Church Fathers Commentary Mark 14

Pseudo-Jerome: Let us now sprinkle our book and our thresholds with blood, put the scarlet thread around the house of our prayers, and bind scarlet on our hand, as was done to Zarah (Genesis 38:30), so that we may be able to say that the red heifer (Numbers 19:2) is slain in the valley (Deuteronomy 21:4). For the Evangelist, about to speak of the slaying of Christ, states beforehand, "After two days was the feast of the Passover, and of unleavened bread."

The Venerable Bede: Pascha, which in Hebrew is "phase," is not named for "Passion," as many think, but for "passing over." This is because the destroyer, seeing the blood on the doors of the Israelites, passed by them and did not smite them, or because the Lord Himself, bringing aid to His people, walked over them. ¹

Pseudo-Jerome: Alternatively, "phase" is interpreted as a "passing over," while "Pascha" means "sacrifice." The sacrifice of the lamb and the passing of the people through the sea or Egypt prefigure the Passion of Christ and the redemption of His people from hell. He visits us after two days—that is, when the moon is fullest and the age of Christ is perfect. At that time, when no part of it is dark, we may eat the flesh of the spotless Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. This must be done in one house, that is, in the Catholic Church, shod with charity and armed with virtue.

The Venerable Bede: According to the Old Testament, the difference between the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread was that only the day on which the lamb was slain in the evening—that is, the fourteenth day of the first month—was called Passover. But on the fifteenth day, when they came out of Egypt, the Feast of Unleavened Bread began. This solemn time was appointed for seven days, until the evening of the twenty-first day of the same month.

The Evangelists, however, use the terms "Feast of Unleavened Bread" and "Passover" interchangeably. Therefore, Mark also says here, "After two days was the feast of the Passover, and of unleavened bread," because the Passover was also ordered to be celebrated during the days of unleavened bread. In the same way, we also, as if keeping a continual passover, ought always to be passing out of this world.

Pseudo-Jerome: But iniquity came forth from Babylon, from the princes who ought to have purified the temple, the vessels, and themselves according to the law in order to eat the lamb.

Therefore, the text continues: "And the Chief Priests and the Scribes sought how they might take Him by craft, and put him to death."

Now when the head is slain, the whole body is rendered powerless; for this reason, these wretched men slay the Head. But they avoid the feast day, which is fitting for them, for what feasting can there be for those who have lost life and mercy?

Therefore, it continues: "But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people."

The Venerable Bede: This was not, as the words seem to imply, because they feared the uproar itself, but because they were afraid He might be taken from their hands with the help of the people.

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

The Venerable Bede: When the Lord was about to suffer for the whole world and redeem all nations with His blood, He was staying in Bethany, which means "house of obedience."

Therefore, it is said, And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman.

Pseudo-Jerome: For the fawn among the stags always returns to its resting place; that is, the Son, obedient to the Father even to the point of death, seeks obedience from us.

The Venerable Bede: He is called "Simon the leper" not because he was still a leper at that time, but because, having once been one, he was healed by our Savior. His former name is kept so that the power of the Healer may be made manifest.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Although all four Evangelists record an anointing by a woman, there were two different women, not one. One is described by John as the sister of Lazarus; it was she who anointed the feet of Jesus six days before the Passover. The other is described by the other three Evangelists.

Indeed, if you examine the accounts closely, you will find there were three. One is described by John, another by Luke, and a third by the other two. The one in Luke's account is called a sinner and came to Jesus during His preaching ministry. The other, described by Matthew and Mark, came at the time of the Passion, and she is not described as having been a sinner.

St. Augustine of Hippo: However, I think it can mean nothing other than that the sinner who came to the feet of Jesus was the same Mary who did this on two occasions. The first time, as Luke relates, was when she came with humility and tears and earned the remission of her sins. John also refers to this when, before speaking of the raising of Lazarus, he says, It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick (John 11:2). ¹

The act she performed again at Bethany is a different one, unrecorded by Luke but mentioned similarly by the other three Evangelists. Therefore, since Matthew and Mark say the Lord's head was anointed by the woman while John says it was His feet, we must understand that both His head and His feet were anointed.

Someone fond of arguing might deny this, pointing out that Mark says she broke the box to anoint His head, and so nothing could have remained to anoint His feet. A more devout person, however, will contend that it was not broken in such a way that everything poured out, or else that the feet were anointed before it was broken, leaving enough in the unbroken box to anoint the head.

