Mark 9 · The Lantern

Then Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God arrive with power.”

On the other hand, he whose "heart" was habitually found "lifted up" rather than fattened up, who in forty days and as many nights maintained a fast above the power of human nature, while spiritual faith subministered strength (to his body), both saw with his eyes God's glory, and heard with his ears God's voice, and understood with his heart God's law: while He taught him even…

(ubi sup.) Or else the present Church is called the kingdom of God; and some of the disciples were to live in the body until they should see the Church built up, and raised against the glory of the world; for it was right to make some promises concerning this life to the disciples who were uninstructed, that they might be built up with greater strength for the time to come.

(Orig. in Matt. tom. xii. 33, 35) But in a mystical sense, Christ is life, and the devil is death, and he tastes of death, who dwells in sin; even now every one, according as he has good or evil doctrines, tastes the bread either of life or of death. And indeed, it is a less evil to see death, a greater to taste of it, still worse to follow it, worst of all to be subject to it.

After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them.

He asserts that the fruit of this arrangement and analogy has been manifested in the likeness of an image, namely, Him who, after six days, ascended into the mountain along with three others, and then became one of six (the sixth), in which character He descended and was contained in the Hebdomad, since He was the illustrious Ogdoad, and contained in Himself the entire number o…

He disclosed, it is said, a glimpse of the Godhead. He manifested to them the God who was dwelling among them.

After the consummation of the cross, the glory of the resurrection is shown, that they, who were to see with their own eyes the glory of the resurrection to come, might not fear the shame of the cross; wherefore it is said, And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and led them up into an high mountain apart by themselves, and he was transfigured befo…

His clothes became radiantly white as snow, brighter than any launderer on earth could bleach them.

(in Matt. tom. xii. 39) Or else, fullers upon earth may by a moral interpretation be considered to be the wise of this world, who are thought to adorn even their foul understandings and doctrines with a false whitening drawn from their own minds.

Or else, by the fuller are meant holy preachers and purifiers of the soul, none of whom in this life can so live as not to be stained with some spots of sin; but in the coming resurrection all the saints shall be purged from every stain of sin.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) It is not therefore fitting that in the kingdom of God any change of feature should take place, either in the Saviour Himself, or in those who are to be made like unto him, but only an addition of brightness.

And Elijah and Moses appeared before them, talking with Jesus.

Since, therefore, He reserves to some future time His presence and speech face to face with Moses-a promise which was afterwards fulfilled in the retirement of the mount (of transfiguration), when as we read in the Gospel," Moses appeared talking with Jesus" -it is evident that in early times it was always in a glass, (as it were, )and an enigma, in vision and dream, that God,…

And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Moses and Elijah, one of whom we read was dead and the other taken up into the heavens, were seen in majesty with the Lord (as Luke writes), signifying the future glory of all the saints in Him.

Or else it means, that we are to see in glory both the Law and the Prophets speaking with Him, that is, we shall then find that all those things which were spoken of Him by Moses and the other prophets agree with the reality; then too we shall hear the voice of the Father, revealing to us the Son of the Father, and saying, This is my beloved Son, and the cloud, that is, the Hol…

Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Subsequently, fleeing from threatening Jezebel, after one single (meal of) food and drink, which he had found on being awakened by an angel, he too himself, in a space of forty days and nights, his belly empty, his mouth dry, arrived at Mount Horeb; where, when he had made a cave his inn, with how familiar a meeting with God was he received! "What (doest) thou, Elijah, here?

O Peter, even though you have ascended the mountain, even though you see Jesus transfigured, even though his garments are white; nevertheless, because Christ has not yet suffered for you, you are still unable to know the truth.

Or else, Peter, fearing to come down from the mount because he had now a presentiment that Christ must be crucified, said, It is good for us to be here, and not to go down there, that is, in the midst of the Jews; but if they who are furious against Thee come hither, we have Moses who beat down the Egyptians, we have also Elias, who brought fire down from heaven and destroyed t…

For they were all so terrified that Peter did not know what else to say.

Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him!”

In his baptism he identified him, saying: "You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." He declared him on the mount, saying: "This is my beloved Son, hear him." He declared him in his passion, when the sun hid itself, and sea and earth trembled. He declared him in the centurion, who said: "Truly this was the Son of God."

Moses was there, and Elijah. The voice did not say: These are my beloved sons. For One only is the Son; others are adopted. It is he that is commended to them: He from whom the law and prophets derive their glory.

Suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no one with them except Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus admonished them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

(in Matt. tom. xii. 43) After the showing of the mystery on the mount, the Lord commanded His disciples, as they were coming down from the mount, not to reveal His transfiguration, before the glory of His Passion and Resurrection; wherefore it is said, And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son o…

And as they were coming down from the mountain, he instructed them not to tell anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. The foreshadowing of the future kingdom and the glory of the triumphant one had been shown on the mountain.

Why does Jesus command the disciples not to tell anyone about the Transfiguration? So that people, hearing of such glory of Christ, would not afterwards be scandalized when they see Him being crucified. But after the Resurrection from the dead, it will be easy to speak of such a glorious event that took place before the Crucifixion of Christ.

So they kept this matter to themselves, discussing what it meant to rise from the dead.

And they asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

(non occ.) The design of the disciples in asking this question seems to me to be this. We indeed have seen Elias with Thee, and have seen Thee before seeing Elias, but the Scribes say that Elias cometh first; we therefore believe that they have lied.

And they asked him, saying: Why then do the Pharisees and Scribes say that Elijah must come first? It is a tradition of the Pharisees, according to Malachi the prophet, who is the last of the twelve, that Elijah will come before the advent of the Savior and will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, and restore all th…

Now the Lord puts this forward to oppose the notion of the Pharisees, who held that Elias was the forerunner of the first advent, showing that it led them to a false conclusion; wherefore he subjoins, And how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.

He replied, “Elijah does indeed come first, and he restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected?

"Then"—when? When he was confessed to be the Christ, the Son of God. Again on the mountain, when he had shown them the marvelous vision, and the prophets had been discoursing of his glory, he reminded them of his passion.

(ubi sup.) Again, He will restore all things, that is to say, those things which Malachi points out, saying, Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers; (Mal. 4:5, 6) he will yield up also to death that debt, which by his prolonged life he has delayed to render.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) Or else, the disciples asked Jesus, how it was written that the Son of man must suffer? Now in answer to this, He says, As John came in the likeness of Elias, and they evil intreated him, so according to the Scriptures must the Son of man suffer.

But I tell you that Elijah has indeed come, and they have done to him whatever they wished, just as it is written about him.”

When Jesus returned to the other disciples, He saw a large crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them.

(in Marc. 3, 38) In all cases, the difference between the mind of the Scribes and of the people ought to be observed; for the Scribes arc never said to have shown any devotion, faith, humility, and reverence, but as soon as the Lord was come, the whole multitude was greatly amazed and feared, and ran up to Him, and saluted Him; wherefore there follows, And running to him, salut…

Jesus, coming to the disciples, to those nine who had not ascended with Him onto the mountain, found them in a dispute with the Pharisees. For in the absence of Jesus, the Pharisees, having approached His disciples, were attempting to draw them over to their side.

But there is no peace for man under the sun; envy is ever slaying the little ones, and lightnings strike the tops of the great mountains. Of all those who run to the Church, some as the multitudes come in faith to learn, others, as the Scribes, with envy and pride. It goes on, And straightway all the people, when they beheld Jesus, were greatly amazed, and feared.

As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were filled with awe and ran to greet Him.

“What are you disputing with them?” He asked the scribes.

Someone in the crowd replied, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a spirit that makes him mute.

The Lord had come, of course, to save that which "had perished; " "a Physician." necessary to "the sick" "more than to the whole." This fact He was in the habit both of typifying in parables and preaching in direct statements.

