March 28 2010 Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
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Isaiah 50:4-7
Douay-Rheims Challoner

The Lord hath given me a learned tongue, that I should know how to uphold by word him that is weary: he wakeneth in the morning, in the morning he wakeneth my ear, that I may hear him as a master. The Lord God hath opened my ear, and I do not resist: I have not gone back. I have given my body to the strikers, and my cheeks to them that plucked them: I have not turned away my face from them that rebuked me, and spit upon me. The Lord God is my helper, therefore am I not confounded: therefore have I set my face as a most hard rock, and I know that I shall not be confounded.

Responsorial Psalm 21:8-9, 17-20, 23-24 (Ps 22 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn:
they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head.
He hoped in the Lord, let him deliver him:
let him save him, seeing he delighteth in him.
For many dogs have encompassed me:
the council of the malignant hath besieged me.
They have dug my hands and feet.
They have numbered all my bones.
And they have looked and stared upon me.
They parted my garments amongst them;
and upon my vesture they cast lots.
But thou, O Lord, remove not thy help to a distance from me;
look towards my defence.
I will declare thy name to my brethren:
in the midst of the church will I praise thee.
Ye that fear the Lord, praise him:
all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him.

Philippians 2:6-11
Haydock New Testament

Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery, to be himself equal to God: But debased himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in shape found as a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above every name: That in the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Luke 22:14—23:56
Haydock New Testament

And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him, And he said to them:

With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch with you before I suffer. For I say to you, that from this time I will not eat it, till it may be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

And having taken the chalice, he gave thanks, and said:

Take, and divide it among you. For I say to you, that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, till the kingdom of God come.

And taking bread, he gave thanks, and brake, and gave to them, saying:

This is my body which is given for you: Do this for a commemoration of me.

In like manner, the chalice also, after he had supped, saying:

This is the chalice, the new testament i my blood, which shall be shed for you.

But yet behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me, is with me on the table. And the Son of man indeed goeth, according to that which is determined: but wo to that man by whom he shall be betrayed.

And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. And there was also a strife amongst them, which of them should seem to be the greater. And he said to them:

The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and they that have power over them, are called beneficent. But you not so: but he who is the greater among you, let him be as the younger: and he who is the leader, as he that serveth. For which is greater, he that sitteth at table, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at table? but I am in the midst of you, as he that serveth. And you are they who have continued with me in my temptations: And I assign to you, as my Father hath assigned to me, a kingdom, That you may eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom: and may sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And the Lord said:

Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and thou being once converted, confirm thy brethren.

But he said to him:

Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both to prison and to death.

And he said:

I say to thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, till thou thrice deny that thou knowest me.

And he said to them:

When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, did you want any thing?

But they said:

Nothing.

Then said he to them:

But now he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise a scrip: and he that hath not, let him sell his coat, and buy a sword. For I say to you, that this, which is written, must yet be fulfilled in me: And he was reckoned with the wicked: For the things concerning me have an end.

But they said:

Lord, behold here are two swords.

And he said to them:

It is enough.

And going out, he went, according to his custom, to the mount of Olives. And his disciples also followed him. And when he was come to the place, he said to them:

Pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

And he was withdrawn away from them a stone`s cast: and kneeling down, he prayed, Saying:

Father, if thou wilt, remove this chalice from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.

And there appeared to him an Angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood trickling down upon the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow. And he said to them:

Why sleep you? arise, pray, lest you enter into temptation.

As he was yet speaking, behold a multitude: and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near to Jesus, to kiss him. And Jesus said to him:

Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss?

And they that were about him, seeing what would follow, said to him:

Lord, shall we strike with the sword?

And a one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answering, said:

Suffer ye thus far.

And when he had touched his ear, he healed him. And Jesus said to the chief priests, and magistrates of the temple, and the ancients that were come to him:

Are you come out, as it were against a thief, with swords and clubs? When I was daily with you in the temple, you did not stretch forth your hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

Then laying hold on him, they led him to the high priest’s house: but Peter followed afar off. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were sitting about it, Peter was in the midst of them. Whom, when a certain servant maid had seen sitting at the light, and had looked upon him intently, she said,

This man was also with him.

But he denied him, saying:

Woman, I know him not.

And after a little while, another seeing him, said:

Thou also art one of them.

