The first tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Newe Testamente

The .xxi. Chapiter.

[ The texte.] And when they drewe nye vnto Hierusalem, and came to Bethphage vnto mounte O∣liuete: Then sent Iesus two disciples, saying vnto them: Go into the towne that is o••ce agaynst you, and anone ye shall fynde an asse bounden, and a colte with her, looce them, and bring them to me. And if any man saye ought vnto you, saye ye: The lord hath nede of them, and streyght waye he wyll let them go. All this was done that it might be fulfilled, whiche was spoken by the Prophete, saying: Speake ye to the dough••er of Syon, beholde thy kyng cummeth vnto the, meke, sitting vpon an asse, and a colt, the fole of the asse vsed to the yoke.

THerfore Iesus goyng forwarde to Hierusalē, laboured about this diligently, with his disciples, to fasten in theyr mindes, that he went to his death wittingly and willyngly, and that no man shoulde hurte him, yf he woulde resiste. Therfore he beate it into them so often, that he must go to Hierusalem and there suffre death. And wheras sumtyme he semed to wyth∣drawe himselfe from perill, it was not for feare, but to kepe himselfe vnto the tyme apoynted of the father. The whiche when it was than at hande, he dyd not onely not hyde hymselfe, but willyngly put furthe hymselfe, and so putte furth himself, that with the noueltie of his pompe, he styrred the mindes of the whole cytie againste him: and in the meane season he ceaseth not from myra∣cles: he ceaseth not from preachyng of the trueth, also he reproueth the lyfe of the Phariseis more frely or frankely: he casteth the marchauntes out of the temple, by the whiche thinges he knewe that all theyr myndes woulde bee the more vehemently styrred against him. Whome because he had prouoked a∣gainst him with well doyng, he made them not vnfaultie, but gaue them ly∣bertie that they might do the thing that they would do. Therfore now being nere to the citie of Hierusalem, he came into the mount of Oliues, where he thought good to frame a new maner of pompe of his cumming, by the which in maner he mocked the pryde of this worlde, and by this spectacle he some∣what comforted his disciples, beyng yet but weake, that they might the more quietly beare the death of theyr Lorde.

Therfore from this hill he sente two of his disciples, saying: go ye in∣to the village that is ouer agaynste you, and as soone as ye enter in there, ye shall fynde a female Asse tyed, and her fole with her, whereon neuer hath any manne yet sitten, looce them bothe, and bring them hither vnto me.

And if any manne saye any thing vnto you, demaundyng why ye looce them,

whither or to whom ye leade them, make none other aunswere, but that the Lorde hath nede of them.* 1.1 At this worde they will suffer them furthwith to be brought. These thinges were doen, partlye because they shoulde vnderstande that nothing is to hym vnknowen, and that he hath power to commaunde whom he will, and what he will, if he woulde vse his power: partely that the Iewes might know, at lest wise by this very token, that he was Messias, be∣cause they sawe this straūge kinde of entring prophecied in tyme paste by the Prophete Zacharie. For thus he did prophecie: Saye ye doughters of Syon: beholde thy kyng cummeth to thee, meke and humble, sitting vpon a she asse, and vpon a colte the fole of a yoked beaste.

[ The texte.] The disciples went, and did as Iesus commaunded them, and brought the Asse and the ••olt, and put on them theyr clothes, and set him theron. And many of the people spred theyr garmentes in the waye. And other cut downe ••oughes from the trees, and strawed them in the waye. Ferther the people that went before, and they that came after cryed, saying: O∣sanna to the sonne of Dauid. Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde: Osan••a in the highest.

