Mateus 10

Hilary of Poitiers · Comentário Patrístico (catena)

Mateus 10:5

They are warned to avoid the ways of the Gentiles, not because they were never going to be sent for the salvation of the Gentiles, but because they were to avoid the works and lifestyle of the unenlightened Gentiles. They were forbidden to enter the towns of the Samaritans. Yet, did he not cure the Samaritan woman? They were warned, moreover, not to go into the assemblies of heretics. For heterodoxy does not differ at all from unenlightenment. Therefore they were being sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, who raged against him with the tongues and jaws of wolves and vipers. At any rate, the law was due to receive the special benefit of the gospel. The less excuse Israel had for its ungodly behavior, the more zeal it might have in heeding the warning. — Commentary on Matthew 10.3

Mateus 10:6

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] The promulgation of the Law deserved also the first preaching of the Gospel; and Israel was to have less excuse for its crime, as it had experienced more care in being warned. Though they are here called sheep, yet they raged against Christ with the tongues and throats of wolves and vipers. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:8

All the power possessed by the Lord is bestowed upon the apostles! Those who were prefigured in the image and likeness of God in Adam have now received the perfect image and likeness of Christ. They have been given powers in no way different from those of the Lord. Those once earthbound now become heaven-centered. They will proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, that the image and likeness of God are now appropriated in the company of truth, so that all the holy ones who have been made heirs of heaven may reign with the Lord. Let them cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out devils. Whatever impairment Adam's body had incurred from being goaded on by Satan, let the apostles wipe away through their sharing in the Lord's power. And that they may fully obtain the likeness of God according to the prophecy in Genesis, they are ordered to give freely what they freely have received. Thus a gift freely bestowed should be freely dispensed. — Commentary on Matthew 10.4

Mateus 10:8

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] The exercise of the Lord's power is wholly entrusted to the Apostles, that they who were formed in the image of Adam, and the likeness of God, should now obtain the perfect image of Christ; and whatever evil Satan had introduced into the body of Adam, this they should now repair by communion with the Lord's power. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:9-10

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] The girdle is the making ready for the ministry, the girding up that we may be active in duty; we may suppose that the forbidding money in the girdle is to warn us from suffering any thing in the ministry to be bought and sold. We are not to have a scrip by the way, that is, we are to leave all care of our worldly substance; for all treasure on earth is hurtful to the heart, which will be there where the treasure is. Not two coats, for it is enough to have once put on Christ, nor after true knowledge of Him ought we to be clothed with any other garment of heresy or law. Not shoes, because standing on holy ground as was said to Moses not covered with the thorns and prickles of sin, we are admonished to have no other preparation of our walk than that we have received from Christ. Neither a staff; that is, We are not to seek rights of extraneous power, having a rod from the root of Jesse. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:10

They are forbidden to keep gold, silver or money in their belts, to carry a wallet for their journey, to keep two tunics, or sandals, or to take a staff in hand. The laborer deserves his food. Does it not cause envy, as I believe, to carry money in one's belt? And what does the forbidden possession of gold, silver and copper in one's belt signify? The belt is the equipment of the ministry, and the sash helps one to work efficiently. Therefore we are warned about anything in our ministry that is of monetary value, nor should the possession of gold, silver and copper become necessary for our apostolic mission. "Take no wallet for your journey." Leave behind any concern for worldly goods. All treasure on earth is detrimental, for where our treasure is, there our heart will be. "Nor two tunics." The garment of Christ is all we will ever need. And, because of the depravity of our mind, we should not put on any other garment, either of a heretical sect or of the law. "Nor sandals." Are frail humans capable of going barefoot? On holy ground covered with thorns and briars, as God said to Moses, we are urged to stand firm with bare feet and to have no other footwear for our journey than what we have received from Christ. "Nor staff in hand," that is, the possession of external power, or unworthily holding a staff from the root of Jesse—for whatever else it may be, it will not be the staff of Christ. Rather, we are to be equipped for our journey in the world with every higher level of language, grace, travel fare, clothes, footwear and power. Following these directions, we shall be found worthy of our reward; that is, through observance of them, we will receive the reward of heavenly hope. — Commentary on Matthew 10.5

Mateus 10:11

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Figuratively, The Lord teaches us not to enter the houses or to mix in the acquaintance of those who persecute Christ, or who are ignorant of Him; and in each town to enquire who among them is worthy, i. e. where there is a Church wherein Christ dwells; and not to pass to another, because this house is worthy, this host is our right host. But there would be many of the Jews who would be so well disposed to the Law, that though they believed in Christ because they admired His works, yet they would abide in the works of the Law; and others again who, desiring to make trial of that liberty which is in Christ, would feign themselves ready to forsake the Law for the Gospel; many also would be drawn aside into heresy by perverse understanding. And since all these would falsely maintain that with them only was Catholic verity, therefore we must with great caution seek out the house, i. e. the Church. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:12-13

