Mark 10

Mark 10:1

Bede ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (in Marc. 3, 40) Up to this time Mark hath related what our Lord said and did in Galilee; here he begins to relate what He did, taught, or suffered in Judæa, and first indeed across the Jordan on the east; and this is what is said in these words: And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Jadœa, by the farther side of Jordan; then also on this side Jordan, when He came to Jericho, Bethany, and Jerusalem. And though all the province of the Jews is generally called Judæa, to distinguish it from other nations, more especially, however, its southern portion was called Judæa, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee, Decapolis, and the other regions in the same province.

(ubi sup.) Mark the difference of temper in the multitude and in the Pharisees. The former meet together, in order to be taught, and that their sick may be healed, as Matthew relates; the latter come to Him, to try to deceive their Saviour by tempting Him. Wherefore there follows, And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting Him. (Matt. 19:2)

(ubi sup.) He says not male and females, which the sense would have required had it referred to the divorce of former wives, but male and female, so that they might be bound by the tie of one wife.

(ubi sup.) And in like manner, because He says, he shall cleave to his wife, not wives. It goes on: And they twain shall be one flesh.

(ubi sup.) The reward then of marriage is of two to become one flesh. Virginity being joined to the Spirit, becomes of one spirit.

(ubi sup.) What therefore God hath conjoined by making one flesh of a man and a woman, that man cannot separate, but God alone. Man separates, when we dismiss the first wife because we desire a second; but it is God who separates, when by common consent, for the sake of serving God, we so have wives as though we had none.n

(ubi sup.) In Matthew it is more fully expressed, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication. (Matt. 19:9.) The only carnal cause then is fornication; the only spiritual cause is the fear of God, that a man should put away his wife to enter into religiono, as we read that many have done. But there is no cause allowed by the law of God for marrying another, during the lifetime of her who is quitted. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Bede: And from there rising up, he comes into the regions of Judea beyond the Jordan. Up to this point the evangelist Mark narrated those things about the Lord which he did and taught in Galilee. Here he begins to narrate those things which he did, taught, or suffered in Judea. And first indeed beyond the Jordan to the east, then also on this side of the Jordan, when he came to Jericho, Bethany, and Jerusalem. For while the whole province of the Jews is generally called Judea to distinguish it from other nations, more specifically its southern region is called Judea, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee, Decapolis, and other regions in the same province. — On the Gospel of Mark

Bede: And again the crowds came together around him, and as was his custom, he again taught them. And the Pharisees approached him and questioned him if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife, testing him. And here one must note the difference in mindset between the crowds and the Pharisees. These came together to be taught and to have their sick healed, as the evangelist Matthew clearly recalls. But those approached to deceive the Savior and Teacher of truth by testing him. Nor is this surprising. For devotion of piety brought these, the goad of envy brought those. They ask, therefore, whether it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause, so that they might trap him in a sort of cunning argument, and whatever he answers, he will be subject to an accusation. If he says that a wife may be divorced for any reason and that others may be taken, the preacher of chastity will seem to be teaching contrary to himself. But if he answers that a wife should not be divorced for any cause, he will be held as guilty of sacrilege and acting against the teaching of Moses and through Moses of God. Therefore, the Lord tempers his response in such a way that he avoids their trap, invoking holy Scripture as testimony and opposing the natural law and the original sentence from God to the secondary one, which was granted not by God’s will but by the necessity of sinners. — On the Gospel of Mark

Glossa Ordinaria ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (non occ.) For a repetition of a saying of the Word, produces not weariness, but thirst and hunger; (Ecclus. 24:29) wherefore it is said, They that eat me shall yet be hungry, and they that drink me shall yet be thirsty; for the tasting of the honied words of wisdom yields all manner of savour to them who love her. Wherefore the Lord instructs His disciples over again; for it goes on, And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another, committeth adultery upon her. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John Chrysostom ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc. et v. Chrys. Hom. 62) For being asked, whether it is lawful, he does not immediately reply, it is not lawful, lest they should raise an outcry, but He first wished them to answer Him as to the sentence of the law, that they by their answer might furnish Him with what it was right to say. Wherefore it goes on, And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And afterwards, And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. They put forward indeed this that Moses had said either on account of the question of our Saviour, or wishing to excite against Him a multitude of men. For divorce was an indifferent thing among the Jews, and all practised it, as though it were permitted by the law.

(ubi sup.) If however he had wished one wife to be put away and another to be brought in, He would have created several women. Nor did God only join one woman to one man, but He also bade a man quit his parents and cleave to his wife. Wherefore it goes on: And he said, (that is, God said by Adam,) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife. From the very mode of speech, showing the impossibility of severing marriage, because He said, He shall cleave.

(ubi sup.) Being framed out of one root, they will join into one body. It goes on: So then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

(ubi sup.) After this, bringing forward an awful argument, He said not, do not divide, but He concluded, What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

(non occ.) But if two persons, whom God has joined together, are not to be separated; much more is it wrong to separate from Christ, the Church, which God has joined to Him. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Pseudo-Chrysostom ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (Cat. in Marc. Oxon.) Or else, it is said, For the hardness of your hearts, because it is possible for a soul purged from desires and from anger to bear the worst of women; but if those passions have a redoubled force over the mind, many evils will arise from hatred in marriage. (Chrys. ubi sup.). Thus then, He saves Moses, who had given the law, from their accusation, and turns the whole upon their head. But since what He had said was grievous to them, He at once brings back the discourse to the old law, saying, But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) The Lord calls by the name of adultery cohabitation with her who is not a man’s wife; she is not, however, a wife, whom a man has taken to him, after quitting his first; and for this reason he commits adultery upon her, that is, upon the second, whom he brings in. And the same thing is true in the case of the woman; wherefore it goes on, And if a woman shall put away her husband, and marry another, she committeth adultery; for she cannot be joined to another as her own husband, if she leave him who is really her own husband. The law indeed forbade what was plainly adultery; but the Saviour forbids this, which was neither plain, nor known to all, though it was contrary to nature.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) There is no contrariety in Matthew’s relating that He spoke these words to the Pharisees, though Mark says that they were spoken to the disciples; for it is possible that He may have spoken them to both. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Pseudo-Jerome ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): This second question is said to be asked again by the Apostles, because it is on the subject of which the Pharisees had asked Him, that is, concerning the state of marriage; and this is said by Mark in his own person. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Theophylact of Ohrid ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): But He enters the region of Judæa, which the envy of the Jews had often caused Him to leave, because His Passion was to take place there. He did not, however, then go up to Jerusalem, but to the confines of Judæa, that He might do good to the multitudes, who were not evil; for Jerusalem was, from the malice of the Jews, the worker of all the wickedness. Wherefore it goes on: And the people resort unto him again, and, as he was wont, he taught them again.

They come to Him indeed, and do not quit Him, lest the multitudes should believe on Him; and by continually coming to Him, they thought to bring Him into difficulty, and to confuse Him by their questions. For they proposed to Him a question, which had on either side a precipice, so that whether He said that it was lawful for a man to put away his wife, or that it was not lawful, they might accuse Him, and contradict what He said, out of the doctrines of Moses. Christ, therefore, being Very Wisdom, in answering their question, avoids their snares.

But the disciples were offended, as not being fully satisfied with what had been said; for this reason they again question Him, wherefore there follows, And in the house, his disciples asked him again of the same matter. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mark 10:2

Clement of Alexandria: And what is the meaning of the Lord’s words to those who asked concerning divorce whether it is lawful to put away one’s wife as Moses commanded? “Because of the hardness of your hearts,” he says, “Moses wrote this; but have you not read that God said to the first man, You two shall be one flesh? Therefore he who divorces his wife except for fornication makes her an adulteress.” — The Stromata Book 3

Origen of Alexandria: Of those who came to Jesus and interrogated him, some put questions to him simply to trick him. If our glorious Savior was tested in this way, should any of his disciples called to teach be annoyed when questioned by some who probe, not from the desire to know, but from the intent to trip up? — COMMENTARY ON Matthew 14.16

Mark 10:3

Augustine of Hippo ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (de Con. Evan. 2. 62) It makes nothing, however, to the truth of the fact, whether, as Matthew says, they themselves addressed to the Lord the question concerning the bill of divorcement, allowed to them by Moses, on our Lord’s forbidding the separation, and confirming His sentence from the law, or whether it was in answer to a question of His, that they said this concerning the command of Moses, as Mark here says. For His wish was to give them no reason why Moses permitted it, before they themselves had mentioned the fact; since then the wish of the parties speaking, which is what the words ought to express, is in either way shown, there is no discrepancy, though there be a difference in the way of relating it. It may also be meant that, as Mark expresses it, the question put to them by the Lord, What did Moses command? was in answer to those who had previously asked His opinion concerning the putting away of a wife; and when they had replied that Moses permitted them to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away, (Matt. 19:4) His answer was concerning that same law, given by Moses, how God instituted the marriage of a male, and a female, saying those things which Matthew relates; on hearing which they again rejoined what they had replied to Him when He first asked them, namely, Why then did Moses command? — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Bede: “What,” he said, “did Moses command you?” They replied, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.” To which Jesus responded, “It was because of the hardness of your hearts that he wrote you this, etc.” What he says is this: Can God be contrary to himself, commanding one thing at first and then breaking his own decree with a new command? It should not be thought so. But Moses, when he saw that due to the desire for subsequent wives, who might be wealthier, younger, or more beautiful, the first wives were either being killed or leading a miserable life, chose to allow discord rather than for hatred and murders to continue and be perpetrated. At the same time, notice that he did not say, because of the hardness of your hearts, God permitted you, but Moses; that, according to the Apostle, it may be seen as the counsel of a man, not a command of God. — On the Gospel of Mark

Mark 10:5

Augustine of Hippo ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (cont. Faust. xix. 26) Moses, however, was against a man’s dismissing his wife, for he interposed this delay, that a person whose mind was bent on separation, might be deterred by the writing of the bill, and desist; particularly, since, as is related, among the Hebrews, no one was allowed to write Hebrew characters but the scribes. The law therefore wished to send him, whom it ordered to give a bill of divorcement, before he dismissed his wife, to them, who ought to be wise interpreters of the law, and just opponents of quarrel. For a bill could only be written for him by men, who by their good advice might overrule him, since his circumstances and necessity had put him into their hands, and so by treating between him and his wife they might persuade them to love and concord. But if a hatred so great had arisen that it could not be extinguished and corrected, then indeed a bill was to be written, that he might not lightly put away her who was the object of his hate, in such a way as to prevent his being recalled to the love, which he owed her by marriage, through the persuasion of the wise. For this reason it is added, For the hardness of your heart, he wrote this precept; for great was the hardness of heart which could not be melted or bent to the taking back and recalling the love of marriage, even by the interposition of a bill in a way which gave room for the just and wise to dissuade them. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Pseudo-Clement: “Whence it is impossible without His teaching to attain to saving truth, though one seek it for ever where the thing that is sought is not. But it was, and is, in the word of our Jesus. Accordingly, He, knowing the true things of the law, said to the Sadducees, asking on what account Moses permitted to marry seven, ‘Moses gave you commandments according to your hard-heartedness; for from the beginning it was not so: for He who created man at first, made him male and female.’ " — Homily 3

Tertullian: So true, moreover, is it that divorce “was not from the beginning,” that among the Romans it is not till after the six hundredth year from the building of the city that this kind of “hard-heartedness” is set down as having been committed. — On Monogamy

Mark 10:6

Augustine of Hippo ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (cont. Faust. xix. 29) Behold the Jews are convinced out of the books of Moses, that a wife is not to be put away, while they fancied that in putting her away, they were doing the will of Moses. In like manner from this place, from the witness of Christ Himself, we know this, that God made and joined male and female, for denying which the Manichees are condemned, resisting now not the books of Moses, but the Gospel of Christ. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Bede: From the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. This is written in the beginning of Genesis. By saying male and female, He showed that second marriages are to be avoided. For He did not say male and females, as was sought from a prior divorce, but male and female, so that they might be bound in the companionship of one spouse. — On the Gospel of Mark

Tertullian: I will call your attention to the law of monogamy. The very origin of the human race sanctions it. It is abundantly clear that God ordained it at the beginning as a pattern for posterity. For after he had made Adam, and had foreseen the necessity of providing a helpmate for him, he borrowed from his loins one alone. One woman only did he design for man. — EXHORTATION TO CHASTITY 5

Mark 10:7

Bede: For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife. Similarly, He said, Cleave to his wife, not to wives. — On the Gospel of Mark

Mark 10:8

Bede: And the two shall become one flesh. Therefore now they are no longer two, but one flesh. The reward of marriage is that two become one flesh. Chastity joined to the spirit becomes one spirit. — On the Gospel of Mark

Jacob of Serugh: In his mysterious plans the Father had destined a bride for his only Son and presented her to him under the guise of prophetic images. Moses appeared and with deft hand sketched a picture of bridegroom and bride but immediately drew a veil over it. In his book he wrote that a man should leave father and mother so as to be joined to his wife, that the two might in very truth become one. The prophet Moses spoke of man and woman in this way in order to foretell Christ and his church. With a prophet’s penetrating gaze he contemplated Christ becoming one with the church through the mystery of water. He saw Christ even from the virgin’s womb drawing the church to himself, and the church in the water of baptism drawing Christ to herself. Bridegroom and bride were thus wholly united in a mystical manner, which is why Moses wrote that the two should become one.… Wives are not united to their husbands as closely as the church is to the Son of God. What husband but our Lord ever died for his wife, and what bride ever chose a crucified man as her husband? Who ever gave his blood as a gift to his wife except the one who died on the cross and sealed the marriage bond with his wounds? Who was ever seen lying dead at his own wedding banquet with his wife at his side seeking to console herself by embracing him? At what other celebration, at what other feast is the bridegroom’s body distributed to the guests in the form of bread? Death separates wives from their husbands, but in this case it is death that unites the bride to her beloved. — HOMILIES

Origen of Alexandria: For the Word of God is to be considered as being more in one flesh with the soul than a man is one flesh with his wife. But to whom is it more becoming to be also one spirit with God, than to this human soul which has so joined itself to God by love as that it may justly be said to be one spirit with God? — ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 2.6.3

