Sunday Bible Readings 24th Sunday Ordinary Time Sept 16 2007 with Traditional Catholic Commentary

Please look here. Many people are coming via search engine. Google is sending people to last year’s readings. Please check the date. If you are on the wrong year please CLICK HERE and then check the calendar to the left. Sunday readings are usually posted on the previous Wednesday and then again on the proper Sunday. Thank you, and I apologize for the inconvenience.

Sept 16 2007 Bible Readings 24th Sunday Ordinary Time

About the sources used.

The readings on this site are not official for the Sunday Mass of Roman Catholic Church, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – dead link removed – Go here for NAB translation

Exodus 32:7-14
Douay-Challoner Text from SacredBible.org

⁷ And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Go, get thee down: thy people, which thou hast brought out of the land of Egypt, hath sinned. ⁸ They have quickly strayed from the way which thou didst shew them: and they have made to themselves a molten calf, and have adored it, and sacrificing victims to it, have said: These are thy gods, O Israel, that have brought thee out of the land of Egypt.

⁹ And again the Lord said to Moses: I see that this people is stiffnecked: ¹⁰ Let me alone, that my wrath may be kindled against them, and that I may destroy them, and I will make of thee a great nation.

¹¹ But Moses besought the Lord his God, saying: Why, O Lord, is thy indignation enkindled against thy people, whom thou hast brought out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and with a mighty hand? ¹² Let not the Egyptians say, I beseech thee: He craftily brought them out, that he might kill them in the mountains, and destroy them from the earth: let thy anger cease, and be appeased upon the wickedness of thy people. ¹³ Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou sworest by thy own self, saying: I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven: and this whole land that I have spoken of, I will give to your seed, and you shall possess it for ever:

¹⁴ And the Lord was appeased from doing the evil which he had spoken against his people.

Haydock Commentary Exodus 32:7-14

• Ver. 7. Thy people. They are not worthy to be styled my people; and thou didst ratify the covenant with me, in their name, and as their interpreter. They have sinned, giving way to idolatry in thought, word, and deed.
• Ver. 9. And again. The Sept. omit this verse. Moses, at the first intimation of the people’s sin, fell prostrate before the Lord, to sue for pardon, and pleaded the natural weakness of an ungovernable multitude, in order to extenuate their fault. This God admits.—I see, &c. But while he seems bent on punishing them, to try his servant, he encourages him inwardly to pray with fervour. Salien.
• Ver. 10. Alone One fully determined on revenge will bear with no expostulation; whence S. Greg. (Mor. ix. 11,) and Theodoret (q. 67,) look upon this as an incitement to pray more earnestly, seeing God’s servants have such influence over Him. The mercy of God struggled with his justice, and stopped its effects.—Nation, as I promised to Abraham; or I will make thee ruler over a nation greater than this, as Moses explains it, (Deut. ix. 14,) and as the like offer is made, Num. xiv. 12. The Sam. Subjoins here, “And God was likewise much irritated against Aaron, and would have destroyed him; but Moses prayed for him:” which we are assured was the case. Deut. ix. 20. C.
• Ver. 11. Why, &c. Calvin here accuses Moses of arrogance, in prescribing laws to God’s justice. But S. Jerome (ep. ad Gaud.) commends his charity and “prayer, which hindered God’s power.” W.
• Ver. 12. Craftily. Heb. “with a malicious design.” Moses insinuates, that the glory of God is interested not to punish the Hebrews, lest the Gentiles should *plaspheme, particularly as the land of Chanaan seemed to be promised unconditionally to the posterity of Abraham, who were now, all but one, to be exterminated. H.
• Ver. 13. Thy servants. Thus God honours his friends, and rewards their merits, which are the effects of his grace. W.
• Ver. 14. Appeased. Yet of this Moses was not fully assured, and in effect only those who had been less guilty, were reprieved to be punished afterwards. V. 30. 35. H.

*plaspheme – not a typo. That’s how it appears in the text. I am unaware of a definition for this term.

1 Timothy 1:12-17 Haydock NT

¹² I give thanks to him who hath strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, that he deemed me faithful, putting me in the ministry: ¹³ Who before was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and contumelious: but I obtained the mercy of God, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

¹⁴ Now the grace of our Lord hath abounded exceedingly with faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ A faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation: that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief. ¹⁶ But for this cause have I obtained mercy: that in me first Christ Jesus might shew forth all patience, for the information of those who shall believe in him unto life everlasting. ¹⁷ Now to the king of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Haydock Commentary 1 Timothy 1:12-17

· Ver. 13. Because I did it ignorantly in unbelief, or in incredulity. Not that we can think it an invincible and altogether an inculpable ignorance, such as would have made S. Paul blameless in the sight of God. It was through his pure mercy that he called S. Paul, when his great sins and false zeal made him a greater object of the divine mercy: and God in him was pleased to make known to all men his wonderful patience, that no sinners might despair. The grace of God was superabounding, or exceedingly abundant in him. Wi.

· Ver. 15. Christ Jesus, the true Son of God, came into this world to save sinners, of whom (says S. Paul) I am the chief, the first, the greatest. Wi.

Luke 15:1-32 Haydock NT

The parables of the lost sheep, and of the prodigal son.

NOW the publicans and sinners drew near unto him, to hear him. ² And the Pharisees and the Scribes murmured, saying:

“This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”

³ And he spoke to them this parable, saying:

⁴ What man among you that hath a hundred sheep, and if he shall lose one of them, doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the desert, and go after that which is lost until he find it? ⁵ And when he hath found it, doth he not lay it upon his shoulders rejoicing: ⁶ And coming home call together his friends and neighbors, saying to them: Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost?

