Mark 14 · The Lantern

Now the feast of Passover and of Unleavened Bread was two days away. And the leaders of the priests, and the scribes, were seeking a means by which they might deceitfully seize him and kill him.

Now it was the Passover, and the unleavened bread after two days. Passover, which is called "phase" in Hebrew, is named not from suffering as many think, but from passing over, because the destroyer, seeing the blood on the doorposts of the Israelites, passed over and did not strike them, or the Lord Himself providing aid to His people passed over them.

Nevertheless, Christ Himself had determined for Himself the day of His Passion; for He wished to be crucified on the Passover, because He was the true Passover.

Let us now sprinkle our book, and our thresholds with blood, and put the scarlet thread around the house of our prayers, and bind scarlet on our hand, as was done to Zarah, (Gen. 38:30) that we may be able to say that the red heifer is slain in the valley. (Num. 19:2, Deut.

But they said, “Not on the feast day, lest perhaps there may be a tumult among the people.”

And when he was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, and was reclining to eat, a woman arrived having an alabaster container of ointment, of precious spikenard. And breaking open the alabaster container, she poured it over his head.

This woman is outside the temple and carries with her a jar of ointment containing nard, genuine nard, from which she has prepared the ointment. This is why the faithful are called "genuine" or pure nard. The church, gathered from the nations, is offering the Savior the abounding faith of believers.

And when He was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, and sat at meat. About to suffer for the entire world and to redeem all nations with His blood, He stayed in Bethany in the house of obedience, which once belonged to Simon the leper; not that the leper remained at that time, but because he who had been a leper was later cleansed by the Savior, the former name remaini…

For the fawn amongst the stags ever comes back to his couch, that is, the Son, obedient to the Father even unto death, seeks for obedience from us. Again in a mystic sense, Simon the leper means the world, first infidel, and afterwards converted, and the woman with the alabaster box, means the faith of the Church, who says, My spikenard sendeth forth its smell.

But there were some who became indignant within themselves and who were saying: “What is the reason for this waste of the ointment?

To him [Judas], it seemed to be wasting the ointment because the jar is broken, but, for us, it was a great good because the perfume spread throughout the world. Why are you indignant, Judas, because the alabaster jar is broken? God, who made you and all the nations, is blessing us with that precious perfume.

There were some who were indignantly saying among themselves, "Why has this waste of ointment been made? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor." Mark, like Matthew, speaks synecdochically, using the plural for the singular.

"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 ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and been given to the poor.” And they murmured against her.

But Jesus said: “Permit her. What is the reason that you trouble her? She has done a good deed for me.

(in Matt. 35.) For they were grieved at the waste of the ointment, which might be sold for a large sum and given to the poor. This however ought not to have been, for it was right that it should be poured over the head of Christ, with a holy and fitting stream; wherefore it goes on, She hath wrought a good work on me.

But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good deed to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me." Another question arises, why did Jesus say after the resurrection to the disciples, "Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28), and now says, "Bu…

He says also, She hath wrought a good work on me, for whosoever believes on the Lord, it is counted unto Him for righteousness. For it is one thing to believe Him, and to believe on Him, that is, to cast ourselves entirely upon Him. It goes on: She hath done what she could, she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

For the poor, you have with you always. And whenever you wish, you are able to do good to them. But you do not have me always.

But she has done what she could. She has arrived in advance to anoint my body for burial.

The last and greatest office of piety is the burying of strangers and the poor; which subject those teachers of virtue and justice have not touched upon at all. For they were unable to see this, who measured all their duties by utility.

What she had, she did; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. What you consider to be the waste of ointment is the duty of burial. It is not surprising if she gives me the good scent of her faith, since I am going to shed my blood for her.

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?

Amen I say to you, wherever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the entire world, the things she has done also shall be told, in memory of her.”

And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went away, to the leaders of the priests, in order to betray him to them.

(de Prod. Jud. Hom. 1) Why dost thou tell me of his country? would that I could also have been ignorant of his existence. But there was another disciple called Judas the zealot, the brother of James, and lest by calling him by this name there should arise a confusion between the two, he separates the one from the other.

It is said, to betray him unto them, that is, to announce to them when He should be alone. But they feared to rush upon Him when He was teaching, for fear of the people.