Tertullian: Where are we to find language adequately to express the happiness of that marriage which the church cements, the oblation confirms, the benediction signs and seals, the angels celebrate, and the Father holds as approved? For all around the earth young people do not rightly and lawfully wed without their parents’ consent. What kind of yoke is that of two believers who share one hope, one desire, one discipline, one service? They enjoy kinship in spirit and in flesh. They are mutual servants with no discrepancy of interests. Truly they are “two in one flesh.” Where the flesh is one, the spirit is one as well. Together they pray, together bow down, together perform their fasts, mutually teaching, mutually entreating, mutually upholding. In the church of God they hold an equal place. They stand equally at the banquet of God, equally in crises, equally facing persecutions, and equally in refreshments. Neither hides anything from the other. Neither neglects the other. Neither is troublesome to the other. — TO HIS WIFE 2.8

Mark 10:9

Bede: What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. What God has joined, making one flesh out of man and woman, man cannot separate, except perhaps God alone. Man separates when, due to the desire for a second wife, he dismisses the first. God separates whom He has joined, when by mutual consent, for the service of God, because the time is short, thus we have wives as though we had none. — On the Gospel of Mark

Clement of Alexandria: There are some who say outright that marriage is fornication and teach that it was introduced by the devil. They proudly say that they are imitating the Lord who neither married nor had any possession in this world, boasting that they understand the gospel better than anyone else. The Scripture says to them: “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Further, they do not know the reason why the Lord did not marry. In the first place he had his own bride, the Church; and in the next place he was no ordinary man that he should also be in need of some helpmeet after the flesh. Nor was it necessary for him to beget children since he abides eternally and was born the only Son of God. It is the Lord himself who says: “That which God has joined together, let no man put asunder.” — The Stromata Book 3

Mark 10:10

Bede: And in the house again, His disciples asked Him about the same matter. And He said to them: Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery. In Matthew, it is written more fully: Whoever divorces his wife except for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery (Matthew V). — On the Gospel of Mark

Mark 10:11

Athenagoras of Athens: We hold that a man should either remain as he is born or else marry only once. For a second marriage is a veiled adultery. — A PLEA REGARDING CHRISTIANS 33

Augustine of Hippo: “For a woman is bound, as long as her husband is alive.” As a consequence, therefore, the husband is also bound, as long as his wife is alive. This bond renders any further union impossible without the implication of adultery. Hence, four adulterers are produced of necessity from the two marriages, if the wife remarries and the husband marries an adulteress. However, a more infamous adultery is imputed to the one who remarries after the dismissal of his wife for other than the cause of fornication. Matthew spoke of this type of adultery. Such a one is not the only one who commits adultery, but, as we read in Mark: “Whoever puts away his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if the wife puts away her husband, and marries another, she commits adultery.” — ADULTEROUS MARRIAGES 2.9.8

Augustine of Hippo: God created marriage. As the union is from God, so divorce is from the devil. But one is allowed to divorce a wife in case of fornication for the precise reason that one never originally wished to have a wife who has not preserved conjugal fidelity to her husband. — TRACTATE ON John 9.2.2

Basil of Caesarea: This declaration of the Lord applies equally to man and woman. It prohibits departing from marriage except in the case of fornication. — LETTER 188, TO AMPHILOCHIUS 9

Clement of Alexandria: “Because of the hardness of your hearts,” he says, “Moses wrote this; but have you not read that God said to the first man, You two shall be one flesh? Therefore he who divorces his wife except for fornication makes her an adulteress.” — The Stromata Book 3

Mark 10:12

Bede: Therefore, there is only one carnal cause, fornication: and one spiritual cause, the fear of God, so that a wife may be dismissed, as many are read to have done for the sake of religion. But no cause is prescribed by God’s law, for the one who is left to marry another while she lives. — On the Gospel of Mark

Mark 10:13

Augustine of Hippo: When any people, you see, who are already of an age to make free decisions of will, approach the sacraments of the faithful, they cannot begin the new life unless they repent of the old. It’s only babies that are exempt from this kind of repentance when they are baptized; after all they are not yet capable of making free choices.However, the faith of those who present them for baptism can avail them for sanctification and the remission of original sin; thus whatever defilement of wrongdoing they may have contracted through others, of whom they have been born, they can be purged of it through the interrogation of these others and the replies they give. — SERMON 351.2

Bede ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (ubi sup.) That is, if ye have not innocence and purity of mind like that of children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. Or else, we are ordered to receive the kingdom of God, that is, the doctrine of the Gospel, as a little child, because as a child, when he is taught, does not contradict his teachers, nor put together reasonings and words against them, but receives with faith what they teach, and obeys them with awe, so we also are to receive the word of the Lord with simple obedience, and without any gainsaying. It goes on: And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

(ubi sup.) Having embraced the children, He also blessed them, implying that the lowly in spirit are worthy of His blessing, grace, and love. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Bede: And they brought little children to Him that He might touch them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Not that they did not want them to be blessed by the voice and hand of the Savior, but because, not yet having complete faith, they thought He would be worn out by the importunity of those who brought them. — On the Gospel of Mark

John Chrysostom ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (ubi sup.) But the disciples, out of regard for the dignity of Christ, forbade those who brought them. And this is what is added: And his disciples rebuked those who brought them. But our Saviour, in order to teach His disciples to be modest in their ideas, and to tread under foot worldly pride, takes the children to Him, and assigns to them the kingdom of God: wherefore it goes on: And he said unto them, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not.

(ubi sup.) For indeed the mind of a child is pure from all passions, for which reason, we ought by free choice to do those works, which children have by nature. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Origen of Alexandria ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (Matt. tom. xv. 7) If any of those who profess to hold the office of teaching in the Church should see a person bringing to them some of the foolish of this world, and low born, and weak, who for this reason are called children and infants, let him not forbid the man who offers such an one to the Saviour, as though he were acting without judgment. After this He exhorts those of His disciples who are already grown to full stature to condescend to be useful to children, that they may become to children as children, that they may gain children; for He Himself, when He was in the form of God, humbled Himself, and became a child. On which He adds: For of such is the kingdom of heaven. (1 Cor. 9:22) — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Pseudo-Chrysostom ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) There is no contrariety in Matthew’s relating that He spoke these words to the Pharisees, though Mark says that they were spoken to the disciples; for it is possible that He may have spoken them to both.

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) Fitly does He take them up into His arms to bless them, as it were, lifting into His own bosom, and reconciling Himself to His creation, which in the beginning fell from Him, and was separated from Him. Again, He puts His hands upon the children, to teach us the working of His divine power; and indeed, He puts His hands upon them, as others are wont to do, though His operation is not as that of others, for though He was God, He kept to human ways of acting, as being very man. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Tertullian: But further, if Christ reproves the scribes and Pharisees, sitting in the official chair of Moses, but not doing what they taught, what kind of (supposition). is it that He Himself withal should set upon His own official chair men who were mindful rather to enjoin-(but) not likewise to practise-sanctity of the flesh, which (sanctity) He had in all ways recommended to their teaching and practising?-first by His own example, then by all other arguments; while He tells (them) that “the kingdom of heavens” is “children’s; " while He associates with these (children) others who, after marriage, remained (or became)virgins; " while He calls (them) to (copy) the simplicity of the dove, a bird not merely innocuous, but modest too, and whereof one male knows one female; while He denies the Samaritan woman’s (partner to be) a husband, that He may show that manifold husbandry is adultery; while, in the revelation of His own glory, He prefers, from among so many saints and prophets, to have with him Moses and Elias -the one a monogamist, the other a voluntary celibate (for Elias was nothing else than John, who came “in the power and spirit of Elias” ); while that “man gluttonous and toping,” the “frequenter of luncheons and suppers, in the company of publicans and sinners,” sups once for all at a single marriage, though, of course, many were marrying (around Him); for He willed to attend (marriages) only so often as (He willed) them to be. — On Monogamy

Theophylact of Ohrid ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): The wickedness of the Pharisees in tempting Christ, has been related above, and now is shown the great faith of the multitude, who believed that Christ conferred a blessing on the children whom they brought to Him, by the mere laying on of His hands. Wherefore it is said: And they brought young children to him, that he might touch them.

Wherefore He says not, for of these, but of such is the kingdom of God, that is, of persons who have both in their intention and their work the harmlessness and simplicity which children have by nature. For a child does not hate, does nothing of evil intent, nor though beaten does he quit his mother; and though she clothe him in vile garments, prefers them to kingly apparel; in like manner he, who lives according to the good ways of his mother the Church, honours nothing before her, nay, not pleasure, which is the queen of many; wherefore also the Lord subjoins, Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mark 10:14

Basil of Caesarea: The apostle praised one [Timothy] who had known the holy Scripture from infancy. He also instructed that children be reared “in the discipline and correction of the Lord.” So we consider every time of life, even the very earliest, suitable for receiving persons into the community of faith. — THE LONG RULES 15

Bede: When Jesus saw them, He was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” He said significantly, “to such as these,” not “to these,” to show that it is not age that reigns, but character; and that the reward is promised to those who have similar innocence and simplicity. The Apostle also agrees with this sentiment: “Brothers, do not be children in understanding, but in malice be children, and in understanding be perfect.” — On the Gospel of Mark

Cyprian: For which reason we think that no one is to be hindered from obtaining grace by that law which was already ordained, and that spiritual circumcision ought not to be hindered by carnal circumcision, but that absolutely every man is to be admitted to the grace of Christ, since Peter also in the Acts of the Apostles speaks, and says, “The Lord hath said to me that I should call no man common or unclean.“8 But if anything could hinder men from obtaining grace, their more heinous sins might rather hinder those who are mature and grown up and older. But again, if even to the greatest sinners, and to those who had sinned much against God, when they subsequently believed, remission of sins is granted-and nobody is hindered from baptism and from grace-how much rather ought we to shrink from hindering an infant, who, being lately born, has not sinned, except in that, being born after the flesh according to Adam,9 he has contracted the contagion of the ancient death at its earliest birth, who approaches the more easily on this very account to the reception of the forgiveness of sins-that to him are remitted, not his own sins, but the sins of another. — Epistle LVIII.5

Tertullian: For why is it necessary-if (baptism itself) is not so necessary -that the sponsors likewise should be thrust into danger? Who both themselves, by reason of mortality, may fail to fulfil their promises, and may be disappointed by the development of an evil disposition, in those for whom they stood? The Lord does indeed say, “Forbid them not to come unto me.” Let them “come,” then, while they are growing up; let them “come” while they are learning, while they are learning whither to come; let them become Christians when they have become able to know Christ. — On Baptism

Mark 10:15

Bede: Amen, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. As a child does not persist in anger, does not remember harm done, does not delight in seeing a beautiful woman, does not think one thing and speak another; so you, unless you have such innocence and purity of mind, cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Otherwise, we are commanded to receive the kingdom of God, that is, the teaching of the Gospel, like little children, because as a child does not contradict his teachers in learning, nor constructs arguments and words against them resisting, but faithfully receives what is taught, and with fear obeys and is quiet; so we too in obeying must simply and without any objection act according to the words of the Lord. — On the Gospel of Mark

Mark 10:16

Bede: And embracing them and laying His hands on them, He blessed them. By embracing, He blessed the children to signify that the humble in spirit are worthy of His blessing, grace, and love. — On the Gospel of Mark

Mark 10:17

Bede ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (ubi sup.) A certain man had heard from the Lord that only they who are willing to be like little children are worthy to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and therefore he desires to have explained to him, not in parables, but openly, by the merits of what works a man may attain everlasting life. Wherefore it is said: And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

(ubi sup.) But by this one God, who is good, we must not only understand the Father, but also the Son, who says, I am the good Shepherd; (John 10:11) and also the Holy Ghost, because it is said, The Father which is in heaven will give the good Spirit to them that ask him. (Luke 2:15. Vulg.) For the One and Undivided Trinity itself, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is the Only and One good God. The Lord, therefore, does not deny Himself to be good, but implies that He is God; He does not deny that He is good Master, but He declares that no master is good but God.

(ubi sup.) But observe that the righteousness of the law, when kept in its own time, conferred not only earthly goods, but also eternal life on those who chose it. Wherefore the Lord’s answer to one who enquires concerning everlasting life is, Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill; for this is the childlike blamelessness which is proposed to us, if we would enter the kingdom of heaven. On which there follows, And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. We must not suppose that this man either asked the Lord, with a wish to tempt him, as some have fancied, or lied in his account of his life; but we must believe that he confessed with simplicity how he had lived; which is evident, from what is subjoined, Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him. If however he had been guilty of lying or of dissimulation, by no means would Jesus, after looking on the secrets of his heart, have been said to love him.

(ubi sup.) For God loves those who keep the commandments of the law, though they be inferior; nevertheless, He shows to those who would be perfect the deficiency of the law, for He came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it. Wherefore there follows: And said unto him, One thing thou lackest; go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me; (Matt. 5:17) for whosoever would be perfect ought to sell all that he has, not a part, like Ananias and Sapphira, but the whole.

(ubi sup) For he follows the Lord, who imitates Him, and walks in His footsteps. It goes on: And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved.

But there is a great difference between having riches, and loving them; wherefore also Solomon says not, He that hath silver, but, He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied, with silver. (Eccl. 5:10) Therefore the Lord unfolds the words of His former saying to His astonished disciples, as follows: But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard it is for them that trust in their riches to enter the kingdom of God. Where we must observe that He says not, how impossible, but how hard; for what is impossible cannot in any way come to pass, what is difficult can be compassed, though with labour.

