(Lk 18:9-14)

Luke 18:9 He also told this parable to some who were confident of their own righteousness and despised others:

Luke 18:10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

Luke 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank thee, that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this publican.

Luke 18:12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.

Luke 18:13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.

This parable is a catechesis on prayer, which must be humbly trusting, entrusting oneself to the Father. Two men are presented who go up to Jerusalem to pray and are immediately described as diametrically opposed: a Pharisee and a tax collector. Two paradigmatic figures, whose contrast is immediately highlighted: the darkness of the Pharisee's light and the light of the tax collector's darkness. Two figures placed there to challenge the conscience of those who are going up to Jerusalem with Jesus. Ultimately, we are faced with a judgement of condemnation on those who rely on themselves and of reward on those who, instead, rely on God.

Verse 9 provides the key to understanding the parable. Although we are faced with an evaluation of the behaviour of some towards others, this has to do with prayer, which, it should not be forgotten, is a relationship with God, in which one's relationship with others weighs heavily. This is a short story that strikes at an inner attitude that creates discrimination, rejection and closure towards others and is such as to make one's relationship with God himself precarious. It is no coincidence, in fact, that the parable, which began by highlighting one's relationships with others, ends by highlighting one's relationship with God and such as to involve one's own justification (v. 14).

The Pharisee is an emblematic figure, whom Paul masterfully describes in Romans 2:1: 'You are therefore inexcusable, whoever you are, O man who judges'. This judgement stems from a conviction of legal holiness. However, this legal holiness is not reflected in their daily lives. In short, they are a class of right-thinking people who like to present themselves as scrupulous observers of the Law, but whose way of life contradicts this.

Alongside this figure, an icon of ritual purity and legal holiness, is the despised tax collector, who in the Gospels is often associated with sinners or prostitutes, characters who were socially and religiously ghettoised and considered already destined for eternal damnation. People, therefore, to be avoided so as not to become contaminated and ritually impure. Furthermore, approaching them or lingering with them certainly damaged the dignity of this class of religious people. The comparison in the parable is jarring, but it serves to make the final judgement (v. 14) more disruptive, thus highlighting God's way of thinking, which often contrasts with that of men. The social figure of the tax collector, precisely because of his work as a tax collector on behalf of the Roman oppressor, was considered, from a religious point of view, to be in a constant state of ritual impurity, as he was in constant contact with the pagan world. He was socially unpopular and hated because he was part of the oppressive system of the invader and often added his own interests to the taxes. To all intents and purposes, he was considered a public sinner.

Verses 11-12 are dedicated to the Pharisee, who, in his relationship with God, displays all his arrogance, which contrasts sharply with the behaviour of the tax collector. The Pharisee stands before God 'standing upright'. Although this was the way the pious Jew prayed, the verb statheìs says much more than simply standing before God. He places himself in a sort of defiant attitude before God, almost provocatively urging him to find some shadow in him, the perfect observer of the Law. And here he displays all his skill in legal observance, which is flawless, but which reveals all his insolent arrogance towards God, placing himself, in fact, on a par with him. And to make it stand out even more, he invokes not only the general sinfulness of men, placing himself above humanity ("I am not like other men"), but also the loser and despised publican, present there with him, whom he feels he far surpasses. The Pharisee's entire prayer unfolds within a tense confrontation with others, defined as thieves, unjust, adulterers, and his scrupulous observance of the Law, which goes far beyond what it required in terms of fasting, which was only expected once a year on the Day of Atonement. At the centre of his prayer and his relationship with God is not God, but only his ego, which here imposes itself before God to the detriment of others.

In contrast to such pride, we have the figure of the tax collector, diametrically opposed to that of the Pharisee. The Pharisee's 'standing' is contrasted with the tax collector's 'standing at a distance', which indicates not only the distance between him and the Pharisee, but also that between him and God. He is and feels himself to be a sinner. All he can offer God is his fragility, which does not even allow him to raise his eyes to Him, so great is his awareness of his nothingness. Instead, he entrusts himself to divine mercy, without expecting anything, because he is aware of his sin. But his going up to the Temple, his entering it, associates him in some way with the figure of the Prodigal Son, who returned to his Father's house, who does not even listen to the words of his lost and found son, but welcomes him with an embrace, which is a promise of eternal life. 

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, true God and true Man in the mystery of the Trinity

The prophetic discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

(Ex 17:8-13)

Exodus 17:8 Then Amalek came to fight against Israel at Rephidim.

Exodus 17:9 Moses said to Joshua, 'Choose some men for us and go out to fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.

Exodus 17:10 Joshua did as Moses commanded him and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

Exodus 17:11 When Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed, but when he let them down, Amalek prevailed.

Exodus 17:12 And Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. So his hands remained steady until the sun went down.

Exodus 17:13 Joshua defeated Amalek and his people and put them to the sword.

This story follows the murmuring of the people of Israel in the desert because of the lack of water. What were the consequences of giving in to temptation? The liberation of the forces of evil represented by Amalek. There is a struggle and an effort to remain in the faith given by the Lord, and there is the war that is waged by Satan when he sees that our faith in God is wavering. Amalek, king of a people who lived on the edge of the desert, south of the land of Canaan, who comes to fight against Israel at Rephidim, represents all this. 

