Quibus debetur vse aeternum
The Woes Against Hypocrisy
The Lord pronounces the first three woes against the Scribes and Pharisees, rebuking their pride, greed, and empty religious labor.
After this, the Lord—who gives blessings to those who obey the Law and the gospel’s commands—speaks to the scribes and... He threatens the disobedient Pharisees with the woe of a curse, and in all their acts of hypocrisy, He puts this word 'Woe' first, which signifies a curse. In Sacred Scripture, 'Woe' signifies eternal condemnation and the punishment of hell, but alas, it also denotes the pilgrimage of this life and our present exile. Therefore, according to Origen, just as the Old Law sets blessings for those who observe it and, conversely, curses for those who break it, so the Gospel sets beatitudes for the righteous—as established above in the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount—and here, conversely, sets curses against hypocrites who falsely feign righteousness. The Lord sets out eight woes... ...corresponding to the eight areas where their hypocrisy and pretense are evident, to show what He teaches them must be avoided. First, He rebukes them for pride and greed, because they were shutting the kingdom of heaven in people's faces, so that they wouldn't enter themselves, nor would they allow those who wanted to enter to do so. He says, "Woe," which means eternal damnation hangs over you, Scribes, who think you're experts in the Law, and Pharisees, who claim you're perfect in it. You are hypocrites, pretending to be what you aren't, who shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces—that is, because you hide the truth of the Scriptures with your twisted interpretations, and you scandalize others by your bad example; for you yourselves don't enter, because you don't want to understand and believe, nor do you allow others to. ... That is, you don't allow those who want to enter—those who desire to believe—to enter; rather, you cause them to go astray. For the entry of someone into a house is hindered in two ways: in one way, when the key is taken away; in another way, when an obstacle is placed in the way. Spiritually, however, according to Chrysostom, the Holy Scriptures are the kingdom of heaven, because the kingdom of heaven is contained within them. Therefore, he shuts this kingdom to another who carries the key and doesn't open it—that is, the one who has knowledge and disdains or neglects to teach; but he places an obstacle who, by bad example, hinders others so that they don't enter, or don't want to enter. Although the Scribes and Pharisees knew and understood Christ's coming through the Scriptures, they still considered that if Christ were believed in, the custom of sacrifices and offerings would cease, and they themselves would be deprived of the offerings of sacrifices; and so, through corrupt exposition and perverse interpretation, they closed the door of the Law and the Prophets before the eyes of the people—who had spoken most clearly of Christ's coming—so that they might draw men away from faith in Christ. They also turned the simple away from the faith through their own actions and examples, and by scandalizing them in this way, they closed the kingdom of heaven before them. At first, they indeed had knowledge of Christ, but later, blinded by envy, they lost it and were turned into error, and they caused many others to go astray. Alternatively, according to others: the kingdom of heaven is understood here as eternal blessedness; the door through which one enters is Christ, according to what He Himself said: 'I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved.' The key is doctrine; therefore, through sound doctrine, this door is opened, and through false doctrine, it is closed.✦ Therefore, because the Pharisees and Scribes corrupted the authorities that are in the Law and the Prophets concerning Christ, they closed the kingdom of heaven before men, turning them away from the faith and knowledge of the true Christ and leading them into error; they themselves did not enter, because they were turned into error from the knowledge they had of Christ through hatred and rancor; and they did not allow those who were entering—that is, those who wanted to enter, such as the simple people—to enter, because they were deceived by them and for the most part turned away from the faith of Christ. Secondly, He rebukes them for gluttony and greed: 'Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!'✦ Under the guise of divine worship and religion, they offer long prayers. They should be brief in affection and meaning, praying so that they may be holy. They would reappear and receive greater gifts, consuming the substance of the poor—namely, the homes of widows—under the pretense of piety toward those who held them, drawing their goods to themselves and consuming them under a simulation and false appearance of holiness. For through their superstition, they intended nothing but to tear the prey away from the common people, and even more so from widows, who are more easily deceived because they lack a husband to advise them and have the freedom to give whatever their will suggests. And because of this, their deed is aggravated, since they weren't preying upon the wealthy, but upon widows; they were drawing in their poverty, which they ought to have been correcting. As Chrysostom says: 'While he confounds the Jewish priests, the Christian priest reasons that one should not remain with widows any more than with others; for even if the will is not evil, the suspicion is nonetheless always evil.' Furthermore, the manner of this robbery was more grave: for as the same Chrysostom says, he who does evil is worthy of punishment; but he who takes the cause of malice from religion is liable to a more severe penalty. Hence it is added: Because of this—namely, not only because of the robbery, but also because of your simulation—you will receive a more severe judgment and a greater condemnation. Where? First, indeed, because you assume a pretense of holiness—for you paint your avarice with the color of religion, and you offer the weapons of God to the devil, as it were, so that iniquity is armed while piety is estimated. As Bede notes, he doesn't just say, 'You will receive judgment,' but adds, 'more severely,' implying that those who pray just to be seen by others deserve condemnation. In fact, those who pray at greater length to appear more religious—seeking not only praise from others but also money—will be punished with a more severe condemnation. The prayer of such people becomes a sin, so they aren't just unable to intercede for others; they can't even help themselves toward salvation. In fact, they will be condemned all the more because of those very prayers. Isidore says, 'Hypocrites are condemned twice: once for their hidden iniquity and once for their open pretense.' They are condemned for the first because they are wicked; for the second, because they show what they are not. According to Augustine, feigned righteousness isn't righteousness at all, but a double iniquity; therefore, when retribution comes, it is punished with a greater penalty. In the third place, he rebukes them for their empty labor and for their wickedness: 'Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites, because many of you travel across sea and land—that is, cities and villages, scouring the world—so that you might make one convert, that is, draw and convert someone from Gentility to Judaism; and you do not do it out of mercy, so that you might save them, but either out of vain glory, so that you might oppose the piety, faith, and worship of the Christian religion, or out of greed, so that with new Jews added to the synagogue, the offering of sacrifices might also be increased for them.' Proselytes are those who, having abandoned the error of Gentility, were converted to Judaism; the rarity of such converts is signified by the word 'one.' It is clear that their labor is empty, since many of them travel across sea and land for just one person, while Christ, the one in a thousand, travels through cities and villages, and great crowds follow him.
Blind Guides and False Oaths
Christ exposes the hypocrisy of the Pharisees' legalistic oaths and their distorted sense of holiness regarding the temple and altar.
Their extreme wickedness is also clear, based on what they work for. In their effort to draw others to themselves, they only make themselves worse; for it follows: "And when he has become one, you make him twice as much a child of hell," or of perdition, as you are yourselves. Before, while he was a Gentile, he was simply mistaken and was once a child of hell; but afterward, seeing their life, he turns back to Gentility. Thus, as a breaker of his word and an apostate from the Law he had promised to keep, he sins in both conduct and faith, and is worthy of a greater punishment, for: "It would be better not to know the way of justice than, after knowing it, to turn back." Those who labor so much for this act in the same way. They try to bring someone into the religious life, and when he is brought in, they make him apostatize through their own bad examples: "And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first," because, as Jerome says here, we don't keep what we have sought with the same zeal with which we sought it. Fourth, he rebukes them for their foolishness and fraud, because in order to invite the people to give and offer, they preferred those things that were for the temple and the altar in honor and holiness. They treated the temple and the altar themselves as holier. "Woe to you, blind guides, who say: 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing.'" For they used to say that if anyone swore by the temple or by the altar, it was nothing—that is, he owed nothing and was not bound by that oath, and if convicted of lying, he was not held guilty of perjury, nor was he bound by anything. But whoever swore by the gold of the temple—that is, by the money that was offered to the priests in the temple—or by the gift and the offerings—that is, by the host and the victims that are offered to God upon the altar—he owed it, that is, he was bound, and if convicted, he was immediately bound to pay what he had sworn. And they used to repeat this as zealously as possible. The rule for these people was that an oath taken by created things was not binding, except only when sworn by the gold and the gifts of the temple and the altar; in this, they didn't consider the fear of God, but their own greed. So they deceived the people, saying that gold and gifts were holier than the temple and the altar, to make men more eager to offer gifts; but they were wrong, because what sanctifies is greater than what is sanctified. Therefore, the temple is greater than the gold, and the altar is greater than the gift, because the temple and the altar in a way sanctify the offerings placed upon them, since they were dedicated to God. Thus, an oath by the temple and the altar is greater than one by the gold of the temple or the gift of the altar. This is why he calls them blind guides, because they were in error and led others into error; and this error proceeded mostly from greed. Furthermore, he convicts them on another count, because an oath taken by the temple or the altar implicitly includes an oath by the gold or the gift. Whoever swears by the altar, from which the sanctification of offerings is derived, swears also by everything upon it; and whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by Him who dwells within it. Therefore, an oath by the temple or altar is more binding than one by the gifts of the temple or altar. Similarly, because the Jews had a custom of swearing by heaven, he adds this rebuke: 'And he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God, and by Him who sits upon it.' That is, by God, who sits upon it. Therefore, they don't escape danger as they think, just because they don't swear by God or by the throne of God, which is heaven. For whoever swears by a created thing implicitly swears also by the Creator who presides over that creature; therefore, while an oath taken by created things is illicit, it is still binding. Even now, many foolish Christians labor under the same vice and a similar error. They think it's more significant to swear by the Gospel than by God; and while they're afraid to swear by the Gospel, they don't hesitate to swear by God frequently out of a bad habit, even though all the holiness of the Gospel comes from God alone. The Holy Scriptures were made for the sake of God, not God for the sake of the Scriptures; therefore, God, who sanctifies the Gospel, is greater than the Gospel, which is sanctified by Him.
