Second Sunday of Advent [A]
Isaiah 11:1-10 ― Romans 15:4-9
― Matthew 3:1-12
December 5, 2010
Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Catena
Aurea
on Matthew 3:7-10
7.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he
said unto them, “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the
wrath to come?
8.
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9.
And think not to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham to our father:’ for I
say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto
Abraham.
10.
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree
which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
Gregory the Great, De Cur. Past., iii, prologue: The words of the teachers should
be fitted to the quality of the hearers, that in each particular it should
agree with itself and yet never depart from the fortress of general
edification.
Gloss: It was necessary that after the teaching which he used to the common
people, the Evangelist should give an example of the doctrine he delivered to
the more advanced; therefore he says, “Seeing many of the Pharisees, &c.”
Isidore, Hisp. Orig. 8. 4: The Pharisees and Sadducees
opposed to one another; Pharisee in the Hebrew signifies, ‘divided;’ because
choosing the justification of traditions and observances they were ‘divided’ or
‘separated’ from the people by this righteousness.
Sadducee in the Hebrew means
‘just;’ for these laid claim to be what they were not, denied the resurrection
of the body, and taught that the soul perished with the body; they only
received the Pentateuch, and rejected the Prophets.
Gloss: When John saw those who seemed to be of great consideration among the
Jews come to his baptism, he said [p. 99] to them, “O generation of vipers,
&c.”
Remigius: The manner of Scripture is to give names from the imitation of deeds,
according to that of Ezekiel, “Thy father was an Amorite;” [Ezek 16:3] so these
from following vipers are called “generation of vipers.”
Pseudo-Chrysostom: As a skilful physician from
the colour of the skin infers the sick man’s disease, so John understood the
evil thoughts of the Pharisees who came to him. They thought perhaps, We go,
and confess our sins; he imposes no burden on us, we will be baptized, and get
indulgence for sin. Fools! if ye have eaten of impurity, must ye not needs take
physic? So after confession and baptism, a man needs much diligence to heal the
wound of sin; therefore he says, “Generation of vipers.”
It is the nature of the viper
as soon as it has bit a man to fly to the water, which, if it cannot find it,
straightway dies; so this “progeny of vipers,” after having committed deadly
sin, ran to baptism, that, like vipers, they might escape death by means of
water.
Moreover it is the nature of
vipers to burst the insides of their mothers, and so to be born. The Jews then
are therefore called “progeny of vipers,” because by continual persecution of
the prophets they had corrupted their mother the Synagogue. Also vipers have a
beautiful and speckled outside, but are filled with poison within. So these
men’s countenances wore a holy appearance.
Remigius: When then he asks, “who will shew you to flee from the wrath to come,”
- ‘except God’ must be understood.
Pseudo-Chrysostom: Or “who hath shewed you?”
Was it Esaias? Surely no; had he taught you, you would not put your trust in
water only, but also in good works; he thus speaks, “Wash you, and be clean;
put your wickedness away from your souls, learn to do well.” [Isa 1:16]
Was it then David? who says,
“Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow;” [Ps 51:7] surely not,
for he adds immediately, “The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit.” If then ye
had been the disciple of David, ye would have come to baptism with mournings.
Remigius: But if we read, “shall shew,” in the future, this is the meaning, ‘What
teacher, what preacher, shall be able to give you such counsel, as that ye may
escape the wrath of everlasting damnation?’
Augustine, City of
God, book 9, ch. 5: God is described in Scripture, from some likeness of effects, not from
being subject to such weakness, as being angry, and yet is He never moved by
any passion. [p. 100] The word, ‘wrath,’ is applied to the effects of his
vengeance, not that god suffers any disturbing affection.
Gloss: If they ye would escape this wrath, “Bring forth fruits meet for
repentance.”
Gregory the Great, Hom.
in Ev. 20. 8: Observe, he says not merely “fruits of repentance,” but “fruits meet
for repentance.” For he who has never fallen into things unlawful, is of right
allowed the use of all thing lawful; but if any hath fallen into sin, he ought
so far to put away from him even things lawful, as far as he is conscious of
having used unlawful things. It is left then to such man’s conscience to seek
so much the greater gains of good works by repentance, the greater loss he has
brought on himself by sin.
