Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: Matthew
Ver. 28. In the regeneration. Jesus Christ here calls the general resurrection the regeneration, because there will then be a renovation of the human body, and of the whole world. The promise which is here made to the apostles of sitting on thrones at the general judgment, and passing sentence on the 12 tribes of Israel, must not be understood as limited to the apostles, or to the Jews. For St. Paul says, (1 Corinthians vi. 2. and 3,) that not only he, but also many of the Corinthians to whom he was writing, would judge not merely the 12 tribes, but the whole world, and moreover angels themselves. It is the opinion of many of the Fathers, St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Gregory, and others, that all apostolical men, i.e. such as, renouncing the goods of this life, adhere to Christ in mind and affection, and by every possible means promote his reign and the propagation of his gospel, will be so far honoured as to sit in judgment with him at the general resurrection. (Tirinus) --- You also shall sit on twelve seats, or thrones, meaning at the general resurrection, when Christ will appear on the throne of his majesty, with his heavenly court, and with his elect, shall condemn the wicked world. (Witham)
Ver. 29. Shall receive a hundred-fold. In St. Mark we read a hundred-fold now in this time, and in the world to come life everlasting. Which hundred-fold is to be understood of the blessings in this life, of interior consolations, of the peace of a good conscience, and in general of spiritual gifts and graces, which are much more valuable than all temporal goods. And besides these spiritual graces in this world, he shall have everlasting glory in the world to come. (Witham) --- Our Saviour does not here lay down a precept of separating from wives; but, as when he before said, he that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it, he did not counsel, much less command us to lay violent hands upon ourselves; so here he teaches us to prefer the duties of piety to every other consideration. (St. Chrysostom, hom. lxv.) --- The reward will be a hundred-fold, by the accumulation of spiritual gifts and graces in this life, infinitely superior to all we have left, and the inheritance of life eternal in the next. (Bible de Vence)
____________________
[1] Ver. 3. Quacunque ex causa, kata pasan aitian, ex qualibet causa.
[2] Ver. 5. Erunt duo in carne una, duo eis sarka mian, in carnem unam, as Genesis ii. 7. factus est homo in animam viventem. See Maldonat.
[3] Ver. 11. Non omnes capiunt, ou pantes chorousi. Maldonat will needs have chorein, to signify intelligere, as it does sometimes. But St. Jerome on this place, unusquisque consideret vires suas, &c. And St. Chrysostom (hom. lxiii.) ut singulare esse certamen perdiscas. St. Jerome adds, Sed his datum est, qui petierunt; qui voluerunt; qui ut acciperent, laboraverunt. And St. Chrysostom, His enim datum est, qui spontè id eligunt. dedotai gar ekeinois tois boulomenois. Ed. Sav. p. 397.
[4] Ver. 17. Quid me interrogas de bono? erotas peri agathou. In the common Greek copies, ti me legeis agathon.
[5] Ver. 24. Camelum, kamelun, which is observed to be different from kamilos, a cable, or ship-rope. See Mr. Legh, Critica Sacra.
Bible Text & Cross-references:
Christ declares matrimony to be indissoluble: he recommends the making one's self an eunuch for the kingdom of heaven; and parting with all things for him. He shews the danger of riches, and the reward of leaving all to follow him.
1 And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these words, he departed from Galilee, *and came into the confines of Judea beyond the Jordan.
2 And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.
3 *And the Pharisees came to him tempting him, and saying: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
4 But he answering, said to them: Have ye not read, that he *who made man in the beginning, made them male and female? And he said:
5 *For this cause, shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh.
6 Therefore they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
7 They say to him: *Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorce, and to put away?
8 He saith to them: Moses because of the hardness of your hearts permitted you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
9 *And I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery; and he who shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.
10 His disciples say unto him: If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not good to marry.
11 He said to them: All receive not this word, but they to whom it is given.
12 For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mother's womb: and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can receive, let him receive it.
13 *Then were little children presented to him, that he should lay his hands upon them and pray. And the disciples rebuked them.
14 But Jesus said to them: *Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for the kingdom of heaven is for such.
15 And when he had laid his hands upon them, he departed thence.
16 And behold one came and said to him: Good Master, what good shall I do that I may have life everlasting?
17 But he said to him: Why askest thou me concerning good? One is good, God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith to him: Which? And Jesus said: *Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness.
19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man saith to him: All these have I kept from my youth: what is yet wanting to me?
21 Jesus saith to him: If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
22 And when the young man had heard this word, he went away sad: for he had great possessions.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples: Amen, I say to you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say to you: It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
25 And when the disciples had heard this, they wondered very much, saying: Who then can be saved?
26 And Jesus beholding, said to them: With men this is impossible: but with God all things are possible.
27 Then Peter answering, said to him: Behold we have left all things, and have followed thee: what therefore shall we have?
28 And Jesus said to them: Amen, I say to you, that you, who have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundred-fold, and shall possess life everlasting.
30 *But many that are first, shall be last: and the last shall be first.
____________________
*
1: about the year A.D. 32.; Mark x. 1, 12.; Luke xvi. 1, 18.
3: Mark x. 2.
4: Genesis i. 27.
5: Genesis ii. 24.; 1 Corinthians vi. 16.; Ephesians v. 31.
7: Deuteronomy xxiv. 1.
9: Matthew v. 32.; Mark x. 11.; Luke xvi. 18.; 1 Corinthians vii. 10.
13: about the year A.D. 33.; Mark x. 18.; Luke xviii. 15.
18: Exodus xx. 13.
30: Matthew xx. 16.; Mark x. 31.; Luke xiii. 30.