against himself, he is divided and cannot stand, but hath an end. But if I, by the Spirit of God, cast out devils, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.
“I say to you, whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost[1], it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.”
Then a certain woman from the crowd, hearing what Jesus said, cried out: “Blessed[2] is the womb that bore Thee, and the breasts that gave Thee suck.” But Jesus said: “Yea, rather blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.”
Then some of the Scribes and Pharisees asked Him: “Master, we would see a sign[3] from Thee.” Jesus said to them: “An adulterous[4] generation seeketh a sign: and a sign shall not be given[5] to it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was in the whale’s belly three days and three nights, so shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth, three days[6] and three nights. The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas; and behold, a greater[7] than Jonas is here. The Queen of the south shall rise in judgment[8] with this generation, and
- ↑ Against the Holy Ghost. The Pharisees sinned against the Holy Ghost, by ascribing His work to the devil.
- ↑ Blessed. Our Lord’s discourse, by which he desired to bring the Pharisees to a knowledge of themselves, made a great impression on the multitude; and, full of admiration, a woman from the crowd cried out: “Blessed is the womb that bore thee &c.”, i. e. happy indeed is the Mother who bore Thee and fed Thee at her breast. Jesus confirmed this praise of Mary by responding: “Yea, blessed is My Mother, not merely because she gave me birth and nursed me, but still more because she believed and obeyed the word of God. In like manner you also can become blessed, if you receive and obey My words.”
- ↑ A sign. Namely, a sign from heaven (Mark 7, 2). They meant to say: “The healing of the sick and the driving out of devils do not satisfy us, for this might have been done by the powers of hell. Show us some great sign from heaven, such as the. raining down of the manna, or of the fire which consumed Elias’ sacrifice, and we will believe in you.”
- ↑ An adulterous. Our Lord thus styles the unbelieving Jews, because by rejecting the Messias they broke the covenant which wedded them to God.
- ↑ Shall not be given, i. e. no other and greater sign.
- ↑ Three days. The Jews reckoned the beginning of a day and the end of a day, each as a complete day.
- ↑ A greater. Namely, the greatest of prophets, the Son of God.
- ↑ Shall rise in judgment. From Saba (Old Test. LX). This means: “The heathen Ninivites believed the preaching of Jonas, and the queen of Saba believed in the supernatural wisdom of Solomon; and yet you will not believe in Me, who am greater than either Jonas or Solomon, and who have worked such mighty miracles before your eyes. The faith of these heathen makes your want of faith all the more reprehensible.”