The Venerable Bede: Alabaster is a type of white marble, veined with various colors, which is often hollowed out for ointment boxes because it is best for keeping such substances from spoiling. Nard is an aromatic shrub with a large, thick root that is short, black, and brittle. Though oily, it smells like cypress, has a sharp taste, and has small, dense leaves. Its tops spread out like ears of grain. Because its gift is twofold, perfumers highly value both the spikes and the leaves of the nard. This is what Mark means by "spikenard very precious"—the ointment Mary brought for the Lord was not made merely from the root of the nard. Instead, what made it more precious was that the addition of the spikes and leaves enhanced the pleasantness of its scent and its quality.

Theophylact of Ohrid, Matthew 26:2: Or, as it is said in Greek, it was pistic nard, that is, "faithful," because the nard ointment was made faithfully and was genuine.

St. Augustine of Hippo: It may appear to be a contradiction that Matthew and Mark mention Jesus was in Bethany for the anointing after they refer to "two days before the Passover," while John says Jesus came to Bethany six days before the feast (John 12:1). But those who are troubled by this are not aware that Matthew and Mark do not place the anointing immediately after the "two days" reference. Instead, they include it by way of summary, referring back to the time when there were still six days until the Passover. ²

Pseudo-Jerome: In a mystical sense, Simon the leper represents the world, first unbelieving and later converted. The woman with the alabaster box represents the faith of the Church, which says, My nard gives forth its fragrance. It is called pistic nard, meaning "faithful" and precious. The house filled with the fragrance is heaven and earth.

The broken alabaster box is carnal desire, which is broken at the Head, from whom the whole body is framed together. This happens while He was reclining—that is, humbling Himself—so that the faith of the sinner might be able to reach Him. For by faith, she went up from the feet to the head, and down from the head to the feet—that is, to Christ and to His members.

The passage continues: And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

By the rhetorical figure of synecdoche, one is put for many, and many for one. For it is the lost Judas who sees loss in an act of salvation; thus, in the fruitful vine, the snare of death arises. Under the cover of his greed, however, the mystery of faith speaks. Our faith is bought for three hundred pence, representing our ten senses (the ten denarii)—our inward and outward senses—which are then multiplied by three for our body, soul, and spirit.

The Venerable Bede: And when it says, And they murmured against her, we must not understand this to be said about the faithful Apostles, but rather to refer to Judas, who is mentioned in the plural.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Alternatively, it seems fittingly implied that many disciples murmured against the woman because they had often heard our Lord speak about almsgiving. Judas, however, was indignant for a different reason: his love of money and sordid gain. This is why John records him alone as accusing the woman with deceitful intent.

But the text says, "They murmured against her," meaning that they troubled her with rebukes and harsh words. Then our Lord reproves His disciples for obstructing the woman's intention.

Therefore, the passage continues: And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? For after she had brought her gift, they tried to stop her with their rebukes.

Origen of Alexandria: For they were grieved at the waste of the ointment, which could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor. This, however, should not have been their response, for it was right that it should be poured over the head of Christ in a holy and fitting stream. Therefore, it continues, She hath wrought a good work on me. ³

The praise for this good work is so effective that it ought to inspire all of us to fill the head of the Lord with fragrant and rich offerings, so that it may be said of us that we have done a good work for the head of the Lord.

For as long as we remain in this life, we always have the poor with us, who need the care of those who have progressed in the word and are enriched in the wisdom of God. However, we are not always able, day and night, to have the Son of God with us—that is, the Word and Wisdom of God.

For it continues: For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

The Venerable Bede: To me, He seems to be speaking of His physical presence, meaning that He would by no means be with them after His Resurrection in the same way He was then, living with them in all familiarity.

Pseudo-Jerome: He also says, She hath wrought a good work on me, for whoever believes on the Lord, it is counted to him for righteousness. For it is one thing to believe Him, and another to believe on Him—that is, to cast ourselves entirely upon Him.

It continues: She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

The Venerable Bede: It is as if the Lord said, "What you think is a waste of ointment is the preparation for my burial."

Theophylact of Ohrid: For She is come aforehand, as though led by God, to anoint my body as a sign of my approaching burial. By this, He confounds the traitor, as if to say, "With what conscience can you rebuke the woman who anoints my body for burial, and not rebuke yourself, who will deliver me to death?"

But the Lord makes a twofold prophecy: one, that the Gospel will be preached over the whole world, and another, that the deed of this woman will be praised.

Therefore, it continues: 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.

