Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Mark 12:18-27

Ver 18. Then come unto Him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked Him, saying,19. “Master, Moses wrote unto us, ‘If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.20. Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.21. And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.22. And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.23. In the resurrection, therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.’ “24. And Jesus answering, said unto them, “Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God?25. For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.26. And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’27. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.”

Gloss.: After that our Lord has prudently escaped the crafty temptation of the Pharisees, it is shewn how He also confounds the Sadducees, who tempt Him.  Wherefore it is said: “Then come unto Him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection.”

Theophylact: A certain heretical sect of the Jews called Sadducees denied the resurrection, and said that there was neither angel nor spirit. These then  coming to Jesus, craftily proposed to Him a certain tale, in order to shew that no resurrection should take place, or had taken place; and therefore there is added, “And they asked Him, saying, Master.” And in this tale they lay down that seven men had married one woman, in order to make men draw back from belief in the resurrection.

Bede: And fitly do they frame such a fable in order to prove the madness of those who assert the resurrection of the body. Such a thing however might really have happened at some time or other among them.

Pseudo-Jerome: But in a mystical sense: what can this woman, leaving no seed to seven brothers, and last of all dying, mean except the Jewish synagogue, deserted by the seven-fold Spirit, which filled those seven patriarchs, who did not leave to her the seed of Abraham, that is, Jesus Christ?

For although a Son was born to them, nevertheless He was given to us Gentiles. This woman was dead to Christ, nor shall she be joined in the resurrection to any patriarch of the seven; for by the number seven is meant the whole company of the faithful. Thus it is said contrariwise by Isaiah, “Seven women shall take hold of one man;” [Isa_4:1] that is, the seven Churches, which the Lord loves, reproves, and chastises, adore Him with one faith.

Wherefore it goes on: “And Jesus answering, said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, not knowing the Scripture, neither the power of God?”

Theophylact: As if He had said, Ye understand not what sort of a resurrection the Scriptures announce; for ye believe that there will be a restoration of our bodies, such as they are now, but it shall not be so. Thus then ye know not the Scriptures; neither again do ye know the power of God; for ye consider it as a difficult thing, saying, How can the limbs, which have been scattered, be united together and joined to the soul? But this in respect to the Divine power is as nothing.

There follows: “For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven;” as if He had said, there will be a certain heavenly and angelic restoration to life, when there shall be no more decay, and we shall remain unchanged; and for this reason marriage shall cease. For marriage now exists on account of our decay, that we may be carried on by succession of our race, and not  fail; but then we shall be as the Angels, who need no succession by marriage, and never come to an end.

Bede: We must here consider that the Latin custom does not answer to the Greek idiom. For properly different words are used for the marriage of men, and that of women; but here we may simply understand that, “marry,” is meant of men, and “given in marriage” of women.

Pseudo-Jerome: Thus then they do not understand the Scripture, in that in the resurrection, men shall be as the Angels of God, that is, no man there dies, no one is born, no infant is there, no old men.

Theophylact: In another way also they are deceived, not understanding the Scriptures; for if they had understood them, they should also have understood how by the Scriptures the resurrection of the dead may be proved.

Wherefore He adds, “And as touching the dead, that they rise, have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?”

Pseudo-Jerome: But I say, “in the bush,” which is an image of you; for in it the fire was kindled, but it did not consume its thorns; so my words set you on fire, but do not burn off your thorns, which have grown under the curse.

Theophylact: But I say, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

As if He had said, “The God of the living,” wherefore He adds, “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living;” for He did not say, I have been, but “I am,” as if they had been present. But some one perhaps will say, that God spake this only of the soul of Abraham, not of his body; to which I answer, that Abraham implies both, that is, soul and body, so that He also is the God of the body, and the body lives with God, that is, in God’s ordinance.

Bede: Or else; because after proving that the soul remained after death, (for God could not be God of those who did not exist at all,) the resurrection of the body also might be inferred as a consequence, since it had done good and evil with the soul.

Pseudo-Jerome: But when He says, “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;” by naming God thrice, He implied the Trinity. But when He says, “He is not the God of the dead,” by naming again the One God, He implies One Substance. But they live who make good the portion, which they  had chosen; and they are dead, who have lost what they had made good. “Ye therefore do greatly err.”

Gloss.: That is, because they contradicted the Scriptures, and derogated from the power of God.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Mark 16:1-7 for Holy Saturday

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To see many resources for Holy Week, including many for the numerous readings on Holy Saturday go here.

Ver 1. And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had brought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him.2. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.3. And they said among themselves, “Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?”4. And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.5. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.6. And he saith unto them, “Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: He is risen; He is not here; behold the place where they laid Him.”7. “But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him, and He said unto you.”8. And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

Pseudo-Jerome: After the sadness of the sabbath, a happy day dawns upon them, which holds the chief place amongst days, for in it the chief light shines forth, and the Lord rises in triumph.

Wherefore it is said: “And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Salome, had brought sweet spices.”

Gloss: For these religious women after the burial of the Lord, as long as it was lawful to work, that is, up to sunset, prepared ointment, as Luke says. And because they could not finish their work from the shortness of the time, when the sabbath was over, that is, at sunset, as soon as the time for working came round again, they hastened to buy spices, as Mark says, that they might go in the morning to anoint the body of Jesus. Neither could they come to the sepulchre on the evening of the sabbath, for night prevented them.

Wherefore it goes on: “And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.”

Severianus, ap. Chrysologum, sermon 89: The women in this place run abroad with womanly devotion, for they do not bring Him faith as though He were alive, but ointments as to one dead; and they prepare the service of their grief for Him as buried, not the joys of heavenly triumph for Him as risen.

Theophylact: For they do not understand the greatness and dignity of the wisdom of Christ. But they came according to the custom of the Jews to anoint the body of Christ, that it might remain sweet-smelling, and might not burst forth into moisture, for spices have the property of drying up, and absorb the moisture of the body, so that they keep the body from corruption.

Greg., Hom. in. Evan., 21: But if we believe on Him who is dead, and are filled with the sweet smell of virtue, and seek the Lord with the fame of good works, we come to His sepulchre with spices.

There follows: “And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.”

Augustine, Con. Evang., iii, 24: What Luke expresses by “very early in the morning,” and John by “early when it was yet dark,” Mark must be understood to mean, when he says, “very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun,” that is, when the sky was growing bright in the east, as is usual in places near the rising sun; for this is the light which we call the dawning. Therefore there is no discrepancy with the report which says, “while it was yet dark.”

For when the day is dawning, the remains of darkness lessen in proportion as the light grows brighter; and we must not take the words “very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun,” to mean that the sun himself was seen upon the earth, but as expressing the near approach of the sun into those parts, that is, when his rising begins to light up the sky.

Pseudo-Jerome: By “very early in the morning,” he means what another Evangelist expresses by at the dawning [Luk_24:1, dilueulo]. But the dawn is the time between the darkness of night, and the brightness of day, in which the salvation of man is coming forth with a happy closeness, to be declared in the Church, just as the sun, when he is rising and the light is near, sends before him the rosy dawn, that with prepared eyes she may bear to see the graciousness of his glorious brightness, when the time of our Lord’s Resurrection has dawned; that then the whole Church, after the example of the women, may sing the praises of Christ, since He has quickened the race of man after the pattern of His Resurrection, since He has given life, and has poured upon them the light of belief.

Bede, in Marc., 4, 40: As then the women shew the great fervency of their love, by coming very early in the morning to the sepulchre, as the history relates, according to the mystical sense an example is given to us, that with a shining face, and shaking off the darkness of wickedness, we may be careful to offer the fragrance of good works and the sweetness of prayer to the Lord.

Theophylact: He says, On the first of the sabbaths, that is, on the first of the days of the week. For the days of the week are called sabbaths, and by the word “una” is meant “prima”.

Bede: Or else, by this phrase is meant the first day from the day of sabbaths, or rests, which were kept on the sabbath.

There follows: “And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?”

Severianus, Chrysologus: Your breast was darkened, your eyes shut, and therefore ye did not before see the glory of the opened sepulchre.

It goes on: “And they looked, and saw that the stone was rolled away.”

Bede: Matthew shews clearly enough, that the stone was rolled away by an Angel. This rolling away of the stone means mystically the opening of the Christian Sacraments, which were held under the veil of the letter of the law; for the law was written on stone.  I goes on: “For it was very great.”

Severianus, Chrysologus: Great indeed by its office rather than its size, for it can shut in and throw open the body of the Lord.

Greg.: But the women who came with spices see the Angels; because those minds who come to the Lord with their virtues, through holy desires, see the heavenly citizens.

Wherefore it goes on: “And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.”

Theophylact: Though Matthew says that the Angel was sitting on stone, whilst Mark relates that the women entering into the sepulchre saw a young man sitting, yet we need not wonder, for they afterwards saw sitting within the sepulchre the same Angel as sat without on the stone.

