Preface #

¹ “Every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings forth from his treasure both new and old”. But I am like the poor widow who cast two small coins into the treasury, offering to my poor disciples, who hope for nourishment from the poor, these crumbs from the table of the rich, which my little ones eagerly seek, like the Syrophoenician woman’s dogs. Yet, distressed and possessing neither gold nor silver nor precious stones, I offer instead coverings of blue skins, not from earthly things but from heavenly ones. If I am able, with God’s help, I will strive to reveal the nature and mystical understanding of the Gospel history according to Mark, as my predecessors have handed down. This Evangelist is often passed over untouched because he recounts nearly the same things as Matthew, though distinguished in some particular testimonies. Just as one creature’s wing touches another’s wing, and one wheel follows another along the same path, and as the holy creatures gaze upon each other with faces turned toward one another, so too does Mark accompany Matthew, Luke, and John in the first canon. In the second canon, Mark accompanies Matthew and Luke.

² In the fourth, he is with Matthew and John. In the sixth canon, like two rings on a rod, Mark is always joined with Matthew, that is, in forty-seven chapters. In the eighth canon, he accompanies Luke in thirteen chapters. However, in his own unique material, which I intend to explain as best I can, he proceeds through eighteen chapters, making a total of two hundred and thirty-five chapters. Mark, the Evangelist of God, a disciple of Peter, a Levite by birth and a priest, wrote this Gospel in Italy. He begins his Gospel with the words of the prophets, confirming John the Forerunner of Christ with the testimony of Malachi, that is, “the angel”, and declaring “the Word made flesh” through the voice of Isaiah. He thus establishes the beginning of the Gospel preaching and finds in the word of the voice what was lost in the consonants, that is, in the genealogies of God and man. Therefore, he begins at once by preaching the perfection of Christ’s age and does not labor over the nativity of the infant, as he speaks of the perfection of the Son of God. Furthermore, by presenting the forty-day fast according to the legal number, the rejection of the devil, and the ministry of angels, he comprehends great things in a brief manner.

³ Mark was the first bishop of Alexandria. It was necessary for him to understand every aspect of his work: to arrange within himself the teachings of the Gospel, to know the discipline of the Law, and to grasp the divine nature in the flesh of the Lord. He is the one who sows after Matthew, who roars like a lion, who flies like an eagle, who speaks like a man, who offers sacrifice like a priest, who waters like a river, who blossoms like a field, and who burns with passion like wine. For Christ, about whom he speaks, is man in His birth, a calf in His death, a lion in His resurrection, and an eagle in His ascension. The holy Gospels are woven from four qualities: precepts, commandments, testimonies, and examples. In the precepts lies justice; in the commandments, charity; in the testimonies, faith; and in the examples, perfection. An example of the precepts is this: “Then Jesus commanded His twelve disciples, saying, ‘Do not go into the way of the Gentiles’”, which signifies turning away from evil. The commandments are such as this: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another”, which means doing good and fulfilling charity.

⁴ The testimonies are those which stand on the testimony of two or three witnesses, as in this: “John bears witness to Me, but I have a greater witness than John: the Father Himself, who dwells in Me, bears witness to Me. And the works that I do bear witness to Me, and I bear witness to the truth”. The examples are those by which we imitate Jesus, who said: “Learn from Me, for I am meek”, and, “Be perfect, that is, merciful, as your heavenly Father is perfect”. And elsewhere: “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you”. The Psalmist’s verses proclaim these four qualities, saying: “The commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes”. History primarily contains precepts. And elsewhere: “Your commandment is exceedingly broad”, because “he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the whole law”. Likewise, “I have understood Your testimonies, for it is not given to all to understand testimonies”. Hence, it is also said: “The testimony of the Lord is faithful”, for testimony requires the faith of the soul rather than the eyes of the flesh. Fourthly: “The judgments of God are true and righteous altogether”, meaning that the examples of our judgments should be justified in the same way as we find in God’s judgments.

⁵ Therefore, the same Psalmist, seeing this, says elsewhere: “I feared Your judgments”. For with the judgment we judge, we shall be judged. In these four qualities are found fear, faith, hope, and charity. By fear, we begin; by faith, we keep what we have begun; by hope, we are lifted up; and by charity, we are perfected. For “the end of the commandment is charity”. These are the four months which Christ foretold before the harvest, saying: “Are there not yet four months until the harvest?”. Thus, through the precepts, commandments, testimonies, and examples of God, we may reap with joy the mature fruits after judgment, having sown in the tears of penitential fear upon the earth and carrying the sheaves of charity, that we may harvest with joy in heaven.

Chapter 1 #

¹ The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight’”. The Gospel according to Mark, through which comes the redemption of the faithful and the blessedness of the saints: for the four are one, and one is four; the four Gospels are filled with many virtues. For what is more powerful than saving souls, which could have perished through the vices of their errors?

² As already revealed in the sixty-seventh Psalm, when the prophet, inspired by the Holy Spirit, declared: “The Lord will give the word to those who preach with great power”. The order of this verse fits perfectly with this work. The Lord will grant great power to the apostles, who preached His word with venerable confession, when He allowed them to heal crowds of the sick. The term “Gospel” in Greek is εὐαγγέλιον, which in Latin means “good news,” referring specifically to the kingdom of God and the forgiveness of sins. Hence it is said: “Repent and believe in the Gospel, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”.

³ Jesus Christ, that is, the Anointed Saviour, in Hebrew is “Jeshua,” in Greek “Soter,” and in Latin “Salvator.” The Hebrew “Messiah” is rendered as “Christos” in Greek and “Anointed” in Latin. Christ is called both King and Priest because He was born from the lineage of King David and was foretold by the words of the prophets from the Levitical line. Hence, it follows: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness,” and so on. The voice is John, about whom the Lord Jesus cried out to the Jews, saying that among those born of women, none is greater than he. A cry, however, is often made to those who are far away or deaf, or with indignation. This certainly applies to the Jewish people, for salvation is far from sinners, and they stubbornly stopped their ears, like deaf asps, and thus deserved to hear from Christ indignation, wrath, and tribulation. The voice and the cry are made in the wilderness because they were deserted by the Spirit of God, like an empty and swept house, abandoned by the prophet, the king, and the priest. Thus, both John and Jesus ask what has been lost in the wilderness. Where the devil triumphed, there he is defeated; where man fell, there he rises again. “Behold, I send my messenger”. The voice of the Holy Spirit speaks through Malachi to the Father about the Son, who is the face of the Father, through whom He is made known. The word “angel” means “messenger,” who announces Christ. “After me comes one who is before me, who will prepare your way”.

⁴ The way of the Lord, by which He enters into humanity, is repentance, through which God descends to us, and we ascend to Him. Hence, the angels ascending and descending to the Son of Man are mentioned. “Prepare the way of the Lord” means: do penance and preach. Therefore, the day before the Sabbath is called παρασκευὴ (Parasceve), meaning preparation or penance before the future rest. From this arises the beginning of the preaching of John and Christ: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”. For on the seventh day, God rested from all His works. We must erase the seven vices through penance, as if they were evil kinds, so that, afterward, resting, we may possess the desirable land. “Make His paths straight”. These are the paths we have made crooked by turning to the right and the left.

⁵ Now God commands us to walk the royal road, loving our neighbors as ourselves and loving ourselves as our neighbors. For “he who loves iniquity hates his own soul”. He who loves himself but does not love his neighbor turns to the right, while he who hates himself and loves his neighbor turns to the left. Many act well but do not correct others well, like Eli. And many correct others well but do not act well themselves, like the scribes and Pharisees who sat in the chair of Moses. Hence, in the Law, the mouth of the turtledove is commanded to be bent toward its wings, so that the mouth is not separated from the work, and our work is not divided from our words. The paths follow the way, for moral commands are explained after penance, according to Mark. The way is prepared through faith, baptism, and repentance. The paths are made straight through strict judgment, the rough garment of camel’s hair, the leather belt, the food of locusts, the drink of wild honey, and the humble voice. Hence, it follows…

⁶ John was in the desert, baptizing and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the region of Judea and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem went out to him and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. The name John means “grace of God.” The narrative begins with grace, as it follows: “Baptizing,” for through baptism grace is given, by which sins are freely forgiven. Hence, it is said: “Freely you have received; freely give”. And the Apostle says: “By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast”. And he preached the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, which is perfected through the bridegroom but initiated through the friend of the bridegroom. Hence, catechumens, that is, those being instructed, begin through the priest and are anointed with chrism by the bishop. Now, the bride is led to the bridegroom through the friend of the bridegroom, just as Rebecca, veiled in white, was led to Isaac by a servant. And all the region of Judea and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem went out to him and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. “Confession and beauty are before Him,” that is, before the bridegroom.

⁷ Therefore, the bride leaps down from the camel, as the Church humbles itself upon seeing the true Isaac, Jesus Christ, in whose birth God brought joy to Sarah, just as it is said to Mary, who is the Lady with God: “Blessed are you among women”. The Jordan, however, means “descent of the foreigner,” where sins are washed away. For the Ark, having crossed the Jordan, passed through foreign marble into a foreign land, and while one part flowed into the sea, another part rose up like the form of a swelling mountain. Likewise, we, once alienated from God through pride, are raised to the heights through the symbol of baptism, for “he who humbles himself will be exalted”. But the part that flows into the sea becomes bitter when the Ark of God, that is, the body of Christ, does not benefit those who are not purified but instead leads them to a worse condition.

⁸ And John was clothed in camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying. The clothing, food, and drink of the prophet symbolize the entire austere life of those who preach, and signify that future nations would be united to the grace of God, which is John, both inwardly and outwardly. The camel’s hair represents the rich among the Gentiles, while the leather belt signifies the poor who are dead to the world. The locusts, with their serrated legs, symbolize the wise of this world, who, leaving the dry chaff of the Jews behind, draw forth the mystical grain with their feet and dwell in the heat of faith. The wild honey represents the faithful, prepared by the fire of the Holy Spirit, who come from the uncultivated forest and are immersed in grace. All these things come from the grace of the Gospel, in which “there is no distinction between Jew and Greek”.

⁹ He said, “One mightier than I is coming after me”. Who is mightier than grace, by which sins are washed away? Clearly, it is He who forgives sins “seventy times seven”. Grace indeed comes first, but it forgives once through baptism. However, mercy extends to the miserable from Adam to Christ, through seventy-seven generations, and reaches up to the one hundred and forty-four thousand.

¹⁰ I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of His sandals. Grace alone is not worthy even to stoop down in baptism and loosen the strap of His sandals—that is, to comprehend the mystery of God’s Incarnation. The heel is the lowest part of the body, for at the end of time, the Incarnate Saviour comes to bring justice. Therefore, it is fitting that the prophet says, “I will cast my sandal over Edom”, because without the knowledge of the Spirit, no one can, through the grace of forgiveness, comprehend the mystery of Christ’s Incarnation—how the Word became flesh, from where Christ’s body, soul, and spirit take their beginning so that He may truly be man in all things except sin, and at the same time truly God, the eternal Son in the true God without beginning. He is the Son of Man who is in heaven, and He goes forth like a bridegroom from His chamber—that is, from the womb of the Virgin, leaving it sealed. Therefore, when the true Bridegroom arrives, the “house of the unshod” is called the house of John, who declares, “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom”. This is why the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove. To Him is sung in the Song of Songs: “My bride, my friend, my close one, my beloved, my dove”. She is a bride in the patriarchs, a friend in the prophets, close in Joseph and Mary, beloved in John the Baptist, and a dove in Christ and the apostles, to whom it is said, “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves”. Then it continues:

¹¹ “I have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit”. The river of God is always full, always constant, as it is written: “The streams of the river make glad the city of God”. What is the difference between water and the Holy Spirit, who moved over the waters? Water is the ministry of man, but the Spirit is the ministry of God. Thus, it is written: “The Spirit of God was moving over the waters”. It says over, not under. Just as the soul is greater than the body it governs, so the Spirit is higher than the soul. But the Spirit remained upon Him—this is the anointing of Christ according to the flesh, as it is said: “Therefore, God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions”. Oil cannot be beneath water; likewise, the Creator cannot be beneath His creation. Oil arises from the bitterness of the root, yet it becomes fuel for light, medicine for wounds, and nourishment for the hungry—it is found at the highest point. From where does the anointing of Christ’s body come? From the bitterness of His Passion, which leads to the glory of His Resurrection. Therefore, the Apostle exhorts us, saying: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,” and continues, “even to death, death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name”, for the Lord Jesus is in the glory of God the Father.

¹² In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. As soon as He came up out of the water, He saw the heavens open and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove, remaining with Him. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; in You, I am well pleased”. Immediately, the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness, where He remained for forty days and forty nights, being tempted by Satan. He was among the wild beasts, and angels ministered to Him.

¹³ The evangelist Mark, like a deer longing for streams of water, moves swiftly across both the plains and the heights, touching only the summits of the meadows and bearing the palm of victory at their peak. Like a honey-gathering bee, he briefly tastes the flowers of the field, whose fragrance is likened to the true Isaac. Thus, he recounts how Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee to be baptized by John in the Jordan, how He immediately rose from the water, saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit descending like a dove to remain upon Him. He tells of the Father’s voice declaring His pleasure in His beloved Son, of the Spirit sending Jesus into the wilderness, where He was tempted by Satan for forty days and nights, dwelling among the wild beasts while being ministered to by angels.

¹⁴ This order of events teaches us, morally, that we must follow Christ’s example in our journey toward the fellowship of the angels—an example that Jesus first demonstrated in action before instructing in words. Thus, as we are drawn by the fleeting nature of the world and the fragrance of its delicate yet transient beauty, we run after the Bridegroom along with the young maidens. Through the sacrament of baptism, we are cleansed by the twofold fountain of love—love of God and love of neighbor—receiving the grace of forgiveness. As we ascend, we gaze with pure hearts upon the hidden mysteries of heaven. Then, with contrite and humble spirits, we receive the Holy Spirit, who descends upon the meek and remains with those whose love never fails. A voice from heaven speaks to us, the beloved of God: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God”. At that moment, the Father delights in us together with the Son and the Holy Spirit, for we become one spirit with God.

¹⁵ Thus, the Son intercedes with the Father on our behalf, saying: “Holy Father, keep them in Your name, those You have given me, that they may be one as we are one”. Then the Spirit drives us into the wilderness of trial, symbolized by the number forty, to be tempted by Satan so that patience may produce perseverance, perseverance may bring hope, and hope may lead to love. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers of darkness.

¹⁶ In that moment, the beasts will be at peace with us, as we, within the ark of our souls, learn to dwell in harmony with both the clean and unclean, lying down with lions as Daniel did. Then the spirit will no longer war against the flesh, nor will the flesh desire what is opposed to the spirit.

