Commentary on Matthew, Series
Series opens: law and prophets hang on love§1
1Commentariorum Series — the old Latin interpretation of Origen on Matthew. After the commands to love God and neighbor, ask how all the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments. Whoever has fulfilled love of God and neighbor is worthy of wisdom and a word of knowledge through the Spirit, and rejoices in the wisdom of God.
Latin · §1
Commentariorum Series — Veteris interpretationis Origenis in Matthaeum. Post mandata dilectionis Dei et proximi quaeritur quomodo omnis lex et prophetae pendeant in duobus mandatis. Qui implevit dilectionem Dei et proximi dignus est sapientia et sermone scientiae per Spiritum, et exsultat in sapientia Dei.
Christ knows himself as David’s seed and eternal Word§2
2The Savior knew himself made from the seed of David according to the flesh, predestined Son of God in power; I am the way and the truth and the life; before Abraham I am; the Word that was in the beginning with God. The Pharisees knew the human dispensation from David’s seed, but not the deeper things. Glory to Christ. Amen.
Latin · §2
Salvator cognoscebat seipsum factum ex semine David secundum carnem, praedestinatum Filium Dei in virtute; Ego sum via, veritas et vita; ante Abraham ego sum; Verbum quod erat in principio apud Deum. Pharisaei sciebant quod secundum dispensationem humanam de semine David erat, profundiora vero nesciebant. Gloria Christo. Amen.
Whitewashed tombs — simulated justice is dead§3
3Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are like whitewashed tombs — fair outside, full of dead bones within. So you appear righteous to people, yet inside are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Every pretended justice is a dead justice.
Latin · §3
Vae vobis Scribae et Pharisaei hypocritae, quia similes estis sepulcris dealbatis, quae a foris parent speciosa, intus plena ossibus mortuorum. Sic et vos a foris paretis justi, intus pleni hypocrisi et iniquitate. Omnis justitia simulata mortua justitia est.
Moses’ seat; easy yoke; shutting the kingdom§4
4Those who sit on Moses’ seat do all their works to be seen by people. The bodily law’s burden is heavy; Christ’s yoke is easy and his burden light — the Gospel as spiritual law. They shut the kingdom of the heavens, neither entering nor letting others in. Glory to Christ. Amen.
Latin · §4
Qui sedent super cathedram Moysi omnia opera sua faciunt ut ab hominibus videantur. Onus legis corporale grave est; jugum Christi suave et onus leve — Evangelium lex spiritalis. Claudunt regnum caelorum nec ipsi intrant nec alios introire sinunt. Gloria Christo. Amen.
Gethsemane: beginning to be sorrowful§5
5Taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. These same disciples he had taken onto the mountain when he was to be transfigured. He began to be sorrowful — there is a great difference between being sorrowful and beginning to be sorrowful. Tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin, he was not simply swallowed by the passion’s sadness but, according to human nature, began.
Latin · §5
Accipiens Petrum et duos filios Zebedaei coepit tristari et taediari. Hos ipsos discipulos assumpsit et in monte cum transfigurandus esset. Coepit tristari — multum interest inter tristari et incipere tristari. Tentatus per omnia secundum similitudinem praeter peccatum, non tristatus est tristitia passionis ipsius sed secundum humanam naturam coepit.
Let this cup pass — true flesh, true will§6
6Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will. Taking human flesh’s nature he fulfilled all its properties so he would not be thought to have flesh only in appearance but in truth. It belongs to every faithful human first not to want to suffer, especially unto death; yet if God wills, to consent even against one’s own will. Glory to Christ. Amen.
Latin · §6
Pater, si possibile est, transeat calix iste a me; verumtamen non sicut ego volo sed sicut tu. Suscipiens naturam carnis humanae omnes proprietates implevit ut non in phantasia carnem habuisse existimaretur sed in veritate. Proprium est omnis hominis fidelis primum nolle pati, maxime usque ad mortem; si autem voluerit Deus, acquiescere etiam contra voluntatem suam.
Drawing near to betray is not drawing near to Jesus§7
7See, the one who betrays me has drawn near. It is not the same to draw near to Jesus and to draw near in order to hand him over. The traitor had already lengthened the distance by his sins and by the plot to betray; he drew near to deliver the Son of God whom he had already sold. All transgressors first betray Jesus, then hand him over.
Latin · §7
Ecce appropinquavit qui me tradet. Non idem est appropinquare Jesu et appropinquare ad tradendum. Traditor elongaverat se peccatis a Jesu, et proditione qua tradere eum consiliatus est; appropinquavit ad tradendum Filium Dei quem jam prodiderat. Omnes transgressores prius produnt Jesum, postea tradunt.
Judas and the armed crowd§8
8While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests. Some say they feared the multitude of believers would snatch him away; I think they supposed he could escape by magical arts — having heard how he had once slipped those who would throw him down. Glory to Christ. Amen.
Latin · §8
Et adhuc eo loquente, ecce Judas unus ex duodecim venit, et cum eo turba multa cum gladiis et fustibus missi a principibus sacerdotum. Propter multitudinem credentium timuerunt ne raperetur; ego autem existimo eos putasse eum magicis disciplinis posse effugere. Gloria Christo. Amen.
Peter’s bold promise and the Spirit not yet given§9
9If Peter had asked for that grace, perhaps — with the servant-girls and outer attendants removed — he would not have denied. For he could not yet confess the Lord in the Holy Spirit when the Spirit had not yet been given. His bold promise became the occasion that he not only stumbled but denied three times.
Latin · §9
Si eum postulasset Petrus, forsitan amotis ancillis non denegasset. Nec enim poterat fieri ut facta interrogatione confiteretur Dominum in Spiritu sancto, cum Spiritus sanctus nondum fuisset datus. Audax promissio facta est ei causa ut non solum scandalizaretur verum etiam ter denegaret.
Rooster, threefold denial, Nineveh analogy§10
10Amen I say to you, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. One asks whether, if he had begged that the foreknown denial be turned aside, he might not have denied — as when God, entreated by the Ninevites, did not do what he had announced through Jonah. Glory to Christ. Amen.
Latin · §10
Amen dico tibi, priusquam gallus cantet, ter me negabis. Quaeritur utrum si deprecatus fuisset ut repelleretur praecognita denegatio, forsitan non denegasset — sicut Ninivitis exoratus quae per Jonam praedixerat non fecit. Gloria Christo. Amen.
Title on the cross: King of the Jews§11
11They put over his head the charge written: This is Jesus, the king of the Jews. By occasion or by truth Christ is proclaimed king, and every letter — Greek, Roman, Hebrew — witnesses his kingdom. No other cause of death is found except: he was King of the Jews — I have been set as king by him on Zion.
Latin · §11
Et imposuerunt super caput eius causam eius scriptam: Hic est Jesus rex Iudaeorum. Occasione sive veritate Christus rex pronuntiatur, et omnis littera regnum eius testatur, sive Graecorum sive Romanorum sive Hebraeorum. Nulla alia causa mortis invenitur nisi: Rex fuit Iudaeorum — Ego autem constitutus sum rex ab eo super Sion.
Guards bribed; false witness after the rising§12
12Gathered with the elders they took counsel to give money to the soldiers to say: His disciples stole him by night while we slept. Those who read You shall not bear false witness invited others into false witness. Glory to Christ rising. Amen.
Latin · §12
Congregati cum senioribus consilium acceperunt ut darent pecuniam militibus, ut dicerent: Discipuli eius nocte furati sunt eum, dormientibus nobis. Qui legebant Non falsum testimonium dices alios ad falsum testimonium invitabant. Gloria Christo resurgenti. Amen.