Dunk's Bible Palace

The Motif Searcher: one word across the Douay, the Latin, the Greek and the Hebrew.

The verse in its languages

Vulgate (Clementine)
et aperiens os suum docebat eos dicens :
Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς λέγων·

Haydock's commentary

Opening his mouth. It is a Hebraism, to signify he began to speak. (Witham)

This is a common expression in Scripture, to signify something important is about to be spoken. Thus it is used in various other places, as "Job opening his mouth cursed his day, and said," &c. Daniel, chap. x. et alibi. (Jansenius)

And why is it added, says St. Chrysostom "and opening his mouth," without doubt that we might know, that not only when he spoke, but even when silent, he gave instruction: sometimes, therefore, he opened his mouth; at other times he spoke by his very actions. (Hom. xv.)

From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.

The Fathers on this verse

Origen Origen's Commentary on Matthew, Chapter IV

“ And straightway He constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before Him unto the other side, till He should send the multitudes away. ” It should be observed how often in the same passages is mentioned the word, “the multitudes,” and another word, “the disciples,” so that by observing and bringing together the passages about this matter it may be seen that the aim of the Evangelists was to represent by means of the Gospel history the differences of those who come to Jesus; of whom some are the multitudes and are not called disciples, and others are the disciples who are better than the multitudes. It is sufficient, however, for the present, for us to set forth a few sayings, so that any one who is moved by them may do the like with the whole of the Gospels. …

St Leo the Great Sermons, A Homily on the Beatitudes, St. Matt. v. 1-9

A Homily on the Beatitudes, St. Matt. v. 1-9