The battle against the enemy is not fought by all men, but only by those who are chosen/elected by Joshua (a figure of Jesus) and place themselves under his command. It is a war that involves leaving ("go out to battle") daily life, abandoning all occupations, for total commitment. One does not fight against the evil one alone, but together with the whole Church, under the guidance of the one appointed by the Lord, under the protection of the 'staff of God' that gives victory: a staff that in the story is placed in Moses' hand.

Previously, Moses had to strike the rock with his staff to bring forth water; now he must do the same with his God and Lord: Moses must strike God with his staff so that God may bring forth victory for the Israelites. The rock was struck twice, and water flowed out of it in abundance. In order to be victorious over Amalek, God must be touched until complete victory is achieved. When the staff does not touch God, the victory belongs to Amalek. When the staff touches God, the victory belongs to Joshua and the Israelites. A momentary victory is of no use to Israel. What is needed is a definitive victory, the withdrawal of Amalek and peace in Israel.

'Joshua did as Moses commanded him and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill' (v. 10). Joshua does as Moses commands him. He chooses his best troops and goes to fight against Amalek. Moses does not climb to the top of the hill alone. He takes Aaron and Hur with him. They do not go against the enemy, but draw close to God. Only closeness to the Lord is a guarantee of victory, but one must climb the mountain to touch the sky and reach Him.

What happens on the mountain is an image of what happens on the battlefield. When Moses raises his hands and touches God, victory is Israel's. When Moses lowers his hands and lets them fall, Amalek prevails and wins. When God is not touched, grace does not flow, victory does not come. When God is touched, grace and victory come.

But man tires of keeping his arms raised to touch the Lord. However, if the Lord is not touched, the battle will always turn towards evil for us, no longer towards good. This is where intelligence comes to man's aid. Aaron and Hur find a way to prevent Moses from tiring. Satan is not defeated by our strength, but by the incessant prayer that the servant of God raises to heaven. A prayer that stops halfway is worthless and ineffective: it must be an unceasing commitment and a continuous fullness.

Since Moses grows tired of keeping his arms raised towards Heaven, Aaron and Hur take a stone, place it under him, and he sits down. The two of them, one on one side and the other on the other, support his hands. In this way, Moses' hands remain raised until sunset. Here we see that intelligence and wisdom are put at the service of a greater good. Moses contributes the spiritual part, Aaron and Hur the material part. The material and spiritual parts must always become one.

Human hands cannot remain raised towards God continuously: we do not have the strength. We need support for our weariness, enabling us to remain present in the struggle even when we are at rest. All this is given to us by Christ, the rock of salvation.As long as the battle lasts, that is, until the end of this existence, we must not abandon a spirit of continuous prayer. It is a guarantee of certain victory against the enemy. The Lord fights for us, gives us strength and courage to resist the evil one, and ensures that we are not overwhelmed by the weariness of a struggle that seems to have no end.

'Joshua defeated Amalek and his people, putting them to the sword' (v. 13). Supported by the strength of God, invoked without interruption by Moses, and sustained by Aaron and Hur, Joshua defeated Amalek and his people, putting them to the sword. Victory is achieved. However, it is the fruit of a threefold communion: Moses, Aaron and Hur, Joshua. Moses touches God. Aaron and Hur help him materially, physically. Joshua achieves victory by fighting, risking his own life. This is true communion: God and man working together. Thus our enemies are put to flight. The evil one and his children are forced to desist from their evil intent.  

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, True God and True Man in the Trinitarian Mystery

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

(Lk 17:11-19)

Luke 17:11 On his way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through Samaria and Galilee.

Luke 17:12 As he entered a village, ten lepers came to meet him. They stood at a distance

Luke 17:13 and raised their voices, saying, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!

Luke 17:14 When Jesus saw them, he said, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.

Luke 17:15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.

Luke 17:16 and he threw himself at Jesus' feet to thank him. He was a Samaritan.

Luke 17:17 But Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?

Luke 17:18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him,

Luke 17:19 'Get up and go; your faith has saved you.

The coming of Jesus, his life, his preaching, his movement among men have as their primary and sole purpose their salvation, which is accomplished in Jerusalem, where he is going.

The scene described in this passage involves a group of people afflicted with leprosy. Whether this is leprosy as we understand it today, as an infection caused by Hansen's bacillus, we cannot know. The term that recurs in the biblical texts is sāra'at, which the LXX translates as 'leprosy'. Both terms are very imprecise generics used to indicate spots and rough patches that could appear on the skin, but also on clothing and even on the walls of houses. The Law required that the diagnosis be made by a priest.

Once the priest declared the person undergoing his assessment to be unclean, the afflicted man had to live outside the city or village and live in segregation or together with other unfortunate people, crying out to everyone that he was unclean in order to prevent others from approaching him. But the cry of "unclean" is here replaced by a cry for help: "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"This substitution recorded by Luke should not be overlooked, as it is an indication of how the new faith based on Jesus has in fact replaced the very prescriptions of the Mosaic Law, which allowed the afflicted man only a cry that revealed his state of condemnation and gave him no escape. It is as if to say that the Law condemns, but Jesus saves.

What appears here is a group of ten lepers. The number ten symbolises totality, fullness, completeness, and represents the Jewish world as a whole, evaluated in its relationship with Jesus. They are lepers who invoke the name of Jesus, they go to meet him, but they remain distant from him, they are still bound to the Mosaic Law, believing that true salvation can only be obtained through it. In fact, in going to the priests, that is, in continuing to submit to the Mosaic Law, the ten are not truly healed, but only purified. There was no contact with Jesus, there were no words of healing from Jesus, but only a command to continue under the Mosaic Law, which can guarantee purification but does not produce true salvation. Jesus, moreover, does not disown the Mosaic Law, but he does not attribute to it an intrinsic saving power, which only he can give. A Law, therefore, that saves only halfway, that is, it is capable of showing man the right way; of showing what is good and what is evil, but the true capacity for salvation, which transcends human capabilities, depends solely on faith in Jesus, on opening oneself existentially to him, welcoming him into one's life. And this is what the Samaritan will do.

