Lecture 4
Lectio 4
Parable of the watchful servant
Parabolum servi vigilantis
24:42 Watch therefore, because you do not know what hour your Lord will come. [n. 1994]
24:42 Vigilate ergo, quia nescitis qua hora Dominus vester venturus sit. [n. 1994]
24:43 But know this, that if the master of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken into. [n. 1997]
24:43 Illud autem scitote, quoniam si sciret paterfamilias qua hora fur venturus esset, vigilaret utique, et non sineret perfodi domum suam: [n. 1997]
24:44 Therefore, you also be ready, because you do not know at what hour the Son of man will come. [n. 1998]
24:44 ideo et vos estote parati, quia nescitis qua hora Filius hominis venturus est. [n. 1998]
24:45 Who, do you think, is a faithful and wise servant, he whom his lord has appointed over his family, to give them meat in season? [n. 1999]
24:45 Quis putas est fidelis servus et prudens, quem constituit dominus supra familiam suam, ut det illis cibum in tempore? [n. 1999]
24:46 Blessed is that servant, who, when his lord will come he will find doing so. [n. 2002]
24:46 Beatus ille servus, quem cum venerit dominus eius, invenerit sic facientem. [n. 2002]
24:47 Amen I say to you, he will place him over all his goods. [n. 2003]
24:47 Amen dico vobis, quoniam super omnia bona sua constituet eum. [n. 2003]
24:48 But if that evil servant will say in his heart: my lord is long in coming, [n. 2004]
24:48 Si autem dixerit malus servus ille in corde suo: moram facit dominus meus venire, [n. 2004]
24:49 and will begin to strike his fellow servants, and will eat and drink with drunkards, [n. 2006]
24:49 et coeperit percutere conservos suos, manducet autem et bibat cum ebriosis; [n. 2006]
24:50 the lord of that servant will come in a day that he hopes not, and at an hour that he knows not, [n. 2007]
24:50 veniet dominus servi illius in die qua non sperat, et hora qua ignorat: [n. 2007]
24:51 and will separate him, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [n. 2008]
24:51 et dividet eum, partemque eius ponet cum hypocritis. Illic erit fletus et stridor dentium. [n. 2008]
1993. After the Lord has set out the uncertainty of the hour, he warns men to vigilance. And
1993. Postquam Dominus posuit incertitudinem horae, monet ad vigilantiam. Et
first, he warns all men;
primo monet omnes;
second, prelates in particular, at who, do you think, is a faithful and wise servant.
secundo specialiter praelatos, ibi quis putas est fidelis servus et prudens? et cetera.
Concerning the first, he does three things:
Circa primum tria facit.
first, he sets out the warning;
Primo proponit admonitionem;
second, a likeness;
secundo similitudinem;
third, he concludes what he intended.
tertio concludit propositum.
The second is at but know this, that if the master; the third, at therefore you also be ready, because at what hour.
Secunda ibi illud autem scitote etc.; tertia ibi et vos estote parati et cetera.
1994. He says therefore: I say thus that the day is uncertain, and no one can be confident on the basis of his state, for from any given state one will be taken and the other left; therefore you should be diligent, and solicitous. Watch therefore. And, as Jerome says, the Lord wished to set down an uncertain end of the world so that man would always be awaiting it.
1994. Dicit ergo: ita dico quod dies est incertus, et nullus potest confidere de suo statu, quia de quolibet unus assumetur et alter relinquetur, ideo debetis esse diligentes et solliciti. Vigilate ergo. Et, ut dicit Hieronymus, ideo voluit dominus incertum ponere terminum, ut homo semper expectaret.
For man falls short in three things: because his senses are idle, and because he rests from motion, and because a man lies down. Therefore, watch, that your senses may be elevated through contemplation; I sleep, and my heart watches (Song 5:2). Likewise, watch, lest you be sluggish in death: for the one who watches is the one who exercises himself in good works; be sober and watch: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet 5:8). Likewise, watch, lest you lie down through negligence; how long will you sleep, O sluggard? (Prov 6:9)
In tribus enim homo delinquit: quia vacant eius sensus, item quia vacat a motu, item iacet homo. Ideo vigilate, ut sensus vestri eleventur per contemplationem; Cant. V, v. 2: ego dormio, et cor meum vigilat. Item vigilate, ne in morte torpeatis: ille enim vigilat qui se exercet in operibus bonis; I Petr. ult., 8: sobrii estote, et vigilate, quia adversarius vester diabolus tamquam leo rugiens circuit quaerens quem devoret. Item vigilate, ne iaceatis per negligentiam; Prov. VI, 9: usquequo, piger, dormies?
1995. But what is he saying? Because you do not know what hour your Lord will come. He said this to the apostles, and there is nowhere else that he calls himself Lord so explicitly as here and, you call me Master, and Lord; and you say well, for so I am (John 13:13).
1995. Sed quid dicit? Quia nescitis qua hora dominus vester venturus sit. Hoc dicebat apostolis, et non habetur alibi quod ita expresse se vocet Dominum, sicut hic, et in Io. XIII, 13: vos vocatis me Magister et Domine, et bene dicitis, sum etenim.
1996. But someone could say that the Lord was speaking to the apostles; but the apostles were not going to live to the end of the world, so why does he say, watch therefore, because you do not know what hour your Lord will come?
1996. Sed posset aliquis dicere, quod Dominus loquebatur apostolis; apostoli autem non erant victuri usque ad finem mundi, quomodo ergo dicit vigilate, quia nescitis qua hora Dominus vester venturus sit?
Augustine says that this is necessary even for the apostles, and for those who were before us, and for us, because the Lord comes in two ways. At the end of the world he will come to all generally; likewise, he comes to each man at his own end, namely in death. I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you (John 14:18).
