Thomas Aquinas

Above you have heard how the Lord satisfied the disciples, and rebuked them; here he shows how the Pharisees are checked. And he does two things: first he shows how he refutes the Pharisees; second, how the disciples are commended. And in the first he does two things: first he shows how those who disparage the disciples are confuted; second, how those who disparage Christ himself, there, "And when he had departed from there," etc. Concerning the first, first the occasion of the rebuke is set forth; second, the rebuke, there, "But the Pharisees seeing it," etc.; third, Christ's excuse, there, "But he said to them," etc. Now a twofold occasion is set forth: one on the side of Christ, the second on the side of the disciples, there, "And his disciples being hungry began to pluck the ears of corn." On the side of Christ he says, "At that time Jesus went through the corn on the sabbath." The Lord knew that the disciples were going to do this, and yet the Lord chose that this happen, so that he might now begin to loosen the sabbath, as is had above in chapter 11:13: "the law and the prophets prophesied until John." But it must be noted that it says "at that time"; because although what is set down here as an indication of time seems to pertain to the order of the history, Luke 6:1 and Mark 2:23 recount it in a different order; hence after that which the Lord answers to the disciples of John, this is set down: whence all the preceding things seem to have been done before the death of John, but this after. And this is clear through all the things that are said up to chapter 14, which are continuous, and there mention is made of John's death; therefore it must be understood that as his passion drew near John sent his disciples, and then he was beheaded, and then these things were done after his death. "Jesus went through the corn on the sabbath." By corn of this kind the sacred letters are understood. The sower is Christ; below, 13:37: "it is he who sows." Likewise the people of believers. "But his disciples being hungry began to pluck the ears of corn." Here two things are to be considered. First, the necessity, because they were hungry. And why? Because they were poor; hence 1 Corinthians 4:11: "even unto this hour we both hunger and thirst," etc. The second reason is that they were daily hindered on account of the crowds; hence they scarcely had a place to eat, as is had in Mark 6:31. But how did they satisfy themselves? An example of abstinence is given to us; hence these men sought not great dishes, but ears of corn, according to that word of 1 Timothy 6:8: "having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content." Mystically, in the plucking of the ears of corn is understood the manifold sense of the Scriptures, or the conversion of sinners. Then he sets down the rebuke of the Pharisees: "But the Pharisees seeing it said to him: Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful for them to do on the sabbath days." The disciples were doing two evil things: first, because they were plucking another's ears of corn; second, because they were violating the sabbath. But the Pharisees were not rebuking the first, because that was permitted in the law, Deuteronomy 23; therefore, because it was permitted, they were not calumniating on that score, but because it was on the sabbath, they were calumniating. And by this the heresy of the Hebrews is destroyed, who said that the precepts of the law must be observed along with the Gospel. And because Paul opposes this opinion, they therefore reject Paul. Against these Jerome argues, because even the disciples were not observing them. "But he said to them." Here the excuse is set down. And first by certain examples; second by authority, there, "But if you knew," etc. Concerning the first he does two things. First he sets down an example in which some are excused on account of necessity; second, in which some are excused on account of holiness, there, "Or have you not read in the law," etc. He says therefore, "But he said," etc. It is read in Leviticus 24:5 that from pure fine flour twelve loaves were made, and these were placed on the table of proposition on the sabbath, and on another sabbath they were removed, and others were placed, and those first ones were eaten by the sons of Aaron. Likewise it is had in 1 Kings 21:6 that when David fled from Saul, Ahimelech divided those loaves among them: and this is what he says, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry?" For this David was a good man, of whom the Lord says that he found a man according to his own heart, 1 Kings 13:14. But someone might say: David himself was a prophet, and therefore was able to take them; hence he adds, "and they that were with him." They were called loaves of proposition, which were offered on the sabbath, which it was not lawful to use according to the precept, as is had in Leviticus 24:5. But what is this to the point? Because when he did this, it was the sabbath. And this is clear, because it says there, "I have no bread but that which I took away from the table