⁷ I say to you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance, more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance.

⁸ Or what woman, having ten groats, if she lose one groat, doth not light a candle and sweep the house, and seek diligently, till she find it? ⁹ And when she hath found it, call together her friends and neighbours, saying: Rejoice with me, because I have found the groat which I had lost.

¹⁰ So I say to you, there shall be joy before the Angels of God upon one sinner doing penance.

¹¹ And he said:

A certain man had two sons: ¹² And the younger of them said to his father: ‘Father, give me the portion of substance that falleth to me.’ And he divided until them his substance. ¹³ And not many days after, the younger son gathering all together, went abroad into a far country: and there wasted his substance by living riotously. ¹⁴ And after he had spent all, there came a might famine in that country, and he began to be in want. ¹⁵ And he went, and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country. And he sent him into his farm to feed swine. ¹⁶ And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. ¹⁷ And returning to himself, he said: ‘How many hired servants in my father’s house have plenty of bread, and I here perish with hunger?’ ¹⁸ I will arise, and will go to my father, and say to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee: ¹⁹ I am not now worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

²⁰ And rising up, he went to his father. And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and running to him, fell upon his neck and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee: I am not now worthy to be called thy son.’ ²² But the father said to his servants: ‘Bring forth, quickly, the first robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: ²³ And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and make merry: ²⁴ Because this, my son, was dead, and is come to life again: he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

²⁵ Now his elder son was in the field: and when he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing: ²⁶ And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. ²⁷ And he said to him: Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe. ²⁸ And he was angry, and would not go in. His father, therefore, coming out, began to entreat him. ²⁹ And he answering, said to his father: ‘Behold, for so many years do I serve thee, and I have never transgressed thy commandment, and yet thou hast never given me a kid to make merry with my friends: ³⁰ But as soon as this, thy son, is come, who hath devoured his substance with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.’

³¹ But he said to him: ‘Son, thou art always with me, and all I have is thine. ³² But it was fit that we should make merry and be glad, for this, thy brother, was dead, and is come to life again: he was lost, and is found.’

Haydock Commentary Luke Chapter 15

· Ver. 4. What man, &c. Christ left the ninety-nine in the desert, when he descended from the angelic choirs, in order to seek last man on the earth, that he might fill up the number of the sheepfold of heaven, from which his sins had excluded him. S. Amb.—Neither did his affection for the last sheep make him behave cruelly to the rest; for he left them in safety, under the protection of his omnipotent hand. S. Cyril ex D. Thoma Aquin.

· Ver. 7. Joy in heaven, &c. What incitement ought it not to be to use to practise virtue, when we reflect that our conversion causes joy to the troops of blessed spirits, whose protection we should always seek, and whose presence we should always revere. S. Amb.—There is greater joy for the conversion of a sinner, than for the perseverance of the just; but it frequently happens, that these being free from the chain of sin, remain indeed in the path of justice, but press not on eagerly to their heavenly country; whilst such as have been sinners, are stung with grief at the remembrance of their former transgressions, and calling to mind how they have forsaken their God, endeavour by present fervour to compensate for their past misconduct. But it must be remembered that there are many just, whose lives cause such joy to the heavenly court, that all the penitential exercises of sinners cannot be preferred before them. S. Gregory, hom. xxxiv.

· Ver. 8. In the preceding parable, the race of mankind is compared to a lost sheep, to teach us that we are the creatures of the most high God, who made us, and not we ourselves, of whose pasture we are the sheep. Ps. xcix. And in this parable mankind are compared to the drachma, which was lost, to shew us that we have been makde to the royal likeness and image even of the omnipotent God; for the drachma is a piece of money, bearing the image of the king. S. Chrysos. In S. Tho. Aquin.

· Ver. 10. Before the angels. By this it is plain that the spirits in heaven have a concern for us below, and a joy at our repentance, and consequently a knowledge of it. Ch.

· Ver. 11. A certain man had two sons. By the elder son is commonly expounded the Jewish people, who for a long time had been chosen to serve God; and by the younger son, the Gentiles, who for so many ages had run blindly on in their idolatry and vices. Wi.—Some understand this of the Jews and Gentiles, others of the just and sinners. The former opinion seems preferable. The elder son, brought up in his father’s house, &c. represents the Jews; the younger prodigal is a figure of the Gentiles. Calmet.

· Ver. 12. It is very probable, from this verse, that the children of the family, when come to age, could demand of their parents the share of property which would fall to their lot. For these parables suppose the ordinary practices of the country, and are founded on what was customarily done. Grotius thinks this was the common law among the Phoenicians.—The Gentiles, prefigured by the prodigal son, received from their father, (the Almighty,) free-will, reason, mind, health, natural knowledge, and the goods which are common to mankind, all which they dissipated and abused. Sinners who have besides received the gift of faith and sanctification, by baptism, and who have profaned the holiness of their state, by crimes, are more express figures of the bad conduct of this son. Calmet.

· Ver. 16. Husks. This expresses the extreme misery of his condition. There is no need of seeking any other mystery in this world. Horace, by a kind of hyperbole, (B. ii, Ep. 1) represents the miser as living upon husks, to be able to save more.
Vivit silquis et pane secundo.
–And no man gave unto him; i.e. gave him bread, mentioned before; for as for the husks, he could take what he pleased. Wi.

