返回Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Mk. 14:1. After two days was the feast of the Passover and of unleavened bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by craft and kill Him;
Mk. 14:2. But they said: only not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.
Mk. 14:3. And while He was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, and was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and having broken the jar, she poured it over His head.
Mk. 14:4. But some were indignant and said among themselves: why was this waste of the ointment made?
Mk. 14:5. For it could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
The council against Christ was assembled on Wednesday. And this is the reason why we fast on Wednesdays. The enemies wanted to wait until after the feast time, but this was not permitted to them. The Lord, appointing the sufferings for Himself, willed to deliver Himself to the Crucifixion on Pascha itself, for He Himself was the True Pascha. Here one must marvel at His power. For when the enemies wanted to seize Him, they could not, but when they did not want to, on account of the feast, then He Himself willingly delivered Himself to them.
"And when He was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, and was reclining at table, a woman came." The ointment is mentioned by all four Evangelists. And some think that in all of them the same woman is meant. But this is incorrect: these are two different women, one of whom is mentioned by John (Jn. 12:3), she being the sister of Lazarus, and the other by the three remaining Evangelists. But if you look more carefully, you will find that there were three: one is mentioned by John, another by Luke (Lk. 7:37–38), and a third by the other two Evangelists. For the one mentioned by Luke was a harlot and anointed the Lord in the midst of His preaching, while the one mentioned by Matthew did the same near the time of the Passion, and moreover she was not a known harlot. The Lord accepts her devotion, as one who spent so much on the ointment.
"And some were indignant," the evangelist remarks. But John says that Judas was indignant (Jn. 12:3–5). One may suppose that the other apostles also rebuked the woman, since they constantly heard from Christ teaching about almsgiving. But Judas was indignant at the woman not with the same thought as the others, but out of love of money, for the sake of base gain. For this reason John mentions him alone, as one who reviled the woman with a wicked intention. "And they murmured against her," that is, they were indignant, reproached, and reviled her.
Mk. 14:6. But Jesus said: leave her alone; why do you trouble her? She has done a good deed for Me.
Mk. 14:7. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish, you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me.
Mk. 14:8. She did what she could: she anticipated anointing My body for burial.
Mk. 14:9. Truly I say to you: wherever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, what she has done shall also be spoken of, as a memorial of her.
The Lord reproaches the apostles for not restraining the woman's zeal at the proper time. "Why," He says, "do you trouble her," pushing her away with your reproaches after she has already brought the gift? At the same time He also exposes Judas, saying that she did this in preparation for His burial, and reveals his shamelessness, as if saying to him: you, betraying Me to death, do not reproach yourself, yet does she really deserve reproach from you for bringing myrrh to prepare Me for burial, and moreover by a kind of special divine inspiration? Here the Lord utters two prophecies: first, that the Gospel will be preached in the whole world; second, that the woman's deed will also be proclaimed. Let those be ashamed, then, who prefer the poor to Christ! For I have heard goldsmiths who say that if one breaks a church vessel into pieces and gives them to the poor, there will be no sin. Let them hear, then, how Christ values service to Him above service to the poor. And on the golden diskos is the true Body of Christ, and in the chalice is the Blood of Christ. Therefore, whoever carries off a precious diskos from the church and causes the Body of Christ to be placed on a poor diskos, citing the poor as his excuse, let him know whose companion he becomes.
Mk. 14:10. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them.
Mk. 14:11. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him silver coins. And he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.
When the woman showed fitting honor to Christ, then a disciple wages war against Him, and moreover one of the twelve. For it is not without reason that it says "one of the twelve," but to show that he too was among the most chosen disciples. What does the expression "to betray Him" mean? It means: to inform them when Christ would be alone. They were afraid to seize Him while He was teaching, lest they bring trouble upon themselves from the people; therefore Judas promised to betray Him to them when He would withdraw from everyone.
Mk. 14:12. On the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover lamb, His disciples said to Him: Where do You want to eat the passover? We will go and prepare.
Mk. 14:13. And He sends two of His disciples and says to them: Go into the city, and a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him.
Mk. 14:14. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with My disciples?
Mk. 14:15. And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready: there prepare for us.
The evangelist calls the first day of unleavened bread the Thursday which immediately preceded the feast of unleavened bread, for the Jews began to eat unleavened bread on Friday. The disciples approach and ask where they should eat the Passover. From this it is evident that neither Christ had His own dwelling, nor did the disciples have their own homes; for if they had, they would have received Him into them. He sends two of His disciples, Peter and John — as Luke says — to an unknown man, showing them through this that He could have avoided suffering, had He so willed. For He who disposed an unknown man to receive Him, what could He not have produced in others? Meanwhile He gives the disciples a sign by which to find the house they sought, namely: He commands them to follow a man carrying a pitcher of water. But this can also be explained in a figurative sense. The one who carries a "pitcher of water" is one who has been baptized. He goes "into a house" befitting his rational (spiritual) state. For the one who bears baptism enters into rest, according to the word of life, and reposes in this state as in a house. The "master of the house" is the mind, which shows a "large upper room" — the loftiness of its thoughts. But this upper room is "furnished," that is, although it is lofty, it contains nothing harsh or proud; on the contrary, it is furnished and smoothed with humility. It is here, in such a mind, I say, that the Passover is prepared for Christ by the two disciples, Peter and John, that is, by action and contemplation, for Peter was fervent and active, while John, as the Theologian, was contemplative.
Mk. 14:16. And His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found as He had said unto them; and they prepared the Passover.
Mk. 14:17. When evening came, He comes with the twelve.
Mk. 14:18. And as they reclined at table and ate, Jesus said: "Truly I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me."