But Peter said:

O man, I am not.

And about the space of one hour after, another man affirmed, saying:

Surely this man was also with him: for he is also a Galilean.

And Peter said:

Man, I know not what thou sayest.

And immediately, while he was yet speaking, the cock crew. And the Lord turning, looked on Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said:

Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

And Peter went out, and wept bitterly. And the men that held him, mocked him, and struck him. And they blindfolded him, and smote him on the face. And they asked him, saying:

Prophesy, who is it that struck thee?

And many other things, blaspheming, they said against him. And as soon as it was day, the ancients of the people, and the chief priests, and Scribes, came together, and they brought him into their council, saying:

If thou be the Christ, tell us.

And he said to them:

If I shall tell you, you will not believe me: And if I shall also ask you, you will not answer me, nor let me go. But hereafter the Son of man shall be sitting on the right hand of the power of God.

Then said they all:

Art thou then the Son of God?

He said:

You say that I am.

Then they said:

What need we any farther testimony? For we ourselves have heard it from his own mouth.

And the whole multitude of them rising up, led him away to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying:

We have found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he is Christ, the king.

And Pilate asked him, saying:

Art thou the king of the Jews?

But he answering, said:

Thou sayest it.

Then Pilate said to the chief priests, and to the multitude:

I find no cause in this man.

But they were more earnest, saying:

He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.

But Pilate hearing of Galilee, asked if the man were a Galilean? And when he understood that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him away to Herod, who himself was also at Jerusalem in those days. And Herod seeing Jesus, was very glad, for he was desirous of a long time to see him: and he hoped to see some miracle wrought by him. And he questioned him with many words. But he answered him nothing. And the chief priests, and the Scribes, stood by, earnestly accusing him. And Herod, with his soldiers, despised him: and mocked him, putting on him a white garment, and sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate were made friends together that same day: for before they were enemies one to another.

Then Pilate calling together the chief priests, and the magistrates, and the people, Said to them:

You have brought this man to me, as one that perverteth the people, and behold, I before having examined him before you, find no cause in this man touching those things wherein you accuse him. Nor Herod either: For I sent you to him, and behold nothing worthy of death is done to him. I will chastise him, therefore, and release him.

Now of necessary, he was to release to them one upon the feast-day. But the whole multitude cried out together, saying:

Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas;

Who, for a certain sedition made in the city, and murder, was cast into prison. And Pilate spoke to them again, desiring to release Jesus. But they cried out, saying:

Crucify him, crucify him.

And he said to them the third time:

Why, what evil hath this man done? I find no cause of death in him: I will chastise him, therefore, and let him go.

But they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified: and their voices prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that their petition should be granted. And he released unto them him, who for murder and sedition, had been cast into prison, whom they had desired: but Jesus he delivered up to their will. And as they led him away, they laid hold on one Simon, of Cyrene, coming from the country: and they laid the cross on him to carry after Jesus. And there followed him a great multitude of the people and women: who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning to them, said:

Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold the days shall come, wherein they will say: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us; and to the hills:

What Our Lord Saw from the Cross

Cover us. For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?

And there were also two others malefactors led with him, to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, they crucified him there: and the robbers, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. And Jesus said:

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

But dividing his garments, they cast lots. And the people stood beholding, and the rulers with them derided him, saying:

He saved others, let him save himself, if he be Christ, the elect of God.

And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, And saying:

If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

And there was also a superscription written over him in Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew letters:

This is the King of the Jews.

And one of these robbers who were hanging, blasphemed him, saying:

If thou be Christ, save thyself, and us.

But the other answering, rebuked him, saying:

Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done no evil.

And he said to Jesus:

Lord, remember me, when thou shalt come into thy kingdom.

And Jesus said to him:

Amen, I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise.

And it was almost the sixth hour: and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened; and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And Jesus crying with a loud voice, said:

Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.

And saying this, he gave up the ghost. Now the centurion seeing what was done, glorified God, saying:

Indeed this was a just man.