These things really baffle the mind. For if the apostles are not to submit to hospitality unless they first inquire who is worthy, how will the house later be found unworthy? And what if the host does not listen to their words and does not receive them? Either there is no fear of this in the well-intentioned person, or, if he is found unworthy, there is no point in sharing his dwelling. And what good will it do to inquire who is worthy if respect and punishment are advised regarding an unworthy host? But the Lord instructs them to desire no part of the home and hospitality of those who either reproach Christ or turn a deaf ear to him. In each town they are to inquire who in the house is worthy, that is, if the church and Christ are inhabitants there, and not to move on to anywhere else if the house is worthy and the host well-intentioned.There would be many Jews with a great affection for the law who, although they might believe in Christ out of admiration for his works, still lingered in the works of the law. And others, curious to explore the freedom that is in Christ, would pretend they were going over to the gospel from the law. Many others, too, would be led into heresy out of a misguided understanding. And since all those who deceive and flatter their listeners in this way claim they have the catholic truth, he forewarned his apostles that they must inquire whether the person they are to dwell with is worthy. And since naïve persons might go along with the ideas of the host through deceptive words, one must make cautious use of a house that was called worthy, that is, the church that is called catholic. He directs that it should be saluted peaceably, so that peace is spoken rather than given. For thus he instructed them: "Salute it, saying, 'Peace to this house.' " Hence their peaceful greeting is in words and must be tendered as a gesture. Furthermore, he said that peace itself, which is the very heart of compassion, ought not to come to that house unless it is worthy. If that house is not found worthy, the homage of heavenly peace must be withheld. — Commentary on Matthew 10.7-9

Mateus 10:12-13

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] The Apostles salute the house with the prayer of peace; yet so as that peace seems rather spoken than given. For their own peace which was the bowels of their pity ought not to rest upon the house if it were not worthy; then the sacrament of heavenly peace could be kept within the Apostles own bosom. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:14

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Upon such as rejected the precepts of the heavenly kingdom an eternal curse is left by the departure of the Apostles, and the dust shaken from their feet; And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye go out of that house, or that town, cast the dust off your feet. For he that lives in any place seems to have a kind of fellowship with that place. By the casting the dust off the feet therefore all that belonged to that house is left behind, and nothing of healing or soundness is borrowed from the footsteps of the Apostles having trod their soil. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:16

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] He first attempted the softer sex, allured her by hope, and promised a share of immortality. Do you in like manner seize every opportunity, look well into each man's nature and inclination, use wisdom of speech, reveal hope of good things to come; that what he promised falsely we may preach truly according to God's promise, that they that believe shall be like to the Angels. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:16

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] The wolves indeed are all such as should pursue the Apostles with mad fury. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:17

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Who will endeavour to extort from you either to be silent or to temporize. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:18

Mateus 10:19-20

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] And by this their testimony not only was all excuse of ignorance of His divinity taken away from their persecutors, but also to the Gentiles was opened the way of believing on Christ, who was thus devotedly preached by the voices of the confessors among the flames of persecution; and this is that He adds, and the Gentiles. For our faith, observing all the precepts of the Divine will, will be instructed with an answer according to knowledge, after the example of Abraham, to whom when he had given up Isaac, there was not wanting a ram for a victim. For it is not ye who speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:21

This entire saying of the Lord refers to the Jews and the heretics: "Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents." The family in a single house will disagree among themselves. This means that whereas the people were formerly united (for the "people" is meant under the names of parents and relatives), we will now be exposed to vicious hatred. We will be offered up to earthly judges and kings, who attempt to secure either our silence or our cooperation. For we are to bear testimony to these people and to the Gentiles, and after that testimony has been borne, our persecutors will be deprived of the excuse that they are ignorant of divine things. When Christ has been prophesied by the words of the martyrs amid the tortures of savage persecutors, the way will be open for the Gentiles to believe in him, though they remain stubborn. — Commentary on Matthew 10.12

Mateus 10:23

He then tells them to flee out of one city into another. This means that his message would first go beyond the borders of Judea and pass into Greece. Then the messengers would be harassed and the various apostles would suffer among the cities of Greece. At last the message would be established among all the Gentiles. He also wished to indicate that the Gentiles would believe in the apostles' preaching but that Israel alone would not believe until his own return. For this reason he said, "You will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes," that is, after the conversion of all of the Gentiles. Israel will be left, and when he comes in splendor, it will fill out the number of the holy and be established in the church. — Commentary on Matthew 10.14