¹⁷ After this, the ministering angels, who always behold the face of our Father in heaven, will be sent to us to bring comfort and assurance, saying: “Your prayer has been heard”; “Do not seek Jesus of Nazareth among the dead”; “Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline”; and “To the one who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of my God”.

¹⁸ After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel”.

¹⁹ Once we have received grace upon grace, what is carnal is put to death, and what is spiritual is brought to life. When the shadow fades, the truth is revealed. John is in prison, the Law remains in Judea, but Jesus is in Galilee—salvation has come to the nations, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven”. Earthly kingdoms pass away, but poverty in Christ leads to an eternal Kingdom. Thus, the Lord says, “My kingdom is not of this world”. For all earthly honour is like a thin layer of foam upon the water, like smoke, or like a fleeting dream.

²⁰ Repent and believe in the Gospel. As Jesus was walking along the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately, they left their nets and followed Him. Going a little farther, He saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John in a boat, mending their nets. He immediately called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.

²¹ For unless you believe, you will not understand. The bitterness of the root is compensated by the sweetness of the fruit; the dangers of the sea are outweighed by the hope of profit; the pain of medicine is eased by the hope of healing. Whoever desires the kernel must break the shell. He who wishes to cling to eternal good must do penance. Those who have been deemed worthy to reach the prize of mercy can truly proclaim the praises of Christ.

²² After this, four fishermen are called and sent forth—Simon and Andrew, James and John—leaving behind their nets, their father, and their boat with the hired men. This chariot of four carries us to heaven, like Elijah; upon these four pillars, the first Church is built; through these four Hebrew letters, the Tetragrammaton, the name of the Lord is made known to us. By a similar example, we are instructed to listen to the voice of the Lord calling us, to forget the people of our vices, and to abandon the house of our ancestral traditions, which is foolishness before God. We must forsake the spider’s web in which the empty air held us like gnats nearly trapped; we must reject the ship of our former way of life. For Adam, our father according to the flesh, was clothed in the skins of dead animals. But now, having put off the old self with its deeds and following the new man, we are clothed with the skins of Solomon, with which the bride boasts that she has been made beautiful.

²³ Simon means “obedient”; Andrew, “manly”; James, “one who supplants”; and John, “grace” in Latin. By these four names, we are united into the ranks of the Lord: through obedience, that we may be heard; through manliness, that we may fight; through supplanting, that we may persevere; through grace, that we may be preserved. For unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. These are called the four cardinal virtues: through prudence, we obey; through justice, we act courageously; through temperance, we trample the serpent; through fortitude, we merit the grace of God.

²⁴ Burdened with the cares of my brethren, I was unable to explain the Gospel of Mark as I had wished, but I have briefly touched upon its distinctive features. Like Ruth, the kinswoman of Christ, gleaning ears of grain and clusters of grapes after the reapers, I, like the widowed Naomi, gather what I can. But if only through my poverty, I might reach the banquet of Boaz, making a praiseworthy theft! Mark, in arranging the words of the Gospel within himself rather than in themselves, did not follow the chronological order of history but maintained the order of mysteries. Thus, concerning the Sabbath, he narrates the first miracle, saying:

²⁵ They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one who had authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue, there was a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him.” The unclean spirit convulsed the man, let out a loud cry, and came out of him. Everyone was amazed, so they began to ask one another, “What is this? What is this new teaching? For He commands unclean spirits with authority, and they obey Him!” And news about Him quickly spread throughout the whole region of Galilee.

²⁶ Immediately after leaving the synagogue, they went to the house of Simon and Andrew, along with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Him about her right away. He went to her, took her by the hand, and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those possessed by demons.

²⁷ Capernaum means “village of consolation,” while the Sabbath signifies rest. The man with the unclean spirit represents humanity, in which impurity reigned from Adam to Moses. For “those who sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law”. The one who knew the Holy One of God was commanded to be silent, for though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God but worshiped the creature rather than the Creator. The spirit that tormented the man departed from him. As salvation draws near, so too does temptation. When Pharaoh let Israel go, he pursued them; likewise, when the devil is defeated, he rises to cause scandal. Peter’s mother-in-law, who was feverish, is healed by the second power; she is restored when Jesus takes her by the hand. Fever symbolizes intemperance, from which we, the children of the synagogue, are healed through the hand of discipline and the elevation of desire. And when He who heals us withdraws toward evening, we serve His will.

²⁸ The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who were suffering from various diseases. He also cast out many demons and would not let them speak because they knew who He was. Early in the morning, before dawn, He got up, went out to a deserted place, and prayed there. Simon and those with him went searching for Him, and when they found Him, they said, “Everyone is looking for You.” Jesus replied, “Let us go to the nearby villages and towns so that I may preach there also, for that is why I have come.” He went throughout all of Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

²⁹ Then a man with leprosy came to Him, pleading with Him. He knelt and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand, touched him, and said, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately, the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. Jesus sternly warned him, sent him away at once, and said, “See that you tell no one, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer what Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” However, the man went out and began to spread the news widely, making it impossible for Jesus to enter towns openly. Instead, He stayed in deserted places, yet people still came to Him from everywhere.

³⁰ The gate of the Kingdom, morally speaking, is repentance united with faith, which brings healing from various afflictions. There are many sins that weaken the world like sickness. Thus, the leper is cleansed through three virtues: he pleads with the Lord, he kneels in humility, and he submits to God’s will, who does not desire the death of the sinner but that he should turn and live. Our spiritual leprosy is the sin of the first man, which began when he longed for the kingdoms of the world. “The root of all evil is the love of money”. That is why Gehazi, in his greed, was struck with leprosy. Yet this leprosy, when shown to the true Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, is cleansed through offering, for He has said, “Give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you”.

³¹ So He could no longer enter a town openly but stayed in deserted places, and people came to Him from all directions. Jesus is not revealed to everyone—especially not to those who chase after public praise and live for their own pleasures. Instead, He is made known to those who, like Peter, leave everything behind and follow Him into the wilderness, the places He chose for prayer and for nourishing His people. These are the ones who abandon worldly delights and give up all they own so they can say, “The Lord is my portion”. But the glory of the Lord is revealed to those who come to Him from every direction—whether through easy paths or difficult struggles—because nothing can separate them from the love of Christ.

Chapter 2 #

¹ Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, and it was reported that He was at home. So many gathered that there was no more room, not even at the door, and He was preaching the word to them. Then some people came, bringing a paralyzed man carried by four of them. Since they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Him, and after removing part of it, they lowered the mat on which the paralyzed man lay. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven”.

² Some of the scribes were sitting there, thinking in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately, Jesus, knowing in His spirit what they were thinking within themselves, said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat, and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” He then said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat, and go home”.

³ Immediately, the man got up, took his mat, and walked out in full view of everyone. They were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Then Jesus went out again beside the sea, and the whole crowd came to Him, and He taught them. As He passed by, He saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow me”. And Levi got up and followed Him. While Jesus was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Him and His disciples, for many people were following Him. When the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with tax collectors and sinners, they asked His disciples, “Why does your teacher eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners”.

⁴ Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and people came and asked Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not?” Jesus answered, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and then they will fast”.

⁵ “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth onto an old garment; otherwise, the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear becomes worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins”. “But new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins”.

⁶ One Sabbath, as the Lord was passing through the grain fields, His disciples began to make their way, picking heads of grain. The Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were in need and hungry? How he entered the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest and ate the bread of the Presence—which is not lawful for anyone but the priests to eat—and also gave some to those who were with him?” Then He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath”.

⁷ Now, in the fourth demonstration of His power, four men carried a paralyzed man on a stretcher, but when they were blocked by the crowd, they removed the roof to lower him down. Because of their faith, Jesus forgave the paralytic’s sins, and he rose, carrying the bed on which he had been carried, and walked home in full view of everyone. The paralysis represents the weakness of the body, where a man lies sluggish in the indulgence of the flesh, desiring salvation yet hindered by physical laziness and double-minded thoughts. Just as his weakened limbs failed him, so too does sin cripple the soul. But he was carried by four men—symbols of the four virtues—toward the heights of divine wisdom, where the mystery of Christ’s flesh was revealed. In return for being carried, he was commanded to carry his own bed, symbolizing how the once-weak must now bear responsibility and walk a new path, returning to his true home.

⁸ After this, We see Levi, son of Alphaeus—a sinner. “Levi” means “joined” or “added,” signifying the one who, leaving behind the tax booth of worldly affairs, follows only the Word. As it is written, “Whoever does not renounce all that he possesses cannot be My disciple”.

Chapter 3 #

¹ Jesus entered the synagogue again, and there was a man with a withered hand. They watched Him closely to see if He would heal on the Sabbath so they could accuse Him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Stand in the middle.” Then He asked them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil? To save a life or to destroy it?” But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees immediately went out and conspired with the Herodians against Him, plotting how to destroy Him.

² Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea, and a large crowd followed Him from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and from the regions around Tyre and Sidon. Hearing of the things He was doing, a great multitude came to Him. He told His disciples to have a boat ready for Him because of the crowd, so they wouldn’t crush Him. He healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon Him to touch Him. When unclean spirits saw Him, they fell before Him and cried out, “You are the Son of God!” But He strictly ordered them not to make Him known.

³ The man with the withered hand represents the greedy—those who wish to receive but refuse to give, who take but do not share. To them, the command is given: “Stretch out your hand”—as it is written, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with those in need”.

⁴ Jesus went up the mountain and called to Himself those He desired, and they came to Him. He appointed twelve to be with Him and to send them out to preach, giving them authority to heal diseases and cast out demons. He gave Simon the name Peter; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John He called Boanerges, which means “Sons of Thunder”; also Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Him.

⁵ It is the custom of divine Scripture to speak allegorically, often saying one thing while meaning another. This is frequently found in the Gospels. However, we must interpret these higher meanings while still preserving the truth of history. Christ alone is the spiritual mountain—a mountain briefly praised by us but rich in the abundance of heavenly things. From Him flow living waters, milk for the salvation of infants, spiritual nourishment, and all that is supremely good. He is the mountain of mountains, the refuge of the saints, continually calling them to Himself out of the trials of this present life. He calls those who are exalted in merit and in word to the mountain, so that their place may be worthy of their high calling, as He appointed the twelve to be with Him.

⁶ The Lord loved the people of Jacob. When the Most High divided the nations and separated the sons of Adam, He established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. Thus, they shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. To them was given the authority that the Son received from the Father in the flesh, so that they might do the works He did, and even greater ones.

⁷ He gave Simon the name Peter. From obedience, he rose to understanding, for “to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance”. He also called James, who has trampled all desires of the flesh, and John, who received by grace what others attain through labor. He named them Boanerges, which means “Sons of Thunder,” because these three, in their great merit, were worthy to hear the voice of the Father thundering from the cloud about the Son: “This is My beloved Son”. Through the cloud of Christ’s flesh, they themselves would cast forth the fire of the Word, like lightning scattered as rain upon the earth. For “God made lightning into rain”, so that mercy might quench what judgment enkindles. Therefore, the prophet says, “I will sing of mercy and justice to You, O Lord”.

⁸ And Andrew, who, in manly strength, overcomes his own destruction, always bearing in himself the sentence of death, and keeping his soul always in his hands. And Philip, whose name means “mouth of the lamp,” is one who can bring light with his words, having first conceived it in his heart. The Lord granted him the gift of an illuminated speech. We know that this way of speaking is characteristic of divine Scripture, where Hebrew names are assigned to convey a hidden mystery—something the Evangelist, deeply moved by God, now emphasizes. And Bartholomew, meaning “son of the One who suspends the waters.” Who is the son of the One who suspends the waters, if not He who said, “I will command my clouds that they rain no rain upon it”? The name “Son of God” is acquired through peace and love of one’s enemy. For “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”, and “Love your enemies, that you may be sons of your Father”, and so on.

⁹ And Matthew, meaning “gifted,” is one to whom the Lord grants not only the forgiveness of sins but also a place among the apostles, so that “the lion and the ox shall eat together, and the wolf shall graze with the lamb”. And Thomas, meaning “the abyss,” for many know the deep mysteries of God but do not utter them, as Paul says: “I know a man… who heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter”. And James, son of Alphaeus, meaning “learned” or “of the thousand,” for “A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand”. Another James, whose struggle is not against flesh and blood, but “against spiritual forces of evil”. And Thaddaeus, meaning “little heart,” that is, a cultivator of the heart, who keeps his heart with all diligence. For God is seen through the purity of the heart, just as a clear glass reveals an image in full clarity.

¹⁰ And Simon the Cananaean, also called the Zealot—his name means “one who sets aside sorrow.” Blessed indeed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. He fulfills a threefold mourning, seeking future consolation: he weeps for his own sins, like David and Mary; he weeps with those who weep, like Paul; and he weeps greatly, like John, who said, “And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book and to break its seals”. He is called “Zealot” because he is consumed by zeal for the house of God, like Phinehas the priest, so that disorder may cease.

¹¹ And Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him—he did not erase his sin through repentance, nor was it erased through remembrance. Therefore, it is said of him, “And let the sin of his mother not be blotted out”. May they be always before the Lord. Judas means “confessor” or “glorious,” while Iscariot signifies “remembrance of death.” There are many in the Church who confess but are proud and seek glory—among them, the first was Simon Magus, then Arius, and all other heretics whose mortal memory is commemorated in the Church so that they may be avoided.

¹² These are the twelve distinctions among the apostles and preachers, who watch in groups of three and four around the tabernacle of the Lord, bearing the holy words of God upon the shoulders of their own works. They carry the one tabernacle with its many dwellings toward the land of promise. The example of one serves to instill fear, just as the fall of Lucifer preserves the angels, so that the wise man may not glory in his wisdom, but rather, “Let him who glories, glory in the Lord”.

¹³ And they came to the house, and again a crowd gathered, so that they could not even eat. When his own people heard of this, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He has gone mad.” And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub,” and, “By the prince of demons, he casts out demons.” Calling them together, he spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man; only then can he plunder his house. Truly, I say to you, all sins and blasphemies that people commit will be forgiven.

¹⁴ Here, Mark specifically recounts that Jesus came with his disciples into a house and that again a crowd gathered, making it impossible for them to eat. His disciples thought he had lost his senses because the scribes from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebub.” As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are the ways of the Lord higher than our ways. He came for this very reason—to hear and to suffer what was said of him, as he tells us: “Blessed are you when people insult you” and so on, up to “your reward is great in heaven”. The house they entered represents the early Church. The crowds preventing them from eating symbolize sins and vices, for whoever eats unworthily eats and drinks judgment upon himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. Thus, the Lord seems to have “gone mad” when he says, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man,” and so on, up to “you have no life in you”.

