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

¶The .xxii. Chapter.

[ The texte.] ¶The kingdome of heauen is lyke vnto a man that was a kyng, whiche made a mariage for his sonne: and sent furth his seruauntes to call theym that were byddē to the weddyng, and they woulde not cum. Agayne he sent furth other seruaūtes, saying: Tell thē whiche are bidden. Beholde I haue prepared my dinner, myne oxen, and my fattewares are kylled, and all thynges are ready, cum vnto the mariage. But they made lyght of it, and went theyr wayes, one to his farme place, another to his marchandise, and the residue toke his seruaū∣tes, and intreated them shamefully. And whan the kyng hearde therof, he was angry, and sent furth his men of warre, and destroyed these murderers, and brent vp theyr citie.

AGayne Iesus added an other parable, to print the more surely in y^e mindes of the Iewes, y^t it came to passe by theyr owne obstinate malice, y^t they were reiected frō saluacion of the gospel, and y^t the Gentiles shal take & enioye, that that they made them selues vnworthy of. There is none excluded frō the kīgdom of God, but this honoure was geuē to the naciō of Iewes, that they were called fyrste of all, & gently called, not vnto sower or vyle thynges, but vnto a mary∣age, y^t is to honour, delicates, & libertie of y^e gos∣pel. And they wer not inuited onely by the pro∣phete Iohn, & by Christ himselfe, but also after his death, they shoulde be cal∣led by the Apostles: and the preachers of the ghospell shoulde not go to the gentyles before that for theyr diligence and well doyng, they had bene arayed long of the Iewes with many mockes, & punishmentes: that they can ascribe it to no man, that afterward they shal be punished with so many miseries, whiche despised Goddes goodnes, so often offered vnto thē. This is the simili∣tude.

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The kingdome of heauen ({quod} he) is through you made like to a certayne kyng, who makyng a bridale to his sonne, sent out his seruaunte, to inu••••e and call many to his sonnes mariage. But they once called, would not cumme. Then the kyng sent mo seruauntes to bid them more diligently to make haste vnto the weddyng now in a redines, and to say to them in his name: Beholde the diner is ready, my oxen and my pultrie be killed, and al other thinges be in a readines. Now nothyng lacketh but cumming of the geastes, that the prepa∣racion be not made in vaine. But they againe neglected the bidder. And whan the bidders called vpon them, euery man made his excuse: one sayd, he muste gose e his manour or farme place, that he had lately bought: another sayde, he must go loke vpon his oxen, which he had bought: Another saied, he had late maryed a wyfe, from whome he could not departe. And these men were onlye madde to themselues whiche preferred certayne vile and fylthy cares of frail thinges, before a feast of suche felicitie. But other ioyned cruelnes vnto theyr vnkindnes. For the kinges seruauntes, whiche dyd once or twyse inuite them vnto so great honour, they handeled and vsed very sore with many rebukes, and at length killed them also.* 1.1 The whiche doyng when the kinge heard of, he toke it very greuously: and turnyng his gentilnes, whiche they had so despised, into a rage, and sendyng furth men of his garde destroyed these murderers: and not content with that, set theyr citie a fyer also. These thinges spake Ie∣sus prophecying vnto them couertly the destruccion of the citie of Ierusalem: and by and by he geueth intelligence that the gentiles shallbe called on euery syde vnto the gospell, as those wiche wer better than the Iewes.

[ The texte.] ¶Than sayed he to his seruauntes: The mariage is prepared, but they that were inuited were not worthy. Go ye therfore to the hygh wayes, & as many as ye fynde, cal to the ma∣riage. Thā his seruauntes wente out into the high wayes, and brought together as manye as they coulde fynde, both good and badde, and the weddyng was furnished with geastes. The king came in to see the geastes, and whan he spyed a mā there which had not on a wed∣ding garmente, he sayeth vnto him: Frēde how camest thou in hither nor hauing a weddyng garmente? But he helde his peace: Than said the kyng to the ministers. Binde hym handes & feete, and caste him into the vtter darkenes, there shalbe wepyng and gnashing of teethe. For many are called, but few are chosen.

