Mark 14 · The Lantern

The Plot to Kill Jesus

Now it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread after two days. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how, having taken Him by stealth, they may kill Him;

And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might take Him by craft and kill Him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

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.

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.

for they were saying, “Not during the feast, otherwise there will be an uproar of the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

And when He is in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, when He is reclining, a woman came having an alabaster flask of fragrant oil of pure nard, of great price. Having broken the alabaster flask, she poured it on His head.

When Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there came to him a woman having an alabaster jar of precious ointment and poured it upon his head as he reclined. But when his disciples saw it, they were indignant, and so forth (26:6—13).

A woman came having an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of spikenard, and having broken the jar, she poured it out on his head.

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.

Now some were indignant within themselves: “To what has this waste of the fragrant oil been made?

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 it was possible for this fragrant oil to have been sold for above three hundred denarii and to have been given to the poor.” And they were grumbling at her.

But Jesus said, “Leave her alone; why do you cause her trouble? She did a good work toward 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 always you have the poor with yourselves, and whenever you desire you are able to do good for them; but Me you do not always have.

What she had she performed. She came beforehand to anoint My body for the 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?

And amen I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of for a memorial of her.”

The Persians, the Indians, Scythians, Thracians, Samaratians, the race of the Moors and the inhabitants of the British isles celebrate a deed, performed in a private family in Judea by a woman who had been a sinner.

(ubi sup.) Observe also, that as Mary won glory throughout the whole world for the service which she rendered to the Lord, so, on the contrary, he who was bold enough to reprove her service, is held in infamy far and wide; but the Lord in rewarding the good with due praise has passed over in silence the future shame of the impious.

But the Lord makes a double prophecy; one that the Gospel shall be preached over the whole world, another that the deed of the woman shall be praised. Wherefore it goes on: Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

And Judas Iscariot, the one of the Twelve, went away to the chief priests that he may 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 having heard, they rejoiced and promised to give him money. And he was seeking how he may conveniently deliver Him up.

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.

Preparing the Passover

And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they were to sacrifice the Passover lamb, His disciples say to Him, “Where do You desire that, having gone, we may prepare that You may eat the Passover?”

And the suffering of this "extermination" was perfected within the times of the lxx hebdomads, under Tiberius Caesar, in the consulate of Rubellius Geminus and Fufius Geminus, in the month of March, at the times of the passover, on the eighth day before the calends of April, on the first day of unleavened bread, on which they slew the lamb at even, just as had been enjoined by…

(ubi sup.) He means by the first day of the Passover the fourteenth day of the first month, when they threw aside leaven, and were wont to sacrifice, that is, to kill the lamb at even. The Apostle explaining this says, Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. (1 Cor.

But the unleavened bread which was eaten with bitterness, that is with bitter herbs, is our redemption, and the bitterness is the Passion of our Lord. For they say, Where wilt thou that we go? to show us that we should direct our steps according to the will of God.

And He sends forth 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.

And wherever he enters, say to the master of the house that the Teacher says, ‘Where is My guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’

Follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, that the teacher says: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?

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.

That is, him who leads to the lofty place, where is the refreshment prepared by Christ. (John 21:15) The lord of the house is the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord has entrusted His house, that there may be one faith under one Shepherd. The large upper-room is the wide-spread Church, in which the name of the Lord is spoken of, prepared by a variety of powers and tongues.

And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; and there prepare 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.

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.

And the disciples went away and came into the city and found even as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

The Last Supper

And when evening had arrived, He comes 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 when they were reclining and were eating, Jesus said, “Amen I say to you that one of you will betray Me, who is eating with Me.”

They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?”

And being exceedingly saddened they began each one to say: Is it I, Lord?. But someone will ask: if the eleven apostles were of good conscience (since they were clean of any betrayal of their master), why were they saddened at the hearing of it, as though it could come to pass that one of them was he of whom it was spoken?

Although they were free from this sin, they were nevertheless troubled, for they believed God, who knows their hearts, more than they believed themselves.

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 is dipping with Me in the bowl.

