Mark 14 · The Lantern

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 put him to death.

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 there be an uproar of the people.

And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she broke the box, and 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.

And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment 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.

Or else, it appears to be aptly implied that many disciples murmured against the woman, because they had often heard our Lord talking of alms. Judas, however, was indignant, but not with the same feeling, but on account of his love of money, and filthy gain; wherefore John also records him alone, as accusing the woman with a fraudulent intent.

For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they grumbled against her.

And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble you her? she has worked a good work on 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 you have the poor with you always, and whenever you will you may do them good: but me you have not always.

She has done what she could: she has come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

Truly I say to you, Wherever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she has done shall 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.

Amen, I say to you, wherever this Gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her. Pay attention to this knowledge of future events, that He knew He would suffer after a few days, and that His Gospel would be celebrated in the whole world.

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.

And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests, 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 when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently 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 the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the Passover, his disciples said to him, Where will you that we go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?

For that you would do thus at the beginning of the first month of your new (years) even Moses prophesied, when he was foretelling that all the community of the sons of lsrµl was to immolate at eventide a lamb, and were to eat this solemn sacrifice of this day (that is, of the passover of unleavened bread) with bitterness; "and added that "it was the passover of the Lord," that…

(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 there shall meet you a man bearing a jar of water: follow him.

And wherever he shall go in, say to the goodman of the house, The Master says, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall 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 will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready 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 his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said to them: and they made ready the Passover.

And in the evening 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 as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Truly I say to you, One of you which eats with me shall betray me.

And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it 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 answered and said to them, It is one of the twelve, that dips with me in the dish.

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…

(ubi sup.) That is, Judas, who when the others were sad and held back their hands, puts forth his hand with his Master into the dish. And because He had before said, One of you shall betray me, and yet the traitor perseveres in his evil, He accuses him more openly, without however pointing out his name.

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.

The Son of man indeed goes, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it 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.

It would have been good for him if that man had not been born. This should not be thought to mean that he existed before he was born, for it cannot be well for anyone, except for him who has been. But it is simply said, it is much better not to exist than to exist badly.

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 as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: 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 he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.

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

Truly I say to 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.

Amen, I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God. The vine or vineyard of the Lord has been called the Synagogue, as all Scripture frequently testifies, and Isaiah more openly in the song sung about it: "The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel" (Isaiah V).

"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 when they had sang a hymn, they went out into 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).

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.

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 says to them, All you shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall 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.

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 that I have risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

But Peter said to him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.

And Jesus says to him, Truly I say to you, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, you shall deny me three times.

(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 spoke the more vehemently, If I should die with you, I will not deny you in any wise. Likewise also they said all.

And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he says to his disciples, Sit you here, while I shall 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 with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

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 says to them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful to death: stay you here, and watch.

And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might 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 said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what you will.

And he comes, and finds them sleeping, and says to Peter, Simon, sleep you? could not you 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, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

And again he went away, and prayed, and spoke the same words.

That we may understand what was the cause of His sadness, let us see what precedes and follows this confession of sadness: for in the Passover supper our Lord completely signified the whole mystery of His Passion and our faith.

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.

The threefold sleep of the disciples points out the three dead, whom our Lord raised up; the first, in a house; the second, at the tomb; the third, from the tomb. And the threefold watch of the Lord teaches us in our prayers, to beg for the pardon of past, future, and present sins.

And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither knew they what to answer him.

And he comes the third time, and says to them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour has come; look, the Son of man is 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…

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 up, let us go; look, he that betrays me is at hand.

And immediately, while he yet spoke, comes Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and poles, 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.

And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.

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 as soon as he had come, he goes immediately to him, and says, Master, master; and kissed him.

And they laid their hands on him, and took 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.

And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

And Jesus answered and said to them, Have you come out, as against a thief, with swords and with poles to take me?

I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you took me not: but the Scriptures must be fulfilled.

And they all forsook him, and fled.

And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on 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 he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.

And Peter followed him in the distance, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.

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 sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.

For many bore false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.

And there arose certain, and bore false witness against him, saying,

We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without 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.

Do not the quarried stones of Solomon Now lie in ruins, that temple built by hand? Why so? The mortal hand of mason wrought That short-lived work. It rightly lies in ruins, Since every work of art returns to nought. All that is made is doomed one day to fall.

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.

But neither so did their witness agree together.

And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answer you nothing? what is it which these witness against you?

But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said to him, Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

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 shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in 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 tore his clothes, and says, What need we any further 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 have heard the blasphemy: what think you? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say to him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.

And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there comes one of the maids of the high priest:

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!

And while Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the maidservants of the high priest came. And when she saw Peter warming himself, looking at him she said: You also were with Jesus of Nazareth, etc. What does it mean that the maidservant first betrayed him, when surely men could have recognized him more?

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 saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And you also were with Jesus of Nazareth.

But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what you say. And he went out into the portico; and the cock crew.

And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, 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.

And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely you are one of them: for you are a Galilean, and your speech agrees with it.

But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom you speak.

And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said to him, Before the cock crow twice, you shall deny me three times. And when he thought on it, he wept.

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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