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whole to God.
Gloss.: The words which are added, "And with all thy strength," may be referred to the bodily
powers.
It goes on: "And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
Theophylact: He says that it is like, because these two commandments are harmonious one with
the other, and mutually contain the other. For he who loves God, loves also His creature; but the
chief of His creatures is man, wherefore he who loves God ought to love all men. But he who
loves his neighbor, who so often offends him, ought much more to love Him, who is ever giving
him benefits. And therefore on account of the connection between these commandments, He
adds, "There is none other commandment greater than these."
It goes on: "And the Scribe said unto Him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: [p. 248] for there
is one God, and there is none other but He: and to love Him with all the heart, and with all the
soul, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as
himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."
Bede: He shews when he says, "this is greater than all sacrifices," that a grave question was
often debated between the scribes and Pharisees, which was the first commandment, or the
greatest of the Divine law; that is, some praised offerings and sacrifices, others preferred acts of
faith and love, because many of the fathers before the law pleased God by that faith only, which
works by love. This scribe shews that he was of the latter opinion.
But it continues: "And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, Thou art
not far from the kingdom of God."
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Theophylact: By which He shews that he was not perfect, for He did not say, Thou art within the
kingdom of heaven, but, "Thou art not far from the kingdom of God."
Bede: But the reason why he was not far from the kingdom of God was, that he proved himself to
be a favourer of that opinion, which is proper to the New Testament and to Gospel perfection.
Augustine, de Con. Evan, ii, 73: Nor let it trouble us that Matthew says, that he who addressed
this question to the Lord tempted Him; for it may be that though he came as a tempter, yet he
was corrected by the answer of the Lord. Or at all events, we must not look upon the temptation
as evil, and done with the intention of deceiving an enemy, but rather as the caution of a man
who wished to try a thing unknown to him.
Pseudo-Jerome: Or else, he is not far who comes with knowledge; for ignorance is farther from
the kingdom of God than knowledge; wherefore He says above to the Sadducees, "Ye err, not
knowing the Scriptures, or the power of God."
It goes on: "And no man after that durst ask Him any questions."
Bede: For since they were confuted in argument, they ask Him no further questions, but take Him
without any disguise, and give Him up to the Roman power. From which we understand that the
venom of envy may be overcome, but can hardly lie quiet.
35. And Jesus answered and said, while He taught [p. 249] in the temple, "How say the Scribes
that Christ is the Son of David?
36. For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, 'The Lord said to my Lord - "Sit thou on My right
hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool." '
37. David therefore himself calleth Him Lord; and whence is He then his son?" And the common
people heard Him gladly.
Theophylact: Because Christ was coming to His Passion, He corrects a false opinion of the Jews,
who said that Christ was the Son of David, not his Lord.
Wherefore it is said, "And Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple."
Pseudo-Jerome: That is, He openly speaks to them of Himself, that they may be inexcusable.
For it goes on: "How say the Scribes that Christ is the Son of David?"
Theophylact: But Christ shews Himself to be the Lord, by the words of David.
For it goes on: "For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on
My right hand;" as if He had said, Ye cannot say that David said this without the grace of the Holy
Spirit, but he called Him Lord in the Holy Spirit; and that He is Lord, he shews, by this that is
added, "Till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool;" for they themselves were His enemies, whom
God put under the footstool of Christ.
Bede: But the putting down of His enemies by the Father, does not shew the weakness of the
Son, but the unity of nature, by which One works in the Other; for the Son also subjects the
Father's enemies, because He glorifies His Father upon earth.
Gloss.: Thus then Lord concludes from what has gone before the doubtful questions. For from
the foregoing words of David it is proved that Christ is the Lord of David, but according to the
saying of the Scribes, it is proved that He is his Son. And this is what is added, "David himself
then calls Him Lord, how is He then his Son?"
Bede: The question of Jesus is useful for us even now against the Jews; for they, acknowledging
that Christ is to come, assert that He is a mere man, a holy Person descended from David. Let us
then ask them, as our [p. 250] Lord has taught us, if He be a mere man, and only the son of
David, how David in the Holy Spirit calls Him Lord. They are not however reproved for calling Him
David's son, but for not believing Him to be the Son of God.
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It goes on: "And the common people heard Him gladly."
Gloss.: Namely, because they saw that He answered and put questions wisely.
38. And He said unto them in His doctrine, "Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long
clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,
39. And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
40. Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive
greater damnation."
Pseudo-Jerome: After confuting the Scribes and Pharisees, He burns up as a fire their dry and
withered examples.
Wherefore it is said, "And He said unto them in His doctrine, Beware of the Scribes, which love to
go in long clothing."
Bede: To walk in long clothing is to go forth into public clad in garments too much ornamented, in
which amongst other things, that rich man, who fared sumptuously every day, is said to have
sinned.
Theophylact: But they used to walk in honourable garments, because they wished to be highly
esteemed for it, and in like manner they desired other things, which lead to glory.
For it goes on: "And love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
and the uppermost rooms at feasts."
Bede: We must observe that He does not forbid that those, to whom it falls by the rule of their
office, should be saluted in the marketplace, or have chief seats and places at feasts, but He
teaches that those who love those things unduly, whether they have them or no, are to be
avoided by the faithful as wicked men: that is, He blames the intention and not the office;
although this too is culpable, that the very men who wish to be called masters of the synagogue
in Moses' seat, should have to do with lawsuits in the marketplace. We are in two way ordered to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]