Lucas 12
Origen of Alexandria · Comentário Patrístico (catena)
Lucas 12:2-3
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] He either then says this concerning that time when God shall judge the secrets of men, or He says it because however much a man may endeavour to hide the good deeds of another by discredit, good of its own nature cannot be concealed. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 12:4-5
Notice that this commandment is not given to Jesus' servants but to his friends. "Do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do." The One to fear is he "who can destroy both soul and body in hell." He alone, "after he has killed," has "power to throw into hell." He throws into hell those who fear those who kill the body and do not fear "him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell." We may suppose that no matter who else has the hair of his head numbered, the verse is obviously true of those who are cut off for Jesus. We will confess the Son of God before people and not before gods, that he who is confessed may confess us in turn before God and his Father, and confess in heaven the one who confessed him on earth. — EXHORTATION TO MARTYRDOM 34
Lucas 12:6
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Literally, hereby is signified the quickness of the Divine foresight, which reaches even to the least things. But mystically, the five sparrows justly represent the spiritual senses, which have perception of high and heavenly things: beholding God, hearing the Divine voice, tasting of the bread of life, smelling the perfume of Christ's anointing, handling the Word of Life. And these being sold for two farthings, that is, being lightly esteemed by those who count as perishing whatever is of the Spirit, are not forgotten before God. But God is said to be forgetful of some because of their iniquities. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 12:35
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] For He will be girded about His loins with righteousness. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 12:57
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But had it not been implanted in our nature to judge what is right, our Lord would never have said this. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 12:58-59
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or else, He here introduces four characters, the adversary, the magistrate, the officer, and the judge. But with Matthew the character of the magistrate is left out, and instead of the officer a servant is introduced. They differ also in that the one has written a farthing, the other a mite, but each has called it the last. Now we say that all men have present with them two angels, a bad one who encourages them to wicked deeds, a good one who persuades all that is best. Now the former, our adversary whenever we sin rejoices, knowing that he has an occasion for exultations and boasting with the prince of the world, who sent him. But in the Greek, "the adversary" is written with the article, to signify that he is one out of many, seeing that each individual is under the ruler of his nation. Give diligence then that you may be delivered from your adversary, or from the ruler to whom the adversary drags you, by having wisdom, justice, fortitude, and temperance. But if you have given diligence, let it be in Him who says, I am the life, (John 14:6.) otherwise the adversary will hale thee to the judge. Now he says, hale, to point out that they are forced unwillingly to condemnation. But I know no other judge but our Lord Jesus Christ who delivers to the officer. Each of us have our own officers; the officers exercise rule over us, if we owe any thing. If I paid every man every thing, I come to the officers and answer with a fearless heart, "I owe them nothing." But if I am a debtor, the officer will cast me into prison, nor will he suffer me to go out from thence until I have paid every debt. For the officer has no power to let me off even a farthing. He who forgave one debtor five hundred pence and another fifty, (Luke 7:41.) was the Lord, but the exactor is not the master, but one appointed by the master to demand the debts. But the last mite he calls slight and small, for our sins are either heavy or slight. Happy then is he who sinneth not, and next in happiness he who has sinned slightly. Even among slight sins there is diversity, otherwise he would not say until he has paid the last mite. For if he owes a little, he shall not come out till he pays the last mite. But he who has been guilty of a great debt, will have endless ages for his payment. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Lucas 12:58-59
The "ruler" is omitted, but instead of "executor" there is "servant"; however, the "adversary" and the "judge" are kept. "For there are two angels," as the Shepherd says, "with every person, one of justice and one of injustice." Some of the little angels in the church "see the face of the Father in heaven"; but those outside the church are not worthy of this, being served by another. And the ruler, as some have said, is the leader of each nation, such as the kingdom of the Persians or Medes, as Daniel says; and the adversary is one of the angels under them. Note that the "ruler" is without the article as one of many, but "adversary" with the article, and that it has "your"; for the adversaries are not indefinite; each one has his own one accompanying him. "So then," he says, "as you are going with your adversary," who wishes to bring you to his own ruler and separate you from your ruler—so "while you are on the way with your adversary to the ruler," before you go "to the judge," before you become worthy of imprisonment, while you are still on the way, "give effort to be freed" from the adversary or the judge, to whom the adversary is dragging you; this means doing good, being temperate, just, brave, prudent, wise—"for behold, the man and his works are before him"—so that you may be able to "be freed from your adversary"; becoming familiar with him, yet estranged from God, making a covenant with the adversary. Therefore, standing on the way that says, "I am the way," "give effort to be freed." The word "drag you" is good, to show that we are dragged against our will, as if going to condemnation unwillingly. The judge is our Lord Jesus Christ; the executor is the angel appointed to each person; a "little thing" is the smallest sin, and a "quadrant," as Matthew says, is the multitude of sins. Blessed is the one who owes nothing, that is, the one who owes little and is worthy of forgiveness. Therefore, let us do good to be freed from the adversary, so that we may become familiar with our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power unto the ages of ages. — HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 35