Weightier Matters of the Law
The Lord rebukes the religious leaders for neglecting justice, mercy, and faith while obsessing over minor external rituals.
In the fifth point, he rebukes their negligence and laziness, because they were indifferent toward the great and useful things that pertain to the salvation of souls, while showing great concern and diligence for minor and temporal matters. V. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes on mint, dill, and cumin—that is, on the smallest things—but you have neglected the weightier matters of the Law: justice, which is fairness in judgment; mercy toward the poor; and faith in God.” Faith implies a person's proper order toward God; justice implies a person's proper order toward their neighbor in matters that have the character of a debt; mercy, however, applies to matters that have the character of a gift. In these three, everything necessary for salvation is understood. What the Lord says, “You pay tithes,” can be understood in two ways. First, in regard to respect. For although the ministers received tithes from the people, they still paid tithes to the high priest from what they received from the people, and from what they had from their own labor. Indeed, it refers to the pretense of holiness. They paid tithes on the smallest things and followed the law. They did this out of greed, hoping their example would lead the people to pay them tithes on everything, down to the smallest items; alternatively, it can be understood as referring to others whom they forced to pay tithes strictly, extorting them down to the smallest detail. And so that no one would believe that tithes were not to be given on the smallest things. He adds that it was primarily necessary to do these greater things—namely, judgment and mercy—and to carry out those things that belong to faith as more necessary, and not to omit those other things, that is, the lesser things, such as the tithing of the smallest items, as if they were lesser goods; because the command of God is to give tithes on everything, both minor and major, and it is necessary to fulfill all the precepts of the Law, both the greatest and the least. Then, the Lord argues against their hypocrisy, because they were leaders meant to guide the people, yet they were blind, perverting the understanding of the Scriptures. They strain out a gnat—meaning they search for lesser things with diligence and anger—but they swallow a camel, meaning they overlook the greater things and treat them as nothing. A gnat is a small insect named for its stinger; it has a tube in its mouth like a needle with which it pierces the flesh and sucks blood. By this, a lesser transgression is understood. A camel, however, is a large and deformed animal; by this, a greater transgression is signified. Chrysostom says: "Since the Scribes and Pharisees—who included both priests and laypeople—were from this place, it's not inappropriate for us to offer a twofold interpretation: one that applies to the laypeople who give tithes, and another to the priests who receive them." The saying itself is ambiguous, where it says: 'Tithes are yours.' . . . You who tithe, because he who receives tithes is rightly called a tither, as is he who gives them. The Scribes and Pharisees, therefore, gave tithes of the smallest herbs so that, seeing them, people would say: 'Just look at how they don't neglect to offer tithes of all their possessions, not even failing to give tithes of the most contemptible herbs; look at how their lives fulfill all of God's commandments, so that they don't even neglect these small things!' Which was not true. They would offer tithes of the smallest things just to show off their religious life; yet in their judgments they were unjust, toward their brothers they were without mercy, and toward God they were always unfaithful—truly straining out a gnat while swallowing a camel, since they would abstain from minor pleasures but eagerly commit major sins. Now let us come to the priests. They were full of greed. If anyone among God's people failed to offer a tithe of some item or income, they would rebuke him as if he had committed a great crime. However, if anyone among the people sinned against God, harmed someone else, or did something similar, no one cared to rebuke him, as if he hadn't committed any fault at all. They were concerned about their own profit, but they neglected the glory of God and the salvation of souls. It happens the same way now, because everyone is concerned about their own honor, but no one is concerned about the honor of God. And they look after their own fortunes vigilantly and defend them, but they do not attend to giving care to the service of the Church. If people don't pay their tithes, everyone grumbles, but if they see people sinning, no one says a word against them. These are the ones who teach people by their own example to strain out a gnat and swallow a camel. Chrysostom says: 'To keep themselves from a small sin, but to commit greater ones.' Oh, how the blindness of the Scribes and Pharisees reigns today, alas! This is true of prelates, both religious and secular: they are anxious about the payment of tithes and taxes owed to them, but they care little if their subjects are caught up in greater sins. They scrutinize the small things and overlook the major ones; they show great diligence in trifles, but little or none in the most important matters. For instance, if they catch one of their clerics or monks failing in external ceremonies, they rebuke him harshly; and if he is proud, or... [Fragmentary text omitted.] ETERNALLY. ...or a detractor, or a sower of discord, and a disturber of peace. They pass over these things in silence; a person is punished more for the omission of some human rule or admonition than for the transgression of a decree. They care more about human rules than about violating the Gospels and the commandments of Christ. They neglect the care of souls to pursue external business; they don't care about the fruit of souls, but about increasing wealth; they wander through the world and fail to guard the flock committed to them. May He guard them, who guards Israel.
Whitewashed Tombs and Inner Corruption
The Lord uses the metaphors of cups and sepulchers to illustrate the contrast between external appearance and internal rot.
In the sixth chapter, he rebukes them for hypocrisy and lying, because they were more concerned with washing away external filth than internal filth. They were more concerned with the cleanliness of bodies and vessels than of character and vices. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites, because you clean the outside of the cup." And the dish; but inside you are full of greed and filth. For when the Pharisees were about to go up into the temple, for the sake of showing off their cleanliness, they would first wash the household utensils, clothes, and similar things, but they cared little for internal, inward cleanliness. Likewise, they showed their holiness to people on the outside—in their dress, their speech, their phylacteries, their fringes, the length of their prayers, and other things of that sort—but inside, in their conscience and mind, they were full of greed, through their desire for acquisition, and filth, through the pleasures of the flesh: or greed, that is, avarice, and filth, that is, the squalor of vices; because what they drank and ate, they took from others, and through this, their food and drink held the filth of their sins. In this, however, they were greatly mistaken, and their blindness was great, because one must care more for internal cleanliness than for external; for the external is not acceptable to God unless it comes through the internal. There are many like this even today, who are like a dung heap whitewashed with snow—decorated on the outside, but full of wickedness on the inside. If you were to turn the inside out, you'd find a great stench and much rot; that's why Ezekiel says: "Son of man, dig into the wall, enter, and see the abominations." He adds, therefore: "Blind Pharisee, first clean what is inside the cup and the dish," which means the heart must be cleansed of vices, for by the inside of the cup and dish he metaphorically refers to the interior of the mind. From its nobility. The goodness of cleanliness depends on the exterior; and so it follows: "So that what is on the outside may be clean," meaning that the display of holiness should be true. Not, however, through the malice of dissimulation. Hence Origen says: "This discourse instructs us to hasten to be just, not merely to appear so." For whoever strives to appear just cleans only what is on the outside and cares for what is seen, but neglects the heart and conscience. But whoever strives to cleanse what is within—that is, their thoughts—it follows that they also make what is on the outside clean. It should be noted that the name of blindness is applied in a threefold sense, because a threefold blindness is argued against them: first, in teaching, namely in the fourth woe; second, in correcting or choosing, namely in the fifth woe; third, in acting, as here in the sixth woe. V. And they are similar. In the seventh, he rebukes them for hypocrisy and iniquity, which he demonstrates through the example of sepulchers: whitened sepulchers, smoothed on the outside with lime and adorned with marble, and decorated with gold and colors, appear beautiful; yet inside, because of bones, rot, and stench, they are horrible and abominable. Hence it is called a sepulcher, as if 'half-beautiful'. The Pharisees were like this, too, which is why the Lord says: 'Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you are like whitened sepulchers, which outwardly appear beautiful to men, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.' So you, too, outwardly appear just to men—showing cleanliness and justice in the style of your clothes and the humility of your words to simulate goodness—but inside you are full of hypocrisy, that is, the love of vain praise regarding the intention of your simulation, and iniquity, that is, the hatred of truth regarding the affection of malice. Outwardly they have an honest manner of life, so that they may cover their hidden malice. These are signified by Bel, who was outwardly... ...gilded, and inwardly muddy. Chrysostom says: "The bodies of the just are rightly called temples, because the spirit of the just man rules and reigns within his body, just as God does in a temple, or certainly because God Himself dwells in the bodies of the just." The bodies of sinners, however, are called sepulchers of the dead, because the soul is dead within the sinner's body; for it shouldn't be considered alive if it does nothing living or spiritual in the body, or because death itself dwells in the bodies of sinners. Just as a sepulcher seems beautiful from the outside as long as it is closed, but is horrible if it is opened, so too are those who pretend to be good: as long as they aren't known, they are praised, but when they are found out, they are discovered to be abominable. Tell me, hypocrite, if it's good to be what you are, why don't you want to appear as what you want to be? If, however, it's good to be good, why don't you want to be what you want to appear to be? For what is shameful to appear as, it's more shameful to be; but what is beautiful to appear as, it's more beautiful to be. Therefore, either be what you appear to be, or appear as what you are; for a manifest evil is not condemned by the wise, while it is considered insanity: so says Chrysostom. Hence Bernard also says: "Whom will you find among the sons of Adam who not only wishes to be what he is, but even allows himself to be seen as such?" Consider this, and rebuke those who are the children of murderers. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites, who build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. They built and magnificently decorated the tombs and memorials of the prophets and those who were killed, all out of a desire for a reputation for goodness and glory among the people, so that they might appear righteous, even though their own ancestors had killed them. It adds: 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have been their partners in the blood of the prophets'—that is, partners in shedding their blood—'nor would we have done what our ancestors did.' In this, however, they testify that they are the children of those who killed the prophets; and so the Lord adds: 'Therefore, you testify against yourselves that you are the children of those who killed the prophets.' They condemn the crimes of their ancestors with their words because of a pretense of holiness, yet by persecuting the saints—like Christ and his disciples—they commit the same crimes; and thus they prove by their actions that they are their children, not only by nature but also by imitation, not only in their character but also in their conduct. For the Lord does not blame them for building tombs, but he rebukes their intention, because they did not do this out of honor for those who were killed, nor out of a love for piety and truth, but out of a love for the empty praise they were seeking in it. Hence Chrysostom says: 'Those who build and decorate the churches of the martyrs seem to be doing a good work, but only if they also keep the justice of God, if the poor rejoice in their wealth, and if they don't make other people's property their own—know that they are building for the glory of God. But if not, who doesn't understand that they aren't building those structures for the glory of God, but are building altars to the martyrs for the sake of human estimation, where the poor, having suffered violence at their hands, cry out against them?' The martyrs don't rejoice when they're honored with money that has made the poor weep. What kind of justice is it to honor the dead while robbing the living, to take from the blood of the miserable and offer it to God? That isn't an offering to God; it's violence. It is making God a partner in your violence, so that when you willingly accept money offered to you that was gained through sin, you consent to that sin. Do you want to build a house for God? Give to the faithful poor what they need to live, and you've built a reasonable house for God. People live in buildings, but God lives in holy people. What, then, are those who rob people to build monuments to the martyrs—who arrange dwellings for men while tearing down the dwellings of God? What kind of justice is it to honor the saints while despising holiness itself? The first step of piety is to love holiness, and then the saints; for the saints didn't exist before holiness. They weren't the source of holiness; rather, holiness existed before the saints. Don't honor the righteous without cause. Whoever scorns justice cannot be a friend to the saints, for God is an enemy to those who do so. They used to say to themselves, "If we do good for the poor, who sees it?" And if they do see it, not many people are watching; and if many do see it, they only see it for a moment. Time passes, and with time, the memory of the good deed passes away as well. It's better, therefore, to perform works that everyone can see, not just in this time, but also in the future. O foolish man! What good is that memory to you after death, if you are being tormented where you are, while being praised where you are not? So says Chrysostom. He then proves they are children of murderers, showing them to be not just a brood of vipers—given the malice they show by imitating evil men and following their father's wickedness—but even worse than their ancestors. He demonstrates that their claim was a lie when they said they wouldn't have shared in their ancestors' deeds had they lived in that time.✦ Hence he says: 'You also fill up'—that is, you will fill up—'the measure of your ancestors.'✦ According to Jerome and Chrysostom, he isn't commanding or ordering it, but is predicting and revealing what was going to happen. For they were eager to fill up the measure of their ancestors, and they have already filled it, because these people have completed what was lacking in those who came before them. They didn't just meet the measure; they far exceeded it. Those people killed mere men, but these killed the Son of God; those killed servants, these killed the Lord; those killed ministers, these killed the King; those killed the members, these killed the Head; those killed the prophets, these killed the Master of the prophets, who was foretold by the prophets—namely, Christ.1
The Lament Over Jerusalem
Christ pronounces judgment on the generation of his persecutors and laments over Jerusalem with the heart of a father, concluding with a prayer.
Afterward, once he had shown the Scribes and Pharisees their hypocrisy, he went on to point out their punishment, saying: "You snakes, you brood of vipers, you who carry the poison of envy and have drawn the poison of malice from your fathers—how will you escape being sentenced to hell?" It was as if he were saying: "There is no way, because you are hardened in malice." They deserved this punishment not only for the death of Christ, but also for the killing of his Apostles and disciples. And because of this, it follows: "Since you say, 'We wouldn't have been partners with them'—that is, with the murderers—to expose your lie, look, I am sending to you, to instruct you and call you back to me, Prophets, Wise Men, and Scribes—that is, the Apostles—who were filled with the prophetic spirit and taught hearts with divine wisdom, and like Scribes trained for the kingdom of heaven, brought out of their storehouse things both new and old. Yet you will kill some of them, crucify others, scourge them in your synagogues and assemblies, and persecute them from city to city." This is exactly what they did, and those whom the others didn't kill because they didn't see them, these people saw and fulfilled their desire; and so, by following the ways of their wicked fathers, they testified that they were their children. Then, to show that they wouldn't do this with impunity, he struck fear into them with these words. He says: "So that there may come upon you—consecutively, for it is a sequence of justice—that is, upon your generation and all those like you in wickedness, all the righteous blood," which means the debt of vengeance for every shedding of the blood of the righteous, "from the blood of righteous Abel," whose offerings are recorded as accepted by God, "to the blood of Zechariah, son of Barachiah," that is, the son of Jehoiada the priest, who was called Barachiah because of his righteousness, which translates to 'Blessed of the Lord,' "whom you murdered," that is, your... A generation like yours killed him between the temple and the altar—that is, the altar of burnt offerings, which was outside the temple, in the atrium of the temple itself. But although many were killed after and before by this generation, he names these two rather than others so that in one, the layman—that is, Abel, who was a shepherd of sheep and killed in a field—and in the other, the cleric—that is, Zechariah, who was dedicated to the service of the altar and killed in the atrium of the temple—might be understood; and through these two, all holy martyrs, of both the lay and priestly orders, are signified. Se u iw? I tell you the truth. Amen, I tell you: all these things—the crimes and the punishments for those crimes—will come upon this generation, that is, upon you and all who are like you in their wickedness. And even if they don't all exist at the same time, they are all one body of the devil. Then, he turned his message specifically toward the capital city, Jerusalem, where they were more to blame, mourning it with the affection of a loving father and, through this, instructing his listeners by saying: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem." He calls the inhabitants "Jerusalem," rather than the buildings of the city, using the container to represent the people inside; he is addressing the Jewish people under the name of their capital. The repetition of this word, "Jerusalem," belongs to one who is merciful and one who is miserable, one who is calling out and one who is deeply loving; or, he repeats it because of the stern rebuke and greater condemnation; or, because they were afflicting the saints in two ways: both physically and spiritually. You who kill the prophets and are soon to kill the Lord of the prophets; you who stone those sent to you—sent for your own benefit, instruction, and to rebuke your sins—your wound is incurable because you reject those who offer you salvation. Hence Chrysostom