The passage highlights a fundamental distinction between healing and salvation: the former concerns only the physical aspect, but says nothing more; while the latter gives new meaning to healing, it becomes a sign of inner regeneration. Healing only tells what the healed person can see, but for him it does not become a sign, it is only a stroke of luck for having found a cheap healer. Therefore, the healed person is only healed, but not saved. But this is not what happens to the Samaritan, who, returning on his steps, recognises in his healing the work of God's power, manifested in Jesus. For this reason, he is not only healed, but also saved (v. 19).

Significant for understanding the dynamics of salvation are verses 15-16, divided into three parts: a) the awareness on the part of the healed man: 'seeing that he was healed'. The verb here is in the theological or divine passive ("iathē" = he was healed), which in the language of the Gospels refers to God as the agent of healing. The healed man, therefore, recognises that what has happened to him is not the work of a simple healer, but the work of God himself. b) His praising God aloud, giving public testimony to what has happened to him. c) This praise is preceded and accompanied by two actions that reveal what has happened to this man: "he turned back" and "fell at Jesus' feet to thank him" (v. 16). That "turning back" describes the very act of conversion and rapprochement with Jesus. This man, like the others, stopped far from Jesus and, together with the others, had left him to submit to Mosaic ritualism. But the reading of faith that he developed about his healing ("since he was healed") prompts him to return to himself and retrace his steps: from Judaism to Christianity. A return that ends with him prostrating himself before Jesus, thanking him for the salvation he had given him.

Verse 16 ends with a polemical note, contrasting the pagan world with the Jewish world: "He was a Samaritan," considered by the Jews to be a heretic, a traitor to the faith of the Fathers and equated with the pagans. This polemic continues in verses 17-18, which aim to highlight the figure of the Samaritan, deliberately placed in a harsh and victorious confrontation with Judaism, and which sound like a condemnation of Judaism itself.

Verse 19 provides the key to understanding the healing, which for this Samaritan is transformed into true salvation, the nature of which is signified entirely in that "arise" (Anastàs), a technical term that in the language of the early church alluded to the resurrection of Jesus. The healing of this Samaritan, therefore, is in some way equated with the resurrection of Jesus and is linked to it - and flows from it into him. This healing, therefore, takes on the characteristics of a true regeneration to new life, which makes the Samaritan a new creature in Christ, while his physical healing becomes a sign of it. And what produces this salvation is the faith of this Samaritan: "your faith has saved you". Jesus is the source of salvation for all, but his salvation works effectively only in faith, that is, in those who open themselves existentially to him, recognising their need for healing ("have mercy on us") and seeing in Jesus their guide and their sure foundation ("Jesus, master").

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, True God and True Man in the Trinitarian Mystery

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

(Lk 17:5-10)

Luke 17:5 The apostles said to the Lord,

Luke 17:6 'Increase our faith!'. The Lord replied, 'If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea," and it would obey you.

Luke 17:7 Which of you, having a servant ploughing or tending sheep, will say to him when he comes in from the field, "Come and sit down at table"?

Luke 17:8 Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare my supper, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterwards you may eat and drink'?

Luke 17:9 Will he be grateful to his servant because he did what he was told?

Luke 17:10 So also you, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants. We have done what we ought to have done.

Two fundamental elements are highlighted here, and only apparently juxtaposed: the growth of faith (vv. 5-6) and service, meaning the task that the apostles perform within the community of believers for which they are responsible. This must be done for the benefit of the community and not for oneself (vv. 7-10). Growth in faith and service to the community are closely related precisely because of the very nature of service, which must be carried out in the light of a mature faith in order to avoid decline and abuse of believers. There can be no authentic service, free from ulterior motives and personal interests, unless it is supported by a strong faith that is mature and consistent with one's life and the mission to which one is called.

But how can a strong faith be reconciled with a faith as 'small' as a mustard seed, yet capable of uprooting a mulberry tree and transplanting it into the sea? What is the truth underlying Jesus' answer? Faith, when it is alive and vital, when it contains the seed of life in the same way that a mustard seed contains it, is capable of great things, and Jesus wants his disciples to have a living and vital faith in everything.

The question is developed through a short parable in the form of a rhetorical question, so that the reader already knows the answer as it is being formulated. This is developed on three levels aimed at demonstrating how the servant is only a servant and is at the service of his master and that he can claim nothing. The first (v. 7) emphasises that no master gives his servant respite; the second (v. 8) contrasts with the first, thus highlighting what the master will actually and naturally expect from his servant: to be served, because every servant is such because he is at the service of his master and never of himself; the third level (v. 9) concludes the parable by pointing out that the master does not have to be grateful to his servant for serving him, since this is part of his nature and his duties as a servant.

The parable aims to clarify the relationship between community leaders and God himself, the true master. Their authority and responsibility in the believing communities is therefore considered a service that they perform in the name and on behalf of God. The invitation to consider themselves merely useless servants after having done all that was their duty to do should not be read as contempt for these servants, who devote themselves to their master, but rather expresses the distance between them and God himself, to whom they are servants and in whose name and on whose behalf they perform this service. Communion with God transcends all human performance and cannot be debased by an earthly concept of wages. God cannot be outdone in generosity: there will be a reward, but it will be free and infinitely greater than human merit.