Than he sayed vnto his seruauntes, the bridale is redy: but because they that were called, declared thēselues for to be vnworthy for this feaste, whiche not withstandyng I prepared chiefly for them: runne abrode euery where in stretes and crosse wayes, and call to the bridale indifferently, whomsoeuer ye fynd, worthy, vnworthy, febie, maymed, blind, and lame, till my house be full. The seruauntes went foorth and broughte together a multitude of all sortes gathered together from all places, and the feaste was replenished with gea∣stes. After this, Iesus because he had shewed before, that the Iewes shoulde be greuously punished, whiche afflicted the apostles, callyng theim so often, and at length killed them, declareth also that they shalbe sore punished whiche once professing the lyfe of the ghospell, returne againe to the filthines of theyr olde lyfe. The king ({quod} he) went in to see the geastes sittyng at the table, and a∣mong others he sawe one there, which had not on his weddinge garment. Frende ({quod} he) how camest thou in hither, sith thou hast not thy wedding gar∣mente? But he beyng put to shame was dumme, and had nothing to say. Than the king commaunded his seruauntes that they should binde him handes and feete, remoue him far from the feast, and caste him into great darkenes, where

is weeping and gnashing of teeth, the honour and the lyght of the feaste beyng chaunged into a vile pryson, & great pleasure beyng chaunged into great tor••ment. Further though many be called, yet few be chosen al be called freely, bu•• none be chosen but they that obey their calling, and they that vnto the ••ude an∣swere vnto the goodnes of God towardes them, continuyng in the study and loue of the euangelicall godlynes.

Than went the Phariseis and toke counsell how they might tangle him in his wordes.* 1.2 And they sente furth to hym theyr disciples with the Herodians, saying: Maister, we knowe that thou art true, and teachest the waye of God truly, neither regarded thou any man, nor thou haste respecte of persones. Tell vs therfore, howe thy likest thou? Is it law∣full that tribute be geuen to Ceasar, or not? And Iesus perceyuing their malice, sayed: why tempt ye me, ye Hipocrites? Shewe me the tribute money: and they toke hym a de∣narie, and he sayed vnto them: whose ymage is this, and superscripcion? They sayed vnto hym: Ceasars▪ Than sayed he vnto them•• Geue therfore vnto Ceasar, the thynges whiche are Ceasars, and vnto God those thynges that are goddes. Whan they had heard these wordes, they meruayled, and left hym, and went awaye.

Whan the Iewes perceyued that they were touched with these para∣bles, they were not yet moued vnto penaunce, insomuche that nowe they mu∣sed in theyr myndes nothing els but howe that Iesus myght be killed. So great a mischiefe is enuy and ambicion. They had a wyll to murdre, but they lacked oportunitie. They feared not God, the reuenger of suche mischifes, but they feared the people. They thought therfore to goe a contrary waye, and to doe the thyng with suche secrete vndermining, that the enuy of the dede should redound and reste vpon Ceasar and his officers.* 1.3 Therfore for the tyme, they dissembled theyr anger and went awaye. But consulting among themselues, it was thought good, that certayne should be subornated and setforth to pro∣pose a question vnto Iesus, and to take hym in his answere, and to bryng hym into the princes daunger, that by them, as beeyng giltie of treason, and the author of sedicion, he myght be putte to death, the Phariseis hauyng no∣thyng to doe with the matter. And theyr inuencion was this. Whan Iewry began now to be tributarie to the Romaynes, king Herode the sonne of Anti∣pater was made officer of August to gather the tribute: And of this thyng e∣uery man had not like opinion: for some thought it not meete that the people dedicate vnto God, should pay tribute to prynces that were Idolatours. And in this opinion were they whiche helde with the Phariseis. Agayne there were sum the fauorers of Ceasar, which saied that tribute ought to be payed: & the mainteners of this opinion were called Herodians, because Herode was the officer to gather the tribute. A lytle before there were two, Theudas and Iudas, which whilest they did defende openly that the Iewes, a people dedi∣cate vnto god, ought no tribute to any prophane prince, were put to death like sediciouse persones. Now the Phariseis trusted that Christe fauoring religi∣on more than Ceasar, beeyng prophane and wicked, woulde pronounce and iudge according to his accustomed libertie against y^e Herodians, that tribute should not be payed to Ceasar: and furthwith by them should be accused vn∣to Herode, and should be punished like as The••das and Iudas were before. And yf he had pronounced that tribute shoulde be payed, than they woulde haue layed to his charge that he had flattered wycked prynces, and not fa∣uoured gods religion. Therfore they doe subornate, and sende furth certayne of theyr disciples, whiche, the Herodians beyng presente with a great numbre

of men, that the thing should not lacke witnesses, colourably with fayre spea∣kyng should entise him into theyr net. So great was theyr blyndnes, that the thyng so often attempted in vayne, they would not rest. Neyther be they asha∣med of theyr inconstancye, nowe calling him maister, where before they layed to his charge that he was possessed with the spirite of Beelzebub. And they commende his libertie, that he should not feare to offende the Herodians. Maister ({quod} they) we knowe that thou art true, thou flatterest no manne, thou liest nothing: But thou doest teache with great libertie the pleasure of god, not the phantasye of men. For thou fearest no mortall man, and regardest no per∣son. Tell vs therfore what ye thynke: Is it leefull for the people of Iewes whiche is dedicate to the religion of God, to paye tribute vnto Ceasar, or no? And shall we geue it hereafter, or no? But Iesus to shewe that theyr craftye flatteryng could not deceyue him, so ordered his aunswere with woonderfull wysedome, that he endaungered hymselfe to neyther of the faccions: but mo∣nished them what dyd moste appertayne vnto their saluacion: that is, to pay vnto God the high Prince,* 1.4 the tribute of godlynes. Ye Hypocrites ({quod} he) why do ye tempte me? Shewe me a coyne of the tribute. For they went about to catche Iesus in his woordes. He agayne catcheth them in theyr answeres. Therfore they shewed hym a Dena••ie, whiche had the Image and name of Ceasar. And to declare that he came not for this purpose to make lawes of these thynges, whiche pertayne nothyng vnto Godlynes, and the whiche for the tyme maye be well or yll doen, when he sawe the coyne, as though he knew no suche letters nor Images, who went onely about heauenly thynges: he asked whose title and Image it was. Aunswere was made: Ceasars. Than sayed Iesus: Rendre therfore vnto Ceasar, yf any thing appertaine vnto Cea∣sar, but firste of all rendre vnto God,* 1.5 the thynges that appertaine vnto God: meanyng that it is no hurte to godlines, if a man beeyng dedicate to God, doe geue tribute to a prophane prynce, although he owe it not, desiring rather to be obedient, than to prouoke and stirre him: chiefly in that thyng whiche ma∣keth a man poorer, but not vngodly. Otherwise yf he doeth exacte that which maketh vs vngodly, it is not nowe the tribute of Ceasar, but of the deuill.

When they had this aunswer they marueyled: Firste because they percei∣ued that their suttell deuise was not hid from him: Furthermore for his won∣derfull wisedome, whom mannes craftines wente about to deceiue in bayne. They maruailed truely, but they were not chaunged. And forsaking him, they left of to prouoke him, syth thei could not ouercome him: but they did not leaue of to hate hym, whom they ought to loue.

[ The texte.] The same daye came vnto hym the Sadduceis (whiche saye that there is no resurrec∣cion) and asked hym, saying: Maister, Moyses sayed: yf a man dye, not hauyng a chylde, that his brother should marry his wyfe, and rayse vp seede to his brother. There were with vs seuen brethren, and the first maried a wyfe, and dyed without issue, and lefte his wyfe to his brother: likewise the seconde, & the thirde, vnto the seuenth. Laste of all dyed the woman also. Therfore in the resurreccion, whose wyfe shall she be of the seuen? For they all had her. Iesus aunswered and sayed vnto them: ye do erre not knowyng the Scripture, nor the power of God: For in the resurrecciō they neyther marry, nor be mar∣ryed, but are as the aungels in heauen.

Therfore whan the Phariseis and the Herodians were departed, the Sadduceis came vnto him. That faccion emong the Iewes, is more grosse and lesse learned, disagreing from the Phariseis in this, that they denye the