of the Lord," and he did this only on the sabbath. Likewise on the day of the Calends the feast of the New Moon took place: therefore if it fell on the sabbath, it was violated out of necessity. But still it seems that he did not violate it, because to eat on the sabbath is not a sin: hence it seems that he did not violate it. But Chrysostom says that he violated the sabbath the more, because he took those loaves which it was not lawful for anyone to eat, on account of necessity. Now the sabbath is found to have been violated by the Maccabees on account of necessity. Likewise it must be noted, as Chrysostom says, that some precepts are commanded for their own sake, and these can be broken by no necessity; but some are commanded not for their own sake but for the sake of a figure, and therefore such precepts can be set aside according to place and time; just as fasting can now be set aside in necessity. Now that bread was the figure of another bread, namely the bread of the altar, which is received not only by the priest but also by the rest of the people; therefore David there figures the people. Hence Apocalypse 5:10: "Thou hast made us to our God a kingdom and priests." Likewise another example is set down, which is set forth on account of holiness. And this is there, "Or have you not read in the law, that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple break the sabbath?" In Leviticus it was commanded that the offering be doubled on the sabbath, which used to be made on the other days, and yet it was made in the temple, and on the sabbath, because it was done for the service of the temple and of God: hence the priests were excused. Hence this example is applied, because the apostles were wholly devoted to one greater than the temple, namely Christ: hence he says, "Have you not read that the priests violated the sabbath? Unless it were on account of the temple." "But I tell you, that there is here a greater than the temple." Here an adverb of place is set down, in whose service they act. And that something greater than the temple is present, is clear, because his own body is a temple. Likewise it is to be seen, that in the first example he does not say that it is without any fault. In the second he says that if anyone breaks the sabbath on account of necessity, he is not for this reason entirely without fault; but if on account of God, he is wholly excused from fault. Then he argues from the examples. And first, because mercy is to be shown toward my disciples: because "if you knew what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, you would never have condemned the innocent," Hosea 6:6. And how this is to be understood was said above. Proverbs 21:3: "To do mercy and judgment pleaseth the Lord more than victims," etc. There is also another argument that makes them innocent, namely obedience: hence these things are permitted, because I command them, because the Son of Man (thus he was accustomed to call himself) "is Lord of the sabbath," and the lawgiver is not subject to the law; Isaiah 33:22: "he is our lawgiver"; therefore he has the power, because he has the authority.

"And when he had departed from there, he came into their synagogue," etc. Above it was set down how the Lord repelled the Pharisees who were disparaging the disciples; here how he repelled those who were attacking him. For they were opposing him, first by lying in wait; second by disparaging; third by tempting. And accordingly he repelled them in three ways. Second, there, "Then was offered to him a man possessed with a devil"; third, there, "Then there came to him certain of the scribes and Pharisees." Concerning the first he does two things. First he shows how they lay in wait against the teaching of Christ; second, against the life of Christ, there, "And the Pharisees going out made a consultation against him." Concerning the first he does two things. First the insidious question is set down; second Christ's response, there, "But he said to them," etc. Concerning the first he does three things. First the place is described; second the occasion; third the question. He says therefore, "And when he had departed from there, he came into their synagogue." According to the letter, in this way the disciples were plucking the ears of corn, whom Jesus excused. Hence when he says "and when he had departed," it seems that he departed from there on the same day. But this is excluded by Luke 6:1, because it was on another sabbath; on account of this it must not be understood that it was immediately; hence he says "he came into the synagogue," in order to preach salvation, as in John 18:20: "I have always taught in the temple and in the synagogue, whither all the Jews resort, and in secret I have spoken nothing." And in Psalm 39:10: "I have declared thy justice in a great church." "And behold there was a man who had a withered hand." There follows the occasion of the question: because "they asked him," etc. It is said that this man was a mason, and had a withered hand. By this man is signified the human race, whose hand withered through original