Mateus 24

Remigius of Rheims

Mateus 24:1-2

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] So it was ordained of God, that as soon as the light of grace was revealed, the temple with its ceremonies should be taken out of the way, lest any weakling in the faith, beholding all the things instituted of the Lord and hallowed by the Prophets yet abiding, might be gradually drawn away from the purity of the faith to a carnal Judaism. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 24:3

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] The Lord continuing His walk arrives at Mount Olivet, having by the way foretold the destruction of the temple to those disciples who had shown and commended the buildings. When they had reached the Mount they came to Him, asking Him further of this. For Mount Olivet has no unfruitful trees, but olives, which supply light to dispel darkness, which give rest to the weary, health to the sick. And sitting on Mount Olivet over against the temple, the Lord discourses of its destruction, and the destruction of the Jewish nation, that even by His choice of a situation He might show, that abiding still in the Church He condemns the pride of the wicked. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 24:10-12

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] But the whole passage might be referred to the end of the world. For then shall many be offended, and depart from the faith, when they see the numbers and wealth of the wicked, and the miracles of Antichrist, and they shall persecute their brethren; and Antichrist shall send false Prophets, who shall deceive many; iniquity shall abound, because the number of the wicked shall be increased; and love shall wax cold, because the number of the good shall diminish. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 24:11

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] As the capture of Jerusalem approached, many rose up, calling themselves Christians, and deceived many; such Paul calls false brethren, John Antichrists. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 24:12

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] That is, true love towards God and our neighbour, in proportion as each surrenders himself to iniquity, in that proportion will the flame of charity in his heart be extinguished. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 24:13

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Whoso shall endure unto the end, i. e. to the end of his life; for whoso to the end of his life shall persevere in the confession of the name of Christ, and in love, he shall be saved. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 24:14

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] For the Lord knew that the hearts of the disciples would be made sad by the destruction of Jerusalem, and overthrow of their nation, and He therefore comforts them with a promise that more of the Gentiles should believe than of the Jews should perish. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 24:16

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] And this we know was so done when the fall of Jerusalem drew near; for on the approach of the Roman army, all the Christians in the province, warned, as ecclesiastical history tells us (Euseb. H.E. iii. 5.), miraculously from heaven, withdrew, and passing the Jordan, took refuge in the city of Pella; and under the protection of that King Agrippa, of whom we read in the Acts of the Apostles, they continued some time; but Agrippa himself, with the Jews whom he governed, was subjected to the dominion of the Romans. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 24:31

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Here we are not to think of a real trumpet, but of the voice of the archangel, which shall be so loud that at its sound all the dead shall rise out of the dust of the earth. That is, from the four quarters of the world, north, south, east, and west. Or otherwise; Lest any one should suppose that they should be gathered only from the four quarters of the world, and not from the middle regions, The adds this, And from one end of heaven to the other. By the heights of heaven meaning the central regions of the earth, which are under the heights of heaven; and by the ends of heaven, meaning the extreme parts of the earth, where the land seems to join a very wide and distant horizon. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 24:32

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or, when this fig shall again bud, that is, when the synagogue shall receive the word of holy preaching, as the preaching of Enoch and Elias, then we ought to understand that the day of the consummation is at hand. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 24:36

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] And Mark has the addition. (Mark 13:32.) — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 24:40-41

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Or, these words denote three orders in the Church. The two men in the field (prædicatores.) denote the order of preachers, to whom is committed the field of the Church; by the two grinding at the mill, (conjugati.) the order of the married priests, who while with a divided heart they are called first to one side, then to the other, do, as it were, ever turn round a mill; by the two in one bed, (continentes.) the order of the continent, whose repose is signified by the bed. But in all these orders are good and bad, righteous and unrighteous, so that some shall be taken, and some left. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 24:45

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] Nor yet does it imply the impossibility of attaining perfect virtue, but only the difficulty. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mateus 24:47

[(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)] It should be observed, that as there is great difference of desert between good preachers and good hearers, so is there great difference between their rewards. The good hearers, if He finds them watching He will make to sit down to meat, as Luke speaks; but the good preachers He will set over all His goods. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas