Translated by Qwen
Enarration on the Gospel by Denis the Carthusian
"When Jesus Drew Near to Jerusalem, etc." (Matthew 21:1–9)
This Gospel is fittingly read on this day, for the event described in it occurred on this very day. Moreover, Christ frequently foretold His passion to His disciples. Yet He announced it most openly to the Apostles when, for the last time, He ascended to Jerusalem from afar, as is read in Matthew: "Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside and said to them: 'Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death,'" etc. Then Christ, passing through the city of Jericho, entered Bethany, according to John: "Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead; and they made Him a supper there," etc. This was on the Sabbath before Palm Sunday. And on the following day, the event now described by the Evangelist Matthew took place.
"When Jesus Drew Near to Jerusalem"
On Palm Sunday, departing from Bethany, when Jesus had drawn near to Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage—that is, to a certain village of priests so named—at the Mount of Olives, which is called the Mount of Olives or Olivet because many olive trees grew there; near the foot or base of this mountain, on the side closer to Jerusalem, was situated the village mentioned, distant one mile from Jerusalem. Bethany, however, was situated on the other side. This village belonged to the priests, who, when they had ministered in the temple on the days assigned to them, would retire to this village to rest or dwell; and their animals were pastured in this village. And as Jerome says, this village was called "House of the Jaws" (Domus maxillarum). Origen gives the reason for this, saying: "Bethphage is interpreted 'House of the Jaws,' because the jaw was the proper portion of the priests under the ancient law."
"Then Jesus Sent Two Disciples"
Some say, according to Chrysostom, that these disciples were Peter and Philip. Nevertheless, Chrysostom does not affirm this, but reports having read in the commentary of a certain [author] that... Origen indeed writes this, as is read. And the reason for this was that... [text corrupted]
"You will find a donkey tied," etc. The donkey, as is commonly held, was designated for the common use of the poor, and her colt was nourished for the same purpose. "Loose them and bring them to Me." Moreover, in Luke it is read that Christ said to the disciples: "You will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat." Mark agrees with this. Therefore, the donkey and the colt were tied. And as it is written in Mark, the colt was tied before the door at the crossroads.
"And if anyone says anything to you"—asking why you are untying these animals (whence Mark also writes that some of those standing there said to the disciples: "What are you doing, untying the colt?")—"say that the Lord has need of them." That is, the King Messiah, Creator and Prince of all, has need, that is, He needs the donkey and the colt; not by absolute or compelled necessity, but by conditional and voluntary need, for the sake of mystical reasons touched upon below, and to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah the prophet; not on account of bodily weakness or fatigue, since on the preceding night He rested in Bethany, and on this day traveled a short distance, scarcely one mile. "And immediately he will send them"—that is, the colt and the donkey—"to you"; or, "the Lord will immediately send them," that is, Christ will immediately allow them to be sent to their master or original place, as soon as He has entered Jerusalem.
"All This Was Done That It Might Be Fulfilled..."
All this was done—that Christ sent the disciples and commanded these animals to be brought to Him—"that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet Zechariah," saying: "Tell the daughter of Zion: Behold, your King comes to you, meek, and sitting upon a donkey, and upon a colt, the foal of a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9). They did these things successively, as was done. Yet some say that Christ first sat upon the colt, upon which no one had ever sat, according to Luke and Mark; but Christ first sat upon it. The reason for these things will be touched upon below. From the fulfillment of this prophecy, the scribes and Pharisees ought to have recognized Christ. From this prophecy also it is most clearly proved that the prophets foretold Christ's first coming in poverty and humility, not in temporal kingdom and wealth, as unbelieving Jews imagine and expect. Wherefore Christ said to Pilate during His passion: "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36).
Moreover, the aforementioned prophecy of Zechariah, in Jerome's translation which the Church now uses, is contained more fully in these words: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King comes to you; He is just and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt, the foal of a donkey."
"And the Disciples Went and Did as Jesus Commanded Them"
They brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their garments upon them, and He sat upon them. That Jesus might sit more softly and honorably, they placed garments upon the animals. He did not sit upon both animals at once, so that according to them the history would contain either impossibility or unseemliness: impossibility, because in so short a space of journey He could not sit upon both animals; unseemliness, because it would appear indecorous that He sat upon a donkey. Nevertheless, on account of the manifest authority of canonical Scripture of both Testaments, I rather think it should be said that He sat upon both animals successively. For both Zechariah the prophet and Matthew the Evangelist openly affirm this; this also Remigius and Nicholas of Gorran hold. For within the space of one mile He could sit upon both animals, especially for the mystical reason to be touched upon immediately. Nor does it appear why He commanded the donkey to be brought to Him unless He intended to use it; nor otherwise, as it seems, would He have commanded the disciples to say that the Lord had need of these things.
Literally, it is likely that the colt was still very young and not strong, because until that hour no one had sat upon him; yet Christ certainly used him, because the other three Evangelists mention only the colt, which John calls a "young donkey" (asellum). Moreover, it was not shameful at that time to ride upon a donkey, since even Balaam, who was a great man in the world, is read in the book of Numbers to have come upon a donkey to King Balak. Chrysostom agrees with these things, saying: "It seems to me that He sat upon a donkey not only on account of the mystery, but also giving us an example of wisdom, showing that it is not necessary to be carried upon horses, but it suffices to use a donkey, and to be content with what necessity requires."
Spiritual or Mystical Interpretation
Moreover, spiritually or mystically, by the aforementioned village (castellum) is designated this whole world, that is, the human race: small in virtue, great in wickedness, and fortified against God by walls of impiety and rebellion, obstinacy, and hardness of heart. Into this world Christ sent the disciples, saying: "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). In this world the Apostles found the donkey tied, that is, the Synagogue or the people of the Jews, and the colt, that is, the Gentiles. And both peoples were bound by the ropes of vices. However, because the people of the Jews bore the burdens of the law upon themselves, observing the precepts of the Mosaic law, they are designated by the subdued donkey. The Gentiles, however—wanton, wandering, untamed, living without faith, law, or service to God—are signified by the colt subdued to no one. Therefore Christ wished both peoples to be brought to Him, because He commanded the Apostles to convert both peoples, saying to them in Acts: "You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). He also sat upon both animals, because He subjected to Himself many Jews and innumerable Gentiles through faith and divine worship. Yet first, as is believed, He sat upon the donkey, because He Himself first came and first sent His disciples to convert the Jews. For before the passion He commanded the disciples: "Go not into the way of the Gentiles" (Matthew 10:5). And of Himself He said: "I was not sent except to the sheep of the house of Israel that have perished" (Matthew 15:24). Whence in Acts Paul says to the Jews: "It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you" (Acts 13:46).
And when the disciples had brought the donkey and the colt to Jesus, they made Him sit upon them, because when they had converted the elect among the Jews and innumerable Gentiles, they subjected them to the rule of Christ, that they might obey His precepts. Moreover, that they placed their garments upon the colt signifies that upon those whom they converted they placed the garments of virtues and various ornaments of salutary doctrines, communicating to others the grace given to them, just as the most holy Prince of the Apostles exhorts: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another" (1 Peter 4:10).
Furthermore, what has been said concerning Christ agrees with what the patriarch Jacob says to his son Judah concerning Christ in Genesis: "Binding his colt to the vine, and his donkey's colt to the choice vine" (Genesis 49:11). That this is said literally of Christ is clear from the fact that immediately before he added: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah... until He comes who is to be sent, and He shall be the expectation of the nations."
"And a Very Great Crowd Spread Their Garments in the Way"
That is, they strewed the way over which Christ was to pass; "and others cut branches from the trees and strewed them in the way." They did all these things as a sign of joy, and also out of reverence for the Savior; also, as Jerome says, so that the animal upon which Christ the Savior was sitting might not stumble on a stone, nor tread on a thorn, nor slip into a pit.
"And the Crowds That Went Before and That Followed Cried, Saying: 'Hosanna to the Son of David!'"
That is, "I beseech, save!" or "O God, save!" according to the assumed nature. "Hosanna" is a word composed from a whole and a corrupted form, namely from hoshia, which means "save," and anna, which is an interjection of one beseeching. For just as among the Latins heu is said by one grieving, so among the Hebrews anna is said by one beseeching. Moreover, if the text has "Hosanna in the highest," the sense is: "Save us in the highest," that is, grant us true happiness in heaven.
This canticle, according to Jerome, is taken from Psalm 118 [117], in which it is written: "O Lord, save me! O Lord, grant me prosperity! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" Therefore, "Blessed is the Son of David" has this sense: We say and cry out to the Son of David, "Hosanna," that is, "Save!" "Blessed is He," that is, holy and worthy of praise, or praised, "who comes in the name of the Lord," that is, by the power of the eternal Father and according to His will, unto His glory. Whence the Savior says in John: "I have come in My Father's name" (John 5:43).
These things, indeed, the crowds cried out with harmonious voice, by the instigation and movement of the Holy Spirit. Luke also recounts this more fully, saying: "When He drew near to the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying: 'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!'" (Luke 19:37–38). And these were the crowds coming with Christ. Concerning those, however, who went out to meet Him, it is written in John: "The crowd that had come together in Jerusalem for the feast day, when they heard that Jesus was coming, went out to meet Him with palm branches" (John 12:12–13).
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