Lecture 7
Lectio 7
Interrogation before the priests
Interrogatio ante sacerdotos
26:57 But they, holding Jesus, led him to Caiphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. [n. 2268]
26:57 At illi tenentes Iesum, duxerunt ad Caiapham principem sacerdotum, ubi scribae et seniores convenerant. [n. 2268]
26:58 And Peter followed him from far off, even to the court of the high priest. And going in, he sat with the servants, that he might see the end. [n. 2270]
26:58 Petrus autem sequebatur eum a longe usque in atrium principis sacerdotum, et ingressus intro sedebat cum ministris, ut videret finem. [n. 2270]
26:59 And the chief priests and the whole council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death; [n. 2273]
26:59 Principes autem sacerdotum et omne concilium, quaerebant falsum testimonium contra Iesum, ut eum morti traderent; [n. 2273]
26:60 and they found not, though many false witnesses had come in. And last of all there came two false witnesses: [n. 2274]
26:60 et non invenerunt, cum multi falsi testes accessissent. Novissime autem venerunt duo falsi testes, [n. 2274]
26:61 and they said: this man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and after three days to rebuild it. [n. 2276]
26:61 et dixerunt: hic dixit: possum destruere templum Dei, et post triduum reaedificare illud. [n. 2276]
26:62 And the high priest rising up, said to him: do you answer nothing to the things which these witness against you? [n. 2279]
26:62 Et surgens princeps sacerdotum ait illi: nihil respondes ad ea quae isti adversum te testificantur? [n. 2279]
26:63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said to him: I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. [n. 2280]
26:63 Iesus autem tacebat. Et princeps sacerdotum ait illi: adiuro te per Deum vivum, ut dicas nobis, si tu es Christus Filius Dei. [n. 2280]
26:64 Jesus said to him: you have said it. Nevertheless I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven. [n. 2282]
26:64 Dicit illi Iesus: tu dixisti. Verumtamen dico vobis: amodo videbitis Filium hominis sedentem a dextris virtutis Dei, et venientem in nubibus caeli. [n. 2282]
26:65 Then the high priest rent his garments, saying: he has blasphemed; what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy. [n. 2286]
26:65 Tunc princeps sacerdotum scidit vestimenta sua, dicens: blasphemavit: quid adhuc egemus testibus? Ecce nunc audistis blasphemiam, [n. 2286]
26:66 What do you think? But answering, they said: he is guilty of death. [n. 2288]
26:66 quid vobis videtur? At illi respondentes dixerunt: reus est mortis. [n. 2288]
26:67 Then they spat in his face, and buffeted him; and others struck his face with the palms of their hands, [n. 2289]
26:67 Tunc expuerunt in faciem eius, et colaphis eum ceciderunt. Alii autem palmas in faciem ei dederunt [n. 2289]
26:68 saying: prophesy to us, O Christ, who is he that struck you? [n. 2291]
26:68 dicentes: prophetiza nobis, Christe: quis est qui te percussit? [n. 2291]
26:69 But Peter sat without in the court; and there came to him a servant maid, saying: you also were with Jesus the Galilean. [n. 2292]
26:69 Petrus vero sedebat foris in atrio. Et accessit ad eum una ancilla, dicens: et tu cum Iesu Galilaeo eras. [n. 2292]
26:70 But he denied before them all, saying: I do not know what you are saying. [n. 2293]
26:70 At ille negavit coram omnibus dicens: nescio quid dicis. [n. 2293]
26:71 And as he went out of the gate, another maid saw him, and she said to those who were there: this man also was with Jesus of Nazareth. [n. 2294]
26:71 Exeunte autem illo ianuam, vidit eum alia ancilla, et ait his qui erant ibi: et hic erat cum Iesu Nazareno. [n. 2294]
26:72 And again he denied with an oath: I do not know the man. [n. 2294]
26:72 Et iterum negavit cum iuramento: quia non novi hominem. [n. 2294]
26:73 And after a little while those came who stood by, and said to Peter: surely you also are one of them; for even your speech discovers you. [n. 2295]
26:73 Et post pusillum accesserunt qui stabant, et dixerunt Petro: vere et tu ex illis es: nam et loquella tua manifestum te facit. [n. 2295]
26:74 Then he began to curse and to swear that he did not know the man. And immediately the cock crowed. [n. 2297]
26:74 Tunc coepit detestari et iurare, quia non novisset hominem. Et continuo gallus cantavit. [n. 2297]
26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus which he had said: before the cock crow, you will deny me three times. And going out, he wept bitterly. [n. 2302]
26:75 Et recordatus est Petrus verbi Iesu, quod dixerat: priusquam gallus cantet ter me negabis: et egressus foras flevit amare. [n. 2302]
2268. Above, he treated of the seizing of Christ; now he treats of how he was led. And he describes the place and the group which came together to the place.
