Lecture 1
Lectio 1
Healing of a paralytic
Curatio paralytici
9:1 And entering into a boat, he passed over the water and came into his own city. [n. 742]
9:1 Et ascendens Iesus in naviculam transfretavit, et venit in civitatem suam. [n. 742]
9:2 And behold they brought to him one paralyzed, lying in a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralyzed man: be of good heart, son, your sins are forgiven you. [n. 744]
9:2 Et ecce offerebant ei paralyticum iacentem in lecto. Videns autem Iesus fidem illorum, dixit paralytico: confide, fili, remittuntur tibi peccata tua. [n. 744]
9:3 And behold some of the scribes said within themselves: he blasphemes. [n. 747]
9:3 Et ecce quidam de scribis dixerunt intra se: hic blasphemat. [n. 747]
9:4 And Jesus seeing their thoughts, said: why do you think evil in your hearts? [n. 748]
9:4 Et cum vidisset Iesus cogitationes eorum, dixit: ut quid cogitatis mala in cordibus vestris? [n. 748]
9:5 Which is easier, to say, your sins are forgiven you: or to say, arise, and walk? [n. 749]
9:5 Quid est facilius dicere: dimittuntur tibi peccata tua, an dicere: surge, et ambula? [n. 749]
9:6 But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, then said he to the paralyzed man, arise, take up your bed, and go into your house. [n. 750]
9:6 Ut sciatis autem quoniam Filius hominis habet potestatem in terra dimittendi peccata, tunc ait paralytico: surge, tolle lectum tuum, et vade in domum tuam; [n. 750]
9:7 And he arose, and went into his house. [n. 754]
9:7 et surrexit, et abiit in domum suam. [n. 754]
9:8 And seeing it, the multitude feared, and glorified God who gave such power to men. [n. 754]
9:8 Videntes autem turbae timuerunt, et glorificaverunt Deum, qui dedit potestatem talem hominibus. [n. 754]
741. Above he set forth miracles against bodily dangers; here he sets forth miracles against spiritual dangers. And accordingly, he does two things:
741. Supra posuit miracula contra pericula corporalia; hic ponit miracula contra pericula spiritualia: et secundum hoc duo facit.
first, he shows how he helps those who come to him;
Primo ostendit quomodo subvenit sibi occurrentibus;
second, how he seeks out those whom he will save, at and Jesus went about all the cities, and towns (Matt 9:35).
secundo quomodo inquirit quos salvet, ibi et circuibat Iesus omnes civitates et castella.
Concerning the first,
Circa primum
first he sets forth a remedy against sin;
primo ponit remedium contra peccatum;
second, against death, at as he was speaking these things to them (Matt 9:18).
secundo contra mortem, ibi haec illo loquente ad eos et cetera.
Concerning the first,
Circa primum
first, he sets forth a remedy against sin by forgiving it;
primo ponit remedium contra peccatum remittendo;
second, by drawing sinners to himself, at and it came to pass as he was reclining at table in the house (Matt 9:10). And
secundo peccatores ad se trahendo, ibi et factum est discumbente eo in domo et cetera. Et
first, he sets forth certain preambles to the favor;
primo ponit quaedam praeambula ad beneficium;
second, he sets forth the favor itself, at but that you may know. And
secundo ponit beneficium ipsum, ibi ut autem sciatis et cetera. Et
first, the place is set down;
primo ponitur locus;
second, the devotion of those presenting the paralytic, at and behold they brought to him one paralyzed.
secundo devotio offerentium, ibi et ecce offerebant ei paralyticum.
742. It says then, and entering into a boat, he passed over the water. And this part is connected with what went before, because they had asked him to leave them, and so he went up into a boat. Hence he gives one to understand that if some say, depart from us, we do not desire the knowledge of your ways (Job 21:14), he immediately withdraws; hence, and entering into a boat. This boat signifies the cross, or the Church. And came into his own city, namely into the city of the gentiles, who had been given to him. Hence, ask of me, and I will give you the gentiles for your inheritance (Ps 2:8).
742. Dicit ergo ascendens Iesus in naviculam transfretavit. Et continuatur haec pars, quia rogabant eum ut ab eis discederet, ideo ascendit navem. Unde dat intelligere quod si dicant aliqui, recede a nobis, viam mandatorum tuorum nolumus, Iob XXI, v. 14, statim recedit; unde ascendit in naviculam. Haec navicula significat crucem, vel Ecclesiam. Et venit in civitatem suam, scilicet in civitatem gentium, quae sibi datae sunt. Unde in Ps. II, 8: postula a me, et dabo tibi gentes haereditatem tuam.