(ubi sup.) How then could either in the Gospel, Matthew and Joseph, or in the Old Testament, very many rich persons, enter into the kingdom of God, unless it be that they learned through the inspiration of God either to count their riches as nothing, or to quit them altogether. Or in a higher sense, it is easier for Christ to suffer for those who love Him, than for the lovers of this world to turn to Christ; for under the name of camel, He wished Himself to be understood, because He bore the burden of our weakness; and by the needle, He understands the prickings, that is, the pains of His Passion. By the eye of a needle, therefore, He means the straits of His Passion, by which He, as it were, deigned to mend the torn garments of our nature. It goes on; And they were astonished above measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? Since the number of poor people is immeasurably the greater, and these might be saved, though the rich perished, they must have understood Him to mean that all who love riches, although they cannot obtain them, are reckoned in the number of the rich. It goes on; And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God; which we must not take to mean, that covetous and proud persons can enter into the kingdom of Heaven with their covetousness and pride, but that it is possible with God that they should be converted from covetousness and pride to charity and lowliness. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Bede: And as He went out onto the road, a certain man ran up, knelt before Him, and asked Him, saying, etc. I believe that this seeker of eternal life had heard from the Lord that only those who wish to be like little children are worthy of entering the kingdom of heaven, and therefore, being careful, he sought to know more surely, not through parables but openly, by what merits of deeds he might obtain eternal life. — On the Gospel of Mark

Clement of Alexandria: Just as the world is composed of opposites, of heat and cold, dry and wet, so also is it made up of givers and receivers. Again when he says, “If you would be perfect, sell your possessions and give to the poor,” he convicts the man who boasts that he has kept all the commandments from his youth up. For he had not fulfilled “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Only then was he taught by the Lord who wished to make him perfect, to give for love’s sake. — The Stromata Book 3

Hilary of Poitiers: The young man became arrogant through the observance of the law. He did not recognize that the consummation of the law is Christ. He assumed he could be justified by works. He was not aware that Jesus had come for the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and that the law could not save except through justifying faith. He questioned the Lord of the law and the only begotten God as if he were an ordinary teacher of precepts that were written down in the law. Hence, the Lord rejected this declaration of a spurious faith, because the question was put to him as if he were merely a teacher of the law. He replied: “Why do you call me good?” In order to make known how much he was to be recognized and acknowledged as good, he declared: “No one is good but God only.” He would not have rejected the attribute of goodness if it had been attributed to him as God. — ON THE TRINITY 9.16

Irenaeus: On this account, also, He sent forth the disciples to the twelve tribes, that they might proclaim to them the unknown God. And to the person who said to Him, “Good Master” — Against Heresies Book I

John Chrysostom ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (Hom. in Matt. 63) Because however he had come to Christ as he would to a man, and to one of the Jewish doctors, Christ answered him as Man. Wherefore it goes on: And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but the One God. In saying which He does not exclude men from goodness, but from a comparison with the goodness of God.

(ubi sup.) Well too did He say, not eternal life, but treasure, saying, And thou shalt have treasure in heaven; for since the question was concerning wealth, and the renouncing of all things, He shows that He returns more things than He has bidden us leave, in proportion as heaven is greater than earth.

(ubi sup.) And the Evangelist adds the cause of his grief, saying, For he had great possessions. The feelings of those who have little and those who have much are not the same, for the increase of acquired wealth lights up a greater flame of covetousness. There follows: And Jesus looked round about, and said unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God.

(ubi sup.) But the Lord said this to His disciples, who were poor and possessed nothing, in order to teach them not to blush at their poverty, and as it were to make an excuse to them, and give them a reason, why He had not allowed them to possess any thing. It goes on: And the disciples were astonished at his words; for it is plain, since they themselves were poor, that they were anxious for the salvation of others.

(ubi sup.) Or else, after saying difficult, He then shows that it is impossible, and that not simply, but with a certain vehemence; and he shows this by an example, saying, It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

(ubi sup.) And the reason why He says that this is the work of God is, that He may show that he who is put into this path by God, has much need of grace; from which it is proved, that great is the reward of those rich men, who are willing to follow the 1discipline of Christ. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Pseudo-Chrysostom ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (Cat. in Marc. Oxon.) It is worthy of enquiry, however, how He loved a man, who, He knew, would not follow Him? But this is so much as to say, that since he was worthy of love in the first instance, because he observed the things of the law from his youth, so in the end, though he did not take upon himself perfection, he did not suffer a lessening of his former love. For although he did not pass the bounds of humanity, nor follow the perfection of Christ, still he was not guilty of any sin, since he kept the law according to the capability of a man, and in this mode of keeping it, Christ loved himq. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Tertullian: That rich man did go his way who had not “received” the precept of dividing his substance to the needy, and was abandoned by the Lord to his own opinion. Nor will “harshness” be on this account imputed to Christ, the Found of the vicious action of each individual free-will. — On Monogamy

Theophylact of Ohrid ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): I wonder at this young man, who when all others come to Christ to be healed of their infirmities, begs of Him the possession of everlasting life, notwithstanding his love of money, the malignant passion which afterwards caused his sorrow.

Therefore the Lord intended by these words to raise the mind of the young man, so that he might know Him to be God. But He also implies another thing by these words, that when you have to converse with a man, you should not flatter him in your conversation, but look back upon God, the root and fount of goodness, and do honour to Him.

And when he has sold it, to give it to the poor, not to stage-players and luxurious persons.

But because there are many poor who are not humble, but are drunkards or have some other vice, for this reason He says, And come, follow me.

He says not here, that riches are bad, but that those are bad who only have them to watch them carefully; for He teaches us not to have them, that is, not to keep or preserve them, but to use them in necessary things.

It may be that by camel, we should understand the animal itself, or else that thick cable, which is used for large vessels.

Or we must understand that by, with man it is impossible, but not with God, He means, that when we listen to God, it becomes possible, but as long as we keep our human notions, it is impossible. There follows, For all things are possible with God; when He says all things, you must understand, that have a being; which sin has not, for it is a thing without being and substance.r. Or else: sin does not come under the notion of strength, but of weakness, therefore sin, like weakness, is impossible with God. But can God cause that not to have been done which has been done? To which we answer, that God is Truth, but to cause that what has been done should not have been done, is falsehood. How then can truth do what is false? He must first therefore quit His own nature, so that they who speak thus really say, Can God cease to be God? which is absurd. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mark 10:18

Augustine of Hippo: God, therefore, is uniquely good, and this he cannot lose. He is good. He is not good by sharing in any other good, because the good by which he is good is himself. But, when a finite human being is good, his goodness derives from God, because he cannot be his own good. All who become good do so through his Spirit. Our nature has been created to attain to him through acts of its own will. If we are to become good, it is important for us to receive and hold what he gives, who is good in himself. — LETTER 153, TO MACEDONIUS

Bede: But Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.” Because he had called the teacher good and had not confessed him as God or the Son of God, he learned that, although a holy man, in comparison to God, no one is good, about whom it is said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good” (Psalms 106). However, the one God who is good is not to be understood as the Father alone, but also the Son who says, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10); and also the Holy Spirit, because the Father will give the good Spirit from heaven to those asking him (Luke 11), that is, the one and indivisible Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the only and one God, who is good. Therefore, the Lord does not deny that he is good, but signifies that he is God; he does not deny that he is a good teacher, but testifies that no teacher is good except God. This is the chastity of youthful innocence, which is set before us to be imitated if we want to enter the kingdom of God. It should indeed be noted that justice, kept to the time of the law, not only conferred the good things of the earth but also eternal life to its practitioners. — On the Gospel of Mark

Ephrem the Syrian: The rich man called Jesus “good,” as if he were offering him a favor, just as some favor others with honorary titles. [The Lord] fled from that by which people favored him, so that he might show that he had received this goodness from the Father through nature and generation, and not [merely] in name. “Only one is good,” [he said], and did not remain silent, but added, “the Father,” so that he might show that the Son is good in just the way that the Father is good. — COMMENTARY ON TATIAN’S DIATESSARON

Gregory of Nazianzus: The words, “None is good” are a reply to the young ruler who was testing him and had borne witness to his goodness as a human being. Consummate goodness, he meant, belongs to God alone, though the word “good” can be derivatively applied to human beings. — ORATION 30, ON THE SON 13

Hilary of Poitiers: He who is by nature God of God must possess the nature of his origin, which God possesses. The indistinguishable unity of a living nature cannot be divided by the birth of a living nature. But the troublers of church unity, under cover of the saving confession of the gospel faith, are subversively trying to take captive the truth by undermining it. By forcing their own interpretations on words spoken with other meanings and intentions, they are robbing the Son of his distinctive unity [with the Father]. — ON THE TRINITY 9.2

Hilary of Poitiers: A complete understanding of the reply must come from the reason that prompted the question, for the answer will be directed to the matter that led to the inquiry.… He voiced his objection to the title of “good master” in such a way as to challenge the faith of the questioner rather than the designation of himself as a master or as good. — ON THE TRINITY 9.2

Hippolytus of Rome: They affirm, then, concerning the substance of the seed which is a cause of all existent things, that it is none of these, but that it produces and forms all things that are made, expressing themselves thus: “I become what I wish, and I am what I am: on account of this I say, that what puts all things in motion is itself unmoved. For what exists remains forming all things, and nought of existing things is made.” He says that this (one) alone is good, and that what is spoken by the Saviour is declared concerning this (one): “Why do you say that am good? One is good, my Father which is in the heavens, who causeth His sun to rise upon the just and unjust, and sendeth rain upon saints and sinners.” But who the saintly ones are on whom He sends the rain, and the sinners on whom the same sends the rain, this likewise we shall afterwards declare with the rest. And this is the great and secret and unknown mystery of the universe, concealed and revealed among the Egyptians. For Osiris, (the Naassene) says, is in temples in front of Isis; and his pudendum stands exposed, looking downwards, and crowned with all its own fruits of things that are made. And (he affirms) that such stands not only in the most hallowed temples chief of idols, but that also, for the information of all, it is as it were a light not set under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, proclaiming its message upon the housetops, in all byways, and all streets, and near the actual dwellings, placed in front as a certain appointed limit and termination of the dwelling, and that this is denominated the good (entity) by all. For they style this good-producing, not knowing what they say. And the Greeks, deriving this mystical (expression) from the Egyptians, preserve it until this day. For we behold, says (the Naassene), statues of Mercury, of such a figure honoured among them. — Hippolytus Refutation of All Heresies Book V

Hippolytus of Rome: Marcion, adopting these sentiments, rejected altogether the generation of our Saviour. He considered it to be absurd that tinder the (category of a) creature fashioned by destructive Discord should have been the Logos that was an auxiliary to Friendship-that is, the Good Deity. (His doctrine,) however, was that, independent of birth, (the Logos) Himself descended from above in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, and that, as being intermediate between the good and bad Deity, He proceeded to give instruction in the synagogues. For if He is a Mediator, He has been, he says, liberated from the entire nature of the Evil Deity. Now, as he affirms, the Demiurge is evil, and his works. For this reason, he affirms, Jesus came down unbegotten, in order that He might be liberated from all (admixture of) evil. And He has, he says, been liberated from the nature of the Good One likewise, in order that He may be a Mediator, as Paul states, and as Himself acknowledges: “Why call ye me good? there is one good,” These, then, are the opinions of Marcion, by means of which he made many his dupes, employing the conclusions of Empedocles. And he transferred the philosophy invented by that (ancient speculator) into his own system of thought, and (out of Empedocles) constructed his (own) impious heresy. But I consider that this has been sufficiently refuted by us, and that I have not omitted any opinion of those who purloin their opinions from the Greeks, and act despitefully towards the disciples of Christ, as if they had become teachers to them of these (tenets). But since it seems that we have sufficiently explained the doctrines of this (heretic), let us see what Carpocrates says. — Hippolytus Refutation of All Heresies Book VII

Jerome: The question is something like a priest who, while inwardly despising his bishop, yet continues to address him openly as “bishop.” Whereupon the bishop answers, “To you I am not the bishop; you may leave my presence.” — HOMILY 53

Origen of Alexandria: There is no other secondary goodness existing in the Son than that which is in the Father. So the Savior himself rightly says in the Gospel that “none is good save one, God the Father.” The purpose of this statement is to make it understood that the Son is not of some other ancillary “goodness,” but of that alone which is in the Father; whose image he is rightly called. For he neither springs from any other source than from original goodness itself (if that were so, there would seem to be a different goodness in the Son from that which is in the Father), nor has the goodness that is in him any dissimilarity or divergence from that of the Father. Accordingly we ought not to imagine that there is some kind of blasphemy in the saying that “none is good save one, God the Father.” These words are not to be taken as a denial that either Christ or the Holy Spirit is good. But, as we said before, the original goodness must be believed to reside in God the Father, and from him both the Son and Holy Spirit undoubtedly draw into themselves the nature of that goodness existing in the font from which the one is born and the other proceeds. If then there are any other things called good in the Scriptures such as an angel, or a man, or a servant, or a treasure, or a good heart, or a good tree, all these are so called by an inexact use of the word, since the goodness contained in them is accidental and not essential. — ON FIRST PRINCIPLES 1.2.13

Origen of Alexandria: The good, then, is the same as the one who incomparably is. Over against good is evil or wickedness. Over against the one who incomparably is, is merely that which is not. So it follows that evil and corruption are, finally, that which becomes nothing. This, perhaps, is what has led some to affirm that the devil is not created by God. In respect that he is the devil he is not the work of God, but he who is the devil is a created being, and as a creature nonetheless remains a work of God, since there is nothing created that is not created by God. Think of it this way: A murderer is not a work of God insofar as he murders, while we may still say that insofar as he is a human being, God made him. — COMMENTARY ON John 2.7

Tertullian: “But,” say they, “God is good, 'and most good, ’ and pitiful-hearted, 'and a pitier, ‘and abundant in pitiful-heartedness, ' which He holds dearer than all sacrifice, ’ not thinking the sinner's death of so much worth as his repentance', a Saviour of all men, most of all of believers. — On Modesty

Mark 10:19

Augustine of Hippo: The rich man asked the good teacher what he should do to gain eternal life. He regarded the good teacher as a man and nothing more (as distinct from the assumption that He is good as God incarnate). Hear the good teacher respond to him: if he wishes to enter into life, he should keep the commandments; that he should remove from himself the bitterness of malice and wickedness; that he should not kill, or commit adultery, or steal, or bear false witness, in order that dry land may appear and bring forth the honor of mother and father and the love of our neighbor. — Confessions 13.19

Mark 10:20

Augustine of Hippo: But the young man went away sad, so anyone can see how far he kept those commandments of the law. I think he spoke with more pride than truth when he answered that he had kept them. — LETTER 157, TO HILARIUS

