Lecture 2
Lectio 2
Healing of the centurion’s servant
Curatio servi centurionis
8:5 And when he had entered into Capernaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him, [n. 691]
8:5 Cum autem introisset Capharnaum, accessit ad eum centurio, rogans eum, [n. 691]
8:6 and saying, Lord, my servant lies at home sick of the palsy, and is grieviously tormented. [n. 695]
8:6 et dicens: Domine, puer meus iacet in domo paralyticus, et male torquetur. [n. 695]
8:7 And Jesus said to him: I will come and heal him. [n. 696]
8:7 Et ait illi Iesus: ego veniam et curabo eum. [n. 696]
8:8 And the centurion making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof: but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. [n. 697]
8:8 Et respondens centurio ait: Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum, sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur puer meus. [n. 697]
8:9 For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, go, and he goes, and to another, come, and he comes, and to my servant, do this, and he does it. [n. 700]
8:9 Nam et ego homo sum sub potestate constitutus, habens sub me milites: et dico huic: vade, et vadit; et alii: veni, et venit; et servo meo: fac hoc, et facit. [n. 700]
8:10 And Jesus hearing this, marveled; and said to them who followed him: amen I say to you, I have not found such great faith in Israel. [n. 702]
8:10 Audiens autem Iesus miratus est, et sequentibus se dixit: amen dico vobis, non inveni tantam fidem in Israel. [n. 702]
8:11 And I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven: [n. 704]
8:11 Dico autem vobis, quod multi ab oriente et occidente venient, et recumbent cum Abraham, et Isaac, et Iacob in regno caelorum; [n. 704]
8:12 But the children of the kingdom will be cast out into the exterior darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [n. 705]
8:12 filii autem regni eiicientur in tenebras exteriores: ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium. [n. 705]
8:13 And Jesus said to the centurion: go, and as you have believed, so be it done to you. And the servant was healed at the same hour. [n. 707]
8:13 Et dixit Iesus centurioni: vade et sicut credidisti, fiat tibi. Et sanatus est puer in hora illa. [n. 707]
691. And when he had entered into Capernaum. Here the power of Christ while absent is shown. And
691. Cum autem introisset Capharnaum. Hic ostenditur virtus Christi ex absentia. Et
first, the piety of the centurion with faith is indicated;
primo designatur pietas centurionis cum fide;
second, the humility, at and the centurion making answer.
secundo humilitas, ibi et respondens centurio et cetera.
Concerning the first, two things:
Circa primum duo, quia designatur
first, the centurion’s piety is indicated;
primo pietas centurionis;
second, Christ’s kindness.
secundo ostenditur Christi benignitas.
And concerning the first, three things:
Et circa primum tria.
first, the place is set down;
Primo locus ponitur;
second, the petition is described, at Lord, my servant lies at home sick of the palsy;
secundo oratio describitur, ibi Domine, puer meus iacet in domo paralyticus;
third, the response is set down, at and Jesus said to him.
tertio exauditio ponitur, ibi et ait illi Iesus.
692. First, the place, when he had entered into Capernaum, which is interpreted, ‘village of fatness’, that is, the village of the gentiles, since it overflowed with the fatness of devotion. Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fat (Ps 62:6).
692. Locus primo cum introisset Capharnaum, qui interpretatur ‘villa pinguedinis,’ scilicet villa gentium, quae pinguedine devotionis defluxit. Ps. LXII, 6: sicut adipe et pinguedine repleatur anima mea.
693. There came to him a centurion.
693. Deinde accessit.
But here one can ask a question, because Luke sets down that he sent priests (Luke 7:3).
Sed hic potest quaeri: quia Lucas posuit, quod misit sacerdotes.
Augustine says that he did not come personally, but the fact that it says he came is referred to his intention, because he by whose authority a thing comes about does that thing. Chrysostom explains it in another way, for he says that this man had been set up over one hundred men, and so he was in command. Hence the Jews, wishing to flatter him so as to have his good will, said to him, Lord, we will go, and we will plead for you. Then, to satisfy them, he permitted them to go; but afterwards he himself followed them.
Augustinus dicit quod non personaliter venit, sed quod dicitur quod venit, totum refertur ad intentionem: quia ille facit rem cuius auctoritate fit. Chrysostomus aliter, quia dicit quod iste constitutus erat super centum milites, et ideo erat praepositus. Unde Iudaei volentes adulari propter benevolentiam habendam, dixerunt ei: Domine, nos ibimus, et impetrabimus vobis. Tunc ut satisfaceret eis, permisit eos abire; sed post ipse secutus est eos.
