Lecture 2
Lectio 2
Wrath of the priests against Christ
Ira sacerdotium contra Christum
21:23 And when he had come into the temple, there came to him, as he was teaching, the chief priests and elders of the people, saying: by what authority do you do these things? And who has given you this authority? [n. 1720]
21:23 Et cum venisset in templum, accesserunt ad eum principes sacerdotum et seniores populi dicentes: in qua potestate haec facis? Et quis tibi dedit hanc potestatem? [n. 1720]
21:24 Jesus answering, said to them: I also will ask you one word, which if you will tell me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. [n. 1722]
21:24 Respondens Iesus dixit eis: interrogabo vos et ego unum sermonem, quem si dixeritis mihi, et ego vobis dicam in qua potestate haec facio. [n. 1722]
21:25 The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men? But they thought within themselves, saying: if we say: from heaven, he will say to us: why then did you not believe him? [n. 1722]
21:25 Baptismus Ioannis unde erat: e caelo, an ex hominibus? At illi cogitabant inter se dicentes: [n. 1722]
21:26 But if we say: from men, we are afraid of the multitude, for all held John as a prophet. [n. 1723]
21:26 Si autem dixerimus: ex hominibus, timemus turbam; omnes enim habent Ioannem sicut prophetam. [n. 1723]
21:27 And answering Jesus, they said: we do not know. He also said to them: neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. [n. 1723]
21:27 Et respondentes Iesu dixerunt: nescimus. Ait illis et ipse: nec ego dico vobis in qua potestate haec facio. [n. 1723]
21:28 But what think you? A certain man had two sons, and coming to the first, he said: son, go work today in my vineyard. [n. 1724]
21:28 Quid autem vobis videtur? Homo quidam habebat duos filios, et accedens ad primum dixit: fili, vade hodie operare in vineam meam. [n. 1724]
21:29 And answering, he said: I will not. But afterwards, being moved with repentance, he went. [n. 1727]
21:29 Ille autem respondens ait: nolo. Postea autem poenitentia motus abiit. [n. 1727]
21:30 And coming to the other, he said in like manner. And answering, he said: I go sir; and he did not go. [n. 1728]
21:30 Accedens autem ad alterum dixit similiter. At ille respondens ait: eo, domine, et non ivit. [n. 1728]
21:31 Which of the two did the father’s will? They say to him: the first. Jesus said to them: amen I say to you, that the publicans and the harlots will go into the kingdom of God before you. [n. 1729]
21:31 Quis ex duobus fecit voluntatem patris? Dicunt ei: primus. Dicit illis Iesus: amen dico vobis, quia publicani et meretrices praecedent vos in regno Dei. [n. 1729]
21:32 For John came to you in the way of justice, and you did not believe him. But the publicans and the harlots believed him, but you, seeing it, did not even afterwards repent, that you might believe him. [n. 1732]
21:32 Venit enim ad vos Ioannes in via iustitiae, et non credidistis ei: publicani autem et meretrices crediderunt ei: vos autem videntes, nec poenitentiam habuistis postea ut crederetis ei. [n. 1732]
21:33 Hear another parable. There was a man, a householder, who planted a vineyard, and made a hedge around it, and dug in it a press, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a strange country. [n. 1733]
21:33 Aliam parabolam audite: homo erat paterfamilias, qui plantavit vineam, et sepem circumdedit ei, et fodit in ea torcular, et aedificavit turrim, et locavit eam agricolis, et peregre profectus est. [n. 1733]
21:34 And when the time of the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits from it. [n. 1737]
21:34 Cum autem tempus fructuum appropinquasset, misit servos suos ad agricolas, ut acciperent fructus eius. [n. 1737]
21:35 And the husbandmen, laying hands on his servants, beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. [n. 1739]
21:35 Et agricolae, apprehensis servis eius, alium ceciderunt, alium occiderunt, alium vero lapidaverunt. [n. 1739]
21:36 Again he sent other servants more than the former; and they did to them in the same manner. [n. 1740]
21:36 Iterum misit alios servos plures prioribus, et fecerunt illis similiter. [n. 1740]
21:37 And last of all he sent to them his son, saying: perhaps they will reverence my son. [n. 1741]
21:37 Novissime autem misit ad eos filium suum, dicens: verebuntur forte filium meum. [n. 1741]
21:38 But the husbandmen seeing the son, said among themselves: this is the heir; come, let us kill him, and we will have his inheritance. [n. 1743]
21:38 Agricolae autem videntes filium, dixerunt intra se: hic est haeres; venite, occidamus eum, et habebimus haereditatem eius. [n. 1743]
21:39 And taking him, they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. [n. 1745]
21:39 Et apprehensum eum eiecerunt extra vineam, et occiderunt. [n. 1745]
21:40 Therefore when the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those husbandmen? [n. 1746]
21:40 Cum ergo venerit dominus vineae, quid faciet agricolis illis? [n. 1746]
21:41 They say to him: he will bring those evil men to an evil end; and will let out his vineyard to other husbandmen, who will render him the fruit in due season. [n. 1746]
21:41 Aiunt illi: malos male perdet, et vineam locabit aliis agricolis, qui reddant ei fructum temporibus suis. [n. 1746]
21:42 Jesus said to them: have you never read in the Scriptures: the stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner. By the Lord this has been done; and it is wonderful in our eyes? [n. 1748]
21:42 Dicit illis Iesus: numquam legistis in Scripturis: Lapidem quem reprobaverunt aedificantes, hic factus est in caput anguli? A Domino factum est istud, et est mirabile in oculis nostris? [n. 1748]
21:43 Therefore I say to you, that the kingdom of God will be taken from you, and will be given to a nation yielding its fruits. [n. 1750]
21:43 Ideo dico vobis, quia auferetur a vobis regnum Dei, et dabitur genti facienti fructus eius. [n. 1750]
21:44 And whoever will fall on this stone, will be broken, but on whomever it will fall, it will grind him to powder. [n. 1751]
21:44 Et qui ceciderit super lapidem istum, confringetur: super quem vero ceciderit, conteret eum. [n. 1751]
21:45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they knew that he had spoken of them. [n. 1752]
21:45 Et cum audissent principes sacerdotum et Pharisaei parabolas eius, cognoverunt quod de ipsis diceret: [n. 1752]
21:46 And seeking to lay hands on him, they feared the multitudes: because they held him as a prophet. [n. 1752]
21:46 et quaerentes eum tenere, timuerunt turbas, quoniam sicut prophetam eum habebant. [n. 1752]
1720. And when he had come. Here they reproach by inquiring. And
1720. Et cum venisset. Hic reprehendunt inquirendo. Et
first, the question is set out;
primo ponitur inquisitio;
second, the refutation, at Jesus answering, said to them.