says: "How can you be healed when you won't let any physician reach you?" I did not spare my saints, so that I might spare you, a sinner. I neglected their lives so that I would not have to witness your death. All the spiritual physicians have failed in your case, and you remain uncured. If I had taken pleasure in your death, I would never have sent the prophets to you. If I had wanted to destroy you, I would never have come to you myself. What more can I do if you yourself do not want to live? So says Chrysostom. He adds, therefore: How often have I wanted—I who do not desire the death of a sinner, I who want to save all sinners—not just once or twice, but many times: first, through the law of nature; second, through the law of Scripture; third, through the law of grace. I have wanted to gather your children, the Jews, under the worship of the one God through faith and love, by the preaching of the prophets and by miracles, and to join you and yours to myself. There are many who scatter, but few who gather for the good; for the devil scatters, the world scatters, carnal affection scatters, and tempters scatter. But the Lord wants to gather us into the unity of faith, into the unity of love, and into the unity of the heavenly city. It follows: 'As a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.' He uses the example of a hen to show his affection for the people, because among other birds, she seems more inclined to the nourishment and protection of her chicks; for she has such great affection for her children that she is affected by their weakness and is weakened herself, and protecting them with her wings, she fights against the kite. In this same way, Divine Wisdom, having been made weak through the taking on of flesh, protects us, defends us from the devil, and nourishes and preserves us by His grace. And you haven't known. On the contrary, you've been neglectful, you've resisted, and I've been hindered by you. For you've despised the prophets sent by God, beginning with John the Baptist, and finally... You've despised our Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples; indeed, you've even killed them. It's as if He were saying to you: 'I willed it, but you didn't; I did what was Mine to do, but you didn't do what was yours. For your salvation, I sent prophets to you, but you killed them; I came to you Myself, and you refused to receive Me.' Therefore, it's to be blamed on you and on your malice. It's to be blamed on what is to come, not on Me. How often God warns us—sometimes with kindness, sometimes with rebukes, now in one way, now in another—and yet we pay so little attention! Because of this, we have great reason to fear the punishment that follows. Finally, because of their many faults, the Lord threatens them with many punishments as well. First, he threatens the temporal destruction they feared and dreaded so much—the ruin of their city and the desertion of the temple—saying: 'Look, your house will be left to you by God.' This means the temple and the city were deserted because they were destroyed by the Romans. They were truly deserted and stripped of Christ's help, because they abandoned and lost Christ, who had lived among them; and in their eagerness to seize the inheritance, they killed the heir. Therefore, it was Christ who was previously owed their leadership. And eternal. He saw them, held them in his hand, governed them, and rescued them from the hands of their enemies. The same applies to the custody of their souls, for a voice was heard in the temple: 'Depart from these seats.' Depart from these seats. In a mystical sense, the house of the Jews is also deserted, empty, and abandoned—that is, they remained without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, because they were in disbelief. They didn't welcome Christ as their guest because they wouldn't persevere. As Chrysostom says: 'It is deserted by the saints, deserted by holiness, by faith, by charity, by wisdom, and by the Holy Spirit.' It is deserted, finally, by God himself and by all the good things that come from God. Where Origen also says: 'Is it always so for those who were not gathered?' Under his wings, Christ is named: 'See, your house is left to you.' 'Your house is left to you'—that is, your soul and body. Then he threatens them with eternal punishment, which is the lack of his vision, unless they turn from their wickedness, saying: 'I tell you, you will not see me, and my face, from now on—that is, from the time of my Passion—until you say: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.' This means until you even unwillingly confess that I am Christ, the blessed Son sent by the Father, predicted by the prophets; which will be at the coming of the clarity of judgment, according to that word of Zechariah: 'They will look on me, whom they have pierced.' For in truth, after his Passion, he was seen by his disciples and friends, but not by the Jews. Or, you won't see me. That is, unless. And until you say in repentance, and acknowledge me through faith as the Son of God: 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord'—meaning, this is the Blessed One who came into the world through the Incarnation, sent by the Father; in whom the conversion of the remnant is found before the coming of the judgment. For then the Jews, who at the end of the world will believe in Christ, will praise and acknowledge him. After saying these words, the Lord Jesus left the temple with his disciples; that is, he withdrew from the Jews. Origen says: 'But also, since every person is a temple of God because of the Spirit of God dwelling within them, they themselves become the cause of their own desertion, so that Christ departs from them.' PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, who give blessings to those who obey your law and your commandments, and curses to those who disobey, grant me from your generosity the grace to always obey your commandments and to avoid the errors of hypocrites in all things. Grant that I may find contentment in your warnings and your good pleasure without weariness, and that I may amend myself without negligence, so that at last, at the coming of your glory for judgment, I may joyfully behold you, the Blessed One, coming in your majesty for our full redemption—that is, the perfect freedom of body and soul—and with your chosen ones, I may bless you forever. Amen.
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- Post haec Dominus, qui Legi et praeceptis evangelicis obedlentibus dat benedictiones, ipsis Scribis et (JUIBUS DEBETUIl V/E y? ^TERNI'M Pharisaeis inobedientibus comminatur v(B maledictionis, ct iu omuibus eirciiibus hspocrisis ipsorum, haiic dictiouem VcS pra^ponit, qua3 maledictiunemsignificat. Vx cjuippe in Scriplura Sacra nota aeteruam damnatiouem, et geheuuae supplicium, scd heu^ hujus seculi pcregriuationem, etpra^sens notat exsilium. Uude,secuudum Origenem, sicut m Veteri Lege pouuntur benedictiones ubservantibus Legeui, et, e contrario, maledictiones transgredientibuseam : itaiuEvangeho puuuutur beatitudinesrespectu justorum, ut habiium est supia in sermoneDomuji in monte, et hic, e cunIrario, ponuntur maledictionescuntra hvpocritas ialsu justitiam simulantes. Et ponit Dominus octo ua? , juxta octo in quibus ipsorumhvpocrisis etficlio patct, adostendendum quajin eis cavenda esse docet.
lu primo, rcdarguit eos de superbia et de avaritia, quia leguum coelorum claudebant ante homiues, ucc ipsi iutrabaut, nec intrare smebantvoleutes. IJude dicit : K«, id est aeterna aamuatio vobis^ imminet, Scribx, qui putatis vos peritos iu Lege, et Ptiarisxi^ qui dicitis Yos prailutos iu s? anctitate,/t^pocr^fce, siujUiautes quod nuu cstis, qui clauditis reynum coalorum ante komines, id est, quia vestris pravis expositiunibus veiitateui Scripturarumabscunditis, \ei maiu exempio aliosscandahzatjs ; vos enim non intratis^ quia inteiligere et credere non vuJtis, nec wiiroeu? ii<? sscilicetintroirevol€ntes, id est credere cupientes, sinitis intrare, quinimo lacitis illos errare. Duphciter enim impeditur ingres^us alicujus in doiiium : uno modo, quando clavis tollitur; alio modo, quando obstacuiuni pouitur. Spiritualiter autem, secuuduin Chrysostoinum , reguum coelurum sunt Sacrae Scripturai, quia in eis regnum coelorum est insertum. Iste ergu cJaudit hoc regnum altcri, qui clavcin portat, et non aperit, scilicet qui habet sciLnliam, et docere contemnit, vel neghgit ; ihte vero obstaculum ponit, qui per malum e\eraplum alics impeaii ne intrenl, vel , intrare vclint.
Quamvis ergo Scribae et Piiarisa^i pcr Scripturas cognoscereut et scircut Christi advcntum ; tameu ipsicunsiderabant, quod si Christus creditus luissei, consuetudo sacrificiorum ct obJatiunum cessaret, et sic ipsi obJationibus sacriliciorum Iraudarentur ; et ideo prava expositione et perversa inierprelaiione ante conspectum populi claudebant januam Legis et Pruphetarum, qui de adventu Ciiristi manilestissime locuti fucrant, ut a fide Chri^ti homines retraherent. INlalis quoque operibus suis ct exemplissimpJices a fldeavertebant ; et sic eos scandalizantes, reguum coelorum anle illus claudebant. Primo quidem ipsi cognitionem deChristo habuerunt,- sed postea, per invidiam obccccati, perdiderunt, et in errorem conversi sunt, et multus alios errare fecerunt. Vel, secundum alios : regnum coeJorum liic accipitur pro aiterna beatiiudine ; ostium, per quod mtraiur ad ipsam, Chnstus est, secundum quud i[)semet dixit : Eyo sum ostium, pcr me si quis introierit, salvabitur ; clavis est doctrima; et ideo per sanam ductrinam aperitur hoc ostium, et per laJsam Uuctnnam clauditur. lgitur, quia Pharisaei et Scribaj aucturitates,quaj sunt in Lege et Prophctis dc Chri^tu, corrumpebant, ideo rcgnum coelorum ante hoiuiues claudebant, eos a fide et notitia Christi veri avertendo, et in errorem mittendo ; ipsiautem noQ iutrabant, quia a cognitione quam de Christo habuerunt, per odium et rancorem in erroremconversi sunt; nec introeuntes, id est intrare volentes, quales erant simplices populi, sinebaut intrare, quia per eos iuerunt deccpti, et a fide Christi pro majori parte aversi. 3 — In secundo, redarguit eos de gula, et gastnmargia : \ 83 vobis, Scribse et Jfhariswihypocrita? ,5maslibspeciecultusaivini et reJigiouis, orationes lonyas. sciJicetm verbi>,sed breves in alfectu et scntcutiis, orantes, scihcet, utiude saucti(.