He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. Seeing them fearful about themselves, He pointed out the betrayer by the evidence of the prophetic voice that says: "he that eateth my bread with me hath magnified his supplanting against me"; for that saying does not differ from this which He says: he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same sha…

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.

For the Son of Man indeed goes even as it has been written concerning Him; but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed. Better for him if that man was not 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 when they are eating, having taken bread, having spoken a blessing, He broke it and gave it to them and 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 a cup, having given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank of it.

And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many.

Amen I say to you that I will certainly no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew 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.

As if He had said, I will not drink wine until the resurrection; for He calls His resurrection the kingdom, as He then reigned over death. But after His resurrection He ate and drank with His disciples, showing that it was He Himself who had 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.

(ubi sup.) That hymn in the Gospel of John (John 17.) may also be meant, which the Lord sang, returning thanks to the Father, in which also He prayed, raising His eyes to heaven, for Himself and His disciples, and those who were to believe, through their word.

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.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

And Jesus says to them that “All of you will fall away, for it has been written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’

And Jesus said to them: You will all be scandalized in this night. He foretells what they will suffer so that when they suffer, they do not despair of salvation but find release by repenting.

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). "I will strike the shepherd" — this is spoken by God the Father.

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 My rising, I will go before you into Galilee.”

But Peter was saying to Him, “Even if all will fall away, yet not I.”

(ubi sup.) Peter then promised in the ardour of his faith, and the Saviour as God knew what was to happen. Wherefore it goes on: And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

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 says to him, “Amen I say to you that you yourself, now, this night, before the rooster crows twice, three times you will deny Me.”

(iii. 2. de Con. Evan) Though all the Evangelists say that the Lord foretold that Peter was to deny before the cock crew, Mark alone has related it more minutely, wherefore some from inattention suppose that he does not agree with the others.

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 was saying overexceedingly, “If it be needful for me to die with You, I will certainly not deny You.” And likewise also all of them were saying.

Jesus Prays at Gethsemane

And they come to a place of which the name is Gethsemane, and He says to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”

And they come to a place called Gethsemane. The place of Gethsemane is shown to this day, where the Lord prayed, at the foot of the Mount of Olives, now a church built above it. However, Gethsemane is interpreted as the valley of the fat ones or the 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 takes Peter and James and John with Him, and He began to be greatly awe-struck and to be deeply distressed.

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 says to them, “My soul is very sorrowful until death. Remain here and watch.”

He was troubled, as we are told, in the hour of death, as he himself confesses when he says, "My soul is sorrowful even unto death." He was finally led to that death which is considered the most shameful of all. On the third day he rose again.

Endure here, and keep watch. And when he had gone on a little further, he fell to the ground. What he commands, endure here, and keep watch, does not forbid sleep, whose time had not come with impending danger, but the sleep of infidelity and the numbness of the mind.

And having gone forward a little, He was falling upon the ground and was praying that, if it is possible, the hour shall pass 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 was saying, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to You; take away this cup from Me — but not what I want, but what You.”

And He comes and finds them sleeping, and He says to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Were you not able to watch 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 weak.”

And again, having gone away, He prayed, having said the same thing.

And again, having come, He found them sleeping; for their eyes were being wearied, and they did not know what they may answer Him.

And He comes the third time and says to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is delivered up into the hands of the sinful.

(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…

Therefore He goes away the third time to pray the prayer mentioned above. And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest. He is not vehement against them, though after His rebuke they had done worse, but He tells them ironically, Sleep on now, and take your rest, because He knew that the betrayer was now close at hand.

Rise, let us go. Behold, the one betraying Me has drawn near!”

The Betrayal of Jesus

And immediately, while he is yet speaking, Judas comes up, one of the Twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief 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 the one delivering Him up had given a sign to them, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He it is. Seize Him and lead Him away securely.”

And having arrived, immediately having come up to Him, he says, “Rabbi,” and he kissed Him.

And they laid the hands on Him and seized 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 having stood by, drawing the sword, struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

And answering, Jesus said to them, “As against a robber have you come out with swords and clubs to capture Me?

Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But it is that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.”

