Remigius of Rheims — Commentary on Scripture

Matthew 24:15-22

And this we know was so done when the fall of Jerusalem drew near; for on the approach of the Roman army, all the Christians in the province, warned, as ecclesiastical history tells us (Euseb. H.E. iii. 5.), miraculously from heaven, withdrew, and passing the Jordan, took refuge in the city of Pella; and under the protection of that King Agrippa, of whom we read in the Acts of the Apostles, they continued some time; but Agrippa himself, with the Jews whom he governed, was subjected to the dominion of the Romans.

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

Matthew 24:31

Here we are not to think of a real trumpet, but of the voice of the archangel, which shall be so loud that at its sound all the dead shall rise out of the dust of the earth.

That is, from the four quarters of the world, north, south, east, and west.

Or otherwise; Lest any one should suppose that they should be gathered only from the four quarters of the world, and not from the middle regions, The adds this, And from one end of heaven to the other. By the heights of heaven meaning the central regions of the earth, which are under the heights of heaven; and by the ends of heaven, meaning the extreme parts of the earth, where the land seems to join a very wide and distant horizon.

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

Matthew 24:32-35

Or, when this fig shall again bud, that is, when the synagogue shall receive the word of holy preaching, as the preaching of Enoch and Elias, then we ought to understand that the day of the consummation is at hand.

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Matthew 24:36-41

And Mark has the addition. (Mark 13:32.)

Or, these words denote three orders in the Church. The two men in the field (prædicatores.) denote the order of preachers, to whom is committed the field of the Church; by the two grinding at the mill, (conjugati.) the order of the married priests, who while with a divided heart they are called first to one side, then to the other, do, as it were, ever turn round a mill; by the two in one bed, (continentes.) the order of the continent, whose repose is signified by the bed. But in all these orders are good and bad, righteous and unrighteous, so that some shall be taken, and some left.

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

Matthew 24:41

And Mark has the addition.
Or, these words denote three orders in the Church. “The two men in the field "denote the order of preachers , whose repose is signified by the bed. But in all these orders are good and bad, righteous and unrighteous, so that some shall be taken, and some left.

Matthew 24:45-51

Nor yet does it imply the impossibility of attaining perfect virtue, but only the difficulty.

It should be observed, that as there is great difference of desert between good preachers and good hearers, so is there great difference between their rewards. The good hearers, if He finds them watching He will make to sit down to meat, as Luke speaks; but the good preachers He will set over all His goods.

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

Matthew 25:31-45

These words overthrow the error of those who said that the Lord should not continue in the same form of a servant. By his majesty, He means His divinity, in which He is equal to the Father and the Holy Spirit.

And all nations shall be gathered before Him. These words prove that the resurrection of men shall be real.

And it is to be noted, that the Lord here enumerates six works of mercy which whoso shall study to accomplish shall be entitled to the kingdom prepared for the chosen from the foundation of the world.

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

Matthew 26:1-2

Or, because by the help of the Lord the Israelitish people, freed from Egyptian bondage, passed forth into liberty.

Mystically, that is called the Passover, because on that day Christ passed out of the world to His Father, from corruption to incorruption, from life to death, or because He redeemed the world by causing it savingly to pass from the slavery of the Devil.

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

Matthew 26:3-5

This, then, is to be referred to the preceding words, and means before the Feast of the Passover.

They are condemned both because they were gathered together, and because they were the Chief Priests; for the more the numbers, and the higher the rank and station of those who band together for any villany, the greater the enormity of what they do, and the heavier the punishment stored up for them. To show the Lord's innocence and openness, the Evangelist adds, that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

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Matthew 26:6-13

He clearly shows that the Apostles had uttered something harsh against her, when He says, Why trouble ye the woman? And beautifully He adds, She hath wrought a good work in me; as much as to say, It is not a waste of ointment, as ye say, but a good work, that is, a service of piety and devotion. For the poor ye have ever with you. The Lord shows in these words as of set purpose, that they were not to be blamed who ministered of their substance to Him while He dwelt in a mortal body; forasmuch as the poor were ever in the Church, to whom the believers might do good whensoever they would, but He would abide in the body with them but a very short time; whence it follows, But me ye shall not have always. Or, it is to be explained by supposing this spoken to Judas only; and He said not, Ye have not, but Ye shall not have, because this was spoken in the person of Judas to all his followers. And He says, Not always, though they have it at no time, because the wicked seem to have Christ in this present world, while they mix among His members and approach His table, but they shall not alway…

