Lecture 1
Lectio 1
Evil works of the Pharisees
Opera mala Pharisaeorum
23:1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples, [n. 1832]
23:1 Tunc Iesus locutus est ad turbas et ad discipulos suos, [n. 1832]
23:2 saying: The scribes and the Pharisees have sat on the chair of Moses. [n. 1832]
23:2 dicens: super cathedram Moysi sederunt scribae et Pharisaei. [n. 1832]
23:3 Therefore, all things whatever that they will say to you, observe and do, but according to their works, do not; for they say, and do not. [n. 1835]
23:3 Omnia ergo quaecumque dixerint vobis, servate et facite; secundum opera vero eorum nolite facere: dicunt enim, et non faciunt. [n. 1835]
23:4 For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but with a finger of their own they will not move them. [n. 1840]
23:4 Alligant autem opera gravia et importabilia, et imponunt in humeros hominum: digito autem suo nolunt ea movere. [n. 1840]
23:5 And all their works they do in order to be seen by men. For they make their phylacteries broad, and enlarge their fringes. [n. 1841]
23:5 Omnia vero opera sua faciunt ut videantur ab hominibus: dilatant enim phylacteria sua, et magnificant fimbrias. [n. 1841]
23:6 And they love the first places at feasts, and the first chairs in the synagogues, [n. 1845]
23:6 Amant autem primos recubitus in coenis et primas cathedras in synagogis, [n. 1845]
23:7 and salutations in the market place, and to be called by men, Rabbi. [n. 1845]
23:7 et salutationes in foro, et vocari ab hominibus Rabbi. [n. 1845]
23:8 But you, do not be called Rabbi. For one is your Master; and you are all brethren. [n. 1846]
23:8 Vos autem nolite vocari Rabbi: unus enim est Magister vester, omnes autem vos fratres estis. [n. 1846]
23:9 And call none your father upon earth; for one is your Father, who is in heaven. [n. 1851]
23:9 Et patrem nolite vocare vobis super terram: unus enim est Pater vester qui in caelis est. [n. 1851]
23:10 Neither be called masters; for one is your Master, Christ. [n. 1852]
23:10 Nec vocemini magistri, quia Magister vester unus est Christus. [n. 1852]
23:11 He who is the greatest among you will be your servant. [n. 1853]
23:11 Qui maior est vestrum, erit minister vester. [n. 1853]
23:12 And whoever will exalt himself will be humbled: and he who will humble himself will be exalted. [n. 1855]
23:12 Qui autem se exaltaverit, humiliabitur; et qui se humiliaverit, exaltabitur. [n. 1855]
1831. It was shown above how the Pharisees and the scribes were provoked by Christ’s glory, and also by his wisdom, with which he crushed them; and now he shows how they were provoked by the justice with which he accused them; and he does two things:
1831. Supra ostensum est quomodo Pharisaei et scribae provocati sunt ex gloria Christi, et etiam ex sapientia eius, qua colliserat eos, nunc autem ostendit quomodo ex iustitia qua eos arguebat: et duo facit.
first, he teaches some things;
Primo instruit aliquos;
second, he refutes some things. The second is at but woe to you scribes and Pharisees (Matt 23:13).
secundo redarguit. Secunda ibi vae autem vobis, scribae et Pharisaei.
Concerning the first, he does two things:
Circa primum duo facit.
first, he sets forth their dignity;
Primo ostendit eorum dignitatem;
second, he reveals their intention in the use of authority, at and all their works they do in order to be seen by men.
secundo aperit eorum intentionem in usu auctoritatis, ibi omnia opera sua faciunt ut videantur ab hominibus.
Concerning the first, he does three things:
Circa primum tria facit.
first, he commends their authority;
Primo commendat eorum auctoritatem;
second, he teaches the crowds to show obedience with caution;
secundo docet exhibere obedientiam cum cautela;
third, he gives the reason.
tertio assignat rationem.
The second is at therefore all things whatever they will say to you, observe and do; the third, at for they say, and do not.
Secunda ibi omnia ergo quaecumque dixerint vobis, servate et facite etc.; tertia ibi dicunt enim et non faciunt.
1832. It says therefore, then Jesus spoke to the multitudes. It should be continued in the following way. The Lord confounded them so greatly that they neither dared to ask questions nor knew how to respond. But, in accordance with what Chrysostom says, a speech which refutes and does not instruct is useless; so he turns himself toward the crowds and toward his disciples, and instructs them.
1832. Dicit ergo tunc Iesus locutus est ad turbas et cetera. Ita continuandum est. Dominus intantum eos confutavit, quod nec interrogare audebant, nec respondere sciebant. Sed, secundum quod dicit Chrysostomus, inutilis est sermo qui redarguit et non instruit: ideo convertit se ad turbas et ad discipulos suos, ut eos instruat.
But one should know that some men hear him as disciples, others as the crowds: as disciples, those who perceive truth with the mind; if you continue in my word, you will be my disciples indeed (John 8:31). As the crowds, those who cannot grasp truth with the mind. For this reason, sometimes he turned his words toward the crowds, sometimes toward the disciples, and sometimes toward both; and in different ways, for to the disciples by speaking high things, as is said in John, all things whatever I have heard of my Father, I have made known to you (John 15:15). But sometimes, toward the crowds, he sets out parables, as is said above. But he speaks to both about the necessity of salvation, and such are these words.