The disciples departed, they found true whatsoeuer Iesus had tolde them before. By and by at the mencion of the lord, the beastes wer let looce, where as neyther the Lorde was there presente, nor the disciples made any counte∣naunce of any autoritie that they had. In dede the owners of the beastes knewe no suche thing: but yet in theyr hertes they perceyued that he whiche was lorde ouer all, commaunded this. The disciples because the Lord should sit the more at ease, cast on theyr clokes, and so set him vpon the coltes backe, whiche colte did beare the figure of the Heathen nacion beyng vncleane, and filthy folowyng all yll desyres: whiche whan it was once couered with ver∣tues apostolicall, and Iesus receiued vpon her backe, ceassed any longer to bee vncleane: ceassed to folow her old vices, beyng made the bearer of him who purgeth and sanctifieth all thinges. This she asse is the dame of the fole, (be∣cause healthe and redempcion cummeth oute of the Iewes) but the same asse was fast tyed to the lett••e of the lawe: Bare she was of euangelicall vertues: but at the lordes biddyng they are both vntied, and couered with the Apostles clothes. The Apostles as yet vnderstoode not these thynges, but yet this it was whiche was signified there••••, and shoulde more playnely be vnderstan∣ded afterwarde. When Iesus was now come to the foote of the hill, a great multitude of men came out of Ierusalem to mete hym. Yea and the multitude had suche a fauour vnto him, that the moost parte of them strawed the waye with theyr garmentes, some cut downe boughes from the trees, and strawed them in the waye. Ferther the company that went before, and also that folowed, declaryng themselues to bee glad of his cumming, sang vnto hym this saying out of the prophecie of the psalme. Osanna to the sonne of Dauid, blessed be he that cummeth in the name of the lorde.* 1.2 Osanna on high. Others cryed: blessed be the kyngdome of our father Dauid, the whiche is come. O∣thers cryed. Blessed be the kyng of Israell whiche is come: and they praysed God for the myracles whiche they sawe done by Iesus.

This honoure the Lorde Iesus, who hadde euer to fore liued humble and lowe, suffred to be geuen vnto hym, whereby he declared that he shoulde not bee without the glorye of this worlde, in case he were mynded to haue it: but that he had rather to despise it, than to embrace it, to the ende it might bee so muche the more shame that it shoulde be sought for of suche as

professe themselues to be his disciples, where as he despysed it which onelye deserued it. Yet this honor was mere and semely for the cummynge of hym, who by his death shoulde redeme the whole worlde.

[ The texte.] And whan he was cum to Hierusalem, all the citie was moued, saying. Who is this▪ And the people sayd: This is Iesus, that prophete of Nazareth in Galile. And Iesus went into the temple, and cast out all them that solde and bought in the temple, and ouerth••ewe the tables of the money chaungers, and the seares of them that solde doues, and sayd vnto them: It is wrytten. My house shall be called the house of prayer, but ye haue made it a den of theues. And the blynde and lame came vnto hym into the temple, and he healed them.

Therfore when Iesus entred into Hierusalem with this straunge and vn∣woonte pompe, the whole citie was moued with this vncouthe syght, saying: What man is this? The multitude whiche folowed him, aunswered: This is Iesus the Prophete of Nazareth, the citie in Galile. This they thought a goodly prayse, although that it was farre vnder his maiestie. For the peo∣ple as yet coulde suppose nothyng of hym aboue man. And Christe dyd pur∣posely so ordre his lyfe, that he vttered not openly his godlye nature, whiche he shoulde haue persuaded in vayne, yf they had seene hym afterwarde suffer deathe. Therefore with this rufflyng, Iesus entered into the temple and there furthwith began to vse a certayne kyngdome. When he sawe in the temple a fashion of a market, sum selling, sum biyng, and the changers of money sitting, Iesus moued with the vngoodlines of the thing, accordynge to the sayinge of the Prophete: The zeale of thy house hath eaten me, he made a whip of litle coardes, and droue all the byers and sellers with theyr marchandise out of the temple, he cast downe the tables of the money changers and scatered theyr money vpon the grounde: he cast downe the seates of the doue sellers, alleging furth of Esay a iust cause of his griefe, who sayeth in the person of God: My house shall be called the house of prayer,* 1.3 but ye haue made it a den of theues. By this act Iesus mente an other thynge. For that the temple was polluted with marchandyse of bullockes, shepe, goates and doues, did not so greatly moue hym, but it was hys mynde to shewe that auaryce and lucre would be a deadly poyson vnto his church in time to cum, whiche was figured by that temple, whose religion should shortlye after be abolished. For at suche tyme is the temple which is consecrate to offer vp to God spirituall sacrifice, turned into a denne of theues, whan vnder the pretense of religion and priest∣hode, the people is robbed. For nothing can be sincere and holy, where the loue of money doethe reigne. And this mischiefe is than a thynge vntollerable, when it is vsed vnder the roofe of the temple, when rauine is couered with the shadowe of religion. There was no sorte of men, agaynste whom Iesus at any time shewed any more rigour, then he dyd towardes these, and yet hath he reserued the same vnto himselfe to be cast out,* 1.4 when himselfe shall thinke best. Then vnto Iesus being in the temple, there came the blynde and lame, whome the lawe barred from entryng into the temple. But the temple of Iesus recey∣ueth all whiche make spede vnto healthe. For the blynde came, that hauinge theyr sight they might see Iesus, whome they hearde so spoken of. The lame came, that folowing his steppes, they mighte come into the kyngdome of heauen. As manye therfore as came to hym, he healed them.