(ubi sup.) The question, indeed, which was raised may, if I am not deceived, have been this, wherefore they, who were the disciples of the Saviour, were unable to heal the demoniac, who was placed in the midst, which may be gathered from the following words; And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; and wheres…

This man was weak in faith, as the Lord testifies, having said: "O faithless generation," and again "all things are possible to him who believes"; and he himself also says: "help my unbelief." He also speaks against the disciples (of Jesus), as though they were all unbelievers. But he ought not to have accused them before everyone, but privately, in secret.

Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable.”

“O unbelieving generation!” Jesus replied. “How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.”

So they brought him, and seeing Jesus, the spirit immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

(ubi sup.) But this the Lord permitted for the sake of the father of the boy, that when he saw the devil vexing his child, he might be brought on to believe that the miracle was to be wrought.

Though it was the boy who fell on the ground, it was the devil in him who was in anguish. The possessed boy was merely convulsed, while the usurping spirit was being convicted by the awesome judge. The captive was detained, but the captor was punished. Through the wrenching of the human body, the punishment of the devil was made manifest.

He also permits the child to be vexed, that in this way we might know the devil's wickedness, who would have killed him, had he not been assisted by the Lord. It goes on: And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child; and offtimes it has cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him.

Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has this been with him?” “From childhood,” he said.

“It often throws him into the fire or into the water, trying to kill him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

That faith is of advantage altogether, and that we can do as much as we believe. In Genesis: "And Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." Also in Isaiah: "And if ye do not believe, neither shall ye understand." Also in the Gospel according to Matthew: "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

(ubi sup.) The answer of the Lord was suited to the petition; for the man said, If thou canst do any thing, help us; and to this the Lord answered, If thou canst believe. On the other hand, the leper who cried out, with faith, Lord, if thou will, thou canst make me clean, (Matt. 8:2. 3) received an answer according to his faith, I will, be thou clean.

(non occ.) Now he expresses in the words of his petition his want of faith; for that is the reason why he adds, But if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

“If you can believe!” said Jesus. “All things are possible to him who believes!”

Immediately the boy’s father cried out with tears, “Lord, I do believe; help my unbelief!”

When Jesus saw that a crowd had come running, He rebuked the unclean spirit. “You mute and deaf spirit,” He said, “I command you to come out and never enter him again.”

Others, however, He healed by a command of power, without either looking up to heaven or asking His Father. For by a command of power He raised up the young man, the son of the widow; with a word He called to the daughter of the chief of the congregation and straightway she stood up; He commanded the sea and it was silent, and the wind and it was stilled; He spake only, "Fill t…

This demon is mute and deaf — deaf, as one unwilling to hear the Divine words; mute, as one unable to teach others anything profitable for the soul.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) And His rebuking him, and saying, I charge thee, is a proof of Divine power. Again, in that He says not only, come out of him, but also enter no more into him, He shows that the evil spirit was ready to enter again, because the man was weak in faith, but was prevented by the command of the Lord.

After shrieking and convulsing him violently, the spirit came out. The boy became like a corpse, so that many said, “He is dead.”

(Mor. x. 30) But he who is freed from the power of the evil spirit is thought to be dead; for whosoever has already subdued earthly desires, puts to death within himself his carnal mode of life, and appears to the world as a dead man, and many look upon him as dead; for they who know not how to live after the Spirit, think that he who does not follow after carnal pleasures is a…

(ubi sup.) For oftentimes when we try to turn to God after sin, our old enemy attacks us with new and greater snares, which he does, either to instil into us a hatred of virtue, or to avenge the injury of his expulsion.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him; and he was as one dead, insomuch that many said, He is dead. For the devil was not able to inflict death upon him, because the true Life was come.

But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

After Jesus had gone into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

Jesus answered, “This kind cannot come out, except by prayer and fasting.”

Thereafter He prescribed to fasts a law-that they are to be performed "without sadness: " for why should what is salutary be sad? He taught likewise that fasts are to be the weapons for battling with the more direful demons: for what wonder if the same operation is the instrument of the iniquitous spirit's egress as of the Holy Spirit's ingress?