Mateus 10:23

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Otherwise; He exhorts to fly from place to place; for His preaching driven from Judæa, first passed into Greece; then, wearied with divers sufferings of the Apostles up and down the cities of Greece, it takes an abiding refuge in the rest of the Gentile world. But to show that the Gentiles would believe the preaching of the Apostles, but that the remnant of Israel should only believe at His second coming, He adds, Ye shall not have completed the cities of Israel; i. e. After the fulness of the Gentiles is brought in, that which remains of Israel to fill up the number of the Saints shall be called into the Church in Christ's future coming to glory. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:24-25

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] For the Lord, the Light eternal, the Captain of the faithful, the Parent of immortality, set before His disciples this solace of the sufferings that should come upon them, that we should embrace it as our glory when we are made like to our Lord in suffering; whence He says, The disciple is not above his master, nor the slave above his lord. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:25

Knowledge of things to come is very edifying for acquiring tolerance, especially if our own will to endure has been molded by another's example. Our Lord, who is eternal light and the leader of all believers and the founder of immortality, sent consolations in advance to his disciples for the sufferings they would endure. This was so that no disciple would think himself above his teacher or above the Lord, when in reality he is a servant. For some call the master of the house by a demon's name out of their ill will. If we were indeed equal to our Lord or to the circumstances of his sufferings, how much more would they commit every sort of injury and insult on those of his household who have more fully entered the realm of glory? — Commentary on Matthew 10.15

Mateus 10:26

This refers to the day of judgment, which will make known the hidden conscience of our will and reveal to public knowledge those things that now seem obscure. Jesus is admonishing us, therefore, that we are not to fear our persecutors' threats or stratagems or power, because the day of judgment will reveal that these all were nothing and empty. — Commentary on Matthew 10.16

Mateus 10:26

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Therefore neither threatening, nor evil speaking, nor power of their enemies should move them, seeing the judgment-day will disclose how empty, how nought all these were. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:27

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Therefore they ought to inculcate constantly the knowledge of God, and the profound secret of evangelic doctrine, to be revealed by the light of preaching. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:27

We do not take this to mean that the Lord was accustomed to preach at night and to transmit his teaching in the dark. Rather, to those who are carnal, everything he said is darkness, and to unbelievers his word is night.… Therefore Jesus commands that those things which were said in the darkness should be preached in the light. In this way the things he secretly whispered into their ears will be heard from the housetops, from on high, through those who speak as heralds. — Commentary on Matthew 10.17

Mateus 10:28

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Having no fear of those who have power only over the body, but cannot reach the soul; Fear not those that kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:29

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Figuratively; That which is sold is our soul and body, and that to which it is sold, is sin. They then who sell two sparrows for a farthing, are they who sell themselves for the smallest sin, born for flight, and for reaching heaven with spiritual wings. (vid. Ps. 124:7.) Caught by the bait of present pleasures, and sold to the enjoyment of the world, they barter away their whole selves in such a market. It is of the will of God that one of them rather soar aloft; but the law proceeding according to God's appointment decrees that one of them should fall. In like manner as, if they soared aloft they would become one spiritual body; so, when sold under sin, the soul gathers earthly matter from the pollution of vice, and there is made of them one body which is committed to earth. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:29

What is sold is the body and soul. It is a sin to sell them to anyone, because Christ redeems from sin and is the Redeemer of body and soul. So when persons sell themselves for the sake of an insignificant sin, it is like two sparrows being sold for a penny. They were born for flying and to be carried to heaven on spiritual wings, but they are overtaken by the price of their immediate pleasures, and by such actions they trade away all their eternal treasures for the sake of temporal luxury. — Commentary on Matthew 10.18

Mateus 10:30

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] For when any thing is numbered it is carefully watched over. For it is an unworthy task to number things that are to perish. Therefore that we should know that nothing of us should perish, we are told that our very hairs are numbered. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:31

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] No accident then that can befal our bodies is to be feared; thus He adds, Fear not, ye are better than many sparrows. Or this, ye are better than many sparrows, teaches that the elect faithful are better than the multitude of the unbelieving, for the one fall to earth, the other fly to heaven. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:32-33

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] This He says in conclusion, because it behoves them after being confirmed by such teaching, to have a confident freedom in confessing God. This teaches us, that in what measure we have borne witness to Him upon earth, in the same shall we have Him to bear witness to us in heaven before the face of God the Father. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:34

