Mateus 21
Pseudo-Chrysostom
Mateus 21:2
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Men are likened to animals, from some resemblance they bear in their not recognising the Son of God. And this animal is unclean, and beyond all other brutes incapable of reasoning, a stupid, helpless, ignoble drudge. Such were men before the coming of Christ, unclean with divers passions; unreasoning, that is lacking the reason of the Word, stupid, in their disregard of God; weak in soul, ignoble, because forgetting their heavenly birth they became slaves of their passions, and of the dæmons; drudges, because they toiled under the load of error laid upon them by the dæmons, or the Pharisees. The ass was tied, that is, bound in the chain of diabolic error, so that it had not liberty to go whither it would; for before we do any sin we have free will to follow, or not, the will of the Devil, but if once by sinning we have bound ourselves to do his works, we are no longer able to escape by our own strength, but, like a vessel that has lost its rudder is tossed at the mercy of the storm, so man, when by sin he has forfeited the aid of Divine grace, no longer acts as he wills, but as the Devil wills. And if God, by the mighty arm of His mercy, do not loose him, he will abide till death in the chain of his sins. Therefore He saith to His disciples, Loose them, that is, by your teaching and miracles, for all the Jews and Gentiles were loosed by the Apostles; and bring them to me, that is, convert them to My glory. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:3
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] He said not to His disciples, Say, Thy Lord, or Your Lord, hath need of them; that they may understand, that He is Lord alone, not of the beasts only, but of all men; for even sinners are by the law of nature His, though by their own will they are the Devil's. it is to be understood, that after He had entered into Jerusalem, the beast was returned by Christ to its owner. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:4
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] For the Prophet knowing the malice of the Jews, that they would speak against Christ when He went up to the Temple, gave them this sign beforehand, whereby they might know their King, Say ye to the daughter of Sion. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:5
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Behold, is a word used in pointing out any thing; look, that is, not with the bodily eye, but with the spiritual understanding, at the works of His power. Also aforetimes He oft said, Behold, that He might show that He of whom He spake before He was born was even then thy King. When then ye shall see Him, say not, We have no King but Cæsar. He cometh to thee, (John 19:15.) if thou wilt apprehend Him, that He may save thee; if thou wilt not apprehend Him, He cometh against thee; Meek, so that He is not to be feared for His power, but loved for His meekness; wherefore He sitteth not on a golden car, refulgent in costly purple, nor is mounted on a mettled steed, rejoicing in strife and battle, but upon a she-ass, that loves peace and quiet. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:7-8
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Never before had the Lord employed the services of beasts, nor surrounded Himself with the ornaments of green boughs, till now when He is going up to Jerusalem to suffer. He moved them that beheld to do that which they had before desired to do; so it was opportunity that was now given them, not their purpose that was changed. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:9
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Hosanna, some interpret 'glory,' some 'redemption;' and glory is His due, and redemption belongs to Him who has redeemed all men. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:9
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Those prophesying spoke of Christ who was to come; these speak in praise of the coming of Christ already fulfilled. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:10
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] With good reason were they moved at sight of a thing so to be wondered at. Man was praised as God, but it was the God that was praised in the man. But, I suppose, that neither they who praised knew what they praised, but the Spirit that suddenly inspired them poured forth the words of truth. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:12
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] And Jesus entered into the temple of God. This was the part of a good Son to haste to His Father's house, and do Him honour; so you then becoming an imitator of Christ as soon as you enter into any city, first run to the Church. Further, it was the part of a good physician, that having entered to heal the sick city, he should first apply himself to the source of the sickness; for as every thing good cometh out of the temple, so also doth every evil. For when the priesthood is sound, the whole Church flourishes, but if it is corrupt, faith is impaired; and as when you see a tree whose leaves are pale-coloured you know that it is diseased at its root, so when you see an undisciplined people conclude without hesitation that their priesthood is unsound. For this reason also He overturns the tables of the money-changers, to signify that in the temple of God ought to be no coin save spiritual, such as bears the image of God, not an earthly image. He overturns the seats of those that sold doves, saying by that deed, What make in My temple so many doves for sale, since that one Dove descended of free gift upon the temple of My Body? — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:14
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] What the multitude had proclaimed by their shouts, the Lord shows in deeds; whence it follows, And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:15
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] For as a pillar a little out of the perpendicular, if more weight be laid upon it, is driven to lean still more to one side; so also the heart of man when once turned aside, is only stirred the more with jealousy by seeing or hearing deeds of some righteous man. In this way the Priests were stirred up against Christ, and said, Hearest thou what these say? — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:16
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] As though He had said, Be it so, it is My fault that these cry thus. But is it My fault that so many thousand years before the Prophet foretold that so it should be? But babes and sucklings cannot know or praise any one. Therefore they are called babes, not in age, but in guilelessness of heart; sucklings, because they cried out being moved by their joy at the wonderful things they beheld, as by the sweetness of milk. Miraculous works are called milk, because the beholding of miracles is no toil, but rather excites wonder, and gently invites to the faith. Bread is the doctrine of perfect righteousness, which none can receive but they who have their senses exercised about spiritual things. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:17