¹⁵ But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness but is guilty of an eternal sin—because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit”. Such a person does not deserve to repent and be received again, for one who knowingly calls Christ the prince of demons will never be released from prison, as it is written: “You will not get out until you have paid the last penny”. The coin of eternal life is founded on four parts: believing in your heart, confessing with your mouth, fulfilling in action what you confess, and never ceasing to teach what you have fulfilled. “Whoever does and teaches these things will be called great in the kingdom of heaven”.

¹⁶ Then his mother and brothers came, and standing outside, they sent for him, calling him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they said, “Look, your mother and your brothers are outside looking for you.” But he answered them, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And looking around at those seated near him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and my mother”. Let us understand that we become his brothers and mother when we fulfill the will of the Father, so that we may be his co-heirs. He does not distinguish by sex, but by deeds.

Chapter 4 #

¹ And again, He began to teach by the sea. A large crowd gathered around Him, so much so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, while the whole crowd stood on the shore. He taught them many things in parables and said in His teaching: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds of the air came and ate it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil, and it sprang up immediately because it had no depth of earth. But when the sun rose, it was scorched, and because it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. But some seed fell on good soil, and it produced grain, growing and increasing, yielding thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” And He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”

² When He was alone, those around Him, along with the twelve, asked Him about the parable. He said to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those outside, everything comes in parables, so that ‘they may look and look, but not see, and they may hear and hear, but not understand, lest they turn and be forgiven’.” Then He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones along the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they receive it with joy, but they have no root in themselves; they last only for a time. Then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, they immediately fall away. And others are those sown among thorns. These are the ones who hear the word, but the troubles of the world, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good soil: they hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit—thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

³ This passage suggests that the listeners were bitter and unstable, which is why He spoke to them in parables—so that they would seek understanding of what they could not immediately grasp. And through the apostles, whom they despised, they would come to learn the mystery of the kingdom that they themselves lacked. It is well known from frequent reading that the sea symbolizes this world: bitter to the taste and restless with the waves of sin. Yet they could have been rescued by the Lord Himself, who turns bitterness into sweetness, sorrow into joy, and detestable afflictions into salvation.

⁴ A parable is the comparison of things that are naturally different, expressed through a different image—God’s way of teaching. Since people could not grasp heavenly things directly, they were made understandable through earthly comparisons. The Greek word parabolē means “likeness”—it is when we make something understood by using a comparison. For instance, we call someone “iron” when we mean they are strong and unyielding, or we compare swiftness to the wind or birds.

⁵ The thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold fruit symbolize the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel. Just as the mystery of the kingdom was revealed on the mountain through three witnesses—Moses, Elijah, and Jesus—so too is it confirmed by the threefold testimony of Scripture.

⁶ And he said to them, “Does a lamp come to be placed under a basket or under a bed? Is it not meant to be set on a lampstand? For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest, nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” And he said to them, “Consider carefully what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more will be added to you. For whoever has, more will be given to them; and whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken away”. The lamp is the Word in relation to the three types of seeds. The basket that covers it represents the hearing of the disobedient. The lampstand is the apostles, whom the hidden and secret Word of the Lord has illuminated. This parable applies to both types of seed. It comes into the open when the Lord explains it. And he said, “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Indeed, understanding of the mysteries is given to each according to the measure of their faith, and more is added as virtues increase alongside knowledge. For whoever has will be given more—that is, whoever has faith will receive strength, and whoever does the work of the Word will gain understanding of the mystery. But whoever does not have faith lacks strength, and whoever does not do the work of the Word is without understanding. And whoever does not understand has already lost the ability to hear, as if they had never heard at all.

⁷ And he said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. The earth produces fruit by itself—first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear” Mark uniquely includes this parable as a natural continuation of the previous teachings. We know that divine Scripture often reveals heavenly mysteries through earthly comparisons, as is the case throughout the Gospels. The kingdom of God is the Church, which is governed by God and in turn governs people, trampling down opposing powers and vices—like a centurion who has soldiers under his command. The man who sows the seed is the Son of Man; the seed is the word of life; the ground represents human hearts. The man’s sleep symbolizes the Saviour’s death. The seed rising night and day signifies that after Christ’s rest in death, the number of believers continued to grow in faith through both hardships and blessings. Their works flourished, even without their full understanding. This is a figurative expression, frequently used in divine Scripture, teaching us that we cannot know in advance who will bear fruit until the end, as it is written: “The one who perseveres to the end will be saved”. The earth produces fruit of its own accord, meaning that God awaits our free will, saying: “If you want to enter life, keep the commandments”. First comes the blade—representing the fear of the Lord, for “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”. Then the ear—symbolizing tearful repentance. Finally, the full grain in the ear—representing love, for “love is the fulfillment of the law”.

⁸ And when the grain is ripe, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come. And he said, “To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground. Yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all the garden plants, and it puts out large branches, so that the birds of the sky can nest in its shade”. And with many such parables, he spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it; but he did not speak to them without a parable.

⁹ The sickle represents death or judgment, which cuts down everything, for the harvest is near—that is, the end of the age—when the righteous will rejoice, for they have sown in tears. The seed is again compared to the mustard seed: small in fear, yet great in love, which surpasses all other plants, for God is love. And “All flesh is like grass”. And “The one who is weak eats only vegetables”. It brings forth branches of mercy and compassion, under whose shade the poor of Christ—the creatures of heaven—delight to dwell.

¹⁰ But privately, he explained everything to his disciples. And on that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was, and other boats were with him. Then a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.

¹¹ For they were worthy to hear the mysteries in the inner chamber of wisdom, having cast aside the turmoil of evil thoughts and remaining in the solitude of virtue. For wisdom is found in times of stillness. Then they came to the sea and were troubled by the waves. And He was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke Him and said, “Master, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Be silent! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were struck with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

¹² The ship, made of dead skins, holds the living and keeps out the waves; it is strengthened by wood—just as the Church is saved by the Cross and the death of the Lord. The cushion represents the body of the Lord, upon which His divinity, like a head, is inclined. The ship’s stern signifies the beginning of the Church, where the Lord sleeps in bodily death—yet He who keeps Israel never slumbers. He rebukes the wind and the sea, saying, “Be silent,” as it is written: “You rule the power of the sea”. The wind and the sea symbolize demons and persecutors, whom He silences when He restrains the decrees of wicked kings at His will, for “it is not in man to direct his steps”. The great calm is the peace of the Church after tribulation, or the contemplation that follows the active life.

Chapter 5 #

¹ They came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes. As soon as Jesus stepped out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came from the tombs to meet Him. He lived among the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with chains. Though he had often been bound with shackles and chains, he tore the chains apart and shattered the shackles, and no one could subdue him. Night and day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he would cry out and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and knelt before Him, crying out in a loud voice, “What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You by God, do not torment me!” For Jesus had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit.” Then He asked him, “What is your name?”

² He is healed by the power of the sixth virtue—the man who lived among the tombs, unbound by chains or shackles, whom no one could subdue. He dwelled in the mountains and the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. This represents the most hopeless of the Gentiles, described by the Apostle as proud, arrogant, impure, bloodthirsty, idolatrous, and shameful—bound neither by the law of nature, nor the law of God, nor even the fear of man.

³ And he said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And they begged him earnestly not to drive them out of the region. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside nearby, and the unclean spirits pleaded with him, saying, “Send us into the pigs, so we may enter them.” And Jesus immediately gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs, and the herd—about two thousand in number—rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water. Those who had been tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the city and in the countryside, and people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. Those who had witnessed it described what had happened to the man who had been possessed and to the pigs. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded with him to let him stay with him. But Jesus did not allow it. Instead, he said to him, “Go home to your people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone was amazed.

⁴ When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him by the sea. Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Come, lay your hands on her so that she may be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him, and a great crowd followed, pressing in on him. And there was a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians and spent all she had, yet instead of improving, she had only grown worse. When she heard about Jesus…

⁵ (A legion, that is, ten thousand, falls at the right hand of the Father, who is Christ. To this demon, a herd of pigs is entrusted—creatures of no use except to be cast into the abyss, that is, into hell, and drowned without mercy in a violent and untimely death. Many who tended them fled. For when the fool is punished, the wise become more prudent.)

⁶ And they begged Jesus to leave their region, just as Peter once said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man”. They did not want to touch the Ark of God, like Uzzah. But the man who was healed was sent home and proclaimed the good news in the Decapolis. Meanwhile, as the Roman kingdom was rising, the Jews—who clung only to the letter of the Decalogue—were being converted.

⁷ After this, Jairus, the leader of the synagogue, came to Jesus. For when the fullness of the Gentiles has entered, then all Israel will be saved. Jairus means either “he who gives light” or “he who is enlightened,” representing the Jewish people who, after setting aside the shadow of the law, are illuminated by the Spirit. Falling at the feet of the Word—that is, humbling himself before the Incarnation of Jesus—he pleaded for his daughter. He who gives life to himself also gives life to others. Abraham, Moses, and Samuel interceded for the dead people, and Jesus follows their prayers. The dead are raised by the seventh virtue.

⁸ But on the way, a woman suffering from a flow of blood touched the hem of his garment from behind. She had wasted all she had on physicians who could not help her. Just as on the seventh day God rested from all His works, so too, when the dead are raised, the half-living are restored among the crowds. The flow of blood causes sterility, just as it is written to the Church of the Gentiles: “Rejoice, O barren one, who did not bear”.

⁹ She came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment, for she said, “If I only touch his clothing, I will be healed.” Immediately, the flow of blood stopped, and she felt in her body that she was cured of her affliction. At once, Jesus, aware that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” His disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing against you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” But he kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, frightened and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction”.

¹⁰ While he was still speaking, people came from the house of the synagogue leader, saying, “Your daughter has died. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” But Jesus, overhearing what was said, told the synagogue leader, “Do not be afraid—only believe.” And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the synagogue leader, he saw the commotion, with people weeping and wailing loudly. Entering, he said to them, “Why are you troubled and weeping?”. “The girl is not dead but asleep.” And they laughed at him. But after sending them all out, he took the girl’s father and mother, and those who were with him, and entered where the girl was lying. Taking her by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Immediately, the girl got up and walked around. She was twelve years old, and they were utterly amazed. Then he strictly ordered them that no one should know about this and told them to give her something to eat.

¹¹ That is, after her resurrection. She touched the hem of his garment, just as the cymbals and pomegranates hang from the edge of the high priest’s robe. The cymbal signifies confession; the pomegranate, the willingness for martyrdom, the purity of virtues, and the unity of faith. To the girl, Jesus said, “Talitha cumi,” meaning, “Little girl, arise.” To the synagogue leader, they said, “Your daughter is dead.” But Jesus replied, “She is not dead, but asleep.” Both statements are true: to you, she is dead, but to me, she is only sleeping.

¹² The girl was twelve years old, and the woman had suffered for twelve years. The sins of unbelievers become evident at the beginning of a believer’s faith. As it is written: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”.

Chapter 6 #

¹ And leaving that place, he went to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is this wisdom that has been given to him, and these mighty works performed by his hands? Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household”.

² Thus, when going to his homeland, Jesus is called the son of a carpenter. This has a mystical meaning, for he is the son of the Maker, the one who formed both the dawn and the sun—that is, the first and the later Church. The woman and the girl who were healed represent this mystery.

³ A prophet is honoured everywhere except in his own country, among his relatives, and in his own household. And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. So he went around the surrounding villages, teaching. Then he called the Twelve and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no money in their belts—but to wear sandals and not take an extra tunic. He told them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. If any place does not welcome you or listen to you, as you leave, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and preached that people should repent. They cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil, healing them.

⁴ Lowly origins are often despised, as in, “Who is the son of Isaiah?” But the Lord looks upon the humble and knows the proud from afar. Then the Twelve Apostles are sent, and they are given the authority to teach his commandments so that their words may be confirmed by deeds. With the promise of unseen blessings, visible signs shine forth. And when they anoint the sick with oil, they strengthen the weakness of faith with the power of divine virtue.

⁵ King Herod heard about Jesus, for his name had become well known. He said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” Others said, “He is Elijah,” while still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” A lamp is not meant to be hidden under a basket.

⁶ When Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead.” For Herod himself had sent men to seize John, bound him in prison, and handed him over because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife”. So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not. Herod feared John, knowing he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. Though he was troubled when he listened to him, he still heard him gladly.

⁷ Then the opportune time came. On his birthday, Herod held a banquet for his nobles, military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. So the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you”. And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” So she went out and asked her mother, “What should I request?” She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.” Immediately, she hurried back to the king and made her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter at once.”

⁸ The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oath and his guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl, who then gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

⁹ By irony, Herod makes his oath with seductive persuasion. The head of the Law, which is Christ, is severed from its own body—that is, the Jewish people—and is given to the Gentile girl, representing the Roman Church. The girl, in turn, gives it to her adulterous mother, symbolizing the synagogue, which will believe at the end. John’s body is buried, his head is placed on a platter; the letter of the Law is covered with earth, but its spirit is honoured and received at the altar.

¹⁰ The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him everything they had done and taught. They returned to the place from which the rivers flow. The ones sent out always gave thanks to God for what they had received.

¹¹ Then He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place.” This is characteristic of Mark: He leads those He has chosen apart, so that while living among the wicked, they do not focus on evil—just as Lot in Sodom, Job in the land of Uz, and Obadiah in Ahab’s house. And He allowed them a brief rest, for many were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

¹² So they got into a boat and went away to a deserted place by themselves. But many people saw them leaving, recognized them, and ran on foot from all the towns, arriving there ahead of them. When Jesus disembarked, He saw a great crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things. As the hour grew late, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and it is already late. Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding villages and towns to buy themselves something to eat.” But He answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They replied, “Should we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”. He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”

¹³ Then He ordered them to have everyone sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in sections of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed them, broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. Everyone ate and was satisfied. They collected twelve baskets full of leftover pieces, including the fish. Those who had eaten were about five thousand men.

¹⁴ Immediately, He made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to Bethsaida while He dismissed the crowd. After sending them away, He went up on the mountain to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on land. He saw them struggling at the oars, for the wind was against them. Around the fourth watch of the night, He came toward them, walking on the sea, intending to pass by them. But when they saw Him walking on the water, they thought it was a ghost and cried out, for they all saw Him and were terrified.

¹⁵ Immediately, He spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were utterly astounded, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as they stepped off the boat, the people immediately recognized Him. They rushed throughout the entire region, bringing the sick on their mats to wherever they heard He was. Wherever He entered—villages, towns, or cities—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him to let them touch even the fringe of His garment.

