Chapter 10

Chapter Ten Mk. 10:1. Having departed from there, He comes into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan. Again the multitude gathers to Him, and as was His custom, He again taught them. Mk. 10:2. The Pharisees came up and asked, testing Him: is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife? Mk. 10:3. He said to them in answer: What did Moses command you? Mk. 10:4. They said: Moses permitted to write a certificate of divorce and to divorce. Mk. 10:5. Jesus said to them in answer: because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. Mk. 10:6. But from the beginning of creation, God "made them male and female" (Gen. 1:27). Mk. 10:7. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother Mk. 10:8. and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh; so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. Mk. 10:9. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. The Lord often left Judea because of the hatred of the Pharisees toward Him. But now He comes again to Judea, because the time of His suffering was drawing near. However, He does not go directly to Jerusalem, but first only "to the borders of Judea," in order to benefit the guileless people; whereas Jerusalem, due to the wickedness of the Jews, was the center of all malice. And see how they, out of their malice, tempt the Lord, not tolerating that the people should believe in Him, but constantly approaching Him with the intention of putting Him in difficulty and cornering Him with their questions. They pose to Him a question that placed Him between two abysses: is it lawful, they say, for a man to divorce his wife? For whether He says that it is lawful, or says that it is unlawful, in either case they thought to accuse Him of contradicting the Law of Moses. But Christ, Self-Existent Wisdom, answers them in such a way that He escapes their snares. He asks them: what did Moses command them? And when they answered that Moses commanded to divorce a wife, Christ explained to them the Law itself. Moses, He says, was not so merciless as to give such a Law, but he wrote this because of your hardness of heart. Knowing the inhumanity of the Jews, such that a husband who did not love his wife could easily kill her, Moses permitted a husband to divorce an unloved wife. But from the beginning it was not so: God joins two persons in the bond of marriage so that they become one, even leaving their own parents. Note that the Lord says: God does not permit polygamy, so that one wife could be divorced and another taken, and then that one abandoned and another married. If this had been pleasing to God, He would have created one husband and many wives; but it did not happen so, rather "God made them male and female," so that they would be joined — one husband with one wife. In a figurative sense, this can be understood as follows: the word of Teaching, sowing good seeds in the soul of a believing person, has the significance of a husband to the soul that receives it. And it leaves its father, that is, lofty thought, and its mother, that is, embellished speech, and cleaves to its wife, that is, to the benefit of the soul, adapting itself to it and often preferring humble thoughts and simple speech. And then they both become one flesh, that is, the soul believes that "the Word of God became flesh," and no human thought can any longer separate the soul from such faith. Mk. 10:10. In the house His disciples again asked Him about the same thing. Mk. 10:11. He said to them: Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; Mk. 10:12. And if a wife divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery. Since the disciples too were troubled (regarding the divorce of husband and wife), they also approach Him and ask about the same thing. Their way of thinking was not yet completely sound. The Lord answered them: whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery with this second wife; likewise a wife who has left her husband and joined with another becomes an adulteress. Mk. 10:13. They brought children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Mk. 10:14. But when Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them: Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for of such is the Kingdom of God. Mk. 10:15–16. Truly I say to you: whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a child shall not enter into it. And having embraced them, He laid His hands on them and blessed them. Great was the faith among the people, when they accepted the mere laying on of hands by Christ as a blessing for the children brought to Him, while the disciples would not allow those bringing them, thinking this was unworthy of Him. What then does Christ do? Teaching the disciples to be humble-minded and to reject worldly pride, He receives and embraces the children. By this He shows that He accepts the innocent; therefore He also says: "for of such is the Kingdom of God." Note, He did not say "of these children is the Kingdom," but "of such," that is, of those who have acquired the same innocence that children possess by nature. For a child does not envy, does not remember wrongs, and when punished by its mother does not run from her, but even if she wore rags, would prefer her to a queen; so also one who lives virtuously prefers his mother — I mean the Church — to all things, and is not carried away by worldly pleasures. For this reason the Lord also embraces such ones, saying: "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden" (Matt. 11:28), and blesses them, saying: "Come, you blessed of My Father" (Matt. 25:34). By the Kingdom of God He here means the preaching of the Gospel and the promise of future blessings. Therefore, whoever receives the Divine preaching as a child, that is, without any hesitation and admitting no unbelief in himself, shall enter into the Kingdom of God and inherit those blessings which he has already acquired by faith. Mk. 10:17. When He was going out on the road, someone ran up, knelt before Him, and asked Him: Good Teacher! What must I do to inherit eternal life? Mk. 10:18. Jesus said to him: Why do you call Me good? No one is good, except God alone. Mk. 10:19. You know the commandments: do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother (Ex. 20:12–17). Mk. 10:20. He said to Him in answer: Teacher! All these things I have kept from my youth. Mk. 10:21. Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him: one thing you lack: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me, taking up the cross. Mk. 10:22. But he, dismayed by this word, went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Some falsely portray this young man as a cunning and deceitful tempter. This is not so: he was merely a covetous man, not a tempter. For listen to what the Evangelist notes: "Jesus, looking at him, loved him." And why did Christ answer him thus: "No one is good"? Because he approached Christ as a mere man and as one of many teachers. Christ speaks as if to say: "If you consider Me good as a mere teacher, then in comparison with God no man is good; if you acknowledge Me as good as God, then why do you call Me merely a teacher?" By such words Christ wishes to convey a higher understanding of Himself, so that the man might recognize Him as God. Moreover, for the correction of the young man, the Lord also gives him another lesson: if he wishes to converse with someone, he should speak without flattery, and should know the one root and source of goodness to be God alone, and render Him due honor. However, I marvel at this young man in that, while all others came to Christ seeking healing from diseases, he himself asks about inheriting eternal life — if only he were not possessed by an even stronger passion of love of money. On account of this passion, having heard the Lord's words, "Go, sell... and give to the poor," he "went away sorrowful." Note here that the Lord did not say: sell what you have bit by bit and give it away, but sell it all at once and give it away, and only to the poor, not to flatterers and not to the debauched; then: "follow Me," that is, adopt every other virtue as well, for there are many who, though not covetous, are not humble, or though humble, are not sober, or have some other vice. Therefore the Lord does not say merely "sell and give to the poor," but "come, follow Me, taking up the cross," which means to be ready to die for His sake. "But he, being dismayed at this saying, went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." It is not without reason that it is added that he had much: for to possess even a little is both harmful and dangerous, but the bonds of many possessions are utterly unbreakable. But let him who is young in spirit, frivolous, inattentive in thought, and disordered in mind, likewise sell his possessions, such as anger and desire, with all that springs from them, and give them, cast them to the demons, who are poor, deprived of every good and wealth, because they fell away from the goodness of God, and then let him follow Christ, for only he can follow Christ who has rejected the wealth of sins, which is the property of demons. "Turn away from evil," it is said: this means to cast the sinful wealth to the poor, that is, to the demonic powers; "and do good": which means to follow Christ and take up His Cross (Ps. 33:15). Mk. 10:23. And, looking around, Jesus says to His disciples: how hard it is for those who have riches to enter the Kingdom of God! Mk. 10:24. The disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus again speaks to them in answer: Children! How hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom of God! Mk. 10:25. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. Mk. 10:26. And they were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves: Who then can be saved? Mk. 10:27. Jesus, looking upon them, says: with men this is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God. It is not wealth in itself that is evil, but those who hoard it are evil and worthy of condemnation, for one ought not to have it, that is, to keep it for oneself, but to put it to good use. It is called wealth precisely because it is meant for beneficial use, not for hoarding. Therefore it is difficult for those who hoard and lock it away to "enter the Kingdom of God." And the word "difficult" here means the same as impossible. It is indeed exceedingly difficult for a rich man to be saved. This is evident from the example which the Lord adds, saying: "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." By the name "camel" understand either the animal itself or a thick rope (cable) used on large ships. Thus, for a man, so long as he is rich, it is impossible to be saved. But with God this is possible. Christ said: "Make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth" (Lk. 16:9). Do you see how all things become possible when we hear the Word of God? "With men this is impossible," that is, it is impossible when we reason in human terms. But why were the disciples so astonished at these words? After all, they themselves were never rich. I think that in this case they were concerned for all people, since they had already begun to be lovers of mankind. Some are puzzled how Christ said that "all things are possible with God." Can He then also sin? To this we answer that when Christ says "all things," He means all things that have real existence, but sin is not something that has real existence: sin is something insubstantial, inoperative, or in other words, sin belongs not to strength but to weakness, as the Apostle also says: "Christ, when we were still weak... died" (Rom. 5:6), and David says: "Their sorrows shall be multiplied" (Ps. 16:4). Therefore sin, as a weakness, is impossible for God. But can God, they ask, also make what has been as though it had not been? To this we say: God is Truth, and to make what has