Mk. 14:19. They were grieved and began to say to Him, one by one: "Is it I?" and another: "Is it I?"
Mk. 14:20. He said to them in answer: one of the Twelve, the one dipping with Me into the dish.
Mk. 14:21. Indeed, 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 not to have been born.
How then were they reclining, when the Law commanded that the Passover be eaten standing? One must think that the Lord first performed the Passover according to the Law, and then reclined in order to impart His own Passover. The disciples began to grieve when the Lord said: "one of you will betray Me." Although they were free from this sin, they were nevertheless troubled, for they believed God, who knows their hearts, more than they believed themselves. Note also the word "goes," for the death of Christ was only a departure, not a death. "It would have been better for that man not to have been born." This is said in regard to the punishment to which the betrayer will be subjected. For it is better not to be born at all than to be born for torment. Thus, in regard to his final destiny, it would have been better if Judas had not existed at all. For God created him for good works, but since he himself fell into such a terrible crime, it truly would have been better for him not to have been born at all.
Mk. 14:22. And when they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, gave it to them, and said: Take, eat; this is My Body.
Mk. 14:23. And having taken the cup, giving thanks, He gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
Mk. 14:24. And He said to them: This is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many.
Mk. 14:25. Truly I say to you: I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I will drink new wine in the Kingdom of God.
Some say that Judas did not partake of the Holy Mysteries, but went out before the Lord imparted these Mysteries. On the contrary, others maintain that the Lord gave His Holy Things even to this ungrateful one. Having blessed, that is, having given thanks, the Lord broke the bread. We do the same, pronouncing prayers. "This," He says, "which you now receive, is My Body," for the bread is not an image of the Lord's Body, but the very Body of Christ, into which the bread is changed. And the Lord says: "the bread that I shall give is My Flesh" (Jn. 6:51); He did not say: an image of My Flesh, but "My Flesh." And again: "unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man" (Jn. 6:53). But how is this? someone may perhaps say: for no Flesh is visible here? This is because of our weakness, O man! Since bread and wine are ordinary things for us, and to see Flesh and Blood set before us would be unbearable for us, and we would turn away from them, God the Lover of mankind, in His condescension toward us, preserves the appearance of bread and wine, but they are changed into the power of Flesh and Blood. He called His Blood the Blood of the "New Testament," in distinction from the Old Testament, for the Old Testament also had blood, with which both the people and the books of the Law were sprinkled.
"I will not," He says further, "drink of the fruit of the vine" until the Resurrection (He calls the Resurrection the Kingdom here, since having risen from the dead, He reigned over death). After the Resurrection He again ate and drank with His disciples, thus assuring them that He is the very Same One Who suffered. But He already drank new wine, that is, He drank in some new and unusual manner, for He had Flesh that was no longer subject to suffering and in need of food, but incorruptible and immortal. And one can also understand this as follows: the Vine is the Lord Himself, the fruit of the Vine is the mysteries and hidden knowledge which He brings forth, teaching man knowledge. Thus "in the Kingdom of God" Christ will drink with His disciples the mysteries and wisdom, teaching us new truths and revealing what is now hidden.
Mk. 14:26. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Mk. 14:27. And Jesus says to them: All of you will be offended because of Me this night; for it is written: "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered" (Zech. 13:7).
Mk. 14:28. After My resurrection, I will go before you into Galilee.
Mk. 14:29. Peter said to Him: even if all are offended, yet not I.
Mk. 14:30. And Jesus says to him: Truly I say to you, that you today, on this night, before the cock crows twice, will deny Me three times.
Mk. 14:31. But he spoke even more vehemently: Even if I must die with You, I will not deny You. And they all said the same.
They gave thanks both before drinking and after drinking, so that we too might know that we ought to give thanks and sing hymns both before food and after food. By this the Lord also shows that death for our sake is not fearful to Him, so that He glorifies God even as He goes to be handed over to death. By this, without doubt, He also teaches us not to lose heart when we fall into sorrows for the salvation of many, but to give thanks to God, who through our sorrow works the salvation of many. The Lord goes "to the Mount of Olives" so that the Jews, having found and seized Him in seclusion, would not cause a disturbance among the people. For if they had attacked Him in the city, the people might have risen up on His behalf; and in that case the enemies, taking advantage of this plausible pretext, would have thought that they killed Him justly, as a rebel. Christ foretells to the disciples that they too will be scandalized. And lest they consider this an open reproach directed at all of them, He cites the testimony of the prophet Zechariah, that they will be "scattered" (Zech. 13:7). Finally, He also gives them consolation: "I will go before," He says, that is, I will meet, "you in Galilee." But Peter objects; and for this he hears the following: "before the cock crows twice, you will deny Me three times." It happened thus: immediately after Peter denied the first time, the cock crowed; then, when Peter denied the second and third time, the cock crowed again. This is what the words mean: "before the cock crows twice, you will deny Me three times." Expressing vain fervor, all the other disciples as well, like Peter, made promises not to forsake the Lord, as if thereby turning into a lie the word of Self-Existent Truth. Therefore the Lord also permits it, and human nature reveals its own weakness. For there is no doubt that the Lord could have preserved them, especially Peter; yet He permitted it, so that they, and we as well, would not be self-reliant. "I will strike the shepherd" — this is spoken by God the Father. Since He permitted the Son to be struck, it is said that He struck the One who was struck by His permission. And He called the apostles "sheep" as people who are guileless.
Mk. 14:32. They came to a place called Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples: sit here while I pray.
Mk. 14:33. And He took with Him Peter, James, and John; and began to be greatly amazed and deeply distressed.