2268. Supra actum est de captione Christi, nunc agitur quo sit ductus; et describitur locus et societas convenientium ad locum.
It says therefore, but they, namely those who had seized him, led him to Caiphas. This Caiphas was the high priest that year according to Jerome, in accord with what is said in John, being the high priest that year (John 11:49). For at that time the priesthood was not handled according to the precept of the law. The Lord had commanded that Aaron and his sons should be the priests by right of inheritance, such that when one died another priest would remain. But later, as their ambition grew, they could not endure but, with Judea subjected to the Romans, this man Caiphas bought the priesthood from the Jews, and bought it from Pilate; so a wicked man was the ruler. And it is no marvel if a wicked judge, or a wicked ruler, should form a wicked judgment.
Dicit ergo at illi, scilicet qui tenuerunt eum, duxerunt eum ad Caipham. Iste Caiphas erat pontifex anni illius secundum Hieronymum, secundum quod habetur Io. XI, v. 49: cum autem esset pontifex anni illius. Iam enim sacerdotium non secundum legis praeceptum agebatur. Mandaverat Dominus quod Aaron et filii eius essent sacerdotes iure haereditario, ita quod mortuo uno remaneret alter sacerdos. Sed post, ambitione crescente, non potuerunt pati, sed subiecta Iudaea Romanis, iste Caiphas emerat sacerdotium a Iudaeis, emerat a Pilato; ideo iniquus erat princeps. Et non mirum si iniquus iudex, sive princeps, iniquum facit iudicium.
And this fits with a mystery, for just as Christ’s passion was the oblation of a true sacrifice, so also the place should have been fitting, that Christ, who is a priest forever, might be offered in the house of the high priest. Caiphas means ‘investigator,’ and can be referred to the malice with which he condemned Christ.
Et hoc convenit mysterio; quia sicut passio Christi erat oblatio veri sacrificii, sic et locus congruere debebat, ut Christus, qui est sacerdos in aeternum, in domo pontificis offerretur. Caiphas ‘investigator’ interpretatur, et potest referri ad malitiam, qua Christum condemnavit.
2269. But here there is a question, because John says that he was led first to Annas (John 18:13). This should be understood to be true: for they had come together at the house of Annas, and were gathered there; and this shows their malice, for when they were supposed to be focused on the solemnity, they were focused on malice, such that what is said in Isaiah fits them well: my soul hates your new moons, and your solemnities (Isa 1:14). Hence what was said was fulfilled: the princes met together, against the Lord and against his Christ (Ps 2:2).
2269. Sed hic est quaestio, quia Io. c. XVIII, 13 dicitur quod primo ductus est ad Annam. Et hoc intelligendum est esse verum: convenerant enim ad domum Annae, et ibi congregati erant; et in hoc apparet malitia eorum, quia cum intenti esse deberent solemnitati, erant intenti malitiae, ita quod bene conveniebat eis quod dicitur Is. I, 14: solemnitates vestras odivit anima mea. Unde completum est quod dictum est Ps. II, 2: convenerunt adversus Deum, et adversus Christum eius.