sin: or any sinner whatsoever, whose hand and operative power has withered; and sometimes the right hand, because they are powerless to do good, though powerful to do evil. Then the question is set down; second, the response. He says therefore, "And they asked him, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days?" They saw a man of power, and therefore they asked whether it was lawful to heal on the sabbath. And they asked this while tempting, as is had in Ecclesiasticus 13:14: "by much talk he will tempt thee." For they were not asking with a mind to learn, but rather to accuse, as is had in Psalm 27:3: "They spoke peace with their neighbor, but evils were in their hearts." But here is a question, because in Mark 3:4 it is had that the Lord asked; but here it is said that they asked. Augustine answers that both things happened, because when that man stood in the midst, and asked to be healed, they asked the question, and the Lord made him rise up, and then he asked the question. Or otherwise, because they were watching him; hence they were preparing themselves for the request, and then he asked, because he himself knew that they were asking in order to accuse him. "But he said to them." Here the response is set down. And first he answers by word; second by deed, there, "Then he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand," etc. In the first he does three things. First he alleges a custom; second a comparison, there, "How much better is a man than a sheep?" Third he draws the conclusion, there, "Therefore it is lawful to do a good deed on the sabbath days." He says therefore first, "What man shall there be among you, that hath one sheep: and if the same fall into a pit on the sabbath days, will he not take hold on it, and lift it up?" It was a custom among them that if a sheep fell into a pit, they would lift it up on the sabbath day: so much were they given over to avarice, that they preferred temporal loss to spiritual loss. Hence what is said in Ecclesiasticus 10:9 was fitting for them: "nothing is more wicked than to love money." And there follows a little afterward: "for such a one setteth his own soul to sale," because, namely, he exposes himself to danger and eternal loss for a small temporal gain. Second the comparison is set down, "how much better is a man than a sheep?" Incomparably, because all things are for the sake of man: for to man dominion over all things has been committed, as is had in Genesis 1:26: "let us make man to our image and likeness," and there follows, that he may have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts of the earth. And thus that which is made to the image, has dominion, just as man over the sheep. From these things he concludes, "therefore it is lawful to do a good deed," namely, to benefit men; Isaiah 1:16: "cease to do perversely, learn to do well," because it is written in Exodus 20:10: "you shall not do any servile work therein." Servile work is sin, therefore it is lawful to do good. But then there is a question: is it lawful to do all good works on the sabbath? For then it would be lawful to plow. Therefore it must be said, that servile work can be understood according to the letter, and mystically servile work is sin; John 8:34: "whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin." Likewise it is servile work, in which the body is exercised more than the soul. For the soul has dominion over the body. Therefore to take counsel is not servile work. Hence we can see what things excuse from the sabbath. For the Lord excuses the disciples by reason of necessity, hence necessity excuses. Likewise those things which are ordained immediately to the worship of God, such as to burn incense, etc. Likewise those things which pertain to the health of the body, such as to make medicine, plasters, etc. Hence these men are blamed, because they were narrowing the precept of the law. "Then he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand." In this part he answers by deed, and this was to heal him; for he would not have healed him unless it were lawful. There follows the healing, "and it was restored to health even as the other." Mystically, the man who has a withered hand, that is, one powerless to act well, cannot be better healed than by stretching forth his hand for the relief of the poor. Hence Daniel 4:24: "redeem thou thy sins with alms." And Ecclesiasticus 3:33: "water quencheth a flaming fire, and alms resisteth sins." And in the same place, 4:36: "let not thy hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldest give." And note that first he had the left hand sound, and it was restored like the other, namely the right. And this is because at first men are powerful for evil, as is had in Isaiah 5:22: "woe to you that are mighty to drink wine, and stout men at drunkenness," but afterward they are healed through grace, and then are prone to act well; Romans 6:19: "as you have yielded your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity unto iniquity, so now yield your members to serve justice unto sanctification," etc.

