Lecture 2
Lectio 2
Ascent to Jerusalem
Ascensus ad Jerusalem
20:17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart, and said to them: [n. 1651]
20:17 Et ascendens Iesus Ierosolymam, assumpsit duodecim discipulos secreto, et ait illis: [n. 1651]
20:18 Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, [n. 1651]
20:18 ecce ascendimus Ierosolymam, et Filius hominis tradetur principibus sacerdotum et scribis, et condemnabunt eum morte, [n. 1651]
20:19 and will deliver him to the gentiles to be mocked, and scourged, and crucified, and on the third day he will rise again. [n. 1652]
20:19 et tradent eum gentibus ad illudendum, et flagellandum, et crucifigendum, et tertia die resurget. [n. 1652]
20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, adoring and asking something of him. [n. 1654]
20:20 Tunc accessit ad eum mater filiorum Zebedaei cum filiis suis, adorans, et petens aliquid ab eo. [n. 1654]
20:21 He said to her: what do you wish? She said to him: say that these my two sons may sit, the one on your right hand, and the other on your left, in your kingdom. [n. 1656]
20:21 Qui dixit ei: quid vis? Ait illi: dic ut sedeant hi duo filii mei, unus ad dexteram tuam, et unus ad sinistram in regno tuo. [n. 1656]
20:22 And Jesus answering, said: you do not know what you ask. Can you drink the chalice that I will drink? They say to him: we can. [n. 1657]
20:22 Respondens autem Iesus dixit: nescitis quid petatis. Potestis bibere calicem, quem ego bibiturus sum? Dicunt ei: possumus. [n. 1657]
20:23 He said to them: my chalice indeed you will drink; but to sit on my right or left hand, is not mine to give to you, but to those for whom it is prepared by my Father. [n. 1660]
20:23 Ait illis: calicem quidem meum bibetis, sedere autem ad dexteram meam, vel sinistram non est meum dare vobis, sed quibus paratum est a Patre meo. [n. 1660]
20:24 And the ten hearing it, were moved with indignation against the two brothers. [n. 1662]
20:24 Et audientes decem indignati sunt de duobus fratribus. [n. 1662]
20:25 But Jesus called them to him, and said: you know that the princes of the gentiles lord it over them; and those who are the greater, exercise power upon them. [n. 1665]
20:25 Iesus autem vocavit eos ad se, et ait: scitis quia principes gentium dominantur eorum, et qui maiores sunt, potestatem exercent in eos? [n. 1665]
20:26 It will not be so among you, but whoever wishes to be the greater among you, let him be your minister, [n. 1668]
20:26 Non ita erit inter vos: sed quicumque voluerit inter vos maior fieri, sit vester minister: [n. 1668]
20:27 and he who wishes to be first among you, will be your servant. [n. 1669]
20:27 et qui voluerit inter vos primus esse, erit vester servus. [n. 1669]
20:28 Even as the Son of man has not come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life as a redemption for many. [n. 1670]
20:28 Sicut Filius hominis non venit ministrari, sed ministrare, et dare animam suam redemptionem pro multis. [n. 1670]
20:29 And when they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. [n. 1671]
20:29 Et egredientibus illis ab Iericho, secuta est eum turba multa. [n. 1671]
20:30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, heard that Jesus passed by, and they cried out, saying: O Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us. [n. 1673]
20:30 Et ecce duo caeci sedentes secus viam audierunt quia Iesus transiret, et clamaverunt dicentes: Domine, miserere nostri, Fili David. [n. 1673]
20:31 And the multitude rebuked them, that they should hold their peace. But they cried out the more, saying: O Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us. [n. 1676]
20:31 Turba autem increpabat eos ut tacerent. At illi magis clamabant dicentes: Domine, miserere nostri, Fili David. [n. 1676]
20:32 And Jesus stood, and called them, and said: what do you wish that I do to you? [n. 1677]
20:32 Et stetit Iesus, et vocavit eos, et ait: quid vultis ut faciam vobis? [n. 1677]
20:33 They say to him: Lord, that our eyes be opened. [n. 1678]
20:33 Dicunt illi: Domine, ut aperiantur oculi nostri. [n. 1678]
20:34 And Jesus having compassion on them, touched their eyes. And immediately they saw, and followed him. [n. 1679]
20:34 Misertus autem eorum Iesus tetigit oculos eorum. Et confestim viderunt, et secuti sunt eum. [n. 1679]
1650. In the preceding part, the Lord drove away those intending to arrive at glory due to temporal oldness; here he drives away the one who intends to arrive due to carnal origin.