And all the multitude of them that were come together to that sight, and saw the things that were done, returned striking their breasts. And all his acquaintance, and the women that had followed him from Galilee, stood afar off beholding these things. And behold there was a man by name Joseph, who was a counsellor, a good and just man: He had not consented to their counsel and doings; of Arimathea, a city of Judea, who also himself expected the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And taking him down, he wrapped him in fine linen, and laid him in a sepulchre that was hewed in stone, wherein never yet any man had been laid. And it was the day of the parasceve, and the sabbath drew near. And the women that were with him from Galilee, following after, saw the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And returning, they prepared spices, and ointments: and on the sabbath-day they rested, according to the commandment.

Haydock Commentary Isaiah 50:4-7
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

  • Ver. 4. Weary. Isaias speaks in the name of Christ, whose words carried conviction and comfort along with them. Jo. vi. 69. and vii. 46. C. — Wakeneth. Lit. “lifteth up.” Cynthius âurem—Vellit. Ec. vi. — Hear, or obey. H. — Christ preached more powerfully than Isaias, and continues to do so by his pastors. S. Jer. W.
  • Ver. 6. Spit. The greatest indignity. Job xxx. 10. Deut. xxv. 9. Yet this was the treatment of our Saviour. Lu. xviii. 31. Mat. xxvi. 67. C. — “The great Grotius, (I wish he were great in explaining the prophets)” applies this to Jeremias. Houbigant.
  • Ver. 7. Rock. Christ heard the accusations of his enemies unmoved, as the had not been afraid to blame the conduct of the Pharisees.

Haydock Commentary Philippians 2:6-11

  • Ver. 6. Who being in the form[1] of God, (that is truly, properly, and essentially God from eternity, as the ancient Fathers here observed against the Arians) taking the form of a servant, (i.e. taking upon him our human nature) became truly a man, and as man the servant of God, but remaining always God as before, thought it not robbery, no injury to his eternal Father, to be equal, to be esteemed, and to declare himself equal to God, to be one thing with him: as on divers occasions he taught the people, as we have observed in the notes on S. John’s gospel, &c. Wi.
  • Ver. 7. But debased himself: divested himself of all the marks of greatness, for the love of mankind. The Greek text signifies, he made himself void;[2] on which account Dr. Wells, instead of made himself of no reputation, as in the Prot. translation, has changed it into emptied himself; not but that the true Son of God must always remain truly God, as well as by his incarnation truly man, but that in him as man appeared no marks of his divine power and greatness. — Made to the likeness[3] of men, not only as to an exterior likeness and appearance, but at the same time truly man by uniting his divine person to the nature of man. — In shape[4] (or habit) found as a man: not clothed exteriorly only, as a man is clothed with a garment or coat, but found both as to shape and nature a man; and, as S. Chrys. says, with the appearance of a sinful man, if we consider him persecuted by the Jews, and nailed to an infamous cross. Wi.
  • Ver. 9. God . . . hath given him a name, &c. The name or word Jesus represents the dignity of him who is signified by the name, and who is exalted even as man, above all creatures in heaven, earth, and hell; all which creatures either piously reverence him, or are made subject to him against their will, that every tongue may confess our Lord Jesus to be now, and to have been always, in the glory of his Father, equal to him in substance and in all perfections. Wi.
  • Ver. 10. If we shew respect when the name of our sovereign is mentioned, may we not express our respect also at the name of Jesus; and if to his name, why not to his cross as well as to the throne of the king?

