Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: Matthew
Ver. 28. A redemption for many; i.e. for all, as it is sometimes the style of the Scriptures. See St. Paul, 1 Timothy ii. 6. (Witham) --- Certain Puritans pretend from this part of holy Scripture, that all superiority is forbidden; but it is merely pride, ambition, and haughtiness, not superiority, that is here proscribed. Jesus Christ himself, as Son of man, was their and our Superior, Lord, and Master, notwithstanding his humility. (Bristow) --- For the divine appointment of both civil and ecclesiastical government, see Romans xiii. 2.; and 1 Corinthians xii. 28.; Hebrews chap. xiii. 7, 17.
Ver. 30. Two blind men. St. Mark, (x. 46.) when he seems to relate the same passage, mentions but one, called Bartimeus; perhaps because he was the more famous of the two. (Witham) --- These were very opportunely presented to our Lord, that they might go up to Jerusalem with him, after they had received sight from his divine hands, and appear there as witnesses of the divinity of his mission. (St. Chrysostom, hom. lxvi, in Matt.) --- We may here consider, if the blindness of the body be looked upon as a very great misfortune, how much greater must be the darkness of the soul. The former is only a privation of the light of day, the other is a privation of the light of grace and glory. The light of this world, though a great blessing, is enjoyed in common with the brute creation; it serves only to distinguish material objects. The light which Christ communicates to the soul, enables us to know God and his sacred truths, as revealed to his holy Catholic Church; it elevates us above all inferior creatures, it dissipates the spiritual darkness caused by sin and our unruly passions, and conducts us to the true light of eternal glory. Oh what unspeakable joy must then fill and overwhelm the elect, when in the light of God they see light itself, the bright countenance of their loving and beloved Father!!!
____________________
[1] Ver. 23. Non est meum dare vobis. Now we read only in the Greek, ouk estin emon dounai. It is so also in St. Chrysostom, in St. Cyril, (in Thesauro, Assertione xxvi, tom. v. p. 243) where he answers this objection of the Arians. Nor is umin, in the Greek text of St. Epiphanius (hær. lxix, p. 742) though it be put there in the Latin translation. St. Augustine has not vobis: (lib. i. de Trin. chap. xii, p. 765 G. tom. viii.) but in Psalm ciii, (tom. iv, p. 1157) he says, Quid est non est meum dare vobis? non est meum dare superbis. St. Ambrose (lib. v. de Fide, tom. iv. chap. iii, p. 147) Non dixit non est meum dare, sed non est meum dare vobis, hoc est, non sibi potestatem deesse asserens, sed meritum creaturis. Besides the Fathers, who did not read vobis in the text, shew by their expositions, that they took the sense to be the same, and no ways favourable to the Arians. See St. Augustine, lib. i. de Trin. p. 766. A. non est meum dare, ac si diceretur, non est humanæ potestatis hoc dare, ut per illud intelligatur hoc dare, per quod Deus est æqualis Patri, &c. See St. Chrysostom, hom. lxvi.; St. Cyril in Thesauro assert. xxvi. p. 243.; St. Epiphanius hær. lxix, p. 742, &c.
Bible Text & Cross-references:
The parable of the labourers in the vineyard. The ambition of the two sons of Zebedee. Christ gives sight to two blind men.
1 The *kingdom of heaven is like to a master of a family, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2 And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the market-place,
4 And he said to them, Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just.
5 And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner.
6 But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle?
7 They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go you also into my vineyard.
8 And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the labourers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first.
9 When therefore they came, who had come about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first also came, they thought that they should have received more: and they likewise received every man a penny.
11 And receiving it, they murmured against the master of the house,
12 Saying: These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the heats.
13 But he answering one of them, said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?
14 Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee.
15 Or is it not lawful for me to do what I will? is thy eye evil, because I am good?
16 *So shall the last be first, and the first last. For many are called but few chosen.
17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart, and said to them:
18 Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests and the Scribes, and they shall condemn him to death.
19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked, and scourged, and crucified, and the third day he shall rise again.
20 *Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, worshipping and asking something of him.
21 And he said to her: What wilt thou? She saith to him: Say that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom.
22 But Jesus answering, said: You know not what you ask. Can you drink of the chalice that I shall drink? They say to him: We can.
23 He saith to them: My chalice indeed you shall drink: but to sit on my right or left hand, is not mine to give you, but to them for whom it is prepared by my Father.
24 *And the ten hearing it, were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
25 *But Jesus called them to him, and said: You know that the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them: and they that are the greater, exercise power upon them.
26 It shall not be so among you; but whosoever will be the greater among you, let him be your minister:
27 And he that would be first among you, shall be your servant.
28 *Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a redemption for many.
29 *And when they went out from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.
30 And behold two blind men sitting by the way side, heard that Jesus passed by, and they cried out, saying: O Lord, son of David, have mercy on us.
31 And the multitude rebuked them that they should hold their peace. But they cried out the more, saying: O Lord, son of David, have mercy on us.
32 And Jesus stood, and called them, and said: What will ye that I do to you?
33 They say to him: Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
34 And Jesus having compassion on them, touched their eyes. And immediately they received sight, and followed him.
____________________
*
1: about the year A.D. 33.; Mark x. 32, 34.; Luke xviii. 31, 34.
16: Matthew xix. 30.; Mark x. 31.; Luke xiii. 30.
20: Mark x. 35.
24: Mark x. 41.
25: Luke xxii. 25.
28: Philippians ii. 7.
29: Mark x. 46.; Luke xviii. 35.