resurreccion: In somuche that they beleue not the Aungels to bee, nor the soules to bee, after they bee separate from the body, thynkyng nothing to bee but that whiche they see. They whan they heard Christe make often mencion of euerlasting life, and of the world to come, and of the resurrecciō of the iust, they come vnto him to trye whether he agreed with the Phariseis, or taught contrary to them, that they might reproue him if he were against them, orels laugh him to skorne, if he agreed with the Phariseis. Therfore they do obiect vnto him this hard question.* 1.6 Maister ({quod} they) Moyses made this lawe: If a man hauing maried a wyfe, departe without chyldren, that the brother of the dead should marry the widowe lefte of his brother, and couplyng wyth her should rayse vp issue to his brother departed. There were emong vs seuen brethren, of whom the firste married a wyfe, and departed without children. The nexte brother married her, who also died without issue. Lykewyse it chaunced to the thirde, & the fowerth, vnto the seuenth, all dyed without issue. At laste the wyfe dyed also, whiche was married to seuen brethren. Therfore in the resurreccion, whiche of all them shall haue her to his wife▪ For she cānot be a common wyfe for them all, and all married her indifferently. To this question because it was more of ignoraūce than of malyce, Iesus did vouch∣safe to make aunswere. For he that erreth by ignoraunce is woorthy to be taught. But they that propose questiōs of mere malice, be not woorthy to be aunswered. Ye erre ({quod} he) whiche rede the sciptures, but ye vnderstande them not: and imagining nothing aboue bodily thinges which ye see, ye knowe not the power of god, who is more wonderfull in thinges, which be not seen. Here where men by courses be borne to dye, wedlocke is vsed for propagacion and bryngyng furth of mankynde. But where nowe mortalitie shalbe swalowed vp and consumed, and men shalbe spirituall, whiche thyng shall come to passe in the resurreccion, the whiche shall restore vs agayne, beyng thesame in dede that we were, but yet chaunged after another sorte, there shall no man marry, nor no woman shalbe married. For there shall nede no generacion where no death shall be. Further, they that pertayne to the resurreccion of the iust, lyue without matrimony lyke the aungels of God in heauen: recording now here and mynding to theyr power, that they shall come to in the resurreccion. For they had rather get soules to God, than bodyes to the worlde.

[ The texte.] ¶But as touching the resurreccion of the dead, haue ye not red that which was spoken to you of God, who saith? I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob. God is not the God of dead, but of liuyng. And whan the people heard this, they were astonied at his doctryne.

After this, Iesus notyng secretely this so folishe a question to spring of a false perswasion, for that they beleued not the resurreccion: disdayned not to wede this opinion also out of theyr myndes, teachyng them also that this is taken out of the bokes of Moyses, by whose authoritie they apposed Iesus. Why haue ye an yll opinion of the resurreccion of the dead as though Moy∣ses taught it not openly, whose wrytinges ye reade grossely, and nothing dili∣gently? Haue ye not red in his bokes what god sayth? I am the god of Abra∣ham, and the god of Isaac, and the god of Iacob. If they had peryshed who∣ly by the deathe of the bodyes, he would not saye that he is theyr god, but that he was their god. But yf he be theyr god, truly theyr soules doe lyue, and they

wholy do lyue in maner by the hope of resurreccion that shall be, God is lyfe, and he is not God of the dead whiche nowe be not, but of the liuyng. So he taught them resurreccion to be, but not to be after suche sorte, as they imagi∣ned it to bee, whan they proposed a folyshe question of seuen brethren. The people when they sawe euery mannes mouthe stopped with wyse aunswers, they merueiled at his effectuall and redy doctryne.

[ The texte.] ¶But whan the Phariseis had heard that he had stopped the mouth of the Sadduceis, they came together, and one of them being Doctor of lawe, asked him a questiō, temptyng him, and saying: Maister, whiche is the great commaundement in the lawe? Iesus saied vnto him: Thou shalt loue the lorde thy God with al thy harte, and with al thy soule, and with all thy mynde. This is the first and great commaundemente. And the second is lyke vnto it. Thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe. In these two commaundementes hang all the lawe and the Prophetes.

The Phariseis were not displeased that the Sadduceis were put to sy∣lence, chiefly in a matter wherin they were cleane cōtrary one against another. Therfore whan the Phariseis sawe them put to sylence, and rebuked also for ignoraūce of scripture, they taking harte of grace againe, gather together, and set forwarde a certayne doctour of lawe, whiche should goe vnto Iesus with a clerkly question, that eyther he myght reproue hym of ignoraunce, orels he hymselfe beare awaye the prayse of learnyng. Maister ({quod} he) whiche is the chiefe commaundemente in the lawe? Iesus purposyng to shewe that they which crake of the profession of the lawe, be furthest from keping of the grea∣test commaundement in the lawe, which wholy flame with enuy and hatred of theyr neyghboure, and with other vices whiche haue none affinitie with Christian charitie: and that no man loueth God, whiche is vniust to his neygh∣bour, aunswered: Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy harte, and with all thy soule, and all thy mynde: This is the chiefe and greatest com∣maundemente. The whiche no manne doeth perfourme and kepe, vnlesse he kepe also the seconde lyke vnto that: For this: Thou shalt loue thy neygh∣bour as thy selfe, doeth depende of the other. And whatsoeuer is commaun∣ded in the whole lawe, whatsoeuer the Prophetes teache, all that is compry∣sed in these two commaundementes. For whosoeuer loueth God with all his hearte, will neglecte nothyng that he hath commaunded: And he that loueth his neyghboure as himselfe, he will not steale, he will not commyt aduoutry, he will not beare false witnesse, he will not desyre his neyghbours substaunce. Finally he will do nothing to an other, which he would not to be doen to him∣selfe. Than the Pharisey which was become nowe almoste of a tempter a disciple,* 1.7 sayed: Maister, thou hast spoken truely and rightly, that there is one God, and no nother but he and that he onely ought to be loued aboue all thyn∣ges, with all our power, and that we must bende all our affeccions towardes hym onely: and that to loue our neyghbour as our selfe, is more than all the holocaustes and sacrifices. Iesus seyng that he had aunswered wyselye, and went not forwarde to lye in wayte, sayeth vnto him: thou arte not farre from the kyngdome of God. For he perceyued what was best, he lacked onely this, to folowe in affeccion and harte that that he vnderstode. And in the meane tyme he touched secretly the conscyence of certayne Phariseis, whiche layed deadly wayte for Iesus. And therfore whereas they demaunded onely of the chiefe commaundement, the kepyng of the whiche they falsly toke vpō them: he purposely added the seconde, concernyng the loue of their neyghboure, for

as yet they supposed not that Christe was God, but to be theyr neyghbour, and one that had doen muche for them, they could not deny: agaynste whome notwithstandyng they did deuise that, that no man would should haue come vnto hymselfe.

[ The texte.] Whan the Phariseis were gathered together, Iesus asked them, saying: What thinke ye of Christe? whose sonne is he? They sayed vnto him. The sonne of Dauid. He sayed vn∣to them: Howe than doth Dauid in spirite call hym Lord? saying: The Lord sayed vnto my Lord: sit thou on my ryghthand, till I make th••ie enemies thy footestoole. If Dauid than call him Lord, howe is he his sonne? And no man was able to answer him any thing, neyther durst any man from that daye furth, aske hym any moe questions.

But nowe whereas a greater company of Phariseis were gathered toge∣ther, Iesus beyng tempted of them with so many questions, proposed vnto them againe a question, signifying vnto them sumwhat obscurely and darkely that whiche he lefte to be declared afterward by his Apostles in tyme conue∣nient: that he had not onely the nature of manne whiche they sawe, and vpon which they would shewe their crueltie, but also that he had the nature of God, the which sum what they myght haue cōiectured of ••is dedes, vnles enuy, ha∣tred, ambicion, auarice and other vices, had blinded their mindes. Therfore he demaūdeth of them being gathered together, what they thought of Messias, whose sōne he should be, that is, of whose stocke he should come. They answer furthwith: of Dauid. Than saied Iesus: what meaneth it that Dauid in the misticall Psalme inspired with the heauenly ghost, calleth him Lord, wheras he is his sonne? For it is wrytten: The Lorde sayed vnto my Lorde, sitte on my ryghthande, vntyll I make thyne enemyes the stoole of thy feete. Howe a∣greeth it yf he be the sonne of Dauid, that the father calleth his sonne Lorde? And there was not one of them that coulde looce this knot, because that they coulde as yet thynke nothyng of the godly nature of Iesus. For Christe as he was the sonne of Dauid, touchyng the body of man: so touchyng the diuyne nature, he was Lorde of all, and not of Dauid onely. And after this no manne durst question with hym when they sawe that the baytes and snares whiche were layed for hym, redounded vpon theyr owne head.

Notes

• * 1.1

  And whan the kyng, &
• * 1.2

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.3

  And they sent furthe to him. &c.
• * 1.4

  Is it law∣ful that tri∣bute? &c.
• * 1.5

  And vnto God. &c.
• * 1.6

  There were with ••s seuen brethren.
• * 1.7

  In these twoe com∣maunde∣mentes. &c.