Mk. 14:34. And He said to them: My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death; remain here and keep watch.
Mk. 14:35. And He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him;
Mk. 14:36. And He said: Abba, Father! All things are possible for You; carry this cup past Me; but not what I will, but what You will.
Mk. 14:37. He returns and finds them sleeping, and says to Peter: Simon! Are you sleeping? Could you not stay awake one hour?
Mk. 14:38. Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Mk. 14:39. And, having gone away again, He prayed, saying the same word.
Mk. 14:40. And, having returned, He found them sleeping again, for their eyes had grown heavy, and they did not know what to answer Him.
Mk. 14:41. And He comes the third time and says to them: Are you still sleeping and resting? It is finished, the hour has come: behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Mk. 14:42. Rise, let us go; behold, he who betrays Me has drawn near.
Christ always had the custom of praying alone, giving us an example so that we too would seek solitude for prayer. He takes with Him only those three disciples who were eyewitnesses of His glory on Tabor, so that they, having seen His glorious state, might also see His state of sorrow, and thus come to know that He is True Man and grieves and anguishes just as we do. For since He assumed the whole of man with his natural properties, He grieves and sorrows, without doubt, according to human nature; for we humans by nature shrink from death. Thus, when He says, "Take this cup away from Me," He reveals in Himself the human property; but then He added, "yet not what I will, but what You will" — He teaches us, despite the demands of nature, to ask for what is pleasing to God. After the prayer, coming to the disciples, He found those three disciples sleeping; but He rebukes Peter alone, as if saying to him: did you not promise to die with Me, yet could not watch even one hour — and can you despise death? But watch and pray, that you not fall into temptation and deny Me. Let your spirit be willing not to deny, as you also promised Me; but the flesh is weak, and therefore, if God does not give strength to your flesh in answer to your prayer, disaster will befall you. And again going away from them, He began to pray and say the same words as before, so that by this second prayer He might confirm that He was essentially and truly Man, and also to teach us to pray more frequently, and not in such a way that, having said something in prayer once, we immediately abandon it; one must repeat the prayer with diligence. And seeing the disciples sleeping again, He no longer rebukes them, because they were weighed down with sleep. From this, recognize human fickleness and weakness! We cannot even resist sleep, yet we often promise what is impossible for us! A third time Christ prays for the reasons we spoke of above. And again He comes to the disciples, but does not reproach them, although they deserved reproach, since even after the rebukes they did not strengthen themselves but gave themselves over to sleep. What then does He say? "Are you still sleeping and resting?" He says this to shame them. Since He saw that the betrayer was coming, He said to them as if to say: now is the time for sleep — sleep on, the enemy is already coming. He said this (repeated it) to shame them for their sleeping. And that He said this truly as a reproach, listen to what He says next: "Rise, let us go." He says this not in order to flee, but to go meet the enemies. The expression "My soul is sorrowful unto death" — some understand it thus: I grieve not because I must die, but because the Israelites — My own kinsmen — are crucifying Me, and for this they will be cast out from the Kingdom of God.
Mk. 14:43. And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, comes, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and scribes and elders.
Mk. 14:44. And he that betrayed Him had given them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He; take Him and lead Him away safely.
Mk. 14:45. And having come, he immediately went up to Him and says, "Rabbi! Rabbi!" and kissed Him.
Mk. 14:46. And they laid their hands on Him and seized Him.
Mk. 14:47. And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
Mk. 14:48. Then Jesus said to them: Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to take Me?
Mk. 14:49. Every day I was with you in the temple and taught, and you did not seize Me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.
Not without reason was it added: "one of the twelve," but in condemnation of the betrayer, because he, being in the first rank of the apostles, plotted against his own Master. But look at his madness, how he thought to hide from the Lord by a kiss, hoping to be received as a friend. If you are indeed a friend, why did you come with enemies? Truly, senseless cunning! "And one of those who stood by" — this was Peter. Mark concealed his name so that no one would think he was praising Peter, his teacher, for his zeal for Christ. But Peter, fittingly, cut off the ear of the high priest's servant: this indicates that the Jews were a disobedient, rebellious, and inattentive people with regard to the Scriptures. Otherwise, if they had ears attentive to the Scriptures, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. And Peter struck not some other servant, but the high priest's, for the high priests were the first to disobey the Scriptures, having become slaves of envy and self-love. Christ said to the crowd: "As though against a robber you have come out." Every day I taught in the temple! But this testifies to His Divinity. For when He taught in the temple, they could not seize Him, even though He was in their hands, since the time of His suffering had not yet come. But when He Himself willed it, then He also gave Himself up to them, that the prophetic Scriptures might be fulfilled, that "like a sheep He was led to the slaughter" (Isa. 53:7), not arguing, not crying out, but voluntarily following those who led Him.
Mk. 14:50. Then, having left Him, they all fled.
Mk. 14:51. And a certain young man, having wrapped a linen cloth about his naked body, followed Him; and the soldiers seized him.
Mk. 14:52. But he, leaving the linen cloth, fled from them naked.
Mk. 14:53. They led Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes assembled before him.
Mk. 14:54. Peter followed Him from afar, even into the courtyard of the high priest; and sat with the servants, and warmed himself by the fire.
The disciples fled, for it was impossible for the Self-existent Truth and the prophets to lie. Only a certain young man followed Him. This young man was probably from the house in which they ate the Passover. Some, however, think that this was James, the brother of God, called the righteous, for throughout his whole life he wore a single cloak, and after the Ascension of the Lord he received from the apostles the episcopal throne in Jerusalem. It was he, they say, who left behind his outer garment and fled. And there is nothing surprising that, when the chief apostles fled, he too forsook the Lord. Peter, however, showing the most fervent love for the Teacher, followed after Christ. The law commanded that the Jews should have one high priest for his entire life; yet at that time they had many high priests, who one after another each year purchased their authority from the Romans. Thus the evangelist calls "high priests" those who, having served for some time in the high priesthood, had left it.
