Lecture 4
Lectio 4
The greatest commandment
Mandatum maximum
22:34 But the Pharisees, hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together; [n. 1807]
22:34 Pharisaei autem audientes quod silentium imposuisset Sadducaeis, convenerunt in unum; [n. 1807]
22:35 and one of them, a doctor of the law, asked him, tempting him: [n. 1809]
22:35 et interrogavit eum unus ex eis legis doctor tentans eum: [n. 1809]
22:36 Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? [n. 1811]
22:36 Magister, quod est mandatum magnum in lege? [n. 1811]
22:37 Jesus said to him: you shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole mind. [n. 1812]
22:37 Ait illi Iesus: diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et in tota anima tua, et in tota mente tua. [n. 1812]
22:38 This is the greatest and the first commandment. [n. 1815]
22:38 Hoc est maximum et primum mandatum. [n. 1815]
22:39 And the second is similar to this: you shall love your neighbor as yourself. [n. 1816]
22:39 Secundum autem simile est huic: diliges proximum tuum sicut teipsum. [n. 1816]
22:40 On these two commandments depends the whole law and the prophets. [n. 1820]
22:40 In his duobus mandatis universa lex pendet, et prophetae. [n. 1820]
22:41 And while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, [n. 1821]
22:41 Congregatis autem Pharisaeis, interrogavit eos Iesus [n. 1821]
22:42 saying: what do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he? They say to him: David’s. [n. 1822]
22:42 dicens: quid vobis videtur de Christo, cuius filius est? Dicunt ei: David. [n. 1822]
22:43 He said to them: how then does David in spirit call him Lord, saying: [n. 1824]
22:43 Ait illis: quomodo ergo David in spiritu vocat eum Dominum dicens: [n. 1824]
22:44 the Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool? [n. 1824]
22:44 dixit Dominus Domino meo, sede a dextris meis, donec ponam inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum? [n. 1824]
22:45 If David then calls him Lord, how is he his son? [n. 1829]
22:45 Si ergo David vocat eum Dominum, quomodo filius eius est? [n. 1829]
22:46 And no man was able to answer him a word; neither did any man dare from that day forth to ask him any more questions. [n. 1830]
22:46 Et nemo poterat ei respondere verbum, neque ausus fuit quisquam ex illa die eum amplius interrogare. [n. 1830]
1806. Above, the Lord responded to a question about the payment of the tribute, and to a question about the resurrection; and here he responds to a question about the comparison of the divine commands. And he does two things:
1806. Supra Dominus respondit quaestioni factae de solutione tributi, quaestioni etiam de resurrectione; hic autem respondet quaestioni de comparatione mandatorum divinorum: et duo facit. Quia
first, the questioning is set down;
primo ponitur interrogatio;
second, the response, at Jesus said to him: ‘you shall love the Lord your God.’
secundo responsio, ibi ait illis Iesus et cetera.
Concerning the first, he does two things:
Circa primum duo facit.
first, he describes the wickedness of those questioning;
Primo describit nequitiam interrogantium;
second, the questioning, at Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?
secundo interrogationem, ibi Magister, quod est mandatum magnum in lege?
He describes the wickedness as regards three things:
Nequitiam describit quantum ad tria.
first, as regards shamelessness;
Primo quantum ad impudentiam;
second, as regards premeditated malice;
secundo quantum ad excogitatam malitiam;
third, as regards dishonesty.
tertio quantum ad fraudulentiam.
1807. As regards shamelessness, when it says, but the Pharisees, hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees. He had already suppressed the Pharisees’ disciples and the Sadducees, hence from this they were well enough able to believe in him and to be ashamed. Hence Chrysostom: envy and anger feed and cause shamelessness. But these men did not give up on this account, but rather they still interrogated him; and meet impudent dogs, they never had enough (Isa 56:11). And it indicates that however much they heard, they would still not be silent. Some keep silence freely, and this belongs to the prudent man. Likewise, some keep silence because silence is imposed on them, and this belongs to the imprudent man; there is one who holds his peace, because he knows not what to say: and there is another who holds his peace, knowing the proper time (Sir 20:6). A time to keep silence, and a time to speak (Eccl 3:7).
1807. Quantum ad impudentiam, cum dicitur audientes quod silentium imposuisset. Iam confutaverat Pharisaeorum discipulos et Sadducaeos, unde ex hoc satis poterant ei credere et erubescere. Unde Chrysostomus: livor et ira impudentiam nutriunt et causant. Sed isti non propter hoc dimiserunt, quin adhuc interrogaverunt eum; Is. LVI, 11: canes impudentissimi nescierunt saturitatem. Et significatur quod quamvis hoc audirent, non tamen siluerunt. Aliquis servat silentium sponte, et hoc est prudentis. Item aliquis servat, quia imponitur ei silentium, et hoc est imprudentis; Eccli. XX, 6: est tacens, non habens sensum loquelae; et est tacens, sciens tempus aptum; Eccl. III, 7: est tempus tacendi, est tempus loquendi.