[ The texte.]

¶Whan the thiefe priestes and Scribes sawe the wonders that he did, and the children crying in the temple▪ and saying: Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid▪ they dis••ayned, and sayed vnto him: hearest thou what these saye? But Iesus sayeth vnto them: Why not? Haue ye neuer red? Out of the mouth of infantes and sucklinges thou haste ordeyned prayse? And he lefte them, and went out of the citie vnto Bethallia, and abode there.

The chiefe Priestes and the Scribes thorough those thinges wherby they ought at last to repente, were the more kyndled with burning in enuye, when they sawe the people reioysing so louingly on euery syde, and sawe the greate power in healing of the lame and blinde, and authoritie in casting out of mar∣chandise, no manne beeyng so bolde to resist, and the children also crying in the temple, Os Anna to the sonne of Dauid. Thei taking these thinges greuously, monished Iesus to cease that crying, els it would cum to passe that he shoulde seme to acknowleage suche honour, of which they iudged him vnworthy, wher as it shoulde haue been theyr partes rather more gre••ely to prayse hym, and to speake well of him, whiche beyng auncient men and skilfull in the law and the prophecies, seeyng so many miracles, myght vnderstande that this is Mes∣sias whom they loked for so long tyme. Nowe the children by the instigacion of nature, or rather by the inspiracion of God, spake that thinge, whiche they could not vnderstande for lacke of age. Therfore they blinded with enuy, and drunken with anger, saied vnto him: hearest thou what these children saye? But Iesus stopping their mouth with a testimonye of scripture, dyd ye neuer reade ({quod} he) of the mauthe of infantes and sucklinges thou haste made perfecte thy prayse? will ye therefore that I should shut their mouthe, whiche God hath opened to prayse his glory? I say vnto you: God will not suffer his prayse to he had in silence through your enuye, in so muche that if these holde theyr peace the stones wil crye, whose hardenes ye excede. Therfore Iesus leuyng them with their enuy, departed, and goyng out of the citie of Ierusalem, went vn∣to Bethania, and there tarryed.

[ The texte.] ¶In the morning as he returned into the citie agayne, he was an hungered: and whan he had spied a fig••ree in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, he came to it, and founde nothing theron but leaues only, and saied vnto it: Neuer fruite growe on the hence forward. And anon the fig••ree wythered away. And whan his disciples sawe it, they maruayled, saying: how soone the figgetree is wishered. Iesus answering, sayed vnto them: Ue••ely I saye vnto you. If ye haue fayth and doubte not, ye shall not onely do this, that is happened vnto the figgetre, but also if ye shal saie vnto this mountaine, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thy selfe into the sea, it shall be doen. And all thinges whatsoeuer ye aske in prayer (yf ye ••eleue) ye shall receyue them.

