Thomas Aquinas

By two parables he shows the impediment to the evangelical teaching. But because someone might say: if it is so, that it is thus impeded, that some fell beside the way, some upon rock, and so forth, it seems that it cannot prosper; therefore he adds concerning its prospering, parabolically, namely that it prospered on account of two things: first on account of an apparent smallness, second on account of concealment. Therefore he sets down two parables. The second at "he spoke another parable to them." Third he confirms the manner through the authority of the prophet, at "all these things Jesus spoke in parables." Concerning the first he treats, first, of the sowing; second, of the smallness of the seed; third, of the greatness of the fruit. The second at "which indeed is the least of all seeds"; the third at "which, when it has grown, is greater than all herbs." He says therefore, "the kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed," and so on. In a kingdom there is a king, a prince, subjects, and also prisoners; likewise riches, and so on. Therefore to all these things we can liken the kingdom. That therefore he says the kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed can be explained, as Jerome says, by the fact that by the grain of mustard seed the evangelical teaching is understood. And why? Because this grain is fervent, and likewise it repels poisons. And this is signified because the evangelical teaching, through faith, makes fervent; below, XVII, verse 19: "if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, move from here, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." Likewise it excludes errors; whence it is useful for arguing, as is found in 2 Timothy III, 16. "Which a man took and sowed." This man is Christ, who sowed this seed; or else any man who sows the evangelical teaching. "In his field," that is, in his heart, when he grants his assent to it. Christ sowed, because he gave the faith by which we are saved; Ephesians II, 8: "for by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God." Likewise, anyone who obeys sows in the field, that is, in the heart; Proverbs XXIV, 27: "diligently work your field." In this field there are diverse seeds, which are diverse teachings. The teachings of Jerome and Augustine seem great, and are confirmed by great arguments; likewise the teaching of the law. But the teaching of the evangelical law appeared meager, because it preached a God who suffered, was crucified, and the like. And who could believe this? 1 Corinthians I, 18: "the word of the cross is indeed foolishness to those who perish, but to those who are being saved" — that is, to us — "it is the power of God." And therefore he says that "it is indeed the least of all seeds"; hence at first it appeared least. There follows its greatness. And first the greatness is set down; second it is confirmed, at "but when it has grown," that is, has sprouted, "it is greater than all herbs," because the evangelical teaching bore more fruit than the teaching of the law, since the teaching of the law bore fruit only among the Jews; hence it was said, Psalm CXLVII, 20: "He has not done thus for every nation, and his judgments he has not made manifest to them." For there was no philosopher who was able to convert any whole country to his teaching: for if some philosopher, such as Plato, had said that such and such a thing would come, he would not have been believed. Psalm CXVIII, 85: "the wicked have told me fables, but not as your law." It is greater, then, in solidity, in generality, and in usefulness. In solidity, "and it becomes a tree," because other teachings are soft herbs, having nothing firm in them, since they are subject to human reason, Wisdom IX, 14: "for the thoughts of mortals are fearful, and our foresight uncertain"; but this is a firm tree; Psalm CXVIII, 89: "forever, O Lord, your word endures"; Luke XXI, 33: "heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." Therefore, as this tree stands to other trees, so does this teaching stand to other teachings. "So that the birds of heaven come and dwell in its branches." Likewise it excels in the generality of its teaching, because this science has many branches, and offers to man the things that are necessary for life. Hence, if they are married, they have through it how they ought to govern themselves; if clerics, how they ought to live; and so with the rest — thus the diverse teachings are the diverse branches. Likewise it excels in usefulness, because the birds dwell in its branches, that is, all who have their mind set on the things of heaven; Philippians III, 20: "our citizenship is in heaven." These come and meditate, and find rest; for those who dwell on the earth are not birds; 2 Corinthians IV, 18: "while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." Chrysostom explains it of the apostles, whom he compared to a grain of mustard seed because they were fervent in spirit; and this man sowed — that is, Christ — in the field, that is, in the Church, from which all fruitfulness has come to the Church; and they were small and lowly, for no learning was ever spread abroad through men so lowly; hence the Apostle, 1 Corinthians I, 27: "not many wise, or powerful, not many noble; but the foolish things of the world God has chosen, that he might confound the wise," and so on. "But when it has grown, it is greater," in its effect, "than all," because the apostles produced a greater fruit. Alexander converted one part of the world to himself, Rome likewise, but never so much as these men did, who accomplished so much. "So that the birds of heaven," that is, the good, "rest in its branches," that is, in their teachings; Zechariah VIII, 23: "they shall take hold of the hem of a man that is a Jew, saying: we will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." Hilary explains it of Christ, who was the grain of mustard seed on account of his fervor, because full of the Holy Spirit, which he sowed afterward in his death, in the field, that is, among the people, which was least on account of the contempt of unbelievers; Isaiah LIII, 2: "we have seen him, and there was no beauty in him, and we desired him, despised and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with infirmity." And "it is greater than all herbs," that is, than all the perfect. "Gold shall not be equalled to it." And the perfect are compared to herbs, because herbs are given to the weak: "let him who is weak eat herbs." But the teaching of Christ is given to the perfect, and thus it becomes a tree. And this is signified by the tree of which we read in Daniel IV, 7 and following.

