The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
22. "His discourses have been softened above oil, and themselves are darts" (ver. 21). For certain things in the Scriptures were seeming hard, while they were obscure; when explained, they have been softened. For even the first heresy in the disciples of Christ, as it were from the hardness of His discourse arose. For when He said, "Except a man shall have eaten My flesh and shall have drunk My blood, he shall not have life in himself:" they, not understanding, said to one another, "Hard is this discourse, who can hear it?" Saying that, "Hard is this discourse," they separated from Him: He remained with the others, the twelve. When they had intimated to Him, that by His discourse they had been scandalized, "Will ye also," He saith, "choose to go?" Then Peter: "Thou hast the Word of life eternal: to whom shall we go?" Attend, we beseech you, and ye little ones learn godliness. Did Peter by any means at that time understand the secret of that discourse of the Lord? Not yet he understood:...
They are divided Dispersed, scattered, and brought to nothing, by the wrath of God, who looks with indignation on their wicked and deceitful ways. (Challoner)
They are separated from the good, (St. Jerome) slain by a look, 2 Thessalonians ii. 8.
Near, or fought, ver. 19. (Calmet)
Some translate, "they have divided the butter, like words of his mouth. "But this is less accurate, and the same idea is conveyed in the next words. (Berthier)
Protestants, "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart. His words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. "(Haydock)
My enemy has violated every law, under the appearance of friendship. (Calmet)
Darts. Absalom kissed the men of Israel to delude them, (2 Kings xv. 2.) and the traitor gave this sign to those who came to seize our Saviour, Matthew xxvi. 48. (Calmet)
The words of God are most excellent in themselves, but they seem hard to the incredulous. Thus the Capharnaites gave rise to the first heresy ...