(ὁ περὶ τὸν βασιλέα χορὸς ap. Chrys.) But he was one of the twelve in number, not in merit, one in body, not in soul. But he went to the Chief Priests after he went out and Satan entered into him. Every living thing unites with what is like itself. And he promises to betray Him, as his master the devil said before, All this power I will give thee.

And they, upon hearing it, were gladdened. And they promised him that they would give him money. And he sought an opportune means by which he might betray him.

And Judas Iscariot, who was one of us, rose up and went his way to betray him. And Judas came with the scribes and with the priests of the people, and betrayed our Lord Jesus.Now this was done on the fourth day of the week. And in the night they seized our Lord Jesus.

Upon hearing this, they rejoiced and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might opportunely betray Him. Many today are horrified by Judas's crime of selling his Lord and Master, and God with money, as something monstrous and wicked, yet they do not take heed.

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.

And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they immolate the Passover, the disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

And he sent two of his disciples, and he said to them: “Go into the city. And you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water; follow him.

Nor will it be incongruous to interpret figuratively the fact that, when the Lord was about to celebrate the last Passover, he told the disciples who were sent to make preparation that they would meet a man bearing water. He thus points out the place for celebrating the Passover by the sign of water.

(ubi sup.) Or else, the large upper-room is spiritually the Law, which comes forth from the narrowness of the letter, and in a lofty place, that is, in the lofty chamber of the soul, receives the Saviour.

But the Lord points out with whom He would eat the Passover, and after His custom He sends two disciples, which we have explained above; wherefore it goes on, And he sendelh forth two of his disciples, and he saith unto them, Go ye into the city.

And wherever he will have entered, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says: Where is my dining room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’

And he will show you a large cenacle, fully furnished. And there, you shall prepare it for us.”

[Daniel 6:10] "Now when Daniel learned of it, that is, of the law which had been enacted, he entered his house, and with the windows in his upper room opened up in the direction of Jerusalem, he continued to bow his knees three times a day and worshipped, and made confession before his God just as he was previously accustomed to do." We must quickly draw from our memory and bri…

And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared there for us, etc. The large upper room is the spiritual law, which leaving the narrowness of the letter, receives the Savior in a high place.

Or else, the lord of the house is the intellect, which points out the large upper room, that is, the loftiness of intelligences, and which, though it be high, yet has nothing of vain glory, or of pride, but is prepared and made level by humility. But there, that is, in such a mind Christ's Passover is prepared by Peter and John, that is by action and contemplation.

And his disciples departed and went into the city. And they found it just as he had told them. And they prepared the Passover.

Then, when evening came, he arrived with the twelve.

When evening came, he arrived with the twelve. And as they reclined and ate, Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, the one who is eating with me." He who had foretold of the passion, also foretells of the betrayer, giving a place for repentance, so that when he understood that his thoughts and the secrets of his conscience were known, he might repent of his…

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 evening of the day points out the evening of the world; for the last, who are the first to receive the penny of eternal life, come about the eleventh hour.

And while reclining and eating with them at table, Jesus said, “Amen I say to you, that one of you, who eats with me, will betray me.”

But they began to be sorrowful and to say to him, one at a time: “Is it I?”

If the eleven apostles were of good conscience, having not in any way betrayed their teacher, why were they grieved, as though it might have been that he was speaking of one of them? I think that each of them knew from Jesus' teaching that human freedom is infinitely changeable and may easily be turned toward evil.

But the other disciples began to be saddened on account of the word of the Lord; for although they were free from this passion, yet they trust Him who knows all hearts, rather than themselves. It goes on: And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.

All the disciples then are touched by the Lord; so that there is amongst them the harmony of the harp, all the well attuned strings answer with accordant tone; for it goes on: And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? One of them however, unstrung, and steeped in the love of money, said, Is it I, Lord? as Matthew testifies.

And he said to them: “It is one of the twelve, who dips his hand with me in the dish.

Seeing that the disciples were disturbed, Jesus called the betrayer to accountability by poignantly recalling the prophetic words of the psalmist: "Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me." This corresponds to the Evangelist's report of him saying: "It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me." J…

He said to them, "One of the twelve, who is dipping his hand with me in the dish." Oh marvelous power of the Lord! First he had said, "One of you will betray me," the betrayer persists in evil, he is more clearly accused, and yet his name is not specifically designated.

Again, He says, One out of the twelve, as it were separate from them, for the wolf carries away from the flock the sheep which he has taken, and the sheep which quits the fold lies open to the bite of the wolf.

