Quantum ad fidem dupliciter: primo quantum ad ea, quae in Christo concurrunt. Scilicet regia dignitas; Ier. XXIII, 5: regnabit rex, et sapiens erit etc.; et ideo in tributum obtulerunt aurum. Sacerdotii magnitudo; et ideo thus in sacrificium. Hominis mortalitas; et ideo myrrham. Item quantum ad fidem Trinitatis, quia designantur in nobis personae Trinitatis.
As regards faith, in two ways: first as regards those things which come together in Christ. Clearly, the royal dignity; a king will reign, and he will be wise (Jer 23:5); and so in tribute they offered gold. The greatness of the priesthood; and so they offered frankincense in sacrifice. The mortality of a man; and so they offered myrrh. Similarly, as regards the faith of the Trinity, because the persons of the Trinity are indicated in us.
Secundo possunt referri ad actionem nostram. Per aurum enim potest signari sapientia; Prov. II, 4: si quasi thesauros effoderis illam, tunc intelliges timorem Domini. Per thus oratio devota; Ps. CXL, 2: dirigatur, domine, oratio mea, sicut incensum in conspectu tuo et cetera. Per myrrham mortificatio carnis: Col. III, 5: mortificate membra, quae sunt super terram; Cant. V, 5: manus meae distillaverunt myrrham.
Second, they can be referred to our action. For wisdom can be indicated through gold; if you . . . will dig for her as for a treasure: then you will understand the fear of the Lord (Prov 2:4). Through frankincense, devoted prayer; let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight; the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice (Ps 140:2). Through myrrh, the mortification of the body: mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth (Col 3:5); my hands dropped with myrrh (Song 5:5).
Quantum autem ad contemplationem, per ista tria possunt significari vel tres sensus Sacrae Scripturae, scilicet litteralis, sub quo comprehenditur allegoricus, anagogicus et moralis; vel tres partes philosophiae, scilicet moralis, logica et naturalis: omnibus enim his debemus uti ad servitium Dei.
And as regards contemplation, by these three can be signified the three senses of Sacred Scripture, namely the literal sense, under which are comprehended the allegorical, the anagogical, and the moral; or the three parts of philosophy, namely moral, logic, and natural; for we ought to use all these for the service of God.
202. Consequenter ponitur quomodo reverentiam exhibuerunt in obediendo. Unde et responso accepto in somnis, ne redirent ad Herodem, per aliam viam reversi sunt in regionem suam.
202. Next is set down how they showed reverence in obeying. Hence, and having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country.
Sed quomodo responsum acceperunt qui non interrogaverunt?
But how did they who did not ask a question receive an answer?
Sed dicendum quod Dominus respondet aliquando interrogationi mentali, et isti intus quaerebant quid placeret Deo de reversione; Ex. XIV, 15: quid clamas ad me?
But it should be said that the Lord sometimes responds to a mental question, and these men were asking interiorly what would please God concerning the return; why do you cry to me? (Exod 14:15).
203. Sed numquid sunt revelationes immediate a Deo? Dionysius probat quod non, nisi mediantibus angelis. Quare ergo non nominat angelum?
203. But are revelations immediately from God? Dionysius proves that they are only through the mediation of angels. So why does he not name the angel?
Sed dicendum, quod quandoque Scriptura facit mentionem de Deo, et non de angelo, hoc fit per quamdam excellentiam illius manifestationis; Gal. III, 19: lex ordinata per angelum in manu mediatoris; Act. VII, 37: hic est Moyses, qui dixit filiis Israel: prophetam suscitabit vobis Deus de fratribus vestris, tamquam me ipsum audietis et cetera. Unde quod dicit Glossa, quod hoc fuit immediate per Deum, refertur ad modum loquendi Scripturae.
But one should say that whenever Scripture mentions God and not an angel, this is because of a certain excellence of that manifestation; the law was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator (Gal 3:19); this is that Moses who said to the children of Israel: a prophet will God raise up to you of your own brethren, as myself: him will you hear (Acts 7:37). Hence what the Gloss says, that this was immediately from God, is referred to Scripture’s manner of speaking.
204. Per aliam viam reversi sunt in regionem suam. In hoc ostenditur quod ad regionem nostram paradisum, a qua per peccatum expulsi sumus, per obedientiam pervenimus. Prov. IV, 27: vias quae a dextris sunt novit Dominus; perversae vero sunt quae sunt a sinistris.
204. They went back another way into their country. This shows that we come to our country, paradise, from which we were expelled by sin, through obedience. For the Lord knows the ways that are on the right hand: but those are perverse which are on the left hand (Prov 4:27).
