Lecture 1
Lectio 1
Parable of the wedding feast
Parabolum nuptiarum
22:1 And Jesus answering, spoke again in parables to them, saying: [n. 1754]
22:1 Et respondens Iesus dixit iterum in parabolis, eis dicens: [n. 1754]
22:2 The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man, a king, who made a marriage for his son. [n. 1754]
22:2 simile factum est regnum caelorum homini regi, qui fecit nuptias filio suo, [n. 1754]
22:3 And he sent his servants, to call those who were invited to the marriage; and they would not come. [n. 1758]
22:3 et misit servos suos vocare invitatos ad nuptias, et nolebant venire. [n. 1758]
22:4 Again he sent other servants, saying: tell those who were invited: behold, I have prepared my dinner; my bulls and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage. [n. 1759]
22:4 Iterum misit alios servos dicens: dicite invitatis: ecce prandium meum paravi, tauri mei et altilia occisa sunt, et omnia parata, venite ad nuptias. [n. 1759]
22:5 But they neglected, and went their ways, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise. [n. 1762]
22:5 Illi autem neglexerunt, et abierunt, alius in villam suam, alius vero ad negotiationem suam; [n. 1762]
22:6 And the rest laid hands on his servants, and having treated them contumeliously, put them to death. [n. 1763]
22:6 reliqui vero tenuerunt servos eius, et contumeliis affectos occiderunt. [n. 1763]
22:7 But when the king had heard of it, he was angry, and sending his armies, he destroyed those murderers, and burnt their city. [n. 1764]
22:7 Rex autem cum audisset, iratus est: et missis exercitibus suis perdidit homicidas illos, et civitatem illorum succendit. [n. 1764]
22:8 Then he said to his servants: the marriage indeed is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. [n. 1766]
22:8 Tunc ait servis suis: nuptiae quidem paratae sunt, sed qui invitati erant, non fuerunt digni. [n. 1766]
22:9 Go therefore into the offroads of the ways; and as many as you will find, call to the marriage. [n. 1767]
22:9 Ite ergo ad exitus viarum, et quoscumque inveneritis, vocate ad nuptias. [n. 1767]
22:10 And his servants, going out into the ways, gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good, and the marriage was filled with guests. [n. 1768]
22:10 Et egressi servi eius in vias, congregaverunt omnes quos invenerunt, malos et bonos; et impletae sunt nuptiae discumbentium. [n. 1768]
22:11 And the king went in to see the guests, and he saw there a man who was not wearing a wedding garment. [n. 1769]
22:11 Intravit autem rex ut videret discumbentes, et vidit ibi hominem non vestitum veste nuptiali, [n. 1769]
22:12 And he said to him: friend, how did you come in here not having on a wedding garment? But he was silent. [n. 1771]
22:12 et ait illi: amice quomodo huc intrasti non habens vestem nuptialem? At ille obmutuit. [n. 1771]
22:13 Then the king said to the waiters: bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the exterior darkness: there will there be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [n. 1773]
22:13 Tunc dixit rex ministris: ligatis pedibus eius et manibus, mittite eum in tenebras exteriores; ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium. [n. 1773]
22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen. [n. 1775]
22:14 Multi autem sunt vocati, pauci vero electi. [n. 1775]
1753. It was said above that Christ’s persecutors were provoked to kill him by three things: by his glory, by the wisdom with which he refuted them, and by the justice with which he accused them. Moreover, it has been said how they were provoked by Christ’s glory; but now it must be said how they were provoked by his wisdom. And
1753. Dictum est supra quod Christi persecutores provocati sunt ad occidendum eum tribus de causis: ex eius gloria, ex eius sapientia qua confutabat eos, ex eius iustitia qua arguebat eos. Qualiter autem provocati sunt ex gloria Christi, dictum est; nunc autem dicendum qualiter ex sapientia. Et
first, insofar as he shows beforehand their condemnation;
primo inquantum eorum damnationem praemonstrat;
second, insofar as he refutes them in argument, at then the Pharisees, going out, consulted among themselves how to ensnare him in his speech.
secundo inquantum disputando confutat, ibi tunc abeuntes Pharisaei consilium inierunt ut caperent eum in sermone.
In this parable, in which he explains about the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the gentiles,
In ista parabola, in qua determinatur de reprobatione Iudaeorum et vocatione gentium,
first, the preparation for the marriage is set out;
primo ponitur instructio nuptiarum;
second, the calling of the Jews and their refusal;
secundo de vocatione Iudaeorum et recusatione;
third, the calling of the gentiles.
tertio de vocatione gentium.
The second is at and he sent his servants, to call those who were invited to the marriage; the third, at then he said to his servants: the marriage indeed is ready.
Secunda ibi et misit servos suos vocare invitatos; tertia ibi tunc ait servis suis et cetera.
1754. It says then, and Jesus answering, spoke. To whom does he respond? It is not said that he spoke to anyone. But they wanted to lay hands on him, and so he responds, not to their words, but to their malice, and for this reason he spoke to them in parables: the kingdom of heaven is likened to a man, a king, who made a marriage for his son.
1754. Dicit ergo et respondens Iesus dixit. Cui respondit? Non est dictum quod alicui loqueretur. Sed eum tenere volebant, ideo non verbis, sed malitiae eorum respondit, ideo in parabolis dicit eis: simile est regnum caelorum homini regi qui fecit nuptias filio suo.