And having left Him, all fled.

And a certain young man was accompanying Him, having cast a linen cloth about his naked body; and they seize him.

(Mor. 14. 49) Or, he says this of John, who, although he afterwards returned to the cross to hear the words of the Redeemer, at first was frightened and fled.

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.

Just as Joseph left his mantle behind him, and fled naked from the wanton woman; so also let him, who would escape the hands of the evil ones, quit in mind all that is of the world, and fly after Jesus.

And having left behind the linen cloth, he fled naked.

Jesus before the Sanhedrin

And they led Jesus away to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes come together.

And Peter followed Him from afar off, until within, to the court of the high priest; and he was sitting with the officers and warming himself at the light.

But Peter followed from a distance, etc. Deservedly he followed from a distance, who was soon to deny him. For he could not have denied if he had clung closely to Christ. Yet in this, he is most greatly venerable to us with admiration because he did not leave the Lord even when he was afraid.

Peter, however, showing the most fervent love for the Teacher, followed after Christ.

It goes on: And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the High Priest. For though fear holds him back, love draws him on. He warms himself at the fire in the hall, with the servants. The hall of the High-Priest is the enclosure of the world, the servants are the devils, with whom whosoever remains cannot weep for his sins; the fire is the desire of the flesh.

And the chief priests and all the Council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but they were finding none.

For many were bearing false testimony against Him, but their testimonies were not alike.

And some, having risen up, were bearing false testimony against Him, saying

that “We ourselves heard Him saying that ‘I will destroy this temple, the one made with hands, and in three days I will build another not made with hands.’”

The accusations they brought against our Lord Jesus Christ appear to have reference to this utterance of his, "Destroy this temple, and I will build it up in three days." Though he was speaking of the temple of his body, they supposed his words to refer to the temple of stone.

Lo, the house of the wicked blasphemer, Caiaphas, has fallen, Where the sacred face of the Christ was cruelly smitten. This destruction will be the lot of all reprobate sinners, For their life will lie buried in crumbling ruins forever.

And some standing up bore false witness against him, saying: We heard him say: I will destroy this temple made with hands, and after three days I will build another not made with hands. How are they false witnesses if they say things which we read that the Lord said? But a false witness is he who does not understand statements in the same sense as they are spoken.

And not even thus was their testimony alike.

And the high priest, having stood up in the midst, questioned Jesus, saying, “Do You answer nothing? What about what these testify against You?”

But He was silent and did not answer anything. Again the high priest was questioning Him and says to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”

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.)

And Jesus said, “I am. And you will behold the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming 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.

And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. Therefore, if for you in Christ, O Jew, pagan, and heretic, contempt, weakness, and the cross are an insult, see that through these the Son of Man is to sit at the right hand of God the Father, and, born from the Virgin's womb as a man, is to come in His majesty with the cl…

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.

And the high priest, having torn his garments, says, “What need have we any more of 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.

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.

You heard the blasphemy. What does it appear to you?” And all condemned Him to be deserving of death.

And some began to spit upon Him and to cover up His face and to strike Him and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers received Him with the palms.

Peter Denies Jesus

And when Peter is below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest comes;

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 having seen Peter warming himself, having looked at him, she says, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.”

But he denied it, saying, “Neither do I know nor even understand what you say.” And he went forth out into the porch — and the rooster crowed.

And the servant girl, having seen him, began again to say to those having been standing by that “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.

(ubi sup.) By this denial of Peter we learn, that not only he denies Christ, who says that He is not the Christ, but he also, who although he is a Christian, denies himself to be such. For the Lord did not say to Peter, Thou shalt deny thyself to be my disciple, but, Thou shalt deny me; he therefore denied Christ, when he said that he was not His disciple.

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 again he was denying. And after a little, again those having stood by were saying to Peter, “Truly you are of them, for you are also a Galilean.”

But he began to curse and to swear that “I do not know this man of whom you speak!”

And immediately for the second time a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the declaration, how Jesus had said to him that “Before the rooster crows twice, three times you will deny Me.” And having broken down, he was weeping.

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.