Mk. 14:55. And the chief priests and the whole council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, and found none.
Mk. 14:56. For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies were not sufficient.
Mk. 14:57. And some, rising up, bore false witness against Him and said:
Mk. 14:58. We heard Him say: I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.
Mk. 14:59. But neither was their testimony sufficient.
Mk. 14:60. Then the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus: Do You answer nothing? What is it that these men testify against You?
Mk. 14:61. But He was silent and answered nothing.
People who are themselves worthy of condemnation set up the appearance of a tribunal, in order to show that they put Him (Christ) to death by judgment. But where is the justice of a trial when witnesses are brought forward who cannot say anything just, but only violence and absurdities? And even those very ones who thought they were saying something substantial spoke a lie. For the Lord did not say, "I will destroy the temple," but "destroy," nor did He say "a temple made with hands," but simply "the temple." The high priest, rising up, questioned Jesus with the intention of provoking Him to answer, and then turning that answer into an accusation. But Christ was silent, knowing that they would not heed His words, as Luke indeed observes that when they questioned the Lord, He said: "If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I also ask you, you will not answer Me" (Luke 22:67–68).
Again the high priest asked Him and said to Him: Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?
Mk. 14:62. And Jesus said: I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.
Mk. 14:63. Then the high priest, having torn his garments, said: What further need do we have of witnesses?
Mk. 14:64. You heard the blasphemy; what do you think? And they all condemned Him as deserving of death.
Mk. 14:65. And some began to spit on Him and to cover His face, and to strike Him, and to say to Him: Prophesy. And the servants struck Him on the cheeks.
The high priest again questions Jesus, not in order to learn the truth and believe, but to have some pretext for condemnation. To the words "Are You the Christ" (the Anointed One), he adds "the Son of the Blessed." For many were anointed, since both kings and high priests were called by this name, but none of them was the Son of God, eternally blessed and glorified. Jesus said, "I am." Although He knew that they would not believe, He was nevertheless compelled to answer, so that they could not later say, "If we had heard from Him a direct testimony about Himself, we would have believed." Therefore their condemnation will be all the greater, since even having heard this testimony, they did not believe. "And you will see," He says, "the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power," that is, of the Father (here He calls the Father "power"). For He will come again not without a body, but in such a way that He can be seen and recognized by those who crucified Him. At this the high priest fulfilled the custom (he tore his garment). For whenever some calamity or sorrow befell the Jews, they would tear their garments. In the present case the high priest tore his garment as a sign that Jesus had supposedly uttered blasphemy against God, and that thus a great evil had occurred. But it is fitting to say here with David: "They were divided, and were not moved to compunction" (Ps. 34:15). But this tearing was at the same time also a figure of the tearing apart and abolition of the Jewish high priesthood, although the high priest himself was unaware of this. When in this manner the chief priests unanimously condemned Him (Christ), then the servants, having covered Him, began to beat Him and say, "Prophesy!" — who struck You? If our Lord endured so much for us, then how much must we endure for His sake, in order to repay the Master in equal measure? Oh, this is fearful!
Mk. 14:66. When Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.
Mk. 14:67. And when she saw Peter warming himself, and looked at him, she said: You also were with Jesus the Nazarene.
Mk. 14:68. But he denied it, saying: I neither know nor understand what you are saying. And he went out onto the forecourt; and the rooster crowed.
Mk. 14:69. The servant girl, seeing him again, began to say to those standing there: this one is of them.
Mk. 14:70. He denied again. A little later, those standing there again began saying to Peter: surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and your speech is similar.
Mk. 14:71. He then began to curse and to swear: I do not know this Man of whom you speak.
Mk. 14:72. Then the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him: "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times"; and he began to weep.
Although Peter was the most fervent of all, nevertheless he proved weak and denied the Lord, having been troubled by fear. And such fear was brought upon him by a mere servant girl! God permitted him to suffer this by a special providence, so that he would not become proud, so that he would be compassionate toward others who fall, having learned from his own experience the depth of human weakness. As for whether there was one servant girl who accused Peter, or yet another — Matthew says there was another, while Mark says that the same servant girl accused Peter both times. But this causes us no difficulty whatsoever regarding the truth of the Gospel. For here the disagreement of the Evangelists does not concern anything important or pertaining to our salvation. One did not say that the Lord was crucified while another said He was not crucified. So Peter, troubled by fear and forgetting the Lord's word — "whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven" (Mt. 10:33) — denied Christ, but repentance and tears restored him again to Christ. For it says: "he began to weep." That is, covering his face, he began to weep bitterly. Matthew (speaking of Peter's denial) said unclearly: "before the rooster crows" (Mt. 26:34); Mark clarified this: "before the rooster crows twice." Roosters usually make several calls at one time, then fall asleep, and after some time begin crowing again. Therefore the meaning of Matthew's account is this: "before the rooster crows," that is, before it finishes its first round of crowing, "you will deny Me three times." But let the Novatians be put to shame, who do not accept repentance and communion of the Holy Mysteries for those who have sinned after baptism! Behold, Peter, who denied already after partaking of the Most Pure Body and Blood, was again received into the apostolic company. For the falls of the saints are recorded precisely so that we, when we fall through our own carelessness, might look to their example and hasten to correct ourselves through repentance.