Here the parable of the marriage is set out, and a similar parable is set out elsewhere (Luke 14:16). And it does not seem to be the same parable, according to Gregory, because there a dinner is mentioned, here a wedding. Likewise, no one is excluded from that dinner, but here someone is excluded. Hence it is another parable. By this one is understood the heavenly banquet, by that one the banquet which happens on earth. And therefore that one is called a feast, because no one is excluded from it, while from this one someone is excluded.
Hic ponitur parabola de nuptiis, et similis parabola ponitur Lc. XIV, 16. Et non videtur eadem secundum Gregorium, quia ibi fit mentio de coena, hic de nuptiis. Item nullus exclusus est ab illa coena, hic autem est aliquis exclusus. Unde alia est parabola. Per illam convivium caeleste intelligitur, per istam convivium quod fit in terra. Et ideo illud dicitur coena, quia ab eo nullus excluditur, ab isto aliquis excluditur.
It can be said, according to some, that it is the same parable, because in ancient times lunch and dinner were called the same thing, because men were accustomed to eat only up to the ninth hour. Or it can be said that Luke says what Matthew leaves unmentioned.
Potest dici, secundum aliquos, quod eadem est parabola, quia antiquitus prandium et coena idem appellabatur, quia non solebant comedere homines nisi usque ad nonam. Vel potest dici quod Lucas dicit quod Matthaeus tacuit.
But I believe it is another.
Sed credo quod alia est.
1755. Concerning this one, let us see who this man the king is. And it is said that he is God, and the person of the Father is understood, because he speaks of his son.
1755. Circa istam videamus quis est iste homo rex. Et dicitur quod iste est Deus, et intelligitur persona patris, quia dicit filio suo.
But why does he say, a man, a king? The reason is, as Origen says, that a king is named from ‘ruling.’ But we are not able, nor are we capable of his rule according as he is, but he rules us according to our mode. As the eagle enticing her young to fly (Deut 32:11). And for this reason it says, a man, a king, because he rules us in a human mode. But when we see him as he is, then he will be a king, because then he will rule according to himself. Hence the Apostle, we see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face (1 Cor 13:12).
Sed quare dicit homini regi? Ratio est, ut dicit Origenes, quia rex dicitur a ‘regendo’. Nos autem non possumus, nec sumus capaces regni eius secundum quod est, sed regit nos secundum modum nostrum. Deut. XXXII, 11: sicut aquila provocans pullos ad volandum. Et ideo dicitur homini regi, quia regit nos humano modo. Sed cum videbitur sicuti est, tunc erit rex, quia tunc secundum se reget. Unde Apostolus I Cor. XIII, 12: videmus nunc per speculum in aenigmate, tunc autem facie ad faciem.
He says, the kingdom of heaven is likened to a man, a king. For just as in a kingdom there are many parts, for there is the king, the kingdom, and those who serve, so it is in this kingdom; therefore it is likened to a man, a king, who made a marriage for his son. The son is Christ, of whom, that we may know the true God, and may be in his true Son. This is the true God and life eternal (1 John 5:20).
Dicit simile est regnum caelorum homini regi. Sicut enim in regno sunt multa est enim rex, regnum, et qui serviunt sic in illo regno; ideo simile est homini regi qui fecit nuptias filio suo. Filius est Christus, de quo dicitur I Io. ult., 20: ut simus in vero Filio eius. Hic est verus Deus, et vita aeterna.
1756. What is this marriage? It can be explained in four ways. First, through the unity of the human nature with the divine; that human nature might be the bride, the womb of the Virgin became the bridal chamber. He, as a bridegroom coming out of his bride chamber (Ps 18:6). And this explanation is somewhat dubious, because it could be thought that the person of the Father is not other than the person of the Son.
1756. Quae sint istae nuptiae, quadrupliciter potest exponi. Primo per unitatem naturae humanae ad divinam, ut humana natura sit sponsa, thalamus fuit uterus Virginis. Ps. XVIII, 6: ipse enim tamquam sponsus procedens de thalamo suo. Et haec expositio habet aliquid dubietatis, quia posset credi quod non alia esset persona Patris, alia Filii.
Hence it can be said that this bridegroom is the Word incarnate; the bride, the Church; hence the Apostle: this is a great sacrament; but I speak in Christ and in the Church (Eph 5:32). Likewise, the marriage of the Word himself to our soul. For the soul becomes a partaker of God’s glory through faith, and in this way our marriage comes about. And I will espouse you to me in faith (Hos 2:20). Likewise, there will be a marriage in the common resurrection. And Christ is the way of this resurrection; I am the way (John 14:6). There will be a marriage at that time, when our mortal body is swallowed up by life (2 Cor 5:4).
Unde potest dici quod iste sponsus est Verbum incarnatum; sponsa Ecclesia; unde Apostolus Eph. V, 32: sacramentum hoc magnum est: ego autem dico in Christo et Ecclesia. Item ipsius Verbi ad animam nostram. Fit enim anima particeps gloriae Dei per fidem, et sic fiunt nuptiae nostrae. Osee II, 20: sponsabo te in fide. Item nuptiae erunt in communi resurrectione. Huius autem resurrectionis Christus est via; Io. XIV, 6: ego sum via. Tunc erunt nuptiae, quando mortale nostrum absorbebitur a vita, ut habetur II Cor. V, 4.
But if we speak according to Gregory, it must be explained as about the present, according as the Church is espoused to Christ, and our soul to God by faith.
Sed si loquamur secundum Gregorium, oportet exponere de praesentibus, secundum quod Ecclesia Christo, et anima nostra Deo per fidem desponsatur.
1757. There follows the calling of the Jews. And
1757. Sequitur de vocatione Iudaeorum. Et
first, a twofold calling is set out;
primo ponitur duplex vocatio;