, at when they went their way.
secundo scribas, ibi illis autem abeuntibus et cetera.
Concerning this he does three things:
Circa primum tria facit.
first, he silences the doubters;
Primo dubitantes confutat;
second, he convicts the crowds, at but to what will I compare this generation?
secundo arguit turbas, ibi cui autem similem aestimabo generationem istam?
third, he gives thanks for the apostles’ faith, at at that time Jesus answered and said (Matt 11:25).
Tertio persolvit gratias de fide apostolorum, ibi in illo tempore respondens Iesus dixit et cetera.
Concerning the first, first the question is set out;
Circa primum primo ponitur quaestio;
second, the answer to the question, at and Jesus responding.
secundo quaestionis solutio, ibi et respondens Iesus et cetera.
899. It says then, now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ. The occasion for his sending them is set down. The same thing is found in Luke, yet in another order (Luke 7:18). So it says that he was in prison (Matt 4:12); Jesus began to do miracles at that time. And this was fitting, that the sun might not appear as long as there were clouds. Below in this chapter, for all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
899. Dicit ergo cum audisset in vinculis opera Christi. Ponitur occasio, quare misit istos. Idem habetur Lc. VII, 18: tamen alio ordine. Dicit ergo quod erat in vinculis, ut Sup. IV. Tunc incepit Iesus miracula facere. Et hoc erat conveniens, ut sol non appareret dum nubes essent. Infra: lex et prophetae usque ad Ioannem.
900. The works, i.e., the miracles, of Christ, sending two of his disciples he said to him.
900. Opera, idest miracula, Christi, mittens duos de discipulis suis, ait illi.
Some wish to condemn John for this, because he doubted whether he was the Christ, and it is agreed that the one who doubts in matters of faith is an infidel. Ambrose says, commenting on Luke, that this question did not arise from infidelity, but from piety; for he is not speaking about the coming into the world, but about the coming to the passion. Hence he wonders whether he had come to suffer, as Peter said: be merciful to yourself, Lord (Matt 16:22).
Quidam volunt ex hoc condemnare Ioannem, quia dubitavit an esset Christus, et constat quod dubius in fide est infidelis. Ambrosius super Lucam dicit, quod haec quaestio non fuit infidelitatis, sed pietatis: non enim loquitur de adventu in mundum, sed de adventu ad passionem. Unde miratur si venerat ad patiendum, sicut dixit Petrus: propitius esto tibi, Domine.
But Chrysostom says against this that John knew from the beginning, since he said, behold the Lamb of God (John 1:29). It remains then that he knew that he was going to be the victim sacrificed. Hence he is commended here by the Lord, because he is more than a prophet; but prophets know the future.
Sed contra dicit Chrysostomus, quia Ioannes a principio praescivit, cum dixit, ecce agnus Dei, Io. I, 29. Constat ergo quod scivit eum fore hostiam immolandam; unde commendatur hic a Domino, quod sit plusquam propheta; sed prophetae noverunt futura.
901. Another argument is Gregory’s, namely that the question here is not about Christ’s coming into the world, nor to the passion, but about the descent into hell, because John was very close to going to hell, so he wanted to make certain that are you he who is is to come.
901. Alia ratio est Gregorii, quod non est quaestio de adventu in mundum, nec ad passionem, sed de descensu ad inferos, quia Ioannes propinquus erat eundo ad Inferos, ideo voluit certificari tu es qui venturus es et cetera.
But Chrysostom objects against this. Among those who are in hell, there is no state of penance: hence it seems that this would have been said to no purpose. But this is not contrary to Gregory, because he did not want that he should announce conversion to the captives, but to the just, that they might rejoice.
Sed contra hoc obiicit Chrysostomus. Apud illos qui sunt apud Inferos, non est status poenitentiae: unde videtur, quod frustra diceret istud. Sed hoc non est contra Gregorium, quia voluit non ut nuntiaret captivis conversionem, sed iustis ut gauderent.
902. Another response. We read that the Lord asked many times, not because he doubted, but to take away false accusation, as in when he asked about Lazarus, where have you laid him? (John 11:34), not because he did not know, but so that those who showed him the sepulcher would not be able to deny the miracle or to accuse him falsely. Therefore, so it was with John. Since his disciples were speaking slanderously about Christ, he sent them, not because he himself doubted, but so that they would not speak slanderously, but believe.
902. Alia responsio. Legimus quod Dominus multoties interrogaret, non quia dubitaret, sed ut calumniam tolleret, ut in Io. XI, v. 34 interrogavit de Lazaro, ubi posuistis eum? Non quia ignoraret, sed ut illi qui ostenderent sepulcrum, non possent negare, nec calumniari: ideo sic fuit de Ioanne. Quia discipuli eius calumniabantur de Christo, ideo ipse misit, non quia ipse dubitaret, sed ne ipsi calumniarentur, sed confiterentur.
But why did not he send them before? Because before he was always with them, and so he assured them; but when he wished to depart from them, he wanted them to be assured by Christ.
Sed quare non ante miserat? Quia ante semper erat cum eis, et ideo certificabat eos; sed cum voluit discedere ab eis, voluit quod ipsi per Christum essent certi.
903. It says then, are you he who is to come, or should we look for another? It is true that our fathers have expected thee (Exod 4).
903. Dicit ergo tu es qui venturus es, an alium expectamus? Verum est, quod patres nostri expectaverunt te, ut habetur Exod. IV.