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Saint Thomas Aquinas, Carlo Crivelli

Matthew 4

Carlo Crivelli, Saint Thomas Aquinas, 1476 · National Gallery, London · Public domainCarlo Crivelli, Saint Thomas Aquinas, 1476, National Gallery, London

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Thomas Aquinas · Catena Aurea · Chapter 4

Passages · 151

Matthew 4:1–2

Matthew 4:3–4

  • Gregory the Great on Matthew 4:3–4 — If we observe the successive steps of the temptation, we shall be able to estimate by how much we are freed from temptation. The old enemy tempted the first man through his belly, when he persuaded him to eat of the…vatican.va
  • Ambrose of Milan on Matthew 4:3–4 — He begins with that which had once been the means of his victory, the palate; “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves.” What means such a beginning as this, but that he knew that the Son…vatican.va
  • Hilary of Poitiers on Matthew 4:3–4 — And therefore in the temptation he makes a proposal of such a double kind by which His divinity would be made known by the miracle of the transformation, the weakness of the man deceived by the delight of food.vatican.va
  • Jerome on Matthew 4:3–4 — But thou art caught, O Enemy, in a dilemma. If these stones can be made bread at His word, your temptation is vain against one so mighty. If He cannot make them bread, your suspicions that this is the Son of God must…vatican.va
  • Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 4:3–4 — But as the Devil blinds all men, so is he now invisibly made blind by Christ. He found Him “an hungred” at the end of forty days, and knew not that He had continued through those forty without being hungry. When he…vatican.va
  • Jerome on Matthew 4:3–4 (2) — Christ’s purpose was to vanquish by humility;vatican.va
  • Leo the Great on Matthew 4:3–4 — hence he opposed the adversary rather by testimonies out of the Law, than by miraculous powers; thus at the same time giving more honour to man, and more disgrace to the adversary, when the enemy of the human race…vatican.va
  • Gregory the Great on Matthew 4:3–4 (2) — So the Lord when tempted by the Devil answered only with precepts of Holy Writ, and He who could have drowned His tempter in the abyss, displayed not the might of His power; giving us an example, that when we suffer…vatican.va
  • Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 4:3–4 (2) — He said not, ‘I live not,’ but, “Man doth not live by bread alone,” that the Devil might still ask, “If thou be the Son of God.” If He be God, it is as though He shunned to display what He had power to do; if man, it…vatican.va
  • Rabanus Maurus on Matthew 4:3–4 — This verse is quoted from Deuteronomy. [margin note: c. 8. 3] Whoso then feeds not on the Word of God, he lives not; as the body of man cannot live without earthly food, so cannot his soul without God’s word. This…vatican.va

Matthew 4:5–7

Matthew 4:8–11

Matthew 4:12–16

  • Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 4:12–16 — By God without doubt, for none can effect any thing against a holy man, unless God deliver him up. “He withdrew into Galilee,” that is, out of Judaea; both that He might reserve His passion to the fit time, and that…vatican.va
  • John Chrysostom on Matthew 4:12–16 — It is not blameworthy not to throw one’s self into peril, but when one has fallen into it, not to endure manfully. He departed from Judaea both to soften Jewish animosity, and to fulfil a prophecy, seeking moreover…vatican.va
  • Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 4:12–16 — He came as Luke writes to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and there entering into the synagogue, He read and spoke many things, for which they sought to throw Him down from the rock, and thence He went to…vatican.va
  • Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 4:12–16 (2) — Nazareth is a village in Galilee near Mount Tabor; Capernaum a town in Galilee of the Gentiles near the Lake of Gennesaret; and this is the meaning of the word, “on the sea coast.” He adds further “in the borders of…vatican.va
  • Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 4:12–16 — He left one, viz. Nazareth, that He might enlighten more by His preaching and miracles. Thus leaving an example to all preachers that they should preach at a time and in places where they may do good, to as many as…vatican.va
  • Jerome on Matthew 4:12–16 — They are said at the first time to be lightened from the burden of sin, because in the country of these two tribes, the Saviour first preached the Gospel; “at the last time” their faith “was increased,” most of the…vatican.va
  • Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 4:12–16 (3) — But Matthew here so quotes the passage as to make them all nominative cases referring to one verb. The land of Zabulon, and the land of Naphtali, which is the way of the sea, and which is beyond Jordan, viz. the…vatican.va
  • Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 4:12–16 (4) — Note that there are two Galilees; one of the Jews, the other of the Gentiles. This division of Galilee had existed from Solomon’s time, who gave twenty cities in Galilee to Hyram, King of Tyre; this part was…vatican.va
  • Jerome on Matthew 4:12–16 (2) — Or we must read, “beyond Jordan, of Galilee of the Gentiles;” so, I mean, that the people who either sat, or walked in darkness, have seen light, and that not a faint light, as the light of the Prophets, but a great…vatican.va
  • Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 4:12–16 (2) — Otherwise, the Gentiles who worshipped idols, and daemons, were they who sat in the region of the shadow of death; the Jews, who did the works of the Law, were in darkness, because the righteousness of God was not…vatican.va
  • John Chrysostom on Matthew 4:12–16 (2) — But that you may learn that he speaks not of natural day and night, he calls the light, “a great light,” which is in other places called “the true light;” and he adds, “the shadow of death,” to explain what he means…vatican.va
  • Rabanus Maurus on Matthew 4:12–16 — In allegory, John and the rest of the Prophets were the voice going before the Word. When prophecy ceased and was fettered, then came the Word, fulfilling what the Prophet had spoken of it, “He departed into…vatican.va
  • Augustine of Hippo on Matthew 4:12–16 — John relates in his Gospel the calling of Peter, Andrew, and Nathanael, and the miracle of Cana, before Jesus’ departure into Galilee; all these things the other Evangelists have omitted, carrying on the thread of…vatican.va
  • Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 4:12–16 (2) — But this should be considered with more care, viz. that John says that the Lord went into Galilee, before John the Baptist was thrown into prison. According to John’s Gospel after the water turned into wine, and his…vatican.va
  • Eusebius of Caesarea on Matthew 4:12–16 — It is related that John preached the Gospel almost up to the close of his life without setting forth any thing in writing, and at length came to write for this reason. The three first written Gospels having come to…vatican.va

Matthew 4:17

  • John Chrysostom on Matthew 4:17 — For another cause also He did not preach till John was in prison, that the multitude might not be split into two parties; or as John did no miracle, all men would have been drawn to Christ by His miracles.vatican.va
  • Rabanus Maurus on Matthew 4:17 — In this He further teaches that none should despise the words of a person inferior to Him; as also the Apostle, “If any thing be revealed to him that sits, let the first hold his peace.” [1 Cor 14:30]vatican.va
  • Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 4:17 — He did wisely in making now the beginning of His preaching, that He should not trample upon John’s teaching, but that He might the rather confirm it and demonstrate him to have been a true witness.vatican.va
  • Jerome on Matthew 4:17 — Shewing also thereby that He was Son of that same God whose prophet John was; and therefore He says, “Repent ye.”vatican.va
  • Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 4:17 (2) — He does not straightway preach righteousness which all knew, but repentance, which all needed. Who then dared to say, ‘I desire to be good, but am not able?” For repentance corrects the will; and if ye will not…vatican.va
  • Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 4:17 — And note, He does not say the kingdom of the Canaanite, or the Jebusite, is at hand; the “the kingdom of heaven.” The law promised worldly goods, but the Lord heavenly kingdoms.vatican.va
  • John Chrysostom on Matthew 4:17 (2) — Also observe how that in this His first address He says nothing of Himself openly; and that very suitably to the case, for they had yet no right opinion concerning Him. In this commencement moreover He speaks nothing…vatican.va
  • Jerome on Matthew 4:17 (2) — Mystically interpreted, Christ begins to preach as soon as John was delivered to prison, because when the Law ceased, the Gospel commenced.vatican.va

