ACC ~ Matthew 26 v65

THE HIGH PRIEST TORE HIS ROBES

JEROME: Blind anger and impatience, bereft of grounds for a false accusation, dislodged the high priest from his seat, and he displayed the rabid state of his mind with a vehement bodily gesture. The more Jesus kept silent over the false witnesses and dishonorable priests indignant at his response, all the more did the high priest, overcome with rage, provoke him to give an incriminating reply. Still Jesus kept quiet, because as God he knew that whatever he replied would be twisted into grounds for accusation. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 4.26.63. [1]

[1] CCL 77:260.

BLASPHEMY

CHRYSOSTOM: Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, he has spoken blasphemy. He did this to add force to the accusation and to aggravate what he said by a symbolic action. What had been said moved the hearers to fear. They did in this case what they would later do in the case of Stephen: they stopped their ears. [1] The high priest does the same thing.

Yet what kind of blasphemy was this? For indeed he had said before, when they were gathered together, that “the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand.” [2] And he had interpreted the saying, and they dared to say nothing. They held their peace and from that time forward did not challenge him further. Why then did they now call the saying a blasphemy? And why did Christ now answer them? He did so to take away all their excuses. Even to the last day he taught that he was the Christ, and that he would sit at the right hand of the Father and that he would come again to judge the world. All this was the language of one manifesting his full accordance with the will of the Father. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 84.2-3. [3]

[1] Acts 7:57.

[2] Mt 22:44; Ps 110:1 (109:1 LXX).

[3] PG 58:754; NPNF 1 10:504.

THE FURY OF CAIAPHAS

JEROME: The one whom fury had lifted out of his priestly throne [1] was impelled by that same fury to tear his garments. When Caiaphas tore his robes, he demonstrated that the Jews had lost the glory of the priesthood and that the seat of the high priest was now vacant. But it is the custom of the Jews to tear their clothes when they hear any blasphemy against God. We read that Paul and Barnabas did this when they were honored and worshiped as gods in Lycaonia. [2] COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 4.26.65. [3]

[1] Jerome refers to Matthew 26:62: “And the high priest stood up and said . . .”

[2] Acts 14:10-14.

[3] CCL 77:261.

RENDING GARMENTS

LEO THE GREAT:

To emphasize his alarm over the words he had just heard, Caiaphas “tore his garments.” Unaware of his own madness, he deprived himself of priestly honor. Caiaphas, where does reason reside in your mind? … You are oblivious to the command you read concerning high priests: “Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose, and do not rend your clothes.” [1] But you, who have now forfeited your dignity, are the very object of disgrace. And in token of the end of the old regulation, the same rending that rips your priestly attire will soon also tear apart the veil of the temple. SERMON 44.2. [2]

[1] Lev 21:10.

[2] SC 74:46.