But thou, O Lord, hast shewn me, and I have known: then thou shewedst me their doings.19 And I was as a meek lamb, that is carried to be a victim: and I knew not that they had devised counsels against me, saying: Let us put wood on his bread, and cut him off from the land of the living, and let his name be remembered no more.20 But thou, O Lord of Sabaoth, who judgest justly, and triest the reins and hearts, let me see thy revenge on them: for to thee I have revealed my cause.
That the Jews would fasten Christ to the cross.… Also in Jeremiah: "Come, let us cast the tree into his bread, and let us blot out his life from the earth."
O Lord my God, in thee have I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me.3 Lest at any time he seize upon my soul like a lion, while there is no one to redeem me, nor to save.9 The Lord judgeth the people. Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice, and according to my innocence in me.10 The wickedness of sinners shall be brought to nought: and thou shalt direct the just: the searcher of hearts and reins is God.11 Just is my help from the Lord: who saveth the upright of heart.12 God is a just judge, strong and patient: is he angry every day?
Cush is the one who went to Abasalom in the guise of a traitor, and brought to naught the counsel of Ahithophel and saved David from death. When David learned of these things, he knew that his Savior was not a man but God.
Of that multitude therefore, when they had heard these words of his, some said: This is the prophet indeed.41 Others said: This is the Christ. But some said: Doth the Christ come out of Galilee?42 Doth not the scripture say: That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and from Bethlehem the town where David was?43 So there arose a dissension among the people because of him.†44 And some of them would have apprehended him: but no man laid hands on him.45 The ministers therefore came to the chief priests and the Pharisees. And they said to them: Why have you not brought him?46 The ministers answered: Never did man speak like this man.47 The Pharisees therefore answered them: Are you also seduced?48 Hath any one of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees?49 But this multitude, that knoweth not the law, are accursed.50 Nicodemus said to them, (he that came to him by night, who was one of them:)51 Doth our law judge any man, unless it first hear him, and know what he doth?52 They answered, and said to him: Art thou also a Galilean? Search the scriptures, and see, that out of Galilee a prophet riseth not.†53 And every man returned to his own house.†
(Hom. lii. 1) They make use of the most foolish argument against them: Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him? but this people who knoweth not the law are cursed? This then was their ground of accusation, that the people believed, but they themselves did not.
(Hom. li. 2.) But be it so, they knew not His birth-place: were they ignorant also of His extraction? that He was of the house and family of David? Why did they ask, Hath not the Scripture said, that Christ cometh of the seed of David? They wished to conceal His extraction, and therefore put forward where He had been educated. For this reason, they do not go to Christ and ask, How say the Scriptures that Christ must come from Bethlehem, whereas Thou comest from Galilee? purposely and of malice prepense they do not do this. And because they were thus inattentive, and indifferent about knowing the truth, Christ did not answer them: though He had lauded Nathanael, when he said, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? and called Him an Israelite indeed, as being a lover of truth, and well learned in the ancient Scriptures.
(Hom. lii. 1) The Pharisees and Scribes profited nothing by seeing the miracles, and reading the Scriptures; but their officers, who had done neither, were captivated with once hearing Him; and they who went to take hold of Him, were themselves taken hold of by the miracle. Nor did they say, We could not because of the multitude: but made themselves proclaimers of Christ’s wisdom: The officers answered, Never man spake like this Man.
(Hom. lii. 1) Not only is their wisdom to be admired, for not wanting miracles, but being convinced by His teaching only, (for they do not say, Never man did such miracles as this Man, but, Never man spake like this Man,) but also their boldness, in saying this to the Pharisees, who were such enemies of Christ. They had not heard a long discourse, but minds unprepossessed against Him did not require one.
(Hom. lii. 1) As they said that none of the rulers believed on Him, the Evangelist contradicts them: Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them.)
(Hom. lii. 1, 2) Nicodemus shews that they knew the law, and did not act according to the law. They, instead of disproving this, take to rude and angry contradiction: They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee?
(Hom. lii. 2.) Then, by way of insult, they direct Him to the Scriptures, as if He were ignorant of them; Search and look, for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet: as if to say, Go, learn what the Scriptures say.
About CSB. A personal translation of the New Testament, rendered directly from the public-domain Greek in a literary style — not a scholarly critical edition, and not for liturgical or doctrinal authority. It is one reader's work, offered for enjoyment; where it matters, weigh it against an established translation. (Placeholder text — final wording to come.)