1650. In parte praecedenti repulit Dominus intendentes venire ad gloriam propter temporis antiquitatem, hic repellit eum, qui intendit venire propter carnis originem.
First, then, the occasion for the request is set down;
Primo ergo ponitur occasio petitionis;
second, the request;
secundo petitio;
third, the response.
tertio responsio.
The occasion was the declaration of Christ’s passion. And
Occasio fuit denuntiatio passionis Christi. Et
first, he declares the place;
primo denuntiat locum;
second, the passion;
secundo passionem;
third, the resurrection.
tertio resurrectionem.
1651. It says, and Jesus going up to Jerusalem. Above, it was said that having left Galilee he came into Judea, and did not go up immediately to Jerusalem, but rather went up after a while, as his passion drew near (Matt 19:1); hence it says, and Jesus going up, i.e., when he was ready to go up. Jerusalem was a high place.
1651. Dicit et ascendens Iesus Ierosolymam et cetera. Supra XIX, 1 dictum est, quod relicta Galilaea venit in Iudaeam, et non statim ascendit Ierosolymam, sed postmodum imminente passione; unde dicit et ascendens, idest cum erat in promptu ascendendi. Ierosolyma erat locus altus.
Took the twelve disciples apart. And why does he say apart? For two reasons. First, because he wished to show them great things, so they were not to be communicated to all; it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven (Matt 13:11). Again, for the sake of avoiding scandal, because men who were not yet perfect would have been turned away by it if they had heard of his death; women would have been provoked to tears. Again, one should know that Judas had not yet conceived evil, so the Lord did not drive him away from the fellowship.
Assumpsit duodecim discipulos secreto et cetera. Et quare dicit secreto? Propter duo. Primo quia magna eis ostendere volebat, ideo omnibus non erant communicanda; Sup. XIII, 11: vobis datum est nosse mysterium regni caelorum. Item propter vitandum scandalum, quia viri qui nondum perfecti erant, aversi fuissent ab eo, si audissent mortem eius; mulieres provocatae fuissent ad lacrimas. Item sciendum quod Iudas nondum malum conceperat; ideo Dominus eum a societate non repulit.
And said to them: behold we go up to Jerusalem. Here the firmness of his intention is indicated; hence, behold, i.e., I am of the same intention, and of the same will, for I am not changed; a holy man continues in wisdom as the sun: but a fool is changed as the moon (Sir 27:12). Again, by his own will; he was offered because it was his own will (Isa 53:7).
Et ait illis: ecce ascendimus Ierosolymam et cetera. Hic notatur firmitas sui propositi, unde ecce, idest sum in eodem proposito, et in eadem voluntate, quia non mutor; Eccli. XXVII, v. 12: stultus ut luna mutatur, sapiens autem in sapientia manet sicut sol. Item propria voluntate; Is. LIII, 7: oblatus est, quia ipse voluit.
He touches upon the place: Jerusalem; it cannot be that a prophet perish, out of Jerusalem (Luke 13:33). And why? Because it was the place of the law and the priesthood, and both belonged to Christ. For as a true priest had to sacrifice for the people, so also Christ offered a victim for the world. Again, by the passion he acquired a kingdom. Again, Jerusalem is interpreted as ‘vision of peace’; making peace through the blood of his cross, both as to the things that are on earth, and the things that are in heaven (Col 1:20).
