# Matthew – Commentary – Ignatius Catholic Study Bible **1:1 book of the genealogy:** A title for the following ancestry (1:2-16) and the entire Gospel. The opening words recall the Greek OT in Gen 2:4 and 5:1. **Christ:** A title (Gk. *Christos*) meaning the \"Anointed One\". It is the Greek rendering of the OT word for \"Messiah\". According to Lk 4:18-19, Jesus is anointed by the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 10:36-38). It is this title for Jesus that Matthew elucidates throughout his Gospel. See word study: **Christ** at Mk 14 (CCC 436) **1:2-17** The Abrahamic and Davidic ancestry of Jesus establishes his credentials to be the royal Messiah of Israel (1:1, 16). God long ago promised that \"kings\" would stem from Abraham\'s line (Gen 17:6) and later swore a covenant oath that David would always have a dynastic heir (2 Sam 7:16; Ps 89:34). Note that Matthew\'s genealogy reaches back to Abraham, the forefather of Israel, whereas Luke\'s genealogy of Jesus stretches back to Adam, the father of all nations (Lk 3:23-38). This difference is heightened by numerous discrepancies between the two genealogies, especially in the generations spanning from David to Jesus. More than a dozen solutions have been proposed to harmonize them. At the very least, it should be recognized that gaps are a common feature in genealogical registries from antiquity. There are also many examples in Scripture of one person having more than one name ---a fact that must be considered when attempting to identify the ancestors of Jesus (e.g., Solomon/Jedidiah, 2 Sam 12:24-25). For the possibility that Matthew gives Jesus\' *paternal* genealogy (Joseph\'s ancestry) and Luke his *maternal* genealogy (Mary\'s ancestry), see note on Lk 3:23-38 **1:3-6** The inclusion of women (**Tamar, Rahab, Ruth,** and the **wife of Uriah**) in a Jewish genealogy is unusual, but not unprecedented (1 Chron 1:32, 39, 50; 2:4). All are Gentiles (Canaanite, Canaanite, Moabite, and Hittite, respectively), and three (all but Ruth) are associated with sexual immorality (Gen 38:12-26; Josh 2:1; 2 Sam 11:2-5). These irregularities may reflect an apologetic strategy. **(1)** Gentile blood within Jesus\' lineage anticipates the international scope of the gospel for men and women of \"all nations\" (28:19). **(2)** Matthew defuses Jewish accusations that the women in Jesus\' genealogy undermine his messianic credentials. By listing the immoral women in the generations before Solomon, Matthew implies that if these women did not disqualify Solomon as the royal son of David, then neither do they disqualify Jesus, who assumes the same title as the Messiah (1:1). Indeed, Solomon\'s birth through the immorally arranged marriage of David and Uriah\'s wife (2 Sam 11) stands in vivid contrast to Mary\'s virginal conception of Jesus by the Spirit (1:18) **1:16 the husband of:** The final link in the genealogy breaks with the preceding pattern. Joseph is not called the father of Jesus but only the spouse of Mary. This prepares for the virginal conception of Jesus in 1:18-25. Joseph is, however, the legal foster-father of Jesus and exercises his paternal duty by naming the Child (1:25) and protecting the Holy Family (2:13-22). Following Jewish custom, Jesus received full hereditary rights through Joseph, even though he was adopted (CCC 437, 496). • In Catholic tradition, the fatherhood of Joseph is also held to be spiritual and real, albeit virginal, just as the Fatherhood of God is spiritual and non-physical **1:17 fourteen generations:** Matthew divides the genealogy into three units of 14. It is not exhaustive, since several OT names are omitted and the divisions cover unequal periods of time. Matthew stresses the number 14 to show Jesus as the new Davidic king: **(1)** David and Jesus are the only names listed with their respective titles (**king,** 1:6; **Christ,** 1:16); **(2)** David is the 14th name in the list; **(3)** the numerical value of David\'s name (three consonants) in Hebrew equals 14 (D = 4 + V = 6 + D = 4). • The 42 generations from Abraham to Jesus correspond to the 42 encampments of Israel during its wilderness journey to the Promised Land (cf. Num 33:1-49). These generations bring us to the Messiah, through whom we arrive at the land of promise in heaven (St. Jerome, *Letters* 78). **deportation to Babylon:** The Exile of the Jews starting in 586 B.C. under the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. After that time, Israel\'s Davidic kingdom collapsed, and no legitimate heir assumed David\'s throne. Jesus comes as the awaited Messiah-king (21:4-5; Jn 1:49) to fulfill God\'s covenant oath to perfect and establish the Davidic dynasty for all time (cf. Ps 132:11-12; Lk 1:32-33) **1:18 betrothed to Joseph:** Betrothal in ancient Judaism was unlike modern-day engagements. It was a temporary period (up to one year) between the covenant of marriage itself and the time when spouses lived together. Because couples were legally married during this intervening phase, a betrothal could be terminated only by death or divorce (Deut 24:1-4). **of the Holy Spirit:** Often read as an editorial comment addressed to the reader. Others take it to mean that Joseph himself had come to learn that Mary\'s pregnancy was the result of a miracle **1:19 just:** Or, \"righteous\". Joseph is a man of sterling moral character, committed to living by the Mosaic Law (Deut 6:25; Lk 1:6). **put her to shame:** The Greek verb does not necessarily have a negative connotation. It simply means \"to expose\" or \"to exhibit\". **send her away:** Catholic tradition proposes three main interpretations to explain why Joseph resolved to end his betrothal with Mary. **(1)** *The Suspicion Theory.* Some hold that Joseph suspected Mary of adultery when he discovered her pregnancy. Joseph thus intended to pursue a divorce in accord with Deut 24:1-4 until the angel revealed to him the miraculous cause of the conception (1:20). Joseph is said to be righteous because he shuns immorality and directs his life by the Law of God. Proponents of this view include St. Justin Martyr,St. John Chrysostom, and St. Augustine. **(2)** *The Perplexity Theory.* Others hold that Joseph found the situation of Mary\'s pregnancy inexplicable. Divorce seemed to be his only option, and yet he wished to do this quietly, for he could not bring himself to believe that Mary had been unfaithful. Joseph is said to be righteous because he lives by the Law of God and judges Mary\'s situation with the utmost charity. The main proponent of this view is St. Jerome, whose exegesis was adopted into the notes of the medieval Bible. **(3)** *The Reverence Theory.* Still others hold that Joseph knew the miraculous cause of Mary\'s pregnancy from the beginning, i.e., he was made aware that the child was conceived \"of the Holy Spirit\" (1:18). Faced with this, Joseph considered himself unworthy to be involved in the Lord\'s work, and his decision to separate quietly from Mary was a discretionary measure to keep secret the mystery within her. On this reading, the angel confirms what Joseph had already known and urges him to set aside pious fears that would lead him away from his vocation to be the legal father of the Messiah (1:20). Joseph is said to be righteous because of his deep humility and reverence for the miraculous works of God. Proponents of this view include St. Bernard of Clairvaux and St. Thomas Aquinas **1:20 Joseph:** The angel\'s message is urgent: Joseph must maintain his marriage in order to be the foster-father of Jesus. As a descendant of King **David,** he imparts to Jesus Davidic (royal) rights of inheritance. • Matthew\'s portrait of Joseph recalls the OT patriarch Joseph. **(1)** Both share the same name (1:18; Gen 30:24); **(2)** both have fathers named Jacob (1:16; Gen 30:19-24); **(3)** God spoke to both of them through dreams (1:20-21; 2:13, 19-20, 22; Gen 37:5-11); **(4)** both were righteous and chaste (1:19; Gen 39:7-18); **(5)** both saved their families by bringing them to Egypt (2:13; Gen 45:16-20) **1:21 Jesus:** The Greek name *Iēsous* is equivalent to the Hebrew name Joshua (*Yehoshua\'*), meaning \"Yahweh saves\". It was a popular name among first-century Jews. • Even greater than Joshua, who led Israel into the Promised Land (Sir 46:1), Jesus leads God\'s people into the eternal land of heaven (25:34; cf. Heb 4:1-11). Greater also than David (2 Sam 3:18), Jesus **will save his people from their sins,** not from their national enemies (i.e., the Romans) (CCC 430-32, 2666) **1:23 Behold, a virgin:** The first of several \"formula-quotations\" in Matthew (2:6, 15, 18, 23). Here the citation is from Is 7:14 of the Greek OT. Matthew interprets it with reference to Mary **(virgin)** and Jesus **(son).** • Isaiah 7:14 initially prophesied the birth of King Hezekiah, who rescued Israel from many evils (2 Kings 18:1-6). Matthew sees a deeper level of fulfillment here, where the absence of a human father in the prophecy points to the virginal conception of the Messiah (CCC 497). The name **God with us** is most perfectly fulfilled in Jesus\' Incarnation, where his ongoing presence in the world is both ecclesial (18:20; 28:20) and eucharistic (26:26) **1:25 until:** The Greek *heos* does not imply that Joseph and Mary had marital relations following Jesus\' birth. This conjunction is often used (translated \"to\" or \"till\") to indicate a select period of time, without implying change in the future (2 Sam 6:23 *LXX*; Jn 9:18; 1 Tim 4:13). Here Matthew emphasizes only that Joseph had no involvement in Mary\'s pregnancy *before* Jesus\' birth. • Mary\'s perpetual virginity is firmly established in Church tradition. Its doctrinal formulation is traced to the Lateran Synod of A.D. 649 and was reaffirmed in 1968 by Pope Paul VI (The Credo *of the People of God,* 14; CCC 499-501) **2:1 Bethlehem:** A small village south of Jerusalem. Its Hebrew name means \"house of bread\", and it came to be known as the \"city of David\" (Lk 2:4). As the new Davidic king, Jesus is born in the hometown of David and his family (1 Sam 16:1). It is also the site where David was anointed king (1 Sam 16:4-13). **Herod the king:** Herod the Great, ruler of Palestine. He was part of a non-Jewish (Edomite) family that held political favor with Rome. Herod was appointed \"King of the Jews\" by the Roman Senate in 40 B.C. to replace the collapsing dynasty of Jewish priestly rulers. He took power in Jerusalem in 37 B.C. and reigned until his death. He is famous for extensive building projects, especially his renovation of the Jerusalem Temple. As a ruler, he was extremely harsh and inflexible. He enjoyed little favor with the Jews since he remained loyal to the Roman emperor and was not a rightful Davidic leader. According to our current calendar, Jesus was born near the end of Herod\'s reign, either between 6 and 4 B.C. or 3 and 2 B.C.(cf. 2:16). **Wise Men from the East:** Probably astrologers from Persia ---this would explain their interest in an extraordinary \"star\" (2:2). In Matthew, the Magi are the first Gentiles to recognize the kingship of Jesus (CCC 528). • The star recalls OT prophecy about the Messiah. In Num 24:17, Balaam predicted: \"a star shall come forth out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.\" Herod the Edomite was \"troubled\" (Mt 2:3), knowing that the same oracle foretold disaster for his family: \"Edom shall be dispossessed\" (Num 24:18) **2:6 And you, O Bethlehem:** A combined citation of Mic 5:2 and 2 Sam 5:2. Both the birthplace and the kingship of the Messiah are central. • According to Mic 5:2, the greatness of Bethlehem will far outweigh its small size because of the great king who will arise there. The reference to 2 Sam 5:2 also has a royal context, narrating David\'s covenant of kingship with the 12 tribes of Israel. The mention of these OT texts by the \"chief priests and scribes\" (2:4) indicates their close association with messianic expectations during NT times **2:11 into the house:** This setting suggests the event took place after Jesus\' presence in the \"manger\" (Lk 2:7) and the earlier visit of the shepherds (Lk 2:15-17). • The episode evokes Is 60:3, 6, where Gentile nations bring gifts of **gold** and **frankincense** to the God of Israel (cf. Tob 13:11; Ps 72:10-15). **myrrh:** An anointing oil used to consecrate Levitical priests and the wilderness Tabernacle (Ex 30:23-33). It was also a burial ointment (Jn 19:39-40). • *Allegorically* (St. Irenaeus, *AH* 3, 9, 2): the gifts of the Magi signify the mystery of Christ incarnate. Gold, a symbol of royalty, represents the kingship of Jesus. Frankincense, used in the worship of God, points to his divinity. Myrrh, a burial ointment, signifies the humanity of Christ, especially in his Passion and death. *Morally* (St. Gregory the Great, *Hom. in Evan.* 10): the treasures signify the gifts we present to Christ in our daily lives. Gold is Christ\'s wisdom, which shines in us, frankincense is the prayer and adoration we give him (cf. Rev 8:3-4), and myrrh is our daily self-sacrifices (10:39; cf. Rom 12:1) **2:13 Rise, take the child:** God works within the structures of the family: Joseph is instructed by the angel because he is the head of the Holy Family and the one most responsible for their well-being (cf. Eph 5:21-6:3). **Egypt:** A frequent place of refuge in the OT (Gen 12:10; 46:4; 1 Kings 11:40; Jer 26:21) and the location of large Jewish colonies (Alexandria and Elephantine) during NT times **2:15 Out of Egypt:** A quotation from Hos 11:1. Matthew anticipates its fulfillment in 2:21. • Hosea 11:1 points back to the Exodus, where God\'s \"first-born son\" (Ex 4:22), Israel, was delivered from slavery under the oppressive Pharaoh. Matthew sees this text also pointing forward, when Jesus, the eternal first-born Son (Rom 8:29), is delivered from the tyrant Herod and later brought out of Egypt (2:21) (CCC 530) 2:16 a furious rage: Extrabiblical history paints a similar portrait of Herod: he murdered his favorite wife, three of his sons, and others who threatened his throne.• The Church considers these children from Bethlehem the first Christian martyrs. Their feast is celebrated December 28. • Matthew begins here to portray Jesus as a new and greater Moses: **(1)** The lives of both Jesus and Moses are threatened in their infancy by an imperial edict to kill Hebrew male children (Ex 1:15-16); **(2)** both were saved from the decree by the intervention of a family member (2:13; Ex 2:1-10); **(3)** both found protection for a time within Egypt (2:14-15; Ex 2:5-10); **(4)** both were called back to their respective birthplaces after a time of flight and exile (2:20; Ex 4:19); **(5)** both spent 40 days and nights fasting alone in the wilderness (4:2; Ex 34:28); **(6)** both were commissioned by God to promulgate his covenant Law (chaps. 5 ---7; Deut 5:1-21). See chart: **Jesus and the Old Testament** at Mt 12 **The Journeys of Jesus\' Birth.** The decree of Caesar Augustus required Mary and Joseph, who were from Nazareth, to register for the census in the Judean city of Bethlehem (Lk 2:1-5). After the wise men from the East had visited to worship the Child, Joseph heeded the warning of the angel of the Lord and took his family to Egypt, where they remained until the death of Herod the Great [[matthews-infancy-narrative-historical|Is Matthew's Infancy Narrative Historical?]] *2:18 A voice was heard:** A citation from Jer 31:15. • Jeremiah looks to **Ramah,** a city five miles north of Jerusalem, as a place of sorrow and exile. The Assyrians first devastated northern Israel in the eighth century B.C. by sweeping through the land and engulfing the city (Is 10:29; Hos 5:8); later the Babylonians conquered the southern tribes in the sixth century B.C., and Ramah became the assembly point for hauling away captives (Jer 40:1). In both cases, some Israelites were killed, and others were carried into exile. Matthew sees Bethlehem as a new city of sorrow where many are killed and the young Jesus, representing Israel, is carried away. These two sites are linked with the burial place of **Rachel:** one tradition puts her tomb on the outskirts of Bethlehem, where she gave birth to Benjamin in sorrow (Gen 35:17-19), while another locates it in the tribal territory of Benjamin near Ramah (1 Sam 10:2; cf. Josh 18:25) **2:22 Archelaus:** Son of Herod the Great. After Herod\'s death, the Roman emperor Augustus divided his kingdom among his three sons. Archelaus was given the title \"ethnarch\" of Judea, Idumea, and Samaria. He quickly acquired a reputation like his father\'s, governing with a ruthless and heavy hand. He was eventually banished by Augustus to Gaul in A.D. 6. Joseph took Mary and the Child north to the **district of Galilee,** where Archelaus\' younger brother, Herod Antipas, ruled as tetrarch until A.D. 39 **2:23 Nazareth:** An obscure Galilean village nowhere mentioned in the OT. It was insignificant in the eyes of many Jews (cf. Jn 1:46). **He shall be called a Nazarene:** No OT prophecy corresponds to this exact wording. Matthew apparently paraphrases the message of several **prophets** into a summary statement about the Messiah. • The paraphrase is based on a word association between Jesus\' home of Nazareth and the Hebrew word *netser,* translated as \"branch\" in Is 11:1. Isaiah used the image of a branch growing from a stump to signify hope for the kingdom of David. The great Davidic tree (dynasty) had been cut off since the Exile, but the sprouting branch indicated that God would raise up another king from the hopeless situation. Later prophets used this same image to signify the Messiah-king (Jer 23:5, 33:14-16) who would build the Temple (Zech 3:8, 6:11-13). See notes on Mt 1:17 and 16:18 **3:1 John the Baptist:** The forerunner to the Messiah. A Levite (Lk 1:5) and relative of Jesus (Lk 1:36), John was considered a prophet by many Jews (21:26) and even by Jesus himself (11:9). His message was accompanied by an austere life of penance and self-denial (CCC 523). • John\'s clothing (3:4) recalls the OT prophet Elijah who \"wore a garment of haircloth, with a belt of leather about his loins\" (2 Kings 1:8). A figure like Elijah was expected to return before the Messiah (Mal 4:5) to begin restoring the tribes of Israel (Sir 48:10) **3:2 kingdom of heaven:** The overarching theme of Matthew\'s Gospel. The expression appears 32 times in the Gospel and is equivalent in meaning to \"the kingdom of God\" (see, e.g., 19:23-24). In their original Jewish context, the words \"of heaven\" helped to distinguish the kingdom proclaimed by John (3:2) and Jesus (4:17) from popular hopes for a literal restoration of Israel\'s political empire (cf. Acts 1:6). Instead, it is a kingdom that comes from the Father in heaven (Mt 6:10). The presence of the kingdom is mediated through the Church in history (16:18-19); its full manifestation, however, awaits the coming of Christ in glory (25:31-46) (CCC 541, 669-71). See introduction to Matthew: *Themes.* . **3:3 The voice of one crying:** A quotation from Is 40:3. • Isaiah\'s oracle outlines John\'s mission: he is the important figure who prepares the **way of the Lord.** All four Gospels connect Isaiah\'s words with John\'s ministry (Mk 1:3; Lk 3:4; Jn 1:23). See note on Lk 3:4-6 **3:6 the river Jordan:** Runs along the eastern side of Palestine. Its headwaters begin north of the Sea of Galilee, and it flows southward into the Dead Sea. • In the OT, the Jordan is associated with God\'s deliverance. Like the Red Sea, it parted so that the Israelites could cross over on dry ground and inherit the Promised Land (Josh 3:14-17). Naaman the Syrian was cleansed from leprosy at this location when he \"dipped\" (LXX: *ebaptisato*) seven times in the river at the command of Elisha (2 Kings 5:14). Both OT events prefigure the saving power of the Sacrament of Baptism (CCC 1222) **3:11 I baptize you:** John\'s baptism differed from sacramental Baptism, which confers forgiveness and the regenerating grace of justifying faith (Acts 2:38). His was a visible token of repentance and preparation for the Messiah (cf. Is 1:16; Heb 9:10; CCC 718). **with water:** John administered a baptism by water alone as a sign of purification. But as was shown in Noah\'s day, water alone cannot cleanse the soul; the sinfulness of man\'s heart remained unchanged even after the flood (Gen 6:5; 8:21). Only the Sacrament of Baptism infuses the **Holy Spirit** (Jn 3:5) and marks one\'s adoption into God\'s family (28:19) (CCC 1265). **with fire:** A symbol of God and his purifying judgment (Deut 4:24; Sir 2:5; Is 4:3-5; Acts 2:3-4; CCC 696) **Word Study** > [!NOTE] Word Study > *Righteousness* (Mt 3:15) – *Dikaiosune* (Gk.): denotes the uprightness and faithfulness of God and his people (Deut 6:25; Is 48:18). The word is part of a distinctive covenant vocabulary found throughout the Bible. It is used seven times in Matthew and 85 times in the rest of the NT. (1) God\'s *righteousness* is characteristic of his being (holy) and revealed through his saving deeds and care of Israel (Deut 32:4; Is 5:16; 42:6). God is righteous because he perfectly fulfills his covenant with Israel as a divine Father. The NT builds on this foundation: God now demonstrates his *righteousness* through the saving work of Jesus Christ. The New Covenant is ratified by Jesus\' obedience to the Father (Mt 3:15; Rom 3:21-26) and is proclaimed in the gospel (Rom 1:16-17). (2) For God\'s people, *righteousness* is a New Covenant gift from Christ. It is first given in Baptism and received by faith (Rom 5:17). It denotes one\'s restored relationship with God as an adopted son or daughter. This gift of *righteousness* can increase through love and obedience to God\'s covenant Law (Mt 5:6; 6:33; Rom 6:16; Eph 4:24; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 3:7). ^y1dku6 **3:15 it is fitting:** Jesus is sinless and has no need for John\'s baptism (Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22). He nevertheless submits to the rite to identify with sinners and align himself with God\'s plan. Jesus performs Old Covenant regulations to fulfill and perfect them in the New (5:17; cf. Lk 2:21-28; CCC 536). • *Mystically* (St. Thomas Aquinas, *ST* 3, 39, 8), Jesus\' baptism prefigures the Christian sacrament. The water, Spirit, and divine voice signify the effects of Baptism whereby the soul is cleansed (Acts 22:16), the grace of the Holy Spirit is imparted (3:11; 1 Cor 12:13), and the recipient is adopted as a beloved child of God (3:17; Gal 3:26-27; CCC 537) **3:16 the heavens:** The episode reveals the Blessed Trinity: the Father speaks, the Son is baptized, and the Holy Spirit descends as a dove **4:1-11** Matthew\'s temptation narrative recounts 5 Jesus\' spiritual preparation for ministry. • The event contrasts the disobedience of ancient Israel with the obedience of Jesus, representative of the new Israel: **(1)** Israel and Jesus are both called God\'s son (3:17; Ex 4:22); **(2)** the temptations of both Israel and Jesus are preceded by a baptism (3:13-17; 1 Cor 10:1-5); **(3)** Israel was tested for 40 years, Jesus is tempted for **forty days and forty nights** (4:2); **(4)** Israel failed its wilderness testing, while Jesus triumphs over Satan through obedience and self-abasement (4:11). These parallels are supported by Jesus\' three responses (4:4, 7, 10) to the devil taken from Deut 6-8. These texts (Deut 8:3; 6:16; 6:13) warned the Israelites against disobedience and reminded them of God\'s provisions in the wilderness (CCC 538-39). • *Morally* (St. John Chrysostom, *Hom. in Matt.