Caput 11 Chapter 11 Reprobatio infidelium Rebuke of Unbelievers Lectio 1 Lecture 1 Discipuli Ioannis Baptistae John the Baptist’s disciples 11:1 Et factum est, cum consummasset Iesus praecipiens duodecim discipulis suis, transiit inde ut doceret et praedicaret in civitatibus eorum. [n. 898] 11:1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he passed from there, to teach and preach in their cities. [n. 898] 11:2 Ioannes autem cum audisset in vinculis opera Christi, mittens duos de discipulis suis, [n. 898] 11:2 Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ: sending two of his disciples he said to him: [n. 898] 11:3 ait illi: tu es qui venturus es, an alium expectamus? [n. 901] 11:3 are you he who is to come, or should we look for another? [n. 901] 11:4 Et respondens Iesus ait illis: euntes renuntiate Ioanni quae auditis, et videtis. [n. 904] 11:4 And Jesus, responding, said to them: go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. [n. 904] 11:5 Caeci vident, claudi ambulant, leprosi mundantur, surdi audiunt, mortui resurgunt, pauperes evangelizantur, [n. 905] 11:5 The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the Gospel preached to them. [n. 905] 11:6 et beatus est qui non fuerit scandalizatus in me. [n. 905] 11:6 And blessed is he who will not be scandalized in me. [n. 905] 11:7 Illis autem abeuntibus, coepit Iesus dicere ad turbas de Ioanne: quid existis in desertum videre? Arundinem vento agitatam? [n. 907] 11:7 And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: what did you go out into the desert to see? A reed shaken with the wind? [n. 907] 11:8 Sed quid existis videre? Hominem mollibus vestitum? Ecce, qui mollibus vestiuntur, in domibus regum sunt. [n. 909] 11:8 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold they who are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings. [n. 909] 11:9 Sed quid existis videre? Prophetam? Etiam dico vobis, et plus quam prophetam. [n. 912] 11:9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes I tell you, and more than a prophet. [n. 912] 11:10 Hic enim est de quo scriptum est: ecce ego mitto angelum meum ante faciem tuam, qui praeparabit viam tuam ante te. [n. 913] 11:10 For this is he of whom it is written: behold I send my angel before your face, who will prepare your way before you. [n. 913] 11:11 Amen dico vobis, non surrexit inter natos mulierum maior Ioanne Baptista. Qui autem minor est in regno caelorum, maior est illo. [n. 915] 11:11 Amen I say to you, there has not risen among those who are born of women anyone greater than John the Baptist: yet he who is the lesser in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. [n. 915] 11:12 A diebus autem Ioannis Baptistae usque nunc, regnum caelorum vim patitur, et violenti rapiunt illud. [n. 920] 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent bear it away. [n. 920] 11:13 Omnes enim prophetae et lex usque ad Ioannem prophetaverunt, [n. 923] 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John: [n. 923] 11:14 et si vultis recipere, ipse est Elias, qui venturus est. [n. 925] 11:14 and if you will receive it, he is Elias that is to come. [n. 925] 11:15 Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat. [n. 925] 11:15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear. [n. 925] 898. His dictis, transiit Dominus ut doceret et praedicaret; et hoc propter tria. Una ratio est, ut quod verbo dixerat, monstraret exemplo; Act. I, 1: coepit Iesus facere et docere. Item, ut ostenderet quod etiam impiis est praedicandum. Unde ad Rom. I, v. 14: sapientibus et insipientibus debitor sum. Item, ut aliis daret locum praedicandi, ut habetur I Cor. XIV, 30: quod si aliquid fuerit revelatum sedenti, prior taceat. 898. Having said these things, the Lord passed from there, to teach and preach; and this for three reasons. One reason is so that he might show by example what he had said by word; Jesus began to do and to teach (Acts 1:1). Likewise, that he might show that even the impious are to hear preaching. Hence, to the wise and to the unwise, I am a debtor (Rom 1:14). Likewise, that he might give place to others for preaching, as is found, but if any thing be revealed to another sitting, let the first hold his peace (1 Cor 14:30). Ioannes autem cum audisset in vinculis opera Christi. Posita est doctrina Christi, et confirmata, et instructi sunt praedicatores; hic confutantur rebelles. Et Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ. Christ’s teaching is set forth, and confirmed, and the preachers are instructed; here rebels are silenced. And primo confutat discipulos Ioannis; first, he silences John’s disciples; secundo scribas, ibi illis autem abeuntibus et cetera. second, the scribes, at when they went their way. Circa primum tria facit. Concerning this he does three things: Primo dubitantes confutat; first, he silences the doubters; secundo arguit turbas, ibi cui autem similem aestimabo generationem istam? second, he convicts the crowds, at but to what will I compare this generation? Tertio persolvit gratias de fide apostolorum, ibi in illo tempore respondens Iesus dixit et cetera. third, he gives thanks for the apostles’ faith, at at that time Jesus answered and said (Matt 11:25). Circa primum primo ponitur quaestio; Concerning the first, first the question is set out; secundo quaestionis solutio, ibi et respondens Iesus et cetera. second, the answer to the question, at and Jesus responding. 