The Venerable Bede: Observe also that just as Mary won glory throughout the world for the service she rendered to the Lord, so, on the contrary, the one who was bold enough to rebuke her service is held in infamy far and wide. But the Lord, in giving the good their due praise, has passed over in silence the future shame of the wicked.

The Venerable Bede: The unhappy Judas wishes to compensate with the price of his Master for the loss he thought he had incurred from the pouring out of the ointment.

The text says: And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the Chief Priests to betray Him to them.

St. John Chrysostom: Why do you tell me of his country? I wish I could also have been ignorant of his existence. But there was another disciple called Judas the Zealot, the brother of James, and to prevent confusion between the two, the evangelist separates one from the other. He does not call him “Judas the traitor,” so that he might teach us to avoid slander and accusing others.

However, in saying he was “one of the twelve,” he highlights the detestable guilt of the traitor. For there were seventy other disciples; these, however, were not as intimate with Him, nor were they admitted to such close fellowship. But these twelve were approved by Him—they were the royal band, from which the wicked traitor emerged. ¹

Pseudo-Jerome: He was one of the twelve in number, not in merit; one in body, not in soul. He went to the chief priests after he went out and Satan entered into him. Every living thing unites with what is like itself.

The Venerable Bede: The words “he went out” show that he was not invited by the chief priests or compelled by any necessity, but undertook this plan from the spontaneous wickedness of his own mind.

Theophylact of Ohrid: The phrase “to betray him to them” means to inform them of a time when He would be alone. They were afraid to seize Him while He was teaching, for fear of the people.

Pseudo-Jerome: And he promises to betray Him, just as his master the devil said before, All this power I will give thee (Luke 4:6).

The text continues, And when they heard it they were glad, and promised to give him money. They promise him money and lose their lives, and he also loses his life on receiving the money.

St. John Chrysostom: Oh, the madness—yes, the avarice of the traitor! For his covetousness produced all this evil. Covetousness holds onto the souls it has captured; it confines them in every way once it has bound them, making them forget all things and driving their minds to madness.

Judas, taken captive by this madness of avarice, forgets the conversation, the table of Christ, his own discipleship, and Christ's warnings and persuasion.

For the text continues, And he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.

Pseudo-Jerome: No opportunity for treachery can be found that will escape vengeance, either in this life or the next.

The Venerable Bede: Many today shudder at the crime of Judas—selling his Master, his Lord, and his God for money—as a monstrous and horrible wickedness. However, they do not take heed, for when they trample on the rights of charity and truth for the sake of gain, they are traitors to God, who is Charity and Truth.

St. John Chrysostom: While Judas was plotting how to betray Him, the rest of the disciples were arranging the preparation of the Passover, as it is said, “And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the Passover, His disciples said to Him, ‘Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?’”

The Venerable Bede: By “the first day of the Passover,” he means the fourteenth day of the first month, when they put away leaven and used to sacrifice—that is, to kill the lamb in the evening. The Apostle explains this, saying, “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7).

For although He was crucified the next day, that is, on the fifteenth day of the lunar month, on the night the lamb was offered He entrusted to His disciples the Mysteries of His Body and Blood for them to celebrate. On that same night, He was seized and bound by the Jews. In this way, He consecrated the beginning of His sacrifice—that is, His Passion.

Pseudo-Jerome: The unleavened bread eaten with bitterness—that is, with bitter herbs—is our redemption, and the bitterness is the Passion of our Lord.

Theophylact of Ohrid: From the disciples' words, “Where do you want us to go?”, it seems clear that Christ had no dwelling place, and that the disciples had no houses of their own. If they had, they would have taken Him there.

Pseudo-Jerome: They ask, “Where do you want us to go?”, to show us that we should direct our steps according to the will of God. But the Lord points out with whom He would eat the Passover and, following His custom, sends two disciples, as we have explained above. This is why it continues, “And He sends forth two of His disciples, and He says to them, ‘Go into the city.’”

Theophylact of Ohrid: He sent two of His disciples, Peter and John (as Luke says), to a man unknown to Him, implying that He could have avoided His Passion if He had wished. For what could He not accomplish in others, since He influenced the mind of a stranger to receive them? He also gives them a sign to identify the house, adding, “and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water.”

St. Augustine of Hippo: Mark says a pitcher, while Luke says a two-handed vessel. One points out the type of vessel, the other the way it was carried, but both mean the same thing. ¹

The Venerable Bede: It is a proof of His divinity that while speaking with His disciples, He knows what will take place elsewhere. This is why it says, “And His disciples went out, came into the city, and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.”