In the mornyng by the waye as he returned vnto the citie, he beganne to wexe hungry. And when he sawe a figtree nere the waye, he came towarde it, as hoping to haue sum foode. And when he c••me at it, he founde nothyng on it but leaues. Therefore as beeyng greued that he was deceyued of his hope, he cursed it, saying: Neuer man see fruite of the hereafter. And whan the disciples returned agayne the same way, seing the figgetree whiche Iesus cursed, than to he withered, and the leaues fallen of, maruelled and saied vnto him: behold the figgetree whiche thou diddest curse, is now withered. Iesus suffered this to be doen for this purpose, that he might inculcate diligently faythe vnto his disciples, withoute the whiche he knewe that his death shoulde be vnprofita∣ble to menne. For he thyrsted maruelouslye after the healthe and saluacion of mankinde, and now desired and longed for his death. But whereas he founde an apperaūce of religion in the Iewes, he found not the fruite of fayth, which

only he hungered for. Unto his disciples therfore marueiling at the figge tree so sodenly withered, he made answere on this wyse: why maruayle ye at this whiche is no greate matter, a figge tree to wyther? the might of faythe can doe more, whiche yf ye possesse both stronge and constante, ye shall not onelye doe, whiche ye sawe chaunce vnto the figge tree, but also yf ye saye to this hill, re∣moue the from thy place, and go into the sea, youre commaundemente shall be doen forthwith. And whatsoeuer ye shall aske in your prayers, so that ye haue a sure trust, ye shall obteyne.

[ The texte.] ¶And when he was cum into the temple, the chiefe priestes and elders of the people came to hym as he was teaching, and sayed: By what auctoritie doest thou these thinges? And who hath geuen the this auctoritie? And Iesus auswering, sayed vnto them: I also will aske you a certayne thyng, whiche yf ye tell me, I will also shewe you with what authoritie I do these thynges. The baptisme of Iohn whence was it▪ from heauen or of men? But they thought with themselfes, saying: If we say, from heauen, he will saye vnto vs: Why th••n did ye not beleue hym? But if we say of men, we ••eare the people. For all men take Iohn as a Prophet. And they answering to Iesus, sayed: we cannot tel. And he sayed vnto them: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I do tell you with what aucthoritie I do these thinges.

And when he entred into the temple and taught the people, the chiefe prie∣stes and certayne of the Seniours of the people, not suffering him to be there in his kyngdome freely, go vnto him and saye. By what authoritie doest thou these thinges? And who gaue the this authoritie? For sith no manne gaue hym this authoritie, either he must say that it was geuē him of God, or els of Bel∣zebub. If he had saied of God, he shoulde haue saied trueth, but he shoulde haue doen nothing but prouoked theim. For they aske not that they will beleue, whiche might appere by the thing it selfe, but falsely to reproue and blame. Iesus therfore not ignorant of this thing, requi••ed their question with an o∣ther, as though a man shoulde dryue out one nayle with an other. I will aske you ({quod} he) a certayne thyng, and if ye answer me to that, I will answer to your question. The authoritie whereby Iohn did baptise, from whence came it vn∣to him? from heauen or from men? They toke deliberacion with themselfes, what they should answere. For they sawe it was a question with two pikes, and that they must nedes fall vpon the one. They thought in their mindes, yf we say from heauen, he will forthwith say vnto vs: why than did ye not be∣leue him? for he preached the kingdome of God, and witnessed with me. But yf we saye, of men, it is to be feared leste the people will make a sedicion, because all menne toke Iohn for a Prophete. Therfore leste they shoulde be reproued they made answere that they coulde not tell. Than spake Iesus: And I wyll not tell you ({quod} he) from whence I haue this authoritie.

[ The texte.] ¶And what thynke you? A man had two sonnes, and came to the firste, and sayed: Sonne go to day, and worke in my vineyarde. ••e answering, sayd▪ I will not. But afterwarde, he rep••uted and wente. Than came ••e to the seconde, and sayed likewyse: And he answered and sayed: I will sie, and wente not. Whether of them twayne did the will of the father•• And they say vnto him, the first. Iesus sayeth vnto them: verely I say vnto you, tha•• the publicans and harlottes got before you into the kyngdom of God. For Iohn came vnto you by the waye of righteousnes, and ye beleued hym not, and the publicans and harlottes dyd beleue hym. And ye when ye had seen it, were not moued afterwarde with repent 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to beleue him.