743. But there is a question, because Mark and Luke say that this was done in Capernaum (Mark 2:31; Luke 5:18), but here it says that it happened in Nazareth, which was his own city.
743. Sed est quaestio, quare Marcus et Lucas dicunt istud esse factum in Capharnaum; hic vero habetur quod in Nazareth, quae erat civitas sua.
One should say that one city was Christ’s by reason of his birth, and this was Bethlehem; and another one by reason of his education, and this was Nazareth; and another one by reason of familiar association and the working of miracles, and Capernaum was his city in this way. Therefore, well is it said, into his own city. Hence it is said, as great things as we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in your own country (Luke 4:23).
Dicendum quod quaedam erat civitas Christi ratione nativitatis: et haec erat Bethlehem; quaedam ratione educationis; et haec erat Nazareth; quaedam ratione conversationis et operationis miraculorum: et sic Capharnaum. Ideo bene dicitur in civitatem suam. Unde dicitur Lc. IV, 23: quanta audivimus facta in Capharnaum, fac et hic in patria tua.
Augustine resolves it in another way, for Capernaum was the most famous of the cities of Galilee; hence it was as it were a capital city. And just as if someone were from some village next to Paris he would say that he was from Paris on account of the place’s fame, so the Lord, since he was from the region of Capernaum, was said to be from there.
Augustinus aliter solvit, quia Capharnaum inter alias civitates Galilaeae erat magis famosa: unde erat quasi metropolis. Et sicut si aliquis esset de aliqua villa iuxta Parisius diceretur quod esset de Parisius propter notitiam loci; sic Dominus, quia erat de finibus Capharnaum, dicebatur inde esse.
Or in another way, because the evangelists leave something out, hence something can be added, namely that he passed through Nazareth and came into Capernaum, and then they presented the paralytic to him.
Vel aliter, quia praetermittunt aliquid evangelistae, unde aliquid potest addi, quod videlicet transivit per Nazareth, et venit in Capharnaum: et tunc obtulerunt ei.
744. And behold they brought to him one paralyzed. Here the devotion of the ones presenting the paralytic is touched upon. Hence Mark touches upon the fact that, since they could not get through, they let him down through the roof tiles.
744. Ecce offerebant ei paralyticum. Hic tangitur devotio offerentium: unde in Marco tangitur, quod quia non poterant transire, posuerunt per tegulas.
This paralytic signifies a sinner lying in sin; hence just as the paralytic cannot move himself, so neither can that sinner. But those who carry him are those who carry him to God by admonition.
Iste paralyticus significat peccatorem in peccato iacentem; unde sicut non potest paralyticus se movere, sic nec iste. Illi autem qui portant eum, sunt illi qui suis monitionibus portant eum ad Deum.
745. And Jesus, seeing their faith. He sets forth a favor, where we can see three things:
745. Videns autem Iesus fidem illorum et cetera. Ponit beneficium: ubi possumus tria videre.
first, what moved Jesus;
Primo quid movit Iesum;
second, what is required;
secundo quid sit quod requiritur;
third, the dispute against the favor.
tertio disceptationem contra beneficium.
Sometimes the Lord cures someone on account of his faith, sometimes on account of his prayers, and the prayers of others. Seeing then their faith, he said; hence it is said, whatever you ask when you pray, believe that you will receive; and they will come unto you (Mark 11:24).
Curat aliquando Dominus aliquem propter fidem suam, aliquando propter preces suas, et aliorum. Videns ergo fidem illorum dixit, unde dicitur Mc. XI, 24: quicquid orantes petitis, credite quia accipietis, et fiet vobis.
746. Be of good heart, son. What then is required? Faith; those who trust in the Lord will be as Mount Zion: he will not be moved forever who dwells in Jerusalem (Ps 124:1–2). And Acts 15:9, purifying their hearts by faith.
746. Confide, fili. Quid ergo requiritur? Fides; Ps. CXXIV, 1: qui confidunt in Domino sicut Mons Sion; non commovebitur in aeternum qui habitat in Ierusalem. Et Act. XV, 9: fide purificans corda eorum.