Augustine: Either let us suppose that Matthew was silent about that Angel, whom they saw on entering, whilst Mark said nothing of him, whom they say outside sitting on the stone, so that they saw two and heard separately from two, the things which the Angels said concerning Jesus; or we must understand by “entering into the sepulchre,” their coming within some inclosure, by which is it probable that the place was surrounded a little space before the stone, by the cutting out of which the burial place had been made, so that they saw sitting on the right hand in that space him whom Matthew designates as sitting on the stone.

Theophylact: But some say the women mentioned by Matthew were different from those in Mark. But Mary Magdalene was with all parties, from her burning zeal and ardent love.

Severianus: The women, then, entered the sepulchre, that being buried with Christ, they might rise again from the tomb with Christ. They see the young man, that is, they see the time of the Resurrection, for the Resurrection has no old age, and the period, in which man knows neither birth nor death, admits of no decay, and requires no increase. Wherefore what they saw was a young man, not an old man, nor an infant, but the age of joy.

Bede: Now they saw a young man sitting on the right side, that is, on the south part of the place where the body was laid. For the body, which was lying on its back, and had its head to the west, must have had its right to the south.

Greg.: But what is meant by the left hand, but this present life, and what by the right, but everlasting  life? Because then our Redeemer had already gone through the decay of this present life, fitly did the Angel, who had come to announce His everlasting life, sit on the right hand.

Severianus, Chrysologus: Again, they saw a young man sitting on the right, because the Resurrection has nothing sinister in it. They also see him dressed in a long white robe; that robe is not from mortal fleece, but of living virtue, blazing with heavenly light, not of an earthly dye, as saith the Prophet, “Thou deckest thyself with light as with a garment;” [Psa_104:2] and of the just it is said, “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun.” [Mat_13:43]

Greg.: Or else, he appeared covered with a white robe, because he announced the joys of our festivity, for the whiteness of the robe shews the splendour of our solemnity.

Pseudo-Jerome: The white robe is also true joy, now that the enemy is driven away, the kingdom won, the King of Peace sought for and found and never let go by us. This young man then shews an image of the Resurrection to them who feared death. But their being frightened shews that “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” [1Co_2:9]

There follows: “And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted.”

Greg.: As though he had said, Let them fear, who love not the coming of the inhabitants of heaven; let them fear, who, weighed down with carnal desires, despair that they can ever attain to their company; but why should ye fear, ye who see your own fellow citizens.

Pseudo-Jerome: For there is no fear in love. Why should they fear, who had found Him whom they sought?

Greg.: But let us hear what the Angel adds; “Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus means the Saviour, but at that time there may have been many a Jesus, not indeed really, but in name, therefore the place Nazareth is added, that it might be evident of what Jesus it was spoken. And immediately he subjoins the reason, “Which was crucified.”

Theophylact: For he does not blush at the Cross, for in it is the salvation of men, and the beginning of the Blessed.

Pseudo-Jerome: But the bitter root of the Cross has disappeared. The flower of life has burst forth with its fruits, that is, He who lay in death has risen in glory.  Wherefore he adds, “He is risen; He is not here.”

Greg.: “He is not here,” is spoken of His carnal presence, for He was not absent from any place as to the presence of His majesty.

Theophylact: As if he had said, Do ye wish to be certain of His Resurrection, he adds, “Behold the place where they laid Him.”   This too was the reason why he had rolled away the stone, that he might shew them the place.

Pseudo-Jerome: But immortality is shewn to mortals as [debita, ap. Pseudo-Hier.] due to thankfulness, that we may understand what we were, and that we may know what we are to be.

There follows: “But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee.”

The women are ordered to tell the Apostles, that as by a woman death was announced, so also might life rising again. But He says specially unto Peter, because he had shewn himself unworthy of being a disciple, since he had thrice denied his Master; but past sins cease to hurt us when they cease to be pleasing to us.

Greg.: If again the Angel had not expressly name him who had denied his Master, he would not have dared to come amongst the disciples; he is therefore called by name, lest he should despair on account of his denial.

Augustine, de. Con. Evan., iii, 25: By saying, “He will go before you into Galilee, there shall ye see Him, and He said unto you,” he seems to imply, that Jesus would not shew Himself to His disciples after His Resurrection except in Galilee, which shewing of Himself Mark himself has not ['sec', ap. Aug. (?)] mentioned. For that which He has related, “Early the first day of the week He appeared to Mary Magdalene,” and “after that to two of them as they walked and went into the country,” we know took place in Jerusalem, on the very day of the resurrection; then he comes to His last manifestation, which we know was on the Mount of Olives, not far from Jerusalem.

Mark therefore never relates the fulfilment of that which was foretold by the Angel; but Matthew does not mention any place at all, where the disciples saw the Lord after He arose, except Galilee, according to the Angel’s prophecy. But since it is not set down when this happened, whether first, before He was seen any where else, and since the very place where Matthew says that He went into Galilee to the mountain, does not explain the day, or the order of the narration, Matthew does not oppose the account of the others, but assists in explaining and receiving them.

But nevertheless, since the Lord was not first to shew Himself there, but sent  word that He was to be seen in Galilee, where He was seen subsequently, it makes every faithful Christian on the look out, to find out in what mysterious sense it may be understood.

Greg.: For Galilee mean ‘a passing over’ [transmigratio]; for our Redeemer had already passed from His Passion to His Resurrection, from death unto life, and we shall have joy in seeing the glory of His Resurrection, if only we pass over from vice to the heights of virtue. He then who is announced at the tomb, is shewn in ‘passing over,’ because He who is first known in mortification of the flesh, is seen in this passing over of the soul.

Pseudo-Jerome: This sentence is but short in the number of syllables, but the promise is vast in its greatness. Here is the fountain of our joy, and the source of everlasting life is prepared. Here all that are scattered are brought together, and the contrite hearts are healed. There, he says, ye shall see Him, but not as ye have seen Him.

Augustine: It is also signified that the grace of Christ is about to pass over from the people of Israel to the Gentiles, by whom the Apostles would never have been received when they preached, if the Lord had not gone before them and prepared a way in their hearts; and this is what is meant by, “He goeth before you into Galilee, there shall ye see Him,” that is, there shall ye find His members.

There follows: “And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre, for they trembled and were amazed.”

Theophylact: That is, they trembled because of the vision of Angels, and were amazed because of the Resurrection.

Severianus, Chrysologus: The Angel sits on the sepulchre, the women fly from it; he, on account of his heavenly substance, is confident, that are troubled because of their earthly frame. He who cannot die, cannot fear the tomb, but the women both fear from what was then done, and still, as being mortals, fear the sepulchre as mortals are wont.

Pseudo-Jerome: This also is spoken of the life to come, in which grief and groaning will flee away. For the women prefigure before the Resurrection all that is to happen to them after the Resurrection, namely, they flee away from death and fear.  There follows: “Neither said they any thing to any man, for they were afraid.”

Theophylact: Either on account of the Jews, or else they said nothing because the fear of the vision prevented them.

Augustine, de Con. Evan., iii, 24: We may however enquire how Mark can say this, when Matthew says, “they departed  quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, and did run to bring His disciples word,” [Mat_28:8] unless we understand it to mean, that they did not dare to say a word to any of the Angels themselves, that is, to answer the words which they had spoken to them; or else to the guards whom they saw lying there; for that joy of which Matthew speaks is not inconsistent with the fear which Mark mentions. For we ought to have understood that both feelings were in their minds, even though Matthew had not mentioned the fear. But since he has also said that they came out with fear and great joy, he does not allow room for any question to be raised.

Severianus, Chrysologus: It is said also in a marked manner, that they said nothing to any one, because it is the part of women to hear, and not to speak, to learn, not to teach.

Part 2 of the Passion According to Mark (Mark 14:12-26)

This is the second in a series of posts on the Passion According to Mark. My intention is not to provide an in depth presentation, rather, I’m merely recording some thoughts and ideas as I read through and think about the text.

Unless otherwise noted, I’m using the RSV translation which is under copyright:

The [New] Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

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“Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Like the previous subsection (Mark 14:1-11) this one also has a simple tripartite structure:

A1. Preparation for the Passover meal (Mark 14:12-16).

B. At the Meal Judas’ betrayal is announced by Jesus (Mark 14:17-21).

A2. The Fulfillment of the Passover meal (Mark 14:22-26).

Interestingly, the six units that make up Mark 14:1-26 have the following broad arrangement:

PART 1:

A1. The Conspiracy to put Jesus to death (Mark 14:1-2).

B1. A meal in which Jesus is anointed for his coming death (Mark 14:3-9).

A2. Judas Joins the Conspiracy against Jesus (Mark 14:10-11).

PART 2:

B2. A meal is prepared for during the sacrificing of lambs (Mark 14:12-16).

A3. Jesus announces the betrayal of Jesus (14:17-21).

B3. Jesus fufills the Passover, interpreting the bread and wine in relation to his death (Mark 14:22-26).