· Ver. 18. How merciful is the Almighty, who, though so much offended, still does not disdain the name of father.—I have sinned. These are the first words of a sinner’s confession to the author of nature. God knows all things; still does he expect to hear the voice of your confession. It is in vain to think of concealing your sins from the eyes of him whom nothing can escape; and there can be no danger of acknowledging to him what his infinite knowledge has already embraced. Confess then that Christ may intercede for you, the Church pray for you, the people our forth their tears for you. Fear not that you cannot obtain pardon, for pardon is promised to you; grace, and a reconciliation with a most tender parent, are held out to you. S. Ambrose.—Before thee, &c. By this does our Redeemer shew, that the Almighty is here to be understood by the name of father: for the all-seeing eye of God only beholds all things, from whom even the secret machinations of the heart cannot be concealed. S. Chrys. ex D. Tho.

· Ver. 22. The first; i.e. the best robe: by it, is meant the habit of grace. Wi.

· Ver. 24. Was dead, and is come to life again. A sinner, in mortal sin, is deprived of the divine grace, which is the spiritual life of the soul. At his conversion it is restored to him, and he begins to live again. Wi.

· Ver. 25. His elder son, &c. We have already remarked, that this son represents the Jews. He boasts of having always served his father faithfully, and of never disobeying him. This is the language of that presumptuous people, who believe themselves alone holy; and despising the Gentiles with sovereign contempt, could not bear to see the gates of salvation laid open also to them. The 28^th, 29^th, and 30^th verses express admirably the genius of the Jewish people; particularly his refusing to enter his father’s house, shews their obstinacy. Calmet.

· Ver. 29. I have never transgressed, &c. With what face could the Jews, represented here by the eldest son, say they had never transgressed the commandments of their father? This made Tertullian think that this was not the expression of the Jews, but of the faithful Christians; and, therefore, he interprets the whole parable as applied to a disciple of Christ. But we should recollect, that it is not uncommon for the presumption to boast of what it never has done. The whole history of the Jews is full of numberless details of their prevarication and disobedience. Calmet.—A kid, &c. The Jews demanded a kid, but the Christians a lamb; therefore was Barabbas set at liberty for them, whilst for us the lamb was immolated. S. Amb.

Call upon Mary

From Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. Homily 2, Super Missus est.

I found this treat while transcribing the Haydock notes and thought it deserved it’s own spot.

O you who find yourselves tossed to and fro in this tempestuous life,
turn not your eyes away from the brightness of this star,
if you would not be overwhelmed in these storms.
If the winds of temptations arise; if you fall among the rocks of tribulation;
look up to the star, call upon Mary.

If you are agitated, and hard driven with the surges of pride, ambition, detraction, jealousy, or envy;
look up to the star, call upon Mary.

If anger, covetousness, or lust beat furiously on the vessel of your soul;
look up to the star, call upon Mary.

If you are beginning to founder, and are just sinking into the gulph of melancholy and despair;
think on Mary.

In dangers, in distresses, in perplexities, think on Mary, call on Mary.
Let her name be never absent from your mouth;
from your mouth let it constantly descend into your heart;
and, that you may obtain the suffrage of her prayers;
both in life and death, never depart from the example of her pious conversation.

This found in the notes for Luke 1:27 in your Haydock Bible.

Saint Bernard is a Doctor of the Church and the founding abbot of Clairvaux Abbey. His writings inspired many to become Cistercians. Calvinists on Youtube sing songs written by St Bernard at their Baptist Church services. Maybe it’s the Arizona heat getting to them.

Sunday Bible Readings 23nd Sunday Ordinary Time Sept 9 2007

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Sep 09 2007 23^rd Week Ordinary Time Sunday

About the sources used.

The Scripture readings on this site are not official as they are from older, public domain sources. They are here to present the comparable Sunday Mass Bible passages alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible.

Official Readings – dead link removed – Go here for NAB translation

Wisdom 9:13-18b DR-Challoner

¹³ For who among men is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of God is? ¹⁴ For the thoughts of mortal men are fearful, and our counsels uncertain. ¹⁵ For the corruptible body is a load upon the soul, and the earthly habitation presseth down the mind that museth upon many things. ¹⁶ And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth: and with labour do we find the things that are before us. But the things that are in heaven, who shall search out? ¹⁷ And who shall know thy thought, except thou give wisdom, and send thy Holy Spirit from above: ¹⁸ And so the ways of them that are upon earth may be corrected, and men may learn the things that please thee?

Wisdom 9:13-18 Haydock Commentary

· Ver. 17. Thought. How shall we govern as we ought, and act as thy vicegerents, without thy Spirit? Prov. xvi. 10. and 2 K. xiv. 17.

Philemon 9-17 Haydock NT

⁹ For charity sake I rather beseech, thou being such a one, as Paul an old man, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ: ¹⁰ I beseech thee for my son, Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my chains, ¹¹ Who heretofore was unprofitable to thee, but now profitable both to me and to thee. ¹² Whom I have sent back to thee. And do thou receive him as my own bowels: ¹³ Whom I would have retained with me, that for thee he might have ministered to me in the bands of the gospel: ¹⁴ But without thy counsel I would do nothing, that thy good deed might not be as it were of necessity, but voluntary. ¹⁵ For perhaps he, therefore, departed for a season from thee, that thou mightest receive him for ever: ¹⁶ Not now as a servant, but instead of a servant, a most dear brother, especially to me: but how much more to thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? ¹⁷ If, therefore, thou count me a partner, receive him as myself

Philemon 9-17 Haydock Commentary

· Ver. 9. I rather beseech thee, thou being such a one, as Paul. That is, united to him in spirit, by the same faith and charity; I am therefore confident thou wilt not refuse the request of Paul, now an aged man, and a prisoner, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Wi.