* 8): Jesus\' victory sets an example for Christian obedience. Earthly life is a wilderness trial for God\'s people en route to the land of heaven. Through this probationary period, God wills the faithful to overcome temptations from the world, the flesh, and the devil. Triumph is possible through penance and obedience to God\'s word. Rather than earthly bread and power, the faithful must desire the food of God\'s will and the humility of Christ (11:29; Jn 4:34). The battle successfully won merits heavenly comfort in the company of angels (4:11). The Church annually reminds us of this life-long vocation during the 40 days of Lent (CCC 540, 2849) **4:1 tempted:** Having witnessed the Father\'s declaration (3:17), Satan tests Jesus\' identity as the Son of God. He tempts Jesus to embrace an earthly and political mission (4:8-9) and seeks to divert him from suffering and death. Peter is later rebuked as \"Satan\" (16:23) when he refuses to accept Jesus\' path of suffering (16:21). • The Second Council of Constantinople (A.D. 553) condemned the view that Jesus was impeccable only after his Resurrection (can. 12). On the contrary, Christ is a divine Person and so could not have sinned at any time during his earthly life (Jas 1:13; 1 Jn 3:5). Furthermore, his temptations came entirely from the suggestions of the devil and had nothing to do with the inner struggles and disordered desires of fallen human nature that we experience (Jas 1:14-15) **4:6 it is written:** Both Jesus (4:4, 7, 10) and Satan (4:6) quote from Scripture. Whereas Jesus handles Scripture with reverence and sensitivity, Satan misconstrues its meaning. • Satan\'s use of Ps 91:11-12 violates its original meaning. The psalm encourages trust and faith in God\'s protection; it does not advocate testing him. Jesus\' proper interpretation of Deut 6:16 (4:7) excludes the possibility of twisting Ps 91 to justify testing God **4:12 Galilee:** The uppermost region of Palestine, north of Judea and Samaria. In ancient Israel, Galilee was home to several of the nation\'s 12 tribes. After military devastations by the Assyrians in the eighth century B.C. (2 Kings 15:29), Galilee was ruled separately from Judea and Samaria for most of its history extending into NT times. While some Jews resided in Galilee when Jesus lived there, many were descendants of the northern tribes of Israel who lived alongside Gentile immigrants. Even after the NT period, the Jewish Mishnah (A.D. 200) consistently refers to Galileans as \"Israelites\", as distinct from southern \"Jews\" or \"Judeans\" (cf. 10:5-6; Jn 1:47). Jesus chose Galilee as the place to restore the \"lost sheep of the house of Israel\" (15:24), regather his scattered disciples (26:31-32), and send them on a worldwide mission (28:7, 10, 16-20) **4:15-16 The land of Zebulun . dawned:** A citation I from Is 9:1-2 concerning the land allotments of two Israelite tribes, Zebulun and Naphtali. Since these Galilean regions were the first to be ravaged by Assyrian invasions from 733 to 732 B.C. (2 Kings 15:29), Jesus targets Galilee as the place to begin reversing the tragedies of Israel\'s history by restoring the 12 tribes in the New Covenant (cf. 15:24; 19:28; Rev 7:4-8). • Isaiah foresees a \"latter time\" (Is 9:1), when God will restore hope to Galilee. Matthew links this with Jesus\' residence in \"Capernaum\" (4:13), a town north of the Sea of Galilee where the tribal territories of Zebulun and Naphtali intersect. Matthew\'s sustained interest in the Davidic kingship of Jesus suggests that the fuller context of this oracle is also significant. Isaiah 9:1-2 prefaces an Immanuel prophecy of the birth of a new king who will sit \"upon the throne of David\" (Is 9:7) and restore this light of hope to Galilee (cf. Lk 1:32-33) **4:18-22 fishermen:** A common Galilean occupation. Matthew emphasizes the promptness of the disciples\' response to Jesus (**Immediately** 4:20, 22). Three of them ---Peter, James, and John ---enjoyed a special relationship with him (17:1; 26:37). • God\'s New Covenant grace builds upon, perfects, and elevates our human nature. The natural skills of these fishermen are thus raised to a new and spiritual level by grace, enabling them to gather souls for the kingdom as missionaries in the Church **4:23 synagogues:** Buildings for Jewish worship, prayer, and instruction in the Scriptures. They also served a more general function as community centers within rural villages. Assemblies were held on the Sabbath (in the evening) and the liturgy centered on the proclamation and explanation of the Hebrew Bible. Since these are unmentioned in the OT, the origin of the synagogue is uncertain. Their beginning may be linked with teaching centers in the 48 Levitical cities (Num 35:1-8) or to the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon in the sixth century B.C. Since Jewish males were required to travel to the Jerusalem Temple only three times annually (Deut 16:16), the synagogue was a complementary site for non-sacrificial worship and education during the remainder of the year **4:25 Decapolis:** Literally, the \"ten cities\". These were predominantly Gentile cities in Palestine, and most were located east of the river Jordan. They are known for their distinctive Hellenistic (Greek) architecture **5:1-7:29** The Sermon on the Mount encapsulates the Law of the New Covenant. It is a collection of Jesus\' teachings on Christian living and his perfection of Old Covenant moral laws (5:17). As the first of five discourses in Matthew (see outline), the sermon envisions our heavenly destiny based on acceptance or rejection of Jesus and his teaching (CCC 1965-68) **5:1 on the mountain:** The setting recalls the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai (Ex 19-24). However, Moses brought the Law down the mountain to the people, whereas Jesus delivers his teaching to disciples who have come up the mountain. • The mountain signifies the higher precepts of righteousness, for the precepts given to Israel were lower. God gave lesser laws to those requiring the bonds of fear, but higher laws to those ready to be set free by love. The higher precepts are for the kingdom of heaven, just as the lower precepts were for a kingdom on earth (St. Augustine, *On the Sermon on the Mount* 1, 1, 2). **he sat down:** The posture of a Jewish rabbi speaking with authority (cf. 23:1-2; Jn 8:2) **Word Study** > [!NOTE] Word Study > *Blessed* (Mt 5:3-10) – *Makarios* (Gk.): An adjective meaning \"fortunate\" or \"blessed\". It is found 13 times in Matthew and 37 times elsewhere in the NT. The term is not used as an invocation of God\'s blessing but as a declaration that a person has either received a blessing from God (Mt 16:17; Rom 4:7) or can expect to receive his blessing in the future (Jas 1:12; Rev 14:13; 22:14). This distinction has its roots in the OT, where *wisdom* beatitudes congratulate those who enjoy divine benefits and favorable circumstances in the present (Job 5:17; Prov 3:13; Sir 25:8-9) and *eschatological* beatitudes promise the rewards and consolations of God in the future (Ps 1:1-6; Is 30:18; Dan 12:12). The beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount are of the latter type, for they announce that the blessings of the New Covenant will be fully realized in heaven. Some do promise blessings that are partly enjoyed in this life, but all of them look beyond the struggles and hardships of this life to the eternal blessedness of the life to come (Mt 5:11-12). ^pfo21q **5:3 the poor in spirit:** Those who recognize their need for God and his grace. Unattached to this world, they find their security in the Lord and rely on his mercy rather than their merits or material wealth. The spiritually poor can also be economically poor, for these are often rich in faith (Jas 2:5). Full possession of the **kingdom** will be theirs at the final Judgment (Mt 25:34) (CCC 2544-47).. **5:4 those who mourn:** Those who lament the present state of this life. This includes weeping for sins as well as the grief that comes when the saints are made to suffer for their faith. In the life to come, they will be **comforted** by God, who wipes away every tear (Rev 7:17) **5:5 the meek:** Those who appear powerless and insignificant in the eyes of the world. Far from being weak, however, the meek possess an inner strength to restrain anger and discouragement in the midst of adversity. Meekness is exemplified in the life of Moses (Num 12:3) and especially Jesus (11:29; 21:5). In the end, the meek will **inherit the earth** (or \"the land\" as in Ps 37:11). This refers either to heaven itself, envisioned as a new Promised Land (Heb 11:16), or to the new creation that is to come (Rom 8:21; Rev 21:1) **5:6 those who hunger and thirst:** Those who yearn to live rightly according to the will of God. Their first priority is to seek the Lord\'s kingdom and **righteousness** (6:33) as the most necessary sustenance of life (cf. Jn 4:34). Ultimately, they will be **satisfied** by God in eternal life (25:46) **5:7 the merciful:** Those who imitate the Father\'s mercy (Lk 6:36) by extending forgiveness to others (Mt 18:21-22, 33). The merciful are patient and understanding in bearing with others\' faults, and they are generous in aiding the needy by works of charity and compassion (6:2-4; 25:34-40). When the final Judgment comes, they will receive the **mercy** that lasts forever (6:14; Jas 2:13) (CCC 2447) **5:8 the pure in heart:** Those who act with integrity and serve the Lord unselfishly. In biblical terms, the heart is the hidden center of the person where one\'s thoughts, words, actions, and emotions are said to originate. A pure heart is undefiled by evil and lustful thoughts (5:27-30; 15:18-20) and finds its true treasure in heaven (6:19-21). In eternity, the pure in heart will **see God** as the angels do even now (18:10; 1 Cor 13:12; Rev 22:4). Catholic theology calls this unmediated union with God in heaven the Beatific Vision (CCC 2517-19). **5:9 the peacemakers:** Those who sow peace in the world (Jas 3:18). Partly, this means striving to live at peace with others (Heb 12:14); ultimately, it means sharing the gospel so that others can be reconciled with God and live in the peace of Christ (Rom 5:1; Phil 4:7). Peacemakers will be called **children of God** (Mt 5:45). The gift of divine sonship is both a present possession of believers (Rom 8:14-16; 1 Jn 3:1) and a future hope linked with the resurrection of the body (Rom 8:23) and the glory of eternal life (Rev 21:7) (CCC 2305) **5:10 those who are persecuted:** Those who are slandered, abused, or oppressed for their public witness to Christianity. They are targets of the world\'s hatred (Jn 15:18-19) because of their commitment to the righteousness of the gospel (1 Pet 3:14). Persecuted disciples can expect a great reward in the coming **kingdom of heaven** (Mt 5:12) **5:13-14** Two illustrations show that disciples must be true to their calling lest they render themselves useless for the kingdom. Being the **salt of the earth,** they are to season and preserve the world with peace (Mk 9:50) and gracious speech (Col 4:5). Being the **light of the world,** they are to bear witness to Jesus and his message (Jn 1:9; 8:12). • Both images have links with the OT. Salt is associated with the covenant of priesthood made with Aaron and his descendants (Num 18:19) as well as the covenant of kingship made with David and his descendants (2 Chron 13:5). Light is associated with the OT vocation of Israel to make the truth and justice of God shine out to all nations (Is 42:6; 49:6) **5:14 a city set on a hill:** An allusion to Jerusalem on Mt. Zion. It is a visible sign of the eternal city that awaits the saints in heaven (Gal 4:26; Heb 12:22; Rev 21:2) **5:16 your Father:** Earlier chapters make no mention of the Fatherhood of God. In the Sermon on the Mount, however, Jesus calls God \"Father\" a total of 17 times (chaps. 5 ---7). • God\'s Fatherhood is the deepest mystery of his identity; from eternity he fathers a divine Son (Jn 1:1), and throughout history he adopts us as his children in Christ (Jn 1:12; Gal 4:4-7) **5:17 the law and the prophets:** A shorthand expression for the entire OT. **to fulfil them:** Jesus completely fulfilled the Mosaic Law and OT prophecies (1:23; 2:6, 15; 4:15-16; Lk 24:44-47). The Greek word translated *fulfil* means \"to make complete\". The New Covenant thus includes and concludes the Old Covenant; it both perfects it and transforms it. While sacrificial laws of the OT expired with the sacrifice of Jesus, the moral Law (Ten Commandments, etc.) was retained and refined (5:21, 27, 43; 19:17). In the Christian life, the power of God\'s Spirit is necessary if we are to obey the Law and grow in holiness (cf. Rom 8:4; CCC 577-81, 1967) **5:18 an iota:** Corresponds to the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet (*yod*). **a dot:** Tiny extensions that distinguish similar-looking Hebrew letters from one another **5:20 your righteousness:** Jesus inaugurates a new and climactic phase in salvation history. He introduces a New Covenant standard of righteousness that surpasses the real, but insufficient, righteousness of the Old Covenant (cf. Deut 6:25; Is 48:18). The Old Covenant governed the temporal affairs of the earthly kingdom of Israel. The Mosaic Law (especially Deuteronomy) was designed to establish and maintain Israel as a nation-state in the land of Canaan. Its laws regulated public behavior to maintain civil order; it thus erected an outward standard of righteousness that defined God\'s people as a nation. Jesus invites **the scribes and Pharisees** to recognize the Mosaic Law as God\'s temporary arrangement for Israel (cf. Mt 19:8). It was a means of drawing them closer to God by separating them from the sins of the Gentiles (Lev 15:31; 20:26). Eventually, the Israelites expected a day when God would write his Law on their hearts (Jer 31:31-34; cf. Deut 30:6; Ezek 36:25-27). Christ\'s New Covenant signals the dawning of this great day when he perfects the moral laws of the Old Covenant and brings that covenant\'s temporary and national phase to a close. He implements a new level of covenant *righteousness* that stretches beyond the boundaries of the Old Law in two directions. **(1)** Outwardly, the scope of the New Covenant is wider than the one nation of Israel; it encompasses an international **kingdom** in the Church. All nations can now share in God\'s blessing and become his covenant people. **(2)** Inwardly, the New Covenant penetrates to the heart; it reaches within to govern personal and private life by a maximal standard of holiness. As the Old Covenant formed virtuous citizens in Israel, so the New Covenant generates saints in the Church (CCC 1963-68). See also *word study: *Righteousness** at Mt 3 **5:21-48** Sometimes called the \"Six Antitheses\". Jesus acts with divine authority to perfect and deepen the moral codes of the Mosaic Law (cf. 7:29). Each antithesis follows a similar format: Jesus cites the Old Law, saying, **you have heard that it was said** (5:21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43), and responds with the refrain, **But I say to you** (5:22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44). The pattern underscores Jesus\' authority as a new Moses and the lawgiver of the New Covenant. See notes on Mt 2:16 and 17:5 **5:21 You shall not kill:** Jesus reaffirms that murder is unlawful (Ex 20:13; Deut 5:17) but introduces a new dimension to the civil law. Not only acts of murder but even personal anger (5:22) and private slander (5:22) constitute a violation of the New Law. Degrees of personal guilt are illustrated (5:22) by an escalating movement from a local court verdict (\"judgment\"), to the Jewish Sanhedrin (\"council\"), to eternal punishment (\"hell\"). At each step, the judgment corresponds to the severity of the sin (CCC 2302) **5:22 You fool!:** The Greek transliterates an Aramaic term that implies a lack of intelligence. It is an insult that means something like \"empty head\" or \"numskull\". **the hell of fire:** The Greek expression (also in 5:29-30) denotes the Valley of Gehenna south of Jerusalem. It served as a large dump where garbage was burned continually. Jesus uses the image to illustrate the frightful reality of damnation (CCC 1034-35). See word study: **Hell** at Mk 9 **5:27 adultery:** Like the Mosaic Law, Jesus forbids acts of adultery (Ex 20:14; Deut 5:18). Yet he extends the prohibition to forbid even personal lust and interior thoughts of impurity. Looking and thinking \"lustfully\" (5:28) already violate the New Law, even if the exterior act of adultery is not committed (CCC 2380) **5:29 pluck it out:** A figurative overstatement, not a literal command of self-mutilation. Jesus uses alarming images to underscore the severity of sexual sins (cf. 18:7-9); extreme measures are needed to avoid occasions of sin, the sins themselves, and the eternal punishment they lead to **5:31 a certificate of divorce:** Divorce and remarriage were permitted under the Old Covenant only because of Israel\'s sinfulness (19:8; cf. Deut 24:1-4). In the New Covenant, remarriage leads to adultery (CCC 2382). **except on the ground of unchastity:** Matthew alone records this added \"exception clause\" (cf. 19:9). For the meaning of this clause, see topical essay: **Jesus on Marriage and Divorce** at Mt 19 **5:33 not swear falsely:** Jesus forbids oath swearing for private purposes. Oaths are important, however, in the public sector for the good of society. Judges, doctors, soldiers, politicians, and other professionals swear oaths for public service. Oaths are also sworn to make or renew covenants (cf. Heb 6:13-18). In every context, God\'s holy name is invoked to bring divine assistance (blessing) to the upright and divine punishment (curse) to those who violate their oaths. In Jesus\' day, the practice of oath swearing was sometimes mishandled; people would swear private oaths for personal advantage. By invoking something other than God\'s name (heaven / earth / Jerusalem; 5:34-35), oaths were taken lightly or even disregarded (23:16-22). Jesus denounces this, teaching that truthfulness and integrity should govern private life. Matthew recounts three episodes where such illicit oaths are sworn for personal purposes (14:7; 26:72, 74; 27:25) (CCC 2153-54) **5:38 An eye for an eye:** Jesus forbids the misuse of Mosaic civil law to justify private vengeance. Exodus 21:24 was meant to limit retribution; it was never an invitation to inflict punishment for personal injuries or extend personal vengeance beyond the injury suffered (cf. Lev 24:20; Deut 19:21). The punishment had to fit the crime but not exceed it. Jesus eliminates such a policy of retaliation from personal life (cf. Rom 12:17) **5:41 if any one forces you:** Roman soldiers in NT Palestine reserved the right to recruit and compel Jews into temporary service. Simon of Cyrene was forced under this custom to carry Jesus\' Cross in 27:32. Jesus calls for ungrudging generosity beyond the required call of duty **5:43 love your neighbor:** A reference to Lev 19:18. Jesus considers it one of the two great commandments of the Mosaic Law (22:39). Unlike Jesus, however, some Jews held a narrow interpretation of *neighbor,* restricting it only to one\'s fellow Israelite (cf. Lk 10:29-37) (CCC 1933). **hate your enemy:** Probably a reference to Israel\'s warfare laws in Deut 20. Because Gentiles in Canaan worshiped false gods, they were enemies of God. Moses thus called Israel to exterminate them under Joshua and the Judges, lest Israel imitate their idolatry (cf. Ex 23:32-33; Ps 139:19-22). Against this background, Jesus counters Jewish disdain for Gentiles who continue to live in Palestine. He broadens the meaning of *neighbor* to include Gentiles, even their Roman persecutors. The Father\'s impartial treatment of all people is a model for Christian mercy (5:45) **5:48 You . must be perfect:** Jesus advocates moral righteousness higher than the Old Covenant ---it is a standard of mercy. Just as Israel was to imitate God in being \"holy\" (Lev 19:2), so Jesus calls the Church to imitate God\'s perfect compassion (Lk 6:36). The Father is kind and merciful to the good and evil alike, so his children must extend mercy even to their enemies (5:7; Lk 10:29-37; Jas 2:13). See note on Lk 6:36 (CCC 1968, 2842) **6:1-18** Jesus reaffirms three traditional works of mercy honored by Jews (cf. Tob 12:8-10): almsgiving (6:2-4), prayer (6:5-15), and fasting (6:16-18) (CCC 1434, 1969). **piety:** Literally \"righteousness\", as in 3:15; 5:6, 20; 6:33. See word study: **Righteousness** at Mt 3. Jesus does not challenge these practices in themselves; he warns against performing them for public esteem (CCC 1430) **6:2 give alms:** Charitable gifts given to the poor (Sir 17:22; Lk 3:11; CCC 2447). **hypocrites:** Refers to \"actors\" or \"stage players\". Jesus may have certain scribes and Pharisees in mind (cf. 23:5, 27-28) who perform outward devotions to be seen and **praised by men.** The exercise of one\'s faith can be public, so long as it flows from proper intentions (5:16) **6:6 in secret:** Private prayer stands in contrast to the false piety of hypocrites. It was Jesus\' own custom to withdraw from the public and pray alone to the Father (14:23; Mk 1:35; Lk 9:18). Private prayer is a complement to communal prayer, not a rejection of it (cf. 18:20; Acts 1:12-14; CCC 2602, 2655) **6:7 empty phrases . many words:** Jesus briefly considers the false religiosity of **Gentiles.** Pagans would recite long litanies of divine names to gain the attention of gods. This was meant to ensure that the deity was addressed properly. Jesus considers the practice empty ---i.e., devoid of faith and of love for the deity. Note that his warning is not aimed at repetitious or lengthy prayer in itself. With a pure heart, such prayer can be fruitful and intimate. Jesus himself prayed to the Father in Gethsemane three times \"saying the same words\" (26:44) and \"all night\" (Lk 6:12) before choosing the apostles (CCC 2668) **6:9-13** The Our Father is a model of prayer. Given by God\'s Son, it is part of the family inheritance of God\'s children. It has seven petitions and can be divided into two parts: the first section (6:9-10) glorifies God, while the second half (6:11-13) petitions God about human needs (CCC 2765, 2781) **6:9 Our:** The first person plural (our, us, we) is prominent in the Our Father. It is thus a prayer for the Church (CCC 2768). **Father:** Jesus may have taught this prayer in Aramaic, a language related to ancient Hebrew and in common usage among first-century Jews. In this case, Jesus would have addressed the Father as \"Abba\", an affectionate title preserved elsewhere in the NT (Mk 14:36; Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6). While Jesus alone is the Father\'s Son by nature, we too become his children by the grace of divine adoption (Rom 8:14-16; Gal 4:4-7). As God\'s children in Christ (Jn 1:12), Christians now regard God as their Father in a more profound way than OT Israel had (Deut 32:6): they participate in God\'s divine life (2 Pet 1:4; 1 Jn 3:1; CCC 2766, 2780). **Hallowed be your name:** A petition that all would recognize God\'s name as holy (Ps 111:9; Lk 1:49). To call upon God\'s name is an ancient form of worship (Gen 4:26; Ps 116:17; Joel 2:32), and the Law warns against taking his name \"in vain\" (Ex 20:7) (CCC 2807) **6:11 our daily bread:** The Greek *epiousios*(translated *daily*) is used only here and in Lk 11:3 in the NT. It probably means \"for tomorrow\" or \"for the future\". The petition thus concerns food for the body and soul: **(1)** The necessities of life that fathers give their children is a form of daily bread. This may recall the manna that God provided each day for the Israelites in the wilderness (Ex 16:13-17). **(2)** Several Church Fathers interpret *daily bread* as a reference to the Holy Eucharist ---a form of supernatural sustenance (Acts 2:46). The two connotations are connected, since Jesus advocates dependence on the Father for daily living (6:25-34) and later associates the manna with the Eucharist (Jn 6:30-40; CCC 2837) **6:13 evil:** Also translated \"the Evil One\", as in 13:19 (cf. Jn 17:15; 2 Thess 3:3). As such, it designates Satan, fallen angel and adversary of God. The petition is projected into the future: Christians pray for God\'s deliverance in the final days, when the devil and evil will be destroyed (Rev 20:10) **6:17 anoint your head:** Fasting was often a public practice accompanied by wearing sackcloth and putting ashes on one\'s head (Esther 4:3; Dan 9:3). While it was intended to express inner repentance, hypocrites utilized it to appear devout. Washing and anointing outwardly symbolize happiness and disguise one\'s inner commitment to God (Ruth 3:3; Ps 23:5; Is 61:3; CCC 1438) **6:22 The eye is the lamp:** An ancient metaphor (Tob 10:5; Prov 15:30; Sir 23:19). Jesus uses it to advocate generosity. Those with evil or unsound eyes are stingy with their belongings (Deut 15:9; Sir 14:8-10; cf. Mt 20:15); they are full of darkness (6:23). Those with sound eyes share their goods with the needy (4:7); they are filled with **light.