Chapter 5

All men take not this word... That is, all receive not the gift of living singly and chastely, unless they pray for the grace of God to enable them to live so, and for some it may be necessary to that end to fast as well as pray: and to those it is given from above.

19:12. For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mothers womb: and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take, let him take it.

There are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs, for the kingdom of heaven... This text is not to be taken in the literal sense; but means, that there are such, who have taken a firm and commendable resolution of leading a single and chaste life, in order to serve God in a more perfect state than those who marry: as St. Paul clearly shews. 1 Cor. 7. 37, 38.

19:13. Then were little children presented to him, that he should impose hands upon them and pray. And the disciples rebuked them.

19:14. But Jesus said to them: Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for the kingdom of heaven is for such.

19:15. And when he had imposed hands upon them, he departed from thence.

19:16. And behold one came and said to him: Good master, what good shall I do that I may have life everlasting?

19:17. Who said to him: Why askest thou me concerning good? One is good, God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

19:18. He said to him: Which? And Jesus said: Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness.

19:19. Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

19:20. The young man saith to him: All these have I kept from my youth, what is yet wanting to me?

19:21. Jesus saith to him: If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

19:22. And when the young man had heard this word, he went away sad: for he had great possessions.

19:23. Then Jesus said to his disciples: Amen, I say to you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

19:24. And again I say to you: It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

19:25. And when they had heard this, the disciples wondered much, saying: Who then can be saved?

19:26. And Jesus beholding, said to them: With men this is impossible: but with God all things are possible.

19:27. Then Peter answering, said to him: Behold we have left all things, and have followed thee: what therefore shall we have?

19:28. And Jesus said to them: Amen I say to you, that you who have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

19:29. And every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting.

19:30. And many that are first, shall be last: and the last shall be first.

Matthew Chapter 20

The parable of the labourers in the vineyard. The ambition of the two sons of Zebedee. Christ gives sight to two blind men.

20:1. The kingdom of heaven is like to an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

20:2. And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

20:3. And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the marketplace idle.

20:4. And he said to them: Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just.

20:5. And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner.

20:6. But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle?

20:7. They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go ye also into my vineyard.

20:8. And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the labourers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first.

20:9. When therefore they were come that came about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

20:10. But when the first also came, they thought that they should receive more: And they also received every man a penny.

20:11. And receiving it they murmured against the master of the house,

20:12. Saying: These last have worked but one hour and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the heats.

20:13. But he answering said to one of them: friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?

20:14. Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee.

20:15. Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? Is thy eye evil, because I am good?

What I will... Viz., with my own, and in matters that depend on my own bounty.

20:16. So shall the last be first and the first last. For many are called but few chosen.

20:17. And Jesus going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart and said to them:

20:18. Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests and the scribes: and they shall condemn him to death.

20:19. And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified: and the third day he shall rise again.

20:20. Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, adoring and asking something of him.

20:21. Who said to her: What wilt thou? She saith to him: say that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom.

20:22. And Jesus answering, said: You know not what you ask. Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink? They say to him: We can.

20:23. He saith to them: My chalice indeed you shall drink; but to sit on my right or left hand is not mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared by my Father.

20:24. And the ten, hearing it, were moved with indignation against the two brethren.

20:25. But Jesus called them to him and said: You know that the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them; and that they that are the greater, exercise power upon them.

20:26. It shall not be so among you: but whosoever is the greater among you, let him be your minister.

20:27. And he that will be first among you shall be your servant.

20:28. Even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a redemption for many.

20:29. And when they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

20:30. And behold two blind men sitting by the way side heard that Jesus passed by. And they cried out, saying: O Lord, thou son of David, have mercy on us.

20:31. And the multitude rebuked them that they should hold their peace. But they cried out the more, saying: O Lord, thou son of David, have mercy on us.

20:32. And Jesus stood and called them and said: What will ye that I do to you?

20:33. They say to him: Lord, that our eyes be opened.

20:34. And Jesus having compassion on them, touched their eyes. And immediately they saw and followed him.

Matthew Chapter 21

Christ rides into Jerusalem upon an ass. He casts the buyers and sellers out of the temple, curses the fig tree and puts to silence the priests and scribes.

21:1. And when they drew nigh to Jerusalem and were come to Bethphage, unto mount Olivet, then Jesus sent two disciples,

21:2. Saying to them: Go ye into the village that is over against you: and immediately you shall find an ass tied and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to me.

21:3. And if any man shall say anything to you, say ye that the Lord hath need of them. And forthwith he will let them go.

21:4. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

21:5. Tell ye the daughter of Sion: Behold thy king cometh to thee, meek and sitting upon an ass and a colt, the foal of her that is used to the yoke.

21:6. And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them.

21:7. And they brought the ass and the colt and laid their garments upon them and made him sit thereon.

21:8. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut boughs from the trees and strewed them in the way.

21:9. And the multitudes that went before and that followed cried, saying: Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

21:10. And when he was come into Jerusalem, the whole city was moved, saying: Who is this?

21:11. And the people said: This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.

21:12. And Jesus went into the temple of God and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple and overthrew the tables of the money changers and the chairs of them that sold doves.

21:13. And he saith to them: It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves.

21:14. And there came to him the blind and the lame in the temple: and he healed them.

21:15. And the chief priests and scribes, seeing the wonderful things that he did and the children crying in the temple and saying: Hosanna to the son of David, were moved with indignation,

21:16. And said to him: Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus said to them: Yea, have you never read: Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

21:17. And leaving them, he went out of the city into Bethania and remained here.

21:18. And in the morning, returning into the city, he was hungry.

21:19. And seeing a certain fig tree by the way side, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves only. And he saith to it: May no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And immediately the fig tree withered away.

21:20. And the disciples seeing it wondered, saying: How is it presently withered away?

21:21. And Jesus answering, said to them: Amen, I say to you, if you shall have faith and stagger not, not only this of the fig tree shall you do, but also if you shall say to this mountain, Take up and cast thyself into the sea, it shall be done.

21:22. And all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer believing, you shall receive.

21:23. And when he was come into the temple, there came to him, as he was teaching, the chief priests and ancients of the people, saying: By what authority dost thou these things? And who hath given thee this authority?

21:24. Jesus answering, said to them: I also will ask you one word, which if you shall tell me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.

21:25. The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven or from men? But they thought within themselves, saying:

21:26. If we shall say, from heaven, he will say to us: Why then did you not believe him? But if we shall say, from men, we are afraid of the multitude: for all held John as a prophet.

21:27. And answering Jesus, they said: We know not. He also said to them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

21:28. But what think you? A certain man had two sons: and coming to the first, he said: Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

21:29. And he answering, said: I will not. But afterwards, being moved with repentance, he went.

21:30. And coming to the other, he said in like manner. And he answering said: I go, Sir. And he went not.

21:31. Which of the two did the father's will? They say to him: The first. Jesus saith to them: Amen I say to you that the publicans and the harlots shall go into the kingdom of God before you.

21:32. For John came to you in the way of justice: and you did not believe him. But the publicans and the harlots believed him: but you, seeing it, did not even afterwards repent, that you might believe him.

21:33. Hear ye another parable. There was a man, an householder, who planted a vineyard and made a hedge round about it and dug in it a press and built a tower and let it out to husbandmen and went into a strange country.

21:34. And when the time of the fruits drew nigh, he sent his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits thereof.

21:35. And the husbandmen laying hands on his servants, beat one and killed another and stoned another.

21:36. Again he sent other servants, more than the former; and they did to them in like manner.

21:37. And last of all he sent to them his son, saying: They will reverence my son.

21:38. But the husbandmen seeing the son, said among themselves: This is the heir: come, let us kill him, and we shall have his inheritance.

21:39. And taking him, they cast him forth out of the vineyard and killed him.

21:40. When therefore the lord of the vineyard shall come, what will he do to those husbandmen?

21:41. They say to him: He will bring those evil men to an evil end and let out his vineyard to other husbandmen that shall render him the fruit in due season.

21:42. Jesus saith to them: Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? By the Lord this has been done; and it is wonderful in our eyes.

21:43. Therefore I say to you that the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and shall be given to a nation yielding the fruits thereof.

21:44. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder.

21:45. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they knew that he spoke of them.

21:46. And seeking to lay hands on him, they feared the multitudes, because they held him as a prophet.

Matthew Chapter 22

The parable of the marriage feast. Christ orders tribute to be paid to Caesar. He confutes the Sadducees, shews which is the first commandment in the law and puzzles the Pharisees.

22:1. And Jesus answering, spoke again in parables to them, saying:

22:2. The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king who made a marriage for his son.

22:3. And he sent his servants to call them that were invited to the marriage: and they would not come.

22:4. Again he sent other servants, saying: Tell them that were invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my beeves and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come ye to the marriage.

22:5. But they neglected and went their ways, one to his farm and another to his merchandise.

22:6. And the rest laid hands on his servants and, having treated them contumeliously, put them to death.

22:7. But when the king had heard of it, he was angry: and sending his armies, he destroyed those murderers and burnt their city.

22:8. Then he saith to his servants: The marriage indeed is ready; but they that were invited were not worthy.

22:9. Go ye therefore into the highways; and as many as you shall find, call to the marriage.

22:10. And his servants going forth into the ways, gathered together all that they found, both bad and good: and the marriage was filled with guests.

22:11. And the king went in to see the guests: and he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment.

22:12. And he saith to him: Friend, how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment? But he was silent.

22:13. Then the king said to the waiters: Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the exterior darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

22:14. For many are called, but few are chosen.

22:15. Then the Pharisees going, consulted among themselves how to insnare him in his speech.

22:16. And they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying: Master, we know that thou art a true speaker and teachest the way of God in truth. Neither carest thou for any man: for thou dost not regard the person of men.