And indeed, the Son of man goes, just as it has been written of him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of man will be betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”

But Judas having been once for all cast away, never returns into the number of the disciples; otherwise a different person would not have been chosen to fill his place. Besides, the Lord also declared regarding him, "Woe to the man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed;" and, "It were better for him if he had never been born;" and he was called the "son of perdition" by Him.

And 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. Neither at first nor second admonished does he withdraw his foot from betrayal, but the patience of the Lord nourishes his impudence, and he treasures up wrath for himself in the day of wrath.

But Judas does not withdraw his foot from his traitorous design though once and again pointed at, wherefore his punishment is foretold, that the death denounced upon him might correct him, whom shame could not overcome; wherefore it goes on: The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him.

And while eating with them, Jesus took bread. And blessing it, he broke it and gave it to them, and he said: “Take. This is my body.”

Now concerning the Thanksgiving (Eucharist), thus give thanks. First, concerning the cup: We thank thee, our Father, for the holy vine of David Thy servant, which Thou madest known to us through Jesus Thy Servant; to Thee be the glory for ever.

(ubi sup.) Let there not be therefore a Judas at the table of the Lord; this sacrifice is spiritual food, for as bodily food, working on a belly filled with humours which are opposed to it, is hurtful, so this spiritual food if taken by one polluted with wickedness, rather brings him to perdition, not by its own nature, but through the fault of the recipient.

But in a mystical sense, the Lord transfigures into bread His body, which is the present Church, which is received in faith, is blessed in its number, is broken in its sufferings, is given in its examples, is taken in its doctrines; and He forms His Blood (formans sanguinem suum ap.

And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, he gave it to them. And they all drank from it.

And he said to them: “This is my blood of the new covenant, which shall be shed for many.

Amen I say to you, that I will no longer drink from this fruit of the vine, until that day when I will drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

(ubi sup.) Or else, Isaiah testifies that the synagogue is called the vine or the vineyard of the Lord, saying, The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel. (Is.

"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.

For it does not cleanse all. It goes on: Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. But we must consider that here the Lord changes the sacrifice without changing the time; so that we never celebrate the Cæna Domini before the fourteenth moon.

And having sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. This is what we read in the psalm: "The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will praise Him" (Psalm 21).

As they returned thanks, before they drank, so they return thanks after drinking; wherefore it is said, And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives, to teach us to return thanks both before and after our food. He also shows by this that He was glad to die for us, because when about to be betrayed, He deigned to praise God.

For by a hymn he means the praise of the Lord, as is said in the Psalms, The poor shall eat and be satisfied; they that seek after the Lord shall praise him. (Ps. 22:26, 29) And again, All such as be fat upon earth have eaten and worshipped.

And Jesus said to them: “You will all fall away from me in this night. For it has been written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

For it is written: "I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered." This is written in other words in the prophet Zechariah; and, if I am not mistaken, it is spoken by the prophet to God: "Smite the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered" (Zechariah 13).

The Lord allowed them to fall that they might not trust in themselves, and lest He should seem to have prophesied, what He had said, as an open accusation of them, He brings forward the witness of Zechariah the Prophet; wherefore it goes on: For it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

All indeed fall, but all do not remain fallen. (Ps. 40:9. Vulg.) For shall not he who sleeps also rise up again? It is a carnal thing to fall, but devilish to remain lying when fallen. For the Prophet prays for the Passion of the Lord, and the Father answers, I will smite the shepherd according to the prayers of those below.

But after I have risen again, I will go before you to Galilee.”

Then Peter said to him, “Even if all will have fallen away from you, yet I will not.”

Peter said to Him: Even if all are scandalized, yet not I. This is neither recklessness nor falsehood, but the faith of the Apostle Peter and his ardent zeal towards the Lord the Savior.

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."

There follows: But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. Lo, a bird unfledged strives to raise itself on high; but the body weighs down the soul, so that the fear of the Lord is overcome by the fear of human death.

And Jesus said to him, “Amen I say to you, that this day, in this night, before the rooster has uttered its voice twice, you will deny me three times.”

God knows in us even what we ourselves do not know in ourselves. For Peter did not know his weakness when he heard from the Lord that he would deny him three times.

