Bible Commentaries

Psalms 23:1 — psalm was used on Sunday; (Berthier) and the Fathers explain it of the resurrection and ascension of our Lord, whom it regards in the more sublime sense, though it may also be literally explained of the temple, or translation of the ark, 2 Kings vi. 12. (Calmet) --- David appointed when the psalms were to be sung, Ecclesiasticus xlvii. 12. This speaks of the creation. (Menochius) --- St. Paul applies the first verse to Jesus Christ, whom he styles the Lord, (1 Corinthians x. 26.) and Creator, of

Psalms 80:6 — (Worthington) --- Not. The Israelites heard the voice of God at Sinai, (St. Jerome, &c.; Calmet) and for the last time, where forced to hear the insults of the Egyptians at their heels; (Haydock) whose language was barbarous to them, (Psalm cxiii. 1.; Menochius) and not well understood by all, as they had very little society together. Joseph spoke to his brethren by an interpreter. (Haydock) --- Some explain this of Joseph himself, when he first came into Egypt, (Chaldean. Bossuet) or of the Israelites,

Ecclesiastes 11:3 — out of the state of grace, shall never come to it. But this does not exclude a place of temporal punishment for such souls as die in the state of grace: yet not so as to be entirely pure; and therefore they shall be saved, indeed, yet so as by fire, 1 Corinthians iii. 13, 14, 15. (Challoner) --- After death, none can merit. (Worthington) --- "He who shall not have cultivated his field, (the soul) shall after this life experience the fire of purgation, or eternal punishment." (St. Augustine,

Matthew 1:23 — these, not so much nominally, as really and in effect. (Haydock) =============================== [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Ecce Virgo, Greek: idou e parthenos. So is it read, not only here in St. Matthew but in the Septuagint Isaias vii. St. Hier. [St. Jerome] lib. 1. Cont. Jovin. tom. iv. parte 2. pag. 174. Ostendant mihi, ubi hoc Verbo (Alma) appellentur et nuptæ, et imperitiam confitebor. ====================

Matthew 11:3 — Art thou he that is to come?{1] (Greek, who cometh?) i.e. the Messias. John the Baptist had already, on several occasions, declared that Jesus was the Messias. (John i). He could not then doubt of it himself, but sent his disciples to take away their doubt. (Witham) --- St. John

Matthew 12:40 — Jonas, it is called, a great fish. --- Three days and three nights; not three whole days and three nights, but part of three natural days, from which, in common computation, the nights used not to be separated. We have an instance of this, Esther iv. 16, where the Jews were ordered to fast with her three days, and three nights: and yet (Chap. v, ver. 1) Esther, after part of three days, went to the king. --- In the heart of the earth: by which is signified, Christ’s descent into hell; as St.

Matthew 15:5 — The gift whatsoever proceedeth from me, shall profit thee.[1] This gift is called Corban, Mark vii. 11. Now, as to the sense of this obscure place, I shall mention two expositions that seem preferable to others. The first is, as if a son said to his father or mother, Whatsoever was mine, (with which indeed I

Matthew 5:3 — The poor in spirit;[1] which, according to the common exposition, signifies the humble of mind and heart. Yet some understand it of such as are truly in poverty and want, and who bear their indigent condition with patience and resignation. (Witham) --- That is, the humble;

Luke 16:19 — neighbour in want, they neglect to succour him. (St. Cyril, in Cat. Græc. patrum.) --- He that hath the substance of this world, and shall see his brother in need, and shut up his bowels against him, how doth the charity of God abide in him? (1 John iii. 17.) A received tradition of the Jews informs us, that this Lazarus was a beggar, then at Jerusalem, suffering in the most wretched condition of poverty, and infirmity: him our Saviour introduces, to manifest more plainly the truth of what

John 10:29 — That which my Father hath given[1] me, is greater than all. We may look upon this as the true reading by Tertullian, St. Hillary, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, &c. The ancient Fathers make use of these words, to shew the eternal procession of the Son from the Father; and that they

John 16:16 — me, because even to-morrow, I shall be taken from you by death: and again, after a little while, you shall see me, because the third day I shall rise again, and converse with you, till my ascension. St. Augustine gives another interpretation, (tract. 101.) that by the first little while, may be understood, the short time till Christ’s ascension, and by the latter little while, the short time that the apostles were to live in this world; after which they should see, and enjoy Christ for ever

John 20:21 — me, &c. whose sins you shall forgive," &c. Why, on this occasion, passing over the other apostles, does Jesus Christ address Peter alone? Because he was the mouth, and chief of the apostles. (St. John Chrysostom, de Sacerd. lib. ii. chap. 1.)

John 4:23 — Jews now practise. Such adorers God himself (who is a pure spirit) desires, which they shall be taught by the Messias. (Witham) --- Our Lord foretells her that sacrifices in both these temples should shortly cease, giving her these three instructions: 1. That the true sacrifice should be limited no longer to one spot or nation, but should be offered throughout all nations, according to that of Malachias; (i. 11.) 2. That the gross and carnal adoration by the flesh and blood of beasts, not having in

John 5:2 — Now there is at Jerusalem a pond, called Probatica.[1] Some translate, the sheep-pond. It is true the Greek word signifies something belonging to sheep. But because the ancient Latin interpreter thought fit to retain the Greek, probatica, and also because of the different expositions, I have not changed

Acts 14:22 — When they had ordained for them priests.[1] The Protestant translation, following the grammatical etymology of the Greek word presbyter, always puts elders. Yet they of the Church of England allow, and maintain, that by this Greek word in this, and many other places, are signified the ministers

Acts 15:2 — To the apostles and priests,[1] where we find again presbyters in Greek, meaning bishops and priests. (Witham) --- Paul...should go to...Jerusalem. We learn from Galatians ii. 2. 4. that St. Paul undertook this journey in consequence of a divine revelation, and was accompanied by

1 Corinthians 1:26-28 — the basest extraction. The emperor Julian likewise made the Catholics the same reproach. (Grotius) --- But this objection was not founded; for we find many persons of considerable mention in the Scriptures, who had embraced Christianity. Witness, ver. 1. of this chap. Sosthenes, the head of the synagogue at Corinth, and some in the very palace of Cæsar.

1 Corinthians 12:12 — As the body is one, &c. From this comparison of the mystical body of Christ, that is, of his Church, to a man’s natural body, he brings excellent instructions. 1. That as all members and parts, make up the same body, so also is Christ; that is, so it is in the Church of Christ, which is his mystical body. 2. As all the parts of man’s body are enlivened by the same soul, so all in the Church have their

Colossians 4:16 — Read you that which is of the Laodiceans.[1] Some expound these words of an epistle which St. Paul wrote to the Laodiceans, which is lost, for that now extant is no more than a collection of sentences out of St. Paul. By the Greek text is rather signified a letter writ from Laodicea, and might

Hebrews 10:38 — in Jesus Christ, a faith which includes hope, love, repentance, and the use of the sacraments. Hence St. James (Chap. ii.) declares, that a man may have faith but not works, but that faith without works will not save him. St. Paul teaches the same, 1 Corinthians xiii. 2. "If I should have all faith, so as to move mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing;" where we should observe the word all faith. =============================== [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Justus meus, Greek: dikaios; in some