Mateus 8
Augustine of Hippo · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Mateus 8:1-4
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (De Cons. Ev. ii. 19.) Luke has mentioned the cleansing of this leper, though not in the same order of events, but as his manner is to recollect things omitted, and to put first things that were done later, as they were divinely suggested; so that what they had known before, they afterwards set down in writing when they were recalled to their minds. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:5
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (Serm. 62, 4.) This centurion was of the Gentiles, for Judaea had already soldiers of the Roman empire. (Cons. Evan. ii. 20.) What is here said seems to disagree with Luke's account, When the centurion heard concerning Jesus, he sent unto him elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. (Luke 7:3.) And again, When he was come nigh to the house, the centurion sent friends unto him, saying, Lord, trouble not thyself, for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof. (ubi sup.) Matthew therefore intended to state summarily all that passed between the centurion and the Lord, which was indeed done through others, with the view of commending his faith; as the Lord spoke, I have not found so great faith in Israel. Luke, on the other hand, has narrated the whole as it was done, that so we might be obliged to understand in what sense Matthew, who could not err, meant that the centurion himself came to Christ, namely, in a figurative sense through faith. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:8
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (ubi sup.) By declaring himself unworthy, he showed himself worthy, not indeed into whose house, but into whose heart, Christ the Word of God should enter. Nor could he have said this with so much faith and humility, had he not borne in his heart Him whom he feared to have in his house. And indeed it would have been no great blessedness that Jesus should enter within his walls, if He had not already entered into his heart. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:8
When the Lord promised to go to the centurion's house to heal his servant, the centurion answered, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed." By viewing himself as unworthy, he showed himself worthy for Christ to come not merely into his house but also into his heart. He would not have said this with such great faith and humility if he had not already welcomed in his heart the One who came into his house. It would have been no great joy for the Lord Jesus to enter into his house and not to enter his heart. For the Master of humility both by word and example sat down also in the house of a certain proud Pharisee, Simon, and though he sat down in his house, there was no place in his heart. For in his heart the Son of Man could not lay his head. — SERMON 62.1
Mateus 8:9
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (ubi sup.) If I who am under command have yet power to command others, how much more Thou whom all powers serve! — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:10
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (super Gen. c. Man. i. 8.) But who was He that had created this faith in him, but only He who now marvelled at it? But even had it come from any other, how should He marvel who knew all things future? When the Lord marvels, it is only to teach us what we ought to wonder at; for all these emotions in Him are not signs of passion, but examples of a teacher. (cont. Faust. xxii. 74.) He praises his faith, but gives no command to quit his profession of a soldier. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:10
This man was from the Gentiles: for he was a centurion. The Jewish nation already had a soldier of the Roman empire. There he performed the duties of a soldier as far as a centurion could do; both under authority and having authority; obedient as a subordinate, ruling over subordinates. But the Lord (as your dear Charity should especially note), although he was among the Jewish people, was already proclaiming the Church that would be throughout the whole world, into which he was about to send the Apostles: he himself, unseen and believed by the Gentiles, seen and killed by the Jews. For just as the Lord did not physically enter this man's house, yet healed his faith and the house itself while absent in body but present in majesty; in the same way, the Lord was bodily among the Jewish people alone; among other nations, he was neither born of the Virgin, nor suffered, nor walked with feet, nor endured human things, nor performed divine miracles. None of these things among the other nations: and yet it was fulfilled concerning him what had been said: "A people whom I did not know served me." How, if they did not know him? "By the hearing of the ear they obeyed me." The Jewish nation knew, and crucified; the world heard, and believed. — SERMON 62.2
Mateus 8:11
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (Serm. 62. 3.) He says, not 'all,' I but many; yet these from the east and west; for by these two quarters the whole world is intended. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:11-12
Note how what you have heard in the Gospel as something to come has by now already happened. Jesus commends the centurion's faith, whose flesh was alien but whose spirit was of the household of faith. It was to him that he said, "Many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness." What sons of what kingdom? He is speaking of the people of the covenant, who received the law. To them the prophets were sent. To them was given the temple and the priesthood. They had celebrated the anticipations of things to come. Yet those things of which they would celebrate in figures they did not acknowledge in actual presence. This is why they shall "be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." Odd, isn't it? That they would be sent away, while the Christians would be called from the east and the west to the heavenly banquet to sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, whose bread is righteousness and whose cup is wisdom. — SERMON 62.6
Mateus 8:11-12
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (cont. Faust. xvi. 24.) Moses set before the people of Israel no other God than the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Christ sets forth the very same God. So that so far was He from seeking to turn that people away from their own God, that He therefore threatened them with the outer darkness, because He saw them turned away from their own God. And in this kingdom He tells them the Gentiles shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for no other reason than that they held the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To these Fathers Christ gives His testimony, not as though they had been converted after death, or had received justification after His passion. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:12