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] A bad man is better overcome by giving way to him than by replying to him; for wickedness is not instructed but stimulated by reproof. The Lord accordingly sought by withdrawing Himself to check those whom His words could not check; whence it is said, And He left them, and went out of the city into Bethany. Seeking surely to lodge in the body where His spirit also reposed; for so it is with all holy men, they love to be not where sumptuous banquets are, but where holiness flourishes. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:18
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] For had His hunger been as man for carnal food, He would not have hungred in the morning; he truly hungers in the morning who hungers after the salvation of others. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:19
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Also the fig in respect of the multitude of seeds under one skin is as it were an assembly of the faithful. But He finds nothing on it but leaves only, that is, pharisaical traditions, an outward show of the Law without the fruits of truth. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:21
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or; Into the sea, that is, into the world where the waters are salt, i. e. the people are wicked. That is, nigh to the world; for if a man lives nigh to the world, he cannot preserve in himself the fruit of righteousness. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:23
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] The Priests were tormented with jealousy, because they had seen Christ entering the Temple in great glory. And not being able to master the fire of jealousy which burnt in their breasts, they break forth in speech. By that they add, Or who gave thee this authority? they show that there be many persons who give power to men, whether corporal or spiritual! as though they had said, Thou art not come of a priestly family; the Senate has not conferred on Thee this power, neither has Cæsar granted it. But had they believed that all power is from God, they would never have asked, Who gave thee this authority? For every man judges of others by himself. The fornicator thinks that none are chaste; the chaste does not readily suspect any of fornication; he who is not a Priest of God, thinks no man's Priesthood to be of God. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:24-25
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Not that they should answer it, and thereupon hear of Christ the answer to their question, but that being puzzled they should ask Him no farther; according to that precept He had given above, Give not that which is holy to the dogs. (Mat. 7:6.) For even if He had told them, it would have profited nothing, because the darkened will cannot perceive the things that are of the light. For him that enquires we ought to instruct, but him that tempts, to overthrow by a stroke of reasoning, but not to publish to him the power of the mystery. The Lord thus sets before them in His question a dilemma; and that they might not escape Him, says, Which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. His question is this; The baptism of John whence was it? from heaven, or of men? — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:28
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Those who are to be judged in this cause, He applies to as judges, that condemning themselves they might be shown to be unworthy to be acquitted by any other. It is high confidence of the justness of a cause, that will entrust it to the decision of an adversary. But He veils the allusion to them in a parable, that they might not perceive that they were passing sentence upon themselves; A certain man had two sons. Who is he but God, who created all men, who being by nature Lord of all, yet would rather be loved as a father, than feared as a Lord. The elder son was the Gentile people, the younger the Jews, since from the time of Noah there had been Gentiles. And he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. To day, i. e. during this age. He spoke with him, not face to face as man, but to his heart as God, instilling understanding through the senses. To work in the vineyard is to do righteousness; for to cultivate the whole thereof, I know not that any one man is sufficient. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:28-32
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] This He brings in because the Priests had asked not in order to learn, but to tempt Him. But of the common folk many had believed; and for that reason He brings forward the parable of the two sons, showing them therein that the common sort, who from the first professed secular lives, were better than the Priests who from the first professed the service of God, inasmuch as the people at length turned repentant to God, but the Priests impenitent, never left off to sin against God. And the elder son represents the people; because the people is not for the sake of the Priests, but the Priests are for the sake of the people. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:29
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] For the Gentiles from the beginning leaving God and his righteousness, and going over to idols and sins, seem to make answer in their thoughts, We will not do the righteousness of God. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:30
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But afterwards turning their backs, they lied unto God, according to that in the Psalms, The sons of the strangers have lied unto me. (Ps. 18:44.) This is what is said, But he went not. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:31
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] The Lord accordingly asks which of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. See how they have first sentence upon themselves, saying, that the elder son, that is, the Gentile people, did the will of his father. For it is better not to promise righteousness before God, and to do it, than to promise, and to fail. The Lord abundantly confirms their decision, whence it follows, Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and harlots shall go before you in the kingdom of God; as much as to say, Not only the Gentiles are before you, but even the publicans and the harlots. I suppose that the publicans here are to represent all sinful men, and the harlots all sinful women; because avarice is found the most prevailing vice among men, and fornication among women. For a woman's life is passed in idleness and seclusion, which are great temptations to that sin, while a man, constantly occupied in various active duties, falls readily into the snare of covetousness, and not so commonly into fornication, as the anxieties of manly cares preclude thoughts of pleasure, which engage rather the young and idle. Then follows the reason of what He had said, For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not. But in this exposition which we have set forth according to the mind of many interpreters, there seems to me something inconsistent. For if by the two sons are to be understood the Jews and Gentiles, as soon as the Priests had answered that it was the first son that did his father's will, then Christ should have concluded His parable with these words, Verily I say unto you, that the Gentiles shall go into the kingdom of God before you. But He says, The Publicans and harlots, a class rather of Jews than of Gentiles. Unless this is to be taken as was said above; So much rather the Gentile people please God than you, that even the Publicans and harlots are more acceptable to Him than you. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:32