Chrysostomus hic dicit, quod isti reversi egerunt sanctam vitam, et postea facti sunt coadiutores s. Thomae Apostoli; tamen nihil de eis invenitur scriptum in Sacra Scriptura post recessum eorum.
Chrysostom says here that these men, having returned, led holy lives, and later were made co-helpers of St. Thomas the Apostle; yet nothing is found written in the Sacred Scriptures after their return.
Lectio 4
Lecture 4
Sancti innocentes et fugatio in Egyptum
The holy innocents and flight into Egypt
2:13 Qui cum recessissent, ecce angelus Domini apparuit in somnis Ioseph, dicens: surge et accipe puerum, et matrem eius et fuge in Aegyptum, et esto ibi usque dum dicam tibi: futurum est enim ut Herodes quaerat puerum ad perdendum eum. [n. 206]
2:13 And after they had departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: arise, and take the child and his mother, and fly into Egypt: and be there until I tell you. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy him. [n. 206]
2:14 Qui consurgens accepit puerum, et matrem eius nocte, et secessit in Aegyptum; [n. 213]
2:14 Who arose, and took the child and his mother by night, and retired into Egypt; [n. 213]
2:15 et erat ibi usque ad obitum Herodis, ut adimpleretur quod dictum est a Domino per prophetam dicentem: ex Aegypto vocavi Filium meum. [n. 213]
2:15 and he was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: out of Egypt have I called my Son. [n. 213]
2:16 Tunc Herodes videns quoniam inlusus esset a Magis, iratus est valde, et mittens occidit omnes pueros, qui erant in Bethlehem, et in omnibus finibus eius, a bimatu et infra, secundum tempus, quod exquisierat a magis. [n. 217]
2:16 Then Herod perceiving that he was deluded by the magi, was exceedingly angry; and, sending, killed all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the magi. [n. 217]
2:17 Tunc adimpletum est, quod dictum est per Ieremiam prophetam dicentem: [n. 225]
2:17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: [n. 225]
2:18 vox in Rama audita est, ploratus, et ululatus multus, Rachel plorans filios suos, et noluit consolari, quia non sunt. [n. 228]
2:18 a voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailing her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. [n. 228]
2:19 Defuncto autem Herode, ecce angelus Domini apparuit in somnis Ioseph in Aegypto, [n. 232]
2:19 But when Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt, [n. 232]
2:20 dicens: surge et accipe puerum, et matrem eius, et vade in terram Israel: defuncti sunt enim, qui quaerebant animam pueri. [n. 234]
2:20 saying: arise, and take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel. For they are dead who sought the soul of the child. [n. 234]
2:21 Qui consurgens accepit puerum, et matrem eius, et venit in terram Israel. [n. 236]
2:21 Who arose, and took the child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. [n. 236]
2:22 Audiens autem quod Archelaus regnaret in Iudaea pro Herode patre suo, timuit illo ire: et admonitus in somnis, secessit in partes Galilaeae. [n. 238]
2:22 But hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea in place of Herod his father, he was afraid to go there: and being warned in sleep retired into the quarters of Galilee. [n. 238]
2:23 Et veniens habitavit in civitate, quae vocatur Nazareth, ut adimpleretur quod dictum est per prophetam: quoniam Nazaraeus vocabitur. [n. 239]
2:23 And coming he dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was said by prophets: that he will be called a Nazarene. [n. 239]
205. Supra habitum est quomodo nascenti Christo magi testimonium perhibuerunt, nunc autem agitur quomodo innocentes testimonium perhibent, non loquendo sed moriendo.
205. It was recounted above how the magi bore testimony to Christ at his birth; but now the Evangelist treats of how the innocents bore testimony, not by speaking, but by dying.
Et circa hoc tria facit Evangelista.
And concerning this he does three things:
Primo enim ponitur occultatio Christi;
first, the hiding of Christ is set down;
secundo interfectio puerorum, ibi tunc Herodes;
second, the killing of the children, at then Herod;
tertio ponitur reditus ipsius Christi, ibi defuncto Herode.
third, the return of Christ is set down, at but when Herod was dead.
Circa primum tria facit.
Concerning the first, he does three things:
Primo enim ponitur admonitio angeli;
first, the angel’s warning is set down;
secundo ostenditur obedientia Ioseph;
second, Joseph’s obedience is shown;
tertio impletio prophetiae.
third, the fulfillment of the prophecy.
Secundum ibi ut adimpleretur.
The second is at that it might be fulfilled.
Circa primum tria tanguntur.
Concerning the first, three things are touched upon:
Primo ponitur tempus apparitionis;
first, the time of the apparition is set down;
secundo describitur ipsa apparitio et modus apparitionis ibi ecce angelus;
second, the apparition itself and the mode of the apparition is set down, at behold, an angel;