Church Fathers Commentary Mark 14:1-2

"Now after two days was [the feast of] the passover and the unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him with subtlety, and kill him: for they said, Not during the feast, lest haply there shall be a tumult of the people." — Mark 14:1-2 (ASV)

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.

1. Marc., iv, 43