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (ubi sup.) As we see Christians called to the heavenly feast, where is the bread of righteousness, the drink of wisdom; so we see the Jews in reprobation. The children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness, that is, the Jews, who have received the Law, who observe the types of all things that were to be, yet did not acknowledge the realities when present. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:13
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (Serm. 62. 2.) As the Lord did not enter the centurion's house with His body, but healed the servant, present in majesty, but absent in body; so He went among the Jews only in the body, but among other nations He was neither born of a Virgin, nor suffered, nor endured human sufferings, nor did divine wonders; and yet was fulfilled that which was spoken, A people that I have not known hath served me, and hath obeyed me by the hearing of the ear. (Ps. 18:43.) The Jews beheld, yet crucified Him; the world heard, and believed. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:14-15
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (De Cons. Ev. ii. 21.) When this miracle was done, that is, after what, or before what, Matthew has not said. For we need not understand that it took place just after that which it follows in the relation; he may be returning here to what he had omitted above. For Mark relates this after the cleansing of the leper, (Mark 1:30.) which should seem to follow the sermon on the mount, concerning which Mark is silent. Luke also follows the same order in relating this concerning Peter's mother-in-law as Mark; also inserting it before that long sermon which seems to be the same with Matthew's sermon on the mount. But what matters it in what order the events are told, whether something omitted before is brought in after, or what was done after is told earlier, so long as in the same story he does not contradict either another or himself? For as it is in no man's power to choose in what order he shall recollect the things he has once known, it is likely enough that each of the Evangelists thought himself obliged to relate all in that order in which it pleased God to bring to his memory the various events. Therefore when the order of time is not clear, it cannot import to us what order of relation any one of them may have followed. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:16
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (Cons. Ev. ii. 22.) The words, Now when it was evening, show that the evening of the same day is meant. This would not have been implied, had it been only when it was evening. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:18
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (ubi sup.) It is clear that this day on which they went over the lake was another day, and not that which followed the one on which Peter's mother-in-law was healed, on which day Mark and Luke relate that He went out into the desert. (De Cons. Ev. ii. 23.) Matthew relates that this was done when He gave them commandment that they should go over the lake, Luke, that it happened as they walked by the way; which is no contradiction, for they must have walked by the way that they might come to the lake. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:20
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (Serm. 100. 1.) Otherwise; The Son of man hath not where to lay his head; that is, in your faith. The foxes have holes, in your heart, because you are deceitful. The birds of the air have nests, in your heart, because you are proud. Deceitful and proud follow Me not; for how should guile follow sincerity? (Quæst. in Matt. q. 5.) He was moved to follow Christ because of the miracles; this vain desire of glory is signified by the birds; but he assumed the submissiveness of a disciple, which deceit is signified by the foxes. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:22
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (Serm. 100. 1.) The Lord when He prepares men for the Gospel will not have any excuse of this fleshly and temporal attachment to interfere, therefore it follows; Jesus said unto him, Follow me, and, leave the dead to bury their dead. (ubi sup.) As much as to say; Thy father is dead; but there are also other dead who shall bury their dead, because they are in unbelief. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:23
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (De Cons. Ev. ii. 23.) Matthew relates that this was done when He gave them commandment that they should go over the lake, Luke, that it happened as they walked by the way; which is no contradiction, for they must have walked by the way that they might come to the lake. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:28
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (De Cons. Ev. ii. 24.) Whereas Matthew relates that there were two who were afflicted with daemons, but Mark and Luke mention only one, you must understand that one of them was a person of note, for whom all that country was in grief, and about whose recovery there was much care, whence the fame of this miracle was the more noised abroad. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:29
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (De Civ. Dei, ix. 21.) God was so far known to them as it was His pleasure to be known; and He pleased to be known so far as it was needful. He was known to them therefore not as He is Life eternal, and the Light which enlightens the good, but by certain temporal effects of His excellence, and signs of His hidden presence, which are visible to angelic spirits though evil, rather than to the infirmity of human nature. (De Civ. Dei, viii. 23.) Either because that came upon them unexpectedly, which they looked for indeed, but supposed more distant; or because they thought their perdition consisted in this, that when known they would be despised; or because this was before the day of judgment, when they should be punished with eternal damnation. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 8:30-31
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (De. Cons. Ev. ii. 24.) Though the words of the daemons are variously reported by the three Evangelists, yet this is no difficulty; for they either all convey the same sense, or may be supposed to have been all spoken. Nor again because in Matthew they speak in the plural, in the others in the singular number; because even the other two Evangelists relate that when asked his name, he answered, Legion, showing that the daemons were many. Now there was not far from thence a herd of many swine feeding; and the daemons prayed him, saying, If thou cast us out hence, send us into the swine. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas