The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: S. Luke
The Samaritan is Christ, by whom men are rescued from sin and promised salvation. The beast is his human nature, to which the divine is united, and on which it is carried and borne. The inn is the Church, which receives all believers. The wine is the blood of Christ, by which we are cleansed from sin. The oil represents his mercy and pity. The host, who is the head of the inn, i.e. of the Church, is S. Peter. So S. Ambrose, Origen, and the Fathers.
Hear also Origen more particularly : “ A certain preacher thus interprets the parable. The man who went down from Jerusalem is Adam. Jerusalem is Paradise, Jericho the world. The thieves are the powers which are against us. The priest is the law, the Levite, the prophets. The Samaritan is Christ. The beast whereon he sat, the body of the Lord, i.e. His humanity. The inn the Church. By the two pieces of money we may understand the Father and the Son, and by the host, the head of the Church, him to whom its governance is committed. The return of the Samaritan is the second coming of the Lord ; ” and this interpretation seems reasonable and true.
Again the Fathers and Theologians teach from this parable that Adam was stripped of those gifts and good things which were of grace, but wounded in those things which were of nature, not indeed in his nature pure and incorrupt, for nature is the same after sin as before, but in his nature stablished by grace, cleansed and renewed by justification imputed by God. For in a nature of this kind all the appetites and passions as well as the lust of concupiscence are subjected to the understanding, so that a man does not wish or desire anything but that which is right. For deprived through sin of original justification we experience in ourselves, unwittingly and contrary to our will, evil desires. This is the wound which nature has received.
Ver. 36. — Which now of these three, thinkest thou , was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? The true meaning of the passage is this, Which of these three seems to thee to have acted as neighbour to the wounded man ? and in this sense it was understood by the lawyer who answered, “ He that showed mercy upon him.” Christ asked the lawyer which of the three by his actions showed that he looked upon the wounded man as a neighbour. For neighbour is a correlative term, and a man can only be a neighbour to a neighbour, just as a man can only be compassionate to one who needs pity.
Hence Christ indicates the one by the other, and thus answers the lawyer’s inquiry. Christ inverted His answer, in order to give an example of the perfection of brotherly love, so that the lawyer and all men might learn to imitate the Samaritan. Hence Jesus said, “ Go and do thou likewise,” v. 37.
So also in the parable of the two debtors, Christ asks, “Which of them will love him most?” See chap. vii. 42. S. Augustin, Bede, and all the Fathers.
Ver. 37. — And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him , Go, and do thou likewise. Hereby we understand, says S. Augustine, “ that he is our neighbour to whomsoever we must show compassion, if he need it, and would have shown it if he had needed it.” Hence it follows that even he who must in turn show us this duty is our neighbour. For the name of neighbour relates to something else, nor can any one be a neighbour except to a neighbour.
Hence it is clear that to no one, not even to our enemy, is mercy to be denied. And S. Augustin very appositely adds, “What more remote than God from men? For God possesses two perfections , righteousness and immortality. But man two evils, sin and death. God was made man, and so like unto us, yet not like us, for He was without sin, and by bearing the punishment, but not the guilt of sin, He abolished both the guilt and the punishment.”
Isidore of Pelusium assigns the cause. Relationship is reckoned according to nature, not virtue ; in essence, not by worth ; by compassion, not by place; by the manner of treatment, not by neighbourhood. For we must account him as a neighbour who is most in need of our aid, and be willing at once to render him help.
Ver. 38. — Now it came to pass , as they went , that He entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house. As they went preaching the Gospel, v. 1. “A certain village,” probably Bethany, where Martha dwelt.
The servant, says S. Augustine, by reason of His condescension, not His condition, received her Lord, the sick the Saviour, the creature the Creator, one to be fed in spirit, Him who must be fed in the flesh.
The hospitality of Martha is praised, for she received Jesus, who was hated by the chief priests and scribes, and in receiving Him she received God, who blessed her and her house, and after death received her into glory.
Thus Abraham entertained angels unawares. See Heb. xiii. 2.
Hence Christ appeared to Martha as she lay dying, and as a reward for her hospitality invited her to His heavenly kingdom, and it is added on the authority of S. Antonine, that the Lord Himself was present at her burial. Thus He honours those who honour Him.
Ver. 39. — And she had a sister called Mary, surnamed Magdalene. They were sisters, says S. Augustin, not only by their parentage but in religion, for both were followers of Christ, and both served Him present in the flesh — blessed in such a guest.
Which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard His word. The word “also” shows that at the very time when Mary might have been assisting her sister in her household cares, she was sitting at Jesus feet showing her diligence and zeal in hearing, and the great reverence which she had for Christ.
at Jesus’ feet she had made the better choice, says S. Augustine, so she received the greater benefit. For water collects in the low-lying valleys, but flows down the acclivities of the hills.
And heard His word. Christ here teaches His disciples how they ought to behave in the houses of those who receive them, for, says S. Chrysostom (S. Cyril in the Catena), “They should not remain idle, but rather fill the minds of those who receive them with heavenly doctrine.” That no time may be without fruit, but that they may everywhere sow the seeds of religion, and excite men to virtue and to the love of God. Thus did Peter Faber, the first companion of S. Ignatius Loyola, who spent his whole life in journeying amongst his fellowmen, and in his will left us this salutary advice, that when we enter a house we should recite the hours, or take part in religious discourses, to show the reality of our profession. For thus a stop is put to improper conversation, and religion is the gainer. Thus he more than once by his discourse moved those whom he was entertaining to repentance, and received from them confession of their sins. Thus also did S. Francis Xavier, who sailed throughout the East, and won converts as much by his life as by his preaching.
Ver. 40. — But Martha was cumbered with much serving , περιεσπᾶτο περὶ πολλὴν διακονίαν, was drawn aside and distracted, i.e. was anxious that nothing should be wanting for the entertainment of such a guest. Hence the Arabic, Martha was diligently serving to the utmost of her power.
And came to Him and said, Lord , dost Thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. Came to Him : Greek, ἐπιστᾶσα, standing by Him.
Dost Thou not care? Does not it displease you ? Arabic.
Martha spoke thus partly from her wish that all things should be properly prepared for Christ, partly from her knowledge of His consideration and kindness. Lord, my sister sees me overwhelmed with care because of my desire to honour Thee, and yet does nothing to assist me. Out of kindness to me, bid her, therefore, share my labour. She will obey Thy word, but will not, I know, listen to my request.
Ver. 41. — And Jesus answered and said unto her , Martha , Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. The repetition of her name, says S. Augustin, “ is a sign of affection, or perhaps of a desire to arrest her attention more particularly to what He was about to say. For she was so entirely engrossed by her household cares, that His words might have been unheeded had she not been specially addressed by name.” S. Augustin adds, “ Mary made no reply, because she preferred to commit her cause to her Judge, and knew that Christ would, as He was wont, stand by her and support her. Hence Christ, who was appealed to as Judge, became her Advocate.” Interlinear Gloss.
Thou art too anxious, Martha, and therefore thou art troubled. Thou desirest to prepare many things for me, whereas I need but few. Emmanuel Sa and all the others translate τυρβάζῃ, thou art confused, but the better rendering is, thou art troubled. For those who are anxious about many things experience much perturbation of mind — hence too much care and anxiety is the sign of excessive love or fear, and so they who love honour or riches, or any other thing too much, fear lest they may lose what they love, and become perturbed and anxious.