** . **6:24 mammon:** An Aramaic word meaning \"wealth\" or \"property\". Jesus warns that earthly possessions can threaten an undivided love for God. The NT elsewhere exposes the dangers surrounding money and the accumulation of temporal goods (13:22; Lk 12:13-21; 1 Tim 6:10; Heb 13:5; CCC 2113) **6:28-30** Jesus teaches with the logic of Jewish rabbis: the lesser fact of God\'s care for **lilies** (6:28) implies God\'s greater concern for men (6:30; CCC 2830). • *Anagogically:* God supplies our physical needs to signify his greater concern for our spiritual needs. As his care for the lilies and the grass is outmatched by his provision of clothing for us, so the garments we receive prefigure God\'s desire to clothe us with glory and immortality in heaven (cf. 1 Cor 15:51-55; Rev 19:7-8) **6:33 seek first his kingdom:** Christians must prioritize the pursuit of holiness in their lives. This is not an excuse for laziness in practical matters (2 Thess 3:6-13) but a call to trust in the Father\'s care (Phil 4:6; CCC 2608) **7:1-6** Jesus\' teaching on judgment is two-sided. **(1)** He condemns judging other\'s faults (7:1-2; Lk 6:37). We are incapable of judging with fairness and accuracy since God alone knows the heart (Prov 21:2; Lk 16:15). **(2)** However, Jesus commands us to exercise critical discernment (7:6, 15-19; 1 Thess 5:21). Examination is necessary to avoid profaning what is holy (7:6) and embracing what is false (7:15) **7:2 you will be judged:** i.e., by God (theological passive). We set the standards of our personal judgment by our own conduct toward others (cf. 18:35) **7:6 dogs . swine:** Derogatory Jewish epithets for pagans (15:26-28). Dogs were generally undomesticated in Jewish culture, and most were stray scavengers. Swine were especially contemptible to Jews; they were unclean and could not be eaten (Lev 11:7-8; cf. Is 66:3). Jesus redirects these insulting labels to anyone inhospitable to the gospel, Jew or Gentile (cf. Phil 3:2; Rev 22:15). **what is holy:** In Judaism, holiness characterized anything consecrated for covenant worship. To treat holy articles in a common manner would profane them (Ex 29:37; Lev 22:10-16). Jesus carries this same notion into the New Covenant. The early Church applied this statement to the Holy Eucharist, a sacrament rightly withheld from the unbaptized (*Didache* 9:5) **7:7 Ask . given you:** Jesus advocates perseverance in prayer (cf. Lk 18:1; Col 4:2; 1 Thess 5:17). Answered prayers stem from upright and faith-filled intentions (Jas 1:5-8; CCC 2609) **7:11 you then, who are evil:** Indicates the pervasive sinful-ness of man. **how much more:** A rhetorical device familiar to Jewish rabbis and used also by the Apostle Paul (Rom 5:15-17). See note on Mt 6:28-30. **good things:** i.e., the material necessities of life, as well as the grace to live as God\'s children. The Lk 11:13 parallel identifies the gift as the \"Holy Spirit\" **7:12 do so to them:** The \"Golden Rule\". It is similar to statements in the OT (Tob 4:15; Sir 31:15) and other world religions. While normally a negative statement (based upon *not* doing to others), Jesus states it positively (CCC 1970) **7:13-14 the narrow gate:** An image with various associations. **(1)** Cities surrounded by a fortified wall had gates to permit access. Main gates were wide and tall enough for caravans of people and animals; smaller gates permitted only pedestrian traffic. Jesus envisions the **many** passing with ease through a main gate. The **few** must exert greater effort to enter a narrow pedestrian gate (cf. 22:14). **(2)** The Jerusalem Temple had a series of gates that prohibited entry for the unqualified; only a privileged few had close access to God. This teaching of the \"two ways\" is common in the OT (cf. Deut 30:15-20; Ps 1; Wis 5:6-7; CCC 1696) **7:15 false prophets:** These so-called prophets appear harmless, yet their ministry breeds error, division, and immorality (cf. 24:24; 2 Pet 2:1-3). The distinction between true and false prophets is rooted in the OT (Deut 18:20-22; Jer 14:13-16) **7:22 On that day:** The Day of Judgment. Jesus is portrayed as the divine Judge (cf. 25:31-46; Jn 5:25-29; 2 Cor 5:10; CCC 678, 682). • God\'s sanctifying grace enlivens the soul, making it fit for heaven; it is the grace of divine Sonship. It is manifested through conformity with the Father\'s will by knowing and obeying Jesus (7:23; cf. Jn 17:3; 1 Jn 2:3-6). In Catholic tradition, sanctifying grace is distinct from graces that are manifest through miraculous works such as prophecy and exorcism. These charismatic graces are also heavenly gifts but are not conclusive evidence of one\'s personal sanctity or membership in the family of God (CCC 2003) **7:24 like a wise man:** True wisdom puts Jesus\' teaching into practice and prepares for the future (cf. 25:1-13; Jas 2:14-26). **his house:** The parable reflects building conditions in NT Palestine. Houses made of mud brick were generally built during the dry season. When torrential rains arrived, only the house with a solid foundation resisted erosion and ultimate destruction (cf. Prov 14:11). • Jesus\' reference to the wise man and his house alludes to King Solomon. He was known for his wisdom (1 Kings 3:10-12) and built the Lord\'s house (i.e., Temple; 1 Kings 8:27) upon a great foundation stone (1 Kings 5:17; 7:10; cf. Is 28:16). See note on Mt 16:18. *• Morally:* the enduring house (7:25) is like the soul; it is maintained only through labor and the materials of prayer and virtue grounded on Christ (Ps 127:1; 1 Cor 3:11). The foolish man neglects sound construction and maintenance, building on a weak foundation of wealth and earthly success. The Day of Judgment will expose the foundation and destiny of every spiritual builder (Prov 10:25; 1 Tim 6:17-19) **7:29 one who had authority:** Jesus\' teaching differs from that of the **scribes,** who taught the already-existing traditions of Judaism. Jesus, cast as a new Moses, delivered \"new teaching\" (Mk 1:27) that excelled even the Mosaic Law in perfection (5:21-48). Jesus later denounced traditions that were incompatible with God\'s word (15:3-6) (CCC 581) **8:1-9:38** Matthew assembles ten miracle stories. They portray Jesus bringing into the world a divine holiness that overpowers the causes of defilement: sin, disease, demons, and even death. The Jews, especially the Pharisees, considered those defiled by these things to be unclean and untouchable; Jesus, however, takes an offensive stance against evil and by his mighty words (8:13, 16, 26, 32; 9:6) and physical touch (8:3, 15; 9:21, 25, 29) heals the effects of sin. He was not only immune to uncleanness, but the superior power of his holiness went forth to purify others in his midst. These episodes also reveal Jesus\' favor with the crowds (8:1, 16, 18; 9:8, 31, 33) as well as mounting opposition by skeptical authorities (9:3, 34) **8:2 a leper:** Leprosy infects human skin, garments, and homes (Lev 13 ---14). The skin disease was to be diagnosed by a Levitical priest. If the infection spread, the victim was pronounced ritually unclean and was excluded from the social and religious life of Israel. The Law required lepers to live in isolation and maintain a ragged appearance (Lev 13:45-46). Since contact with lepers rendered others unclean, it was shocking by Jewish standards for Jesus to cure the man by touching him (7:3). His ability is later recalled as a messianic credential (11:5) **8:4 the gift that Moses commanded:** The Law required anyone healed of leprosy to be examined by a Levitical priest (Lev 13:1-3). Upon approval, the individual would undertake procedures for cleansing and reinstatement into the covenant life of Israel. This entailed a sacrifice tailored to his ability to pay (Lev 14:1-32). • *Symbolically* (St. Augustine, *Quaest. Evan.* 2, 40): Jesus\' cleansing of the leper signifies the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Leprosy represents mortal sin, the spiritual disease that extinguishes grace from the soul and impedes one\'s full participation in the Church. This condition can also be contagious and influence others through scandal and false contrition. The Levitical priest typifies New Covenant priests, who are instrumental in reconciling sinners with God and restoring them to spiritual health through the sacrament **8:5 centurion:** A Roman military commander of 100 soldiers. Emphasis falls on his ethnic identity as a Gentile who has faith in Jesus (8:10). According to Luke, he was favorable to the Jewish nation and responsible for building a synagogue in Capernaum (Lk 7:5) **8:8 Lord, I am not worthy:** Demonstrates great faith and humility. Jesus \"marveled\" (8:10) that such virtue was displayed by a Gentile. • These words are adapted for use in the Roman liturgy. Unworthy to receive the Eucharist, Christians ask to be cleansed of personal faults and place their faith in the healing power of God\'s word (CCC 1386) **8:11 sit at table:** Alludes to an OT promise of a great feast to accompany the messianic age (Is 25:6-9). See note on Mt 22:2. **Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob:** Jesus hints at the universal spread of the gospel to all nations in the Church (28:19). • These OT patriarchs are linked with God\'s covenant oath to Abraham that all nations would eventually share his blessings (Gen 22:18; CCC 543). The covenant was renewed with Isaac (Gen 26:3-5) and Jacob (Gen 28:14) **8:12 weep and gnash their teeth:** Describes the pangs of the damned excluded from the heavenly banquet (22:13). • Similar language in the OT portrays the wicked who slander the righteous with hatred and disgust (Job 16:9; Ps 37:12; 112:10) **8:17 He took our infirmities:** A formula quotation from Is 53:4. Jesus fulfills this role by physical healings. Peter evokes the same OT context to speak also of Jesus\' spiritual healing of sinners (1 Pet 2:24-25; cf. Is 53:5-6). • Isaiah foretold of a Servant figure who would take Israel\'s sins upon himself and heal God\'s people (Is 52:13-53:12). This Servant would inaugurate the restoration of the tribes of Israel and bring the Gentiles to the family of God (Is 49:6). Matthew sees Jesus in this role, ushering in the kingdom by expelling demons and healing diseases. The close relationship between sin and physical affliction is assumed (cf. Ps 107:17; Is 33:24; CCC 1505) **8:22 Follow me:** Discipleship is based on the imitation of Christ (11:29). Unlike the apostles, who left their occupations and families (4:19, 22; 9:9), this would-be follower of Jesus is hesitant to embrace the demanding call (8:21). **bury their own dead:** Burial was a sacred duty in ancient Judaism (Gen 50:5; Tob 4:3-4). Jesus singles out the custom to emphasize the greater importance of discipleship. Allegiance to Jesus must outweigh even family commitments (10:37; 19:29; Lk 14:26). Those who are spiritually dead (i.e., clinging to worldly concerns) can bury the physically dead. Jesus does not thereby undermine the propriety of burial but uses it as a stepping-stone to illustrate the higher demands of the Christian life. • The episode resembles Elijah\'s call of Elisha to be his follower (1 Kings 19:19-21). Unlike Elijah, however, Jesus denies the request to fulfill parental duties, showing that discipleship in the New Covenant has higher demands than in the Old. • Following Jesus, the Church considers burial a corporal work of mercy (CCC 2447) **8:23-27** Here Jesus reveals his divine authority over creation. See note on Mt 8:27. • Jesus\' stilling of the storm parallels the experience of Jonah in the OT (Jon 1:116). **(1)** Both set sail on a **boat** (8:23; Jon 1:3); **(2)** both are caught in a **storm on the sea** (8:24; Jon 1:4, 11); **(3)** both are found **asleep** (8:24; Jon 1:5); **(4)** both are accompanied by frightened sailors (8:24-26; Jon 1:5); **(5)** both groups of sailors call upon the Lord for deliverance (8:25; Jon 1:14); **(6)** both are instrumental in bringing about a **great calm** (8:26; Jon 1:12, 15); **(7)** and the sailors in both episodes **marveled** at the outcome (8:27; Jon 1:16). Jesus\' identity as a new Jonah is mentioned elsewhere, in 12:39-41 and 16:4. See note on Mk 4:35-41. • *Morally* (St. John Chrysostom, *Hom. in Matt.* 28): the wave-tossed boat signifies the struggles of the Christian life. Endangered by the wind and fierce waves, God\'s people are awakened by spiritual assaults and become aware of their helplessness. They call upon the Lord for salvation and inner peace. The near presence of Christ assures their deliverance, and his swiftness strengthens their wavering faith **8:24 storm:** The Greek term *seismos* literally means \"earthquake\", as in 24:7, 27:54, and 28:2. It here describes the violent conditions of the sea **8:26 rebuked:** The verb (Gk. *epitimaō*) is elsewhere used in connection with exorcisms and the rebuking of Satan himself (17:18; Mk 1:25; Lk 4:41; Jude 1:9) **8:27 winds and sea obey him:** The OT credits God alone with authority over the sea (Job 26:11-14; Ps 89:8-10; 93:4; 107:28-31). Aware of this, the disciples marvel and question Jesus\' identity. Their uncertainty indicates that Jesus manifested his divinity gradually; it was not until later that they worshiped him as the \"Son of God\" (14:33) **8:28 the Gadarenes:** The city of Gadara was about six miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee. It was one of the Decapolis cities (cf. 4:25), and its population was predominantly Gentile. This non-Jewish setting is reinforced by the presence and herding of swine in 8:30, animals considered unclean by the Mosaic Law (Lev 11:7-8) **8:32 into the sea:** Jesus manifests divine power by his control over demons. • In the OT, waters represent hostile forces (Ps 69:1-4) that are sometimes personified as beasts that rise out of the sea (Dan 7:1-3; cf. Rev 13:1). By driving the demon-possessed beasts back into the sea, Jesus symbolically demonstrates his triumph over the legions of Satan\'s kingdom **9:1 his own city:** Capernaum in Galilee (cf. 4:13; Mk 2:1) **9:3 the scribes:** Jewish leaders and experts in the Mosaic Law. The episode marks the beginning of a growing resistance to Jesus, which culminates in his death (16:21; 20:18; 27:41-43). **blaspheming:** A charge leveled at Jesus for his claim to absolve sins (cf. Lev 24:16; Jn 10:33). From the scribes\' perspective, only God can rightly forgive (Ps 103:12; Is 43:25; Mk 2:7). Moreover, this forgiveness was available only through the sacrificial system of the Temple. Jesus\' actions hence prove scandalous: he not only claims to forgive, but he does so apart from the Old Covenant system. In the end, the scribes remain unaware that Jesus has divine authority to inaugurate the New Covenant (Jer 31:31-34; CCC 589) **9:6 that you may know:** Since forgiveness cannot be verified by his audience, Jesus demonstrates his power by healing the man. His authority over paralysis points beyond the body --- it signifies his ability to cure the soul. The OT indicates that bodily sickness is sometimes tangible evidence of sin (Ps 107:17; Is 33:24; cf. Jn 5:14; 9:2). • *Anagogically* (St. Ambrose, *In Luc.*), the healing of the paralytic signifies the future resurrection of the faithful. The paralytic is the Christian whose sins are forgiven and who stands before God as son (9:2). When the Lord raises him (9:7), he will take up the bed of his body (9:7) and proceed to his heavenly home with God (9:6; cf. Jn 14:2-3) **9:8 authority to men:** The crowd links Jesus\' authority with his power to forgive. • Matthew\'s description points forward to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. After his Resurrection, Jesus invests other men (apostles) with this same power to forgive sins in his name (Jn 20:23; cf. Mt 18:18; CCC 1441, 1444) **9:9 the tax office:** Collecting taxes in the territory of Herod Antipas (Galilee) involved frequent contact with Gentiles. Many religious Jews thus despised the occupation, considering tax collectors socially equivalent to \"sinners\" (9:10; 11:19) and Gentiles (18:17). Undeterred by this religious and cultural convention, Jesus invites Matthew to break with his livelihood and **follow** him. Matthew\'s former life as a sinner only increased his need to be a disciple **9:13 I desire mercy:** Jesus challenges the Pharisees with Hos 6:6 (12:7). Understanding the prophet\'s message will explain Jesus\' fellowship with \"those who are sick\" (9:12). • Hosea addressed the Northern Kingdom of Israel and declared them sick and wounded by sin (Hos 5:13). Their rebellion against Yahweh (Hos 4:1-2), their rejection of the Jerusalem Temple, and their preference for idolatrous sacrifices (Hos 4:13-14; 8:11-13; 13:2) made this sickness deadly. The real tragedy is that Yahweh appointed Israel to be a physician to the nations, yet Israel acted irresponsibly and so contracted the very illness (idolatry) they were supposed to eradicate. Jesus cites Hosea to make an implied comparison between the prophet\'s sinful contemporaries and his own critical opponents, the Pharisees. Just as the Northern Kingdom of Israel rejected the royal son of David (the Judean king) to sacrifice to idols, so the Pharisees have rejected the messianic Son of David (Jesus) in preference to the sacrificial and purity regulations of the Mosaic Law. By eating with sinners and tax collectors ---whom the Pharisees considered unclean and untouchable ---Jesus claims to fulfill Israel\'s original vocation by reaching out to the sick with divine mercy. See note on Mt 5:20. **not to call the righteous:** Jesus came, not to perpetuate the Old Covenant, but to inaugurate the New Covenant of forgiveness (Jer 31:31-34). His frequent fellowship with sinners was central to this healing work (9:12) **9:15 the bridegroom:** A depiction of Jesus found elsewhere in Matthew (25:1-13). See note on Mk 2:19. • Similar OT imagery depicts Yahweh as the husband of Old Covenant Israel (Is 54:5; Jer 3:20; Hos 2:14-20). Jesus takes this role upon himself and is now the divine spouse of the New Covenant Church (Jn 3:29; Eph 5:25; Rev 19:7-9; CCC 796). **The days will come:** Only after Jesus\' departure (Passion and Ascension) is fasting appropriate (cf. 6:16) **9:16 an old garment:** An image of the Old Covenant. It suggests that Jesus viewed it as a \"worn out\" piece of clothing ready to be cast off. • According to Ps 102:26, the Old Covenant world was scheduled to \"wear out like a garment\" (cf. Heb 1:10-12; Is 65:17; Rev 21:1) **9:17 new wine . old wineskins:** Fermenting wine is accompanied by a build-up of pressure. If kept in skins already used and dried out, the wine would certainly **burst** them. Jesus thus illustrates the impossibility of inaugurating the New Covenant while maintaining the Old. The abundance of New Covenant grace cannot be contained within the structures of the Old Covenant (cf. Jn 1:16). A new kingdom is needed to contain it ---one fashioned to endure for ever **9:18 a ruler:** Mark 5:22 and Lk 8:41 refer to him as \"Jairus\", head of the local Capernaum synagogue **9:20 fringe of his garment:** According to the Mosaic Law, Israelites were instructed to wear \"tassels on the corners of their garments\" (Num 15:38; cf. Mt 14:36; 23:5). These were outward reminders to follow God\'s commandments **9:27 Son of David:** A messianic title for Jesus, used eight times in Matthew. It is sometimes linked with Jesus\' healings and exorcisms (20:30-34; CCC 439). See note on Mt 12:23 **9:36 compassion:** Those needing spiritual and physical \'healing lie close to Jesus\' heart (14:14; 15:32; 20:34). **like sheep without a shepherd:** A familiar OT simile. • Sheep often represent the people of Israel (1 Kings 22:17; Jud 11:19; Jer 23:1-3; Zech 10:2). Shepherd imagery is used for Israel\'s spiritual leaders. **(1)** Joshua was Moses\' successor and the \"shepherd\" of Israel (Num 27:17). **(2)** David was elected to \"shepherd\" Israel as its king (2 Sam 5:2-3). **(3)** In Ezek 34, God himself promised to set \"one shepherd\" (Ezek 34:23) over his people to feed and protect them as a new Davidic king (Ezek 34:23-24; cf. Jer 23:1-6). Jesus draws on these to illustrate his own role as the Shepherd and King of the restored Israel, the Church (25:31-34; Jn 10:16; 1 Pet 2:25) **9:37 the laborers are few:** Anticipates the following narrative, where Jesus chooses the apostles as laborers to shepherd the \"lost sheep\" of Israel (10:6; cf. Jer 23:4; Mt 15:24) **10:1-11:1** The second major discourse in Matthew (see outline). Jesus selects twelve apostles and delivers a \"missionary sermon\" before sending them to the surrounding Galilean villages and charging them to preach that \"the kingdom of heaven is at hand\" (10:7; cf. 3:2; 4:17). Jesus confers on the apostles the same authority of healing and exorcism displayed during his early ministry (10:1, 8; cf. 4:23, 24; 9:35) **10:2 the twelve:** Jesus chooses 12 patriarchs, like the 12 sons of Israel in the OT, to carry out his mission (Gen 35:22-26). In doing so, he designates the Church as the restored Israel (cf. 19:28; Gal 6:16). **apostles:** The Greek term *apostolos* means \"one who is sent forth\" (cf. 10:5) and invested with the authority of the sender (cf. 10:40). *See chart: *The Twelve Apostles** at Mk 3 **10:5 nowhere among the Gentiles:** Jesus sends the apostles only to the Israelites of Galilee (10:6). This reflects the order and direction of salvation history. Since God adopted them as his \"own possession\" (Ex 19:5) and lavished them with privileges (Rom 9:4, 5), it was appropriate that they first hear the New Covenant gospel (cf. Acts 1:8; Rom 1:16). After Jesus\' Resurrection, the apostles are sent also to the Gentiles (28:18-20; Mk 16:16; CCC 543). See note on Mt 4:12 **10:14 shake off the dust:** Palestinian Jews shook dust from their sandals when leaving Gentile territory and reentering the Holy Land. It was a derogatory statement against the uncleanness of Gentiles as pagans. Jesus commands a similar gesture to signify judgment on those who reject the gospel (Lk 10:10-12; Acts 13:51) **10:23 before the Son of man:** Jesus promised to come again within the generation of the living apostles (16:28; 24:34). As a prelude to his Second Coming, this initial \"coming\" refers to his visitation of destruction upon unfaithful Jerusalem in A.D. 70, an event that destroyed his enemies and vindicated his words of judgment (24:2). See note on Mt 24:1-25:46 and topical essay: **Jesus the Son of Man** at Lk 17 **10:25 Beelzebul:** A Philistine god worshiped at Ekron (2 Kings 1:2-16). It translates something like \"Prince Baal\", a well-known god of the Canaanites. Jews mockingly changed its meaning to \"lord of flies\" or \"lord of dung\". In the Gospels, it refers to Satan, \"the prince of demons\" (9:34; 12:24-27; Mk 3:22; Lk 11:15) **10:28 do not fear:** Human agents of persecution are not to be feared. Men can impose suffering and death on the body but cannot force spiritual death on the soul. Jesus uses this distinction between body and soul to contrast the relative value of earthly life with the absolute good of eternal life in heaven (CCC 363). **rather fear him:** Since Satan deceives and tempts souls into sin, he should be feared and resisted as our worst enemy (Eph 6:11; Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 5:8-10). In view of the similar expression in Is 8:12-13, God should also be feared. He alone administers perfect justice and can send the faithless to eternal punishment (3:12; 25:41). A holy fear of God is thus necessary to avoid sin and its consequences (Ex 20:20; Phil 2:12) **10:38 take his cross:** A striking image of the demands and consequences of discipleship. Jews needed no explanation of it, since the Romans utilized crucifixion as a torturous means of execution for many criminals during NT times. Jesus here assures us that faithfulness will entail self-denial, suffering, and possibly death. Before his Passion, the cross symbolized shame and rejection; afterward it symbolizes the glory of Christian martyrdom (CCC 1506). See note on Mk 15:24 **10:42 these little ones:** i.e., the apostles. They must rely on the hospitality of others for daily necessities during their mission (10:9-11). Service rendered to them is service to Jesus himself (10:40, 25:34-36). Children are elsewhere used as examples in Jesus\' teaching on faith in 18:1-4 and 19:13-15 **11:2 deeds of the Christ:** i.e., the works and credentials of the awaited Messiah. Jesus performs messianic signs in Galilee in chaps. 