Matthew 4:18–22

Matthew 4:23–25

  • Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 4:23–25 — An example of life for doctors; that they should not be inactive, they are instructed in these words, “And Jesus went about.”vatican.va
  • Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 4:23–25 — Because they being weak could not come to their physician, He as a zealous Physician went about to visit those who had any grievous sickness. The Lord went round the several regions, and after His example the pastors…vatican.va
  • Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 4:23–25 (2) — That they should not be acceptors of persons the preachers are instructed in what follows, “the whole of Galilee.” That they should not go about empty, by the word, “teaching.” That they should seek to benefit not…vatican.va
  • John Chrysostom on Matthew 4:23–25 — [ed. note: A passage is here inserted in Nicolai’s edition which is not in the original. It is of no doctrinal importance.] By which too He shewed the Jews that He came not as an enemy of God, or a seducer of souls,…vatican.va
  • Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 4:23–25 (3) — That they should not preach error nor fable, but sound doctrine, is inculcated in the words, “preaching the Gospel of the kingdom.” ‘Teaching’ and ‘preaching’ differ; teaching refers to things present, preaching to…vatican.va
  • Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 4:23–25 (2) — Or, He taught natural righteousness, those things which natural reason teaches, as chastity, humility, and the like, which all men of themselves see to be goods. Such things are necessary to be taught not so much for…vatican.va
  • Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 4:23–25 (4) — That the teacher should study to commend his teaching by his own virtuous conduct is conveyed in those words, “healing every sort of disease and malady among the people;” maladies of the body, diseases of the soul.vatican.va
  • Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 4:23–25 (3) — Or, by disease we may understand any passion of the mind, as avarice, lust, and such like, by malady unbelief, that is, weakness of faith. Or, the diseases are the more grievous pains of the body, the maladies the…vatican.va
  • John Chrysostom on Matthew 4:23–25 (2) — We must consider that when some great change is being wrought, as the introduction of a new polity, God is wont to work miracles, giving pledges of His power to those who are to receive His laws. Thus when He would…vatican.va
  • Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 4:23–25 — Because preachers should have good testimony from those who are without, lest if their life is open to censure, their preaching be contemned, he adds, “And the fame of him went abroad through all Syria.”vatican.va
  • Rabanus Maurus on Matthew 4:23–25 — Syria here is all the region from Euphrates to the Great sea, from Cappodocia to Egypt, in which is the country of Palestine, inhabited by Jews.vatican.va
  • John Chrysostom on Matthew 4:23–25 (3) — Observe the reserve of the Evangelist; he does not give an account of any one of the various cases of healing, but passes in one brief phrase an abundance of miracles, “they brought to him all their sick.”vatican.va
  • Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 4:23–25 (5) — By these he would have us understand various but slighter diseases; but when he says, “seized with divers sicknesses and torments,” he would have those understood, of whom it is subjoined, “and who had daemons.”vatican.va
  • Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 4:23–25 (2) — ‘Sickness’ means a lasting ailment; ‘torment’ is an acute pain, as pleurisy, and such like; they “who had daemons” are they who were tormented by the daemons.vatican.va
  • Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 4:23–25 (6) — ‘Lunatics’ are so called from the moon; for as it waxes in its monthly seasons they are tormented.vatican.va
  • Jerome on Matthew 4:23–25 — Not really smitten by the moon, but who were believed to be so through the subtlety of the daemons, who by observing the seasons of the moon, sought to bring an evil report against the creature, that is might redound…vatican.va
  • Augustine of Hippo on Matthew 4:23–25 — Daemons are enticed to take up their abode in many creatures, (created not by themselves but God,) by delights adapted to their various natures; not that they are animals, drawn by meats; but spirits attracted by…vatican.va
  • Rabanus Maurus on Matthew 4:23–25 (2) — Paralytics are those whose bodies have their nerves slackened or resolved from a Greek word, signifying this.vatican.va
  • Pseudo-Chrysostom on Matthew 4:23–25 (4) — In some places it is, “He cured many;” but here, “He cured them,” meaning, ‘all;’ as a new physician first entering a town cures all who come to him to beget a good opinion concerning himself.vatican.va
  • John Chrysostom on Matthew 4:23–25 (4) — He requires no direct profession of faith from them, both because He had not yet given them any proofs of His miraculous power, and because in bringing their sick from far they had shewn no small faith.vatican.va
  • Rabanus Maurus on Matthew 4:23–25 (3) — The crowds that followed Him consisted of four sorts of men. Some followed for the heavenly teaching as disciples, some for the curing of their diseases, some from the reports concerning Him alone, and curiosity to…vatican.va
  • Glossa Ordinaria on Matthew 4:23–25 (3) — The crowds that follow the Lord, are they of the Church, which is spiritually designated by Galilee, passing to virtuousness; Decapolis is he who keeps the Ten Commandments; Jerusalem and Judaea, he who is…vatican.va
  • Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 4:23–25 (7) — Or, they follow the Lord “from Galilee,” that is, from the unstable world; from Decapolis, (the country of ten towns,) signifying those who break the Ten Commandments; “and from Jerusalem,” because before it was…vatican.va

Scripture cited · 6 verses

Psalm 91:11 · Isaiah 9:1 · Jeremiah 16:16 · Ezekiel 1:8 · John 4:3 · 1 Corinthians 14:30

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