Sciendum autem quod quidam audiunt eum ut discipuli, quidam ut turbae: ut discipuli, qui veritatem percipiunt mente; Io. VIII, 31: si manseritis in sermone meo, vere discipuli mei eritis. Ut turbae, qui veritatem mente apprehendere non possunt. Ideo quandoque convertit sua verba ad turbas, quandoque ad discipulos, quandoque ad utrosque; et diversimode: quia ad discipulos alta dicendo, ut habetur Io. XV, 15: quaecumque audivi a Patre meo, nota feci vobis. Quandoque vero ad turbas profert parabolas, sicut habetur supra. Utrisque autem loquitur de necessitate salutis, et talia sunt haec verba.
The scribes and the Pharisees have sat on the chair of Moses. A chair properly belongs to teachers, and for this reason those who are the successors of Moses are said to sit on a chair; Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justices (Sir 24:33). Hence those who taught the law of Moses sat on the chair of Moses. And in the law there were contained some things pertaining to faith, and some things pertaining to good behavior. Those pertaining to faith were the things in which Christ was prefigured; hence he says, for if you believed Moses, you would perhaps believe me also (John 5:46). Likewise the moral precepts were contained in the law; Moses commanded a law in the precepts of justices (Sir 24:33).
Super cathedram Moysi sederunt scribae et Pharisaei. Cathedra proprie est magistrorum; et ideo illi super cathedram dicuntur sedere, qui sunt successores Moysi; Eccli. XXIV, v. 33: legem mandavit Moyses in praeceptis iustitiarum. Unde illi qui Moysis legem docebant, sedebant super cathedram Moysi. Et in lege continebantur quaedam ad fidem pertinentia, et quaedam ad bonos mores. Ad fidem pertinentia erant ea, in quibus praefigurabatur Christus; unde ipse dicit, Io. V, 46: si crederetis Moysi, crederetis forsitan et mihi. Item continebantur praecepta moralia; Eccli. cap. XXIV, 33: legem mandavit Moyses in praeceptis iustitiarum.
1833. But one should note that on the chair sit both the scribes and the Pharisees, and the disciples of Christ: the scribes, who consider only the letter; the Pharisees, who consider a small part of its interior sense; the disciples of Christ, who ponder the whole. And they are not called disciples of Moses, but of Christ; and beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the Scriptures, the things that were concerning him (Luke 24:27).
1833. Sed notandum quod supra cathedram sedent et scribae, et Pharisaei, et discipuli Christi: scribae qui solam litteram considerant; Pharisaei qui aliquantulum de sensu suo interiori; discipuli Christi qui totum perpendunt: et non dicuntur discipuli Moysi, sed Christi; Lc. ult., 27: incipiens a lege et prophetis interpretabatur illis in omnibus Scripturis, quae de ipso erant.
1834. Then he warns them to obey with caution; and he does two things:
1834. Tunc monet eos ad obedientiam cum cautela; et facit duo.
first, he exhorts to obedience;
Primo hortatur ad obediendum;
second, to caution.
secundo ad cavendum.
1835. Observe, namely in the heart, and do in deed whatever they will say to you; and you will come to the priests of the Levitical race, and to the judge (Deut 17:9–11), and afterwards, and you will do whatever they will say, and there follows, and you will follow their sentence. And the Apostle: obey your prelates (Heb 13:17). And this is against the Manichees, who said that the old law is not good. And it is clear that it is good, because the Lord commanded that it be preserved.
1835. Omnia quaecumque dixerint vobis, servate, scilicet in corde, et facite, in opere; Deut. XVII, 9: venies ad sacerdotes Levitici generis, et ad iudicem; et post: et facies quaecumque dixerint; et sequitur: sequerisque sententiam eorum. Et Apostolus: obedite praepositis vestris. Et hoc est contra Manichaeos qui dicebant legem veterem non esse bonam. Et patet quod sit bona, quia Dominus praecepit eam servari.
1836. But someone could object: so we should keep the legal observances, which is against the teaching of the apostles (Acts 15:29).
1836. Sed potest quis obiicere: ergo debemus legalia observare, quod est contra doctrinam apostolorum, Act. XV, 29.
One should know that the authority of a lawgiver should always be preserved according to his intention; but a legislator says some things to be kept always, and such things should always be kept; but he says some things which are like shadows, as is said, which are a shadow of things to come (Col 2:17). Therefore the moral precepts are commanded, according to the intention of the legislator, that they may be kept always; but the legal observances are commanded for a time only, namely for the time before Christ. Hence before that time they should be kept, afterwards not: for those who would keep them do injury to Christ.
Sciendum quod semper auctoritas servanda est legislatoris secundum intentionem eius; sed legislator aliqua dicit ut semper servanda, et talia semper debent servari; aliqua vero dicit quae sunt vel ut umbra, ut habetur ad Col. II, 17: quae sunt umbra futurorum. Moralia ergo sunt mandata secundum intentionem legislatoris, ut semper serventur; sed legalia pro tempore tantum, scilicet pro tempore ante Christum. Unde ante tempus illud debent servari, post non: quia qui servaret, iniuriam Christo faceret.
And Augustine sets out an example. If someone should say, I will eat tomorrow, these words are a sign of this thing; and if he were to say the same thing after having eaten, he would not speak well. In this way since those legal observances were signs of the Christ to come, after Christ has come those who would keep them do not keep them well. Hence, therefore all things whatever they will say to you, observe and do, according to the intention of the lawgiver.
Et ponit Augustinus exemplum. Si diceret aliquis: ego comedam cras, haec vox est signum huius rei; et si postquam comedisset, diceret illud idem, non bene diceret. Sic cum ista legalia essent signa Christi venturi, postquam Christus venit, qui servaret ea, non bene servaret. Unde omnia quae dixerint vobis, secundum intentionem legislatoris, facite.