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or, because his venerable conversation smote the hearts of sinners, as it follows, But the Publicans and harlots believed on him. Mark how the good life of the preacher gives its force to his preaching, so as to subdue unsubdued hearts. And ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him; as much as to say, They have done that which is more by believing on Him, ye have not even repented, which is less. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:33
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] He is called man, by title, not by nature; in a kind of likeness, not in verity. For the Son knowing that by occasion of His human name He himself should be blasphemed as though he were mere man, spoke therefore of the Invisible God the Father as man; He who by nature is Lord of Angels and men, but by goodness their Father. Or, by the hedge understand the protection of the holy fathers, who were set as a wall round the people of Israel. Or, the winepress is the word of God, which tortures man when it contradicts his fleshly nature. When, that is, Priests and Levites were constituted by the Law, and undertook the direction of the people. And as an husbandman, though he offer to his Lord of his own stock, does not please him so much as by giving him the fruit of his own vineyard; so the Priest does not so much please God by his own righteousness, as by teaching the people of God holiness; for his own righteousness is but one, but that of the people manifold. And went into a far country. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:34-36
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] At each step of their wickedness the mercy of God was increased, and at each step of the Divine mercy the wickedness of the Jews increased; thus there was a strife between human wickedness and Divine goodness. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:37
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] He sent Him not as the bearer of a sentence of punishment against the guilty, but of an offer of repentance; He sent Him to put them to shame, not to punish them. But some say, that it was after His incarnation, that Christ was called a Son in right of His baptism like the other saints, whom the Lord refutes by this place, saying, I will send my Son. Therefore when He thus meditated sending His Son after the Prophets, He must have been already His Son. Further, if He had been His Son in the same way as all the saints to whom the word of God was sent, He ought to have called the Prophets also His sons, as He calls Christ, or to call Christ His servant, as He calls the Prophets. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:38-39
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] After His entry into the Temple, and having cast out those who sold the animals for the sacrifices, then they took counsel to kill Him, Come, let us kill him. For they reasoned among themselves, It will happen that the people hereby shall disuse the practice of sacrificing, which pertains to our gain, and shall be content to offer the sacrifice of righteousness, which pertains to the glory of God; and so the nation shall no more be our possession, but shall become God's. But if we shall kill Him, then there being none to seek the fruit of righteousness from the people, the practice of offering sacrifice shall continue, and so this people shall become our possession; as it follows, And the inheritance shall be ours. These are the usual thoughts of all worldly Priests, who take no thought how the people shall live without sin, but look to how much is offered in the Church, and esteem that the profit of their ministry. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:41
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] That their answer is true, comes not of any righteous judgment in them, but from the case itself; truth constrained them. Otherwise: Luke has given the answer of their lips, Matthew that of their hearts. For some made answer openly contradicting Him, and saying, God forbid, but their consciences took it up with He shall miserably destroy these wicked men. For so when a man is detected in any wickedness, he excuses himself in words, but his conscience within pleads guilty. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:42
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] When they seemed discontent, He brings forward Scripture testimony; as much as to say, If ye understood not My parable, at least acknowledge this Scripture. As much as to say, How do ye not understand in what building that stone is to be set, not in yours, seeing it is rejected, but in another; but if the building is to be other, your building will be rejected. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:44
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Christ is called A Stone, not only because of His strength, but because He mightily crushes His enemies; whence it follows, And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken, and on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder. It is one thing to be broken, and another to be ground to powder. Of what is broken there remains something; but what is ground to powder is as it were converted into dust. And what falls upon a stone is not broken by any power of the stone, but because it fell heavily, either by reason of its weight, or of its fall from a great height. So a Christian in sinning, perishes, but not to the utmost that Christ can destroy; but only so far as he destroys himself, either by the greatness of his sin, or by his exalted rank. But the unbelievers perish to the utmost that Christ can destroy them. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Mateus 21:45-46
[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] (in fin. Hom. xxxix.) Here is the difference between good and bad men. The good man when taken in a sin has sorrow because he has sinned, the bad man is grieved not because he has sinned, but because he is found out in his sin; and he not only does not repent, but is indignant with him that reproved him. Thus they being taken in their sins were stirred up to still greater wickedness; And they sought to lay hands on him, but feared the multitude, because they took him for a Prophet. Every wicked man also, as far as his will is concerned, lays hands on God, and puts Him to death. For whoso tramples upon God's commandments, or murmurs against God, or raises a sullen look to heaven, would not he, if he had the power, lay hands on God, and kill Him, that he might sin without restraint? — Catena Aurea by Aquinas