8 ---9 (11:5). His works stir such great public interest that **John** hears of his ministry even in **prison.** . **11:5 the blind . The lame . lepers:** Jesus\' miracles recall Isaian prophecy and link him with an agent of God\'s healing (Is 26:19; 29:18; 35:4-6; 61:1-2; CCC 549). See note on Mt 8:17 **11:7 A reed shaken . ?:** John is not swayed by earthly comforts or diverted from the path of discipline **11:10 Behold, I send:** John the Baptist\'s ministry recalls Mal 3:1 (Sir 48:9-10). As in Is 40:3 (Mt 3:3), this **messenger** is also the Lord\'s forerunner. • Malachi\'s prophesies associate the Lord\'s forerunner with Elijah, the great prophet of the OT (Mal 4:5). Jesus views John as this prophet, who preaches repentance to Israel in the \"spirit\" of Elijah (Lk 1:17) and offers God\'s faithful remnant a final opportunity for salvation (11:15). Even John\'s clothing recalls Elijah\'s distinctive dress. See note on Mt 3:1 **11:11 no one greater:** John is the greatest OT prophet (11:9). In the New Covenant, however, even the least NT saint outshines the most illustrious saints of old. These prophets looked ahead to the New Covenant but did not share fully in its blessings (13:17; 1 Pet 1:10-12). Jesus thus contrasts the Old and New Covenants; he does not undermine the saintly life of John (CCC 523, 719) **11:12 suffered violence:** Notoriously obscure. Some interpret the word *violence* as a reference to asceticism. In this case, it is those who discipline themselves by prayer and fasting who seize hold of the kingdom. From a historical viewpoint, it seems likely that Jesus is referring to the onset of the \"messianic woes\". This was the Jewish expectation that the kingdom of God would come during a time of intense tribulation and distress. These days would witness mass apostasy, rampant lawlessness, and a violent persecution of the saints. John the Baptist, executed for his witness to the Messiah (14:10), is the first of the faithful to perish with the arrival of these woeful days. Jesus will suffer the same violence (20:18-19), as will his disciples (10:17-18, 23; 24:9) **11:17** Jesus exposes the excuses of his contemporaries. The children\'s song highlights both the joyousness of a wedding **(We piped)** reflected in Jesus\' ministry (11:19; 9:15), and the solemnity of a funeral **(we wailed)** reflected in John\'s ministry of penance. The unbelievers of Jesus\' generation (11:16) refuse invitations to embrace the kingdom **11:19 a glutton and a drunkard:** Jesus is accused of dangerous and irreligious behavior. • Many viewed Jesus as a \"stubborn and rebellious\" son, in accordance with Deut 21:20. Evoking the context of this OT verse, they implied that Jesus should be killed (Deut 21:21). **wisdom . her deeds:** Recalls OT traditions that personify wisdom (Prov 8-9; Wis 7:22-8:21; Sir 51:13-30). Jesus transfers these to himself in light of his messianic signs (11:1-5). Paul similarly regards Jesus as \"our wisdom\" (1 Cor 1:30). See note on Mt 11:28-30 **11:21 Chorazin . Bethsaida:** Two cities north of the Sea of Galilee. Both are within five miles of Jesus\' home in Capernaum, and both are unresponsive to his ministry. Privileged by Jesus\' presence and works, they bear greater guilt for rejecting him than the Gentile cities of **Tyre and Sidon,** north of Palestine on the coast of Phoenicia (cf. Lk 12:48) **11:23 Capernaum:** Jesus\' home during his Galilean ministry (4:13). Like his childhood home of Nazareth, this city too rejects Jesus and his works (13:53-58; Lk 4:16-30). • Jesus\' rebuke upon the city recalls God\'s judgment on the king of Babylon in Is 14:13-15. • *Morally:* Capernaum signifies the soul that receives Christ but falls into mortal sin. Because Christ dwelt there, the fallen-away and prideful soul is subject to harsher judgment (2 Pet 2:20-22; CCC 678). **Sodom:** The city destroyed by God in Gen 19:24-25. It was a proverbial OT example of sexual sin and inhospitality that called down God\'s wrath (Is 1:9; Jer 23:14; Ezek 16:44-46; Amos 4:11) **11:25-27** Jesus\' thanksgiving prayer stands in contrast to the preceding narrative (11:20-24). While several towns reject Christ, there is a remnant (including the disciples) who trust him with the simplicity of **infants** (11:25; cf. 18:1-4; 19:13-15). Jesus\' language is similar to several statements in John\'s Gospel that articulate his unique relationship with the Father (Jn 3:35; 10:14-15; 17:25). • The intimacy between the Father and Son points to their oneness within the Blessed Trinity ---i.e., their shared divine knowledge implies a shared divine nature **11:28-30** Jesus invites disciples to follow and learn from him as the model of perfect obedience to the Father (11:27; CCC 520). • Jesus evokes \"wisdom\'s\" invitation to the humble in the OT. In Sir 51, wisdom calls \"Draw near to me\" (51:23), \"put your neck under the yoke\" (51:26), and \"see with your eyes that I have labored little and found for myself much rest\" (51:27). These parallels reinforce Jesus\' self-identification as \"wisdom\" in 11:19 **11:29 you will find rest:** Jesus\' invitation cues the following controversies regarding the spiritual significance of the Sabbath (12:1-14). While the Old Covenant celebration of the Sabbath centered on earthly rest from earthly labor (Ex 20:811), Jesus offers heavenly rest in the New (Heb 4:1-11) **12:2 not lawful . on the sabbath:** The Pharisees charge the disciples with violating Ex 34:21, which forbids harvesting on the Sabbath. Although Deut 23:25 differentiates between plucking grain and harvesting it, the Pharisees forbade even plucking grain by a rigid extension of the Exodus prohibition. • *Allegorically* (St. Hilary, *In Matt.* 12, 2): Christ\'s passing through the field signifies his passing into the world through the Incarnation. The standing grain is the harvest of souls ready to believe in the gospel and be gathered into the Church by the hungry disciples **12:3 have you not read:** An insult to the intellectual pride of the Pharisees. Jesus uses the question to humble learned leaders who lack childlike faith (12:5; 19:4; 21:16, 42; 22:31). • Jesus draws on the parallels between 1 Sam 21:1-6 and his own situation. As David\'s companions were **hungry** (12:1), so were the disciples; as David was heir to the united kingdom of Israel, so Jesus is the son of David. He thus implies that if his disciples are in sin, then David himself would stand guilty ---a conclusion nowhere suggested in the OT. This is the first premise of Jesus\' response to the Pharisees. See note on Mt 12:7 **12:5 profane the sabbath:** Levitical priests worked every sabbath, replacing the bread of Presence in the Temple (Lev 24:5-9) and offering sacrifice (Num 28:9-10). Nevertheless, they remained **guiltless** (CCC 582, 2173) **12:6 greater than the temple:** The Jerusalem Temple was spectacular because it housed the very presence of God among his people. • God\'s presence in Jesus, as the divine Son, exceeds that in the Temple (1:23). The earthly sanctuary thus prefigured God\'s more intimate presence in the world through Christ. The NT elsewhere compares the humanity of Jesus Christ to the wilderness Tabernacle (Jn 1:14) and the Temple (Jn 2:19-21) (CCC 590). See chart: *Jesus and the Old Testament.* . **12:7 I desire mercy:** Quoted from Hos 6:6. Earlier Jesus challenged the Pharisees to study and learn the meaning of this oracle (9:13), and Hosea\'s words here complete Jesus\' apologetic against the Pharisees. His logic proceeds: **(1)** Mercy is more important than Temple regulations (12:3-4); **(2)** the Temple laws themselves take precedence over the Sabbath (12:5); **(3)** therefore, mercy is more important than the Sabbath (CCC 2100) **12:9-14** Jesus asserts his Lordship over the Sabbath (12:8). Since the Sabbath was meant for man\'s good, doing good works on the Sabbath cannot be construed as unlawful. If the Pharisees are willing to save one of their livestock, they should be more willing to see a crippled man relieved of his burden on the same day. In short, the Sabbath forbids servile works, not works of mercy **12:14 took counsel:** The Pharisees\' conspiracy marks their complete rejection of Jesus. See note on Mt 27:1 **12:18-21** A reference to Is 42:1-4. The Father evokes this same passage at Jesus\' Baptism (3:17). Note that **servant** (Gk. *pais*) can be translated \"son\". • Matthew cites Isaiah for three reasons. **(1)** It summarizes his portrait of Christ: Jesus is the Father\'s **beloved** Son (3:17; 4:3; 11:25-27) and the Servant of the Lord (8:17; 11:5), anointed by the **Spirit** (3:16), who brings God\'s grace to the **Gentiles** (8:5-13). **(2)** The citation is fulfilled when Jesus withdraws from his enemies and ministers to the lowly (12:20) ---he has no regard for public acclaim (12:16, 19). **(3)** It points forward to link Jesus\' exorcisms with the power of the Spirit (12:28) (CCC 713) **12:23 the Son of David?:** The question reflects the Jewish tradition that King Solomon, the son of David, was empowered by God to exorcize demons (cf. Wis 7:20). Similar abilities were expected of the coming Davidic Messiah **12:24 only by Beelzebul:** The Pharisees\' spiritual blindness led them to blasphemy ---i.e., they thought Jesus was an agent of Satan\'s kingdom (CCC 574). See note on Mt 10:25 **12:25-26** Jesus uses the images of a **kingdom, city,** and **house** as cryptic allusions to the city and Temple of Jerusalem. By Jesus\' day, Jerusalem had reached a point of spiritual crisis. Long known as the Holy City, it was now the center of diabolical resistance to Jesus, with its leadership squarely opposed to the kingdom of heaven. Even the Temple was by then \"forsaken and desolate\" (23:38). The Pharisees\' conspiracy (12:14) thus exposes them as unwitting collaborators and representatives of Satan\'s kingdom. With Jesus\' Crucifixion, the power of Satan is finally destroyed ---a fact later evidenced by the plundering of his city (Jerusalem) and house (Temple) in A.D. 70 (12:29) (CCC 550). See notes on Mt 23:38 and 24:1-25:46 **12:31 blasphemy against the Spirit:** i.e., the sin of attributing to Satan the work of God. It is a mature spiritual hardness that directs sinners away from God\'s mercy and ends in final impenitence. One who blasphemes the Spirit cannot receive forgiveness when he refuses to repent and seek forgiveness. It is this sin that the Pharisees commit in 12:24 (CCC 1864). See note on Mk 3:29 **JESUS AND THE OLD TESTAMENT** Matthew frequently quotes OT passages to establish Jesus\' credentials as the Messiah. However, Jesus and Matthew often allude to the OT in more subtle ways by drawing comparisons between ancient persons, places, and events and Jesus himself. This form of OT interpretation is called *typology.* A typological reading of the OT is attuned to distinctive \"rhymes\" in salvation history where God acts in similar (or typical) ways each time he reveals himself and delivers his people. Thus the Father teaches us about himself through the use of things and events long familiar in the minds of his people; in short, he uses old truths to instruct us about new ones. Jesus and Matthew look back on several OT figures and institutions to bring the surpassing glory of Christ and the New Covenant into focus. The great heroes and memories of old bring clarity to the greater person of Christ. The coming of Jesus marks the dramatic climax to the OT story as he fulfills all of the *types* that God prepared throughout the history of salvation. **NEW MOSES** As the supreme lawgiver of the Old Covenant, Moses prefigures Christ, who gives the New Law in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5 ---7). Jesus also reenacts experiences from Moses\' infancy and the prophet\'s 40 days of fasting in solitude (Mt 4:2; Ex 34:28). Finally, Moses bears witness to Jesus\' greater glory at the Transfiguration (Mt 17:1-5), where Jesus is showcased as the prophet-like-Moses (Mt 17:5; Deut 18:15). NEW DAVID As Israel\'s ideal king, David foreshadows the role of Jesus, who assumes his royal throne forever (Mt 1:1; 2:2; Lk 1:32-33). Jesus is greater than David (Mt 22:41-45); his hungry disciples, like David\'s companions, are permitted to breech the Sabbath (Mt 12:3). As David gave Israel rest from its enemies (2 Sam 7:1), Jesus saves Israel from its sins (Mt 1:21). NEW TEMPLE The Jerusalem Temple housed the presence of God in the midst of Israel. Similarly, Jesus comes bearing within himself God\'s glory in a more profound way; he embodies divine holiness (Mt 1:23; 12:6; Jn 1:14; 2:19-21). It is thus the Temple ---God\'s dwelling among his people ---that prepared Israel to accept Christ\'s Incarnation. His presence is likewise embodied in a new spiritual Temple, the Church (Mt 16:18; 18:20). NEW ISRAEL As Israel\'s Messiah, Jesus reenacts the experience of the Israelites and their Exodus from Egypt (Mt 2:15). He endures a 40-day period of testing in the wilderness, corresponding to Israel\'s 40 years of testing. Unlike wayward Israel, Jesus prevails over the devil through his obedience and trust in God (Mt 4:1-11). Jesus\' disciples are now assigned Israel\'s vocation to be a light to the world (Mt 5:14; Is 42:6). NEW SOLOMON Solomon the \"son of David\", prefigures Jesus as the royal Son of God (Mt 16:16; 2 Sam 7:14). Like Solomon, he receives gifts from the nations (Mt 2:11; 1 Kings 10:23-25). As the wise Solomon (1 Kings 3:12) built Israel\'s Temple (2 Sam 7:12-14), Jesus is wisdom-in-the-flesh (Mt 11:19; 12:42) and God\'s designated builder of the new Temple, the Church (Mt 16:18). NEW JONAH Jonah was a Hebrew prophet. His experience sleeping on a ship and calming a storm (Jon 1:1-16) anticipates that of Jesus with his disciples (Mt 8:23-27). Jonah\'s three days in the belly of the great fish foreshadows the death and third-day Resurrection of Jesus (Mt 12:39-41). In addition, the ministry of Jonah to the Ninevites beyond the borders of Israel anticipates the spread of Christ\'s gospel to all nations (Mt 28:18-20). Back to Matthew 12:1. **12:36 every careless word:** Spoken insults call down God\'s judgment (5:21-26). The NT frequently notes that gossip, slandering, and lies are serious sins, inconsistent with holiness and purity of speech (2 Cor 12:20; Eph 4:25-32; Jas 3:1-12) **12:41 greater than Jonah:** Jesus\' teaching (16:4) and experiences (8:23-27) recall the ministry of the prophet Jonah. • Jonah prefigures Jesus in two ways: **(1)** His three days in the whale foreshadow Jesus\' Resurrection on the third day (12:40; 16:21); **(2)** he prefigures Jesus as a prophet to the Gentiles. As Jonah preached to Nineveh in Assyria (Jon 3:2), so Jesus ministers to Gentiles (8:5-13; 15:21-28) and commissions the international spread of the gospel (28:19; Lk 24:45-47). See chart: *Jesus and the Old Testament.* . **12:42 greater than Solomon:** The connections between Jesus and King Solomon are elsewhere more implicit (2:11; 12:23; 16:18). • Solomon was the quintessential wise man and Temple builder of the OT (1 Kings 4:29-34; 5-8). As the son of David and heir to his kingdom, Solomon reigned over all Israel and extended his dominion over other nations (1 Kings 4:20-21). He thus prefigured Christ as the son of David (1:1), the embodiment of wisdom (11:19), the new Temple builder (16:18), and the divine ruler of both the 12 tribes of Israel (19:28) and the nations of the world (28:19). *See chart: *Jesus and the Old Testament.** . **12:44-46** A parable about Jesus\' generation. It may be understood in two ways. **(1)** It is a warning to those who benefit from Jesus\' *ministry* without embracing his *message* and its demands. Since one must be not only emptied of evil but filled with divine goodness, the messianic works of Jesus should lead people to accept his messianic kingdom; otherwise they land themselves in a worse state than before (2 Pet 2:20-22). **(2)** The controversy over exorcisms in the preceding context (12:22-29) sets the stage for Jesus to establish the superiority of his New Covenant ministry over the Old as administered by the Pharisees. Although the Pharisees expel evil spirits (\"your sons\" *12:27*), they leave a vacuum that exposes individuals to more severe counterattacks from Satan. Jesus also drives out demons, but, unlike the Pharisees, he fills believers with the greater power of his kingdom through the Spirit (12:28). Jesus\' contemporaries must prefer these blessings of his kingdom ministry to the real but limited benefits of the Pharisees\' ministry; otherwise they are left vulnerable to spiritual catastrophes worse than before **12:45 this evil generation:** Many in Jesus\' day refused their inheritance, i.e., God\'s heavenly kingdom. • The expression recalls Deut 1:35 and description of Israel in the wilderness. They saw many signs during the Exodus but refused to trust God. God thus swore their \"evil generation\" would perish in the desert (Num 14:21-23). Jesus sees a parallel situation before him: granting the Pharisees a \"sign\" (12:38) is useless; they have no intention of trusting him but want only to \"destroy him\" (12:14) **12:46 his brethren:** The NT often mentions Jesus\' brethren (13:55; Mk 3:31; 6:3; Lk 8:19; Jn 2:12; 7:3; Acts 1:14; Gal 1:19). The Church maintains, however, that Jesus\' Mother, Mary, remained a virgin throughout her life. These so-called brethren of Jesus are thus his relatives but not children of Mary. Four observations support the Church\'s tradition: **(1)** These brethren are never called the children of Mary, although Jesus himself is (Jn 2:1; 19:25; Acts 1:14). **(2)** Two names mentioned, James and Joseph, are sons of a different \"Mary\" in Mt 27:56 (Mk 15:40). (3) It is unlikely that Jesus would entrust his Mother to the Apostle John at his Crucifixion if she had other natural sons to care for her (Jn 19:26-27). **(4)** The word \"brethren\" (Gk. *adelphoi*) has a broader meaning than blood brothers. Since ancient Hebrew had no word for \"cousin\", it was customary to use \"brethren\" in the Bible for relationships other than blood brothers. In the Greek OT, a \"brother\" can be a nearly related cousin (1 Chron 23:21-22), a more remote kinsman (Deut 23:7; 2 Kings 10:13-14), an uncle or a nephew (Gen 13:8), or the relation between men bound by covenant (2 Sam 1:26; cf. 1 Sam 18:3). Continuing this OT tradition, the NT often uses \"brother\" or \"brethren\" in this wider sense. Paul uses it as a synonym for his Israelite kinsmen in Rom 9:3. It also denotes biologically unrelated Christians in the New Covenant family of God (Rom 8:29; 12:1; Col 1:2; Heb 2:11; Jas 1:2; CCC 500) **12:50 will of my Father:** Obedience to God the Father creates relationships greater than natural family bonds. Although Jesus had no biological siblings, his spiritual brothers and sisters are the adopted children of God (Rom 8:29; 1 Jn 3:1). They are empowered to obey the Father as he did (cf. Jn 8:29; 1 Jn 3:7-10). See note on Mt 12:46. **mother:** Far from undermining the role of Mary, Jesus reveals the true greatness of her divine maternity. After all, she was not merely his *natural* mother through generation, but she became the Mother of God precisely by embracing the Father\'s will (Lk 1:38, 43). Her relationship to Jesus ---physical and spiritual ---is thus magnified by Jesus\' statement (CCC 495) **13:1-51** The parables of the kingdom. Jesus speaks of the hidden mysteries of God\'s kingdom present in the Church. Of the seven, the parables of the Wheat and the Weeds (13:24-30), the Hidden Treasure (13:44), the Pearl of Great Value (13:45-46), and the Dragnet (13:47-50) are found only in Matthew **13:11 to you:** Jesus speaks parables to the \"great crowds\" (13:2) but explains them only to his disciples. While the illustrations are clear enough ---drawn from everyday life ---the underlying truths remain obscure to the faithless (13:9, 13). **secrets of the kingdom:** The inner circle of disciples accept Jesus with faith and are privileged to know God\'s mysteries (13:36-43). • Jesus\' private instruction of his disciples reflects his intention to arrange the Church hierarchically. He invests his authority in the apostles (and their successors) to administer the sacraments (28:19; Jn 20:23; 1 Cor 11:25) and transmit God\'s truth through their teaching (28:20; Jn 17:17-20; 1 Cor 4:1; CCC 888-90) **13:14-15** A reference to Is 6:9-10. • In context, God i commissioned Isaiah to preach judgment to the Israelites for their covenant infidelity. Similarly, Jesus uses parables to proclaim God\'s judgment on the faithless of his generation (cf. Mk 4:12; Lk 8:10) **13:18-23** The parable of the Sower illustrates how indifferent responses to the **word of the kingdom** (13:19) prove unfruitful (CCC 29). Distractions come from the world (13:22; 19:24), the flesh (13:21; 10:22; 26:41), and the devil (13:19; 10:28). On the other hand, **fruit** brought forth from the responsive heart abounds (13:23). Fruit is a common biblical image for the good works and faithfulness that flow from God\'s grace (7:17; 12:33; cf. Ps 1:1-3; Jer 17:10; Jn 15:5; Gal 5:22-23) **13:25 sowed weeds:** Probably \"darnel\", a slightly poisonous plant resembling wheat in the early stages of growth. Only when it fully matures can it be distinguished and separated from wheat (13:30) **13:32 becomes a tree:** The parable of the Mustard Seed illustrates the contrast in size between the seed and the mature shrub, reaching nearly ten feet in height. Jesus likewise sows the kingdom in a small band of disciples, expecting it to grow into a worldwide Church. • Similar metaphors used in the OT represent great empires as great trees (Ezek 31:1-13; Dan 4:12), including the kingdom of Israel (Ezek 17:22-24). In these instances, **birds** represent Gentile nations. Jesus\' parable thus points to the spread of the gospel and acceptance of Gentiles into the Church (28:19) **13:33 like leaven:** Sometimes symbolic of evil in the world (16:5-12; 1 Cor 5:6-8). It has positive symbolism here. At one level, leaven represents the grace of the kingdom that sanctifies the world through the Church. At the personal level, leaven is the individual Christian called to bring the gospel to those around him. **three measures:** i.e., about 50 pounds of **meal,** which here symbolizes the world. The parable thus highlights a great disproportion: the little leaven is hidden yet actively raising a significant amount of meal **13:35 by the prophet:** A reference to Ps 78:2, attributed to Asaph. In 2 Chron 29:30 of the Greek OT, Asaph is called a \"prophet\". In any case, all OT writers were inspired by the Spirit and thus prophets (cf. 22:43; 2 Pet 1:20-21). **what has been hidden:** Psalm 78:2 accents the positive function of parables: they enlighten the humble by revealing God\'s mysteries. See word study: **Parables.