The Pharisees and Sadducees. These were widely opposite in their
religious sentiments to each other, but closely united in their design
of persecuting Jesus Christ, and they come and ask of him a sign or
prodigy from heaven, to convince them that he was the Christ, the
Messias. (Bible de Vence) ---... [ Continue Reading ]
You know then how to discern the face of the sky, &c. Jesus Christ
does not condemn every observation made upon the weather, from
external appearances in the heavens. He only upbraids the Jews for so
closely examining these signs, and neglecting at the same time to
notice the many signs and predicti... [ Continue Reading ]
_ Forgotten to take bread. The disciples had just filled seven baskets
with fragments, but had forgotten to take any with them into the ship;
or, according to others, had distributed all among the poor.
(Barrardius) --- They were so taken with the company of Christ, that
they even forgot the necessi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Beware of the leaven, &c. The disciples, not understanding the
meaning of Christ's words, supposed he was instructing them not to
touch the bread of the Scribes and Pharisees. (Bible de Vence)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Why do you think? That we might know what effect this discourse of
our Saviour had upon his disciples, the evangelist immediately
subjoins, then they understood, &c. This exposition of Christ freed
them from the accusation of the Jews; it made them who were negligent
and inattentive, both diligent... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cæarea Philippi, was first called Paneades, and was afterwards
embellished and greatly enlarged by Philip the tetrarch, son of Herod
the great, and dedicated in honour of Augustus, hence its name. There
was moreover another Cæsarea, called Straton, situated on the
Mediterranean: and not in this, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
_Some say, &c. Herod thought that Christ was the Baptist, on account
of his prodigies. (St. Matthew xiv. 2.) Others that he was Elias: 1st.
because they expected he was about to return to them, according to the
prophecy of Malachias; behold I will send you Elias; 2d. on account of
the greatness of h... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whom do you say that I am? You, who have been continually with me;
you, who have seen me perform so many more miracles; you, who have
yourselves worked miracles in my name? From this pointed
interrogation, Jesus Christ intimates, that the opinion men had formed
of him was very inadequate to the exa... [ Continue Reading ]
Simon Peter answering. As Simon Peter had been constituted the first
in the college of apostles, (Matthew x. 2.) and therefore surpasseth
the others in dignity as much as in zeal, without hesitation, and in
the name of all, he answers: thou art the Christ, the Redeemer
promised to the world, not a m... [ Continue Reading ]
_Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona. Greek: Simon is undoubtedly Greek:
Sumeon, as written 2 Peter i. 1. Greek: Bariona is son of Jona, or
John, an abridgment for Greek: Barioanna. Bar, in Chaldaic, is son;
hence St. Peter is called, in John xi, 16. and 17, Simon, son of John.
It was customary with th... [ Continue Reading ]
Greek: Kago. And I say to thee, and tell thee why I before declared,
(John i. 42.) that thou shouldst be called Peter, for thou art
constituted the rock upon which, as a foundation, I will build my
Church, and that so firmly, as not to suffer the gates (i.e. the
powers) of hell to prevail against it... [ Continue Reading ]
And I will give to thee the keys, &c. This is another metaphor,
expressing the supreme power and prerogative of the prince of the
apostles. The keys of a city, or of its gates, are presented or given
to the person that hath the chief power. We also own a power of the
keys, given to the other apostle... [ Continue Reading ]
Tell no one that he was Jesus, the Christ. In some manuscripts both
Greek and Latin, the name Jesus is not here found, and many
interpreters think it superfluous in this place. The Greek expressly
says the Christ adjoining the article, which the Latin tongue does not
express. (Bible de Vence) --- "I... [ Continue Reading ]
_From that time, &c. Now when the apostles firmly believed that Jesus
was the Messias, and the true Son of God, he saw it necessary to let
them know he was to die an infamous death on the cross, that they
might be disposed to believe that mystery; (Witham) and that they
might not be too much exalted... [ Continue Reading ]
_Peter taking him, &c. out of a tender love, respect and zeal for his
honour, began to expostulate with him, and as it were to reprehend
him, [3] saying, Lord, far be it from thee, God forbid, &c. (Witham)_
[BIBLIOGRAPHY]
Increpare _Greek: epitiman, by saying absit a te Domine, Greek: ileos
soi, p... [ Continue Reading ]
Go after me, Satan. [4] The words may signify, begone from me; but out
of respect due to the expositions of the ancient fathers, who would
have these words to signify come after me, or follow me, I have put,
with the Rheims translation, go after me. Satan is the same as an
adversary: (Witham) and is... [ Continue Reading ]
_If any man will come. St. John Chrysostom, Euthymius, and
Theophylactus, shew that free will is confirmed by these words. Do not
expect, O Peter, that since you have confessed me to be the Son of
God, you are immediately to be crowned, as if this were sufficient for
salvation, and that the rest of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whosoever will save his life. Lit. his soul. In the style of the
Scriptures, the word soul is sometimes put for the life of the body,
sometimes for the whole man. (Witham) --- Whosoever acts against duty
and conscience to save the life of his body, shall lose eternal life;
and whoever makes the sac... [ Continue Reading ]
_And lose his own soul. Christ seems in these words to pass from the
life of the body to that of the soul. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall come in the glory. Jesus Christ wishing to shew his disciples
the greatness of his glory at his future coming, reveals to them in
this life as much as it was possible for them to comprehend, purposely
to strengthen them against the scandal of his ignominious death. (St.
John Chrysostom)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. Some expound
this, as fulfilled at his transfiguration, which follows in the next
chapter. Others understand it of the glory of Christ, and of his
Church, after his resurrection and ascension, when he should be owned
for Redeemer of the world: and... [ Continue Reading ]