It was not immediately after he had spoken the preceding words that Christ entered Capharnaum, for in the interim he healed the man afflicted with the leprosy, according as St. Matthew related it in its proper place. (St. Augustine)... [ Continue Reading ]
This history, though different in some circumstances from that related by St. Matthew, chap. viii., is most likely a relation of the same event, and the apparent discrepancies may be easily reconciled. St. Matthew says it was the centurion's boy; St. Luke calls him his servant: but in these terms th... [ Continue Reading ]
When St. Luke says that the centurion begs of our Lord to come to him, he must not be supposed to contradict St. Matthew, who says, that the centurion objected he was not worthy to receive him under his roof. St. Luke seems here to relate the words of the Jews, who most probably would stop the centu... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus Christ went with them, not because he could not cure him, when absent, but that he might set forth the centurion's humility for our imitation. He would not go to the child of the ruler of the synagogue, lest he might appear to be induced by the consideration of his consequence and riches; but... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Lord does not speak of the patriarchs, but of the Israelites of his own time, with whose faith he compares and prefers that of the centurion, because they had the assistance of the law and of the prophets; but this man, without any such instruction, willingly believed. (Ven. Bede)... [ Continue Reading ]
_Naim is a city of Galilee, about two miles from Mount Thabor. It was by divine dispensation, that so very great a multitude was present on this occasion, in order to witness this stupendous miracle. (Ven. Bede) --- The burying-places of the Jews were out of the precincts of the city, as well for th... [ Continue Reading ]
The evangelist seems to relate this miracle, as if it had happened by mere accident; though, beyond a doubt, divine Providence disposed all things to increase the splendour of the miracle. Jesus Christ would not raise this young man to life before he was carried out to be buried, that he might meet... [ Continue Reading ]
Here Christ shews that he raised the dead by his own power, and at his own command: _I say to thee, arise. This shews that it is the voice of God that speaks; for the dead can hear the voice of him alone, according to St. John. Amen, I say to you, the hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hea... [ Continue Reading ]
_And there came a fear on them all; i.e. a certain reverential awe and trepidation seized them, and an uncommon degree of astonishment at the divinity which appeared to them. (Menochius) --- And they glorified God: ( Greek: edoxazan) they gave praise and glory to God for thus visiting his people, by... [ Continue Reading ]
_The men; ( Greek: oi andres) viz. the two disciples sent by John the Baptist, who delivered their master's message; but, before Jesus Christ undertook to reply to their question, he performed on the spot various kinds of miracles._... [ Continue Reading ]
Then addressing himself to these disciples of John the Baptist, he ordered them to go and relate to their master all they had seen and heard; and to tell him, that he declared all those to be happy, who, strong in faith, should not take occasion to doubt of his divine power, (the proofs of which the... [ Continue Reading ]
Because the Scripture styles him an angel; or, because he is the immediate precursor of him who all the prophets announced at a distance.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Justified God; i.e. feared and worshipped God, as just, merciful, &c. (Witham) --- There are only two different sets of men, who glorified God for the baptism of John, and these seemed the most remote from works of piety; viz. the ignorant multitude, who scarcely knew the law; and the publicans, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_Speaking one to another: ( Greek: prosphonousin allelois) they seem to have been alternate choirs of youths, answering each other in the above words. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_A woman in the city, who was a sinner. Some say she had only been of a vain airy carriage; on that loved to be admired from her beauty and wit; but the common exposition and more conformable to the text, is, that she had been of a lewd, debauched life and conversation. (Witham) --- Mary Magdalene._... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus Christ was then at table, after the manner of the Orientals, reclined at length on a couch, a little raised from the ground, having his face turned towards the table, and his feet extended. He had quitted his sandals, according to the custom of the country, before he had laid himself on the co... [ Continue Reading ]
The Pharisee was egregiously deceived. 1. In thinking that Christ was ignorant of the character of the woman, when he not only clearly saw the past bad conduct of the woman, but the present unjust thoughts of the Pharisee; 2. in his erroneous inference that Christ could not be a prophet; for all thi... [ Continue Reading ]
Which will live him most? as we read in the Protestant version, and in the Greek, _agapesei. But Christ, seeming to require love as a previous disposition to the remission of sins, as appears from ver. 47 below, the Catholic Church has adopted the version of St. Augustine, hom. xxiii. in the present... [ Continue Reading ]
In proportion to our sins, should be our grief, says St. Cyprian: ut p\'9cnitentia non sit minor crimine. (lib. de lapsis.)... [ Continue Reading ]
_Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. In the Scripture, an effect sometimes seems attributed to one only cause, when there are divers other concurring dispositions; the sins of this woman, in this verse, are said to be forgiven, because she loved much; but (ver. 50,) Christ tells... [ Continue Reading ]
This is one of those places upon which modern sectaries lay so much stress, in order to prove that faith alone can save us. But if they will attentively consider the different parts of this history, they will easily discover that fallacy of their argument. Because Christ spoke these words: thy faith... [ Continue Reading ]