resapparerent , et majora doua reciperent,comea^^i6' substautiam paui»erum, scihcet , domos vtduarum, afrecLuni id pietalis ad eos habentium, boiia earum sibi attraheQtes, et consumentes sub simulatione et ialsa specie sanctitatis. Sua enim superstitione nihil intendebant, nisi ut praedam de subjecta plebe lacerent, et magis de viduis, quae facilius decipiuntur, non habentes virum, qui consulat, et habentes dandi libertatem, quod ipsis voluntas suggerit. Et ex hoc, facturn eorum aggravatur, quoniam non a divitibus, sed a viduis venirem implebant ; et illarum inopiam attrahebant, quam emendare oportebat. Ubi Chrysostomus : « Dum Judaicos sacerdotes confundit, Christianus sacerdotes raonet non permanere cuni viduis ampliusquani cum ceteris; qnia etsi voluntas mala non est, suspicio tamen semper nialaest.» Deindeet bujusrapinae modus eratgravior: ut enim dicit idem Chrysostomus,qm makim facit, dignus est p^na; sed qui a religione causam acci|)it malitiae,graviori e^t obnoxius poenje. Unde subjungitur : Propter /toc, scihcetnon soium propter rapmam, sed etiam propler vestram simulationem, amplius accipietis judicium, et majorem damnationem. UbiC/ir? /sos^omws : «Primum quidem pro eo quod figmentum sanctitatis assumitis, avaritiam enim vestram religionis colore depingitis, et quasi diabolo prsestaiis arma Dei, ut armetur iniquitas dum pietas aestimatur.
» Unde, et secundum Bedam, non tantum ait : Accipietis judicium, sed adjunxit : amplius, ut insinuet illos qui orant, ut videantur ab hominibus, damnationem mereri, sed eos qui haec prolixius, quasi religiosiores agendo, non solum laudes ab hominibus, sed et pecunias quaerunt, proiixiori damnatione plectendos. Istorum ergo oratio fit in peccatum, ut non solum pro aliis intercedere non possint, sed nec sibi ad salutem proficere; imo pro ipsis orationibus magis damnabuntur. Ubi ait Isidorus : « Dupliciler damnantur hjpocritse : vel pro occulta iuiquitate, vel pro aperta simulatione. Ex illo enim condemcantm, quia iuiqui sunt; ex isto, quia ostendunt quod non sunt. » Unde, secundum Augustinum, simulata aequitas non est aequitas, sed duplex iniquitas ; et ideo, cum venerit retributio, plectenda majori pcena. 4 — In tertio, redarguit eos de inani labore et de nequilia: Vae vohis, Scrlbse et Pharissei hypocritde, quia, multi vestrum, circuitis mare et aridam, scilicet civitates et villas, lustrantes orbem, ut ex Gentilibus, unum proselytum faciatis, id est aliquem deGentilitate ad Judaismum trahant et convertant; et non propter misericordiam, ut eos salvent, sed aut propter vanam gloriam, ut pietati, fidei, et cuitui Christianae religionisobsistant, aut propter avaritiam, ut addilis in synagoga novis Judaeis, et sacrificiorum oblatio adderetur eis. Proselyti dicuntur, qui, relicto Gentilitatis errore, ad Judaismum convertebantur, quorum raritas per unum significatur. Ubi patet Idbor vacuiis, quia pro uno circumeunt mareet andam multi eorum; sed unus de mille Christus circuit civitalales et villas, et sequuntur eum turbae multae.
Patet eliam nimia ipsoium nequitia, quoniam pro quo laborant. ut ad se trahant, deteriorem se faciuut; sequiturenim : Et cumfactus fuerit, facitis eum filium gehennx^ seu perditionis, duploquam vos. Quia ante, dum ethnicus erat, simpliciter errabat, et semel filius geiiennae erat ; sedposteavidens eorum vitam revertitur ad Gentilitatem, et sic praevaricator et apostata a Lege, quam servare promiserat, in moribus et fide peccat, et est majori poena dignus,quia : Melius esset noncognoscere viamjustitix, quam post agnilionem retrorsum converti. SimWdev faciunt illi qui multum laborant ad hoc quod. possint aliquem ad religionem adducere ; et cum adductus est, per mala exempla faciunt eum apostatare : Et fiunt novissima illius pijora prioribus, quia, ut hic ait Uieronymus, non eo studio servamus quaesita, quo quaerimus. 5 — In quarto, redarguit eos de stultilia et iraudulentia, quia ut populum ad dandum et offerendum invitarent, ea quae erant propter templum et altare, prseferebant ia hoaore et saDctitate iETERNUM. ipsi templo el altari velut sanctiora. Vx vobis, duces caeci, qui dicitis: Quicumque juraverit per templum nihil est : dicebant enim, quod qiiis jiiret pertemplum vel per allare, nihil est, id est nihil debet, ncc obh'gatur isto juramento, et convictusmendacii non tenetur reus perjurii, nec est obiigatus in aliquo; qui autem juraverit in auro templi, id est in pecunia, quae ofTerebatur sacerdotibus in templo, vel in dono, et obiaticnibus, id est in hostia ct victimis quse offeruntur Deo super altare, dcbet, id est obligatur, et convictus statim iJlud in quo juravittenctur exsolvere ; ethoc quam studiosissime solebant repetere.
Sanctio ergo istoruni erat talis quod juramentum per creaturas non erat obligatorium, nisi solum cum jurabatur per aurum et dona temph', et altaris ; in quo non attendebant Dei timorern,sedsuamcupiditatem. Unde decipiebant populum, dicentes aurum et dona sanctiora esse, quam templum et altare, ut homines promptiores fierent ad offerenda dona ; sed errabant, quia majus est quod sanctiiicat, quam quud sanctificatur ; ergo et templum majus est quam aurum, et altare majus quam donum, quia templum et altare quodammodo sanctificant in eis oblata, quia erant Deo dicata; ergo el juramentum per lemplum et aUare majus est, quam per aurum templi vel donum altaris. Unde vocat eos caecos duces, quia in errore erant, et aiios in errorem ducebant ; et iste error maxime ex cupidilate procedebat. Item, convincit eos alia ralione, quia in juramento quod lit per templum, vel per altare, continetur juranienlum per aurum, vel per dcmum : Qui cnim jurat in altari, ex quo derivatur oblationum sanctificalio, pxrat etiam et in omnibus qiise super illud sunt ; et quicumque juraverit \i\ templo, jurat in illo et etiam in eo qui habitat in ipso\ et ideo juramentum per templum, vel altare, magisest obligatorium, quam per dona templi vel altaris, Similiter, quia Judaei consuetudiuem h'ibel)ant per ccelum jurare, ideo ad reprehensionem eorum subdit : Et qui jurat in cobIo, jurat in throno Bei, et in €0. Deo scilicet, qui sedet super eum. Non ei'go sicut arbitraritur evadunt periculum ex eo quod non jurant per Deum, seu per thronum Dei, scihcet coelum. Qui euim per subjectam creaturam jurat, implicite jurat et per Creatorem creaturae praesidentem ; et ideo jurameiitum per creaturas iicitum, est obligatorium. Adhuc multi insipientes Ghristiani eodem vitio et simili erroro laborant.
qui putant majusesse jurareper Evangelium, quam per Deum ; et cum per Evangelium jurare timeant ; per Deumlaiuen frequenter, ex usu vitioso, jurare non formidant, cum tamcn tota sanctitas Evangelii a solo Deo veniat. Scripturae enim Sacrae propter Deum factae sunt, non Deus propter Scripturas; et ideo major est Deus, qui sanctificat Evangelium, quam Evangelium, quod sanctificatur ab eo.