He clearly shows that the Apostles had uttered something harsh against her, when He says, Why trouble ye the woman? And beautifully He adds, She hath wrought a good work in me; as much as to say, It is not a waste of ointment, as ye say, but a good work, that is, a service of piety and devotion.

For the poor ye have ever with you. The Lord shows in these words as of set purpose, that they were not to be blamed who ministered of their substance to Him while He dwelt in a mortal body; forasmuch as the poor were ever in the Church, to whom the believers might do good whensoever they would, but He would abide in the body with them but a very short time; whence it follows, But me ye shall not have always.

Or, it is to be explained by supposing this spoken to Judas only; and He said not, Ye have not, but Ye shall not have, because this was spoken in the person of Judas to all his followers. And He says, Not always, though they have it at no time, because the wicked seem to have Christ in this present world, while they mix among His members and approach His table, but they shall not always so have Him when He shall say to His elect, Come, ye blessed of my Father. (Matt. 25:34.) It was the custom among this people to embalm the bodies of (Matt. 25:34.) the dead with divers spices, to the end that they might be kept from corruption as long as possible. And as this woman was desirous of embalming the Lord's dead Body, and would not be able because she would be anticipated by His resurrection, it was therefore arranged by Divine Providence that she should anoint the Lord's living Body. This then is what He says, In that she hath poured, that is, By anointing My living Body she shows forth My death and burial.

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

Matthew 26:14-16

So called from the village Scariotha, from which he came.

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Matthew 26:17-19

And observe that with the Jews, the Passover is celebrated on the first day, and the following seven are called the days of unleavened bread; but here the first day of unleavened bread means the day of the Passover.

But perhaps some one will say, If that typical lamb bore a type of this the true lamb, how did not Christ suffer on the night on which this was always killed? It is to be noted, that on this night, He committed to His disciples the mysteries of His flesh and blood to be celebrated, and then also being seized and bound by the Jews, He hallowed the commencement of His sacrifice, i. e. His Passion. The disciples came unto him; among these no doubt was the traitor Judas.

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

Matthew 26:20-25

With the twelve, it is said, for Judas was personally among them, though he had ceased to be so in merit.

And it is beautifully said, When even was come, because it was in the evening that the Lamb was wont to be slain.

It belongs to human nature to come and go, Divine nature remains ever the same. So because His human nature could suffer and die, therefore of the Son of Man it is well said that he goeth. He says plainly, As it is written of him, for all that He suffered had been foretold by the Prophets.

Woe also to all who draw near to Christ's table with an evil and defiled conscience! who though they do not deliver Christ to the Jews to be crucified, deliver Him to their own sinful members to be taken. He adds, to give more emphasis, Good were it for that man if he had never been born.

Which may be understood thus; Thou sayest it, and thou sayest what is true; or, Thou hast said this, not I; leaving him room for repentance so long as his villainy was not publicly exposed.

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Matthew 26:26

Fittingly also did He offer fruit of the earth, to show there by that He came to take away the curse wherewith the earth was cursed for the sin of the first man. Also He bade be offered the produce of the earth, and the things for which men chiefly toil, that there might be no difficulty in procuring them, and that men might offer sacrifice to God of the work of their hands.

Hereby He showed also that He together with the Father and the Holy Spirit has filled human nature with the grace of His divine power, and enriched it with the boon of immortality. And to show that His Body was not subject to passion but of His own will, it is added, And brake.