"He spoke another parable to them." Here is set down the parable of the prospering, and it is shown to be wondrous, because it comes from a hidden seed; hence he says, "the kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened." Note that it is not unfitting for the same thing to be interpreted at one time in a good sense, at another time in a bad sense — just as a rock is at one time interpreted as Christ, at another time as its contrary, namely hardness; Ezekiel XXXVI, 26: "I will take away from you the heart of stone out of your flesh." So too leaven is at one time interpreted in a bad sense, insofar as it involves corruption; 1 Corinthians V, 7: "purge out the old leaven," and so on. Likewise, in the same place: "not with the old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." But insofar as it has fervor and the power of spreading, it thus sounds in a good sense. What then is signified by this? Four things are signified. Chrysostom says that this leaven is the apostles. "The woman" — divine wisdom — "hid" them "in three measures of meal," that is, oppressed them with tribulations. But first she took them; hence John XV, 19: "I have chosen you out of the world, that you should go." Whom he sent among the faithful, he placed in three measures of meal. A "measure" is a unit of quantity, and is worth a modius and a half; that is, in three measures of meal. And why in three? A finite number is put for an infinite, because they went among many nations; or on account of the three parts of the world, because they were sent to all; or on account of the nations, which arose from the three sons of Noah. "Until the whole was leavened," that is, until all were converted to God; Psalm XVIII, 5: "into all the earth their sound has gone forth, and their words unto the ends of the world." Or, otherwise, according to Augustine, by the leaven is signified the fervor of charity, because as leaven spreads, so does charity; Psalm CXVIII, 32: "I have run the way of your commandments, when you enlarged my heart." "The woman" — reason, or the soul — "hid it in three," that is, in the whole heart, in the whole soul, in all one's powers. Or, by the three measures, the three states, namely of prelates, of contemplatives, and of the active, which are understood through Noah, Job, and Daniel. Or they can be referred to the hundredfold, sixtyfold, and thirtyfold fruit. Jerome explains it of the evangelical teaching, which the woman — that is, wisdom — hid in three measures, which are the spirit and the soul, or the irascible, the concupiscible, and the rational faculties. Or otherwise, by the woman is understood faith; by the three measures, the three Persons in the Godhead. Hilary explains it of Christ, who is the leaven, which through the providence of the Father was hidden in the world in a threefold law: the law of nature, the Mosaic law, and the evangelical law.