Mk. 14:1. After two days was the feast of the Passover and of unleavened bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by craft and kill Him;
Mk. 14:2. But they said: only not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.
Mk. 14:3. And while He was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, and was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and having broken the jar, she poured it over His head.
Mk. 14:4. But some were indignant and said among themselves: why was this waste of the ointment made?
Mk. 14:5. For it could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
The council against Christ was assembled on Wednesday. And this is the reason why we fast on Wednesdays. The enemies wanted to wait until after the feast time, but this was not permitted to them. The Lord, appointing the sufferings for Himself, willed to deliver Himself to the Crucifixion on Pascha itself, for He Himself was the True Pascha. Here one must marvel at His power. For when the enemies wanted to seize Him, they could not, but when they did not want to, on account of the feast, then He Himself willingly delivered Himself to them.
"And when He was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, and was reclining at table, a woman came." The ointment is mentioned by all four Evangelists. And some think that in all of them the same woman is meant. But this is incorrect: these are two different women, one of whom is mentioned by John (Jn. 12:3), she being the sister of Lazarus, and the other by the three remaining Evangelists. But if you look more carefully, you will find that there were three: one is mentioned by John, another by Luke (Lk. 7:37–38), and a third by the other two Evangelists. For the one mentioned by Luke was a harlot and anointed the Lord in the midst of His preaching, while the one mentioned by Matthew did the same near the time of the Passion, and moreover she was not a known harlot. The Lord accepts her devotion, as one who spent so much on the ointment.
"And some were indignant," the evangelist remarks. But John says that Judas was indignant (Jn. 12:3–5). One may suppose that the other apostles also rebuked the woman, since they constantly heard from Christ teaching about almsgiving. But Judas was indignant at the woman not with the same thought as the others, but out of love of money, for the sake of base gain. For this reason John mentions him alone, as one who reviled the woman with a wicked intention. "And they murmured against her," that is, they were indignant, reproached, and reviled her.
Mk. 14:6. But Jesus said: leave her alone; why do you trouble her? She has done a good deed for Me.
Mk. 14:7. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish, you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me.
Mk. 14:8. She did what she could: she anticipated anointing My body for burial.
Mk. 14:9. Truly I say to you: wherever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, what she has done shall also be spoken of, as a memorial of her.
The Lord reproaches the apostles for not restraining the woman's zeal at the proper time. "Why," He says, "do you trouble her," pushing her away with your reproaches after she has already brought the gift? At the same time He also exposes Judas, saying that she did this in preparation for His burial, and reveals his shamelessness, as if saying to him: you, betraying Me to death, do not reproach yourself, yet does she really deserve reproach from you for bringing myrrh to prepare Me for burial, and moreover by a kind of special divine inspiration? Here the Lord utters two prophecies: first, that the Gospel will be preached in the whole world; second, that the woman's deed will also be proclaimed. Let those be ashamed, then, who prefer the poor to Christ! For I have heard goldsmiths who say that if one breaks a church vessel into pieces and gives them to the poor, there will be no sin. Let them hear, then, how Christ values service to Him above service to the poor. And on the golden diskos is the true Body of Christ, and in the chalice is the Blood of Christ. Therefore, whoever carries off a precious diskos from the church and causes the Body of Christ to be placed on a poor diskos, citing the poor as his excuse, let him know whose companion he becomes.
Mk. 14:10. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them.
Mk. 14:11. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him silver coins. And he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.
When the woman showed fitting honor to Christ, then a disciple wages war against Him, and moreover one of the twelve. For it is not without reason that it says "one of the twelve," but to show that he too was among the most chosen disciples. What does the expression "to betray Him" mean? It means: to inform them when Christ would be alone. They were afraid to seize Him while He was teaching, lest they bring trouble upon themselves from the people; therefore Judas promised to betray Him to them when He would withdraw from everyone.
Mk. 14:12. On the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover lamb, His disciples said to Him: Where do You want to eat the passover? We will go and prepare.
Mk. 14:13. And He sends two of His disciples and says to them: Go into the city, and a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you; follow him.
Mk. 14:14. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with My disciples?
Mk. 14:15. And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready: there prepare for us.
The evangelist calls the first day of unleavened bread the Thursday which immediately preceded the feast of unleavened bread, for the Jews began to eat unleavened bread on Friday. The disciples approach and ask where they should eat the Passover. From this it is evident that neither Christ had His own dwelling, nor did the disciples have their own homes; for if they had, they would have received Him into them. He sends two of His disciples, Peter and John — as Luke says — to an unknown man, showing them through this that He could have avoided suffering, had He so willed. For He who disposed an unknown man to receive Him, what could He not have produced in others? Meanwhile He gives the disciples a sign by which to find the house they sought, namely: He commands them to follow a man carrying a pitcher of water. But this can also be explained in a figurative sense. The one who carries a "pitcher of water" is one who has been baptized. He goes "into a house" befitting his rational (spiritual) state. For the one who bears baptism enters into rest, according to the word of life, and reposes in this state as in a house. The "master of the house" is the mind, which shows a "large upper room" — the loftiness of its thoughts. But this upper room is "furnished," that is, although it is lofty, it contains nothing harsh or proud; on the contrary, it is furnished and smoothed with humility. It is here, in such a mind, I say, that the Passover is prepared for Christ by the two disciples, Peter and John, that is, by action and contemplation, for Peter was fervent and active, while John, as the Theologian, was contemplative.
Mk. 14:16. And His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found as He had said unto them; and they prepared the Passover.
Mk. 14:17. When evening came, He comes with the twelve.
Mk. 14:18. And as they reclined at table and ate, Jesus said: "Truly I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me."
