Mention is made in the gospels, of a woman who was a sinner, (Luke vii.) of Mary of Bethania, the sister of Lazarus, (John xi. and xii; Mark xiv; Matthew xxvi.) and of Mary Magdalene, who followed Jesus from Galilee, and ministered to him. Many think all this to belong to one and the same person: ot... [ Continue Reading ]
_The wife of Chusa, Herod's steward. Literally, his procurator, as in the Rheims translation. The Greek signifies one that provides for another, or manages his concerns. The same word is used, Matthew xx. 8. and Galatians iv. 2. (Witham) --- the Greek word is epitropou. It was the custom of the Jews... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ears to hear, let him hear, &c. i.e. he that is willing to hear the word of God, and diligently comply with what is therein commanded, let him be attentive to the words of Christ. For the sight, hearing, and other senses, were not given to man to be used only as beasts use them, but likewise that t... [ Continue Reading ]
After the multitude had left our divine Saviour, his disciples wishing thoroughly to understand the meaning of his instructions, came to him, and desired he would give them an explanation of the parable. (Tirinus)... [ Continue Reading ]
The sense of the Greek text is: they produce no fruit that arrives at maturity. (Bible de Vence)... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Lord calls himself the lighted candle, placed in the middle of the world. Christ was by nature God, and by dispensation man: and thus, not unlike a torch placed in the middle of a house, does our Lord, seated in the soul of man, illumine all around him. But by the candlestick, is understood the... [ Continue Reading ]
He here exhorts his audience to attend to what he was about to deliver, and to apply themselves with all their attention to the divine word; for he who has a desire of hearing the word, shall also receive the grace and power of understanding it. But the man who has no desire of hearing it, though fr... [ Continue Reading ]
These brethren were not the sons of the blessed Virgin Mary, mother of God, as Helvidius wickedly taught; nor yet the sons of Joseph, by another wife; for, as St. Jerome writeth, not only Mary, but Joseph also, observed virginity. (Contra Helvidium, chap. ix. et ibidem, chap. viii.) --- In the scrip... [ Continue Reading ]
There is no tie of affinity and friendship so proper, and so becoming man, as that made by faith in Christ, and strengthened by charity. (Tirinus)... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they launched forth: literally, they went up. The sense is, being gone abroad, they set forward, or launched forth, as in the Protestant translation. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they were filled; i.e. the little ship was filled with water. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
In this Christ evidently shews two distinct natures; his human nature, denoted by his sleep; and his divine nature by stilling the tempest at sea. (Ven. Bede)... [ Continue Reading ]
After Christ had appeased the storm at sea, the disciples, all astonishment at the miracle, began to whisper to each other, saying, _Who is this? not that the disciples were ignorant of whom they were speaking, but they wondered at his mighty works, and at the glory of his divine power. (St. Ambrose... [ Continue Reading ]
Here St. Matthew relates the history of the two demoniacs, whilst St. Mark and St. Luke speak only of one; but the man mentioned in these two evangelists, was a man of some consideration and consequence, for whose cure the country was deeply interested. (St. Augustine, de concord. evang.)... [ Continue Reading ]
This is not a voluntary confession, which merits a reward, but a forced acknowledgment, extorted against their wills. Like fugitive servants, who, when they meet their masters, think of nothing but of deprecating punishment. The devils think our Lord is come down upon earth to judge them. (St. Jerom... [ Continue Reading ]
He did not put the question through ignorance of his name, but that his answer might shew forth the divine power in a more glorious manner; as also for our instruction, that knowing the great number of our invisible enemies, we might work out our salvation with fear and trembling, placing all our co... [ Continue Reading ]
If, says St. Athanasius, the infernal spirits have no power over such impure beasts as swine, with much greater reason then are they deprived of power over man, who is made after God's own image, and redeemed by the blood of his son, Christ Jesus. We should therefore fear only God, and despise the d... [ Continue Reading ]
This event shews what was before asserted, that many devils had possession of the man. The obstinacy of the Sadducees, who denied the existence of evil spirits, was thus likewise refuted; as well as the cavils of certain moderns, who pretend that these effects which appeared in the demoniacs, were n... [ Continue Reading ]
See this explained in Matthew ix. and Mark v.... [ Continue Reading ]
_All her substance; ( Greek: olon ton bion) i.e. all that she had to live upon._... [ Continue Reading ]
All denied that they had _designedly touched him, though, on account of the pressure of the crowd, many unwillingly touched him. (Menochius' Commentaria.)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Greek: Para tou archisunagogou, which some interpret, from the house of the ruler. (Menochius) --- In vain do you trouble him. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
This returning of the souls again, to reanimate the bodies of those whom Christ and his apostles raised from death, (and especially Lazarus, who had been dead four days) doth evidently prove the immortality of the soul. From this place we may also conclusively infer against our adversaries, who say,... [ Continue Reading ]