Lecture 3
Lectio 3
Rebuke of cities
Exprobatio civium
11:20 Then he began to upbraid the cities wherein were done most of his miracles, for they had not done penance. [n. 943]
11:20 Tunc coepit exprobrare civitatibus in quibus factae sunt plurimae virtutes eius, quia non egissent poenitentiam. [n. 943]
11:21 Woe to you, Corozain, woe to you, Bethsaida: for if in Tyre and Sidon had been wrought the miracles that have been wrought in you, they would have long ago done penance in sackcloth and ashes. [n. 945]
11:21 Vae tibi, Corazaim! Vae tibi, Bethsaida! Quia si in Tyro et Sidone factae essent virtutes, quae factae sunt in vobis, olim in cilicio et cinere poenitentiam egissent. [n. 945]
11:22 But I say unto you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you. [n. 949]
11:22 Verumtamen dico vobis: Tyro et Sidoni remissius erit in die iudicii quam vobis. [n. 949]
11:23 And you Capernaum, will you be exalted up to heaven? You will go down unto hell. For if in Sodom had been wrought the miracles that have been wrought in you, perhaps it would have remained unto this day. [n. 952]
11:23 Et tu, Capharnaum, numquid usque in caelum exaltaberis? Usque in infernum descendes. Quia si in Sodomis factae fuissent virtutes quae factae sunt in te, forte mansissent usque in hanc diem. [n. 952]
11:24 But I say unto you, that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you. [n. 954]
11:24 Verumtamen dico vobis, quia terrae Sodomorum remissius erit in die iudicii quam tibi. [n. 954]
11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said: I confess to you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to the little ones. [n. 955]
11:25 In illo tempore respondens Iesus dixit: confiteor tibi, Pater, Domine caeli et terrae, quia abscondisti haec a sapientibus et prudentibus, et revelasti ea parvulis. [n. 955]
11:26 Yes, Father; for it has seemed good in your sight. [n. 962]
11:26 Ita, Pater, quoniam sic fuit placitum ante te. [n. 962]
11:27 All things are delivered to me by my Father. And no one knows the Son, but the Father: neither does any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it has pleased the Son to reveal him. [n. 963]
11:27 Omnia mihi tradita sunt a Patre meo. Et nemo novit Filium nisi Pater: neque Patrem quis novit nisi Filius, et cui voluerit Filius revelare. [n. 963]
11:28 Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you. [n. 967]
11:28 Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis, et onerati estis, et ego reficiam vos. [n. 967]
11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you will find rest for your souls. [n. 969]
11:29 Tollite iugum meum super vos, et discite a me, quia mitis sum, et humilis corde, et invenietis requiem animabus vestris: [n. 969]
11:30 For my yoke is sweet and my burden light. [n. 972]
11:30 iugum enim meum suave est, et onus meum leve. [n. 972]
942. Above he satisfied John’s disciples; now he reproaches those who do not believe. And Matthew does two things:
942. Supra satisfecit discipulis Ioannis, nunc exprobrat non credentibus: et duo facit.
first, the Lord’s deeds are described;
Primo describitur factum Domini;
second, his words, at woe to you, Corozain.
secundo verba ipsius, ibi vae tibi, Corozaim et cetera.
943. It says then first, then began he to upbraid the cities. The reproach is with regard to benefits, and with regard to gifts. For the Lord had done them a great benefit, because he had illuminated them with his presence; hence they were ungrateful, and so were deserving of reproach. Hence, O my people, what have I done to you, or in what have I molested you? (Mich 6:3), as though to say, in nothing. And he did not reproach them because they had committed sins, but because they had not done penance; hence what is said befits them: God has given him place for penance, and he abuses it unto pride (Job 24:23). And, do you not know that the benignity of God leads you to penance? (Rom 2:4).
943. Dicit ergo primo tunc coepit exprobrare civitatibus et cetera. Exprobratio est respectu beneficiorum, et respectu datorum. Magnum enim beneficium fecerat Dominus, quia sui praesentia eos illustraverat; unde ingrati erant, et ideo merito exprobrabiles; unde Mich. VI, 3: popule meus, quid feci tibi, aut quid molestus fui tibi? Quasi dicat, nihil. Et non exprobravit eos quod peccata egissent, sed quod poenitentiam non fecissent: unde eis conveniebat quod dicitur Iob XXIV, 23: dedit ei locum poenitentiae, et ipse abutitur eo in superbiam. Et Rom. cap. II, 4: an ignoras quod benignitas Dei te ad poenitentiam adducit?
944. But here there is a literal question, because Luke 10:13 puts this in a different order. For he puts this in the sending of the disciples; this Evangelist puts it here.
944. Sed hic est quaestio litteralis, quia Lucas istud alio ordine ponit. Ponit enim in missione discipulorum; iste hic.
Augustine responds. It seems that Luke preserved more the order of history, but this author the sequence of memory.
Respondet Augustinus. Videtur quod Lucas magis ordinem servet historiae: hic autem seriem memoriae.
But next it is objected that it says here, then; therefore it seems that the sequence of history is rather put together here.
Sed tunc obiicitur quod hic dicitur tunc; ergo videtur quod hic magis series texatur historiae.
Augustine responds that then bespeaks an indefinite time. Or otherwise it can be said that he said these words twice, and so there could be both a then according to this author, and a then according to Luke.
Respondet Augustinus, quod tunc tempus indefinitum dicit. Vel aliter potest dici quod bis dixit haec verba, et ideo potuit esse et tunc secundum istum, et tunc secundum Lucam.