Mk. 14:19. They were grieved and began to say to Him, one by one: "Is it I?" and another: "Is it I?"
Mk. 14:20. He said to them in answer: one of the Twelve, the one dipping with Me into the dish.
Mk. 14:21. Indeed, 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 not to have been born.
How then were they reclining, when the Law commanded that the Passover be eaten standing? One must think that the Lord first performed the Passover according to the Law, and then reclined in order to impart His own Passover. The disciples began to grieve when the Lord said: "one of you will betray Me." Although they were free from this sin, they were nevertheless troubled, for they believed God, who knows their hearts, more than they believed themselves. Note also the word "goes," for the death of Christ was only a departure, not a death. "It would have been better for that man not to have been born." This is said in regard to the punishment to which the betrayer will be subjected. For it is better not to be born at all than to be born for torment. Thus, in regard to his final destiny, it would have been better if Judas had not existed at all. For God created him for good works, but since he himself fell into such a terrible crime, it truly would have been better for him not to have been born at all.
Mk. 14:22. And when they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, gave it to them, and said: Take, eat; this is My Body.
Mk. 14:23. And having taken the cup, giving thanks, He gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
Mk. 14:24. And He said to them: This is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many.
Mk. 14:25. Truly I say to you: I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I will drink new wine in the Kingdom of God.
Some say that Judas did not partake of the Holy Mysteries, but went out before the Lord imparted these Mysteries. On the contrary, others maintain that the Lord gave His Holy Things even to this ungrateful one. Having blessed, that is, having given thanks, the Lord broke the bread. We do the same, pronouncing prayers. "This," He says, "which you now receive, is My Body," for the bread is not an image of the Lord's Body, but the very Body of Christ, into which the bread is changed. And the Lord says: "the bread that I shall give is My Flesh" (Jn. 6:51); He did not say: an image of My Flesh, but "My Flesh." And again: "unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man" (Jn. 6:53). But how is this? someone may perhaps say: for no Flesh is visible here? This is because of our weakness, O man! Since bread and wine are ordinary things for us, and to see Flesh and Blood set before us would be unbearable for us, and we would turn away from them, God the Lover of mankind, in His condescension toward us, preserves the appearance of bread and wine, but they are changed into the power of Flesh and Blood. He called His Blood the Blood of the "New Testament," in distinction from the Old Testament, for the Old Testament also had blood, with which both the people and the books of the Law were sprinkled.
"I will not," He says further, "drink of the fruit of the vine" until the Resurrection (He calls the Resurrection the Kingdom here, since having risen from the dead, He reigned over death). After the Resurrection He again ate and drank with His disciples, thus assuring them that He is the very Same One Who suffered. But He already drank new wine, that is, He drank in some new and unusual manner, for He had Flesh that was no longer subject to suffering and in need of food, but incorruptible and immortal. And one can also understand this as follows: the Vine is the Lord Himself, the fruit of the Vine is the mysteries and hidden knowledge which He brings forth, teaching man knowledge. Thus "in the Kingdom of God" Christ will drink with His disciples the mysteries and wisdom, teaching us new truths and revealing what is now hidden.
Mk. 14:26. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Mk. 14:27. And Jesus says to them: All of you will be offended because of Me this night; for it is written: "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered" (Zech. 13:7).
Mk. 14:28. After My resurrection, I will go before you into Galilee.
Mk. 14:29. Peter said to Him: even if all are offended, yet not I.
Mk. 14:30. And Jesus says to him: Truly I say to you, that you today, on this night, before the cock crows twice, will deny Me three times.
Mk. 14:31. But he spoke even more vehemently: Even if I must die with You, I will not deny You. And they all said the same.
They gave thanks both before drinking and after drinking, so that we too might know that we ought to give thanks and sing hymns both before food and after food. By this the Lord also shows that death for our sake is not fearful to Him, so that He glorifies God even as He goes to be handed over to death. By this, without doubt, He also teaches us not to lose heart when we fall into sorrows for the salvation of many, but to give thanks to God, who through our sorrow works the salvation of many. The Lord goes "to the Mount of Olives" so that the Jews, having found and seized Him in seclusion, would not cause a disturbance among the people. For if they had attacked Him in the city, the people might have risen up on His behalf; and in that case the enemies, taking advantage of this plausible pretext, would have thought that they killed Him justly, as a rebel. Christ foretells to the disciples that they too will be scandalized. And lest they consider this an open reproach directed at all of them, He cites the testimony of the prophet Zechariah, that they will be "scattered" (Zech. 13:7). Finally, He also gives them consolation: "I will go before," He says, that is, I will meet, "you in Galilee." But Peter objects; and for this he hears the following: "before the cock crows twice, you will deny Me three times." It happened thus: immediately after Peter denied the first time, the cock crowed; then, when Peter denied the second and third time, the cock crowed again. This is what the words mean: "before the cock crows twice, you will deny Me three times." Expressing vain fervor, all the other disciples as well, like Peter, made promises not to forsake the Lord, as if thereby turning into a lie the word of Self-Existent Truth. Therefore the Lord also permits it, and human nature reveals its own weakness. For there is no doubt that the Lord could have preserved them, especially Peter; yet He permitted it, so that they, and we as well, would not be self-reliant. "I will strike the shepherd" — this is spoken by God the Father. Since He permitted the Son to be struck, it is said that He struck the One who was struck by His permission. And He called the apostles "sheep" as people who are guileless.
Mk. 14:32. They came to a place called Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples: sit here while I pray.
Mk. 14:33. And He took with Him Peter, James, and John; and began to be greatly amazed and deeply distressed.