In quinto, redarguit negligentiam et segnitiem,quam habebaut cirea magna et utilia, ad salutem animarurn pertinentia, gerentes autem ma;,mam sollicitudinem et diligentiam circa minuta ettemporalia. V'a? vobis, Scribse etFharisxi hypocritae, qui decimatis mentham et anethum^ et cyminum, id est minimas res ; et reliquistis quae graviora sunt Legis : judicium, scilicet justitiam in judiciis, et misericordiam erga pauperes, et fidem in Deum. Fides imporlat debitum ordinem hominis ad Deum ; judicium autem importat dcbitum ordiuem hominis ad suum proximum, in his quae habent rationem detuti ; misericordia autem, in his quae habent rationem doni : etin his tribus intelligiintur omnia illa, quae ad salutem sunt mulfum nccessaria. Quod autem dicit Dominus : Decimatis, potest dupliciter iutelligi. Uno modo respectusui. quia licetministri receperunt decimas a populo, tamen de illis acceptis a popu o, et de his quae habebant ex labore suo, decimas reddebant sacerdoti summo. Ad simulationem quippe sanclita.
tis reddebant eis decimas de minimi-, et SEGUi\D. E PAUilS CAPUT XXXVlil rationecupiditatis, ut per exemplum SLii inducereiit populura ad reildeadum silji decima-5 ue omiiibus usque ad minima, Aliler potest Jntelligi respeclu aliorum, quos ad stricte solvendum decimas inducebant, quas ab ''is u^ryue ad minim,i exturquebaot. Et ue iiliquis crederet quod de minimis rebus noQ esseat decimge dandse. subjungiL, quocl principaiius oportuit faccre hxc majora, scilicet judicium etmlscricordiam, etea quae sunt fidei agere tamquam magis necessaria: et illa, id est miuora, scilicct mioimarum rerum dccimilionem non omittere, tdmquam bona minora ; quia, praeceplumDeiest de omnibus, tam minoribus qnam majoribus decimas dare, et omnia prcecepta Legis tam maxima quam minima oportet adimplere. Deinde, Dommus bas simulationes corum arguit, quia ei-ant duces babontes regere ponulum, cxci perverleates inieliecium Scripturarum, excolantcs. et purgantes culicem, id est minora cum diJigentia disquirentes et Ira-lanles, camelum autem glulientes, id est majora subticontos, et pro oiiiilo rcputando omiLtenles. CuJcx quipoe auimal parvum cst ab aculeo dicLum, habei enlm in ore fistulam ad modum sLimuli, quo pungit carnem et sugit sanguiuem ; per quod minor tran>gre-sio iuteiligilur. Camelus vero est animal magnum et detorme ; per quod major praRvaricatio designatur.
Ubi Ckrysostomus: « Quoniam Scribarum et Piiarisaeorum ad quus JoquebaLar qai laiu erant sacerdoLes, quidam autem populares, non est incongruum ut duplicem iiujus Joci faciamus tradiLioneai : ut una pertineat ad populares, qai decimas dant, alia auiem ad sacerdotes, qui decimas accipiunt. Eienim ipse sermo dubius est, qui dicit : Vse cobis. . . . qui decimatis, quia et qui accipit deciinas, recte decimare dicitur, et qui dat. iScribai ergo et Pbarisaei minimorum olerum decimas dabant, ut per lioc videnLes eos, dicerent homines : Putas quomodo isti omnium rerum ^uarum decimas oflerre non prsetermittuat , ut etiam contemptibilium olerumdecimas dare non negligant; putis quomodo omnia praecepta Dei vita eorum consummat, ut nec ia modicis his negligere acquie-cant ! Quod nun erat verum.
Nam miaurum quidemrei'um decimas offerebaat, osientaadae reJigionis gratia ; in judiclis autem erant iaju^ii, ia fratribus siae mi-ericordia, ia Deum semper iacrcduii: vere excolaales culicem, camelum autem gluLienLe-; quouiam a modicis quidem deliciis se absLinebant, magna autcm alacriter committebaat. Nuac veaiamus ad sacerdotes. Hi erant avaritia pleai. Si crgo quisdepopulo dei:imam aiicujus rei vcl mia'mae noa obtulisset, iia eum corripiebaat quasi magaum criaien fecisset. Si quis autem ia poimlo, aut in Deum peccabat, aut alLerum laedebaf, aut aiiquid tale faciebat, nemo curabat corripere eum, quasi nullam culuam fecisset. De suo quidcm lucro sollicite agebant; de gjoria veio Dei, etde saiute hoininum, negligebant. Sic et modo fit, quia omues de suo honore suiliciti sunt; de honore autem Dei, nullu'^. Et porLlunes qurppe suas vigilanter aspiciuat etdeienduat; sed circa obsequium Ecdesiae, curamimpendere non atLenduat.
Si populus decimas non obtulcrit, murmuraat omaes ; et si pcccaateai populum videriiit, ocmo murtnurat coutra eos. Ip-i sunt, qui docent populum suo exemplo liquare cuiicem,et camelum glutlre, id e. -t a modico peccato se continere,m;ijoraautemcommitti3re:» haec Chrysostomus. 0 quantum adluic hodie caecitas Scribarum et Pharisaeorum regnat, proh dolor ! in pra3laiis tam reiigiosis, quam secuiaribus: qui soJIiciie curaut de solutione decimarum et censuum,quae eis debcntur, et parum curant, si subditi in majonbus iiivolvanLur crimiaibus; quiminorasubLiliterdiscutiuat,et majora subticeut ; qui magnam in miuimis, siid parvam vel uullam ia oiaxiinis dihgeatiam adhibeut: puta si quempiam de clei'icis suis vel de monachis deprehendunt in ceremoniis exterioribusoffendere, aspere redarguunt ; et si superbus est, aut inviOUIBLS DERETUR V. ^ . ETERNUM. dus, vel detractor, vel seminator cliscoruiae, et turljator pacis.
sub silentio praetereunt ; plus punitur alicfuis pro (tmissione unius conslituLionis vel ac^monilionis, acdetriinsf^^rcssione decre. aliuin et constiiLitionuni liomiiiis,quain de transgressione Evjnigeliorum et maimaturum Gliristi. Curam animarum negligunt, et nei^otia exteriora auunt ; non curant rructum anitnarum, sed evcre-centiam divitiarum; per mundum discurrunt, grcgem sii)i commissum uon cuslodiunt. Custodiat eum, qui custodit Isra(d.
In sexto, ri^darguit eos de simulatione et mendacio, quia plus cuiabant lavare sordes exteriores, quam int(! riores ; plus corporum atque vasorum,* quam morum et viiiorum. Vx vobis, Scribde ct Pharisdei hypocritgs, quia mundatia quod deforis est cal. icis et paropsidis ; intus autem pleni estis rapina et immunditia. Pharisaei enim qiian^lo debebant asc(mdore in tem|)Ium, ad ostentationcm miinditicB, primo lavabant utensilia domus, ac vestinieuta, atque cousimilia ; et parum curabant de iuteriori munditia intrinsecus. Sic etiam, foris ostendebant homimbus sanctitatem in habitu, in sermone, in phylacieriis, in fimbriis, in orationum loni^itudine, et ceteris hujuscemodi ; intriusecus aulem in conscientia et mente erant pleni rapina, per alfectum aiuijitionis, et immuhdifia, per voluptatem carnis : vel rapina, id est avaritia, et immunditia id est sordibus vitiorum : quia quod bibebant et manducabant, aliis auferebant, et per hoc cibus et potus eorum immunditiam pcccatorum habebat. In hoc vero multum errabant, et magna cgecitas eorum erat, cjuia plus curandum est de munditia interiori, quam de exteriori ; quia exterior non est Deo accepta, nisi per interiorem. Tales sunt etiani modo multi, qui sunt sicut fimus nive dealbatus, exterius decorati, et intus iniquitate pleni.
Unde, si quis interiora exterius cvolveret, multum foetorem,multamque saniem inveniret; unde etEzechiel : Fili hominis^ fode parietem, ingredere, et videhis abominationes. Subdit ergo : Phariscee csece, munda prius quod inius est calicis et paropsidis, id cst cor purgaiidum est a vitiis, qnia per interiora calicis et parop^idis inteiligit melaithorice iiiteritra miiutis. ex cujiis muuiliti. i dependet bonitas munditite exteriori^; et ide > s(|uitur: Ut fuit id quod deforis est, muadam, id est, ut vera sit ostmlalio sanc. titatis, non autem inaliLia dissimulationis. Uude Origenes : « Hic scrmo nosinstruit, ut festinemus esse justi, non apparere. Qui enim studet,ut appareat justu>, q:une a foris suuL mundat,et qua^ videuLur curat ; cor autem et conscientiam negHgit. Qui autem studet ea qua3 intus sunt, id est cogitationes mundare, consequens etiam est, ut ea qu;e a foris sunt faciat munda.
» Et notandum quod in triplici vse positum est nomeu caecitatis, 60 quod tri|)lex caecitas arguatur in eis : primo in docendis, scilicet in vde quarto ; secundo in corripiendi-i, sive in cligeudis, sciiicet iu vae quinto ; teriio in agendis, ut hic in vx sexto. 8 V. E siJNT siMiLES. lu septiiuo, rodarguit eos de hypocrisi et iniquitate, quod demonstrat per exemplum sepulchrorum : sepuichra enim dcalbata, et calce ievigata forinsecus, et ornata marmoi-ibus, ac disiincta auro et coloribus speciosa videntur ; atlamen intus propter ossa et putredinem ac fcEtoremsunt horribilia et abominabilia ; unde dicitur sepulchrum, quasi semi pulchrum. Sic erant et Pliarissci, unde dicit Dominus : Vde vobis^ Scribde ct Pharisxi hijpocritde, quia similes estis sepulchris dealbatis, quse a foris parent hominibus speciosa, intus vero plena sunt ossibus mortuorum, et omni spurcitia ; sic et vos a foris quidem paretis hominibus justi, munditiam scilicet, et justitiam in habitu vestis et humilitale verborum, propler boni simulationem, ostendentes; intus autem pleni estis hyprocrisi, id est amore vanae laudis, quantum ad intentionem simulationis, et iniquitate, id est odio veritatis, quantum ad affectionem malignitatis. Exterius habent conversationem honestam, ut cooperiant malitiam occultam. Isti significantur per Bel, qui exterius erat .' Rreus, etintus luteus.