been as though it had not been is a lie. How then would Truth produce a lie? For this He would first have to change His own Essence. To speak in this way would be to say that God can cease to be God. Mk. 10:28. And Peter began to say to Him: behold, we have left everything and followed You. Mk. 10:29. Jesus answered and said: Truly I say to you: there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My sake and the Gospel's, Mk. 10:30. And would not receive now, in this present time, a hundredfold more houses, and brothers and sisters, and fathers, and mothers, and children, and lands, amid persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life. Mk. 10:31. Many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. Although Peter left little for the sake of Christ, he still calls this little "everything." It is evident that even a little has the bonds of attachment, and therefore even one who leaves little is worthy of being blessed. Peter alone asked Christ, but the Lord gives an answer common to all: everyone who leaves wife or mother. He says this not so that we would leave our parents helpless or separate from our wives, but teaches us to prefer pleasing God above all things of the flesh. Since from the preaching of the Gospel war was to be kindled among people, so that children would have to renounce their fathers, the Lord says: whoever leaves for the sake of the Gospel fleshly kinship and in general all things of the flesh, that one will receive all this a hundredfold in this age, and in the age to come, eternal life. Therefore, will he not also receive a hundred times more wives? Yes — although the accursed Julian mocked this. For tell me, what benefit does a wife bring to her husband's household? In general, she cares for food and clothing for her husband and in this regard fully provides for him. Now look at how it was with the apostles. How many women cared for providing them with clothing and food and served them, so that they themselves had no concern for anything except the word and teaching! Likewise, the apostles had many fathers and mothers, as all those who loved them and cared for them heartily were such to them. Peter left his one house, but later had as his own all the houses of his disciples. Even now he has throughout the whole earth splendid houses — churches in his name. And what is still more important is that the saints inherited all this in exile, that is, while being persecuted for the faith of Christ, and in cruel sufferings, but their sufferings were not a disgrace to them. For those who appeared last in the present age, on account of the sorrows and persecutions they endured, will be first in the age to come for their steadfast hope in God. The Pharisees, who were first, became last, and those who left everything and followed Christ became first. Mk. 10:32. When they were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ahead of them, and they were amazed, and as they followed Him, they were afraid. And taking the twelve aside, He again began to tell them what would happen to Him: Mk. 10:33. Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles, Mk. 10:34. And they shall mock Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him; and on the third day He shall rise again. Why does Jesus predict to the disciples what will happen to Him? To strengthen their spirit, so that having heard about it beforehand, they would bear it courageously when it came to pass, and not be struck by its suddenness; and at the same time they were to know that He suffers of His own will. For he who foresaw the sufferings could have avoided them, and if he did not flee, it is clear that he voluntarily gives himself over to suffering. But since it was fitting to reveal His suffering only to the closest disciples, He goes ahead of everyone on the road, wishing to separate the disciples from the crowd. Moreover, by going ahead of everyone and by His haste on the road, the Lord also shows that He hastens toward His suffering and does not flee from death for the sake of our salvation. Everything He says in this instance, though sorrowful, He consoles them for all of it by saying that "on the third day He will rise." Mk. 10:35. Then the sons of Zebedee, James and John, approached Him and said: Teacher! We desire that You would do for us whatever we ask. Mk. 10:36. He said to them: What do you want Me to do for you? Mk. 10:37. They said to Him: Grant us to sit beside You, one on Your right hand, and the other on Your left, in Your glory. Mk. 10:38. But Jesus said to them: You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? Another Evangelist (Matt. 20:20) relates that their mother (of James and John) approached Jesus. But probably both things happened: these two apostles, being ashamed before the others, sent their mother ahead first, and then they themselves also came separately, as the Evangelist indicates by saying, "they came to Him," that is, they came separately, withdrawing from the rest. What then were they asking? The ascent of Christ to Jerusalem, about which He had been speaking with the disciples, they understood to mean that He was going to receive an earthly kingdom and that only after His enthronement would He endure those sufferings which He had foretold. Thinking in this way, they asked for seats at the right and left side of Christ. Therefore the Lord also rebukes them as not understanding what they are asking: "You do not know," He says, "what you are asking." You think that My Kingdom will be an earthly one, and therefore you ask for an earthly seat; no, it is not so: this is beyond human comprehension, and to sit at My right hand is the greatest thing, surpassing even the angelic ranks. Moreover, you dream of glory, while I am calling you to death. He calls the Cross a Cup and a Baptism — a Cup because the Cross, like a cup of wine, was soon to bring Him to the sleep of death, and He was ready to accept the cup of sufferings