But we can also extend this reading to every single believer, not just those in positions of responsibility. Jesus wants each of his disciples to consider themselves servants before others. His humility is service. Service is his obedience. His usefulness lies in obedience and service. After obeying and serving, he must consider himself useless. Why useless? Because his essence is service and obedience. Outside of service and obedience, he is no longer useful. He has no other task. He must consider himself in every way similar to a tool. What is the usefulness of a tool? To serve. Once its service is over, it is useless. It no longer serves its master. It is stored in a drawer or a closet. But it is no longer useful except for the next service and the next obedience. If the master's will uses it, it is useful. If he does not use it, it is useless. And so it is useful and useless at the same time. Its usefulness comes from the master's will. Its uselessness also comes from the master's will. Just as the tool does not complain when it is used and does not complain when it is not used, so it is with every true servant of the Lord, every disciple of his. If it is used, it obeys. If he is not used, he obeys all the same. Thus, whether he is used or not, he is always obedient to his master. If his master needs him, he will always say, 'Here I am'. If his master does not need him, he will remain at peace, because this is his master's will: that he be a useless servant, that is, a humble servant. 

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, True God and True Man in the Trinitarian Mystery

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

Lk 16:19-31

Luke 16:19 There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.

Luke 16:20 At his gate lay a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores,

Luke 16:21 and longed to fill his belly with the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

Luke 16:22 One day the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

Luke 16:23 In hell, among the torments, he looked up and saw Abraham and Lazarus far away beside him.

Luke 16:24 So he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.

Luke 16:25 But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that you received your good things during your lifetime, and Lazarus likewise received his bad things; but now he is comforted and you are in torment.

Luke 16:26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who wish to pass from here to you cannot, nor can they cross over from there to us.

Luke 16:27 He replied, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house,

Luke 16:28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.

Luke 16:29 But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.

Luke 16:30 But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.

Luke 16:31 Abraham replied, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.

"There was a rich man." This man, unlike the poor man, is not defined by his name, which deprives him of his personal identity, but is presented from the outset as a person shrouded in anonymity and destined for oblivion, which is the worst condemnation for a man and characterises the realm of the dead. On the other hand, this man is defined only by his state of life: rich, dressed in purple and fine linen, feasting every day. A state of life made up of ephemeral things, on which he has based his life and to which he is devoting himself and beyond which he does not go, suffering the fate of their inevitable perishability. In fact, all that is said about him is that he is buried, unlike Lazarus, who is lifted up by the angels. He is, therefore, a man who lives in an immanentistic way without any future prospects, wasting his time on frivolities.

Juxtaposed with this character, who lived in luxury and softness, Luke presents another who is diametrically opposed. The rich man is now contrasted with the poor man; the purple and fine linen clothes that cover the rich man's body are contrasted with the sores that cover the poor man's; the rich man's lavish banquet is contrasted with the poor man's desire to feed himself with some leftovers from this banquet, while dogs lick his sore body with their tongues. But unlike the rich man, shrouded in anonymity and destined for oblivion in hell, this poor man has a name that identifies him and gives him substance, since in ancient times a name expressed the essence of the person who bore it: Lazarus.

Verse 22 is characterised by two contrasting movements, ascending for Lazarus and descending for the rich man, and at the same time acts as a watershed between two worlds that do not communicate with each other. In this context, death constitutes the obligatory passage from 'here' to 'there'. But while death unites the two characters, the manner in which the passage takes place is different: Lazarus 'was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom', while the rich man was only buried. In reality, there was no real transition for the latter, but simply a burial; he is associated, pending his complete assimilation, with the land for which he had spent his life. The fate of Lazarus was very different, as he was accompanied to Abraham's bosom by angels. This was a sort of apotheosis emphasised by two elements: the angels as ferrymen and Abraham's bosom. The former closely resemble Charon from Greek mythology, the ferryman of the souls of the dead, who accompanied them to their final resting place, crossing the river Styx, which marked the boundary between the two worlds... but that is another matter.

The second element concerns Lazarus' destination, 'in Abraham's bosom', the patriarch who was the repository of the promise, filled with divine blessing for his faith and obedience, father of a people as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Abraham's bosom, therefore, becomes the image of a safe place, permeated by God himself, who in Abraham began the history of salvation. Lazarus, then, ferried by the angels, will become part of this salvific world, which is not described to us, but is left only to be intuited. After all, it was not Luke's intention to describe the afterlife, but simply to construct, through images, a context for reflection on the destinies of the future life, which are played out here on earth.

Verses 23-26 open with a topographical note, which serves as a frame within which the scene of the dialogue between Abraham and the rich man is set: Luke uses the word 'Hadē' rather than 'hell', which was the realm of the dead for the Greco-Hellenistic world to which Luke was writing and which would have had difficulty understanding the corresponding Hebrew term 'Sheol'. It was an underground world, located in an unspecified place unreachable by man, where souls live in a larval state, their consistency that of a shadow, enveloped in oblivion and the darkness of the shadows, which takes away all hope and where it is no longer possible to praise God.

Hadē, therefore, like its Hebrew counterpart Sheol, should not be understood as a place of eternal damnation, but only as a sort of warehouse, a repository where souls are collected and crammed together awaiting the final judgement. Already in intertestamental Jewish literature, although the place is the same for everyone, there is a division between good and bad, between the righteous and the unrighteous, a sort of anticipation of what the final judgement will be. This is attested to in verse 26: 'A great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can they cross over to us from there'. This abyss, rather than a physical demarcation, defines a sort of insurmountable barrier that separates the righteous from the unrighteous and, in some way, represents the divine judgement that already weighs on these shadows.

The last part of the passage, which concludes the story, is the most interesting from a catechetical point of view, as it presents a faith based not on sensationalist miracles, but on the Scriptures, the solid rock on which to build the house of one's life: "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead." Abraham draws attention to the Scriptures as a sure guide for one's life. In other words, those whose hearts are engulfed in earthly riches cannot perceive the will of God contained in the Scriptures. Not even the appearance of a dead person could lead them to repentance and conversion.

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, True God and True Man in the Trinitarian Mystery

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

Luke 16:1-13

Luke 16:1 He also said to his disciples, 'There was a rich man who had a steward, and he was accused before him of squandering his property.

Luke 16:2 He called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be my steward.

Luke 16:3 The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my stewardship? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

Luke 16:4 I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the stewardship, someone may receive me into his house.

Luke 16:5 He called each one of his master's debtors and said to the first,

Luke 16:6 'How much do you owe my master? ' He replied, 'A hundred measures of oil. ' He said to him, 'Take your receipt, sit down and write fifty.

Luke 16:7 Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' He replied, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your receipt and write eighty.

Luke 16:8 The master commended the dishonest steward for acting shrewdly. For the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.

Luke 16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

The unfaithful steward, finding himself in a very critical situation, reflects on his life and comes to a decision on which he will stake his whole self and his future: "I know what to do" (v. 4). It is a kind of enlightenment that can be benefited from to the extent that one looks within oneself, because it is here, in the sanctuary of one's conscience, that one encounters God and receives the enlightenment that is decisive for one's life. And although what Luke intends to highlight here is the prudence and determination with which this steward operates in his life, we should not overlook, in the second instance, the primary source of this determination, which the evangelist nevertheless emphasises: 'The steward said to himself, "What shall I do?"' From here, from his inner self, from his questioning of life, from his wondering what to do for his own future, to avoid failure in life, begins the recovery that will allow him to get back up and implement his plan. Ultimately, what is at stake is existential success or failure. Luke, therefore, seems to indicate as the decisive element in one's choices the path of reflection, of inner silence, of knowing how to confront oneself and, above all, the Word, symbolised here by the master's judgement on his steward's actions, following which everything changes for him.

"I know what to do." What he intends to do is recounted in verses 5-7: to call his master's debtors and reduce their debt. Here Luke highlights the skill, shrewdness and commitment that this man, now at the end of his stewardship, puts into the little time he has left to build a secure future for himself.

His master's appreciation for him does not concern the fraud he has suffered, but rather the shrewdness of his steward, who has somehow managed to parry the blow, turning a situation of dramatic precariousness to his advantage.

The application of the parable plays out entirely on the comparison between the children of this world and the children of light, from which a certain bitterness shines through due to the lack of commitment of believers in this world, who should instead ferment like yeast within the dough; like salt that gives flavour; like the light of a lamp that illuminates all those around it. In other words, they should bear witness to their faith in the world so as to become leaven, salt and light.

The 'dishonest wealth' of verse 9 is literally 'mamōna tes adikias' (mammon of unrighteousness). What is the mammon of unrighteousness from which to draw friends who have the ability to welcome us into eternal dwellings? What is the connection between this mammon of unrighteousness and the eternal dwellings where we will be welcomed? And what does 'when it fails' allude to? Finally, who are these friends who can be acquired with the mammon of unrighteousness?

The term 'mammon' is Aramaic and has a meaning similar to 'wealth'. It refers not only to accumulated money, but also to property. We would say 'movable and immovable property'. All this is mammon, which here is defined as 'unrighteous', that is, belonging to this world corrupted by sin. It is unthinkable, in fact, that Jesus would urge us to make friends by trafficking illegally and immorally, seeking to create criminal associations. The expression 'unrighteous mammon', therefore, should be understood as 'earthly goods; goods of this world'. Luke's suggestion is to make friends with these material goods. The only way to make these friends with the 'material goods' one possesses is to give them away. In other words, to divest oneself of one's material goods by giving them as alms to those in need.

These beneficiaries are defined as "friends", i.e. people who relate to us in a beneficial way, such as friendship - which in this context should be understood in the sense that the benefit they receive results in them welcoming us into "eternal dwellings". In this sense, these beneficiaries become "friends" to us. The verb 'welcome' means that it is the alms given to them that procures the benefit of divine eternity, here defined as 'eternal dwellings'. In other words, divesting oneself of one's possessions in favour of others has a positive resonance in heaven, where, through these gestures of love, one's eternal dwelling is being built, where one will be welcomed 'when the mammon of iniquity is gone', that is, when it is no longer possible to use the goods of this world, because one's life journey has come to an end and earthly goods no longer have any value, except for the spiritual value produced by their good use.

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse - exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, True God and True Man in the Trinitarian Mystery

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

(Jn 3:13-17)

John 3:13 Yet no one has ever ascended into heaven except the Son of Man, who came down from heaven.