 

The outer negative elements of part 1 (A1 and A2) correspond to the negative element in part 2 (A3). They all concern a failure of leadership (priest, scribe, apostle) and work towards Jesus betrayal and death. The inner positive element of Part 1 (B1) corresponds to the outer negative elements of part 2 (B2 and B3). All three are directly related to a meal and two (B1 and B3) specifically relate in some way to the impending death of Jesus, while the third (B2) indicates the sacrificial nature of the Passover which Jesus will fulfill in  reference to Himself B3.

14:12-16~
12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the passover?” 13 And he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the householder, `The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I am to eat the passover with my disciples?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city, and found it as he had told them; and they prepared the passover.

Here we have what is often referred to as a command and compliance narrative: Jesus issues a command (13-15), and it is carried out (16). The account is in many ways reminiscent of the preparation for the messianic entry into Jerusalem narrated in Mark 11:1-6. In both accounts two disciples are sent by Jesus into a village or city with the command “go”, and with information concerning what they will find (Mark 11:2; Mark 14:13). They are told what they are to communicate to others concerning the “master’s” or “teacher’s” need (Mark 11:3; Mark 1414). For a bit more detail one can consult Fr. Eugene LaVerdiere’s THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL, Volume 2, pages 230-233.

The first preparation (Mark 11:1-6) led to Jesus’ triumphal messianic entry into Jerusalem, accompanied by a crowd proclaiming both Jesus and the coming kingdom as “blessed” (Mark 11:7-11). The second preparation (Mark 14:12-16) led to Jesus and the twelve reclining at table where our Lord pronounces a “woe” (the exact opposite of a blessing) upon his betrayer. More on this later.

Father LaVerdiere sees a great deal of meaning in the manner in which the disciples pose their question to Jesus, and in how he responds. “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the passover?” The question can be taken as implying a separation between the disciples and Jesus: it is his Passover-with all that that implies-and not theirs. The woman who had anointed Jesus had “done what she could” for the Lord (Mark 14:8), but here the disciples seem to be subtly distancing themselves from Jesus. He send two disciples out to seek a room where I am to eat the passover with my disciples. In that room, the Lord tells them, they are to prepare for us. It is a harbinger of the things to come. They are still not able to drink the cup that Jesus will drink, nor able to be baptized with the baptism he will undergo (Mark 10:38). This is, of course, by design, for it is written, `I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered’ (Mark 14:27, see Zech 13:7). These disciples need to learn to trust their Lord, and commit themselves to him. Others, such as St Peter, need to base their commitment to their Lord on their Lord, not on themselves (Mark 14:29-31).

14:17-21~
17 And when it was evening he came with the twelve. 18 And as they were at table eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21 For the Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

Jesus enters the room with the twelve that at the last great supper lying, he might be circled by his brethren band (Aquinas, Pange Lingua Gloriosi). We first find mention of “the twelve” in Mark 3:13-15~He called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him….he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. In Mark 6 Jesus actually summons the twelve and sends them out on a mission to preach repentance, cast out demons, and heal (Mark 6:7-13). Upon their return the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus (Mark 6:30 KJV). For Jesus, intimacy and mission go together.

And as they were at table eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me” (vs. 18).

To take a meal together was to share sustenance and, therefore, life. Betrayal at a meal was the height of perfidy: Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted his heel against me (Ps 41:9).  See also the reference to the plots against “the king of the south” in Daniel 11:25 ff. Even with such an individual table treachery is shocking: he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him. Even those who eat his rich food shall be his undoing.

Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born (vs. 21). These words, especially the words “better for that man if he had not been born,” calls to my mind the death of John the Baptist as Herod’s birthday meal, and its context and message.

Between the sending out of the twelve to preach repentance (Mark 6:7-13), and their return (Mark 6:30), the evangelist inserted an account of the Baptist’s death. Such a sandwiching technique wherein one story or theme is interrupted by another is common in Mark and is done to get the reader to see a relationship between the interrupted story and the story that does the interrupting. Simply put, St Mark wants us to see that the fate of John the Baptist-who preached repentance in preparation for Christ’s first coming-could very well be the fate of those called upon to preach repentance in preparation for Christ’s second coming. The fact that Mark 6:6-30 is the beginning of Mark’s Eucharistic Catechesis (6:6-8:21) is not accidental. When in Mark 6:37 our Lord commands the Apostles to give the crowd something to eat, he is doing something much more than telling them to alleviate their physical hunger; he is inviting them offer their lives in service to them, and in imitation of himself, bringing the foreshadowings of John the Baptist to fruition.

In betraying his Eucharistic Lord Judas has betrayed his Eucharistic mission. It was no accident that Mark’s Eucharistic catechesis was followed by a section of the Gospel built around the Passion predictions and concerned with the implications of the Passion in relation to discipleship and ministry.  The meaning of the loaves (Mark 6:52) only becomes clear in light of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord. One must be willing to take up the cross and follow Jesus; to lose his life in order to save it (Mark 8:34-35). To drink the cup of the Lord one must be willing to accept its implications (Mark 10:38-39).

14:22-26~
22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly, I say to you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus here connects the meaning of the loaves to his very self and, in the process, recalls the two multiplications narrated earlier in the Gospel. With the phrase, when he had given thanks (vs. 23), the Evangelist connects the cup with the second multiplication language.

First multiplication and the institution narrative:

In Mark 6:41 we read:  Taking (λαβων) the five loaves (αρτους)…he…blessed (ευλογησεν) and broke (κατεκλασεν)…and gave (εδιδου) them to his (αυτου) disciples.

In Mark 14:22 we read: Jesus took (λαβων) bread (αρτον); and blessing (ευλογησας), broke (εκλασεν) and gave (εδωκεν) to them (αυτοις).

Second multiplication and the institution narrative:

In Mark 8:6 we read: He took (λαβων) the seven loaves (αρτους), and having given thanks (ευχαριστησας) he broke (εκλασεν) them and gave (και εδιδου) them to his disciples…

In Mark 14:22 we read: Jesus took (λαβων) bread (αρτον) and blessed it, and broke (εκλασεν) and gave ( και εδωκεν) to them.
In Mark 14:23 we read: When he had given thanks (ευχαριστησας)…

The first multiplication/feeding in Mark 6:34-44 was followed immediately by the storm at sea and Jesus walking on the water (Mark 6:45-52). The disciples inability to recognize Jesus on that occasion (they thought he was a ghost) is directly related to their incomprehension concerning the loaves, for their hearts were hardened. Even after the second multiplication/feeding they remained blind and deaf, hardened in heart and incapable of understanding (Mark 8:1-21).

But the meaning of the loaves didn’t just concern the person and mission of Jesus, it also concerned who was to benefit from him and his mission. The first multiplication took place in Jewish territory, the second in Gentile. The Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus is meant for all people. This is indicated by the saying over the Eucharistic cup: This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

Part 1 of the Passion According To Mark: Mark 14:1-11

I was unable to even come close to finishing this series of notes (maybe next “Liturgical Year B”). I suggest the reader go here and read Father Donald Senior’s succinct, 6 part essay on the Passion According to Mark (Essay links are on the right. The links on the left will also be of interest to many). I’ve also  posted quite a number of resources (mostly biblical) for this Palm Sunday here.

This is the first in a series of posts on the Gospel for Palm Sunday, Year B. I am hoping I’ll be able to finish the series, but the reader should not hold his breath in waiting. I’m not able to devote a lot of time to them, so they will not enjoy even what little literary polish I’m capable of.  Someday I hope to do a much more detailed series.

Unless otherwise noted, I’m using the RSV translation which is under copyright:

The [New] Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

Notice of copyright must appear on the title or copyright page of the work as follows:

“Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

The first subsection of Mark’s Passion narrative is structured as a simple chiamus (reverse parallel):

A1. The Chief priests and Scribes are conspiring against Jesus (Mark 14:1-2).

B. A woman anoints Jesus’ body, an anticipation of his burial (Mark 14:3-9).

A2. Judas, one of the twelve, joins the conspiracy against Jesus (Mark 14:10-11).

14:1-2~
1 It was now two days before the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth, and kill him; 2 for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be a tumult of the people.”

According to Mark, the Passover fell on a Friday that year. Jews reckoned the days as extending from sunset to sunset, so that two days before the Passover would place the events being narrated here sometime between sundown Tuesday, and Sundown Wednesday. In the Catholic liturgical tradition this day of Holy Week became known as Spy Wednesday because the leaders were seeking how to arrest him (see next comment).

And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him. In the first and third passion predictions Jesus had explicitly mentioned these two groups as the main protagonists of his passion (mention is also made of “elders” in the first prediction (see Mark 8:31; Mark 10:33-34). The impetus for their evil came about as a result of our Lord’s cleansing of the Temple (Mark 11:15-18). The animosity of the leaders had grown as Jesus had on several occasions both criticized them and bested them in debate (Mark 11:27-12:40). Their seeking how to arrest Jesus is expressed quite forcefully in the Greek, which puts the word seeking (εζητουν) in the imperfect tense: “they kept on seeking how to arrest him”. The word recalls the various sight words from the Eschatological Discourse which, in Mark’s Gospel, immediately precedes the present passage.