The Lord himself consecrated his baptism by a forty days' fast, and taught us that the more violent devils cannot be overcome except by prayer and fasting.

Or else, the folly which is connected with the softness of the flesh, is healed by fasting; anger and laziness are healed by prayer. Each wound has its own medicine, which must be applied to it; that which is used for the heel will not cure the eye; by fasting, the passions of the body, by prayer, the plagues of the soul, are healed.

Going on from there, they passed through Galilee. But Jesus did not want anyone to know,

because He was teaching His disciples. He told them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and on the third day He will rise.”

But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.

It is remarkable how, when Peter had been rebuked, and Moses and Elijah had discoursed, and had seen the glory of what was coming, and the Father had uttered a voice from above, and so many miracles had been done, and the resurrection was right at the door (for he said, he should by no means abide any long time in death, but should be raised the third day), even after all that…

But they did not understand this saying, and they were afraid to ask him. This ignorance of the disciples is born not so much from their slowness of mind as from the love of the Savior, who, while still carnal and ignorant of the mystery of the cross, could not believe that he whom they knew as true God would die.

After, however, saying what was sorrowful, He adds what ought to rejoice them; wherefore it goes on: And after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day; in order that we may learn that joys come on after struggles. There follows: But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Then Jesus came to Capernaum. While He was in the house, He asked them, “What were you discussing among yourselves on the way?”

But they were silent, for on the way they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.”

Let vanity be unknown among you. Let simplicity and harmony and a guileless attitude weld the community together. Let each remind himself that he is not only subordinate to the brother at his side, but to all. If he knows this, he will truly be a disciple of Christ.

(ubi sup.) Seeing however the thoughts of the disciples, the Lord takes care to heal the desire of glory by humility; for He first, by simply commanding humility, admonishes them that a high station was not to be aimed at.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) The disciples indeed wished to receive honour at the hands of the Lord; they also had a desire to be made great by Christ, for the greater a man is, the more worthy of honour he becomes, for which reason He did not throw an obstacle in the way of that desire, but brought in humility.

Then He had a little child stand among them. Taking the child in His arms, He said to them,

All of you, then, who shall remain stedfast, and be as children, without doing evil, will be more honoured than all who have been previously mentioned; for all infants are honourable before God, and are the first persons with Him. Blessed, then, are ye who put away wickedness from yourselves, and put on innocence. As the first of all will you live unto God.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc. Sed v. Chrys. Hom. in Matt. 58) By the very sight, persuading them to humility and simplicity; for this little one was pure from envy and vain glory, and from a desire of superiority. But He does not only say, If ye become such, ye shall receive a great reward, but also, if ye will honour others, who are such for my sake.

Thus He placed a child in the midst of the disciples and teaches us to be like it. A child neither seeks glory, nor envies, nor remembers wrongs.

“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me, but the One who sent Me.”

You will not dismiss a brother who has entered your house without prayer.-"Have you seen," says Scripture, "a brother? you have seen your Lord; "-especially "a stranger," lest perhaps he be "an angel." But again, when received yourself by brethren, you will not make earthly refreshments prior to heavenly, for your faith will forthwith be judged.

"And whoever receives me, does not receive me, but him who sent me." Wanting himself to be believed as such and as great as the Father is. "So much so," he said, "is there no difference between me and him that whoever receives me, also receives him who sent me."

See, how great is humility, for it wins for itself the indwelling of the Father, and of the Son, and also of the Holy Ghost.

John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us driving out demons in Your name, and we forbade him, because he does not accompany us.”

Even this man, whose case John had taken up, and thus had given occasion for the Lord to commence the discourse referred to, was not separating himself from the society of the disciples to any such effect as to scorn it like a heretic.

Not out of any rivalry or envy does the son of thunder forbid that man from casting out demons, but he desires that all who invoke the name of Christ should also follow Christ, and that all the disciples should constitute one body.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) For many believers received gifts, and yet were, not with Christ, such was this man who cast out devils; for there were many of them deficient in some way; some were pure in life, but were not so perfect in faith; others again, contrariwise.