Bede: And he, answering, said, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth,” etc. This man should not be thought to have tempted the Lord with any vow (as some have thought), nor to have lied about his life when he said that he had kept the commandments of the law, but simply to have confessed how he lived. Because if he were held guilty of lying or hypocrisy, by no means, having looked into the secrets of his heart, would Jesus be said to love him. For the Lord loves those who keep the commands of the law, although lesser; but nonetheless, he shows them what in the law was lesser, to those who wish to be perfect because he did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill. To which indeed pertains what is consequently joined here. — On the Gospel of Mark

Jerome: He who declared that he had observed all the commandments had already yielded to the power of riches from the very outset. — LETTER 118, TO JULIAN

Mark 10:21

Augustine of Hippo: I who write this have greatly loved the total devotion of which the Lord spoke when he once said to the rich young man: “Go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and come, follow me.” I have so loved it that I have indeed acted upon it myself, not by my own strength but by his assisting grace. The apostles were the first to follow in the practice of this complete self-giving. One who gives up both what one owns and what one desires to own, gives up the whole world. — LETTER 157, TO HILARIUS

Bede: Go, sell whatever you have, and give, etc. Whoever wishes to be perfect ought to sell what he has, and not sell part of it like Ananias and Sapphira, but sell everything, and when he has sold it, give everything to the poor, and thus prepare for himself a treasure in the kingdom of heaven. Nor is this sufficient for perfection unless, after despising riches, he follows the Savior, that is, having forsaken evil, he does good. For it is easier to despise a purse than a will. Many, leaving behind riches, do not follow the Lord. However, he follows the Lord who is His imitator and walks in His footsteps. For he who says he believes in Christ ought to walk as He walked. — On the Gospel of Mark

Caesarius of Arles: What that man heard, most beloved, we, too, have heard. The gospel of Christ is in heaven, but it does not cease to speak on earth. Let us not be dead to him, for he thunders. Let us not be deaf, for he shouts. If you are unwilling to commit to full obedience, do what you can. But here is the radical divine requirement: “Sell all that you have, and give to the poor; and come, follow me.” The lesser road of the law says: You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not seek false witness, you shall not steal, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.” — SERMONS 153.1

Hilary of Poitiers: He exercises the duties of goodness when he opens the treasures of heaven and becomes himself a guide to them. He abhors whatever is offered to him merely as a man. Yet he makes it clear that he is no stranger to those qualities attributed to God. While recognizing the one God as good, he himself speaks of and performs those very actions which are characteristic of the incomparable power, goodness and nature of God. — ON THE TRINITY 9.17

Jerome: This is why those who are rich find it hard to enter the kingdom of heaven. For it is a kingdom which desires for its citizens a soul that soars aloft free from all ties and hindrances. “Go your way,” the Lord said, “and sell” not a part of your substance but “all that you have, and give to the poor”;46 not to your friends or kinsfolk or relatives, nor to your wife or to your children.… When once you have put your hand to the plough, you must not look back. When once you stand on the housetop, you must think no more of your clothes within. To escape your Egyptian mistress, you must abandon the cloak that belongs to this world. Even Elijah, in his quick translation to heaven could not take his mantle with him, but left in the world the garments of the world. — LETTER 118, TO JULIAN

Origen of Alexandria ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (in Evan. tom. xv. 14) For in that He loved, or kissed him, He appears to affirm the truth of his profession, in saying that he had fulfilled all those things; for on applying His mind to him, He saw that the man answered with a good conscience. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mark 10:22

Augustine of Hippo: He did not follow. He just wanted a good teacher, but he questioned who the teacher was, and scorned the identity of the One who was teaching. “He went away sad,” bound up in his desires. “He went away sad,” carrying a great burden of possessiveness upon his shoulders. — TRACTATE ON John 34.8

Bede: He who, saddened by the word, went away grieving. For he had many possessions. This is the sadness that leads to death. The cause of the sadness is rendered, because he had many possessions, that is, thorns and thistles arising, which choked the Lord’s seed. — On the Gospel of Mark

Tertullian: The rich man followed his own counsel, having rejected the precept of dividing his resources with the needy. He was abandoned by the Lord to his own opinion. There is no justification for applying the term “harshness” on this account to describe Christ. For each individual free will is able to choose to defile itself. “Behold, I have set before you good and evil.” Choose that which is good. If you cannot because you will not (for he has shown that you can if you will, because he has proposed each to your free will) you ought to depart from him whose will you elect not to do. — ON MONOGAMY 14

Mark 10:23

Augustine of Hippo: Such, O my soul, are the miseries that attend on riches. They are gained with toil and kept with fear. They are enjoyed with danger and lost with grief. It is hard to be saved if we have them; and impossible if we love them; and scarcely can we have them, but we shall love them inordinately. Teach us, O Lord, this difficult lesson: to manage conscientiously the goods we possess, and not covetously desire more than you give to us. — LETTER 203

Bede: And looking around, Jesus said to His disciples: How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom, etc. It is clear indeed that those who strive here to multiply riches neglect to seek the joys of another life: but there is much difference between having and loving riches. Many indeed, having them, do not love; many, not having them, love. Similarly, others both have and love. Others rejoice neither to have nor to love the riches of the world, whose state is safer, because they can say with the Apostle: For to us the world is crucified, and we to the world (Gal. V). Hence Solomon does not say, he who has, but he who loves riches will not enjoy their fruits (Eccl. V). And the Lord Himself, explaining to the disciples who were amazed at the words of this sentence, added saying: — On the Gospel of Mark

CS Lewis: The Christian view is that men were created to be in a certain relationship to God (if we are in that relation to Him, the right relation to one another will follow inevitably). Christ said it was difficult for “the rich” to enter the Kingdom of Heaven,1 referring, no doubt, to “riches” in the ordinary sense. But I think it really covers riches in every sense—good fortune, health, popularity, and all the things one wants to have. All these things tend—just as money tends—to make you feel independent of God, because if you have^them you are happy already and contented in this life. You don’t want to turn away to anything more, and so you try to rest in a shadowy happiness as if it could last forever. But God wants to give you a real and eternal happiness. Consequently He may have to take all these “riches” away from you: if He doesn’t, you will go on relying on them. It sounds cruel, doesn’t it? But I am beginning to find out that what people call the cruel doctrines are really the kindest ones in the long run. I used to think it was a “cruel” doctrine to say that troubles and sorrows were “punishments.” But I find in practice that when you are in trouble, the moment you regard it as a “punishment,” it becomes easier to bear. If you think of this world as a place intended simply for our happiness, you find it quite intolerable: think of it as a place of training and correction and it’s not so bad.

Imagine a set of people all living in the same building. Half of them think it is a hotel, the other half think it is a prison. Those who think it a hotel might regard it as quite intolerable, and those who thought it was a prison might decide that it was really surprisingly comfortable. So that what seems the ugly doctrine is one that comforts and strengthens you in the end. The people who try to hold an optimistic view of this world would become pessimists: the people who hold a pretty stern view of it become optimistic. — ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON CHRISTIANITY, from God in the Dock

Caesarius of Arles: The rich man “went away sad,” as you have heard, and the Lord says: “With what difficulty will they who have riches enter the kingdom of God!” At length the disciples became very sad when they heard this and they said: “If this is so, who then can be saved?” Rich and poor, listen to Christ: I am speaking to God’s people. Most of you are poor, but you too must listen carefully to understand. And you had best listen even more intently if you glory in your poverty. Beware of pride, lest the humble rich surpass you. Beware of wickedness, lest the pious rich confound you. Beware of drunkenness, lest the sober excel you. — SERMONS 153.2

Salvian the Presbyter: Note what kind of riches it is that God loves. Note what wealth does he demand that we should store up for children. Note what possessions he especially orders us to guard: faith, fear of God, modesty, holiness, and discipline. Nothing earthly, nothing base, nothing perishable or transitory. — THE FOUR BOOKS OF TIMOTHY TO THE CHURCH 1.4

Shepherd of Hermas: For as it is disagreeable to walk among thistles with naked feet, so also it is hard for such to enter the kingdom of God. But by all these the repentance of the rich is rendered difficult. — Shepherd of Hermas, Similitude 9

Tertullian: What am I to fasten on as the cause of this madness, except the weakness of faith, ever prone, to the concupiscences of worldly joys?-which, indeed, is chiefly found among the wealthier; for the more any is rich, and inflated with the name of “matron,” the more capacious house does she require for her burdens, as it were a field wherein ambition may run its course. To such the churches look paltry. A rich man is a difficult thing (to find) in the house of God; and if such an one is (found there), difficult (is it to find such) unmarried. — To His Wife Book II

Mark 10:24

Bede: Little children, how difficult it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God. Where it must be noted that he did not say, how impossible, but how difficult it is. For what is impossible cannot be done at all. What is difficult can be done with toil. For it can indeed be done, but with great labor, with the help of God’s grace, that those who have riches, or trust in riches, divesting themselves of the fetters of avarice, may enter the gate of the heavenly kingdom: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,” etc. (Matt. XIX). If it is easier for a camel, with its large and enormous limbs, to penetrate the narrow eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, then no rich man shall enter the kingdom of God. And how is it that in the Gospel, Matthew, Zacchaeus, and Joseph, or in the Old Testament, many rich men entered the kingdom of God? Unless perhaps because they learned, by the inspiration of the Lord, to consider riches as nothing or to forsake them completely from their whole heart. For did David trust in the riches of his kingdom? Who also sings of himself: “For I am poor and needy” (Psalm XXIV); and exhorts others, “If riches increase, do not set your heart on them” (Psalm LXI). I believe he did not dare to say, do not receive them. Is it believable that Abraham preferred his wealth to the Lord, for whom he did not hesitate to strike his only heir? In a higher sense, it is easier for Christ to suffer for the lovers of the world than for the lovers of the world to be converted to Christ. For by the name of the camel, he wanted himself to be understood, who willingly bore the burdens of our humility and infirmity. For in whom is it more clearly understood than in him, what is written: “The greater you are, humble yourself in all things” (Eccli. III)? By the needle he signifies the nails, by the nails the sufferings endured in his passion. Therefore, he says the eye of the needle is the straits of his passion. By which torn, he condescended to mend, that is, to restore as it were, the garments of our nature; so that after the fall, being better reformed, we may rejoice at the testimony of the Apostle saying: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. III). — On the Gospel of Mark

Mark 10:25

Salvian the Presbyter: There is no compelling necessity for you to store up large earthly treasures for your children. You would do better to make your offspring treasures of God than make them richer in worldly goods. — THE FOUR BOOKS OF TIMOTHY TO THE CHURCH 1.4

Mark 10:26

Bede: And they were more astonished, saying to themselves, “And who can be saved?” To which this response refers, although the crowd of the poor, which could have been saved by the ruin of the rich, is incomparably greater, unless they understood that all who love riches, even if they cannot obtain them, are counted among the number of the rich. — On the Gospel of Mark

Mark 10:27

Bede: And Jesus, looking at them, said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” It is not to be understood that the greedy and proud, who were signified by the name of that rich man, will enter the kingdom of heaven with their greed and pride: but it is possible for God, that through His word, as we see both to have been done and to be done daily, that they are converted from the greed for temporal things to the love of eternal things, and from pernicious pride to salutary humility. — On the Gospel of Mark

Clement of Alexandria: But the Lord replies, “Because what is impossible with men is possible with God.” This again is full of great wisdom. For a man by himself working and toiling at freedom from passion achieves nothing. But if he plainly shows himself very desirous and earnest about this, he attains it by the addition of the power of God. For God conspires with willing souls. But if they abandon their eagerness, the spirit which is bestowed by God is also restrained. For to save the unwilling is the part of one exercising compulsion; but to save the willing, that of one showing grace. — Who is the Rich Man that Shall Be Saved?

Theodoret of Cyrus: Orthodox: The Lord God wishes nothing inconsistent with his nature, and is able to do all that he wishes, and what he wishes is appropriate and agreeable to his own nature.… Eranistes: Nothing is impossible to almighty God. Orthodox: Then according to your definition sin is possible to almighty God? Eranistes: By no means. Orthodox: Why? Eranistes: Because he does not wish it. Orthodox: Why does he not wish it? Eranistes: Because sin is foreign to his nature. Orthodox: Then there are many things which he cannot do, for there are many kinds of transgression. Eranistes: Nothing of this kind can be wished or done by God. Orthodox: Nor can those things which are contrary to the divine nature.… But not to be able in any of these respects is proof not of weakness, but of infinite power, and to be able would certainly be proof not of power but of impotence. — DIALOGUE 3

Mark 10:28

Bede ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (ubi sup.) And because it is not sufficient to have left all, he adds that which makes up perfection, and have followed thee. As if he said, We have done what Thou hast commanded. What reward therefore wilt Thou give us? But while Peter asks only concerning the disciples, our Lord makes a general answer; wherefore it goes on: Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands. But in saying this, He does not mean that we should leave our fathers, without helping them, or that we should separate ourselves from our wives; but He instructs us to prefer the glory of God to the things of this world.

Some, however, taking occasion from this saying, in which it is announced that he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, teach that Jewish fable of a thousand years after the resurrection of the just, when all that we have left for the Lord’s sake is to be restored with manifold usury, besides which we are to receive the crown of everlasting life. These persons do not perceive, that although the promise in other respects be honourable, yet in the hundred wives, which the other Evangelists mention, its foulness is made manifest: particularly when the Lord testifies that there shall be no marriage in the resurrection, and asserts that those things which are put away from us for His sake are to be received again in this life with persecutions, which, as they affirm, will not take place in their thousand yearss.