That discourse began with one of his disciples telling Jesus to behold the temple, to which Jesus responded: Seest thou all these great buildings? There shall not be left a stone upon a stone, that shall not be thrown down (Mark 13:2 DRV).  He then exhorted them to take heed (βλεπετε= look out, beware, be alert, etc.) lest they be deceived (Mark 13:5. See also Mark 13:9, 23, 33). The discourse ended with an insistence on remaining vigilant: 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. 35 Watch therefore — for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning — 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Watch.” (RSV)

There are now and always have been people vigilant to work evil (Mark 8:11; Mark 11:18; Mark 12:12; Mark 14:11; Mark 14:55), and it is this that necessitates vigilance on the part of Christians, lest they be caught unaware (Mark 14:34-38).

Stealth was necessitated by Jesus popularity among the crowds (Mark 11:18, Mark 12:12). Stealth is a translation of the Greek δόλλω (craft, deceit), one of the things which come out of a man and defile him: For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man (Mark 7:21-23 DRV). The leader’s stealth also recalls the sufferings of the righteous Jeremiah (Jer 18:18-20; Jer 20:10).

They said, “Not during the feast, lest there be a tumult of the people.” Their hopes in this regard will be thwarted, Jesus will be arrested during the festival. Their concern about the timing is due to both their fear of the people (emphasized by Mark) and their fear of the Romans (emphasized by John).

14:3-9~
3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 But there were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment thus wasted? 5 For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor.” And they reproached her. 6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you will, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burying. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Simon the leper is unknown, but  his mention here is interesting, calling to mind earlier events. Jesus first entered into controversy with the Jewish leaders in Mark 2:1-3:6, which consists of five controversies regarding aspects of Jewish law and practice. These five controversies were prefaced by the account of Jesus healing a leper and telling him to fulfill the law of Moses, thus showing Jesus to be a devout Jew. Now, as the Jewish leaders plot to arrest him, he reclines at the table of a leper as a free man.

With the feasts of passover and unleavened bread looming, devout Jews would be preparing for the holy days by emptying their house of leaven (Exodus 12:14-15), a symbol of corruption (1 Cor 5:6-8) which our Lord once applied to the leaders (Mark 8:14). Now, as corrupt Jewish leaders unwittingly prepare to make Jesus the true passover sacrifice (1 Cor 5:7), a woman anoints Jesus in anticipation of it. This she does by anointing Jesus with some ointment of pure nard, very costly, kept-indeed, treasured,- in an alabaster jar, which she breaks (συντριψασα, crushes, shatters)  A contrast is being drawn between her generosity and the rapacious greed of the Scribes (Mark 12:38-40).

Some people at table became indignant within themselves at the woman, thinking the action a waste and insisting that surely the nard could have been put to better use by being sold and given to the poor. Jesus’ response shows that they are still out of touch with what is impending, his death. The woman has done a beautiful (καλον) thing for Jesus, but this doesn’t change the obligation to do good (ευ) to them (i.e., the poor). Indeed, the celebration of Jesus death and resurrection-what we term he Eucharist-is and has always been an opportunity for collecting for the poor. For during this Eucharist (ευχαριστησας), this good (ευ) favor (χαρίζομαι) we celebrate from our God is also the time for bestowing our good (ευ) favor (χαρίζ) on the poor, recognizing that it too ultimately belongs to him.

Why was this ointment thus wasted? (vs. 4). Wasted is a translation of the Greek απωλεια, used elsewhere for Christ’s death (Mark 3:6). A related word, απολεσουσιν, is used in Mark 11:18.

She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burying (vs. 8). The words are prophetic. The apostles will not be there to do the task, having fled (Mark 14:27-28; Mark 14:50). Mary Magdalene and the mother of James and Salome will not have the chance to anoint his body either, Jesus having risen (Mark 16:1-8).

And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her” (vs 9). And always in contrast with the perfidy of the chief priest and scribes (verse 1-2) and Judas, one of the twelve (verses 10-11).

14:10-11~
 10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 And when they heard it they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

The seeking (εζητουν) of the chief priests to arrest Jesus (cf. vs. 1) now takes for them a convenient turn, at least so they think. Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, wishes to betray (“hand over,” παραδοι) him to them. His action brings Jesus’ predictions one step closer to fulfillment. He had predicted that he would be handed over (παραδιδοται) to men (Mark 9:31), that is to the chief priests (Mark 10:33), sinners (Mark 14:41), Pontius Pilate (Mark 15:1), and the crucifiers (Mark 15:15). Jesus had warned his followers that in the future, the same fate might be theirs for preaching the Gospel (Mark Mark 13:10, Mark 13:12). Thus the need for his followers to be watchful (Mark 13:9, and recall the comments above on the “seeking” of the priests and scribes).

And when they heard it they were glad, and promised to give him money (vs. 11). What they deem good news contrasts starkly with the Good News. The woman gave her costly ointment in view of Jesus’ burial, so too, ironically, do the chief priest who seek to kill him give their money to Judas.

Promised to give him money. A better translation might be “they announced (or proclaimed) that they would give him money.” The word promised translates the Greek επηγγειλαντο (epienggelanto). It is derived from ἄγγελος (aggelos) to bring tidings. When coupled with a word we say earlier (ευ), it becomes εὐαγγέλιον (euaggelion), Gospel, Good News.  These words then should be seen in contrast to Jesus’ words concerning the woman who anointed him: wherever the gospel (ευαγγελιον) is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her” (Mark 14:9).

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Mark 9:1-13

Ver 1. And He said unto them, “Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.”2. And after six days Jesus taketh with Him, Peter and James and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and He was transfigured before them.3. And His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.4. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.5. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.”6. For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.7. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son: hear Him.”8. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.

Pseudo-Jerome: After the consummation of the cross, the glory of the resurrection is shewn, that they, who were to see with their own eyes the glory of the resurrection to come, might not fear the shame of the cross.

Wherefore it is said, “And after six days Jesus taketh with Him, Peter and James and John, and led them up into an high mountain apart by themselves, and He was transfigured before them.”

Chrys., Hom. in Matt. 65: Luke in saying , “After eight days,” does not contradict this; for he reckoned in both the day on which Christ had spoken what goes before, and the day on which He took them up. And the reason that He took them up after six days, was that they might be filled with a more eager desire during the space of these days, and with a watchful and anxious mind attend to what they saw.

Theophylact: And He takes with Him the three chief of the Apostles, Peter, as confessing and loving Him, John, as the beloved one, James, as being sublime in speech and as a divine; for so displeasing was he to the Jews, that Herod wishing to please the Jews slew him.

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: He does not however shew His glory in a house, but He takes them up into a high mountain, for the loftiness of the mountain was adapted to shewing forth the loftiness of His glory.

Theophylact: And He took them apart, because He was about to reveal mysteries to them. We must also understand by transfiguration not the change of His features, but that, whilst His features remained as before, there was added unto Him a certain ineffable brightness.

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: It is not therefore fitting that in the kingdom of God any change of feature should take place, either in the Saviour Himself, or in those who are to be made like unto Him, but only an addition of brightness.

Bede, 3, 37: Our Saviour then when transfigured did not lose the substance of real flesh, but shewed forth the glory of His own or of our future resurrection; for such as He then appeared to the Apostles, He will after the judgment appear to all His elect.  It goes on, “And His raiment became shining.”

Greg., Mor. 32: Because, in the height of the brightness of heaven above, they who shine in righteousness of life, will cling to Him; for by the name of garments, He means the just whom He joins to Himself.  There follows, “And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.”

Chrys., Hom. in Matt., 56: He brings Moses and Elias before them; first, indeed, because the multitudes said that Christ was Elias, and one of the Prophets. He shews Himself to the Apostles with them, that they might see the difference between the Lord, and His servants.

And again because the Jews accused Christ of transgressing the law, and thought Him a blasphemer, as if He arrogated to Himself the glory of His Father, He brought before them those who shone conspicuous in both ways; for Moses gave the Law, and Elias was zealous for the glory of God; for which reason neither would have stood near Him, if He had been opposed to God and to His law.

And that they might know that He holds the power of life and of death, He brings before them both Moses who was dead, and Elias who had not yet suffered death. Furthermore He signified by this that the doctrine of the Prophets was the schoolmaster to the doctrine of Christ. He also signified the junction of the New and Old Testament, and that the Apostles shall be joined in the resurrection with the Prophets, and both together shall go forth to meet their common King.

It goes on, “And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.”

Bede: If the transfigured humanity of Christ and the society of but two saints seen for a moment, could confer delight to such a degree that Peter would, even by serving them, stay their departure, how great a happiness will it be to enjoy the vision of Deity amidst choirs of Angels forever?