Tangit locum, quia Ierosolymam; Lc. XIII, v. 33: non capit prophetam perire extra Ierusalem. Et quare? Quia erat locus legalis et sacerdotalis: et utrumque conveniebat Christo; quia sicut sacerdos verus debebat immolare pro populo, sic et Christus hostiam obtulit pro mundo. Item per passionem regnum acquisivit. Item Ierosolyma interpretatur ‘visio pacis’; ad Col. I, 20: pacificans per sanguinem crucis eius sive quae in terris, sive quae in caelis sunt.
1652. Next, the passion is foretold. And he frequently recalled his passion, in order to drive it into their memory.
1652. Consequenter praenuntiatur passio. Et frequenter commemoravit suam passionem, ut eam reduceret ad memoriam.
And he touches upon three things pertaining to the passion. For he suffered being handed over by a disciple: and the Son of man will be betrayed, namely by a disciple. Below, it speaks of this handing over (Matt 27:10), and in the Psalm, it says, for even the man of peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has greatly supplanted me (Ps 40:10). Likewise, he suffered condemnation by the chief among the priests and the scribes; hence and they will condemn him to death. And how do you so far condemn him who is just? (Job 34:17). Let us condemn him to a most shameful death (Wis 2:20). And will deliver him to the gentiles, for the Jews handed him over into the hands of the gentiles; hence Pilate said, your own nation, and the chief priests, have delivered you up to me (John 18:35).
Et tangit tria ad passionem pertinentia, quia passus est a discipulo traditionem et Filius hominis tradetur, scilicet a discipulo. De ista traditione habetur infra XXVII, 10 et in Ps. XL, 10: qui edebat panes meos, magnificavit super me supplantationem. Item a principibus sacerdotum et scribis condemnationem; unde et condemnabunt eum morte; Iob XXXIV, 17: quomodo tu eum, qui iustus est, in tantum condemnas? Sap. II, 20: morte turpissima condemnemus eum. Et tradent eum gentibus, quia Iudaei in manus gentium eum tradiderunt; unde dixit Pilatus: gens tua et pontifices tui tradiderunt te mihi.
And he touches upon three things which they did to him, against three things which men most desire, namely honor, rest, and life. Against honor, he was mocked; hence he says, to be mocked. I am become a laughing-stock all the day (Jer 20:7); and, my friends and my neighbours have drawn near, and stood against Me (Ps 37:12). Contrary to rest, he was scourged, hence, and scourged; I have given my body to the strikers, and my cheeks to those who plucked them (Isa 50:6). Likewise, contrary to the third, he was killed; hence and crucified. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross (Phil 2:8).
Et tria tangit quae fecerunt ei, contra tria quae maxime appetunt homines, scilicet honorem, quietem et vitam. Contra honorem, illusus est; unde dicit ad illudendum; Ier. XX, v. 7: factus sum in derisum tota die; et in Ps. XXXVII, 12: amici mei et proximi mei adversum me appropinquaverunt et steterunt. Contra quietem, flagellatus est; unde ad flagellandum; Is. l, 6: faciem meam dedi percutientibus, et genas meas vellentibus. Item contra tertium, occisus; unde et crucifigendum; ad Phil. II, 8: Christus factus est pro nobis obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis.
1653. Next he treats of the resurrection: and on the third day he will rise again. Now, God the Father did this, hence, whom God has raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell, as it was impossible that he should be held by it (Acts 2:24). And on the third day. According to Augustine, it signifies that his simple destroyed our double; he will revive us after two days: on the third day he will raise us up (Hos 6:3).
1653. Deinde agit de resurrectione et tertia die resurget. Hoc autem fecit Deus Pater; unde Act. II, 24: quem Deus suscitavit, solutis doloribus Inferni, iuxta quod impossibile erat teneri illum ab eo. Et tertia die. Secundum Augustinum significatum est quod suum simplum destruxit nostrum duplum; Os. cap. VI, 3: vivificabit nos post duos dies, et die tertia suscitabit nos.