The Herodians... That is, some that belonged to Herod, and that joined with him in standing up for the necessity of paying tribute to Caesar, that is, to the Roman emperor. Some are of opinion that there was a sect among the Jews called Herodians, from their maintaining that Herod was the Messias.

22:17. Tell us therefore what dost thou think? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?

22:18. But Jesus knowing their wickedness, said: Why do you tempt me, ye hypocrites?

22:19. Shew me the coin of the tribute. And they offered him a penny.

22:20. And Jesus saith to them: Whose image and inscription is this?

22:21. They say to him: Caesar's. Then he saith to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God, the things that are God's.

22:22. And hearing this, they wondered and, leaving him, went their ways.

22:23. That day there came to him the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection; and asked him,

22:24. Saying: Master, Moses said: If a man die having no son, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up issue to his brother.

22:25. Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first having married a wife, died; and not having issue, left his wife to his brother.

22:26. In like manner the second and the third and so on, to the seventh.

22:27. And last of all the woman died also.

22:28. At the resurrection therefore, whose wife of the seven shall she be? For they all had her.

22:29. And Jesus answering, said to them: You err, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.

22:30. For in the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married, but shall be as the angels of God in heaven.

22:31. And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken by God, saying to you:

22:32. I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.

22:33. And the multitudes hearing it were in admiration at his doctrine.

22:34. But the Pharisees, hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together.

22:35. And one of them, a doctor of the law, asked him, tempting him:

22:36. Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

22:37. Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind.

22:38. This is the greatest and the first commandment.

22:39. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

22:40. On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.

22:41. And the Pharisees being gathered together, Jesus asked them,

22:42. Saying: What think you of Christ? Whose son is he? They say to him: David's.

22:43. He saith to them: How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying:

22:44. The Lord said to my Lord: Sit on my right hand, until I make thy enemies thy footstool?

22:45. If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

22:46. And no man was able to answer him a word: neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

Matthew Chapter 23

Christ admonishes the people to follow the good doctrine, not the bad example of the scribes and Pharisees. He warns his disciples not to imitate their ambition and denounces divers woes against them for their hypocrisy and blindness.

23:1. Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples,

23:2. Saying: The scribes and the Pharisees have sitten on the chair of Moses.

23:3. All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do: but according to their works do ye not. For they say, and do not.

23:4. For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens and lay them on men's shoulders: but with a finger of their own they will not move them.

23:5. And all their works they do for to be seen of men. For they make their phylacteries broad and enlarge their fringes.

Phylacteries... that is, parchments, on which they wrote the ten commandments, and carried them on their foreheads before their eyes: which the Pharisees affected to wear broader than other men; so to seem more zealous for the law.

23:6. And they love the first places at feasts and the first chairs in the synagogues,

23:7. And salutations in the market place, and to be called by men, Rabbi.

23:8. But be not you called Rabbi. For one is your master: and all you are brethren.

23:9. And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven.

Call none your father--Neither be ye called masters, etc... The meaning is that our Father in heaven is incomparably more to be regarded, than any father upon earth: and no master to be followed, who would lead us away from Christ. But this does not hinder but that we are by the law of God to have a due respect both for our parents and spiritual fathers, (1 Cor. 4. 23:15,) and for our masters and teachers.

23:10. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, Christ.

23:11. He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant.

23:12. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled: and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

23:13. But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men: for you yourselves do not enter in and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter.

23:14. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour the houses of widows, praying long prayers. For this you shall receive the greater judgment.

23:15. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you go round about the sea and the land to make one proselyte. And when he is made, you make him the child of hell twofold more than yourselves.

23:16. Woe to you, blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but he that shall swear by the gold of the temple is a debtor.

23:17. Ye foolish and blind: for whether is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

23:18. And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it is a debtor.

23:19. Ye foolish and blind: for whether is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

23:20. He therefore that sweareth by the altar sweareth by it and by all things that are upon it.

23:21. And whosoever shall swear by the temple sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth in it.

23:22. And he that sweareth by heaven sweareth by the throne of God and by him that sitteth thereon.

23:23. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you tithe mint and anise and cummin and have left the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and faith. These things you ought to have done and not to leave those undone.

23:24. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.

23:25. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you make clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but within you are full of rapine and uncleanness.

23:26. Thou blind Pharisee, first make clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside may become clean.

23:27. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful but within are full of dead men's bones and of all filthiness.

23:28. So you also outwardly indeed appear to men just: but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

23:29. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, that build the sepulchres of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the just,

Build the sepulchres, etc... This is not blamed, as if it were in itself evil to build or adorn the monuments of the prophets: but the hypocrisy of the Pharisees is here taxed; who, whilst they pretended to honour the memory of the prophets, were persecuting even unto death the Lord of the prophets.

23:30. And say: If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

23:31. Wherefore you are witnesses against yourselves, that you are the sons of them that killed the prophets.

23:32. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.