¹⁶ Like birds in the branches of the mustard tree, the saints find only a small rest here, while their labor is long. But later, it is said to them, “They will rest from their labors”.

¹⁷ There were those who came and mocked, and many who did not even have time to eat. In the ark of Noah, there was no leisure for eating. The animals inside struggled to get out, while those outside tried to force their way in. The same happens in the Church: Judas departs, and the thief enters. As long as people fall away from the faith, the Church cannot find rest without sorrow. “Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted”. This is not the feast where the new wine is drunk.

¹⁸ When will the new song be sung in the new heaven and the new earth by a renewed people? When “this mortal body has put on immortality”. When five thousand men are fed at the evening of life with five loaves and two fish, and when twelve baskets of leftovers, filled with the power of the eighth day, are gathered. When they sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

¹⁹ Who are these fragments? Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When will the remnant of Israel be saved? When will we see face to face what we now read in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms concerning Christ?

²⁰ Thus, after the fourth watch of the night, Jesus calms the stormy sea, walking upon it, and says, “Take heart; it is I”. For then we shall see Him as He is. The wind ceased, and the storm ended when Jesus, seated and reigning, was in the boat—which is the universal Church.

²¹ And all who touched Him were healed. When will sorrow and sighing flee away?

Chapter 7 #

¹ And the Pharisees, along with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem, gathered around Him. When they saw some of His disciples eating bread with unwashed hands—that is, with hands that were considered unclean—they criticized them. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they have washed their hands frequently, holding to the tradition of the elders. And when they return from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they have purified themselves. There are also many other traditions they observe, such as the washing of cups, pitchers, bronze vessels, and even dining couches.

² So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Him: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?” He answered them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honours Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. In vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’. For you set aside the commandment of God and hold to the traditions of men—such as the washing of pitchers and cups—and you do many other similar things.”

³ Then He said to them, “You skillfully nullify the commandment of God in order to uphold your tradition. For Moses said, ‘honour your father and your mother,’ and ‘Whoever speaks evil of father or mother must surely die’. But you say that if someone tells their father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), then you no longer allow them to do anything for their father or mother. In this way, you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like this”.

⁴ Then, calling the crowd to Him again, He said, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile them, but the things that come out of a person are what defile them. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear”.

⁵ Later, when He entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him about this parable. He said to them, “Are you also without understanding? Do you not realize that whatever goes into a person from the outside cannot defile them, because it does not enter their heart, but their stomach, and then is expelled?” (In saying this, He declared all foods clean.) Then He continued, “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For from within, out of the human heart, come evil thoughts—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustfulness, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evils come from within and defile a person”. Then He left that place and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Entering a house, He did not want anyone to know it, but He could not remain hidden.

⁶ As soon as the woman heard about Him, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, she came in and fell at His feet. She was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. But He said to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She answered Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the little dogs under the table eat the crumbs of the children.” Then He said to her, “Because of this word, go; the demon has left your daughter.” When she returned home, she found the girl lying on the bed, the demon gone.

⁷ The Pharisees’ excessive barking is silenced by the fork of reason—that is, by the rebukes of Moses and Isaiah—so that we, too, may overcome opposing heresies with the words of Scripture. When they saw the disciples eating with unwashed hands, it foreshadowed the future communion of the Gentiles. The Pharisaic concept of purity and baptism is sterile, while the apostolic, “unwashed” fellowship extends its branches to the sea—something they consider a great offense. Pharisaic tradition concerning meals and purified vessels must not merely be handled but cut away and scraped off, for human traditions often override the commandments of God.

⁸ After this sign, the Syrophoenician woman, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, came in and fell at His feet. She was a Gentile woman, pleading for her daughter—who represents our mother, the Roman Church. This daughter, born possessed, represents the barbarian nations of the West, whose faith transformed them from dogs into sheep. She did not seek the broken bread of the letter but the crumb of spiritual understanding. The faithful, prudent, and humble receive what they ask for.

⁹ And again, leaving the region of Tyre, He came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the midst of the region of the Decapolis. Here, Mark specifically recounts the tenth miracle. Tyre means “narrowness” and represents Judea, to which the Lord says, “The bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in”, signifying that He must turn to other nations. Sidon means “hunting” and symbolizes our own wild and untamed nation. He then comes to the Sea of Galilee, which represents fruitful change, passing through the borders of the Decapolis, a name that signifies the commandments of the Decalogue. The Saviour is led by the apostles to bring salvation to the Gentiles, just as He told the young man who asked what he should do: “You know the commandments”.

¹⁰ And they brought to Him a man who was deaf and mute. Humanity, through its many members, is described as though a single man afflicted with various plagues: in the first man, he is blinded while seeing, made deaf while hearing, loses his sense of smell while breathing, becomes mute while speaking, withers while extending his hand, bends while standing upright, becomes dropsical while desiring, limps while walking, is covered in leprosy while being exposed, is filled with a demon while seeking divinity, and dies when he boldly excuses what he disobediently committed.

¹¹ And they begged Him to lay His hand on him. Many righteous people and patriarchs longed and hoped for the Lord to take on flesh.

¹² Taking him aside from the crowd, He put His fingers into his ears. One who is worthy of being healed is always led away from turbulent thoughts, disordered actions, and careless speech. The fingers placed in his ears represent the words of the Spirit, of whom it is said, “This is the finger of God”. And again, “The heavens are the work of Your fingers”.

¹³ Then, spitting, He touched his tongue. The saliva from the Lord’s flesh represents divine wisdom, which loosens the bonds of human speech so that one may proclaim: “I believe in God, the Father Almighty,” and so on.

¹⁴ Looking up to heaven, He groaned. That is, He taught us to groan and to lift the treasure of our hearts to heaven, for through the sigh of true contrition, the fleeting joys of the flesh are purified. As it is written, “I roared with the groaning of my heart”.

¹⁵ And He said to him, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened.” For “one believes with the heart unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation”.

¹⁶ Immediately, his ears were opened, the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. His ears were opened to hymns, songs, and psalms. His tongue was freed so that he might pour forth a good word, one that neither threats nor beatings can silence. As the Apostle Paul says, “I am in chains, but the word of God is not bound”.

¹⁷ And He commanded them not to tell anyone. He taught that we should not boast in miracles, but in the cross and in humility.

¹⁸ Yet the more He commanded them, the more they proclaimed it, and they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak”. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; humility always precedes glory.

Chapter 8 #

¹ In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered and had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples and said to them, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have now been with Me for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away fasting to their homes, they will collapse on the way, for some of them have come from afar.” His disciples answered Him, “How can anyone satisfy these people with bread here in this desolate place?” He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They replied, “Seven.” Then He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to His disciples to distribute. And they set them before the people. They also had a few small fish, and He blessed them as well and commanded that they be served. They ate and were satisfied. Afterward, they collected seven baskets full of the leftover pieces. Those who had eaten were about four thousand, and He sent them away.

² Immediately, He got into the boat with His disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha. There, the Pharisees came and began to dispute with Him, seeking a sign from heaven, testing Him. Sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And leaving them, He got back into the boat and crossed to the other side. But the disciples had forgotten to bring bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat.

³ Jesus warned them, saying, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” They began discussing among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not understand or comprehend? Are your hearts still hardened? You have eyes—do you not see? You have ears—do you not hear? Do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of leftovers did you collect?” They answered him, “Twelve.” “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets of fragments did you take up?” They answered, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” Then they came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man to Jesus.

⁴ By the eleventh power, seven loaves were broken for four thousand who were fasting, and a few small fish were blessed; and from the fragments, seven baskets full were gathered. The seven loaves represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. The four thousand symbolize the era of the New Testament, structured around the four seasons. The seven baskets correspond to the first seven churches. The fragments of the loaves represent the mystical understanding of the first week. The blessed fish signify the books of the New Testament, for after His resurrection, the Lord asked for a piece of broiled fish, and He gave His disciples a fish laid on burning coals after their miraculous catch.

⁵ After this, they came to Bethsaida, which means “house of the valley.” What is this, if not the world, which is the valley of tears? By the twelfth power, they brought a blind man—one who could not see, neither forward nor backward, that is, the One “who was, who is, and who is to come”.

⁶ They begged Jesus to touch him. Taking the blind man by the hand (who is touched but the one who is moved to repentance?), He grasped the blind man’s hand so that he might grieve over the blindness of his heart, weeping as Jeremiah did over the destruction of God’s city, which is, in truth, the ruin of his own soul.

⁷ He led him outside the village, then, spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, asked if he could see anything. That is, He led him away from the influence of evildoers, for “bad company corrupts good morals”. Spitting on his eyes, He enabled him to see the will of the Lord through the breath of the Holy Spirit. By laying His hands on him, He questioned whether he could see anything. Through the works of the Lord, he perceives His majesty, for “from the greatness and beauty of created things, the Creator is seen”.

⁸ The man looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees walking.” Then Jesus laid His hands on his eyes again, and he began to see clearly; his sight was fully restored, so that he could see everything distinctly. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Go to your house.”

⁹ This means he came to regard all people as greater than himself, judging himself unworthy—like David, who called himself a dead dog and a mere flea. Jesus placed His hands on his eyes again so that he might see all things clearly—that is, so that through visible works, he might understand invisible realities, perceiving what “eye has not seen”. He could now gaze upon the state of his soul, purified from the stain of sin, with the eyes of a cleansed heart. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”.

¹⁰ Jesus sent him home so that he might recognize within himself what he had never seen before. A person in despair does not believe salvation is possible, yet one enlightened by hope can easily accomplish what once seemed impossible. And He said to him, “And if you enter the village, tell no one.”

¹¹ Then Jesus and His disciples went out to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, and on the way, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They answered Him, “John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” Then He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” And He strictly ordered them not to tell anyone about Him.

¹² This means that you should always confess your former blindness to those near you, not boast of your virtue—just as Paul said: “I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor of the Church of God”.

¹³ And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this message openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Then, calling the crowd together with His disciples, He said, “If anyone wants to follow Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the Gospel will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels”.

¹⁴ Just as a skilled captain prepares his sailors in calm waters before the storm, so too does the Lord call His followers to readiness: “If anyone wants to follow Me, let him deny himself,” meaning he must be transformed into something new. After the confirmation of the cross, the glory of the resurrection is revealed. Thus follows the power of the thirteenth virtue.

Chapter 9 #

¹ And He said to them, “Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God come with power”. And after six days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There, He was transfigured before them, and His garments became dazzling, exceedingly white—whiter than any launderer on earth could make them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what he was saying, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him.” Suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no one with them except Jesus alone. As they were coming down the mountain, He commanded them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. After six days, He was transfigured on the high mountain before His disciples, so that those who had seen with their own eyes the glory of the coming resurrection would not fear the shame of the cross.

² And they kept this word to themselves, wondering what He meant by rising from the dead. Then they asked Him, “Why do the Pharisees and scribes say that Elijah must come first?” He answered them, “Elijah does indeed come first and restores all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man? That He must suffer many things and be rejected. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, just as it is written about him”. This is uniquely recorded by Mark—that when death is swallowed up in victory, it will no longer be remembered or come to mind, for the Lord will cleanse the filth of the daughter of Zion, wiping away every tear from the faces of His saints.

³ And when He came to His disciples, He saw a great crowd around them, and the scribes arguing with them. Immediately, when all the people saw Jesus, they were amazed and ran to greet Him. There is no rest for man under the sun. Envy always seeks to destroy the little ones, just as lightning strikes the mighty mountains. Some come to the Church with faith, while others, full of pride and envy, approach with ill intent. And the people, seeing Him, were astonished and afraid. But there is no fear in love, for fear belongs to servants, and astonishment is for the foolish.

⁴ And He asked them, “What are you discussing among yourselves?” One from the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought my son to You. He has a mute spirit, and whenever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Jesus replied, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I endure you? Bring him to Me.” So they brought the boy. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately convulsed him, and he fell to the ground, rolling and foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?”

⁵ The Lord, who knows all things, asks this not for His own knowledge but so that confession may lead to salvation, and the murmuring of our hearts may be expressed in holy words, as it is written: “Declare your sins first, so that you may be justified”. Later, on the fourteenth act of power, someone from the crowd brought a boy possessed by an unclean spirit, and the rest followed. The disciples were unable to heal him, but the Saviour did. The unbelief of both the disciples and the father hindered the boy’s healing. The spirit tormented him, making him foam, grind his teeth, and wither. Likewise, a sinner foams with envy and foolishness, grinds his teeth in anger, and withers in sloth. The spirit tears at those approaching salvation, for they are its desired prey, whom it longs to consume through terror and affliction—just as it did with Job.

⁶ Jesus asked about the duration of the affliction. This passage signifies the Gentile people, who from birth had grown up in the vain worship of idols, so that they foolishly sacrificed their children to demons. Hence it follows: “From childhood, he has often thrown him into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us”. For some among the Gentiles worshipped fire, others water. But Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to the one who believes”. Here, the freedom of the will is indicated. And immediately, the boy’s father cried out with tears, saying, “I believe, Lord; help my unbelief!”. What are all things, if not those things that are asked for in the name of Jesus, that is, salvation, with tears? The boy’s father said, “I believe, Lord; help my unbelief!” Our faith, like a feeble tongue, cannot stand unless it rests on the strength of God’s help. Faith, accompanied by tears, obtains the desired blessings, as it is said, “Let it be done to you according to your faith”. And when Jesus saw the crowd running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it… Here, Mark narrates specifically. The Lord’s rebuke is His power: “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again”. God imputes to the spirit what the devil does to man, as the possessed man could neither hear nor speak, though a sinner hears and speaks completely. “Come out of him and enter him no more.” And crying out and convulsing him violently, the spirit came out. When the evil spirit leaves a man, it never returns if the man secures his heart with the key of humility and charity and keeps the door guarded. As the prophet says, “Be to me a protecting God and a fortified place to save me”. And he became as if dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” But Jesus, taking him by the hand, raised him up, and he arose. For those who are healed are said to be dead, and “your life is hidden with Christ in God”. Thus, the weakness of Christians is not death but the likeness of death.

⁷ When they entered the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting”. Then, departing from there, they passed through Galilee, but He did not want anyone to know. He was teaching His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men; they will kill Him, and after being killed, He will rise on the third day.” But they did not understand His words and were afraid to ask Him. Foolishness belongs to the indulgence of the flesh, but it is healed through fasting and prayer. Anger and sloth are driven away by prayer. The proper remedy must be applied to each wound—what heals the eye will not heal the heel. The passions of the body must be overcome by fasting, and the afflictions of the soul must be healed by prayer.