(ubi sup.) This which is here said, shall receive an hundredfold, may be understood in a higher sense1. For the number a hundred which is reckoned by changing from the left to the right hand, although it has the same appearance in the bending of the fingers as the ten had on the left, nevertheless is increased to a much greater quantity. This means, that all who have despised temporal things for the sake of the kingdom of heaven through undoubting faith, taste the joy of the same kingdom in this life which is full of persecutions, and in the expectation of the heavenly country, which is signified by the right hand, have a share in the happiness of all the elect. But because all do not accomplish a virtuous course of life with the same ardour as they began it, it is presently added, But many that are first shall be last, and the last first; for we daily see many persons who, remaining in a lay habit, are eminent for their meritorious life; but others, who from their youth have been ardent in a spiritual profession, at last wither away in the sloth of ease, and with a lazy folly finish in the flesh, what they had begun in the Spirit. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Bede: Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and have followed You.” Great confidence—Peter was a fisherman, he was not rich, he sought food by hand and skill, and yet he speaks confidently, “We have left everything.” And because it is not enough only to leave, he adds what is perfect: “And have followed You.” We have done what You commanded, what then will You give us as a reward? — On the Gospel of Mark

Glossa Ordinaria ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (non occ.) Because the youth, on hearing the advice of our Saviour concerning the casting away of his goods, had gone away sorrowful, the disciples of Christ, who had already fulfilled the foregoing precept, began to question Him concerning their reward, thinking that they had done a great thing, since the young man, who had fulfilled the commandments of the law, had not been able to hear it without sadness. Wherefore Peter questions the Lord for himself and the others, in these words, Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Pseudo-Chrysostom ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (Cat. in Marc. Oxon.) This hundredfold reward therefore must be in participation, not in possession, for the Lord fulfilled this to them not carnally, but spiritually. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Theophylact of Ohrid ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): Although Peter had left but few things, still he calls these his all; for even a few things keep us by the bond of affection, so that he shall be beatified who leaves a few things.

For a wife is busied in a house about her husband’s food and raiment. See also how this is the case with the Apostles; for many women busied themselves about their food and their clothing, and ministered unto them. In like manner the Apostles had many fathers and mothers, that is, persons who loved them; as Peter, for instance, leaving one house, had afterwards the houses of all the disciples. And what is more wonderful, they are to be persecuted and oppressed, for it is with persecutions that the Saints are to possess all things, for which reason there follows, But many that are first shall be last, and the last first. For the Pharisees who were first became the last; but those who left all and followed Christ were last in this world through tribulation and persecutions, but shall be first by the hope which is in God. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mark 10:29

Bede: Jesus responded and said: Amen I say to you: There is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, 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 time, houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and fields, with persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life. Some, using this kind of statement as an occasion, propagate the Jewish fable of a thousand-year reign after the resurrection of the just, during which all that we have given up for God’s sake will be repaid to us a hundredfold, and eternal life will be granted besides. And the foolish do not see that, even if in other matters the promise is worthy, the remuneration of wives a hundred times over, according to other evangelists, would appear scandalous, especially since the Lord Himself testifies that in the resurrection there will be no marrying, and asserts that those things given up for His sake will be received in this present time with persecutions. But those Chiliasists confirm that all those persecutions, like other contrary things, are wholly absent from their millennium. Therefore, this is the sense: Whoever has left carnal things for the Gospel of Christ will receive spiritual goods, which, in their worth and merit, will be as if a hundredfold number were compared to a small number. Because clearly, from the brothers and associates of his purpose, who are bound to him in spiritual glue, he will receive much greater affection even in this life. Read the Acts of the Apostles, where it says that the heart and soul of the multitude of believers were one, and all things were common among them, and there was no needy person among them (Acts 4), who had left their own for the Lord’s sake. Of whom also the Apostle says, “As having nothing, and yet possessing everything” (2 Cor. 6). Certainly, what he says, “He will receive a hundred times as much now in this time, houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and fields with persecutions” (Mark 10), could be understood as a deeper signification. For the number one hundred, transferred from the left to the right, although it seems to hold the same figure in the bending of the fingers which ten had in the left, it greatly surpasses in magnitude. Because indeed, those who despise temporal things for the kingdom of God, even in this life full of persecutions, taste the joy of the same kingdom with certain faith, and in the expectation of the heavenly homeland (which is rightly signified in the right hand), they enjoy the most sincere love of all the elect equally. But because many do not complete the pursuit of virtues with the same intention of piety with which they begin, but either cool down after receiving the love of virtues or completely relapse into the mire of crimes, a terrifying sentence is immediately added. — On the Gospel of Mark

Cyprian: But how can they follow Christ, who are held back by the chain of their wealth? Or how can they seek heaven, and climb to sublime and lofty heights, who are weighed down by earthly desires? They think that they possess, when they are rather possessed; as slaves of their profit, and not lords with respect to their own money, but rather the bond-slaves of their money. These times and these men are indicated by the apostle, when he says, “But they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and in perdition. For the root of all evil is the love of money, which, while some have coveted, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” But with what rewards does the Lord invite us to contempt of worldly wealth? With what compensations does He atone for the small and trifling losses of this present time? “There is no man,” saith He, “that leaves house, or land, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, but he shall receive seven fold even in this time, but in the world to come life everlasting.” If we know these things, and have found them out from the truth of the Lord who promises, not only is not loss of this kind to be feared, but even to be desired; as the Lord Himself again announces and warns us, “Blessed are ye when men shall persecute you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall cast you out, and shall speak of your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake! Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy; for, behold, your reward is great in heaven.” — Treatise III. On the Lapsed.

John Chrysostom ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (Hom. in Matt. 64) But it seems to me that by these words He intended covertly to proclaim that there were to be persecutions, as it would come to pass that many fathers would allure their sons to impiety, and many wives their husbands. Again He delays not to say, for my name’s sake and the Gospel’s, as Mark says, or for the kingdom of God, as Luke says; the name of Christ is the power of the Gospel, and of His kingdom; for the Gospel is received in the name of Jesus Christ, and the kingdom is made known, and comes by His name. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Tertullian: " If you wish to be the Lord’s disciple, it is necessary you “take your cross, and follow the Lord: " your cross; that is, your own straits and tortures, or your body only, which is after the manner of a cross. Parents, wives, children, will have to be left behind, for God’s sake. Do you hesitate about arts, and trades, and about professions likewise, for the sake of children and parents? Even there was it demonstrated to us, that both “dear pledges,” and handicrafts, and trades, are to be quite left behind for the Lord’s sake; while James and John, called by the Lord, do leave quite behind both father and ship; while Matthew is roused up from the toll-booth; while even burying a father was too tardy a business for faith. — On Idolatry

Mark 10:30

John Cassian: For he who for the sake of Christ’s name distances himself from his particular beloved father or mother or child, and gives himself over to the purest love of all who serve Christ, will receive a hundred times the measure of brothers and kinsfolk. Instead of but one he will begin to have so many fathers and brothers bound to him by a still more fervent and admirable affection. That this is so you can prove by your own experience, since you have each left but one father and mother and home, and as you have done so you have gained without any effort or care countless fathers and mothers and brothers, as well as houses and lands and most faithful servants, in any part of the world to which you go, who receive you as their own family, and welcome, and respect, and take care of you with the utmost attention. — CONFERENCES 3.24.26

Mark 10:31

Bede: “But many that are first shall be last, and the last first. For example, see Judas, who turned from an apostle into an apostate, and you will say that many that are first shall be last; see the thief on the cross, who became a confessor, and on the same day he was crucified for his sins, rejoicing in paradise with Christ by the grace of faith, and you will say that the last shall be first. But also every day we see many in lay attire excelling in the great merits of life, and others who, from their earliest age, have been fervent in spiritual zeal, yet at the end become sluggish in idleness, growing weak, and finishing in the flesh what they began in the spirit with lazy foolishness. — On the Gospel of Mark

Clement of Alexandria: “The first shall be last, and the last first.” This is fruitful in meaning and exposition, but does not demand investigation at present; for it refers not only to the wealthy alone, but plainly to all men, who have once surrendered themselves to faith. — Who is the Rich Man that Shall Be Saved?

Mark 10:32

Bede ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (ubi sup.) The disciples remembered the discourse in which the Lord had foretold that He was about to suffer many things from the chief priests and scribes, and therefore in going up to Jerusalem, they were amazed. And this is what is meant, when it is said, And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus went before them.

(ubi sup.) Either lest they themselves should perish with Him, or at all events lest He, whose life and ministry was their joy, should fall under the hand of His enemies. But the Lord, foreseeing that the minds of His disciples would be troubled by His Passion, foretels to them both the pain of His Passion, and the glory of His resurrection; wherefore there follows, And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Bede: And they were on the way going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going ahead of them, and they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. Therefore, the disciples, proceeding with the Lord towards Jerusalem, were amazed and afraid because they remembered his word in which he had predicted that he would suffer much from the chief priests and scribes and would be killed, fearing that they themselves might be killed with him, or at least that he whose life and teaching they rejoiced in, would fall into the hands of his enemies. — On the Gospel of Mark

Bede: And taking the twelve again, he 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 delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and will deliver him to the Gentiles, and they will mock him, and will spit on him, and will scourge him, and will kill him, and after three days he will rise again.’ Our Redeemer, foreseeing that his passion would disturb the spirits of his disciples, foretold to them both the penalty of his passion and the glory of his resurrection well in advance, so that when they saw him dying (as had been foretold), they might not doubt that he would also rise again. Here he most clearly refutes the madness of the pagans, who are accustomed to ridicule his cross, when he shows both the time of his approaching passion as if he were foreseeing future events, and approaches the place of his death as if he were unafraid.” — On the Gospel of Mark

Glossa Ordinaria ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (interlin.) That is, He to whom suffering belongs; for the Godhead cannot suffer. Shall be delivered, that is, by Judas, unto the Chief Priests, and unto the Scribes, and they shall condemn him to death; judging Him to be guilty of death; and shall deliver him to the Gentiles, that is, to Pilate the Gentile; and his soldiers shall mock him, and shall spit upon him, and scourge him, and put him to death. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Gregory the Dialogist: Our Redeemer, foreseeing that the souls of the disciples would be troubled by His passion, foretold to them long beforehand both the suffering of that same passion and the glory of His resurrection, so that when they saw Him dying, as had been predicted, they would not doubt that He would also rise again. But because the disciples, still carnal, were by no means able to grasp the words of the mystery, a miracle is performed. Before their eyes a blind man receives light, so that those who could not grasp the words of the heavenly mystery might be strengthened in faith by heavenly deeds. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 2

John Chrysostom ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc. sed v. Chrys. Hom. 65) And He enumerates each thing that was to happen to Him; lest if He should pass any thing over, they should be troubled afterwards at suddenly seing it; wherefore he adds, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man.

(Hom. in Matt. 65) But that when they were saddened on account of His Passion and death, they should then also look for His resurrection, He adds, And the third day he shall rise again; for since He had not hid from them the sorrows and insults which happened, it was fitting that they should believe Him on other points. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Theophylact of Ohrid ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): To show that He runs to meet His Passion, and that He does not refuse death, for the sake of our salvation; and they were amazed, and as they followed, they were afraid.

He did this to confirm the hearts of the disciples, that from hearing these things beforehand, they might the better bear them afterwards, and might not be alarmed at their suddenness, and also in order to show them that He suffered voluntarily; for he who foreknows a danger, and flies not, though flight is in his power, evidently of his own will gives himself up to suffering. But He takes His disciples apart, because it was fitting that He should reveal the mystery of His Passion to those who were more closely connected with Him. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mark 10:33

Augustine of Hippo: In so speaking the Lord foreshadowed those by whose hand he would die. He does not mean here the death upon the cross as such, but that the Jews would deliver him up to the Gentiles, or, in other words, to the Romans. For Pilate was a Roman, and had been sent by the Romans into Judea as governor. — TRACTATE ON John 94.5

Theophylact of Ohrid: Why does He foretell the things that will happen to Him? To prepare and to calm the minds of the disciples, so that having heard of these things beforehand they would more easily endure them, and not be overwhelmed all at once in their anguish. He also foretold these things so that they would know that He suffered them of His own will. Although He knows these things beforehand, and is able to flee from them, He does not do so, thus making it abundantly clear that He willingly gives Himself over to His sufferings. The Lord takes the disciples aside privately to speak with them alone. For His Passion is a mystery to be revealed only to those closest to Him. And this is why on the road He leads the way before them all, wanting to separate His disciples from the rest of the crowd. But also, by leading the way, He shows that He hastens to His Passion, and does not evade His death which is for our salvation. Although He lists all these sorrowful things that will happen, yet there is one consolation, that He will rise on the third day.

Mark 10:35

Augustine of Hippo ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (de Con. Evan. ii. 64) Matthew has expressed that this was said not by themselves, but by their mother, since she brought their wishes to the Lord; wherefore Mark briefly implies rather that they themselves, than that their mother, had used the words. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Bede ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (ubi sup.) Or else, they know not what they ask, who seek from the Lord a seat of glory, which they do not yet merit.

(ubi sup.) A question is raised, however, how James and John drank the cup of martyrdom, or how they were baptized with the baptism of the Lord, when the Scripture relates, that only James the Apostle was beheaded by Herod whilst John finished his life by a natural death. But if we read ecclesiastical histories, in which it is related, that he also on account of the witness which he bore was cast into a cauldron of burning oil, and was immediately sent away to the island of Patmos, we shall then see that the spirit of martyrdom was in him, and that John drank the cup of confession, which the Three Children also drank in the furnace of fire, though the persecutor did not spill their blood. It goes on: But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

(ubi sup.) Or else, it is not mine to give to you, that is, to proud persons, for such as yet they were. It is prepared for other persons, and be ye other, that is, lowly, and it is prepared for you. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Bede: And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come to him, saying: Master, we desire that whatsoever we shall ask, thou wouldst do it for us. And he said to them: What will you that I should do for you? And they said: Grant to us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. Matthew writes that their mother asked the Lord for this on their behalf; but Mark, wishing to reveal their desire and counsel to the readers, omits the intervening mother, and says rather that they themselves asked, which he knew had been asked at their request through the mother. Finally, the Lord, according to both Evangelists, replied not to the mother but to them: — On the Gospel of Mark

John Chrysostom ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (v. Chrys. ubi sup.) The disciples hearing Christ oftentimes speaking of His kingdom, thought that this kingdom was to be before His death, and therefore now that His death was foretold to them, they came to Him, that they might immediately be made worthy of the honours of the kingdom: wherefore it is said, And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. For ashamed of the human weakness which they felt, they came to Christ, taking Him apart from the disciples; but our Saviour, not from ignorance of what they wanted to ask, but from a wish of making them answer Him, puts this question to them; And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?