2270. And Peter followed him from far off. Having treated of the place, here he treats of Peter’s arrival. First he is led, then Peter arrives. And he does three things: for first, he touches on the manner; second, how he arrived, following.
2270. Petrus autem sequebatur eum a longe. Actum est de loco, hic agitur de Petro perveniente. Primo ducitur, deinde Petrus pervenit. Et tria facit: quia primo tangit modum; secundo quomodo sequens pervenerit.
That he came was due to fervor; that he followed from a distance was due to fear; hence it signified that the Church, founded on Peter’s faith, was going to follow Christ, yet from a distance: for Christ suffered for the Church, not for himself, while Peter and the Church suffered for themselves.
Quod pervenerit, hoc erat fervoris; quod a longe, hoc erat timoris; unde significabatur quod in fide Petri fundata Ecclesia secutura erat Christum, tamen a longe; quia Christus passus est pro Ecclesia, non pro se; Petrus autem et Ecclesia passa est pro se.
Likewise, the place is touched upon: even to the court of the high priest, for he did not dare to enter the house, lest he seem to be a disciple of Jesus. Matthew does not mention how he entered, but John says that a certain disciple was known to the high priest, and brought Peter in (John 18:15).
Item tangitur locus, quia usque in atrium principis sacerdotum: non enim ausus est intrare domum, ne videretur esse de discipulis Iesu. Quomodo autem intravit, tacet Matthaeus, sed narrat Ioannes XVIII, 15, quia discipulus quidam notus erat pontifici, et introduxit Petrum.
2271. There follows the group: and going in, he sat with the servants, that he might see the end. And he did this either out of curiosity or out of piety. And these three things were already certain dispositive factors toward Peter’s fall: that he followed from a distance was dispositive, because it indicated that he was not firm, for one who is firm should draw near. Hence it says, draw near to God, and he will draw near to you (Jas 4:8). For in the house is the seat of God and of the Lamb, as is said (Rev. 22:3). For perfect charity was in the house. Hence Peter did not draw near to the charity of Christ.
2271. Sequitur societas et ingressus intro sedebat cum ministris, ut videret finem; et hoc faciebat vel ex curiositate, vel ex pietate. Et haec tria iam erant quaedam dispositiva ad casum Petri: quod a longe sequebatur, hoc disponebat, quia significabat quod non erat firmus; qui enim firmus est, debet appropinquare. Unde dicitur Iac. IV, 8: appropinquate Deo, et appropinquabit vobis. In domo enim est sedes Dei et Agni, ut habetur Apoc. ult., 3. In domo enim erat perfecta caritas. Unde Petrus non appropinquavit ad caritatem Christi.
Also, he had not arrived at the malice of the Jews, and so he was tepid; so what is said, happened to him: but because you are lukewarm, and neither cold, nor hot, I will begin to vomit you out of my mouth (Rev 3:16).
Item non pervenerat ad malitiam Iudaeorum, ideo tepidus erat; ideo accidit ei id quod dicitur in Apoc. III, 16: quia tepidus es, eiiciam te de ore meo.
Also, because of the bad servants. As the judge of the people is himself, so also are his ministers (Sir 10:2). And therefore it was not a marvel if he fell, since he stayed in bad company. For which reason it says, with the holy, you will be holy (Ps 17:26).
Item quia famuli mali. Eccli. X, 2: secundum iudicem populi, sic et minister eius. Et ideo non fuit mirum si cecidit, quia in mala societate mansit. Quare Ps. XVII, 16: cum sancto sanctus eris.
2272. Then there follows the examination of Christ. And
2272. Tunc sequitur examinatio Christi. Et
first, through witnesses;
primo per testes;
second, through his own confession, at and the high priest rising up.
secundo per propriam confessionem, ibi et surgens princeps sacerdotum ait illi et cetera.
Concerning the first, he does three things:
Circa primum tria facit.
first, the chief priests’ corrupt pursuit is described;
Primo designatur perversum studium principum;