** . **13:36-43** The final separation of good and evil. Accordingly, God\'s forbearance toward sin and evil in the world will last only until the Last Judgment; in the meantime, saints and sinners will continue side by side in the Church. See note on Mt 25:31-46 **13:36 went into the house:** Jesus shifts attention from the \"great crowds\" (13:2) to his private instruction of the disciples. See note on Mt 13:11 **Word Study** > [!NOTE] Word Study > *Parables* (Mt 13:3) – *Parabole* (Gk.): A spoken or literary \"comparison\" between two things for illustration. The word is found 48 times in the Synoptic Gospels for short stories that use familiar images and word pictures to illustrate a truth or challenge a common outlook on life and religion. The term is found also in the Greek OT, where it frequently translates the Hebrew word *mashal,* a term for literary forms such as proverbs (1 Sam 10:12; 1 Kings 4:32), riddles (Ps 49:4; Sir 47:15), and allegories (Ezek 17:2; 24:3). Jesus uses parables in the NT for two purposes: to reveal and to conceal divine mysteries. (1) Parables invite the humble to reach behind the images and lay hold of God\'s truth (Mt 11:25; Mk 4:33). Parables sketch out earthly scenarios that reveal heavenly mysteries. (2) Conversely, they obstruct the proud and conceal divine mysteries from the unworthy. Parables thus have a second, albeit negative, function and are spoken as judgments on the faithless (cf. Is 6:9-10). In Matthew, Jesus shifts from straightforward teaching (chaps. 5 ---7) to parables (chap. 13) immediately following his rejection by the Pharisees (12:14). Like the OT prophets Jotham (Judg 9:7-15) and Nathan (2 Sam 12:1-6), Jesus speaks parables for the benefit of the faithful and the judgment of unbelievers. ^xyxace **13:39 the harvest:** A biblical image for the Day of the Lord --- i.e., the time when God will judge all nations (3:12; cf. Jer 51:33; Hos 6:11; Joel 3:13; Rev 14:14-16) **13:42 gnashing of teeth:** The wicked will experience punishment (CCC 1034). See note on Mt 8:12 **13:43 shine like the sun:** Those resurrected to eternal life share in Jesus\' glory. • The expression evokes Dan 12:3. In context, Daniel foresees the general resurrection, when the \"wise\" will be delivered from God\'s judgment and \"shine\" for ever (Dan 12:1-4) **13:44-46** Two parables, the Hidden Treasure (13:44) and the Pearl of Great Value (13:45-46), that underscore the same point. Both stress that the kingdom\'s value is inestimable, and surrendering earthly attachments is required to obtain it (19:21, 29; Phil 3:8). This may entail literal poverty (religious) or spiritual poverty (5:3) for those whose state in life involves ownership of property (laity) (CCC 546). • *Allegorically* (St. Irenaeus, *AH* 4, 26, 1): Christ himself is the great treasure hidden within the field of the OT Scriptures. Only in light of his Cross and Resurrection can the mysteries of the Old be fully understood to announce the advent of God\'s Son **13:47-50** The parable of the Dragnet envisions the Day of Judgment when the righteous are separated from the wicked (compare 13:49 with 25:32). Leading up to this event, men and women are gathered into the kingdom from all nations, just as a **net** pulled through the **sea** collects various species of **fish.** The fishermen of the parable are the apostles and missionaries of the Church (see 4:18-19). The **angels** are elsewhere linked with the coming of Christ in judgment (16:27; 2 Thess 1:7) **13:52 every scribe:** Legal experts in first-century Judaism. Here it denotes the apostles instructed for the **kingdom.** Jesus equips them to evangelize and catechize (28:18-20) the world about the treasures hidden in the **old** Covenant and manifest in the **new.** Matthew\'s own ministry follows this pattern: he continually cites the OT to explain its fulfillment in Jesus Christ **13:55 his brethren:** See note on Mt 12:46 **14:1-12** John the Baptist\'s martyrdom is a narrative \"flashback\" on events of the past. Matthew\'s account has a double purpose: **(1)** It marks a clear distinction between John and Jesus in light of popular rumors about their identity (14:2; 16:14). **(2)** It underscores the high cost of Christian discipleship (5:10-11; 10:39). The execution of John by governing authorities anticipates the fate of Jesus (17:12) and the early Christian martyrs (Rev 20:4) **14:1 Herod the tetrarch:** Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, who governed Galilee and Perea from 4 B.C. until A.D. 39. See note on Mt 2:22 **14:4 It is not lawful:** John publicly denounced the union of Herod Antipas and his mistress, Herodias. While the NT gives little background, extrabiblical history details how Antipas desired Herodias while she was married to his half-brother Herod Philip. Antipas and Herodias then abandoned their respective spouses in order to be united. The Mosaic Law, however, forbids the union of a man with his brother\'s wife while the brother is still living (Lev 18:16; 20:21). Since Philip was yet living, John the Baptist spoke out against the union of Herod Antipas and Herodias and publicly disgraced them (Mk 6:19) **14:9 he commanded it:** Herod succumbed to peer pressure by swearing an illicit oath (14:7) before his distinguished guests (14:9). Condemning an innocent man without trial, he stands in a stream of immorality historically linked with the Herodian dynasty. See notes on Mt 2:16 and 2:22 **14:13-21** Jesus\' multiplication of loaves appears in every Gospel. The event anticipates the Eucharist, a point that Matthew reinforces by using the same series of verbs **(taking . blessed . broke . gave)** here (14:19) and at the Last Supper (26:26; Mk 14:22). • The miracle also recalls the similar OT episode in 2 Kings 4:42-44, where the prophet Elisha multiplied 20 barley loaves (Jn 6:9) to feed 100 men, with some left over (CCC 1335). • *Morally* (St. John, Patriarch of Alexandria; Theophylact): the five loaves signify alms given to the poor (cf. 6:2-4). As here, the size of the donation is less significant than the generosity of one\'s heart (cf. Lk 21:1-4; 2 Cor 9:6-8). Gifts given to the poor are, in return, multiplied by God back to the giver as treasure in heaven (6:19-21; CCC 1434) **14:19 the disciples gave them:** Jesus feeds the crowd through the hands of the apostles. • The disciples\' intermediary role points forward to their priesthood (cf. 15:36). They distribute the bread provided by Jesus in anticipation of the eucharistic liturgy, where the priests of the New Covenant give the Bread of Life as Holy Communion to the Church (1 Cor 10:16; CCC 1329) **14:25 the fourth watch:** The 12 hours of the night between 6 P.M. and 6 A.M. were divided into four \"watches\" (cf. Mk 13:35). This event took place between 3 and 6 A.M. and suggests the disciples were battling the storm most of the night. **walking on the sea:** See note on Mt 8:27 **14:27 it is I:** Literally, \"I am.\" • In light of his power over nature, Jesus\' statement may allude to God\'s self-revelation at the burning bush (Ex 3:14; cf. Jn 8:58; 18:5, 6). Jesus thus goes beyond reassuring the disciples and claims for himself a divine identity and authority (14:33) **14:33 you are the Son of God:** Anticipates the confessions of Jesus\' divinity by Peter (16:16) and the centurion (27:54) **15:1-20** Jesus\' clash with religious leaders centers on oral traditions added to the Mosaic Law. Addressing the Pharisees, Jesus designates ceremonial washing (15:2, 20) and the custom of dedication (15:5) as **your tradition** (15:6). He denies that these Pharisaic customs hold the same weight and authority as the Law of God (cf. Col 2:8). The Pharisees were violating the **word of God** (15:6) by overemphasizing the importance of their own traditions at the expense of the Law. Only traditions that stem from Christ and the apostles have divine authority, since they are not human in their origin (1 Cor 11:2; 2 Thess 2:15; 3:6). See note on Mk 7:3 and topical essay: **Who Are the Pharisees?** at Mk 2 (CCC 83-84) **15:5 is given to God:** The Pharisees sometimes withheld financial support from parents in order to donate money to the Temple. This tradition of dedication was probably enforced by a vow, and money offered to the Temple could not be repossessed. While the practice of Temple donations appeared pious, its practical effect marginalized God\'s commandment to **honor** one\'s parents (15:4; Ex 20:12) **15:19 out of the heart:** Real defilement is spiritual and moral, not ceremonial. The scribes and Pharisees unduly emphasized external ceremonies and compromised the true spirit of Israel\'s religion. Real defilement stems from evil intentions within and is manifest through sinful deeds (5:28). Jesus stresses the need for inner purity of heart, not ritual purity of the body (CCC 2517). See note on Mt 5:8 **15:21 Tyre and Sidon:** Gentile cities in Phoenicia, north of Palestine. According to the table of nations in Gen 10, Sidon was the first-born son of Canaan (Gen 10:15), and thus the woman is a \"Canaanite\" (15:22). Mark refers to her more proximate geographical background as \"Syrophoenician\" (Mk 7:26) **MAP ---Jesus\' Ministry beyond Galilee.** In the region of Tyre and Sidon, Jesus cast out a demon from the daughter of a Syrophoenician woman (Mk 7:24-30). In the region of Caesarea Philippi, Peter made his great declaration of faith in Jesus as God\'s Messiah (Mt 16:13-19). Jesus returned to Galilee via the Decapolis region, crossing the Jordan River south of the Sea of Galilee. **15:26 the children\'s bread:** i.e., Israel and its inherited right to God\'s blessings. As in 8:5-13, Jesus heals a faith-filled Gentile despite his intention to minister to Israel first (15:24; 10:6; cf. Rom 1:16). **the dogs:** Literally, \"little dogs\" or \"puppies\". See note on Mt 7:6. • *Morally* (St. John Chrysostom, *Hom. in Matt.* 52): the Canaanite woman signifies repentant souls. Incapable of boasting, contrite sinners lean wholly on God\'s mercy; they recognize their weakness before God and can only beg for blessings, unable to demand from God gifts that he freely bestows. Only the humble and faith-filled are rewarded with spiritual healing **15:32-39** The feeding of the 4,000 is similar to the episode in 14:13-21. Differences lie in the number of people (15:38; 14:21), the number of loaves (15:34; 14:17), and the number of leftover baskets involved (15:37; 14:20). Both narratives emphasize the miraculousness of Jesus\' sign and the abundance of bread provided (cf. 16:9-10). See note on Mk 8:19 **16:1 a sign from heaven:** These leaders interpret signs in heaven to predict the weather, yet they are blind in spiritual matters (15:14; 23:16). Jesus refuses to perform miracles for those unconvinced of his authority ---it is something already manifest through his healings (11:2-5; 1 Cor 1:22) **16:4 the sign of Jonah:** A reference to Jesus\' Resurrection. See note on Mt 12:41 **16:11 the leaven:** Symbolic of an effective and hidden influence (13:33). It is here a negative symbol of the dangerous teaching of the **Pharisees** and **Sadducees,** who prevent others from entering the kingdom (cf. 12:24; 22:23; 23:13). Jesus\' warning prepares for the following episode, where he ensures the transmission of true Christian doctrine through Peter **16:13-20** The Gospels generally highlight Peter\'s preeminence among the disciples (10:2; Lk 22:31-32; Jn 1:42; 21:15-18). This episode defines his role explicitly. • Jesus\' blessing on Peter draws from OT traditions about the Davidic covenant. The key concepts and images (**Christ** / **Son of the living God** / **rock** / **build** / **gates of Hades** / **keys** / **kingdom**) are all connected with Israel\'s kingdom established under David and confirmed by Solomon and his construction of the Temple (cf. 2 Sam 7:4-17; Ps 2:7; 89; 132). Although David\'s empire crumbled in 586 B.C., Jesus announces its restoration in the New Covenant (cf. Mk 11:10; Lk 1:32-33; Acts 15:15-18). Christ is the long-awaited \"son of David\", who rebuilds and transforms the ancient kingdom in the Church. See introduction: *Themes.* • Vatican I (1870) cited this episode as biblical support for the primacy of Peter and successive popes. The Council\'s interpretation touches five points of doctrine: **(1)** The Magisterium built upon Peter is instituted by Jesus Christ; **(2)** Peter is given a unique role as chief teacher and ruler (primacy of jurisdiction) over the Church; **(3)** Peter is the visible head of the Church; **(4)** Peter\'s authority is passed on through successors; **(5)** through Peter, Christ himself assures the infallible preservation of the gospel in the Church **16:13 Caesarea Philippi:** A predominantly Gentile city north of Palestine. It was originally known as Panion (or Paneas) because of a shrine built there to the Greco-Roman god Pan. When Herod the Great\'s son Philip became tetrarch of that region (4 B.C. ---A.D. 33), he rebuilt the city and renamed it in honor of Tiberius Caesar, adding his own name to distinguish it from the Judean coastal city of Caesarea **16:16 Son of the living God:** The confession is double-sided: **(1)** Peter proclaims the mystery of Christ\'s divinity as the head and spokesman of the Church (cf. 11:25-27; 14:33). **(2)** Peter sees Jesus as the awaited Messiah-king of Israel (26:63; Jn 1:49). The close relationship between the titles **Christ** and *Son* reflects OT traditions, where Israel\'s kings enjoyed unique relationships with God as his sons (2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7; 89:27; CCC 436, 439, 442). See word study: **Christ** at Mk 14 **16:17 Blessed are you:** Jesus blesses Peter and elevates him to be the chief patriarch of the New Covenant. • Parallels between Genesis and Jesus\' words (16:17-19) suggest that Peter assumes a role in salvation history similar to Abraham\'s. **(1)** Both are blessed by God (Gen 14:19); **(2)** both respond with heroic faith (Heb 11:8); **(3)** both receive a divine mission (Gen 12:1-3); **(4)** both have their names changed (Gen 17:5); **(5)** both are called a \"rock\" (Is 51:1-2); and **(6)** both are assured a victory over the \"gate\" of their enemies (Gen 22:17). **Simon Bar-Jona:** Literally means \"Simon son of Jonah\". Since Peter\'s father is actually named \"John\" (Jn 1:42), the title may be symbolic. **(1)** Jesus\' role as a new Jonah (12:39-41) may suggest he views Peter as his spiritual son. **(2)** Since the Hebrew name \"Jonah\" means \"dove\", Jesus may point to the relationship between Peter and the Holy Spirit. Indeed, the same Spirit who confirmed Jesus\' Sonship in the form of a dove (3:16) now inspires Peter\'s confession. **flesh and blood:** A Semitic idiom for human beings, emphasizing their natural limitations and weaknesses (Sir 14:18; Gal 1:16) **16:18 I will build:** Jesus portrays the Church as a spiritual Temple (cf. 1 Cor 3:16-17; 2 Cor 6:16; Eph 2:19-22; 1 Pet 2:4-8). • As Solomon was the son of David and the anointed Temple builder in the OT, so Jesus is the Davidic \"Son\" of God (16:16) and the anointed Messiah who builds the Church in the New. Jesus elsewhere sees himself as both similar and superior to King Solomon (12:42). See note on Mt 7:24. **my Church:** Among the Gospels, Matthew alone uses the word *Church* (18:17). The word is used often in the Greek OT for the \"congregation\" or \"assembly\" of Israel united to God. Jesus uses it in a similar way for the New Covenant community. **the gates of Hades:** In the OT, Hades ---also called \"Sheol\" or \"the Pit\" ---is the place of the dead where souls descend through its gates (Ps 9:13, 17; Wis 16:13; Is 38:10; Jon 2:2). It is not hell, but a temporary realm where souls are detained until the Last Judgment (Rev 20:13-15). By extension, Hades is also the habitation of evil forces that bring about death and deception (Rev 6:8; 20:1-3). According to Jewish tradition, the foundation stone (Heb. *\'eben shetiyyah*) of the Jerusalem Temple capped off and sealed a long shaft leading down to the netherworld (Rev 9:1-2; 20:1-3). The Temple, resting securely on a rock, was thus the center of the cosmos, the junction between heaven and Hades. Drawing from this background, Jesus guarantees that the powers of death and deception will not overcome the Church ---i.e., the new Temple built on Peter. He enables Peter (and his successors) to hold error at bay and faithfully proclaim the gospel (CCC 552) **16:19 the keys:** A symbol of teaching authority (Lk 11:52). Jesus consecrates Peter as the Church\'s chief teacher, whose office will continue on through successors. The plural use of *keys* may imply a connection with the \"gates\" in 16:18 and mean that Peter\'s position includes, among other things, the authority to release the righteous souls who are detained in Hades but destined for heaven. • In the OT Davidic empire, the king appointed a cabinet of ministers for specific tasks in the kingdom (1 Kings 4:1-6; 2 Kings 18:37). Of these, a prime minister was elevated to unique status of authority, ranking second only to the king. This government structure was common among kingdoms in the ancient Near East (cf. Gen 41:39-43; Esther 3:1-2). Jesus here evokes Is 22:15-25, where the prime minister\'s office is handed on to a successor by the symbolic act of handing on the \"key of the house *i.e., kingdom* of David\" (Is 22:22). In Matthew, Jesus is the new Davidic king, who appoints Peter the prime minister over the **kingdom of heaven** in the Church. As in Is 22, Peter\'s position is designed for him and his successors; the office is meant to endure as long as the kingdom itself. Entrusted with the keys, Peter wields Christ\'s own royal authority (cf. Rev 1:18; 3:7). **whatever you bind . loose:** Familiar language in early Jewish literature. The metaphor carries several connotations: **(1)** It signifies teaching authority and the ability to render binding decisions. Rabbis were said to make \"binding\" interpretations of the Law. **(2)** It denotes authority to include or exclude members of a religious community. **(3)** It signals the forgiveness of sins (Tg *Neof* in Gen 4:7). The verb *loose* is used this way in Rev 1:5 (translated \"freed\") and by the early Church Fathers (cf. Jn 20:23). Peter is thus invested with Christ\'s authority as the kingdom\'s chief teacher and administrator; through him **heaven** governs the Church on **earth** (cf. Jn 21:15-17; 1 Tim 3:15; CCC 553, 1445) **16:23 Satan:** In contrast to the blessing of Peter in 16:17, Jesus here rebukes him. Peter\'s confession (16:16) was inspired by the Father; here his natural instincts object to a suffering Messiah. On his own, he cannot see the spiritual necessity of Jesus\' Passion for sinners **16:24 take up his cross:** Jesus\' challenge follows his first Passion prediction (16:21). He indicates that suffering and self-denial are central to the Christian life (cf. Rom 8:17; Col 1:24; CCC 618). See note on Mt 10:38 > [!NOTE] Word Study > *Peter* (Mt 16:18) – *Petros* (Gk.): A masculine noun meaning \"rock\" or \"stone\". Although a common word in Greek, there is no evidence that *Peter* was ever a proper name before Jesus renamed Simon. This accentuates the symbolism of the name: Simon is himself the rock upon which Jesus builds the Church. Further NT evidence suggests that Jesus\' words to Peter were originally spoken in Aramaic. In this language, the word *kepha* is the equivalent of *Peter* and denotes a \"sizeable rock\" ---one suitable as a building foundation. This Aramaic name is preserved as \"Cephas\" 9 times in the NT (Jn 1:42; 1 Cor 1:12; 15:5; Gal 1:18; 2:9, etc.). At another level, Simon\'s name change recalls the OT episodes where God renamed Abram as Abraham (Gen 17:5) and Jacob as Israel (Gen 32:28). Peter now stands in this biblical tradition where new names signify new God-given roles in salvation history. In Peter\'s case, Jesus designates him the foundation stone of the New Covenant Church. Just as the Temples of the OT were built upon a great stone (1 Kings 5:17; Ezra 3:10), so Jesus builds his NT Church upon the foundational rock of Peter (cf. Eph 2:20; Rev 21:14). ^p5oauq **17:1-8** Jesus\' Transfiguration confirms his divine Sonship (3:17; 16:16). It also strengthens three early Church leaders (**Peter, James,** and **John**) after Jesus\' first Passion prediction (16:21). Being **transfigured before them** (17:2), Jesus unveils his glory, later manifest in his Resurrection and shared by his angels (28:2-3) and Virgin Mother in heaven (Rev 12:1) (CCC 555-56). • The OT background for this event is God\'s self-revelation to Moses on Mt. Sinai. **(1) **Both take place on the seventh day (17:1; Ex 24:16); (2) both occur on a mountain (17:1; Ex 24:13, 15); (3) both Jesus and Moses take three companions with them (17:1; Ex 24:1); (4) the faces of both Jesus and Moses shine with God\'s glory (17:2; Ex 34:29); (5) both involve the glory-cloud of God\'s Presence; (6) and both events involve God speaking through a heavenly voice (17:5; Ex 24:16). • *Anagogically* (Dionysius, *The Divine Names* 1.4): the glory that shone around the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration prefigures the contemplation of God in eternity, when the minds of the saints will be for ever lifted up from lower concerns and engulfed in the blazing light of the Trinity **17:3 Moses and Elijah:** Represent the testimony of the Law and the Prophets, respectively (cf. 5:17; 7:12). They are the only OT figures to hear God\'s voice atop Mt. Sinai, also called Horeb (Ex 24:18; 1 Kings 19:8-18). They here witness to the surpassing glory of Jesus as the lawgiver and prophet of the New Covenant (cf. Jn 5:39; Rev 11:3-6) **17:4 I will make three booths:** Peter desires to prolong the heavenly experience. The booths are small, tentlike shelters erected yearly at the Jewish Feast of Booths (Lev 23:39-43). This liturgical feast became an early Church symbol of the ongoing joys of heaven (cf. Rev 7:9-10) **17:5 beloved Son . listen to him:** A similar proclamation was made at Jesus\' baptism (3:17; cf. Is 42:1). • The final statement, \"listen to him\", evokes Deut 18:15. In context, God promised that a prophet like Moses (Messiah) would come to Israel to be heeded by his people (cf. Acts 3:20-22). See note on Mt 2:16 **17:6 fell on their faces:** The posture of those overwhelmed by God\'s glory (Gen 17:3; Ezek 1:28; Rev 1:17) **17:11 to restore all things:** e.g., family relationships (Mal 4:5-6) and the 12 tribes of Israel (Sir 48:10) **17:12 Elijah has already come:** The \"scribes\" (17:10) were correct in their teaching and expectation (Mal 4:5) but wrong not to recognize Elijah\'s arrival in John the Baptist (17:13). See note on Mt 11:10 **17:20 your little faith:** Jesus challenges the unbelief of his disciples (8:26; 14:31; 16:8). He suggests their attempts to exorcize demons (17:16) were impeded by presumption, since even a small measure of genuine faith can accomplish great things **17:24 Capernaum:** Jesus\' hometown during his Galilean ministry (4:13). **the half-shekel tax:** Literally, the *didrachma,* or \"two-drachma tax\", required annually of all male Jews over 20 years old. Moses levied a similar tax for the services of the Tabernacle (Ex 30:11-16). This was reimplemented with King Joash for Solomon\'s Temple (2 Chron 24:6), while a comparable \"third part of a shekel\" was required for the second Temple (Neh 10:32). **went up to Peter:** Matthew\'s \"fourth book\" features the primacy of Peter (14:28-33; 16:13-19; 17:1, 4; see outline). Here the tax collectors recognize and approach him as the apostles\' spokesman **17:26 the sons are free:** The divine sonship shared by Jesus (natural) and Peter (adoptive) exempts them from Temple taxes. Nevertheless, they submit their New Covenant liberty to the regulations of the Old. In the early Church, believers maintained certain Old Covenant practices to avoid giving \"offense\" (17:27) to the Jews and in the hope of winning some to the gospel (Acts 16:3; 21:17-26; Rom 14:13-21; 1 Cor 9:19-23) **17:27 you will find a shekel:** A Greek *stater* worth two CkS *didrachma* (17:24). The full shekel thus pays the half-shekel tax for both Jesus and Peter. • The single payment for both Christ and Peter underscores the spiritual union between Jesus and his vicar on earth (cf. 16:17-19) **18:1-35** The fourth discourse in Matthew (see outline). Jesus teaches about life in the Church, where the greatness of her leaders is measured by humility, service (18:1-14), and boundless mercy (18:21-35) **18:1 Who is the greatest . ?:** A question prompted by Jesus\' favoritism and honor of Peter in the previous episodes (16:17-19; 17:1, 27) **18:3 like children:** Total dependence on God is required to enter the **kingdom.