It goes on, “For he wist not what to say;” although, however, Peter from the stupor of human frailty knew not what to say, still he gives a proof of the feelings which were within him; for the cause of his not knowing what to say, was his forgetting that the kingdom was promised to the Saints by the Lord not in any earthly region, but in heaven; he did not remember that he and his fellow Apostles were still hemmed in by mortal flesh and could not bear the state of immortal life, to which his soul had already carried him away, because in our Father’s house in heaven, a house made with hands is not needed.

But again even up to this time he is pointed at, as an ignorant man, who wishes to make three tabernacles for the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel, since they in no way can be separated from each other.

Chrys. [ed. note: This passage is found neither in St. Chrysostom, nor in Possious' Catena, nor in Peitanus' translation of Victor: it is however in the Catena of St. Mark, edited by Dr. Cramer. As it stands in the text, a part of it is so unintelligible, that recourse has been had to the Greek.]

Again, Peter neither comprehended that the Lord worked His transfiguration for the shewing forth of His true glory, nor that He did this in order to teach men, nor that it was impossible for them to leave the multitude and dwell in the mountain.  It goes on, “For they were sore afraid.”

But this fear of theirs was one by which they were raised from their usual state of mind to one higher, and they recognised that those who appeared to them were Moses and Elias. The soul also was drawn on to a state of heavenly feeling, as though carried away from human sense by the heavenly vision.

Theophylact: Or else, Peter, fearing to come down from the mount because he had now a presentiment that Christ must be crucified, said, “It is good for us to be here,” and not to go down there, that is, in the midst of the Jews; but if they who are furious against Thee come hither, we have Moses who beat down the Egyptians, we have also Elias, who brought fire down from heaven and destroyed the five hundred.

Origen, in Matt. tom. 12, 40: Mark says in his own person, “For he wist not what to say.” Where it is matter for consideration, whether perchance Peter spoke this in the confusion of his mind, by the motion of a spirit not his own; whether perchance that spirit himself who wished, as far as in him lay, to be a stumbling block to Christ, so that He might shrink from that Passion, which was the saving of all men, did not here work as a seducer and wish under the colour of good to prevent Christ from condescending to men, from coming to them, and taking death upon Himself for their sakes.

Bede: Now because Peter sought for a material tabernacle, he was covered with the shadow of the cloud, that he might learn that in the resurrection they are to be protected not by the covering of houses, but by the glory of the Holy Ghost. Wherefore it goes on, “There was a cloud that overshadowed them.”

And the reason why they obtained no answer from the Lord was that they asked unadvisedly; but the Father answered for the Son.  Wherefore there follows, “And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Chrys., Hom. in Matt., 56: The voice proceeded from a cloud in which God is wont to appear, that they might believe that the voice was sent forth from God. But in that He says, “This is My beloved Son,” He declares that the will of the Father and the Son is one, and that, save in that He is the Son, He is in all things One with Him who begot Him.

Bede: He then whose preaching, as Moses foretold, every soul that wished to be saved should hear when He came in the  flesh, He now come in the flesh is proclaimed by God the Father to the disciples as the one whom they were to hear.

There follows: “And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves;” for as soon as the Son was proclaimed, at once the servants disappeared, lest the voice of the Father should seem to have been sent forth to them.

Theophylact: Again, mystically; after the end of this world, which was made in six days, Jesus will take us up (if we be His disciples) into an high mountain, that is, into heaven, where we shall see His exceeding glory.

Bede: And by the garments of the Lord are meant His saints, who will shine with a new whiteness. By the fuller we must understand Him, to whom the Psalmist says, “Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin;” [Ps 51] for He cannot give to His faithful ones upon earth that glory which remains laid up for them in heaven.

Remig.: Or else, by the fuller are meant holy preachers and purifiers of the soul, none of whom in this life can so live as not to be stained with some spots of sin; but in the coming resurrection all the saints shall be purged from every stain of sin. Therefore the Lord will make them such as neither they themselves by taking vengeance on their own members, nor any preacher by his example and doctrine, can make.

Chrys.: Or else, white garments are the writings of Evangelists and Apostles, the like to which no interpreter can frame.

Origen, in Matt. tom. 12, 39: Or else, fullers upon earth may by a moral interpretation be considered to be the wise of this world, who are thought to adorn even their foul understandings and doctrines with a false whitening drawn from their own minds. But their skill as fullers cannot produce any thing like a discourse which shews forth the brightness of spiritual conceptions in the unpolished words of Scripture, which by many are despised.

Bede: Moses and Elias, of whom one, as we read, died, the other was carried away to heaven, signify the coming glory of all the Saints, that is, of all who in the judgment time are either to be found alive in the flesh, or to be raised up from that death of which they tasted, and who are all equally to reign with Him.

Theophylact: Or else it means, that we are to see in glory both the Law and the Prophets speaking with Him, that is, we shall then find that all those things which were spoken of Him by Moses and the other prophets agree with the reality; then too we shall hear the voice of the Father, revealing to us the Son of the Father, and saying, “This is My beloved Son,” and the cloud, that is, the Holy Ghost, the fount of truth, will overshadow us.

Bede: And we must observe, that, as when the Lord was baptized in Jordan, so on the mountain, covered with brightness, the whole mystery of the Holy Trinity is declared, because we shall see in the resurrection that glory of the Trinity which we believers confess in baptism, and shall praise it all together.

Nor is it without reason that the Holy Ghost appeared here in a bright cloud, there in the form of a dove; because he who now with a simple heart keeps the faith which he hath embraced, shall then contemplate what he had believed with the brightness of open vision. But when the voice had been heard over the Son, He was found Himself alone, because when He shall have manifested Himself to His elect, God shall be all in all, yea Christ with His own, as the Head with the body, shall shine through all things. [1 Cor 15:28]

Ver 9. And as they came down from the mountain, He charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.10. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.11. And they asked Him, saying, “Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come?”12. And He answered and told them, “Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things: and how it is written of the Son of man, that He must suffer many things, and be set at nought.13. But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.”

Origen, in Matt. tom. 12, 43: After the shewing of the mystery on the mount, the Lord commanded His disciples, as they were coming down from the mount, not to reveal His transfiguration, before the glory of His Passion and Resurrection.

Wherefore it is said, “And as they came down from the mountain, He charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.”

Chrys., Hom. in Matt., 56: Where He not only orders them to be silent, but mentioning His Passion, He implies the cause why they were to be silent.

Theophylact: Which He did lest men should be offended, hearing such glorious things of Him Whom they were about to see crucified. It was not therefore fitting to say such things of Christ before He suffered, but after His resurrection they were likely to be believed.

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: But they, being ignorant of the mystery of the resurrection, took hold of that saying, and disputed one with another.

Wherefore there follows, “And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.”

Pseudo-Jerome: This, which is peculiar to Mark, means, that when death shall have been swallowed up in victory, we shall have no memory for the former things.  It goes on, “And they asked Him, saying, “Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come?”

Chrys.: The design of the disciples in asking this question seems to me to be this. We indeed have seen Elias with Thee, and have seen Thee before seeing Elias, but the Scribes say that Elias cometh first; we therefore believe that they have lied.

Bede: Or thus; the disciples thought that the change which they had seen in Him in the mount, was His transformation to glory; and they say, If Thou hast already come in glory, wherefore doth not Thy forerunner appear? chiefly because they had seen Elias go away.

Chrys., Hom. in Matt. 57: But what Christ answered to this, is seen by what follows, “And He answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things;” in which He shews that Elias will come before His second advent. For the Scriptures declare two advents of Christ, namely, one which has taken place, and another which is to come; but the Lord asserts that Elias is the forerunner of the second advent.

Bede: Again, He will restore all things, that is to say, those things which Malachi points out, saying, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children  to their fathers;” [Mal 4:5-6] he will yield up also to death that debt, which by his prolonged life he has delayed to render. Please note that is some translations of Malachi there is no chapter 4, rather, the verses that make up chapter 4 are included in chapter 3; thus, in these versions Mal 4:5-6 equals Mal 3:23-24.

Theophylact: Now the Lord puts this forward to oppose the notion of the Pharisees, who held that Elias was the forerunner of the first advent, shewing that it led them to a false conclusion; wherefore he subjoins, “And how it is written of the Son of man, that He must suffer many things, and be set at nought.” As if He had said, When Elias the Tishbite cometh, he will pacify the Jews, and will bring them to the faith, and thus be the forerunner of the second advent.

If then Elias is the forerunner of the first advent, how is it written that the Son of man must suffer? One of these two things therefore will follow; either that Elias is not the forerunner of the first advent, and thus the Scripture will be true; or that he is the forerunner of the first advent, and then the Scripture will not be true, which say that Christ must suffer; for Elias must restore all things, in which case there will not be an unbelieving Jew, but all, whosoever hear him, must believe on his preaching.

Bede: Or this, “And how it is written;” that is, in the same way as the prophets have written many things in various places concerning the Passion of Christ, Elias also, when he comes, is to suffer many things, and to be despised by the wicked.

