But Jesus called them unto him, and said,
You know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Read Chapter 20
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Princes of the Gentiles lord it over them: tyrannize over those that are under them, by arbitrary and violent proceedings. (Witham)
Our Lord wishing to extinguish the indignation conceived against the two brothers, lays before them the difference of secular and ecclesiastical princes, shewing that precedency in the Church is neither to be sought for by him who is not possessed of it, nor too eagerly loved by him who has it; for secular princes are lords of their subjects, keeping them under subjection, and govern them in every particular according to their will; but ecclesiastical princes are honoured with precedency, that they may be servants of their inferiors, administer to them whatever they have received from Christ, neglect their own convenience for the good of their neighbour, and be willing even to die for the spiritual good of their subjects. It is neither just nor reasonable, therefore, to desire precedency in the Church, without these qualifications. No prudent man is willi...
What then does Christ say? “He called them to him, and said, ‘The princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them.’ ” He drew them near to him at the very moment when they were disturbed and troubled, and he calms them by his invitation to come near. Picture the two as standing near him. They had already separated themselves from the company of the ten, pleading their own interests. Therefore Jesus brings all of them near him. By this very unifying act he calms the passions of the two and the ten. He exposes and reveals their plea in the presence of all. The Gospel of Matthew, Homily
And now he corrects them, in a different way than before. Whereas before he brought little children into their midst and called them to imitate their simplicity and lowliness, now he admonishes them in a sharper way from the opposite direction. He says, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave.” Loving the first place is not fitting to us, even though it may be among the nations. Such a passion becomes a tyrant. It continually hinders even great men. So it needs to be treated more severely. Note how deep the Lord strikes into them by comparing them with the heathen, shaming their inflamed soul. At the same time he removes the envy of the one and the arrogance of the other. In effect he is saying, “When you, the ten, are insulted, do not be moved with such indignation. For Ja...
For, as they were disturbed and troubled, He soothes them by His call before His word, and by drawing them near Him. For the two having separated themselves from the company of the ten, had stood nearer Him, pleading their own interests. Therefore He brings near Him these also, by this very act, and by exposing and revealing it before the rest, soothing the passion both of the one and of the other.