“Do not stop him,” Jesus replied. “For no one who performs a miracle in My name can turn around and speak evil of Me.

Some who are intent on severe disciplinary principles which admonish us to rebuke the restless, not to give what is holy to dogs, to consider a despiser of the church as a heathen, to cut off from the unified structure of the body the member which causes scandal, so disturb the peace of the church that they try to separate the wheat from the chaff before the proper time.

What then does the Savior say? He did not allow John to forbid the one performing signs: "Do not forbid him," He says, "for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me." That is, how will the one who acquires glory for himself through My name and performs miracles by invoking Me speak evil of Me?

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) It was not from jealousy or envy, however, that John wished to forbid him who cast out devils, but because he wished that all, who called on the name of the Lord, should follow Christ, and be one body with His disciples.

For whoever is not against you is for you.

Indeed, if anyone gives you even a cup of water in My name because you are Christ’s, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.

God never asks his servants to do what is impossible. The love and goodness of his Godhead is revealed as richly available. It is poured out like water upon all. God furnishes to each person according to his will the ability to do something good.

For whoever gives you a cup of cold water to drink because you belong to Christ, truly I tell you, he will not lose his reward (Psalm 140). We read in the prophet David: To excuse excuses in sins, that many presented quasi-just excuses for their sins, so that they seem to sin out of necessity what they willfully commit.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) And that no man may allege poverty, He mentions that, of which none can be destitute, that is, a cup of cold water, for which also he will obtain a reward; for it is not the value of the gift, but the dignity of those who receive it, and the feelings of the giver, which makes a work worthy of reward.

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea.

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire,

But let none of you think, brethren, that the Lord commended the cutting off of the members. His meaning is, that the purpose should be cut off, not the members, and the causes which allure to sin, in order that our thought, borne up on the chariot of sight, may push towards the love of God, supported by the bodily senses; and not give loose reins to the eyes of the flesh as to…

(ubi sup.) That is, He calls by the name of hand, our intimate friend, of whose aid we daily stand in need; but if such an one should wish to do us a hurt in what concerns our soul, he is to be driven away from our society, lest by choosing a portion in this life with one who is lost, we should perish together with him in that which is to come.

Or else, It is better for thee to enter into life maimed, that is, without the chief place, for which you have wished, than having two hands to go into eternal fire. The two hands for high station are humility and pride; cut off pride, keeping to the estate of lowliness.

where ‘their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.’

If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell, into the unquenchable fire,

where ‘their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.’

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell,

where ‘their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.’

For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be salted with salt.

(ubi sup.) But because the Lord had three times made mention of the worm and the fire, that we might be able to avoid this torment, He subjoins, For every one shall be salted with fire.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) Similar to this is that which the Apostle says, And the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (1 Cor. 3:13.) Afterwards he brings in a witness from Leviticus: which says, And every oblation of thy meat offering shall thou season with salt. (Lev. 2:13.) (v. Vict. Ant.

The oblation of the Lord is the race of man, which is here salted by means of wisdom, whilst the corruption of blood, the nurse of rottenness, and the mother of worms, is being consumed, which there also shall he tried by the purgatorial firem.

Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

For as the putrid humours and matter of flesh, and all those things which corrupt it, are driven out by salt, in the same manner all the irrational appetites of a virgin are banished from the body by divine teaching.

Good salt. But if the salt becomes insipid, with what will you season it? It is good to hear the word of God more frequently, to season the secrets of the heart with the salt of spiritual wisdom, indeed to become the salt of the earth with the apostles themselves, that is, to suffice for the minds of those still wise in earthly matters to be saturated.

Or otherwise; That salt is saltless which loves the chief place, and dares not rebuke others. Wherefore there follows, Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. That is, let the love of your neighbour temper the saltness of rebuke, and the salt of justice season the love of your neighbour.

Mark9