(ubi sup.) Or we may fitly say that both took place; for seeing themselves honoured above the rest, they thought that they could easily obtain the foregoing petition; and that they might the more easily succeed in their request, they took their mother with them, that they might pray unto Christ together with her.

(ubi sup.) Or else He says, Ye know not what ye ask; as if He said, Ye speak of honours, but I am discoursing of wrestlings and toil; for this is not a time of rewards, but of blood, of battles, and dangers. Wherefore He adds, Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized withal? He draws them on by way of question, that by communication with Himself, their eagerness might increase.

(ubi sup.) And they answered thus quickly, because they expected that what they had asked would be listened to; it goes on: And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of, and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized; t at is, ye shall be worthy of martyrdom, and suffer even as I.

(ubi sup.) Where two questions are raised, one is, whether a seat on His right hand is prepared for any one; the other, whether the Lord of all has it not in His power to give it to those for whom it is prepared. To the first then we say, that no one sits on His right hand or on His left, for that throne is inaccessible to a creature. How then did He say, To sit on my right hand or on my left is not mine to give you, as though it belonged to some who were to sit there? He however answers the thoughts of those who asked Him, condescending to their meaning; for they did not know that lofty throne and seat, which is on the right hand of the Father, but sought one thing alone, that is, to possess the chief place, and to be set over others. And since they had heard it said of the Apostles, that they were to sit on twelve thrones, they begged for a place higher than all the rest, not knowing what was said. To the second question we must say, that such a gift does not transcend the power of the Son of God, but what is said by Matthew (Matt. 20:23), it is prepared by My Father, is the same as if it were said, “by Me,” wherefore also Mark did not say here, by My Father. What therefore Christ says here is this, Ye shall die, He says, for Me, but this is not enough to enable you to obtain the highest place, for if another person comes possessing besides martyrdom all other virtues, he will possess much more than you; for the chief place is prepared for those, who by works are enabled to become the first. Thus then the Lord instructed them not to trouble themselves vainly and absurdly for high places; at the same time He would not have them made sad. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

John Chrysostom: They were expecting him to enter into [the kingdom], but not to go to the cross and death. Even though they had heard it ten thousand times, they could not clearly understand. Since they had not gotten a clear and certain knowledge of his teachings, they thought that he was going to this visible kingdom and would rule in Jerusalem. So the sons of Zebedee caught up with him on the road. They thought they had found the opportune moment. They put their request to him. They had broken away from the throng of the disciples and, just as if the whole situation had turned out exactly as they wanted, they asked about the privilege of the first seats and about being first among the others. They asked for this because they assumed that everything was finished and the whole business was over and done with. They made their request because they thought that now was the time for crowns and rewards. — ON THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE NATURE OF GOD 8.31

Tertullian: Pray does the emperor in person set forth, or the prefect in person cudgel? One whose ministers do a thing is always said to do it. So “He will baptize you” will have to be understood as standing for, “Through Him,” or” Into Him,” “you will be baptized. — On Baptism

Theophylact of Ohrid ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): Now the abovementioned disciples thought that He was going up to Jerusalem, to reign there, and then to suffer what He had foretold. And with these thoughts, they desired to sit on the right and the left hand; wherefore there follows, They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

It will not be as ye think, that I am to reign as a temporal king in Jerusalem, but all these things, that is, these which belong to My kingdom, are beyond your understanding; for to sit on My right hand is so great a thing that it surpasses the Angelic orders.

But by the cup and baptism, He means the cross; the cup, that is, as being a potion by Him sweetly received, but baptism as the cause of the cleansing of our sins. And they answer Him, without understanding what He had said; wherefore it goes on: And they said unto him, We can; for they thought that He spoke of a visible cup, and of the baptism of which the Jews made use, that is, the washings before their meals. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Theophylact of Ohrid: Another Evangelist says that the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Christ (Mt. 20:20). It is likely that both events took place. The apostles were embarrassed, and had their mother go first, and then they themselves approached Christ in private. This is what the Evangelist means here when he says that they come unto Him, that they approach Him in private, apart from the others. Let us learn what it was they asked. They thought that His going up to Jerusalem meant that He was going to ascend the throne of an earthly kingdom, and that after He had become king He would suffer those things which He said He would suffer. With this understanding, they are asking to sit at His right hand and His left. This is why the Lord rebukes them for asking for something foolish. Ye know not what ye ask, He says. You are thinking that My kingdom is an earthly kingdom, and you are asking for an earthly throne. But it is not so; rather, these things are beyond your understanding. To sit at My right hand is something so great that it goes beyond what even the angelic hosts can do. You are craving honor and glory, but I am calling you to die. By baptism and cup He means the cross. For a cup of wine is something a man gladly accepts, and it quickly puts him to sleep. And baptism is something which is done to cleanse sins. But James and John gave their promise without understanding what He said, thinking that He was speaking of an actual cup of wine, and the washing of the body which the Jews performed before they ate.

Mark 10:37

Augustine of Hippo: Ponder how profound this is. They were conferring with him about glory. He intended to precede loftiness with humility and, only through humility, to ready the way for loftiness itself. For, of course, even those disciples who wanted to sit, the one on his right, the other on his left, were looking to glory. They were on the lookout, but did not see by what way. In order that they might come to their homeland in due order, the Lord called them back to the narrow way. For the homeland is on high and the way to it is lowly. The homeland is life in Christ; the way is dying with Christ. The way is suffering with Christ; the goal is abiding with him eternally. Why do you seek the homeland if you are not seeking the way to it? — TRACTATE ON John 28.5.2

Mark 10:38

Augustine of Hippo: He meant, of course, the cup of humility and suffering. — TRACTATE ON John 28.5.2

Augustine of Hippo ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (ubi sup.) Then the Lord both according to Mark, and to Matthew, answered them rather than their mother. For it goes on, But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Bede: You know not what you ask. Can you drink of the cup that I drink of, or be baptized with the baptism wherewith I am baptized? And they said to him: We can. They know not what they ask, who seek from the Lord the seat of glory which they had not yet deserved. Indeed, the summit of honor was already pleasing to them, but first they had to traverse the path of labor. They desired to reign on high with Christ, but first they had to suffer humbly for Christ. For by the term of the cup or baptism, he designates the passion of martyrdom, through which it became fitting for both him and them to be perfected. Hence, elsewhere, he speaks of his passion: But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened until it be accomplished (Luke 12)? And as he approached his passion, he prayed, saying: Father, if thou wilt, remove this cup from me (Mark 14). — On the Gospel of Mark

Gregory the Dialogist: There follows: “You are my friends.” O how great is the mercy of our Creator! We are not worthy to be servants, and we are called friends. How great is the dignity of men to be friends of God! But you have heard the glory of this dignity; hear also the labor of the struggle: “If you do what I command you.” “You are my friends, if you do what I command you.” As if He were saying openly: You rejoice at the height; consider by what labors one arrives at the height. Surely when the sons of Zebedee, through the intervention of their mother, sought that one should sit at the right hand of God and the other at the left, they heard: “Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They were already seeking the place of exaltation; the Truth calls them back to the way by which they might come to exaltation. As if it were said: The place of exaltation already delights you, but first let the way of labor exercise you. Through the cup one reaches majesty. If your mind desires what pleases, first drink what causes pain. Thus, thus through the bitter cup of affliction one arrives at the joy of salvation. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 27

Hippolytus of Rome: This is, he says, the great and ineffable mystery of the Samothracians, which it is allowable, he says, for us only who are initiated to know. For the Samothracians expressly hand down, in the mysteries that are celebrated among them, that (same) Adam as the primal man. And habitually there stand in the temple of the Samothracians two images of naked men, having both hands stretched aloft towards heaven, and their pudenda erecta, as with the statue of Mercury on Mount Cyllene. And the aforesaid images are figures of the primal man, and of that spiritual one that is born again, in every respect of the same substance with that man. This, he says, is what is spoken by the Saviour: “If ye do not drink my blood, and eat my flesh, ye will not enter into the kingdom of heaven; but even though,” He says, “ye drink of the cup which I drink of, whither I go, ye cannot enter there.” For He says He was aware of what sort of nature each of His disciples was, and that there was a necessity that each of them should attain unto His own peculiar nature. For He says He chose twelve disciples from the twelve tribes, and spoke by them to each tribe. On this account, He says, the preachings of the twelve disciples neither did all hear, nor, if they heard, could they receive. For the things that are not according to nature, are with them contrary to nature. — Hippolytus Refutation of All Heresies Book V

Irenaeus: Moreover, they affirm that the Lord added this redemption to the sons of Zebedee, when their mother asked that they might sit, the one on His right hand, and the other on His left, in His kingdom, saying, “Can ye be baptized with the baptism which I shall be baptized with? " — Against Heresies Book I

John Chrysostom: Do you see? They did not understand what they were asking for when they were talking to him about crowns and rewards and the privilege of the first seats and honors even before the contest had begun. Christ was communicating with them on two levels when he said: “You do not know what you are asking for.” One was that they were talking about an earthly kingdom and he had said nothing about this. There had been no announcement or promise about a visible kingdom on earth. The other was that, when they sought at this time the privilege of the first seats and the honors of heaven, when they wished to be seen as more illustrious and splendid than the others, they were not asking for these things at the right time. The timing was precisely wrong. For this was not the right time for crowns or prizes. It was the time for struggles, contests, toils, sweat, wrestling rings and battles. — ON THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE NATURE OF GOD 8.32-33

John Chrysostom: This he calls a baptism, showing that from it the whole world would receive a great purification. Then they say to him: “We can.” In the fervor of their spirit they promise immediately, not knowing what they said, but looking to obtain that which they were asking.… He foretold great things for them; that is, you shall be held worthy of martyrdom, you shall suffer the things I have suffered, you shall end your life with a death from violence, and in this also you shall be sharers with me. — THE GOSPEL OF ST MATTHEW, HOMILY 65

John Chrysostom: For when we immerse our heads in the water, the old humanity is buried as in a tomb below, and wholly sunk forever. Then as we raise them again, the new humanity rises in its place. As it is easy for us to dip and to lift our heads again, so it is easy for God to bury the old humanity, and to lift up and display the new. And this is done three times, that you may learn that the power of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost fulfills all this. — HOMILIES ON John 25.2

John Chrysostom: Here Christ was calling his crucifixion a cup and his death a baptism. He called his cross a cup because he was coming to it with pleasure. He called his death a baptism because by it he cleansed the world. Not only on this account did he call his death a baptism but also because of the ease with which he would rise again. For just as one who is baptized in water easily rises up because the nature of the water poses no hindrance, so, too, Christ rose with greater ease because he had gone down into death. And this is why he calls his death a baptism. — ON THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE NATURE OF GOD 8.35

Martyrdom Of Polycarp: Or sacrifice, and prepared to be an acceptable burnt-offering unto God, looked up to heaven, and said, “O Lord God Almighty, the Father of thy beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the knowledge of Thee, the God of angels and powers, and of every creature, and of the whole race of the righteous who live before thee, I give Thee thanks that Thou hast counted me, worthy of this day and this hour, that I should have a part in the number of Thy martyrs, in the cup

Polycarp of Smyrna: And he, placing his hands behind him, and being bound like a distinguished ram [taken] out of a great flock for sacrifice, and prepared to be an acceptable burnt-offering unto God, looked up to heaven, and said, “O Lord God Almighty, the Father of thy beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the knowledge of Thee, the God of angels and powers, and of every creature, and of the whole race of the righteous who live before thee, I give Thee thanks that Thou hast counted me, worthy of this day and this hour, that I should have a part in the number of Thy martyrs, in the cup of thy Christ, to the resurrection of eternal life, both of soul and body, through the incorruption [imparted] by the Holy Ghost. Among whom may I be accepted this day before Thee as a fat and acceptable sacrifice, according as Thou, the ever-truthful God, hast fore-ordained, hast revealed beforehand to me, and now hast fulfilled. Wherefore also I praise Thee for all things, I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, along with the everlasting and heavenly Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, with whom, to Thee, and the Holy Ghost, be glory both now and to all coming ages. Amen.” — Martyrdom of Polycarp 14

Mark 10:39

Bede: But Jesus said to them, “You shall indeed drink the cup that I drink of, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you shall be baptized. The question arises, in what manner did the sons of Zebedee, that is, James and John, drink the cup of martyrdom, or how were they baptized with the baptism of the Lord, when Scripture narrates that only the Apostle James was beheaded by Herod; however, John ended his life by natural death. But if we read the ecclesiastical histories, in which it is reported that he too, for martyrdom, was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil, and then emerged as a champion to receive the crown of Christ and was immediately exiled to the island of Patmos, we will see that his spirit did not lack martyrdom, and that John drank the cup of confession, which the three youths drank in the fiery furnace, even though the persecutor did not shed his blood. But he adds: — On the Gospel of Mark

Theophylact of Ohrid: Martyrdom, He is saying, will be yours, and you will die for Truth’s sake. (For bold confession of the Truth James was beheaded in Jerusalem in 45 AD, and John was cruelly tortured in Rome and then exiled to the island of Patmos. Tr.) But to sit at My right hand and at My left is not Mine to give. Two questions may be asked: first, has it been prepared for anyone to sit there? Second, is the Master of all unable to bestow this seat? In answer we say that no one will sit at His right or at His left. Although in many places of Scripture you hear mention of sitting upon a seat in heaven (Mt. 19:28, Lk. 13:29, Eph. 2:6, etc.), understand that this refers to great honor, not a chair. It is not Mine to give has this meaning: it is not for Me, the Just Judge, to bestow this honor as a favor, for that would not be just. Instead, this honor has been prepared for those who have contested and struggled for it. It is as if a just king had set a day for a contest of athletes, and then some of his friends come to him and say, “Give us the crowns.” The king would say, “The crowns are not mine to give; rather, a crown is prepared for that contestant who shall compete and win.” So too with you, 0 sons of Zebedee, you shall be martyrs for My sake; but if there is one who, along with martyrdom, exceeds you in every virtue, he shall precede you in honor.

