Mk. 14:19. They were grieved and began to say to Him, one by one: "Is it I?" and another: "Is it I?"
Mk. 14:20. He said to them in answer: one of the Twelve, the one dipping with Me into the dish.
Mk. 14:21. Indeed, the Son of Man goes, as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed: it would have been better for that man not to have been born.
How then were they reclining, when the Law commanded that the Passover be eaten standing? One must think that the Lord first performed the Passover according to the Law, and then reclined in order to impart His own Passover. The disciples began to grieve when the Lord said: "one of you will betray Me." Although they were free from this sin, they were nevertheless troubled, for they believed God, who knows their hearts, more than they believed themselves. Note also the word "goes," for the death of Christ was only a departure, not a death. "It would have been better for that man not to have been born." This is said in regard to the punishment to which the betrayer will be subjected. For it is better not to be born at all than to be born for torment. Thus, in regard to his final destiny, it would have been better if Judas had not existed at all. For God created him for good works, but since he himself fell into such a terrible crime, it truly would have been better for him not to have been born at all.
Mk. 14:22. And when they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, gave it to them, and said: Take, eat; this is My Body.
Mk. 14:23. And having taken the cup, giving thanks, He gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
Mk. 14:24. And He said to them: This is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many.
Mk. 14:25. Truly I say to you: I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I will drink new wine in the Kingdom of God.
Some say that Judas did not partake of the Holy Mysteries, but went out before the Lord imparted these Mysteries. On the contrary, others maintain that the Lord gave His Holy Things even to this ungrateful one. Having blessed, that is, having given thanks, the Lord broke the bread. We do the same, pronouncing prayers. "This," He says, "which you now receive, is My Body," for the bread is not an image of the Lord's Body, but the very Body of Christ, into which the bread is changed. And the Lord says: "the bread that I shall give is My Flesh" (Jn. 6:51); He did not say: an image of My Flesh, but "My Flesh." And again: "unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man" (Jn. 6:53). But how is this? someone may perhaps say: for no Flesh is visible here? This is because of our weakness, O man! Since bread and wine are ordinary things for us, and to see Flesh and Blood set before us would be unbearable for us, and we would turn away from them, God the Lover of mankind, in His condescension toward us, preserves the appearance of bread and wine, but they are changed into the power of Flesh and Blood. He called His Blood the Blood of the "New Testament," in distinction from the Old Testament, for the Old Testament also had blood, with which both the people and the books of the Law were sprinkled.
"I will not," He says further, "drink of the fruit of the vine" until the Resurrection (He calls the Resurrection the Kingdom here, since having risen from the dead, He reigned over death). After the Resurrection He again ate and drank with His disciples, thus assuring them that He is the very Same One Who suffered. But He already drank new wine, that is, He drank in some new and unusual manner, for He had Flesh that was no longer subject to suffering and in need of food, but incorruptible and immortal. And one can also understand this as follows: the Vine is the Lord Himself, the fruit of the Vine is the mysteries and hidden knowledge which He brings forth, teaching man knowledge. Thus "in the Kingdom of God" Christ will drink with His disciples the mysteries and wisdom, teaching us new truths and revealing what is now hidden.
Mk. 14:26. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Mk. 14:27. And Jesus says to them: All of you will be offended because of Me this night; for it is written: "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered" (Zech. 13:7).
Mk. 14:28. After My resurrection, I will go before you into Galilee.
Mk. 14:29. Peter said to Him: even if all are offended, yet not I.
Mk. 14:30. And Jesus says to him: Truly I say to you, that you today, on this night, before the cock crows twice, will deny Me three times.
Mk. 14:31. But he spoke even more vehemently: Even if I must die with You, I will not deny You. And they all said the same.
They gave thanks both before drinking and after drinking, so that we too might know that we ought to give thanks and sing hymns both before food and after food. By this the Lord also shows that death for our sake is not fearful to Him, so that He glorifies God even as He goes to be handed over to death. By this, without doubt, He also teaches us not to lose heart when we fall into sorrows for the salvation of many, but to give thanks to God, who through our sorrow works the salvation of many. The Lord goes "to the Mount of Olives" so that the Jews, having found and seized Him in seclusion, would not cause a disturbance among the people. For if they had attacked Him in the city, the people might have risen up on His behalf; and in that case the enemies, taking advantage of this plausible pretext, would have thought that they killed Him justly, as a rebel. Christ foretells to the disciples that they too will be scandalized. And lest they consider this an open reproach directed at all of them, He cites the testimony of the prophet Zechariah, that they will be "scattered" (Zech. 13:7). Finally, He also gives them consolation: "I will go before," He says, that is, I will meet, "you in Galilee." But Peter objects; and for this he hears the following: "before the cock crows twice, you will deny Me three times." It happened thus: immediately after Peter denied the first time, the cock crowed; then, when Peter denied the second and third time, the cock crowed again. This is what the words mean: "before the cock crows twice, you will deny Me three times." Expressing vain fervor, all the other disciples as well, like Peter, made promises not to forsake the Lord, as if thereby turning into a lie the word of Self-Existent Truth. Therefore the Lord also permits it, and human nature reveals its own weakness. For there is no doubt that the Lord could have preserved them, especially Peter; yet He permitted it, so that they, and we as well, would not be self-reliant. "I will strike the shepherd" — this is spoken by God the Father. Since He permitted the Son to be struck, it is said that He struck the One who was struck by His permission. And He called the apostles "sheep" as people who are guileless.
Mk. 14:32. They came to a place called Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples: sit here while I pray.
Mk. 14:33. And He took with Him Peter, James, and John; and began to be greatly amazed and deeply distressed.
Mk. 14:34. And He said to them: My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death; remain here and keep watch.
Mk. 14:35. And He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him;
Mk. 14:36. And He said: Abba, Father! All things are possible for You; carry this cup past Me; but not what I will, but what You will.
Mk. 14:37. He returns and finds them sleeping, and says to Peter: Simon! Are you sleeping? Could you not stay awake one hour?
Mk. 14:38. Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Mk. 14:39. And, having gone away again, He prayed, saying the same word.