Now king Antiochus was going through the higher countries, and he heard that the city of Elymais in Persia was greatly renowned, and abounding in silver and gold.2 And that there was in it a temple, exceeding rich: and coverings of gold, and breastplates, and shields which king Alexander, son of Philip the Macedonian that reigned first in Greece, had left there.3 Lo, he came, and sought to take the city and to pillage it: But he was not able, because the design was known to them that were in the city.4 And they rose up against him in battle, and he fled away from thence, and departed with great sadness, and returned towards Babylonia.5 And whilst he was in Persia, there came one that told him, how the armies that were in the land of Juda were put to flight:6 And that Lysias went with a very great power, and was put to flight before the face of the Jews, and that thy were grown strong by the armour, and power, and store of spoils, which they had gotten out of the camps which they had destroyed:7 And that they had thrown down the abomination which he had set up upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls as before, and Bethsura also his city.8 And it came to pass when the king heard these words, that he was struck with fear, and exceedingly moved: and he laid himself down upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not fallen out to him as he imagined.9 And he remained there many days: for great grief came more and more and more upon him, and he made account that he should die.10 And he called for all his friends, and said to them: Sleep is gone from my eyes, and I am fallen away, and my heart is cast down for anxiety.11 And I said in my heart: Into how much tribulation am I come, and into what floods of sorrow, wherein now I am: I that was pleasant and beloved in my power!12 But now I remember the evils that I have done in Jerusalem, from whence also I took away all the spoils of gold, and of silver that were in it, and I sent to destroy the inhabitants of Juda without cause.13 I know therefore that for this cause these evils have found me: and behold I perish with great grief in a strange land.
Higher, beyond the Euphrates [River], chap. iii. 30, 37. (Calmet) — The city. Greek Alexandrian, &c., “a city in Elymais,” &c. The Roman copy, Syriac, Josephus, style the place Elymais, where the temple was. (Calmet) — Profane authors agree that this temple was very rich, and that Epiphanes attempted to plunder it. (St. Jerome, in Daniel xi.) — Nanea. Venus or Diana was the deity there adored, whom the king pretended he would marry, 2 Machabees i. 13., and ix. 2. (Calmet) — The account of the death of Epiphanes is given to ver. 16., and 2 Machabees ix. (Worthington)
Battle. It is not known whether Elymais belonged to the king. Strabo (16) observes it was very jealous of its liberty, which it maintained against the Persians and the successors of Alexander [the Great]. (Calmet) — Babylonia. At last he returned towards the country of Babylon. But before he arrived, the news of his generals’ bad success in Judea filled him with vexation, and brought on desperate diseases, ver. 8., and 2 Machabees ix. 5. (Worthington) — He intended to pass by the country or city of Babylon, but was prevented by illness on the mountains which divide it from Persia.
Responsorial Psalm — Psalm 9:2-3, 4 and 6, 16 and 19
The psalm's verse numbering differs between the modern lectionary and the Douay-Rheims this library hosts, so the text isn't matched verse-for-verse here yet.
And there came to him some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is any resurrection, and they asked him,28 Saying: Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he leave no children, that his brother should take her to wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.30 And the next took her to wife, and he also died childless.31 And the third took her. And in like manner all the seven, and they left no children, and died.32 Last of all the woman died also.33 In the resurrection therefore, whose wife of them shall she be? For all the seven had her to wife.34 And Jesus said to them: The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:35 But they that shall be accounted worthy of that world, and of the resurrection from the dead, shall neither be married, nor take wives.36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.37 Now that the dead rise again, Moses also shewed, at the bush, when he called the Lord, The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;†38 For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live to him.39 And some of the scribes answering, said to him: Master, thou hast said well.40 And after that they durst not ask him any more questions.
The heresy of the Sadducees not only denies the resurrection of the dead, but also believes the soul to die with the body. Watching then to entrap our Saviour in His words, they proposed a question just at the time when they observed Him teaching His disciples concerning the resurrection; as it follows, And they asked him, saying, Master, Moses wrote to us, If a brother, &c.
But because the Lord says in Matthew, which is here omitted, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, (Mat. 22:29.) I ask the question, where is it so written, They shall neither marry, nor be given in marriage? for as I conceive there is no such thing to be found either in the Old or New Testament, but the whole of their error had crept in from the reading of the Scriptures without understanding; for it is said in Esaias, My elect shall not have children for a curse. (Isai. 65:23.) Whence they suppose that the like will happen in the resurrection. But Paul interpreting all these blessings as spiritual, knowing them not to be carnal, says to the Ephesians, Ye have blessed us in all spiritual blessings. (Eph. 1:3.)
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.)