· Ver. 10. I beseech thee, &c. &c. He at length tells Philemon what his request is, and names the person Onesimus, but in such terms as shew how much S. Paul has this affair at heart, and that he will look upon the favour he asks as done to himself. It is, that thou wilt pardon Onesimus, whom I look upon and love as my son, and a most dear son, whom I have begotten, a prisoner, and in my chains. Wi.—How great is the ingenuity shewn by S. Paul in this epistle, in obtaining for Onesimus the pardon of his master, Philemon. Having in the preceding verse endeavoured by every argument which a real tenderness and compassion could inspire, and making use of every expression that could conciliate the favour of Philemon, to obtain his charitable request, he in this verse for the first time dares mention Onesimus by name; a name which he was sensible must sound harsh in the ears of one who had received an injury from him. See how he endeavours to prevent so unhappy an effect, by adding to the name every epithet that could any way tend to soften all feelings of asperity, and excite compassion and pity. I beseech thee then for my son, whom I have begotten, and that in my chains. Calmet.—The pardon I crave is not for your slave, but for my son. If in all antiquity there be any thing in the persuasive kind of eloquence truly admirable, it is this short epistle in which there are contained almost as many arguments as words.

· Ver. 11. Who heretofore was unprofitable to thee, in taking and spending what belonged to thee, yet now, after a sincere conversion, is profitable both to me and thee; to me, by the services he has done me in prison; and the joy I have had by his conversion; and also to thee, because I know thou wouldst have been glad to have rendered me all possible services thyself, and he has done them for thee; he hath supplied thy place. For these reasons I could have wished to have detained him with me: but I have sent him back, thou being his master, nor would I do any thing in regard of thy servant, without they advice and consent, that if thou thinkest it fitting to send him back again to me, and to give him his freedom, it may be without any constraint upon thee, without any necessity, thy voluntary and charitable act and deed. Wi.—S. Paul here makes an allusion to the word Onesimus, signifying useful in the Greek. He was before unprofitable, he says, to thee, contrary to the import of his name; but now he is truly an Onesimus, or useful, both to you and to me; to you indeed, by his conversion, and the resolution he now makes to serve you faithfully the remainder of his life; to me also, by the services he renders me in my chains. Calmet.—S. Jerome observes that some hypercritics pretended that this subject was not deserving the solicitude of an apostle, and on that account questioned its author; but this reasoning is unworthy of those who adore a God who did not refuse to die for rebellious and impious slaves. It shews pastors how solicitous they should always be for the salvation of the meanest of their flock; yes, though they may appear obdurate, and dead and buried in the pit of sin.

· Ver. 12-15. Do thou receive him as my own bowels. That is, as myself. Perhaps by the permission of God’s providence (who never permits evil, but for some greater good) he departedfrom thee for a little while, that thou mightest receive him for ever, being now after his conversion in a way of being made partaker with thee of the same eternal happiness. Wi.

· Ver. 16. Receive him not now as a servant, but also as a most dear brother, especially to me. Nay I may say, how much more dear even to thee, both in the flesh, having been a Gentile as thou thyself wast, and having been also a servant in thy family. And secondly, he ought now to be dear to thee in our Lord, he who was thy servant, being now united to thee by the same faith, and by an union of charity. See Estius. Wi.

· Ver. 17. If, therefore, thou count me a partner, as a brother in Christ, as a member of Christ with thee, receive him as myself. Wi.

Luke 14:25-33 Haydock NT

²⁵ And there went great multitudes with him: and turning, he said to them: ²⁶ “If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And whosoever doth not carry his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. ²⁸ For which of you, having a mind to build a tower, doth not first sit down and reckon the charges that are necessary, whether he have wherewithal to finish it? ²⁹ Lest after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that see it begin to mock him, ³⁰ Saying: ‘This man began to build, and was not able to finish.’ ³¹ Or what king about to go to make war against another king, doth not first sit down and think, whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that with twenty thousand cometh against him? ³² Or else whilst the other is yet afar off, sending an embassy, he desireth conditions of peace. ³³ So likewise every one of you that doth not renounce all that he possesseth, cannot be my disciple.”

Luke 14:25-33 Haydock Commentary

• Ver. 26. Hate not, &c. The law of Christ does not allow us to hate even our enemies, much less our parents: but the meaning of the text is, that we must be in that disposition of soul so as to be willing to renounce and part with everything, how near or dear soever it may be to us, that would keep us from following Christ. Ch.—The word hate is not to be taken in its proper sense, but to be expounded by the words of Christ, (Matt. x. 37.) that no man must love his father more than God, &c. Wi.—Christ wishes to shew us what dispositions are necessary in him who desires to become his disciple; (Theophy.) and to teach us that we must not be discouraged, if we meet with many hardships and labours in our journey to our heavenly country. S. Greg.—And if for our sakes, Christ even renounced his own mother, saying, Who is my mother, and who are my brethren? Why do you wish to be treated more delicately than your Lord? S. Ambrose.—He wished also to demonstrate to us, that the hatred he here inculcates, is not to proceed from any disaffection towards our parents, but from charity for ourselves; for immediately he adds, and his own life also. From which words it is evident, that in our love we must hate our brethren as we do ourselves.
• Ver. 28. For which of you, &c. The similitude, which our divined Saviour makes use of, represents the offices and duty of a true Christian, for he has to build within himself and conduct others by his example to war with the devil, the world, and the flesh; and he has to season, purify, and keep all his actions free from corruption by the spiritual salt of mortification and prayer. Tirinus.
• Ver. 29. Lest after, &c. Here he wishes to shew us, that we are not to embrace any state of life, particularly that of an ecclesiastic, without previous and serious consideration, whether we shall be able to go through with the difficulties and dangers which will inevitably befall us: lest afterwards we find ourselves constrained to yield to our enemies, who will deride us, and say: This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Tirinus.