⁸ And they came to Capernaum—a name meaning “village of consolation.” This meaning aligns with the previous statement: “And after being killed, He will rise on the third day”. The grain of wheat must die so that it may yield a greater harvest; if it does not die, it remains alone.

⁹ While they were at home, Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they remained silent, for on the way they had argued among themselves about who was the greatest. So he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all.” Then he took a child, placed him in their midst, and, embracing him, said, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me does not receive me, but the one who sent me.” John said to him, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, but he does not follow us, and we tried to stop him.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him. No one who works a miracle in my name will soon after be able to speak evil of me. For whoever is not against you is for you. And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name because you belong to Christ—truly, I tell you, he will not lose his reward. And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off”. On the way, they were concerned with leadership—such a discussion fits the place. For leadership is entered into in the same way that it is abandoned; and as long as it is held, it slips away. It is uncertain at which station, that is, on which day, it will end. That is why he says, “Whoever wants to be first must be the servant, like a child.”

¹⁰ It is better for you to enter life crippled—that is, without the desire for leadership—than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire. The two hands represent authority and pride. Cut off pride while holding on to humble leadership.

¹¹ “Where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched”. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter eternal life lame than to have two feet and be cast into the fire of hell, which cannot be extinguished: “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not 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 cast into the fire of hell: “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”

¹² The worm represents a conscience that awakens too late, and the fire signifies a punishment that never ends. That is why the prophet says, “Walk in the light of your fire and the flames you have kindled for yourselves”.

¹³ “For everyone will be salted with fire”. This is a remarkable saying. Just as salt preserves from decay by keeping the worm away, so too does fire consume whatever it touches—just as, according to the Law, sacrifices offered on the altar were burned. That is why it was commanded that salt be included in every offering and sacrifice.

¹⁴ Salt represents the sweetness of wisdom, and fire signifies the grace of the Holy Spirit. “Everyone will be salted with fire,” meaning that every one of God’s chosen is seasoned with wisdom so that they may become a worthy sacrifice for His altar. Thus, it is fitting that the passage continues:

¹⁵ Every sacrifice will be salted with salt. The true sacrifice of the Lord is the person who consecrates both body and soul to God by purging them of sin through love and the Holy Spirit. Such a person is not merely sprinkled with salt but consumed by fire—when not only the stain of sin is removed but even the pleasures of this present life are set aside, and the heart longs entirely for the life to come. As it is written, “Our citizenship is in heaven”. And again, “I urge you, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God”. The altar of God is the heart of the righteous; the sacrifices and offerings are the good works of the faithful. Every sacrifice requires salt because no good work is complete without wisdom. The fire consumes the sacrifices on the altar—this is the fire of which Christ spoke when He baptized us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Fire represents tribulations; this relates to Christ’s command to remove whatever causes us to sin, even when it is painful, for this, too, is being “salted with fire”—being tested by trials, renouncing even those dear to us out of love for Christ. For “every sacrifice will be salted with salt”. Humanity itself is the Lord’s offering, salted with the wisdom of reason, so that the corruption of sin may be overcome, just as decay is prevented by salt. In the next life, the soul is further purified by the fire of purgation.

¹⁶ Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how can it be made salty again? The tasteless salt is the one who loves power, who fears to rebuke wrongdoing, and who refuses to confess the truth lest he be cast out of the synagogue—loving human praise more than the glory of God.

¹⁷ Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another. Let the sharpness of correction be tempered by love for one’s neighbor, and let love itself be seasoned with the salt of justice. When His disciples were back in the house, they asked Him again about this matter. This shows that returning to the knowledge of the Word does not bring weariness but rather increases hunger and thirst, as it is written: “Those who eat me will hunger still, and those who drink me will thirst for more”. The sweet words of wisdom, once tasted with diligence, reveal ever greater richness of flavour. When the Lord rained down manna, it melted under the sun like wax, signifying how His words, though softened for understanding, still shine brightly—just as it is written: “The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father”. Yet, like bread, wisdom is strengthened by fire, for “bread strengthens the human heart”. It also prepares one for hardship, as Christ said: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me”.

Chapter 10 #

¹ Then, rising from there, He went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan, and once again crowds gathered around Him, and, as was His custom, He taught them again. The Pharisees approached and tested Him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away”. Jesus said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts, he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate”. The Pharisees again questioned Him, testing Him, about whether it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife.

² And in the house, the disciples again asked Him about this matter. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a wife divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery”.

³ People were bringing little children to Him so that He might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me; do not stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Then He embraced them, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.

⁴ As He was going along the road, a man ran up, knelt before Him, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honour your father and mother”. The man answered, “Teacher, I have kept all these from my youth.” Jesus looked at him with love and said, “You lack one thing: Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me”.

⁵ When he heard this, he was saddened and went away grieving, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God”. They were even more amazed and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God”.

⁶ Peter began to say to Him, “Look, we have left everything and followed You.” Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times as much now in this present age—houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first”.

⁷ Now they were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. They were astonished, and those who followed were afraid. Once again, He took the Twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him. “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. They will condemn Him to death and hand Him over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him, spit on Him, flog Him, and kill Him, but on the third day, He will rise again”.

⁸ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him and said, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They replied, “Grant that we may sit, one at Your right hand and the other at Your left, in Your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They answered, “We can.” Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. But to sit at My right or My left is not Mine to grant; it is for those for whom it has been prepared”.

⁹ When the ten heard this, they began to be indignant with James and John. But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the servant of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many”.

¹⁰ This refers to the state of marriage, as the following chapter indicates. And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife…” and so on. But as Mark records, “the disciples questioned Him again”. It was not the disciples who first questioned Him, but the Pharisees. However, the second question was asked by others—namely, the apostles—on the same matter about which the Pharisees had first questioned Him.

¹¹ They came to Jericho. Jericho means “moon” or “anathema,” which is fitting as Jesus’ Passion draws near. For the weakness of Christ’s flesh is like the new moon of the heavenly Jerusalem. Thus, leaving Jericho, they approach Jerusalem, which means “the vision of peace.”

¹² As He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, a blind man, was sitting by the roadside begging. The blind man is enlightened by the fifteenth virtue. The blindness that has partially afflicted the Jews will be lifted in the end, when He sends them the prophet Elijah. “Sitting by the roadside begging” signifies one who preserves Scripture but does not fulfil it—he hungers, begging beside the way.

¹³ When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”. Through the merits of the patriarchs, the Jewish people will be enlightened. And the Lord, who is merciful and compassionate, will come to them—giving sight to the blind, lifting up the fallen, loving the poor, and protecting the stranger.

¹⁴ And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”. Sins and demons try to silence the cry of the poor, but the Lord hears him. Yet he cried out even more—when the battle grows fierce, hands must be lifted to the stone of help, that is, to Jesus of Nazareth, with a cry of faith.

¹⁵ And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be called. So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; rise, He is calling you”. How fitting is the order of salvation: first, we hear; then, we cry out; after that, we are called; and finally, we rise. We hear through the prophets, we cry out through faith, we are called through the apostles, we rise through repentance, we are stripped of sin through baptism, and we are questioned according to our will.

¹⁶ Hence, it follows: “Throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus”. Throwing off the old self and leaping forward is like a young deer skipping over the hills and bounding across the mountains. Shedding slothfulness, one looks to the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles who dwell in the heights and stretches toward the things above.

¹⁷ Then Jesus answered him and said: “What do you want me to do for you?” Seeing the man’s eager will, Jesus rewards him with the fulfillment of his desire. As He says elsewhere: “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believing, you will receive”. The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may see!” He asks only one thing from the Lord: that he may see the will of God. And once he sees, he will visit His temple.

¹⁸ Thus, it follows: “Jesus said to him, ‘Go, your faith has saved you.’ Immediately, he received his sight and followed Him on the way. The blind man had once begged by the roadside, yet Jesus says, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life”. This is the narrow path that leads upward—to Jerusalem, to Bethany, to the Mount of Olives, which is the mountain of light and consolation.

Chapter 11 #

¹ As they approached Jerusalem and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives—this is the vision of peace, where happiness remains fixed and unshaken, the city that, according to the Apostle, is the mother of all who believe and live rightly in Christ.

² He sent two of His disciples and said to them: “Go into the village ahead of you, and as soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, one that no one has ever sat upon. Untie it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it,’ and immediately they will send it here.” So they went and found the colt tied at a doorway outside, at a crossroads, and they untied it.

³ Christ’s disciples are called and sent in pairs because charity does not exist in isolation. As it is written: “Woe to the one who is alone”. Two led the Hebrews out of Egypt. Two carried the cluster of grapes from the Holy Land. So too must leaders always unite work with knowledge. They proclaim the two commandments from the two tablets, are washed in and wash others with the two fountains, bear the Ark of the Lord on two poles, and come to know God between the two cherubim, singing to Him in spirit and in mind.

⁴ They lead the tied and unbroken colt, which they untie and tame—this colt represents the Gentile people, bound before the doorway of faith by the chains of their sins, standing at the crossroads, wavering in their free will between life and death.

⁵ Some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They answered just as Jesus had instructed them, and the people let them go. They brought the colt to Jesus—as if to say, “Who can forgive sins?”

⁶ They laid their garments on it, signifying the first robe of immortality, which is given through the sacrament of baptism. And He sat upon it, meaning He began to reign over it, so that sin would no longer rule in the flesh given to indulgence, but rather righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

⁷ Many spread their garments on the road. Who are the “feet” if not those who bear others and the lowliest whom the Apostle appointed to judge? Even if they are not among those upon whom the Lord sits, they are nonetheless instructed alongside the soldiers by John.

⁸ Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”

⁹ This pertains more to prayer and sacrament than to necessity. “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree”; though narrow in their roots, they are broad in their blossoms and fruits, for they are the sweet fragrance of Christ and pave the way of God’s commandments with their good reputation. Those who went ahead represent the prophets, and those who followed represent the apostles—just as “deep calls to deep”, meaning one law calls to another. “Hosanna” means “save us,” a cry heard both in the heights and in the depths. Thus, the righteous are built up even as the fallen angels are brought low, and those of the earth and under the earth are saved by the Blessed One who triumphs and comes in the name of the Lord—that is, in the name of His Father. For the Son has received His name from the Father, and the Father from the Son.

¹⁰ And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. After looking around at everything, since it was already evening, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve. The next day, as they were leaving Bethany, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree in the distance covered with leaves, he went to see if he could find anything on it. But when he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response, he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard this.

¹¹ They came to Jerusalem, and when he entered the temple, he began to drive out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves, and he would not allow anyone to carry goods through the temple. He taught them, saying, “Is it not written: ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a den of thieves.” When the chief priests and scribes heard this, they sought a way to destroy him, for they feared him because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

¹² Jesus entered the temple in the evening and went out to Bethany with the Twelve, returning to Judea in the morning—just as he visits us in the evening of the world. The Lord, hungering for the salvation of humanity, saw the fig tree from afar, adorned with leaves but bearing no fruit—just like the synagogue, clothed in human traditions and swept clean by superstitions. He declared that it would bear no fruit forever. Then, entering the temple, he drove out those who were buying and selling, overturning tables and seats—those who sell honour and buy positions. As it is written: “My house shall be called a house of prayer”, but “you have made it a den of thieves”.

¹³ When evening came, He left the city. In the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. This has a deeper meaning: leaving behind the darkness, like the sun rising in the hearts of the Jews, He departed from the city to another—one that is kind and obedient. In the morning, as they returned, they saw the fig tree withered. The sun sets, the sun rises: the light is taken from the scribes and now shines in the apostles. The fig tree withered from the roots represents the synagogue, descended from Cain and from those whose guilt brings upon them the reckoning for all the blood shed from Abel to Zechariah.

¹⁴ Peter remembered and said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree You cursed has withered”. Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God”. Peter recognizes the root as dried up and cut off; in its place follows the beautiful and fruitful olive tree, chosen by the Lord. Thus, the passage continues.

¹⁵ Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain—meaning Christ, the mountain that grows from the stone cut without human hands—“Be taken up and cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it will be yours. This was fulfilled when the apostles said, “We now turn to the Gentiles, since you have judged yourselves unworthy of hearing the word of God”.

¹⁶ And when you stand in prayer, forgive if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your sins. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your sins. Mark, in his usual manner, sums up the seven petitions of the Lord’s Prayer in a single teaching. Indeed, the one to whom all has been forgiven—what more should he ask, except that he may persevere in what he has already received?

¹⁷ They came again to Jerusalem. As Jesus was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him and asked, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do them?” But Jesus answered them, “I will ask you one question; answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men? Answer Me”.

¹⁸ They debated among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the people, for they all held John to be a true prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know”. Out of envy, they darkened their own light, fulfilling the words: “I have prepared a lamp for My anointed; I will clothe his enemies with shame”.

¹⁹ Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things”. Here, God overthrows the deceitful, as it is written, “With the crooked, You show Yourself shrewd”.

Chapter 12 #

¹ And he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went away on a journey. At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Again, he sent another servant to them, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent yet another, and they killed him. He sent many others—some they beat, others they killed. Finally, he had one son, his beloved. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd, for they knew that he had spoken this parable against them.

² And leaving him, they went away. Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to him to trap him in his words. When they came, they said to him: “Master, God is called Father out of human affection”.

³ The vineyard represents the house of Israel. The fence is the protection of angels. The winepress is the Law. The tower is the Temple. The tenants are the priests. God’s ‘departure’ signifies the freedom of our will. The servants who were sent are the prophets. The fruit of the vineyard is obedience. Some of the prophets were beaten, others wounded, others killed. The beloved and final Son is the Only-Begotten. “They will respect my son”—this was said ironically. And they cast him out of the vineyard, meaning outside the people, saying: “You are a Samaritan and have a demon”. The vineyard is given to others—those coming from the East and West, from the South and North, who will sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God. This is the rejected stone, which the cornerstone holds together, uniting in the pure supper the Lamb with the bread, ending the Old Testament and beginning the New. He performs wonders before our eyes, like topaz.

⁴ Then they questioned him with sweet words, surrounding him like bees—honey on their lips, a sting in their tails—saying: “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not show partiality, for you do not look at appearances but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay tribute to Caesar, or should we not pay?” But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why do you test me? Bring me a denarius so that I may see it.” And they brought him one. He asked them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.” And they were amazed at him.

⁵ Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and questioned him: “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves behind a wife but no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. Now, there were seven brothers. The first married a woman, but he died without leaving any children. The second married her and also died without leaving offspring, and the third did likewise. And the seven all married her in the same way, but none left any offspring. Finally, the woman also died. In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as a wife.”

⁶ Jesus answered them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken—because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage, but they will be like the angels in heaven.”