And Jesus said to him: Truly, I say to you that today, in this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times. And Peter, in the fervor of his faith, made a promise, and the Savior, as God, knew the future. And note that Peter denies in the night, and denies three times.

Who is the cock, the harbinger of day, but the Holy Ghost? by whose voice in prophecy, and in the Apostles, we are roused from our threefold denial, to most bitter tears after our fall, for we have thought evil of God, spoken evil of our neighbours, and done evil to ourselves.

But he spoke further, “Even if I must die along with you, I will not deny you.” And they all spoke similarly also.

And they went to a country estate, by the name of Gethsemani. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I pray.”

(ubi sup.) The place Gethsemane, in which the Lord prayed, is shown up to this day at the foot of the Mount of Olives. The meaning of Gethsemane is, the valley of the fat, or of fatness.

(non occ.) After that the Lord had foretold the offence of His disciples, the Evangelist gives an account of His prayer, in which He is supposed to have prayed for His disciples; and first describing the place of prayer, he says, And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane.

In the valley of fatness also, the fat bulls beset Him. There follows, And he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray; they are separated from Him in prayer, who are separated in His Passion; for He prays, they sleep, overcome by the sloth of their heart.

And he took Peter, and James, and John with him. And he began to be afraid and wearied.

And He takes Peter, and James, and John with Him, and began to be afraid and to be very sorrowful. And He said to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Christ is afraid, while Peter is not afraid. Christ is afraid; Peter says: I will lay down my life for you (John 13). Christ says: My soul is troubled.

But who will deliver us from these plagues? Certainly there is one alone who came to deliver us, namely Christ, who made ten condescensions against the ten plagues. The first was down to our flesh. The second was down to our mortality. The third, to our neediness, for he suffered hunger, thirst, and cold.

By this also we are taught to fear and to be sorrowful before the judgment of death, for not by ourselves, but by Him only, can we say, The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me. (John 14:30) There follows: Tarry ye here, and watch.

And he said to them: “My soul is sorrowful, even unto death. Remain here and be vigilant.”

And when he had proceeded on a little ways, he fell prostrate on the ground. And he prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him.

He has fully taken upon himself the flesh of humanity, and with it human affections. So you read in Scripture that "going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him." Here he speaks not in the voice of God but as fully human. For how could God be ignorant of the possibility or impossibility of anything?

(de Con. iii. iv) He said not, if He could do it, but if it could be done; for whatever He wills is possible. We must therefore understand, if it be possible, as if it were; if He is willing.

And he prayed that if it was possible the hour would pass from him, and said: Abba, etc. What was that voice, except the sound of our weakness? Many still frail ones grieve at the future death; but let them have a right heart, let them avoid death as much as they can; but if they cannot, let them say what the Lord himself, not for himself, but for us said. For what did he say?

And he said: “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this chalice from me. But let it be, not as I will, but as you will.”

And he went and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter: “Simon, are you sleeping? Were you not able to be vigilant for one hour?

And coming, he found them sleeping, and said to Peter: Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? He who had previously said: Even if all are scandalized, I will never be scandalized, now, in the greatness of his sorrow, cannot overcome sleep.

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?

There follows: And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping. For as they are asleep in mind, so also in body. 1But after His prayer, the Lord coming, and seeing His disciples sleeping, rebukes Peter alone. Wherefore it goes on: And saith unto Peter, Simon, steepest thou? couldest not thou watch with me one hour?

Watch and pray, so that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

And going away again, he prayed, saying the same words.

And upon returning, he found them sleeping yet again, (for their eyes were heavy) and they did not know how to respond to him.

And he arrived for the third time, and he said to them: “Sleep now, and take rest. It is enough. The hour has arrived. Behold, the Son of man will be betrayed into the hands of sinners.

(ubi sup.) Or else; In that it is said, that after He had spoken these words, Sleep on note, and take your rest, He added, It is enough, and then, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed, we must understand that after saying, Sleep on now, and take your rest, our Lord remained silent for a short time, to give space for that to happen, which He had permitted; and th…

And he came the third time, and said to them: Sleep now, and take your rest; it is enough. When he had said: Sleep now, and take your rest, and added: It is enough, and then introduced: The hour is come; behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners, and so on, it is understood that, after He had said to them: Sleep and take your rest, the Lord kept silent for a…

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.

Rise up, let us go. Behold, he who will betray me is near.”