Ubi Chrysostomus : « Mcrito quidemjustorurn corpora templa dicuntur, quia in corpore justi animi dominatur et regnat, quasi Deu^ in templo, vel certe, quia i|)se Deus in corporibas habitat justis. Corpora autetn peccatoru:n, sepulchra dicuntur inortuorunri, qiia anima mortua est in corpone peccatoris, nec eniin vivens putanda est, quae nihil vivum, aut spirituale agit in corpope ; vel, quia mors ip^a in corpoiibus habitat peccatorum. Sicut ergo sepulchrum, quamliu clau^um est, pulchrum videtur a foris, si vero apertum sit, horribile; ita simulatores bonorum, quamdiu non cognoscuntur, laudabiies sunt, cum auiem cogniti tuerint, inveniuntur abominabiles. Dic, o hypjcriU, si bonum est esse maiu n, ut luid non vis apparere quod vis esse ? Si bonum aulem est esse bmum, utquid non vises^e quod vis apparere ? Nam, quod turpe est appirere, turpius est esse ; quod autem formosum est apparere formosius est esse. Ergo aut esto quod appares, aut appare quades; quia mauifestum malum a sapientibus non reprehenditur, dum insania aeslimatur: » haec Chrysostomus. Unde et Bernardus : « Quem dabis de filiis Adam,quiquod est non dico velit, sed vel patiatur videri ?
lu OCtaVO, redarguiteos filiosessehomicidarum. VdBvobis, Scribx et Pharissei hypocritae, qui dedificatis sepulchra Prophetarum et ornatis monumenta justorum. IIli enim |)ropter opinionem bonitatis et gloriae in populo, ut justividerentur, sepulchra et memorias Prophetarum et occisorum ambitiose aedificabant et magnifice ornabant quos majores eoruminierfecerunt. Subditur:£^c^iCi^i5: Si fuissemus in diebus patrum nostrorum, non essemus socii eorum in san~ guine Prophetarum, id est socii ad effundendum sanguinem eorum, nec fecissemusea quae patres nostri fecerunl. In hoc autem testantur se filios eorum qui Prophetasoccideruat; unde subjungit Dominus : Itaque testimonio estis vobismetipsis, quiafiliiestis eorum, qui Prophetas occiderunt. Scelera patrum, propter speciem sanctitatis, verbo suo reprobant ; et persequendo sanctos, ut Christum et discipulos ipsius, eadem scelera faciunt, et sic facto probaut, qaia istorum lilii sunt non solum canne, sed etiam imitatione, non S)lum qumtum adnaturam, sed etiam quantum ad mores. Non enim eos Dominus incusat, quoniam sepulchra aedificant; sed intentionem eorum reprehendit, quia non propter honorem eorum qui occisi faerant, nec propter amorem pietatis et veritatis hoc fecerunt ; sed propter amorem vanae laudis, quam in hoc quaerebant. Unde Chrysostomus: « Qui Martyrum ecclesias aedificant et ornant, bonum opus facere videntur, sed si quidem et alias justitiam Dei custodiant, si de bonis eorum pauperes gaudeat, si aliorum bona per vii)lealiam non faciantsua, scitoquia ad gloriam Dei aedificaat; sinautem, qais noa intelligat, quia non ad gloriam Dei faciunt aeiiiicia illa, sed propteraestimationem humanam sedificant altarii Martyrum, ubi pauperes passi violentiam ab eis interpellant contra eos ?
Non eaim gaudent Martyres, quando ex illis, pecuniis honoraniur, in quibus pauperes plorabunt. Eienim qualis est ista justitia, muaerare mortuos, et spoliare viventes ; de sanguine miserorum tollere, et Deo offerre? Illud non est Deo offerre, sed v. dle violentiae suae socium facere Deum, ut cum oblatam sibi pecuniam de peccato libenter acceperit, consentiat in peccato. Vis ergo domum Dei aedificare? Da fidelibus pauperibus unde vivant, et aedificasti rationabilem domum Dei. In aedificiis eniin homines habitant, Deus autem in hominibus sanctis. Quales ergo illi sunt, qui homines spoliant, et aedificium Martyrum faciunt ; habitationes hominum componunt, et habitationes Dei disturbant?
Quaeest autem justitia Sanctos colere,et contemnere sanctitatem ? Primus gradus pietaiis est sanctitatem diligere, demde Sanctos ; quia non Sancti ante vETERNUM. m sanctilatem fiierunt, sed sanctitas ante Sanctos. Sine causa eruo jiistos honora. qui justitiam spernit; neiiue possuntSancti amici essi^ illorum,quibus Deiis est inimicus. Dicehant apud se : Si bene lecer-imus panperibus, quis illud videt? Et si vidcrint, non multi vident, et si multi viderint, pro tempore vident. Transit tempus, et curn tempore tran-;it beneficii memoria.
Melius est ergo aediQcia facere, quae aspiciant omnes, non in hoc tempore solum, sed etiam in posterum. 0 insipiens homo! Quid prodest tibi, post mortem ista, memoria, si ubi es torqueris, et ubi non es laudaris? » haec Chrysostomus. Deinde probat quod sint filii homicidarum, et oStemiit eos non solum genimina viperarum, quoad malitiam in imitatione malorum, ac paternve nequitiae imitatores; sed etiam parentibus deteriores, et quod fictio erat hoc quod dicebant, scilicet quod non communicassent opcribus eorum, si in tempore illo fuissent. Unde dicit : Et vos implete, id est implcbitis, mensuram patrum vestrorum. Secundum Hieronymum et Chrysostomum, non jubet vel praecipit, sed quod futurum erat praedicit et oslendit. Mensuram enim patrum suorum implere cupiebant, et jam impieverunt, quia quod illis defuit, isti suppleverunt.
Nec solumimpleverunt, sed mensuram multum excesserunt : quoniam illi occiderunt homines, isti vero Dei Filium; illi servos, isti Dominum; illi ministros, isti Regem ; illi membra, isli caput; illi Prophetas, isti Prophetarum Magi-^trum, qui a Prophetis praedictus est, scilicet Christum.
Deiude, postqiiam ostendit Scrihis et PhaiisaeisrnuUipIicemcnIpam,osten(litconsequenter poenam, dicens : Serpentes venenum invidiae hahentes, genimina viperarum, quia venenum malitiae a patribus traxerunt, quomodo fugietis a judicio gehennse? Quasi diceret : Nullo modo, quoniam erantin malitia obstinati. Non solum autem hauc poenam meruerunt, propter mortem Christi, sed etiam propter occisionem Apostolorum et discipulorum ejus ; et propler hoc sequitur : Ideo, scili; cet, quia dicitis, non essemus socii corum, id est homicidarum^ut ostendiiin vcstrum meudacium, ecce ego mitto, seu mittarn, ad vos instrucndos et revocandos ad me, Prophetas et Sapientes et Scribas, scilicet Apostolos, qui spiritu prophetico [)Ieni erant et corda sapientia divina erudiebant, et tamquam Scribai docti de thesauris suis nova et vetera proCerebant; et ex illis occidetis, et crucifigetis , et ftage'lahitis in synagog>s et congregationibus vestris, et persequimini de civitate in civitatem, quod et fecerunt, et quos illi, ideo quia non viderunt non occiderunt, isti videntes eorum desiderium impleverunt; et sic mores patrum iniquorum sequendo, se filios eorum esse testati sunt. Deinde, ut ostendat quoniam non impune hoc faciunt timorcm eis ex his incutit. dicens : Ut veniat, consecutive, quiaest consecutio aequitatis super vos, id est super generationem vestram et omnium malorum vobis consimilem, omnis sanguis justus, id est dehita ultio, pro omni effusione sauguinis justorum, a sanguine Abel justi, cujus munera narrautur a Deo accepta, iisque ad sanguinem Zacharide filii Barachix, id est Joiadae sacerdutis, qui propter suam justitiam dictus Barachias, qui benedictus Domini interpretatur; quem occidistis, id est vestra «. ^eneratio vobis similis occidit, infer templum et altare, scilicet holocaustorum, quod erat extra templum, scilicet in atrio ipsius templi. Sed licet multi post et aute, ab hac generatione sint occisi, tamen potius nominat istos duos quam alios : ut in uno laici, scilicet in Abel, qui fuit pastor ovium, et in campo necatus ; in alio clerici, scilicet in Zacharia, qui fuit altaris officio mancipatus, et in atrio templi occisus, intelligantur; et per hos duosomnes sancti Martyres, laicalis scilicet etsacerdotalis ordinis, designantur. Se(\u\iw?
diWi^m'. Amen, dicovohis,venient omnia, sciUcetsceiera etscelerum punitiones,SMper generationem istam,scilicet vestram et oranium malorum ; et si noii orniies sint uno tempore, tamen omnes sunt unum corpns diaboli.