⁷ Evil thoughts are indeed sunk into the depths of the earth, for they arise from it and are again immersed in its filth. This was clearly the case with the Jews when, in their blasphemy, they shed the innocent blood of Christ. He answered them, when they presented a coin bearing Caesar’s image: “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God”. The light of God’s face is imprinted upon us, not that of Caesar.

⁸ Then came to Him the Sadducees, and so on. We will discuss this question elsewhere, for here we are not concerned with the errors of others. But what is certain is that in the resurrection, men will be like the angels of God—no one will die there, no one will be born, neither infant nor elder.

⁹ The barren woman who left no offspring after being married to seven brothers and who finally died—what else does she signify but the Jewish synagogue, abandoned and as if dead to the sevenfold Spirit, which filled the seven patriarchs? They did not leave offspring to Abraham, which is Jesus Christ. For though a child was born to them, He was given to us, the Gentiles. This woman was dead to Christ and will not be joined in resurrection to any of the seven patriarchs.

¹⁰ The number seven signifies the totality of the perfect, as Isaiah says in reverse: “Seven women will take hold of one man”—that is, the seven Churches, which the one Lord loves, rebukes, and chastises, and which worship Him with one faith. These are the seven baskets full of the fragments of bread. The loaves symbolize the words of the Holy Spirit, while the baskets represent the Churches. Jesus blessed these loaves, broke them, and His disciples distributed them to the crowd—just as on the seventh day He blessed all His works and rested in them.

¹¹ Thus, when light was made on the first day, it signified wisdom; the firmament on the second, understanding; the gathering of dry land on the third, counsel; the lights set in the heavens on the fourth, fortitude; the birds and fish created on the fifth, knowledge; the living soul made on the sixth—meaning man created in the image of God—piety; and on the seventh day, the spirit of the fear of the Lord, which remains holy forever and fills the whole world. Likewise, the holy Church is filled with this Spirit, spotless and without blemish.

¹² But why is the sevenfold Church, that is, the perfect Church, filled with fear? Because “the righteous man is scarcely saved”, and he prays, “Enter not into judgment with your servant, O Lord, for no living man will be justified in your sight”.

¹³ For this reason, the psaltery sings of these seven qualities of the Spirit, recalling what our negligence has brought forth, what diligence has sought, what divine providence has bestowed, what the enemy’s temptation has stolen, what slippery forgetfulness has taken away, what human frailty has caused, and what reckless ignorance has deceived.

¹⁴ All these seven affections are expressed in the Psalms, as in the first: “He conceived sorrow and brought forth iniquity”. The second: “I rose before dawn and cried out”. The third: “You have made known to me the uncertain and hidden things of Your wisdom”. The fourth: “My enemies have surrounded my soul”. The fifth: “I am forgotten like one dead and out of mind”. The sixth: “For my loins are filled with illusions”. The seventh: “Do not remember the sins of my youth and my ignorance, O Lord”.

¹⁵ These affections are purified and enlightened by the sevenfold Spirit, just as seven burning lamps in the south dispel northern darkness in the tabernacle of the Lord. The Spirit of Wisdom drives away negligence in the lazy. The Spirit of Understanding seeks diligence with reason. The Spirit of Counsel prudently discovers divine providence. The Spirit of Fortitude boldly restrains temptations. The Spirit of Knowledge does not allow forgetfulness to persist for long. The Spirit of Piety mercifully forgives human frailty. The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord fervently purges reckless ignorance and completely fills the soul.

¹⁶ Wisdom builds the house; understanding finds its course; counsel ensures good discernment; fortitude, through patience, possesses the soul; knowledge acquires the riches of faith and salvation; piety establishes prosperity in both present and future life; and fear preserves humility and expels all sin. For “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”.

¹⁷ Regarding the dead and their resurrection, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are greatly mistaken. In this, you are like the burning bush: though the fire blazed, it did not consume its thorns. So too does my word set you aflame, yet it does not take away the thorns you bear under the curse. When He said, “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” naming God three times, He revealed the Trinity. Yet in saying, “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living,” He affirmed the one divine substance. The living are those who held fast to the inheritance they chose, while the dead are those who lost what they claimed.

¹⁸ Then one of the scribes, who had heard them debating and saw that Jesus had answered them well, approached Him and asked, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus answered, “The first of all the commandments is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one Lord. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these”. What is this question, so common among those learned in the Law, if not a reflection of how the commandments are arranged differently in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy? This is why He did not give just one, but two commandments—for from these two raised breasts upon the Bride’s chest, our infancy in faith is nourished.

¹⁹ The scribe then said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth: there is one God, and there is no other besides Him. And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself is greater than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Seeing that he had answered wisely, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God”.

²⁰ And no one dared to question Him any further. Then Jesus, teaching in the temple, said, “How do the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? For David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, said: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’. David himself calls Him ‘Lord,’ so how can He be his son?” And the great crowd listened to Him gladly.

²¹ In His teaching, He also said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, who seek greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honour at banquets. They devour widows’ houses under the pretense of long prayers. They will receive a more severe judgment”. Why, then, is the one who comes deceitfully not far from the kingdom? Because ignorance is farther from the kingdom of God than knowledge. This is why He said earlier to the Sadducees, “You are mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God”. Jesus was teaching them in the temple—that is, He was speaking openly about Himself so that they would be without excuse, and so that fire might consume the withered examples of the scribes and Pharisees, who desire to walk in fine robes.

²² Then Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, that is, the storehouse of wealth.

²³ Jesus watched as the crowd put their money into the treasury, and many rich people gave large amounts. Then a poor widow came and put in two small coins, which make a penny. Calling His disciples to Him, He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who contributed to the treasury. For they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had—her whole livelihood”. Who are the rich, if not those who bring forth both new and old treasures from the storehouse of their hearts? These are the deep and hidden mysteries of wisdom in both Testaments. And who is the poor widow, if not myself and others like me, who give what we can and long to give what we cannot fully explain to you? For God does not judge by how much is given, but by how much one has to give. Anyone can offer a penny. This is like the unleavened bread of Leviticus, representing a willing heart. But why is it called a penny? Because it consists of three things: thought, word, and deed. When it says she gave her whole livelihood, it means that all bodily pleasure depends on sustenance. As it is written, “All a man’s toil is for his mouth”.

Chapter 13 #

¹ As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Master, look at these massive stones and magnificent buildings!” But Jesus replied, “Do you see all these great structures? Not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down”. Later, as He sat on the Mount of Olives facing the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that all this is about to be fulfilled?” Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one deceives you. Many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am He,’ and will mislead many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is not yet. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places and famines. These are the beginning of the birth pains. But be on your guard. They will hand you over to councils; you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings because of Me, as a testimony to them. And the Gospel must first be preached to all nations. When they arrest and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Speak whatever is given to you at that moment, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit”. “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end will be saved”. “When you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be—let the reader understand—then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let the one on the housetop not go down or enter to take anything from his house, and let the one in the field not turn back to get his cloak. Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days! Pray that it will not happen in winter. For those days will be of tribulation such as has not been from the beginning of creation, which God made, until now, and never will be again. And if the Lord had not shortened those days, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He has chosen, He has shortened them”. “At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there He is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will arise, and they will perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So be on guard! See, I have told you everything beforehand. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory”. And then He will send His angels and gather His chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. Learn this lesson from the fig tree: When its branch becomes tender and its leaves sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that it is near, at the very doors. Truly, I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

² He describes to His disciples the disaster of the last times—that is, the destruction of the Temple, along with its people and its written law. Not one stone will be left upon another, meaning the testimonies of the prophets against them, which the Jews turned against others, as seen in the cases of the Apostle, Ezra, Zerubbabel, and the Maccabees. Everything He lists is to be believed rather than debated. False Christs and false prophets will arise; nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes and persecution of preachers; the Gospel will be proclaimed to the ends of the earth so that before the Judgment, the Church may cry out: “From the ends of the earth, I cry to You, O Lord”. Families will turn against one another; the abomination will stand in the Temple; flee to the mountains, and let those who have ascended to the heights not descend to the depths.

³ Pray that your flight may not take place in winter or on the Sabbath—that is, that the fruits of your labour may not perish at the end of time. For in winter, the fruit comes to an end, and on the Sabbath, so does time. There will be great tribulation, and the days will be shortened for the sake of the elect—lest the evil of this time corrupt their understanding! Just as it was said of Noah. After this, the sun will be darkened, as hearts grow cold like in winter; the moon will not give its light, as the storm of dissensions rages; and the stars will fall from the sky, when the seed of Abraham—likened to the stars—almost disappears. The powers of the heavens will be shaken in the wrath of vengeance, when they are sent forth by the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power. He, who first descended like rain on Gideon’s fleece in humility, will now come in glory. And He will gather His chosen ones from the four winds, like wheat winnowed from the threshing floor of the whole earth. The parable of the fig tree is a prophecy: its sprouting leaves represent the present words, while the approaching summer signifies the Day of Judgment. On that day, every tree will reveal what it holds within—whether it is dry and destined for burning, or green and ready for planting in Eden, alongside the Tree of Life, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations. These are the words spoken to them: “Come, you who are blessed by My Father”, and so on. It continues:

⁴ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. But concerning that day or hour, no one knows—not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be watchful. What does it mean when He says, “nor the Son”? It is like when He says, “The Father is greater than I”—that is, His body, which is the Church, is still on earth.

⁵ Watch and pray, for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man who goes on a journey, leaving his house and giving his servants authority over their tasks, commanding the doorkeeper to stay alert. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know when the master of the house will return—whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you sleeping. The watchfulness required is of the mind before the death of the body. The man who goes on a journey represents Christ’s body being taken up into heaven, while the house He leaves behind is the Church. I am a servant entrusted with the authority over each work—eight talents, according to Matthew, or ten minas, according to Luke. And he commands the doorkeeper to stay awake—that is, the preacher, to whom it is said: “If you do not warn the wicked of their wickedness, I will require their blood from your hand”. Therefore, stay awake, and so on. Whether in the evening or at midnight—when the firstborn of Egypt were struck down—lest he find you sleeping. For whoever sleeps does not perceive real bodies but illusions and, when he wakes, finds himself empty of what he thought he possessed. This is exactly how those who are seized by the love of the world live in dreams during life, only to be abandoned by it after death, realizing too late that what they clung to was an illusion. It follows:

⁶ “But what I say to you, I say to all: Stay awake”. This either concludes the discourse, making it a universal command that the last should hear from the first, or it emphasizes its urgency for everyone.

Chapter 14 #

¹ The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were two days away. Now, let us sprinkle our book with blood, mark the doorposts of our homes, and tie a scarlet cord around the house of our prayer. Let us hold the scarlet thread in our hands, as Sarah did, so that we may recount the story of the red heifer slain in the valley. “Passover” means “passing over,” while “Phase” refers to “sacrifice.” The sacrifice of the lamb and the people’s passage through the sea—or through Egypt—foreshadow the Passion of Christ and the redemption of His people from hell. He visits us after two days—that is, in the fullness of the moon, signifying the perfection of Christ’s age—so that there may be no trace of darkness when we partake of the flesh of the spotless Lamb, who takes away the sins of the world. This must be done in one house, that is, within the one chosen house of His mother, the Catholic Church. With our feet shod in charity and armed with virtue, let us eat, saying: “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed”.

² The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to seize Him by deceit and kill Him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people”. While Jesus was in Bethany, reclining at the house of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly pure nard. She broke the jar and poured it over His head.

³ From the rulers came forth iniquity in Babylon. For when the head is struck down, the whole body is left powerless. Thus, the wretched ones carry out what their leaders devise. They avoid the feast day because it does not suit them. After all, there is no true celebration for those who have lost life and mercy.

⁴ Jesus came to Bethany. Just as the fawn of the deer always returns to its resting place, so too does the Son, obedient to the Father even unto death, call us to obedience. Simon the Leper represents the world—first unbelieving, then made faithful. The woman with the alabaster jar signifies the faith of the Church, which proclaims: “My nard has given its fragrance”. It is called pure nard—that is, mystical and precious. The house filled with the fragrance represents heaven and earth. The breaking of the alabaster jar symbolizes the breaking of earthly desire, and it is poured out upon the head—Christ—through whom the whole body is held together.

⁵ He reclines, that is, He humbles Himself, so that the faith of the sinner may touch Him. This faith ascends from His feet to His head and then descends again from the head to the feet—meaning it reaches Christ and then flows to His members, the Church.

⁶ Some among them were indignant and said to themselves, “Why has this perfume been wasted? It could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her harshly. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone! Why do you trouble her?” One is spoken of as representing many, and many as one. They said to themselves, “Why this waste of perfume?” The one who is lost from salvation finds destruction, and in the fruitful fig tree, he meets the snare of death. The perfume could have been sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor. Under the pretence of concern, greed speaks, yet faith reveals a mystery. Indeed, our faith is bought for three hundred denarii—that is, with the ten senses of body, soul, and spirit, each multiplied threefold—so that we, like Gideon, may take the company of three hundred men and, breaking our jars with trumpets and torches, destroy the camp of the Philistines, the poor in spirit. And as Abraham, with three hundred men, divided the spoils at evening. It continues:

⁷ “She has done a good work for me. For you will always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish, you can do good for them; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could.” The one who believes in God is credited with an act of righteousness. For it is one thing to believe Him, and another to believe in Him—that is, to cast yourself entirely upon Him. “She has done what she could.” We should not place our hope elsewhere but in what we already possess within ourselves.

⁸ “She has anointed my body beforehand for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this Gospel is preached throughout the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her”. Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. When they heard this, they rejoiced and promised to give him money. And he looked for an opportunity to hand Him over.

⁹ On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, the disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” He sent two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house: ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there”. The disciples went into the city and found everything as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover. That is, before the one came who would shut Him out.

¹⁰ Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve—one in number, but not one in virtue; one in name, but not one in spirit; one in body, but not one in heart. Thus, the Bridegroom sings to the Bride: “You have wounded my heart, my sister, my bride, with one glance of your eyes, with one strand of your necklace”. The eye and the strand of hair symbolize the strength of wisdom, for it was said to Judas along with the others: “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom”, and “I have given you power,” and so forth.

¹¹ He went to the chief priests, and after he went out, Satan entered into him. Here, “one night speaks knowledge to another night”. Every creature is drawn to its own kind. Mary runs to the apostles so that “day unto day utters speech,” while Judas goes to the Jews so that “night unto night reveals knowledge”. They promise him money but lose their souls—he himself received the wages of his betrayal when he lost his life.

¹² He sought an opportunity. Yet the opportunity for deceit is never found without consequence, whether in this life or the next. He promises to hand Him over, just as his master, the devil, once said: “I will give you all this authority”.