** Childlike simplicity is especially demanded of the apostles, who must lead the Church with a spirit of servanthood and humility. All, however, are called to trust the Father for daily provisions (6:25-33) and the graces necessary for salvation (CCC 2785) **18:6 who believe in me:** Religious scandal is a stumbling block for others and may even cause some members of the Church to lose their faith (CCC 2284-85). **a great millstone:** A stone so large that donkeys were required to turn it when milling grain (cf. Rev 18:21). This punishment by drowning was often reserved for the worst criminals **18:8-9** Jesus\' severe language underscores the great dangers of sin. See note on Mt 5:29 **18:10 their angels:** Scripture portrays God\'s angels as protectors, guides, and helpers of his people (Tob 12:15; Job 33:23-24; Ps 34:7; 91:11; Acts 12:15; Heb 1:14). The elect angels already participate in glory as they **behold the face** of God in heaven (CCC 329, 336). • This verse is traditionally cited as biblical evidence for guardian angels. Several Church Fathers teach that God assigns everyone an angel to watch over him throughout life **18:12 a hundred sheep:** Jesus is often described as a shepherd (25:32; Jn 10:1-18; 1 Pet 2:25). • This parable alludes to the messianic prophecy of Ezek 34:11-31. In context, Ezekiel foretells that God himself would assume the role of a shepherd to seek out and rescue the lost sheep of his fold. • *Allegorically* (St. Hilary, St. Anselm): the lost sheep represent mankind, who went astray in sin. The 99 on the hills are the angels in heaven. In the Incarnation, Christ temporarily descended from the hills to seek the lost souls of men (cf. 15:24; Lk 19:10); through the redemption, Christ restores men to grace and raises them again to the company of the angels (cf. Heb 12:22) **18:15-20** Church discipline is a serious matter for her leaders. Jesus outlines a three-step procedure for **(1)** privately confronting the sinner, **(2)** addressing the sin before a circle of witnesses, and **(3)** bringing the matter before the Church. Emphasis is placed on reconciliation. If the member resists correction, the Church\'s leaders (apostles and successors) may exercise Christ\'s authority by disciplining the impenitent. This final decision is backed even by the Father (18:19) (CCC 1463) **18:16 two or three witnesses:** Criteria for judicial testimony in Old Covenant Israel (Deut 19:15). Jesus\' language reinforces the Church\'s identity as the restored Israel of the New Covenant (Gal 6:16; cf. 2 Cor 13:1). See note on Mt 5:14 **18:17 the Church:** Mentioned only here and 16:18 in the Gospels. Whereas 16:18 envisions Peter\'s authority over the universal Church, this verse pertains to a local congregation of Christians. **Gentile . tax collector:** Two groups generally despised by first-century Jews. The choice of these terms suggest that Jesus requires a policy of non-association with those who are disciplined by leaders of the Church (cf. 1 Cor 5:9-13; 2 Cor 6:14-15) **18:18 whatever you bind . loose:** In 16:19, Peter was invested with Christ\'s authority as the visible head of the Church. A derivative ---but subordinate ---authority is given also to the apostles as royal ministers in the kingdom. Jesus\' authority in this context is related to Church discipline; by extension, it is also a sacramental authority to forgive sins (cf. Jn 20:23; CCC 553, 1444). See notes on Mt 9:8 and 16:19 **18:22 seventy times seven:** Denotes limitless forgiveness and mercy. • Jesus contrasts the behavior expected of the apostles with the boundless vengeance of Lamech in Gen 4:24 (LXX), where the same figures of \"seven\" and \"seventy times seven\" are contrasted (CCC 982) **18:24 ten thousand talents:** A \"talent\" (coin) is equivalent to 6,000 denarii, or 20 years\' wages for a laborer. The figure is exaggerated for emphasis: the parable accentuates the king\'s (God\'s) mercy in forgiving an incalculable debt that was impossible for the servant (man) to repay **18:28 a hundred denarii:** A minor debt, since a \"denarius\" was equivalent to a single day\'s wage for a laborer (cf. 20:2). Repayment of 100 days\' wages required patience (18:29) but was not impossible **18:35 forgive your brother:** Jesus demonstrates the folly of mercilessness. One forgiven an eternal debt of sin should readily forgive others of much smaller debts. The lesson is summarized in Jesus\' commentary on the Our Father in 6:14-15 (cf. Jas 2:13; CCC 2842-43) **19:1 Judea beyond the Jordan:** Jesus has concluded his Galilean ministry and is now headed for Jerusalem. His presence east of the Jordan has a dual significance. **(1)** This location is linked with John the Baptist (3:5), who was executed for condemning the divorce and remarriage of Herod Antipas and his mistress, Herodias (14:3-10). This tragedy looms in the background of the ensuing question about divorce (19:3). One suspects that the Pharisees hoped to lure Jesus into the same trap that cost John his life. **(2)** The region beyond the Jordan is also the place where Moses gave Israel the laws of Deuteronomy (Deut 1:5). It seems more than coincidental that Jesus is about to repeal the Deuteronomic concession for divorce and remarriage (Deut 24:1-4) in the very place where it was ratified **19:3-9** Jesus forbids divorce and remarriage (Mk 10:11-12; Lk 16:18) and revokes the lower standard of the Old Law permitting divorce for non-Levitical laymen in Israel (Deut 24:14). Jesus thus restores marriage to its original integrity (Gen 2:24) and elevates it to a New Covenant sacrament (Eph 5:22-33; CCC 2382) **19:3 tested:** The Greek verb can also mean \"tempted\" and often implies a hostile intent (as in 4:1 and 22:18). The Pharisees, resolved to destroy Jesus (12:14), hope to ensnare him with an incriminating question (cf. 22:15; Jn 8:6). **for any cause:** Many read this as a question about the *legitimate grounds* for divorce. It is said that Jesus is pressed to take sides in a debate between the Pharisaic schools of Hillel (liberal) and Shammai (conservative). This is doubtful; giving an opinion on an intramural dispute among the Pharisees would hardly constitute a trap. More likely, the question concerns the *legality* of divorce itself (as in Mk 10:2). Presumably it was becoming known that Jesus forbids divorce and remarriage (5:32; Lk 16:18), even though Moses had long ago permitted it (Deut 24:1-4). The Pharisees thus see an opportunity to discredit Jesus by pitting him against Moses. Jesus evades the trap by quoting the words of Moses from Genesis (19:4-5) and then turns the tables by showing that the Pharisees are the ones out of touch with God\'s true intention for married life as revealed in the Torah **19:4 Have you not read?:** A counterquestion frequently posed by Jesus to his learned adversaries (i.e., Pharisees and Sadducees). See note on Mt 12:3 **19:6 God has joined together:** Citing Gen 2:24 (Mt 19:5), Jesus reaffirms that marriage is God\'s creation, not man\'s invention. Since God forges the indissoluble bond that unites a married couple, it follows that no civil or religious authority has the power to break it (CCC 1603, 1640). See note on 1 Cor 7:15 **19:9 And I say to you:** Jesus invokes his own authority to forbid divorce and remarriage. Matthew\'s account reflects Jewish cultural conditions, where men alone had the right to divorce (cf. 5:32). Mark more fully records Jesus\' statement that both men and women are forbidden to divorce and remarry (Mk 10:11-12; CCC 1614, 2382). See essay: **Jesus on Marriage and Divorce** at Mt 19 **19:10 not expedient to marry:** The disciples marvel that Jesus prohibits divorce and remarriage in the New Covenant (19:9), reversing the long-standing permission of the Old (Deut 24:1-4). Their incredulous response makes it certain that Jesus permitted no exceptions for husbands and wives bound together by the sacrament. This new and higher standard leads them to see the comparative superiority of lifelong virginity to married life (CCC 1615) **19:12 eunuchs:** i.e., royal servants in charge of a king\'s wives. To safeguard against sexual temptations, eunuchs in the ancient Near East were either impotent or physically castrated. Jesus speaks metaphorically: those who have **made themselves eunuchs** are those who voluntarily embrace celibacy in imitation of Jesus and for service in his **kingdom.** These men are leaders entrusted with the care of Christ\'s bride, the Church on earth; embracing consecrated virginity, they live by anticipation the life of heaven (22:30). See note on Mt 9:15. • The Council of Trent (Sess. 24, can. 10) teaches in accord with Scripture that the objective state of celibacy is higher than the married state, although both vocations are important for the Church\'s life (1 Cor 7:1-8, 32-35; Rev 14:4; CCC 1618-20) Essay: [[jesus-on-marriage-and-divorce]] **19:14 the children:** Jesus\' concern for marriage (19:9) reflects a practical concern for children. God\'s plan for marriage includes the mutual love of spouses and the responsible upbringing of \"Godly offspring\" (Mal 2:15; cf. CCC 1646, 1652). In this episode, Jesus blesses children as legitimate members of the **kingdom,** laying a foundation for infant Baptism (cf. Jn 3:5). See note on Lk 18:16 **19:24 easier for a camel:** A parable of impossibility. Jesus thus warns that extreme difficulties face the rich and threaten their entrance into the **kingdom.** Only with God\'s help (19:26) can the wealthy detach themselves from the love of money and material possessions (5:3; 1 Tim 6:9-10; Jas 5:1-6). The young man\'s refusal (19:22) to embrace poverty proves Jesus\' point (CCC 2053) **19:28 the new world:** The Greek could be rendered \"regeneration\" as in Tit 3:5. The historian Josephus uses this expression with reference to Israel\'s \"restoration\" after the Exile. This latter connotation is closest to Jesus\' meaning here, where the establishment of the universal Church includes the reestablishment of Israel under the leadership of the Twelve. **on twelve thrones:** Jesus portrays the Church as the restored kingdom of Israel (cf. Rev 7:4-8). As the royal son of David (1:1), he reconstitutes the Davidic empire that governed the 12 tribes (2 Sam 5:1-5) along with other nations (2 Sam 8:1-15; 1 Kings 4:2021). He thus appoints the apostles to his royal cabinet and invests them with authority to minister and judge in the new kingdom (Lk 22:28-30). • Jesus\' language recalls Ps 122:3-5. In context, Jerusalem is the city where the thrones of the Davidic kingdom stood and where Israel\'s tribes went to find justice. In the New Covenant, Christ imparts justice through his apostles in the liturgy of the heavenly Jerusalem (cf. Heb 12:22-24; Rev 21:1-14; CCC 551, 765). See notes on Mt 5:14 and 10:2 **20:1-16** The parable of the Householder highlights God\'s generosity (20:15). It refers to Israel\'s labor throughout salvation history and climaxes with the inclusion of the Gentiles in the New Covenant. Despite complaints, there is no violation of justice; God is not unfair to Israel, he is simply generous to late-coming Gentiles, making them equal members of his people (20:12; Eph 2:11-13). • *Morally* (Origen): the hours of the workday correspond to stages in life when people turn to God. When converted, they are rescued from idle living to serve Christ in his vineyard, where they harvest much fruit for God before the sun sets on their earthly life. Whether converted early in life or later, all are awarded the generous and equal gift of eternal life **20:1 early in the morning:** The day was divided into four nighttime \"watches\" and several daytime \"hours\" (6 A.M. to 6 P.M.). The early laborers begin around 6 A.M., and those hired at the \"third\" (9 A.M.; 20:3), \"sixth\" (noon; 20:5), and \"ninth\" (3 P.M.; 20:5) hours each agree to a fair wage. The group hired at the \"eleventh hour\" (5 P.M.; 20:6) only work about one hour since the Law commanded that workers receive their wages by sundown (Deut 24:14-15) **20:2 a denarius:** A standard daily wage. See note on Mt 18:28 **20:17-19** Jesus\' third Passion prediction is detailed. Unlike in the previous ones (16:21; 17:22-23), he foresees the collaboration of Jewish leaders (20:18) with Roman authorities (20:19) in bringing about his death by means of crucifixion (20:19) **20:20 the sons of Zebedee:** James and John (4:21). Along with Peter, they form a privileged inner circle of Jesus\' disciples (17:1; 26:37; Mk 5:37) **20:22 drink the chalice:** An OT metaphor that describes God\'s wrath poured upon the wicked (Ps 75:8; Is 51:17; Jer 25:15). Here it denotes Jesus\' Passion endured for sinners (20:28; 26:39; 1 Pet 2:24). James and John are assured (20:23) a share in this Passion, a prediction partially fulfilled with the martyrdom of James in Acts 12:2 **20:30 two blind men:** One of them was Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus (Mk 10:46). **Son of David:** The title may reflect an early belief that the Messiah would possess powers of healing and exorcism, as did the original son of David, King Solomon. See note on Mt 12:23 **21:1-22** The first actions of Jesus during Passion Week ---the triumphal entry (21:1-11), the cleansing of the temple (21:12-17), and the cursing of the fig tree (21:18-22) ---are all symbolic gestures. Jesus performs them as prophetic acts to demonstrate that he is the Messiah and that his coming marks the end of the Old Covenant. This provokes Jerusalem\'s leadership to conspire and have him crucified (26:3-4; 27:1-2; CCC 559-60) **21:1-11** Jesus\' triumphal entry recalls Solomon\'s coronation as king of Israel. • **(1)** Jesus and Solomon are both the \"Son of David\" (21:9, 15; Prov 1:1). **(2)** Jesus rides a colt into Jerusalem (21:7) as Solomon rode David\'s mule into the city (1 Kings 1:32-40). **(3)** Both processions involve a great crowd celebrating the investiture of a new king (21:8-9: 1 Kings 1:39-40). **(4)** In both instances, Jerusalem was in a state of commotion (21:10: 1 Kings 1:45). Similar celebrations are recounted in 1 Mac 13:51 and 2 Mac 10:6-7 **21:1 Bethphage:** A small village of an uncertain location but clearly on the **Mount of Olives,** east of Jerusalem. Its Hebrew name means \"house of figs\" **21:5** A combined reference to Is 62:11 and Zech 9:9. • The emphasis of this citation is twofold: **(1)** Isaiah\'s prophecy, only partially cited, speaks of a highway to Jerusalem when the Lord declares, \"Behold, your salvation comes.\" The similar wording of Zechariah\'s prophecy connects this salvation with the coming **king. (2)** The uniqueness of this king is his lowliness and humility; he rides a peaceful **donkey** rather than a \"war horse\" (Zech 9:10) **21:7 he sat on them:** Matthew alone mentions a **donkey** and a **colt** (cf. Mk 11:7; Lk 19:35). That Jesus *sat on them* refers either to the **garments** or indicates that he rode both beasts successively. • *Allegorically* (St. Jerome, *Homily* 81): the two beasts are the nations that Christ brings under his Lordship. The donkey signifies Israel in its long-standing covenant with God; the colt is the younger Gentiles, unfamiliar with God and his Law. Jesus ushers them together into the Church of the heavenly Jerusalem (Gal 4:26; Heb 12:22) **21:8 spread their garments:** An expression of homage for a new king. • Similarly in 2 Kings 9:13, garments were laid on the ground for Jehu when he was hailed the king of Israel. See note on Mk 11:8 **21:9 Hosanna:** A Hebrew acclamation meaning \"Save us\" (cf. 2 Sam 14:4; Ps 118:25). **Blessed is he:** Words from Ps 118:26, the last of the Hallel Psalms (113 ---18), which were sung as hymns at Israel\'s great feasts of Passover, Weeks, and Booths **21:13 a house of prayer:** Merchants sold sacrificial animals in the Temple as a service to pilgrims celebrating Passover. However, rates of monetary exchange and inflated prices made the selling a profitable enterprise. By citing Is 56:7, Jesus indicts the merchants for profaning the Temple. The Temple is not a common marketplace but a sanctuary for worship. • In context (Is 56:3-8), Isaiah sees God gathering all nations to his Temple. No longer shall Gentiles be excluded from his covenant people; God will join them to himself. The prophecy looks endangered by the present circumstances ---animals are being sold in the Temple\'s outermost court, the court of the Gentiles. This prevents Gentiles from truly worshiping. Drawing from Isaiah, Jesus charges the establishment with obstructing God\'s intentions. **a den of robbers:** A citation from Jer 7:11. • In context, Jeremiah delivered a sermon of judgment to Israelites in the Temple. They presumed that the Temple guaranteed the Israelites\' security and protection, despite their sinful living (Jer 7:4, 8-10). Because Israel disregarded Jeremiah, God destroyed Solomon\'s Temple in 586 B.C. Jesus here recalls both the circumstances and outcome of Jeremiah\'s prophecy: If Israel fails to repent, the Temple will again be destroyed (CCC 584) **21:16 Out of the mouths of babies:** A citation from Ps 8:2 (LXX). • In context, the psalm describes infants glorifying the Lord ---a point that Jesus uses to hint at his divinity (cf. 11:25) **21:19 a fig tree:** A symbol of Old Covenant Israel (Jer 8:13; Hos 9:10). Jesus curses it because it is barren and has no figs (Mk 11:21). Symbolically, then, he announces God\'s curse on the unfaithful of Israel ---i.e., those who refuse him as the Messiah and lack the fruits of repentance (3:8-10; 21:41, 43). Israel\'s faithlessness is a negative example: the Church must learn from the nation\'s mistakes and pray instead with faith and confidence (21:21; 17:20; Jas 1:6) **21:28-32** The parable of the Two Sons explains the preceding question about John the Baptist\'s authority (21:25). The **sons** (21:28) represent two groups of people: the first are sinners who repent at the preaching of **John** (21:32); the second are Israel\'s leaders, who refuse the Baptist\'s message, even when **tax collectors** and **harlots** (21:32) respond to him (Lk 7:29-30). By following John\'s **way of righteousness** (21:32), the former sinners do the **will** of the **father** (21:31) **21:33-41** The parable of the Wicked Tenants is an allegory ---i.e., each of its details is important and symbolic (cf. Is 5:1-2). The **householder** is God (21:33) and the **vineyard** is Jerusalem (21:33). The **tenants** are Israel\'s leaders (21:33, 45) while the **servants** are OT prophets persecuted for warning Israel of its sins (21:34; cf. 23:37). The **son** is Jesus, who will be thrown **out of the vineyard** and crucified outside the city (21:39; cf. Jn 19:17, 20). Because of the wickedness of the tenants, God will put them to **death** (21:41) when he judges Jerusalem in A.D. 70. He will entrust the New Covenant kingdom to the **other tenants** in the Church (16:17-19; 18:17-19). See note on Mt 24:1 **21:42 in the Scriptures:** A reference to Ps 118:22. • Jesus states that he **(stone)** is commissioned by God **(the Lord\'s doing),** despite his rejection by Jerusalem **(the builders).** Scripture thus foresees that the Messiah will paradoxically meet opposition from the leaders of his own people; conversely, the faithful see in the work of Jesus God\'s **marvelous** deeds. Psalm 118 is elsewhere cited as biblical support for Jesus\' vindication and Resurrection (Acts 4:10-11; 1 Pet 2:7; CCC 756) **21:43 given to a nation:** God will transfer his **kingdom** from the leaders of the Old Covenant establishment to the shepherds of the New Covenant Church (19:28; Lk 22:28-30) **22:1-14** The parable of the Marriage Feast is an allegory of salvation history culminating in Jesus. The **king** is God (22:2) who prepares a heavenly banquet for his **son** (22:2). The **servants** are OT prophets (22:3) called to summon Israel (22:3). Because some of the **invited** guests ignored the prophets and others **killed** them (22:6; 23:37), God will destroy **their city,** Jerusalem (22:7), and send other **servants** as apostles (22:8) to invite Gentiles, **bad** and **good** (22:10), to the celebration. Those lacking proper attire are cast into the **darkness** of eternal punishment (22:14). The parable highlights God\'s impartial treatment of all who are called ---Jews and Gentiles. He rewards and punishes on the basis of one\'s acceptance or rejection of his call (cf. Rom 2:6-11) (CCC 546, 796) **22:2 marriage feast:** An image of rejoicing and communion with God. • The background is probably Is 25:6-9, where the salvation of God\'s people is portrayed as a joyful banquet. Its fulfillment takes shape at two levels: **(1)** *Present Liturgical.* The Holy Eucharist is Christ\'s banquet of sacramental food and drink (cf. Jn 6:53-58; 1 Cor 10:16; Rev 19:9). **(2)** *Future Eschatological.* Ultimate communion with Christ takes place in heaven with the unending union of God and his saints **22:11 no wedding garment:** A symbol of righteous deeds that accompany faith (Rev 19:7-8). These deeds are outlined in Matthew as almsgiving (6:2-4), prayer (6:5-15), fasting (6:16-18), and works of mercy (25:34-40) **22:15-22** The collaboration of the Pharisees and Herodians ---representing opposite political views ---reveals the extreme measures taken to eliminate Jesus (cf. 12:14; 26:4). Their strategy was to trap him: if Jesus opposed the tax, the Herodians could charge him with treason for instigating a tax revolt against Rome. If Jesus approved of it, the Pharisees would charge him as unfaithful to Judaism and its hopes of national independence **22:16 their disciples:** Jewish nationalists opposed to Rome\'s occupation and rule over Palestine. See topical essay: **Who Are the Pharisees?