2599. Per hoc autem datur intelligi, quod in convivio spirituali praeparatur a Christo aliquid. Et si quidem convivium hoc sumatur allegorice pro convivio Ecclesiae, sic Christus ista tria praeparat: scilicet prunas caritatis. Prov. XXV, 21: haec autem faciens, carbones ignis congeres super caput eius; Ez. X, 2: imple manum tuam prunis ignis. Has prunas Christus de caelo portavit ad terras; supra XIII, 34: mandatum novum do vobis, ut diligatis invicem; item Lc. XII, 49: ignem veni mittere in terram.
2599. We can understand from this that Christ prepares a spiritual meal or banquet. If we take this present meal symbolically for the Church’s meal, Christ also prepares these three things. First the hot coals of charity: you will heap coals of fire on his head (Prov 25:22); fill your hands with burning coals (Ezek 10:2). Christ carried these burning coals from heaven to earth: a new commandment I give unto you: that you love one another (John 13:34); I came to cast fire upon the earth (Luke 12:49).
Item praeparat piscem, suppositis prunis, qui est Christus: nam piscis assus, est Christus passus, qui super prunas ponitur, quando ex incendio caritatis ad nos immolatur in cruce. Eph. V, 2: obtulit semetipsum pro nobis oblationem et hostiam Deo in odorem suavitatis; item ibidem 1: estote imitatores Dei sicut filii carissimi, et ambulate in dilectione, sicut et Christus dilexit nos.
Also, Christ prepares the fish laid over the coals, which is Christ himself: for the cooking fish outspread over the hot coals is the suffering Christ who is spread over the hot coals when because of the fire of his love for us he is immolated on the cross: Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph 5:2); be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us (Eph 5:1).
Item praeparat panes quibus reficitur, qui est ipse. Nam inquantum Christus latet per suam divinitatem, dicitur piscis, cuius proprietas est latere sub aquis, Is. XLV, 15: vere tu es Deus absconditus, sed inquantum nos reficit per doctrinam et etiam dat nobis corpus suum in cibum, vere panis est; supra VI, v. 51: ego sum panis vivus qui de caelo descendi; Is. XXX, 23: panis frugum terrae tuae erit uberrimus et pinguis.
He also prepares the bread which nourishes us, and this bread is himself. Christ is called a fish insofar as his divinity is hidden, for it is characteristic of fish to remain hidden in the water: truly, you are a God who hides yourself (Isa 45:15). While insofar as Christ nourishes us by his teaching, and even gives us his body for food, he is truly bread: I am the living bread, which came down from heaven (John 6:51); the bread will be rich and abundant (Isa 30:23).
Sed ad hoc convivium debet afferri aliquid ex parte ministrorum Ecclesiae: sed tamen nihil, nisi praeexistat nobis a Deo.
The ministers of the Church should also bring something to this meal; but whatever it is, it has come from God.
2600. Quid autem afferatur, subdit dixit eis Iesus: afferte de piscibus quos prendidistis nunc et
2600. The Evangelist now mentions what was brought by the disciples: Jesus said to them: bring here the fish which you have now caught;
primo ponitur mandatum Domini;
first, we see the Lord’s command;
secundo executio discipuli.
and then one of the disciples acts on it.
2601. Praecipit autem ut afferant de piscibus ab eis captis, quasi diceret: ego dedi donum caritatis, assavi corpus in cruce, et proposui vobis panem doctrinae, ex quo perficitur et roboratur Ecclesia, vestrum est ut vos alios capiatis: et isti sunt qui convertuntur ad praedicationem apostolorum. Ps. XXVIII, 1: afferte Domino filii Dei; Is. c. ult., 20: adducetis omnes fratres vestros de cunctis gentibus donum Domino.
2601. Our Lord tells them to bring some of the fish they have caught. It was like saying: I have given you the gift of charity, I have roasted my body upon the cross and given you the bread of my teaching, which perfects and strengthens the Church. Now it is your task to catch others. These are the ones who will be converted by the preaching of the apostles: bring to the Lord, O children of God (Ps 29:1); and they will bring all your brethren from all the nations as an offering to the Lord (Isa 66:20).
2602. Si autem hoc convivium sumatur pro convivio morali, sic Christus ad convivium animae praeparat primum prunas caritatis. Rom. V, 5: caritas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris; Lc. XII, 49: ignem veni mittere in terram. Item piscem, idest fidem absconditam, cum sit de non apparentibus, Hebr. X, 1. Item panem, idest solidam doctrinam. Hebr. XIV, 5: perfectorum autem est solidus cibus. Ad quod convivium ex parte nostra requiritur ut bene utamur gratia nobis concessa. I Cor. XV, 10: gratia Dei sum id quod sum, et gratia eius in me vacua non fuit. Unde praecipit afferte de piscibus, idest, portetis vestra bona opera, vobis data. Matth. V, 16: sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus, ut videant opera vestra bona.
