Lecture 1 — Denial of a sign to the Pharisees

^16:1^ And there came to him the Pharisees and Sadducees to tempt him, and they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. [n. 1354]

^16:2^ But he answered and said to them: when it is evening, you say: it will be fair weather, for the sky is red. [n. 1356]

^16:3^ And in the morning: today there will be a storm, for the sky is red and lowering. You know then how to discern the face of the sky; can you not know the signs of the times? [n. 1356]

^16:4^ A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet. And he left them, and went away. [n. 1360]

^16:5^ And when his disciples had crossed over the water, they had forgotten to take bread. [n. 1363]

^16:6^ He said to them: take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. [n. 1364]

^16:7^ But they thought within themselves, saying: because we have taken no bread. [n. 1365]

^16:8^ And Jesus knowing it, said: why do you think within yourselves, O you of little faith, that you have no bread? [n. 1366]

^16:9^ Do you not yet understand, do you neither remember the five loaves among five thousand men, and how many baskets you took up? [n. 1366]

^16:10^ Nor the seven loaves among four thousand men, and how many baskets you took up? [n. 1366]

^16:11^ Why do you not understand that it was not concerning bread that I said to you: beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees? [n. 1366]

^16:12^ Then they understood that he said not that they should beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. [n. 1367]

1351. Above, the Lord showed the sufficiency of the evangelical teaching, because it does not need the legal observances, and also because it is necessary for not only one people; here he shows its purity and excellence.

First, he shows that it should be kept pure from every tradition;

second, that it flies across all human opinions by the loftiness of faith, at and Jesus came into the regions of Cesarea Philippi (Matt 16:13).

Concerning the first,

first, the slanderous temptation is described;

second, he refutes it;

third, he teaches that it should be avoided.

The second is at but he answered and said to them; the third, at and when his disciples had crossed over the water.

Concerning the first,

first, he recalls the place;

second, the tempters’ question is set down.

1352. One should notice that just as above, when he sent the crowds away after he had fed them from the five loaves, so also here.

In this first an example is given to preachers, that they not thrust themselves in, but turn back; concerning a wild ass: who has sent out the wild ass free, and who has loosed his bonds? (Job 39:5).

1353. He went up into a boat (Matt 15:39), lest the crowd should follow him. Hence an impediment is set up, which is why they could not follow him. Hence, he went up into a boat, i.e., into the mind which is tossed about with the waves of this world, you have made a way even in the sea, and a most sure path among the waves (Wis 14:3), showing that one should enter there, and there find rest. And came into the coasts of Magedan. Magedan is interpreted ‘apple,’ and this place signifies the Holy Scriptures, where the apple grows together with the other fruits; I went down into the garden of nuts, to see the apples of the valleys (Song 6:10).

1354. There follows the tempters’ question: **and there came to him the Pharisees and Sadducees to tempt him: and they asked him. There is one that humbles himself wickedly, and his interior is full of deceit (Sir 19:23). To show them a sign from heaven. And they ask for a sign from heaven. It is written in John, your fathers ate manna in the desert (John 6:49), hence he gave them bread from heaven. And, the Jews require signs (1 Cor 1:22). And, our signs we have not seen (Ps 73:9).

1355. Then he reproaches them, and first, for laziness in believing divine things. For if someone has a defect from the nature of the senses, he has an excuse; but when he has wisdom in earthly things, and laziness in spiritual things, he is to be reproached. But all men are vain, in whom there is not the knowledge of God (Wis 13:1). And

first, he points out their cleverness in earthly things;

second, their laziness in spiritual things.

1356. It says then, but he answered and said to them: when it is evening. This has a literal sense, and a mystical one.

The literal, that from a certain arrangement they could recognize the sign of fair weather. You say, it will be fair weather, for the sky is red. Likewise of a storm, for you say, today there will be a storm, for the sky is red and lowering, since it indicates sorrow. For when the air is disturbed, men are not joyful. For redness in the evening is a sign of fair weather. The reason, according to the Philosopher, is the diffusion of the sun’s rays over the vapors. For when there are many vapors, then the rays cannot penetrate, and then the air becomes black; but when the vapors are thin, they penetrate. But when what is fiery dominates, then the color red appears, as it appears in flames, because when it is more lifted up, the red appears in it more. Therefore it indicates that there are not many vapors, and indicates fair weather. But when it is resolved into dew or rain in the morning, it is a sign of a storm.

1357. According to a mystery, the evening signifies Christ’s passion. The sun dies in the evening, and in the same way, Christ suffered in the evening of the world; and who will be able to think of the day of his coming? And who will stand to see him? For he is like a refining fire (Mal 3:2); in the evening weeping will have place, and in the morning gladness (Ps 29:6). Hence the reddening sky appears in the evening, and indicates tranquillity; after a storm you make a calm, and after tears and weeping you pour in joyfulness (Tob 3:22). In the resurrection, which is signified by the morning, redness appears in the martyrs, and indicates a storm for sinners. Or, by the morning is signified the morning of the day of judgment, which redness precedes; a fire will go before him (Ps 96:3).