"All these things Jesus spoke in parables," and so on. Having set forth diverse parables to the crowds, here he confirms, or approves, this manner through the authority of the prophet. And this is divided into three parts, because first is set down Christ's custom regarding parabolic teaching; second, the authority is applied; third, the exposition of what precedes is set down. The second at "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet"; the third at "then, having sent away the crowds, he went into the house." He says therefore, "all these things Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds." Why, then, did he speak to the crowds in parables? The reason is twofold: because in the crowd there were mingled together some who were faithful and some unfaithful, likewise some kindly and some malicious. On account of the malicious and the unfaithful he spoke thus, so that they might not understand — as was said above, "that seeing they might not see" — and on account of the faithful, so that they might grasp it better, and retain it better. And this is found at Mark IV, 33 and following. Paul, 1 Corinthians III, 1: "I could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to carnal." "And without a parable he did not speak to them." This seems false, because in the Lord's Sermon on the Mount, and in many other places, he did not speak in parables. Chrysostom resolves this by saying that it is true of that whole discourse, because he spoke that entire preaching to the crowds parabolically. Augustine resolves it thus: that it says "not without parables" because he never spoke any discourse to the crowds without mingling in some parable. Hence in the Sermon on the Mount he mingled one in, where he said, "let not your left hand know what your right hand does." And he says that if it is ever found without a parable, it must be said that the Evangelists did not narrate according to strict order; hence, even if it is not written there, a parable ought still to be understood, on account of the fact that it is said here that without parables he did not speak to them, and that he never failed to intermingle parables.

"That it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying: I will open my mouth in parables." The Lord spoke to the human race in two ways: first in the prophets, second in himself; Isaiah LII, 6: "behold, I who spoke, behold, I am here." In both ways he spoke parabolically — in the prophets in many ways, and through himself likewise; for what was done in the prophets was a sign of what was to be done through Christ. Hence he says, "I, the Lord, who opened the mouth of the prophets in parables, will open my own mouth in myself. I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world." In the opening of the mouth is the manifestation of secrets, as above; the uttering is from the innermost parts. One then utters when he sends forth something from the depth of wisdom; Psalm XLIV, 2: "my heart has uttered a good word." The wisdom of the Lord is hidden; Job XXVIII, 21: "it is hidden from the eyes of all the living"; John I, 18: "no one has ever seen God; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him," and so on. He uttered things hidden, and things that had been concealed from the foundation of the world; Ephesians III, 5: "which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit." Or, otherwise: "I will utter" those things which are from the foundation of the world, which are hidden. And why? Because he himself is from the foundation of the world, and he himself has revealed himself to us through the things that he made; Romans I, 20: "the invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood through the things that are made."

"Then, having sent away the crowds, he went into the house." Here one of the aforesaid parables is explained. And first the place is described, second the disciples' question, third the explanation. He says therefore, "then, having sent away the crowds, he went into the house." In which an example is given to us, that if we wish to search out secret things, we ought to enter into a secret place; Wisdom VIII, 16: "entering into my house, I shall find rest with her"; Ecclesiasticus XXXII, 15: "hasten before into your house, and there withdraw yourself, and there play, and carry out your own thoughts, and not in wantonness and proud speech," and so on.

"And his disciples came to him, saying: explain to us the parable of the tares of the field," and so on, because concerning that one they were more in doubt. At times, out of reverence, they did not dare to approach, as is found at John IV, 27, that "no one said to him, why do you speak with the woman," and so on; but here they took a special boldness, because they had heard, "to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven." Thus, if we wish to gain something mystical, we ought to approach him; Psalm XXXIII, 6: "come to him, and be enlightened."