Mk. 14:34. And He said to them: My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death; remain here and keep watch.
Mk. 14:35. And He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him;
Mk. 14:36. And He said: Abba, Father! All things are possible for You; carry this cup past Me; but not what I will, but what You will.
Mk. 14:37. He returns and finds them sleeping, and says to Peter: Simon! Are you sleeping? Could you not stay awake one hour?
Mk. 14:38. Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Mk. 14:39. And, having gone away again, He prayed, saying the same word.
Mk. 14:40. And, having returned, He found them sleeping again, for their eyes had grown heavy, and they did not know what to answer Him.
Mk. 14:41. And He comes the third time and says to them: Are you still sleeping and resting? It is finished, the hour has come: behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Mk. 14:42. Rise, let us go; behold, he who betrays Me has drawn near.
Christ always had the custom of praying alone, giving us an example so that we too would seek solitude for prayer. He takes with Him only those three disciples who were eyewitnesses of His glory on Tabor, so that they, having seen His glorious state, might also see His state of sorrow, and thus come to know that He is True Man and grieves and anguishes just as we do. For since He assumed the whole of man with his natural properties, He grieves and sorrows, without doubt, according to human nature; for we humans by nature shrink from death. Thus, when He says, "Take this cup away from Me," He reveals in Himself the human property; but then He added, "yet not what I will, but what You will" — He teaches us, despite the demands of nature, to ask for what is pleasing to God. After the prayer, coming to the disciples, He found those three disciples sleeping; but He rebukes Peter alone, as if saying to him: did you not promise to die with Me, yet could not watch even one hour — and can you despise death? But watch and pray, that you not fall into temptation and deny Me. Let your spirit be willing not to deny, as you also promised Me; but the flesh is weak, and therefore, if God does not give strength to your flesh in answer to your prayer, disaster will befall you. And again going away from them, He began to pray and say the same words as before, so that by this second prayer He might confirm that He was essentially and truly Man, and also to teach us to pray more frequently, and not in such a way that, having said something in prayer once, we immediately abandon it; one must repeat the prayer with diligence. And seeing the disciples sleeping again, He no longer rebukes them, because they were weighed down with sleep. From this, recognize human fickleness and weakness! We cannot even resist sleep, yet we often promise what is impossible for us! A third time Christ prays for the reasons we spoke of above. And again He comes to the disciples, but does not reproach them, although they deserved reproach, since even after the rebukes they did not strengthen themselves but gave themselves over to sleep. What then does He say? "Are you still sleeping and resting?" He says this to shame them. Since He saw that the betrayer was coming, He said to them as if to say: now is the time for sleep — sleep on, the enemy is already coming. He said this (repeated it) to shame them for their sleeping. And that He said this truly as a reproach, listen to what He says next: "Rise, let us go." He says this not in order to flee, but to go meet the enemies. The expression "My soul is sorrowful unto death" — some understand it thus: I grieve not because I must die, but because the Israelites — My own kinsmen — are crucifying Me, and for this they will be cast out from the Kingdom of God.
Mk. 14:43. And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, comes, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and scribes and elders.
Mk. 14:44. And he that betrayed Him had given them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He; take Him and lead Him away safely.
Mk. 14:45. And having come, he immediately went up to Him and says, "Rabbi! Rabbi!" and kissed Him.
Mk. 14:46. And they laid their hands on Him and seized Him.
Mk. 14:47. And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
Mk. 14:48. Then Jesus said to them: Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to take Me?
Mk. 14:49. Every day I was with you in the temple and taught, and you did not seize Me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.
Not without reason was it added: "one of the twelve," but in condemnation of the betrayer, because he, being in the first rank of the apostles, plotted against his own Master. But look at his madness, how he thought to hide from the Lord by a kiss, hoping to be received as a friend. If you are indeed a friend, why did you come with enemies? Truly, senseless cunning! "And one of those who stood by" — this was Peter. Mark concealed his name so that no one would think he was praising Peter, his teacher, for his zeal for Christ. But Peter, fittingly, cut off the ear of the high priest's servant: this indicates that the Jews were a disobedient, rebellious, and inattentive people with regard to the Scriptures. Otherwise, if they had ears attentive to the Scriptures, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. And Peter struck not some other servant, but the high priest's, for the high priests were the first to disobey the Scriptures, having become slaves of envy and self-love. Christ said to the crowd: "As though against a robber you have come out." Every day I taught in the temple! But this testifies to His Divinity. For when He taught in the temple, they could not seize Him, even though He was in their hands, since the time of His suffering had not yet come. But when He Himself willed it, then He also gave Himself up to them, that the prophetic Scriptures might be fulfilled, that "like a sheep He was led to the slaughter" (Isa. 53:7), not arguing, not crying out, but voluntarily following those who led Him.
Mk. 14:50. Then, having left Him, they all fled.
Mk. 14:51. And a certain young man, having wrapped a linen cloth about his naked body, followed Him; and the soldiers seized him.
Mk. 14:52. But he, leaving the linen cloth, fled from them naked.
Mk. 14:53. They led Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes assembled before him.
Mk. 14:54. Peter followed Him from afar, even into the courtyard of the high priest; and sat with the servants, and warmed himself by the fire.
The disciples fled, for it was impossible for the Self-existent Truth and the prophets to lie. Only a certain young man followed Him. This young man was probably from the house in which they ate the Passover. Some, however, think that this was James, the brother of God, called the righteous, for throughout his whole life he wore a single cloak, and after the Ascension of the Lord he received from the apostles the episcopal throne in Jerusalem. It was he, they say, who left behind his outer garment and fled. And there is nothing surprising that, when the chief apostles fled, he too forsook the Lord. Peter, however, showing the most fervent love for the Teacher, followed after Christ. The law commanded that the Jews should have one high priest for his entire life; yet at that time they had many high priests, who one after another each year purchased their authority from the Romans. Thus the evangelist calls "high priests" those who, having served for some time in the high priesthood, had left it.