Daily Readings Sat. Sept 8 2007 22nd Week Ordinary Time

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Daily Bible Readings for Mass Saturday 22nd Week Ordinary Time Sept 8 2007

About the sources used.

The readings on this site are not official for the Roman Catholic Church, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible.

Official Readings – dead link removed – Go here for NAB translation

Micah 5:1-4

¹ Now shalt thou be laid waste, O daughter of the robber: they have laid siege against us, with a rod shall they strike the cheek of the judge of Israel. ² And thou Bethlehem Ephrata, art a little one among the thousands of Juda, out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be the ruler in Israel: and his going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity. ³ Therefore will he give them up even till the time wherein she that travaileth shall bring forth: and the remnant of his brethren shall be converted to the children of Israel. ⁴ And he shall stand, and feed in the strength of the Lord, in the height of the name of the Lord, his God: and they shall be converted, for now shall he be magnified even to the ends of the earth.

Haydock Commentary Micah 5:1-4

· Ver. 1. Robber. Some understand this of Babylon, which robbed and pillaged the temple of God; others understand it of Jerusalem, by reason of the many rapines and oppressions committed there. Ch.—Heb. “now assemble, O daughter of troops;” Babylon, famous (H.) for soldiers, who will seize Sedecias; (Jer. xxxix. 6. C.) or Jerusalem, noted for rapine. C. iii. Thou shalt be spoiled, yet restored till Bethlehem bring forth Christ, the ruler of the world. W.

· Ver. 2. Ephrata. This was the ancient name (H.) of Bethlehem, (Gen. xxxv. 16.) though some think that it was so called after Caleb’s wife. 1 Par. ii. 19.—Art, or “art thou?” &c. which makes it agree with Mat. ii. 4.—Little. Heb. tsahir, (H.) is often rendered “considerable.” Chal.—Thousands: capital cities. Zac. ix. 7. Bethlehem seemed to mean to send forth a ruler over the rest. The ancient Jews clearly understood this of the Messias. The moderns explain it of Zorobabel: but the expressions are too grand for him. C.—S. Jerome accuses the Jews of having designedly omitted some cities, (Jos. xv. 60.) because Bethlehem Ephrata is one. It is nowhere else thus described. Kennicott.00The priests substituted land of Juda instead of Ephrata. Mat. ii. H.—The evangelist recites their words, to shew their negligence in quoting Scripture. “yet some assert, that in almost all quotations from the Old Text, the order or words are changed, and sometimes the sense, …. As the apostles did not write out of a book, but trusted to memory, which is sometimes fallacious.” S. Jer.—This principle would be very dangerous, (Simon. Crit. i. 17.) and we should attribute the variation to other causes, as the sacred penman could not mistake. H.—Bethlehem, though a little town, was rendered more illustrious than many others by the birth of Christ. W.—Forth. That is, he who as man shall be born in thee, as God was born of his Father from all eternity. Ch.—His coming was also long before announced. Orig. c. Cels. i.—But the former sense is preferable. C.—Eternity. These expressions singly imply a long time; (Ex. xxi. 6. Ps. xxiii. 7.) but when doubled, sœculum sœculi, &c. they must be understood of an absolute eternity, which Christ enjoyed with the Father and the Holy Ghost; though, in his human nature, he was born in time. W.

· Ver. 3. Forth, till Babylon let them go; (Sanct.) or the Jews shall enjoy the land till Christ come; (S. Jerome. exp. ii.) or he will leave them in their blindness till the nations shall have received the gospel, when there shall be one fold. Jo. x. 16. Rom. xi. 25.

· Ver. 4. Earth. Christ shall be glorified, governing his Church. The Jews shall be respected as a people singularly favoured.

Romans 8:28-30 Haydock NT

28 And we know that to them that love God, all things work together unto good, to such as according to his purpose are called to be saints. 29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son: that he might be the first-born amongst many brethren. 30 And whom he predestinated, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Haydock Commentary Romans 8:28-30

· Ver. 28. To them that love God, all things work together unto good. All trials, temptations, afflictions, must be taken as coming from the hand of God, who ordains or permits them for the greater good of his elect.—For the good of those, who, according to his purpose | are called the saints. Lit. according to purpose: but it seems certain that to translate his purpose, is only to give the literal sense, if we compare this place with other texts, both in the Greek and Latin, where the same words signify according to God’s good will, or his eternal decree, and not according to the purpose, or will of men, as some expound it. Wi.

· Ver. 29. For whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son, in suffering with Christ, in following his doctrine, in imitating his life. This foreknowledge of God, according to S. Augustine, is not merely a foreseeing of what men will do by the assistance and graces of God’s ordinary providence, much less a foreseeing of what they will do by their own natural strength, as the Pelagian heretics pretended: but is a foreknowledge including an act of the divine will, and of his love towards his elect servants; (as to know in the Scriptures, when applies to God, is many times the same as to approve and love) God therefore hath foreseen or predestinated, or decreed that these elect, by the ehlp of his special graces, and by the cooperation of their free will, should be conformable to the image of his Son, that so his Son, even as man, might be the first born, the chief, and the head of all that shall be saved. We.—God hath preordained that all his elect shall be conformable to the image of his Son. We must not here offer to dive into the secrets of God’s eternal election: only firmly believe that all our good, in time and eternity, flows originally from God’s free goodness; and all our evil from man’s free will. Ch.

