Against the Scribes and Pharisees he defendeth first his power to remit sins in earth, (13) and his eating with sinners (as being the Physician of souls, signified in those his miraculous cures upon bodies): (18) then also he defendeth his Disciples, not having as yet any fasts by him prescribed unto them, and plucking ears of corn upon the Sabboth: signifying withal that he will change their ceremonies.
AND again he entered into Capharnaum after some days, and it was heard that he was in the house, 2and many came together, so that there was no place; no not at the door, and he spoke to them the Word. 3And they came to him bringing one sick of the palsy, who was carried of four. 4And when they could not offer him unto him for the multitude, they • uncovered the roof where he was: and opening it they did let down the couch wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 5And when Jesus had seen [a] their faith, he saith to the • sick of the palsy: Son, • thy sins are forgiven thee. 6And there were certain of the Scribes sitting there and thinking in their hearts: 7Why doth he speak so? he blasphemeth. * Who can forgive sins but only God? 8Which by and by Jesus knowing in his Spirit, that they so thought within themselves, saith to them: Why think you these things in your hearts? 9Whether is easier, to say to the sick of the palsy: Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say: Arise, take up thy couch, and walk? 10But that you may know that • the Son of man hath power • in earth to forgive sins (he saith to the sick of the palsy) 11I say to thee, arise, take up thy couch, and go into thy house. 12And forthwith he arose; and taking up his couch, went his way in the sight of all, so that all marvelled, and glorified God, saying: That we never saw the like.
13And he went forth again to the sea; and all the multitude came to him, and he taught them. 14And when he passed by, * he saw Levi of Alphaeus sitting at the custom place; and he saith to him: Follow me. And rising up he followed him. 15And it came to pass, as he sat at meat in his house, many Publicans and sinners did sit down together with Jesus and his Disciples. For they were many, who also followed him. 16And the Scribes and the Pharisees seeing that he did eat with Publicans and Sinners, said to his Disciples: why doth your Master eat and drink with Publicans and sinners? 17Jesus hearing this, saith to them: The whole have not need of a Physician, but they that are ill at ease. For I came not to call the just, but sinners.
18And * the Disciples of John and the Pharisees did use to fast: and they come, and say to him: Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast; but thy Disciples do not fast? 19And Jesus said to them: Why, can the children of the marriage fast, as long as the bridegroom is with them? So long time as they have the bridegroom with them, they can not fast. 20But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them; and then they shall [b] fast in those days. 21Nobody soweth a piece of raw cloth to an old garment: otherwise he taketh away the new piecing from the old, and there is made a greater rent. 22And no body putteth new wine into old bottles: otherwise the wine bursteth the bottles, and the wine will be shed, and the bottles will be lost. But new wine must be put into new bottles.
23And * it came to pass again when he walked through the corn on the Sabboths, and his Disciples began to go forward and to pluck the ears. 24And the Pharisees said to him: Behold, why do they on the Sabboths that which is not lawful? 25And he said to them: Did you never read what David did, when he was • in necessity, and himself was a hungered and they that were with him? 26how * he entered into the house of God under Abiathar the high Priest, and did eat the loaves of Proposition, which it was not lawful to eat * but for the Priests, and did give unto them which were with him? 27And he said to them: The Sabboth was made for man, and not man for the Sabboth. 28Therefore the Son of man is [c] Lord of the Sabboth also.
Footnotes
- ↑ Our Lord is moved to be merciful to sinners by other men’s faith and desires, and not only by the parties own means always.
- ↑ He foretelleth that fasting shall be used in his Church, no less than in the old law, or in the time of John the Baptist. See Mat. 9:15.
- ↑ The maker of the law may abrogate or dispense when and where for just cause it seemeth good to him.
ANNOTATIONS. CHAP. II.
↑ 4. Uncovered.) Such diligence ought to be used to bring sinners to Christ in his Sacraments, as was used to procure this man and others, by Christ, the health of their bodies.
↑ 5. Sick of the palsy.) Such as this man was in body by dissolution of his limbs, such also was he in soul, by the noisome desires of the world occupying his heart, and withdrawing him from all good works, Aug. de Pastor. ch. 6 to 9.
↑ 5. Thy sins.) Hereby it appeareth that Christ healed this sick man first in his soul, before he took away his bodily infirmity: which may be an instruction for all men in bodily disease, first to call for the Sacraments, which be medicines of the soul. As hereby also may be gathered that many diseases come for sin, and therefore can not be healed till the sins be remitted.
↑ 10. The Son of man.) As Christ proveth unto them, that himself as man, and not as God only, hath power to remit sins, by that in all their sights he was able to do miracles, and make the sick man suddenly arise: so the Apostles having power granted them to do miracles, though they be not God, may in like manner have authority from God to remit sins, not as God, but as God’s ministers.
↑ 10. In earth.) This power that the Son of man hath to remit sins in earth, was never taken from him, but dureth still in his Sacraments, and ministers, by whom he remitteth sins in the Church, and not in Heaven only. For concerning sin, there is one court of conscience in earth, and another in Heaven, and the judgement in Heaven followeth and approveth this on earth, as is plain by the words of our Saviour to Peter first, and then to all the Apostles: a Whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound in Heaven: whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed in Heaven: Whereupon St. Jerom saith: b That Priests having the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven judge after a sort before the day of judgement. And St. Chrysost. lib. 3 de Sacerd. paulo post princip. more at large.
↑ 25. In necessity.) In necessity many things be done without sin, which else might not be done, and so c the very chalices and consecrated jewels and vessels of the Church, in cases of necessity, are by lawful authority turned to profane uses, which otherwise to alienate to a man’s private commodity is sacrilege.
Margin Notes
- annot. 5. The Sacraments to be called for in sickness.
- annot. 10. Man hath power to remit sins.
- annot. 10. Christ remitteth sins by the Priest’s ministry.
Margin References
- 1. Mat. 9, 1. Luc. 5, 18.
- 7. Job. 14, 4. Esa. 43, 25.
- 14. Mat. 9, 9. Luc. 5, 27.
- 18. Mat. 9, 13. Luc. 5, 33.
- 23, Mat. 12, 1. Luc. 6, 1.
- 26. 1 Reg. 21, 6.
- 26. Lev. 24, 9.
- annot. 10. a. Mt. 16:16.
- annot. 10. b. ad Heliod. ep. 1.
- annot. 25. c. Amb. l. 2. off. c. 28.