"And the Pharisees going out," etc. Here he shows how they lay in wait for him. And first the plots are set down; second his withdrawal, there, "But Jesus knowing it, retired from thence"; third the authority, there, "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet." He says therefore "going out," namely from the synagogue, that it might be fulfilled which is had in Psalm 53:3: "the assembly of the mighty have sought after my soul." They went out, therefore, in order to do evil, just as Job 1:12: "Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord." "They made a consultation," that is, a gathering, as to how they might destroy and kill him, because they were not able to overcome him by words; Psalm 1:1: "Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly." "But Jesus knowing it, retired from thence." Here it is set down how he avoided their plots. And first the withdrawal is touched upon; second the fruit. Hence he withdrew, and why? Because it was not yet the time to suffer. Likewise he withdrew, in order to give his own an occasion of fleeing, as was said above in chapter 10. Likewise, that he might show himself to be man. Likewise he left them, so as not to incite them. For it belongs to a good preacher, when he sees men moved and incited, that he should leave them alone, as appears in Ecclesiasticus 8:13: "kindle not the coals of sinners by rebuking them, and be not inflamed with the flame of the fire of their sins." "And many followed him," hence he drew near to those who loved him, who gladly heard him. Hence John 10:3: "my sheep hear my voice." "And he healed them all." The healing is set down; Wisdom 16:12: "for it was neither herb, nor mollifying plaster, that healed them, but thy word, O Lord, which healeth all things." And in Psalm 106:20: "he sent his word, and healed them." And how? "He charged them that they should not make him known." And why? To give us an example of avoiding human glory, as is had above in chapter 6:1. Likewise, so as to spare the Pharisees, who were calumniating him about his deeds. "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet." Here he introduces the authority, which is had in Isaiah 42:1. And it must be known that some of the apostles give authoritative texts according to the Hebrew truth, others according to the exposition of the Septuagint, others express the sense alone in their own words. And he does three things. First he describes the human nature, when he says "Behold my servant," because he was a child; Luke 2:43: "and the boy Jesus remained in the temple." Now he is called a child, either from purity, because he committed no sin, nor was guile found in his mouth, etc., 1 Peter 2:22; or according as "child" (puer) is said for "servant" (puer as servus); hence "behold my servant," a servant through the form of a servant; Philippians 2:7: "he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant." "My elect, in whom my soul hath been well pleased." Note that in every holy man there are three things: divine election, love, and effect, which is grace: and this differently in man, differently in God. In man, grace precedes; second, he loves; third, he is chosen (elects/is elected). But in God it is the other way around. And this is because in man the will is not the cause of this effect, which is grace, but the love and will of God are the cause of grace; therefore he first chooses whom he wills to be good; second he loves; then he adds grace. Hence, according to this, he sets down three things. First, election, etc. In the original there is no word "elect." He says therefore, "Behold my servant, whom I have chosen," etc., and this as to a twofold election, which belong wholly to Christ according to his human nature. For he is chosen unto two things. Namely, unto this, that he be the Son of God, as is had in Romans 1:4: "who was predestinated the Son of God," etc., and Psalm 64:5: "blessed is he whom thou hast chosen and taken to thee." Likewise he is chosen unto the work of human redemption, as John 3:16: "so God loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son," etc. Likewise he chose in order to love; hence it is said "my beloved": for if he loves some, much more his only-begotten. Hence John 3:34: "the Spirit is not given unto him by measure." And if he loves some, yet this one with a special love; hence he says "in whom my soul hath been well pleased," that is, in whom my will has taken delight: and this is a special love, because the will does not rest except where it finds what pleases it. But nothing pleases except through grace, and no grace was wanting to Christ; hence above, 3:17: "this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Then he sets down the bestowal of grace: "I will put my spirit upon him," as is had in Joel 2:28: "I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh." But in Christ he poured out not merely