** at Mk 2. **Herodians:** Supporters of Roman rule, sympathetic to the Herodian dynasty. See notes on Mt 2:1 and 2:22 **22:19 a coin:** A \"denarius\" stamped with a profile portrait of Tiberius Caesar, the Roman Emperor (A.D. 14-37). This tax was especially offensive to the Jews, who knew that God forbade the fashioning of graven images in the likeness of any created thing (Ex 20:4) **22:21 Caesar\'s . God\'s:** Jesus evades the intended trap (22:17) with a subtle and riddle-like response. His words have several implications. **(1)** At one level, Jesus plays on the word \"likeness\" (literally, \"image\"). Caesar\'s coins could be given back to him in taxes without religious compromise; after all, he minted the coins with his own image and they were his rightful property. **(2)** More important, everyone has the duty of giving himself ---created in the \"image\" of God (Gen 1:27) ---back to God. Jesus implies that this higher duty is incumbent even upon Caesar. **(3)** Jesus\' response turns his adversaries\' trap back on themselves. He hints that taxation is the result of their own sins ---had Israel been giving God his due, they would not have been subjected to the yoke of Roman rule. **(4)** In the end, Jesus affirms the propriety of fulfilling civil duties while emphasizing our primary duty of serving God (cf. Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:13-17; CCC 2242) **22:23 Sadducees:** Priestly aristocrats centered mostly in Jerusalem. See topical essay: **Who Are the Sadducees?** at Mk 12. **there is no resurrection:** A denial at odds with mainstream Judaism (cf. Acts 23:8). Their apparent acceptance of the doctrine in 22:28 is only a facade; they hope to stump Jesus with an unanswerable question **22:24 If a man dies:** A hypothetical scenario based on the levirate law of Deut 25:5-6. If a married man dies childless, this law requires one of his brothers to marry the widow and so produce offspring for his brother (cf. Gen 38:6-8). The seven husbands mentioned (22:26) may allude to the situation in Tob 7:11 **22:30 like angels:** Against the Sadducees, Jesus affirms the resurrection (cf. Jn 5:28-29). The event will signal the end of earthly marriage and its purposes **(1)** to beget children and **(2)** help spouses advance toward holiness. Life in heaven will no longer require populating the Church and sanctifying spouses. Rather, the righteous will live as angels, who beget no offspring and worship God continually (cf. Is 6:2-3; Rev 5:11, 12) **22:32 Abraham . Isaac . Jacob:** The Sadducees lack faith in God\'s power and thus misinterpret Scripture. At another level, Jesus\' controversy with the Sadducees may also involve the canon of the Bible. The Sadducees accepted only the five books of Moses (Gen ---Deut) as Sacred Scripture and rejected the full authority of the OT prophets. Jesus appears aware of this, since he could have cited several passages from the prophets that speak clearly of the resurrection (Is 26:19; Ezek 37:1-14; Dan 12:2). Instead, he tailors his response to the Sadducees by strategically citing one of the books of Moses (Ex 3:6). • In context, God revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush as the God of the long-deceased patriarchs (Ex 3:1-6). Jesus draws two conclusions from the text: **(1)** Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still alive with God; **(2)** their ongoing presence with God is the decisive precondition for their resurrection in the future (CCC 581) **22:40 these two commandments:** The 613 commands of the Mosaic Law are distilled into two prescriptions: love God (Deut 6:5) and your neighbor (Lev 19:18). These summarize the spirit of the entire OT **(law and the prophets).** According also to Paul, love is the greatest theological virtue (1 Cor 13:13) and fulfills God\'s moral Law (Rom 13:8-10; CCC 1822-24) **22:45 calls him Lord:** Jesus\' question concerns the meaning of Ps 110:1. The Pharisees (22:42) assume it mentions the Messiah, but their understanding of the verse is partial and inadequate. • Psalm 110 is an enthronement psalm that was probably used at coronation ceremonies for Davidic kings. In context, David addresses his son as \"my Lord\" (22:44), a title more appropriate for one\'s superior. This implies that the expected Messiah would be greater than David himself, a crucial point missed by the Pharisees (cf. Acts 2:34-36). As Messiah, Jesus is the son of David (1:1) and yet greater than David as the Son of God (3:17; 16:16; 17:5) (CCC 439, 447). See note on Mt 1:17 **23:1-36** Jesus warns the **crowds** and his **disciples** (23:1) that the **scribes and the Pharisees** (23:2) are dangerous and their false piety is unworthy of imitation. Jesus takes aim at Pharisaic attitudes (23:2-12) and announces seven \"woes\" indicting them as murderers (23:34-35) **23:2 Moses\' seat:** This may be an actual \"chair\", like those used in later synagogues, or only a symbol of teaching authority. The Pharisees thus preach the Mosaic Law with authority, but their failure to practice its \"weightier matters\" (23:23) should not be followed by others. See topical essay: **Who Are the Pharisees?** at Mk 2 **23:5 their phylacteries:** Small leather boxes containing Scripture verses. These are tied to the forearm and forehead while praying (Deut 6:8; 11:18). Making them **broad,** the Pharisees sought to parade their piety for public recognition. **fringes:** See note on Mt 9:20 **23:7 rabbi:** A Hebrew word meaning \"my great one\" and a title for revered Jewish teachers (Jn 1:38) **23:9 call no man your father:** Jesus uses hyperbole to post a warning that no one should pridefully desire honorific titles. His words are not meant literally. The NT writers elsewhere use *father* for natural fathers (Heb 12:7-11) and spiritual fathers in the Church (1 Cor 4:15; Philem 10). • The spiritual fatherhood of New Covenant priests is an extension of its application to Old Covenant priests (Judg 17:10; 18:19) **23:13 woe to you:** Recalls OT oracles of judgment (Is 5:8-23; Ezek 24:6, 9; Hab 2:6-20). This is the first of seven \"woes\" in Jesus\' denunciation of the Pharisees (23:15-16, 23, 25, 27, 29). He presents a covenant lawsuit against unfaithful Israel and pronounces \"woes\" as covenant curses upon the impenitent (cf. Deut 27:15-26). In Matthew, these seven \"woes\" stand opposite the New Covenant \"blessings\" in the Beatitudes (5:3-12; cf. Lk 6:24-26). • The OT background is likely Lev 26 and God\'s promise to exact \"sevenfold\" vengeance upon the Israelites if they violate his covenant (Lev 26:18, 21, 24, 28) **23:15 a single proselyte:** i.e, a convert to Pharisaic Judaism **23:16-22** The Pharisees made false and hair-splitting distinctions between oaths, supposing the object invoked (Temple, gold, altar) determined the binding force of sworn statements. Their distinctions, which made some oaths less binding than others, abused and devalued the sacredness of the practice (CCC 2153). See note on Mt 5:33 **23:23 mint and dill and cummin:** Small seasoning herbs. According to the Law, a tenth part **(tithe)** of all produce must be offered to God (Lev 27:30; Deut 14:22-23). The Pharisees scrupulously adhered to this small command but neglected greater and more important principles; for **justice, mercy,** and **faith** are the foundations of the Mosaic Law and should inspire all obedience to God (cf. 9:13) **23:24 a gnat:** One of the smaller unclean animals, which Jews were forbidden to eat (Lev 11:41-43). The Pharisees dutifully poured beverages through a cloth to strain them out before drinking. **a camel:** One of the larger unclean animals (Lev 11:4). Jesus\' contrast exposes the Pharisees for observing the minute laws of God at the expense of greater principles of the spiritual life **23:27 whitewashed tombs:** Since contact with the dead makes Jews temporarily unclean, it was customary to whitewash grave sites to make them visible and help prevent inadvertent contact (Num 19:11-20). According to Jesus, the practice illustrates how the visible piety of many Pharisees only disguises their interior corruption and hypocrisy **23:35 Abel to . Zechariah:** Some see this as a reference to the first (Gen 4:8) and last (2 Chron 24:20-22) murders in the OT. This is based on the Palestinian arrangement of the OT, where Genesis is the first book and 2 Chronicles is the last. This is difficult to maintain, because the Zechariah in 2 Chron 24:20 is the \"son of Jehoiada\", not the **son of Barachiah.** Zechariah the \"son of Barachiah\" is rather the OT prophet (Zech 1:1) whose death is nowhere recorded in the Bible. Jesus may instead be drawing from ancient tradition, just as Isaiah\'s martyrdom is never mentioned in the OT but alluded to in Heb 11:37 as the prophet \"sawn in two\". In fact, later rabbinic tradition maintains that Zechariah the son of Barachiah was killed in the Temple (e.g., *Targum on Lamentations* 2, 20). In any case, the cup of iniquity filled throughout history begins to overflow with the Pharisees\' intent to murder Jesus (12:14). By rejecting God\'s Messiah, Jesus\' generation calls down divine judgment stored up from the ages **23:37 as a hen:** The Holy City persistently rejected God\'s messengers. Jesus too stands rejected, though he desired to protect and gather its faithful (CCC 558). • Jesus\' language evokes Is 31:5 and the Lord\'s protection of Jerusalem. Other OT texts similarly portray God as a winged bird protecting Israel (Deut 32:10-12; Ps 91:4). • *Allegorically:* the hen is the Church, who constantly calls out to her young lest they go astray. Just as a hen takes care of her own, so the Church regenerates the faithful in Baptism, feeds them with her preaching, and loves them with maternal affection (*Auctor Imperfecti, Incomplete Commentary on Matthew*) **23:38 your house is forsaken:** The city and Temple of Jerusalem are abandoned by God to judgment (cf. Jer 12:7; Dan 9:17). Jesus, God-in-flesh, symbolically enacts this by exiting the Temple (Mt 24:1) and walking to the Mount of Olives (24:3). • Jesus\' Temple exit recalls Ezekiel\'s vision in the OT. He witnessed God\'s glory leaving Solomon\'s Temple and resting on the Mount of Olives, east of the city (Ezek 10:18; 11:23). God\'s departure was soon followed by the Temple\'s first destruction in 586 B.C **24:1-25:46** The Olivet Discourse is the final sermon of Jesus featured in Matthew (see outline for Matthew). Its purpose is to reveal events of the near and distant future. **(1)** *Prophetically:* Jesus foretells the Roman conquest of Jerusalem and the Temple that occurred in A.D. 70. His predictions about this catastrophe and the tribulations leading up to it are expressed in the apocalyptic language of the OT prophets, which is often cryptic and symbolic. The effect is to show that Jerusalem\'s doom will be an event of world-shaking consequence in the divine plan of salvation. **(2)** *Typologically:* the devastation of the Temple, which stood as an architectural symbol of creation, anticipates the fiery dissolution of heaven and earth. This will occur at the end of time when Jesus comes again in glory to judge the living and the dead (2 Pet 3:10-13; Rev 20:11-15; CCC 585-86) **24:3 Mount of Olives:** Rises directly east of Jerusalem. **when . what:** The disciples\' question determines the focus of the Olivet Discourse, which all acknowledge is difficult to interpret. **(1)** Some read it as a *double question* about two distinct events: the fall of the Temple and the future return of Jesus. Several proponents contend that Jesus speaks of the first event in 24:4-35 and of the second in 24:36-25:46. **(2)** Others read it as a *single question* about a single event and the circumstances surrounding it. For some, the entire discourse concerns the demise of Jerusalem and the Temple; for others, its principle topic is the Second Coming. Either way, the whole of Matthew 24 ---25 is read as a unified exposition, with 24:36 marking a shift in emphasis rather than a change of subject. In favor of the single-question view, Luke records many of the same statements that span the two parts of Mt 24 (housetop, 24:17; lightning, 24:27; body and eagles, 24:28; Noah, 24:37; women grinding, 24:41) but rearranges them into a different sequence, all referring to a single time of fulfillment (see Lk 17:22-37). Luke\'s presentation thus undermines a division of the discourse into two halves dealing with two different subjects. For the main subject being the Temple\'s destruction, see essay: **End of the World?** **close of the age:** Jewish theology distinguished between \"this age\" and \"the age to come\" heralded by the Messiah. Christian theology transposed this traditional schema of the two ages to cover the present age of history, still dominated by sin and evil (2 Cor 4:4; Gal 1:4), and the coming age of eternal life in the resurrected state (Mk 10:30; Lk 20:34-36). Jesus may be said to address the closing of the age at both levels in the following discourse. Not only does he speak of the demolition of the Temple (24:2), which marks the end of the pre-messianic order of worship (cf. Jn 4:21; Heb 9:26), but he also foretells that heaven and earth will pass away (24:35), thus addressing the end of history as well (as in 28:20) **Word Study** > [!NOTE] Word Study > *Coming* (Mt 24:3) – *Parousia* (Gk.): literally means \"presence\" but can denote \"appearing\" or \"visitation\". The word is used four times in Mt 24 and 20 times in the rest of the NT. It is sometimes used in Greek literature to describe the visitation of a king or high official to a city he has previously conquered. In this sense, it presumes a period of absence before the king\'s return. The Bible uses it in a similar way for the arrival of important people (Jud 10:18; 2 Mac 8:12; 2 Cor 7:6; Phil 1:26). More important, it denotes the coming of Jesus Christ, who brings judgment upon his enemies (Mt 24:37, 39; 2 Thess 2:8) and rescues his faithful disciples (1 Cor 15:23; 1 Thess 3:13; 1 Jn 2:28). The word can refer both to Christ\'s \"visitation\" of destruction upon Jerusalem in A.D. 70 as well as to his Second Advent at the end of time as Judge of the living and the dead (cf. Acts 1:11; 2 Tim 4:1). ^uqqsc2 [[end-of-the-world|End of the World]] **24:8 the sufferings:** Literally, \"the birth pangs.\" • An OT prophetic image for grief, which overcomes sinners when God comes as Judge (Is 26:17-18; Jer 6:24; Hos 13:13) **24:14 throughout the whole world:** This language is elsewhere used to denote the scope of Christianity\'s presence in the Roman Empire (Rom 1:8; Col 1:6, 23). The gospel was substantially spread throughout the Roman world by the middle of the first century A.D. (cf. 1 Thess 1:8) **24:15 the desolating sacrilege:** Recalls Dan 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11. • In context, Daniel foresees the desecration of the Jerusalem Temple by the Gentile ruler Antiochus Epiphanes IV (167 B.C.). Antiochus burned Jerusalem, plundered the Temple of its sacred articles, and erected an idol to the Greek god Zeus within its precincts (1 Mac 1:31, 37, 54). Jesus draws from this episode and projects it forward to announce the Temple\'s ultimate destruction and desecration by the Roman army in A.D. 70 (cf. Lk 21:20) **24:16 flee to the mountains:** A warning for early Christians to escape Jerusalem before its judgment and to resist temptations to defend the city. According to the Church Father Eusebius (A.D. 340), Christians living in the city fled to Pella, east of the Jordan River. • Jesus\' command evokes Zech 14. In context, Zechariah envisions a day of judgment for Jerusalem, when the faithful are beckoned to \"flee\" the city (Zech 14:5; cf. Joel 2:32; Obad 17). Similarly, in 1 Mac 1:37-39 and 2:27-28, the righteous had to evacuate the sinful cities of Jerusalem and Modein in times of crisis **24:27 lightning:** Points to the swiftness of God\'s judgment on the city. • The OT similarly depicts God\'s presence and frightful punishment as a raging storm (Ps 97:4; Is 29:5-6; Zech 9:14). **the coming:** See word study: **Coming** at Mt 24:3 **24:28 the eagles:** Scavengers (Romans) who eat the remains of a carcass (Jerusalem). It is noteworthy that Roman military standards featured eagles as symbols of the empire. • In the OT, the eagle (also translated \"vulture\") symbolized pagan nations who brought suffering upon Israel (Deut 28:49; Hab 1:8; cf. Hos 8:1) **24:29 sun . moon . stars:** Images of cosmic catastrophe underscore the magnitude of Jerusalem\'s coming doom. • Depictions of heavenly chaos are used by the OT prophets to predict the downfall of pagan kingdoms (Is 13:910; 34:4; Ezek 32:7-8; Joel 2:10, 31; Amos 8:9). Jesus redirects this language toward Jerusalem: the kingdom of Old Covenant Israel will be devastated for corrupting itself like the pagans and rejecting Jesus **24:30 the Son of man:** An allusion to Dan 7:13. • In context, Daniel beholds \"a son of man\" coming to God with the **clouds of heaven;** he is given a royal \"kingdom\" and \"everlasting dominion\" (Dan 7:14) over all nations (cf. 28:18). Daniel\'s vision takes historical shape (initially) with Jesus\' Resurrection and Ascension to the Father (Mk 16:19; Acts 1:9). Jesus\' victory over his enemies will be visibly manifest with Jerusalem\'s judgment and the termination of the Old Covenant. See topical essay: **Jesus the Son of Man** at Lk 17 **24:31 angels:** Presumably the angels of heaven, who will accompany Christ when he comes again in his kingdom (16:27; 2 Thess 1:7). Others see them as preachers of the gospel since the Greek *angeloi* can also refer to human \"messengers\" (e.g., John the Baptist in 11:10). **trumpet call:** An allusion to Is 27:13. • Isaiah envisions the messianic restoration of Israel. Summoned by the Lord\'s trumpet, the tribes of Jacob will come forth from their exile among the nations to be united with God once again. **the four winds:** The four points of the compass. • The statement recalls OT passages about the ingathering of God\'s people from among the nations (Deut 30:4; Is 11:12; Zech 2:6) **24:34 this generation:** The expression in Greek can mean \"this race\" or \"these contemporaries of mine\". The latter meaning best fits this context, not only because Jesus envisions his initial coming within the lifetime of his first disciples (16:28), but also because he often addresses his unbelieving contemporaries with the same term (11:16), either contrasting them with an earlier generation that responded to God\'s message (12:41-42) or implicitly comparing them with the faithless generation of Israel that failed to enter the Promised Land (12:39, 45; 16:4; 17:17; cf. Deut 1:35; 32:5) **24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away:** A solemn prediction, not a hypothetical contrast. Jesus thus prophesies the termination of the Old Covenant order, i.e., the old creation awaiting renewal in Christ (cf. 2 Cor 5:17; Rev 21:1). As the OT era gave way to the NT age established by Christ\'s powerful **words,** so even the NT age will give way to eternal life at the end of history. • Jesus\' statement recalls OT oracles that describe God\'s word (Is 40:8) and salvation (Is 51:6) outlasting the frail elements of the cosmos **24:36-25:46** Jesus turns from revealing general prophesies to concealing specific details. Jerusalem\'s doom will be preceded by proximate signs (24:5-8, 30, 33), but the precisetime of the city\'s judgment will remain unknown (24:42, 44; 25:13) **24:36 nor the Son, but the Father:** This saying is comparable to 20:23, where Jesus says that the Father, not the Son, makes royal appointments of rank. Here also **only** the Father appoints the time of the Son\'s royal return in glory. Christ\'s professed ignorance of this **day** and **hour** may be understood as hyperbole (overstatement), a teaching device used by Jewish rabbis and Jesus himself (5:34; 23:9; Lk 14:26). • Tradition maintains that Jesus\' apparent ignorance is not a literal statement, but a figurative expression; for the Father and the Son share everything in common, including their divine knowledge: 11:27; Jn 3:35; 10:15; 17:25). Here Jesus does not display any human knowledge of the time when the Father will send the Son to judge all nations, because this mystery lies beyond the scope of what the Father intends the Son to reveal (CCC 472-74) **24:38** The lesson from **the flood** is based on unexpected catastrophe (cf. Dan 9:26). Except for **Noah** and his family, the rest of his generation showed no concern for God. They were distracted by the concerns of the world and were destroyed in God\'s judgment **24:40 one is taken . one is left:** This scenario follows Jesus\' example of Noah and the flood (24:37). The righteous will be left, just as Noah and his family were spared (Sir 44:17); the wicked will be taken, as Noah\'s generation was swept away by the flood (Mt 24:39; 2 Pet 2:4-10) **24:42 Watch therefore:** A prominent theme in Jesus\' teaching (24:43; 25:13; 26:38-41). It addresses the glorious **coming** of Christ at three levels. **(1)** *Past historical.* The disciples were to look vigilantly for Christ\'s judgment on Jerusalem A.D. 70, lest they fail to heed his words and evacuate the city before its demise (24:16). **(2)** *Present liturgical.* Disciples must look with faith to see the coming of Christ in the Eucharist. Here too Jesus\' presence must be discerned to avoid divine judgment when he comes in the sacrament (1 Cor 11:27-29). **(3)** *Future eschatological.* Disciples must watch for Christ\'s Second Coming in glory at the end of history. Being vigilant in faith and good works is necessary to inherit eternal life with Christ (25:34-36). See word study **Coming** at Mt 24 **25:1-13** The parable of the Ten Maidens emphasizes the need for watchfulness (25:13). Its story line centers on a Jewish marital custom: following the period of betrothal, the groom would lead a procession to bring his new wife to their home, and they would celebrate a week-long banquet with family and friends. Here the **bridegroom** (25:6; 9:15) arrives to begin the joyous procession and take his wife to the **marriage feast.** Unprepared and without **oil** (25:3), the **foolish** maidens are excluded from the celebration (22:1-14) while the **wise** participate fully. Likewise, Christians are called to be spiritually prepared: the moment Jesus brings judgment on Jerusalem is unknown, as is the time of his Second Coming as Judge (CCC 672, 796). See note on Mt 1:18. *• Morally* (Origen, St. Hilary): awaiting the bridegroom signifies one\'s uncertain life-span ---no one knows the hour of his death and judgment. The lamp is Christian faith, while the oil represents good works; thus faith without works is useless (Jas 2:17). Souls must prepare for their personal encounter with Christ (bridegroom) by loving God and neighbor (Mt 25:35-40; 1 Jn 3:7), since those lacking good works will be shut out of heaven\'s banquet **25:14-30** The parable of the Talents is about stewardship. It warns against the dangers of sloth, whereby God-given blessings and abilities are squandered because of fear (25:25) and laziness (25:26-28). Personal diligence, however, is greatly rewarded with superior gifts and responsibilities (25:21, 23). Accountability to Christ entails risk and challenges; God\'s endowments must be invested in and for the good of others to increase heavenly earnings **25:14 on a journey:** A sufficient time for servants to multiply their master\'s wealth. In the context of Jesus\' sermon, the journey represents the delay between his Ascension and God\'s judgment on Jerusalem in A.D. 70 (Lk 19:11-27). At the personal level, it indicates one\'s lifetime, during which God expects his gifts to be cultivated (1 Pet 4:10) **25:15 talents:** Coins representing sizable sums of money. The modern notion of God-given \"talents\" (i.e., abilities) is derived from this parable (CCC 1936-37). See note on Mt 18:24 **25:26 slothful servant!:** The master rebuked his servant for more than laziness ---he was **wicked.