In so doing He left an example to the Church, that it should sever no one from its fellowship, or from the communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord, but for some notorious and public crime,

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

Matthew 26:27-29

The Lord having given His disciples His Body under the element of bread, well gives the cup of His Blood to them likewise; showing what joy He has in our salvation, seeing He even shed His Blood for us. For thus it is read, Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you. (Exod. 24:8.) And it is to be noted, that He says not, For a few, nor, For all, but, For many; because He came not to redeem a single nation, but many out of all nations. And He taught us to offer not bread only, but wine also, to show that they who hungered and thirsted after righteousness were to be refreshed by these mysteries. For it should be known, that as John speaks, The many waters are nations and people. (Rev. 17:15.) And because we ought always to abide in Christ and Christ in us, wine mixed with water is offered, to show that the head and the members, that is, Christ and the Church, are one body; or to show that neither did Christ suffer without a love for our redemption, nor we can be saved without His Passion. Or otherwise; I will not drink of the fruit of this vine, i. e. I wil…

The Lord having given His disciples His Body under the element of bread, well gives the cup of His Blood to them likewise; showing what joy He has in our salvation, seeing He even shed His Blood for us.

For thus it is read, Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you. (Exod. 24:8.)

And it is to be noted, that He says not, For a few, nor, For all, but, For many; because He came not to redeem a single nation, but many out of all nations.

And He taught us to offer not bread only, but wine also, to show that they who hungered and thirsted after righteousness were to be refreshed by these mysteries.

For it should be known, that as John speaks, The many waters are nations and people. (Rev. 17:15.) And because we ought always to abide in Christ and Christ in us, wine mixed with water is offered, to show that the head and the members, that is, Christ and the Church, are one body; or to show that neither did Christ suffer without a love for our redemption, nor we can be saved without His Passion.

Or otherwise; I will not drink of the fruit of this vine, i. e. I will no longer take pleasure in the carnal oblations of the Synagogue, among which the immolation of the Paschal lamb held an eminent place. But the time of My resurrection is at hand, and the day in which exalted in the Father's kingdom, that is, raised in immortal glory, I shall drink it new with you, i. e. I shall rejoice as with a new joy in the salvation of that people then renewed by the water of baptism.

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Matthew 26:30-35

What the One affirms by His power of foreknowledge, the other denies through love; whence we may take a practical lesson, that in proportion as we are confident of the warmth of our faith, we should be in fear of the weakness of our flesh. Peter seems culpable, first, because he contradicted the Lord's words; secondly, because he set himself before the rest; and thirdly, because he attributed every thing to himself as though he had power to persevere strenuously. His fall then was permitted to heal this in him; not that he was driven to deny, but left to himself, and so convinced of the frailty of his human nature.p

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Matthew 26:36-38

The Evangelist had said a little above, that when they had sung an hymn they went out to the mount of Olives; to point out the part of the mount to which they took their way, he now adds, Then came Jesus with them to a garden called Gethsemane.

He had accepted the disciples' faith and the devotedness of their will, but He foresaw that they would be troubled and scattered abroad, and therefore bade them sit still in their places; for to sit belongs to one at ease, but they would be grievously troubled that they should have denied Him. In what fashion He went forward it describes, And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and very heavy; the same to whom He had shown His glory in the mount.

By this place are overthrown the Manichæans, who said that He took an unreal body; and those also who said that He had not a real soul, but His Divinity in place of a soul1

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

Matthew 26:39-44

Otherwise; In these words He shows that He took real flesh of the Virgin, and had a real soul, saying that His spirit is willing to suffer, but His flesh weak in fearing the pain of Passion.

Or, He prays thrice for the Apostles, and for Peter in particular, who was to deny Him thrice.

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

Matthew 26:45-46

Or, He prays thrice for the Apostles, and for Peter in particular, who was to deny Him thrice.

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

Matthew 26:47-50

One of the twelve, by association of name, not of desert. This shows the monstrous wickedness of the man who from the dignity of the Apostleship became the traitor. To show that it was out of envy that they seized Him, it is added, A great multitude sent by the Chief Priests and elders of the people.

Or, after Friend, for what thou art come, that do, is understood. Then came they, and laid their hands on Jesus, and held him. Then, that is, when He suffered them, for ofttimes they would have done it, but were not able.

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