· Ver. 30. And whom he predestinate, them he also called to the true faith and to his service, without any deserts in them, nay, when all mankind were guilty of eternal death, by original sin.00And whom he called, them he also justified, by faith, by hope, by a love of him, and a true penance.—And whom he justified, them he also glorified. That is, hath decreed to glorify. Yet not all who have been justified, but only his elect, who are under his special protection, and to whom he grants a perseverance, and glorification in heaven, are the effects of their free election and predestination. Wi.

Matthew 1:1-23 before that is genealogy Haydock NT

The genealogy of Christ: he is conceived and born of a virgin.

THE book of the generation of JESUS CHRIST, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

² Abraham begot Isaac. And Isaac begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Judas and his brethren. ³ And Judas begot Phares and Zara, of Thamar. And Phares begot Esron. And Esron begot Aram. ⁴ And Arain begot Aminadab. And Aminadab begot Naasson. Arid Naasson begot Salmon. ⁵ And Salmon begot Booz of Rahab. And Booz begot Obed of Ruth. And Obed begot Jesse. ⁶ And Jesse begot David, the king. And David, the king, begot Solomon, of her that had been the wife of Urias. ⁷ And Solomon begot Roboam. And Roboam begot Abias. And Abias begot Asa. ⁸ And Asa begot Josaphat. And Josaphat begot Joram. And Joram begot Ozias. ⁹ And Ozias begot Joatham. And Joatham begot Achas. And Achas begot Ezechias. ¹⁰ And Ezechias begot Manasses. And Manasses begot Amon. And Amon begot Josias ¹¹ And Josias begot Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon. ¹² And after they were carried to Babylon, Jechonias begot Salathiel. And Salathiel begot Zorobabel. ¹³ And Zorobabel begot Abiud. And Abiud begot Eliacim. And Eliacim begot Azor. ¹⁴ And Azor begot Sadoc. And Sadoc begot Achim. And Achim begot Eliud. ¹⁵ And Eliud begot Eleazar. And Eleazar begot Mathan. And Mathan begot Jacob.

¹⁶ And Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. ¹⁷ So all the generations from Abraham to David, are fourteen generations: and from David until the carrying away to Babylon, fourteen generations: and from the carrying away to Babylon till Christ, fourteen generations.

¹⁸ Now the birth of Christ was thus: When Mary, his mother, was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. ¹⁹ Whereupon Joseph, her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately. ²⁰ But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: “Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost. ²¹ And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shall call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” ²² Now all this was done that the word might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: ²³ “Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