899. Dicit ergo cum audisset in vinculis opera Christi. Ponitur occasio, quare misit istos. Idem habetur Lc. VII, 18: tamen alio ordine. Dicit ergo quod erat in vinculis, ut Sup. IV. Tunc incepit Iesus miracula facere. Et hoc erat conveniens, ut sol non appareret dum nubes essent. Infra: lex et prophetae usque ad Ioannem. 899. It says then, now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ. The occasion for his sending them is set down. The same thing is found in Luke, yet in another order (Luke 7:18). So it says that he was in prison (Matt 4:12); Jesus began to do miracles at that time. And this was fitting, that the sun might not appear as long as there were clouds. Below in this chapter, for all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 900. Opera, idest miracula, Christi, mittens duos de discipulis suis, ait illi. 900. The works, i.e., the miracles, of Christ, sending two of his disciples he said to him. Quidam volunt ex hoc condemnare Ioannem, quia dubitavit an esset Christus, et constat quod dubius in fide est infidelis. Ambrosius super Lucam dicit, quod haec quaestio non fuit infidelitatis, sed pietatis: non enim loquitur de adventu in mundum, sed de adventu ad passionem. Unde miratur si venerat ad patiendum, sicut dixit Petrus: propitius esto tibi, Domine. Some wish to condemn John for this, because he doubted whether he was the Christ, and it is agreed that the one who doubts in matters of faith is an infidel. Ambrose says, commenting on Luke, that this question did not arise from infidelity, but from piety; for he is not speaking about the coming into the world, but about the coming to the passion. Hence he wonders whether he had come to suffer, as Peter said: be merciful to yourself, Lord (Matt 16:22). Sed contra dicit Chrysostomus, quia Ioannes a principio praescivit, cum dixit, ecce agnus Dei, Io. I, 29. Constat ergo quod scivit eum fore hostiam immolandam; unde commendatur hic a Domino, quod sit plusquam propheta; sed prophetae noverunt futura. But Chrysostom says against this that John knew from the beginning, since he said, behold the Lamb of God (John 1:29). It remains then that he knew that he was going to be the victim sacrificed. Hence he is commended here by the Lord, because he is more than a prophet; but prophets know the future. 901. Alia ratio est Gregorii, quod non est quaestio de adventu in mundum, nec ad passionem, sed de descensu ad inferos, quia Ioannes propinquus erat eundo ad Inferos, ideo voluit certificari tu es qui venturus es et cetera. 901. Another argument is Gregory’s, namely that the question here is not about Christ’s coming into the world, nor to the passion, but about the descent into hell, because John was very close to going to hell, so he wanted to make certain that are you he who is is to come. Sed contra hoc obiicit Chrysostomus. Apud illos qui sunt apud Inferos, non est status poenitentiae: unde videtur, quod frustra diceret istud. Sed hoc non est contra Gregorium, quia voluit non ut nuntiaret captivis conversionem, sed iustis ut gauderent. But Chrysostom objects against this. Among those who are in hell, there is no state of penance: hence it seems that this would have been said to no purpose. But this is not contrary to Gregory, because he did not want that he should announce conversion to the captives, but to the just, that they might rejoice. 902. Alia responsio. Legimus quod Dominus multoties interrogaret, non quia dubitaret, sed ut calumniam tolleret, ut in Io. XI, v. 34 interrogavit de Lazaro, ubi posuistis eum? Non quia ignoraret, sed ut illi qui ostenderent sepulcrum, non possent negare, nec calumniari: ideo sic fuit de Ioanne. Quia discipuli eius calumniabantur de Christo, ideo ipse misit, non quia ipse dubitaret, sed ne ipsi calumniarentur, sed confiterentur. 902. Another response. We read that the Lord asked many times, not because he doubted, but to take away false accusation, as in when he asked about Lazarus, where have you laid him? (John 11:34), not because he did not know, but so that those who showed him the sepulcher would not be able to deny the miracle or to accuse him falsely. Therefore, so it was with John. Since his disciples were speaking slanderously about Christ, he sent them, not because he himself doubted, but so that they would not speak slanderously, but believe.