John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

John 3:15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

Verse 13 opens with the verb "anabébēken" (he ascended); this is a perfect indicative, which by its nature indicates a present state, as a consequence of a past action, which John here places as exclusive to the Son of Man: "no one has ever ascended into heaven except...". That 'no one' removes any possible competition or comparison with the Son of Man, assigning him a unique position. The Son of Man, therefore, is seen in his state of definitive glorification, as the one who has already ascended to heaven and is so definitively and permanently as a result of a past event, which took place here in history and is specified in the following verse 14.

If the first part of verse 13 contemplates the unique and exclusive event of the glorification of the Son of Man, thus exalting his divinity, the second part captures him at the beginning of his earthly adventure, that is, in his descent, with clear reference to his incarnation. The verb 'katabás' (descended), in fact, is an aorist past participle, which expresses the occurrence of an event captured in its initial temporal appearance.

If verse 13 presents the two extremes of God's saving action, the incarnation and ascension of the Son of Man, verse 14 places between the two events the intermediate events of Jesus' death and resurrection, and does so starting from an image taken from Numbers 21:6-9, where Moses made a bronze serpent and placed it on a pole; when a snake bit an Israelite, if he looked at the bronze snake, he remained alive. The context in which the Old Testament episode is set is that of a revolt of the people against Moses and against God, who sent poisonous snakes to punish the Israelites with death. The story closely recalls the fall of Adam and Eve: there too there was a revolt against God; there too there was a serpent that injected into them the deadly poison of rebellion against God; there too there was an act of divine mercy, which promised the mortally fallen man the victory of the Woman and her Offspring over the Serpent (Gen 3:15). The reference to Moses raising up the serpent evokes this set of ancient stories, so that the figure of the Son of Man raised up becomes the definitive fulfilment of those images and the answer to the expectations and hopes of humanity fallen and corrupted by sin.

Verse 14, in fact, triggers a comparison between Moses' raising of the serpent and that of Jesus; but while Moses' raising is expressed with an aorist ("hípsōsen", raised), which circumscribes the salvific event in time, the raising of Jesus presents some peculiarities that give it a unique and exclusive meaning that transcends time: "hipsōthēnai dei", "he must be raised". Two verbs, one in the aorist passive infinitive (hipsōthēnai) "to be lifted up", which in New Testament language refers the action to God himself; the other in the present indicative ("deî"), "must", expressing a state of necessity, which implies that the raising up of Jesus, in its dual meaning of death and resurrection, is part of a pre-established divine plan, which is fulfilled in the raising up of Jesus himself. But if the Mosaic raising was confined in time, making its salvific effects relative to the circumstances, that of Jesus transcends the limits of space and time, making the salvific effects of his raising universal, since they are removed from the relativity of history.

Verse 15 attests that believing in Jesus allows access to eternal life. For John, faith is not an abstract concept but an action rooted in life, qualifying it as a believing life, in which, precisely because it is believing, the life of God is reflected, which is essentially a life of love. The believer, therefore, becomes a sort of reflection of God among men, a witness to his divine life, in which he is placed and lives precisely because of his belief. It is no coincidence that the term 'faith' never occurs, not even once, in John, but is always replaced by the verb 'to believe'. The verb, in fact, always expresses an action and is therefore more suited to the very dynamics of life.

The raising up of Jesus, therefore, points to the restoration of every man to divine life through faith in the Raised One. The sense of the universality of the divine plan is rendered with that 'pâs' (whoever), which involves man of every time and every place. It is, therefore, a universal salvific action, addressed to all and based on the premise of 'believing in him'. The Greek expression 'ho pisteúōn en autō', 'the believer in him', is significant. The present participle verb indicates how the action of believing becomes a constant, which qualifies man's life and determines his existential orientation. The verb 'to believe' is followed here by the expression 'en autō', which indicates a state in place: 'in him'. The purpose of believing, therefore, is to place the believer 'in him' and through him to obtain 'eternal life'.

Verse 16 constitutes the summit of John's thought on Jesus, who sees the descent of the Son of Man from heaven as the consequence of an act of love by the Father; a love that becomes a gift and a gift that becomes salvation for the believer. It is not, therefore, an ethereal or mystical love, but a concrete love, which historically takes on the face of Christ and in him becomes visible and accessible to all; and the gift is the very life of God.

The exclusivity of this gift is emphasised in the attribute with which the Son is described: Only Begotten; an expression that expresses the uniqueness not only of the Son in relation to the Father, but also of the relationship that binds them in a close communion of love.

The verb 'dídomi', however, does not only mean 'to give, to donate', but also 'to hand over, to entrust'. The gift that the Father gives of his Son, therefore, not only expresses his nature of love, but is also a handing him over to men, a handing over that has in itself a sacrificial and redemptive value, 'so that whoever believes in him may not perish but have eternal life'.

The phrase 'whoever believes in him' is taken up again in essentially the same form in verse 15, but here there is a small, very significant variation: the particle 'in', rendered in verse 15 as 'en', is replaced here by the particle 'eis'. The first (en) indicates a state in place, emphasising how believing places the believer in the same divine life (eternal life); the second (eis) expresses a movement to a place and gives the believer's belief a strong dynamism, which orientates him existentially towards Christ. The particle 'eis' therefore highlights a faith on the path to salvation, which has not yet been definitively acquired, since the prospect of perdition also appears in the background, albeit expressed in negative form ('let him not die').

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, True God and True Man in the Trinitarian Mystery

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (year C)

(Lk 14:25-33)

Luke 14:25 As many people were going with him, he turned and said to them,

Luke 14:26 'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:28 Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?

