Lecture 3
Lectio 3
Calming of the tempest
Tranquillitas tempestatis
8:14 And when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother lying, and sick of a fever. [n. 708]
8:14 Et cum venisset Iesus in domum Petri, vidit socrum eius iacentem et febricitantem, [n. 708]
8:15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose and ministered to them. [n. 711]
8:15 et tetigit manum eius, et dimisit eam febris, et surrexit, et ministrabat eis. [n. 711]
8:16 And when evening had come, they brought to him many who were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word: and all who were sick he healed: [n. 713]
8:16 Vespere autem facto, obtulerunt ei multos daemonia habentes, et eiiciebat spiritus verbo, et omnes male habentes curavit; [n. 713]
8:17 That it might be fulfilled, what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, saying: he took our infirmities, and bore our diseases. [n. 715]
8:17 ut adimpleretur quod dictum est per Isaiam prophetam dicentem: ipse infirmitates nostras accepit, et aegrotationes portavit. [n. 715]
8:18 And Jesus seeing great multitudes about him, gave orders to pass over the water. [n. 716]
8:18 Videns autem Iesus turbas multas circum se, iussit ire trans fretum. [n. 716]
8:19 And a certain scribe came and said to him: Master, I will follow you wherever you will go. [n. 718]
8:19 Et accedens unus scriba, ait illi: Magister, sequar te, quocumque ieris. [n. 718]
8:20 And Jesus said to him: the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests: but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head. [n. 719]
8:20 Et dicit ei Iesus: vulpes foveas habent, et volucres caeli nidos; Filius autem hominis non habet ubi caput suum reclinet. [n. 719]
8:21 And another of his disciples said to him: Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father. [n. 720]
8:21 Alius autem de discipulis eius ait illi: Domine, permitte me primum ire, et sepelire patrem meum. [n. 720]
8:22 But Jesus said to him: follow me, and let the dead bury their dead. [n. 721]
8:22 Iesus autem ait illi: sequere me, et dimitte mortuos sepelire mortuos suos. [n. 721]
8:23 And when he entered into the boat, his disciples followed him: [n. 723]
8:23 Et ascendente eo in naviculam, secuti sunt eum discipuli eius; [n. 723]
8:24 and behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but he was asleep. [n. 725]
8:24 et ecce motus magnus factus est in mari, ita ut navicula operiretur fluctibus. Ipse vero dormiebat. [n. 725]
8:25 And they came to him, and awaked him, saying: Lord, save us, we perish. [n. 727]
8:25 Et accesserunt ad eum discipuli eius, et suscitaverunt eum, dicentes: Domine, salva nos, perimus. [n. 727]
8:26 And Jesus said to them: why are you fearful, O you of little faith? Then rising up he commanded the winds, and the sea, and there came a great calm. [n. 728]
8:26 Et dicit eis Iesus: quid timidi estis modicae fidei? Tunc surgens imperavit ventis et mari: et facta est tranquillitas magna. [n. 728]
8:27 But the men wondered, saying: what manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey him? [n. 729]
8:27 Porro homines mirati sunt, dicentes: qualis est hic, quia et venti et mare obediunt ei? [n. 729]
708. And when Jesus had come into Peter’s house. The power of Christ was pointed out in the healing of the leper, and also in the rapid healing of the centurion’s servant; here it is pointed out in perfect healing.
708. Et cum venisset Iesus in domum Simonis Petri et cetera. Commendata est virtus Christi in curatione leprosi, commendata est etiam in curatione festina servi centurionis, hic commendatur in curatione perfecta.
First, then, he describes the place of the healing;
Primo ergo describit curationis locum;
second, the manner of infirmity;
secundo infirmitatis modum;
third, he makes known the help of Christ;
tertio declarat Christi auxilium;
fourth, the effect of the healing.
quarto curationis effectum.
709. He says then, and when Jesus had come. The Evangelist does not touch upon when this was done, but both Luke and Mark go over to other things.
709. Dicit ergo cum venisset et cetera. Non tangit Evangelista, quando hoc fuit factum; sed et Lucas, et Marcus transeunt ad alia.
But one should know that where the evangelists place a stop, or something pertaining to order, it is a sign which pertains to the continuation of the history; but where they do not, it is a sign which pertains to the continuation of memory. Hence according as they recalled, they wrote.
Sed sciendum quod ubi evangelistae ponunt statum, vel aliquid ad ordinem pertinens, signum est, quod ad continuationem historiae pertinet; ubi vero non, signum est, quod ad continuationem memoriae. Unde secundum quod recolebant, scribebant.
He came into Peter’s house. And we can consider three things. The honor which he brought to his disciples, because he did not wish to go to the house of the centurion, yet went to the house of a poor fisher. Hence, but to me your friends, O God, are made exceedingly honorable (Ps 138:17). Similarly, he formed them in humility, because nothing is more pleasing to the Lord. With meekness receive the ingrafted word (Jas 1:21). Third, in this is shown the reverence the Lord had toward Peter, because he offered himself, although Peter did not ask.