Chrys.: Now as the Lord asserted that Elias was to be the forerunner of the second advent, so consequently He asserted that John was the forerunner of the first.  Wherefore He subjoins, “But I say unto you, that Elias is indeed come.”

Gloss.: He calls John Elias, not because he was Elias in person, but because he fulfilled the ministry of Elias; for as the latter will be the forerunner of the second advent, so the former has been that of the first.

Theophylact: For again, John rebuked vice, and was a zealous man, and a hermit like Elias; but they heard him not, as they will hear Elias, but killed him in wicked sport, and cut off his head.

Wherefore there follows, “And they have done unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.”

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: Or else, the disciples asked Jesus, how it was written that the Son of man must suffer? Now in answer to this, He says, As John came in the likeness of Elias, and they evil intreated him, so according to the Scriptures must the Son of man suffer.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Mark 6:47-56

Ver 45. And straightway He constrained His disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while He sent away the people.46. And when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray.47. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land.48. And He saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night He cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.49. But when they saw Him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:50. For they all saw Him, and were troubled. And immediately He talked with them, and saith unto them, “Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.”51. And He went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.52. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

Gloss.: The Lord indeed by the miracle of the loaves shewed that He is the Creator of the world: but now by walking on the waves He proved that He had a body free from the weight of all sin, and by appeasing the winds and by calming the rage of the waves, He declared Himself to be the Master of the elements.

Wherefore it is said, “And straightway He constrained His disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while He sent away the people.”

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: He dismisses indeed the people with His blessing and with some cures. But He constrained His disciples, because they could not without pain separate themselves from Him, and that, not only on account of the very great affection which they had for Him, but also because they were at a loss how He would join them.

Bede, in Marc., 2, 27: But it  is with reason that we wonder how Mark says, that after the miracle of the loaves the disciples crossed the sea of Bethsaida, when Luke relates that the miracle was done in the parts of Bethsaida [Luk_9:10], unless we understand that Luke means by the desert which is Bethsaida not the country immediately around the town, but the desert places belonging to it. But when Mark says that they should “go before unto Bethsaida,” the town itself is meant.It goes on: “And when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray.”

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: This we must understand of Christ, in that He is man; He does it also to teach us to be constant in prayer.

Theophylact: But when He had dismissed the crowd, He goes up to pray, for prayer requires rest and silence.

Bede, in Marc., 2, 28: Not every man, however, who prays goes up into a mountain, but he alone prays well, who seeks God in prayer. But he who prays for riches or worldly labour, or for the death of his enemy, sends up from the lowest depths his vile prayers to God.

John says, “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take Him by force and make Him a king, He departed against into a mountain Himself, alone.” [Joh_6:15]  It goes on: “And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land.”

Theophylact: Now the Lord permitted His disciples to be in danger, that they might learn patience; wherefore He did not immediately come to their aid, but allowed them to remain in danger all night, that He might teach them to wait patiently, and not to hope at once for help in tribulations.

For there follows: “And He saw them toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night, He cometh unto them walking upon the sea.”

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: Holy Scripture reckons four watches in the night, making each division three hours; wherefore by the fourth watch it means that which is after the ninth hour, that is, in the tenth or some following hour. There follows: “And would have passed them.”

Augustine, de Con. Evan., 2, 47: But how could they understand this, except from His going a different way, wishing to pass them as strangers; for they were so far from recognizing Him, as to take Him for a spirit.  For it goes on: “But when they saw Him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out.”

Theophylact: See again how Christ, though He was about to put and end to  their dangers, puts them in greater fear. But He immediately reassured them by His voice, for it continues, “And immediately He talked with them, and said unto them, It is I, be not afraid.”

Chrys., Hom. in Matt., 50: As soon then as they knew Him by His voice, their fear left them.

Augustine: How then could He wish to pass them, whose fears He so reassures, if it were not that His wish to pass them would wring from them that cry, which called for His help?

Bede: [ed. note: This opinion with which Theodorus is charged was one held by the Phantasiasts, a sect of the Monophysites. The denial of the human body to our Lord, was a natural consequence of denying Him a human soul, for how could a human body inclose, so to speak, His Divinity? Theodoras was Bishop of Pharan, in Arabia, and was condemned as the author of the Monothelite heresy in the Lateran Council under Pope Martin I, AD 649. The passage from Dionysius is quoted in Actio 3 of the Council, and occurs de Div. Nom, c. 1] But Theodorus, who was Bishop of Phanara, wrote that the Lord had no bodily weight in His flesh, and walked on the sea without weight; but the Catholic faith declares that He had weight according to the flesh. For Dionysius says, We know not how without plunging in His feet, which had bodily weight and the gravity of matter, He could walk on the wet and unstable substance.

Theophylact: Then by entering into the ship, the Lord restrained the tempest. For it continues, “And He went up unto them into the ship, and the wind ceased.” Great indeed is the miracle of our Lord’s walking on the sea, but the tempest and the contrary wind were there as well, to make the miracle greater. For the Apostles, not understanding from the miracle of the five loaves the power of Christ, now more fully knew it from the miracle of the sea.  Wherefore it goes on, “And they were sore amazed in themselves.” For they understood not concerning the loaves.

Bede: The disciples indeed, who were still carnal, were amazed at the greatness of His virtue, they could not yet however recognise in Him the truth of the Divine Majesty. Wherefore it goes on, “For their hearts were hardened.”

But mystically, the toil of the disciples in rowing, and the contrary wind, mark out the labours of the Holy Church, who amidst the beating waves of the world, and the blasts of unclean spirits, strives to reach the repose of her celestial country. And well is it said that the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on land, for sometimes the Church is afflicted by a pressure from the  Gentiles so overwhelming, that her Redeemer seems to have entirely deserted her. But the Lord sees His own, toiling on the sea, for, lest they faint in tribulations, He strengthens them by the look of His love, and sometimes frees them by a visible assistance. Further, in the fourth watch He came to them as daylight approached, for when man lifts up his mind to the light of guidance from on high, the Lord will be with him, and the dangers of temptations will be laid asleep.

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: Or else, the first watch means the time up to the deluge; the second, up to Moses; the third, up to the coming of the Lord; in the fourth the Lord came and spoke to His disciples.

Bede: Often then does the love of heaven seem to have deserted the faithful in tribulation, so that it may be thought that Jesus wishes to pass by His disciples, as it were, toiling in the sea. And still do heretics suppose that the Lord was a phantom, and did not take upon Him real flesh from the Virgin.

Pseudo-Jerome: And He says to them, “Be of good cheer, it is I,” because we shall see Him as He is. But the wind and the storm ceased when Jesus sat down, that is, reigned in the ship, which is the Catholic Church.

Bede: In whatsoever heart, also, He is present by the grace of His love, there soon all the strivings of vices, and of the adverse world, or of evil spirits, are kept under and put to rest.

Ver 53. And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.54. And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew Him,55. And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard He was.56. And whithersoever He entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought Him that they might touch if it were but the border of His garment: and as many as touched Him were made whole.

Gloss.: The Evangelist, having shewn the danger which  the disciples had sustained in their passage, and their deliverance from it, now shews the place to which they sailed, saying, “And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.”

Theophylact: The Lord remained at the above-mentioned place for some time. Therefore the Evangelist subjoins, “And when they had come out of the ship, straightway they knew Him,” That is, the inhabitants of the country.

Bede: But they knew Him by report, not by His features; or through the greatness of His miracles, even His person was known to some. See too how great was the faith of the men of the land of Gennesaret, so that they were not content with the healing of those who were present, but sent to other towns round about, that all might hasten to the Physician; wherefore there follows, “And ran through the whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard He was.”

Theophylact: For they did not call Him to their houses that He might heal them, but rather the sick themselves were brought to Him.  Wherefore it also follows: “And whithersoever He entered into villages, or cities, or country, &c.”

For the miracle which had been wrought on the woman with an issue of blood, had reached the ears of many, and caused in them that great faith, by which they were healed.  It goes on: “And as many as touched Him were made whole.”

Again, in a mystical sense, do thou understand by the hem of His garment the slightest of His commandments, for whosoever shall transgress it “shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven,” [Mat_5:19] or else His assumption of our flesh, by which we have come to the Word of God, and afterwards, shall have the enjoyment of His majesty.

Pseudo-Jerome: Furthermore that which is said, “And as many as touched Him were made whole,” shall be fulfilled, when grief and mourning shall fly away.

 

Cornelius a Lapide’s Commentary on Mark 1:12-15

Mar 1:12  And immediately the Spirit drove him out into the desert.

And immediately the Spirit drove (Gr. ε̉κβάλλει, i.e., sends out, expels) Him out into the desert. The Spirit, i.e., the Holy Spirit, who a little while before had glided down upon Him in His baptism in the form of a dove. Drove, that is, impelled Christ with great power of spirit and ardour, that He should, of His own accord, go into the desert, and there, as in a palæstra, match Himself in single combat with the devil.