But because a simple and playne question could not wryng oute the confes∣sion of truth, Iesus putteth forth an other question by a riddell, that vnwares they shall geue sentence against themselues: what thynke ye ({quod} he) of that I will propose now? A certayne man had two sonnes. He came to the one and sayed: Sonne, go and worke this day in my vineyard. He answered froward∣ly, I wil not. But strayt afterward repenting himselfe, he went into the vine∣yarde. The father likewyse came to the other sonne and sayed: go, and labour in my vineyarde this day. He answereth redily, loe I goe sir, and yet he wente not. Therfore of these two, whether thinke ye fulfilled his fathers wil▪ They not vnderstanding to what ende these went, answered: The firste sōne, whiche repenting forthwith, wente into the vi••eyarde. Than Iesus turning the pa∣rable vpon them, sayed: certaynlye I tell you truethe, that the publicanes and ••ommon women shall go before you in the kyngdome of heauen. They beyng rebelles agaynst God before with theyr wicked life, yet by and by touched and moued by penaunce obeyed the doctryne of the ghospell. Ye which be the peo∣ple of God by title and profession, and ye whiche sayed in times paste, and this day say, we will do all thinges whatsoeuer the Lorde sayeth vnto vs, whiche also haue euer in your mouthe the preceptes of God, and the Lordes temple, the Lordes temple, the Lordes temple, beyng so many wayes prouoked, can∣not be moued to penaunce. For Iohn came shewyng you the waye of ryghte∣ousnes, and that the wrathe of God was at hande, and the axe set at the tree rootes, vnlesse furthwith ye would repent. Ye sawe the Publicanes and com∣mon women (desperate folkes after your iudgement,) obedient vnto hym. Ye could not be moued vnto penaunce neyther by the great holines of Iohn, ney∣ther by his holsom doctrine, neither by his threteninges, neither by the exam∣ple of the publicanes and common women. So it cummethe to passe, that they throughe faythe, take from you the kyngdome of God: ye vaynelye pro∣fessing God with your mouthe, be shut out for the vnbelefe of your mynde.

[ The texte.] ¶Heathen an other similitude. There was a certayne man an householder, whiche planted a vineyarde, and hedged it rounde aboute, and made a wine presse, and builded a ••wer, and let it out to husbandmen, and went furth into a straunge countrey. And whan the tyme of fruyte drew nere, he sen••e his seruaūtes to the husbande men to receyue the fruites of it. And the husbande men takyng his seruauntes, dyd beare one, kylled another and stoned another. Agayne he sente other seruauntes mo than the firste, and they dyd vnto them lyke wise. But last of all he sente vnto thē his owne sonne▪ saying: They will haue my sonne in reuerence. And the husbande men whan they sawe the sonne, they saied in them selues. This is the heyre, cum let vs kyll him, and let vs enioye his heritage. And they toke him, and caste him out of the vineyarde, and kyled him. Than whan the Lorde of the vineyarde cummeth. what will he doe vnto those husband men? They saye vnto him: Sith they bee ill ••e will truelly destroy them, and will let out his vineyarde to other housbande menne, whiche shall deliuer him the fruite in due season.

He put them another parable euen as darke, where with he doth recite se∣••••••••ely, and leyeth before their iyes, their notable vnkindenes, whiche beeyng prouoked by so manye benefites of God, dyd not onely not amende, but also ••ruelly killed the Prophetes one after another, which were sente, that at their preachyng they myght once repente. And not content herewith, finallye they would kyll the sonne of God hymselfe, and that after that he was caste out of