Venit in domum Petri. Et tria possumus considerare. Honorem quem intulit discipulis suis, quia noluit ire ad domum centurionis; ivit tamen ad domum pauperis piscatoris; unde Ps. CXXXVIII, 17: nimis honorati sunt amici tui, Deus. Item informavit in humilitate, quia nihil plus placet Domino. Iac. c. I, 21: in mansuetudine percipite insitum verbum, quod potest salvare animas vestras et cetera. Tertio in hoc ostenditur reverentia, quam habuit Dominus ad Petrum, quia se obtulit, licet Petrus non rogaret.
710. He saw his wife’s mother. That is, he saw with the eye of the mind; I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt (Exod 3:7).
710. Vidit socrum. Vidit oculo scilicet mentis; Ex. III, 7: vidi afflictionem populi mei in Aegypto.
His wife’s mother. By this is understood the synagogue. For he who wrought in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, wrought in me also among the gentiles (Gal 2:8). She, namely, the synagogue, was feverish with the fever of envy. Or by this mother-in-law is understood a soul seething in the fire of concupiscence.
Socrum Petri. Per hoc potest intelligi synagoga. Qui operatus est Petro in apostolatu circumcisionis, scilicet in Iudaeis, operatus est et mihi inter gentes ad Gal. II, 8. Haec febricitabat, scilicet synagoga, febre scilicet invidiae. Vel per istam socrum intelligitur anima aestuans igne concupiscentiae.
711. And he touched her hand. Here he touches upon the healing.
711. Et tetigit manum eius. Hic tangit curationem.
Chrysostom asks why he cured the centurion’s servant with only a word, but this woman with a touch. And he responds, on account of familiarity; and in this he shows even more humility. And so he gave help in a touch; you have held me by my right hand (Ps 72:24).
Quaerit Chrysostomus, quare curavit servum centurionis solo verbo, istam vero tactu. Et respondet, propter familiaritatem; et in hoc etiam magis ostendebat suam humilitatem: et ideo in tactu auxilium dedit; Ps. LXXII, 23: tenuisti manum dexteram meam.
712. There follows and she arose. It is usually the case with feverish people that when they begin to be healed, they are weaker than when they were ill; but the Lord’s healing was not so, but rather he gave full health, because the works of God are perfect (Deut 32:4).
712. Sequitur et surrexit. Consuetudo est febricitantium, quod quando incipiunt sanari, debiliores sunt quam in infirmitate; sed talis non fuit curatio Domini, immo plenam sanitatem reddidit: quia Dei perfecta sunt opera, Deut. XXXII, 4.
For the Lord heals in one way, nature in another. So there follows and ministered to them.
Aliter enim curat Dominus, aliter natura. Ideo sequitur et ministrabat.
713. And when evening had come. Here the power of God is confirmed by the multitude of those healed.
713. Vespere autem facto. Hic confirmatur Dei potestas per multitudinem curatorum.
First, then, the Evangelist touches upon the multitude;
Primo ergo tangit Evangelista multitudinem;
second, he adjoins the authority of Scripture, at that it might be fulfilled, what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah.
secundo subiungit auctoritatem Scripturae, ibi ut adimpleretur quod dictum est per Isaiam prophetam.
714. It says then that he healed the demon-possessed and those that were sick. And by the demon-possessed can be understood those who sin out of malice, and by the sick can be understood those sinning out of ignorance.
714. Dicit ergo quod curavit daemoniacos et male habentes. Et possunt intelligi per daemoniacos peccantes ex malitia: et per male habentes peccantes ex ignorantia.
Hence it says, and when evening had come. Why? Notice that this was not done on the Sabbath day, on which they thought it unfitting to heal, but in the evening, the Sabbath having been finished. They brought to him many who were possessed with devils. Or it says, evening, because our Savior comes in the evening. The sun rises, and goes down, namely Christ (Eccl 1:5). He cast out solely by rebuking; hence the demons flee just at his voice. Likewise, all who were sick, such that what it is said in befits him: healing all that were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38).
Unde dicit vespere autem facto; quare, nota, hoc non factum fuisse die Sabbati, in quo habebant pro inconvenienti curare; sed in vespere finito Sabbato, obtulerunt ei multos daemonia habentes. Vel dicitur vespere, quia Salvator noster vespere venit. Oritur sol, et occidit, scilicet Christus, Eccle. I, 5. Eiiciebat, sola increpatione: unde ad solam vocem eius fugiebant daemones. Item male habentes, ita quod conveniat ei illud quod dicitur in Act. X, 38: liberavit omnes oppressos a diabolo.
Hence one should notice that the evangelists did not set down all the miracles of Christ, but rather the common ones.
Unde notandum, quod non omnia miracula Christi posuerunt evangelistae, sed magis vulgata.