17:10. And his disciples asked him, saying: Why then do the scribes say that Elias must come first?
17:11. But he answering, said to them: Elias indeed shall come, and restore all things.
17:12. But I say to you, that Elias is already come, and they knew him not, But have done unto him whatsoever they had a mind. So also the Son of man shall suffer from them.
17:13. Then the disciples understood, that he had spoken to them of John the Baptist.
17:14. And when he was come to the mult.i.tude, there came to him a man falling down on his knees before him saying: Lord, have pity on my son, for he is a lunatic, and suffereth much: for he falleth often into the fire, and often into the water.
17:15. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
17:16. Then Jesus answered and said: O unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you?
Bring him hither to me.
17:17. And Jesus rebuked him, and the devil went out of him, and the child was cured from that hour.
17:18. Then came the disciples to Jesus secretly, and said: Why could not we cast him out?
17:19. Jesus said to them: Because of your unbelief. For, amen I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain: Remove from hence hither, and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible to you.
As a grain of mustard seed... That is, a perfect faith; which in its properties, and its fruits, resembles the grain of mustard seed, in the parable, chap. 13. 31.
17:20. But this kind is not cast out but by prayer and fasting.
17:21. And when they abode together in Galilee, Jesus said to them: The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
17:22. And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall rise again.
And they were troubled exceedingly.
17:23. And when they were come to Capharnaum, they that received the didrachmas, came to Peter, and said to him: Doth not your master pay the didrachma?
The didrachmas... A didrachma was half a sicle, or half a stater; that is, about 15d. English: which was a tax laid upon every head for the service of the temple.
17:24. He said: Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying: What is thy opinion, Simon? The kings of the earth, of whom do they receive tribute or custom, of their own children, or of strangers?
17:25. And he said: Of strangers. Jesus said to him: Then the children are free.
17:26. But that we may not scandalize them, go to the sea, and cast in a hook: and that fish which shall first come up, take: and when thou hast opened it"s mouth, thou shalt find a stater: take that, and give it to them for me and thee.
Matthew Chapter 18
Christ teaches humility, to beware of scandal, and to flee the occasions of sin: to denounce to the church incorrigible sinners, and to look upon such as refuse to hear the church as heathens. He promises to his disciples the power of binding and loosing: and that he will be in the midst of their a.s.semblies. No forgiveness for them that will not forgive.
18:1. At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who, thinkest thou, is the greater in the kingdom of heaven?
18:2. And Jesus, calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them.
18:3. And said: amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
18:4. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven.
18:5. And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.
18:6. But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea.
Shall scandalize... That is, shall put a stumblingblock in their way, and cause them to fall into sin.
18:7. Woe to the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh.
It must needs be, etc... Viz., considering the wickedness and corruption of the world.
18:8. And if thy hand, or thy foot, scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire.
Scandalize thee... That is, cause thee to offend.
18:9. And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into h.e.l.l fire.
18:10. See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
18:11. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
18:12. What think you? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them should go astray: doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains, and goeth to seek that which is gone astray?
18:13. And if it so be that he find it: Amen I say to you, he rejoiceth more for that, than for the ninety-nine that went not astray.
18:14. Even so it is not the will of your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
18:15. But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother.
18:16. And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.
18:17. And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.
18:18. Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.
18:19. Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning anything whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father who is in heaven.
18:20. For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
There am I in the midst of them... This is understood of such a.s.semblies only as are gathered in the name and authority of Christ; and in unity of the church of Christ. St. Cyprian, De Unitate Ecclesiae.
18:21. Then came Peter unto him and said: Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
18:22. Jesus saith to him: I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times.
18:23. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an account of his servants.
18:24. And when he had begun to take the account, one as brought to him, that owed him ten thousand talents.