2602. If this meal is understood to be a moral meal, then Christ first prepares as food for the soul the burning coals of charity: God’s love has been poured into our hearts (Rom 5:5); I came to cast fire upon the earth (Luke 12:49). Then he prepares the fish, that is, a hidden faith, since it is concerned with things that are not evident (Heb 10:1); and also the bread, that is, solid teaching: solid food is for the mature (Heb 5:14). Our contribution to this meal is to make good use of the grace given to us: but by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain (1 Cor 15:10). Thus our Lord asks us to bring the fish, bring your good works, which have been granted to you to accomplish: let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works (Matt 5:16).
2603. Et ideo consequenter ponitur executio discipuli, scilicet Petri, qui ferventior erat: unde dicit ascendit autem Simon Petrus, et traxit rete in terram, plenum magnis piscibus, centum quinquaginta tribus. Ascendit in gubernaculum Ecclesiae. Cant. c. VII, 8: ascendam in statum perfectionis; Ps. LXXXIII, 7: ascensiones in corde suo disposuit. Et traxit rete in terram, quia ipsi sancta Ecclesia est commissa, et ipsi specialiter dicitur pasce oves meas, infra eodem, 17. Quod ergo tunc Christus aperit in voce dicens pasce oves meas, hoc ipse nunc praefigurat in opere: nam ipse pisces ad soliditatem littoris protrahit, quia stabilitatem aeternae patriae fidelibus ostendit.
2603. The Evangelist mentions that this was done by one of the disciples, Peter, who was more ardent than the others, Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, one hundred and fifty-three; he also went up to the helm of the Church: I will climb the state of perfection (Song 7:8); in his heart he is set to ascend (Ps 64:6). And drew the net to land, because the holy Church has been entrusted to him, and it was said to him in particular, feed my sheep (John 21:17). Therefore, what Christ revealed by his words, saying feed my sheep, Peter now foreshadows by his action in drawing the fish to the solid land, because he will show the solidity of the eternal homeland to the faithful.
2604. Sed dicit rete plenum magnis piscibus, quia quos praedestinavit, hos et vocavit, et quos vocavit hos et magnificavit; Rom. VIII, 30; et Eccli. XLIV, 3: homines magni virtute, et prudentia sua praediti, annuntiantes in prophetis dignitatem, et imperantes in praesenti populo; et virtute prudentiae populis sanctissima verba. In alia autem piscatione non additur numerus sicut hic: fuerunt enim centum quinquaginta tres. Quia in vocatione ad praesentem Ecclesiam trahuntur boni et mali, ut dicitur Eccle. I, 15: stultorum infinitus est numerus. Unde Gen. XXII, 17, dicitur Abrahae de illa vocatione: erit semen tuum sicut arena quae est in littore maris, quae ponitur in malam partem. Sed de ista dicitur: inspice stellas, et numera eas, si potes. Hi enim numerantur a Deo quasi habiti in pretio. Ps. CXLVI, 4: qui numerat multitudinem stellarum.
2604. He said, full of great fish, because those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified (Rom 8:30); men renowned for their power, giving counsel by their understanding, and proclaiming prophecies; leaders of the people in their deliberations (Sir 44:3). At the other catch of fish (Luke 5:4), the number of fish taken was not mentioned, but it is here; here there were a hundred and fifty-three. The reason for this is that those called to the Church of the present time include both those who are good and bad: the number of fools is infinite (Eccl 1:15). Thus in Genesis, when Abraham is told of his calling, we read, I will multiply your descendants as the sand which is on the seashore (Gen 22:17), which refers to the bad. While referring to the good, God says, look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them . . . so will your descendants be (Gen 15:5); for God especially counts the good, he tells the number of the stars (Ps 147:4).