945. Woe to you, Corozain. Here the Lord’s words are set down. And
945. Vae tibi, Corozaim et cetera. Hic ponuntur verba Domini. Et
first, there is a word about the supporting cities;
primo fit sermo de civitatibus suffraganeis,
second, about the metropolis, at and you Capernaum. And
secundo de metropoli, ibi et tu, Capharnaum et cetera. Et
first, he compares guilt to guilt;
primo comparat culpam ad culpam;
second, punishment to punishment, at but I say unto you.
secundo poenam ad poenam, ibi verumtamen dico vobis et cetera.
946. He says then, woe to you, Corozain. Now, these are cities or villages in Galilee, where the Lord had worked many signs, and yet they were not converted. This is why he said, woe to you.
946. Dicit ergo vae tibi, Corozaim et cetera. Istae autem sunt civitates sive villae in Galilaea, ubi multa signa Dominus fecerat, et tamen non erant conversae. Ideo dicit vae tibi et cetera.
But why does the Lord do this? Rather, it is written, bless, and curse not (Rom 12:14).
Sed quid est quod facit Dominus? Immo scriptum est Rom. XII, 14: nolite maledicere et cetera.
One should describe what it is to curse formally, and materially: formally, no one should curse, but materially one can.
Dicendum quod est maledicere formaliter, et materialiter: formaliter nullus debet maledicere, sed materialiter potest.
Hence one should note that certain things are connected in sensation, which nevertheless can be separated in the understanding, such as smell and flavor are in an apple, which cannot be separated according to sensation, although they can be in the understanding. Similarly, to will that this man not be punished and to will the order of justice cannot both be at the same time, except in understanding. Hence if I curse this man because I delight in his evil, it is bad. But if it is not for his evil, but for the order of justice, in this way it is good. Hence the Lord’s word was not the word of one who delights, but the work of one who announces justice.
Unde notandum quod quaedam coniuncta sunt secundum sensum, quae tamen possunt separari secundum intellectum, ut in pomo est odor et sapor, quae non possunt separari secundum sensum, licet secundum intellectum. Similiter velle istum non puniri, et velle ordinem iustitiae, non possunt simul esse, nisi secundum intellectum. Unde si maledico isti, quia delector in eius malo, malum est. Si autem non pro malo eius, sed pro ordine iustitiae, sic est bonum. Unde verbum Domini non erat verbum delectantis, sed opus iustitiae nuntiantis.
947. Woe to you Corozain. Corazain is interpreted ‘service unto him’, Bethsaida ‘house of fruits’. To whom more is entrusted, of him more is required.
947. Vae tibi, Corozaim. Corozaim interpretatur ‘ministerium in eum,’ Bethsaida ‘domus fructuum.’ Cui plus committitur, ab eo plus exigitur.
And why did he point to this city more? Because he carried out his own ministry; therefore the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of those men that detain the truth of God in injustice (Rom 1:18).
Et quare plus ei exhibuit? Quia ibi suum ministerium implevit: ideo revelata est ira Dei de caelo super omnem impietatem, et iniustitiam hominum eorum qui veritatem Dei in iustitia retinent, Rom. I, 18.
Bethsaida, ‘house of fruits’. If then the Lord produced much fruit there, and they did not do penance, what will there be for them? Was it that I looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it has brought forth wild grapes? (Isa 5:4). Woe to you . . . for if in Tyre and Sidon had been wrought the miracles that have been wrought in you, they would have long ago done penance in sackcloth and ashes. Long ago, i.e., in a far distant time.
Bethsaida ‘domus fructuum.’ Si igitur multum fructum fecit ibi Dominus, et non faciunt poenitentiam, quid erit eis? Is. V, 4: expectavi ut faceret uvas, et fecit labruscas. Vae tibi . . . quia si in Tyro et Sidone factae essent virtutes, quae factae sunt in vobis, olim in cilicio et cinere poenitentiam egissent. Olim, idest a longinquis temporibus.
948. And notice the manner of penance, that is in sackcloth and ashes, because two things lead to penance. One is the remembrance of past misdeeds; and this is signified in sackcloth, which is made from the hairs of a she-goat, for this animal was sacrificed for sin. The other is the consideration of death and the condition of human fragility; hence, you are dust and into dust you will return (Gen 3:19). And, therefore I reprehend myself, and do penance in dust and ashes (Job 42:6).
948. Et notate modum poenitentiae, quia in cinere et cilicio, quia duo inducunt ad poenitentiam. Unum recordatio delictorum; et hoc significatur in cilicio, quod fit de pilis caprarum: istud enim animal immolabatur pro peccato. Aliud est consideratio mortis et conditio humanae fragilitatis; unde dicitur Gen. III, 19: pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris. Et Iob ult., 6: ideo reprehendo me, et ago poenitentiam in favilla et cinere.
949. But I say unto you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you. Here he compares guilt to guilt, for if they are found heavier in guilt, it will be worse for them, because they did not do what they had heard. Therefore it will be heavier, in accord with what is said, if I had not come, and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin (John 15:22).
949. Verumtamen dico vobis: Tyro et Sidoni remissius erit in die iudicii quam vobis. Hic comparat culpam ad culpam: quia si inventi sunt graviores in culpa, deterius erit eis: quia quod audierunt, non fecerunt: ideo gravius erit, secundum quod dicitur Io. cap. XV, 22: si non venissem, et non eis locutus fuissem, peccatum non haberent.
950. One should note that three errors are excluded by these words. Some men said that all sins are equal, and similarly all punishments; he excludes this when he says that it will be worse for them than for Tyre and Sidon.
950. Notandum quod ex istis verbis tres errores excludit. Quidam dicebant omnia peccata paria, et similiter supplicia; hoc excludit cum dicit, quia istis erit deterius quam Tyro et Sidoni.