secundo confutatio, ibi respondens Iesus dixit eis.
Concerning the first, two things: first, the questions are set out; second, Christ’s responses. And
Circa primum duo. Et primo ponuntur interrogationes; secundo Christi responsiones. Et
first, the Jews’ questioning;
primo ponitur interrogatio Iudaeorum;
second, Christ’s, at Jesus answering, said to them: I also will ask you.
secundo Christi, ibi respondens autem Iesus dixit eis: interrogabo vos et cetera.
1721. They say therefore, by what authority do you do these things? He had cast those buying and selling out of the temple, and likewise he worked miracles; so they ask in what power he does these things. Chrysostom says that there were two powers in the world, namely the kingly and the priestly: hence with regard to the first they ask, from where do you claim to have this power? Likewise with regard to the second, who has given you this power? Do you not have it from a priest or from God? For this was how sons succeeded the priests in power. Who has given it to you? You do not have it from Caesar, nor from a priest. Hence Chrysostom: as the opinion is about someone with him, such every man supposes him to be. So, these men did not have a good opinion of Christ.
1721. Dicunt ergo in qua potestate haec facis? Ipse eiecerat ementes et vendentes de templo, item fecit miracula: ideo petunt in qua potestate haec faciat. Chrysostomus dicit quod in mundo erat duplex potestas, scilicet regia et sacerdotalis: unde quantum ad primum petunt: unde profiteris hanc potestatem habere? Item quantum ad secundum: quis dedit tibi hanc potestatem? Habes ne a sacerdote vel a Deo? Sic enim erat quod filii succedebant sacerdotibus in potestate. Quis dedit tibi? Non habes hoc a Caesare, non a sacerdote. Unde Chrysostomus: omnis homo, qualis est opinio de aliquo apud eum, talem eum existimat. Ideo quia ipsi non habebant opinionem bonam de Christo, ideo et cetera.
Or it can be referred to the working of the miracles. There is the power of God and the power of the devil. There is no power upon earth that can be compared with him (Job 41:24). Hence in what power do you do this? The power of God, or of the devil? But Origen objects that, if he were working in the power of the devil, he would not say so. So it should be explained in another way, for he says that the powers of God are many, some in general, many in particular, as certain ones for this, certain ones for that. Hence they ask in what power, i.e., in what step of power, as was the case with the prophets. For certain ones had one power, other ones another.
Vel ad factum miraculorum potest retorqueri. Est potestas Dei et potestas diaboli. Iob XLI, v. 24: non est potestas in terris, qua huic valeat comparari. Unde in qua potestate hoc facis? Dei, an diaboli? Sed Origenes obiicit quod si in potestate diaboli faceret, non diceret. Ideo aliter exponit, quia dicit quod potestas Dei multiplex est, quaedam in generali, multae in speciali, ut quaedam ad hoc, quaedam ad illud. Unde petunt in qua potestate, idest in quo gradu potestatis, ut de prophetis. Quidam enim habuerunt unam potestatem, quidam aliam.
1722. According to Chrysostom, when someone asks so as to learn, then one should respond to him with the truth; but when he asks so as to test, then he should be reproached and refuted. Thus the Lord, since he knew that they were testing, said, I also will ask you one word . . . the baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men? Peter baptized, nor is it called the baptism of Peter, but John baptized, and it is called the baptism of John; this is because in the baptism of John the whole thing was from man, while in the baptism of Peter sins were remitted, which cannot come about through a man. He upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon him, he it is who baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33). For although John baptized, yet not from himself; hence, he who sent me to baptize with water, said to me (John 1:33).
1722. Secundum Chrysostomum quando aliquis interrogat ut discat, tunc ei respondenda est veritas; sed quando ut tentet, tunc reprehendendus est et confutandus. Sic Dominus, quia sciebat quod tentabant, dixit interrogabo vos et ego unum sermonem. Baptismus Ioannis unde erat: e caelo, an ex hominibus? baptizavit Petrus, nec dicitur baptismus Petri, et baptizavit Ioannes, et dicitur baptismus Ioannis, quia in baptismo Ioannis totum factum erat hominis; sed in baptismo Petri remittebantur peccata, quod per hominem fieri non poterat. Io. I, 33: ille super quem videris Spiritum descendentem, et manentem super eum, ille est qui baptizat in Spiritu Sancto. Licet enim Ioannes baptizaret, non tamen a se; unde Io. I, 33: ipse qui me misit baptizare in aqua, dixit mihi et cetera.
1723. Next, the responses are treated. And first, the Jews’ response; second, Christ’s.
1723. Consequenter agitur de responsionibus. Et primo de responsione Iudaeorum; secundo Christi.