And while he was still speaking, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, arrived, and with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the leaders of the priests, and the scribes, and the elders.

Consider what befell him, how he simultaneously lost the money, committed the sin, and destroyed his own soul. Such is the tyranny of covetousness. He did not even enjoy the money in this life nor did he have any benefits in the life to come. He lost everything at once and, branded as a bad character even by his co-conspirators, hanged himself.

This is not put without reason, but to the greater conviction of the traitor, since though he was of the chief company amongst the disciples, he turned himself to furious enmity against our Lord. And with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the Chief Priests and the Scribes and the elders.

For he who despairs of help from God, has recourse to the power of the world.

Now his betrayer had given them a sign, saying: “He whom I shall kiss, it is he. Take hold of him, and lead him away cautiously.”

How magnificent is the endurance of evil by the Lord who even kissed his own traitor, and then spoke words even softer than a kiss! For he did not say, O you abominable one, or traitor, is this what you do in return for great kindnesses? He simply says "Judas," using his first name.

See how in his blindness he thought to deceive Christ by the kiss, so as to be looked upon by Him as His friend. But if thou wert a friend, Judas, how didst thou come with His enemies? But wickedness is ever without foresight. And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.

Judas gives the kiss as a token, with poisonous guile, just as Cain offered a crafty, reprobate sacrifice.

And when he had arrived, immediately drawing near to him, he said: “Hail, Master!” And he kissed him.

But they laid hands on him and held him.

Why did he choose [Judas], and … make him steward? To show his perfect love and his mercy. [It was] also that our Lord might teach his church that, even if there are false teachers in it, it is nevertheless the true seat [of authority]. For the seat of Judas did not come to naught with the traitor himself.

At last, after five days, having observed up to that point the sacraments of the old Passover, he brought them to perfection, and handed over the new sacraments to his disciples to be observed from that time forward. Then, having gone out to the Mount of Olives, he was seized by the Jews and crucified the next morning.

PSEUDO-JEROME.w This is the Joseph who was sold by his brethren, (Ps. 105:18) and into whose soul the iron entered. There follows: And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the High Priest, and cut off his ear.

Then a certain one of those standing near, drawing a sword, struck a servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

And in response, Jesus said to them: “Have you set out to apprehend me, just as if to a robber, with swords and clubs?

Daily, I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not take hold of me. But in this way, the scriptures are fulfilled.”

Then his disciples, leaving him behind, all fled away.

Now a certain young man followed him, having nothing but a fine linen cloth over himself. And they took hold of him.

But he, rejecting the fine linen cloth, escaped from them naked.

And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the priests and the scribes and the elders came together.

But Peter followed him from a distance, even into the court of the high priest. And he sat with the servants at the fire and warmed himself.

Yet truly, the leaders of the priests and the entire council sought testimony against Jesus, so that they might deliver him to death, and they found none.

For many spoke false testimony against him, but their testimony did not agree.

And certain ones, rising up, bore false witness against him, saying:

“For we heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple, made with hands, and within three days I will build another, not made with hands.’”

And their testimony did not agree.

And the high priest, rising up in their midst, questioned Jesus, saying, “Do you have nothing to say in answer to the things that are brought against you by these ones?”

But he was silent and gave no answer. Again, the high priest questioned him, and he said to him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed God?”

If you will not learn Who Christ is from those that know Him, learn it at least from those that know Him not. So shall the confession, which their ignorance is forced to make, rebuke your blasphemy. The Jews did not recognise Christ, come in the body, though they knew that the true Christ must be the Son of God.

Again the high priest asked him, and said to him: Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed? Jesus said to him: I am. In Matthew it is written that to the high priest asking and adjuring him if he was the Christ, he answered: You have said it (Matt. 26). For which Mark placed: I am, to show that what Jesus says to him: You have said it, is as much as if he had said: I am.

But our God and Saviour Himself, Who brought salvation to the world, and assisted mankind by His love, is led as a sheep to the slaughter, without crying, and remained mute and kept silence yea even from good words. (Ps. 39:3) Wherefore it goes on, But he field his peace, and answered nothing. The silence of Christ is the pardon for the defence or excuse of Adam. (Gen. 3:10.)

Then Jesus said to him: “I am. And you shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God and arriving with the clouds of heaven.”