Matthew 1:1-23 Haydock Commentary

• Ver. 1. The first English Testament divided into verses, was that printed at Geneva, by Conrad Badius, in the year 1557. A.—” The book of the Generation,” is not referred to the whole gospel, but to the beginning, as in Gen. v. “This is the book of the generation of Adam-” E.—The book of the * Generation, i.e. the genealogy or pedigree, which is here set down in the first sixteen verses. In the style of the Scriptures any short schedule or roll is called a book, as the bill or short writing of a divorce, is called a little book. Matt. v. 31. Wi.—Jesus, in Hebrew Jesuah, is the proper name of Him, who was born of the Virgin Mary, who was also the Son of God, “a name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” Luke ii. It signifies Saviour, “because he was to save his people from their sins.” He was also called Christ, which signifies anointed; for though in the Old Testament kings, priests, and prophets were anointed and though many were then designated by the name of Jesus, properly, and by an invariable custom of the New Testament, that person is exclusively signified, who, on account of the union of the divine and human nature, was anointed by the Holy Ghost above all his fellows. Pa. xliv. and Heb. i. 9. Whence in this turn the hypostasis is understood, hi which the two natures, the divine and human, meet. K.
• Ver. 2. He begins with Abraham, the father of the faithful, because to him the promise was made, that all generations should be blessed in his seed. Theophylactus.
• Ver. 3. See Gen. xxxviii, v. 8. & dciii. and Zara of Thamar, her daughter- in-law. A.
• Ver. 5. See Josue. c. ii. & dein. We nowhere else find the marriage of Salmon with Rahab; but this event might have been known by tradition, the truth of which the divinely inspired evangelist here confirms. Bible de Vence. Rahab was a debauched woman, preserved in the pillage of Jericho, where she had been born. In this genealogy only four women are mentioned, of which two are Gentiles, and two adulteresses. Here the greatest sinners may 1111(1 grounds for confidence in the mercies of Jesus Christ, and hopes of pardon, when they observe how the Lord of life and glory, to cure our pride, not only humbled himself by taking upon himself the likeness of sinful flesh, but by deriving his descent from sinners, and inspiring the holy evangelist to record the same to all posterity. A.
• Ver. 6. Extract from S. Chrysostom’s first Homil. upon the first chapter of S. Matthew: “How, you will say, does it appear that Christ descended from David? For if he be born not of man, but of a virgin, concerning whose genealogy nothing is said, how shall we know that he is of the family of David? We have here two difficulties to explain. Why is the genealogy of the Virgin passed over in silence, and why is Joseph’s mentioned, as Christ did not descend from him? How shall we know that the Virgin is descended from David? Hear the words of the Almighty addressed to the archangel Gabriel: ‘Go to a virgin espoused to a man, whose name is Joseph, of the house and family of David.’ What could you wish plainer than this, when you hear that the Virgin is of the family of David I Hence it also appears that Joseph was of the same house, for there was a law which commanded them not to marry any one but of the same tribe But whether these words, of the house and family of David be applied to the Virgin or to Joseph, the argument is equally strong. For if he was of the family of David, he did not take a wife but out of the same tribe, from which he had descended. Perhaps you will say he transgressed this law. But the evangelist has prevented such a suspicion, by testifying beforehand that Joseph was a just man. Beware how you attach crime to him, whose virtue is thus publicly acknowledged. … . It was not the custom among the Hebrews to keep the genealogies of women. The evangelist conformed to this custom, that he might not at the very beginning of his gospel offend by transgressing ancient rites, and introducing novelty.”
• Ver. 8. Joram begot Ozias, three generations are omitted, as we find 2 Paralip. xxii; for there, Joram begot Ochozias, and Ochozias begot Joas, and Joas begot Amazias, and Amazias begot Ozias. This omission is not material, the design of S. Matthew being only to shew the Jews that Jesus, their Messias, was of the family of David; and he is equally the son, or the descendant of David, though the said three generations be left out: for Ozias maybe called the son of Joram, though Joram was his great-grandfather. Wi—It is thought that S. Matt. omitted these three kings, Ochozias, Joas, and Amazias, to preserve the distribution of his genealogy into three parts, each of fourteen generations; and, perhaps, also on account of their impiety, or rather on account of the sentence pronounced against the house of Achab, from which they were descended by their mother Athalia. 3 Kings xxi. 21. C.
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• Ver. 11. Jonas begot Jechonias, &c. The genealogy of Christ, as it appears by the 17th verse, is divided by the evangelist into thrice fourteen generations, and so it is to contain 42 persons. The first class of fourteen begins with Abraham, and ends with David. The second class begins with Solomon, and ends with Jechonias. The third class is supposed to begin with Salathiel, and to end, says S. Jerome, with our Saviour Christ. But thus we shall only find in the third class thirteen generations, and in all only forty-one, instead of forty-two. Not to mention in these short notes other interpretations, the conjecture of S. Epiphanius seems the most probable, that we are to understand two Jechonias’s, the father and the son, who had the same name. So that the true reading should be, Josias begot Jechonias and his brethren, and Jechonias begot Jechonias, and Jechonias begot Salathiel. Thus Jechonias named in the 12th verse is not the same, but the son of him that was named in the 11th verse; and from Jechonias the son, begins the third class, and so Christ himself will be the last or 14th person in that last series or class. There are several difficulties about reconciling this genealogy in S. Matthew with that in S. Luke, c. iii But without insisting on all the particulars in these short notes, I hope it may suffice to take notice, that no one can reasonably doubt but that both the evangelists copied out the genealogical tables, as they were then extant, and carefully preserved by the Jews, and especially by those families that were of the tribe of Juda, and of the family of David, of which the Messias was to be born. For if the evangelists had either falsified, or made any mistake as to these genealogies, the Jews undoubtedly would have objected this against their gospels, which they never did. Wi.—The difficulties hers are: 1. Why does S. Math give the genealogy of Joseph and not of Mary 1 2. How is it inferred that Jesus is descended from David and Solomon, because Joseph is the son of David? 3. How can Joseph have two men for his father, Jacob of the race of Solomon, and Heli of the race of Nathan? To the 1st it is generally answered, that it was not customary with the Jews to draw out the genealogies of women; to the 2nd, that Jesus being the son of Joseph, either by adoption, or simply as the son of Mary his wife, he entered by that circumstance into all the rights of the family of Joseph; moreover, Mary was of the game tribe and family as Joseph, and thus the heir of the branch of Solomon marrying with the heiress of the branch of Nathan, the rights of the two families united in Joseph and Mary, were transmitted through them to Jesus, their son and heir; to the 3rd, that Jacob was the father of Joseph according to nature, and Heli his father according to law; or that Joseph was the son of the latter by adoption, and of the former by nature. A.—In the transmigration, or transportation to Babylon; i.e. about the time the Jews were carried away captives to Babylon. For Josias died before their transportation. See 4 K. xxiv. Wi.—Some think we are to read: Josias begot Joakim and his brethren; and Joakim begot Joachim, or Jechonias. Jechonias was son to Joakim, and grandson to Josias. The brothers of Jechonias are not known, but those of Joakim are known. 1 Par. iii. 15, 16. Besides this reading gives the number 14. A.—S. Jerome says that Jechonias, the son of Josias, is a different person from Jechonias who begot Salathiel, for the latter was son of the former; see Paralip. iii. where it is said that Zorobabel was son of Phadaia; but Phadaia is the same as Salathiel E.—Mat. Polus affirms that every one the least conversant in Jewish story, must know that several genealogies which appear to contradict each other, do not in reality. Synop. Crit. v. 4, p. 12.
