Lecture 2 Lectio 2 Curses of the Pharisees Maledictiones Pharisaeorum ^23:13 But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those who are going in, you do not suffer to enter. [n. 1858] ^23:13 Vae autem vobis, scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae, quia clauditis regnum caelorum ante homines. Vos enim non intratis, nec introeuntes sinitis intrare. [n. 1858] ^23:14 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you devour the houses of widows, praying long prayers. For this you will receive the greater judgment. [n. 1859] ^23:14 Vae vobis, scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae, quia comeditis domos viduarum, orationes longas orantes; propter hoc amplius accipietis iudicium. [n. 1859] ^23:15 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you go round about the sea and the land to make one proselyte; and when he is made, you make him the child of hell twofold more than yourselves. [n. 1861] ^23:15 Vae vobis, scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae, quia circuitis mare et aridam, ut faciatis unum proselytum, et cum fuerit factus, facitis eum filium gehennae duplo quam vos. [n. 1861] ^23:16 Woe to you blind guides, who say: whoever will swear by the temple, it is nothing; but he who will swear by the gold of the temple, is a debtor. [n. 1863] ^23:16 Vae vobis, duces caeci, qui dicitis: quicumque iuraverit per templum, nihil est: qui autem iuraverit in auro templi, debitor est. [n. 1863] ^23:17 You foolish and blind; for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? [n. 1865] ^23:17 Stulti et caeci; quid enim maius est, aurum, an templum quod sanctificat aurum? [n. 1865] ^23:18 And whoever will swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever will swear by the gift that is upon it, is a debtor. [n. 1866] ^23:18 Et quicumque iuraverit in altari, nihil est: quicumque autem iuraverit in dono quod est super illud, debet. [n. 1866] ^23:19 You blind; for which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? [n. 1867] ^23:19 Caeci; quid enim maius est, donum, an altare quod sanctificat donum? [n. 1867] ^23:20 He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it, and by all things that are upon it: [n. 1867] ^23:20 Qui ergo iurat in altare, iurat in eo et in omnibus quae super illud sunt. [n. 1867] ^23:21 And whoever will swear by temple, swears by it, and by him who dwells in it. [n. 1867] ^23:21 Et qui iuraverit in templo, iurat in illo et in eo qui habitat in ipso. [n. 1867] ^23:22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who is seated there. [n. 1867] ^23:22 Et qui iurat in caelo, iurat in throno Dei et in eo qui sedet super eum. [n. 1867] ^23:23 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you tithe mint, and anise, and cummin, and have left the weightier things of the law: judgment, and mercy, and faith. These things you ought to have done, and not to leave those undone. [n. 1869] ^23:23 Vae vobis, scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae quia decimatis mentham, et anethum, et cyminum, et reliquistis quae graviora sunt legis, iudicium, et misericordiam, et fidem. Haec oportuit facere, et illa non omittere. [n. 1869] ^23:24 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel. [n. 1873] ^23:24 Duces caeci excolantes culicem, camelum autem glutientes. [n. 1873] ^23:25 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within you are full of rapine and uncleanness. [n. 1874] ^23:25 Vae vobis scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae, quia mundatis quod deforis est calicis et paropsidis; intus autem pleni sunt rapina et immunditia. [n. 1874] ^23:26 You blind Pharisee, first make clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside may become clean. [n. 1877] ^23:26 Pharisaee caece, munda prius quod intus est calicis et paropsidis, ut fiat, et id quod deforis est, mundum. [n. 1877] ^23:27 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are like whitened sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful to men, but within are full of dead men’s bones, and of all filthiness. [n. 1878] ^23:27 Vae vobis, scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae, quia similes estis sepulchris dealbatis, quae a foris parent hominibus speciosa, intus vero plena sunt ossibus mortuorum et omni spurcitia. [n. 1878] ^23:28 So you also outwardly indeed appear just to men; but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. [n. 1880] ^23:28 Sic et vos a foris quidem paretis hominibus iusti, intus autem pleni estis hypocrisi et iniquitate. [n. 1880] ^23:29 