Rabanus Maurus — Commentary on Scripture

Matthew 24:6-8

RABANUS.b Or, this is a warning to the Apostles not to flee from Jerusalem and Judæa in terror of these things, when they should begin to come upon them; because the end was not immediately, but the desolation of the province, and the destruction of the city and temple should not come till the fortieth year. And we know that most grievous woes, which spread over the whole province, fell out to the very letter.

Nation shall rise against nation, shows the disquietude of men's minds; pestilences, the affliction of their bodies; famines, the barrenness of the soil; earthquakes in dicers places, wrath from heaven above.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 24:9-14

For what desert so many evils are to be brought upon Jerusalem, and the whole Jewish province the Lord shows, when He adds, Then shall they deliver you up,&c.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 24:23-28

He says not this because it is possible for the divine election to be defeated, but because they, who to men's judgment seemed elect, shall be led into error.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 24:29-30

But nothing hinders our supposing that the sun and moon with the other stars shall for a time lose their light, as we know did the sun at the time of the Lord's passion; as Joel also says, The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord come. (Joel 2:31.) But when the day of judgment is passed, and the life of future glory shall dawn, and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth, then shall that come to pass of which Isaiah speaks, The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold. (Is. 30:26.) The stars shall fall from heaven, is expressed in Mark; There shall be stars falling from heaven, (Mark. 13:25.) that is, lacking their proper light.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 24:32-35

The heaven which shall pass away is not the starry but the atmospheric heaven which of old was destroyed by the deluge.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 24:35

The heaven which shall pass away is not the starry heaven which of old was destroyed by the deluge.

Matthew 24:36-41

I have read also in some one's book, that the Son here is not to be taken of the Only-begotten, but of the adopted, for that He would not have put the Angels before the Only-begotten Son, saying, Not the Angels of heaven, neither the Son.i

Marriage and meats in themselves are not here condemned, as the error of Marcion and Manichæus teaches; for in the one the continuation of the species, in the other that of life, depends; but what is reproved is an unrestrained use of things lawful.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 24:45-51

The lord is Christ, the household over which He appoints is the Church Catholic. It is hard then to find one man who is both faithful and wise, but not impossible; for He would not pronounce a blessing on a character that could never be, as when He adds, Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Not that they only, but that they before others, shall be rewarded as well for their own lives as for their superintendence of the flock.

Typically, we may understand his beating his fellow servants, of offending the consciences of the weak by word, or by evil example.

Or, appoints him his portion with the hypocrites, that is, a twofold share of punishment, that of fire and frost; to the fire belongs the weeping, to the frost the gnashing of teethk.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 25:14-30

Well done is an interjection of joy; the Lord showing us therein the joy with which He invites the servant who labours well to eternal bliss; of which the Prophet speaks, In thy presence is fulness of joy.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 25:31-45

After the parables concerning the end of the world the Lord proceeds to describe the manner of the judgment to come. Or, they are called blessed, to whom an eternal blessing is due for their good deserts. He calls it the kingdom of His Father, ascribing the dominion of the kingdom to Him by whom Himself the King was begotten. For by His royal power, with which He shall be exalted alone in that day, He shall pronounce the sentence of judgment, Then shall the King say. Mystically, He who with the bread of the word and the drink of wisdom refreshes the soul hungering and thirsting after righteousness, or admits into the home of our mother the Church him who is wandering in heresy or sin, or who strengthens the weak in faith, such an one discharges the obligations of true love. Lord, when sate we thee &c. This they say not because they distrust the Lord's words, but they are in amaze at so great exaltation, and at the greatness of their own glory; or because the good which they have done will seem to them to be so small according to that of the Apostle, For the sufferings of this pres…

After the parables concerning the end of the world the Lord proceeds to describe the manner of the judgment to come.

Or, they are called blessed, to whom an eternal blessing is due for their good deserts. He calls it the kingdom of His Father, ascribing the dominion of the kingdom to Him by whom Himself the King was begotten. For by His royal power, with which He shall be exalted alone in that day, He shall pronounce the sentence of judgment, Then shall the King say.