Dicit Augustinus quod istud necessarium est etiam apostolis, et eis qui ante nos erant, et nobis, quia Dominus venit dupliciter. In fine mundi veniet ad omnes generaliter; item venit ad unumquemque in fine suo, scilicet in morte; Io. XIV, 18: non relinquam vos orphanos, veniam ad vos.
Therefore the coming is twofold, at the end of the world and also at death: and he wished both to be uncertain. And these comings correspond to one another, because a man is found at the second as he was at the first. Augustine: the last day finds that man unprepared whom it finds unprepared at his own last day. Likewise, it can be explained as about the other coming, namely the invisible one, when he comes into the mind; if he come to me, I will not see him (Job 9:11). So you should watch much, so that if he knocks, you may open to him; hence, behold, I stand at the gate, and knock. If any man will hear my voice, and open to me the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me (Rev 3:20).
Ergo duplex est adventus, in fine mundi et etiam in morte: et utrumque voluit esse incertum. Et isti adventus sibi respondent, quia talis invenitur quis in secundo, qualis fuerit in primo. Augustinus: imparatum invenit illum mundi novissimus dies, quem imparatum invenit suus ultimus dies. Item potest exponi de alio adventu, scilicet invisibili, quando venit in mentem; Iob IX, 11: si venerit ad me, non percipiam. Unde ad multos venit, et non percipiunt. Unde multum debetis vigilare, ut si pulsaverit, aperiatis ei; unde Apoc. III, 20: ego sto ante ostium, et pulso: si quis aperuit mihi, intrabo ad eum, et coenabo cum illo.
1997. But know this, that if the master of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken into. But since you do not know which hour, you must keep watch the whole night.
1997. Illud autem scitote, quod si sciret paterfamilias qua hora fur veniret, vigilaret illa hora, et non sineret perfodi domum suam. Sed quia nescit qua hora, oportet quod tota nocte vigilet.
Who is this master of the house? The house is the soul. In it, a man should rest; when I go into my house, i.e., into my conscience, I will repose myself with her (Wis 8:16). The head of the house is reason: the king, who sits on the throne of judgment, scatters away all evil with his look (Prov 20:8). Sometimes, a thief breaks open his home. The thief is the persuasion of some false teaching, or a temptation. And it is called a thief, as is said, he who enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up another way, the same is a thief and a robber (John 10:1). The door properly names natural knowledge, or the natural law. So whoever enters in through reason, enters through the door; but he who enters through the door of concupiscence, or of anger, or of any such thing, is a thief. Thieves usually come at night. If thieves had gone in to you, if robbers by night, how would you have held your peace? (Abdia 5). Hence if they came in the day, they would not be feared. In the same way, when a man is in contemplation of divine things, then temptation does not come; but when he carries himself carelessly, then it comes. So the prophet speaks well, when my strength will fail, do not forsake me (Ps 70:9). Hence we should watch, because we do not know when the Lord will come, namely for judgment.
Quis est iste paterfamilias? Domus anima est. In ista debet homo quiescere; Sap. VIII, v. 16: intrans in domum meam, idest in conscientiam meam, conquiescam cum illa. Paterfamilias ratio est: Prov. XX, 8: rex qui sedet in solio, dissipat omne malum intuitu suo. Aliquando fur perfodit domum suam. Fur est aliqua persuasio falsae doctrinae, vel tentatio aliqua. Et dicitur fur, sicut habetur Io. X, 1: qui non intrat per ostium in ovile ovium, ille fur est et latro. Ostium proprie dicitur naturalis cognitio, seu ius naturale. Quisquis ergo per rationem intrat, per ostium intrat; sed qui intrat per ostium concupiscentiae, vel irae, vel huiusmodi, est fur. Fures consueverunt in nocte venire. In Abdia 5: si fures introissent ad te, si latrones per noctem, quomodo conticuisses? Unde si de die veniant, non timentur. Sic quando homo est in contemplatione divinorum, tunc non venit tentatio; sed quando remisse se habet, tunc venit. Ideo bene dicit propheta, Ps. LXX, 9: cum defecerit virtus mea, ne derelinquas me. Unde debemus vigilare, quia nescimus quando veniet Dominus, scilicet ad iudicium.
Or, we can refer it to the day of death; for when they will say, peace and security; then will sudden destruction come upon them (1 Thess 5:3).
Vel possumus referre ad diem mortis; I ad Thess. V, 3: cum enim dixerint, pax et securitas, tunc repentinus eis superveniet interitus.
1998. Therefore you also be ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come. Chrysostom says that men who are solicitous about temporal things keep watch at night. And if they keep watch for temporal things, much more should watch be kept for spiritual things. If then you will not watch, I will come to you as a thief (Rev 3:3).
1998. Et vos estote parati, quia qua hora non putatis, Filius hominis venturus est. Dicit Chrysostomus quod homines solliciti circa temporalia, vigilant de nocte. Et si pro temporalibus vigilant, multo magis vigilandum est pro spiritualibus; Apoc. III, 3: si non vigilaveris, veniam ad te tamquam fur.
1999. Who, do you think, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has appointed over his family, to give them meat in season. Here he warns the prelates in particular to keep watch. And
1999. Quis putas est fidelis servus et prudens quem constituit dominus super familiam suam? Hic specialiter admonet ad vigilandum praelatos. Et
first, by enticing them with rewards;
primo alliciendo praemiis;
second, by frightening them with punishments.
secundo terrendo suppliciis.
Concerning the first, he does three things:
Circa primum tria facit.
first, he sets out the proper quality of a good prelate;
Primo ponit idoneitatem boni praelati;
second, the duty;
secundo officium;