Hear, too, how He was to ascend into heaven according to prophecy. It was thus spoken: "Lift up the gates of heaven; be ye opened, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty." And how also He should come again out of heaven with glory, hear what was spoken in reference to this by the prophet Jeremiah.

(ubi sup.) If therefore to thee, O Jew, O Pagan, and heretic, the contempt, weakness, and cross in Christ are a subject of scorn, see how by this the Son of Man is to sit at the right hand of the Father, and to come in His majesty on the clouds of heaven.

But they looked from afar off for Him, whom though near they cannot see, as Isaac from the blindness of his eyes does not know Jacob who was under his hands, but prophesies long before things which were to come to him. It goes on, Jesus said, I am; namely, that they might be inexcusable.

Then the high priest, rending his garments, said: “Why do we still require witnesses?

(Serm. 5. de Pass.) But Caiaphas, to increase the odiousness of what they had heard rent his clothes, and without knowing what his frantic action meant, by his madness, deprived himself of the honour of the priesthood, forgetting that command, by which it is said of the High Priest, He shall not uncover his head or rend his clothes.

But the high priest, rending his garments, said: Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. The same fury that had shaken him from the priestly throne provokes him to rend his garments. He rends his garments to show that the Jews had lost priestly glory and had an empty seat of the high priest.

The High Priest does after the manner of the Jews; for whenever any thing intolerable or sad occurred to them, they used to rend their clothes. In order then to show that Christ had spoken great and intolerable blasphemy, he rent his clothes.

You have heard the blasphemy. How does it seem to you?” And they all condemned him, as guilty unto death.

And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face and to strike him with fists, and to say to him, “Prophesy.” And the servants struck him with the palms their hands.

Who is this strange one who says that he had been silent before, but would not always be silent? Who is he who was led as a sheep to the slaughter and who, like a lamb without making a sound before its shearer, did not open his mouth? Who is he who did not cry out and whose voice was not heard in the streets?

(ubi sup.) We must understand by this, that the Lord suffered these things till morning, in the house of the High Priest, whither He had first been brought.

And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say to him: Prophesy. And the officers struck him with the palms of their hands. The prophecy was fulfilled here which says: I gave my cheeks to the smiters, and I did not hide my face from confusion and spitting (Isaiah 50:6).

And while Peter was in the court below, one of the maidservants of the high priest arrived.

O what strange and remarkable turns occur in these ironic events! When Peter merely saw his master seized, he was so ardent as both to draw his sword and to whack off the servant's ear!

(upi. sup.) But what can be meant by his being first recognised by a woman, when men were more able to know him, if it be not that that sex might be seen to sin in the death of our Lord, and that sex be redeemed by His Passion? It goes on: But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest.

Peter when he had not the Spirit yielded and lost courage at the voice of a girl, though with the Spirit he was not afraid before princes and kings. But in a mystical sense, the first maid means the wavering, the second, the assent, the third man is the act. This is the threefold denial which the remebrance of the word of the Lord washes away through tears.

And when she had seen Peter warming himself, she stared at him, and she said: “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.”

But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you saying.” And he went outside, in front of the court; and a rooster crowed.

Then again, when a maidservant had seen him, she began to say to the bystanders, “For this is one of them.”

(ubi sup.)y This maid is not the same, but another, as Matthew says. Indeed we must also understand, that in this second denial he was addressed by two persons, that is, by the maid whom Matthew and Mark mention, and by another person, of whom Luke takes notice. It goes on: And he denied it again.

Again, when the maid saw him, she began to say to those standing around: This man is one of them. But he denied it again. The one accusing him now should not be believed to be the same as before. For Matthew says very clearly: When he went out to the gate, another saw him and said to those who were there (Matthew 26), etc.

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.

But he denied it again. And after a little while, again those standing near said to Peter: “In truth, you are one of them. For you, too, are a Galilean.”

Then he began to curse and to swear, saying, “For I do not know this man, about whom you are speaking.”

And immediately the rooster crowed again. 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.

Mark writes these things, and through him Peter bears witness, for the whole of Mark is said to be a record of Peter's teaching. Note how scrupulously the disciples refused to record those things that might have given the impression of their fame.

In this matter we must consider why Almighty God permitted him whom He had determined to place over the whole Church to fear the voice of a servant girl and to deny himself. This we recognize was done by a dispensation of great mercy, so that he who was to be the Pastor of the Church might learn through his own fault how he ought to show mercy to others.

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.

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