694. This miracle differs from the first in three ways. For the first was done for a Jew, the second for a gentile; by which one is given to understand that Christ came not only for the Jews, but for the gentiles.
694. Istud miraculum differt a primo in tribus. Quia primum Iudaeo fuit factum, secundum gentili; per quod datur intelligi, quod non solum pro Iudaeis, sed pro gentibus Christus venit.
Likewise in the first, the Jew himself approached Christ, but not this man. And this is because the Lord has mercy on some through their own devotion, and on some through the intercession of others.
Item in primo Iudaeus per se accessit, iste non. Et hoc quia miseretur Dominus aliquorum per propriam devotionem, quorumdam per aliorum intercessionem.
Likewise, by the centurion can be understood an angel in command there for the salvation of the gentiles, or the first-fruits of the gentiles. Similarly, the man in whom uncleaness rested was a leper; but paralytics are those who cannot move their members. Lepers are intemperate, and paralytics are incontinent. And those who sin out of weakness are paralytics; those who sin out of a fixed malice are lepers. By the centurion can be understood the mind. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind (Eph 4:23).
Item iste centurio potest intelligi aliquis angelus praesidens ibi ad salutem gentium, vel primitiae gentium. Item ille fuit leprosus, in quo immunditia quiescit. Paralytici autem sunt qui non possunt membra movere. Leprosi sunt intemperati, et paralytici sunt incontinentes. Et sunt paralytici, qui ex infirmitate peccant; leprosi, qui ex certa malitia. Per centurionem potest intelligi mens. Ad Eph. IV, v. 23: renovamini spiritu mentis vestrae.
695. And he says, Lord, my servant. And the centurion’s kindness is shown by the fact that he pleaded in this way for his servant. Hence he does what is said, if you have a faithful servant, let him be to you as your own soul (Sir 33:31). And that servant names the lower part of the soul.
695. Et iste dicit Domine, puer meus, idest servus meus. Et in hoc ostenditur benignitas centurionis, quia ita pro servo orat: unde facit illud quod dicitur in Eccli. XXXIII, v. 31: si fuerit tibi servus fidelis, sit tibi sicut anima tua. Et iste servus dicitur inferior pars animae.
He says then that he lies at home sick of the palsy, and is grieviously tormented; and he speaks with emotion, because when someone loves someone, he considers a slight sickness very great. Therefore the lower part of the soul lies down when it cannot raise itself; for the flesh lusts against the spirit (Gal 5:17). And is grieviously tormented. Who are glad when they have done evil, and rejoice in most wicked things (Prov 2:14). But these men are tormented, because since they sin out of weakness, they sorrow when they fall. And in this way they are tormented by sorrow.
Dicit ergo quod iacet et male torquetur; et loquitur ex affectu, quia quando aliquis diligit aliquem, reputat parvam aegritudinem valde magnam. Iacet ergo inferior pars animae, quando non potest se erigere, Gal. V, 17: caro concupiscit adversus spiritum: et torquetur. Homines lascivi gaudent: laetantur enim cum male fecerint, et exultant in rebus pessimis. Sed isti torquentur, quia cum peccent ex infirmitate, cum ceciderint, dolent. Et ita torquentur ex dolore.
696. And Jesus said to him: I will come and heal him; i.e., I will not speak. Hence notice that no one would dare to ask as much as the Lord gives. He says, I will come and heal him, because Christ’s presence is the cause of salvation.
696. Et ait illi Iesus: ego veniam et curabo eum; idest non loquar. Unde nota quod nullus auderet tantum petere, quantum Dominus dare. Dicit veniam, et curabo eum, quia praesentia Christi est causa salutis.
But one should notice that he did not wish to go to a ruler’s child, but he went to a servant; which would be against many, who will only visit the great, contrary to, make yourself affable to the congregation of the poor (Sir 4:7).
Sed notandum quod ad filium reguli noluit ire, et ad servum ivit; quod esset contra multos qui nolunt visitare nisi magnos, contra illud Eccli. IV, 7: congregationi pauperum affabilem te facito.
697. There follows and the centurion making answer. The centurion’s kindness with faith had been set down; now his humility with faith is touched upon.
697. Sequitur et respondens centurio. Posita fuit cum fide benignitas centurionis; nunc tangitur humilitas cum fide.
First, then, the humility and faith are set down;
Primo ergo ponitur humilitas et fides;
second, Christ’s kindness, at and Jesus hearing this, marveled.
secundo benignitas Christi, ibi audiens autem Iesus miratus est.
Concerning the first, he does three things:
Circa primum tria facit.