Luke 14:29 Otherwise, when he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying,

Luke 14:30 'This man has begun to build and has not been able to finish.

Luke 14:31 Or what king, going to war against another king, does not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men those who come against him with twenty thousand?

Luke 14:32 If not, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation to ask for peace.

Luke 14:33 So therefore, whosoever of you will not forsake all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Luke clarifies Jesus' position with regard to the people who follow him, recounting that "he turned and said". This turning around shows how Jesus precedes these people, like a shepherd guiding his sheep; like a teacher who precedes and guides his disciples who walk with him.

Then Jesus presents the first rule concerning discipleship, which radically cuts short the disciple's family and emotional ties, and is accompanied by a way of discipleship that frames it in a context of suffering. The reason why it is necessary to overcome emotional ties in order to enter the Kingdom of God stems from the fact that the family context can be an impediment.

In order to understand how this can happen, it is necessary to place oneself in the historical context of the early Church: those who wanted to become disciples generally came from Jewish or pagan families, who found it difficult to understand their family member's choice. Then there was the social, civil and religious context in which the new believer and his family found themselves, which was hostile to believers and persecuted them. Hence the need to overcome one's family and emotional ties, and one's carnal origins, in order to embrace the Kingdom of God with determination.

If verse 26 establishes the first rule for discipleship, the overcoming of carnal parental ties, verse 27 establishes the modalities of both access to and conduct of discipleship: "Whoever does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." It is a discipleship that has the cross as its backdrop. What is said here takes on particular significance precisely because Jesus is moving forward on his journey to Jerusalem, where the mysteries of salvation will be fulfilled, passing through suffering and death on the cross. And it is precisely within this journey towards suffering and death on the cross for salvation that Luke states that "many people were going with him," thus projecting the reader into a discipleship that is moving towards Jerusalem.

At this point, Jesus, through two rhetorical questions, leads the disciple to carefully evaluate the choice to follow him, so as not to find himself in the sad and shameful necessity of having to abandon him. The first question concerns the construction of a tower; the second concerns a war that is about to break out between two kings. Both are, on the one hand, an exhortation to prudence and to carefully weigh one's choice; but, on the other hand, each of them says what following means: it is not so much about building a tower as it is about building a new relationship with oneself, with others and, even more so, with Jesus, who is walking the way of the cross; a following that also promises to be a hard battle with the hostile world. The disciple must also evaluate this last aspect.

After this careful reflection on what following Jesus entails and the need to weigh it up carefully, Jesus introduces the third and final rule, which contains within itself a kind of condemnation: 'So whoever of you does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple'. The choice of poverty in order to follow Jesus is in fact a choice of freedom, which allows one to offer oneself entirely to God, without hesitation or second thoughts. Hence Jesus' exhortation to those who have decided to follow him to free themselves from material possessions. 

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, True God and True Man in the Trinitarian Mystery

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (year C)

(Luke 14:1-7, 14)

Luke 14:1 One Sabbath day, Jesus went to the home of one of the leading Pharisees to eat, and the people were watching him closely.

Luke 14:7 Noticing how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable:

Luke 14:8 "When you are invited to a wedding, do not take the place of honour, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited and he who invited you and him say to you, 'Give him your place'.

Luke 14:9 Then you would be ashamed and would have to take the lowest place.

Luke 14:10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the last place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he may say to you, "Friend, move up to the place of honour." Then you will have honour in the presence of all who sit at the table with you.

Luke 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Luke 14:12 Then he said to the one who had invited him, 'When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.

Luke 14:13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.

Luke 14:14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

The passage opens with a verb dear to Luke, with which the evangelist marks the unfolding of the history of salvation, linking it to an event that takes place on a Saturday in the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees: 'Kaì egéneto' (and it came to pass). What is now being recounted, therefore, has to do with the realisation of salvation in the present day of Jesus and in the present day of the Church.

Verse 7 opens with Jesus telling a "parable" about the abusive behaviour of the guests. The story directly involves the diners and places them in a hypothetical wedding banquet where Jesus dictates rules of "good manners" to them. But Jesus' teachings are thought to go far beyond what appears to be simple rules of good social behaviour. The nature of these rules primarily concerns the guests, among whom Jesus is also present, who stands among them as their teacher, and all of whom are inside a house. These are all images that refer to the community of believers. Therefore, these exhortations are addressed to the community, urging believers to behave with helpful humility within their community, on which divine judgement weighs heavily.

The theme of humility shines through the entire New Testament and has its beginning in Jesus himself, who did not come to be served but to serve, and demonstrated this by washing the feet of his disciples shortly before his passion and death, revealing in this gesture the truest and deepest meaning of his death: a service of redemption and salvation for humanity. And it is precisely by virtue of this helpful humility that believers find their true nature in Christ, who, humbling himself in obedience unto death on the cross, paradoxically found his exaltation in this humbling of himself.

In this way, this humble and helpful attitude towards the community of believers takes on such importance that it is subject to eschatological judgement: 'For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted'.