the vineyarde, shewyng as it were by the waye the place where he shoulde be crucified. By the whiche communicacion he declareth both y^t their inuincible malice is vnworthye pardon (seeyng that nothyng was omitted that myghte call them backe to a better mynde) and that he shoulde suffre nothing of them, whiche he knewe not of before. This was the parable. There was ({quod} he) a certayne householder, whiche planted a vineyarde, and hedged it aboute and digged in it a cesterne, to receyue the swete wine that was pressed out of the clusters of grapes, and buylt in it a lodge for the kepyng of the vineyarde, and so whan it was well garnished, he set it out to husbande menne: that they should trustely tyll it, and tendre the fruites vnto the lorde. This doen, he wēt far of. Nowe when the tyme of gatheryng the fruite approched nere, he sente his seruauntes to receyue the fruite of them. But the husbande men dyd not onelye not deliuer the fruites that were due, but also layed handes vpon hys seruauntes, and bette sum, killed sum, and stoned sum to death. This knowen the householder did not furth with punishe them, but loking that they shoulde repente and amende, sente vnto theim a greater number of seruauntes than he dyd before: trusting that they beeyng kept vnder and in awe with the multi∣tude, they woulde do their duetie. But they handeled theim also no more gen∣tely, than they handeled the other before. The householder suffered this dis∣pleasure also, and finally to ouercum them with softnes and gentilnesse, he sent vnto them his owne sonne, saying with himselfe: although they haue been cruell toward my seruauntes, yet at the leaste they wil vse my sonne reuerent∣ly, whan they see that he is cum. But the husbande menne the more they were prouoked to repentaunce, the more they were styrred vnto cruelties. For whan they sawe the sonne, they did not reuerence him, insomuche that furthwyth they consulted to slea him, saying: this is the heyre, cum let vs kill him, and we shall take his inheritaunce. And by and by they layed handes vpon hym, and plucked him out of the vineyarde and killed him. Therfore ({quod} he) when the Lorde of the vineyarde shall cum, what shall he do to those husbande menne? The Phariseis answered: those ill men he shall ill intreate and destroy, and set out his vineyarde to others, which•• may trustely render the fruite in tyme vn∣to the Lorde whithe lette it out. So they deceyued by this ryddle, condemne them selues with theyr owne mouth: pronouncing, that they themselues for the inuincible frowardenes of their mynde be wurthy punishmente, and that the gentiles be wurthy to be receyued to the grace of the ghospel, whiche will till the vineyarde more trusttely than they dyd.

[ The texte.] ¶Iesus sayeth vnto them: Dyd ye neuer reade in the scriptures? The ••••oue which the b••••l∣ders refused, the same is made the head of the corner: this is doen of the lorde, and is ma••∣uailouse in our ••yes. Therfore saye I vnto you, the kingdome of God shalbe taken frō you, and geuen to a nacion, whiche shall do the fruytes therof. And whosoeuer falleth on this stone, shalbe broken in pieces▪ But on whomsoeuer it falleth, he shalbe all to brused.

After these thinges, Iesus shewed that through their frowardenes he beeyng condemned and reiected, should dye a spitefull deathe, but by his resur∣reccion through the power of the father, he should be made notable thorough∣out all the worlde and shoulde be so sounde and strong, that whoso stumbled against him, should be his owne destruccion. And that in declaryng of this he might lesse offend them, he bryngethe a prophecie out of the psalme. Neuer 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ye in the scriptures ({quod} he) the stone whiche the builders dyd refuse and caste

away, the same is made the head of the corner? This is doen of the lorde & it is wonderfull in our iyes: signifying that they builded the Synagoge, but castīg out Christe, without whom no building was sure: but yet y^e stone reiected of thē, should be in great estimacion & price in the church of y^e Gentiles. And ther∣fore Iesus dyd adde: therfore I say vnto you, the kingdō of god shall be taken frō you, which ye despise being offered vnto you, and it shal be geuen to other people, which shal bring furth fruites meete for the gospel. And as this stone shal bring health to them that obey the ghospell, so it shall bryng destruccion vnto them that be disobediente throughe vnbelefe. For whoso stumbleth at thys stone, shalbe broken. Agayne vpō whō this stone falleth, he shalbe brused.

[ The texte.] ¶And whan the chiefe priestes and Phariseis had heard hys parables, they perceyued that he spake of them. And they went about to laye handes on hym, but they feared the peo∣ple, because they toke hym as a Prophete. And Iesus aunswered, and spake vnto them again by parables, and sayd.

At lengthe, of the conclusion of thys communicacion, fyrste the chiefe priestes and Scribes vnderstode that he spake the former parables also againste thē, in the whyche they beyng deceyued, gaue sentence agaynst themselues. And therfore theyr madnes was so set a fyer, that they woulde furth with haue layed handes vpon him: But they feared the people, because Iesus was made muche of, of many, and taken for a Prophete.

Notes

• * 1.1

  All thys was done. &c.
• * 1.2

  Osanna to the sonne. &c
• * 1.3

  My house is the house of prayer.
• * 1.4

  Also the blynde and the lame. &c