The Jews who gloried in their
race, would not own themselves sinners because they were Abraham’s seed. “Say
not among yourselves we are Abraham’s seed.”
Chrysostom, Hom.
11: He does
not forbid them to “say” they are his, but to trust in that, neglecting virtues
of the soul.
Pseudo-Chrysostom: What avails noble birth to
him whose life is disgraceful? Or, on the other hand, what hurt is a low origin
to him who has the lustre of virtue? It is fitter that the parents of such a
son should rejoice over him, than he over his parents. So do not you pride
yourselves on having Abraham for your father, rather blush that you inherit his
blood, but not his holiness. He who has no resemblance to his father is
possibly the offspring of adultery. These words then only exclude boasting on
account of birth.
Rabanus: Because as a preacher of truth he wished to stir them up, to “bring
forth fruit meet for repentance,” he invites them to humility, without which no
one can repent.
Remigius: There is a tradition, that John preached at that place of the Jordan,
where the twelve stones taken from the bed of the river had been set up by
command of God. He might then be pointing to these, when he said, “Of these
stones.”
Jerome: He intimates God’s great power, who, as he made all things out of
nothing, can make men out of the hardest stone.
Gloss. ord.: It is faith’s first lesson to believe that God is able to do whatever
He will.
Chrysostom: That men should be made out
of stones, is like Isaac coming from Sarah’s womb; “Look into the rock,” says
Isaiah, “whence ye were hewn.” Reminding them thus of this prophecy, he shews
that it is possible that the like might even how happen.
Rabanus: Otherwise; the Gentiles may be meant who worshipped stones.
Pseudo-Chrysostom: Stone is hard to work, but
when wrought to some shape, it loses it not; so the Gentiles were hardly
brought to the faith, but once brought they abide in it for ever.
Jerome: “These stones” signify the Gentiles because of their hardness of
heart. See Ezekiel, “I will take away from you the heart of stone, and give you
the heart of flesh.” Stone is emblematic of hardness, flesh of softness.
Rabanus: Of stones there were sons raised up to Abraham; forasmuch as the
Gentiles by believing in Christ, who is Abraham’s seed, because his sons to
whose seed they were united.
Pseudo-Chrysostom: The axe is that most sharp
fury of the consummation of all things, that is to hew down the whole world.
But if it be already laid, how hath it not yet cut down? Because these trees
have reason and free power to do good, or leave undone; so that when they see
the axe laid to their root, they may fear and bring forth fruit.
This denunciation of wrath
then, which is meant by the laying of the axe to the root, though it have no
effect on the bad, yet will sever the good from the bad.
Jerome: Or, the preaching of the Gospel is meant, as the Prophet Jeremiah also
compares the Word of the Lord to an axe cleaving the rock. [Jer 23:29]
Gregory the Great, Hom.
in Ev., 20. 9: Or, the axe signifies the Redeemer, who as an axe of halt and blade,
so consisting of the Divine and human nature, is held by His human, but cuts by
His Divine nature. And though this axe be laid at the root of the tree waiting
in patience, it is yet seen what it will do; for each obstinate sinner who here
neglects the fruit of good works, finds the fire of hell ready for him. Observe,
the axe is laid to the root, not to the branches; for that when the children of
wickedness are removed, the branches only of the unfruitful tree are cut away.
But when the whole offspring with their parent is carried off, the unfruitful
tree is cut down by the root, that there remain not whence the evil shoots
should spring up again.
Chrysostom: By saying, “Every,” he cuts off all privilege of nobility: as much as
to say, Though thou be the son of Abraham, if thou abide fruitless thou shalt
suffer the punishment.
Rabanus: There are four sorts of tree; the first totally withered, to which the
Pagans may be likened; [p. 102] the second, green but unfruitful, as the
hypocrites; the third, green and fruitful, but poisonous, such are heretics;
the fourth, green and bringing forth good fruit, to which are like the good
Catholics.
Gregory the Great: “Therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut
down, and cast into the fire,” because he who here neglects to bring forth the
fruit of good works finds a fire in hell prepared for him.