Hence you are learned in earthly things.

1358. You know then how to discern the face of the sky; can you not know the signs of the times? There are two times: one corresponds to the first coming, the other to the second coming. Certain signs preceded the first coming; drop down dew, you heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just: let the earth be opened, and bud forth a savior (Isa 45:8). And, verily you are a hidden God (Isa 45:15). But in the end, God will come manifestly, and there will not appear signs from heaven. But it is not the time.

Or in another way. You know then how to discern the face of the sky, as though to say, you seek a sign of the coming. It is superfluous to ask for a sign where there are many signs. Above, the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed (Matt 11:5). He had given this sign, God himself will come and will save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened (Isa 35:4–5).

1359. Some argue from this authority that we should bustle about to know of the second coming.

But Augustine explains it as about the first coming. The first coming is most certain, because it is for salvation, salvation through faith, faith through knowledge; therefore it is necessary that it be known. But the second coming is for giving rewards; therefore it is hidden, so that men may be more concerned.

1360. Then he denies the sign asked; hence it says, a wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign. And it says, a wicked generation, because it draws back from God: for it is wicked through drawing back from God. He forsook God who made him, and departed from God his savior (Deut 32:15). But adulterous, because it joined itself to others; if I abandon you in my life (Ps 26); let the wicked forsake his way, and the unjust man his thoughts (Isa 55:7). Seeks after a sign, and should not have it, for a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of Jonas the prophet, for as Jonas was in the whale’s belly for three days and three nights: so will the Son of man be in the heart of the earth (Matt 12:40).

1361. But why does he set down the sign of the resurrection rather than another sign?

One should say that salvation comes to us through the resurrection; for if you . . . believe in your heart that God has raised him up from the dead, you shall be saved (Rom 10:9), because he renewed life by rising again, since we rise again through Christ’s resurrection. For this reason, this sign is given to the faithful, and all other signs are referred back to it, namely that he reawakened Lazarus and so forth. Hence to these no other sign is given. But to his disciples he gave a sign from heaven, when he showed them his glory (Matt 17). So then he pointed out their laziness.

There follows the part in which he refutes them by deed, by withdrawing from them. And he left them, and went away, for he does not dwell with the spiteful; for perverse thoughts separate from God (Wis 1:3).

1362. After he refuted them, he teaches the disciples to avoid them. And

first, the occasion is set down;

second, the teaching;

third, the disciples’ bad understanding;

fourth, a reproach;

fifth, the effect.

1363. It says, and when his disciples had crossed over the water. In this, we should wonder at the disciples’ minds, because men are only accustomed to forget those things which they care little about; so since they forgot bread, they cared little about it, but only about spiritual things.

1364. He said to them: take heed and beware. Here the teaching is set down. By leaven one understands corrupt teaching; hence one does not take it to mean the teaching of the law, but the traditions of the Pharisees, which are called leaven because, just as the whole is corrupted by a little bit of leaven, so a whole life is corrupted by a little bit of error, just as a man who withdraws a little way from a road is later separated a long way off. Hence the Philosopher says, in On the Heavens (Bk I), that a small error in the beginning becomes large in the end. Spiritual understanding is bread, not leaven. Hence by bread is meant true teaching; with the bread of life and understanding, she shall feed him (Sir 15:3).

Hence it says, take heed and beware, because false teaching is dangerous. For when a man remains in the faith, there is no danger; but when the foundation is taken away, there is no hope. Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation thereof (Ps 136:7). The foundation is faith; a man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, avoid (Titus 3:10). Because false teaching has a deceptive appearance, he says, take heed, i.e., consider diligently; let your eyes look straight on, and let your eyelids go before your steps (Prov 4:25).

1365. Next, the disciples’ understanding is set down: but they thought within themselves. For since they had taken up seven baskets of fragments above, and had not brought them along, they thought that he said, you have not brought bread, but I do not want you to take bread from the Pharisees, because they are animals, and the sensual man perceives not these things that are of the Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:14).

1366. They could be reproached for two things in this understanding.

First, because they did not understand; likewise, for the fact that they lacked confidence in God’s power. He does not reproach them for the first, but for the second.

He says then, why do you think within yourselves, O you of little faith, that you have no bread? As though to say, you understand carnally what you ought to understand spiritually. Do you not yet understand, do you neither remember the five loaves among five thousand men, and how many baskets you took up? So could not he who fed so many feed you? Why do you not understand that it was not concerning bread that I said to you, namely material bread, but rather spiritual; which bread is called teaching, the words that I have spoken to you, are spirit and life (John 6:64).

1367. Then they understood. Here the correction is set down. Hence they were corrected by his word; the declaration of your words gives light: and gives understanding to little ones (Ps 118:130).