Mk. 14:55. And the chief priests and the whole council sought testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, and found none.
Mk. 14:56. For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies were not sufficient.
Mk. 14:57. And some, rising up, bore false witness against Him and said:
Mk. 14:58. We heard Him say: I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.
Mk. 14:59. But neither was their testimony sufficient.
Mk. 14:60. Then the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus: Do You answer nothing? What is it that these men testify against You?
Mk. 14:61. But He was silent and answered nothing.
People who are themselves worthy of condemnation set up the appearance of a tribunal, in order to show that they put Him (Christ) to death by judgment. But where is the justice of a trial when witnesses are brought forward who cannot say anything just, but only violence and absurdities? And even those very ones who thought they were saying something substantial spoke a lie. For the Lord did not say, "I will destroy the temple," but "destroy," nor did He say "a temple made with hands," but simply "the temple." The high priest, rising up, questioned Jesus with the intention of provoking Him to answer, and then turning that answer into an accusation. But Christ was silent, knowing that they would not heed His words, as Luke indeed observes that when they questioned the Lord, He said: "If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I also ask you, you will not answer Me" (Luke 22:67–68).
Again the high priest asked Him and said to Him: Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?
Mk. 14:62. And Jesus said: I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.
Mk. 14:63. Then the high priest, having torn his garments, said: What further need do we have of witnesses?
Mk. 14:64. You heard the blasphemy; what do you think? And they all condemned Him as deserving of death.
Mk. 14:65. And some began to spit on Him and to cover His face, and to strike Him, and to say to Him: Prophesy. And the servants struck Him on the cheeks.
The high priest again questions Jesus, not in order to learn the truth and believe, but to have some pretext for condemnation. To the words "Are You the Christ" (the Anointed One), he adds "the Son of the Blessed." For many were anointed, since both kings and high priests were called by this name, but none of them was the Son of God, eternally blessed and glorified. Jesus said, "I am." Although He knew that they would not believe, He was nevertheless compelled to answer, so that they could not later say, "If we had heard from Him a direct testimony about Himself, we would have believed." Therefore their condemnation will be all the greater, since even having heard this testimony, they did not believe. "And you will see," He says, "the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power," that is, of the Father (here He calls the Father "power"). For He will come again not without a body, but in such a way that He can be seen and recognized by those who crucified Him. At this the high priest fulfilled the custom (he tore his garment). For whenever some calamity or sorrow befell the Jews, they would tear their garments. In the present case the high priest tore his garment as a sign that Jesus had supposedly uttered blasphemy against God, and that thus a great evil had occurred. But it is fitting to say here with David: "They were divided, and were not moved to compunction" (Ps. 34:15). But this tearing was at the same time also a figure of the tearing apart and abolition of the Jewish high priesthood, although the high priest himself was unaware of this. When in this manner the chief priests unanimously condemned Him (Christ), then the servants, having covered Him, began to beat Him and say, "Prophesy!" — who struck You? If our Lord endured so much for us, then how much must we endure for His sake, in order to repay the Master in equal measure? Oh, this is fearful!
Mk. 14:66. When Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.
Mk. 14:67. And when she saw Peter warming himself, and looked at him, she said: You also were with Jesus the Nazarene.
Mk. 14:68. But he denied it, saying: I neither know nor understand what you are saying. And he went out onto the forecourt; and the rooster crowed.
Mk. 14:69. The servant girl, seeing him again, began to say to those standing there: this one is of them.
Mk. 14:70. He denied again. A little later, those standing there again began saying to Peter: surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and your speech is similar.
Mk. 14:71. He then began to curse and to swear: I do not know this Man of whom you speak.
Mk. 14:72. Then the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him: "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times"; and he began to weep.
Although Peter was the most fervent of all, nevertheless he proved weak and denied the Lord, having been troubled by fear. And such fear was brought upon him by a mere servant girl! God permitted him to suffer this by a special providence, so that he would not become proud, so that he would be compassionate toward others who fall, having learned from his own experience the depth of human weakness. As for whether there was one servant girl who accused Peter, or yet another — Matthew says there was another, while Mark says that the same servant girl accused Peter both times. But this causes us no difficulty whatsoever regarding the truth of the Gospel. For here the disagreement of the Evangelists does not concern anything important or pertaining to our salvation. One did not say that the Lord was crucified while another said He was not crucified. So Peter, troubled by fear and forgetting the Lord's word — "whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven" (Mt. 10:33) — denied Christ, but repentance and tears restored him again to Christ. For it says: "he began to weep." That is, covering his face, he began to weep bitterly. Matthew (speaking of Peter's denial) said unclearly: "before the rooster crows" (Mt. 26:34); Mark clarified this: "before the rooster crows twice." Roosters usually make several calls at one time, then fall asleep, and after some time begin crowing again. Therefore the meaning of Matthew's account is this: "before the rooster crows," that is, before it finishes its first round of crowing, "you will deny Me three times." But let the Novatians be put to shame, who do not accept repentance and communion of the Holy Mysteries for those who have sinned after baptism! Behold, Peter, who denied already after partaking of the Most Pure Body and Blood, was again received into the apostolic company. For the falls of the saints are recorded precisely so that we, when we fall through our own carelessness, might look to their example and hasten to correct ourselves through repentance.