** The servant was presumably insulted when the master entrusted him with only a single talent (25:15), while others received more. Despising his master, then, he refused to trade with ---or even invest ---the talent, lest his master should benefit from his stewardship. The parable thus warns against sloth that is fueled by envy (cf. Lk 19:14) **25:28** Failure to use and cultivate one\'s talents results in their loss **25:31-46** Jesus\' prophesy of the Last Judgment unfolds at two historical levels. **(1)** He initially foretells the judgment of Old Covenant Israel. This involves his \"coming\" to Jerusalem (A.D. 70) as the Shepherd who separates the faithful sheep of Israel from the wicked goats (10:23; 16:27-28; cf. Ezek 34:17-22). **(2)** He ultimately foretells the General Judgment at the end of history. This will involve Christ\'s Second Coming and the general resurrection of all people before his throne to be **blessed** (25:34) or **cursed** (25:41) according to their deeds (Jn 5:25-29; Rev 20:11-12; CCC 1038-39) **25:40 you did it to me:** Jesus identifies himself with all men, especially the poor and afflicted. Thus by serving others we serve Christ; by performing works of mercy we hope to find mercy (Jas 2:1-13). Indeed, Jesus\' own ministry was marked by concern for the disadvantaged (4:23-24; 8:1-17; 11:4-6) **25:41 the eternal fire:** A description of hell. Here the wicked are consigned to everlasting punishment with the **devil** and his fallen **angels** (cf. Mk 9:48; 2 Pet 2:4; Rev 20:10; CCC 1033-35) **26:1 ---27:66** All four Gospels give more attention to Jesus\' final days than to the rest of his ministry. In Matthew, Passion Week (chaps. 21 ---28) comprises nearly one-third of his Gospel. This unparalleled emphasis reflects the centrality of Jesus\' Passion and Resurrection in the gospel message **26:2 the Passover:** One of the great feasts of the Jewish calendar. It commemorates God\'s deliverance of Israel from Egypt (Ex 12) and is celebrated on the 15th of Nisan (or Abib), the first month of the OT liturgical year (March / April). With Weeks (Pentecost) and Booths (Tabernacles), it is one of three feasts that required Israelites to travel to Jerusalem (Ex 23:14; Lev 23:4-8; Deut 16:16). By NT times, the Passover was celebrated in conjunction with the feast of Unleavened Bread (26:17) **26:3 Caiaphas:** The Jerusalem high priest from A.D. 18 to 36 **26:6 Bethany:** A small village about two miles from Jerusalem (Jn 11:18). It is on the eastern hillside of the Mount of Olives and was the hometown of Jesus\' friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (Jn 11:1) **26:7 expensive ointment:** A costly extract from pure nard that was poured **on his head** and his feet (Mk 14:3; Jn 12:3) **26:12 for burial:** Jesus\' anointing is a twofold sign: **(1)** It points to the immeasurable value of Jesus\' presence. The costly ointment is not wasted but used in a generous act of reverence and worship. **(2)** It points forward to Jesus\' Passion and death as his own priceless gift for man\'s salvation **26:15 thirty pieces of silver:** The price of a slave (Ex 21:32). Judas\' betrayal for \"blood money\" (27:6) stands in contrast to the lavish gesture of the woman (26:6-13). He places little value on Jesus and prefers instead personal gain **26:17 first day of Unleavened Bread:** Begins with the day of Passover. During this feast, the Jews ate only unleavened bread for seven days (Ex 12:14-20) **26:26-29** Matthew\'s Last Supper account highlights three aspects of the Eucharist (CCC 1339-40). **(1)** Jesus identifies the unleavened **bread** and the **chalice** with his **body** and **blood** (26:26-28). Through his spoken words the mystery of \"transubstantiation\" takes place: his body and blood replace the entire substance of the bread and wine. Although his presence remains undetected by the senses, the force of the verb **\"is\"** (Gk. *estin*) should not be reduced to \"represents\" or \"symbolizes\". The Church\'s faith rests entirely on Jesus\' solemn words (cf. Jn 6:68; 2 Cor 5:7). **(2)** Jesus links the Eucharist with his forthcoming sacrifice on the Cross (27:35; Jn 19:34). The expression **poured out** (26:28) recalls how Old Covenant priests poured the blood of sacrificial offerings at the base of the Temple\'s altar to make atonement for sin (Lev 4:16-20; cf. Deut 12:26, 27; Is 53:12). Shedding his own blood, Jesus is both the high priest and the sacrificial victim of the New Covenant; his priestly offering is present in an unbloody manner in the sacrament and secures for us the **forgiveness of sins.** **(3)** Christ\'s presence in the Eucharist makes the sacrament a true communion with Jesus (1 Cor 10:16). The phrase **blood of the covenant** is drawn from Ex 24:8, where God entered a covenant of love and communion with Israel through sacrifice. The consumption of blood ---always forbidden under the Old Covenant (Lev 17:11-12) ---is now enjoined in the New, since it communicates Christ\'s divine life to the believer (Jn 6:53; CCC 1329, 1374, 1381) **26:26** The Eucharist is prefigured when Jesus multiplies bread for the crowds. See note on Mt 14:13-21. • *Anagogically* (St. Thomas Aquinas, *Office of the Adorable Sacrament):* the Eucharist is a pledge and sign of heavenly glory. While the sacrament is a true communion with Christ in the present, it points also to our perfect communion with him in eternity. In heaven, the sacraments will give way to the saints\' direct and unmediated union with the Trinity (CCC 1402) **26:30 sung a hymn:** The Passover liturgy included the singing of various Hallel Psalms. Normally Psalms 113-14 were sung before the main meal, while Psalms 115-18 were sung afterward **26:31 I will strike the shepherd:** A citation from Zech 13:7. Its fulfillment unfolds when the disciples flee from Gethsemane (26:56). Jesus\' assurance of a later appearance in \"Galilee\" (26:32) implies that the apostles will abandon him only temporarily ---they will be regathered (28:16; cf. Lk 22:31-32) **26:34 before the cock crows:** Possibly the bugle call that signaled the end of the third watch of the night. The Romans referred to this watch (midnight to 3 A.M.) as the \"cockcrow\" (Mk 13:35). See note on Mt 14:25 **26:36 Gethsemane:** A Hebrew word meaning \"oil press\". It is a garden traditionally located near the foot of the Mount of Olives, facing Jerusalem (cf. Jn 18:1) **26:37** The third episode when Peter, James, and John alone are privileged to accompany Jesus. They also witnessed the raising of Jairus\' daughter (Mk 5:37) and the Transfiguration (17:1) **26:39 let this chalice pass:** Jesus fears his Passion and Crucifixion. As a man, he has a natural aversion to suffering that is both physical (crucifixion) and spiritual (bearing the sins of the world). As God\'s Son, he could have suppressed these human passions by divine effort, but he chose to embrace the Father\'s plan even in agony. This ordeal in the garden is traditionally viewed as Satan\'s most aggressive assault on Jesus (Lk 22:53) (CCC 612). See note on Mt 20:22. **not as I will:** Jesus entrusts himself to the Father despite his fear of death (cf. Phil 2:8; Heb 5:7). Note that his human will is in perfect harmony with the divine will (cf. Jn 6:38; CCC 475) **26:45 sleeping:** The slumber of the disciples is clear evidence that \"the flesh is weak\" (26:41). The privilege of their presence with Jesus at his time of distress was wasted by their lack of attention and prayer. See note on Mk 14:38 **26:52 Put your sword back:** Jesus rebukes Peter for responding with violence, recoiling from any attempt at frustrating the Father\'s plan. His obedience and life-giving love fulfills the Scriptures (26:54; cf. Is 53:4-12; CCC 2262) **26:53 twelve legions:** In the Roman army, a \"legion\" consisted of nearly 6,000 soldiers. Here it is not the Father\'s will to dispatch angelic armies to deliver Jesus from sinners; his betrayal and Crucifixion are essential to God\'s plan of redemption **26:56 the Scriptures:** A fulfillment of Zech 13:7, quoted earlier in 26:31. • Jesus\' betrayal recalls the conspiracy against King David in 2 Sam 17. Judas Iscariot\'s role in particular parallels the treachery of Ahithophel, who planned to seek out David at night (2 Sam 17:1; cf. Mt 26:31) when he was \"weary and discouraged\" (2 Sam 17:2), so that David\'s companions would flee (cf. Mt 26:38, 56). He then prepared to \"strike down the king only\" (2 Sam 17:2; cf. Mt 26:31). When Ahithophel\'s plans fell apart, he \"hanged himself\" (2 Sam 17:23; cf. Mt 27:5) **26:57 Caiaphas:** The Jerusalem high priest (A.D. 18-36) and representative head of Israel. He presided over the Sanhedrin, the supreme court of the Jews, during Jesus\' trial (cf. Jn 11:49; 18:14) **26:59 the whole council:** The entire membership (71) of the Sanhedrin. Their primary function was to regulate and judge the internal affairs of Judaism. Their attempts to procure \"false witnesses\" (Mt 26:60) underscores the extreme measures taken by Jerusalem\'s leaders to condemn Jesus. See note on Mk 14:55 **26:61 the temple . in three days:** A distortion of Jesus\' words in Jn 2:19. Jesus was predicting his bodily Resurrection, not announcing a plan to reconstruct a fallen building (Jn 2:21) **26:64 You have said so:** Jesus breaks silence under oath. According to Mk 14:62, Jesus\' response to Caiaphas is unambiguous: he accepts fully the charge to be Israel\'s divine Messiah and king. **But I tell you:** Jesus appears to be the victim, but he claims to be the victor. Drawing from two OT texts (Ps 110:1 and Dan 7:13), Jesus anticipates his vindication by God. • In context, Ps 110 and Dan 7 share common images. Both envision a heavenly throne room in God\'s presence (Ps 110:1; Dan 7:9); both depict a royal Messiah who reigns with God (Ps 110:1; Dan 7:14); and both present this figure triumphing over his enemies (Ps 110:2, 56; Dan 7:23-27). Jesus here weaves these texts into a self-portrait: he is the royal **Son of man** soon to be vindicated over his enemies and enthroned at God\'s **right hand.** By contrast, the high priest and the council are cast as the Messiah\'s adversaries seeking his death. Caiaphas in particular is toppled from his high position. As Israel\'s head representative, he is the only person permitted to enter the Temple\'s innermost chamber. Jesus claims something still greater for himself: as Messiah, he is now the true head of faithful Israel in the Church and will assume his throne in the inner shrine of God\'s heavenly presence at his Ascension (Mk 16:19; CCC 663-64) **26:65 tore his robes:** A gesture of extreme distress and wrongdoing ---the Mosaic Law forbade the **high priest** to tear his sacred vestments (Lev 10:6; 21:10). **blasphemy:** The council charges Jesus with blaspheming the name of God and issues a death sentence (Lev 24:16). The Romans, however, reserved for themselves the sole authority to administer capital punishment in NT Palestine (Jn 18:31). For this reason, the council delivers Jesus to the Roman governor, Pilate (27:2), in hopes of enforcing their judgment (CCC 591, 596) **26:73 your accent:** Peter\'s Galilean *accent* was foreign to natives of Jerusalem (Mk 14:70) **26:74 the cock crowed:** Peter is unwilling to identify with Jesus and denies even knowing him. Hearing the cock, he recalls Jesus\' prophecy (26:34) and probably his foolish over-confidence (26:35). See note on Mt 26:34. • *Morally* (St. Laurence Giustiniani, *de Christi agone,* chap. 9): Peter typifies man\'s proneness to sin. The cock is the informed conscience that accuses us of sins, reminding us of God\'s commandments and stirring the soul to contrition. As with Peter, the informed conscience directs sinners away from despair and toward genuine repentance **27:1 took counsel:** Depicts the conspiracy of Jesus\' adversaries (12:14; 22:15; 26:4). • Matthew\'s description of the plot alludes to Ps 2:2 (Acts 4:25-27). In context, David describes rulers who \"take counsel together, against the Lord and his anointed\" (i.e., the Messiah) **27:2 Pilate the governor:** Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator of Judea, Idumea, and Samaria from A.D. 26 to 36. He is known from first-century sources as a harsh tyrant. Although he considers Jesus innocent of a capital crime (27:23), he lacks the integrity to release him by his own authority. He is now immortalized in the Apostles\' Creed as responsible for the suffering and Crucifixion of Christ **27:5 hanged himself:** The suicide of Judas is difficult to interpret. Matthew describes a hanging, but Acts 1:18 suggests his death involved a headlong fall whereby his \"bowels gushed out\". Since both the hanging (Mt) and the fall (Acts) seem to involve some height or elevation related to the incident, the two accounts should be considered complementary, although the precise course of events is unknown. See note on Mt 26:56 **27:6 blood money:** The priests deem it inappropriate to use Judas\' betrayal money as a religious donation to the Temple **27:8-10** An allusion to OT passages from both **Jeremiah** and Zechariah. • The central scenario of buying a **potter\'s field** links these prophets. **(1)** Jeremiah made a famous visit to a potter (Jer 18:1-11) and was commissioned by God to purchase a field (Jer 32:6-9), **(2)** while Zechariah narrates how the wicked shepherds of Israel valued the Lord at a mere \"thirty shekels of silver\" (Zech 11:12), a price so worthless it was thrown away to a \"potter\" (see text note *q* at Zech 11:13). The wider context of Jeremiah gives these oracles a geographical focus: the prophet also smashed a potter\'s vessel in the gate overlooking the valley of Hinnom (i.e., Gehenna / Topheth) as a sign that Jerusalem and Judea would be destroyed for shedding innocent blood (Jer 19:1-15). Ancient tradition locates Judas\' burial site **(Field of Blood)** in this same valley of Hinnom, precisely where Jeremiah smashed the pot and foretold its destiny as a future graveyard (Jer 19:11). Matthew may think of the smashed vessel, originally a sign of Judea\'s demise, as also a prophetic sign of Judas\' destruction **27:11 King of the Jews?:** The Jerusalem leaders give Jesus a title with obvious political overtones. The concern is whether Jesus represents a challenge to the authority of Rome; if so, Pilate would have legal cause to execute him for sedition **27:19 a dream:** Matthew alone records this episode with Pilate\'s **wife.** As in the Infancy Narratives, dreams are channels for divine warning and instruction (1:20; 2:12-13, 22) **27:24 a riot:** The same word is translated \"tumult\" (Gk. *thorybos*) in Mt 26:5. The Jerusalem leaders originally hoped to avoid a public upheaval but now instigate one to their own advantage. **washed his hands:** Pilate\'s vain gesture to excuse himself from the responsibility of Jesus\' death. See note on Mt 27:2 **27:25 His blood be on us:** An oath formula (cf. Josh 2:17-19). The Jerusalem mob invokes a curse upon itself, staking their lives to their decision. Sadly, their oath was rash and inappropriate; they did not take seriously the responsibilities attached to crucifying Jesus. Their guilt eventually brought judgment on the Holy City (cf. Jer 26:15; Acts 5:28; CCC 597-598). See note on Mt 5:33 **27:27 praetorium:** The residence of a Roman official (Pilate) in Jerusalem **27:28 a scarlet robe:** The military cloak of a Roman soldier **27:29 King of the Jews!:** A title suggested by the Sanhedrin and used mockingly by the soldiers (Lk 23:2). It is also the transcription on Jesus\' Cross (27:37). The wise men are the only figures in Matthew to use the title in a positive and honorable way (2:2). • *Allegorically:* the title and articles used to slander Jesus signify his kingship and triumph over sin. The scarlet robe (27:28) represents Jesus\' defeat of Satan through his shed blood; the crown of thorns (27:29) points to the crown of glory that adorns Jesus at his Ascension; the reed (27:29) signifies the scepter of his heavenly kingdom. Through these images, Christ\'s victory is paradoxically announced in the midst of his apparent defeat **27:33 Golgotha:** An Aramaic term meaning \"skull\". The Vulgate translation of this word (Lat. *Calvariae*) is the source of the modern term \"Calvary\". Golgotha lies outside Jerusalem\'s walls (Jn 19:20) and probably acquired its name as a site commonly used for executing criminals **27:34 gall:** A mixture of herbs and myrrh used as a narcotic (cf. Mk 15:23). Jesus\' refusal of painkillers signifies his total acceptance of the Father\'s will and the extent of his sacrificial love (cf. Jn 10:17-18; Rom 5:8) **27:35 crucified him:** Crucifixion was designed to facilitate a slow and torturous death. Victims died from a combination of blood loss and asphyxiation. See note on Mk 15:24. **divided his garments:** An allusion to Ps 22:18. This psalm is quoted by Jesus before his death (Mt 27:46; cf. Jn 19:24) **27:45 sixth hour . ninth hour:** i.e., from noon until 3 P.M. See note on Mt 20:1. • The phenomena surrounding the Crucifixion recall Amos 8:8-10. In context, Amos prophesies the day of the Lord, when God would judge his enemies and the sinners of his people. On this day, the land would \"tremble\", the sun would \"go down at noon\", and there would be \"lamentation\" like the \"mourning for an only son\". • *Symbolically* (St. Cyprian, *De bono patientiae,* 7): the disturbances of Good Friday signify creation\'s distress over the death of its Creator. The sun in particular withdraws its rays to look away, lest it be forced to gaze upon the crime of Jesus\' enemies **27:46 Eli, Eli:** A mixed Hebrew and Aramaic quotation of Ps 22:1. Matthew elsewhere alludes to the psalm in 27:35 (Ps 22:18), 27:39 (Ps 22:7), and 27:43 (Ps 22:8). • In context, Ps 22 depicts the plight of a righteous sufferer. Although innocent, he is mocked and abused by the ungodly. He thus turns to God in his distress and petitions God for deliverance. By citing the psalm\'s opening line, Jesus expresses his agony as he experiences the full brunt of rejection. This evokes the entire plot of Ps 22, where the sufferer\'s humiliation gives way to his vindication. Thus Jesus does not consider his Passion meaningless or a mark of failure; still less does he succumb to a sin of despair. Rather, he \"trusts in God\" (27:43) and surrenders his spirit to the Father (Lk 23:46). Like the innocent sufferer of Ps 22, he is confident that God will turn his misery into victory (cf. Lk 23:43) **27:51 curtain of the temple:** Hung between the Temple\'s two holiest chambers, the holy place and the most holy place (Ex 26:31-34). The veil was a sign that God\'s infinite holiness could not be approached by sinners (cf. Heb 9:8). With Jesus\' saving death, forgiveness is secured for man, and access to heaven is reopened (Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19-22). This is announced by God himself, who tears the veil **from top to bottom.** See note on Mk 15:38 **27:52 saints . were raised:** Apart from Matthew\'s Gospel, history is silent regarding this event and the OT personalities involved. No indication is given as to *who* was raised, how *long* they remained, or what *kind of body* these saints possessed; yet there would be no reason for Matthew to record it, except that witnesses from Jerusalem verified the facts (27:53). Theologically, it is essential to note that these OT saints were raised after (27:53) Easter morning, since Jesus was the first to be resurrected in glory (Col 1:18) **27:65 a guard of soldiers:** Probably Roman military personnel, since they sought refuge with the Jerusalem priests after verifying the empty tomb (28:11). This was to keep them \"out of trouble\" with Pilate (28:14). The consequences of Jesus\' disappearance for these soldiers would have likely involved capital punishment (cf. Acts 12:19; 16:27) **28:1 first day of the week:** Sunday, the day following the Jewish Sabbath. To commemorate Christ\'s Resurrection, the early Christians called it the \"Lord\'s day\" (Rev 1:10) and designated it a day for sacred assembly, eucharistic worship, and prayer (Acts 20:7; CCC 2174) **28:6 he has risen, as he said:** Jesus predicted his Resurrection six times in Matthew (12:40; 16:21; 17:9, 23; 20:19; 26:32). Historically, the miraculous fact of Jesus\' Resurrection is central to the Christian faith and provides the ultimate proof of his divinity (Jn 10:17-18). The event is not a mere resuscitation of Jesus\' body but a glorification of his humanity, body and soul. Christ\'s Resurrection anticipates the general resurrection of all people before the Last Judgment (cf. Jn 5:28, 29; 1 Cor 15:20-24; Rev 1:5; CCC 638) **28:15 this story:** A desperate fabrication by the Jerusalem leaders. Their bribe of the Roman soldiers illustrates how willful blindness hardens the heart to resist uncomfortable truths, even in the face of evidence (cf. Rom 1:18-21) **28:18 All authority:** The Father vindicates Jesus at his Resurrection and gives him full dominion over creation (cf. Dan 7:13, 14; Eph 1:19-22). Jesus confers his authority on the apostles to preach the gospel and \"make disciples\" (27:19) as witnesses of his Resurrection (cf. Lk 10:16; Acts 2:32). See note on Mt 24:30 **28:19 Go therefore:** Christ\'s commission to evangelize and catechize the world fulfills God\'s covenant oath to Abraham that \"all the nations\" would be blessed (Gen 22:18; Gal 3:8). His outline for the Church\'s mission is threefold: **(1)** Evangelizing **all nations** involves more than winning individuals; it entails the conversion of entire cultures. Every area of life must be brought under the Lordship of Christ and in line with the gospel. **(2)** The administration of the sacraments is essential to the Church\'s mission and our response. *[B*aptizing] new converts is the first step in a long process of sanctification and participation in the life of the Church. **(3)** The transmission of all that Christ taught necessitates the assistance of the Holy Spirit, who guides the Church to proclaim the gospel infallibly (cf. Jn 14:26). See note on Jn 16:13. • The Sacrament of Baptism incorporates Christians into the divine family of the Trinity as children of God (cf. Gal 3:26, 27). The single **name** of the **Father, Son,** and **Spirit** reveals the unity of God\'s inner life and the oneness of his nature. This expression has become the normative baptismal formula for the Church (CCC 849, 1122, 1257). See note on Mt 3:11 **28:20 I am with you always:** Jesus\' parting words further elucidate Isaiah\'s prophetic name for the Messiah, \"Emmanuel . God with us\" (1:23). The risen Christ\'s ongoing presence in the Church is both ecclesial (18:20) and eucharistic (26:26-28); he thus directs and empowers the world-wide mission of the Church throughout history (CCC 860, 2743) --- > Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, *The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: New Testament*, Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2010).