St. John Chrysostom: He ate not our Passover, but for the time being, that of the Jews. He did not only establish ours, but He Himself became our Passover. Why did He eat it? Because He was “made under the Law, to redeem them that were under the Law” (Galatians 4:4), and He Himself brought the Law to its fulfillment. So that no one could say He abolished it because He could not meet its difficult requirements, He first fulfilled it Himself and then brought it to an end.

Pseudo-Jerome: In a mystical sense, the city is the Church, surrounded by the wall of faith. The man who meets them is the early Jewish people, and the pitcher of water is the law of the letter.

The Venerable Bede: Alternatively, the water is the washing of grace, and the pitcher indicates the weakness of those who were to show that grace to the world.

Theophylact of Ohrid: The one who is baptized carries the pitcher of water, and he who bears his baptism comes to rest if he lives according to reason. He finds this rest by being in the house.

This is why it adds, “Follow Him.”

Pseudo-Jerome: That is, follow the one who leads to the high place, where the refreshment prepared by Christ is found. The master of the house is the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord entrusted His house, so that there may be one faith under one Shepherd (John 21:15). The large upper room is the widespread Church, in which the Name of the Lord is proclaimed, prepared with a variety of powers and languages.

The Venerable Bede: Alternatively, the large upper room is spiritually the Law, which emerges from the narrowness of the letter and receives the Savior in the lofty chamber of the soul. But the names of both the water-bearer and the master of the house are intentionally omitted to imply that power is given to all who wish to celebrate the true Passover—that is, to be imbued with the Sacraments of Christ and to receive Him in the dwelling place of their minds.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Alternatively, the master of the house is the intellect, which points to the large upper room—that is, the loftiness of understanding. Though it is high, it has no vanity or pride but is prepared and leveled by humility. It is there, in such a mind, that Christ's Passover is prepared by Peter and John—that is, by action and contemplation.

The Venerable Bede: The Lord, who had foretold His Passion, also prophesied about the traitor to give him an opportunity for repentance, so that, understanding his thoughts were known, he might repent. For this reason it is said, And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.

St. John Chrysostom: Here it is evident that He did not expose him openly to everyone, lest He make him more shameless. At the same time, He did not remain completely silent, lest, thinking he had not been discovered, he should boldly hasten to betray Him.

Theophylact of Ohrid: But how could they eat while reclining, when the law ordered that they should eat the Passover standing upright? It is probable that they had first fulfilled the legal Passover and then reclined, at which point He began to give them His own Passover.

Pseudo-Jerome: The evening of the day points to the evening of the world, for the last, who are the first to receive the penny of eternal life, come at about the eleventh hour. All the disciples, then, are moved by the Lord, so that there is a harmony among them like a harp, with all the well-tuned strings answering in accord. For the text continues: 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.

Theophylact of Ohrid: The other disciples, however, began to be saddened by the Lord's word; for although they were free from this particular sin, they trusted Him who knows all hearts more than they trusted themselves.

The text continues: And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.

The Venerable Bede: This refers to Judas, who, while the others were sad and held back their hands, put his hand forward with his Master into the dish. And because He had said before, One of you shall betray me, and yet the traitor persists in his evil, He now accuses him more openly, yet without revealing his name.

Pseudo-Jerome: Again, He says, One out of the twelve, as if to say he is separate from them, for the wolf carries away from the flock the sheep he has taken, and the sheep that leaves the fold is vulnerable to the wolf’s bite. But Judas does not withdraw from his treacherous design, though pointed at again and again. Therefore his punishment is foretold, so that the death pronounced upon him might correct him, since shame could not overcome him. Therefore, the text continues: The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of Him.

Theophylact of Ohrid: The word used here, goeth, shows that the death of Christ was not forced, but voluntary.

Pseudo-Jerome: But because many do good, in the way that Judas did, without it profiting them, the text continues: Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

The Venerable Bede: Woe, also, to that man, today and forever, who comes to the Lord's table with an evil intent. For he, after the example of Judas, betrays the Lord—not, in fact, to Jewish sinners, but to his own sinning members.

The text continues: Good were it for that man if he had never been born.

Pseudo-Jerome: That is, it would have been better for him to have remained hidden in his mother’s innermost womb, for it is better for a man not to exist than to exist only for torments.

Theophylact of Ohrid: For with respect to the purpose for which he was created, it would have been good for him to have been born, had he not become the betrayer, since God created him for good works. But after he had fallen into such dreadful wickedness, it would have been better for him never to have been born.