1808. Likewise their premeditated malice is touched upon, because, so that they might better overthrow him, they all came together at once; the princes met together, against the Lord and against his Christ (Ps 2:2). They came together. It can be said the Pharisees and the Sadducees came together, although they differed in sects, yet were one for testing the Lord. Or, the Pharisees came together as one against the Lord.
1808. Item tangitur excogitata malitia, quia, ut melius convincant eum, simul congregantur; Ps. II, 2: principes convenerunt in unum adversus Dominum. Convenerunt in unum. Potest dici quod Pharisaei et Sadducaei convenerunt, quamvis in sectis differrent, tamen in unum ad tentandum Dominum. Vel Pharisaei convenerunt in unum adversus Dominum.
1809. Likewise dishonesty is indicated, because while they were gathered together in a crowd, they did not wish that all should ask, but one, so that if that one man were conquered, the others would not be suppressed, and if that one did conquer, all might glory in him. And one of them, a doctor of the law, asked him, tempting him, because he did not ask with a mind for learning; they have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek (Job 16:11).
1809. Item fraudulentia significatur, quia cum in multitudine essent congregati, noluerunt quod omnes interrogarent, sed unus; ut si ille vinceretur, alii non confutarentur, et si iste vinceret, omnes in eo gloriarentur. Et interrogavit eum unus ex eis legis doctor tentans eum, quia non animo addiscendi; Iob c. XVI, 11: aperuerunt in me ora sua, et exprobrantes percusserunt maxillam meam.
1810. Here a literal objection could arise, because Mark says that the Lord, having looked at him, said: you are not far from the kingdom of God (Mark 12:34). So why is it said here that he tests him?
1810. Hic potest esse obiectio litteralis, quia Marcus dicit quod Dominus intuitus eum dixit: non longe es a regno Dei. Et quomodo hic dicitur quod tentat eum?
Augustine resolves it, for he first came for the purpose of testing, but when Christ satisfied him, he consented to him. And therefore that he tested him should be referred to the beginning; that he is not far from the kingdom of God should be referred to the end. Thus it was not a marvel if the Lord’s words changed his soul.
Solvit Augustinus, quia primo venit causa tentandi, sed cum Christus satisfaceret ei, consensit ei. Et ideo quod tentavit eum, debet referri ad principium; quod non longe est a regno Dei, debet retorqueri ad finem. Et sic non fuit mirum si verba Domini animum eius mutaverunt.
1811. But one should know that a man tests because he is not certain, for, in accord with what the wise man says, he who is hasty to give credit, is light of heart (Sir 19:4). Since this man had heard many things about Christ, he wished to test whether he was such a one; and this testing is not bad. Hence he says, Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?
1811. Sciendum autem quod aliqui tentant eo quod non sunt certi, quia, secundum quod dicit sapiens Eccli. XIX, 4, qui cito credit, levis est corde. Iste cum multa audisset de Christo, voluit experiri si talis esset: et haec tentatio non esset mala. Unde dicit Magister, quod est mandatum magnum in lege?
Yet this question seems crafty and presumptuous. Crafty, because all the commands of God are great; the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light (Prov 6:23). Likewise he asked in an indeterminate way, since they are all great, so that if he responded about one, he could object about another. Likewise it was presumptuous, because he who does not fulfill the least should not ask about what is great; why does your heart elevate you, and why do you stare with your eyes, as if they were thinking great things? (Job 15:12). And it could be that there was a controversy among them about this question, because some said that salvation is in certain exterior things; hence, with their lips glorify me, but their heart is far from me (Isa 29:13). But the Lord responds that it is only in interior things.
Haec tamen quaestio videbatur calumniosa et praesumptuosa: calumniosa, quia omnia mandata Dei sunt magna; Prov. VI, 23: mandata lucerna, et lex lux. Item indeterminate quaesivit, quia omnia sunt magna, ut si responderet de uno, obiiceret de alio. Item fuit praesumptuosa, quia non deberet de magno quaerere qui minimum non implevit; Iob XV, 12: quid te elevat cor tuum, et quasi magna cogitans, attonitos habes oculos? Et poterat esse quod esset controversia super hac quaestione inter eos, quia aliqui dicebant salutem esse in aliquibus exterioribus; unde Is. XXIX, 13: populus hic labiis me honorat, cor autem eorum longe est a me. Sed respondet Dominus, quod solum est in interioribus.
1812. Hence there follows the response: Jesus said to him: ‘you shall love the Lord your God.’ And he not only responds to the question proposed, but teaches the truth. And
1812. Unde sequitur responsio ait Iesus ei: ‘diliges Dominum tuum’ et cetera. Et non solum respondet ad quaestionem propositam, sed veritatem docet. Et
first, he teaches which is the first;
primo docet quod sit primum;
second, what is like it;
secundo quod ei est simile;
third, he gives the reason.
tertio rationem assignat.