"Who, answering, said." Here is set down the explanation of the parable of the tares. And first as to the first sowing, second as to the oversowing, third as to both together. And first he explains what the sower is, what the field, what the seed. "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man." He names himself the Son of Man, both on account of humility, and in order to repel future heretics; for some would deny that he was God, others indeed that he was man. Hence he calls himself the Son of Man, which pertains to man, while to sow spiritual things pertains to God. Psalm IV, 7: "the light of your countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us," and so on. "The field is the world," which he himself created; hence above he said, "in his field"; John I, 11: "he came unto his own," and so on. Likewise, in the same place: "the world was made through him." "But the good seed, these are the children of the kingdom," from whom others were propagated, who were good children; "and if children, also heirs," Romans VIII, 17. Then he explains what pertains to the oversowing, and says what the seed is. "But the tares are the children of the wicked one"; Isaiah I, 4: "woe to a sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a wicked seed, corrupt children." Then, who the sower is, he says: "the enemy who sowed them is the devil," who introduced sin; Wisdom II, 24: "by the envy of the devil, death entered into the world." Next the distinction is treated, and he does three things: first he sets down the time, second the ministers, third the distinction. He sets down the time: "but the harvest is the end of the world." As has been said, the first gathering was made through the apostles, concerning which John IV, 35: "lift up your eyes, and see the fields, for they are already white for the harvest." The other gathering, in which the fruit will be gathered, is that concerning which Galatians VI, 8 [says]: "whatsoever a man shall sow, that also shall he reap." "But the reapers are angels." For just as in the present Church the good ministers are men, so then they will be angels. Consequently he sets down the end of both, at "as therefore the tares are gathered," and so on. And first as to the wicked, second as to the good, third he rouses us to the spiritual sense. He says therefore, as the tares are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the world. "The Son of Man will send his angels" (these words show him to be both man and God), "and they will gather out of his kingdom all scandals." He turns this back to the sins that are committed against one's neighbor. And what follows, "and those who work iniquity," refers to other sins. And what is said, "kingdom," is understood as the present Church, because in the Church triumphant there are no scandals, and man will know the final judgment through the tribulation that precedes it. Augustine says that we do not read that the wicked exist so as to reward the good, but that the good are sometimes found to punish the wicked. What therefore he says, "all," is to be understood of the present Church, by the sending of tribulations, through which even the good and the wicked alike are punished. Chrysostom explains "the heavenly kingdom" as the [heavenly] fatherland; and what is said, "all scandals," is not to be understood as meaning that they are there, but that they are no longer there. Hence "they will gather," and "will separate the wicked from the good," lest they be with them, "and will cast them into a furnace of fire." The punishment of loss is the lack of the divine vision; but the punishment of sense is touched on when it is said, "and will cast them into a furnace of fire"; Revelation XXI, 27: "there shall not enter into it anything defiled." "And he will cast them" — that is, the Son of Man, by his judicial power — "into a furnace of fire"; hence it will be said: "depart, you cursed, into the eternal fire." "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." This has been explained; nevertheless, from this it can be gathered that the damned will be punished both in soul and in body; hence above, X, 28: "fear him who is able to send both soul and body into Gehenna." For weeping pertains to the eyes, gnashing to the teeth; but the eyes and the teeth are bodily members, in which the truth of the resurrection is signified. Likewise, by the weeping, which is quickly generated from smoke, the punishment of fire is signified; by the gnashing of teeth, cold; Job XXIV, 19: "let him pass from the waters of snow to excessive heat." Or otherwise, that the weeping is from sadness, the gnashing from anger; hence Acts VII, 54, it is said that "they gnashed their teeth at him." Isaiah LXV, 14: "my servants shall rejoice for the exultation of heart, and you shall cry out for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for grief of spirit." Luke VI, 25: "woe to you who laugh now, for you shall weep." Likewise, in the gnashing is signified impatience and strife; Revelation XVI, 10: "who gnawed their tongues for pain," on account of the impatience of enduring it.

"Then shall the just shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." Here he explains as to the good; and in them there will be a twofold brightness, namely in the soul, by which they will see God; Psalm XXXV, 10: "in your light we shall see light" — namely, the uncreated light; Isaiah LVIII, 11: "and he will fill your soul with splendors." And it will be derived also to the body; Philippians III, 21: "he will refashion the body of our lowliness, conformed to the body of his glory." Wisdom III, 7: "the just shall shine, and shall run to and fro like sparks among the reeds," and so on. What he says, "as the sun," is not to be understood absolutely, by way of complete equality — for they will have a greater splendor — but rather because, among these sensible things, that which shines the most is the sun. Yet it agrees with the sun in this, that as the sun is not changed, so neither is the just man; Ecclesiasticus XXVII, 12: "a holy man continues in wisdom like the sun, but a fool changes like the moon." Then he rouses us to the spiritual sense: "he who has ears to hear" — namely, the inner ears — "let him hear," understanding Isaiah L, 5: "the Lord has opened my ear."