Mark 10:40

Bede: To sit at my right hand or at my left hand is not mine to give to you, but to those for whom it is prepared, is thus to be understood: The kingdom of heaven is not for the giver, but for the receiver. For there is no respect of persons with God (Romans II), but whoever presents himself worthy of the kingdom of heaven, he will receive what is prepared not for the person, but for the life. If therefore you are such as who will attain the kingdom of heaven, which my Father has prepared for those who triumph and are victorious, you too shall receive it. Likewise, it is not mine to give to you, but to those for whom it is prepared. It is not mine to give to the proud, for this is what you still are. But if you wish to receive it, cease to be what you are. It is prepared for others, and you be those others, and it shall be prepared for you. What does it mean, be others? First humble yourselves, who now wish to be exalted. — On the Gospel of Mark

Mark 10:41

Bede ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (ubi sup.) In which He teaches, that he is the greater, who is the less, and that he becomes the lord, who is servant of all: vain, therefore, was it both for the one party to seek for immoderate things, aud the other to be annoyed at their desiring greater things, since we are to arrive at the height of virtue not by power but by humility. Then He proposes an example, that if they lightly regarded His words, His deeds might make them ashamed, saying, For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

(ubi sup.) He did not say, however, that He gave His life a ransom for all, but for many, that is, for those who would believe on Him. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Bede: And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant about James and John. The ten apostles did not become indignant with the mother of the sons of Zebedee, nor did they attribute the audacity of the request to the woman, but to the sons, who, unaware of their own measure, were inflamed with excessive desire. To whom also the Lord had said: You do not know what you are asking. — On the Gospel of Mark

Theophylact of Ohrid ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): The other Apostles are indignant at seeing James and John seeking for honour; wherefore it is said, And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. For being influenced by human feelings, they were moved with envy; and their first displeasure arose from their seeing that they were not taken up by the Lord; before that time they were not displeased because they saw that they themselves were honoured before other men. At this time the Apostles were thus imperfect, but afterwards they yielded the chief place one to another. Christ however cures them; first indeed by drawing them to Himself in order to comfort them; and this is meant, when it is said, But Jesus called them to him; then by showing them that to usurp honour, and to desire the chief place, belongs to Gentiles. Wherefore there follows: And saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship; and their great ones exercise authority over them. The great ones of the Gentiles thrust themselves into the chief place tyrannically and as lords. It goes on: But so shall it not be among you.

Which is a greater thing than to minister. For what can be greater or more wonderful than that a man should die for him to whom he ministers? Nevertheless, this serving and condescension of humility was His glory, and that of all; for before He was made man, He was known only to the Angels; but now that He has become man and has been crucified, He not only has glory Himself, but also has taken up others to a participation in His glory, and ruled by faith over the whole world. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Theophylact of Ohrid: The disciples are still subject to human weaknesses, and here they are stung with envy. This is why the ten were displeased with the two. When did they begin to be indignant? When they realized they had not been received by the Lord, and thought they had been pushed away. As long as the ten were shown honor by the Lord, it did not bother them that the Lord held these two in special honor. But here when they see these two asking for honor, the others could no longer endure it. Although they act in this imperfect way now, later you will see each one of them conceding the first place of honor to the other. Christ heals them, first calming them by calling them to Himself, and then showing them that to grasp for honors and to desire the chief place is the behavior of Gentiles. For the Gentile princes lord it over others in a tyrannical and domineering manner. But it is not so with My disciples, He says; instead let him who would be great serve all the others, for the mark of a great soul is to endure all things and to serve everyone. The example of this is near at hand: the Son of Man Himself did not come to be served but to serve, and, what is even greater, He came to give His life as a ransom for many. What could be greater and more marvelous than a man who not only serves, but even dies for the sake of the one he serves? Yet the Lords serving and His humble lowering of Himself to be with us has become the exaltation and the glory of Him and all creation. Before He became man, He was known only to the angels; but after His incarnation and crucifixion, His glory is even greater and He reigns over all the earth.

Mark 10:42

Bede: But Jesus, calling them, said to them: You know that those who are considered to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it is not so among you, etc. Humble and meek teacher, he neither reproaches the two asking with excessive greed, nor does he rebuke the remaining ten with indignation and envy, but he sets such an example, by which he teaches that he is greater who is lesser, and that he becomes the master who is the servant of all. Therefore, in vain do those ask immoderately, or do these ones grieve over the desire for greatness, since one comes to the pinnacle of virtues not by power, but by humility. Finally, he proposes his own example, so that if his words were lightly esteemed, they might blush at his deeds. And he says: — On the Gospel of Mark

Mark 10:44

Callistus I of Rome: And in another passage He says: “And whosoever of you is the greater, shall be your servant”

John Chrysostom: He erased the curse, he triumphed over death, he opened paradise. He struck down sin, he opened wide the vaults of the sky, he lifted our first fruits to heaven, he filled the whole world with godliness. He drove out error, he led back the truth, he made our firstfruits mount to the royal throne. He accomplished so many good deeds that neither I nor all humanity together could set them before your minds in words. Before he humbled himself, only the angels knew him. After he humbled himself, all human nature knew him. You see how his humbling of himself did not make him have less but produced countless benefits, countless deeds of virtue, and made his glory shine forth with greater brightness. God wants for nothing and has need of nothing. Yet, when he humbled himself, he produced such great good, increased his household, and extended his kingdom. Why, then, are you afraid that you will become less if you humble yourself? — ON THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE NATURE OF GOD 8.46-47

Mark 10:45

Ambrose of Milan: It is profitable to me to know that for my sake Christ bore my infirmities, submitted to the affections of my body, that for me and for all he was made sin and a curse, that for me and in me was he humbled and made subject, that for me he is the lamb, the vine, the rock, the servant, the Son of a handmaid, knowing not the day of judgment, for my sake ignorant of the day and the hour. — Exposition of the Christian Faith 2.92

Augustine of Hippo: He shared with us our punishment, but not our sin. Death is the punishment of sin. The Lord Jesus Christ came to die; he did not come to sin. By sharing with us the penalty without the sin, he canceled both the penalty and the sin. — SERMONS ON THE LITURGICAL SEASONS, FOR THE EASTER SEASON, SERMON 231.2

Bede: 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. Note what we have often said, that he who serves is called the Son of Man, and to give his life as a ransom for many; when he assumed the form of a servant, to shed his blood for the world. And he did not say, to give his life as a ransom for all, but for many, that is, for those who were willing to believe. — On the Gospel of Mark

Clement of Alexandria: Such is our Instructor, righteously good. “I came not,” He says, “to be ministered unto, but to minister.” Wherefore He is introduced in the Gospel “wearied,” because toiling for us, and promising “to give His life a ransom for many.” — The Instructor Book 1

Gregory of Nazianzus: He is our sanctification, as himself being purity, that the pure may be encompassed by his purity. He is our redemption, because he sets us free who were held captive under sin, giving himself as a ransom for us, the sacrifice to make expiation for the world. He is our resurrection, because he raises up, and brings to life again, those who were slain by sin. — ORATION 30, ON THE SON 20

Mark 10:46

Augustine of Hippo ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (de Con. Evan. ii. 65) It is for this reason that Mark wished to relate his case alone, because his receiving his sight had gained for the miracle a fame, illustrious in proportion to the extent of the knowledge of his affliction. But although Luke relates a miracle done entirely in the same way, nevertheless we must understand that a similar miracle was wrought on another blind man, and a similar method of the same miracle. It goes on: And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy upon me. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Augustine of Hippo: Mark has recorded both the name of Bartimaeus and of his father, a circumstance which scarcely occurs in all the many cases of healing which had been performed by the Lord.… Consequently there can be little doubt that this Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, had fallen from some position of great prosperity, and was now regarded as an object of the most notorious and the most remarkable wretchedness, because, in addition to being blind, he had also to sit begging. — HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS 2.65

Bede ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (ubi sup.) He did not say, however, that He gave His life a ransom for all, but for many, that is, for those who would believe on Him.

(ubi sup.) Matthew says, that there were two blind men sitting by the wayside, who cried to the Lord, and received their sight; but Luke relates that one blind man was enlightened by Him, with a like order of circumstances, as He was going into Jericho; where no one, at least no wise man, will suppose that the Evangelists wrote things contrary to one another, but that one wrote more fully, what another has left out. We must therefore understand that one of them was the more important, which appears from this circumstance, that Mark has related his name and the name of his father.

(ubi sup.) Could He who was able to restore sight be ignorant of what the blind man wanted? His reason then for asking is that prayer may be made to Him; He puts the question, to stir up the blind man’s heart to pray.

For the blind man looks down upon every gift except light, because, whatever a blind man may possess, without light he cannot see what he possesses.

(ubi sup.) In a mystical sense, however, Jericho, which means the moon, points out the waning of our fleeting race. The Lord restored sight to the blind man, when drawing near to Jericho, because coming in the flesh and drawing near to His Passion, He brought many to the faith; for it was not in the first years of His Incarnation, but in the few years before He suffered, that He showed the mystery of the Word to the world.

(ubi sup.) Now in that on approaching Jericho, He restored sight to one man, and on quitting it to two, He intimated, that before His Passion He preached only to one nation, the Jews, but after His resurrection and ascension, through His Apostles He opened the mysteries both of His Divinity and His Humanity to Jews and Gentiles. Mark indeed, in writing that one received his sight, refers to the saving of the Gentiles, that the figure might agree with the salvation of those, whom he instructed in the faith; but Matthew, who wrote his Gospel to the faithful among the Jews, because it was also to reach the knowledge of the Gentiles, fitly says that two received their sight, that He might teach us that the grace of faith belonged to each people. Therefore, as the Lord was departing with His disciples and a great multitude from Jericho, the blind man was sitting, begging by the way-side; that is, when the Lord ascended into heaven, and many of the faithful followed Him, yea when all the elect from the beginning of the world entered together with Him the gate of heaven,u, presently the Gentile people began to have hope of its own illumination; for it now sits begging by the wayside, because it has not entered upon and reached the path of truth.

Again, the people of the Gentiles, having heard of the fame of the name of Christ, sought to be made a partaker of Him, but many spoke against Him, first the Jews, then also the Gentiles, lest the world which was to be enlightened should call upon Christ. The fury of those who attacked Him, however, could not deprive of salvation those who were fore-ordained to life. And He heard the blind man’s cry as He was passing, but stood when He restored his sight, because by His Humanity He pitied him, who by the power of His Divinity has driven away the darkness from our mind; for in that Jesus was born and suffered for our sakes, He as it were passed by, because this action is temporal; but when God is said to stand, it means, that, Himself without change, He sets in order all changeable things. But the Lord calls the blind man, who cries to Him, when He sends the word of faith to the people of the Gentiles by preachers; and they call on the blind man to be of good cheer and to rise, and bid him come to the Lord, when by preaching to the simple, they bid them have hope of salvation, and rise from the sloth of vice, and gird themselves for a life of virtue. Again, he throws away his garment and leaps, who, throwing aside the bands of the world, with unencumbered pace hastens to the Giver of eternal light.

(ubi sup.) Therefore let us also imitate him, let us not seek for riches, earthly goods, or honours from the Lord, but for that Light, which we alone with the Angels can see, the way to which is faith; wherefore also Christ answers to the blind man, Thy faith hath saved thee. But he sees and follows who works what his understanding tells him is good; for he follows Jesus, who understands and executes what is good, who imitates Him, who had no wish to prosper in this world, and bore reproach and derision. And because we have fallen from inward joy, by delight in the things of the body, He shows us what bitter feelings the return thither will cost us. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Bede: And they come to Jericho. And as he was going out of Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, a blind man, was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, etc. Matthew, in this place, says two blind men were sitting by the roadside and crying out to the Lord, who were illuminated. But Luke says that as he approached Jericho, a blind man was illuminated by him in a similar order. No wise person should assert that the Evangelists write contrary to each other, but rather that one writes more fully what the other omits. Indeed, Matthew reports that the Lord illuminated two blind men, while Mark chose to mention one being illuminated, yet does not deny the presence of the other, which should be understood as one of them being particularly notable. This is also sufficiently clear by the fact that Mark mentioned both his name and his father’s name, which rarely happens with those healed by the Lord, and only because Jesus also expressed by name Jairus, the synagogue leader, whose daughter Jesus raised. It shows further by this that the synagogue leader was notable in that place. Undoubtedly, therefore, Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, having fallen from some great fortune, was of very well-known and famous misery, who not only was blind but also sat begging. Hence, Mark wanted to mention only him, as his illumination brought such fame to the miracle as his notable calamity. Therefore, the blind whom the Lord illuminated by calling out to him are people ignorant of the true light (which is Christ), but, given to recognize and confess their blindness and to seek the light of truth. Jericho, which is said to be interpreted as “moon,” signifies the defect of our mutability and mortality. This is clarified especially by that parable in the Gospel where a man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho fell among robbers, and, wounded and stripped by them, was brought back to health through the compassion of the Samaritan, signaling that humankind, falling from the vision of supreme peace into the deadly desire of this world, is brought back through the Savior to the life which it had lost by erring. Therefore, the Lord approaching Jericho restored vision to the blind, because coming in the flesh and approaching passion, he brought many to the faith and confession of divine knowledge. For it was not in the early times of his incarnation, but a few years before he suffered, that is, after he began to be thirty years old, he exhibited to the world the ministry of the word by which it was illuminated. Yet, departing from Jericho, he illuminated the blind because, rising from the dead and ascending to heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles and dispersed them to illuminate all the nations of the world. Moreover, approaching Jericho, he illuminated one, and departing from Jericho, he illuminated two. This typifies that before his passion, he preached to only one people, the Jews, but after his resurrection and ascension, he more openly revealed through the apostles both to Jews and Gentiles the mysteries of his eternal divinity and the humanity he assumed. And Mark writes that he illuminated one, looking specifically to the salvation of the Gentiles, who were utterly deprived of the light of truth. Thus, as notable as was the blindness of their infidelity, so notable became the grace of the Savior illuminating them. And rightly, Mark, who was writing the Gospel among the Gentiles, says one was illuminated, matching the figure of those he was teaching to faith and salvation. Matthew, however, who wrote his Gospel for believers from the Hebrews, which was also to come to the knowledge of the Gentiles, rightly says two were illuminated, to teach that the same grace of faith pertains to both peoples. This is also maintained in the ensuing reading of the donkey on which the Lord deigned to sit. Matthew, who evangelized to the faithful from the Jews, reports both a donkey and its colt brought to the Lord. The other three Evangelists, however, who wrote for the Church gathered from the nations, mention only the donkey brought to the Lord, entirely silent about the mother. They simply figure the faith of the Gentiles; while Matthew also indicates by the order of his narrative that the faithful Gentile people were born from the faithful synagogue. Therefore, as the Lord and his disciples, and a large crowd, were departing from Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging; because with the Lord ascending to heaven, many faithful following, and indeed all the elect from the beginning of the world entering with him into the gate of the heavenly kingdom, immediately the Gentile people, long blind in unbelief, having heard of the coming of the Savior, began to have the hope of their salvation and illumination. It is said appropriately that he was sitting by the way begging. For one begs sitting by the way who, not yet entering the path of truth or knowing it, strives with diligent intention and desire for salvation to reach it, and persistently investigates what true religious worship is. This is especially shown in the story of the centurion Cornelius, who, by frequent prayers, prayed to the God he worshiped to deign to illuminate him. What does it mean to hear in passing, but to restore light while standing, if not that by his humanity he pitied, and by the power of his divinity he dispelled the darkness from us? For he who was born and suffered for us, who rose and ascended into heaven, as it were passed; because this action was temporal. But standing, he illuminated the blind because the eternity of the Word does not pass as that dispensation did, but remains renewing all things. To stand of God is to arrange all things in unchangeable thought. Therefore, he who heard the voice of the petitioner in passing, restored light standing. For although he endured temporal things for us, he nevertheless gave us light from that which does not know the change of mutability. But he who worshiped God, prayed frequently to deign to illuminate him. — On the Gospel of Mark