Haydock Commentary Luke 22:14-23:56

  • Ver. 15. With desire I have desired: lit. with a desire have I desired.[1] The repetition expresseth a great and earnest desire. Wi.
  • Ver. 17. Taken the chalice. This is not the chalice of his blood, (the latter is spoken of v. 20, and 1 Cor. xi. 25.) but it is the cup which the master of the repast blessed with ceremony, then drank of it, and gave it to all the guests. The modern Jews still observe this custom; not only on the Pasch, but on all other great feasts. The father of the family pours wine into a cup, takes it in his right hand, elevates it, blesses it, tastes, and gives it round to the invited. Our Saviour on this occasion complies with the custom; and after supper takes the chalice, which he converts into his own blood. Calmet.
  • Ver. 18. I will not drink, &c. i.e. from this hour of the supper, to the time of his resurrection, in which he will come in the kingdom of God, he would not taste wine. For S. Peter testifies, (Acts x. 41.) that he took meat and drink after his resurrection. Ven. Bede.
  • Ver. 19. THIS IS MY BODY. See the annotations on the same words of consecration, Matt. xxvi. 26. Mark xiv. 22. and 1 Cor. xi. 24. — Do this for a commemoration of me. By these words he gave a power and precept to them, and their successors, to all bishops and priests, to consecrate and offer up the same; yet so, that they are only the ministers and instruments of Jesus Christ, who instituted this sacrifice, this and all other sacraments, who is the chief and principal Priest, or offerer. It is Christ that chiefly consecrates and changes the elements of bread and wine into his own body and blood; it is he that chiefly and principally forgiveth sins in the sacraments of baptism, penance, &c. It is what S. Aug. so often repeats against the Donatists, that it is Christ that baptizeth, though the instrumental minister be a sinner or a heretic; and this is what all Catholics confess and profess. — The holy sacrifice and sacrament is to be offered and received with a devout and grateful remembrance of Christ’s benefits, and especially of his sufferings and death for all mankind. But to teach that it is a bare, though devout memorial, or a remembrance only, so as to exclude the real presence of Christ, under the outward appearances of bread and wine, is inconsistent with the constant belief and consent of all Christian churches, both of the west and east, and contradicts the plain words of Christ. The learned bishop of Meaux, in his Exposition of the Catholic Faith, desires all Christians to take notice, that Christ does not command them to remember him, but to take his body and blood with a remembrance of him, and his benefits: this is the import of all the words, put together. This is my body: this is my blood: do this in, for, or with a remembrance of me. Wi. — This sacrifice and sacrament is to be continued in the Church to the end of the world, to shew forth the death of Christ, until he cometh. But this commemoration, or remembrance, is by no means inconsistent with the real presence of his body and blood, under these sacramental veils, which represent his death; on the contrary, it is the manner that he himself hath commanded, of commemorating and celebrating his death, by offering in sacrifice, and receiving in the sacrament, that body and blood by which we were redeemed. Ch. — Which is given, &c. He does not say, which shall be offered for you, but which is offered;[2] because it was already a true sacrifice, in which Christ was truly present which he offered in advance to his eternal Father, before that which he was going to offer the next day, in a different manner, on the cross. This sacrifice was the consummation of the figurative Pasch, and the promise or pledge of the bloody offering, which Christ would make on the cross. . . . It was not the mere figure of his body, which was crucified, but the true body and the true blood. In the same manner it is both the one and the other which are given, and really present, in the Eucharist. Calmet. — To renew the memory of what I have this day done, in giving you my body; and what I shall do to-morrow, in delivering my blood and my life for the whole world, do you hereafter what you now see me do. Take bread, break it, sand say, This is my body; and it will become so really and truly, as it now is in my hands. Calmet.
  • Ver. 29. And I assign to you, as my Father hath assigned to me, a kingdom; i.e. as my heavenly Father decreed to exalt me, even as man, and with my human nature, above all creatures; so will I also make you, according to your different merits, partakers of my glory. Wi.
  • Ver. 30. That you may eat and drink of the spiritual banquet of the joys of heaven which in the Scriptures are divers times compared to a feast or banquet. Wi. — Sit upon thrones. Judas is excepted from the dignity of this great promise. For it is probable he had gone out before the Lord spoke these words. They likewise are excepted, who (S. John vi. 66.) having heard the words of an incomprehensible mystery, turned back and went away. Ven. Bede.