2605. Sed numquid non plures salvabuntur quam centum quinquaginta tres? Immo plures, sed hic numerus aliquid mystice signat. Nullus enim potest ad patriam venire nisi per observantiam decalogi; nec hoc observari potest nisi per septiformem gratiam Spiritus Sancti, de quo Is. XI, 2: requiescet super eum spiritus Domini; spiritus sapientiae et intellectus, spiritus consilii et fortitudinis, spiritus scientiae et pietatis, et replebit eum spiritus timoris Domini. Sanctificatio autem primo legitur facta in septimo die. Gen. II, 3: benedicens diei septimo, sanctificavit illum. Decem autem et septem faciunt septemdecim. Si ergo numeretur tali ordine progressionis, ut primo accipias unum et duo quae faciunt tria, et tria quae faciunt sex, et quatuor quae faciunt decem, et decem et quinque quae faciunt quindecim, et sic deinceps addendo numerum qui sequitur usque ad decem et septem, numero coniuncto habebis centum quinquaginta tres.
2605. Does this mean that no more than a hundred and fifty-three will be saved? No indeed! There will be more, but this number indicates a mystery. For no one can reach the homeland without observing the commandments of the decalogue; and the commandments can only be kept with the help of the sevenfold gift of the Holy Spirit: the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of fortitude; the spirit of knowledge and of godliness, and you will be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord (Isa 11:2). Further, the first recorded instance of sanctification occurred on the seventh day: God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it (Gen 2:3). Adding ten and seven gives seventeen. Now if we add the cardinal numbers successively then one plus two gives three, plus three gives six, plus four gives ten, plus five gives fifteen, plus six gives twenty-one, and so on in this way till we have reached the number seventeen, we arrive at the number one hundred and fifty-three.
Vel aliter. Hi discipuli quibus Christus apparuit erant septem. Multiplicando autem septem per septem (quae sunt dona Spiritus Sancti), fiunt quadraginta novem, quibus, si addas unum ad significandum unitatis perfectionem in qua esse debent filii Dei qui Spiritu Dei aguntur, fiunt quinquaginta, quibus triplicatis, et iterum additis tribus ad significandum fidem Trinitatis, quae in confessione cordis et oris et operis consistit, fiunt centum quinquaginta tres. Quia qui sunt perfecti septem donis Spiritus Sancti et uniti in fide Trinitatis, perveniunt ad Patrem.
Or, in another way: Christ now was appearing to seven disciples. If we multiply this seven by seven (the gifts of the Holy Spirit) we get forty-nine. Now if we add one to indicate that perfection of unity which is characteristic of the children of God who act by the Spirit of God, we get fifty. If we triple this, and also add three, to indicate our faith in the Trinity, which we profess with our heart, our words and our actions, we get a hundred and fifty-three. Thus, those who are perfected by the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and united by their faith in the Trinity, come to the Father.
2606. Sed dicit et cum tanti essent, non est scissum rete; in alia autem dicitur quod rumpebatur: quia in praesenti Ecclesia, quae per illam significatur, sunt multae scissurae schismatum, haeresum, seditionum, sed totaliter non rumpitur, quia ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem saeculi: Matth. ult., 20. Sed in futura patria quae significatur per istam, idest in illa pace sanctorum, nulla erunt schismata. Ps. CXLVII, 3: qui posuit fines tuos pacem.
2606. The Evangelist continues, and although there were so many, the net was not broken. In the other incident (Luke 5:6), the net broke because in the present Church, which the net signifies, there are many rips of schisms, heresies and seditions. But the Church is not entirely torn apart because I am with you always, to the close of the age (Matt 28:20). But in the future, in our homeland, heaven, which is signified by the net which was not torn, that is, in that peace which will be in the saints, there will be no schisms: he makes peace in your borders (Ps 147:14).
2607. Consequenter cum dicit dixit eis Iesus: venite, prandete, ponitur invitatio ad convivium praeparatum, et
2607. When the Evangelist says, Jesus said to them: come and dine, we see his invitation to the meal he had prepared.
primo ponitur Christi invitatio;
First, we see Christ’s invitation;
secundo discipulorum in convivio dispositio, ibi et nemo audebat discumbentium interrogare eum.
then the attitude of the disciples: and none of them who were at the meal dared ask him: who are you?
2608. Invitat autem ad convivium Christus interius inspirando per seipsum, dicens venite, prandete, Matth. XI, 28: venite ad me omnes qui laborati et onerati estis; et ego reficiam vos; Cant. V, 1: comedite, amici, bibite et inebriamini, carissimi, et exterius docendo et exhortando per alios. Lc. XIV, v. 16: homo quidam fecit coenam magnam . . . et misit servum suum hora coenae dicere invitatis ut venirent.
2608. Christ invites us to dine with him by inspiring us himself from within, saying, come and dine: come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you (Matt 11:28); eat, O friends, and drink; drink deeply, O lovers (Song 5:1). He also invites us to dine by encouraging and teaching us from without through others: a man once gave a great banquet . . . he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited: come (Luke 14:16).