Gregory the Dialogist: But the miracles of our Lord and Savior are to be received, dearest brothers, in such a way that we both believe them to have truly occurred, and yet understand that through their significance they indicate something to us. For His works both show one thing through their power and speak another through their mystery. For the blind man is the human race, which, expelled from the joys of paradise in its first parent, ignorant of the brightness of the light above, suffers the darkness of its condemnation; but yet is illuminated through the presence of its Redeemer, so that it now sees the joys of the inner light through desire, and sets the steps of good work upon the way of life.

It must be noted that when Jesus is said to draw near to Jericho, the blind man is illuminated. For Jericho is interpreted as “moon,” and the moon in sacred speech stands for the weakness of the flesh, because as it wanes through its monthly phases, it signifies the weakness of our mortality. Therefore, while our Creator draws near to Jericho, the blind man returns to light, because when the divinity took on the weakness of our flesh, the human race received back the light it had lost. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 2

Jerome ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): The name of the city agrees with the approaching Passion of our Lord; for it is said, And they came to Jericho. Jericho means moon or anathema; but the failing of the flesh of Christ is the preparation of the heavenly Jerusalem. It goes on: And as he went out of Jericho with his disciples, and a great number of people, blind Bartimæus, the son of Timæus, sat by the wayside begging. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Pseudo-Chrysostom ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) The blind man calls the Lord, the Son of David, hearing the way in which the passing multitude praised Him, and feeling sure that the expectation of the prophets was fulfilled. There follows: And many charged him that he should hold his peace.t — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Pseudo-Jerome ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): But Jesus, considering his ready will, rewards him with the fulfilment of his desire.

But the blindness in part, brought upon the Jews, will in the end be enlightened when He sends unto them the Prophet Elias. (Rom. 11:25)

The people of the Jews also, because it kept the Scriptures and did not fulfil them, begs and starves by the wayside; but he cries out, Son of David, have mercy upon me, because the Jewish people is enlightened by the merits of the Prophets. Many rebuke him that he may hold his peace, that is, sins and devils restrain the cry of the poor; and he cried the more, because when the battle waxes great, hands are to be lifted up with crying to the Rock of help, that is, Jesus of Nazareth.

Again, the Jewish people comes leaping, stripped of the old man, as a hart leaping on the mountains, that is, laying aside sloth, it meditates on Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles on high, and raises itself to heights of holiness. How consistent also is the order of salvation. First we heard by the Prophets, then we cry aloud by faith, next we are called by Apostles, we rise up by penitence, we are stripped of our old garment by baptism, and of our choice we are questioned. Again, the blind man when asked requires, that he may see the will of the Lord.

Or, this is the way of which He said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. This is the narrow way, which leads to the heights of Jerusalem, and Bethany, to the mount of Olives, which is the mount of light and consolation. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Theophylact of Ohrid ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): The mind of the blind man is grateful, for when he was made whole, he did not leave Jesus, but followed Him.

Further, it says that he followed the Lord in the way, that is, in this life, because after it all are excluded who follow Him not here, by working His commandments. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mark 10:47

Bede: When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me.” Hearing Jesus, the blind man prays for mercy, and many were trying to prevent him from calling out, but he does not desist. For the people of the nations, having recognized the fame of the name of Christ, sought to become His partakers; many opposed, first the Jews, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, then also the Gentiles frequently exerted a sharper and stronger persecution so that the world, destined to receive light and healing from Christ, would not call upon Him. Nevertheless, the insane fury of those attacking could not deprive those who were predestined to eternal life of the salvation arranged for them. — On the Gospel of Mark

Gregory the Dialogist: Therefore whoever recognizes the darkness of his own blindness, whoever understands that the light of eternity is what he lacks, let him cry out from the depths of his heart, let him cry out with the voices of his mind, saying: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 2

Mark 10:48

Gregory the Dialogist: Those who precede Jesus as he comes—what do they signify but the crowds of carnal desires and the tumults of vices, which, before Jesus comes to our heart, scatter our thoughts with their temptations and disturb the voice of the heart in prayer? For often when we wish to turn to the Lord after committing sins, when we strive to pray against those very vices we have committed, the phantoms of the sins we have done rush upon the heart, strike back against the vision of our mind, confuse the soul, and suppress the voice of our entreaty. Those who went before, therefore, were rebuking him to be silent, because before Jesus comes to the heart, the evils we have done, thrust upon our thoughts through their images, disturb us in the very midst of our prayer.

But the one whom the crowd rebukes to be silent cries out more and more, because the more heavily we are pressed by the tumult of carnal thoughts, the more ardently we ought to persist in prayer. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 2

Origen of Alexandria ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (in Matt. tom. xvi. 13) As if he said, Those who were foremost in believing rebuked him when he cried, Thou Son of David, that he might hold his peace, and cease to call Him by a contemptible name, when he ought to say, Son of God, have pity upon me. He however did not cease; wherefore it goes on: But he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy upon me; and the Lord heard his cry; wherefore there follows: And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. But observe, that the blind man, of whom Luke speaks, is inferior to this one; for neither did Jesus call him, nor order him to be called, but He commanded him to be brought to Him, as though unable to come by himself; but this blind man by the command of our Lord is called to Him. Wherefore it goes on: And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise, he calleth thee; but he casting away his garment, comes to Him. It goes on: And he casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. Perchance, the garment of the blind man means the veil of blindness and poverty, with which he was surrounded, which he cast away and came to Jesus; and the Lord questions him, as he is approaching. Wherefore there follows: And Jesus answered and said unto him, What will thou that I should do unto thee. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mark 10:49

Bede: And Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Here stands He who previously was passing by. In this matter, the Lord intimates something from which knowledge of His humanity and divinity can be usefully understood. For He heard the blind man crying out while passing by, but standing, He exhibited the miracle of illumination. And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; rise, He is calling you.” The Lord calls the blind man crying out to Him, when to the people of nations desiring the knowledge of truth, He entrusts the word of faith through holy preachers. Truly, those who call the blind man, tell him to take heart, to rise, and come to the Lord. When preaching the word to the untaught, they tell them to have hope of salvation, to arise from the lethargy of vices, and to equip themselves for the pursuit of virtues by which they may merit illumination. Saying with the prophet: “Approach him and be enlightened” (Psalms 34); and again: “Arise, you who sleep, and rise from the dead, and Christ will illuminate you” (Ephesians 5). And because the early Church from the Gentiles was so fervent with the desire for the promised light in Christ, that many, having forsaken the world’s resources, followed the evangelical life naked, in order to merit to have eternal treasure in heaven, it is rightly added about the blind man being illuminated: — On the Gospel of Mark

Gregory the Dialogist: But when we persist intensely in our prayer, we fix Jesus as He passes by in our mind. Behold, He who was passing by before now stands still, because while we still suffer the crowds of phantasms in prayer, we perceive Jesus as somewhat passing by. But when we persist intensely in prayer, Jesus stands still to restore our sight, because God is fixed in the heart, and the lost light is restored. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 2

Mark 10:50

Bede: Throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to him. Indeed, he throws off his cloak and springs up so that, arriving, he might be illuminated by Christ, who, casting off the fetters of the world, hurries toward the giver of eternal light with an unencumbered mind. — On the Gospel of Mark

Mark 10:51

Bede: And Jesus, responding, said to him: What do you want me to do for you? The blind man said to him: Rabboni, that I may see. Did the one who could restore light not know what the blind man wanted? But he wants this to be requested, which he foresees that we should ask and that he should grant. For he persistently urges us to prayer and says: For your Father knows what you need before you ask him (Matthew 6:8). Therefore, for this reason, he requires that it be asked; for this, he requires that the heart be stirred to prayer. Hence also the blind man immediately adds: Rabboni, that I may see. Behold, the blind man asks light from the Lord, not gold. He considers it of little value to seek anything outside the light, for even if a blind man can possess anything, without light he cannot see what he has. Let us imitate him whom we have heard to be saved both in body and mind. Let us not seek false riches, not earthly gifts, not transient honors from the Lord, but light. Indeed, that light which we can see with the holy angels, which neither a beginning initiates nor an end confines. To that light indeed the way is faith. Hence rightly and by illuminating the blind man, the response is given at once. — On the Gospel of Mark

Gregory the Dialogist: And it should be noted what He says to the blind man as he approaches: “What do you want Me to do for you?” Did He who was able to restore light not know what the blind man wanted? But He wishes to be asked for that which He foreknows both that we will ask and that He will grant. For He urges us persistently to prayer, and yet says: “For your heavenly Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Therefore He requires to be asked for this reason: He requires it in order to arouse the heart to prayer. Behold, the blind man seeks from the Lord not gold, but light. He considers it worthless to seek anything apart from light, because even if a blind man can possess anything whatsoever, without light he cannot see what he has. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 2

John Chrysostom: He will save assuredly; yet he will do so just in the way he has promised. But in what way has he promised? On our willing it, and on our hearing him. For he does not make a promise to blocks of wood. — HOMILY ON 2 THESSALONIANS 3.4

John Chrysostom ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (Hom. in Matt. 66) Or He asks, lest men should think that what He granted the man was not what he wanted. For it was His practice to make the good disposition of those who were to be cured known to all men, and then to apply the remedy, in order to stir up others to emulation, and to show that he who was to be cured was worthy to obtain the grace. It goes on: The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I may receive my sight. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Mark 10:52

Bede: Go, your faith has made you well. And immediately, he said, he saw, and followed him on the way. He sees and follows, who does what he understands to be good. He sees, however, but does not follow, who understands the good indeed, but disregards doing it well. For he follows Jesus the Lord, who imitates. Hence He says: If anyone serves me, let him follow me (John XII). Therefore, let us consider the path He walks, so that we may deserve to follow. Behold, although He is the Lord and creator of angels, about to assume our nature which He created, He came into the womb of a virgin. Nevertheless, He did not wish to be born in this world among the rich, He chose poor parents, and thus the lamb which was to be offered for Him was absent, the mother found young doves and a pair of turtledoves for the sacrifice. He wished to prosper in this world, endured reproaches and mockery, spits, lashes, slaps, a crown of thorns, and the cross. And because we fell from internal joy through the delight of corporeal things, He showed with what bitterness we may return there. — On the Gospel of Mark

Clement of Alexandria: The commandment of the Lord is far-shining, “enlightening the eyes.” Receive Christ, receive sight, receive thy light, “In order that you may know well both God and man.” Praise and declare to me Thy Father God; Thy utterances save; Thy hymn teaches that hitherto I have wandered in error. But since Thou leadest me to the light, O Lord, and I find God through Thee, and receive the Father from Thee, I become “Thy fellow-heir,” since Thou “wert not ashamed of me as Thy brother.” Let us put away, then, let us put away oblivion of the truth, viz., ignorance; and removing the darkness which obstructs, as dimness of sight, let us contemplate the only true God, first raising our voice in this hymn of praise: Hail, O light! For in us, buried in darkness, shut up in the shadow of death, light has shone forth from heaven, purer than the sun, sweeter than life here below. — Exhortation to the Heathen

Gregory the Dialogist: To this light, indeed, faith is the way. Hence rightly it is immediately answered to the blind man as he is enlightened: “Receive your sight, your faith has saved you.” He sees and follows who puts into practice the good that he understands. But he sees and does not follow who indeed understands the good, but disdains to do good works. If therefore, dearest brothers, we now recognize the blindness of our pilgrimage, if by believing in the mystery of our Redeemer we sit by the wayside, if by praying daily we seek light from our Creator, if having been illuminated after our blindness we now see that same light through understanding, let us follow in our works the Jesus whom we perceive in our mind. — Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 2

Origen of Alexandria ((as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)): (ubi sup.) Again, it is more worthy to say Rabboni, or, as it is in other places, Master, than to say Son of David; wherefore He gives him health, not on his saying, Son of David, but when he said Rabboni. Wherefore there follows: And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him in the way. — Catena Aurea by Aquinas

Tertullian: Now, whether they were baptized in any manner whatever, or whether they continued unbathed to the end-so that even that saying of the Lord touching the “one bath” does, under the person of Peter, merely regard us-still, to determine concerning the salvation of the apostles is audacious enough, because on them the prerogative even of first choice, and thereafter of undivided intimacy, might be able to confer the compendious grace of baptism, seeing they (I think) followed Him who was wont to promise salvation to every believer. “Thy faith,” He would say, “hath saved thee; " and, “Thy sins shall be remitted thee,” on thy believing, of course, albeit thou be not yet baptized. — On Baptism