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Mystically; A sword is the sharpest of all weapons, and thence it is the emblem of the right of authority, the impartiality of justice, the correction of offenders. The word of God, we may remember, is likened to a sword; (Eph. 6:17. Heb. 4:12.) so here the sword that is sent upon the earth is His preaching poured into the heart of man. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:35

And so when we are renewed by the water of baptism through the power of the Word, we are separated from the sins and ancestors of our origin; we are cut away from the inordinate love of father and mother as if by an incision from God's sword, and we are divided from them. And as we shed our former self with its sins and unfaithfulness and are made new by the Spirit in mind and body, we will necessarily detest the habits of our old, inborn way of life. — Commentary on Matthew 10.24

Mateus 10:35

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] The five inhabiting one house, whom He divides three against two, and two against three, we may explain thus; The three are the three parts of man, the body, the soul, and the will; for as the soul is bestowed in the body, so the will has power of using both in any way it chooses; and thence when a law is given it is given to the will. But this is only found in those who were first formed by God. By the sin and unbelief of the first parent, all the generations of men since have had sin for the father of their body, and unbelief for the mother of their soul. And as each man has his will within him, there are thus five in one house. When then we are renewed in the laver of baptism, by virtue of the word we are set apart from our original guilt, and severed, as it were, by the sword of God, from the lusts of this our father and mother, and thus there is great discord made in one house. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:36

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] The new man finding his foes within, he seeks with joy to live in newness of spirit; they which are derived from the old stock, lust to remain in their old pleasures. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:37

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] For they who have esteemed domestic affection of relations higher than God, are unworthy to inherit good things to come. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:38

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or; They that are Christ's have crucified the body with its vices and lusts. (Gal. 5:24.) And he is unworthy of Christ who does not take up His cross, in which we suffer with Him, die with Him, are buried and rise again with Him, and follow his Lord, purposing to live in newness of spirit in this sacrament of the faith. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:39

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Thus the gain of life brings death, the loss of life brings salvation; for by the sacrifice of this short life we gain the reward of immortality. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:39

Here the stated doctrine and its meaning run along the same course. After he commands us to abandon everything that is most valuable in earthly life, he adds, "He who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." This is because those who belong to Christ have crucified their bodies with their sinful practices and pleasures. We are unworthy of Christ if we do not take up our own cross, by which we suffer, die and are buried and resurrected together with him. Only by this pledge of faith in the Spirit will he triumph in new life in us."He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it." This obviously means that through the power of the Word and separation from our old vices, we will receive spiritual profit in death and a fine exacted against our life. Therefore we must accept death in the reformation of our life. We are to fashion our vicious selves on the model of our Lord's cross, and we are to cling to an open profession of glory, even against persecutors and with disregard of things present. — Commentary on Matthew 10.25-26

Mateus 10:40

"He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward." He who receives a prophet receives him who dwells in the prophet, and he becomes worthy of a prophet's reward by receiving the prophet because he is a prophet. And a like reward is allotted for receiving a righteous person. One who does this becomes righteous by honoring righteousness. In this way righteousness is attained through faith, taking on mercy as its duty. This happens when someone receives a righteous person and becomes a prophet himself by reason of his own reverence. He will receive the honor due to a righteous person and a prophet. — Commentary on Matthew 10.28

Mateus 10:40

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] These words show that He has a Mediator's office, and since He came from God, when He is received by us, through Him God is transfused into us; and by this disposition of grace to have received the Apostles is no other than to have received God; for Christ dwells in them, and God in Christ. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:41

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or; Seeing beforehand that there would be many who would only glory in the name of Apostleship, but in their whole life and walk would be unworthy of it, He does not therefore deprive of its reward that service which might be rendered to them in belief of their religious life. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 10:42

He teaches that no deed of a good conscience is useless. It is no crime for a believer to have hope that transcends another's unbelief. For he foresaw that there would be many who glory merely in the name of apostleship but whose every action proves they are unworthy. They deceive and lie perpetually. And yet when we grant these people the favors that are due them because of their mere appearance of religiosity, he does not withhold from us the reward of doing his work and of hope. For even if they are the very least, that is, the worst sinners of all—for nothing is smaller than the "least"—nonetheless he decrees that we have duties toward them. These duties are light but not useless. They are represented by the phrase "cold water." For honor is to be paid not to the sins of the individual but to his status as a disciple. He grants his reward to the faith of the one who gives, not to the deceitfulness of the one who receives. — Commentary on Matthew 10.29

Mateus 10:42

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] For though they were the very least, that is, the greatest of sinners, yet even small offices of mercy shown them, such as are denoted by the cup of cold water, should not be shown in vain. For the honour is not done to a man that is a sinner, but to his title of disciple. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas