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1_Machabees
7:26
And the king sent Nicanor, one of his principal lords, who was a great enemy to Israel: and he commanded him to destroy the people.
*H But when Nicanor understood that Judas was in the places of Samaria, he purposed to set upon him with all violence, on the sabbath day.
Ver. 1. But. Read here 1 B. vii. 39. W. — Samaria. Arab. "Sebaste," which is the same. Yet Judas was at Adarsa, in the tribe of Ephraim. C. — Sabbath. The profane take advantage of people's tender consciences. But Judas being well-informed, fought on the sabbath. 1 B. iii. 40.
*H Then he said: And I am mighty upon the earth, and I command to take arms, and to do the king's business. Nevertheless he prevailed not to accomplish his design.
Ver. 5. Earth. O Luciferian blasphemy! W. — He seems to place himself above the Lord of heaven. C.
*H So Nicanor being puffed up with exceeding great pride, thought to set up a public monument of his victory over Judas.
Ver. 6. Public. Gr. "common trophy over all the men of Judas." H. — Syr. "he fortified himself exceedingly." A trophy consisted of the trunk of a tree hung round with arms.
*H Then after he had encouraged them, he shewed withal the falsehood of the Gentiles, and their breach of oaths.
Ver. 10. Oaths, of which Eupator had lately given an instance. Apollonius and the people of Joppe had acted perfidiously. C.
*H So he armed every one of them, not with defence of shield and spear, but with very good speeches, and exhortations, and told them a dream worthy to be believed, whereby he rejoiced them all.
Ver. 11. Not with, not only, or so much with, &c. H. — Dream. He knew it was supernatural (C.) by God's light, as S. Joseph did. Mat. i. 20. W.
*H Now the vision was in this manner. Onias, who had been high priest, a good and virtuous man, modest in his looks, gentle in his manners, and graceful in speech, and who from a child was exercised in virtues holding up his hands, prayed for all the people of the Jews:
Ver. 12. Onias III. who had been slain (C.) at Daphne. C. iv. 34. H. — The Jewish and Christian Churches never doubted that the saints interceded in the other world for the living, in whose concerns they take part. C. — Prot. evade this text by denying the canonicity of the book. Yet the same is proved Gen. xlviii. Ex. xxxii. Jer. xv. Lu. xvi. Apoc. v. 6. 8. and 2 Pet. i. and we have a right to produce the authority of this book, as Origen, (18 in Jo.) S. Bern. (76 in Cant. & ser. 3. Nat. &c.) have done. Onias and Jeremias, in limbo, interested themselves for the faithful on earth, and no doubt the saints in glory will do as much. W.
* Summa
*S Part 3, Ques 83, Article 11
[II-II, Q. 83, Art. 11]
Whether the Saints in Heaven Pray for Us?
Objection 1: It would seem that the saints in heaven do not pray for us. A man's action is more meritorious for himself than for others. But the saints in heaven do not merit for themselves, neither do they pray for themselves, since they are already established in the term. Neither therefore do they pray for us.
Obj. 2: Further, the saints conform their will to God perfectly, so that they will only what God wills. Now what God wills is always fulfilled. Therefore it would be useless for the saints to pray for us.
Obj. 3: Further, just as the saints in heaven are above, so are those in Purgatory, for they can no longer sin. Now those in Purgatory do not pray for us, on the contrary we pray for them. Therefore neither do the saints in heaven pray for us.
Obj. 4: Further, if the saints in heaven pray for us, the prayers of the higher saints would be more efficacious; and so we ought not to implore the help of the lower saints' prayers but only of those of the higher saints.
Obj. 5: Further, the soul of Peter is not Peter. If therefore the souls of the saints pray for us, so long as they are separated from their bodies, we ought not to call upon Saint Peter, but on his soul, to pray for us: yet the Church does the contrary. The saints therefore do not pray for us, at least before the resurrection.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (2 Macc. 15:14): "This is . . . he that prayeth much for the people, and for all the holy city, Jeremias the prophet of God."
_I answer that,_ As Jerome says (Cont. Vigilant. 6), the error of Vigilantius consisted in saying that "while we live, we can pray one for another; but that after we are dead, none of our prayers for others can be heard, seeing that not even the martyrs' prayers are granted when they pray for their blood to be avenged." But this is absolutely false, because, since prayers offered for others proceed from charity, as stated above (AA. 7, 8), the greater the charity of the saints in heaven, the more they pray for wayfarers, since the latter can be helped by prayers: and the more closely they are united to God, the more are their prayers efficacious: for the Divine order is such that lower beings receive an overflow of the excellence of the higher, even as the air receives the brightness of the sun. Wherefore it is said of Christ (Heb. 7:25): "Going to God by His own power . . . to make intercession for us" [*Vulg.: 'He is able to save for ever them that come to God by Him, always living to make intercession for us.']. Hence Jerome says (Cont. Vigilant. 6): "If the apostles and martyrs while yet in the body and having to be solicitous for themselves, can pray for others, how much more now that they have the crown of victory and triumph."
Reply Obj. 1: The saints in heaven, since they are blessed, have no lack of bliss, save that of the body's glory, and for this they pray. But they pray for us who lack the ultimate perfection of bliss: and their prayers are efficacious in impetrating through their previous merits and through God's acceptance.
Reply Obj. 2: The saints impetrate what ever God wishes to take place through their prayers: and they pray for that which they deem will be granted through their prayers according to God's will.
Reply Obj. 3: Those who are in Purgatory though they are above us on account of their impeccability, yet they are below us as to the pains which they suffer: and in this respect they are not in a condition to pray, but rather in a condition that requires us to pray for them.
Reply Obj. 4: It is God's will that inferior beings should be helped by all those that are above them, wherefore we ought to pray not only to the higher but also to the lower saints; else we should have to implore the mercy of God alone. Nevertheless it happens sometime that prayers addressed to a saint of lower degree are more efficacious, either because he is implored with greater devotion, or because God wishes to make known his sanctity.
Reply Obj. 5: It is because the saints while living merited to pray for us, that we invoke them under the names by which they were known in this life, and by which they are better known to us: and also in order to indicate our belief in the resurrection, according to the saying of Ex. 3:6, "I am the God of Abraham," etc. _______________________
TWELFTH
*H Whereupon Jeremias stretched forth his right hand, and gave to Judas a sword of gold, saying:
Ver. 15. Gold, such as kings and chief officers of Persia used. C. — Jeremias (xxxviii. 17.) had formerly dissuaded war: now he encourages it; as it also has a time. Eccle. iii. 8. W.
*H Thus being exhorted with the words of Judas, which were very good, and proper to stir up the courage, and strengthen the hearts of the young men, they resolved to fight, and to set upon them manfully: that valour might decide the matter, because the holy city, and the temple were in danger.
Ver. 17. Fight. Gr. "not to fortify the camp," (C.) or "remain there:" (H.) μη στρατοπηδευεσθαι. Χ. emdash Grabe reads strateuesqai, ~ "to act as soldiers." H. — Syr. "not to trust in troops set in array, but to take courage, and to expose their lives, in this extremity, for their country and for the temple."
* Summa
*S Part 3, Ques 129, Article 3
[II-II, Q. 129, Art. 3]
Whether Magnanimity Is a Virtue?
Objection 1: It seems that magnanimity is not a virtue. For every moral virtue observes the mean. But magnanimity observes not the mean but the greater extreme: because the "magnanimous man deems himself worthy of the greatest things" (Ethic. iv, 3). Therefore magnanimity is not a virtue.
Obj. 2: Further, he that has one virtue has them all, as stated above (I-II, Q. 65, A. 1). But one may have a virtue without having magnanimity: since the Philosopher says (Ethic. iv, 3) that "whosoever is worthy of little things and deems himself worthy of them, is temperate, but he is not magnanimous." Therefore magnanimity is not a virtue.
Obj. 3: Further, "Virtue is a good quality of the mind," as stated above (I-II, Q. 55, A. 4). But magnanimity implies certain dispositions of the body: for the Philosopher says (Ethic. iv, 3) of "a magnanimous man that his gait is slow, his voice deep, and his utterance calm." Therefore magnanimity is not a virtue.
Obj. 4: Further, no virtue is opposed to another virtue. But magnanimity is opposed to humility, since "the magnanimous deems himself worthy of great things, and despises others," according to _Ethic._ iv, 3. Therefore magnanimity is not a virtue.
Obj. 5: Further, the properties of every virtue are praiseworthy. But magnanimity has certain properties that call for blame. For, in the first place, the magnanimous is unmindful of favors; secondly, he is remiss and slow of action; thirdly, he employs irony [*Cf. Q. 113] towards many; fourthly, he is unable to associate with others; fifthly, because he holds to the barren things rather than to those that are fruitful. Therefore magnanimity is not a virtue.
_On the contrary,_ It is written in praise of certain men (2 Macc. 15:18): "Nicanor hearing of the valor of Judas' companions, and the greatness of courage (_animi magnitudinem_) with which they fought for their country, was afraid to try the matter by the sword." Now, only deeds of virtue are worthy of praise. Therefore magnanimity which consists in greatness of courage is a virtue.
_I answer that,_ The essence of human virtue consists in safeguarding the good of reason in human affairs, for this is man's proper good. Now among external human things honors take precedence of all others, as stated above (A. 1; I-II, Q. 11, A. 2, Obj. 3). Therefore magnanimity, which observes the mode of reason in great honors, is a virtue.
Reply Obj. 1: As the Philosopher again says (Ethic. iv, 3), "the magnanimous in point of quantity goes to extremes," in so far as he tends to what is greatest, "but in the matter of becomingness, he follows the mean," because he tends to the greatest things according to reason, for "he deems himself worthy in accordance with his worth" (Ethic. iv, 3), since his aims do not surpass his deserts.
Reply Obj. 2: The mutual connection of the virtues does not apply to their acts, as though every one were competent to practice the acts of all the virtues. Wherefore the act of magnanimity is not becoming to every virtuous man, but only to great men. On the other hand, as regards the principles of virtue, namely prudence and grace, all virtues are connected together, since their habits reside together in the soul, either in act or by way of a proximate disposition thereto. Thus it is possible for one to whom the act of magnanimity is not competent, to have the habit of magnanimity, whereby he is disposed to practice that act if it were competent to him according to his state.
Reply Obj. 3: The movements of the body are differentiated according to the different apprehensions and emotions of the soul. And so it happens that to magnanimity there accrue certain fixed accidents by way of bodily movements. For quickness of movement results from a man being intent on many things which he is in a hurry to accomplish, whereas the magnanimous is intent only on great things; these are few and require great attention, wherefore they call for slow movement. Likewise shrill and rapid speaking is chiefly competent to those who are quick to quarrel about anything, and this becomes not the magnanimous who are busy only about great things. And just as these dispositions of bodily movements are competent to the magnanimous man according to the mode of his emotions, so too in those who are naturally disposed to magnanimity these conditions are found naturally.
Reply Obj. 4: There is in man something great which he possesses through the gift of God; and something defective which accrues to him through the weakness of nature. Accordingly magnanimity makes a man deem himself worthy of great things in consideration of the gifts he holds from God: thus if his soul is endowed with great virtue, magnanimity makes him tend to perfect works of virtue; and the same is to be said of the use of any other good, such as science or external fortune. On the other hand, humility makes a man think little of himself in consideration of his own deficiency, and magnanimity makes him despise others in so far as they fall away from God's gifts: since he does not think so much of others as to do anything wrong for their sake. Yet humility makes us honor others and esteem them better than ourselves, in so far as we see some of God's gifts in them. Hence it is written of the just man (Ps. 14:4): "In his sight a vile person is contemned [*Douay: 'The malignant is brought to nothing, but he glorifieth,' etc.]," which indicates the contempt of magnanimity, "but he honoreth them that fear the Lord," which points to the reverential bearing of humility. It is therefore evident that magnanimity and humility are not contrary to one another, although they seem to tend in contrary directions, because they proceed according to different considerations.
Reply Obj. 5: These properties in so far as they belong to a magnanimous man call not for blame, but for very great praise. For in the first place, when it is said that the magnanimous is not mindful of those from whom he has received favors, this points to the fact that he takes no pleasure in accepting favors from others unless he repay them with yet greater favor; this belongs to the perfection of gratitude, in the act of which he wishes to excel, even as in the acts of other virtues. Again, in the second place, it is said that he is remiss and slow of action, not that he is lacking in doing what becomes him, but because he does not busy himself with all kinds of works, but only with great works, such as are becoming to him. He is also said, in the third place, to employ irony, not as opposed to truth, and so as either to say of himself vile things that are not true, or deny of himself great things that are true, but because he does not disclose all his greatness, especially to the large number of those who are beneath him, since, as also the Philosopher says (Ethic. iv, 3), "it belongs to a magnanimous man to be great towards persons of dignity and affluence, and unassuming towards the middle class." In the fourth place, it is said that he cannot associate with others: this means that he is not at home with others than his friends: because he altogether shuns flattery and hypocrisy, which belong to littleness of mind. But he associates with all, both great and little, according as he ought, as stated above (ad 1). It is also said, fifthly, that he prefers to have barren things, not indeed any, but good, i.e. virtuous; for in all things he prefers the virtuous to the useful, as being greater: since the useful is sought in order to supply a defect which is inconsistent with magnanimity. _______________________
FOURTH
*H But Nicanor, and they that were with him came forward, with trumpets and songs.
Ver. 25. Songs. Gr. "pean," sung in honour of Apollo. C. — Before battle his aid was thus invoked, and he was thanked with songs after a victory. Grot.