¹³ On the first day of Unleavened Bread, which is eaten with bitterness—our unleavened bread is our redemption, and the bitterness is the Lord’s Passion—the disciples ask, “Where do You want us to go?” so that we may walk according to the will of God. The Lord reveals with whom He will eat the Passover, and as is His custom, He sends two disciples, as we have previously explained. He says, “Go into the city…” and so forth.

¹⁴ The city represents the Church, fortified by the walls of faith. The man they meet symbolizes the first believers. The jar of water represents the written Law. “Follow him”—he leads them to the heights, where Christ’s feast is prepared. Just as Rahab instructed the spies not to go through the lowlands but to ascend to higher ground. The large upper room signifies the great Church, where the name of the Lord is proclaimed, adorned with a diversity of virtues and tongues, as it is written: “Clothed with embroidered garments”, where the Lord’s Passover is made ready. 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.

¹⁵ When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. As they reclined at the table and were eating, He said, “Truly, I tell you, one of you who is eating with Me will betray Me.” They began to be distressed and asked Him one by one, “Is it I?” He answered, “It is one of the Twelve, the one who dips with Me in the dish. The Son of Man indeed goes as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had never been born.” While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “Take; this is My body.” The evening of the day signifies the evening of the world. For at the eleventh hour, the last ones come and receive the same denarius of eternal life as the first, because before the cross, Abraham was in the underworld, but after the cross, the thief was in Paradise. As they ate, He said, “One of you will betray Me, one who eats with Me.” For when falsehood is exposed, truth is confirmed, fulfilling what is written: “The one who ate My bread has raised his heel against Me”. All are moved, so that harmony may be achieved, like on a harp, where all the strings, properly tuned, respond in unison: “Is it I, Lord?”

¹⁶ One who was set apart, overcome by the love of money, said, “Is it I, Rabbi?” And Jesus replied, “It is one of the Twelve.” The wolf separates the sheep it seizes; the sheep that strays from the fold is exposed to the wolf’s fangs. The Son of Man goes as it has been ordained, but woe to the man by whom He is betrayed. Many, like Judas, do good outwardly, but it does not benefit them at all. It would have been better for him if he had never been born—for to remain hidden in the womb would be better than to exist only to suffer torment.

¹⁷ Jesus took bread, blessed it, and broke it, transforming His body into the bread—the Church present in the world—received in faith, blessed in its members, broken in its sufferings, given as an example, and taken in teaching. He also formed His blood in the cup, mixed with wine and water: one purifying us from sin, the other redeeming us from punishment. For by the blood of the Lamb, the houses were saved from the angel’s destruction, and by the waters of the Red Sea, the enemies were drowned—both mysteries of the Church of Christ.

¹⁸ Taking the cup and giving thanks, Jesus gave it to them. For by grace, not by our own merits, we are saved by God.

¹⁹ They all drank from it, and He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I tell you…” Blessed is this intoxication, this saving fulfillment—for the more abundantly it is received, the more it grants true sobriety of mind. Even Judas drank, but he was not filled; he did not quench the thirst of eternal fire, for he received the mysteries of Christ unworthily. Here, a blemish appears on the moon—one that is never erased. The Church is rightly compared to the moon, for it has no light of its own but receives illumination in due measure from the sun—that is, from Christ, who remains forever.

²⁰ For there are those within the Church whom no sacrifice can cleanse, for their foolish hearts lead them into sin, as they have steeped themselves in the filth of cruel and blind faith. The blood of the new covenant, poured out for many, does not correct all.

²¹ I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God. Here, He changes only the sacrifice, but not the time, so that we may never hold the Lord’s Supper before the fourteenth moon. Whoever places the resurrection on the fourteenth day holds the Lord’s Supper on the eleventh moon, which has never been found in either the Old Testament or the New.

²² And when they had sung a hymn—meaning, praise to the Lord, as it is written in the Psalm: “Those who seek Him shall praise the Lord; they shall eat and be satisfied, and all the rich of the earth shall worship”.

²³ They went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered’. But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee”.

²⁴ On the Mount of Olives, Jesus is taken, and from there He ascends to heaven, so that we may understand that we, too, ascend to heaven from the place where we keep watch, pray, are bound, and do not resist on earth. “You will all be scandalized.” All fall, but not all remain fallen. Does not one who sleeps rise again? To fall is human; to remain fallen is diabolical.

²⁵ It is written: “Strike the shepherd.” The prophet Zechariah calls for the Lord’s Passion. The Father responds, “I will strike the shepherd,” at the intercession of the saints of the underworld. The Son is sent by the Father and is struck—that is, He takes on flesh and suffers. The sheep are scattered when the shepherd is seized, but the resurrection is promised so that hope may not be extinguished.

²⁶ But Peter said to Him, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today, this very night…”. A bird without wings tries to soar high, but the body weighs down the soul, so that the fear of human death overcomes or conquers the fear of the Lord.

²⁷ “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times”. But Peter insisted even more, saying, “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all the others said the same.

²⁸ And they came to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to His disciples… The rooster crows, and Peter denies Him three times. Who is the herald of the dawn if not the Holy Spirit, whose voice, through the prophets and apostles, rouses us from the triple denial by which we, terrified by the voices of maidservants, have denied knowing God? Through His call, we are stirred to bitter tears after our fall, for we have thought wrongly of God, spoken wrongly to our neighbors, and acted wrongly toward ourselves.

²⁹ And He came to the place called Gethsemane, which means “valley of rich abundance,” where “the fat bulls enclosed Him, and many young bulls surrounded Him”.

³⁰ “Sit here while I pray.” Then He took Peter, James, and John with Him. He was set apart in prayer, just as He would be set apart in His suffering—for while He prayed, they slept, weighed down by the heaviness of their hearts.

³¹ He began to feel fear and distress. He said to them, “My soul is sorrowful unto death. Stay here and keep watch”. Moving a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed that, if possible, the hour might pass from Him. He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You; take this cup from Me—but not what I will, but what You will”. We are taught to fear and grieve before the judgment of death, for we cannot say on our own, but only through Him: “The ruler of this world is coming, but he has nothing in Me”. He said, “Abba, Father,” speaking in both Hebrew and Greek, for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek.

³² Then He returned and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?”. To the very end, He never ceases to teach us to obey our fathers and to place their will above our own. He found them sleeping—just as they slept in spirit, so too did they sleep in body.

³³ “Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”. Again, He went away and prayed, saying the same words. When He returned, He again found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy, and they did not know what to say to Him. He came a third time and said, “Sleep now and rest. It is enough. The hour has come—behold, the Son of Man is being handed over to sinners. Rise, let us go. See, My betrayer is near”.

³⁴ While He was still speaking, Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, arrived with a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. The traitor had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man—seize Him and lead Him away under guard.” When he arrived, he immediately went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed Him. Then they laid hands on Jesus and arrested Him.

³⁵ But one of those standing nearby drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. Jesus answered them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a robber? Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But this has happened so that the Scriptures may be fulfilled”. Whoever neglects prayer falls into temptation. Three times the disciples sleep, and three times the Lord prays and wakes them. This threefold slumber symbolizes the three dead whom the Lord raised: the first in a house, the second at the tomb, and the third from within the tomb itself. The threefold vigil of the Lord teaches us that, in prayer, we should acknowledge the three persons of the Trinity and ask for mercy concerning the past, the present, and the future.

³⁶ Judas came with swords and clubs—whoever despairs of God’s help relies on the power of the world. He gave a kiss as a sign, poisoned with deceit, just as Cain offered a false and rejected sacrifice. This is why they later offered Him wine mixed with vinegar on the cross. And they seized Jesus—here stands Joseph, bound and sold by his brothers, and the iron pierced his soul.

³⁷ One of them drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant—just as Peter’s preaching would later cut off the hearing of the Jews from the kingdom of God.

³⁸ Then His disciples abandoned Him and fled. Thus was fulfilled what is written: “You have taken my friends and neighbors far from me; my companions are in darkness”.

³⁹ A young man was following Him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth, and they seized him. But he left the cloth behind and fled from them naked. Then they led Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders gathered together. Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest, and he sat with the servants, warming himself by the fire. The chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death, but they found none. Many gave false testimony against Him, but their testimonies did not agree. This account is unique to Mark, just as Joseph, leaving his cloak behind, fled naked from the hands of his master’s shameless wife. Whoever wishes to escape the grasp of the wicked must leave behind attachment to worldly things and flee after Jesus. The priests and scribes gathered together, just as bulls assemble among the herds of the nations. Peter followed from a distance—“A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways”. Fear holds back, but love draws forward. He warmed himself by the fire in the courtyard of the high priest. The courtyard of the priest represents the world; the servants are demons; the fire is carnal desire. Whoever lingers there cannot weep for his sins. The chief priests sought false testimony against Jesus—“Injustice lies to itself”, just as the queen accused Joseph and the priests falsely accused Susanna. But fire without fuel dies out. Their testimonies did not agree, for what is inconsistent cannot be trusted.

⁴⁰ Some stood up and gave false testimony against Him, saying, “We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another not made with hands.’” But even their testimony did not agree. Then the high priest stood up in the midst and questioned Jesus, saying, “Do You not answer anything to what these men are testifying against You?” But He remained silent and gave no answer. Again, the high priest questioned Him. It is the way of heretics to distort the truth into a shadow of itself. Jesus had not said what they claimed, but something similar—He spoke of the temple of His body, which He would raise in three days. The high priest rose to question Him, but He remained silent. He Himself is God and our Saviour, who brought salvation to the world and came to the aid of the human race in His mercy. “Like a sheep led to the slaughter, He did not open His mouth”, and He remained silent, holding back even words of goodness. The silence of Christ undoes the defence of Adam.

⁴¹ “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”. They waited for Him from afar, yet when He came near, they did not recognize Him—just as Isaac, whose eyes were dim, did not recognize Jacob under his hands but spoke of things yet to come from a distance.

⁴² Jesus said to him, “I am”, so that they would be without excuse.

⁴³ “And you will see the Son of Man”. The high priest asks about the Son of God, but Jesus answers as the Son of Man, so that we may understand that the Son of God and the Son of Man are one and the same. This prevents us from making a quaternity within the Trinity; rather, it is necessary that man is in God, and God is in man.

⁴⁴ “Sitting at the right hand of Power”—that is, reigning eternally in life and in divine majesty.

⁴⁵ “And coming with the clouds of heaven”. He ascended in a cloud, and He will return with a cloud. He ascended in the one body He took from the Virgin, but He will return with His Church in its many forms, which is His body and His fullness, to render judgment. As Matthew says, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him…”, and so on.

⁴⁶ The high priest, tearing his garments, said, “Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy! What is your verdict?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. Some began to spit on him, cover his face, strike him with their fists, and say, “Prophesy!” Even the servants struck him with the palms of their hands.

⁴⁷ This is the ephod: in tearing it, the Jews lost their honour. Here stands Samuel, tearing the cloak from Saul’s hands as he loses his kingdom. The pagan soldiers did not tear Christ’s tunic, yet the priests tore apart the dignity of their own priesthood. And they condemned him as guilty of death—so that by his own condemnation, he might free us from our guilt; by the covering of his face, he might remove the veil from our hearts; by receiving their spit, he might cleanse the face of our souls; by the blows to his head, he might heal the head of the human race, which is Adam. And by the slaps on his cheeks, his greatest praise resounds through our hands and lips, as it is written: “Clap your hands, all you nations!”.

⁴⁸ By his cross, he freed us from torment; by his death, he destroyed our death. Just as the serpent lifted up in the wilderness defeated the deadly serpents, so too did he, in the form of a serpent, crush the ancient serpent. Thus, through the prophet, he declares, “I will be your death, O death; your sting, O hell”. His disgrace has taken away our shame. His bonds have set us free. By the crown of thorns on his head, we have received the diadem of the kingdom. By his wounds, we have been healed. By his burial, we have risen again. By his descent into hell, we have ascended to heaven. Here is found the honey in the mouth of the dead lion. Foreseeing all this, the prophet exclaims, “What shall I render to the Lord for all that he has given me?”.

⁴⁹ While Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the high priest’s servant girls came by. Seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him closely and said, “You were also with Jesus of Nazareth.” But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” Then he went out to the gateway, and the rooster crowed. The servant girl saw him again and began telling those standing nearby, “This man is one of them.” But again, he denied it. A little while later, those standing there said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” But he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this man you are talking about!” Immediately, the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

⁵⁰ Peter, without the Spirit, yielded to the voice of a servant girl; with the Spirit, he would yield neither to rulers nor to kings. The first servant girl represents hesitation, the second—consent, and the third witness—the act itself. This is the threefold denial, which is washed away by tears when Peter remembers the words of Christ. The rooster crows for us when a preacher stirs our hearts to repentance. We begin to weep when a spark of knowledge ignites us within, and we step out from what we once were.

Chapter 15 #

¹ And immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a council with the elders, the scribes, and the whole assembly. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate. Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “You say so.” The chief priests accused Him of many things, and Pilate questioned Him again: “Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You.” But Jesus said nothing more, so that Pilate was amazed.

² Now, during the feast, it was Pilate’s custom to release to them one prisoner of their choosing. There was a man called Barabbas, imprisoned with rebels who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came forward and asked for what Pilate usually granted. Pilate answered them, saying…

³ Here stands Samson, meaning “their sun,” for their sun set at noon. Dalila means “bucket,” representing the synagogue, which, like a bucket, cannot retain pure water but collects unclean refuse. Our Samson, with the jawbone of His word, strikes down countless hosts of Jews and demons and opens for us, His body, the fountain of eternal life.

⁴ The chief priests stirred up the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas and the crucifixion of Jesus. Here are the two goats: one is the scapegoat, bearing the people’s sin and sent into the wilderness of hell; the other is sacrificed for the sins of the redeemed, like the Paschal Lamb. The Lord’s portion is always slain, while the portion of the devil—who is their master—is cast unrestrained into the abyss. And so it continues.

⁵ “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Pilate asked. For he knew that the chief priests had handed Jesus over out of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to demand that he release Barabbas instead. Pilate spoke to them again: “Then what do you want me to do with the King of the Jews?” They shouted back, “Crucify Him!” Pilate asked, “Why? What evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!”

⁶ Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. Then, after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified. The soldiers led Him into the governor’s palace, the Praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort. They clothed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and placed it on His head. Then they began to salute Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!” They struck His head with a reed, spat on Him, and, kneeling down, mocked Him in feigned worship. After they had ridiculed Him, they stripped off the purple robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him out to crucify Him.

⁷ Pilate made many attempts to release the Saviour. First, he presented Him alongside a criminal; then he asked, “What then do you want me to do with the King of the Jews?” Even when the crowd responded, “Crucify Him,” he did not consent immediately. Instead, he considered the warning from his wife, who, as Matthew records, had sent him a message: “Have nothing to do with that righteous man”. By asking, “What evil has He done?” Pilate implicitly declared Jesus innocent.