• Ver. 12. By the text of the first book of Paral. iii. 17, 19. it appears that Zorobabel was grandson to Salathiel. In comparing the present genealogy with that of S. Luke, (C. iii.) we find that in this last part S. Matthew has suppressed many generations, to bring the list to the number 14; for there are a greater number from Zorobabel to Jesus Christ in S. Luke, but in a different branch. V.—The evangelist was well aware that the suppressed names could be easily supplied front the Jewish records; and that every person could reply most satisfactorily to any objection on that head, who was the least acquainted with the Jewish tables. In the first fourteen of these generations, we see the family of David rising to the throne; in the second, a race of kings descending from him; in the last, the royal family descending to a poor carpenter. Yet, when every human appearance of restoring the kingdom to David’s house was at an end, Jesus arose to sit on his father’s throne, (Luke i. 32.) and of his kingdom there shall be no end. A.
• Ver. 16. The husband of Mary. The evangelist gives us rather the pedigree of S. Joseph, than that of the blessed Virgin, to conform to the custom of the Hebrews, who in their genealogies took no notice of women: but as they were near akin, the pedigree of the one sheweth that of the other. Gin—Joseph the husband of Mary. So he is again called, v. 19: but in v. 18, we read, when Mary his mother was. espoused to Joseph. These different expressions of being husband, and being espoused, have occasioned different interpretations. Some think that Joseph and the blessed Virgin were truly married at the time of Christ’s conception: others, that they were only then espoused, or engaged by a promise to marry afterwards, S. Jerome says, when you hear the name of husband, do not from thence imagine them to be married, but remember the custom of the Scriptures, according to which, they who are espoused only, are called husbands and wives. Wi—That Jesus, who is called Christ, was of the seed of David, is also evident, as S. Augustine affirms from various texts of the holy Scriptures, as in the epistle to the Romans, where S. Paul, (c. L) speaking of the Son of God, says, who was made to Him of the seed of David, according to the flesh. See also the promises made to David, 2 K. vii. Pa. lxxxviii. and cxxxi and spoken of Solomon, as a figure of Jesus Christ. B.
• Ver. 18. The account of the birth of Jesus Christ follows his genealogy. From these words, “before they came together,” Helvidius and others have started objections, which have been answered long ago by S. Jerome, where he shews in many examples front Scripture, that the words before and until do not signify what happened afterwards; for that point is left indefinite, but only what was done before, or not done. Thus when it is said, Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool, Ps. cix by no means signifies, that after the subjection of his enemies, the Son of God is no longer to sit at the right hand of his Father. In common conversation, when we say that a man died before he reached his 30th year, we do not mean that he afterwards attained it. Or, should we say that Helvidius died before he did penance, we cannot mean that he afterwards did penance: the same conclusion should be deduced front the words, “before they came together,” the end being accomplished by the power of the operation of the Holy Ghost, without their going together. If we should advance, that such a man was cured before he went to a physician, the natural inference would be, that he did not go to a physician at all. Thus also in the language of Scripture, the word first-begotten does not mean after whom others were born, but before whom no one was born, whether there were further issue or not. And the reason is, because the law required that a sacrifice should be offered for the first-born, and that he should be redeemed very soon after his birth; nor did it allow the parents to wait and see if any other son should be born. K—True and perfect marriage, and continual living iii the same, without knowing each other. S. Aug. l. ii. Consen. Evang. c. i. B.
• Ver. 19. And Joseph her husband, knowing her strict virtue, was surprised at this her pregnancy, but “being a just man,” and not willing to expose her, by denouncing her, or giving her a bill of divorce, he had a mind to dismiss her privately, committing the whole cause to God. Let us learn from Joseph to be ever tender of our neighbour’s reputation, and never to entertain any injurious thoughts, or any suspicions to his prejudice. A.
• Ver. 20. Fear not to take, &c. i.e. fear not to marry her, if we suppose them not yet married, or if married already, the sense is, fear not to keep and remain with thy chaste wife; lay aside all thoughts of dismissing and leaving her. Wi— As the incarnation of the Son of God was effected by the whole blessed Trinity, it may be asked why this operation is peculiarly attributed to the Holy Ghost, not only here, but in Luke ii, and in the apostles creed? The answer is, because as power is attributed to the Father, wisdom to the Son, so goodness is attributed to the Holy Ghost, and the gifts of grace which proceed from it. Estius in diff. loca.
• Ver. 21. Jesus… he shall save, &c. The characteristic name of Saviour was peculiar to the Messias, by which he was distinguished, as well as by the adorable name of Jesus. The expectations of both Jew and Gentile looked forward to a saviour. S. Augustine, in the 18th book 23d chapter, de Civitate Dei, introduces a curious anecdote. He mentions there, that he received from the eloquent and learned Proconsul Flactianus, a book containing in Greek the verses of one of the Sybils, which related to the coming of Christ. The substance of them is much the same as occurs in the prophecies of Isaiah, from which Virgil has likewise copied into his Pollio, many of the sublime thoughts which we find in that beautiful eclogue. It is remarkable that of the initials of these verses, S. Augustine had formed an acrostic to the following import, (some Greek);that is, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Saviour. A.
• Ver. 22. The Greeks in general, after S. John Chrysostom, look upon this as a continuation of the angel’s speech to S. Joseph. The other Fathers and commentators think it a reflection of the evangelist.
• Ver. 23. Behold a virgin, || &c. The Jews sometimes objected, as we see in S. Justin’s dialogue with Tryphon, that the Hebrew word alma, in the prophet Isaias, signified no more than a young woman. But S. Jerome tells us that alma signifies a virgin kept close up. Let the Jews, says he, shew me any place in which the Hebrew word alma, is applied to any one that is not a virgin, and I will own my ignorance. Besides the very circumstances in the text of the prophet, are more than a sufficient confutation of this Jewish exposition; for there a sign, or miracle, is promised to Achaz; and what miracle would it be for a young woman to have a child, when she had ceased to be a virgin? Wi.—How happens it that nowhere in the gospels, or in any other part, do we find Christ called Emmanuel? I answer, that in the Greek expression the name is given for the thing signified; and the meaning is: He shall be a true Emmanuel, i.e.. a God with us, true God and true man. E.—The text says, they shall call, i. a. still men shall look upon Him as an Emmanuel. Again, his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty, the Prince of peace, &c. i. e. He shall be all these, not so much nominally, as really and in effect. A.