Mar 1:13  And he was in the desert forty days and forty nights, and was tempted by Satan. And he was with beasts: and the angels ministered to him.

And He was in the desert forty days and forty nights, and was tempted (Gr. πειραζόμενος, i.e., suffering temptation). Whence many think that Christ during the forty days was frequently tempted by Satan, by means of various spectres and horrible monsters, such as the demon presented to S. Anthony, to terrify him and distract his mind from prayer. So Franc. Lucas. But it seems better to take Mark as speaking only of the three well-known temptations (see what has been said in Matt 4:2).

And He was with beasts (Gr. θηζίων, wild beasts). This is an intimation of the excessive solitude of the place, as well as of Christ’s innocency. Although He was in such a desert place, with lions, wolves, leopards, serpents, yet He did not fear them, nor was He injured by them. Just as Adam, so long as he was innocent, lived with such creatures without harm in Paradise. For they all looked up to him, and reverenced him as their lord.

And the angels ministered to Him. Not before His temptation and victory, as Bede supposes. For if so, Jesus would have been recognised by the devil as the Son of God; nor would the devil have dared to approach Him. But it was after the temptation and the victory, as is plain from Matt 4:11. And for this reason, that Jesus might show in His own person that consolation and comfort and the ministry of angels has been prepared by God for those who overcome temptations.

Mar 1:14  And after that John was delivered up, Jesus came in Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

And after that John was delivered up, &c. This was the second coming of Christ from Judæa into Galilee, that He might flee from Herod, lest he should cast Him also into prison. For Christ had been preaching and baptizing in Judæa. And the increase of His glory there had excited the envy of the Scribes and Pharisees, who denounced Him to Herod as though He were a revolutionist. Wherefore this is the same coming of Christ as that mentioned in Matt 4:12, Luke 4:14, and John 4:3 and John 4:43. Although some say that this last was a different one, and the third advent of Christ into Galilee, because Christ was then fleeing from the Pharisees, as John says; but in His second coming He was fleeing from Herod, as Matthew and Mark say. But, as I have observed, He fled from the Pharisees because He fled from Herod. For they had accused Him to Herod. Wherefore this was the same flight of Christ, and the same coming into Galilee.

Mar 1:15  And saying: The time is accomplished and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel:

And saying, the time, &c. The time, that is, of the advent of Messiah, and the kingdom of heaven. That, indeed, what had been shut for so many thousands of years, Christ by His preaching, His death, and His grace, might open and unclose.

Repent: do penance, that ye may detest the sins ye have committed, and determine to change your lives for the better. Beautifully says the Scholiast in S. Jerome, “The sweetness of the apple makes up for the bitterness of the root, the hope of gain makes pleasant the perils of the sea, the expectation of health mitigates the nauseousness of medicine. He who desires the kernel breaks the nut; so he who desires the joy of a holy conscience swallows down the bitterness of penance.”

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Mark 1:12-15

Ver 12. And immediately the spirit driveth Him into the wilderness.13. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto Him.

Chrys., Hom. in Matt., xiii: Because all that Christ did and suffered was for our teaching, He began after His baptism to dwell in the wilderness, and fought against the devil, that every baptized person might patiently sustain greater temptations after His baptism, nor be troubled, as if this which happened to Him was contrary to His expectation, but might bear up against all things, and come off conqueror.

For although God allows that we should be tempted for many other reasons, yet for this cause also He allows it, that we may know, that man when tempted is placed in a station of greater honour. For the Devil approaches not save where he has beheld one set in a place of greater honour; and therefore it is said, “And immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.”

And the reason why He does not simply say that He went into the wilderness, but was driven, is that thou mayest understand that it was done according to the word of Divine Providence. By which also He shews that no man should thrust himself into temptation, but that those who from some other state are as it were driven into temptation, remain conquerors.

Bede, in Marc., 1, 5: And that no one might doubt, by what spirit he said that Christ was driven into the wilderness, Luke has on purpose premised, that “Jesus being full of the Spirit returned from Jordan, ” and then has added, “and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness;” lest the evil spirit should be thought to have any power over Him, who, being full of the Holy Spirit, departed whither He was willing to go, and did what He was willing to do.

Chrys., in Matt., Hom., xiii: But the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness, because He designed to provoke the devil to tempt Him, and thus gave Him an opportunity not only by hunger, but also by the place. For then most of all does the devil thrust himself in, when he sees men remaining solitary.

Bede: But He retires into the desert that He may teach us that, leaving the allurements of the world, and the company of the wicked, we should in all things obey the Divine commands.

He is left alone and tempted by the devil, that He might teach us, “that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution;” [2Ti_3:12] whence it follows, “And He was in the wilderness forty days and forty nights, and was tempted of Satan.”

But He was tempted forty days and forty nights that He might shew us that as long as we live here and serve God, whether prosperity smile upon us, which is meant by the day, or adversity smite us, which agrees with the figure of night, at all times our adversary is at hand, who ceases not to trouble our way by temptations.

For “the forty days and forty nights” imply the whole time of this world, for the globe in which we are serving God is divided into four quarters.  Again, there are Ten Commandments, by observing which we fight against our enemy, but four times ten are forty.  There follows, “and He was with the wild beasts.”

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: But He says this to shew of what nature was the wilderness, for it was impassable by man and full of wild beasts.

It goes on; “and angels ministered unto Him.” For after temptation, and a victory against the devil, He worked the salvation of man. And thus the Apostle says, “Angels are sent to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” [Heb_1:14]  We must also observe, that to those who conquer in temptation angels stand near and minister.

Bede: Consider also that Christ dwells among the wild beasts as man, but, as God, uses the ministry of Angels. Thus, when in the solitude of a holy life we bear with unpolluted mind the bestial manners of men, we merit to have the ministry of Angels, by whom, when freed from the body, we shall be transferred to everlasting happiness.

Pseudo-Jerome: Or then the beasts dwell with us in peace, as in the ark clean animals with the unclean, when the flesh lusts not against the spirit. After this, ministering Angels are sent to us, that they may give answers and comforts to hearts that watch.

Ver 14. Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God,15. And saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel.”

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: The Evangelist Mark follows Matthew in his order, and therefore after having said that Angels minister, he subjoins, “But after that John was put into prison, Jesus came, &c.”  After the temptation and the ministry of Angels, He goes back into Galilee, teaching us not to resist the violence of evil men.

Theophylact: And to shew us that in persecutions we ought to retire, and not to await them; but when we fall into them, we must sustain them.

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: He retired also that He might keep Himself for teaching and for healing, before He suffered, and after fulfilling all these things, might become obedient unto death.

Bede: John being put in prison, fitly does the Lord begin to preach: wherefore there follows, “Preaching the Gospel, &c.” For when the Law ceases, the Gospel arises in its steps.

Pseudo-Jerome: When the shadow ceases, the truth comes on; first, John in prison, the Law in Judaea; then, Jesus in Galilee, Paul among the Gentiles preaching the Gospel of the kingdom. For to an earthly kingdom succeeds poverty, to the poverty of Christians is given an everlasting kingdom; but earthly honour is like the foam of water, or smoke, or sleep.

Bede: Let no one, however, suppose that the putting of John in prison took place immediately after the forty days’ temptation and the fast of the Lord; for whosoever reads the Gospel of John will find, that the Lord taught many things before the putting of John in prison, and also did many miracles; for you have in his Gospel, “This beginning of miracles did Jesus;” [Joh_2:11] and afterwards, “for John was not yet cast into prison.” [Joh_3:24]

Now it is said that when John read the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, he approved indeed the text of the history, and affirmed that they had spoken truth, but said that they had composed the history of only one year after John was cast into prison, in which year also he suffered. Passing over then the year of which the transactions had been published by the three others, he related the events of the former period, before John was cast into prison.

When therefore Mark had said that “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom,” he subjoins, “saying, Since the time is fulfilled, &c.”

Pseudo-Chrys., vict. Ant. Cat. in Marc.: Since then the time was fulfilled, “when the fulness of times was come, and God sent His son,” it was fitting that the race of man should obtain the last dispensation of God. And therefore he says, “for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Origen, in Matt., tom. x, 14: But the kingdom of God is essentially the same as the kingdom of heaven, though they differ in idea. [ed. note: see Origen, de Orat. 25, 26 in Matt. t 12.14 (?)]

For by the kingdom of God is to be understood that in which God reigns; and this in truth is in the region of the living, where, seeing God face to face, they will abide in the good things now promised to them; whether by this region one chooses to understand Love, or some other confirmation [ed. note: By 'confirmation,' seems to be meant the perfecting of spiritual natures; see Thomas Aq., Summa Theologica, part 1, Q62, Art 1. It answers to (greek word) as used by St. Basil; de Sp. S 16] of those who put on the likeness of things above, which are signified by the heavens. [ed. note: "Coeli" is commonly interpreted of the Angels, by the Fathers.]