*H So fighting with their hands, but praying to the Lord with their hearts, they slew no less than five and thirty thousand, being greatly cheered with the presence of God.
Ver. 27. Five. Josephus has only 30,000. Ant. xii. 17. C. — Presence. He had granted them victory. M.
*H And when the battle was over, and they were returning with joy, they understood that Nicanor was slain in his armour.
Ver. 28. Armour, at the beginning of the battle. 1 B. vii. 44.
*H Then making a shout, and a great noise, they blessed the Almighty Lord in their own language.
Ver. 29. Language, composing a canticle in Heb. or using such as had been written (C.) by David, &c. H.
*H And Judas, who was altogether ready, in body and mind, to die for his countrymen, commanded that Nicanor's head, and his hand, with the shoulder, should be cut off, and carried to Jerusalem.
Ver. 30. Shoulder. Thus his bust was set up. But the right arm was hung over-against the temple. v. 33. and 1 B. vii. 47. C.
*H Then all blessed the Lord of heaven, saying: Blessed be he that hath kept his own place undefiled.
Ver. 34. Blessed. Gr. "raising their voices, (M.) or looking towards heaven, praised the Lord, who had made himself manifest:" επιφανη κυριον. H.
*H But to celebrate the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, called in the Syrian language, the day before Mardochias' day.
Ver. 37. Adar; our February and March. The 13th was the feast, "of lots." Est. ix. 23. C.
*H So these things being done with relation to Nicanor, and from that time the city being possessed by the Hebrews, I also will here make an end of my narration.
Ver. 38. So. Read 1 B. viii. 1. where more on this subject is written. After other persecutors were overcome, the land was at rest, and the author adds this general conclusion. W.
*H Which if I have done well, and as it becometh the history, it is what I desired: but if not so perfectly, it must be pardoned me.
Ver. 39. So. Gr. "If in a frugal and middling style, this is as well as I was able." H. — Perfectly. This is not said with regard to the truth of the narration, but with regard to the style and manner of writing, which in the sacred penmen is not always the most accurate. See S. Paul, 2 Cor. xi. 6. Ch. — The style was frequently left to their choice. H. — Inspiration did not exclude natural acquirements. C. — The author is not afraid of having said any thing erroneous, though he might be less polished, like S. Paul: imperitus sermone sed non scientia. But we, having now come to the end of the Old Testament, must crave pardon for any mistakes into which we may have fallen, in the execution of this work, which is dedicated to the English (W.) and to all his majesty's Catholic subjects, for whose benefit chiefly and for the sake of religion it has been undertaken. The many things hard to be understood, which we did not wish to pass over, have swelled this work to a larger volume than was at first intended; larger, perhaps, than the purses of the poor and middle ranks, in the late hard times, could bear. But now the prospect is more cheering; and it is hoped that this profusion on a subject of such vast importance will be pardoned, particularly as we had also to comply with the desires of the more affluent, who repeatedly requested that the notes might be rather "more ample." As they that prepare a feast, and seek to satisfy the will of others, so we, for the sake of many, willingly undergo the labour. C. ii. 28. The variety of matter and of style may well be compared to a mixture of wine and water. v. 40. Yet our aim has not been merely to please, but rather to counteract the baneful influences of heresy and infidelity. T. Paine (Age of Reason, part 2nd) having touched upon a few difficulties in some of the books of Scripture, says exultingly: "I have gone through the Bible as a man would go through a wood, with an axe on his shoulders, and fell trees; here they lie, and the priests, if they can, may replant them. They may perhaps stick them in the ground, but they will never grow." Yes, they will grow, and brave the fury of tempests, because they have been planted not by priest, but by the hand of God. The Scriptures and the Church will stand and support each other till time shall be no more. The true faith has been preserved from Adam through all succeeding generations, and antichrist himself will not be able to destroy it. My WORD shall not pass away, says our divine Master. As we have repeatedly proved this assertion in the foregoing notes, which are already perhaps too copious, we shall refer the more inquisitive reader to the remarks of Dr. Worthington on the six ages, in the Douay Bible.
*H For as it is hurtful to drink always wine, or always water, but pleasant to use sometimes the one, and sometimes the other: so if the speech be always nicely framed, it will not be grateful to the readers. But here it shall be ended.
Ver. 40. Always. Gr. "only." H. — Readers delight in variety. A middle style is adopted. C. — But. Gr. "But as wine mixed with water is pleasant, and affords delight, so the preparation (or style) of a discourse pleases the ears of those who read what is collected. But here shall be an end." H.