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; who build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the just, [n. 1881] ^23:29 Vae vobis, scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae, qui aedificatis sepulchra prophetarum, et ornatis monumenta iustorum, [n. 1881] ^23:30 and say: if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. [n. 1884] ^23:30 et dicitis: si fuissemus in diebus patrum nostrorum, non essemus socii eorum in sanguine prophetarum. [n. 1884] ^23:31 Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves, that you are the sons of those who killed the prophets. [n. 1886] ^23:31 Itaque testimonio estis vobismetipsis, quia filii estis eorum, qui prophetas occiderunt. [n. 1886] ^23:32 Fill up then the measure of your fathers. [n. 1887] ^23:32 Et vos implete mensuram patrum vestrorum. [n. 1887] ^23:33 You serpents, generation of vipers, how will you flee from the judgment of hell? [n. 1889] ^23:33 Serpentes, genimina viperarum, quomodo fugietis a iudicio gehennae? [n. 1889] 1856. After he had instructed the disciples and the crowds about the caution which they should have regarding the teaching of the Jews, here he turns his words toward the scribes, by rebuking them. 1856. Postquam instruxit discipulos et turbas de cautela quam habere debebant super doctrina Iudaeorum, hic convertit sermonem ad scribas, increpando eos. First, he rebukes them about the pretense of religion, while they were irreligious; Primo increpat de simulatione religionis, cum irreligiosi essent; second, about the pretense of purity, while they were impure; secundo de simulatione puritatis, cum impuri essent; third, about the pretense of piety, while they were impious. The second is at woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you make clean the outside of the cup. The third, at woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; who build the sepulchres of the prophets. tertio de simulatione pietatis, cum impii essent. Secunda ibi vae vobis, scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae, qui mundatis quod deforis est calicis et cetera. Tertia ibi vae vobis qui aedificatis sepulcra prophetarum et cetera. In those things which pertain to religion, some things are owed by the priests to the people, and some things the other way around. In his quae ad religionem spectant, quaedam a sacerdotibus debentur populo, quaedam e converso. First, therefore, he sets out their malice in those which are owed by the priests; Primo ergo ponit malitiam eorum in his quae a sacerdotibus; second, in those which are owed by the people, at woe to you blind guides, who say: whoever will swear by the temple. secundo in his quae a populo, ibi vae qui dicit: quicumque iuraverit et cetera. A priest owes one thing to the subject already converted, and another thing to the unconverted. To the unconverted he owes that he convert him; to the converted he owes teaching; for the lips of the priest will keep knowledge (Mal 2:7). Likewise, he owes intercession; for every high priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God (Heb 5:1). And these men did evil things in both; hence Sacerdos debet subdito iam converso aliquid, et aliquid non converso. Non converso, ut convertat ipsum; converso doctrinam; Mal. cap. II, 7: labia sacerdotis docent sapientiam. Item debet ei suffragia; ad Hebr. V, v. 1: omnis namque pontifex ex hominibus assumptus, pro hominibus constituitur in his quae sunt ad Deum. Et isti mala agebant in utroque; unde first, he accuses them of the first; primo arguit eos de primo; second, of the second, at woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you devour the houses of widows. secundo de secundo, ibi vae vobis qui comeditis domos viduarum et cetera. 1857. In all these reproaches he points to himself as the Son of him who gave the old law. In Deuteronomy, there are curses given to those who would not persevere in the law, and after that are given blessings (Deut 26, 28). But since he had come to unbind the curses of the law, first there were blessings given above, at blessed are the poor in spirit (Matt 5:3). But near the end of his teaching he gives a curse. So they reproach badly who reproach the old law because curses are contained in it, for just as it is in the old law, so it is in the new. For just as in the law only those who transgressed were cursed, so also here; my son, do not reject the correction of the Lord (Prov 3:11). 