⁸ The soldiers clothed Him in purple, stripping Him of His own garments—symbolizing the Jews rejecting Him. He was dressed in purple, representing the Gentile Church, gathered like the shells of the sea. Yet, when this Church would falter, He would be stripped again and clothed once more with the Jewish people. For when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, then all Israel will be saved.

⁹ And they led Him out to crucify Him. Here, Abel is led into the field by his brother to be slain. Here is Isaac carrying the wood, with Abraham and the ram caught in the thicket. Here is Joseph, with the sheaf seen in his dream, and the long tunic stained with blood. Here is Moses with the staff and the serpent lifted on the wood. Here is the cluster of grapes carried on a pole. Here is Elisha with the wood, seeking the lost axe head that had sunk deep, and which floated up to the wood—just as humanity, which fell into the abyss through the forbidden tree, is lifted back to paradise through the wood of Christ’s cross and the waters of baptism. Here is Jonah, cast into the sea from the wooden ship and swallowed for three days by the great fish.

¹⁰ And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the fields—the father of Alexander and Rufus—to carry his cross. They brought him to the place called Golgotha, which means “Place of the Skull”. Some are remembered for the merits of their ancestors, while others are remembered for the merits of their children. Simon, who was forced to carry the cross, is remembered because of the merits of his sons, who were disciples. This teaches us that in this present life, parents are aided by the wisdom of their children, just as the Jewish people are always remembered because of the merits of the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles. From the bitterness of the root springs the sweetness of the olive tree. Thus, through Jeremiah, the Lord says to Judah: “The Lord called your name, ‘A rich olive tree, beautiful in form and laden with fruit’”. “To carry his cross.” As they read, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”, he became cursed to remove the curse. Simon, who is forced to carry the cross, represents those who labour for human praise. They are compelled by men to undertake this burden, though they are not compelled by the fear and love of God. The very shape of the cross—what is it if not a figure of the four corners of the world? The east shines from the top, the north is held by the right arm, the south stands on the left, and the west is fixed beneath the feet.

¹¹ Thus, the Apostle says: “That we may know what is the height, and breadth, and length, and depth”. Birds, when they fly toward the sky, take the shape of a cross; a man swimming through water or lifting his hands in prayer is carried in the form of a cross. A ship, driven across the sea, is sustained by a mast shaped like a cross. The letter T is written as the sign of salvation and the cross. “And they brought him to Golgotha, which means Place of the Skull”. The Jews say that when the ram was sacrificed in place of Isaac on this mountain, it was there that it was beheaded—meaning that Christ, in his passion, would be separated from his fleshly people, the carnal Jews.

¹² “And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it”. “And they crucified him”. This vinegar wipes away the deadly poison of the forbidden fruit. He did not accept it, because he was suffering on behalf of others. Thus, it is written of him: “What I did not steal, I then repaid”. “And they crucified him.” Here salvation is fixed to the wood, just as death was once fixed to the first tree. The first tree was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, while the second tree—the cross—is for good alone and is the tree of life for us. The outstretched hand that first reached for the tree grasped death; the second outstretched hand, nailed to the cross, found the life that had been lost. By this tree, we are carried through the stormy sea to the land of the living.

¹³ “They divided his garments, casting lots for them to decide what each should take”. The garments of the Lord are his commandments, which cover his body—the Church. These are divided among the soldiers of the nations, forming four groups within one faith: the married, the widowed, the ordained, and the ascetic. Yet they cast lots for his seamless tunic, which represents peace and unity, woven as a single whole like a royal ring.

¹⁴ “It was the third hour when they crucified him”. Mark states this precisely, for at the sixth hour, darkness covered the land, so that no one could move their head. Mark rises from the thirtieth fold of fruit to the hundredth—that is, from the third hour of the crucifixion to the third hour of the resurrection after three days. The thirtieth fold is on the cross, the sixtieth is in the underworld, and the hundredth is in paradise.

¹⁵ “And the inscription of the charge against him read: The King of the Jews”. This corresponds to the titles of the Psalms marked In finem, ne corrumpas (“To the end, do not destroy”). It was written in three languages: Malach Jeudim (King of the Jews in Hebrew), Βασιλεὺς ἐξομολογητῶν (King of the Confessors in Greek), and Rex confitentium (King of those who acknowledge him in Latin). These three languages, joined on the title of the cross, serve as a testimony so that every tongue may recall the faithlessness of the Jews.

¹⁶ And with Him, they crucified two thieves—one on His right and the other on His left. Thus, the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “And He was counted among the wicked”. Those passing by hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself and come down from the cross!” Likewise, the chief priests, mocking Him among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross so that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him. When the sixth hour came, darkness covered the whole land until the ninth hour. Truth itself was reckoned among the wicked: one He left on His left, the other He took to His right, just as He will do on the Day of Judgment. Though guilty of the same crime, they met with different ends—one went before Peter into Paradise, while the other followed Judas into Hell. A brief confession won eternal life, while blasphemy, though short-lived, led to everlasting punishment. This is the colt of Judah bound to the vine. Here, the anabolion, that is, the cloak, is dyed in the blood of the grape; here, the kid tears apart the vineyard.

¹⁷ They blasphemed Him and shook their heads. Death falls upon the heads of the wicked when the bonds of Hell are stirred up, reaching even to the neck—the very neck of the human race. “Come down from the cross!”—as if He should abandon the salvation He had begun. Yet later, they saw Him rise from the tomb, though they had not believed He could even descend from the cross. Where is your unbelief now, O Jews? While He was still alive, you said, “If He is the King of Israel, let Him come down from the cross”. I appeal to you, I ask you to judge for yourselves—which is the greater wonder: that a living man should descend from the cross or that a dead man should rise again? You asked for little, yet something far greater has come to pass. But your unbelief could not be healed even by signs far mightier than those you demanded. “All have turned away; together they have become worthless”. At the sixth hour, darkness covered the whole land. Here stands Noah, drunk and exposed, covered in a darkened veil of heaven and earth, and mocked by man. Here, blood dripped from the wood.

¹⁸ And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?—which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”. Some of those standing nearby heard this and said, “Look, He is calling Elijah.” Then one of them ran, filled a sponge with vinegar, placed it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down”. This Psalm is written for the morning sacrifice, at which Christ was led to the cross. These are truly the words of the Son of Man, as it follows in Luke: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit”. At the ninth hour, the lost coin is found in the ruined house—the tenth drachma that had been lost. One of them ran and found a sponge, empty, weak, dry, and fit for fire. He filled it with vinegar—that is, with malice and deceit—of which it is written: “I planted you as a choice vine, wholly of pure seed; how then have you turned into the bitterness of a foreign vine?”. And again: “I looked for it to yield grapes, but it produced thorns”.

¹⁹ Jesus cried out in a loud voice and breathed his last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion, who stood facing him, saw how he had cried out and died, he said, “Truly, this man was the Son of God”. His flesh weakened, yet the divine voice prevailed, declaring, “Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will enter them and give thanks to the Lord”. We, who are from the earth, die with a low voice or in silence. But he, who descended from heaven, breathed his last with a mighty cry. The veil of the temple was torn, meaning heaven was opened. The centurion proclaimed, “Truly, he was the Son of God.” Now the last are becoming first—the Gentiles confess the truth, while blinded Judea denies it, plunging into an even greater error.

²⁰ There were also women watching from a distance, among them Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joseph, and Salome. When he was in Galilee, they had followed him and ministered to him, along with many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem. As evening approached, since it was the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a noble member of the council who was also awaiting the kingdom of God, came forward. He courageously went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was surprised that he was already dead, so he summoned the centurion and inquired whether Jesus had truly died.

²¹ When Pilate had confirmed with the centurion that Jesus was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. Joseph then bought a linen cloth, took Jesus down, wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of rock. He rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Meanwhile, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph watched where he was laid. Just as the female sex was not excluded from salvation through the Virgin Mary, so too is it not barred from the mystery of the Cross, knowledge, and resurrection through Mary Magdalene and the other mothers.

²² Joseph came in the evening of the preparation day from Arimathea—which means “one who takes down”—to take down the body for burial. He was a noble member of the council, awaiting the kingdom of God. He went boldly to Pilate and requested Jesus’ body. He purchased a linen cloth, wrapped the body in it, and placed it in a tomb cut from rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance, while Mary observed where he was laid. All these things align with the Jewish people, who will believe in the end and be made noble through faith, becoming sons of Abraham. They will cast aside despair, await the kingdom of God, and enter among Christians to be baptized.

²³ The name Pilate, meaning “one who hammers,” symbolizes the one who subdues the iron-hearted nations to rule them with a rod of iron. He asks for a sacrifice, which is granted as a final provision to those who repent—those with a pure heart, dead to sin. Jesus is wrapped in the protection of faith, secured by the covering of hope, and sealed by works of charity. For “the goal of the commandment is love”. The elect, who are like the stars of the sea, look on from afar. Yet, in those days, if it were possible, even the elect would be led into scandal.

Chapter 16 #

¹ When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. Now, as the bride is perfumed with fragrant spices, and the young women who follow after her, so we sprinkle this book and the chamber of our minds with sweet aroma. Now the King brings us into his chambers. Now Mary, the beloved, arises; winter is past, the rain has gone: flowers appear on the earth; the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The blossoming vines give off their fragrance. The Bridegroom returns from the shadow under which he rests at midday. After the sorrowful Sabbaths, a joyful day dawns, the first among days. As the first light of morning shines and my Lord rises in triumph, he proclaims: “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it”.

² Very early on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb, just after sunrise. They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” But looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away. “Very early in the morning,” which another Evangelist calls “at dawn”, is that moment between the darkness of night and the brightness of day. In this moment, salvation came to the human race, revealed in a blessed proximity, like the rising sun, which, as it draws near, sends forth the rosy dawn so that eyes, prepared by the gentle light, may behold the full splendor when the time of the Lord’s resurrection shines forth.

³ At that moment, the whole Church was to sing the praises of Christ, following the example of these women, for it was then that he gave life to the human race by the example of his resurrection, granting life and pouring forth the light of faith. The sun rises after the body has set. Here, the eagles gather at the body; the holy women and the apostles see the stone rolled away—this stone being the law of death, as if to say: “Where, O death, is your sting?”.

⁴ For the stone was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were amazed. He is the one who touches even infants in the womb, the sigh of all, and a weight upon all. They entered the tomb and saw a young man—not an old man, not a child, but one in the prime of life, as it is written: “Rejoice, young man, in your youth”. Yet this youth is not true here, for in this world it is mixed with old age. He sits at the right hand of power, that is, reigning in prosperity.

⁵ This young man reveals the form of resurrection to those who fear death. He is clothed in a white robe, which is true joy, for the enemy has been cast out, the kingdom has been gained, and the King of Peace has been sought, found, and never again lost. And they were amazed, for this is what “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man—the things God has prepared for those who love Him”.

⁶ He said to them, “Do not be afraid. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here. Look at the place where they laid Him. But go and tell His disciples, and Peter”. God is love, and in love, there is no fear. Why should they be afraid when they have found the One they were seeking? “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth.” The bitter root of the cross has vanished, for the flower of life has blossomed with its fruit—He who lay in death has risen in glory. “Look at the place.” Mortality is shown to mortals so that they may give due thanks, understanding what they were and recognizing what they will become. “But go and tell.” The women are told to announce the news to the apostles because just as death was first announced through a woman, so now life rising again is proclaimed by women. “And Peter.” He who judged himself unworthy to be a disciple, having denied his Master three times, is singled out. Past sins do no harm when they no longer please.

⁷ “He is going ahead of you into Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you”. But the women, going out, fled from the tomb, for fear and trembling had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. Jesus, rising early on the first day of the week, first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, who were mourning and weeping. But when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After this, He appeared in a different form to two of them as they were walking on their way to a village. They went and told the others, but they did not believe them either. A short phrase in words, but an immense promise in meaning. There is the fountain of our joy and the prepared source of eternal salvation. There, the scattered are gathered, and the brokenhearted are healed. “There you will see Him”—but not as you saw Him before. “But the women, going out, fled”—this speaks of the life to come, where sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

⁸ Women before the resurrection of all do what they do after the resurrection: they flee from death and fear. And they said nothing to anyone because only those who were worthy to see the mystery of the resurrection beheld it. Hence, it follows according to John: “But Peter ran to the tomb to see for himself what he had heard”. Rising early on the first day of the week, Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons, for prostitutes and tax collectors go before the synagogue into the kingdom of God, just as the thief preceded the apostles. Those who weep and mourn have not yet seen, but they will soon be comforted, for “blessed are those who mourn now, for they shall be comforted”. Yet when they heard, they did not believe. Here, faith struggles, engaging in an active life; there, the contemplative life reigns through vision. “For now we see through a glass, darkly, but then face to face”. Hence, it follows: “After these things, He appeared in another form to two of them as they were walking”, that is, to those who were labouring. And when they announced it, they were not believed, just as those who, like Moses, saw but were not satisfied. Therefore, Moses says, “Show me Your glory”. Forgetting his flesh, he asks in this life for what we hope to see in the life to come.

⁹ Finally, as the eleven were reclining at table, He appeared to them and rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. This was so that all the witnesses might proclaim to everyone what they had seen and heard together. He reproves their unbelief so that faith might take its place; He reproves the hardness of their stony hearts so that a heart full of love and flesh might succeed it. Hence, the crowds of martyrs willingly embrace death in this world because they know that through this temporary destruction, they will live forever.

¹⁰ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature”. Now, for the first time, after receiving the Spirit, they are like earthen vessels strengthened by fire. They are commanded to preach to every creature, that is, to every kind of human being, who shares something in common with all creation—angels, beasts, trees, stones, fire and water, heat and cold, moisture and dryness—because man is called a microcosm, a “little world.” The Lord Jesus, who descended from heaven to free our weak nature, also ascended above the heavens of heavens and sits at the right hand of the Father. It is worth noting that in the divine Scriptures, the heavens are often referred to in the plural, as it is written: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”, even though the earth is mentioned in the singular while the heavens are in the plural. This manner of speech is broad and allows us to use the plural for singular things and the singular for plural things. Regarding the East, the psalmist says, “The evangelists are silent,” which refers to Jerusalem, located in the eastern regions. From there, the Lord ascended to heaven before the eyes of the apostles. The earth is filled with many miracles, where the faith of believers is more often taught by deeds than by words.

¹¹ “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: in my name, they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, they will pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. And the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sits at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs”. Mark, in the two hundred and thirty-fifth chapter, recounts the signs of believers, agreeing with Matthew and Luke.