For it is clear [ed. note: see Chrys., in Matt., Hom. 19 in c. 6,9] enough that the kingdom of God is confined neither by place nor by time.

Theophylact: Or else, the Lord means that the time of the Law is complete; as if He said, Up to this time the Law was at work; from this time the kingdom of God will work, that is, a conversation according to the Gospel, which is with reason likened to the kingdom of heaven. For when you see a man clothed in flesh living according to the Gospel, do you not say that he has the kingdom of heaven, which “is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost?” [Rom_14:17]  The next word is, “Repent.”

Pseudo-Jerome: For he must repent, who would keep close to eternal good, that is, to the kingdom of God. For he who would have the kernel, breaks the shell; the sweetness of the apple makes up for the bitterness of its root; the hope of gain makes the dangers of the sea pleasant; the hope of health takes away from the painfulness of medicine.

They are able worthily to proclaim the preaching of Christ who have deserved to attain to the reward of forgiveness; and therefore after He has said, “Repent,” He subjoins, “and believe the Gospel.” For unless ye have believed, ye shall not understand.

Bede: “Repent,” therefore, “and believe;” that is, renounce dead works; for of what use is believing without good works? The merit of good works does not, however, bring to faith, but faith begins, that good works may follow.

My Notes on Mark 1:12-15

1:12  And immediately the Spirit drove him out into the desert.
1:13  And he was in the desert forty days and forty nights, and was tempted by Satan. And he was with beasts: and the angels ministered to him.

Immediately gives the narrative a faster pace and conveys a sense of urgency (see the last paragraph of this post).

The Spirit drove him. The word used here to describe the Spirit’s action in relation to our Lord will also be used to describe Jesus “driving” out demons. Jesus is here being identified as a man of the Spirit; the Spirit by which he will drive out demons. Jesus is the Mightier One (ο ισχυροτερος, Mk 1:7) predicted by the Baptist because he has the Spirit remaining on him (Mk 1:10) and can thus bind “the strong man” Satan (Mark 3:23-27).

Into the desert. John is in the desert eating traditional, humble desert fare (Mk 1:6), but Jesus is in the desert fasting (vs 13). John is in the desert preaching a baptism of penance unto the remission of sins (Mk 1:4), but Jesus is in the desert confronting the very reason why such a mission was necessary. Unlike Adam, who, being pampered in a beautiful garden found it impossible to fast from a certain delicacy (“thou hast eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat”-Gen 3:11), Jesus is fasting in the desert and confronting the one by whom Adam was ruined (vs 13).

1:14 Now after (meta de) John had been handed over (paradidomi), Jesus came (erchomai) to Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, 1:15 and saying, fulfilled is the time, at hand is the Kingdom; repent and believe the Gospel.

Now after (meta de). De is a conjunctive which can be either continuative (e.g., “and”, “moreover”) or adversative (e.g., “but”); used in tandem with meta the meaning is adversative. Mark wishes to emphasize the fact that Jesus’ ministry of preaching in Galilee began only after the arrest of the Baptist. In itself this does not preclude a previous ministry in Judea (see Jn 3:23).

Handed over (paradidomi). This will become a key word in Mark and is variously translated as arrested, handed over, betrayed, delivered, ect. It is used primarily in reference to Jesus Passion (9:31; 14:10-11, 18; 15:1, ect.), but it is also used in reference to the handing over of Jesus followers to rulers during persecution (13:9, 11). Jesus knew full well that John was his precursor and, as such, prefigured his own death (9:9-13). Faithful Christians also must realize that the fate of the Baptist and the Christ awaits them.

John had prophesied that “after me comes (erchomai) one mightier than I,” and, in fact, “Jesus came from Nazareth to Galilee and was baptized by John” (vs 9), after which he was confronted by Satan. Now, as we learn that the Baptist is being persecuted, we see Jesus coming to Galilee where he will soon enter into conflict with a demon (1:21-28), and then heated controversy with Scribes and Pharisees, which will end in the plotting of His death (2:1-3:6).

Fulfilled is the time, at hand is the Kingdom. The word order here represents the position of the verbs in the Greek text. There is an urgency in Jesus’ message which makes the need to repent and believe the Gospel without hesitancy a dire obligation upon those who hear the message.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Mark 9:30-37

Ver 30. And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and He would not that any man should know it.31. For He taught He disciples, and said unto them, “The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him; and after that He is killed, He shall rise the third day.”32. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask Him.33. And He came to Capernaum: and being in the house He asked them, “What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?”34. But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.35. And He sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, “If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.” 36. And He took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when He had taken him in His arms, He said unto them,37. “Whosoever shall receive one of such children in My name, receiveth Me: and whosoever shall receive Me, receiveth not Me, but Him that sent Me.”

Theophylact: It is after miracles that the Lord inserts a discourse concerning His Passion, lest it should be thought that He suffered because He could not help it.

Wherefore it is said, “And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and He would not that any man should know it. For He taught His disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him.”

Bede, in Marc., 1, 39: He always mingles together sorrowful and joyful things, that sorrow should not by its suddenness frighten the Apostles, but be borne by them with prepared minds.

Theophylact: After, however, saying what was sorrowful, He adds what ought to rejoice them; wherefore it goes on: “And after that He is killed, He shall rise the third day;” in order that we may learn that joys come on after struggles.  There follows: “But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask Him.”

Bede: This ignorance of the disciples proceeds not so much from slowness of intellect, as from love for the Saviour, for they were as yet carnal, and ignorant of the mystery of the cross, they could not therefore believe that He whom they had recognized as the true God, was about to die; being accustomed then to hear Him often talk in figures, and shrinking from the events of His death, they would have it that something was conveyed figuratively in those things, which He spoke openly concerning His betrayal and passion.  It goes on: “And they came to Capernaum.”

Pseudo-Jerome: Capernaum means the city of consolation, and agrees with the former sentence, which He had spoken: “And after that He is killed, He shall arise the third day.”

There follows: “And being in the house He asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace.”

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: Matthew however says that the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” [Mat_18:1]

The reason is, that He did not begin the narrative from its commencement, but omitted our Saviour’s knowledge of the thoughts and words of His disciples; unless we understand Him to mean, that even what they thought and said, when away from Christ, was said unto Him, since it was as well known to Him as if it had been said to Him.

It goes on: “For by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.”  But Luke says [ed. note: Luk_9:46, Vulgate] that “the thought entered into the disciples which of them should be the greatest;” for the Lord laid open their thought and intention from their private discourse according to the Gospel narrative.

Pseudo-Jerome: It was fit also that they should dispute concerning the chief place by the way; the dispute is like the place where it is held; for lofty station is only entered upon to be quitted: as long as a man keeps it, it is slippery, and it is uncertain at what stage, that is, on what day, it will end.

Bede: The reason why the dispute concerning the chief place arose amongst the disciples seems to have been, that Peter, James and John, were led apart from the rest into the mountain, and that something secret was there entrusted to them, also that the keys of the kingdom of heaven were promised to Peter, according to Matthew.

Seeing however the thoughts of the disciples, the Lord takes care to heal the desire of glory by humility; for He first, by simply commanding humility, admonishes them that a high station was not to be aimed at.

Wherefore it goes on: “And He sat down, and called the twelve and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.”

Jerome: Where it is to be observed, that the disciples disputed by the way concerning the chief place, but Christ Himself sat down to teach humility; for princes toil while the humble repose.

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: The disciples indeed wished to receive honour at the hands of the Lord; they also had a desire to be made great by Christ, for the great a man is, the more worthy of honour he becomes, for which reason He did not throw an obstacle in the way of that desire, but brought in humility.

Theophylact: For His wish is not that we should usurp for ourselves chief places, but that we should attain to lofty heights by lowliness.  He next admonishes them by the example of a child’s innocence.  Wherefore there follows, “And He took a child, and set him in the midst of them.”

Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc. see Chrys., Hom. in Matt., 58: By the very sight, persuading them to humility and simplicity; for this little one was pure from envy and vain glory, and from a desire of superiority. But He does not only say, If ye become such, ye shall receive a great reward, but also, if ye will honour others, who are such for My sake.

Wherefore there follows: “And when He had taken him in His arms, He said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in My name, receiveth Me.”

Bede: By which, He either simply shews that those who would become greater must receive the poor of Christ in honour of Him, or He would persuade them to be in malice children, to keep simplicity without arrogance, charity without envy, devotedness without anger. Again, by taking the child into His arms, He implies that the lowly are worthy of his embrace and love.

He adds also, “In My name,” that they might, with the fixed purpose of reason, follow for His name’s sake that mould of virtue to which the child keeps, with nature for his guide. And because He taught that He Himself was received in children, lest it should be thought that there was nothing in Him but what was seen, He added, “And whosoever shall receive Me, receiveth not Me, but Him that sent Me.;” thus wishing that we should believe Him to be of the same nature and of equal greatness with His Father.

Theophylact: See, how great is humility, for it wins for itself the indwelling of the Father, and of the Son, and also of the Holy Ghost.