2609. Dispositio discipulorum ponitur cum dicit et nemo audebat discumbentium interrogare eum: quod, secundum Augustinum, designat discipulorum de resurrectione Christi certitudinem, quia scilicet ita certi erant quod Christus esset, quod nullus discumbentium ausus est dubitare an ipse esset. Et quia interrogatio est signum dubitationis, nullus audebat eum interrogare tu quis est? Supra XVI, 23: in illo die me non interrogabitis quidquam.
2609. The Evangelist gives their attitude when he says, none of the disciples dared ask him: who are you? According to Augustine, this indicates the disciples’ certainty about Christ’s resurrection; they were so certain that it was Christ that none of them presumed to doubt that it was he. And because a question indicates a doubt, no one presumed to ask, who are you? As said above, in that day you will not ask me anything (John 16:23).
Secundum Chrysostomum, significat maiorem solito reverentiam discipulorum ad Christum. Libenter interrogassent eum; sed Christus apparuit eis in quodam magnifico aspectu, et mirabili gloria, ita ut non auderent eum interrogare prae stupore et reverentia. Et hoc specialiter detinebat eos ab interrogando, quia sciebant quoniam Dominus est.
For Chrysostom, it indicates a reverence of the disciples for Christ which was greater than usual. They would have liked to have questioned him; but Christ appeared to them in such grandeur and glory that they did not dare to question him because of their amazement and respect. It was this that particularly stopped them from questioning him, for they knew that it was the Lord.
2610. Consequenter cum dicit et venit Iesus, et accepit panem, et dabat eis, ponitur ipsa refectio, quam habuerunt ipso manducante. Ps. CXLIV, 16: aperis tu manum tuam, et imples omne animal benedictione. Ipse est enim qui dat escam illorum in tempore opportuno.
2610. Next, Jesus came and took bread and gave it to them: and Jesus came and taking bread, gave it to them, and fish in a like manner, and we see the meal they had, with Jesus eating with them: you open your hand, you satisfy the desire of every living thing (Ps 145:16). For he is the one who gives nourishment at the appropriate times.
2611. Sed numquid Christus comedit cum eis?
2611. But did Christ really eat with them?
Dicendum quod sic, licet hic non exprimatur; Lc. ult., 23, expresse dicitur, quod comedit cum eis. Et Act. I, 4 dicitur: et convescens praecepit eis ab Ierosolymis ne discederent.
We should say that he did, although it does not say this here. Luke explicitly says that he ate with them (Luke 24:43), and in Acts we read that while eating with them, he charged them not to leave Jerusalem (Acts 1:4).
2612. Sed numquid fuit vera comestio?
2612. But did he truly eat?
Responsio. Dicendum ad hoc, quod aliquis actus dicitur esse verus dupliciter; scilicet veritate significationis, et veritate speciei. Veritate quidem significationis verum est actus qui configuratur rei significatae: sicut si volo aliquid significare per orationem, et illud quod significo est verum, et concordat rei significatae, sic oratio est vera veritate significationis, licet non speciei: sicut hoc quod dixit Christus: ego sum vitis vera, verum est licet non sit vitis vera secundum speciem vitis, sed tantum secundum quod vitis significat.
We should say to this that a thing is said to be true in two ways: true with the truth of signification, and true with the truth of its species. A thing is true in the first way when it corresponds to what is signified. For example, if I want to signify something by speech, and what I signify by it is true and agrees with the thing signified, my speech is true with the truth of signification, although not true with the truth of the species. When Christ said I am the true vine (John 15:1), that was true, although he is not a true vine in the sense that he has the species or nature of a vine, but he is a vine considering what vine signifies.
Secundum veritatem speciei dicitur aliquid verum quod habet quae pertinent ad speciei veritatem. Huiusmodi autem sunt principia speciei, non autem effectus eius consequentes: sicut locutio haec homo est animal, primo modo vera est, quia verum significat; sed veritate speciei non est vera, nisi formetur ab ore animalis loquentis organis debitis. Nec requiritur ad eius veritatem effectus locutionis, puta quod audiatur et huiusmodi.
Something is said to be true with the truth of its species or kind, when it has what belongs to the truth of its species. These things are the principles of the species, not their subsequent effects. Thus the utterance, man is an animal is true in the first way, with the truth of signification, because it signifies what is true. But it is not true with the truth of species unless it is spoken by the mouth of an animal using its normal organs of speech. Its truth does not depend on the effects of the speaking, for example, that it be heard by someone.