Mystically, He who with the bread of the word and the drink of wisdom refreshes the soul hungering and thirsting after righteousness, or admits into the home of our mother the Church him who is wandering in heresy or sin, or who strengthens the weak in faith, such an one discharges the obligations of true love.

Lord, when sate we thee &c. This they say not because they distrust the Lord's words, but they are in amaze at so great exaltation, and at the greatness of their own glory; or because the good which they have done will seem to them to be so small according to that of the Apostle, For the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us. (Rom. 8:18.)

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 26:1-2

All these sayings, i. e. about the consummation of the world, and the day of judgment. Or, finished, because He had fulfilled in doing and preaching all things from the beginning of the Gospel to His Passion.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 26:6-13

Alabaster is a kind of marble, white but marked with veins of different colours, which was in use for vessels to hold ointment, because it was said to preserve it from corruption.

From the Greek πίστις, faith, whence 'pisticus,' faithful. For this ointment was pure, unadulterated.

That is, To whatsoever place throughout the whole world the Church shall be propagated, there this also that she hath done shall be told. That also that is added signifies, that as Judas by his reproof of her has earned evil character of treachery, so has she also earned the glory of pious devotedness.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 26:14-16

Went, he says, because he was neither compelled, nor invited, but of his own free will formed the wicked design.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 26:17-19

Or, he omits the name, that all who would fain celebrate the true Passover, and receive Christ within the dwelling place of their own minds, should understand that the opportunity is afforded them.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 26:20-25

For this reason also, because in Christ's Passion, wherein the true sun hasted to his setting, eternal refreshment was made ready for all believers.

What Matthew calls 'paropsis,' Mark calls 'catinus.' The 'paropsis' is a square dish for meat, 'catinus,' an earthen vessel for containing fluids; this then might be a square earthen vessel.

This might have been so said by Judas, and answered by the Lord as not to be overheard by the rest.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 26:26

This might have been so said by Judas, and answered by the Lord as not to be overheard by the rest.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 26:30-35

This hymn may be that thanksgiving which in John, (c. 17.) Our Lord offers up to the Father, when He lifted up His eyes and prayed for His disciples, and those who should believe through their word. This is that of which the Psalm speaks, The poor shall eat and be filled, they shall praise the Lord.] (Ps. 22:26.)

Peter understood the Lord to have foretold that he should deny Him under terror of death, and therefore he declares that though death were imminent, nothing could shake him from his faith; and the other Apostles in like manner in the warmth of their zeal, valued not the infliction of death, but human presumption is vain without Divine aid.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 26:35

This hymn may be that thanksgiving which in John, Our Lord offers up to the Father, when He lifted up His eyes and prayed for His disciples, and those who should believe through their word. This is that of which the Psalm speaks, “The poor shall eat and be filled, they shall praise the Lord.” Ps 22:26].
Peter understood the Lord to have foretold that he should deny Him under terror of death, and therefore he declares that though death were imminent, nothing could shake him from his faith; and the other Apostles in like manner in the warmth of their zeal, valued not the infliction of death, but human presumptionis vain without Divine aid.

Matthew 26:36-38

Luke says, To the mount of Olives, (Luke 22:39.) and John, Went forth over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, (John 18:1.) which is the same as this Gethsemane, and is a place where He prayed at the foot of mount Olivet, where is a garden, and a Church now builtr

When the Lord prayed in the mountain, He taught us to make supplication for heavenly things; when He prays in the garden, He teaches us to study humility in our prayer. And beautifully, as He draws near His Passion, does He pray in the 'valley of fatness,' showing that through the valley of humility, and the richness of charity, He took upon Him death for our sakes. The practical instruction which we may also learn from this is, that we should not suffer our heart to dry up from the richness of charity.

(as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274) Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Matthew 26:38

Luke says, “To the mount of Olives,” .
When the Lord prayed in the mountain, He taught us to make supplication for heavenly things; when He prays in the garden, He teaches us to study humility in our prayer. And beautifully, as He draws near His Passion, does He pray in the ‘valley of fatness’ showing that through the valley of humility, and the richness of charity, He took upon Him death for our sakes. The practical instruction which we may also learn from this is, that we should not suffer our heart to dry up from the richness of charity.