something of the spirit, but the whole spirit, as is had in John 3:34: "the Spirit is not given unto him by measure"; and Isaiah 11:2: "the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him." And this insofar as he has the form of a servant. But what will he do? What office will he have? "He shall shew judgment to the Gentiles," that is, he will teach the Gentiles the judgments of God. Of old the Jews gloried that they were the peculiar people of God; hence they said: "he hath not done in like manner to every nation, and his judgments he hath not made manifest to them." But that word was said to the Gentiles. Hence "he shall shew" it "to the Gentiles," materially, because he received the power of judging over the Gentiles; Acts 10:42: "it is he who was appointed by God to be judge of the living and of the dead." And John 5:22: "the Father hath given all judgment to the Son." Likewise is he fit for it? Because in judgment two things are necessary, clemency and justice. And he shows both. And first, that he has clemency. And because clemency can be in words, second in deeds — because some, even if they cannot do anything, complain in word — he therefore removes these from him. Hence he says, "he shall not contend"; 1 Peter 2:23: "who, when he was reviled, did not revile." And this fits well with what is said in Proverbs 20:3: "it is an honour for a man to separate himself from quarrels." Likewise some do not contend, but murmur. But this one will not do this, because "he shall not cry out." Hence Isaiah 53:7: "he shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and shall not open his mouth." Crying out proceeds from passion. And the Apostle commands in Ephesians 4:31: "let all anger and clamour be put away from you." Some do not cry out, but complain: and this too is removed, "neither shall anyone hear his voice in the streets." Those who walk in the ways of sinners utter their voice in the streets; Lamentations 4:1: "the stones of the sanctuary are scattered"; Proverbs 1:20: "wisdom giveth voice in the streets." Yet this one will not be heard among them. Or otherwise: by "the streets" we understand the Gentiles, since they are outside the sanctuary. And although Christ allowed himself to be preached to the Gentiles, yet in his own person he did not preach to them. Hence "in the streets" he will not be heard, that is, among the Gentiles. Thus, then, was he patient in word. Likewise in deed: "the bruised reed he shall not break." And this can be read in two ways: for first it can be read specially as regards the Jews; second generally as regards all men. As regards the Jews, there were two things in them, namely royal power and priestly dignity. Royal power is signified by the reed, which had already been bruised, because they were subjected to the Romans; therefore it was easy for him thus to bruise the reed further. And it is well signified by a reed, because a reed is mobile, as is had above, 11:7: "what went you out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind?" "And the smoking flax he shall not extinguish." By the smoking flax the priesthood is signified: hence the priests were clothed with linen vestments. Likewise, "smoking": for smoke is put out by fire. Likewise smoke is produced by a weak fire, which dissolves more than it consumes, and hence a stench is generated. These, then, were like smoking flax, because they had not entirely lost the faith: yet they did not have enough of it to restrain themselves from evils. Hence, although he could justly extinguish it, yet "the smoking flax he shall not extinguish." Likewise it is expounded another way as regards all men, so that by the bruised reed sinners are understood. By the smoking flax, which has a little warmth, are understood those who are not in sin, but are lukewarm toward good work, and have some grace. Hence he means to say: neither does he shut off the way of salvation to sinners. Hence he himself says, Ezekiel 18:23: "is it my will that a sinner should die?" Likewise if anyone has grace, he will not extinguish it. Hence in this an example is given to us that we ought not to extinguish anyone's grace, which the Lord has given him, but rather foster it. Likewise, "he shall not be contentious, nor cry out, till he bring forth judgment unto victory." And this can be read specially of the Jews, namely, when he shall have overcome them all, because they were charging that he cast out devils by Beelzebub; and he refuted them, then he imposed judgment upon them. And this was fulfilled through Titus and Vespasian. And not only will this happen; but with them destroyed, "in his name shall the Gentiles hope." Hence Genesis 49:10: "he shall be the expectation of nations." Or otherwise. Thus he sustains the will, and judges no one; but when death, the enemy, shall be destroyed, then all the Gentiles will cling to him, and this will be on the day of judgment.