Sic ergo dicendum est de comestione, quod aliqua est de veritate significationis tantum, sicut comestio angelorum, quia in angelis non sunt membra ordinata ad comestionem; sed verum est illud quod ipsi per hoc significabant, scilicet desiderium quod habebant de salute hominum.
So, applied to the act of eating: some cases are true only with the truth of signification, as the eating ascribed to an angel, because an angel does not have the organs for eating. But what is signified by their eating is true, that is, the desire they have for our salvation.
Comestio autem Christi post resurrectionem vera fuit et veritate significationis, quia ad hoc fiebat ut ostenderet se habere naturam humanam, quam in veritate habebat, et veritate speciei, quia habebat instrumenta propria ad comestionem. Sed tamen effectus consequentes comestionem non erant ibi: quia cibus non fuit conversus in comedentem, cum haberet corpus glorificatum et incorruptibile; sed resolutus fuit virtute divina in praeiacentem materiam. Huiusmodi autem effectus nihil faciunt ad veritatem speciei, ut dictum est.
But Christ’s act of eating after the resurrection was true both with the truth of signification, because he did it to show that he had a human nature, which he did in truth have, and his eating was true according to its species, because he had the organs used for eating. However, the effects consequent on eating were not present, since the food was not transformed into his substance, since he had a glorified and incorruptible body. It was dissolved into preexisting matter by the divine power. However, this effect does not alter the truth of the species, as was said.
2613. Consequenter cum dicit hoc iam tertio manifestatus est Iesus discipulis suis, epilogat apparitiones.
2613. The Evangelist summarizes the appearances by saying, this was now the third time that Jesus was manifested to his disciples.
Et secundum Augustinum, si hoc quod dicitur iam tertio, referatur ad vices, non est verum: quia ut dictum est, primo die apparuit quinque vicibus; postea quidem octavo die quando Thomas erat cum eis, supra XX, 19; secundo iuxta mare, ut hic; tertio in monte Galilaeae, ut habetur Matth. c. ult.; 16 s.; quarto recumbentibus, Mc. ult., v. 14; quinto ipso die ascensionis, quando videntibus illis elevatus est: Act. I, 9. Quamquam pluribus aliis vicibus apparuit eis per dies quadraginta licet non sit scriptum.
According to Augustine, if this third time refers to the number of times, it is not true. For as was said, on the first day Christ appeared five times, again on the eighth day when Thomas was present (John 20:19), again by the sea as recorded here, again on the mountain in Galilee (Matt 28:16), again when they were at table (Mark 16:14), and again on the day of his ascension, when as they were looking on, he was lifted up (Acts 1:9). Further, he appeared to them many other times during the forty days, but these are not recorded (Acts 1:3).
Est ergo hoc iam tertio, referendum ad dies quibus apparuit: quia prima die apparuit ipso die resurrectionis; secunda die in octava ipsius resurrectionis, supra XX: et post dies octo; et tertia die apparuit hic.
Thus the third time must refer to the days on which Christ appeared. The first day he appeared was the day of the resurrection; the second day was eight days after the resurrection, after eight days (John 20:26); and the third day was the appearance by the lake mentioned here.
Vel dicendum, quod etiam referendo ad vices salvatur veritas dicti; quia non legitur quod multis discipulis simul congregatis apparuit, nisi primo de sero, cum fores essent clausae etc.; et secundo post octo dies, quando erant discipuli congregati; et tertio hic: unde signanter dicit manifestatus est Iesus discipulis suis.
Or, one could say, this statement can be true even if it is referred to the number of times: for the only times we read that he appeared to a number of the disciples gathered together was on the first day in the evening, when the doors were shut; second, eight days later, when the disciples were gathered together; and third, here at the sea. Thus, he explicitly says, this was now the third time that Jesus was manifested to his disciples.
Lectio 3
Lecture 3
Mandatum Christi ad Petrum
Christ’s injunction to Peter
21:15 Cum ergo prandissent, dixit Simoni Petro Iesus: Simon Ioannis, diligis me plus his? Dixit ei: etiam, Domine, tu scis quia amo te. Dixit ei: pasce agnos meos. [n. 2615]
21:15 When therefore they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter: Simon son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to him: yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him: feed my lambs. [n. 2615]
21:16 Dixit ei iterum: Simon Ioannis, diligis me? Ait illi: etiam, Domine, tu scis quia amo te. Dixit ei iterum: pasce agnos meos. [n. 2624]
21:16 He said to him again: Simon, son of John, do you love me? He said to him: yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him: feed my lambs. [n. 2624]