Deinde, convertit sermonem specialiter ad metropolim civitatem J*tusalem, in qua erant magis culpabiies, eam pii patris aflectu plangendo, et ex hoc auditores erudiendo, dicens : JermaJem, Jerusalem. Jcrusalem vocat habifatores, non aedifi*cia civitatis, ponendo continen«^ pro contento ; et alloquitnr hic populum Judaicum, sub nomine civitatis metropolitaiise. Geminatio vero hujus verbi Jerusalem, miserantis est, et miseri;im vocantis, ac valde diligentis; vel, geminatpropter vehementem reprehensionem, et majorem evprobationem ; vel, qiiia Sanctos affligebant dupliciter : et corporaliter, et spiritualiter. Qaae occidis Prophetas, Dominum etiam Prophetarum mox occisura; et lapidas eos, qui ad te, id est, qiii ad tuam utilitatem et in^^tructionem, et ad increpandum scelera tua, missi sunt, Ideo incurabilis est plaga, quia eos abjicis, qui tibi salutem ofTerunt. Unde Chrysostomus : « Quomodo saneris, quae nulUim ad te medicum pervenire permittis ? Sanctis meis non peperci, ut tibi parcercm peccatrici. Illoruni vitam neglexi, ne mortem tuani viderem. Omnes medici spirituales in te defecerunt, et tu curata non es.
Si de morte tua gavisus fuissem, numquam ad te misissem Prophetas. Si te perdere voluissem,numquamadteipsevenissem. Quid ego amplius faciam, si tu ipsa vivere non vis? » haec Chrysostomus. Subdit ergo : Quoties volui , ego qui mortem peccatoris nolo, ego qui omnes peccatores salvare volo, non quidem semel vel bis, sed multoties : primo, per legem naturae ; secundo, perLegem Scripturae; tertio,per Legem gratise ; item in mane pueritiae, in tertia adolescentia^, in sexta juventutis, in nona senectutis, la vespere decrepitae aetatis, congregare sub cultu unius Dei per fidem et caritatem, filios tuos, scilicet JudaBos, praedicationibus Prophetarum et miraculis, et te mihi adjungere et meis. Multi sunt dispersores, sed pauci ad bonum congregatores: dispergit enim diabolus, disperiiit munrlus, dispergit carnalis affectus, dispergunt tentatores. Sed Dominus vult congregare in unitatem fidci, in unitatem caritatis, in unitatem supernae civitalis. Sequitur : Quemadmodum qallina congregat puUos suos sub alas; ponit exemnlum de gallina, ad ostendendum affectum suum ad popnlum, quia inter aliis aves,videtur magis atfici ad nutritionem et conservatiouem pullorum;tam magnum enim affectam in filios habet,ut eorum infirmitate affecta infirmetur et ipsa,et eos alis prote gens, contra milvum pugnet.
Sic et Deisapientiaper carnis susceptionem infirmata protegit nos, et defendit a diaholo, ac nutrit et conservat sua gratia. Et noJuisti. quinimo neglexisti, contradixisti, et impedivi^ti. , quia Prophetas a Deo missos, nostea Joannem Baptistam, et ultimo . Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum etejus di^cipiilos contempserunt, imo et occiderimt. Ac si ci diceret : Ego volui, sed tu noluisti; ego quod meum est feci, sed tu quod tuu n erat non fecisti;ego pro tua salute Prophetas ad te misi, sed tu eos interfecisti ; ego ad te ipseveni, ettume recipere noluisti. Tibi ergo imputandum et tuae malitiae. quod venturum est, non mihi.
0 quoties nos admonet Deus : modo blanditiis, modo increpationibus, nunc sic, nunc sic ; et parum advertimus! Et ideo valde timenda est nobis poena quae sequitur.
Tandem enim, Dominus ex multiplici eorum culpa, multiplicem etiam eis comminatur poenam. Primo, temporalem, quam plus timebant et semper formidabant, subversionem scilicet civitatis, et templi desertionem, dicens : Ecce relinquetur vobis a Deo domusvestra, scilicet templum et civitas deserta, quia per Romanos fueruntdestructa ; deserta quidem et nudata auxilio Christi, quia habitatorem Christum reliquerunt ac perdiderunt, ethereditatem praeripere gestientes, heredem occiderunt. Ergo Ghristus erat qui autea eis praesideOriBUS DEBETIIR V;E . ETETINUM. Vid bat, et eos manu tenobat ac giibernahat et ab hostiiifn manihiis eripiebat. Item, d<\srTta Ano-elornm cnstodia, qiiia aiidita est vox in tomplo: Tr. insoamus ab his sedibus. My^tice etiam, domusJudseoruni deserta etvacua flerelicta est, id est inclio-ni habitufline Sancti Spiritus romanserunt, quia in incrediditat.
ne persoverantes, Christum hospitem nou susceperunt. Ul)i Chri/sostomus : « Desorta est a Sanctis, deserta a sanctitafe, a fide, a carit-ite, a s^ntia et Spiritu Sancto. Deserta «lenique ab ip^o Deo, et a bonis omnibus qune sunt Dci. » Ubi et Oviqenes : « Semner etiam eis, qui nohierant conG:rei? ari snb alas ipsiu^, c oniminatiir Ghristus: Ecce relinque' tur vobi. s domiis vestra desertas, id est : anima et corpos. » — Deinle comminitur eis poenam aeternam, quoe est carentia sune visionis, nisi a suis convertmtur nequitiis, dicens : Dico enim vobis, non me, et faciem meam videbitis amodo ab hoc, scilicet tempore Passionis mene, doaec dicatis : Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini, id est doaec etiam inviti confiteamini me esse Christum benedictum Filiiim, a Patre missum, a Propheti-; pnTidictiim ; qiiod erit ia a^lventii claritatis adjndiciiim ; juxta illud Zacharine : Aspicient nd me, quem confixerunt. Revera enim post Passioncm suam visus est a discipulis et amicis suis ; sed non a Jndneis.
Vel, 7ion videbiti^ m. e, id est nisi. et doaec dicatis poeniteudo, et me Dei Filium por fidem conriteado : Bcncdictus qui venlt in nomine Dimini, id est : hic est benedictns qui venitiu mundiim, X>QV Incarnationem, mis>us a Pitre; inqiio inuiiiturconversio reliqniarum ante advontum ai judicinm; tiinc enim Judaei qui in fine mundi credituri sunt in Ghristum, laulabunt et conritobuntur ipsum.
Et, his dictis, eqressns Dominus Jesus de templo ibat cum 'liscioulis, id est recessil a Judasis. Ubi Oriqenes : « Sod et unu3qiu'sqne, cum sit tomplum Dei, proptor Spiritum Dei inhihitantom in se, iose fit ciusa suae desertionis, ut e^rediatur Christus ab 60 : » haec Origenes. ORATIO Domine Jesu Christe, qui Le^i et praeceptis tuis obedientibus das benedictiones, et inobodientibus maledictionos,da mihi de tua largitate ipsis tuis prseceptis semper obtemperare, et errores hypocritarum in omnihus evitare; da mihi tuis monilionihus, et heneplacitis sine taedio acqniescere, ot me sine negligeutia emendare ; ut tandem in adventu claritatis tuae ad jiidicium, te benedictum, ad plenam nostram redemptionem, hoc est perfectam corporis ct animae libertdtem manifeste venieatem, laetus aspiciam : et cum electis tuis te siae fiae beaedicam. Amea.
Scripture echoes
- ↩John.10.9 — I am the door. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved, and will go in and out, and will find pasture.
- ↩Matt.23.13 — But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you yourselves do not enter, nor do you allow those who are trying to enter to go in.
- ↩Matt.23.33 — You serpents, you brood of vipers, how can you escape the judgment of Gehenna?
- ↩Matt.23.32 — And you, fill up the measure of your fathers.
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin 'Magi-^trum' is a clear typo for 'Magistrum'.
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