as a sweet drink for Himself; and a Baptism because through the Cross He accomplished the cleansing of our sins. But the disciples, not having understood the Lord's words, give their promise on their part, thinking that He was speaking of a literal cup and of the kind of baptism that the Jews practiced, who washed themselves before partaking of food. Mk. 10:39–40. They answered: we can. And Jesus said to them: the cup that I drink you shall drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized you shall be baptized; but to sit at My right hand and at My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared. You, He says, will enter into the struggle of martyrdom and will die for the truth, "but to grant the seat is not for Me to give." But here two difficulties arise. The first: has this seat been prepared for anyone? The second: can it really be that the universal Master cannot give this seat? We answer: no one will sit either on the right or on the left. And if you hear that Scripture repeatedly speaks of such a seat, understand not a seat (in the literal sense), but the highest dignity. And the words "it is not for Me to give" have this meaning: it is not fitting for Me, the righteous Judge, to give you such dignity solely out of love for you; otherwise I would not be just; but such an honor has been prepared only for those who struggle. This is similar to a case where a just king seated a certain champion above others, and his favorites came and said to him: "Give us crowns"; then the king would certainly reply: "It is not for me to give," but whoever shall struggle and conquer, for him the crown has been prepared. So then, you sons of Zebedee, you can be and will be martyrs for Me; but if someone, together with martyrdom, possesses every other virtue to a greater degree than you, that person will have precedence over you. Mk. 10:41. And having heard, the ten began to be indignant at James and John. Mk. 10:42. But Jesus, having called them to Himself, said to them: You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Mk. 10:43. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant; Mk. 10:44. And whoever wishes to be first among you, let him be slave to all. Mk. 10:45. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His soul as a ransom for many. The disciples, still reasoning in a human manner, fell into envy, and therefore they are indignant at the two apostles. However, when? When they saw that the request of the latter was not accepted by the Lord but rejected, then they began to be indignant. As long as the Lord Himself showed preference to James and John, the other disciples, seeing this, endured it; but when those two disciples began to seek honors for themselves, the others could no longer endure it. So imperfect were they still at that time! But later we shall see how each of them yielded precedence to the other. But now Christ heals them, first calming them and drawing them near to Himself — which is what is meant by the word "summoning." Then He shows that seizing honor from others and striving for preeminence is a matter of paganism. For pagan rulers forcibly subject others to their authority; but My disciples, He says, are not so: rather, whoever among them wishes to be great, let him serve all, because this too is a mark of a great soul — to endure from all and to serve all. And there is an example of this close at hand: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His soul as a ransom for many." And this is more than service. Indeed, not only to serve but also to die for the one whom you serve — what could be higher and more wondrous than this? But such service and humility of the Lord was exaltation and glory both for Himself and for all. For before the Incarnation He was known to Angels alone, but having become man and endured the Crucifixion, He not only has that glory (the heavenly one) but also received another, and reigns over the whole universe. Mk. 10:46. They come to Jericho. And as He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, a blind man, sat by the roadside, begging. Mk. 10:47. Having heard that it is Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say: Jesus, Son of David! Have mercy on me. Mk. 10:48. Many told him to be silent; but he cried out all the more: Son of David! Have mercy on me. Mk. 10:49. Jesus stopped and commanded him to be called. They call the blind man and say to him: take courage, rise, He is calling you. Mk. 10:50. He, casting off his outer garment, rose and came to Jesus. Mk. 10:51. Answering him, Jesus asked: What do you want from Me? The blind man said to Him: Teacher! That I may receive my sight. Mk. 10:52. Jesus said to him: Go, your faith has saved you. And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. Matthew speaks of two blind men: and perhaps there were two who were healed; but probably one of them attracted more attention, the one whom Mark now mentions. But see how the crowd honors Jesus: they even forbid the blind man to cry out, as if some king were passing by. And Jesus asks the blind man so that they would not say that He gives something other than what the blind man wanted. And the soul of the blind man was prudent, for after his healing he did not leave Jesus, but followed Him. And (allegorically) one may understand this as follows: Jericho signifies a low place (the world); the blind man sitting here is an image of human nature, which was once adopted by God, above every earthly honor; and it cried out to Christ as He passed through Jericho, that is, this world. And Christ had mercy on it and saved it by its faith, when it cast off the old garment of sin. And upon receiving salvation, it followed Him (Christ), fulfilling the commandments on its path, that is, in this life. For only in this life is it possible to follow Christ, and after it the doors (of salvation) are shut, and there will no longer be time for the fulfillment of God's commandments.