Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: Matthew
Ver. 18. He hath a devil. Those possessed by devils, were often accustomed to pass their time in the open air, to use unusual food, and sometimes to refrain a considerable time from meat and drink. (Menochius)
Ver. 19. Come eating and drinking. Whereas John came living in the wilderness on locusts, wild honey, &c. Yet most part of the Jews neither regarded Christ nor St. John: nay the Pharisees here (ver. 18) say of John, that he is possessed with a devil. --- Wisdom is justified by her children. That is, by such as are truly wise; and the sense seems to be, that the divine wisdom and Providence hath been justified, i.e. approved, owned, and declared just and equitable by those that being truly wise, have made good use of the favours and graces offered them at this time of their redemption, when others have remained obstinate in their blindness, and refused to believe in Christ. (Witham) --- That is, the multitude of believers by their faith justify the providence and justice of God, against the calumnies of the wicked; for as these believed, what hindered others also from believing? where it appears that Divine Providence omitted nothing of those things, which were necessary to procure and promote the salvation of men. (Menochius)
Ver. 21. Woe to thee, Corozain, &c. These four verses shew us how dangerous it is to resist the divine graces, and not to make good use of those favourable opportunities which the divine Providence hath placed us in, of working our salvation and of improving ourselves in virtue and sanctity. (Witham) --- Sack-cloth and ashes, &c. It was the custom for those who were in mourning, to be clothed with sack-cloth, and sit in ashes. (Menochius)
Ver. 22. More tolerable, &c. For as the fault of him who never had the truth announced to him, was less than of him who rejected it when offered, so also his punishment would be less. (Menochius)
Ver. 23. If we compare this with Luke x. 15, it will appear that Jesus Christ made twice this reproach to these two impenitent cities. (Bible de Vence)
Ver. 25. Jesus answered, &c. lit. Jesus answering, said: where we may take notice, that answering, in the style of the Scripture, is often put when it is no answer to any thing that was said before. (Witham) --- Because thou hast hid, &c. Jesus gives thanks to his heavenly Father, because he had revealed the secret of his coming to his disciples, who, according to the false opinion of men, are called children and fools, and had hid it from the Scribes and Pharisees, whom he in ridicule calls the wise and prudent. By this prayer, he also begs that his heavenly Father would complete what he had begun in his apostles. (St. Jerome) --- Christ does not rejoice that it was not revealed to the wise and prudent, but because it was revealed to his little ones. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Ver. 26. Yea, Father, &c. St. Chrysostom interprets this passage as if Christ would say, Go on, Father, as you have begun; or the sense may be, I give thee thanks, O Father, that it has pleased thee to act thus, that since the wise men of this world have rejected the gospel, thou hast deigned to manifest it to little ones. (Menochius)
Ver. 28. All you that, &c. That is, you who are wearied with the heavy load of your sins, and the grievous yoke of the old law. (Menochius)
Ver. 29. Take up my yoke, &c. Fear not the yoke of Christ, for it is a yoke of the greatest sweetness. Be not disheartened when he mentions a burden, because it is a burden exceeding light. If then our Saviour says, that the way of virtue is exceeding narrow, and replete with difficulties and dangers, we must call to mind that it is so to the slothful only. Perform therefore with alacrity what is required, and then will all things be easy; the burden will be light, and the yoke sweet. (St. Chrysostom, hom. xxxix.)
Ver. 30. For my yoke is sweet, &c. For though, in regard of our weak nature, it be a very heavy yoke, yet the grace of God renders it easy and light, because our Lord himself helps us to bear it, according to that of the prophet Osee, (Chap. xi, ver. 4) I will be unto them as he that takes the yoke from off their heads. St. Bernard says, that our Saviour sweetens by the spiritual unction of his grace, all the crosses, penances, and mortifications of religious souls. St. Augustine owns, that before he knew the power of grace, he could never comprehend what chastity was, nor believe that any one was able to practice it; but the grace of God renders all things easy. (Rodriguez, On Mortification. Chap. xix.)
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[1] Ver. 3. Qui venturus es, o erchomenos, qui venit, who cometh.
[2] Ver. 5. Pauperes Evangelizantur, ptochoi euaggelizontai. In the prophet Isaias, euaggelizesthai ptochois epestalke me.
Bible Text & Cross-references:
John sends his disciples to Christ, who upbraids the Jews with their incredulity, and calls to him such as are sensible of their burdens.
1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, that he passed from thence, to teach and preach in their cities.
2 *Now when John had heard, in prison, the works of Christ, sending two of his disciples, he said to him:
3 Art thou he that is to come, or do we look for another?
4 And Jesus making answer, said to them: Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen.
5 *The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, **the poor have the gospel preached to them.
6 And blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me.
7 *And when they went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitude, concerning John: What went you out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind?
8 But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are clothed in soft garments, are in the houses of kings.
9 But what went you out to see? a prophet? yea, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
10 For this is he of whom it is written: *Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.
11 Amen I say to you, there hath not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is the lesser in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John:
14 And if you will receive it, *he is Elias that is to come.
15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
16 But to what shall I liken this generation? It is like to children sitting in the market-place, who crying out to their companions,
17 Say: We have piped to you, and you have not danced: we have lamented, and you have not mourned.
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking; and they say: He hath a devil.
19 The son of man came eating and drinking, and they say: Behold a man that is a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of publicans and sinners. And wisdom is justified by her children.
20 Then began he to upbraid the cities, wherein were done the most of his mighty works, because they had not done penance.
21 *Wo to thee, Corozain, wo to thee, Bethsaida: for if in Tyre and Sidon the mighty works had been done that have been done in you, they would long ago have done penance in sack-cloth and ashes.
22 But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, than for you.
23 And thou, Capharnaum, shalt thou be exalted up to heaven? thou shalt go down even unto hell. For if the mighty works had been done in Sodom that have been done in thee, perhaps it would have remained unto this day.
24 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee.
25 At that time Jesus answered, and said: I give thanks to thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to little ones.
26 Yea, Father; for so hath it seemed good in thy sight.
27 All things are delivered to me by my Father. *And no one knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither doth any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him.
28 Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you.
29 Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: *and you shall find rest to your souls.
30 *For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.
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*
2: Luke vii. 18.
5: Isaias xxxv. 5. --- ** Isaias lxi. 1.
7: Luke vii. 24.
10: Malachias iii. 1.; Mark i. 2.; Luke vii. 27.
14: Malachias iv. 5.
21: Luke x. 13.
27: John vi. 46. and vii. 28. viii. 19. and x. 15.
29: Jeremias vi. 16.
30: John vi. 3.