After establishing the golden rule of humility, which is service within the community of believers, on which the threat of divine judgment weighs heavily, Jesus dictates a new rule, addressed to the master of the house; a metaphor, in a way, for that beautiful, wealthy world that revels in itself, exchanging favours: "Spend your money on those who cannot repay you because of their sad condition." This is pure generosity, which expects no reward, but is done solely in the name of Jesus and of the love that must bind every believer and in which the Father's love for all is reflected, regardless of personal circumstances. This is a rule that must characterise the believer's way of life and distinguish him as an authentic disciple of Jesus, on whom he is called to reorient his life. It is a rule that should not be taken as mere good advice, but is made binding by the beatitude with which the exhortation concludes: 'and you will be blessed because they have nothing to repay you. You will be rewarded at the resurrection of the righteous' (v. 14). In other words, the choice of magnanimity towards the needy has its inevitable resonance on the last day, the day of the resurrection of the righteous; and the same is true of selfish behaviour, which, although not explicitly mentioned, nevertheless shines through between the lines.

Luke makes it clear that everything we do here on earth, whether good or bad, has its final outcome. The logic of recompense for what is done here in this life also resonates in the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." Our salvation is not only at stake here on earth, in this life, but it will be determined by the way we live. A life, therefore, that must be taken extremely seriously, since the eschatological judgement, which is final, already weighs upon it.

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ true God and true Man in the Trinitarian mystery

The prophetic discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (year C)

(Luke 13:22-30)

Luke 13:22 He was passing through towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.

Luke 13:23 Someone asked him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?" He answered,

Luke 13:24 'Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able to.

Luke 13:25 When the master of the house has risen and closed the door, you will begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, "Lord, open to us." But he will answer, 'I do not know you, nor do I know where you are from.

Luke 13:26 Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.

Luke 13:27 But he will declare, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!

Luke 13:28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrown out.

Luke 13:29 People will come from east and west, from north and south, and will sit down at the table in the kingdom of God.

Luke 13:30 And behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and some who are first who will be last.

The question posed by the anonymous character ("someone asked him...") was much debated and concerned the number of people who would be saved in Israel. There were those who argued that all the children of the Covenant would participate in the future world. Others, however, maintained that only a few would be saved.

The answer that follows emphasises two elements: the difficulties for Judaism in accepting the proposal of the Kingdom and, for those who accepted it, the difficulty of remaining faithful, leaving behind the Mosaic cult (v. 24); and the urgency of adhering decisively to Jesus while it is still possible, since divine judgment will come without mercy (v. 25) and it will be useless to try to claim to be Jewish and to have shared something with Jesus if there has not been the most sincere and total adherence to him (vv. 26-27). This will lead to their rejection by the eschatological judge, who will cast them out of the Kingdom, where instead will sit both the Fathers and the Prophets, who had foretold that Kingdom, and the pagans who sincerely accepted his proclamation (vv. 28-29), so that the Jews, who were chosen by God from the beginning of his plan of salvation and destined to become a holy people and a kingdom of priests, will be the last; while the pagans, so despised and rejected by Judaism, but who were able to accept Jesus' proclamation, will precede them in the Kingdom (v. 30).

The passage addresses a very important question: that of the position of Judaism towards Jesus and, associated with this, that of the Judaizers, i.e. those Christians who came from Judaism but had never abandoned it, continuing to combine the new teaching with that of Moses, indeed, affirming that the salvation brought by Jesus was only possible by submitting to the Mosaic Law.

Such a position was unacceptable, as it nullified the message of salvation brought by Jesus, bringing new believers back into the fold of Judaism. The issue is addressed in specific terms in the Gospels only by Luke, both because of his closeness to Paul and because of his own ecclesiological interest and, finally, because, as a missionary like Paul and very close to him, he was able to witness first-hand the deleterious action of the Judaizers. The issue will be addressed passionately by Paul in his Letters. In Romans 9-11, he develops a long reflection on Judaism's rejection of Jesus and attempts to give a [very elaborate] answer that reveals all his suffering.

The message is addressed above all to those who have eaten and drunk at the Lord's table after accepting his message (v. 26). It is a message that speaks of "efforts" and of a "narrow gate" through which many try to enter but cannot, revealing the difficulty for Jews to accept the person of Jesus. Many Jews had tried, but they had not been able to make the definitive choice in favour of Jesus, because they tried to reconcile the two teachings, that of Moses and that of Jesus, not having fully grasped the unique and exclusive newness that He brought.

That "strive" (v. 24) reveals how accepting Jesus was not a simple matter, because it led Jewish Christians to break with their social and religious context, suffering heavy retaliation from the religious authorities; and at the same time, family relationships were compromised, creating deep divisions within the family circle. Perhaps this is why, in addition to the inability to definitively leave the religion of their fathers, deeply rooted in the soul of the pious Jew, they tried to make Jesus and Moses coexist, to soften the blow of joining Jesus.

The consequence of this compromise is expulsion from the Kingdom, which weighs on them like a sentence of condemnation. In fact, there is talk of a master of the house who 'will rise and shut the door'; there is talk of a verdict being passed that qualifies them as 'workers of iniquity'; there is talk of a place 'where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth', an expression that we always find in a judicial context of condemnation. This condemnation is aggravated by the fact that these Judaizers see that a part of Israel, the part faithful to the Fathers and the Prophets, enters while they are thrown out. Similarly, when they see the pagans coming from every corner of the earth, here indicated in its extremities as "east and west and north and south," the same thing will happen.

The passage concludes with the sentence in verse 30: 'there are some who are last who will be first, and some who are first who will be last'. The pagans will precede Israel in the new world and take its place because of their willingness to respond to the call.

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ true God and true Man in the mystery of the Trinity

The prophetic discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants Compared – In Defence of the Faith

 The Church and Israel According to St. Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)