  • Ver. 31. Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. In these words is expressed both what Satan desired, and what God permitted. Satan desired leave to tempt them, that he might make them fall from their faith in Christ. Almighty God permitted this temptation, this trial, to convince them how weak they were of themselves: he permitted their frailty to be partly overcome, yet so that rising again by his grace, they should be cleansed and purified as wheat when it is sifted: and that shortly after, being strengthened and confirmed by the coming of the Holy Ghost, they might become new men, enabled to stand firm against all the attacks of their greatest adversaries. Wi.
  • Ver. 32. That thy faith fail not. The faith of Peter, established by the coming of the Holy Ghost, hath never failed, nor can fail, being built upon a rock, which is Christ himself, and being guided by the spirit of truth, as Christ promised. Jo. xv. 26. and xvi. 13. — And thou being once converted, confirm thy brethren, even all the other apostles and bishops, over whom I have made and constituted thee and thy successors the chief head, that such a head being appointed by divine authority, all occasions of schisms and divisions might cease, says S. Jerom. Wi. — Admire the superabundance of the divine patience. That the disciple might not lose courage, he promised him pardon before he has committed the crime, and restores him again to his apostolic dignity, saying, confirm thy brethren. S. Cyril.
  • Ver. 36. That hath not, &c. Whilst the apostles are contending for prerogative, he reminds them that now is the time of danger and slaughter; for I, your Master, (says he) shall be led to a dishonourable death, and reputed among the wicked: as all which hath been foretold of me shall have their end; that is, be fulfilled. Wishing also to insinuate the violence of the assaults they themselves will have to sustain, he mentions a sword; but does not reveal all, lest they should be too much alarmed; nor does he entirely suppress the mention of it, lest sudden attacks might overpower them, had they not been forewarned. Theophylactus.
  • Ver. 38. Behold here are two swords, &c. The disciples not understanding the hidden meaning of the words in the preceding verse, and thinking they should have need of swords against the attack of the traitor Judas, say, behold here two swords. S. Cyril. — But if he had wished them to rely upon human aid, not even a hundred swords would have sufficed; but, if the power of man was unnecessary in their regard, even two swords are sufficient, and more than are wanted. S. Chrysostom. — Even two swords are sufficient testimony of our Saviour’s having suffered spontaneously. One to shew that the apostles had courage to contend for their Master, and that their Lord had the power of healing the servant, Malchus, who was maimed; the other, which was not drawn from its scabbard, shews that the apostles were withheld from doing in his defence as much as they could have done. Ven. Bede.
  • Ver. 43. An angel . . . strengthening him. Christ, our Redeemer, was truly God and truly man. And being made man by a real union of his divine person and nature, to our weak and infirm human nature, he likewise took upon him our infirmities, sin excepted. We must consider him as man, when we read of his being tempted in the wilderness, (Matt. iv.) when he wept at the raising of Lazarus out of the grave, (John xi.) as often as we read of his praying; and here, when we read of his praying, and redoubling his prayer in the garden, when we find him seized with fear, sadness, and grief: for though, as God, he could prevent and hinder these passions and affections natural to man, yet he could also permit them to affect his human nature; as he permitted himself to be seized with hunger, after fasting forty days; and so he permitted his human nature to be seized with fear and grief in this garden of Gethsemani. As angels came and ministered to him after his fast in the wilderness, so an angel came as it were to propose to him the divine decree, that he was to suffer and die for the redemption of mankind; and as man, he is said to be strengthened and comforted by the angel: he, who as God, was Lord and maker of the angels, and so needed not to be strengthened by his creatures. Besides what happened to Christ as man, were ordained as instructions for us. We are taught by angels appearing, that they were not only ready to assist and wait upon Christ, but that, by the order of divine Providence, they are also ready to assist us in our temptations and afflictions. — In an agony. This Greek word signifies, a strife, or combat; not that there could be any opposition or contrariety in the interior of Christ, whose human will was always perfectly subject to his divine will, and the sensitive part to reason: yet, inasmuch as he was truly man, his human nature dreaded all those sufferings which at that time were represented to his soul, and which in a few hours he was to undergo. Wi.
  • Ver. 44. And his sweat became as drops of blood, &c. This has sometimes happened, though in a lesser degree, to persons under extraordinary grief, if we believe Aristotle, l. iii. Animanium, c. xix. p. 891, and lib. de part. Animalium, c. v. p. 1156. Ed. Aureliæ Allobr. an 1607. — This passage of Christ’s bloody sweat, and of the apparition of the angel, was heretofore wanting in divers both Greek and Latin copies; as appears by S. Jerom, (l. ii. cont. Pelagianos. tom. iv, part 2, p. 521) and by S. Hilary, l. x. de Trin. p. 1062. Nov. Ed. It seems to have been left out by ignorant transcribers, who thought it not consistent with the dignity of Christ. But we find it in the above-said place, in S. Jerom, in S. Chrys. (hom. lxxxiv. in Matt.), in S. Aug. (in Ps. cxl. tom. iv, p. 1564, and in Psal. xciii, p. 1013.) in S. Epiphan. in Ancorato, p. 36, Ed. Petav. Wi.