1857. In istis omnibus increpationibus designat se esse Filium eius, qui veterem legem dedit. Deut. XXVI, et XXVIII dantur maledictiones eis qui in lege non permanserint, et post dantur benedictiones. Sed quia venerat ut solveret maledicta legis, ideo primo datae sunt superius benedictiones, ubi dictum est, beati pauperes, beati mites et cetera. Circa finem vero suae doctrinae dat maledictionem. Ideo male reprehendunt, qui reprehendunt veterem legem propter hoc quod ibi continebantur maledictiones, quia sicut in veteri lege, ita et in nova. Sicut enim in lege non maledicebantur nisi qui legem praeteribant, sic nec hic; Prov. III, 11: disciplinam Domini non abiicias. 1858. But why does he say, you shut the kingdom of heaven against men? The beatitude of eternal life is called the kingdom of heaven; above, unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:20). Likewise, Sacred Scripture is called a kingdom; above, the kingdom of God will be taken from you (Matt 21:43), i.e., the understanding of Sacred Scripture. To either kingdom, Christ is the door; I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he will be saved: and he will go in, and go out, and will find pastures (John 10:9). What therefore is shutting the kingdom except that these men were shutting it through bad teaching and a bad life? Only that which is opened can be shut. The teachings about Christ were open, but these men were shutting them, because they made them obscure. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped (Isa 35:5). When the Lord was working this miracle, this Scripture was opened, but they were shutting it, saying, he casts out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils (Luke 11:15). Likewise, they were shutting the kingdom through a bad life, when by bad example they led men into sinning; blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence (Ps 1:1). He properly sits in the chair of pestilence who accepts the duty of teaching and corrupts the people through a bad life. A judge also destroys a man by an unjust judgment, yet he hands down an unjust judgment to no end. For the power of binding and loosing is given for building up, not for pulling down. Hence it can be said to him, but woe to you . . . because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men. Likewise, anyone who impedes entrance into the kingdom undoubtedly acts badly; hence there follows, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those who are going in, you do not suffer to enter, i.e., others to be converted. Hence, but you have departed out of the way, and have caused many to stumble at the law (Mal 2:8). 1858. Sed quid est quod dicit qui clauditis regnum caelorum ante homines? Regnum caelorum dicitur beatitudo vitae aeternae; supra V, 20: nisi abundaverit iustitia vestra plusquam scribarum et Pharisaeorum, non intrabitis in regnum caelorum. Item Sacra Scriptura dicitur regnum; supra XXI, 43: auferetur a vobis regnum Dei, idest intellectus Sacrae Scripturae. Ad utrumque regnum Christus ostium est; Io. X, 9: ego sum ostium. Per me si quis introierit, salvabitur, et ingredietur et egredietur, et pascua inveniet. Quid est ergo claudere regnum, nisi quod isti claudebant per malam doctrinam et malam vitam? Non clauditur nisi quod apertum est. Doctrinae de Christo apertae erant, sed isti claudebant, quia obscuras eas faciebant. Habetur Is. XXXV, 5: dominus ipse veniet, et salvabit nos. Tunc aperientur oculi caecorum, et aures surdorum patebunt. Quando Dominus faciebat ista miracula, aperta erat haec Scriptura, sed ipsi claudebant dicentes, in Beelzebub principe daemoniorum eiicit daemonia, Lc. XI, 15. Item ipsi claudebant per malam vitam, quando per malum exemplum inducebant ad peccandum; Ps. I, 1: beatus vir qui non abiit in consilio impiorum, et in via peccatorum non stetit, et in cathedra pestilentiae non sedit. Ille proprie in cathedra pestilentiae sedet, qui officium docendi accipit, et per malam vitam populum corrumpit. Per iniustam etiam sententiam iudex hominem perimit, tamen iniustam sententiam in vanum proiicit. Data est enim potestas ligandi et solvendi ad aedificationem, non ad destructionem. Unde potest eis dici vae vobis . . . quia clauditis regnum caelorum ante homines. Item quicumque impedit introitum ad regnum, non est dubium quin male agat; unde sequitur vos enim non intratis, nec introeuntes sinitis intrare, idest alios converti. Unde Mal. II, 8: recessistis a via, et scandalizastis plurimos. 1859. Woe to you . . . because you devour the houses of widows, praying long prayers. This is the second woe, in which pretense is touched upon as regards prayer. 1859. Vae vobis . . . qui comeditis domos viduarum, orationes longas orantes. Hoc est secundum vae, in quo tangitur simulatio quantum ad orationem.