  • LUKE 23
  • CHAPTER XXIII.
  • Ver. 7. He sent him away to Herod. Pilate, in this instance, not only extricated himself from the importunities of the Jewish priests, (v. 5) but moreover obeyed the Roman law in that particular, which forbade any one to be condemned by a governor to whom he was not the subject. Theophylactus.
  • Ver. 11. And mocked him. It is evident from the behaviour of Herod on this occasion, that he was far from believing him to be that seditious person he was represented; otherwise he would have undoubtedly treated his prisoner with less ridicule, and paid more serious attention to the accusations of his enemies. Theophylactus. — Putting on him a white garment. The Greek signifies not only a white, but a shining splendid robe: perhaps with some resemblance to royal garments, but at the same time through scorn and derision. Wi.
  • Ver. 15. Nothing worthy of death is done to him. Herod has not treated him as a criminal, or one worthy of death. He only derided him as a fool: had there been any cause to punish him, he would not have failed to have done it himself, or commanded me to put him to death. Calmet.
  • Ver. 16. It was a very common punishment among the Jews to scourge those who had committed crimes for which death would have been too severe. According to the laws of the Hebrews, (Deut. xxv. 3.) the number of blows could not exceed thirty-nine. Pilate dares not condemn Jesus to death, because he believes him innocent; yet not to disoblige the people and magistrates, who demanded his death, he takes a middle way, which, as is usual in such cases, satisfies neither party. He neither saves the innocent Victim, nor satisfies justice. In lieu of one punishment, Jesus suffers two. He is at length both scourged and crucified. Calmet.
  • Ver. 28. Weep not over me. If you knew the evils that threaten and must soon fall upon your city, upon yourselves, and upon your children, you would preserve your tears to deplore your own misfortunes. My death is for the good of mankind; but it will be fatal to your nation because you have been pleased to make it so. In the ruin of Jerusalem, which is at hand, happy shall they be who have no children. They shall save themselves the grief of seeing their sons and daughters perish miserably, and in some sort of suffering as many deaths as they have children to die. Calmet.
  • Ver. 31. In the green wood: by which are signified persons of virtue and sanctity; as by the dry wood, the wicked, who bring forth no fruit, and who, like dry wood, are fit to be cast into the fire. Wi. — If they be thus cruel with me, how will they treat you!
  • Ver. 33. Called Calvary. A place at a small distance from Jerusalem, where condemned malefactors were beheaded. So Christ, as a malefactor, dies on Calvary for the redemption of all: that where sin abounded, grace might more abound. Ven. Bede. — In this mountain, according to the Hebrew doctors, were interred the remains of our protoparent, Adam. Athana.
  • Ver. 43. I say to thee: This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise; i.e. in a place of rest with the souls of the just. The construction is not, I say to thee this day, &c., but, thou shalt be with me this day in the paradise. Wi. — In paradise. That is, in the happy state of rest, joy and peace everlasting. Christ was pleased by a special privilege, to reward the faith and confession of the penitent thief with a full discharge of all his sins, both as to the guilt and punishment, and to introduce him, immediately after death, into the happy society of the saints, whose limbo (that is, the place of their confinement) was now made a paradise by our Lord’s going thither. Ch. — The soul of the good thief was that same day with Jesus Christ, in the felicity of the saints, in Abraham’s bosom, or in heaven, where Jesus was always present by his divinity. S. Aug. — S. Cyril, of Jerusalem, says he entered heaven before all the patriarchs and prophets. S. Chrys. thinks that paradise was immediately open to him, and that he entered heaven the first mankind.—Tom. v. homil. 32.
  • Ver. 51. Arimathea. In other parts of Scripture it is called Ramatha, a city of Judea, where Samuel, the prophet, was born. Ven. Bede.
  • Ver. 52. This man went to Pilate. We may suppose that from his rank and condition in life, he had always access to Pilate.
  • Ver. 54. Parasceve. That is, the eve or day of preparation for the sabbath. Ch. — And the sabbath drew near. Lit. shined. The sabbath began in the evening, at sunset. It may, perhaps, be said to shine by the moonlight, at full-moon, or because of a great many lights that used to be set up at that time, on account of the great sabbath. Wi. — We learn from Maimon, that all the Jews were so strictly bound to keep a light in their dwellings on the sabbath-day, that although a man had not bread to eat, he was expected to be from door to door, to purchase oil for his lamp. P.

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